Author: admin

  • Pepper Suit at UC-Davis

    Byadmin

    The San Francisco Chronicle today is carrying a story indicating that students are suing UC-Davis over the pepper spray incident.  Oddly, I could find nothing in the student newspaper at Davis on the lawsuit or in the Sacramento Bee. In any event, from the Chronicle: UC Davis students who were pepper-sprayed by campus police during a sit-down Occupy protest sued the officers and university administrators in federal court Wednesday, claiming excessive force and suppression of free speech…  The suit was filed in U.S. District Court in Sacramento by 17 students and two graduates who took part in the demonstration, which was organized…

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    Too Many in the UC Lifeboat?

    Byadmin

    Mike Lofchie pointed me to this article which questions the one-system view of UC and, in particular, UC-Merced, in a period of budget stringency. February 12, 2012, Chronicle of Higher Education Fault Lines Form Among Campuses as Finances Strain U. of California (excerpt): By Eric Kelderman President Mark G. Yudof of the University of California often says that the system he oversees is one university with 10 campuses.  But some higher-education experts say the economic strains and budget cuts of the past three years are fraying the ties that hold the system together. Several campus leaders have proposed measures to…

  • Bargains at UC-Berkeley

    Byadmin

    Devra Breslow pointed me to this NY Times article on how UC-Berkeley sold a million dollar artwork for $150: (excerpt) Everybody misplaces something sometime. But it is not easy for the University of California, Berkeley, to explain how it lost a 22-foot-long carved panel by a celebrated African-American sculptor, or how, three years ago, it mistakenly sold this work, valued at more than a million dollars, for $150 plus tax.  The university’s embarrassing loss eventually enabled the Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens, a large museum and research center in San Marino, Calif., to acquire its first major work…

  • Governor’s Pension Freeze for UC Deserves a Frosty Response

    Byadmin

    Excerpt from calpensions.com 2-21-12 Under the new budget proposed by Gov. Brown, the annual state payment to CalPERS drops from $3.5 billion this year to $3.1 billion in the new fiscal year.  The payment falls, at a time most pension costs are rising, because a $404 million payment to CalPERS for California State University pensions is shifted from the state budget to CSU.  The change is part of a proposal that could freeze state support for CSU and UC pensions. The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office said CSU would be faced with a potential burden “out of proportion” to its limited…

  • UC-Berkeley Still Somewhat Occupied

    Byadmin

    Apparently, various “Occupy” demonstrations are still going on at UC-Berkeley: Protesters from Occupy Oakland converged on UC Berkeley Saturday evening, the day after 18 Occupy Cal protesters were detained when their encampment was cleared from in front of Doe Library.  About 40 protesters from Oakland marched down Telegraph Avenue, eventually reaching the International House on Piedmont Avenue at around 11 p.m. An “Occupy the Truth” conference is being held this weekend at International House, and protesters set up five tents to show solidarity with the conference. House administration agreed to let the encampment remain on the lawn overnight as long…

  • Follow-up to Prior UC-Davis Pepper Story: No no-confidence

    Byadmin

    From the Sacramento Bee:   A motion asking for a vote of no confidence in UC Davis Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi failed to gain a majority of votes needed to pass, school officials said tonight.  The motion received 312 yes votes and 697 no votes, out of 2,693 eligible voters – current and retired faculty.  Katehi’s leadership came under widespread scrutiny following last year’s pepper-spraying of Occupy UC Davis protesters… Full story at http://www.sacbee.com/2012/02/17/4272750/katehi-survives-no-confidence.html Is not having no confidence the same as confidence?  Let’s hear what the Chancellor says: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1snhxCBaDc&w=320&h=195]