Back in April, the systemwide Academic Senate created "The Academic Senate Task Force on UC Adaptation to Disruptions (UCAD)." The acronym maybe wasn't the best name for a committee, but what do I know? Anyway, the "disruptions" to which it referred weren't encampments or that kind of thing. We seem to have moved on from that. No, the disruptions in question were (are) the various directives and funding cuts coming out of Washington, DC. The charge to the task force is below:
Academic Senate Task Force on UC Adaptation to Disruptions (UCAD)
April 8, 2025
Overarching Goal
The Task Force on UCAD will develop response strategies that aim to uphold the teaching and education, research and discovery, and public service mission areas of the University of California in the context of disruptive federal executive orders, uncertain federal and state partnerships, and evolving shifts in the higher education landscape.
Task Force Charge Goal
The Task Force will conduct relevant analyses and align its planning efforts with UC’s longstanding commitment to access, inclusivity, and excellence. The focus will be on assessing current serious threats and developing viable response options across multiple scenarios in each of the following four priority areas:
1. Restructuring of academic programs,
2. Resizing of programs and the workforce,
3. Recalibration of growth objectives, and
4. Realignment of funding sources with mission activities
As core functions of the University and deeply held institutional values are at risk, the Task Force will address these areas both independently and in relation to one another, recognizing their interconnected impacts. The scope of analysis may well extend beyond those listed above, but immediate attention should be given to these priority areas based on the potential harm that could come to students, faculty, staff, and healthcare patients in the near term.
The Task Force is expected to approach issues analytically, with data whenever possible, and to contribute ideas to near-term academic and operations restructuring, as well as recommendations for long-term planning. The Task Force should draw on the expertise of Academic Senate and administrative leaders and consider a broad array of perspectives through timely consultative outreach and engagement beyond its membership, as needed.
Task Force Membership
1. Ahmet Palazoglu, Systemwide Academic Senate Vice Chair & Task Force Chair
2. Steven W. Cheung, Systemwide Academic Senate Chair & UCSF
3. Tim Groeling, UCPB Chair (Alternate: Robert Brosnan, UCPB Vice Chair)
4. Susanne Nicholas, UCORP Chair (Alternate: Jim Weatherall, UCORP Vice Chair)
5. James Bisley, CCGA Chair
6. Kristen Holmquist, UCAADE Vice Chair
7. Juan Pablo Pardo-Guerra, UCFW Chair
8. Nael Abu-Ghazaleh, UCAP Chair
9. Amani Nuru-Jeter, UCB Senate Division Chair
10. Kathy Bawn, UCLA Senate Division Chair
11. Olivia Graeve, UCSD Senate Division Chair
12. Matt McCarthy, UCSC Senate Division Chair
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Administration Consultants
1. Katherine Newman, Provost & Executive Vice President, Academic Affairs
2. Nathan Brostrom, Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
3. Theresa Maldonado, Vice President, Research & Innovation
4. Alex Bustamante, Senior Vice President & Chief Compliance and Audit Officer
5. Yvette Gullatt, Vice President & Vice Provost, Graduate, Undergraduate and Equity Affairs
6. David Rubin, Executive Vice President, UC Health
7. Jody Stiger, Director, Systemwide Community Safety
8. Allison Woodall, UC Legal
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Task Force Staff Support
1. Monica Lin, Systemwide Academic Senate
2. Michael LaBriola, Systemwide Academic Senate
3. Stefani Leto, Systemwide Academic Senate
4. Ken Feer, Systemwide Academic Senate
Timeline & Deliverables
The Task Force will deliver recommendations on an ad hoc basis, as needed, to UCOP leadership and an interim report to the Academic Council by July 16, 2025, in advance of a planned discussion of the report at the Council’s July 23 meeting. UCAD membership and subsequent milestones and/or deliverables will be determined moving forward, given uncertainties in the political landscape.
Source: https://ucop.app.box.com/s/wndf3lk968gajbr3i469s94ysluwajgp.
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There was also an official announcement once the task force was formed:
Ahmet Palazoglu
Vice Chair, UC Academic Council
ahmet.palazoglu@ucop.edu
Academic Senate Division Chairs
Academic Senate Executive Directors
April 22, 2025
RE: Academic Senate Task Force on UC Adaptation to Disruptions (UCAD)
Dear Colleagues,
I am writing to announce the formation of a new systemwide Academic Senate Task Force on UC Adaptation to Disruptions (UCAD). This task force was established by the Academic Council in recognition of the need to proactively consider how the University can uphold its teaching, research, and public service missions in the face of potentially severe and unpredictable external disruptions.
UCAD’s goal is to develop response strategies that safeguard the University’s core functions amid federal executive actions, shifting partnerships with federal and state governments, and other changes in the higher education landscape. To this end, the task force is charged with analyzing impacts and developing response strategies in four key areas:
1. Restructuring of academic programs
2. Resizing of programs and the workforce
3. Recalibration of growth objectives
4. Realignment of funding sources with mission activities
UCAD will approach these issues analytically, drawing on the expertise of Senate and administrative leaders, and will consult broadly as needed to ensure a wide range of perspectives.
An initial report will be submitted to the Academic Council by June 18, 2025. At this time, UCAD is expected to continue its work into the fall, with extensions as needed. Given the sensitive and rapidly evolving nature of this work, all meetings are being held in executive session to support open and candid discussions.
We recognize the importance of communicating with the broader Senate and faculty community. To this end, a UCAD webpage has been established and is where the task force will post information about its charge, membership, goals, and shareable updates: https://senate.universityofcalifornia.edu/committees/ucad.html. The webpage also includes an email address (AcademicSenateUCAD@ucop.edu) where members of the University community may submit input or questions for the task force to consider.
We encourage divisional Senate offices and chairs to help raise awareness of UCAD’s purpose and activities through local communication channels. Thank you for your engagement with this important work. We look forward to keeping you informed as UCAD’s efforts progress.
Sincerely,
Ahmet Palazoglu
Chair, UCAD
cc: UCAD, Senate Executive Director Lin
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You will note that the document above mentions an initial report for the Academic Council by June 18. The charging document says there will be an initial report on July 16. Whichever it was, both dates have passed and no report can be found on the Senate's website or the task force website. Just an observation...
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