Remember what they used to say?

They don't say that anymore:

University of California leverages systemwide expertise to advance purposeful, human-centered uses for AI

UC Office of the President, September 16, 2026

https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/press-room/university-california-leverages-systemwide-expertise-advance-purposeful-human-centered

Under President Milliken’s direction and leadership, the University of California launched the AI Steering Committee to highlight and focus UC research on harnessing AI for the public good.

At the September UC Board of Regents meeting, the UC AI Steering Committee provided its first report to the Board, detailing the progress of its working groups and announcing showcase events involving each UC campus over the next year that will highlight campus AI initiatives and research in the fields identified by those working groups.

Formed by President Milliken in May of 2026, the University of California’s AI steering committee was established to leverage the university’s extraordinary scale of 10 campuses, six academic health centers, and three national labs in navigating AI’s increasingly broad impacts on everyday life and the university’s mission of education, research, patient care, and public service. The Steering Committee created five working groups focused on AI applications and their impact across the following areas: health and longevity; learning and work; discovery and innovation; protecting humans and humanity; and AI for the public good.

“AI is transforming the way we learn, work, and live,” said UC President James B. Milliken. “We hear every day about the increasing potential and the risk of AI. The task force is sharpening our focus on how UC can advance human potential, not diminish it. As a public university with a commitment to California and the nation in its DNA, UC is also ideally positioned to contribute to the broader public discussion on managing the benefits and risks of AI.”

Amid calls for a slowdown of AI development, the University of California's AI Steering Committee informed the Board of Regents today of its work in establishing a different path for AI, one of responsible public adoption for the public good. 

The report began by addressing the risks of unconsidered AI adoption, including security breaches, fragmented regulation, and increased energy and utility consumption. It established that UC was among the first in the country to adopt a formal set of AI Principles, and the first university to address artificial intelligence explicitly in a Digital Risk Appetite statement, a formal declaration of how much technology risk the institution will accept, and where.

AI Steering Committee Co-Chair Van Williams highlighted the need to responsibly govern AI capacity for UC and detailed existing initiatives to broaden access to AI tools for researchers, employees, and students while promoting ethical and responsible use. These include research awards and computing credits from Amazon and Google, the latter of which has granted more than $32.7 million across 61 funded projects, spanning AI safety and trust research, frontier research, workforce development, and public impact applications at the campuses. 

The Steering Committee is seeking coordinated, systemwide approaches with AI developers and cloud providers to ensure UC is not reliant on a single vendor. The committee is also exploring the creation of a systemwide learning platform to support the responsible adoption of AI tools and use of resources. 

Sharing perspectives in cybersecurity and in education were two of the steering committee’s working group leaders who presented alongside Williams: Giovanni Vigna, distinguished professor in the Department of Computer Science at UC Santa Barbara, head of the working group on protecting humans and humanity, and Rita Raley, professor of English at UC Santa Barbara, who leads the working group on AI for learning and work.

Professor Vigna, who also directs the UC Santa Barbara-based, National Science Foundation-funded Institute for Agent-based Cyber Threat Intelligence and Operation (ACTION), described the sophistication of AI agents in exploiting security flaws, a source of increasing concern. “There is hope,” he said. “We need to make an investment in educating people in AI tools and create coordination between all the stakeholders so that threat intelligence between different parts of critical infrastructure can be shared at a scale and pace that is required to make progress in protecting our networks.”

Professor Raley, co-director of the new Center for the Humanities and Machine Learning (HUML) at UC Santa Barbara, described a course she developed, “Critical Artificial Intelligence,” and the scope of her working group, which will provide systemwide recommendations on what each student needs to know about AI. “The University will continue to certify students on the basis of disciplinary knowledge attained. But, no less important, we must now give students the critical judgment to ask what this technology is, who needs to be accountable for it, how to use it, when to refuse it — and what it could be instead.”

Among the examples highlighted by co-chair Williams of AI’s potential for public good was the work done at UC Berkeley and UC San Francisco to restore speech back to a patient named Ann, who had lost her speech to a brainstem stroke nearly two decades ago. A joint UC team built a brain-computer interface to convert her attempted speech into audible, natural-sounding words in approximately a second. 

“The technology will keep getting more capable whether or not any of us are ready for it,” Steering Committee Co-Chair Van Williams said. “How it gets used is still a choice. The university that helped give Ann her voice back intends to keep making that choice deliberately, in public, and for the public.”

New Interim Provost

From UCOP:

University of California President James B. Milliken today announced the appointment of Ralph J. Hexter as systemwide interim provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs, effective September 1, 2026. Hexter will serve in the role until the University’s next permanent provost is appointed. 

“Ralph is an accomplished scholar and experienced academic leader who understands the University of California and shares our commitment to its public mission,” Milliken said. “His sound judgment, collaborative approach, and breadth of experience as a faculty member, dean, provost, chancellor and college president will serve UC exceptionally well. I am grateful that he has agreed to return to help lead the University’s academic mission during this important period.” 

