News

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Your records are more public than you think

Byuclafaculty

Almost two years ago, we noted that public records requests can be used to harass faculty doing research someone doesn’t like.  If you were at Stanford or USC, your records would be more protected than at UCLA because those institutions are private.  Emails, data sets, etc., are potentially at risk.  Our earlier post is at:http://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2011/04/u-of-wisconsin-email-case.html Yesterday, the Daily Bruin carried a story about an Academic Senate task force formed in late 2011 which is looking into this question at UCLA.  Apparently, the task force is going to release a final report soon.  You can find the story at: http://dailybruin.com/2013/02/28/task-force-tackles-concerns-on-public-records-requests/In the…

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Long-Term Care Cop Out?

Byuclafaculty

Back on Feb. 20, we posted a piece on a big CalPERS hike for long-term care insurance.  We noted that although UC is not covered by CalPERS, as state employees, UC employees could buy – some might say were encouraged to buy – long-term care insurance through CalPERS.  Now premiums are climbing rapidly and some may drop the insurance (losing what they paid) due to the price hikes. From the Sacramento Bee State Worker Blog: Longtime policyholders say that when CalPERS was pushing the insurance in the 1990s, it guaranteed their rates wouldn’t rise. That gave younger adults – a…

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What’s the Rush?

Byuclafaculty

Today’s Inside Higher Ed reports that Carnegie Mellon is in no rush to jump into the online course business until some some viable financial model is developed: While other universities move quickly to offer courses online for free, Carnegie Mellon University is instead starting for-profit efforts designed to capture segments of the education market. Provost Mark Kamlet said the university is looking for a “financially sustainable” way to expand its reach. So far, that means a handful of spinoffs with a variety of products aimed at workforce development and online education…  At the same time, Carnegie Mellon is shying away from…

The Rogers Mystery Solved

Byuclafaculty

Yesterday, I posted the audio of the Regents Committee on Investments and noted the (phone) presence of someone referred to as Gary (and sometimes Gerry) who pushed for an examination of why the Regents’ endowment funds underperformed those of other major universities. http://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2013/02/listen-to-uc.html Bill Jacobs of UC-SB filled me in on the identity of Gary/Gerry.  He is an advisor to the committee, not a Regent.  However, the odd thing is that the committee seemed unwilling to take his advice and seemed annoyed at even hearing it. Isn’t the purpose of an advisor to give, you know, advice? Nonetheless, despite the…

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I-405 55 Hour Lane Reduction (Northbound)

Byuclafaculty

Beginning Friday night, March 1, 2013, the I-405 Sepulveda Pass Project will reduce the northbound I-405 from five lanes to two between Montana Avenue and the Getty Center Dr off-ramp in West Los Angeles. On-ramps within the 2.4-mile reduction area will also be closed during the 55-hour weekend event.  Motorists are advised to anticipate delays. There will be several late-night full closures of the northbound lanes.  The southbound I-405 will remain open and northbound Sepulveda Blvd. will remain fully operational with two lanes throughout the reduction. Westbound Wilshire Blvd. to northbound Sepulveda Blvd. may be used as an alternative route to…

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Listen to UC-Regents Committee on Investments 2-26-2013

Byuclafaculty

The Regents Committee on Investments met earlier today, in part by phone conference call.  Note our earlier post today which contains links to the agenda. A link to the audio of this meeting is below.  It is unclear whether the Regents plan to post the audio or video of this meeting.  Unlike the January meeting, I did not find audio or video archived on the web after this meeting.  So I have provided a link to a recording of the meeting below. Some highlights.  There was a dispute, not always in entirely friendly terms, between one Regent (“Gary” or sometimes…

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And the Oscar comes from…

Byuclafaculty

A UCLA student walked the same stage as dozens of big-name celebrities Sunday night at the 85th annual Academy Awards. Tatenda Mbudzi was one of six students from across the country who delivered Oscar statuettes to presenters during the show after winning the “Oscar Experience College Search” contest. As part of the contest, the 25-year-old film student submitted a video explaining how he would contribute to the future of movies… Full story at http://centurycity.patch.com/articles/ucla-student-makes-oscars-appearance

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And here’s something you probably didn’t know…

Byuclafaculty

The Regents are meeting today.  Not all of them.  However, the Committee on Investments is meeting at 1:30 pm. On its agenda is possible changed guidance for investment of the UC pension plan portfolio.  My impression is that there has not been much Academic Senate involvement in the process of coming up with recommendations, although we have some well-known financial experts on the faculty.  You can find the Committee’s agenda and background documents at: http://regents.universityofcalifornia.edu/regmeet/feb13/invest.pdf and particularly http://regents.universityofcalifornia.edu/regmeet/feb13/i2.pdf http://regents.universityofcalifornia.edu/regmeet/feb13/i2attach2.pdf http://regents.universityofcalifornia.edu/regmeet/feb13/i2attach1.pdf Yours truly particularly liked the last link just above which says the new investment policy is slated to go into…

Debt Roll

Byuclafaculty

Slow seat sales have prompted UC Berkeley to launch a fresh marketing campaign and look for other revenue in an effort to keep pace with the $18 million a year in debt it will soon owe for the Memorial Stadium makeover and athletic center construction. The redone stadium opened last season, but only about 1,900 of the 2,900 premium club seats – lifetime spots that cost anywhere from $40,000 to $225,000 each – have been sold. And not everyone who bought a seat has fully paid up. That has left UC some $121 million short on the $474 million project. Now, Cal’s…

A Reminder: Don’t Do It

Byuclafaculty

The UCLA email spammers are back with messages telling you to “re-validate” your email: UCLA.edu Mail Service HelpDeskUCLA.edu Mail Service messaging center wish to inform all UCLA.edu Email Users. We are upgrading our Webmail clients. Your email account will be upgrade to a new enhanced webmail interface provided by UCLA.edu Mail Service.UCLA.edu Mail Service will discontinue the use of our current UCLA.edu Email System. You are therefore required to re-validate your mailbox.To re-validate your mailbox please click the link below: [link you absolutely should not click] Note that the message doesn’t come from UCLA but from “marceloc[at]def.ufla.br.”  It contains British…