Author: admin

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    Maybe the Regents Need to Consult With This Former Regent

    Byadmin

    Former speaker of the state assembly (and thus former Regent) and former mayor of San Francisco Willie Brown writes a weekly column for the San Francisco Chronicle.  The column is never on a single issue but jumps around from topic to topic.  Today’s column has a paragraph related to a grand construction project at UC-Berkeley: Cal’s newly redone Memorial Stadium makes no sense to me. Why spend all those millions fixing up a stadium that is in one of the least-accessible spots in the Bay Area? Don’t get me wrong – the stadium is beautiful. But now, Cal is trying…

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    Traffic Advisory

    Byadmin

    There are warnings of 405 closures this weekend in the UCLA area on the Westwood-Century City Patch (excerpts): As drivers are warned of I-405 closures starting Saturday in preparation for Carmageddon II, they are also learning the full Sepulveda Pass Improvements Project is running about four to six months behind schedule. At a community meeting Thursday night in the Skirball Cultural Center, project manager Michael Barbour said crews have encountered delays in getting the Mulholland Bridge ready for the full freeway closure Sept. 29 to Sept. 30. But in preparation for the second phase of the Mulholland Bridge demolition and reconstruction,…

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    Something for the Suggestion Box

    Byadmin

    The Chancellor’s email sent yesterday discussed various options for UCLA funding in view of the limited outlook for state support. One of them was philanthropy: Enhanced philanthropyUCLA raised $402 million in private support this past year, and we have averaged $420 million per year for the past five years. This record of success routinely places UCLA among the top 10 universities in fundraising—public or private. In fact, we are the number one fundraiser in the country among public universities. Our success says much about the passion of our donors, the vision and quality of our faculty and academic leaders, and…

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    Veiled Reference?

    Byadmin

    This blog has reported on the blocking of the Anderson School’s proposal for self-sufficiency funding of its regular MBA program.  We noted that UCLA released a statement – but no one can say where or who was responsible – indicating it would seek to move ahead despite a negative finding by the systemwide Academic Senate. Many readers of this blog will have received an email yesterday from Chancellor Block detailing a variety of budgetary strategies for UCLA including taking more out-of-state students who pay full freight, fundraising, etc.  Included in that message was the following statement which could be taken…

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    Food for Thought on Retirement at UC

    Byadmin

    Inside Higher Ed today unveiled a survey of human resource executives in higher education.  The full survey can be downloaded from that source and the link is at the bottom of this post.  But start with the observation that much of higher ed operates with defined contribution pension plans such as TIAA-CREF.  Thus, there is no particular incentive for older faculty to retire built into the pension. As can be seen below, higher ed HR execs thus worry that older faculty are not retiring, making it difficult to recruit new faculty.  UC, with its defined benefit system, does have a…

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    Explanations Needed

    Byadmin

    Yours truly has updated two posts that appeared yesterday on this blog and both need more explanation and information. First, there is the prosecution of a UCLA professor in connection with a lab fire.  An article at the UCLA newsroom said the judge was entering a plea of not guilty for the faculty member over the objections of his lawyer.  That seems odd since the position of not guilty has always been the stance.  But no explanation for the oddity is to be found in the article.  Perhaps a reader can add some enlightenment. Second, there is the rejection of the…

  • Not Guilty Plea in UCLA Lab Fire Case

    Byadmin

    A UCLA chemistry professor has pleaded not guilty in a December 2008 laboratory fire that killed a staff research assistant. Patrick Harran was ordered to return to Los Angeles Superior Court Oct. 9 for a preliminary hearing. Source: http://centurycity.patch.com/articles/ucla-professor-pleads-not-guilty-in-laboratory-death-case Earlier posts on this story have indicated that UCLA is defending Prof. Harran and that the local DA seems to be overreaching on two UCLA matters. http://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2012/07/has-worm-turned-in-ucla-lab-fire-trial.htmlhttp://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2012/04/too-much-old-radio.html http://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2012/03/da-overreaching.html UPDATE: UCLA’s media release indicates the plea was entered over the objections of Prof. Harran’s lawyer, but no explanation is given: Judge enters not guilty plea on behalf of UCLA professor By UCLA Newsroom September 05,…

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    Service With a Smile? UC is Encouraged; CSU is Mandated

    Byadmin

    It may seem self-evident, but it’s nevertheless a matter of state law that teaching is an “essential responsibility,” along with research, for members of the University of California’s faculty and “a primary responsibility” for those in the California State University system…  But if Gov. Jerry Brown signs a bill that whipped through both houses of the Legislature in the final, hectic hours of the 2012 session, that will change – radically, perhaps. A third element would be required in the hiring and promotion of faculty members. It’s called “service.” The specifics of Assembly Bill 2132 appear to give great weight…

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    No one wants to talk

    Byadmin

    More and more news items are appearing about the roadblock at the systemwide Academic Senate to the Anderson School’s MBA self-sufficiency funding plan. The LA Times has now picked up the story:…Allison Holmes, an Anderson school spokeswoman and assistant dean, said Tuesday that the school was looking at the implications of the committee ruling and that it was too soon for a response. Steve Montiel, a UC system spokesman, said (UC President Mark) Yudof also needed time to study the committee’s decision and to consult with other UC officials before deciding what to do.Full article at http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0905-ucla-mba-20120905,0,1578391.story Inside Higher Ed did…