tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34040814871348678782024-03-18T13:44:09.283-07:00UCLA Faculty AssociationSharing news and opinion about public higher education since 2009UCLA Faculty Associationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16529402073844190540noreply@blogger.comBlogger10260125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3404081487134867878.post-11199284767834144912024-03-18T09:25:00.000-07:002024-03-18T09:25:19.621-07:00I agree<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgyJR5vk-SeruayDqod2J6L-iKH6-cAQkcQIVnwHJQR5VX16brf_8eK9DBxtbPJt2PUVnVhgY7QgvJGWoOZudGiiV-C7qFAyZfhdS7rtQZGwYgbRyvVOcd4BhqrVxhbV8jSwF48-Gvod_VaXZkn-JPICQ_2JnjrevInZZJ3RJ8Aom8vFNB2zGs4yIN0dPk" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="224" data-original-width="144" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgyJR5vk-SeruayDqod2J6L-iKH6-cAQkcQIVnwHJQR5VX16brf_8eK9DBxtbPJt2PUVnVhgY7QgvJGWoOZudGiiV-C7qFAyZfhdS7rtQZGwYgbRyvVOcd4BhqrVxhbV8jSwF48-Gvod_VaXZkn-JPICQ_2JnjrevInZZJ3RJ8Aom8vFNB2zGs4yIN0dPk" width="154" /></a></div> As blog readers will know, yours truly sometimes agrees or disagrees or partially agrees with positions taken by the Council of UC Faculty Associations (which can be seen if you read the blog with a PC) towards upper right. In any case, I agree with the Council's position on supporting the BOARS recommendations regarding high school math. Specifically, current algebra requirements should not be replaced by "data science" courses that do not provide equivalent material. <p></p><p>While yours truly would have written a different position statement, the bottom line would have been the same. Of course, not all college students desire to go into STEM fields, but an inadequate high school background could deprive them of that choice.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3404081487134867878.post-15465883119537544402024-03-18T05:00:00.000-07:002024-03-18T05:00:00.140-07:00Toxic Econ - Part 2<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiz-MOH2z4TrszngS-_5ASciWR0sc7HkKsAhTgeyKtwdQKhIRDOmYntUF5IU4cOaeWSOyX9zwRZfSygQSrP3-81BZGY30ZX-Asy1t3cDSb-ga6KwfEz--jZUEF-YCovSUbKnzC6Mi1mShgbmYosOtplWgXSmKe0uh8w2jN7rr3XvXDmmrZnSTws8SyVWGo" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="204" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiz-MOH2z4TrszngS-_5ASciWR0sc7HkKsAhTgeyKtwdQKhIRDOmYntUF5IU4cOaeWSOyX9zwRZfSygQSrP3-81BZGY30ZX-Asy1t3cDSb-ga6KwfEz--jZUEF-YCovSUbKnzC6Mi1mShgbmYosOtplWgXSmKe0uh8w2jN7rr3XvXDmmrZnSTws8SyVWGo" width="255" /></a></div>We have in the past posted stories about the website EJMR <a href="https://www.econjobrumors.com/">https://www.econjobrumors.com/</a> (now XJMR) which caters to academic economists, originally to help job candidates, but has limited moderation. <u>Bloomberg</u> is the latest source of information about the website in a very lengthy article. Some excerpts: <br /><p></p><p>...<i>Started in 2008 as a website to help Ph.D. students and professors navigate academia’s opaque job market, it soon became a forum for everything from ivory tower gossip to chatter about food or personal technology. (Recent, less inflammatory topics: “Canadian school flyouts,” “Headline CPI increases to 3.2%” and “Pokemon is morally evil.”)</i></p><p><i>Over the years, the site has also developed a reputation as a swamp of misogyny and racism, with a strict moderation policy but lax enforcement that’s earned it comparisons to 4Chan, the ugly online forum. (Recent, more inflammatory topics on EJMR: “Would you ever hire a hot grad student as a postdoc?,” “Why do feminists, critical theorists, postcolonial writers, etc know so little” and “Does tenure allow me to refuse teaching black people?” Those are just the printable ones.)</i></p><p><i>By the mid-2010s, the site had hundreds of thousands of visitors a month</i>...</p><p><i>The culture war over EJMR has had implications for the profession, too. For decades, advocates for equality in economics have argued that the lack of women and minorities results in blinkered, narrow-minded policy (for example, not prioritizing research on child care or on the effects of incarceration). Economics as a field can’t address real-world problems, they say, unless it first looks like the real world. Over the years, EJMR had become a symbol of that imbalance as well as a bastion of resistance to change. Its targets have included Melissa Kearney, a University of Maryland economics professor who’s won recognition for her research on families and inequality, and Claudia Sahm, a former senior economist at the Federal Reserve who in a 2020 blogpost titled “Economics Is a Disgrace” denounced the profession as sexist, racist and elitist.</i></p><p><i>EJMR’s influence has grown despite attempts to shut it down or create sanitized alternatives. In some cases, anonymous attacks that started on the site eventually broke through into mainstream discourse. In December 2023, conservative activists published what they said was evidence that Harvard University’s president, Claudine Gay, had plagiarized her dissertation, which added to an already-raging firestorm over the school’s response to the war in Gaza and led to her resignation. An anonymous post on EJMR had made a similar claim months before. (Gay has said she’s never misrepresented her findings or took credit for others’ research.)</i>...</p><div>[The article then goes on to describe how a subset of supposedly anonymous posts were traced to specific institutions.]</div><div>-----------</div><div><div><b>Posts on Economics Job Market Rumors</b></div><div>Share of all posts from US universities or research institutions on the site</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDdRE9XI7tGAKTQdoimBJtafKAjjCu4Y-bUtU-PE0bfNZOv3o2uf3Eq8UXtWeBK1kg9qOtlWkcC2Mb9wDPsQ8EBkgX9aic0t7zKRNKfGhasliwm0HcMZ9ECsBQeamMISyUW4ttoUssu7sEFZVAHOjzR8FWar3eFS5PnZoye5sXUvovO2hmjz0HAErzOh0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="518" data-original-width="668" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDdRE9XI7tGAKTQdoimBJtafKAjjCu4Y-bUtU-PE0bfNZOv3o2uf3Eq8UXtWeBK1kg9qOtlWkcC2Mb9wDPsQ8EBkgX9aic0t7zKRNKfGhasliwm0HcMZ9ECsBQeamMISyUW4ttoUssu7sEFZVAHOjzR8FWar3eFS5PnZoye5sXUvovO2hmjz0HAErzOh0=w449-h348" width="449" /></a></div><br />Sources: Ederer, Goldsmith-Pinkham, Jensen; U.S. News & World Report</div><div>Share is the percentage of posts accounted for by the school or institution among all posts originating from IP addresses associated with US universities or research institutions. U.S. News economics graduate school rankings are for 2023-24.</div></div><div>-----------</div><div>Source: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2024-03-15/ejmr-economics-forum-posts-unmask-field-s-racism-and-sexism">https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2024-03-15/ejmr-economics-forum-posts-unmask-field-s-racism-and-sexism</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>-----------</div><div>Our earlier post on EJMR-XMJR:</div><div><a href="https://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2023/07/toxic-econ.html">https://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2023/07/toxic-econ.html</a>. It features a chart based on the percent of posts from various universities were classified as "toxic." The website has expanded to math, poli sci, and sociology, but seems less comprehensive and active in those fields. A still earlier post from 2017: <a href="https://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2017/08/bias-in-econ.html">https://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2017/08/bias-in-econ.html</a>.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3404081487134867878.post-4318482472153547682024-03-17T05:30:00.000-07:002024-03-17T05:30:00.127-07:00Police Pancakes<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0um26zefygSr7R7QXSe8dwYBHfFjHA4ebRxuma6e6y3_Un3V4nQCX0D3cnpe4N1t2SroeQjHKYgfuKT7QQs7OwwxozQWseC0v3nM8OxEQkeFo7iwg0Va6rcAIsxLUT2IRnSWuh8p5JN5pf1-I8tFh8aXfm2eSwosk8cpkp8T7OKZZAJmAyhyLYuNxRyc" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="261" data-original-width="500" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0um26zefygSr7R7QXSe8dwYBHfFjHA4ebRxuma6e6y3_Un3V4nQCX0D3cnpe4N1t2SroeQjHKYgfuKT7QQs7OwwxozQWseC0v3nM8OxEQkeFo7iwg0Va6rcAIsxLUT2IRnSWuh8p5JN5pf1-I8tFh8aXfm2eSwosk8cpkp8T7OKZZAJmAyhyLYuNxRyc" width="320" /></a></div><i>Found on Facebook:</i><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Pancakes with Police is back! We're inviting the UCLA community over for breakfast on Tuesday, April 16, from 8-11 a.m. Join us for free pancakes and coffee while you meet our officers and enjoy interactive displays, photo opportunities, and station tours. BruinCards are required for entry by participants and their guests.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: 600;">601 Westwood Plaza.</span></p><p>Source: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/900154428463363/">https://www.facebook.com/events/900154428463363/</a>.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3404081487134867878.post-29958641586926905022024-03-17T05:00:00.000-07:002024-03-17T05:00:00.128-07:00The Latest on the Harvard Data Manipulation Affair - Part 2<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_in9j0bV4gMI0BR1MBlUNs1AUH-oJOhbnR6FmdmUcFOvO0AZXDdvzHax7tjDwDB-XA-IWuzVwCi2lNU9v7zwUrJPcUnARYDnvOUlfoMiwEKB4Iw5_CC4YgN3-Z-IPi7ORaWp6roOhbh93nPffRSxUYyjxng6t30cvqz9wMQ4iGPLscFnpmUzYS0lbrsg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="243" data-original-width="300" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_in9j0bV4gMI0BR1MBlUNs1AUH-oJOhbnR6FmdmUcFOvO0AZXDdvzHax7tjDwDB-XA-IWuzVwCi2lNU9v7zwUrJPcUnARYDnvOUlfoMiwEKB4Iw5_CC4YgN3-Z-IPi7ORaWp6roOhbh93nPffRSxUYyjxng6t30cvqz9wMQ4iGPLscFnpmUzYS0lbrsg" width="296" /></a></div>Blog readers may have a hard time recalling the data manipulation affair at Harvard, considering all the other things that have gone on their since it began.