Author: uclafaculty

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Traffic, Traffic

Byuclafaculty

Motorists, be forewarned: the northbound 405 Freeway will be a great place to avoid the first weekend in March. Three northbound lanes on the freeway will be closing for 55 straight hours between Montana Avenue and Getty Center Drive. In addition, the Getty Center Drive and Moraga Drive northbound on-ramps will be closed, as will the northbound Montana and Moraga off-ramps. Despite the length of the closure, this is no “mini Carmageddon”—although officials stress that drivers should plan alternate routes through the area to avoid major backups. “We are concerned with daytime traffic,” said Kasey Shuda, construction relations manager for…

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UCLA Gets Commuter Award

Byuclafaculty

Best Workplaces for CommutersSM, a program designed to encourage sustainable transportation innovation singled out 23 employers nationwide Thursday, January 31 during the annual “Race to Excellence”  Virtual Awards Ceremony.  The awards recognize organizations who have taken exemplary steps to offer transportation options such as vanpool and transit benefits or telework and compressed workweek for their employees.  “The annual Race to Excellence provides national recognition for employers who offer high level commuter benefits,” said Julie Bond, NCTR’s national program manager for Best Workplaces for Commuters. “Offering commuter benefits is a win-win situation for employees who change their commuting habits to save…

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More on Oil Severance Tax for Higher Ed Bill

Byuclafaculty

An earlier post on this blog noted an announcement of a bill in the legislature that would impose an oil severance tax dedicated to the three segments of higher ed.  It was noted on that post that the actual text of the bill was not available at that time.  Now the bill is available.  As it turns out, some of the funding (7%) goes to the Dept. of Parks and Recreation.  At present, that department is mired in a scandal about hidden funds. If you are unfamiliar with that scandal, you can start with http://www.sacbee.com/2013/02/15/5192590/california-state-parks-had-hidden.html and then Google your way…

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No Smoking at UCLA Coming Soon

Byuclafaculty

Despite the seeming Valentines’ Day romance of cigarettes (as of 1927) depicted here, UCLA is going smoke free on Earth Day, according to a reminder email circulating today.  The policy was announced last fall: When the policy takes effect on Earth Day (April 22), the use of cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco and all other tobacco products, as well as electronic cigarettes, will not be permitted on campus and at sites owned or leased by the University. South campus (the medical complex) has already implemented the ban. For some smokers, UCLA may be asking for the Moon:[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-KGiwGn1d8?feature=player_detailpage]

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UCLA History: Engagement

Byuclafaculty

Apparently, there was a pre-baby boomer tradition of a ceremony at UCLA for undergraduate women to announce their engagements, as this 1955 photo illustrates.  It didn’t occur on Valentines’ Day (the photo was taken in May), but Valentines’ Day is an appropriate day to show the picture.  At least back then, things would be just wonderful thereafter:

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Grading the LAO Report on Higher Ed

Byuclafaculty

We summarized the Legislative Analyst’s report on higher ed funding in a post yesterday and provided a link to the document.  One thing that faculty do is evaluate and give grades.  In this case, the grade for the report would have to be an “incomplete.” Pensions: The LAO continues its assertion that the state has no legal liability for the UC pension.  It wants the legislature to say so.  The legislature can say the Moon is made of green cheese if it wants.  But the Moon will be what it is.  The question of state liability is a legal matter…

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Oil tax for higher ed?

Byuclafaculty

Back in the day at Huntington Beach A debate that’s been raging now for several years in California is headed to the Legislature, as two Democratic lawmakers introduce legislation to impose an oil extraction tax, with the proceeds earmarked for higher education and state parks. SB 241 by state Sen. Noreen Evans, D-Santa Rosa, and state Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, brings front and center a long simmering discussion about whether California should impose a tax on oil production similar to other states. “California is the largest — and only — oil producing state in the nation that does not…

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LAO Critique of Governor’s Higher Ed Budget Proposals

Byuclafaculty

The Legislative Analysts’ Office (LAO) has a new report out critiquing the governor’s higher ed budget proposals.  It comments on his online higher ed proposals but relative to all the attention paid to that topic at the most recent Regents meeting, it appears that the LAO doesn’t see them as the solution to budget problems for higher ed)  Much of the report involves recommendations that the legislature base future funding increments on meeting performance targets.  Because most of the report deals with all three segments of higher ed, the target discussion largely is focused on concerns involving CSU and community…

Today is the Actual Lincoln’s Birthday – As Opposed to Presidents’ Day Next Week

Byuclafaculty

Next week, UC campuses will close on Monday for Presidents’ Day, a combined celebration of the birthdays of Lincoln and Washington.  But today is the actual Lincoln’s birthday.  There is much interest these days in Lincoln, thanks to the recent film which is up for various Academy Awards.  In any case, in the spirit of all of that, below are links to the cantata Lonesome Train, recorded in the 1940s.  Copies of the record seem to be scarce but here are three links to the cantata (in three parts due to YouTube time duration limits): Part 1:[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GdiUNRrEz0?feature=player_detailpage]or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GdiUNRrEz0 Part…

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Problem on Morning Commute to UCLA Today

Byuclafaculty

(Seems like this problem might last longer than the notice below indicates since traffic will be diverted to the 405.)Sepulveda Boulevard will be closed until around 8:30 a.m. between Mountaingate Drive and Skirball Center Drive because a piece of heavy equipment fell during on the 405 Construction Project overnight, says Dave Sotero of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. No one was hurt, Sotero says, but the contractor must now get the equipment out of the way…From: http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_22564866/traffic-alert-sepulveda-blvd-near-skirball-center-closed