UC has hired UnifyHR* to operate a Family Member Reverification process (FMEV) for verification of your family members (if any) eligible for UC benefits.
This verification will involve several types of communications from UnifyHR. It will be important NOT to treat such communications as a SCAM!
See the web site: https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/benefits/understanding-your-benefits/eligibility/family-member-eligibility-verification/.
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...The plaintiffs who challenged the anti-DEI orders say the four-page [Dept. of Education] guidance letter is “inconsistent” with the judge’s ruling, which found that the language in the two anti-DEI executive orders was unconstitutionally vague. The judge blocked the Trump administration from terminating “equity-related” grants and investigating wealthy colleges.
But the department says the injunction does not cover its guidance document. Outside higher education lawyers largely agree with the department and suggest that colleges should still prepare to comply. “My short-term or abbreviated thought would be to proceed with caution,” said Jackson Sharman III, a partner at Lightfoot, Franklin & White LLC.
Craig Trainor, acting assistant secretary for civil rights, doesn’t think there should be any confusion after the injunction. He said in a statement to Inside Higher Ed that the letter was based on federal law, such as Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color or national origin, and the equal protection clause in the Constitution—not the president’s executive orders.
“While additional guidance is forthcoming, this isn’t complicated,” he said. “When in doubt, every school should consult the SFFA legal test contained in the DCL: ‘If an educational institution treats a person of one race differently than it treats another person because of that person’s race, the educational institution violates the law.’” ...
Full story at https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/politics-elections/2025/02/25/education-dept-dei-guidance-unaffected-court-order.
Here is what UC had to say about the letter:
...UC leadership across the system is working with members of our community to evaluate the potential impact and implications of the letter and will provide updates or guidance as appropriate. As many in our community are aware, the University of California has been operating under longstanding state law requirements and does not consider race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in our practices...
Source: https://ucop.edu/communications/_files/dei-program-letter-us-dept-of-education.pdf.
Translation: Because of the fact that California's anti-affirmative action Prop 209 is in effect, UC is already in compliance with the letter.
Will that rationale fly? Who knows?
It was also said that the reported UC-San Diego freeze on which we have reported was not complete.
The town hall was recorded and it was said it will be available on a UCLA website. It isn't there at the time of this posting but we have an audio recording (with still pictures) available for now:
The UCLA Anderson Forecast will be holding its quarterly presentation next week. It's former director, Prof. Ed Leamer, recently passed away. From an email by Anderson Dean Tony Bernardo:
I’m very sad to pass along the news that Edward Leamer, Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Global Economics and Management, and Director Emeritus, UCLA Anderson Forecast, passed away on Tuesday, February 25.
Ed joined our faculty in 1990 as the Chauncey J. Medberry Chair in Management. His appointment at UCLA Anderson represented a move across the UCLA campus from the Department of Economics, where Ed had been a member of the faculty since 1975. In addition to his professorship, he served as director of the UCLA Anderson Forecast from 2000 until 2016.
Ed’s contributions to the field of economics were profound. Throughout his career, his specific interests broadened, shifted and evolved, making it difficult to summarize his myriad essential contributions to the field.
“There was an important element of storytelling in his methodology and approach,” recalls his friend and close colleague Professor Sebastian Edwards. “There had to be a narrative, supported by a combination of technical and nontechnical tools. But in order for the narrative to be persuasive, very sophisticated statistical techniques were needed and he was one of the strongest statisticians in the profession from a technical point of view. The narratives he built were anchored on solid theory.”
Throughout his career, Ed authored numerous journal articles, books and book chapters. They include his seminal American Economics Review article “Let’s Take the Con Out of Econometrics,” as well as his books Specification Searches: Ad Hoc Inference with Non-Experimental Data and Macroeconomic Patterns and Stories. In the famous paper, Ed advocated for a more critical approach to econometrics, underscoring the need to check how sensitive results are to different data specifications and model assumptions to avoid misleading interpretations, thus encouraging economists to state their assumptions, limitations and potential biases in their analysis to promote greater transparency and accountability.
“One of Ed’s most important contributions was to emphasize that economic data come from non-repeated events, and therefore the methodology of interpretation of statistical analysis of that data must perforce be different than that applied in the natural sciences,” says Professor Jerry Nickelsburg, who worked alongside Ed at the UCLA Anderson Forecast, before succeeding him as director. “That perspective made a significant difference in the application of economics to policy issues.”
As director of the Forecast, Ed influenced business practitioners in every field and, in his December 2000 forecast, he stood virtually alone in predicting the 2001 recession. At Anderson, he taught courses in business and global economics, his most profound impact made in the more than 40 doctoral committees he participated in, including more than 30 he chaired.
As a student, Ed earned his B.A. in mathematics at Princeton University, and his master’s in mathematics (statistics) and Ph.D. in economics at the University of Michigan. Prior to joining UCLA’s Economics faculty, he held a number of positions in academia and elsewhere, including appointments at Harvard University, the Federal Reserve Board, the National Bureau of Economic Research, Central European University and Yale University, among others. In 2016, Ed was the vice-presidential running mate during his friend and fellow economist Laurence Kotlikoff’s run for president of the United States.
