The Big One and the phones

UCLA is gradually converting its telephone service from traditional landline to some kind of internet-based service. Yours truly made some inquiries about this plan in the context of major emergencies such as a big earthquake, the Big One. He did so remembering that even though the power was out in LA after the 1994 Northridge quake, the landline phone service worked. He did so remembering that after the 1971 quake in LA, the landline phone service worked. He did so remembering that as a graduate student at MIT during the great northeast coast power failure in the mid-1960s (Google it!), he was able to call from the Boston area to New York City despite the lack of power.

Of course, he was assured that, not-to-worry, the abandonment of traditional copper wire landlines at UCLA would have no effect on emergency phone service in a major emergency.

How odd, therefore, that on the LA Times' website today, he found the article below:

Maybe not so odd, however, were these sentences in the article:

"The problems weren’t limited to cellphones. Some customers who get their landline phone service through their broadband internet service provider saw their phone lines go out, despite having their phones charged and equipped with battery backups." ...

"Traditional copper-based landline phones in at least some areas were said to have continued to operate during the power outage."

Full story at https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-11-05/mass-cellphone-outages-during-blackouts-and-fires-are-a-grim-preview-of-life-after-a-major-earthquake

But, as I said, not-to-worry. After all, our experience with UCPath and UCRAYS surely tells us that new technology will work without a glitch, even in extreme circumstances.

Regents Agenda for November Now Posted

Open sessions: Nov. 12-14, 2019

SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON BASIC NEEDS
Date: November 12, 2019

Agenda – Open Session
Public Comment Period
Action: Approval of the Minutes of the Meeting of September 17 and 18, 2019
S1 Discussion: Addressing Students’ Basic Needs Across California: Collaboration with the University of California, California State University, and California Community Colleges
S2 Discussion: Intersection of Basic Needs and Student Mental Health
S3 Discussion: Update on 2019-20 Campus Basic Needs Spending Plans

====
FULL BOARD
Date: November 13, 2019

Agenda – Open Session
Public Comment Period
Approval of the Minutes of the Meeting of September 18, 2019
Remarks of the Chair of the Board
Remarks of the President of the University
Remarks of the Chair of the Academic Senate

====
ACADEMIC AND STUDENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
Date: November 13, 2019

Agenda – Open Session
Action Approval of the Minutes of the Meeting of September 18, 2019
A1 Discussion: Undergraduate Financial Aid at the University of California
A2 Discussion: The Role of the University in Preparing High-Quality Teachers and Administrators to Support Achievement and Opportunity for All Students
A3 Discussion: Examining the University of California Undergraduate Experience Over Time

====
FINANCE AND CAPITAL STRATEGIES COMMITTEE
Date: November 13, 2019

Agenda – Open Session
Action: Approval of the Minutes of the Meeting of September 18, 2019
Action: Consent Agenda:
  A. Approval of Preliminary Plans Funding, Hilgard Faculty Housing, Los Angeles Campus
  B. Approval of the Budget, Scope, and Design and Approval of Long Range Development Plan Amendment Following Action Pursuant To the California Environmental Quality Act Ambulatory Care Center Expansion With Eye Center, Davis Health Campus
  C. Authorization of Medical Center Pooled Revenue Bonds Taxable External Financing
  D. Approval of Budget, Scope, External Financing, and Design Following Action Pursuant To the California Environmental Quality Act, UCSF Research and Academic Building at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, San Francisco Campus
  E. Approval of Budget and External Financing, Roadway and Site Improvements at Zuckerberg San Francisco General, San Francisco Campus Environmental Quality Act, Hillcrest Campus, San Diego Campus
Action: University of California Financial Reports, 2019
Action: Approval of the 2019-2025 Capital Financial Plan
Action: Approval of the New Hospital at UCSF Helen Diller Medical Center at Parnassus Heights Program Integrated Form of Agreement and Procurement Strategy, San Francisco Campus
Action: University of California Retirement Plan – Member Contribution Considerations
Discussion: Report of Budget To Actual Expenditures For Fiscal Year 2018-19 for the Office of the President; and First Quarter Fiscal Year 2019-20 Results
Discussion: UCPath Update
Information: College of Chemistry Expansion Building, Berkeley Campus
Information: Intersection Development Donation, Berkeley Campus
Information: Biological And Environmental Program Integration Center on Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s Main Campus in Berkeley
Information: East Campus Apartments Phase IV-B, Irvine Campus
Information: School of Medicine Education Building II, Riverside Campus
Information: Development of Ocean Road Faculty and Staff Housing, Santa Barbara Campus
Information: Annual Actuarial Valuations For the University of California Retirement Plan and its Segments and for the 1991 University of California-Public Employees’ Retirement System Voluntary Early Retirement Incentive Program
Information: Annual Actuarial Valuation of the University of California Retiree Health Benefit Program