* But here is the latest from the <u>Wall St. Journal</u>:<br /><p></p><div><div><i>A Harvard University probe into prominent researcher Francesca Gino found that her work contained manipulated data and recommended that she be fired, according to a voluminous court filing that offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at research misconduct investigations.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>It is a key document at the center of a continuing legal fight involving Gino, a behavioral scientist who in August sued the university and a trio of data bloggers for $25 million.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>The case has captivated researchers and the public alike as Gino, known for her research into the reasons people lie and cheat, has defended herself against allegations that her work contains falsified data. </i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>The investigative report had remained secret until this week, when the judge in the case granted Harvard’s request to file the document, with some personal details redacted, as an exhibit. The investigative committee that produced the nearly 1,300-page document included three Harvard Business School professors tapped by HBS dean Srikant Datar to examine accusations about Gino’s work.</i></div><div><i> </i></div><div><i>They concluded after a monthslong probe conducted in 2022 and 2023 that Gino “engaged in multiple instances of research misconduct” in the four papers they examined. They recommended that the university audit Gino’s other experimental work, request retractions of three of the papers (the fourth had already been retracted at the time they reviewed it), and place Gino on unpaid leave while taking steps to terminate her employment. “The Investigation Committee believes that the severity of the research misconduct that Professor Gino has committed calls for appropriately severe institutional action,” the report states</i>...</div></div><div><br /></div><div>===</div><div>*<a href="https://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2023/11/the-latest-on-harvard-data-manipulation.html">https://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2023/11/the-latest-on-harvard-data-manipulation.html</a>.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3404081487134867878.post-51519119618576150772024-03-16T05:30:00.000-07:002024-03-16T05:30:00.187-07:00Not sure what Chrissy is Cooking up for me...<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhDZnbHvl4ePRa59XaNeZaoGhl0Jies-E2zmRn-AFewaBNXkLik5_Xy0dpqQQLGDvxwJWJp5aCrVDc3mAbNLlcadSfBNjGSLOwSlCuepvctbsTQA8AY7NO0QNHbDS7vOqrUOMx4AZMp61dhMA7QIjGaMOM8zxGiq8LMqmeRUV0j5_0ryBRMBpcpzI6CsiE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="1339" height="114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhDZnbHvl4ePRa59XaNeZaoGhl0Jies-E2zmRn-AFewaBNXkLik5_Xy0dpqQQLGDvxwJWJp5aCrVDc3mAbNLlcadSfBNjGSLOwSlCuepvctbsTQA8AY7NO0QNHbDS7vOqrUOMx4AZMp61dhMA7QIjGaMOM8zxGiq8LMqmeRUV0j5_0ryBRMBpcpzI6CsiE=w552-h114" width="552" /></a></div>If you get an email from Chrissy, you might not want to find out what she is cooking up for you.<br /><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3404081487134867878.post-69795939661047379982024-03-16T05:00:00.000-07:002024-03-16T05:00:00.135-07:00The FAFSA Drama Continues - Part 4 (buried lede)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVhApOycRQ7-BuXrNZy8tjOmPIhjIRKW80hcm5YPLqF0eGN2R13jyUU5vZgbe-28WI9fR66MeNo5Gt3A_WhAWw76uMfCgIDEQXilxLWJrknBMfiBWnZS73SlGg1lBVCEe9xTwB0sJ8AMxKdQpCBUJ5cxqcKiYtKJS6lP45Ls2kir26unWBxHhD_m4fPGg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVhApOycRQ7-BuXrNZy8tjOmPIhjIRKW80hcm5YPLqF0eGN2R13jyUU5vZgbe-28WI9fR66MeNo5Gt3A_WhAWw76uMfCgIDEQXilxLWJrknBMfiBWnZS73SlGg1lBVCEe9xTwB0sJ8AMxKdQpCBUJ5cxqcKiYtKJS6lP45Ls2kir26unWBxHhD_m4fPGg=w478-h269" width="478" /></a></div><p>For those following the FAFSA fiasco drama, the <u>NY Times</u> had a feature article on what went wrong. Similarities with the fiasco accompanying the rollout for the website for Obamacare were noted. When you scroll down, there seems to be a buried lede:</p><p>...<i>Some Education Department officials privately complained that the contractor hired to build the new FAFSA platform was missing deadlines, according to two people familiar with the concerns. They spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations. The company, General Dynamics Information Technology, was one of the contractors involved in the debacle of HealthCare.gov — an Obama-era online insurance marketplace that had a notoriously rough rollout in 2013.</i></p><p></p><p><i>A representative for General Dynamics Information Technology declined to comment, citing the company’s contract, which requires that it refer questions back to the Education Department</i>...</p><p>Full story at <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/15/us/SAT-scores-uc-university-of-california.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/15/us/SAT-scores-uc-university-of-california.html</a>.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3404081487134867878.post-46039330122267015192024-03-15T05:00:00.000-07:002024-03-15T07:44:33.025-07:00Maybe starting with an email on April 1 isn't the best idea<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEglCmVp_f9vWuz6UIh7hJbG0BeVsqu_UHc2mjIpAW77j9bl0qA-6UGfec3jTYKGA_jFJFK8f07nrH0QhjmUgv11ftgkC1fZ_skIxbAyA0NoRS6cuGV5GAacvQFuTtmAAdhT5H3bIn1TzCw-p5Hpr0C1rG6EDHWQwh3E4n2c3-HP3Di_RpNmvjVjfm26J-g" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEglCmVp_f9vWuz6UIh7hJbG0BeVsqu_UHc2mjIpAW77j9bl0qA-6UGfec3jTYKGA_jFJFK8f07nrH0QhjmUgv11ftgkC1fZ_skIxbAyA0NoRS6cuGV5GAacvQFuTtmAAdhT5H3bIn1TzCw-p5Hpr0C1rG6EDHWQwh3E4n2c3-HP3Di_RpNmvjVjfm26J-g" width="240" /></a></div><i>Not sure folks will take an April 1 email seriously. But there will be one:</i><p></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: KievitProRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin-top: 0px;">As part of UC’s commitment to the well-being and security of our community, a University-paid <a href="https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/compensation-and-benefits/other-benefits/identity-protection.html" style="color: #005581; cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;">Identity Theft Protection Program</a> through Experian will be provided for all benefit-eligible faculty, staff, and retirees beginning April 1, 2024.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: KievitProRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin-top: 0px;">Key features of the Experian Identity Theft Protection Program include:</p><ol style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: KievitProRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; list-style-position: outside; margin: 15px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 38px;"><li style="line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 6px;"><span face="KievitProBld, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;">Credit monitoring, reports, and scores:</span> Receive credit reports, scores, and real-time alerts for any significant changes to your credit report, helping you detect potential identity theft.</li><li style="line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 6px;"><span face="KievitProBld, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;">Identity theft insurance and restoration services:</span> Up to $1 million of identity theft insurance and 24/7 restoration services in the unfortunate event of identity theft.</li><li style="line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 6px;"><span face="KievitProBld, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;">Dark web and proactive monitoring:</span> Active scans of the dark web and many other databases for any compromised personal information.</li><li style="line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 6px;"><span face="KievitProBld, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;">Device protection and online privacy:</span> A suite of privacy tools to help defend your digital data across all your devices.</li><li style="line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 6px;"><span face="KievitProBld, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;">Digital financial management: </span>Financial tools and personalized insights to help you achieve your credit and financial goals.</li></ol><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: KievitProRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin-top: 0px;">Everyone eligible will be automatically enrolled, but action is required to take advantage of most of the program features.</p><p><span face="KievitProRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 15px;"><b>On April 1, 2024, all faculty, staff, and retirees will receive a welcome email from Experian</b> with a personalized link to access the Experian portal and complete their account set-up...</span></p><p>Full announcement and more details at <a href="https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/2024/03/uc-introduces-employer-paid-identity-theft-protection-for-faculty-staff-and-retirees.html">https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/2024/03/uc-introduces-employer-paid-identity-theft-protection-for-faculty-staff-and-retirees.html</a>.<br /></p><p>===</p><p>Note: It is unclear whether this offer by UC has anything to do with a cyberattack on UnitedHealth that was recently reported: <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesfarrell/2024/03/13/department-of-health-investigating-unitedhealth-after-unprecedented-cyber-attack/">https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesfarrell/2024/03/13/department-of-health-investigating-unitedhealth-after-unprecedented-cyber-attack/</a>.