It’s impossible to overstate Ed Leamer’s impact on the field of economics and academia. One way to measure his influence, though, is to note that just weeks before he died, nearly 200 of his colleagues, family and friends gathered online to pay him tribute. Those in attendance included no less than three recipients of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics, along with dozens of fellow economists, a group that included many of Ed’s former students. Ed once said that the most difficult thing a person can do is engage in deep thought. His brother, the esteemed journalist and author Laurence Leamer, echoed that sentiment in reference to Ed at the end of the tribute. “The greatest adventure is the intellectual adventure,” Laurence said of his brother, “and he has climbed Everest, run the four-minute mile and swum the English Channel.”
Please join me in expressing our most sincere condolences to Ed’s wife, UCLA Anderson alumna Ama Neel (’97), along with his children, grandchildren and family members.
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Before Prof. Leamer died, an online symposium, which he attended, was held in his honor:
Or direct to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tg3XEz9inVE.
Message from the Faculty Club President, Linda Sarna
February 26, 2025
Dear Colleagues,
As our community is recovering from the dreadful fires in January and the rains in February, Spring is around the corner. Since the beginning of our partnership with UCLA Housing & Hospitality (H & H), January 2nd, the operations at the Club continue to evolve. As some members heard at our February 22 Board of Governors meeting, Andrea Curthoys, our valued General Manager for the past 18-months, has made the decision to step down, effective March 3. A Bruin alum, Andrea was especially helpful in facilitating the transition to our new operational structure with H & H over the past six-months. During her time here, she brought creative ideas and fun promotions that enhanced the Club’s culture. We very much appreciate her many contributions to the Club and wish her well.
Following discussions with H&H leadership, we want to assure you that a strong team and support structure are in place to ensure a seamless transition. Guadalupe (Lupe) Morales, who has been working at the Faculty Club since December, will step in as Interim General Manager, overseeing day-to-day operations while the recruitment effort is conducted to search for a permanent replacement. With over twenty-five years of experience as a Food Service Manager, and thirty-five in the hospitality industry, she is a font of knowledge. I am sure that many of you have seen her on site. Please say hello! Additionally, Al Ferrone, H&H’s Senior Director of Food & Beverage, will continue to provide operational oversight and strategic guidance, ensuring the Board remains informed and that the Club continues to run smoothly.
With the continued leadership of Lupe and Al, as well as the full support of H&H, members should anticipate no fall-off in level of service and hospitality during the transitional period and during the recruitment process for a new General Manager. In fact, we were happy to receive positive comments about the Club’s food at our Board meeting. The Faculty Club’s operations will continue without disruption, and we remain committed to enhancing the overall experience for our members. We appreciate your ongoing support during this transition and will keep you informed as we move forward with the recruitment process.
The Board has been actively engaged in creating a new set of Bylaws to fit with the changes in responsibility for the Board of the Faculty Club. We expect to approve these in late March. This may affect the timing for future Board elections.
In keeping with our changed operational structure as well as the time frame for staffing at the Club, we have changed the time and dates of our future Board meetings (now March 21, April 24, May 22, and June 13, all from 2-3:30).
We are hopeful that the change in our name from the Faculty Club to the University Club will be approved soon. Finally, we are moving forward with the renovation plans for the North Hallway restroom. Stay tuned!
All the best,
Linda Sarna
President, Faculty Club
Amid all the chaos and upheaval for federal higher education policy, the Pell Grant program is running out of money. In January, the Congressional Budget Office projected a $2.7 billion budget shortfall for the program next fiscal year, its first shortfall in over a decade. By fiscal year 2026–27, the CBO projects that the program will be short $10 billion unless Congress puts more money toward the grants.
The Pell Grant provides need-based federal financial aid for more than 30 percent of American college students. College access advocates have worried for years about the program’s financial health and warn that without a funding increase, low-income students will lose essential funding that already fails to keep up with rising tuition costs and inflation...
While $3 billion is a small chunk of the total education budget, it would be a significant boost to the $34 billion currently in the budget proposal for next fiscal year. Michele Zampini, senior director of college affordability at the Institute for College Access and Success, said the newest Republican push for austerity in higher education funding bodes poorly for the chances of avoiding a Pell shortfall...
The “doomsday scenario,” [Sandy] Baum [of the Urban Institute] said, is that Pell Grants become overtly politicized, where the government bases colleges’ eligibility on things like adherence to new anti-DEI orders. On Feb. 14 the Education Department issued a letter threatening colleges with the loss of federal funding if they did not eliminate all race-conscious programs. “They could decide you don’t get Pell if you go to a school they don’t like,” she said. “It’s extremely unlikely, but it no longer seems out of the question.” ...