As interim provost, Hexter will work closely with campus leaders, the Academic Senate, Regents, UCOP leaders, and other partners to advance the University’s academic mission...

Full news release at https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/press-room/ralph-j-hexter-appointed-interim-provost-university-california.

Presumably, the new provost will play some role at the upcoming September Regents meetings. 

More information at https://complit.ucdavis.edu/people/ralph-hexter.

The Pay and Benefits Man

From UCNet:

UC Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Rachael Nava made the following announcement:

Dear Colleagues, 

Following an extensive nationwide search, I am pleased to announce that Calvin W. Turner has been selected as the vice president of Systemwide Shared Services (VP SWSS), effective August 10. 

This is a critical role on my senior leadership team and an important next step in the evolution of UC Operations. It reflects our continued work to build a more integrated, strategic approach to serving UC employees and retirees. 

In September 2025, I announced the formation of SWSS, uniting UCPath and the UC Retirement Administration Services Center (RASC) under one leader.  This was an intentional step toward strengthening coordination across these critical functions, creating greater alignment in how we deliver services, and building a shared-services organization positioned to meet the evolving needs of the university. 

With approximately 600 dedicated UCOP employees supporting employees and retirees across the UC system, strong and sustained leadership for this organization is essential. I am very pleased that Calvin will lead this next phase of our work. 

Calvin brings deep expertise in shared services, operational leadership and organizational transformation to this role. He started his UC career in 2021 as the executive director of UCPath. Since October 2025, he has also served as the interim VP of SWSS.  

Before UC, he was the director of the National Finance Center (NFC), a leading federal shared-services provider supporting payroll, human resources, financial, insurance and administrative services. NFC provides payroll, HR, financial and administrative services to more than 650,000 employees in 170 agencies, and health insurance services on behalf of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to the entire federal civilian workforce and tribal organizations.  

As NFC Director, Calvin successfully ensured continuity of business operations through natural disasters and unprecedented government shutdowns, while simultaneously growing NFC’s customer base, implementing operational improvements and launching organizational transformation initiatives to improve transparency and customer service.  

Prior to joining NFC, Calvin had more than 20 years of banking leadership experience at Hancock Whitney Bank, Hibernia National Bank (now CapitalOne) and the Federal Reserve Bank, and he was also previously an associate instructor with the University of Phoenix at the New Orleans campus. Calvin has a master’s degree in public administration and an undergraduate degree in business management and communication. Calvin will continue to be based in Riverside, California, and will travel to Oakland and all UC locations periodically. 

Over the coming months, Calvin will continue engaging leaders and staff across UCPath, RASC, UCOP and the broader UC system to further develop a strategic roadmap for SWSS, advancing our vision for a more connected and effective service experience for UC employees and retirees across the full journey from “hire” through “retire.” This work will also focus on strengthening operational excellence, accountability and service across UC Operations. Calvin will also launch a search for the executive director of UCPath. 

I would like to thank the search advisory committee for their tremendous effort and helpful insights during this process: 

• Ahmet Palazoglu, Chair, Systemwide Academic Senate and Distinguished Professor, UC Davis
• Erin Gore, Senior Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administration, UCSF
• Kurt Schnier, Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer, UC Merced
• Dianna Henderson, Vice President of Human Resources, UCOP
• Van Williams, Vice President of Digital Innovation and Technology, UCOP  
• Christine Lovely, Chief Human Resources Officer, UCLA
• Caín Díaz, Associate Vice President, Budget Analysis and Planning, UCOP
• Marisa McAuliffe, Chief Policy Advisor, President’s Executive Office

In addition, my thanks to several other colleagues who advised on this search: 

• Amy Block Joy, Professor Emerita and Chair-Elect, Council of UC Emeriti Associations
• Susan Abeles, Chair, Council of UC Retiree Associations
• Jenny Kao, Vice President and Chief of Staff to the President
• Nathan Brostrom, UC Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

I also want to share my gratitude for the executive search team from Isaacson, Miller, as well as Pamela Wu and Quincy Kinsey in Systemwide HR’s Executive Search and Recruitment Team, who provided support for this search. 

Please join me in congratulating Calvin on this well-deserved appointment. I look forward to working with him and all of you as we continue building a stronger, more integrated UC Operations organization that serves the university with excellence. 

Sincerely, 

Rachael Nava 

Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer 

University of California

===

Source: https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/employee-news/calvin-w-turner-appointed-vice-president-of-systemwide-shared-services/.

Robinson Retires as UC general counsel

From UCNet: 

UC Board of Regents Chair Maria Anguiano and UC President James B. Milliken made the following announcement last week:

Dear Colleagues,

We write to share that Charles F. “Charlie” Robinson, general counsel and senior vice president, Legal Affairs, has announced his plans to retire in June 2027, after 20 years as the University of California’s chief legal officer.

