Author: uclafaculty

|

LA Times Picks Up Japanese Garden Story: Not the Best PR for UCLA

Byuclafaculty

Excerpts from the LA Times article below and link to the full article: For nearly half a century, the UCLA Hannah Carter Japanese Garden in Bel-Air has served as a serene stopover for visitors from locations as varied as Newhall, Nashville and the Netherlands.  But the decision by UCLA to sell the steep hillside property and an adjoining house to raise money for endowments and professorships has the garden world in an un-Zen-like uproar.  The Garden Conservancy, an organization based in New York and San Francisco, has lambasted the university’s transfer to the Fowler Museum of a five-tiered stone pagoda…

|

Bit of a Departure from UC Regents History

Byuclafaculty

Once upon a time, the Regents were a relatively placid group, even when there was controversy.  The photo on the left shows them in 1950 dealing with the loyalty oath issue.  But nowadays, we learn that “the University of California Board of Regents will rally on the steps of the state Capitol in May alongside students, faculty, staff, alumni and other UC supporters, chair Sherry Lansing announced Wednesday (Jan. 18).  In remarks opening the regents’ two-day meeting at UC Riverside, Lansing said the regents will meet in Sacramento May 16 and 17. She said the rally at the state Capitol…

| | | | | | | |

Plenty of Nothing

Byuclafaculty

Here is a quote from the governor’s recent budget proposal: “The University of California (UC) will receive an increase of $90 million General Fund for base operating costs, which can be used to address costs related to retirement program contributions.” Question: What does it mean?  Answer: Nothing.  UC has always been free to take its general revenue and put it into the pension fund.  Indeed, since the state has so far refused to resume paying the employer contribution for state-funded employees into the pension fund, that is what UC has been doing. Question: If it means nothing, why are you…

No Students to be Charged in Pepper Spray Incident

Byuclafaculty

The Yolo County District Attorney’s office announced today that it will not file charges against any of the 10 protesters arrested during a Nov. 18 pepper-spraying incident on the University of California, Davis, campus.  The standoff between campus police and occupy protesters on the campus quad resulted in 10 arrests and a number of demonstrators being pepper-sprayed. Those arrested were cited by campus police with unlawful assembly, illegal camping or both, said Michael Cabral, assistant chief deputy district attorney…  (T)he Yolo DA office’s investigation into the use of pepper spray is ongoing… Full story at http://www.sacbee.com/2012/01/20/4203208/no-charges-will-be-filed-against.html

| |

USC covers UC Regents Protest at UCR

Byuclafaculty

USC news service seems to have the most complete story on yesterday’s protest at the Regents meeting See: http://www.neontommy.com/news/2012/01/students-shut-down-uc-regents-finance-meeting The LA Times also has a story http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-uc-regents-rally-20120120,0,4723240.story Meanwhile, at UC-Berkeley: UC Berkeley faculty stand between protesters, police crackdown:http://www.mercurynews.com/occupy/ci_19779401 Update: The Riverside Press-Enterprise carried a detailed report on the Regents meeting: http://www.pe.com/local-news/riverside-county/riverside/riverside-headlines-index/20120119-riverside-protesters-and-arrests-at-uc-regents-meeting.ece

|

Let me go, says UC-San Francisco

Byuclafaculty

From today’s San Francisco Chronicle: Unlike the other nine campuses of the University of California, UCSF enrolls no undergraduates, offers no history classes and gets so much money from government grants that it barely depends on the tuition its students pay to attend the medical school on a windy San Francisco hill. …At Thursday’s meeting at UC Riverside, UCSF Chancellor Susan Desmond-Hellmann told the regents, delicately, that she wants out. Under her proposal, UCSF’s medical school, hospital, clinics and research facilities would remain a public university connected to UC, the chancellor assured the regents. But the tendrils connecting the two…

|

Eye Witness Report Concerning Removals of Objects from the Japanese Garden

Byuclafaculty

In a previous blog entry, we published photos by astronomer R. Michael Rich showing the removal of art objects from the UCLA Japanese garden which is proposed for sale.  I invited Dr. Rich to write up his version of what occurred when he visited the Garden area where the removals are taking place.  It might be noted that the UCLA Faculty Association has taken no position on this action by UCLA.  But blog readers will have an interest in recent events.  Below is Dr. Rich’s report: ================= R. Michael Rich I am writing concerning my encounter with Brad Erickson and reporters…

| | | |

Not Worth a Mention?

Byuclafaculty

Gov. Brown delivered his “State of the State” speech yesterday.  Click below for the speech.  Lots of topics are discussed.  Higher ed, however, is not one of them.  An earlier post noted that UC is like a flea on the back of an elephant when it comes to state budgeting and such.  That message was reinforced yesterday.  But perhaps our absence will make the governor’s heart grow fonder.  Valentine’s Day is coming up after all.  The governor did mention his public pension plan in the speech – which would sweep UC into a larger state change.  With regard to that…

|

Hotel Rumors

Byuclafaculty

Rumors are floating around about a change in the possible bond funding arrangements for the proposed campus hotel/conference center. Possibly, alternative bonds – presumably not tax-favored muni bonds – would be used, thus allowing commercial use of the hotel.  That step would put the hotel in direct competition with Westside commercial hotels, of course, raising the level of opposition from them.  Since the hotel would still be subsidized – free land, no property tax, donor gift – such competition would be controversial.  Would local hotel taxes be paid?  Parking for a full service operation?  Traffic flowing into campus for a…

Cough, Cough

Byuclafaculty

LA Times editors think that if Santa Claus can smoke, folks at UC should be able to smoke, too. There’s nothing to say in defense of cigarettes. Smoking is a detestable, dangerous habit — but it’s also a legal one, and there is plenty to say in defense of allowing adults to make bad decisions if they’re not breaking the law or harming others. The University of California should have taken that into account before UC President Mark G. Yudof announced that all 10 campuses would become smoke- and tobacco-free within two years. As long as smokers aren’t filling others’…