Full story at https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/student-aid-policy/2025/02/24/projected-pell-shortfall-could-diminish-federal-aid.
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| Why? |
As we noted in an earlier post, UC was once on a semester system but with the baby boomers looming in the 1960s, it was thought that a four-quarter system, i.e., year-round operation, could accommodate the expected influx of boomers with less capital expenditure. It turned out that the boomers didn't want to spend their summers on campus so the original goal was not satisfied. But by then, the campuses had already paid the steep price of converting every class and every program to three quarters.
Now there is an push to do what Berkeley did and pay another steep price of converting back to semesters. (Merced, as a new campus, was created on a semester basis.) So the question is Why?
And there is a sub-question. What is the advantage of having all campuses on the same system since they are separate institutions?
Back in the 19th century, railroads that went east-west had a problem. In order for telegraphers to monitor and control the system, there needed to be a standardized time system. You don't have to go very far east or west before solar noon, and thus local time, varied. What would it mean to say the train is arriving at 3 pm if no one agreed when 3 pm occurred? So the railroads divided the country into four time zones, more or less the zones we have today, and decreed that 3 pm meant 3 pm railroad time. Because there was one transportation system that had to be coordinated, there had to be one time system.
So that bit of history leads to a suspicion. Why is UC-systemwide pushing for all campuses to have the same calendar unless, like the railroads, it wants them to operate as a single educational system without the current campus autonomy? And why take away autonomy? The only reason yours truly can come up with - apart from a power grab - is online education. There is always the dream of fewer courses, fewer programs, etc., if the whole UC system was condensed into a single institution.
The various campus faculty associations have raised concerns about the current plan to convert to semesters systemwide.* But the fundamental question is "Why?"
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*https://cucfa.org/2025/02/concern-regarding-the-apcs-common-systemwide-calendar-work/.
In an earlier post, we provided some numbers on the proposed NIH cuts to UC.* Further background on the NIH cuts (the 15% cap on overhead) can be found in The Atlantic:
On the afternoon of Friday, February 7, as staff members were getting ready to leave the headquarters of the National Institutes of Health, just outside Washington, D.C., officials in the Office of Extramural Research received an unexpected memo. It came from the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the NIH, and arrived with clear instructions: Post this announcement on your website immediately.
The memo announced a new policy that, for many universities and other institutions, would hamstring scientific research. It said that the NIH planned to cap so-called indirect costs funded by grants—overhead that covers the day-to-day administrative and logistical duties of research. Some NIH-grant recipients had negotiated rates as high as 75 percent; going forward, the memo said, they would now be limited to just 15 percent. And this new cap would apply even to grants that had already been awarded…
Over the next several days, the memo sparked confusion and chaos at the NIH, and across American universities and hospitals, as researchers tried to reckon with the likely upshot—that many of them would have to shut down their laboratories or fire administrative staff. A federal judge has since temporarily blocked the cap on indirect costs…
Typically, a memo communicating a major decision related to grants would take months or years to put together, sometimes with public input, and released six months to a year before being implemented… Substantial changes are generally vetted through HHS leadership, and NIH officials have always “very much abided by the directives of the department,” the former official said. But in the past, drafting those sorts of directives has been collaborative…
But [Stefanie] Spear [HHS principal deputy chief of staff] and Heather Flick Melanson, the HHS chief of staff, insisted that the memo was to go live that evening. Officials immediately began to scramble to post the notice on the agency’s grants website, but they quickly hit some technical snares. Fifteen minutes passed, then 15 more. The two HHS officials began to badger NIH staff, contacting them as often as every five minutes, demanding an explanation for why the memo was still offline. The notice went live just before 5:45 p.m., and finally, the phone calls from HHS stopped. Almost immediately, the academic world erupted in panic and rage…
Full story at https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2025/02/nih-indirect-cost-memo-hhs/681736/.
From the San Francisco Chronicle:
…U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley blocked the proposed NIH cuts Friday until she can rule on an injunction, which would be a more permanent decision. Several organizations plus 22 states — including California — sued to block the cuts from taking effect, saying they would cause “irreparable harm.”
But the judicial hold can’t contain the chaos that the potential cut has wrought, said Gina Banks Daly, the director of federal relations at UC Berkeley. “NIH funding at this moment, even with the temporary restraining order, is essentially frozen…
Full story at https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/joegarofoli/article/uc-berkeley-lab-federal-cuts-20175918.php.
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*https://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2025/02/lost-funding.html.
UC San Diego... is placing a freeze on the hiring of new faculty to help cope with cuts that could cost it more than $200 million in state and especially federal funding.
The move was confirmed Thursday by Terry Gaasterland, a computational biologist who also chairs the Academic Senate’s Committee on Planning and Budget, which collaborates with UCSD executives on money issues.
She said the campus anticipates losing as much as $55 million in the new state budget. That’s what Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed cutting, part of an effort to slash funding to the entire University of California system by almost $400 million.
