University of California, Los Angeles

UCLA was established in 1919 closer to central Los Angeles but relocated to a bigger area in Westwood. When UCLA opened its new campus in 1929, it had four main buildings. Today, the campus includes 163 buildings across 419 acres in the western part of Los Angeles, north of the Westwood shopping district and just south of Sunset Boulevard. The campus is close but not adjacent to the San Diego Freeway.

The campus includes sculpture gardens, fountains, museums, and a mix of architectural styles. It is located in the residential area of Westwood and bordered by Bel-Air, Beverly Hills, and Brentwood. The campus is informally divided into North Campus and South Campus, which are both on the Eastern half of the university's land. North Campus is the original campus core, with its buildings being more old-fashioned in appearance and clad in imported Italian brick. North Campus is home to the arts, humanities, social sciences, law, and business programs and is centered around oak tree-lined Dickson Court. South Campus is home to the physical sciences, life sciences, engineering, psychology, mathematical sciences, all health-related fields, and the UCLA Medical Center.

The statue of the UCLA Bruin, on Bruin Walk at the center of the campus, was a gift from the Alumni Association in 1984. Bruin Walk, a heavily traveled pathway from housing to the main campus, bisects the campus.

With a location near Hollywood and a world-famous film and television school, the UCLA campus has attracted filming for decades. Much of the 1985 film Gotcha! was shot at UCLA, as well as John Singleton's Higher Learning (1995). Legally Blonde, Erin Brockovich, and American Pie 2 all were mainly shot at the university campus or locale. In response to the major demand for filming, UCLA instated a policy on filming and professional photography at the campus.

The Psi chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi was established in 1929 upon the opening of the new campus. The Epsilon Kappa chapter of Tau beta Sigma was established on June 2nd, 1973, only a year after women were allowed to be in the UCLA marching band.

As chapters we primarily serve the Solid Gold Sound of the Bruin Marching Band. We provide water during band camp and at football games, prepare props for shows, such as the Trojan Horse for our “Downfall of Troy” show, we assemble the “tower” for practices and try to keep the uniforms in good condition. We also serve concert bands and orchestras on campus by repairing music stands, helping to fundraise for new instruments and providing free receptions. We promote concert performances and also occasionally treat students in practice rooms with snacks.

EK and Psi get along very well and work with each other frequently. Our joint meetings occur several times a quarter and are productive as well as fun. Some of our events include: Christmas caroling at children’s hospitals, a bi-annual joint spring break trip, providing many post-degree activities and ceremonies, writing a pamphlet about band for the band at every game, hosting a ball for the entire band, and many other social and service projects. At the last National Convention Psi won the Chapter Distance Award and Epsilon Kappa won the Grace and A. Frank Martin Chapter Leadership Award. We like to get PsiEKed!

Chapter mascots

The Psi chapter mascot is Geoffrey T. Goat. He is our beloved goat who is guarded by all members of the chapter at some time or another. The EK chapter mascot is Fra-Fra Cow. Both mascots have a wide assortment of clothing representing where they have been. Fra-Fra and Geoffrey are married and are very happy together. Both chapters have stolen each other’s mascot many times and chapters further away in our district have managed to do so as well.