====
COMPLIANCE AND AUDIT COMMITTEE
Date: November 13, 2019

Agenda – Open Session
Action: Approval of the Minutes of the Meeting of September 18, 2019
C1 Discussion: Ethics, Compliance and Audit Services Annual Report 2018-19
C2 Discussion: Update on Implementation of Recommendations From State Audit of University of California Office of the President Administrative Expenditures
C3 Discussion: Report on Independent Assessment of Audit Implementation Status
C4 Discussion: University of California Herbicide Task Force Update
C5 Discussion: Annual Report of External Auditors for the Year Ended June 30, 2019

====
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
Date: November 13, 2019

Agenda – Open Session
Action: Approval of the Minutes of the Meetings of September 17 and 18, 2019
P1 Action: Endorsement of General Obligation Bond Measure on the March 2020 Ballot
P2 Discussion: Federal Governmental Relations Update
P3 Discussion: State Governmental Relations Update
P4 Discussion: UC Student Association Advocacy Presentation
P5 Discussion: First-Generation Student Experience: Former Foster Youth and Carceral System-Impacted Students
P6 Discussion: Annual Report on University Private Support 2018-19

====
GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE
Date: November 13, 2019

Agenda – Open Session
Action: Approval of the Minutes of the Meeting of September 18, 2019
G1 Action: Consent Agenda: Change in Dates and Location of the July 2020 Regents Meeting
G2 Action: Approval of Regents Policy on Contracting Out
G3 Action: Establishment of a New Senior Management Group Position of Chief Strategy Officer, UCLA Health, and the Market Reference Zone for the Position, Los Angeles Campus

====
FULL BOARD
Date: November 14, 2019

Agenda – Open Session
Public Comment Period
Approval of the Minutes of the Meeting of September 4-6 and September 19, 2019
Discussion: Update on Cohort Based Tuition
Action: Approval of the University of California’s 2020-21 Budget for Current Operations
Committee Reports:
-Academic and Student Affairs Committee
-Compliance and Audit Committee
-Finance and Capital Strategies Committee
-Governance Committee
-Health Services Committee
-Public Engagement and Development Committee
-Special Committee on Basic Needs
-Special Committee on Selection of a President

Source (also includes closed sessions):
https://regents.universityofcalifornia.edu/regmeet/nov19/board-11.14.pdf

Clock Reset

Thought you voted against having to change your clock a year ago? To find out why you are still doing it (if you remembered) and why the issue wasn't resolved with a vote, you can hear what yours truly said on the subject to a class last winter at:


or direct to:
Part 1: https://archive.org/details/10btimePart1/10btime-part1.wmv
Part 2: https://archive.org/details/10btimePart1/10btime-part2.wmv

Strike News: Nov. 13

From the Sacramento Bee: More than 25,000 service and health care workers at the University of California will stage a one-day walkout on Nov. 13 over concerns about how their employer is outsourcing jobs that should be performed by union-represented workers.

Local 3299 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees filed six new unfair labor complaints against the UC in late October alleging that it is violating state laws, UC’s own wage and procurement policies and the terms of collective bargaining agreements...