Charlie joined UC as the general counsel in January 2007, and in the two decades since, he has built and led one of the most respected legal departments in higher education — a team of more than 165 attorneys spanning our 10 campuses, six medical centers, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. As the university’s chief legal officer with responsibility for all of the institution’s legal matters, Charlie has provided counsel to the Board of Regents, five university presidents, and countless chancellors and other university leaders, guiding the institution through an extraordinary range of legal and institutional challenges...

Full release at https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/employee-news/charles-f-robinson-to-retire-as-general-counsel-and-senior-vice-president-legal-affairs/.

Ka Ching!

UCOP is promoting the economic returns of a UC degree. From a recent news release:

New data shows UC degrees deliver strong earnings and economic mobility amid rapidly changing economy

UC Office of the President, July 1, 2026

The University of California released new data today that shows a UC degree remains one of the best investments California students and families can make.* The data highlights UC’s affordability, return on investment and strong earnings for graduates. The findings come amid ongoing conversations about the value of higher education in an era defined by artificial intelligence, rising living costs and a rapidly evolving job market.

The newly released data reveals that UC graduates carry significantly less student debt than their peers, with average debt levels for an in-state student declining $11,400 over the past decade — giving UC graduates greater financial flexibility as they enter the job market. Within seven years of graduation, median earnings among UC degree-holders exceed the median for California bachelor’s degree recipients, a combination that makes a UC education one of the strongest financial investments a student can make.

“Many Americans are questioning the value of a college degree. We have a clear answer: A UC degree is not only worth it — it changes lives and entire communities for the better,” said UC President James B. Milliken. “This recent data affirms our efforts to expand affordability and accessibility to students from across California, demonstrating how a UC education is both attainable and transformative.”

A University of California analysis reveals that UC graduates recoup their educational investment in roughly six years after enrolling at the University. In addition, most Pell Grant graduates surpass their families’ earnings within three years — two years faster than reported in a 2021 analysis, reinforcing how UC drives social and economic mobility...

Full story at https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/press-room/new-data-shows-uc-degrees-deliver-strong-earnings-and-economic-mobility.

===

*https://www.ucop.edu/institutional-research-academic-planning/_files/updated-evidence-on-the-economic-benefits-of-a-uc-degree.pdf. This more detailed reference refers to data published in the Washington Post, an odd source. No link to the Washington Post article is provided. Poking around on the web, yours truly found a March 31 reference:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2026/03/31/graduate-degree-earnings-study/.

Federal Updates are not updated

We have commented on this matter before but a reminder to the powers-that-be at UCOP that the "Federal updates" link on the UC website* - which is supposed to keep us current with the UC conflict with the feds - hasn't actually provided any information on federal developments since last October. 

There is stuff thereafter on the site, mainly about the state bond UC is promoting, but nothing more directly on federal developments. Of course, the state bond idea was originally a response to funding cutoffs by the feds. But the Regents have had numerous closed-door meetings since October which seem to be about actual federal developments, so presumably there is something more to be shared.

We have an indication that despite court victories by UC, federal research funding has not fully (mainly?) resumed. Any info on that issue? What is happening to existing grants and contracts that were suspended? What is the success rate for new grants and renewals? Inquiring minds want to know!

===

*https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/federal-updates.

Union News

From the Daily Bruin: About 12,000 employees joined a union representing UC academic student employees, postdoctoral students and academic researchers May 19, making it the largest union in the UC. The expansion brings United Auto Workers Local 4811 to 60,000 workers across the UC. UAW Local 4811’s new union members include Student Services and Advising Professionals and Research and Public Service Professionals. SSAPs provide a variety of services to students and faculty, including curriculum planning, financial aid assistance and career service specialization. RPSPs engage in data collection, research and grant management...

Heather Hansen, a spokesperson for the UC Office of the President, said in an emailed statement that the Public Employment Relations Board is still reviewing the expansion. The board is addressing questions concerning which bargaining unit these workers will be placed in and potential overlap between multiple unions, Hansen added in the statement...

Full story at https://dailybruin.com/2026/05/28/12000-employees-to-bring-ucs-largest-union-to-60000-workers.

Celebrating Bond - Part 2

In a prior post, we noted that UC is pushing for a state research bond that would make up for federal cutbacks.*

The campaign is underway. From a UCOP press release:

UC, State Senator Wiener, UAW host rally for California science to urge lawmakers to pass SB 895

May 4, 2026

SACRAMENTO – UC President James B. Milliken today joined California State Senator Scott Wiener and United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain to rally in support of California science and urge state lawmakers to pass SB 895, bipartisan legislation that would place a $23 billion bond to fund scientific research across California on the November 2026 ballot.  

“California’s prosperity is inextricably connected to its investment in university research and discovery,” said President Milliken, who was joined at the rally by hundreds of UC researchers, faculty and staff. “SB 895 comes at a pivotal moment, providing a lifeline that delivers economic opportunity and life-saving medical care for our residents.” 

