News

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Buried Lede: UC Reviving Multiyear Tuition Increase Plan with State?

Byuclafaculty

Last September, UC President Yudof proposed to the Regents a multiyear tuition increase plan. The Regents argued among themselves and nothing was adopted. Today’s San Francisco Chronicle, in a report on how higher ed is dealing with the trigger cuts (see earlier blog posts), has a buried lede*: UC will offset the $100 million cut with money it over-contributed for health care, a pool of excess cash that happens to be just above $100 million, UC spokesman Steve Montiel said. “It’s a temporary solution,” Montiel said, adding that UC is in talks with the state Department of Finance to try…

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Free Textbooks from State Online Source?

Byuclafaculty

Darrell Steinberg wants digital library of free textbooks (Excerpt 12/13/11) Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg announced today that he will push for legislation to create an online open source library to reduce the cost of course materials for college students across the state. The Sacramento Democrat framed the proposed project as an effort to lower costs for students struggling to cope with higher fees and tuition rates at California’s public colleges and universities… Steinberg said the average student spends $1,300 a year on textbooks, a figure his staff said is based on projections the University of California, California State…

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Early Budget Leak

Byuclafaculty

It’s standard practice for bits and pieces concerning the governor’s upcoming (January) budget proposal to start leaking out in December. Today, on “Which Way LA?” – the evening program of KCRW – H.D. Palmer, a spokesperson for Governor Brown, indicated that there would be a budget presented which assumed the governor’s proposed tax initiative would pass. That initiative won’t be on the ballot until November (on the assumption that the governor can get the money to get the needed signatures), well into the 2012-13 fiscal year. If voters reject the initiative, there will be another budget trigger that would automatically…

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Yet More Pepper: Legislative Hearings Tomorrow

Byuclafaculty

UC, CSU Officials To Join Experts and Students In Testifying At State Capitol Hearing On Campus Protests Sacramento, CA–University of California system President Mark Yudof and UC Davis Chancellor Linda Katehi will join other UC and California State University officials, police oversight experts and student representatives in testifying before a Dec. 14 joint legislative hearing looking into UC and CSU system-wide policies and procedures regarding non-violent protests and campus police use-of-force rules. Assemblymember Marty Block (AD-78), chair of the Assembly Higher Education Committee and Senator Alan Lowenthal (SD-27), chair of the Senate Education Committee, have called the hearing in response…

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State Budget Trigger Pulled

Byuclafaculty

The state budget trigger was pulled today, costing UC $100 million in additional cuts (as expected). Actually, the trigger was a two-part mechanism and the lesser version was pulled. But either part involved cutting $100 million from UC. For summary details, see http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2011/12/details-of-browns-trigger-cuts.html and for the official notice see http://www.dof.ca.gov/documents/2012_Rev_Forecast_Determination.pdf

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What’s in a name?

Byuclafaculty

A prior post on this blog noted that Governor Brown had submitted an initiative for temporary taxes entitled “The Schools and Local Public Safety Act.” (That may not be the title that appears on the ballot which is set by the attorney general.) It was also noted that perusing the text of the act suggested it was aimed at K-14 funding, i.e., higher ed was in it only at the community college level. However, to get the initiative on the ballot – and then run a campaign to get it passed – Brown will need a lot of money. The…

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UC Announces Union Deal: Wages Up for Two-Tier Pension

Byuclafaculty

UC, clerical union reach five-year agreement Date: 2011-12-12 Contact: University of California Office of the President Phone: (510) 987-9200 OAKLAND — The University of California announced today (Dec. 12) that it has finalized a five-year agreement with the Coalition of University Employees on wages, benefits and other issues for more than 12,500 clerical staff. “We are pleased our clerical unit is finally under contract. The efforts between CUE-Teamsters and the university produced a fair agreement where both sides made difficult choices,” said Dwaine B. Duckett, vice president of systemwide human resources. “We are particularly pleased they proactively came to the…

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Rosy Scenario on State Budget Likely to Be Ending Soon

Byuclafaculty

The Sacramento Bee points out today that the process of re-examining the rosy scenario budget forecast on revenues will soon be coming to an end. As readers of this blog know, the governor was unable to get GOP support for putting tax extensions on the ballot. But under new procedures approved by voters, only a simple majority was needed to pass a budget even though 2/3 was needed for the taxes. So extra revenue was assumed and the budget was passed. However, a trigger mechanism was included to cut expenditures if revenue assumptions were not met. Since then, it has…

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UCLA History: Mural

Byuclafaculty

The Sacramento Bee today carries a story about the restoration of the 1970s’ Great Wall of LA mural, shown above, associated with UCLA Professor Judith Baca. See: http://www.sacbee.com/2011/12/11/4114541/los-angeles-reconsiders-mural.html and also an earlier piece from UCLA Today: http://www.today.ucla.edu/portal/ut/judy-baca-great-wall-of-la-216853.aspx