UCLA creates gmail accounts for all students (if they don't already have one) so using Google products is standard. A lot of people are hating on him for using Google stuff, but not all of these decisions are up to him, he has to get them approved and Google is (unfortunately) pretty standard here
That's unfortunate, interesting though.
I signed up with our University account (albeit managed by Google).
I signed up with a .ac.uk not managed by Google. (MS Exchange.)