If passed, SB 895 would help ensure that critical scientific research continues in California, strengthening the state’s resilience through investments in biomedical and health research, climate and environmental science, behavioral health, wildfire resilience and emerging technologies.  

With 10 campuses, six academic health centers and administrative oversight of three national labs, UC employs more than 265,000 across the state and treats 2.5 million patients a year. For every $1 the State of California invests in UC, $21.04 in economic output is generated across the state. Last year, UC received the most U.S. utility patents of any university, helping keep the nation at the forefront of scientific discovery and global competitiveness. 

But today, UC faces one of the most severe threats to its research enterprise in its 158-year history. Significant reductions and disruptions in federal scientific funding could hinder the state’s ability to remain a global leader in technology, innovation and multidisciplinary research, impacting jobs, health care and the economy in California.  

If passed by voters, the California Science and Health Research Bond Act would help fund modernization of research facilities, expansion of laboratory and clinical capacity, and improvements to public health infrastructure. These investments are projected to support a wide variety of jobs, from construction and skilled trades, to scientists, technicians and healthcare researchers, while strengthening the pipeline of future talent. 

Research funding generates jobs, fuels California’s economy 

California’s leadership in biotechnology, life sciences and medical innovation has been a cornerstone of its economic success. The state’s universities, hospitals and research institutions provide the infrastructure needed for clinical trials, product development and advanced manufacturing. The investments made by SB 895 will support thousands of students and researchers at California universities with jobs in growing industries.  

“The science bond is one of the best investments we can make in California’s future,” said Senator Wiener. “Scientific research is a pillar of California’s economy and prosperity and one of California’s greatest contributions to the world. It fuels our world-class universities. Our life sciences sector supports over a million jobs and billions in economic output. To millions of families and loved ones struggling with untreatable illnesses, scientific research represents hope. SB 895 will power those dreams and that success for another generation — putting power back in the hands of Californians to steer the next generation of scientific advances while the federal government pulls back.” 

SB 895 tackles complex and interconnected challenges  

SB 895 would also provide dedicated funding for research into the health impacts of wildfires, including air quality, respiratory illness and community resilience, while strengthening California’s capacity to detect and respond to future pandemics through improved laboratory networks and rapid response capabilities. 

“This measure could help you or someone you love by continuing research in groundbreaking therapies for cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and more,” said UAW Region 6 Director Mike Miller. UAW represents approximately 60,000 workers across the University of California system in a wide range of academic and non-academic roles, including academic researchers, graduate teaching assistants, graduate student researchers, postdoctoral scholars, and professionals in student services, advising, research and public service.  “As the federal government slashes research funding across the country, we are proud to come together with Senator Wiener, Assemblymember Solache and the University of California to ensure that California meets the moment.” 

Return on investment and pharmaceutical discounts 

Historically, public investment in research has delivered strong returns by driving economic growth, boosting tax revenues and improving residents’ health. SB 895 builds on that track record by allowing the state to recapture a share of licensing and royalty revenues from inventions and technologies developed with public funding. SB 895 also helps to make health care more accessible by ensuring California residents receive discounts for pharmaceuticals developed through this research.  

Support for SB 895 is bipartisan and broad-based, from researchers and physicians to legislators throughout the state. The bill is sponsored by UAW Region 6 and Union of American Physicians and Dentists (UAPD). It is jointly authored by Senators Sasha Renée Pérez and Aisha Wahab, and principal co-authored by Assemblymembers José Luis Solache, Jr., Mike Gipson, Jacqui Irwin, Al Muratsuchi and Darshana Patel, Ph.D. Thirty-seven members of the State Legislature are co-authoring the bill to date. 

Source: https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/press-room/uc-state-senator-wiener-uaw-host-rally-california-science-urge-lawmakers-pass-sb-895.

===

*https://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2026/04/celebrating-bond.html.

The Incompleteness Theorem

Chart from former CFO Agostini's Budget Book     
==                

No, we're not referring to the mathematical incompleteness theorem. Our budgetary theorem says that if you don't consider the health enterprise, your picture of UCLA's financial situation will be incomplete. 

Former UCLA CFO Agostini, before he said Very Bad Words and got fired, left us with a budget book which we have been reviewing on and off in this blog.* Some of his Very Bad Words denigrated previous UCLA financial reports which - as blog readers will know - we have preserved so they won't disappear.** The most recent one, for fiscal year 2022-23, tells us that back then UCLA had revenues of $11.2 billion of which $3.7 billion came from the Medical Center.*** That was about a third of total university revenue, so it's hard to understand UCLA's fiscal situation if the Med Center is omitted. Moreover, there is a category called "educational activities" that appears to refer mainly to revenues from practice by Med School faculty. The combination of Med Center with these activities brings the total to around 60% of revenues. It's really hard to understand what is happening in any organization with six out of ten dollars omitted.

