Explanations Needed

Yours truly has updated two posts that appeared yesterday on this blog and both need more explanation and information.

First, there is the prosecution of a UCLA professor in connection with a lab fire.  An article at the UCLA newsroom said the judge was entering a plea of not guilty for the faculty member over the objections of his lawyer.  That seems odd since the position of not guilty has always been the stance.  But no explanation for the oddity is to be found in the article.  Perhaps a reader can add some enlightenment.

Second, there is the rejection of the Anderson School's proposed self-sufficiency funding for its regular MBA program.  The proposal was approved, albeit with much controversy, at the campus level but is apparently blocked by a systemwide Academic Senate committee. Various sources have cited an official statement by UCLA indicating that it would press on to obtain approval.  But the source of the statement is unidentified.  Who said it?  You might think it must be on the newsroom webpage of UCLA:
http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/default.aspx.  But as of 10:45 am today, it isn't there.  Is the intent to get approval of the UC president and Regents despite the systemwide Senate committee's rejection?  Again, some enlightenment would be helpful.

Readers can add what they know in the comment option for this blog.

The entry for the fire/plea article is at: [scroll towards bottom of entry]
http://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2012/09/not-guilty-plea-in-ucla-lab-fire-case.html

The entry for the MBA article is at: [scroll towards bottom of entry]
http://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2012/09/no-one-wants-to-talk.html

In the meantime while we await explanation, we provide appropriate music:

Information on the State Budget

Each year, yours truly does a chapter on the state budget for California Policy Options.  A draft of the chapter for the 2013 edition which takes the story up through the end of August is now available at:
http://www.anderson.ucla.edu/documents/areas/fac/hrob/round_two_on_the_Budget_CPO_2013.pdf

Not Guilty Plea in UCLA Lab Fire Case

A UCLA chemistry professor has pleaded not guilty in a December 2008 laboratory fire that killed a staff research assistant.

Patrick Harran was ordered to return to Los Angeles Superior Court Oct. 9 for a preliminary hearing.

Source:

http://centurycity.patch.com/articles/ucla-professor-pleads-not-guilty-in-laboratory-death-case

Earlier posts on this story have indicated that UCLA is defending Prof. Harran and that the local DA seems to be overreaching on two UCLA matters.

http://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2012/07/has-worm-turned-in-ucla-lab-fire-trial.html

http://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2012/04/too-much-old-radio.html

http://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2012/03/da-overreaching.html

UPDATE: UCLA's media release indicates the plea was entered over the objections of Prof. Harran's lawyer, but no explanation is given:

Judge enters not guilty plea on behalf of UCLA professor

By UCLA Newsroom September 05, 2012

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge entered a not guilty plea on behalf of UCLA organic chemistry professor Patrick Harran today, over objections from his attorney, thereby allowing Harran to argue that the charges never should have been brought.

The Los Angeles County district attorney filed the charges in connection with a December 2008 laboratory accident on campus that led to the death of a staff research associate.

UCLA Chancellor Gene Block has pledged UCLA's strong support for Harran and ongoing commitment to providing for his defense. In July, the district attorney dismissed all charges against the University of California Board of Regents — the other defendant originally charged — after acknowledging UCLA's dedication to further improving laboratory safety on its campus and beyond.

UCLA has dramatically enhanced its lab safety programs in recent years, increasing the number of inspections, strengthening policies on the required use of personal protective equipment and developing a hazard assessment tool that labs must update annually or whenever conditions change. The UC Center for Laboratory Safety was also established to improve lab safety and help implement best practices on university campuses and beyond.

Source: http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/harran-238186.aspx

Service With a Smile? UC is Encouraged; CSU is Mandated

It may seem self-evident, but it's nevertheless a matter of state law that teaching is an "essential responsibility," along with research, for members of the University of California's faculty and "a primary responsibility" for those in the California State University system...  But if Gov. Jerry Brown signs a bill that whipped through both houses of the Legislature in the final, hectic hours of the 2012 session, that will change – radically, perhaps.

