Author: admin

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    Things to Come?

    Byadmin

    Events at this week’s CSU Trustees meeting suggest what may occur at next week’s Regents meeting, especially if the governor shows up, as he has been doing. From the LA Times: (excerpt) A committee of the Cal State Board of Trustees on Tuesday approved a $4.6-billion budget plan that includes money to hire faculty and increase student enrollment. The 2014-2015 proposal seeks an increase of $237.6 million in state funding. Included in that total is about $80 million to increase student enrollment by about 20,000; $13 million to hire more than 500 new, full-time faculty members; $15 million to finance…

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    Listen to the Regents Committee on Investments: Nov. 5, 2013

    Byadmin

    The Committee on Investment of the Regents met yesterday.  Only part of the meeting was open.  As we have been doing in the past, the audio from the meeting is posted at the link below since the Regents follow a policy (why?) of archiving meetings for only one year. Investment Committee meetings are meant to show that the Regents are exercising oversight of the various funds that the Treasurer manages.  They also are supposed to exercise oversight of the various campus foundations.  The foundations can invest with the Regents and/or invest on their own, using their own fund managers. There…

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    Really No Smoking (or Chewing)

    Byadmin

    From the Oakland Tribune: [excerpt] A systemwide smoking ban at University of California campuses includes the controversial electronic cigarette, a tobacco smoking device whose backers claim is safer than traditional smokes. The ban takes effect Jan. 2 and includes smokeless tobacco, or chew. About 10 percent of UC employees smoke cigarettes, and 8 percent of students smoke, according to a fact sheet compiled by the university. The information kit does not say how many use the new electronic cigarettes on UC campuses or in the state, but a lobbying group for the retailers who sell the devices says about 4…

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    Opening Bid on the Budget

    Byadmin

    We noted yesterday that the preliminary Regents’ agenda for next week did not yet include the underlying attachments.  They are now available, in particular, a budget-related item. Report from LA Times: [excerpt] For the third straight year, UC students would see no tuition increase for the 2014-15 school year if state funding to the 10-campus system increases enough, according to a preliminary University of California budget released Monday. The budget proposal for next year said undergraduate tuition would remain at $12,192 before room, board and campus fees are added. Graduate and professional students pay more, and their basic fees would…

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    The Leg Analyst Summarizes the Higher Ed Budget

    Byadmin

    At around this time of year, the Legislative Analyst’s Office releases a summary about the budget in preparation for next year’s budget proposal that will come from the governor in early January.  Below is an excerpt just for higher ed.  A link to the full document follows the excerpt.================== UC, CSU, and Hastings Provides $2.8 Billion in General Fund Support for UC. The budget provides UC with $2.8 billion in General Fund support—an increase of $467 million from 2012–13. Of this increase, $200 million reflects a shift of funds used for paying general obligation bond debt service from a separate…

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    The Regents are Coming

    Byadmin

    Regents: 1964 Edition In fact, there will be a meeting tomorrow of the Regents Committee on Investments, primarily to review returns on the UC portfolios and those of the campus foundations.  See:http://regents.universityofcalifornia.edu/meetings/agendas/nov5.html Next week’s meetings (Nov. 12-14) are beginning to be posted as of this morning.  Agenda items are available but not detailed attachments.  See:http://regents.universityofcalifornia.edu/meetings/agendas/nov13.html You might be curious to know about an item entitled “Participation in Joint Venture to Establish and Operate a Rehabilitation Hospital, Los Angeles Campus.”  Too bad if you are.  It will be discussed only in a closed session:http://regents.universityofcalifornia.edu/regmeet/nov13/hsx.pdf

  • Not the most fascinating bedtime reading but here it is…

    Byadmin

    Yours truly came across a website run by a group called “California Competes,” which funded a failed lawsuit against a requirement that community colleges consult with their academic senates.  However, on the group’s website were documents from the last accreditation review of UCLA back in 2009 and 2010.  They are not the most fascinating bedtime reading you can find but here are the links for the curious: http://californiacompetes.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/UCLA%20-%20Self%20Study.pdf http://californiacompetes.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/UCLA%20-%20Evaluation%20Report.pdf http://californiacompetes.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/UCLA%20-%20Action%20Letter.pdf

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    Good Idea: Take a Risk

    Byadmin

    The website of the San Francisco Chronicle today is running a story today about a Silicon Valley forum in which California first lady Anne Gust Brown and new UC president Janet Napolitano argued that women should take more risks in public life. In earlier posts, we noted that a recent speech – billed in advance as a major address – by the new prez was largely a dud with no sense of priorities for UC or even key questions that she thinks need further investigation.  So we agree about risk taking.  Our new prez should take a risk at the…

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    No silver bullet?

    Byadmin

    From the LA Times: Californians will get the first chance to comment on President Obama’s proposals to make college more affordable during a public forum this week at Cal State Dominguez Hills, officials said. The Wednesday event is the first in a series of four public sessions held around the country — and the only one in California — to gather input on the president’s recently announced agenda to develop a college ratings system to help students select schools with the best bang for their buck… The ratings score card would be developed for the 2015 school year using such…

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    Possible UC strike

    Byadmin

    Demonstration in Westwood after previous strike From the LA Times: Members of the union that represents 22,000 service workers and patient care employees at UC campuses and hospitals have voted overwhelmingly to authorize a possible strike in the future if a contract agreement is not reached, officials said Friday. Ninety-six percent of the members of AFSCME 3299 voted to allow union leaders to call a strike if they decide it is necessary. If a strike happens, it would be the second this year and a potentially wider one, possibly affecting the 10 campuses and the five medical centers. In late…