The budget book - from which the chart above came - updated the previous (denigrated) series by showing fiscal year 2023-24. It tells us that revenues were then $12.8 billion of which $4.2 billion came from the Med Center, i.e., an unchanged ratio of about a third.**** It refers explicitly to faculty practice revenues which again brings the total to around 60% of total revenues. So there is a consistency.

As blog readers will know, the Agostini budget book - after presenting the macro data - then divides the university into micro "units" (which we have reviewed in prior posts) for 2023-24, 2024-25, and a projection - as of Sept. 2025 - for the current year, 2025-26. But the units listed omit the Med Center and faculty practice, a big omission.

One interesting point: Agostini seems to have direct access to the unit data he presented that omits the 60%. But when he presents the full picture, i.e., the chart above, he footnotes the source as UCOP. It's almost as if he didn't have direct access to data on the missing 60%. It's almost as if that 60% is being reported directly up to UCOP by UCLA Health, and that UCOP then uses the figures for its systemwide reports. I'm not saying that is what happened in the past or is happening now. I am saying it looks that way. In any case, someone might want to ask UCLA's interim CFO whether she gets direct data from UCLA Health.

With all the excitement of university CFOs coming and going, there may be another direct source of budgetary information about the omitted 60% piece. Did you know that there is a UCLA Health CFO? In all the reports about the turmoil in Murphy Hall about CFOs, no one mentioned the UCLA Health CFO. In case you didn't know that there was one - and just in case the Academic Senate committee looking into budgetary affairs doesn't know - here is a (paid) profile from the LA Business Journal:*****

Tammy Wallace, CPA serves as chief financial officer of the UCLA Health System. In this role, she provides enterprise‑wide strategic and financial leadership for a $8 billion health system encompassing hospitals, clinics, physician enterprises, managed care, and joint ventures. Her scope of responsibility includes oversight of the revenue cycle, accounting and audit, financial planning and decision support, supply chain, mergers and acquisitions, and contracting. She plays a central role in evaluating internal and external market opportunities, driving enterprise cost-savings initiatives, supporting strategic growth, and advancing the adoption of innovative financial and operational technologies.

Under Wallace’s leadership, UCLA Health has strengthened its financial performance while continuing to invest aggressively in growth, access, and clinical excellence. She has led long range financial planning that aligns capital deployment and margin targets with enterprise growth and market positioning— which will enable more than $10 billion in capital investment over the next 10 years.

If I were on the Senate committee that is trying to understand UCLA's budgetary numbers, I'd definitely want to have a chat with CFO Wallace about the $8 billion for the sake of completeness. I'd want to know what goes to UCOP and what goes to Murphy Hall. That $8 billion, you might notice, seems to be about what Med Center + Faculty Practice would total.

She's in the UCLA directory. I checked. Just a suggestion...

== 

*Our most recent prior budget-related post is at https://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2026/04/agostinis-every-ship-on-its-own-bottom_0145196952.html.

**https://archive.org/details/ucla-budget-book-v-final-feb-2026.

***https://archive.org/download/ucla-budget-book-v-final-feb-2026/UCLA%20Annual%20Report%202022-2023.pdf.

****https://ia903207.us.archive.org/35/items/ucla-budget-book-v-final-feb-2026/UCLA%20Budget%20Book%20v%20FINAL%20Feb%202026.pdf. 

*****https://labusinessjournal.com/custom-content/women-of-influence-health-care-2026-tammy-wallace/. The profile is part of "custom content" (i.e., paid for by UCLA).   

Medicare Disadvantage

From time to time on this blog, we have taken note of the growth of seemingly-cheap Medicare Advantage plans which now cover more than half of the Medicare-eligible population, thanks to insurance company promotions. UC offers Medicare Advantage to those retirees eligible for health insurance. At one point, there was a push at UCOP to turn the entire retiree health offering into a Medicare Advantage system, although protests halted that development.

In addition, UCLA Health now has created its own Medicare Advantage plan for LA County residents (although NOT for UC retirees).

The idea behind Medicare Advantage originally was that privatizing Medicare would save money. But it has long appeared that in one way or another, there was overcharging going on. (If you think about the idea of offering medical insurance to individuals who are more likely than the general population to have costly health issues, and then think about the eager TV and other promotions to attract enrollees, you might not be surprised about overcharging.)

Anyway, the Congressional Joint Economic Committee has now come out with a report: 

Executive Summary

Medicare Part B premiums are higher because Medicare Advantage (MA) is overpaid. On average, covering a beneficiary in MA costs an estimated 120 percent of what it would cost in Traditional Medicare (TM). MA overpayments raise Part B spending, and because premiums are set to cover roughly one-quarter of expected costs, everyone in Part B pays more.

The Joint Economic Committee estimates MA overpayments increased Part B premiums by $212 per enrollee in 2025, totaling $13.4 billion in higher premiums. Since 2016, MA overpayments have added an estimated $82 billion to Part B premiums. TM beneficiaries, who are not enrolled in MA, bore roughly $6 billion of that burden.

