Comments on: Responding to the Governor http://universityprobe.org/2010/01/responding-to-the-governor/ - a critical forum on Research Universities, their finances, their governance, ..., their future Tue, 07 Sep 2010 04:05:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Michael Smith http://universityprobe.org/2010/01/responding-to-the-governor/comment-page-1/#comment-3173 Michael Smith Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:27:05 +0000 http://universityprobe.org/?p=590#comment-3173 As a parent of a UC student and UC-bound student, I support my children's quest for higher education financially though I am of limited financial means. I was recently made aware of Professor Charles Schwartz' effort to address UC accountability by my daughter who is now of age as an independent and who will bear the brunt of the increased financial burden imposed by the UC system herself. This coming year, I will struggle to financially support my son's transition to a UC school from the community college system. Like many citizens, I have maintained a sense of ignorance and subjugation of the UC system believing that I am powerless to its monolithic hegemony over higher public education in California. I have been asked by my children to take action toward the cause of accountability of the UC/CSU system. To that end, I am contacting my assemblyman, state senator, the governor (including prospective gubernatorial candidates) and the press to investigate and resolve the issue of UC/CSU expenditures and accountability. Though I am of limited financial means, I am duty bound by my parental obligation to my children to stand up and take an activist role for their benefit. Many thanks to Professor Schwartz and others who are leading the charge in this most important crusade. Working together, we can make our voices heard by our elected representatives and seek the fiscal prudence and justice that California's populace deserves; a UC/CSU system with a focus on its core mission - to provide higher education to all students who wish to achieve a post-secondary degree. As a parent of a UC student and UC-bound student, I support my children’s quest for higher education financially though I am of limited financial means. I was recently made aware of Professor Charles Schwartz’ effort to address UC accountability by my daughter who is now of age as an independent and who will bear the brunt of the increased financial burden imposed by the UC system herself. This coming year, I will struggle to financially support my son’s transition to a UC school from the community college system.

Like many citizens, I have maintained a sense of ignorance and subjugation of the UC system believing that I am powerless to its monolithic hegemony over higher public education in California.

I have been asked by my children to take action toward the cause of accountability of the UC/CSU system. To that end, I am contacting my assemblyman, state senator, the governor (including prospective gubernatorial candidates) and the press to investigate and resolve the issue of UC/CSU expenditures and accountability. Though I am of limited financial means, I am duty bound by my parental obligation to my children to stand up and take an activist role for their benefit.

Many thanks to Professor Schwartz and others who are leading the charge in this most important crusade. Working together, we can make our voices heard by our elected representatives and seek the fiscal prudence and justice that California’s populace deserves; a UC/CSU system with a focus on its core mission – to provide higher education to all students who wish to achieve a post-secondary degree.

]]> By: Brighton Earley http://universityprobe.org/2010/01/responding-to-the-governor/comment-page-1/#comment-2951 Brighton Earley Wed, 03 Feb 2010 08:59:38 +0000 http://universityprobe.org/?p=590#comment-2951 Let your representatives know of your qualms using UCs own letter writing campaign - just send out a modified version of their standard letter: http://www.ucforcalifornia.org/uc4ca/home/ For example: "I write to you today as an advocate for the University of California and to encourage you to support full funding for UC in the 2010-11 fiscal year. UC is a powerful engine of economic growth and social advancement and will be essential in the knowledge economy of the future. Money spent on the University should not be viewed as a cost but as an investment in the future of California. However, particularly at a time when people are looking for accountability from their public institutions, it is equally important that this short-term action goes hand in hand with a long-term investment in accountability and transparency on the part of the University of California. Therefore I also urge you to, at the same time, support a State audit of the financial priorities and practices of the UC administration. The University is requesting that $913 million be restored to its budget in order to sustain its commitment to students and families and all the residents of California. It is vital that the State reinvest in the University of California! It is equally vital that the University of California be refashioned so that it can employ those funds to the maximum benefit of its students and to maintain its excellence in research and teaching. In addition to addressing the University's short-term budget shortfall, I urge you to engage in serious discussions around the Governor's proposal to enact a constitutional amendment for public higher education that would guarantee UC and the California State University system at a minimum of 10 percent of the State's General Fund budget, and to support a State audit of the financial priorities and practices of the UC administration. I thank you for your time and attention and appreciate your consideration of my views." Let your representatives know of your qualms using UCs own letter writing campaign – just send out a modified version of their standard letter: http://www.ucforcalifornia.org/uc4ca/home/

For example:

“I write to you today as an advocate for the University of California and to encourage you to support full funding for UC in the 2010-11 fiscal year. UC is a powerful engine of economic growth and social advancement and will be essential in the knowledge economy of the future. Money spent on the University should not be viewed as a cost but as an investment in the future of California.

