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Fake emergency, genuine pain
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Regents Approve Enormous Fee Increases
The UC Regents claim a student fee increase of about 32% is unavoidable. In protests at UCLA, 12 students and 2 others were arrested.
Protests are continuing at other UC campuses, with Berkeley leading the way.
 Protesters at UCLA
UC's employee unions contend that the University does not have a financial crisis. [See adjoining column.] According to UC President Mark Yudoff, "I hate to say it, but if you have no choice, you have no choice." He said it was all the state of California's fault for giving him the excuse to fabricate this financial crisis.
"What's happened this year, after a steady erosion over the past 20 years, is this year we hit the negative jackpot." He also said, "Sorry," demonstrating why he is so highly compensated for his excuses. [see: President For Sale.] Yudoff's personal jackpot is not at all negative.
The administration claims that the cuts are fair, although executives have gotten by in the "crisis." As Student Regent Jesse Bernal said, "Fairness seems to be highly unbalanced."
 Protesters at UCB
Some may wonder how the Regents can vote for these fee increases despite the overwhelming opposition. It is because they are accountable to no one.
Each is appointed for a 12-year term.
Press coverage of UC's chicanery has gone national. For more details, see these links:
Anger at UCLA AP
UC unreasonable Chronicle editorial
DailyCal, Berkeley
Latest student news
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Workers at L.A. Regents’ Meeting
Find
“Financial Emergency” False
On the Berkeley and Los Angeles campuses of the University of California the growing movement energized by the uncharacteristic diverse and very vocal coalition of students, faculty and staff has been fueled by recent actions of the University’s Board of Regents.
Dr. Peter Donohue, of the Bay-area firm PBI Associates, is analyzing the recently-released 2008-2009 financial statements of the University. After a preliminary review of the data, Dr. Donohue concludes budget cuts at the University of California leave UC in far better fiscal shape than the California State University, cities, counties and K-12 schools and community colleges.
- Released early November during a Regents’ meeting, UC’s annual audited financial statement shows the University, unlike the State of California, ended 2008-2009 with $3.5 billion in reserves with $ 488 million in cash on hand, up $ 397 million from the previous year.
- UC operating revenues increased that fiscal year by $ 629 million. Despite cuts in State educational appropriations, University revenues declined by only 3% while CSU revenues fell 10% and the State’s own revenues dropped by 18%.
- The University spent $ 787 million on capital projects during the UC Regents declared “fiscal emergency” and at the same time, they raised student tuition & fees another 32% and demanded that faculty and staff reduce their salaries through a forced furlough program or be laid off.
UC Regents’ declaration of a “fiscal emergency” did not deter the University’s general revenue bond ratings from being raised to AA1 by Moody’s and to AA by Standard & Poor’s. By contrast, California State University bonds were just taken off rating agencies’ ‘watch list’ and upgraded to A+ while State general obligation bonds just were upgraded to A, among the lowest among the states.
According to its annual report, the University of California gets only 13% of its revenues from the State, unlike the California State system that depends on State educational appropriations for approximately two-thirds of its revenues. “The Regents’ have betrayed the trust of the people of California and the promise of access to public education for all the citizens of California. To continue the escalating increases in student fees and salary cuts to many low paid workers within the University system is a betrayal of the highest order. We should ask the difficult question
of every Regent: ‘Why are you so diligently trying to privatize the University of California and destroying the California Master Plan for education?”
The University’s latest financial report undoubtedly will heighten tensions between the University administration, and the growing coalition of faculty, student and staff because of looming student fee increases, salary reduction/furlough program and the temporary layoffs that CUE-represented employees will be hit with starting as early as next week.
Dr. Donohue will update his previous report on UC finances titled “UC’s Hidden Wealth,” with the data from the University’s 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 financial statements.
Also see: Bond Ratings
Statement from
Amatullah Alaji-Sabrie, negotiate88@gmail.com, (510) 435-8417
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©2009 Coalition of University Employees |
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