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3404081487134867878.post-84320277157828694632024-03-14T08:31:00.000-07:002024-03-14T08:31:37.017-07:00The Forecast<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjnBDl8V3eBECUWLHB-W2bUUbh4aqd72ANTCsPfbJs5acODb194wKPc_9QtGj7DxIHfVfkeoOsBNs7QcEBzEU6nvMo5h8LFROGldw63MFGoh80ObyT6UWSmfLb22hAh90PL-299SoGIjUbymvAtlRXM2ufXKOh10gZ6hK5wnZhD3A-zhj_ewoOfZ1OsRNQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjnBDl8V3eBECUWLHB-W2bUUbh4aqd72ANTCsPfbJs5acODb194wKPc_9QtGj7DxIHfVfkeoOsBNs7QcEBzEU6nvMo5h8LFROGldw63MFGoh80ObyT6UWSmfLb22hAh90PL-299SoGIjUbymvAtlRXM2ufXKOh10gZ6hK5wnZhD3A-zhj_ewoOfZ1OsRNQ=w478-h269" width="478" /></a></div> <p></p><p>From the official news release: <i>The UCLA Anderson Forecast ended 2023 ringing an up note as its December forecast asserted that the long, lingering possibility of a recession had faded because of expansionary fiscal policy, new national industrial policy and a national consumer base that continued to spend, despite the perception of economic uncertainty. The first forecast of 2024 continues these themes, while also noting that the recurring threats of a government shutdown are short-lived and no longer sounding any serious alarms, and the strong second half of 2023 will carry into the new year.</i></p><p><i>While it’s true that January 2024 retail sales housing starts were down, the cause looks to be severe weather experienced in the eastern United States and not pullback by consumers or builders. Hiring remained strong in January and February and, though core inflation is coming down slowly, the forecast does not expect the Federal Reserve to decrease the Fed Funds rate until later in the year.</i></p><p><i>In California, the state’s GDP grew at a 3.8% compound annual rate from the first to the third quarter of 2023 (the latest data available), faster than the U.S. and all but three large states: Washington, Florida and Texas. Like California, Washington’s growth was driven by tech and aerospace, while part of the superior growth in Texas and Florida is attributed to in-migration, with more people moving to those states and working, rather than productivity and income gains. (In both of those states, construction of housing for new residents, and in Florida reconstruction of hurricane-devastated areas, contributed to their growth rates.) With a loss in population in California, per capita income growth continues to rival similar large states across the country. While there are still challenges ahead — notably, state and local government finance, homelessness and out-migration — the forces driving California’s economy remain robust.</i></p><p><b>The national forecast</b></p><p><i>At least one thing is clear regarding recent activity in the U.S. economy: In spite of — or because of — feeling uncertain about the future, Americans went shopping in a big way over the holidays. In December, the Forecast predicted gross domestic product growth in the fourth quarter of 2023 to be 1.7%. It ended up coming in at a much higher 3.2% annual rate of growth. That was owing, in part, to strong consumer spending, but also to inventory replacement after the holidays. The forecast now expects less inventory adjustment in the current quarter and a moderation of consumer spending growth. As a result, the GDP growth forecast for the first quarter of 2024 Q1 is lower, but still a respectable 2.2%.</i></p><p><i>U.S. labor markets remain strong, as they have been throughout the post-pandemic economic recovery. Total nonfarm payroll jobs increased by 2.5% and are forecasted to increase by 1.5% in 2024. That 2024 is lower is more a function of running out of workers than an absence of jobs.</i></p><p><i>With underbuilding over the last 15 years and a growing population, there remains latent demand for new housing. This is exacerbated by population migration to the Sun Belt and the lack of existing housing inventory since the onset of the pandemic. As a result, the March forecast is for housing to remain close to, but under, the historical average of 1.5 million per year, enough to create a little weakness in 2024, but not enough to induce a recession. Although the January new home starts were at a level suggesting further weakness in housing, the issuance of new permits at approximately 1.5 million units, and the unseasonal weather in the east and Midwest, indicate this is only a temporary downturn in residential construction.</i></p><p><i>The oft predicted but never seen “recession next quarter” possibility has now faded in the face of expansionary fiscal policy, new national industrial policy and a consumer who is happy to continue spending. However, the impact of higher interest rates will be felt in restraining growth in 2024. As inflation slowly works its way back to the neighborhood of 2.5% to 3.0% per annum — kept high primarily because of residential rents, automobile repair and new health insurance premiums — the UCLA Anderson Forecast expects Fed policy to adopt a neutral stance and GDP growth to rebound to trend rates.</i></p><p><i>Nevertheless, there are risks to the forecast. A protracted shutdown of government has been averted, but the possibility still exists. Geopolitical events might upset the current growth pattern. The election could result in different national economic policies in 2025. These uncertainties are substantial and bear watching, as they could drive the economy off the current growth path that would return the U.S. economy to trend 2.5% growth. The upside of the forecast is productivity growth thanks to new technology that drives higher wages and higher GDP. While our view of AI and robotics is that the impact will be felt after 2026 because technology adoption tends to take time, current tight labor markets could accelerate that.</i></p><p><b>The California forecast</b></p><p><i>The employment picture in California varies, depending on which survey one consults. The household survey, which counts the number of people employed, reports that the number of people employed in December 2023 was 2.0% below the number in the pre-pandemic peak. The decline in employment over and above the decline in the labor force led to an increase in the unemployment rate to 5.1% in December. The labor force decline is attributable to retirements, migration out of state and individuals’ choosing to spend their time in non-market activities such as child raising. According to the enterprise survey metric, which counts the number of payroll jobs, California’s non-farm payroll jobs increased, and it now exceeds the pre-pandemic level by 508,100 jobs, over the same period.</i></p><p><i>The difference between the two metrics can be partly explained by the difference in the definition of employment in the two surveys. The household survey is a measure based on the domicile of the worker. If a former San Francisco office worker now works remotely in Phoenix, then that employee would not be counted in the state labor force or employment numbers for California in the household survey. This would represent a decrease in the state’s aggregate labor force. However, if the job was still at an enterprise in San Francisco, the worker would remain in the enterprise survey as employed in San Francisco. They are working in San Francisco (virtually) and living in Phoenix (in true life). This, at least in part, explains the large decline in San Francisco’s labor force.</i></p><p><i>Nevertheless, there seems to be a disconnect between the two surveys. Since the household survey is based on a small number of interviews with individuals and the enterprise payroll job survey is based on a large number of required regulatory reports, the March 8 benchmark partially resolved the disconnect in the direction of the payroll employment data, but not entirely.</i></p><p><i>The housing market in California continues to misbehave. Higher mortgage rates should send prices lower. Although home prices are lower than their previous peak, and the median price of existing single-family homes sold in the state declined on a seasonally adjusted basis by 4.5% as of May 2022, they have been climbing since December 2022 in San Diego by 9.3%, in Los Angeles by 9.0% and in San Francisco by 3.9%. With existing home sales at depression levels, builders are responding with new developments. The Winter 2024 Allen Matkins/UCLA Anderson Forecast Commercial Real Estate Survey reported that 32% of the panelists in northern California and 55% in Southern California would begin one or more new multifamily projects in 2024.</i></p><p><i>The California economy is forecasted to continue to grow faster than the U.S. but not by much. The risks to the forecast are the same as those for the nation: political and geopolitical. There is the potential for interest rates to disrupt the current expansion on the downside, and increased international immigration and accelerated onshoring of technical manufacturing on the upside</i>...</p><p>Full news release at <a href="https://www.anderson.ucla.edu/news-and-events/press-releases/ucla-anderson-forecast-sees-restrained-2024-growth-no-recession">https://www.anderson.ucla.edu/news-and-events/press-releases/ucla-anderson-forecast-sees-restrained-2024-growth-no-recession</a>.</p><p>The Forecast provided some estimates of the cost of the recent Hollywood strikes and found that the numbers thrown around in the news media were likely significantly overestimated. Also discussed was the likely impact of AI on entertainment and other fields. Video of the program will be available at a later date.