UCSD also projects that it could lose at least $150 million in annual funding from the National Institutes of Health, which has been told by the Trump administration to reduce its budget by billions of dollars.* The estimate was confirmed in a statement the school placed on its website Thursday.
The faculty hiring freeze involves the entire university, including the school of medicine...
Full story at https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2025/02/20/uc-san-diego-bracing-for-more-than-200m-in-funding-cuts-freezes-faculty-hiring/.
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*Note: This is a larger estimate than we reported earlier. It may involve anticipated loss of grants as well as the cut in overhead costs to 15%.
Yours truly came across this story of a particular hill on which UC may not wish to die:
The father of a Palo Alto teen who garnered national attention for getting rejected by 16 colleges and hired by Google as a software engineer has filed a new lawsuit on Feb. 11 against the University of California and five UC campuses -- UC Berkeley, UCLA, UCSD, UCSB and UC Davis -- as well as the U.S. Department of Education, for racial discrimination. "What we're trying to get out of this is a fair treatment for future Asian applicants going forward, including my other kids and my future grandkids," says Nan Zhong.
His now 19-year-old son, Stanley Zhong, is a co-plaintiff, along with their group called SWORD, Students Who Oppose Racial Discrimination, comprised of other students and families who feel Asian Americans are often discriminated against in the college admissions process. Stanley Zhong had a 4.42 GPA from Gunn High School and 1590 out of 1600 on the SATs. He also founded his own document-signing startup and tutored underserved kids in coding. His college rejections and his employment offer from Google became a lightning rod in the national debate over the college admissions process...
As blog readers will know, Harvard and the University of North Carolina lost an admissions case before the US Supreme Court on the issue of anti-Asian discrimination. UC, of course, can say that because California has the anti-affirmative action Prop 209 on the books, it can't possibly be doing what Harvard and UNC were doing. But there is also on the record the fact that UC and the UC Regents campaigned to repeal Prop 209 in 2020, and were defeated in part by opposition from the Asian community:
Beyond that bit of history is the fact that the decision by the Regents to drop any consideration of SAT/ACT scores was made despite an Academic Senate recommendation to the contrary. So, as a result, Mr. Zhong's 1590 score wasn't considered.
In short, maybe the wise thing for UC to do is to reach some kind of settlement with Mr. Zhong. A lawsuit will open the door to discovery of internal documentation about the UC admissions process. Maybe the SAT/ACT issue needs some reexamination.* Maybe it's not necessary to die on this particular hill, given the plethora of other hills now available. Just a thought...
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*For a more recent review of this issue, see https://www.nber.org/papers/w33389.
A federal judge Friday extended a temporary block on the National Institutes of Health’s plan to slash funding for universities’ indirect research costs amid a legal battle over the policy change.
The nationwide block, which U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley put in place Feb. 10 soon after a coalition of state attorneys general, research advocates and individual universities sued the agency, was set to expire Monday. But it will now remain in place until Kelley has time to consider the arguments the plaintiffs and NIH presented at a hearing Friday morning.
It’s unclear when Kelley will rule. But after the two-hour hearing, she said she certainly “has a lot of work to do” before making a decision...
Full story at https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/science-research-policy/2025/02/21/judge-extends-block-controversial-nih-cuts.
According to an article in the Daily Bruin, student government leaders were told about planned changes in Time-Place-Manner rules that were originally put in place in September:
UCLA is once again set to revise its Time, Place and Manner policies... The university previously released TPM policies in September that restrict public expression activities to select parts of campus, including Bruin Plaza, Meyerhoff Park and Dickson Court South...
Amplified sound will generally be allowed during marches that are constantly moving... Most stationary protests will still require a permit...
“The UCLA Time, Place, and Manner (TPM) working group has been reviewing public feedback on the interim policies, with a key concern being that designated areas for public expression are too restrictive,” [Administrative Vice Chancellor Michael] Beck said [last] Wednesday in a written statement to the Daily Bruin. “In response, the group is considering expanding more areas of campus while also assessing other aspects of the policies.”
Beck added in the statement that the policies are expected to be released in March and will undergo a 60-day review period similar to the one undergone by the revised policies released in September.
Full story at https://dailybruin.com/2025/02/19/ucla-set-to-revise-time-place-and-manner-policies-expand-public-expression-areas.
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It is unclear who was consulted about the proposed changes in TPM rules and why the Senate should be unaware of them while student government is informed. The article above quotes the chair of the campus Academic Senate as being unaware of the proposal. There is also the issue of how the changes link, or don't link, to the litigation and temporary restraining order of last fall. Also unclear is what kind of enforcement, as a practical matter, is envisioned. At least two demonstrations that appear to be in violation of the current rules have occurred. What enforcement process is envisioned for the revised rules?
