Author: admin

health care | miscellaneous

Good News/Bad News
Byadmin August 22, 2012

The good news is that reading this blog every day will keep you informed about UCLA and UC concerns. The bad news, according to our friends down the road in Santa Monica at the Milken Institute, is that it can make you fat:===== Waistlines of the World: The Effect of Information and Communications Technology on Obesity Summary: Information and communications technologies have improved living standards around the world. But the increased amount of time that people devote to using computers, watching TV and playing video games- so-called “screen time” -is a significant factor in the global rise of obesity. In Waistlines of the World:…

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CSU | State Budget | tuition | UC budget crisis

A summer reading suggestion
Byadmin August 21, 2012

Perhaps you would like to read about the impact of the state budget crisis on public higher ed in California. Below are two charts from a recent PPIC study, a link to which is provided at the bottom of this posting. You can find the full report entitled “Defunding Higher Education” at:http://www.ppic.org/content/pubs/report/R_512HJR.pdf

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ballot propositions | governor | politics | State Budget | UC Regents

Is Catch-Up the Strategy on the Tax Initiative?
Byadmin August 21, 2012

The opponents of the governor’s tax initiative are already on the radio advertising. Although the governor’s campaign for his tax initiative is in principle in motion, the media advertising has yet to begin. As readers of this blog will know, the Regents have endorsed the governor’s initiative. When Jerry Brown ran for governor in 2010, he also was slow to get going against Meg Whitman. However, he did win with a concentrated blitz toward the end. Possibly, that is the strategy now. It is unclear how much funding opponents will have for full-fledged media campaign as the November election nears….

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traffic | transportation | UCLA

Another Little 405 Inconvenience for UCLA Nightbirds
Byadmin August 21, 2012

We’re too late to give you the Monday night warning but the action (inaction?) repeats tonight: Full closure of all I-405 northbound lanes (between the Montana Avenue and Moraga Drive), Sunset Boulevard (between Barrington Avenue and Veteran Avenue) and Church Lane (between Sepulveda Boulevard and Kiel Street) on the night of Monday, August 20th / morning of Tuesday, August 21st. All Sunset on/off-ramps (with the exception of the SB I-405 off-ramp) will be closed, as well. Where: I-405 and Sunset Boulevard When: NB freeway will be closed from midnight until 5am on Tuesday morning. Sunset Boulevard, Church Lane and freeway ramps will…

Read More Another Little 405 Inconvenience for UCLA Nightbirds
transportation | UCLA

It’s not quite the Subway to the Sea that is eventually supposed to arrive at UCLA…
Byadmin August 20, 2012

…But starting next week there will be an express bus from UCLA to the new Expo light rail line which currently terminates in Culver City (and is being extended to Santa Monica circa 2015). The Expo line goes to downtown LA and links to other rail services. Details at http://centurycity.patch.com/articles/big-blue-bus-offers-1-rides-to-culver-city-expo

Read More It’s not quite the Subway to the Sea that is eventually supposed to arrive at UCLA…
new hotel-conference center | Stanford | U of Wisconsin | UCLA

Wisconsin’s Way Out of UCLA’s Taxable Hotel Dilemma: But We Really Have to Hurry!
Byadmin August 20, 2012

In an earlier post today citing an online lesson from Stanford, we pointed to UCLA’s hotel tax dilemma. We learned about Unrelated Business Income (UBI) and Unrelated Business Income Tax (UBIT). It appears that much of the proposed use of the UCLA hotel is in fact taxable and yet commercial-type business is forbidden in the UCLA case due to the way the hotel is to be financed. Now some readers might say that our blog just harps on the negative side of the UCLA hotel proposal and never offers anything positive. That isn’t really true since we did offer a…

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community colleges | enrollment | UC-San Diego

Harder to Get In at UC-San Diego?
Byadmin August 19, 2012

Excerpt from North County Times: In a move that narrows the college transfer pathway for students at Palomar, MiraCosta and other community colleges, UC San Diego is winding down an agreement that guarantees transfers to community college students who meet set requirements. The transfer admission guarantee, or “TAG” agreement, allows community college students with grade point averages of 3.5 or better to secure guaranteed admission to UCSD, as long as they meet certain deadlines and coursework requirements. However, citing increased competition among transfers and a funding shortfall, university officials said they will discontinue the agreement in 2014. Community college students can…

Read More Harder to Get In at UC-San Diego?
new hotel-conference center | Stanford | UCLA

Stanford Offers an Online Course on Hotel UBITOMY
Byadmin August 19, 2012

Never heard of UBITOMY? UBI stands for Unrelated Business Income – as defined by the IRS – of normally tax-exempt entities such as universities. But when such entities create enterprises that do business unrelated to the function of the entity, Unrelated Business Income Tax (UBIT) is owed. UCLA’s proposed new hotel comes with a business plan chock full of ways to fill 250 rooms such as visiting parents, etc. The plan assumes such uses are tax-free. And the plan is built on financing that doesn’t allow commercial uses. But if you take Stanford’s course on UBITOMY, you can learn something…

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politics | State Budget | tuition

More on the Corporate Tax/Scholarship Bill Passed in the Assembly
Byadmin August 18, 2012

We earlier posted an entry about a bill that passed in the state assembly which closed a corporate tax loophole and used the funds generated for tuition reduction and UC and CSU. To get the needed 2/3 for a tax vote, two non-Democrats were required. One was a renegade Republican. The other was an Independent (former Republican), Nathan Fletcher of San Diego. Fletcher posted a YouTube video explaining his vote. As also noted earlier, since a 2/3 vote would also be needed to pass this bill, it is unlikely to be enacted. Nonetheless, the explanation by Fletcher is of interest….

Read More More on the Corporate Tax/Scholarship Bill Passed in the Assembly
new hotel-conference center | UCLA

The BID for Westwood and the Hotel Blending
Byadmin August 18, 2012

No, not the kind of bid you see at auctions. BID stands for Business Improvement District. Under state law, businesses (property owners) in particular areas can form a BID and assess themselves for upgrading their neighborhoods. In theory, the upgrading improves the business climate and property values. There are many BIDs in the LA area. Westwood at one time had a BID but it disappeared some years ago in a financial scandal. However, a new one has formed and is reporting progress. Still, if you walk up Westwood Boulevard towards the campus, you see many empty stores for lease. There…

Read More The BID for Westwood and the Hotel Blending

Author: admin

Good News/Bad News

A summer reading suggestion

Is Catch-Up the Strategy on the Tax Initiative?

Another Little 405 Inconvenience for UCLA Nightbirds

It’s not quite the Subway to the Sea that is eventually supposed to arrive at UCLA…

Wisconsin’s Way Out of UCLA’s Taxable Hotel Dilemma: But We Really Have to Hurry!

Harder to Get In at UC-San Diego?

Stanford Offers an Online Course on Hotel UBITOMY

More on the Corporate Tax/Scholarship Bill Passed in the Assembly

The BID for Westwood and the Hotel Blending

UC Faculty Associations

Higher Ed Policy

Labor and Advocacy

UC Faculty Associations

Higher Ed Policy

Labor and Advocacy

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