Higher Part B premiums reduce seniors’ net Social Security benefits. About 85 percent of the added premium burden falls on individuals, with the remainder falling on state and federal taxpayers. For most seniors, Part B premiums are withheld from Social Security checks. Therefore, increases in premiums directly reduce take-home benefits for seniors.

Seniors face a dramatic reduction in the affordability of Medicare Part B. By 2035, per-person premiums are projected to double from $2,440 to about $5,000. Of that total, about $450 will be due to overpayments if they continue at the same rate. Aligning MA payments with TM would prevent unnecessary premium growth, increase the affordability of Medicare, and protect net Social Security checks.

Full report at https://www.jec.senate.gov/public/vendor/_accounts/JEC-R/issue-briefs/The%20Part%20B%20Premium%20Pass-Through.pdf.

Congress is currently dysfunctional and we don't know what the midterm elections will bring. But it seems likely that at some point, maybe in the not-so-distant future, there will be changes in current policy with regards to Medicare Advantage.

More Bargaining News

As we have noted previously, the powers-that-be at UCOP have taken a more proactive approach to collective bargaining and union-management affairs since the strike of student workers a few years back. (We could see another such strike in the not-so-distant future.) But there are other unions also engaged in bargaining and UC's approach now is to control the narrative. So, UC issued the news release below last week:

UC, Teamsters Local 2010 Extend Contract as Bargaining Progress Continues

As a positive sign of collaborative, good-faith bargaining, the University of California and Teamsters Local 2010 have reached a contract extension agreement. The contract for the union, which represents 18,820 clerical and allied services employees across the UC system, will now expire May 30, 2026.

“These additional two months of bargaining allow us to build on the constructive progress already made and continue working together toward a fair agreement that reflects the contributions of our clerical and allied services employees,” said Missy Matella, Associate Vice President for Systemwide Employee and Labor Relations. “We appreciate the collaborative spirit shown by Teamsters Local 2010 and remain committed to reaching a contract that supports our workforce and the important work happening across the UC system.”

The extension comes as UC continues good-faith negotiations with five of the nine systemwide unions, including the United Auto Workers (UAW), the Committee of Interns and Residents–Service Employees International Union (CIR-SEIU), the Federated University Police Officers’ Association (FUPOA), the American Federation of Teachers (UC-AFT) and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).

Since bargaining began in September, UC and Teamsters have exchanged 109 proposals and reached tentative agreements on 30 articles. The parties will continue negotiations on March 17.

Source: https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/press-room/uc-teamsters-local-2010-extend-contract-bargaining-progress-continues.

UCLA is delighted to lend a hand...

...Because, after all, it's just money.

From the San Francisco Chronicle:

Cal’s spending on intercollegiate athletics soared in the school’s first year in the Atlantic Coast Conference, university records show. Total operating expenses climbed to more than $165 million in the 2024-25 fiscal year, up from approximately $149 million in 2023-24 and $127 million the year before. That’s an increase of more than 30% in the three-year period ending last June 30. Revenues also jumped, rising to about $153 million in ’24-’25 according to Cal’s annual financial report released Monday. That marked a boost of more than $33 million, though much of the increase came via payments from UCLA ($10 million) and the system-wide University of California Office of the President ($15 million).

Bottom line: The statement of revenues and expenses puts the Cal athletic department’s deficit at more than $24 million for the most recent fiscal year, including nearly $12 million in payments for the renovation of Memorial Stadium and other capital projects. 

That deficit also could be viewed as an understatement, given that Cal counted as revenue almost $43 million in “direct institutional support” from the university...

Full story at:

https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/college/article/cal-s-sports-spending-soars-165-million-first-21361485.php.

Cat Got Your Tongue?

Apart from their regular bimonthly meetings when the Regents undoubtedly discuss the current conflict with the feds behind closed doors, the Regents have had off-schedule meetings - also closed - specifically to discuss the conflict. There were special meetings called on January 6 and 13 and February 10 and 17.

Yet, when the US Department of Justice rolls out a full-scale lawsuit against UC/UCLA, no meetings have been set up, at least as of this posting. So, nothing new to discuss concerning that lawsuit? The UC General Counsel has no response to convey? No strategy with regard to a response? 

Don't know about you, but it sure seems strange to yours truly.

It's hard to keep the lid on - Part 10 (confirmation)

We noted last week the highly unusual open session of the Regents to discuss the tenure dismissal case of Prof. Amarasekara.*

After the open session, which was requested by Prof. Amarasekara, the Regents went into closed session to decide the case. The Daily Bruin reports that in closed session, the Regents endorsed the dismissal.** No surprise there. There was no way that the Regents would have reversed a decision endorsed by the UCLA chancellor and UCOP.

As we noted in prior posts, there is litigation in the background of this case. So, there may yet be further developments.