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3404081487134867878.post-48856316193259939822024-03-14T05:30:00.000-07:002024-03-14T05:30:00.128-07:00The People's Park Saga Continues<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxv80v8LAY-Gq9IK-ZT5d44avVxR3mrFJmvvwtwWA5kVnjSh_UeVmtg6jSkIKvBvDaMufmBvVBTzsqTQUmo9W5XT5cbo5CM4UKEvYXLA3q45g1JhSx1bmuNFvvseLrsE9VjbN7O_dd1xg9Io3EboKtPjinuwE_GV9866UW4oTywzV5Ef0UVj9Tk0P7s_k" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="175" data-original-width="320" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxv80v8LAY-Gq9IK-ZT5d44avVxR3mrFJmvvwtwWA5kVnjSh_UeVmtg6jSkIKvBvDaMufmBvVBTzsqTQUmo9W5XT5cbo5CM4UKEvYXLA3q45g1JhSx1bmuNFvvseLrsE9VjbN7O_dd1xg9Io3EboKtPjinuwE_GV9866UW4oTywzV5Ef0UVj9Tk0P7s_k" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>From the <u>East Bay Times</u>: <i>More than a year after a lower court ruled the [People's Park student housing] project’s Environmental Impact Report was inadequate, California’s highest court announced Tuesday they will hear arguments in Los Angeles on April 3. This is the first news development since the state Supreme Court agreed to hear the case last May.</i></p><p><i>UC Berkeley’s proposal for that land includes housing for 1,100 university students and 125 homeless residents within two 12- and six-story dorm buildings — coming full circle since 1969, when the university’s initial desire to build housing on the 2.8-acre site culminated in thousands of protesters, leading to a state of emergency and one death.</i></p><p><i>Attorneys for Cal asked the California Supreme Court in February 2023 to hear the case, after a state appellate court ruled that UC must either “fix the errors” in its California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) documents or ask the state Supreme Court to intervene. The university’s appeal was backed by the city of Berkeley and state officials, including Gov. Gavin Newsom</i>...</p><p>Full story at <a href="https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2024/03/12/peoples-park-california-supreme-court-schedules-arguments-on-controversial-uc-berkeley-development-next-month/">https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2024/03/12/peoples-park-california-supreme-court-schedules-arguments-on-controversial-uc-berkeley-development-next-month/</a>.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3404081487134867878.post-37024388604502782982024-03-14T05:00:00.000-07:002024-03-14T05:00:00.128-07:00The FAFSA Drama Continues - Part 3<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjntTtrxn6qq0s415R3bt8V7QaJUrlTcad8lwhumHmZcapSvHfQ-igGtDZPyfG6XVF5Y3JbbgrVA0zQB1ckwEYJdyWHKUwHixMj4jFYDergIU1AiVJBbwMGAZztD7dApdD7v7B2R0MS6w4EyJ9ty4iJ2usXM26kjpvlUwfVVEe4NFj7pDS-ClQDcnMA44Y" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjntTtrxn6qq0s415R3bt8V7QaJUrlTcad8lwhumHmZcapSvHfQ-igGtDZPyfG6XVF5Y3JbbgrVA0zQB1ckwEYJdyWHKUwHixMj4jFYDergIU1AiVJBbwMGAZztD7dApdD7v7B2R0MS6w4EyJ9ty4iJ2usXM26kjpvlUwfVVEe4NFj7pDS-ClQDcnMA44Y" width="320" /></a></div>From the <u>LA Times</u>: <i>After months of delays and technical hiccups, some colleges and universities have started to receive federal data they need to put together financial aid offers for incoming students, the Biden administration said Monday. The Education Department says it sent a first batch of student records to a few dozen universities on Sunday and is making final updates before expanding to more universities.</i><p></p><p><i>The delay has cut into the time schools usually have to assemble financial aid packages before the typical May 1 deadline for students to commit to a university. Many colleges have extended enrollment deadlines as they wait on the federal government, leaving families across the nation wondering how much financial help they will get with college tuition.</i></p><p><i>The Free Application for Federal Student Aid overhaul delayed the form’s usual rollout from October to late December. The department then soft-launched the new version to address lingering bugs in the system, but many families reported difficulties accessing the form</i>...</p><p>Full story at <a href="https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2024-03-12/education-department-starts-sending-financial-aid-data-to-colleges-after-months-of-delays">https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2024-03-12/education-department-starts-sending-financial-aid-data-to-colleges-after-months-of-delays</a>.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3404081487134867878.post-35477624498203451442024-03-13T06:14:00.000-07:002024-03-13T06:15:04.858-07:00I'll let you know...<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsOfzNx9G88Ws83Vcxx7vtYzzY8vv3tsVy4FC-rXcfbAV2OCCPMpOelAWYPyQJDK_T5C7r-KXbT8GAOChkbGZIE8NbsoeDJT0QbgK29G-oHCTCXB2SwuqIfVACs7OfxtswMNZ8WhwqKx5WawRoFy-VjDr_NxRUlJAxkHfP3_GGQPN8oshDTPru35xaZbc/s1800/recession.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1345" data-original-width="1800" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsOfzNx9G88Ws83Vcxx7vtYzzY8vv3tsVy4FC-rXcfbAV2OCCPMpOelAWYPyQJDK_T5C7r-KXbT8GAOChkbGZIE8NbsoeDJT0QbgK29G-oHCTCXB2SwuqIfVACs7OfxtswMNZ8WhwqKx5WawRoFy-VjDr_NxRUlJAxkHfP3_GGQPN8oshDTPru35xaZbc/w414-h309/recession.jpg" width="414" /></a></div><p>later today or tomorrow after I attend today's quarterly UCLA Anderson Forecast, but don't expect the UCLA forecasters to change their past outlook drastically. A more likely story is some slowing down, but not a recession, both at the national level and California.</p><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3404081487134867878.post-56064886016404745372024-03-13T05:30:00.000-07:002024-03-13T05:30:00.131-07:00Berkeley Title VI Investigation<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjH46s0J1LnSw7-RAK7oWSxDE0hXifqOLiU0A9q96NwgHtHP5yPK0Fylnszg6tFyO586eU3wB_8w6DvCUpeGH_f6SfO21d8wI5f8mUENQK-j83RvjTRTDEjp9KAV1YOO-U6Rj1VbZRVH87FKv-BigbjcRckHVh-yL72VhOeikxbALXUU3RHuSw5RDMv83w" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjH46s0J1LnSw7-RAK7oWSxDE0hXifqOLiU0A9q96NwgHtHP5yPK0Fylnszg6tFyO586eU3wB_8w6DvCUpeGH_f6SfO21d8wI5f8mUENQK-j83RvjTRTDEjp9KAV1YOO-U6Rj1VbZRVH87FKv-BigbjcRckHVh-yL72VhOeikxbALXUU3RHuSw5RDMv83w" width="240" /></a></div>From the <u>San Francisco Chronicle</u>: <i>The U.S. Department of Education is investigating UC Berkeley for possible discrimination tied to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. </i><p></p><p><i>Since Hamas’ surprise attack against Israel on Oct. 7, education officials have announced investigations into dozens of colleges and universities, including Stanford, UCLA and UC San Diego. The department investigates allegations of discrimination based on ethnicity or shared ancestry at schools under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. </i></p><p><i>It was unclear what prompted Berkeley to be added last week to the department’s probe into campus discrimination. The agency did not respond to requests for comment. </i></p><p><i>The Times of Israel reported that the investigation stemmed from a Feb. 26 “anti-Israel” campus protest that “forced the cancellation” of a planned lecture by Israeli attorney and former Israeli Defense Force member Ran Bar-Yoshafat. </i></p><p><i>UC Berkeley Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Ben Hermalin did not address the protests but said in a March 4 statement that campus groups “have the right to host events and speakers regardless of content. We will do what we can to fiercely protect this right.” </i></p><p><i>“We also want to clarify that protesting an event due to its political nature does not make the protest activity inherently antisemitic or Islamophobic,” Hermalin said. </i></p><p><i>A Jewish student group said it planned to protest the university’s response at noon Monday. In a statement announcing the protest, Hannah Schlacter, a student at Haas School of Business, said the administration has failed to adequately protect Jewish students “even in the midst of a hate crime investigation, a Title VI investigation, and a university-led investigation.”</i> ...</p><p>Full story at <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/uc-berkeley-investigation-18804260.php">https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/uc-berkeley-investigation-18804260.php</a>.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3404081487134867878.post-70227401903309232792024-03-13T05:00:00.000-07:002024-03-13T05:00:00.134-07:00Upcoming Retirement Benefit Changes<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLnT3-9rgIhV3U8-VLBD7BbwRMngUL9SBXUygVrPgKSr1NuzoGYdHtAbwHwqdRyZ45XgKHjejZ-YyJvXcoO3XbepU2Zmnl6MWlVC6MmLlJwtDb0UW_ZnQ2tC2CIG1viHVnn1M_nylwChceqSCxNIyM7EuHBjU3-eNR2nbybtESQv5trwctfDAJRZK5EXo" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="448" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLnT3-9rgIhV3U8-VLBD7BbwRMngUL9SBXUygVrPgKSr1NuzoGYdHtAbwHwqdRyZ45XgKHjejZ-YyJvXcoO3XbepU2Zmnl6MWlVC6MmLlJwtDb0UW_ZnQ2tC2CIG1viHVnn1M_nylwChceqSCxNIyM7EuHBjU3-eNR2nbybtESQv5trwctfDAJRZK5EXo" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p>Because of changes in life expectancy, there will be changes for those retiring this coming July 1 and later in lump-sum cashouts and adjustments for contingent annuitants (typically spouses who receive benefits after the death of the retiree). If people live longer, the value of their stream of benefits increases. So the lump sum will go up. And the decrease in the monthly benefit of the retiree to pay for the contingent recipient will also go up, i.e., the monthly benefit of the retiree will go down.</p><p>Note: Retirees should think long and hard before selecting the lump-sum cashout, a choice which, among other things, means they will not receive retiree health insurance. </p><p>From <u>UCnet</u>: <i>At the July 2023 meeting of the University of California Board of Regents, the Regents approved changes to actuarial assumptions that could impact the future UC Retirement Plan (UCRP) benefits of certain employees, depending on their retirement date and options selected. These changes will not impact the retirement benefits of current retirees. While the Regents approved maintaining the current investment return assumption (e.g., discount rate) at 6.75%, there were modifications to the mortality assumption based on the findings that UCRP members and beneficiaries are continuing to live longer. These changes, informed by an experience study conducted by UCRP’s actuary, will go into effect on July 1, 2024.