politics

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Supreme Court Challenge to Michigan Proposition Could Void Prop 209

Byuclafaculty

Prop 209, banning affirmative action in public university admissions, was passed by California voters in 1996.  The final vote count in favor was actually slightly higher than the chart here – from preliminary data shortly after the election – shows.  (54.6% yes rather than 54.5%.)  Prop 209’s history goes back to an earlier action by the Regents banning affirmative action at UC.  (The Regents later repealed the ban but, by that time, Prop 209 took precedence and the repeal had no effect.) The LA Times today carries a report of a challenge at the Supreme Court to a similar proposition…

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Waiting to find out what it means

Byuclafaculty

Room for waiting Inside Higher Ed is reporting today that the reason the higher ed establishment has been relatively quiet about the Obama plan for higher ed performance standards, tuition, etc., is because no one really knows what it means or what in detail is in the plan. They’re all waiting to find out. See http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/08/30/after-obamas-announcement-higher-ed-lobby-offers-cautious-response It’s tough to wait:

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Note for the Regents

Byuclafaculty

Here’s a quote from Sacramento Bee columnist Dan Walters.  Might be something for the Regents (and our incoming UC president Janet Napolitano) to keep in mind: …Tom Hayden, the politician/journalist who protected Brown’s left flank when he was paddling his political canoe to the right three-plus decades ago, points out in a new Rolling Stone article about Brown that the governor tends to become very stubborn when he’s wrong on an issue. “He does have a problematic side,” Hayden told Rolling Stone. “He’s the kind of guy who, when he knows he’s wrong, argues harder.”… Walters’ column deals with Brown’s…

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Audit coming to Berkeley and one other UC campus

Byuclafaculty

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, after a hearing at the legislature on complaints that UC-Berkeley failed to follow up adequately on student allegations of sexual assault, there will be an audit there and one other yet-to-be-named UC campus.  Excerpt: …The audit will take up to seven months and will look at practices at UC Berkeley and three other campuses to be determined: one at UC and two at CSU. Representatives of UC and CSU at the hearing were clearly moved by the testimony and said they would cooperate with the audit. “As a woman, as a mother who has a daughter…

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Movers and Shakers on the Tuition Bus

Byuclafaculty

The original Shakers didn’t have a bus. From Inside Higher Ed: President Obama plans to take on rising tuition prices with speeches later this week that the White House promises will include fresh, serious proposals. But those claims were met largely with skepticism here, even from supporters of the president’s repeated pledge to “shake up” higher education. On Tuesday the White House distributed a message from Obama in which he said would seek to make college more affordable with “real reforms that would bring lasting change.” The president said he would release the plan’s details during a two-day bus tour…

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Listen to the Special Regents Meeting of Aug. 8, 2013

Byuclafaculty

A special meeting of the UC-Regents was held by teleconference to approve the appointment and compensation of incoming Riverside chancellor Kim A. Wilcox, formerly provost at Michigan State U.  There were no public comments made by non-regents at this session, although time was available for such comments.  Governor Brown voted “no” on the compensation package which included an 8.9% raise in salary relative to the previous chancellor.  He cited concerns about growing income inequality in society, the fact that there were chancellors on other campuses who were paid less, and the labor dispute with AFSCME.  Lt. Gov. Newsom also voted…

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Who’s Behind the Temporarily Dead MOOC Bill?

Byuclafaculty

Readers of this blog already know that the bill sponsored by state senate president Darrell Steinberg that would have required MOOCs at UC, CSU, and the community colleges is dead (for now). What is interesting is how that bill is being seen in Sacramento: A bill backed by Coursera, a high-flying online education company, that would extend academic credit opportunities for California public university students is likely to be put on hold, the bill author’s office says.The Senate sent SB 520 by Senate Leader Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, to the Assembly in May over the opposition of teachers’ unions and higher…

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I know it’s unpleasant to hear but…

Byuclafaculty

When you listen to Regents’ comments at their meetings on the state budget, you have the impression at times that they think that the state and governor have reversed course and now acknowledge responsibility for the UC pension plan.  So, for the record, here is the Legislative Analyst’s summary of the latest state budget and the UC pension: Contains Intent Language Regarding UC Retirement Costs. The budget plan does not designate any funding for UC employer retirement costs, though the university expects these costs to increase by $67 million in 2013-14. Budget trailer bill language states, however, that the absence of…

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Why Jerry Should Love Higher Ed

Byuclafaculty

Gov. Brown often seems a bit exasperated with UC at Regents meetings. But the latest Field Poll indicates higher ed is doing a great job for him:Percent of Voters Supporting Brown’s Re-Election in 2014: High school graduate or less…..37%Some college/trade school……..37%College graduate……………..45%Post-graduate work……………57% Poll results at http://www.field.com/fieldpollonline/subscribers/Rls2446.pdf So, the more we teach, the more they love him:[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KiO42i7uVM?feature=player_detailpage]