Of course, we don't know what is happening behind closed doors at negotiations between UC and AFSCME. But one of the AFSCME commenters suggested that UC is trying to push the 70% of AFSCME workers that now choose Kaiser as their health provider into plans that utilize UC providers.
See an excerpt from his comment below:
From the LA Times: ...Today’s college students say that picking a major that’s “AI-proof” feels like shooting at a moving target as they prepare for a job market that could be fundamentally different by the time they graduate. As a result, many are reconsidering their career paths. About 70% of college students see AI as a threat to their job prospects, according to a 2025 poll by the Institute of Politics at the Harvard Kennedy School, while recent Gallup polling found that U.S. workers are increasingly concerned about being replaced by new technologies. The uncertainty appears most concentrated among those pursuing degrees in technology and vocational areas of study, where students feel a need to develop expertise in AI but also fear being replaced by it.
A recent Quinnipiac poll found that the vast majority of Americans believe it’s “very” or “somewhat” important for college and university students to be taught how to use AI, as Gallup Workforce polling has found that AI is getting adopted in technology-related fields at higher rates. Meanwhile, students studying healthcare and natural sciences may be less affected by AI overhauls, Gallup found.
...A recent Gallup poll of Generation Z youths and adults ages 14 to 29 found increasing skepticism and concerns about AI. Although half of Gen Z adults use AI at least “weekly,” and teenagers report higher use, many in this generation see drawbacks to the technology and worry about AI’s effect on their cognitive abilities and job prospects. About half, 48%, of Gen Z workers say the risks of AI in the workforce outweigh the possible benefits.
Part of the challenge for college students is that the experts they would typically turn to for advice, such as advisors, professors and parents, don’t have any answers...
Full story at https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2026-05-05/college-students-are-in-search-of-ai-proof-majors.
Source: https://la.urbanize.city/post/heres-closer-look-plans-ucla-research-park.
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The article also notes UCLA's purchase of the campus of a defunct Catholic College in Palos Verdes which - as far as yours truly knows - nobody has figured out yet what to do with. So no dramatic future images of that facility are available.
The campaign is underway. From a UCOP press release:
UC, State Senator Wiener, UAW host rally for California science to urge lawmakers to pass SB 895
May 4, 2026
SACRAMENTO – UC President James B. Milliken today joined California State Senator Scott Wiener and United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain to rally in support of California science and urge state lawmakers to pass SB 895, bipartisan legislation that would place a $23 billion bond to fund scientific research across California on the November 2026 ballot.
“California’s prosperity is inextricably connected to its investment in university research and discovery,” said President Milliken, who was joined at the rally by hundreds of UC researchers, faculty and staff. “SB 895 comes at a pivotal moment, providing a lifeline that delivers economic opportunity and life-saving medical care for our residents.”
If passed, SB 895 would help ensure that critical scientific research continues in California, strengthening the state’s resilience through investments in biomedical and health research, climate and environmental science, behavioral health, wildfire resilience and emerging technologies.
With 10 campuses, six academic health centers and administrative oversight of three national labs, UC employs more than 265,000 across the state and treats 2.5 million patients a year. For every $1 the State of California invests in UC, $21.04 in economic output is generated across the state. Last year, UC received the most U.S. utility patents of any university, helping keep the nation at the forefront of scientific discovery and global competitiveness.
But today, UC faces one of the most severe threats to its research enterprise in its 158-year history. Significant reductions and disruptions in federal scientific funding could hinder the state’s ability to remain a global leader in technology, innovation and multidisciplinary research, impacting jobs, health care and the economy in California.
If passed by voters, the California Science and Health Research Bond Act would help fund modernization of research facilities, expansion of laboratory and clinical capacity, and improvements to public health infrastructure. These investments are projected to support a wide variety of jobs, from construction and skilled trades, to scientists, technicians and healthcare researchers, while strengthening the pipeline of future talent.
Research funding generates jobs, fuels California’s economy
California’s leadership in biotechnology, life sciences and medical innovation has been a cornerstone of its economic success. The state’s universities, hospitals and research institutions provide the infrastructure needed for clinical trials, product development and advanced manufacturing. The investments made by SB 895 will support thousands of students and researchers at California universities with jobs in growing industries.