</i></p><p><i>These changes will not impact the calculation of Basic Retirement Income. However, for retirements on or after July 1, 2024, changes will be implemented in the calculations of the UCRP lump sum cashout and UCRP monthly retirement income for members and contingent annuitants... Generally, there will be decreases at many common retirement ages for the member and contingent annuitant. This will lead to lower benefits payable under these options for retirements on or after July 1, 2024</i>...</p><p>Full news release at <a href="https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/2024/03/factors-used-to-calculate-ucrp-payment-options-will-change-on-july-1-2024.html">https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/2024/03/factors-used-to-calculate-ucrp-payment-options-will-change-on-july-1-2024.html</a>.<br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3404081487134867878.post-83262600682203307972024-03-12T05:30:00.000-07:002024-03-12T05:30:00.131-07:00Did anything happen last Saturday?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNVGawxe9rk65kDZ86ZkKTSd1Gldrgga8b_a9RERCunOBEdGJnwDVx6ilMk1nvavCTeMQCKqDGtpRiVK75LQ49PGd27rnQ44TuYfoNkyE7cM8sGDbVmwoHghSo8rtoQApC1kVKsjQTz2s167ZQo2CrfsHnS_FK7p3Wg8_9cygQIHXPir36wT-yGekEIu8" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="250" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNVGawxe9rk65kDZ86ZkKTSd1Gldrgga8b_a9RERCunOBEdGJnwDVx6ilMk1nvavCTeMQCKqDGtpRiVK75LQ49PGd27rnQ44TuYfoNkyE7cM8sGDbVmwoHghSo8rtoQApC1kVKsjQTz2s167ZQo2CrfsHnS_FK7p3Wg8_9cygQIHXPir36wT-yGekEIu8" width="157" /></a></div>The item below appeared in the <u>Daily Cal</u> dated March 8 and references something happening that afternoon. Yours truly couldn't find any such thing happening.<p></p><p><b>UC issues revised anti-discrimination policy</b></p><p>Ria Raniwala, Mar 8, 2024, <u>Daily Cal</u> </p><p><i><b>This afternoon, the UC Office of the President released a statement issuing a revised anti-discrimination policy</b> applying to employees, students and third parties involved at all UC campuses.</i></p><p><i>The policy, effective as of Feb. 20, provides new guidelines for university procedures in response to harassment and discrimination allegations based on protected categories. It mandates UC responsible employees (encompassing all UC employees who are not confidential resources) to notify the Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination promptly after any reported incident.</i></p><p><i>“The Anti-Discrimination policy provides a strong foundation to UC Berkeley’s commitment to fostering a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive University campus, while recognizing the protection of free speech under the law,” said representatives of UC Berkeley’s Chancellor’s office in a press release to all campus emails.</i></p><p><i>This policy works within the framework of the UC-wide Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy, which is also supported by the newly established UC Office of Civil Rights. These initiatives will work in tandem to provide leadership and support on protecting civil rights across all UC campuses, affiliates and the UC Office of the President.</i></p><p>Source: <a href="https://www.dailycal.org/news/uc/uc-issues-revised-anti-discrimination-policy/article_9ca1c18c-ddc3-11ee-a9a2-83cb08d86a08.html">https://www.dailycal.org/news/uc/uc-issues-revised-anti-discrimination-policy/article_9ca1c18c-ddc3-11ee-a9a2-83cb08d86a08.html</a>.</p><p>So, did anything happen with regard to the Feb. 20 anti-discrimination rules on March 8?* Some revision or clarification?<br /></p><p>===</p><p>*The Feb. 20 rules are at: <a href="https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/1001004/Anti-Discrimination">https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/1001004/Anti-Discrimination</a>.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3404081487134867878.post-55252983118131186782024-03-12T05:00:00.000-07:002024-03-12T05:00:00.127-07:00The FAFSA Drama Continues - Part 2<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZBp9-PHK-4bMz3HUooZrN-BiQMLrIYuqC6xKlRoy94qOuuyW17bNIAYzlND3KP_KZR8RY41J-104E-HheWYExK2SzSU1vqutGD50F0MK_-IwIS5O5TyYRmvVEzP1EyibxOsEj73fVrT9V9XNA_FBk-3IxvgTJLOS-3tmk9cEo2M8xTG9M3gs4OTqtvxA" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZBp9-PHK-4bMz3HUooZrN-BiQMLrIYuqC6xKlRoy94qOuuyW17bNIAYzlND3KP_KZR8RY41J-104E-HheWYExK2SzSU1vqutGD50F0MK_-IwIS5O5TyYRmvVEzP1EyibxOsEj73fVrT9V9XNA_FBk-3IxvgTJLOS-3tmk9cEo2M8xTG9M3gs4OTqtvxA" width="320" /></a></div>We're still waiting for some heads to roll in DC. Hasn't happened yet. From <u>Higher Ed Dive</u>: <p></p><p><i>Roughly 1.1 million high school seniors submitted a Free Application for Federal Student Aid through late February, down 38% compared to the same time last year, according to a recent analysis from the National College Attainment Network. </i></p><p><i>About 26.4% of the class of 2024 submitted the FAFSA through Feb. 23. But an even lower share of students attending low-income public high schools, 22.5%, sent in the form by that date. About 47.1% fewer seniors at these high schools submitted the form by late February compared to the last cycle. </i></p><p><i>The dropping submissions rates come after the U.S. Department of Education made the FAFSA available about three months later than usual in order to streamline the form</i>...</p><p>Full story at <a href="https://www.highereddive.com/news/fafsa-submissions-down-high-school-seniors/709686/">https://www.highereddive.com/news/fafsa-submissions-down-high-school-seniors/709686/</a>.<br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3404081487134867878.post-91733612947258675752024-03-11T05:30:00.000-07:002024-03-11T07:27:41.170-07:00The Way We Live Now (at Berkeley)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgL1iY4cdL4KWYJlNNGwOBxKvf4xsT1-_5y0St3IXOrP7ztddup7Eb9R9RhlIahJcIu8Y36Bpp37NKBHhhiKrPUqmW4PIfEL7z0UQk4pKwCk4t9xryO8XKYEcCdxhSl7v4yphlaxxRriFGbwLL20nIDu1CE98xVdSzHfdW1opR2QhnrLaKtOtHHwk-Y2mE" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="300" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgL1iY4cdL4KWYJlNNGwOBxKvf4xsT1-_5y0St3IXOrP7ztddup7Eb9R9RhlIahJcIu8Y36Bpp37NKBHhhiKrPUqmW4PIfEL7z0UQk4pKwCk4t9xryO8XKYEcCdxhSl7v4yphlaxxRriFGbwLL20nIDu1CE98xVdSzHfdW1opR2QhnrLaKtOtHHwk-Y2mE" width="169" /></a></div><p></p><p>From <u>CBS News</u>: Starting [last] week, a team of private security guards will patrol the south side of the University of California Berkeley campus. They were hired by a group of concerned parents. The guards will work from 6:30 at night to 3 a.m., focusing on patrolling three main dorm buildings and the surrounding area. Cal parents who are part of a group called Safe Bears say this is long overdue but some wonder if it will really make the streets safer...</p><p>Safe Bears raised $40,000 to pay for the security guards. Some patrol on foot around the dorms and others are on bikes to cover a wider area. The pilot program though will only last until March 23. After that, the hope is that the university will take over...</p><p>UC Berkeley in a statement wrote that the university is taking action to increase campus safety by adding more surveillance cameras and adding community service officers which are students trained by UCPD. It's also looking to hire more sworn police officers. Cal says training and experience are concerns when it comes to hiring private security. These guards though are only equipped with radios to report crimes...</p><p>Full story at <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/parents-uc-berkeley-private-security-patrol-campus/">https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/parents-uc-berkeley-private-security-patrol-campus/</a>. <br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3404081487134867878.post-51400013251925978432024-03-11T05:00:00.000-07:002024-03-11T05:00:00.162-07:00The SAT Again - Part 3<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifLTihh9ayQwOexNW6eMM72M62rkpNFkGaTpWD3d6kmR3rLYic5lCDgVuM2AIYdl--E1IclIi-m3lAFE8U1p4EwMsnOQl1EanjjXY_0ps0TsyAAOYI3gJjRiFSSfVtOwJsg3mToFhtts3ujN3aUwGmqJeOFDTEN7XBTj4UAJAftofN-3ADiy-NhmWkmJc" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifLTihh9ayQwOexNW6eMM72M62rkpNFkGaTpWD3d6kmR3rLYic5lCDgVuM2AIYdl--E1IclIi-m3lAFE8U1p4EwMsnOQl1EanjjXY_0ps0TsyAAOYI3gJjRiFSSfVtOwJsg3mToFhtts3ujN3aUwGmqJeOFDTEN7XBTj4UAJAftofN-3ADiy-NhmWkmJc" width="320" /></a></div>From <u>Bloomberg</u>: <i>Brown University is again requiring the SAT or ACT for admission, becoming the third Ivy League college this year to announce a return to standardized testing following a pause caused by the pandemic.</i><p></p><p><i>The change will start with next year’s application cycle, the school said Tuesday in a statement.</i></p><p><i>“After months of committee analysis and deliberation, Brown’s president accepted the recommendations of a group charged to examine whether Brown’s admissions practices align with its commitments to excellence, access and diversity,” the school said.</i></p><p><i>Since the Supreme Court ruling last June that said colleges can’t use race in admissions, admissions offices have been trying to figure out the best ways to recruit students. Dartmouth and Yale both said having a test score can give admissions officers more context about an applicant to determine if they can succeed at their schools...