LADWP Waterline Installation for New Westwood/VA Hospital Station on City Streets
Summary
Metro subway construction contractors will continue to install a new waterline at the Westwood/VA Hospital Station for use during construction and future use as a water service line for the VA Station. Initial activities began in the fall of 2023, and construction is beginning in City right-of-way areas between Barry Av and San Vicente Bl/Federal Av on Wilshire Bl. Some anticipated noise is associated with the work from saw-cutting, trenching and plating the street, jackhammering, and other equipment that will be used. The work to install the new waterline pipes will continue for about one year.
The team continues working on Stage 77 for work from 9pm to 6am, Monday to Sunday. There will be multiple restrictions on Wilshire Bl. Please follow the signs.
Stage 7: The work is anticipated to start on February 18, 2025, for the week, from 9 pm to 6 am. The work will take place on southbound Federal Av near Wilshire Bl. Southbound traffic will be reduced to one lane on San Vicente Bl. from Goshen Av.
Notices will be posted and updated online as dates and traffic control stages are confirmed. All driveways will be maintained open unless previously notified. Street parking may be impacted. Please follow the posted traffic signage and street parking restrictions. Please refer to the detour signs for impacted routes and relocated bus stops.
Dates: Through November 2025
Work Hours: Work hours vary depending on the traffic control stage.
Monday through Sunday, 9 pm to 6 am, and Nighttime.
*Hours may vary depending on the traffic control stage.
Wilshire Bl
Multiple Wilshire Bl lanes will be reduced for eastbound traffic from Westgate Av past San Vicente Av/Federal Av. Some restrictions on westbound traffic along Wilshire Bl beginning east of Federal Av/San Vicente Bl will be necessary.
Bus stops will be relocated along Wilshire Bl between Federal Av and Stoner Av/Barrington Av for eastbound and westbound traffic.
Parking will be restricted on the south side of Wilshire Bl between Westgate Av and Federal Av.
When work is located near Barry Av, northbound access to Wilshire Bl from Barry Av will be closed, and a detour will be implemented.
Traffic detours will be implemented throughout the work. Please follow all detour signs.
The northern sidewalk on Wilshire Bl between San Vicente BL and Barry BL will be restricted. During this closure, the bus stop on this corner will be closed and relocated.
Federal Av/San Vicente Bl
Left and right turn pocket restrictions will be implemented at Wilshire Bl and San Vicente Bl.
Northbound Federal Avenue restrictions will be implemented from Texas Avenue to Wilshire Boulevard. During the work, right and left-hand turns will also be restricted. Please use the detour signs.
Parking will be restricted on the eastern side of Federal Av from Wilshire Bl to Texas Bl and on San Vicente Bl from Wilshire Bl to Goshen Bl. Traffic will be detoured.
Dear Bruin Community:
I wanted to check in with you and share a video message [below], as well as the message below that UC President Michael Drake sent last night regarding recent federal policy actions. The UC’s Federal Updates web page continues to be updated, so I hope you will visit it often for weekly briefs and new information.*
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*https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/federal-updates.
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To help our community understand the possible impact of new policy changes, I have asked our Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Darnell Hunt and senior leaders from research, student affairs, academic personnel, inclusive excellence and other key areas to hold a campuswide Town Hall next week to share the latest updates and answer your questions. You will receive more information about this in the coming days.
Let’s stay informed. Let’s stay connected. And let’s remember: We are One UCLA.
Sincerely,
Julio Frenk
Chancellor
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Message from University of California President Michael V. Drake
On Friday, February 14, the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights distributed broadly a “Dear Colleague” letter regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs.**
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**https://www.ed.gov/media/document/dear-colleague-letter-sffa-v-harvard-109506.pdf.
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The letter provided guidance on the Education Department’s interpretation of existing anti-discrimination laws and indicates how the Office of Civil Rights may assess compliance with certain legal requirements. UC leadership across the system is working with members of our community to evaluate the potential impact and implications of the letter and will provide updates or guidance as appropriate. As many in our community are aware, the University of California has been operating under longstanding state law requirements and does not consider race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in our practices.
The University of California’s mission is built on teaching, research, healthcare, and public service for the benefit of all Californians. To meet our ambitious goals, we provide opportunities for students, faculty, and staff from all backgrounds to study, teach, conduct research, work, provide quality patient care, and thrive at UC. Different perspectives and experiences enrich and improve our academic, research, and service outcomes.
Our mission and values have not changed. We encourage UC staff to continue with their work in alignment with all applicable state and federal laws. We will continue to ensure that every Californian has the opportunity to join the UC community and feels welcome at our campuses. We are committed to ensuring that our campuses benefit from the talents and aspirations of all, as we create a vibrant workforce for future generations.
Sincerely,
Michael V. Drake, M.D.
UC President
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One of California’s voter-approved marginal tax rates for higher-income personal income tax (PIT) filers expires at the end of 2030. Absent legislative or voter action to extend these taxes, the state budget then will lose perhaps more than $10 billion of annual tax revenue. Compared to budgets under current tax law, deficits would increase by several billion dollars per year, and guaranteed school funding would decline by several billion dollars. From a perspective of prudent planning for tax and fiscal policy, a decision to extend the current taxes, modify them, or let them expire ideally would be made a few years prior to 2030...
