UniversityProbe.org – a critical forum on Research Universities, their finances, their governance, …, their future

Saving CEB

How a Group of UC Employees, More Than a Decade Ago, Saved Their Department from Privatization and Kept Their Jobs

by Mariam Grodzins

On November 7, 1997, the University of California Office of the President (UCOP) announced that a review committee had recommended that the University sell Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB). I had been working at CEB for almost 19 years, and I knew (along with anyone else who had been around for a while) that at the University “committee recommendation” was code for “we’ve already made up our minds.” November 7 quickly became known to CEB employees as “Black Friday.”

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State Legislature Poised to Neuter the
Regents of the University of California

Will it lead to greater public accountability for UC
or will it lead to chaos and disaster for UC?

by Charles Schwartz, UC Berkeley

Here are two dueling press releases, one proposed Constitutional amendment, and some preliminary discussion of the issues.

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Looming Autocracy at the University of California

by Charlie Schwartz, UC Berkeley, May 7, 2009

These are hard budget times for the University; and they may continue and even worsen in the future.  The President of UC, Mark Yudof, has proposed a startling new set of powers, for himself and for the Chancellors of the several campuses, to deal with those contingencies. Under the heading, “Furloughs and Salary Cuts”, posted on the web site of the systemwide Academic Senate [1], we find the following summary of the plan:
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Mark Yudof, President
University of California
President@ucop.edu

Dear Mark;

Yesterday I found a new document, titled “The UC Budget: Myths & Facts”, posted at the top of the NEWS column on the web site of the University of California Office of the President, WWW.UCOP.EDU Are you the person responsible for that load of lies and half-truths?
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PLANS A, B, C and D

by Charlie Schwartz, UC Berkeley, February 18, 2009

Here are some thoughts about the future of the University of California, addressed primarily to my faculty colleagues.  I want to sketch four lines of thinking about this.

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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.

WHAT DO THE FACULTY WANT?

an invitation to discourse by the
Research Professoriate

These hard financial times are hitting our public and private universities.  In what ways will that impact the research faculty? What can we do about it? Some open discussion and debate is called for, so let us try to start.

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Financing the University — Part 16

by Charles Schwartz

THE NEW PUSH FOR TRANSPARENCY

Mark Yudof entered into the position of President of the University of California (UC) with a proclamation that he would advance the cause of Transparency and Public Accountability at this institution. That is a very popular campaign promise nowadays:

“My administration will set a new standard for transparency and accountability.”
– Senator John McCain, in his speech accepting the Republican Party nomination to be President of the United States, September 4, 2008.

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Seminar at the Center for Studies in Higher Education, UC Berkeley

by Charles Schwartz

ABSTRACT

A longstanding business practice at universities and colleges hides the cost of faculty research under the accounting category of “Instruction.” This is especially misleading for research universities in their communications with students, legislators and the general public about financial matters. A proper cost analysis for the University of California shows that undergraduate student fees here are now at 100% of what the institution actually spends, averaged per-student, for that mission. This result contradicts the official claim that student fees cover only 30% of the cost of their education. Estimates of this discrepancy are also provided for some other research universities, both public and private. This has broad implications for public policy regarding higher education.
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