News

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Background on Anti-Asian Video Posted by UCLA Student

Byuclafaculty

Most blog readers will be aware of this incident from the chancellor’s recent email. Here are some excerpts from the Daily Bruin: UCLA student’s YouTube video ‘Asians in the Library’ prompts death threats; violent responses criticized as equally damaging Kate Parkinson-MorganMarch 14, 2011, Daily Bruin, online version A UCLA student has received multiple death threats in response to her video “Asians in the Library,” which was posted Friday. In the video, third-year political science student Alexandra Wallace makes a number of disparaging comments about Asian students… The video quickly went viral and, despite being removed by Wallace on Sunday, has…

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Report: All UC Students in Japan Have Been Found

Byuclafaculty

All UC students studying in Japan are found safe Sacramento Bee, Mar. 15, 2011, Laurel Rosenhall University of California officials have located all 80 UC students studying abroad in Japan and confirmed they are safe… UC also has 32 researchers and other employees working in Japan, and has been in touch with most of them… Full story at http://www.sacbee.com/2011/03/15/3475810/all-uc-students-studying-in-japan.html

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Pension train may roll through UC’s pension changes. Does anyone at UCOP even know where that train is?

Byuclafaculty

As noted in earlier posts, the pension train is rolling in Sacramento and could easily override the changes in UCRP made by the Regents last December. Is anyone from UCOP articulating a UC position? The kind of caps being discussed are too low for UC faculty. See below for the latest: Pension focus shifts: hybrid, caps and the big one (excerpt) Ed Mendel, calpensions.com As Gov. Brown seeks crucial budget votes, one reform proposed by five Republican senators would switch new hires to “hybrid” pensions, a cost-cutting combination of lower pensions and 401(k)-style individual investment plans. The governor, who also…

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Consultant’s Report on the UCLA Hotel/Conference Center Now on the Web: More Questions Need to Be Answered

Byuclafaculty

Prof. Dora Costa of the UCLA Economics Dept. sent the message below to faculty who signed the petition expressing concern about the proposed hotel/conference center. It is reproduced below. She notes that a redacted version of the report by the consultant hired by those who propose the project is now available at the Senate website and she expresses various concerns. You can find that report at http://www.senate.ucla.edu/documents/UCLACONFCENTERSTUDYDRAFT-RedactedbyPKF03102011.pdfYours truly would add the following three points to those made by Prof. Costa. 1) Because the report has just become available as a public document, you can be sure that neighboring commercial hotels…

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UC Students in Japan

Byuclafaculty

UC awaits word from 80 students in Japan3/11/11 Sacramento Bee, Laurel Rosenhall University of California officials are working to locate 80 students and 32 employees who are studying or working abroad in Japan, where a large earthquake and tsunami struck yesterday causing significant damage to the north part of the country. UC students are studying in seven different locations around Japan, said university spokeswoman Lynn Tierney. UC contracts with private companies to track students and employees while they are abroad. The university is awaiting word from campus officials and the private companies to find out how UC’s students are doing….

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Will the State Budget Deal Cut the Heart Out of UC’s Recent Pension Changes? Are We Too Chicken to Make a Case With the Governor?

Byuclafaculty

Perhaps you know of the old radio show in which a chicken heart grew until it took over everything and covered the world. As previous posts on this blog have noted, although the true deadline for getting the governor’s proposed tax extensions on the June ballot is somewhat flexible, we are coming close to the point where it becomes administratively impossible. The governor and the Democrats have evidently concluded that proposed strategies for doing the deal without a 2/3 vote for the ballot measure are impractical. So bargaining is going on with a few Republicans on the price for their…

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Just one more thing: The eleventh question to add to the other ten

Byuclafaculty

The item below containing 10 questions on the Faculty Center issue was circulated by UCLA communications. Here is an 11th question: Can it be said that in the midst of a major budget crisis, UCLA’s top priority is to build a hotel/conference center whose downside financial risk in one way or another will be assumed by the campus? 10 Questions: Scott Waugh on the residential conference center and faculty club project UCLA is planning a residential conference center featuring 33,000 square feet of meeting and conference space and 282 hotel rooms. Project plans also include a new faculty club with…

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The Empire Strikes Back (at BruinGO)

Byuclafaculty

Below is an article from the online edition of the Daily Bruin regarding the BruinGO program, a system of subsidized public transit for UCLA students and employees. Note that the announcement reported by the Bruin is being made at the end of classes and just before exam week when students are not paying attention. There is no paper edition of the Daily Bruin at this time of year. The UCLA transportation powers-that-be have never been happy with BruinGO, precisely because it displaces the parking empire. Prof. Donald Shoup of Urban Planning has been a leader, both in the creation of…

More on the Other Wisconsin Story

Byuclafaculty

Inside Higher Ed has been tracking the story of the pursuit by the University of Wisconsin-Madison for more autonomy from the larger U of Wisconsin system. That story has been submerged due to the controversy over the collective bargaining issue. As prior posts on this blog have noted, this effort has the support of Governor Walker but has not been cheered by the system’s regents. In fact, they were opposed. However, today’s Inside Higher Ed notes that the system’s regents have now come up with their own plan for more autonomy of the campuses, reproduced below. But, as the bold…

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CalPERS reported to be planning to cut its assumed investment return to seven and half

Byuclafaculty

Pension funds, such as UC’s, use an assumed rate of return to estimate future earnings and calculate their unfunded liability. In the past, UC has had the most conservative rate of 7.5% as compared with CalPERS and CalSTRS. It was useful for UC to be able to note that it was more conservative than the others. Now it is reported that CalPERS will cut its assumed rate to the same level as UC, i.e., CalPERS will assume that for each dollar in the fund, it can earn seven and a half cents. Although there is no direct effect on UC…