Proposition 30 Approved in 2012. Proposition 30 was one of the key measures that boosted California state finances out of their Great Recession mess. Approved by 55% of voters at the November 2012 election, this initiative amended the State Constitution to temporarily increase the state sales tax for all taxpayers and personal income (PIT) tax rates for single filers with over $250,000 of income and joint filers with over $500,000 of income.
Proposition 55 Approved in 2016. In November 2016, a new initiative, Proposition 55, amended the State Constitution again to extend Proposition 30’s PIT rate increases for upper-income taxpayers to 2030. (Proposition 55 did not extend Proposition 30’s sales tax rate increase, which expired at the end of 2016.) Proposition 55 passed with approval by 63% of voters.
A drop in revenues by $10 billion per annum would likely affect UC's budget allocation.
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Anton Bernshteyn, Assistant professor of mathematics
Bernshteyn specializes in descriptive set theory (a branch of mathematical logic) and combinatorics, focusing on their interactions and connections to other fields, such as computer science and dynamical systems. Through his research, he aims to develop versatile tools that yield explicit, constructive solutions to combinatorial problems across various mathematical disciplines. In particular, he explores how techniques from distributed computing— the area of computer science concerned with decentralized networks — can be applied in descriptive set theory and beyond. Bernshteyn is the recipient of a National Science Foundation CAREER award.
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Hao Cao, Assistant professor of Earth, planetary and space sciences
Cao studies the origin, dynamics and impacts of planetary magnetic fields. He and his team analyze measurements from the NASA Juno mission to understand the deep interior and space environment of Jupiter and its Galilean satellites. In preparation for the arrival of the Europa Clipper mission at the Jupiter system, he is leading an interdisciplinary team investigating the coupled dynamics of the moon’s space environment, ice shell and subsurface ocean. In addition, Cao and the UCLA MAG Lab are developing a temperature-controlled fluxgate magnetometer system for future space exploration, with application to lunar and Mars landers and to space missions to the Uranus and Neptune systems. He was awarded a NASA Group Achievement Award for his contribution to the magnetic field investigation of the Cassini mission to the Saturn system.
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Alvine Kamaha, Assistant professor of physics and astronomy
Kamaha’s research is contributing to the ongoing worldwide effort to directly discover and probe the nature of dark matter. She joined the team assembling the state-of-the art LUX-ZEPLIN dark matter detector in 2018, and she co-led the successful effort to keep it free of contamination during its assembly and to install and commission the calibration system of the highly sensitive completed instrument. Since then, Kamaha and her colleagues have been collecting and analyzing data, as well as developing new calibration technologies to further improve the detector. This year, she was named a 2025 Cottrell Fellow and was recently the recipient of a DOE early career award, a Hellman Fellowship and the Edward A. Bouchet award.
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Ernest Ryu, Assistant professor of mathematics
Ryu is an applied mathematician working in the areas of optimization and machine learning. His research analyzes the family of acceleration mechanisms — of which the most commonly known are momentum-based techniques in machine learning optimizers — with the ambitious goal of formulating a grand unified theory of acceleration. Ryu is the recipient of the INFORMS Optimization Society Young Researchers Prize.
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Yotam Shem-Tov, Assistant professor of economics
Shem-Tov studies labor economics, applied econometrics, and criminal justice and crime, including the impact incarceration has on individuals and families. His research leverages novel data sources and innovative empirical methods to understand why people charged, convicted and incarcerated often experience high rates of recidivism and low employment. His work also serves to inform policymakers and scholars about how alternative programs like restorative justice can lead to substantial and lasting reductions in recidivism rates and to support the design of programs that ensure successful reintegration into society after release from incarceration. Ultimately, his efforts aim to achieve a more effective and equitable system that balances public safety with rehabilitation.
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Chuchu Zhang, Assistant professor of physiology and neurobiology
Nausea can be caused by an array of pathogens, poisons and diseases, but the sensory neuroscience behind it remains poorly understood, and the clinical management of nausea is often ineffective. Zhang’s research focuses on uncovering the physiology, neural circuitry and molecular basis of nausea — including nausea caused by food allergies, food poisoning and pregnancy. By combining genetic tools with animal models and using imaging, electrophysiology, natural products screening and RNA sequencing, her laboratory is working to define stimulus-specific nausea mechanisms and to improve current treatments. Zhang is the recipient a Damon Runyon Research Fellowship and a National Institutes of Health BRAIN Pathway to Independence Award, and is an active member of the Leading Edge Fellows.
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Source: https://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/ucla-most-sloan-research-fellows-for-public-universities-2025.
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About the Sloan awards:
The two-year $75,000 fellowships are awarded annually to early-career researchers whose creativity, innovation, and research accomplishments make them stand out as the next generation of leaders.
