News

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Awareness of UCOF soon-to-be released report is growing

Byuclafaculty

(As the op ed below suggests, folks are beginning to become aware of the potential controversy that will surround the report of the UC Commission on the Future, to be released soon. NOTE: The same op ed appeared June 21 in another newspaper and was posted to the now-defunct savingUCLA website and then copied to this website earlier.) Bakersfield Californianhttp://www.thecalifornian.com/print/article/20100705/OPINION02/7050302/Thomas-Elias-UC-regents-to-put-pressure-on-Sacramento July 5, 2010UC regents to put pressure on Sacramento By Thomas Elias It’s almost as if the Board of Regents that runs the University of California can’t wait to fire a warning shot across the figurative bow of Gov. Arnold…

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UCOF Audios from Dec. 7, 2009

Byuclafaculty

The UC Commission on the Future met at Covel Commons, UCLA, on Dec. 7, 2009. There were four basic segments: Public, Staff, Faculty, and Students. The Public and Staff Segments are in 7 Parts: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 (end) The Faculty Segment is in Three Parts: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 (end) The Student Segment is in 4 Parts: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 (end)

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State Fiscal Developments as of July 1

Byuclafaculty

The new state fiscal year has begun with no budget enacted. In the short term, there are few consequences although the longer the no-budget period drags on, the more notable the impact as various state suppliers and local entities are not paid. UC has typically been able to deal with prolonged budget delays although certain payments to it are delayed. A list of what the state controller can and cannot pay can be found at: http://www.sco.ca.gov/July_2010_payments.html Until a day or so ago, there were 3 budget plans: the governor’s May revise and separate plans from the Democrats in the assembly…

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Proposal for a new faculty pay plan based on med school model

Byuclafaculty

Below is a link to a document from a joint senate-administration committee on faculty pay. The thrust of it is a plan to apply a med-school type compensation plan to other faculty, essentially a base state salary with supplements paid out of research grants or non-state sources. The document recognizes that for many non-med faculty, such grants/sources will not be available. I checked with UCOP to be sure this is not a confidential document before posting it. http://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0BzVLYPK7QI_4MjBmYjJjOGUtOWYzZi00MjBlLWI4NDctMDQ4YjNiZTM5OWMy&hl=en&authkey=CMv_4-AO

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Somewhat dueling ballot initiatives for November

Byuclafaculty

Various propositions will be on the November ballot with implications for the state budget – and, therefore, the UC budget. One would eliminate the 2/3 super-majority vote required to pass the budget and change it to a simple majority. It would not change the 2/3 requirement for raising taxes. (The 2/3 vote on budgets goes back to the Great Depression; the 2/3 vote on taxes was part of Prop 13 of 1978.) But another initiative would impose the 2/3 requirement on raising “fees.” The fee vs. tax distinction is not always clear and has provided some wiggle room for the…

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Video of Discussion of Master Plan 6-16-10

Byuclafaculty

President Yudof and his counterparts at CSU and the community colleges discussed the Master Plan at a session at the Commonwealth Club on June 16, 2010. No shocking statements. Yudof, towards the end of the hour-plus session, did give some support to the 3-year undergrad degree concept. Available for viewing by clicking on the video below:[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-NZP7qRyWs&fs=1&hl=en_US]

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Little Hoover Commission on Public Pensions in California

Byuclafaculty

The State’s “Little Hoover Commission” is holding hearings on public pensions in California. There was a hearing yesterday on legal issues and one today 6-24-10. There does not appear to be any direct participation of UC in these hearings. Whether the UC pension is included in some background reports for the hearings is unknown (to me). The agenda is at: http://www.lhc.ca.gov/studies/activestudies/pension/Public_Notice_06-24-10.pdf UC’s unique pension situation tends to be lost in state discussions of the much larger CalPERS and CalSTRS systems. Note: A radio discussion of public pensions – including yours truly – can be heard at:http://www.kqed.org/epArchive/R201006180900 A Sacramento Bee report…

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Minimum wages and furloughs: Will UC go its own way?

Byuclafaculty

The furlough and minimum wage issues are getting closer. The governor can’t order UC to pay minimum wage or impose new furloughs. But – as noted in prior posts – the issue is whether UC will be politically able to go its own way when other state workers (including those at CSU) are subject to furloughs and minimum wages. As also noted previously, the imposition of the min wage does not depend on whether cash is available to pay full salaries. It depends only on whether a budget is in place on July 1, which seems unlikely. PolitiCal (LA Times)…