Author: admin

  • UCLA History: Neutra’s Landfair Apartments

    Byadmin

    The Landfair Apartments were designed by architect Richard Neutra and constructed in 1937. On the left below is a 1939 photo of the apartments. On the right is a contemporary photo. From the web at http://www.m2a-architects.com/portfolio/multifamily/landfair.html Designed by Richard Neutra in 1937 as five townhouses and two flats, this structure was poorly converted to post-war educational housing and then to co-operative housing for 73 UCLA students. The balconies and glazing on the exterior were removed and restored to their original configurations while adding full upgrades for disabled access and seismic codes. The interiors were carefully converted to dormitory-style housing while…

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    PEB Report Continues to Get Press Coverage

    Byadmin

    The latest news item to cover the aftermath of the Post-Employment Benefits Task Force report is in the Sacramento Bee. No mention of the faculty dissenting report, however, or the $2-for-$1 problem. UC targets pension benefits (excerpt) Sacramento Bee, Sep. 11, 2010, Laurel Rosenhall Confronting a $24 billion unfunded liability in its retirement plan, leaders of the University of California are poised to make significant changes to pension and health care benefits for the system’s retirees. The first step comes Thursday, when UC’s governing board of regents is scheduled to vote on a proposal to increase the amount current employees…

  • Size Matters: UCLA is the Largest Higher Ed Institution in LA County

    Byadmin

    UCLA has 30,000 employees and 2,700 full-time faculty. It is the largest higher ed institution in LA County with over 39,000 students. There is another university downtown which has almost 35,000 students. Indeed, the LA Business Journal lists the top 25 institutions (public and private) in LA County including community colleges and UCLA is #1. You can find comparative data on the top 25 at http://www.cbjonline.com/a2labj/lists/2010-Colleges-1-25.pdf

  • Crest Theater in Westwood Remains Open

    Byadmin

    In early August, a post on this site indicated that the Majestic Crest theater in Westwood – with its elaborate art deco decor – was about the close. It is still operating, however, and the latest email from the owner indicates that a theater chain will continue to operate it after it changes hands on Sept. 17. You can find a history of the theater at the earlier post.

  • Regents to Allow Recording/Videoing of Meetings

    Byadmin

    Modern technology makes it easy to record audio and video. Now, after a brouhaha in which an individual attending a public meeting of the Regents was barred from recording the session, the San Francisco Chronicle reports that the policy barring such activity is about to be officially changed. See http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/09/09/BABD1FBEFU.DTL Audio from the Regents meetings is streamed live. But the audio is not made available after the meeting ends. Any reason why not? For that matter, video could be streamed and then archived, as is done at many other public meetings nowadays in California. Any reason why not? Just asking.

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    SF Chronicle Account of PEB Report

    Byadmin

    The news item below on the Post-Employment Benefits Task Force report is more extensive than most. It does, however, omit discussion of the $2-for-$1 problem, i.e., the fact that roughly two dollars out of three collected for the pension come from non-state sources and cannot be collected retroactively. Contentious plan for sagging UC pension fund (excerpts) Nanette Asimov, San Francisco Chronicle, September 10, 2010 A tidal wave of unfunded retirement obligations that could top $40 billion in four years is washing over the University of California, forcing employees to pay far more for those benefits and threatening students with the…

  • Good News – Bad News on the State’s Cash Situation and the Prospect for IOUs

    Byadmin

    The state controller has issued his cash report for the first two months of the fiscal year. He reports $6.7 billion in “unused unborrowed reserves,” essentially cash he can use to pay bills. That sum continues to stave off the need for the kind of registered warrants (IOUs) that have been issued in the past. That’s the good news. The bad news is a) there still is no state budget, b) the cash the controller reports is in part available because, absent a state budget, some bills are not being paid (which saves cash), c) the sum is less than…

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    UCLA Anderson Self Sufficiency Plan Getting Media Attention

    Byadmin

    In an earlier post, initial media reports of the UCLA Anderson School’s plan to move away from state funding (“self sufficiency”) were noted. Since that time, there has been a jump in media attention. A public radio report is the latest. You can hear it by clicking on the video (really an audio) below. UPDATE: Coverage in the LA Times http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-uc-bizschool-20100909,0,1340589.story Coverage in Business Week http://www.businessweek.com/bschools/blogs/mba_admissions/archives/2010/09/ucla_anderson_says_no_to_state_aid.htmlCoverage in LA Business Journal http://www.labusinessjournal.com/news/2010/sep/07/ucla-anderson-become-more-self-sufficient/

  • OECD: More for Less in Higher Ed

    Byadmin

    The OECD is sponsoring a conference in Paris, Sept. 13-15, available by webcast, with the cheery title of “Higher Education in a World Changed Utterly: Doing More with Less.” Details at http://www.oecd.org/site/0,3407,en_21571361_43541789_1_1_1_1_1,00.html According to the conference blurb, the event “will focus on how the higher education sector including governments, institutions and individuals can lead the way to sustainable recovery. How can effective and efficient results be achieved at a time of greater demand with fewer resources? Capitalising on the OECD’s highly-respected evidence base, the conference will draw on analyses and opinions from some of the world’s leading experts. The main…