</i></p><p><i>Only a handful of elite schools have so far returned to testing. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology announced two years ago it would require the tests.</i></p><p><i>Only 5% of more than 1,000 members of the Common Application, the nonprofit that allows students to apply to multiple schools with the same form, are requiring the test in 2023-2024. That compared with 55% in 2019 before the pandemic</i>...</p><p>Full story at <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-03-05/brown-university-becomes-third-ivy-to-reinstate-sat-requirements">https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-03-05/brown-university-becomes-third-ivy-to-reinstate-sat-requirements</a>.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3404081487134867878.post-16253789463291951592024-03-10T05:30:00.001-07:002024-03-10T05:30:00.130-07:00Everything in its place<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyGJvWJ-TH6g_bj_3NgQuuIglb3uNFrkr5olMUZhafMquO09xdyxra-mC1gYBKPDvfitzk9XSgADiOYWDmLpXQuRHOBxYBiipKFXX5KNdjm1dY_6MqQSl84-ytg42AAc-NIzQj0DzUn_a42kwFG5w5F5U92-65SHpxAO2GLNw8mOtBB36dlKlhd0vkk00" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="154" data-original-width="327" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyGJvWJ-TH6g_bj_3NgQuuIglb3uNFrkr5olMUZhafMquO09xdyxra-mC1gYBKPDvfitzk9XSgADiOYWDmLpXQuRHOBxYBiipKFXX5KNdjm1dY_6MqQSl84-ytg42AAc-NIzQj0DzUn_a42kwFG5w5F5U92-65SHpxAO2GLNw8mOtBB36dlKlhd0vkk00" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>From the <u>Bruin</u>: <i>The UCLA Downtown Programming Committee chose 31 programs to initially house in the Trust Building, including the Center for Justice and UCLA Prison Education Program, the DTLA Community Media Lab, the UCLA Skid Row Partnership, and the Sustainable LA Grand Challenge. Chancellor Gene Block and Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Darnell Hunt said in a campuswide email...</i></p><p><i>The email also announced the appointment of Dr. Owen Witte – a University professor of microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics – as special advisor to the EVCP for immunology initiatives at the [$700 million] UCLA Research Park. The park will host the California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy at UCLA and the UCLA Center for Quantum Science and Engineering...</i></p><p><i>The implementation committee for UCLA South Bay in Ranchos Palos Verdes also met for its inaugural meeting in January, according to the email. The committee aims to support academic offerings related to sustainability, environmental justice and climate change, according to the email</i>...</p><p>Source: <a href="https://dailybruin.com/2024/03/07/ucla-downtown-confirms-31-programs-ucla-research-park-appoints-immunology-advisor">https://dailybruin.com/2024/03/07/ucla-downtown-confirms-31-programs-ucla-research-park-appoints-immunology-advisor</a>.</p><p><b>Would it be unkind to read between the lines and say that the $80 million Palos Verdes property is inaccessible and we really don't know what to do with it? Just a question</b>...</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3404081487134867878.post-68127510711567686592024-03-10T05:00:00.000-07:002024-03-10T05:00:00.135-07:00UCLA Undergraduate Enrollment Data<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHldPrB3AL7lYzfh-D0LDxcR54oS_7cjMCtTjroBFBr5HcU9pj9KPl0idtFCPZhJef3qvM_ns5cktuP4Q94XQIt4L77H7nb6ostZP3Ou4Vi4P1sBKNdk5lfVHLDHNepRkMRTbL8Y8gXi9u8TVkTjJpEfXQz9zgBrJ8z0Hr7ZSZhSmmxbC6MuVt8yKFzyA" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="825" data-original-width="1552" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHldPrB3AL7lYzfh-D0LDxcR54oS_7cjMCtTjroBFBr5HcU9pj9KPl0idtFCPZhJef3qvM_ns5cktuP4Q94XQIt4L77H7nb6ostZP3Ou4Vi4P1sBKNdk5lfVHLDHNepRkMRTbL8Y8gXi9u8TVkTjJpEfXQz9zgBrJ8z0Hr7ZSZhSmmxbC6MuVt8yKFzyA=w465-h247" width="465" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Click on table to clarify.</i><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Data are now available for undergraduate applicants, admits, and enrollees at UCLA (and the other campuses from UCOP at:<p></p><p><a href="https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/about-us/information-center/admissions-residency-and-ethnicity">https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/about-us/information-center/admissions-residency-and-ethnicity</a>. <br /></p><p>The table above for UCLA was made from that source. Ninety-eight percent of enrollees to UCLA identified as either woman or man with a striking 63% as the former. The rest were nonbinary, trans, or not identified.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3404081487134867878.post-53332729834654861722024-03-09T10:07:00.000-08:002024-03-09T10:07:27.607-08:00Preliminary Regents' Agenda: March 20-21, 2024<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhlNdjSnQVp4jQH2yM6eleaW_O3RH9mxe3FAZ1I5krDiuy9sGdxv32t-FDUWU8HxHmprdI7j2ovxBpG8AtA17YEeaT9IpYCNxExndlFDpeBIssKiWkgenzu6ChfDZpl-dMuLZHIroMlRbDy_qvD_CkisRuYcMtZ2gVX_UD0IsYK7g33ryQ6mjdMIY2-Tyc" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhlNdjSnQVp4jQH2yM6eleaW_O3RH9mxe3FAZ1I5krDiuy9sGdxv32t-FDUWU8HxHmprdI7j2ovxBpG8AtA17YEeaT9IpYCNxExndlFDpeBIssKiWkgenzu6ChfDZpl-dMuLZHIroMlRbDy_qvD_CkisRuYcMtZ2gVX_UD0IsYK7g33ryQ6mjdMIY2-Tyc" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><i>Note: The original schedule was for a three-day meeting, March 19-21. March 19 has been removed, probably by shifting the Investments Committee to the afternoon of March 21.</i></p><p><b>Agenda: March 20-21, 2024 at the UCLA Luskin Conference Center</b></p><p><b>Wednesday, March 20, 2024</b></p><p>==</p><p>8:30 am <b>Board</b> (open session - includes public comment session) </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Public Comment Period (30 minutes)</b></li><li>Remarks of the Chair of the Board</li><li>Remarks of the President of the University</li><li>Remarks of the Chair of the Academic Senate</li></ul><p></p><p>--</p><p>Concurrent Meetings:</p><p>9:30 am <b>Compliance and Audit Committee</b> (open session) </p><p style="text-align: left;"> Action: Approval of the Minutes of the Meeting of November 15, 2023</p><p style="text-align: left;"> C1 Action: Appointment of Regents’ External Auditor</p><p style="text-align: left;"> C2 Discussion: Results of Internal Audit Quality Assessment Review</p><p>Upon end of open session:</p><p><b>Compliance and Audit Committee </b>(closed session) </p><p style="text-align: left;">Action: Approval of the Minutes of the Meeting of January 24, 2024</p><p style="text-align: left;">C3(X) Action: University of California Digital Risk Appetite Statement</p><p style="text-align: left;">[<i>Note: "Risk appetite is the amount of risk, on a broad level, an entity is willing to accept in pursuit of value." Source: <a href="https://www.ucop.edu/enterprise-risk-and-resilience/erm/tools-templates/risk-assessment-toolbox-content/uc-risk-appetite-definition-and-assessment-of-risks-uc-radar.html">https://www.ucop.edu/enterprise-risk-and-resilience/erm/tools-templates/risk-assessment-toolbox-content/uc-risk-appetite-definition-and-assessment-of-risks-uc-radar.html</a></i>]</p><p style="text-align: left;">C4(X) Discussion: Digital Risk Update</p><p style="text-align: left;">C5(X) Discussion: Review of Recent Cybersecurity Incidents</p><p style="text-align: left;">C6(X) Action: Recommended Settlements for Board Action</p><p style="text-align: left;">[<i>Various settlements including one involving departure of UC-Berkeley from Pac-12</i>]</p><p style="text-align: left;">C7(X) Discussion: Appellate, Trial Court Developments and Updates </p><p style="text-align: left;">[<i>Various developments including dismissal of a challenge to DEI hiring statements</i>]*</p><p style="text-align: left;">C8(X) Information Settlements and Separation Agreements under Delegated Authority Reported from December 1, 2023 to January 31, 2024</p><p>--</p><p>9:30 am <b>Public Engagement and Development Committee</b> (open session) </p><p>Action: Approval of the Minutes of the Meeting of January 24, 2024</p><p>P1 Discussion: Update from the Interim Senior Vice President of External Relations and Communications</p><p><b>P2 Discussion: Demystifying AI and Its Impacts in Higher Education</b></p><p>P3 Discussion: The <b>UCLA </b>BruinHubs: Bridging Basic Needs, Well-Being, and Community in One Place</p><p>[<i>Note: The BruinHubs are on-campus spaces designed to meet the needs of students who commute long distances to campus. We have two locations located at the John Wooden Center and Strathmore Building. The BruinHub spaces were designed in recognition of commuters' routines and needs. Source: h<a href="ttps://campuslife.ucla.edu/bruinhub">ttps://campuslife.ucla.edu/bruinhub</a></i>]</p><p>P4 Discussion: UC Impact: A New Digital Resource</p><p>[<i>Unclear what this item refers to: Possibly: </i><a href="https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/new-university-california-website-shows-impact-of-10-campus-system" style="font-style: italic;">https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/new-university-california-website-shows-impact-of-10-campus-system</a>]</p><p>--</p><p>1:00 pm <b>Governance Committee </b>(closed session) </p><p>Action: Approval of the Minutes of the Meeting of January 24, 2024</p><p>G1(X) Discussion: Collective Bargaining Matters</p><p>--</p><p>1:30 pm Joint Meeting of the <b>Academic and Student Affairs Committee & Compliance and Audit Committee </b>(open session) </p><p>Action: Approval of the Minutes of the Meeting of January 24-25, 2024</p><p>J1 Action: Adoption of Regents Policy on the Use of University Administrative Websites</p><p>[<i>Note: As blog readers will know, this item - really about departmental political statements - was continued from the last Regents meeting. Whether the Regents will again become hung up on such esoterica as trying to define a website "landing page" or will focus on whether entire departments (as opposed to individuals), as UC entities, should make political statements is unknown. Possibly, a draft resolution of whatever is being proposed will be released before the meeting.