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  • PPIC Poll on Taxes

    Above is the latest PPIC poll dealing with taxes and Gov. Brown’s proposed initiative to raise them temporarily.  Keep in mind that polls tend to be full of contradictory attitudes. And this is January but the actual initiative won’t be on the ballot until November.  There will be lots of events between now and then. The full poll is at http://www.ppic.org/content/pubs/survey/S_112MBS.pdf. Note: If you click on the image above, you will see a clearer picture.

  • Cough, Cough

    LA Times editors think that if Santa Claus can smoke, folks at UC should be able to smoke, too. There’s nothing to say in defense of cigarettes. Smoking is a detestable, dangerous habit — but it’s also a legal one, and there is plenty to say in defense of allowing adults to make bad decisions if they’re not breaking the law or harming others. The University of California should have taken that into account before UC President Mark G. Yudof announced that all 10 campuses would become smoke- and tobacco-free within two years. As long as smokers aren’t filling others’…

  • LA Times Discloses ID of Tenured UC Tenured Faculty Member Regents May Fire

    Perhaps firing a tenured faculty member is not quite as explosive as the atomic test the Regents in the photo on the left are shown getting ready to attend (1956).  Nonetheless, such firings are unusual.  One suspects that there are other such cases that lead to resignation settlements that are not widely reported. From the LA Times today: The University of California Board of Regents is scheduled this week to discuss a highly unusual proposal to fire a veteran tenured professor and deny him the perks of emeritus retirement.  The case involves a UC Riverside international finance professor who has…

  • Tuition Shares

    The Legislative Analyst’s Office released the chart above on tuition shares of the state and the student.  Economists will be quick to note that the figures refer to average costs, not marginal.  Nevertheless, the chart tells a story. The full presentation (which notes that many lower income students pay no fees) is at http://www.lao.ca.gov/sections/higher_ed/FAQs/Higher_Education_Issue_05.pdf Note: Clicking on the link above may provide a sharper picture.

  • Ice Skating in Westwood: 1949

    At one time there was ice skating in Westwood at what was originally known as the Tropical Ice Garden at Weyburn and Gayley Avenues. The photo shows it in 1949, when it was known as the Sonja Henie Ice Palace, named after the ice skating movie star of that era. The rink was closed shortly after the photo was taken to be demolished. It burned down before demolition in 1950. In the contemporary view of the Weyburn-Gayley intersection, the rink would have been located on the near right where a coffee shop now operates.

  • Chain Link Fence Around UCLA-Santa Monica Hospital Gone

    Although the new wing of the UCLA-Santa Monica Hospital was dedicated some time ago, the Wilshire side remained surrounded by an ugly chain link fence until recently.  Yours truly passed by yesterday and took this photo.  The Wilshire gate is still locked, however, and a sign declares the front landscaped area to be a construction zone.  It’s unclear what is being constructed.

  • Three Regents Meet with UCLA Students

    The Daily Bruin online edition reported that last week Regent Chair Lansing met with several UCLA students: UC regents hear student input at UCLA after recent midyear budget cuts JILLIAN BECK, 12/17/11 Members of the UC Board of Regents met with undergraduate and graduate student leaders at UCLA Friday morning to discuss ways to work directly with students, days after another multi-million dollar cut in state funding was dealt to the UC.  The visit fulfilled a promise Regent Chair Sherry Lansing made at the Nov. 28 UC regents meeting. Lansing said she planned to travel to each of the UC campuses…

  • Faculty Center Calls for Donations

    As readers of this blog will know, the existing UCLA Faculty Center building was originally slated for demolition under the now-revised hotel/conference center plan.  With the revision, the Faculty Center was spared but must now deal with its financial problems.  A call for donations has gone out, reproduced in italics below: With the dramatic challenges of this year now behind us, the Board of Governors can turn its attention to modernizing our beloved Faculty Center: e.g. renovating and remodeling rooms and public spaces, and upgrading conference and event-hosting capabilities.  To do so we encourage your support. In celebration of the…