However, particularly at a time when people are looking for accountability from their public institutions, it is equally important that this short-term action goes hand in hand with a long-term investment in accountability and transparency on the part of the University of California. Therefore I also urge you to, at the same time, support a State audit of the financial priorities and practices of the UC administration.

The University is requesting that $913 million be restored to its budget in order to sustain its commitment to students and families and all the residents of California. It is vital that the State reinvest in the University of California! It is equally vital that the University of California be refashioned so that it can employ those funds to the maximum benefit of its students and to maintain its excellence in research and teaching.

In addition to addressing the University’s short-term budget shortfall, I urge you to engage in serious discussions around the Governor’s proposal to enact a constitutional amendment for public higher education that would guarantee UC and the California State University system at a minimum of 10 percent of the State’s General Fund budget, and to support a State audit of the financial priorities and practices of the UC administration.

I thank you for your time and attention and appreciate your consideration of my views.”

]]> By: Jessea Greenman http://universityprobe.org/2010/01/responding-to-the-governor/comment-page-1/#comment-2811 Jessea Greenman Tue, 19 Jan 2010 19:32:13 +0000 http://universityprobe.org/?p=590#comment-2811 Hi. I've worked as nonacademic staff at UC Berkeley since 1989. It's WONDERFUL to see that Patricia A. Small, former UC Treasurer, has posted! A serious concern for me and for UC should also be that the Governor's proposed budget "gives" UC $313M more than last year while cutting social services. Many of us cannot feel ok about getting money basically taken from seniors, the disabled, people on food stamps, etc. Yudof's comment about this tradeoff is particularly revealing: he basically acknowledged that, for UC to get more money from the state, other things must be cut [since no one is talking about raising taxes] and says that's ok because we are the economic engine of the state. Hi. I’ve worked as nonacademic staff at UC Berkeley since 1989. It’s WONDERFUL to see that Patricia A. Small, former UC Treasurer, has posted! A serious concern for me and for UC should also be that the Governor’s proposed budget “gives” UC $313M more than last year while cutting social services. Many of us cannot feel ok about getting money basically taken from seniors, the disabled, people on food stamps, etc. Yudof’s comment about this tradeoff is particularly revealing: he basically acknowledged that, for UC to get more money from the state, other things must be cut [since no one is talking about raising taxes] and says that’s ok because we are the economic engine of the state.

]]> By: Bob Samuels http://universityprobe.org/2010/01/responding-to-the-governor/comment-page-1/#comment-2792 Bob Samuels Wed, 13 Jan 2010 15:05:49 +0000 http://universityprobe.org/?p=590#comment-2792 As I have written on my blog, http://changinguniversities.blogspot.com/2009/11/how-regents-sold-university-down-river.html, Alberto Torrico's bill on taxing oil extraction is a great start to accomplish many of these important goals. The bill creates an oversight committee to see if the additional money going to the UC is actually spent on instruction and research and not on administration. The unions are also asking the state to audit the UC's budget and to look at such things as which funds are really restricted, how state funds are spent, what happens to research overhead, and how administrative salaries are funded. If the faculty would undertake their audit that would be a great help. As I have written on my blog, http://changinguniversities.blogspot.com/2009/11/how-regents-sold-university-down-river.html, Alberto Torrico’s bill on taxing oil extraction is a great start to accomplish many of these important goals. The bill creates an oversight committee to see if the additional money going to the UC is actually spent on instruction and research and not on administration. The unions are also asking the state to audit the UC’s budget and to look at such things as which funds are really restricted, how state funds are spent, what happens to research overhead, and how administrative salaries are funded. If the faculty would undertake their audit that would be a great help.

]]> By: Patricia A. Small http://universityprobe.org/2010/01/responding-to-the-governor/comment-page-1/#comment-2791 Patricia A. Small Tue, 12 Jan 2010 21:17:49 +0000 http://universityprobe.org/?p=590#comment-2791 The Governor, or any Governor should stop saying __% of the budget as a minimun or a cap. That is how the State has gotten into out budget mess. A budget should be priorities, accountability and some review of growth rates and inflation rates. The UC system will not improve with more money or a guarantee. The university will improve with better educated kids coming in (where the real education problem resides) along with accounatbility of its cost structure versus revenues. Good luck! The Governor, or any Governor should stop saying __% of the budget as a minimun or a cap. That is how the State has gotten into out budget mess.

A budget should be priorities, accountability and some review of growth rates and inflation rates.

The UC system will not improve with more money or a guarantee. The university will improve with better educated kids coming in (where the real education problem resides) along with accounatbility of its cost structure versus revenues.
Good luck!

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