No one wants to talk

More and more news items are appearing about the roadblock at the systemwide Academic Senate to the Anderson School's MBA self-sufficiency funding plan. The LA Times has now picked up the story:

...Allison Holmes, an Anderson school spokeswoman and assistant dean, said Tuesday that the school was looking at the implications of the committee ruling and that it was too soon for a response. Steve Montiel, a UC system spokesman, said (UC President Mark) Yudof also needed time to study the committee's decision and to consult with other UC officials before deciding what to do.

Full article at http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0905-ucla-mba-20120905,0,1578391.story

Inside Higher Ed did get someone to say something on behalf of UCLA:

"UCLA leaders believe it is imperative to find innovative solutions to ensure continued academic excellence amid dramatic reductions in state support. The proposal to convert the UCLA Anderson School of Management MBA program from a state-supported to a self-supporting degree program adds an estimated $8 million for undergraduate programs campus wide, and preserves the university's public mission," (somebody said).

Full story at  http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2012/09/05/faculty-panel-throws-roadblock-plan-self-sufficiency-ucla-b-school

The full, but unattributed, statement from UCLA is circulating at Anderson.  It indicates that UCLA intends to push for implementation despite the negative letter which it points to as "advisory."

“UCLA leaders believe it is imperative to find innovative solutions to ensure continued academic excellence amid dramatic reductions in state support. The proposal to convert the UCLA Anderson School of Management MBA program from a state-supported to a self-supporting degree program adds an estimated $8 million for undergraduate programs campus wide, and preserves the university’s public mission. At the same time, UCLA Anderson students will obtain the benefits of greater tuition predictability, and the school will have more flexibility to invest in its full time MBA program. The Anderson faculty, its Board of Visitors, its student leadership and the UCLA Academic Senate’s Legislative Assembly each approved the proposal, sending it to the University of California system for review. The vote by the University of California Academic Senate Coordinating Committee on Graduate Affairs to suspend its review is an advisory action and not the end of the process. For the benefit of UCLA's undergraduate and MBA students, our faculty, and the state, UCLA leaders remain committed to pursuing final approval of the proposal.”