Author: admin

online education | UCLA

Steve Poizner and UCLA Extension in Joint Online Venture
Byadmin July 6, 2012

Many blog readers will remember Steve Poizner, the former California insurance commissioner who ran for the Republican nomination for governor unsuccessfully in 2010. The Wall St. Journal reports that he has a joint venture now with UCLA Extension to provide online education: A Silicon Valley entrepreneur and the University of California are combining ready-made software, rented Web services and Apple Inc.’s iPad tablet computer in a high-tech effort to bring career training to baby boomers looking to upgrade their skills. Empowered Careers last week began enrolling students in 10 certificate programs to be taught by instructors at the UCLA Extension, the…

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governor | pension | pensions | politics | UC Regents | ucrp

Sacramento Pension Politics Could Open Door to UC Exemption
Byadmin July 6, 2012

Governor Brown has a 12-point pension plan for all public pensions in California that would override UC’s own pension solution. The legislative leaders have a different view on pensions than the governor but they also have shown no sign of being willing to exempt UC so far. However, while the governor and the legislature tussle over the pension issue, voters have imposed pension changes in local elections, notably in San Diego and San Jose. The governor has indicated that public sector unions should agree to his plan or they will get worse from local voters. It appears that Senate leader…

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ballot propositions | politics | State Budget | UC budget crisis

Poll Shows Narrow (Maybe Too Narrow) Support for Governor’s Tax Initiative
Byadmin July 6, 2012

Above is an excerpt from a Field Poll released today that indicates 54% support for the governor’s tax initiative. The Munger initiative (a different tax increase for schools) and the Steyer tax initiative (close corporate loophole) are losing. Although 54% is sufficient to pass an initiative, the campaign pro and con has yet to begin. Folk wisdom is that a controversial initiative should start with at least 60% support since some support will erode as the anti-initiative campaign develops. So 54% at this time may not be enough in November. If the initiative doesn’t pass, there will be trigger cuts…

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athletics | politics | Stanford | UC Berkeley | UCLA | USC

UCLA Drops Opposition to Athletes’ Bill of Rights After Amendments
Byadmin July 6, 2012

After amendment, UCLA has dropped its opposition to a bill pending in the legislature containing a “bill of rights” for student athletes. UC-Berkeley and USC have also dropped opposition. Stanford is still opposed. …Sen. Alex Padilla, of Los Angeles, agreed to amend Senate Bill 1525 amid opposition from Stanford, UC-Berkeley, UCLA and the University of Southern California. This bill now requires the four schools to continue scholarships for injured athletes and athletes who have exhausted their athletic eligibility, but have not finished their degree. The schools would also have to pay for health insurance for low-income individuals and tell a student athlete within seven days whether…

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miscellaneous | UCLA

UCLA History: College for a Day
Byadmin July 5, 2012

A “college-student-for-a-day” event at UCLA in 1964. High schoolers visited the campus to see what it was like to be a college student.

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Faculty Association at UCLA

Please Stand By – If You Are Looking for the UCLA Faculty Association Website
Byadmin July 4, 2012

If you have tried recently to get on to the website maintained by the Faculty Association at UCLA – www.uclafaculty.org, you will have gotten some kind of error message. The problem will be corrected but it may take a few days. The prior hosting entity of the website is now defunct and a new one will be found. In the meantime:[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vbg7YoXiKn0&w=320&h=195]

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ballot propositions | politics | State Budget

Prop 13 Challenge by Former Chancellor UCLA Charles Young
Byadmin July 4, 2012

Most readers of this blog will know that Proposition 13, an initiative sponsored by Howard Jarvis (shown in the picture on the cover of Time) and Paul Gann, drastically cut local property taxes in 1978. However, another feature of Prop 13 was adding a requirement that taxes could not be raised without a 2/3 vote of the legislature. The 2/3 tax provision of Prop 13 was added to the Depression-era requirement for a 2/3 vote for the budget itself. Voters in 2010 removed the 2/3 for budgets but not the 2/3 for taxes. Indeed, they strengthened the 2/3 for…

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UC | UC Berkeley

Camera Shy But Responsible and Effective
Byadmin July 3, 2012

The University of California has settled a lawsuit filed by a photojournalist who was arrested as he covered a 2009 UC Berkeley protest. UC paid independent journalist David Morse and his attorneys $162,500 last week, Morse’s lawyers said Monday, and agreed to train police its officers better on how to deal with journalists. Morse was arrested and his camera was confiscated as he covered a Dec. 11, 2009, march to the campus home of UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert Birgeneau. Police detained Morse after some demonstrators vandalized the house… Although UC agreed to train its officers, the university admitted no wrongdoing, UC…

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governor | politics | State Budget | tuition | UC budget crisis

A Happy Fella
Byadmin July 3, 2012

In a June 29 report to the Regents, President Yudof recounts the impact of the new state budget on UC and notes other issues still pending at the legislature. Presumably, all of these developments will be reviewed at the upcoming Regents meeting later this month. [Thanks to David Lopez for passing it along.] The Yudof report praises our friend in Sacramento (governor+legislator) for fiscal beneficence. When you consider that we froze (or the Regents are about to freeze) tuition today for a promise of $125 million in next year’s budget, you might think the praise is a bit effusive. You…

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pension | pensions | politics | ucrp

UC Again in Danger of Being Swept into Statewide Pension Changes
Byadmin July 3, 2012

There are various indications that now that the legislature is done (for a time) in dealing with the state budget, its attention is turning toward public pensions. Under the governor’s plan, UC would be swept into a statewide program that would override the changes adopted by the Regents in December 2010. Among the changes in the governor’s plan would be that the new lower tier would not be exclusively defined benefit but would have to be a hybrid mix of defined benefit and defined contribution. There would also be a cap of some type on total benefits. (Unclear exactly how…

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