academic freedom

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Academic Council knocks UCOP data policy

Byhigbie

The Academic Council of the UC Academic Senate called for significant revisions to a proposed new university policy on “Research Data and Tangible Research Materials.” The Council characterized the proposed policy as, “overly broad, difficult to enforce, and a potential danger to faculty intellectual property.” Previously, the Berkeley Faculty Association criticized the policy as a solution in search of a problem, and a danger to faculty academic freedom. As the BFA noted, the policy opens with a sweeping assertion of new university rights, “The Regents of the University of California owns all Research Data and Tangible Research Materials,” and goes…

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UC Workers to Strike: 10/23-25

Byhigbie

Campus workers affiliated with AFSCME local 3299 and UPTE-CWA local 9119 voted overwhelmingly to authorize strikes at the University of California after bargaining stalled. After the vote, AFSCME announced that members in several bargaining units would strike on October 23, 24, and 25. UPTE then announced its members would strike on the same dates. Last

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Support Academic Freedom for UC Librarians

Byhigbie

In a recent bargaining session with unionized librarians, UC administrators rejected the a proposal to recognize academic freedom for librarians. According to UC-AFT, negotiators for the university argued that academic freedom is “not a good fit” for librarians and claimed to have consulted Senate faculty on the topic. Quite the opposite is true, and faculty

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…

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Univ. of Wisconsin Faces Big Changes under Walker

Byhigbie

Wisconsin’s Republican governor Scott Walker recently proposed a $350 million cut to the University of Wisconsin system budget, and a fundamental shift in the university’s relationship to the state. Currently, the multi-campus system is a state agency. The new law would make the UW system a “public authority.” In a lengthy analysis, UW professors explain what this change will mean and why system administrators are not fighting it: They [system leaders] recognize the cuts as a “DEAL” with the state in exchange for what they call the ‘flexibilities’ of the public authority model.  This desire explains why no UW System…

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CUCFA Statement on “Civility” and Academic Freedom

Byhigbie

This week the Council of University of California Faculty Associations (CUCFA), with representatives from 9 UC campuses including UCLA, issued the a statement reflecting concern over academic freedom cases around the country: Statement on “Civility” and Academic Freedom On Friday Sept. 5, Chancellor Dirks of UC Berkeley circulated an open statement to his campus community that sought to define the limits of appropriate debate at Berkeley. Issued as the campus approaches the 50th anniversary of the Free Speech Movement, Chancellor Dirks’ statement, with its evocation of civility, echoes language recently used by the Chancellor of the University of Illinois, Urbana…

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Block on Israel Boycott

Byuclafaculty

As expected – see earlier posts – now that UCLA has reopened, Chancellor Block issued a statement on the Israel boycott issue: As one of the world’s leading public research universities, UCLA has a steadfast commitment to the principles of academic freedom and open dialogue. In their pursuit of knowledge, our faculty and students must be free to collaborate and communicate with scholars around the world. Institutions throughout the Middle East are no exception, providing a valuable and essential range of ideas and perspectives that should not be excluded. Limiting academic debate and research violates our principles of independent inquiry…

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The GSEIS “Problem” Continues

Byuclafaculty

Inside Higher Ed continues its coverage of the controversy in a course at GSEIS involving… well, it’s not quite clear what is involved, despite the lengthy article.  It does seem like the kind of development that needs some Academic Senate review.  [Excerpt] For the first time since graduate students staged a sit-in during a class they said exemplified what’s wrong with race relations at the University of California at [sic] Los Angeles, the course met again late last week. But in an apparent attempt at compromise between the aggrieved students and the instructor, its configuration was changed – raising concerns…