UC faculty attacks regents in scathing letter
From SFGate.com:
In a rare move, faculty representatives from the University of California openly criticized UC regents in a scathing letter Wednesday accusing the governing board of inaction during the worst budget crisis ever faced by the 10-campus system.
The UC Faculty Association all but declared the 26-member board AWOL, noting a two-month gap between meetings as the university faces cuts of more than $800 million this year and next as part of the state's effort to close a $24.3 billion budget gap.
"We urge that emergency and open meetings of the board be convened to explore the implications of the budget crisis for the future of the UC system," faculty leaders wrote in a two-page letter signed by Dwight Read, Warren Gold and Ian Kennedy, chairmen of the Faculty Associations at UCLA, UCSF and UC Davis, respectively.
The Faculty Association is an independent, dues-paying organization that represents some, but not all, faculty.
The regents last met on May 7 in a meeting that "included no serious discussion" of the expected failure of the budget-related ballot measures in the May 19 special election, the letter said.
"Clearly major policy guidance is needed, and you as regents are designated as the ultimate makers of such policy," the letter said.
The letter was addressed to all board members, most of whom are appointed by the governor to 12-year terms. They meet next on July 14.
Comments
$3,000,000 of Reckless Spending by UCB Chancellor Birgineau
UC President Yudof has a UCB Chancellor that should do the work he is paid for instead of hiring an East Coast consulting firm to fulfill his responsibilities. ‘World class’ smart executives like Chancellor Birgeneau need to do the analysis, hard work and make the difficult decisions to save UCB $150 million.
Where do consulting firms like Bain ($3,000,000 consultants) get their recommendations?
From interviewing the senior management that hired them and will be approving their monthly consultant fees and expense reports. Remember the nationally known auditing firm who said the right things and submitted recommendations that senior management wanted to hear and fooled government oversight agencies and the public?
Mr. Birgeneau's executive officer performance management responsibilities include "inspiring innovation and leading change." This involves "defining outcomes, energizing others at all levels and ensuring continuing commitment." Instead of demonstrating his capacity to fulfill his executive accountabilities, Mr. Birgeneau outsourced them. Doesn't he engage University of California and University of California Berkeley (UCB) people at all levels to help examine the budget and recommend the necessary trims? Hasn't he talked to Cornell and the University of North Carolina - which also hired Bain -- about best practices and recommendations that might apply to UCB cuts?
No wonder the faculty and staff are angry and suspicious. Three million dollars is a high price for Californians to pay when a knowledgeable ‘world-class’ Chancellor is not doing his job.
Please help save $3,000,000 for teaching our students and request that the UC President require the UCB Chancellor to fulfill his executive job accountabilities!