Author: uclafaculty

Are You Tweeting (in Class)?

Byuclafaculty

Inside Higher Ed reviews the Twitter, etc., issue. Excerpt: Harnessing Social Media November 8, 2010 ORLANDO — In the age of social media, everyone is behind on the reading. There was always more potentially relevant information out in the world than people could ever hope to know. But Twitter, Facebook, social bookmarking sites, and countless other content streams and conversation threads — constantly available in the era of wireless networks and mobile computing — have thrust many in academe into an endless, unwinnable race to keep up… Beyond limiting the distractions of social media in their own lives, academics face…

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CalSTRS can apparently wait to cut its estimated investment return to UC level

Byuclafaculty

From the Sacramento Bee: The CalSTRS board Friday postponed a crucial decision on reducing its investment-return forecast because two of its members were absent. Jack Ehnes, chief executive of the California State Teachers’ Retirement System, said the board wanted every one of its 12 members present for the decision. The vote is now set for Dec. 2. CalSTRS’ staff has recommended that the forecast of annual returns be cut by half a percentage point, to 7.5 percent… Note that if CalSTRS and CalPERS eventually go to our 7.5%, we can no longer claim to be more conservative than the two…

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LAO publishes budget review

Byuclafaculty

The Legislative Analyst’s Office released a summary of budget developments up through the passage of the 2010-11 budget last month. It is not, however, a projection of what is to come. That analysis is likely to be coming later this month. Nonetheless, for those interested in the details, the summary is available at http://www.lao.ca.gov/reports/2010/bud/spend_plan/spend_plan_110510.pdf The report takes note of the fact that the earlier legislation in which the state claimed no responsibility for the UC pension has been removed. (The UCLA Faculty Assn. proudly notes its part in getting that accomplished. See earlier posts for info on the role played…

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Threat Level Reduced on Pensions

Byuclafaculty

The victory of Jerry Brown in the gubernatorial race likely means that the threat of a defined contribution plan as the new lower-tier pension is off the table. Meg Whitman supported defined contribution. Still, as the story below notes, there were a number of pension initiatives at the local level on the ballot and most passed. (San Francisco was an exception.) So the possibility that someone might put a pension proposition on the state ballot remains. Pension reforms sweep, except San Francisco (excerpt) November 4, 2010 by Ed Mendel, calpensions.com Voters approved seven ballot measures Tuesday aimed at curbing or…

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UC Calls for Faculty Volunteers for Online Education Project

Byuclafaculty

UCOP announcement reproduced below: UC Online Instruction Pilot Project Today the University of California finds itself confronting a tremendous challenge: In recent times, there has been a transformation in how students learn. Increasingly, technology and the computer play central roles in their lives — affecting everything from how they gain knowledge to how they communicate with others. In response to this transformation, UC seeks to reach out to this new breed of students, enriching their academic experience with all that technology offers and at the same time maintaining the superb caliber of undergraduate education offered at UC campuses. As part…