Bruin Alumni Association

The Bruin Alumni Association is a private, conservative organization for alumni of the University of California, Los Angeles. It was founded in 2005 by Andrew Jones, a UCLA graduate who had previously chaired the campus Bruin Republicans organization and founded the conservative student publication The UCLA Criterion. Jones graduated from UCLA in 2003 with a Bachelor of Arts in political science and a minor in public policy. The association is distinct from the official UCLA Alumni Association and has no formal affiliation with the University of California system. It presents itself as an alumni-led organization concerned with what it describes as political bias and ideological activism at UCLA. Its stated focus has included criticism of alleged liberal or radical influence among faculty and administrators, as well as opposition to positions associated with diversity initiatives, affirmative action, anti-war activism, and some forms of campus political organizing. The organization became widely known through its Exposing UCLA's Radical Professors initiative, promoted through the UCLAProfs.com website. The project initially offered students payments for reporting on faculty members whom the association considered to be engaging in ideological advocacy in class. The proposed payments included compensation for recordings, lecture notes, and other course materials. The initiative was controversial because university officials and critics argued that recording or distributing classroom material without instructor permission could violate university policies, student conduct rules, and intellectual-property rights. The campaign’s initial list, called the “Dirty 30,” identified professors whom the association associated with left-wing or liberal causes. Although the organization said its concern applied to professors of any political orientation, the initial list was criticized for focusing on faculty perceived as politically progressive. UCLA Chancellor Albert Carnesale publicly condemned the effort, and university representatives warned that students could breach institutional rules by participating. Andrew Jones ended the payment program on January 22, 2006, saying that the incentive scheme had distracted attention from the association’s broader criticism of classroom indoctrination. The controversy also led to disputes over the group’s advisory council. Former Congressman Jim Rogan asked that his name be removed, stating that he had not authorized its listing and had had only limited contact with the organization. Other reported advisory-council members also resigned in response to the recording initiative. The association’s public prominence was concentrated in the mid-2000s controversy surrounding UCLAProfs.com. The referenced account states that no additional professor profiles were added beyond the original “Dirty 30” list. Publicly documented information about the organization’s later activities, leadership, finances, and present operating status is limited. The organization has been described as a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported largely through private donations, with Jones running much of its work himself.

The Bruin Alumni Association emerged in 2005 as an independent conservative alumni organization focused on the University of California, Los Angeles. Its founder, Andrew Jones, had been active in conservative campus politics while a UCLA student. He chaired Bruin Republicans and established The UCLA Criterion, a conservative student publication. Jones graduated in 2003 with a political science degree and a minor in public policy. The organization was created outside the official UCLA alumni structure. Despite its name and its use of UCLA’s Bruin identity, it was not affiliated with the University of California or the official UCLA Alumni Association. It operated as a private nonprofit organization supported by donations, with Jones reportedly managing much of its work himself. Its stated purpose was to challenge what it regarded as excessive liberal influence in UCLA teaching, administration, and campus politics. The association’s most significant activity was its Exposing UCLA's Radical Professors project, associated with UCLAProfs.com. The project solicited reports about faculty members who, in the association’s view, promoted extreme political positions in class, including views concerning President George W. Bush, the Iraq War, the Republican Party, diversity, affirmative action, and related issues. The initial “Dirty 30” list focused on professors identified with liberal or left-wing causes. Critics argued that this focus conflicted with the group’s broader claim that it opposed ideological advocacy regardless of political direction. At its most controversial stage, the project offered students financial incentives to gather information. The reported payment schedule included $100 for classroom recordings, $50 for notes and related materials, and $10 for advisory information and professor-distributed materials. The proposal prompted objections from faculty advocates and university administrators, who raised concerns about privacy, intellectual property, unauthorized distribution, and possible violations of UCLA policy and student conduct rules. UCLA Chancellor Albert Carnesale denounced the campaign, and university spokesman Phil Hampton said the institution intended to warn Jones about faculty copyrights and the potential policy implications of the project. The controversy also affected the association’s claimed advisory network. The organization said it had an advisory council of more than 20 conservative activists and scholars, including several UCLA professors and, at one point, state senator Bill Morrow. Former Congressman Jim Rogan publicly rejected the implication that he had authorized his inclusion, explaining that his involvement had consisted of only one conversation. At least two additional advisers reportedly resigned in response to the effort to have students record professors. Jones ended the payment component on January 22, 2006. He characterized the payments as a distraction from what he considered the central issue: alleged classroom indoctrination by UCLA professors. The episode nevertheless became the association’s defining public event. The available account states that, despite extensive media attention in early 2006, UCLAProfs.com did not expand its professor profiles beyond the original “Dirty 30.” Later public information about the group’s operations, finances, leadership succession, and current status is limited.

• 2006

  UCLAProfs.com initiative publicized

  [1]Bruin Alumni Associationen.wikipedia.org

  The association promotes its Exposing UCLA's Radical Professors campaign and publishes the initial “Dirty 30” list of faculty members it considers politically radical.

• 2006

  Payment program withdrawn

  [1]Bruin Alumni Associationen.wikipedia.org

  The organization ends its offer to pay students for classroom recordings and related materials on January 22.

• 2005

  Association founded

  [1]Bruin Alumni Associationen.wikipedia.org

  Andrew Jones establishes the Bruin Alumni Association as an independent conservative alumni organization.

• 2003

  Andrew Jones graduates from UCLA

  [1]Bruin Alumni Associationen.wikipedia.org

  Andrew Jones completes a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science with a minor in public policy.

A conservative, independent alumni advocacy organization positioning itself as a watchdog of alleged ideological bias and political activism at UCLA.

• Political advocacy campaign · 2006

  Exposing UCLA's Radical Professors

  The association’s best-known advocacy initiative, promoted through UCLAProfs.com, sought reports about UCLA faculty whom the organization believed were advancing ideological positions in class. Its initial “Dirty 30” list concentrated on professors associated with liberal or left-wing causes. The campaign briefly offered payments for recordings, notes, and other course materials before the payment scheme was discontinued in January 2006.

• Campaign website · 2006

  UCLAProfs.com

  A website used by the Bruin Alumni Association to present allegations concerning political bias and ideological advocacy among UCLA professors. The referenced history identifies an initial set of 30 faculty profiles and states that no additional profiles were added despite the attention generated by the campaign.

• 2006Exposing UCLA's Radical Professors

  United States · UCLA campus

  The organization solicited student reports about professors it considered to be engaging in politically extreme classroom advocacy. The campaign initially included a payment schedule for recordings, notes, and other course materials.

  Outcome. The payment offer was withdrawn on January 22, 2006 after university criticism and widespread attention. The referenced account says the website retained only its original “Dirty 30” profiles.

  Source

• 2006

  Withdrawal of student-informant paymentsStrategy

  Background

  The association’s proposal to pay students for classroom recordings and related materials drew criticism from UCLA administrators and concerns about university rules, copyright, and student conduct.

  Action taken

  Andrew Jones discontinued the payment program on January 22, 2006.

  Aftermath

  Jones said the payment scheme had diverted attention from the association’s broader allegations about classroom indoctrination. The initiative remained the organization’s most prominent public controversy.

  Source

1. 1Bruin Alumni Associationen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Bruin Alumni Association official websitebruinalumni.com