Full story at https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/health-and-medicine/article236925078.html

Open

NOTE: The announcement below appears to focus on active employees' plans, not retiree plans.

This year, Health Benefits Open Enrollment begins 8 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 31, 2019, and ends at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2019. We strongly encourage you to carefully review your coverage and ensure that your benefits for 2020 meet the needs of you and your family members, if applicable.

Here are some highlights for 2020 UC Benefits:

Continued low costs –UC’s premium changes for faculty and staff are moderate, with some members even seeing decreases. Changes to employee contributions for single coverage across all pay bands range from a decrease of $12 per month to an increase of $16 per month. See Employee Medical Costs for 2020.

Changes to prescription drug formulary for UC’s non-Medicare PPO plans – To help keep prescription drug costs and premiums affordable, CORE, UC Care and UC Health Savings Plan will transition from the current Anthem National Drug list to the Anthem Essential Drug list. The Essential drug list focuses on less costly medications with the same effectiveness as more expensive medications.

New Supplemental Health Plans – UC is offering three new supplemental insurance options—Accident, Critical Illness and Hospital Indemnity plans—that pay cash benefits if you experience a covered accident, illness or hospital stay. Visit UC Plus to learn more about all three plans.

For more information on Open Enrollment, please visit the 2020 Open Enrollment website.

UCLA Human Resources is hosting the following Open Enrollment Benefit Fairs:

• Nov. 12, 2019 at Covel Commons, Grand Horizon Room, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.

• Nov. 13, 2019 at Faculty Practice Group-LAX, Atrium, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm.

• Nov. 14, 2019 at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, B Level, from 7:30 am to 1:00 pm.

• Nov. 14, 2019 at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, Conference Rooms 1 & 4, from 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm.

Representatives from UC Health & Welfare Plans will be on hand including Health Net, Kaiser, Anthem, Delta Dental, Fidelity and Optum Behavioral Health, to name a few.

UC Speech Grants

Valuing Open and Inclusive Conversation and Engagement (VOICE) Grant Program

Ends on November 8, 2019

The UC National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement is pleased to announce the Valuing Open and Inclusive Conversation and Engagement (VOICE) Grant Program. VOICE provides funding for UC students, staff and faculty who are interested in conducting research or coordinating programs and activities that further the mission of the Center. 

Mission:  Free and open discourse is essential to the mission of higher education. The Center explores how the fundamental democratic and academic principles of free speech and civic engagement should enrich the discovery and transmission of knowledge in America’s colleges and universities.  Through research, advocacy, debate and discussion, the Center is dedicated to ensuring that the next generation of leaders is prepared to understand, defend and advance these values.

Below are some examples of programs, activities and research topics that may be eligible for funding (this is not an exhaustive list; we encourage originality and creativity):

• skills-building training, workshops (e.g., voter registration/education, legislative advocacy, fostering civic exercise);
• facilitating debate, dialogue and conversation;
• civil discourse: what is it? how do we nurture it?;
• relationship between free speech and other values such as inclusivity and equity;
• hate speech, its impact and/or how to mitigate its harms;
• civic education: how do we foster it?;
• engaging with democratic principles and ideals.

The Center is especially interested in projects that:

will have an impact on campus by fostering and sustaining conversations and engagement across and within campus constituencies.

VOICE grants will be awarded on a competitive basis. One goal of the program is to award grants to individuals/groups from each of the 10 UC campuses. The Center will fund the VOICE grants; grant recipients will administer awarded projects in compliance with both UC policies and campus-specific guidance on the campus(es) where the projects take place.

Individual grant amounts can be up to $5,000 (applicants will be asked to upload a proposed budget for the amount requested), and the total number of grants awarded will depend on the amount requested by the final proposals selected.

Who is Eligible?

All current UC students, staff and faculty are eligible to receive a grant as individuals or as members of a group, team, office or department...

Details at https://freespeechcenter.submittable.com/submit/147345/valuing-open-and-inclusive-conversation-and-engagement-voice-grant-program

UCLA History: View from Above

As seen from the Goodyear blimp.