Q & A With Chancellor Frenk

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n Feb. 12, Dr. Julio Frenk, UCLA’s seventh chancellor, spoke at the UCLA Alumni Town Hall, UCLA Connects: Developing a Collective Vision for UCLA’s Future. Interviewed by Julie Sina, associate vice chancellor of UCLA Alumni Affairs, the Chancellor answered some questions submitted by alumni participants. Due to the high volume of questions submitted, Dr. Frenk will provide his responses through this new series in the coming months.

1. What is your vision for UCLA and how do you see it evolving for the next decade?

A: “I’m hoping to craft a collective vision after going on this listening exercise. It would be pretentious on my part to come in after a month on the job to say 'Here’s what we’re going to do.' I want to listen, synthesize what I'm hearing and then share all I’ve learned in my inaugural address — where I hope to represent the community and not just my viewpoints.

Having said that, I think we have a number of important tasks. I think we need to defend some of our values. There have been a lot of challenges to the fundamental value of universities. We've regrettably fallen into some of the polarization that is characterizing our society. And we need to be able to make the case and earn the trust of the public — to show that we add value to society. We do that through the education we provide, through the research we undertake and through the public service we carry out, especially in healthcare. UCLA Health is the most visible way in which we serve the public. I think it is imperative that we are viewed as trustworthy by the rest of society.

2. What are your plans to support and invest resources into UCLA’s revenue-generating sports so they can succeed at the highest level and benefit the entire University?

A: First of all, I enjoy athletics, and I think athletics is a key component of universities. It's an avenue of access for some of our student-athletes who might otherwise find barriers to accessing higher education. It is really significant for those student-athletes to receive a well-rounded education. It is also a part of the student experience for the non-athletes as it enriches and it creates community. One way UCLA connects is through sports.

We're in the middle of a sea of change in college athletics. I'm a firm believer in the spirit of amateurism that has driven intercollegiate athletics. But you know there are valid issues that are being debated about ways to reward some of our students, especially in the few areas of football and men's and women's basketball, which generate revenue. Let's not forget that in the United States, universities are the place where Olympic athletes train, and therefore, we also need to approach athletics with a sense that part of the revenue we generate is invested back and helps us to have a comprehensive offering of all kinds of athletic disciplines, and be compliant with Title IX, to which I am absolutely committed. In that context, there's been a lot of reorganization, and of course, the movement of UCLA among other universities to the Big Ten is very important. I think it was a good move. I know it was controversial, but in the end I think it places UCLA in a stronger position to navigate this moment of transition.

We should keep our focus again on our values. This is why I'm also very excited that UCLA will host the Olympic Village in 2028. It is an incredible opportunity. Of course, the centerpiece is the games, but there's also a set of values which are totally consistent with the values of a university. It's a universal movement. It's very inclusive. It celebrates diversity. It's based on the principles of fair competition. So it is a moment to place the University in a global spotlight.

3. How is UCLA incorporating AI and other emerging technology into its undergraduate offerings to prepare our students for the future?

A: Education innovation has been one of my passions since I started this part of my career in higher education in the United States. Education was one of the few fields of endeavor that did not experience a technological revolution during the 20th century, compared to medical care, for example, or transportation. Today that revolution is happening as we speak, and that's been driven by advances in the learning sciences. We now have simulation technologies. For example, in the health professions, it has revolutionized the training of professionals, because when you have a simulator, like we do with airplane pilots, we train them so that they can learn from their mistakes without hurting anyone. That's what we're doing now with doctors and nurses and other health professionals.

AI has turbocharged this technological revolution. My position is we need to embrace it, not fear it, but do it in a smart way. We need to have a discussion about the social and ethical implications and make sure we mobilize that technology with a clear ethical framework and put up some guardrails, just like with any other technology.

I think we do two things, one is apply it to our own work. The potential in healthcare is huge, making teaching more efficient, making research more efficient and better focused.

While we apply it to ourselves, we also need to do our own research that advances the frontiers of AI. Then we need to educate the future workforce, not just of experts in AI, but the future workforce in any field. We cannot imagine today training an engineer or a physician or a lawyer or an accountant without the tools of AI, because increasingly, AI will be a tool that will enrich our lives if we apply it again, like every technology.

I'm very glad we have just appointed a new chief Artificial Intelligence Officer within our IT structure. We are determined to make AI a big part of the next stage as a driver of educational innovation. I think it's an opportunity to expand our reach, to touch the lives of many people who didn't have the chance to come to college and meet them where they are in the labor force. That includes alumni. We don't want you to feel that once you're done with your degree, that's it. We want you to see UCLA as your educational home for life.

4. In your time as UCLA chancellor, what are the biggest surprises you’ve encountered and what opportunities excite you the most about UCLA’s future?

A: It wasn't a surprise, because I knew this was a great university, but I was surprised by the extent to which this is a great university. I have really felt like I've been in a treasure hunt. Every dean is really at the top of their game. Every school has an incredible wealth of offerings. I've met with students. I've met with our faculty. I've met with the staff. All are incredibly devoted and loyal to the institution. Although I knew that this was already a wonderful university, a great brand in higher education in the U.S. and across the globe, I was blown away by the extent of that excellence and that commitment to the institution.

I've come to realize that for a young university, it's amazing how much UCLA has accomplished, but it also means that there is also incredible potential.

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