“The science bond is one of the best investments we can make in California’s future,” said Senator Wiener. “Scientific research is a pillar of California’s economy and prosperity and one of California’s greatest contributions to the world. It fuels our world-class universities. Our life sciences sector supports over a million jobs and billions in economic output. To millions of families and loved ones struggling with untreatable illnesses, scientific research represents hope. SB 895 will power those dreams and that success for another generation — putting power back in the hands of Californians to steer the next generation of scientific advances while the federal government pulls back.”
SB 895 tackles complex and interconnected challenges
SB 895 would also provide dedicated funding for research into the health impacts of wildfires, including air quality, respiratory illness and community resilience, while strengthening California’s capacity to detect and respond to future pandemics through improved laboratory networks and rapid response capabilities.
“This measure could help you or someone you love by continuing research in groundbreaking therapies for cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and more,” said UAW Region 6 Director Mike Miller. UAW represents approximately 60,000 workers across the University of California system in a wide range of academic and non-academic roles, including academic researchers, graduate teaching assistants, graduate student researchers, postdoctoral scholars, and professionals in student services, advising, research and public service. “As the federal government slashes research funding across the country, we are proud to come together with Senator Wiener, Assemblymember Solache and the University of California to ensure that California meets the moment.”
Return on investment and pharmaceutical discounts
Historically, public investment in research has delivered strong returns by driving economic growth, boosting tax revenues and improving residents’ health. SB 895 builds on that track record by allowing the state to recapture a share of licensing and royalty revenues from inventions and technologies developed with public funding. SB 895 also helps to make health care more accessible by ensuring California residents receive discounts for pharmaceuticals developed through this research.
Support for SB 895 is bipartisan and broad-based, from researchers and physicians to legislators throughout the state. The bill is sponsored by UAW Region 6 and Union of American Physicians and Dentists (UAPD). It is jointly authored by Senators Sasha Renée Pérez and Aisha Wahab, and principal co-authored by Assemblymembers José Luis Solache, Jr., Mike Gipson, Jacqui Irwin, Al Muratsuchi and Darshana Patel, Ph.D. Thirty-seven members of the State Legislature are co-authoring the bill to date.
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*https://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2026/04/celebrating-bond.html.
From Washington Monthly: It’s increasingly apparent that public support for the nation’s colleges and universities has eroded over the past few years. While some of the disillusionment reflects the impact of conservative attacks on higher education, including Donald Trump’s campaign against prominent institutions, much of it stems from growing concerns about affordability, tuition sticker shock, student loan debt, and nagging doubts about whether a college degree is still a reliable ticket to a successful career. One recent survey found that the share of parents who said a postsecondary degree program was their top choice for their child’s post-high school plans fell from 74 percent in 2019 to 58 percent in 2025. That result is not an outlier. Survey after survey confirms that Americans have become increasingly skeptical about the value of a college degree. (“Skepticism” may even be an understatement; resentment, especially toward elite colleges, may be the more accurate characterization.)
But here’s the odd thing: despite overwhelming public anger at the perceived unaffordability of higher education, the average net cost of college has barely budged over at least the past decade. It’s actually fallen a bit. What might explain this disconnect? One theory is that the opaque and occasionally deceptive ways colleges advertise their prices leads to public misperception about college costs. A 2022 Government Accountability Office study found that 91 percent of colleges understate or don’t include the net price families pay in the offer letters sent to students. Such incomplete or misleading information often leads to “uninformed and costly decisions, such as enrolling in an unaffordable college,” according to the GAO. The confusion has been aggravated by a policy, common across the vast majority of four-year schools, of discounting high “sticker costs” by strategically offering generous institutional financial aid through “merit scholarships.”
This “high tuition-high aid” model results in a situation where published tuition prices bear little relation to what many students end up paying for college. Congress has recognized the problem, and, as this magazine has reported, several bills have been introduced in both the House and the Senate that would require greater clarity and simplicity in college offer letters...
From the Daily Bruin: UCLA restored access to Bruin Learn on Saturday evening, two days after a cyberattack took down the learning platform. ShinyHunters, a criminal extortion group, breached Canvas, which hosts BruinLearn, Thursday afternoon. It threatened in a message posted to the website that it would release universities’ data if Canvas’ parent company, Instructure, did not negotiate a settlement...
Full story at https://dailybruin.com/2026/05/09/ucla-restores-access-to-bruin-learn-2-days-after-cyberattack.
There doesn't seem to have been a public assessment of issues that arise from being dependent on an outside vendor whose size alone invites cyberattacks.
Anyone know more? If it isn't a self-driving car, what is it and why is it there?
