UC Regents

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Anyone know what Regent Crane said? Inquiring Minds Want to Know

Byuclafaculty

Anyone know what Regent Crane said about pensions at this fair and balanced seminar at the Hoover Institution? (Scroll down) Hint: It might be good to find out. From the Hoover Institution website: http://www.hoover.org/news/83027 June 20, 2011 State and Municipal Fiscal Default Workshop On June 15–16, 2011, scholars and practitioners gathered for the State and Municipal Fiscal Default Workshop at the Hoover Institution. Experts from the fields of public policy, economics, finance, law, and state and local politics consulted about the nature of the problem, the current legal structures, and the possibility of legislative or other reform to avert the…

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No Way San Jose

Byuclafaculty

There has been a concern at UC that some future ballot proposition might sweep UC into a statewide public pension change that would affect current employees, contrary to the Regents’ action on pensions last December. The state attorney general, Kamala Harris, recently raised possible objections concerning a San Jose city plan that would affect current employees there. Whether she would challenge a ballot proposition that had similar effects at the state level is unknown. From the San Jose Mercury-News of 6/21/11: San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed’s proposal to declare a fiscal state of emergency and seek a ballot measure to…

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At Last, Something Is Heard

Byuclafaculty

We at this blog have been waiting for UCOP and the Regents to get involved in the state budget. It’s late in the game – a simple-majority budget was passed last night that (as previously noted on this blog) chops another $150 million from UC. But at last, we are hearing from UC’s powers-that-be. Gov. Brown could veto the budget. If he signs it, he could cut spending in particular lines but can’t raise spending. However, other bills can be enacted that modify the budget. In any case, the UCOP press release reproduced below in italics could be the start…

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Crane Might Fly With Budget/Pension Deal (Or Not): We Will Likely Be in Suspense Until Next Wednesday

Byuclafaculty

Regent-designate David Crane was appointed in the waning moments of the Schwarzenegger regime. Crane is noted for favoring the Schwarzenegger-Whitman approach to public pensions. That might make it unlikely under normal circumstances that the Democrats in the legislature would bless his last-minute appointment. Note that if they don’t approve Crane, that denial of a seat would give Governor Brown the opportunity to name someone else. However, Crane has lately been writing that unions should not be blamed for the pension problem, which might make his case more palatable to legislative Democrats – particularly in the context of budget negotiations and…

Audio of Regents Meeting of May 18, 2011

Byuclafaculty

The prior post on this blog provided the audio for the Regents meeting of May 17. Below is the audio in two parts for the second day of the Regents meeting, May 18. Also below is the agenda for that date. Wednesday, May 18 8:30 am Committee of the Whole (public comment) 8:50 am Committee on Compensation (open session) Special Meeting: Committee on Compensation (open session) 9:15 am Special Meeting: Board (open session) 9:30 am Committee on Finance (open session) 12:30 pm Lunch 1:15 pm Committee on Finance (open session continued) 1:25 pm Joint Meeting: Committees on Finance and Oversight…

Audio of Regents Meeting of May 17, 2011

Byuclafaculty

The UCLA Faculty Association is now routinely requesting the audios of Regents meetings and posting them. Audios are available only for open sessions of the Regents. Below are links to Parts 1 and 2 of the May 17, 2011 meeting and the agenda. Tuesday, May 17 11:00 am Committee on Grounds and Buildings (open session – includes public comment) 12:45 pm Committee on of the Whole (open session – includes public comment) 1:45 pm Committee on Oversight of the DOE Laboratories (open session) 2:15 pm Board (open session) 2:30 pm Committee on Educational Policy (open session) 3:00 pm Committee on…

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Pay Freeze Bill Melts

Byuclafaculty

A bill in the state Assembly that would have frozen pay of most state workers above $150,000 until 2014 has died. The bill would not have covered UC would contained language urging UC to follow its guideline. Specifically: (9) (A) At a time when the University of California Board of Regents is raising student fees, it is imperative that they show leadership and fiscal responsibility for two years by not granting raises or bonuses for employees that make in excess of $150,000 per year. (B) The Legislature urges the Regents of the University of California and the Board of Directors…

Audio: Regents Committee on Compliance & Audit, May 5, 2011

Byuclafaculty

The UCLA Faculty Assn. has been requesting recordings of Regents meetings. Again, it must be noted that although the Regents meetings are live-streamed, the recordings are not archived on the Regents website or elsewhere. Why that isn’t done is unclear. However, below you will find a link to the audio of the May 5th meeting of the Regents Committee on Compliance and Audit. Compliance and Audit encompasses both compliance with financial reporting as well as other matters. Various federal and state regulations and UC regulations require training on such matters as sexual harassment. Because of some racial incidents, an initiative…

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No End in Sight (for tuition increases)

Byuclafaculty

UC leaders: Tuition hikes nearly inevitable (excerpt) Matt Krupnick, Contra Costa Times, 5/18/11 The University of California may charge higher tuition each of the next five years even if the state stops cutting its budget, UC leaders said Wednesday. Administrators presented four budget scenarios Wednesday to help the Board of Regents plan future budgets. Under the rosiest scenario — which is unlikely, given the state’s financial crisis — UC would raise tuition 8 percent per year, starting in 2012… Gov. Jerry Brown has proposed $500 million cuts to both the 10-campus UC and 23-campus California State University systems, and the…

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The Regents Are Coming; The Regents Are Coming

Byuclafaculty

The Regents will be meeting next week, May 17-18. By way of a preview, here are some excerpts from background documents for the Regents Committee on Finance, slated for May 18. Excerpt 1: Full document at http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/regents/regmeet/may11/f6.pdf Compensation. The baseline model assumes annual compensation cost increases of three percent for both represented and non-represented staff and faculty, in addition to the regular academic merit salary increase program, totaling $533 million by 2015-16. While compensation likely will continue to lag substantially behind the market, three percent increases are critical to retain and recruit the faculty and staff needed to maintain UC’s…