News

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    Hotel Rumors

    Byadmin

    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

    Byadmin

    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’…

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    UC History: Connerly

    Byadmin

    Former UC Regent Ward Connerly who led the move to abolish affirmative action at UC in 1995 is back in the news, albeit not in a positive way.  http://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2012/01/18/allegations-against-prominent-foe-affirmative-action  (There is a link within that link to a NY Times article with more detail.)  A related news item appeared in the Sacramento Bee this morning: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/01/18/4195636/connerly-financial-misdeeds-alleged.html The news clip below describes the Regents’ action but focuses on then-Governor Pete Wilson.  (Connerly is briefly shown.)  The Regents’ resolution was made redundant by the later Prop 209 and the resolution was subsequently repealed.  However, since UC is covered by Prop 209, the…

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    Removals of Objects from Japanese Garden Began Today

    Byadmin

    UCLA Research Astronomer R. Michael Rich took these two photos of an object being removed from the Japanese Garden today.  He reports that non-expert personnel are involved in the removals.  He identifies the object as follows: Japanese Square Stone Water Basin, a Buddhist carving dating from the 15th or 16th Century, Object #19 in the catalog you can find an earlier post on the Garden issue.  See the catalog at http://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2012/01/info-on-plans-for-japanese-garden.html UPDATE: The Daily Bruin picked up the story http://www.dailybruin.com/index.php/article/2012/01/ucla_moving_toward_sale_of_hannah_carter_japanese_garden_in_bel_air

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    UC-Riverside Students Propose Tuition Alternative Based on Future Pay

    Byadmin

    From the Riverside Press-Enterprise, 1/16/12.  As the excerpt below notes, the idea described has been around for awhile in various forms.  There would need to be a legally-binding mechanism for verification of income and payback including for grads who left California.  And there could be variations in the formula used.   It will be interesting to see what UCOP and the Regents have to say: It took nine months of late-night meetings, data crunching, calculations and consultations by a small group of UC Riverside students to hammer out what they say is an antidote to state cutbacks for higher education and…

  • LA Times Discloses ID of Tenured UC Tenured Faculty Member Regents May Fire

    Byadmin

    Perhaps firing a tenured faculty member is not quite as explosive as the atomic test the Regents in the photo on the left are shown getting ready to attend (1956).  Nonetheless, such firings are unusual.  One suspects that there are other such cases that lead to resignation settlements that are not widely reported. From the LA Times today: The University of California Board of Regents is scheduled this week to discuss a highly unusual proposal to fire a veteran tenured professor and deny him the perks of emeritus retirement.  The case involves a UC Riverside international finance professor who has…

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    A Different Meaning of Occupy at UCLA-Santa Monica Hospital

    Byadmin

    An earlier blog posting noted that the construction fencing had come down around the UCLA Santa Monica hospital’s new wing.  According to the Santa Monica Mirror, there was an actual move-in of patients a week ago – the wing was officially occupied: There was a hive of activity at the new UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica on Sunday as it officially opened its doors. As part of the opening, about 125 adult and pediatric patients were carefully transported into new hospital buildings on the Santa Monica campus, as well as the existing Merle Norman Pavilion… Full article at http://www.smmirror.com/#mode=single&view=33878 The…