A third element would be required in the hiring and promotion of faculty members. It's called "service." The specifics of Assembly Bill 2132 appear to give great weight to political, or at least semi-political, activities favored by those on the political left.  They include, in the words of a legislative bill analysis, "developing programs for underserved populations" and "outreach programs developed to promote cultural diversity in the student body."

The California State University system would be required to make "service" an element with teaching and the bill "encourages" the constitutionally independent University of California to include "service" in its evaluations...

Full story at http://www.sacbee.com/2012/09/05/4787157/dan-walters-bill-adds-a-new-factor.html

The bill is at http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/asm/ab_2101-2150/ab_2132_bill_20120824_amended_sen_v94.pdf

No one wants to talk

More and more news items are appearing about the roadblock at the systemwide Academic Senate to the Anderson School's MBA self-sufficiency funding plan. The LA Times has now picked up the story:

...Allison Holmes, an Anderson school spokeswoman and assistant dean, said Tuesday that the school was looking at the implications of the committee ruling and that it was too soon for a response. Steve Montiel, a UC system spokesman, said (UC President Mark) Yudof also needed time to study the committee's decision and to consult with other UC officials before deciding what to do.

Full article at http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0905-ucla-mba-20120905,0,1578391.story

Inside Higher Ed did get someone to say something on behalf of UCLA:

"UCLA leaders believe it is imperative to find innovative solutions to ensure continued academic excellence amid dramatic reductions in state support. The proposal to convert the UCLA Anderson School of Management MBA program from a state-supported to a self-supporting degree program adds an estimated $8 million for undergraduate programs campus wide, and preserves the university's public mission," (somebody said).

Full story at  http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2012/09/05/faculty-panel-throws-roadblock-plan-self-sufficiency-ucla-b-school

The full, but unattributed, statement from UCLA is circulating at Anderson.  It indicates that UCLA intends to push for implementation despite the negative letter which it points to as "advisory."

“UCLA leaders believe it is imperative to find innovative solutions to ensure continued academic excellence amid dramatic reductions in state support. The proposal to convert the UCLA Anderson School of Management MBA program from a state-supported to a self-supporting degree program adds an estimated $8 million for undergraduate programs campus wide, and preserves the university’s public mission. At the same time, UCLA Anderson students will obtain the benefits of greater tuition predictability, and the school will have more flexibility to invest in its full time MBA program. The Anderson faculty, its Board of Visitors, its student leadership and the UCLA Academic Senate’s Legislative Assembly each approved the proposal, sending it to the University of California system for review. The vote by the University of California Academic Senate Coordinating Committee on Graduate Affairs to suspend its review is an advisory action and not the end of the process. For the benefit of UCLA's undergraduate and MBA students, our faculty, and the state, UCLA leaders remain committed to pursuing final approval of the proposal.” 

Settling Pepper

Among the various items on the Regents agenda in September is a review of litigation affecting UC. Included is a tentative settlement of the UC-Davis pepper spray incident. Another bit of litigation from the "occupy" demonstrations at Davis involving a bank branch there is also up for discussion.

The Japanese Garden litigation is on the list as is the UCLA lab fire incident involving a faculty member being prosecuted by the local DA (and defended by the university).  And there is a lawsuit arising from demonstrations at Berkeley.

The full list is at http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/regents/regmeet/sept12/finx.pdf but note that all of this discussion will take place in closed session.  Assuming the pepper settlement is approved, it will be made public.

A story on the pepper settlement can be found at:
http://www.sacbee.com/2012/09/04/4786808/students-in-uc-davis-pepper-spray.html

Impressive!! The UCLA Hotel-Brick-Grande Unveiled on Regents Agenda

As noted on yesterday's blog, the Regents agenda was posted but without the detailed items.  Now we can see the images of the UCLA Hotel Grande and it turns out to be brick.  The prior conceptual images were not clear.  There is also a grand report to the Regents which surely they will read, page by page.  Those who testified at the June hearing will be happy to note that "no substantive comments were received in comment letters or the public hearing that required changes to the conclusions of the Draft EIR."  

The Regents item can be downloaded at:
http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/regents/regmeet/sept12/gb3.pdf

or read at:

Open publication - Free publishing - More hotel

Or seen at: