Academic Senate Rejects New Pension Tier

Representatives of UC faculty on all campuses delivered a strongly worded rejection of the proposed 2016 pension tier. Reports from the campuses were extensive and overwhelmingly negative (link to PDF).

Berkeley faculty called the proposal “imprudent and potentially fiscally irresponsible.” Davis faculty said, “It is a myth that UCRP is too generous,” and went on to detail a long list of likely negative outcomes from the new tier. Irvine faculty noted “the level of disappointment and depth of passion expressed from all quarters about the negative impact that the imposition of the PEPRA cap has on the future of the UC.” And UCLA Senate leaders, among other comments, noted that the proposal will likely harm efforts to diversify the faculty:

Once in place, this proposal will create a two-tier caste system with different compensation structures among faculty in the same departments and schools. The proposed plan will be unfair to diverse faculty as women and underrepresented groups are more likely to be hired in the future. Overall, the proposed plan will undermine the continuing efforts of the university to diversify the faculty.

Based on these responses, the Assembly of the Academic Senate unanimously (with one abstention) passed a motion rejecting the new tier. Read the text of the motion on Dan Mitchtell’s FA blog.