Nonetheless, it appears that he has been in touch with UC President Drake yesterday. When asked about campus unrest at an unrelated news conference, he made the disclosure.
You can see his remarks at the video below:
Or direct to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDzIzRZacqA.
There is also radio silence on the UC systemwide websites and the UCLA website. No statement has been issued by the systemwide Academic Senate. Maybe everyone is waiting for the Regents to act. ????
All we know is that there will be at least 18 people in attendance - some may not be Regents - based on the Zoom addresses - most of which appear to be office buildings:
1747 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, D.C.
400 Q Street, Sacramento, CA [May be a CalPERS office]
1680 East 120th Street, Los Angeles, CA [MLK hospital]
3333 North Torrey Pines Ct, La Jolla, CA
5200 Lake Road, BSP. 187, Merced, CA [UC-Merced]
1004 Holton Road, Holtville, CA [farm in the middle of Imperial County]
655 West 18th Street Merced, CA [Seems to be a UC-Merced office building]
4751 Wilshire Blvd., 3rd floor, Los Angeles, CA
455 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco, CA
500 S. Buena Vista Street, Burbank, CA [Probably Disney building]
6374 Coral del Rico Nayarit, Mexico [possible typo in this address]
8105 Hickory High Court, Ellicott City, MD
465 California Street, Suite 611, San Francisco, CA
550 S Hope St., Los Angeles, CA
6085 State Farm Drive, Rohnert Park, CA
12011 San Vicente Blvd., Suite 606, Los Angeles, CA [David Geffen Foundation]
3200 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, CA [May be UCLA student housing]
433 South Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA
Source: https://regents.universityofcalifornia.edu/meetings/agendas/april262024.html.
Cornell University announced yesterday that it would once again require standardized test scores from applicants, the latest in a wave of selective institutions to do so. The policy change, which will take effect next application cycle, is the culmination of a two-year “period of deliberate experimental review” Cornell entered in 2022, when it extended its test-optional policy through 2024, and is based in part on internal research conducted since then.
Cornell offered a similar justification as other Ivy League colleges returning to testing requirements, including Yale and Dartmouth College: that not only are scores better indicators of academic success than factors such as GPA, but they can also help admissions officers take notice of students from under-resourced high schools who might otherwise struggle to stand out. Test-optional policies, on the other hand, “may undermine equity in admissions” by discouraging score submission among less privileged applicants, the research report concluded.
Source: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2024/04/23/cornell-reinstates-testing-requirements.
What Cornell is saying now is what a UC Academic Senate report said back before the Regents abolished the test requirement.
BruinALERT: A demonstration with encampments formed early this morning (Thursday, April 25) in Royce Quad.
We’re actively monitoring this situation to support a safe and peaceful campus environment that respects our community’s right to free expression while minimizing disruption to our teaching and learning mission.
At this time, the typical campus teaching and learning activities will continue as usual and classes will be held as planned.
Access to Royce Hall and Powell Library has been restricted. Students who need to access Royce Hall should be ready to show their Bruin Card for entry.
For more information about emergencies at UCLA, please visit https://bso.ucla.edu/.
...UC President Michael Drake "basically put the fear of God in everybody in saying that we were going to get sued, we were going to lose all this money,” UC Regent Jose Hernandez [said]...
Included in the account is a letter from UC to the legislative committee involved laying out its legal position:
April 3, 2024
The Honorable Mike Fong Chair,
Assembly Higher Education Committee
1020 N Street, Room 173 Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: AB 2586 (Alvarez), as amended on April 1, 2024 Scheduled for hearing in the Assembly Higher Education Committee on April 9, 2024
Position: CONCERN
Dear Chair Fong, The University of California has a long history of supporting undocumented students by advocating for and enacting numerous programs and policies that assist them in achieving their educational goals. For example, the University has campus-based support centers, provides access to legal services, and supplies financial aid to students not eligible for federal loans (Dream Loan Program). The University also continues to advocate for state and federal policies that bring in additional resources and funding for undocumented students. The aim of AB 2586 is to address employment opportunities for undocumented students in higher education. This is a critically important issue to the University and President Michael Drake has stated his public support for finding a robust legal path to do so.
Last year, a working group of the Regents of the University of California studied this issue and sought a legal path forward. However, after receiving advice from both inside and outside legal counsel, we concluded that there were considerable risks for the University and the students we aim to support. This led the Regents to postpone further action until next year while we continue to examine ways to expand undocumented students’ access to equitable educational experiences.
While the University supports the author’s aim to provide equitable student employment opportunities, there are outstanding concerns about AB 2586 and how to implement such a policy. Those concerns include:
- The exposure of our undocumented students and their families to the possibility of criminal prosecution or deportation;
- The possibility of employees involved in the hiring process (i.e., faculty, human resources, and legal professionals) being subject to criminal or civil prosecution if they knowingly participate in practices deemed impermissible under federal law;
- Civil fines, criminal penalties, or debarment from federal contracting if the University is in violation of the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA); and
- The potential loss of billions of dollars in existing federal contracts and grants that are conditional on IRCA compliance. Unfortunately, AB 2586 does not protect our undocumented students or employees from prosecution, nor does it protect the University from the risk of potentially losing billions in federal dollars. While the University is not opposed to AB 2586, or the goal to provide employment opportunities to undocumented students, we share the concerns above because we would welcome working with the author and Legislature on other legal options to support these students.
In the meantime, the University is rolling out a new fellowship program that will provide experiential learning opportunities and financial support to undocumented students, and we would be pleased to share additional details on this exciting effort.
Thank you for your consideration. If you have any questions about the University’s concerns regarding AB 2586, please contact me at 916-445-5579.
Sincerely, Mario Guerrero Legislative Director
cc: Vice Chair and Members, Assembly Higher Education Assemblymember David Alvarez, President Michael Drake