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*https://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2026/01/its-hard-to-keep-lid-on-part-9-and-now.html.

**https://dailybruin.com/2026/01/22/uc-board-of-regents-approves-dismissal-of-tenured-ecology-professor.

Pension Payments at Risk

CUCEA, the systemwide group of campus emeriti associations, became aware of a particular theft of a pension payment earlier this month. It appears that the theft may have been accomplished by someone indicating that he/she had forgotten the password and being given authority to change the password, bank to which the pension was deposited, etc. That is, the theft seems to have occurred without any high-tech breach. (Exactly what occurred is not clear at this time, however.) 

What appeared to be a single case of theft now seems to have occurred more widely. Excerpt from a message by the chair of CUCEA:

...There have been further reports of pension checks not arriving because of a security failure at UCRAYS. As a precaution, we strongly encourage retirees who receive pension checks to verify that their monthly payments have been distributed as expected. If your pension check does not arrive as anticipated, please contact UCRAYS and your campus retirement center as soon as possible and let CUCEA Chair Joel Dimsdale know as well (jdimsdale@ucsd.edu).

This situation is also a timely reminder to review and update your passwords. That updating process may be slower for UCRAYS in the near future as it tightens security.

The CUCEA board wrote UCOP January 13, 2026 advising them to:

1. Institute corrective training for RASC (retirement administration service center) personnel.

2. Disable telephone-based requests for password resets. We do understand that this will adversely affect RASC response times until security is enhanced, but it is necessary.

3. Perform a “lookback” on all password change requests since December 1 and communicate with those individuals.

4. Notify all retirees about the possible threats and advise them to take necessary actions.

We will be meeting with UCOP to review progress next week...

Exactly what is being done to reimburse the victims of these thefts is also unclear at this time.

UCLA ahead in the Wikipedia editing sweepstakes

The Daily Cal calculated the total number of Wikipedia edits - additions and deletions - by campus IP addresses across the UC system. It turns out that since its inception to late 2025, UCLA addresses made over 54,000 edits.

It's not clear whether that's a Good Thing, a Bad Thing, or just a Thing. Below is a chart from the article which can be found at https://data.dailycal.org/2025-12-24-wikiedits. 

Calimony Money to Burn

For those worried about the budget squeeze, you'll be glad to know there is money to burn for certain activities:

From the Mercury News: Cal’s football expenses are soaring following general manager Ron Rivera’s decision to fire coach Justin Wilcox with two years remaining on his contract. In addition to the dead money, the Bears must hire a replacement — Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi, a former Cal player, is the heavy favorite — and pay for new assistants and support personnel. All told, the changes likely will cost the Bears in excess of $35 million.

Good thing they will have the cash to cover the transition, courtesy of the University of California.

The so-called Calimony subsidy payments headed to Berkeley from UCLA — to the tune of $30 million over three years — aren’t the half of it. Literally. The Bears will receive an additional $45 million in “bridge” financing from the University of California Office of the President (UCOP) in three annual installments of $15 million, according to a document obtained by the Hotline through a public records request and supplemental information provided by UCOP.

The additional funding was not approved by the UC regents, although they were made aware of it, and had not been widely disclosed. All told, $75 million is bound to Berkeley in three installments of $25 million that began in 2024-25 and will continue through the 2026-27 academic year. The cash isn’t specifically for football and will be used to support the overall athletic department budget, according to Cal. In response to a request for comment on the additional $45 million from UCOP, a university spokesperson provided the following statement:

“The Berkeley campus appreciates the commitment of the University of California system to preserve and build upon Cal Athletics’ tradition of educating student-athletes while enabling them to compete at the highest level of national competition.”

The Bears have plenty of uses for the influx, over and above the coaching change.

Wilcox’s buyout is approximately $11 million, and the Bears likely will spend at least $20 million on a new coach  — a five-year deal at $4 million annually seems like the minimum outlay — and another $5 million (minimum) to dismiss current assistants and hire new ones.

Also, the athletic department reported a budget shortfall in the 2023-24 fiscal year, with $120 million in revenue and $149 million in expenses, according to financial statements reported to the NCAA. Notably, the revenue figure included approximately $35 million in support from central campus...

Full story at https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/12/03/cal-has-more-cash-coming-than-just-ucla-subsidy-for-football-hire-and-everything-else/.

Letter from the Prez

November 18, 2025

Dear Chancellors:

I'm writing with regard to the President's Postdoctoral Fellowship Program (PPFP) and the program's associated faculty hiring incentive.

As you know, for more than 40 years, PPFP has provided postdoctoral research fellowships, professional development, and faculty mentoring to scholars in all fields whose research, teaching, and service advance the academic and research missions of the University of California.

Since 2003, UC campuses that hire current and former PPFP fellows into ladder-rank positions have been eligible for a hiring incentive funded by the University that provides support for newly hired fellows for five years. Since the creation of the incentive, more than $162 million has been invested by the University to support PPFP faculty hires. This commitment has enabled our campuses to successfully recruit and retain outstanding faculty across a range of disciplines.

