Faculty Coalition at Work in Sacramento
As the budget battle grinds on in the state capital, the Council of University of California Faculty Associations (CUCFA) has been advocating on behalf of system faculty. In February, CUCFA weighed in on a proposal to alter UC governance. In a letter to legislators from Joe Kiskis (UC Davis), CUCFA noted
While some actions of the Regents and the UC administration generate criticism with which we concur, we do not believe that the UC governance structure itself is fundamentally flawed. The University’s long term goals of access, affordability, and excellence are well served by an independent, diverse Board of Regents that can represent the perspectives of the citizens of California, promote the beneficial, enduring values of the creation and dissemination of knowledge, and moderate the interaction of a public university with the political process.
The letter advocated a more open process for choosing Regents, the letter noted that a university under legislative control would be overly subject to short-term political pressures that would undermine the university’s mission.
On March 5th, about 150 faculty, staff, and students from across the system participated in a Reclaim California’s Higher Education lobby day at the capital. They visited more than 40 legislators and staff and held a rally outside the capital building.
A calendar of upcoming actions, meetings, and events is available on the Keep California’ Promise website.