Nothing but Accolades for Mr. UCLA

Philanthropists, alumni, faculty, mayors, coaches--they all had something wonderful to say about Chancellor Charles E. Young, retiring June 30 after 29 years at the helm of UCLA.

But, of the 1,200 crammed into the Beverly Hilton International Ballroom on Wednesday evening for the “UCLA and Los Angeles: Celebrating a Legacy of Leadership” dinner tribute, Sue Young summed up her husband’s legacy the most succinctly: “In 29 years Chuck Young is UCLA--that’s his legacy--he’s leaving himself.”

What’s he going to do in retirement? “Lots,” she said. “There’s g-o-l-f, and UCLA is starting a $1-billion-plus capital campaign. He’ll be involved.”

The accolades would have made a lobster blush. Some of them:

L.A. Mayor Richard Riordan: “His legacy is a world-class university. Chuck has the simplest of taste--he does everything the best.”

Claremont Graduate School Chairman John Maguire: “His abiding legacy will be his insistence that the university be entirely inclusive.”

Dan Garcia: “When he came to UCLA, it was a $170-million operation. Today it’s $2 billion annually. He’s built a university for the future.”

Zev Yaroslavsky: “He deflected the drop in state support by building a private fund-raising system.”

Former UCLA student Carol Burnett introduced a video, saying, “He’s a lovely man.” Among the video speakers were Roy Aaron, Lew Wasserman, John Wooden, Barry Munits, Yvonne Brathwaite Burke, Andrea Rich, Jim Collins, Joel Wachs, Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-Redlands) and Nobel Prize-winning chemist Donald Cram.

Said Aaron: “He’s taken courageous stands. He is a champion of academic freedom.”

Former UCLA basketball coach Terry Donohue recalled Young screaming at the referee, resulting in the team getting a 15-point penalty, and losing the game, “but I didn’t get fired.”

San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown said Young’s legacy would be “the performance of the people he assisted in getting an education.” Alumni president Peter Taylor and others noted that UCLA has presented about 285,000 degrees and that three-fourths of living alumni have a diploma signed by Young.

Stage tributes came from Alma Fitch, Judge Ernest M. Hiroshige, Warren W. Valdry, Christine Flores, Robert L. Grace Jr., Patricia Kinaga, Michael C. Ning.

When the Youngs took the stage to say thank you, Young admitted, “I am as close to speechless as I can be.

“I’m pleased we could raise $500,000 tonight for the Tom Bradley [applause] Library Foundation and the Rita and Stanley Dashew International Student Center . . . and student scholarships.”

Young added, “In addition to Sue, I have another great love--that is UCLA--and that is a love that has been requited. We have received as much affection as we have been able to give. I just hope the regents in their wisdom [pause and audience laughter] will bring to UCLA someone who can do a better job than I.”

The Buddy Collette Band, Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano, the Kenny Burrell Jazz Ensemble, the International Soundscape Project and the UCLA Gospel Choir all entertained.

The consensus was that Sue Young was a real trouper. Her breast cancer of eight years ago returned last year. She’s recently had 4 1/2 months of chemotherapy with her final treatment three weeks ago. “I’ve always kept a positive outlook,” she said.”

Said the chancellor: “It would not have been possible without Sue Young.” Applause.