Month: March 2011

governor | politics | State Budget

Field Poll suggests voter support for tax extensions
Byuclafaculty March 16, 2011

The California Field Poll suggests voter support for the governor’s proposed tax extensions. The table above summarizes the results when the question is asked generally. When it is asked more explicitly (see below, naming the taxes), there is somewhat less support (58%) but still a majority. “The governor is proposing to extend for five more years the one-cent increase in the state sales tax, the ½ percent increase in vehicle license fees and the ¼ percent increase in personal income taxes that the state enacted in 2009. Some of the money would be transferred to local governments for schools, public…

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CalPERS | uc retirement

CalPERS sticks to assumed rate of return above UC’s
Byuclafaculty March 16, 2011

A prior post noted that CalPERS might lower its assumed rate of return on investment to 7.5%, the same as UCRP. What CalPERS might have done would have had no direct effect on UC, but it would have deprived us of being the more conservative. Now that won’t happen, according to the press release below:CalPERS Discount Rate Unchanged Press Release March 15, 2011 External Affairs BranchPatricia K. Macht, DirectorBrad Pacheco, Chief, Office of Public AffairsContact: Edward Fong, Information Officer CalPERS Discount Rate Unchanged Assumed Investment Return Rate to Stay at 7.75 Percent SACRAMENTO, CA – A key committee of the…

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miscellaneous | UCLA

Background on Anti-Asian Video Posted by UCLA Student
Byuclafaculty March 15, 2011

Most blog readers will be aware of this incident from the chancellor’s recent email. Here are some excerpts from the Daily Bruin: UCLA student’s YouTube video ‘Asians in the Library’ prompts death threats; violent responses criticized as equally damaging Kate Parkinson-MorganMarch 14, 2011, Daily Bruin, online version A UCLA student has received multiple death threats in response to her video “Asians in the Library,” which was posted Friday. In the video, third-year political science student Alexandra Wallace makes a number of disparaging comments about Asian students… The video quickly went viral and, despite being removed by Wallace on Sunday, has…

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miscellaneous | UC

Report: All UC Students in Japan Have Been Found
Byuclafaculty March 15, 2011

All UC students studying in Japan are found safe Sacramento Bee, Mar. 15, 2011, Laurel Rosenhall University of California officials have located all 80 UC students studying abroad in Japan and confirmed they are safe… UC also has 32 researchers and other employees working in Japan, and has been in touch with most of them… Full story at http://www.sacbee.com/2011/03/15/3475810/all-uc-students-studying-in-japan.html

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governor | pension | pensions | politics | State Budget | UC Regents | uc retirement

Pension train may roll through UC’s pension changes. Does anyone at UCOP even know where that train is?
Byuclafaculty March 14, 2011

As noted in earlier posts, the pension train is rolling in Sacramento and could easily override the changes in UCRP made by the Regents last December. Is anyone from UCOP articulating a UC position? The kind of caps being discussed are too low for UC faculty. See below for the latest: Pension focus shifts: hybrid, caps and the big one (excerpt) Ed Mendel, calpensions.com As Gov. Brown seeks crucial budget votes, one reform proposed by five Republican senators would switch new hires to “hybrid” pensions, a cost-cutting combination of lower pensions and 401(k)-style individual investment plans. The governor, who also…

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faculty center | UCLA

Consultant’s Report on the UCLA Hotel/Conference Center Now on the Web: More Questions Need to Be Answered
Byuclafaculty March 13, 2011

Prof. Dora Costa of the UCLA Economics Dept. sent the message below to faculty who signed the petition expressing concern about the proposed hotel/conference center. It is reproduced below. She notes that a redacted version of the report by the consultant hired by those who propose the project is now available at the Senate website and she expresses various concerns. You can find that report at http://www.senate.ucla.edu/documents/UCLACONFCENTERSTUDYDRAFT-RedactedbyPKF03102011.pdfYours truly would add the following three points to those made by Prof. Costa. 1) Because the report has just become available as a public document, you can be sure that neighboring commercial hotels…

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miscellaneous | UC

UC Students in Japan
Byuclafaculty March 12, 2011

UC awaits word from 80 students in Japan3/11/11 Sacramento Bee, Laurel Rosenhall University of California officials are working to locate 80 students and 32 employees who are studying or working abroad in Japan, where a large earthquake and tsunami struck yesterday causing significant damage to the north part of the country. UC students are studying in seven different locations around Japan, said university spokeswoman Lynn Tierney. UC contracts with private companies to track students and employees while they are abroad. The university is awaiting word from campus officials and the private companies to find out how UC’s students are doing….

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pension | pensions | uc retirement

Will the State Budget Deal Cut the Heart Out of UC’s Recent Pension Changes? Are We Too Chicken to Make a Case With the Governor?
Byuclafaculty March 12, 2011

Perhaps you know of the old radio show in which a chicken heart grew until it took over everything and covered the world. As previous posts on this blog have noted, although the true deadline for getting the governor’s proposed tax extensions on the June ballot is somewhat flexible, we are coming close to the point where it becomes administratively impossible. The governor and the Democrats have evidently concluded that proposed strategies for doing the deal without a 2/3 vote for the ballot measure are impractical. So bargaining is going on with a few Republicans on the price for their…

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faculty center | UCLA

Just one more thing: The eleventh question to add to the other ten
Byuclafaculty March 11, 2011

The item below containing 10 questions on the Faculty Center issue was circulated by UCLA communications. Here is an 11th question: Can it be said that in the midst of a major budget crisis, UCLA’s top priority is to build a hotel/conference center whose downside financial risk in one way or another will be assumed by the campus? 10 Questions: Scott Waugh on the residential conference center and faculty club project UCLA is planning a residential conference center featuring 33,000 square feet of meeting and conference space and 282 hotel rooms. Project plans also include a new faculty club with…

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transportation | UCLA | UCLA bus fares

The Empire Strikes Back (at BruinGO)
Byuclafaculty March 11, 2011

Below is an article from the online edition of the Daily Bruin regarding the BruinGO program, a system of subsidized public transit for UCLA students and employees. Note that the announcement reported by the Bruin is being made at the end of classes and just before exam week when students are not paying attention. There is no paper edition of the Daily Bruin at this time of year. The UCLA transportation powers-that-be have never been happy with BruinGO, precisely because it displaces the parking empire. Prof. Donald Shoup of Urban Planning has been a leader, both in the creation of…

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Month: March 2011

Field Poll suggests voter support for tax extensions

CalPERS sticks to assumed rate of return above UC’s

Background on Anti-Asian Video Posted by UCLA Student

Report: All UC Students in Japan Have Been Found

Pension train may roll through UC’s pension changes. Does anyone at UCOP even know where that train is?

Consultant’s Report on the UCLA Hotel/Conference Center Now on the Web: More Questions Need to Be Answered

UC Students in Japan

Will the State Budget Deal Cut the Heart Out of UC’s Recent Pension Changes? Are We Too Chicken to Make a Case With the Governor?

Just one more thing: The eleventh question to add to the other ten

The Empire Strikes Back (at BruinGO)

UC Faculty Associations

Higher Ed Policy

Labor and Advocacy

UC Faculty Associations

Higher Ed Policy

Labor and Advocacy

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