Unclear how UCLA will do it

Since UCLA has a large natural gas (fossil fuel) power plant that generates much of its electricity, it's not clear how the goal described below will be accomplished. Possibly, there is some plan to buy carbon credits.  ????

UC system to get 100% renewable power in less than 10 years

David R. Baker, Sep. 4, 2018, SF Chronicle

The University of California plans to move to 100 percent renewable power by 2025 — and by June 2019 — less than a year away — no new UC buildings will use fossil fuels on-site for space or water heating.

===

The University of California system on Tuesday set a goal of powering all its campuses and medical centers with 100 percent renewable energy by 2025, as part of its efforts to fight global warming.

The system has already committed to making its daily operations carbon-neutral by the same year, meaning they won’t add greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere. Two years ago, it opened a solar power plant in Fresno County to help boost the school system’s supply of renewable electricity.

The university system also will try to make its existing buildings more energy efficient. And after June 2019, no new UC buildings will use fossil fuels on-site for space or water heating.

“UC’s system-wide commitment to carbon neutrality and sustainability originated from students asking the university to practice what it teaches,” David Phillips, the system’s associate vice president for energy and sustainability, said in a statement. “Our students have been great partners, and their leadership has encouraged us to take a major step by committing to buy 100 percent clean electricity by 2025.”

Source: https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/UC-system-to-get-100-renewable-power-in-less-13204420.php

Is legislature looking for magic?

From page 15 (pdf page 21) of the "Supplemental Report of the 2018-19 Budget Act" published by the Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO):

Item 6440-001-0001—University of California

Plan to Limit Nonresident Enrollment. The University of California shall develop a plan starting in fall 2020 to gradually reduce the enrollment of nonresident freshman students to no more than 10 percent of the freshman class at every campus by 2029-30. The plan shall include options for replacing the revenues from nonresident students, including but not limited to increasing nonresident tuition for the remaining nonresidents and increasing General Fund support from the state. The options shall not include increasing tuition on resident students for this purpose.

The university shall submit this plan to the Legislature by April 1, 2019. It is the intent of the Legislature that the plan would be implemented once approved, with any necessary changes, by the Legislature through the 2019-20 budget process.

Source: https://lao.ca.gov/reports/2018/3883/supplemental-language-2018.pdf

Are we to believe that when the "plan" says give UC more money legislators, it will magically happen?

Border Control (Westwood Style)

From the Bruin: 
The Board of Neighborhood Commissioners approved the borders and bylaws for the North Westwood Neighborhood Council at a Monday hearing, thereby certifying it as the 98th neighborhood council in Los Angeles. The NWWNC’s borders will include the UCLA campus, the North Village and Westwood Village. 

The new council will oversee local policies and neighborhood planning and report to the Los Angeles City Council. Westwood Forward, a coalition of students, homeowners, and local stakeholders, formed the NWWNC following a May vote to subdivide the jurisdiction of Westwood. The group ran on a platform of addressing issues such as housing and a lack of nightlife entertainment in the area. 

BONC approved a boundary adjustment along Hilgard Avenue that will allow the current Westwood Neighborhood Council to retain the area east of Hilgard Avenue and north of Strathmore Drive in order to prevent splitting Hilgard residents between two councils. BONC found Fire Station 37, UCLA Rehabilitation Services and Westwood Branch Library shareable because they are public facilities. The board authorized these spaces as shared facilities in both councils’ bylaws. All other proposals for shared boundaries made by the WWNC were turned down, including Westwood Village...

Full story at http://dailybruin.com/2018/08/28/board-of-neighborhood-commissioners-certifies-bylaws-and-boundaries-for-nwwnc/

The Eroding Master Plan

UC president Clark Kerr hands Master Plan to Gov. Pat Brown

We have noted in earlier posts that the legislature has permitted some "pilot" programs at community colleges in which bachelors degrees are offered, in contradiction to the old 1960 Master Plan for Higher Education.

The Master Plan, of course, is one of the legacies of Governor Pat Brown, Jerry Brown's dad.

These new pilot programs were given a "sunset" date. In theory, the Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) would do a study and evaluation. Presumably, the legislature could then decide about a further extension.

A bill - SB 1406 - now on Governor Brown's extends the "sunset" date by three years. In effect, the ad hoc approach to modifying the Master Plan would continue. Governor (Jerry) Brown never seemed interested in having a more formal and comprehensive approach to examining the Master Plan and its division of responsibilities between the three segments: UC, CSU, and community colleges. Whether his successor - likely to be Gavin Newsom - will have such an interest is unknown.

Information on SB 1404 can be found at:
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SB1406

Coming along

As we have been doing on slow news days for the university - and Labor Day fits that description - we post recent photos of the building going up off the Anderson complex. We again note that while changes are visible, at least when yours truly has visited, there doesn't seem to be feverish activity.

UCLA History: Normal

The State Normal School in the early 1900s, above and below. It originally was located where the main LA library is located today. It then moved to its Vermont Avenue campus where LA City College is now located. In 1919, it became the southern branch of the University of California.

California Closer To Making Public Colleges Offer Abortion Drugs

A measure that would make California the first state to require all public universities to offer abortion medication at their campus health centers cleared a hurdle Wednesday.

None of the 34 University of California or California State University campuses currently offer abortion services. The California Assembly approved the measure, which returns to the Senate for a final sign-off.

Private donors have agreed to pay millions of dollars in startup costs including ultrasound machines, staff training and the creation of a 24-hour hotline for questions and emergency referrals. Universities would be required to offer the service by 2022.

Medication that instigates an abortion can be administered up to 10 weeks into a pregnancy. One medication is administered in the clinic and a patient is given a second drug to take later at home.

The medications induce bleeding similar to a miscarriage, according to legislative records.

Abortion rights advocates say it can be difficult and expensive for women to seek abortions off campus, and time is of the essence because medications can only be used early in a pregnancy.

“Today, California took another historic step towards ensuring that the students who have made the decision to end a pregnancy have the support and resources they need,” Surina Khan, CEO of The Women’s Foundation of California, said in a statement.

The anti-abortion group Students for Life called the vote a tragedy.

“Schools should be focused on educating the next generation, not ensuring that it’s easy to end the lives of future generations,” the organization’s president, Kristan Hawkins, said in a statement.

The state Senate has already approved the measure but must sign off on changes made in the Assembly.

The Women’s Foundation and the Tara Foundation are among the donors that have pledged to cover startup costs.

Source: https://www.kpbs.org/news/2018/aug/29/california-closer-making-colleges-offer-abortion-d/

Note: The bill was approved and sent to the governor.