The Sloan Research Fellowship Program recognizes and rewards outstanding early-career faculty who have the potential to revolutionize their fields of study.
Source: https://sloan.org/fellowships.
The enrollment question was there from the beginning. But a later question arose as a landslide area developed not all that far from the campus. We have yet to hear anyone deal with that issue. But a recent NY Times article is a reminder:
Along the sparkling coast of Southern California, a string of landslides creeping toward the sea has transformed the wealthy community of Rancho Palos Verdes into a disaster zone. New data from a NASA plane shows the widening threat of these slow-moving landslides, which have destabilized homes, businesses, and infrastructure like roads and utilities. Researchers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory documented how the landslides have pushed westward, almost doubling in area since the state mapped them in 2007.
The landslides have also sped up in recent years. A month of aerial radar images taken by NASA in the fall revealed how land in the Palos Verdes Peninsula slid toward the ocean by as much as four inches each week between mid-September and mid-October. Before that, a city report showed more than a foot of weekly movement in July and August...
Full story at https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/02/18/climate/landslides-california-storm-map.html.
Lawyers for the Trump administration had argued that whatever Mr. Musk’s goals may be in scrutinizing the department’s data, students who had turned over their information for a loan had no right to prevent their information from being reanalyzed.
“I think it could very well be the case that folks, when they submit a FAFSA application, do not have those sorts of concrete expectations in mind,” said Simon Jerome, a lawyer from the Justice Department. “I also don’t think that the Privacy Act offers them a way into federal court to micromanage the executive branch’s operation.”
Full story at https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/17/us/politics/doge-education-department-data.html.
The deadline to process and refund any 2024 excess contributions to participants from their UC Tax-Deferred 403b and/or 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan is Tuesday, April 15, 2025. The properly submitted request MUST be received by UC Retirement Savings Program by Tuesday, April 1, 2025 in order for Fidelity to meet the distribution deadline of Tuesday, April 15, 2025.
Any participant who may have over-contributed (exceeded the IRS limits) to either Plan must contact Fidelity Retirement Services (1-866-682-7787) and request a Return of Excess Contribution form noting the specific Plan (copy of form attached for your reference). This year we have also added a downloadable form to myUCretirement.com for easier access. The form must be completed, signed, enclosed with explanation and any supporting documentation, i.e., W2s, and then submitted to UC Retirement Savings Program (RSP) for review, approval, and submittal to Fidelity for processing. The form, along with any attachments, should be mailed or faxed (preferred) to:
UC Retirement Savings Program
P.O. Box 24570
Oakland, CA 94623-1570
SECURE FAX: 1-510-291-9945
More information:
There is a proposal to add a step in the usually-mundane process of providing a letter of recommendation for an former employee:
Any academic appointee who elects to provide an Official Letter of Recommendation to a current or former employee, which includes academic appointees, staff employees, as well as student employees, of the University of California is required to first consult with the appropriate entities to determine if the employee is a respondent in a sexual harassment complaint filed with the University.
An academic appointee is prohibited from providing an Official Letter of Recommendation, if it is determined the employee is a respondent in a sexual harassment complaint filed with the University, and any of the following has occurred:
1. The employee is determined in a final administrative decision to have committed sexual harassment.
2. Before a final administrative decision is made, and while an investigation is pending, the employee resigns from their current position.
3. The employee enters into a settlement with the University based on the allegations of the sexual harassment complaint.
Note that this would apply to any faculty member who had a TA or RA, faculty members with grants who employed someone for any purpose under the grant, etc. It would also cover - as employees seeking letters of recommendation - students whose privacy is protected by law. So the former employer would be asking for information about a student that might arguably be seen as an invasion of privacy.
The author of the bill that seems to be the source of this proposal apparently realized that there are free speech issues involved in telling those in supervisory positions what they can or cannot say. So the proposal continues:
Academic appointees, including emeriti faculty, may provide references or letters in a personal capacity, and the academic appointee is not required to consult with the appropriate entities to determine if the employee is a respondent in a sexual harassment complaint filed with the University. Personal references or letters of recommendation (that are not an Official Letter of Recommendation) written by current Administrators and Supervisors, as defined previously, are often perceived as being Official Letters of Recommendation by virtue of their position. It is essential that Administrators and Supervisors include the language for Personal Letters of Recommendation in APM - 036-0 f. so that it is clear their letter represents their own personal perspective of the employee who is requesting the reference. References or letters of recommendation written by former Administrators and Supervisors may be written in an Official or a personal capacity (APM - 036-0 f.)
The distinction between official and personal seems (to yours truly) to be a rather ephemeral concept. If you were an outside employer asking for a reference, and you received a letter from a past supervisor at UC, would you really think that the letter was "official." What does that mean? Does it mean that the campus chancellor or the UC president or the Regents have somehow reviewed the case?
