News

As transition looms, campus stirs

Byhigbie

What is the future of public higher education under a Trump administration? With the transition of presidential power a week away, students, staff, faculty, and administrators on campuses across California are bracing for a rocky relationship. Here at UCLA there are a number of teach-ins, demonstrations, and programs planned for inauguration week. The big one is a campus-wide Teach-In on January 18th, from 5-7 PM in the Ackerman Union ballrooms. You can see a list of various activities here. Meanwhile, California policymakers are displaying an unusual show of unity in their opposition to the incoming administration and its likely policies…

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CUCFA Letter to Pres. Napolitano

Byhigbie

The Council of UC Faculty Associations (CUCFA) set a letter to UC President Janet Napolitano on November 23 applauding her statements after the US presidential election, and outlining concrete steps UC leadership should take to protect vulnerable students and staff. In short, we stand united with our administrators against any threats directed at our students and fellow employees, or any words or acts of hate that threaten our mission as a public research university committed to the betterment of our global society through teaching, learning, and the dissemination of new knowledge. We pledge to stand up for, support, and defend…

Faculty Respond to Trump Election

Faculty Respond to Trump Election

Byhigbie

UCLA faculty are circulating a letter to the campus community in the wake of Donald Trump’s election, and asking colleagues to sign on in support. The letter condemns “acts of hate and bigotry directed at our students and fellow employees.” Here is the full text: Dear UCLA Students and Employees, We, the undersigned, are UCLA faculty who stand united against acts of hate and bigotry directed at our students and fellow employees in the wake of the election of Donald Trump. Words and acts of hate are forms of violence that threaten our mission as a public research university committed…

CUCFA Statement on Chancellor Searches

CUCFA Statement on Chancellor Searches

Byhigbie

A Statement of Principles for Choosing New University of California Chancellors A University of California Chancellor must be committed both to broad access to university education and to scholarly excellence, and have a proven record of support for the value of public education. A Chancellor must recognize that, despite increases in fundraising for specific projects, efforts at privatization have failed to sustain the University’s central mission of education, research, and service for the people of California. In addition to providing intellectual vision and integrity, the Chancellor should demonstrate accountability to the principles and the public mission of the university. To…

Academic Senate Rejects New Pension Tier
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Academic Senate Rejects New Pension Tier

Byhigbie

Representatives of UC faculty on all campuses delivered a strongly worded rejection of the proposed 2016 pension tier. Reports from the campuses were extensive and overwhelmingly negative (link to PDF). Berkeley faculty called the proposal “imprudent and potentially fiscally irresponsible.” Davis faculty said, “It is a myth that UCRP is too generous,” and went on to detail a long list of likely negative outcomes from the new tier. Irvine faculty noted “the level of disappointment and depth of passion expressed from all quarters about the negative impact that the imposition of the PEPRA cap has on the future of the…

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Faculty Voice Opposition to Pension Proposal

Byhigbie

On Friday, the UCLA Academic Senate hosted an informational meeting that explained in clear terms that this is a bad, bad plan for faculty. What to do about it was less clear cut. Shane White gave a deeply detailed account of financial aspects of the plan (Slides here: Pension Presentation by Shane White). Among the things we learned: Last year’s budget deal introduced the “PEPRA cap” to UC retirement benefits. This is not a limit on retirement pay-outs, but a cap on the earnings that are used to calculate retirement pay-outs. So any new hire after July 1, 2016 who…

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Pension Changes Proposed: lower benefits, little savings, weaker UCRS

Byhigbie

The University of California will soon have a third pension tier if the Regents approve a plan put forth by the Retirement Options Task Force on Friday. UC President Janet Napolitano charged the Task Force, which included management and Academic Senate representatives, with finding a way to implement her agreement with Gov. Brown to set a cap on pension benefits in exchange for state funds to support the pension system. Over the weekend, as faculty activists read the task force report and a second report produced by Senate leaders (Guide to reviewing the recommendations of the Retirement Options Task Force)…

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UCOP Response to CUCFA on Health Options

Byhigbie

In April, the Council of UC Faculty Associations drafted a letter of concern over proposed changes to UC employee health insurance options. Over 2,500 faculty system-wide added their names in support of these concerns. Now we have a response from the UC Office of the President (UCOP): Subject: Health care options letter Date: Wed, 6 May 2015 23:40:06 +0000 From: President at UCOP dot edu To: info at cucfa dot org Dear Professor Hays: Thank you for sharing the Council of UC Faculty Associations’ letter of April 7 to President Napolitano regarding the possible restructuring of healthcare plans available to…

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Which Way UCLA? May 6, 12 noon

Byuclafaculty

Save the date! Which Way UCLA? Faculty and the Future of Public Higher Education Wednesday, May 6, 12 noon to 1:30 PM UCLA Faculty Center, Sequoia Room Buffet lunch will be served As Janet Napolitano and Jerry Brown battle over tuition increases and state funding for the UC, faculty face eroding compensation and increasing privatization of the university. Is shared governance still meaningful amidst the race for private donations and bond-funded construction? Where is the common ground between tenure and non-tenure system faculty? How does the crisis of student loan debt change our relationship with our students? Join representatives of the Academic Senate, the Council…