Author: uclafaculty

Yes, Virginia. There is a controversy – and apparently a showdown tomorrow.

Byuclafaculty

Inside Higher Ed carries two items on the ongoing controversy set in motion by the firing of the president of the University of Virginia by its Board of Visitors (the U-VA’s equivalent of the Regents).  One item suggests that a high-up underling – the chief financial officer of the university – was in cahoots with those members of the Board who carried out the firing.  See http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2012/06/25/questions-about-uvas-coo-strine-show-complicated-loyalties-administrators. The Board is due to meet tomorrow – possibly to undo what it did.  However, now it faces a missive from the state’s governor that says: “Let me be absolutely clear: I want…

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Are We There Yet?

Byuclafaculty

It might seem puzzling but we actually don’t quite have a state budget.  Yes, the legislature kind of enacted one on June 15. And, yes, the governor and legislative leaders announced a conceptual deal a few days thereafter.  But in fact not all of the details have been worked out as the link below, if you want the full story, describes:http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2012/06/democrats-offer-30-million-to-local-health-plans.html Of course, the biggest element of uncertainty from the UC perspective is whether voters will pass the governor’s tax initiative in November, thereby averting trigger cuts to the university. The question does remain, however:

The U-VA Story Ain’t Over

Byuclafaculty

The U of Virginia story just keeps rolling: Nearly two weeks after Teresa A. Sullivan was forced to resign as president of the University of Virginia, a push to reinstate her appears to have traction. The Board of Visitors [equivalent of the Regents]announced Thursday that it would meet on Tuesday to “discuss possible changes in the terms of employment of the president.” The announcement follows a statement Thursday from the college’s deans, who voiced support for Ms. Sullivan’s reappointment. The Faculty Senate has also endorsed her reinstatement… Full story at http://chronicle.com/article/What-If-Sullivan-Is/132517/ The University of Virginia library staff is archiving materials…

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Up in Smoke: The Tobacco Tax Proposition

Byuclafaculty

The AP is now reporting that the tobacco tax that was on the June ballot is officially defeated.  On election night, it appeared to have been narrowly defeated but there were various uncounted ballots which apparently in the end did not make enough of a difference to reverse the preliminary outcome. As prior posts have noted, the tobacco tax – had it passed – would not directly have contributed to the state’s budget or UC (except that some tobacco research dollars might have flowed to UC).  However, failure of the tax to pass will be seen as voter unwillingness to…

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Cheer Up! We Could Have Worse Traffic Problems

Byuclafaculty

The News from LACMTA: Ramp Jam work to begin Posted on June 21, 2012 by Steve Hymon        The demolition of the first two Wilshire-405 ramps begins this weekend. There’s no way of sugar-coating it: there will be significant traffic impacts.  That said, the status quo in the area has been pretty much horrible for as long as I can recall — way too many cars competing for space while trying to enter and exit the freeway. The reconstruction of the ramps should greatly improve the way that traffic flows in the area, but there’s no getting around the pain that…

Plots at U-VA

Byuclafaculty

For those following the University of Virginia saga of the fired president, there is this from the Washington Post: Sullivan supporters plot to reinstate her as U-Va. president: Several members of the University of Virginia’s governing board spent Wednesday quietly counting votes and plotting a move to reinstate Teresa Sullivan after the popular outgoing president informed them that she wants to remain if Rector Helen E. Dragas resigns, according to current and former board members briefed on the conversations. Sullivan holds such broad support among professors that the Faculty Senate chairman held out hope that she could be reinstated following the resignation…

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UPDATE: Gubernatorial Decision

Byuclafaculty

Word is coming in that the governor has now reached a deal with the legislature on the budget so the period of indecision (to veto or not to veto) is now over: Gov. Jerry Brown and legislative leaders have reached a framework of a deal on the state’s $92.1-billion spending plan, according to sources close to the negotiations…  The budget agreement gives counties more flexibility to deal with work requirements for welfare recipients, but does not mandate shorter time limits or stricter work requirements for those receiving assistance, according to the sources, who requested anonymity. The accord also includes the governor’s…

Gubernatorial Indecision

Byuclafaculty

A news report dated June 20 suggests that the governor is having trouble deciding whether or not to sign the budget the legislature sent him June 15 without his agreement. He could sign it but exercise his line-item veto power to reduce spending.  Were he to veto it as occurred last year, the consequence would be uncertain.  Last year, the state controller ruled that the legislature had not complied – on technical grounds – with the requirement to pass a budget on June 15 and thus would not be paid for each day without doing so. That step created an…

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Just in Time: Governor’s Tax Measure Qualifies for November

Byuclafaculty

There was always a bit of doubt that the governor’s tax initiative would qualify – or qualify in time – for the November ballot. His original initiative – which had somewhat less income tax and somewhat more sales tax than the current version – began to be circulated (by paid circulators). But the California Teachers Assn. was pushing a different initiative and eventually a deal was cut that CTA would drop its campaign in exchange for a revision of Brown’s initiative with more income tax and less sales tax. However, that deal was made late in the game and signature…