Former governor Jerry Brown once said something to the effect that every problem does not need a law. Undoubtedly, something egregious happened that triggered this issue. And the "solution" got written into law requiring UC to add something to its procedures.
Anyway, for better or worse, all of this can be found at:
https://senate.universityofcalifornia.edu/_files/underreview/apm-036-review-january-2025.pdf.
...DB: USAC has a resolution on its (Feb. 11) agenda to declare its lack of confidence in you and to get them your appointment. Do you have any response to it?
SL: I look forward to working with every Bruin group who will meet with me to discuss their vision for a safe UCLA. As an alum, as a 30-year professional, in my core and in my heart as a Bruin, I want to learn what every group on campus feels about safety at UCLA and their vision moving forward of what we can do to help Bruins be safe.
[NOTE: The resolution was later amended to be a declaration of no confidence in Lurie’s office. However, its condemnation of Lurie’s appointment, as well as a call for the senate to hold a vote of no confidence in Lurie, remained in the version of the resolution that passed.]
DB: UCLA has revised its Time, Place and Manner policies, which were announced in September. They’ve generated some blowback from students. The Academic Senate has expressed concerns about the policies. How will your office go about enforcing these policies?
SL: Time, Place and Manner restrictions are permitted by the Supreme Court.
I’m not intimately familiar with the specifics of UCLA’s yet, but they are in a list of things that I’m reviewing now. On university campuses, we are the breadbasket of the First Amendment. We want to embrace and cherish our role as a place where ideas can be expressed. That’s especially important for a university, and especially important for our nation’s number one public university. But First Amendment protections are not absolute, and there need to be some guardrails and guidelines on how expression happens. That’s what Time, Place and Manner restrictions are meant to do...
Full interview at https://dailybruin.com/2025/02/14/qa-new-associate-vice-chancellor-steve-lurie-talks-campus-safety-transparency.
We are finally getting around to second day of the Regents meeting of January 22-23. The meeting began with public comments. Several were anti-Israel demands for divestment. There were also some comments dealing with concerns about antisemitism. Other topics included staff pay, the UC budget, basic needs, concerns about the status of undocumented students given developments in Washington, and cancer research.
In addition to the concerns expressed in public comments, student government leaders complained about delays in receipt of financial aid. UC was asked to backfill support for undocumented DACA students who were fearful of applying for federal aid through FAFSA. A short disruption occurred after their presentations which did not lead to a significant halt in the meeting. Thereafter, student awards were presented.
The Regents then heard a presentation about UC agricultural programs. Reports of the various committees were approved.
After the full board meeting, the Health Services Committee met. It approved an appointment of, and compensation for, an interim head of UC-Davis Health. There was then a presentation dealing with UC Health and the state Medi-Cal (Medicaid) program. The state does not cover full cost of treating Medi-Cal patients who often end up in the (expensive) ER. Medi-Cal patient caseloads increased with passage of the ACA (Obamacare). This situation was characterized as not sustainable and cuts now occurring in Washington, DC may aggrevate that problem. Further cuts will lead to non-UC hospital closures and thus more Medi-Cal patients dependent on UC healthcare. Over 62% of the state's Medi-Cal budget comes from the federal government. And the prospect of the state offsetting federal cuts is remote.
Regent Park said it would be useful if UC engaged in detailed modeling so as to be able to map cutbacks in Washington to particular congressional districts including GOP districts. UC apparently is relying on a hospital trade association for such modeling. Generally, there was no disagreement among the Regents that the problem could become a crisis.
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As always, we preserve recordings of Regents meetings indefinitely because the Regents have no policy on retention.
The Board meeting of January 23 is at:
https://ia802300.us.archive.org/11/items/regents-board-1-23-2025/Regents%20Board%201-23-2025.mp4.
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Health Services is at:
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The general webpage for the January 23rd session is:
[The earlier] memorandum helped set the foundation for unionization efforts by Dartmouth men’s basketball players and a complaint by NLRB’s Los Angeles office against the NCAA, the Pac-12 Conference and the University of Southern California that alleged they had unlawfully misclassified college athletes as "student-athletes" rather than employees...
The National Labor Relations Act applies to private employers. The complaint sought to interconnect the NCAA and a major college-sports conference — both of which are private, non-profit organizations — to athletes’ alleged employment at a private school in a way that would have allowed the NLRB to take the position that every college athlete has a private employer: the NCAA and/or a conference. That, in turn, could have opened the door to the possibility of unionization efforts by athletes at public schools.
Full story at https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-administration-rescinds-nlrb-memorandum-213349022.html.
...The strike is the second announced Friday, after a union representing service, patient care and skilled crafts workers called for a two-day strike to be held Feb. 26 and Feb. 27...
Full story at https://dailybruin.com/2025/02/14/upte-cwa-9119-to-conduct-3-day-strike-against-uc-at-end-of-february.
UPTE statement: https://x.com/UPTECWA/status/1890458159468159411.
UC statement: https://x.com/UC_Newsroom/status/1890507090193437167.
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