Year: 2014

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    Anti-Pension Group Opens the Door to ID Fraud

    Byuclafaculty

    That’s a harsh headline.  But it applies to any group that publishes info on the web – because it is technically legal  to obtain and publish it  – that identifies incomes of individuals.  And the same harsh headline applies to govt. salary data, not just pensions.  It applies whether there is a political objective, as in the pension case, or just a way to get eyeballs to a commercial website.  While there may be a case for such disclosures for top executives and elected officials, wholesale publication deserves harsh headlines.  For details on the latest such development, see: http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/04/6125543/government-reform-group-launches.html And,…

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    $10 Million

    Byuclafaculty

    Faithful blog readers will recall that last November we reported on the case of Judge Cunningham, an LA Superior Court judge and former head of the LA Police Commission, who made the mistake of DWB (driving while black) in Westwood – not on campus – and had an encounter with the UCLA police because his seat belt was unfastened. We suggested some quick abject apologies from the chancellor at the time before the lawyers got hold of this matter.  Like many of our suggestions, however, it was… well, you know, not given much weight. Anyway: An African-American family law judge…

  • Follow Up: Harvard B-School Says It is Improving Itself

    Byuclafaculty

    Some loyal blog readers may recall our earlier posts (back in September) on attempts to reform a reported frat house climate of the Harvard Business School.  We carried this quote from the NY Times: (M)any Wall Street-hardened women confided that Harvard was worse than any trading floor, with first-year students divided into sections that took all their classes together and often developed the overheated dynamics of reality shows. Some male students, many with finance backgrounds, commandeered classroom discussions and hazed female students and younger faculty members, and openly ruminated on whom they would “kill, sleep with or marry” (in cruder terms). Alcohol-soaked…

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    ‘Tis a Pit

    Byuclafaculty

    As can be seen above, in the “cloud” on Google Earth the old parking structure #6 and the bus turnaround still are smack dab in the center of the UCLA campus.  But in fact the great pit for the Grand Hotel is underway, as seen in the recent photos below: Unfortunately, if we want to be “on the level” about the great pit, it is difficult to see due to the wall around it.  Apparently, someone has decided that its vast size is something of a secret.  But there is a little hole in the wall to peep through: Of…

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    Charge!

    Byuclafaculty

    Up to now in the UCLA parking facility where the photo above was taken, yours truly has seen only campus “golf cart” type electric vehicles used by service staff plugged in.  Now that hybrid electric and all-electric vehicles are being sold for regular street use, scenes like the one above will become more common.  (The car shown is a Honda model.)  However, most parking spots do not have nearby electrical outlets.  Presumably, UCLA is ok with such charging where a nearby outlet exists.  But will there be more of them installed?

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    Pension Initiative Seems to Be Out of Gas (for Now)

    Byuclafaculty

    Earlier posts noted a pension initiative drive – fronted by San Jose Mayor Chris Reed – that would have swept in UC.  For now, the effort seems to have stalled.  The proponents have decided to litigate the title and summary by the attorney general of the initiative.  Effectively, that will take enough time so that they will not be able to gather the signatures needed to get the initiative on the November 2014 ballot.  The decision to litigate may just be a polite way to bow out for now.  See:http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/30/6116016/public-pension-measure-likely.html Of course, if your car stalls for whatever reason, you…

  • Is there Twitter after retirement?

    Byuclafaculty

    Of course, the Big Question is usually is there life after death?  But we can’t answer that one here.  The lesser question – Is there Twitter after retirement? – can be answered, at least in the case of former UC prez Mark Yudof.  YES!  Not surprisingly, Yudof stopped tweeting around the time he left the UC presidency.  But then, in late December, came another tweet.  It’s actually a link to a Harvard Business Review piece, and says: “Once you know your greater purpose, there are lots of roads that will take you there.” http://s.hbr.org/18NiGul [See https://twitter.com/mark_yudof] I always thought the…

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    Listen to the Regents Meeting of Jan. 23, 2014

    Byuclafaculty

    We continue indefinitely archiving the Regents meetings since – as numerous prior posts have complained – the Regents view an “archive” as lasting only one year.  Below is a link to the meeting (open sessions only) of Jan. 23, 2014.  We have previously posted the morning session of Jan. 22.  The afternoon session of that date – which runs well over 4 hours –  will eventually also be done.  But it takes over 4 hours to do it so yours truly will get to it when he can. At the Jan. 23 meeting, there were public comments involving (among other…

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    Are some administrators shivering?

    Byuclafaculty

    No, not because of the cold weather in other parts of the country.  Rather, because of the headline regarding Northwestern University’s football program in today’s Inside Higher Ed:  Athletes Move to Unionize The Internet – or at least, the piece of the Internet where people pay moderate attention to college sports – blew up Tuesday afternoon with the news that some number of Northwestern University football players are seeking to unionize.  The apparently unprecedented step is a potential watershed moment for athletes in commercial sports programs like those at Northwestern, who were lauded by outspoken critics and sports columnists who…