BASS was founded in 2005 by undergraduate Roy Natian and grad students Derek Skolnik, and Jody Wheeler. Noticing there were no secularists/skeptics groups on campus, the group decided to form what was at first known as the ASSS – Association of Secular and Skeptical Students. However, this name did not stick and when the idea for a fish shaped logo with the acronym BASS came up they could not pass it up.

During BASS’s first year not much was done. We had three meetings, two of which were held at our now traditional meeting restaurant, California Pizza Kitchen in Westwood. A rudimentary site was constructed and the first BASS logo was created.

The “evolution” of the BASS logo. Notice the improved appendages.

Over the years BASS grew slowly but surely, with each year being better than the next. In 2006 BASS had its first speaker, Dan Barker of the Freedom From Religion Foundation give a talk on the historicity of Jesus. Dan has come to speak at UCLA every year since. In 2007, BASS co-hosted a debate between Sam Harris and Chris Hedges on Religion, Politics, and the End of the World with the political site Truthdig. We’ve had a few more speakers since then and other events. More importantly, the group’s membership has grown and changed through time. Members are more active and interested in BASS. We’ve had members table regularly now during the 2008-09 school year. This has been a great way to introduce BASS to the UCLA community. During the Spring 09 quarter BASS held an informal event on campus: The Pop Rocks and Coke Challenge! It was very well received by the UCLA community.

BASS continues to grow and thrive and in the coming quarters and years will surely contribute more to the UCLA community and the freethought community at large.