Author: uclafaculty

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Captain Video saves the Faculty Assn. blog videos and audios from cloud destruction

Byuclafaculty

An earlier post noted that past audios/videos of Regents meetings, UCOF, PEB, and certain radio or TV interviews or debates were in danger of disappearing from this blog due to the discontinuation of video-Yahoo. I have now transitioned these files to Facebook and embedded them on the blog in place of the video-Yahoo versions. In particular, the early materials that were part of the discontinued savingUCLA website are available on this blog at: http://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2010/06/selected-non-youtube-audios-and-videos.html It is useful to preserve these materials, particularly where policy commitments are made by Regents, administrators, or others, in the event that policy changes are subsequently…

UCLA History: Eric Monkkonen of the History and Public Policy Depts. was an expert on murder

Byuclafaculty

You may have seen the LA Times article last Sunday on the murder rate in Los Angeles and its surprising decline. Had he survived, there would have undoubtedly been long quotes and observations in the article from former History and Public Policy Professor Eric Monkkonen, UCLA’s expert on murder – and the history thereof. Of course, as you go back in time, data on murder rates were not routinely collected. Prof. Monkkonen, among other techniques, hired undergrads to go through old newspapers, pulling out references to murders in various cities. The LA Times article looks at various explanations by experts…

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Regent Blum Says Consequences of More State/UC Budget Cuts Will Lead More to Internal Cuts Than Tuition

Byuclafaculty

UC regents brace for more bad news on budget (excerpt) Dec. 27, 2010, San Francisco Chronicle, Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross The University of California regents are bracing for more bad financial news from Sacramento, but board veteran Richard Blum doubts he and his colleagues could stomach another round of tuition hikes. “I think the emphasis is much more on making cuts,” said Blum, who chaired the board until recently. “I think the last thing we want to do is touch student fees, but that depends on what they do to us.” Blum said most of the newly approved 8…

Online Western Governors University Profiled

Byuclafaculty

The LA Times today contains an article about Western Governors University, an entirely online institution said to be founded by 19 western governors. Exactly what role California plays in this institution is not clear although I found some reference on line to Governor Schwarzenegger as one of the governors involved. As readers will know, the report of the University Commission on the Future contained support for expansion of this type of education by UC. Below is an excerpt from the article and below that a related TV video news report. The full article is at http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-perfin-20101226,0,1315053.column This college lets students…

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Sacramento Bee Article Predicts a Not-So-Cheery Budget Outlook for Higher Ed

Byuclafaculty

A Christmas present from the UCLA Faculty Association blog. Scroll down to the large print. What budget cuts, taxes and gimmicks might Jerry Brown propose? (excerpts) Dec. 25, 2010, Sacramento Bee, Kevin Yamamura Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger issued grim budgets the last two years, but in many ways he had it easier than the challenge facing Gov.-elect Jerry Brown in 2011. In proposing ways to close the budget gap, Schwarzenegger relied on ideas few expected to come to pass, like eliminating CalWORKs and getting $7 billion from the federal government. But Brown has already assailed budget gimmicks, such as counting on…

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LA Times Op Ed Says No Pay, No Say to Legislature

Byuclafaculty

Want more say over UC? Pay up (excerpts) The lawmakers outraged over tuition hikes are partly responsible for them by presiding over a sustained decline in public support for higher education. By Gary Fethke and Andrew Policano December 22, 2010, LA Times As The Times notes in its Dec. 17 editorial, California legislators — who increased state funding to the University of California system this year in exchange for greater control over finances — are incredulous over the university’s recent tuition increases. Their outrage is ill-informed. While they complain about rising costs, they fail to recognize that what has changed…

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Gov. Schwarzenegger Argues Against Legislative Control of Higher Ed; Defends Faculty Pay

Byuclafaculty

In a farewell interview with the LA Times editorial board, Governor Schwarzenegger covered a range of topics but a couple of minutes were devoted to public higher education. He argued against legislative control of higher ed including UC and defended high faculty pay as necessary in the marketplace. And he regretted recent tuition increases but said they were necessary given the economic circumstances. The full article is at http://opinion.latimes.com/opinionla/2010/12/arnold-schwarzenegger-exit-interview.html An audio excerpt on higher ed can be heard below: