Author: uclafaculty

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The Affirmative Action Controversy: Evidence of Strategic Behavior in Texas University Admissions

Byuclafaculty

Under Prop 209, affirmative action in public university admissions is banned in California. As many will know, Prop 209 evolved out of a UC Regents action in the 1990s. (Subsequently, after Prop 209 passed, the Regents dropped their regulation. But the change had no effect since Prop 209 remained in effect.) Over the years, various approaches have been proposed to increase minority representation in UC enrollment. One approach, found in Texas, is to take the top X percent of high school grads by high school rather than in all high schools combined. In Texas, X = 10%. A working paper…

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Drip Drop: More Leaks on State Budget Indicate UC is Targeted

Byuclafaculty

As noted in prior posts, governors typically leak out the outlines of their budget strategies in advance of the official unveiling. The official unveiling – by constitutional mandate – is Monday, Jan. 10. The leaked item below from the Sacramento Bee today indicates explicitly that UC will not be spared: Anatomy of Brown’s budget plan (excerpt) Jan. 09, 2011 The budget Jerry Brown will propose Monday includes deep program cuts, a June election to extend tax increases and a broad reordering of state and local government to close a deficit estimated at $25 billion to $28 billion, according to sources…

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Buried Lede: A way around the 2/3 barrier?

Byuclafaculty

From Wikipedia: Verb: to bury the lede: (idiomatic, US, journalism) To begin a story with details of secondary importance to the reader while postponing more essential points or facts. As prior posts have noted, thanks to the voter last November, a state budget – but not a tax or fee increase – can be passed by a simple majority of the legislature. The strategy for Brown appears to be to present a no-tax Budget from Hell, pass it, and then put a proposition on the ballot by June to extend the tax increases of Feb. 2009 that are due to…

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Will Controller’s Report Undermine Brown Budget Strategy?

Byuclafaculty

Gov. Brown will release his budget on Monday. Meanwhile, the state controller has issued figures on the state’s cash receipts and expenditures through December, i.e., half way through the fiscal year. The figures show revenues up almost a billion dollars relative to projections made when the budget was signed (late). You can find the figures and analyses at : http://www.sco.ca.gov/Files-ARD/CASH/fy1011dec.pdf http://www.sco.ca.gov/Files-EO/01-11summary.pdf There will be a temptation to say the fiscal problem is over or is getting better or will take care of itself. If so, the strategy of presenting a Budget from Hell and then putting tax extensions on the…

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LA Times Characterizes Pension Demand as “Gimme, Gimme”

Byuclafaculty

LA Times Editorial: Tone-deaf at UC (excerpt) UC is rightly balking at granting additional retirement perks to about 200 highly paid administrators. A group of highly paid executives at the University of California has adopted an unseemly attitude best described as “gimme, gimme.” Although each of them already earns at least $245,000 a year, along with generous pension benefits, they’re threatening to sue if the university, which has imposed hefty tuition increases on its students over the past two years, doesn’t give them more. …Legislation has been introduced to take away some of UC’s historic independence from state government. Those…

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Now We Get Bipartisan Legislation on Pension Caps

Byuclafaculty

Assembly bill caps public worker pensions (excerpt)January 7, 2011, San Francisco Chronicle,Nanette Asimov Spooked by the University of California’s pension revolt – in which its highest paid executives are threatening to sue unless UC fattens their retirement benefits – a Democratic state lawmaker introduced a bill Thursday to prevent all public employees from gaining dramatically increased pension benefits. And Republicans are applauding. “You’re witnessing a moment of bipartisan joy,” said Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, R-San Bernardino, vice chairman of the Higher Education Committee. “I’m ashamed that I didn’t think of this myself.” The UC executives, some of whom earn more than…

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Media Continues Anger on UC Executive Pension Issue: Flogging a Dead Horse?

Byuclafaculty

PropZero blog, KNBC LA, Joe Mathews, 1/6/11 University of California President Mark Yudof this week rejected a demand for a boost in pension from some of the university’s systems highest paid employees. That was the right move, but it didn’t go far enough. The request came from executives who said it was unfair their pensions would be calculated only on their first $245,000 in income. They make more. Such a request — at a time of state budget cutbacks, cuts in university offerings and big tuition hikes — was so out of line that it deserved not just rejection, but…

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Jerry Brown’s World May Collide With Legislative GOP World on State Budget

Byuclafaculty

As a result of last November’s election, only a simple majority is needed to pass a state budget. However, a 2/3 vote is required to raise taxes or fees. Legislative Democrats have a majority but not a 2/3 supermajority. Gov. Brown’s plan is apparently to propose a budget constrained by current revenue – which would feature major cuts – and then put a measure on the ballot that would extend temporary tax increases the legislature adopted in Feb. 2009 that will soon expire. To put a measure on the ballot, however, he needs a 2/3 vote – which means some…

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Groundbreaking for Jules Stein Eye Institute at UCLA in 1964

Byuclafaculty

Hollywood stars – Bette Davis, Cesar Romero, Gene Kelly, and Bob Hope – turn out with architect Rodney Hemsworth at the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Jules Stein Eye Institute. Maybe it was not surprising that Hollywood types would be prominent in the ceremony since Jules Stein headed MCA. Note: Yours truly will be out of town at a meeting Jan. 7-9 so blogging will be light in that period. The state budget will be unveiled on Jan. 10. Once you see it, you may find your eyes filling with tears. A visit to Jules Stein probably won’t help.