Given the myriad challenges currently facing UC - including disruptions to billions of dollars in annual federal support, as well as uncertainty around the state budget- reasonable questions were raised in recent months about whether the University could maintain the commitment to current levels of incentive funding. After considering a recommendation to sunset the incentive program due to these significant fiscal constraints, I consulted with all of you as well as faculty and campus academic administrators and systemwide Academic Senate leadership.

After learning more about the history and success of the program and weighing the thoughtful perspectives that have been shared, I have concluded that barring extraordinary financial setbacks, the PPFP faculty hiring incentive program will continue while the University continues to assess the program's structure as well as its long-term financial sustainability. As a result of our continuing consultation and review, there may be consideration of some changes to elements of the program including the total number of incentives supported, a number that has fluctuated significantly over the years, and how the awards are distributed among campuses. In the meantime, the University will continue to fund the PPFP faculty hiring incentive program and campuses may continue to take advantage of these incentives. We will have an opportunity to discuss any potential changes prior to adoption.

As we look to the future, I will continue to engage with faculty leaders, program stakeholders, and UC community members about this important program. I especially appreciate the thoughtful perspectives shared in recent weeks by Academic Council Chair Palazoglu and Vice Chair Scott, the Council of Graduate Deans, UC faculty members, and you as our campus leaders.

Sincerely,

James B. Milliken

President

Source: https://bsky.app/profile/miriamposner.com/post/3m5wsdcrco22v.

====

*NOTE: PPFP is apparently the program that - in public comments - sounded like PTSD. See our cautionary remarks about speaking in public comment sessions at:

https://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2025/11/watch-regents-health-services-committee.html.

Special Systemwide Assembly Meeting: Nov. 20, 2025 (Agenda)

The systemwide Assembly of the Academic Senate is having a special meeting on November 20th due to a resolution by petition concerning the provision by UCOP of names of individuals who are subject to civil rights discrimination complaints (on antisemitism) to federal authorities. The actual wording of the proposed resolution is not provided in the agenda announcement:

Agenda: Assembly Meeting - November 20, 2025

I. Roll Call (3:00 – 3:10)

II. Resolution Concerning the Disclosure of Names to the Federal Government (3:10 - 3:50 pm) [ACTION]

Issue: The signatories requested a special meeting to discuss and vote on a resolution concerning the disclosure of names of UC faculty, students, and staff to the federal government. The request arises in response to the University’s agreement to provide the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights with detailed, case-level information from UC campuses concerning discrimination complaints. The agreement is said to include the names of reporters, complainants, respondents, and witnesses to these incidents.

The petitioners express concern that this disclosure compromises the privacy and safety of UC community members and potentially exposes them to retaliation or adverse immigration consequences. They further object to what they view as a failure by the UC Office of the President to adequately explain or justify the decision to release such sensitive information. President Milliken’s message to the UC community on October 3 describes the University’s actions as undertaken to comply with federal law.

Separately, on October 27, 2025, the Academic Council adopted and then issued its own statement regarding the University’s disclosures, available here: https://senate.universityofcalifornia.edu/_files/council-chair-to-president-council-statement-pii.pdf. The Council’s statement outlines concerns about transparency, privacy protections, and shared governance consultation in relation to the disclosures.

Discussion format: Assembly members and other Senate attendees will have the opportunity to provide input and share their perspectives.

III. New Business (3:50 - 4:00 pm) 

Full notice including Zoom link for Senate members (only) to register is at:

https://senate.universityofcalifornia.edu/_files/assembly/assembly-special-meeting-agenda-11-20-25.pdf.

Note: It is unclear if UCOP plans to provide additional legal justification for its position that the provision of names was required by law, either before or at the meeting. The timing of this meeting overlaps with the November 18-20 Regents meeting. It is unclear what determined this timing.

Naming

From the Daily Bruin: The UC eliminated its department of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion on Oct. 27, replacing it with the Office of Culture and Inclusive Excellence. The EDI department previously said its purpose was to dismantle “all forms of systemic discrimination,” according to its now-removed page on the UC Office of the President website. It also said UCOP was committed “to building an enduring anti-racist organization,” while the new OCIE homepage makes no references to race or racism. The change in the office’s name follows President Donald Trump pressuring universities to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs, including by threatening to withhold federal funding from institutions that do not comply. The U.S. Department of Justice sent a proposed settlement to UCLA in August demanding that it end its diversity-related programs in exchange for the university’s then-frozen federal research funding.

...The UC Office of the President did not respond in time to a request for comment on the change. UCOP has not made any public statement about how the new OCIE office is structurally or functionally different from the previous EDI department...

Full story at https://dailybruin.com/2025/11/05/uc-eliminates-edi-department-creates-office-of-culture-and-inclusive-excellence.