Good Morning, Regents
STATEMENT TO THE UC BOARD OF REGENTS
MEETING ON FEBRUARY 4, 2009
BY CHARLES SCHWARTZ, PROFESSOR EMERITUS, UC BERKELEY
DURING THESE DIFFICULT BUDGET TIMES WE OFTEN HEAR UNIVERSITY OFFICIALS SAY THAT EVERYTHING IS ON THE TABLE. BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT I SEE. IN DECEMBER I ISSUED A PAPER WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF ALTERNATIVE BUDGET POSSIBILITIES, WHICH YOU HAVE COMPLETELY IGNORED.
LET ME TRY AGAIN, WITH A NEW INSPIRATION THAT COMES FROM WASHINGTON DC. ONE DAY AFTER BEING INAUGURATED AS PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, BARAK OBAMA ANNOUNCED THAT MEMBERS OF HIS STAFF WOULD HAVE THEIR PAY CAPPED AT $100,000. THEIR PURPOSE WAS PUBLIC SERVICE, NOT PERSONAL ENRICHMENT.
HOW MIGHT THAT CONCEPT APPLY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA? WE ARE CERTAINLY DEVOTED TO PUBLIC SERVICE; AND WE HAVE A GREAT MANY EMPLOYEES WHO ARE PAID OVER $100,000 PER YEAR.
LET ME OFFER A VERY MODEST SUGGESTION. IF YOU WERE TO TAKE ONE PERCENT – JUST ONE PERCENT OF THE SALARIES PAID TO THOSE EARNING OVER $100,000 THROUGHOUT UC, THAT WOULD NET YOU $29,000,000.
THAT IS MORE THAN ENOUGH TO COVER THE FULL COSTS FOR THOSE 2,300 NEW STUDENTS THAT YOU WERE PLANNING TO TURN AWAY NEXT YEAR.
SO, THERE IS A NEW IDEA FOR YOU TO PUT ON THE TABLE AND DISCUSS.
William Grant said,
February 13, 2009 @ 9:31 am
We need to fight the idea that to keep good staff you have to keep raising salaries because they will go elsewhere for better salaries.It’s a merrygoround. If we keep using this program, salaries will never become reasonable.
Sebastian Groot said,
February 24, 2009 @ 12:08 am
Its as if the controllers of the UC system (Regents, President, Chancellor, etc) are in a financial progress trap, and the only way to succeed is to keep on increasing fund raising and cut student cost or numbers, but this is a overlooked nearly obvious legend. Decrease the number of administrative positions, cut the highest paid officials cost, and have a help menu to create accountability and clarity on the annual budget report. The last of these recommendations will hopefully cause awareness in students to understand they are being cheated and tricked and taken for a ride.