One columnist wants the new UC prez to give the state's politicos a tough going over

Most of the commentary about the nomination of Janet Napolitano as the new UC president has been about the candidate or the selection process.  Joe Mathews in contrast thinks she should use her homeland security background to be tough with the state's political establishment and has this advice for her:

...Your focus needs to be changing the reality that the UC has a very minority partner – the state government, which provides only a fraction of its resources – that has majority authority over the system. You need to present the legislature with a stark choice. Either ramp up public resources – we’re talking about at least a tripling of support – so that a majority of the resources of the system come from the state. Or stop meddling in the system, and change governance structure to give the system and campuses the autonomy it requires. If the folks in Sacramento won’t make this choice, and try to persist in the status quo, make them pay a price. Use the press to make war on Sacramento politicians who oppose you. Use politics and political money to target elected officials who won’t either help the UC financially or give it autonomy...

Full op ed at http://www.foxandhoundsdaily.com/2013/07/and-bring-everyones-phone-and-email-records-with-you-janet/

In short, Mathews says, once you are installed as prez, UC is your baby.  So tell the legislature:

In any case, she shares the Jesuit thing with the governor.  Leon Panetta also has advice:

Leon Panetta, the former CIA director and defense secretary who has for years worked with Janet Napolitano, said his fellow alum from Santa Clara University had special help to get her through the toughest days in Washington. "The good thing about people who have gone to Santa Clara is that they have a hell of a lot of grace from the Jesuits," he said last week. What kept them going in the nation's capital, he added, "was the ability to say ... a lot of Hail Marys." If Napolitano is confirmed this week as president of the University of California, Panetta said with a laugh, "She'll need to keep saying a lot of Hail Marys."...

Full story at http://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/Janet-Napolitano-seen-as-ready-for-UC-challenge-4664140.php

- See more at: http://www.foxandhoundsdaily.com/2013/07/and-bring-everyones-phone-and-email-records-with-you-janet/#sthash.IwPDMZ8p.dpuf

Your focus needs to be changing the reality that the UC has a very minority partner – the state government, which provides only a fraction of its resources – that has majority authority over the system.
You need to present the legislature with a stark choice. Either ramp up public resources – we’re talking about at least a tripling of support – so that a majority of the resources of the system come from the state. Or stop meddling in the system, and change governance structure to give the system and campuses the autonomy it requires.
If the folks in Sacramento won’t make this choice, and try to persist in the status quo, make them pay a price. Use the press to make war on Sacramento politicians who oppose you. Use politics and political money to target elected officials who won’t either help the UC financially or give it autonomy. Use the initiative process to grab a bigger slice of the budget pie for the system, and for Cal State.
- See more at: http://www.foxandhoundsdaily.com/2013/07/and-bring-everyones-phone-and-email-records-with-you-janet/#sthash.IwPDMZ8p.dpuf