News

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    Four!

    Byadmin

    In contrast to the silence the greeted the Little Hoover report on higher ed (see the previous post on this blog), a possible effort pushing for California community colleges to become four-year institutions got some attention. From the LA Times: California’s community college system is considering a controversial effort to offer four-year degrees, a move designed to boost the number of students who graduate and are more prepared for the workforce. The change would require legislation authorizing junior colleges to grant baccalaureate degrees. Colleges would also need to seek additional accreditation as baccalaureate-granting institutions. Supporters argue that it would help…

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    Little Hoover’s Report

    Byadmin

    Little (Herbert) Hoover The state’s Little Hoover Commission issued a report yesterday on public higher ed in California.  Although the Sacramento Bee mentioned on Monday that such a report would come out on Tuesday, I could find no reference to it in today’s Bee.  I looked on the LA Times and San Francisco Chronicle websites.  (In all three, after seeing no articles, I searched their websites using such terms as “Little Hoover” without finding anything.)  It’s a philosophical question whether a tree falling in a forest makes a noise if no one hears it.  It’s less philosophical in this case.  Maybe,…

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    Not to worry?

    Byadmin

    You might have notice the article in the LA Times about concrete buildings in LA County that were prone to collapse in a major earthquake.  The article included an interactive graphic for selected areas including Westwood.  Among the buildings the LA Times listed was 924 Westwood Blvd., an office building owned by UCLA (the Regents).  The image above is a screenshot, not the actual interactive graphic which you can find at http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-earthquake-concrete-20131013-dto,0,1555748.htmlstory.  However, here is the text of what is on the graphic including a response by UCLA saying it believes the building is safe:========== 924 Westwood Blvd. Owner: Regents…

  • Wiseman at Berkeley

    Byadmin

    Inside Higher Ed today alerted yours truly to a forthcoming Frederick Wiseman documentary on UC-Berkeley.  A lengthy article appears at:http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/10/14/documentary-frederick-wiseman-portrays-uc-berkeley-fall-2010 In poking around on the web, I found earlier stories about the documentary such as this one from the NY Times:http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/28/movies/moviesspecial/film-chronicles-the-inner-workings-of-berkeley.html If you are familiar with past Wiseman documentaries, they tend to be short on narration and long on meetings, interactions, etc.  “At Berkeley” will be released in November.  It takes place in 2010, i.e., during the budget crisis.  The film will be seen on PBS in early 2014. Excerpts can be seen below:[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2T4nPs8iIo0?feature=player_detailpage]

  • Fraud Reminder: NEVER respond to distress emails asking for money

    Byadmin

    From time to time, yours truly receives emails -seemingly from a friend or colleague – requesting money to get out of a distressful situation abroad.  Today was no exception: I really hope you get this fast. I could not inform anyone about our trip, because it was impromptu. we had to be in Philippines for Tour..The program was successful, but our journey has turned sour. we misplaced our wallet and cell phone on our way back to the hotel we lodge in after we went for sight seeing. The wallet contained all the valuables we had. Now, our passport is…

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    Public Pension Drumbeat Continues. UC Needs to Begin Planning for Staying Out of Planned Initiative

    Byadmin

    On Saturday, we alerted blog readers to the coordinated campaign to get some kind of public pension “reform” initiative on the California ballot.  At issue on Saturday was a Stanford-Hoover MOOC, ostensibly about retirement investing, but which culminates in a program on public pensions. The pension drumbeat continues, at this point by articles on the issue. For example, a recent op-ed in the San Diego Union-Tribune goes on about various municipal bankruptcies but contains a suggestion for a constitutional amendment in California.  The legislature is not about to put such an amendment on the ballot so it could only by…

  • With modern recording devices, a reminder that your classes are not really private, whatever the legalities

    Byadmin

    That was then and this is now. We have reminded faculty from time to time that emails and other communications at public universities are generally not private and can be requested as public documents.  There are some questions about the legalities of students recording your classes.  A recent case in which a teacher in the LA school district was recorded cursing – and was suspended – is a reminder, however, that once a recording goes public, it can’t be retrieved.  Moreover, it is very unlikely that a student will be prosecuted for making such a recording.  And recording via cellphone…

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    Follow Up on Napolitano Friendship Tour

    Byadmin

    We noted on Thursday that UC president Janet Napolitano was coming to UCLA to talk with students and others on Friday.  So what happened?  From the LA Times: UC President Janet Napolitano got a mixed reception Friday during her first official visit to UCLA, facing protesters who objected to her actions as the onetime U.S. secretary of Homeland Security but also meeting with student leaders who praised her willingness to listen.Napolitano came to the Westwood campus for private meetings with students, faculty and administrators and to attend some seminars… In brief comments to reporters, she said she would try to…

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    More Pension Tension (from a Stanford-Hoover MOOC)

    Byadmin

    Closed? Maybe it moved to Palo Alto. We have noted on this blog that there seems to be a move to get a public pension initiative on the ballot in California.  Although there have been previous efforts, there are signs that there may be money behind the current attempt.  “Coincidentally” – as they say – it appears that the Stanford Business School and the Hoover Institute are setting up a MOOC which on its face seems to be about general retirement issues such as how to invest your money.  But it somehow ends in a what-to-do-about-public-pensions program. From a media…

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    DC Makes Lab Operations Dicey

    Byadmin

    From the San Francisco Chronicle we learn that Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory with 6,500 employees is due to shut down due to the federal government shutdown if a DC deal isn’t reached by October 21.  It is one of the labs administered in part by UC under a contract with the Dept. of Energy.  However, no shutdown plan is reported for the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Story at http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Lawrence-Livermore-lab-faces-closure-under-4888789.php