Who speaks for UCLA?

We noted yesterday that there seemed to be a lot potential "deciders" of strategy when it comes to the federal fund freeze at UCLA: the chancellor, the UC president, the Regents, and the governor.

Exactly who among the feds is deciding things is also murky. If yours truly had to guess, the more academic demands probably comes from places such as the Dept. of Justice. The $1 billion number probably comes from the president. 

What seems to be the case is that UCOP has taken the role of public relations regarding the UCLA freeze.

The chancellor spoke initially on August 1:

https://ia902901.us.archive.org/7/items/newsom-7-2-2025-arrests-of-immigrants/UCLA%20Chancellor%20Frenk%20on%20loss%20of%20funding.mp4.

Since that time UCOP - in the form of Meredith Turner, SVP of External Relations and Communications - has responded to the fund freeze:

https://ia802901.us.archive.org/7/items/newsom-7-2-2025-arrests-of-immigrants/UC%20response%20to%20UCLA%20federal%20grant%20cuts%208-7-2025.mp4

and the $1 billion:

https://ia802901.us.archive.org/7/items/newsom-7-2-2025-arrests-of-immigrants/UC%20on%20%241%20billion%20demand%20by%20feds%20from%20UCLA%208-8-2025.mp4.

UCLA, in contrast, released only a short listing of grants suspended without words:

https://ia802901.us.archive.org/7/items/newsom-7-2-2025-arrests-of-immigrants/UCLA%20response%20to%20federal%20grant%20cuts%208-8-2025.mp4.

As also previously noted, the Regents are meeting by (closed) teleconference late this afternoon to discuss "External Funding Litigation and Legal Issues." Possibly, some announcement will follow. It appears the chancellor will attend as Murphy Hall is listed among the remote locations:

1675 Owens Street, San Francisco, CA
1130 K Street, Suite 280, Sacramento, CA

410 Charles E Young Drive E, Los Angeles, CA

509 Aldrich Hall, Irvine, CA 

1187 Coast Village Road, Montecito, CA

1017 Ellington Street, Delano, CA

445 W. Weber Avenue, Suite 200, Stockton, CA

6200 Playa Vista Drive, Playa Vista, CA

3131 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV

1400 Old Spanish Trail, Houston, TX

10 Eliezer Peri Street, Tel Aviv, Israel

2600 Carretera Las Terrenas, Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic

Source: https://regents.universityofcalifornia.edu/meetings/agendas/aug112025.html.