</i>]</p><p>--</p><p>2:10 pm <b>Finance and Capital Strategies Committee</b> (closed session) </p><p>Action: Approval of the Minutes of the Meeting of November 15, 2023 and the Joint Meeting of the Health Services Committee and the Finance and Capital Strategies Committee of January 24, 2024</p><p>F1(X)2 Action: Life Science Building and Associated Improvements, Los Angeles Campus: Acquisition</p><p>[<i>Note: Unclear if this item refers to the $700 million acquisition of the Westside Pavillion or yet another real estate purchase by UCLA</i>]</p><p>Upon end of closed session:</p><p><b>Finance and Capital Strategies Committee</b> (open session) </p><p>Action: Approval of the Minutes of the Meeting of January 24, 2024</p><p>F22 Action: Stair Tower and Exit Corridor Upgrades, UC Davis Health, Sacramento Campus: Amendment of the Budget, Hospital Seismic Upgrade</p><p>F3 Action: East Campus Loop Road, San Diego Campus: Budget, Scope, External Financing, and Design Following Consideration of Addendum No. 10 to the 2018 Long Range Development Plan Environmental Impact Report, Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act</p><p>F4 Action: Classroom and Office Building III, Merced Campus: Preliminary Plans Funding</p><p>F5 Action: Undergraduate Teaching and Learning Facility, Riverside Campus: Budget, Scope, External Financing, and Design Following Consideration of an Addendum to the 2021 Long Range Development Plan Environmental Impact Report Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act</p><p>F6 Information: Mid-Year Report of the UC Office of the President’s Budget to Actual Expenditures and Second Quarter Forecast for Fiscal Year 2023-24</p><p>F7 Discussion: Significant Information Technology Projects Report for the Period September 1, 2023, Through December 31, 2023</p><p>--</p><p>2:10 pm <b>Academic and Student Affairs Committee</b> (open session) </p><p>Action: Approval of the Minutes of the Meeting of January 24, 2024</p><p>A1 Discussion: <b>Mathematics Preparation for UC Admission </b>– Past, Present, and Future</p><p>[<i>Note: This item may refer to the controversy regarding substitution of "data science" for a more traditional math course. See: <a href="https://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2024/03/doing-math-boars-vs-ucop.html">https://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2024/03/doing-math-boars-vs-ucop.html</a></i>]</p><p>A2 Action: Approval of Multi-Year Plans for Professional Degree Supplemental Tuition for Six Graduate Professional Degree Programs</p><p>A3 Discussion: <b>Astronomy</b> at the University of California</p><p>[<i>Presumably, there will be at least some mention of the stalled Hawaiian Thirty-Meter Telescope (TMT) project in which UC is involved and which blog readers will be familiar. See: <a href="https://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2024/02/checking-in-on-ever-contentious-tmt.html">https://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2024/02/checking-in-on-ever-contentious-tmt.html</a> (and many other blog postings)</i>]</p><p>A4 Discussion: Innovation and Entrepreneurship Update</p><p>==</p><p><b>Thursday, March 21, 2024</b></p><p>8:30 am <b>Board </b>(open session - includes public comment session) </p><p><b>Public Comment Period (30 minutes)</b></p><p>Approval of the Minutes of the Meetings of January 24, 25, and February 14, 2024</p><p>Remarks from Student Associations</p><p>B1 Discussion: Advances in <b>CRISPR</b> Technology</p><p>[<i>Note: As blog readers will know, there have be prolonged patent litigation battles concerning CRISPR intellectual property and UC. See: <a href="https://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2022/03/patent-loss.html">https://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2022/03/patent-loss.html</a> and many other blog postings</i>]</p><p>9:45 am <b>Board </b>(closed session) </p><p>Action: Approval of the Minutes of the Meetings of January 25 and February 14, 2024</p><p>B2(X) Discussion: <b>Incidents of Concern</b></p><p>[<i>Note: "Incidents of Concern" most likely refers to incidents such as recently at Berkeley and Santa Barbara related to the Israel-Gaza War. The rationale for discussion behind closed doors is "litigation."</i>]</p><p>Committee Reports Including Approval of Recommendations from Committees</p><p>[<i>Note: The reports and approvals refer to various committee closed-door activities.</i>]</p><p>--</p><p>10:30 am <b>Board</b> (open session) </p><p>Committee Reports Including Approvals of Recommendations from Committees:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Academic and Student Affairs Committee</li><li>Compliance and Audit Committee</li><li>Finance and Capital Strategies Committee</li><li>Health Services Committee (meeting of February 14, 2024)</li><li>Public Engagement and Development Committee</li><li>Joint Meeting: Academic and Student Affairs Committee and Compliance and Audit Committee</li></ul><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">B3 Discussion: University of California Basic Needs Annual Report, 2022–23</p><p style="text-align: left;">B4 Discussion: Annual Report on Sustainability Practices</p><p style="text-align: left;">Officers’ and President’s Reports:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Report of Interim, Concurrence, and Committee Actions</li><li>Report of Materials Mailed Between Meetings</li></ul><p></p><p>--</p><p>1:00 pm <b>Investments Committee </b>(open session) </p><p>Action: Approval of the Minutes of the Meeting of November 16, 2023</p><p>I1 Discussion: Review of Performance for the Second Quarter of Fiscal Year 2023–2024 of UC Pension, Endowment, Blue and Gold Pool, Working Capital, and Retirement Savings</p><p>==========</p><p>*See <a href="https://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2024/01/dei-lawsuit-against-uc-dismissed-on.html">https://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2024/01/dei-lawsuit-against-uc-dismissed-on.html</a>. The Haltigan case was dismissed without a ruling on the merits. Haltigan said he did not apply for a position at UC because of the required statement. The judge in the case ruled that Haltigan didn't have standing to sue because he had never applied.<br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3404081487134867878.post-63457605960551333722024-03-09T05:30:00.000-08:002024-03-09T05:30:00.139-08:00Coming Tomorrow<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjDiIpoUihaY6tZX06DUsVS68CkSk4cAwZeIBf-63ut6cloP0l13cMyu8En_CemdxPbdmslKm4zLoRXnbzWRXB7KFN19AWlVKiXg8ZansMAZvpYvE6ggJyQZ2kdAEp6M4CVrlRTwRaKpMIS2KSDdTt9ZPfn0rNiQuH9-u8I8ZO6Gm6q75XE6w828SzPO_0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="641" data-original-width="1140" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjDiIpoUihaY6tZX06DUsVS68CkSk4cAwZeIBf-63ut6cloP0l13cMyu8En_CemdxPbdmslKm4zLoRXnbzWRXB7KFN19AWlVKiXg8ZansMAZvpYvE6ggJyQZ2kdAEp6M4CVrlRTwRaKpMIS2KSDdTt9ZPfn0rNiQuH9-u8I8ZO6Gm6q75XE6w828SzPO_0=w462-h260" width="462" /></a></div><p>"Spring Forward" comes tomorrow. If you have some dim memory of voting for some ballot measure that was supposed to stop the clock changing, we present our 2022 lecture (masks were still required) about why we still change the clocks despite the vote, and other timely matters, at:</p><p><a href="https://archive.org/details/mitchell-time-edited">https://archive.org/details/mitchell-time-edited</a>.</p><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3404081487134867878.post-17522663900770429262024-03-09T05:00:00.000-08:002024-03-09T05:00:00.126-08:00Does this make you nervous - Part 2<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj4NIbCkIZe2L8kCPCu95ohXJIbT2fGiN_emVeTavDG89tjiciRyfyo64hnG55sJuR4tk2hBFn0_kqhrMIrbAUUkE6r1jKioRYnlWGqR-pfDuqMZ4XGWizJ2y2flU1ySCifzyT5VxTuI1j_V8f70n4eeI5xIhsfr86WC3GN5GNEDBfAoQmqxzlvU8X6TI0" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj4NIbCkIZe2L8kCPCu95ohXJIbT2fGiN_emVeTavDG89tjiciRyfyo64hnG55sJuR4tk2hBFn0_kqhrMIrbAUUkE6r1jKioRYnlWGqR-pfDuqMZ4XGWizJ2y2flU1ySCifzyT5VxTuI1j_V8f70n4eeI5xIhsfr86WC3GN5GNEDBfAoQmqxzlvU8X6TI0" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>We have been tracking the Blackstone Real Estate Investment Trust (BREIT) since UC's $4.5 billion bailout as BREIT experience a slow-motion run. In the most recent month, although investors who pulled their money out for the first time got all they requested, it is worth noting two things. </p><p>1) Gradually, those who wanted to get out eventually have been able to do so, even though the pace of withdrawal was rationed by BREIT. So perhaps it is not surprising that the rationing has ceased, despite the ongoing drain. </p><p>2) As noted in our post last month, the extra return promised to UC has in effect been put on a tab, rather than paid outright.* So the payouts to those exiting has been partly funded by delaying cash payments to UC. From <u>Globest</u>:</p><p>...<i>Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust (BREIT) fund finally delivered full liquidity to investors who requested redemptions in February. After more than a year of proration, BREIT reported in a March 1 letter to shareholders that it fulfilled 100% of the redemption requests it received last month. “We are pleased to report that BREIT fulfilled 100% of repurchase requests in February,” the letter said. “BREIT was designed with a semi-liquid structure, trading a measure of liquidity for the potential for higher net returns. We could not be more proud that this structure has worked as intended to both prevent a liquidity mismatch and maximize long-term shareholder value.”</i></p><p><i>BREIT’s letter said it received $961M in repurchase requests last month, which was below the fund’s 2% of net asset value monthly limit and 26% lower than the $1.3B in requests it received in January</i>...</p><p>Full story at <a href="https://www.globest.com/2024/03/04/blackstone-fulfills-all-redemption-requests/">https://www.globest.com/2024/03/04/blackstone-fulfills-all-redemption-requests/</a>.</p><p>As we have been stating all along, the issue is less whether in the long run UC's investment pays off but rather the Regents' approval of the deal without raising risk/return questions. Only one Regent raised the issue. The others were mainly concerned - to the extent they were - by charges that BREIT wasn't being a good landlord, a separate issue. </p><p>===</p><p>*<a href="https://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2024/02/does-this-make-you-nervous.html">https://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2024/02/does-this-make-you-nervous.html</a>.<br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3404081487134867878.post-28554234545871267522024-03-08T05:30:00.000-08:002024-03-08T05:30:00.143-08:00Players as Employees - Part 3<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzs8zES9sGKZv2SQyzCiUlZe6eojsIQQhex_wUKr0hEgMupPNvEMUvsTDBHN6F9yPj9ymh2KwAqdjrpRUJl1joI4Hys_664QGqIm8yK29OH8ZOgt9mtYtrhxF58XDRv_TKFM0awdNK3I6yjA7XmpznG54BwDaeKxZU3J45IoYYD9Z2XaRbVj5pFRilfqo" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="768" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzs8zES9sGKZv2SQyzCiUlZe6eojsIQQhex_wUKr0hEgMupPNvEMUvsTDBHN6F9yPj9ymh2KwAqdjrpRUJl1joI4Hys_664QGqIm8yK29OH8ZOgt9mtYtrhxF58XDRv_TKFM0awdNK3I6yjA7XmpznG54BwDaeKxZU3J45IoYYD9Z2XaRbVj5pFRilfqo" width="240" /></a></div>We have been following the gradual professionalization and commercialization of college sports, most recently at Dartmouth where basketball players petitioned the NLRB for a union representation election.* Despite objections from Dartmouth, the elections was held. From the <u>NY Times</u>:<p></p><p><i>Members of the Dartmouth College men’s basketball team congregated at the stately Hanover Inn near campus on a dreary, drizzly Tuesday and walked over to a small office building where they smiled for a group photo. Then they went up to a second-floor conference room and took a vote that had been six months — or rather, many years — in the making. When the yellow sheets of paper were tallied and certified about an hour later, the basketball players had accomplished something no other college athletes had done.</i></p><p><i>By a 13-2 vote, they had formed a union.</i></p><p><i>“It’s definitely becoming more real,” Cade Haskins, a junior on the basketball team and a leader of the effort, said to about a dozen reporters after the vote. “We know this could potentially be making history. That wasn’t the reason we were doing it, but to do that can be scary and daunting.”</i></p><p><i>Haskins expressed hope that his peers across the Ivy League and the rest of the country would soon be recognized as employees under federal labor law — a classification that has been a red line for college sports leaders who would be forced to share revenue directly with athletes</i>...</p><p>Full story at <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/05/us/dartmouth-basketball-union-athletes-employees.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/05/us/dartmouth-basketball-union-athletes-employees.html</a>.</p><p>As we have previously noted, UC is not covered by the NLRB. But it is covered by a statute which is similar in many ways to that covering the private sector and the state's PERB could look at the Dartmouth example as a precedent.</p><p>===</p><p>*<a href="https://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2024/03/players-as-employees-part-2.html">https://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2024/03/players-as-employees-part-2.html</a>. <br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3404081487134867878.post-58574198876024540192024-03-08T05:00:00.000-08:002024-03-08T05:00:00.145-08:00This may be a tough sell<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjRyxBX4bZH4jT065dBZoWdHXtdEO2nP_Sr7Gyv6YFhhXymYnqGhvmATlEWMkXsc9OxF4KU3Lu5sIA7YYX-88LgQ6HS0kySlvMNFAJdTOWIZUBfESOcMCqU-cpemqRslTlNt_sEWWNwaQvy-oPMkEoo_-RZd-H6yOLoFjjX0g0LyqHDby41o2MX47211gM" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="444" data-original-width="651" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjRyxBX4bZH4jT065dBZoWdHXtdEO2nP_Sr7Gyv6YFhhXymYnqGhvmATlEWMkXsc9OxF4KU3Lu5sIA7YYX-88LgQ6HS0kySlvMNFAJdTOWIZUBfESOcMCqU-cpemqRslTlNt_sEWWNwaQvy-oPMkEoo_-RZd-H6yOLoFjjX0g0LyqHDby41o2MX47211gM" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>UC and the Academic Senate are officially opposing a state constitutional amendment that would put UC employees under the same labor standards as other employees. In a letter to Liz Ortega, Chair, California Assembly Committee on Labor and Employment, UC Academic Council Chair James Steintrager argues that:</p><p>...<i>Under ACA 14, UC faculty and student trainees would lose the necessary flexibility to efficiently and appropriately allocate our work time. This, in turn, will have a negative impact on the University’s research productivity and teaching excellence. The proposed legislation, impairing how faculty organize their own time and labor, would strike at the heart of UC’s missions and at the entire faculty’s academic freedom insofar as it will impede our ability to deliver our best work in service to the state</i>...</p><p>Full letter at <a href="https://senate.universityofcalifornia.edu/_files/reports/aca14-oppose-20240305.pdf">https://senate.universityofcalifornia.edu/_files/reports/aca14-oppose-20240305.pdf</a>.</p><p>The proposed amendment states:</p><p>...<i>Employees of the Regents of the University of California shall have the right to, and shall be covered by, the following basic state labor standards as they apply to employees of the state on or after January 1, 2025:</i></p><p><i>(A) Equal pay standards, including those established pursuant to the California Equal Pay Act and California Fair Pay Act of 2015.</i></p><p><i>(B) The payment of a minimum wage.</i></p><p><i>(C) The timely payment of wages.</i></p><p><i>(D) The payment of overtime and standards governing the hours of work.</i></p><p><i>(E) Occupational safety and health standards.</i></p><p><i>(F) Meal and rest breaks.</i></p><p><i>(G) Paid leave, including paid sick leave.</i></p><p><i>(H) Standards against displacement and contracting out of work as provided for in state laws governing the nonemergency use of personal service contracts by the state</i>...</p><p>Full text of proposed ACA 14 at <a href="https://legiscan.com/CA/text/ACA14/id/2840897">https://legiscan.com/CA/text/ACA14/id/2840897</a>.</p><p>Exactly how faculty in particular would be affected by ACA 14 is not clear from Chair Steintrager's letter. The concept that UC employees should be exempt from general labor standards may be a <b>tough sell</b> in the legislature.<br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3404081487134867878.post-49378058918496621862024-03-07T07:45:00.000-08:002024-03-07T07:45:52.580-08:00Follow on to Events of Feb. 26 at Berkeley<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOuUbkXXszpNbUWTcFoaoybul9fWQEGZdlpfVWtg5rwKorJKLVZL8K6k_ssP4maeeSbQqPqbEpjstbqUy2M1BlofSf83YxV27DKYQws_fzjy-B1F0bqE1IkDlrnf35UZaBw0OTWn83_N_VRxSsj5Q2u5hS23C1XIsB3bzG6HBjlTf7aBxOv73hsrkv2T0" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="260" data-original-width="468" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOuUbkXXszpNbUWTcFoaoybul9fWQEGZdlpfVWtg5rwKorJKLVZL8K6k_ssP4maeeSbQqPqbEpjstbqUy2M1BlofSf83YxV27DKYQws_fzjy-B1F0bqE1IkDlrnf35UZaBw0OTWn83_N_VRxSsj5Q2u5hS23C1XIsB3bzG6HBjlTf7aBxOv73hsrkv2T0" width="320" /></a></div>From <u>Inside Higher Ed</u> today: <i>The Education Department is investigating allegations of shared-ancestry discrimination at another five colleges and universities, including the University of California, Berkeley, according to the agency’s updated list of open inquiries.</i><p></p><p><i>The department’s list of colleges, universities and K-12 school districts under investigation doesn’t specify what the investigation is about beyond a possible violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which requires federally funded institutions to protect students from discrimination based on race, color or national origin...</i></p><p><i>The Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported that the Berkeley investigation stems from a Feb. 26 incident in which protesters disrupted a planned lecture from Ran Bar-Yoshafat, deputy director of the Kohelet Policy Forum, an Israeli libertarian think tank. The event was canceled and evacuated. The department’s Office for Civil Rights typically takes at least a few weeks or months to open an investigation, so the quick turnaround on this incident is a shift.The Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported that the Berkeley investigation stems from a Feb. 26 incident in which protesters disrupted a planned lecture from Ran Bar-Yoshafat, deputy director of the Kohelet Policy Forum, an Israeli libertarian think tank. The event was canceled and evacuated.</i> <b>The department’s Office for Civil Rights typically takes at least a few weeks or months to open an investigation, so the quick turnaround on this incident is a shift</b>...</p><p>Full story at <a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2024/03/07/us-opens-civil-rights-probes-uc-berkeley-four-others">https://www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2024/03/07/us-opens-civil-rights-probes-uc-berkeley-four-others</a>.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0