Prepared on behalf of the DFA Board by Joe Kiskis
As a service to Davis Faculty Association members, this informal newsletter will be emailed to members several times a year as developments warrant. The goal is to draw attention to items of likely interest related to UC Davis, the University of California, or higher education more generally.
The Davis Faculty Association is affiliated with the Council of UC Faculty Associations (CUCFA) and with the American Association of University Professors (AAUP).
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Topics:
RETIREE HEALTH BENEFITS WORKING GROUP Interim Report July 3, 2018
Good news for now
DAVIS FACULTY ASSOCIATION ACTIONS
Letters on a number of topics
CUCFA ACTIONS
Letters on a number of topics
SURVEY OF FACULTY JOB SATISFACTION
A mixed bag, strong in some areas, not so much in others
UC DAVIS BUDGET PROCESS REVIEW
“all three components of the budget system may require adjustments”
UC DAVIS LONG RANGE DEVELOPMENT PLAN
Approved by Regents, but not everyone is pleased
UC BUDGET
Negligible increase to base budget, but significant one-time funds
PENSION THEFT
Thieves have impersonated retirees to divert pension checks
SENATE LETTERS
LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LAB CONTRACT
UC with new partners awarded new contract
JULY REGENTS MEETING (other items)
Comments by Senate Chair White
Lecturers with Security of Employment
Non-resident undergraduate experience
ONLINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
OPEN LETTER TO UC PRESIDENT ON FUNDRAISING
Remaking the University
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RETIREE HEALTH BENEFITS WORKING GROUP Interim Report July 3, 2018
President Napolitano responds with approval July 19, 2018
From the report:
“Finding: The Working Group finds that the UC Retiree Health program will remain substantially unchanged for 2019.
“Recommendation: The Working Group recommends that the University percentage contribution to retiree health premiums for eligible retirees aged 65 and older not coordinated with Medicare be lowered gradually to levels comparable to Medicare coordinated retirees.
“Recommendation: The Working Group recommends that the Group continue to meet through 2019 with its present membership in order to address principles and mid to long-term strategies. It further recommends that there be extensive consultation with active employees and retirees during this period.
“The Working Group’s finding is based on a report from UC/HR that the cost increase for the Retiree Health Program for 2019 will be between 2% and 2.5%. This is significantly under the 4% maximum increase cap in place for 2019. The assessment to the campuses will be $2.70 per $100 of covered compensation for 2019 (vs. a projected assessment of $2.95) and will retain UC’s floor of 70% per capita contribution to health plan premiums. Consequently, no alterations to plan offerings or plan benefit design is being contemplated for 2019.”
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DAVIS FACULTY ASSOCIATION ACTIONS
UC Student Workers’ Bargaining at Wyatt March 21
Librarians Kicking Off Bargaining April 17
UC Service Workers to Strike May 7-9
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COUNCIL OF UC FACULTY ASSOCIATION ACTIONS
Concerns About the Open Access Dissertation Policy
Letter of Support for Student Workers’ Bargaining
AFSCME Research Report “Pioneering Inequality”
Cuts to Retiree Health Benefits Are Still on the Table
UC’s Contract with General Dynamics Information Technology
“The Council of the University of California Faculty Associations writes to you as Chair and officers of the National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement to express our strong concern about, and opposition to, two bills, that are presently before the US Congress and that threaten fundamental academic freedom and freedom of speech more broadly. We are referring here to the ‘Anti-Semitism Awareness Act’ (ASAA) and H.R. 4508 (commonly known as the ‘Prosper Act’), especially sections 601, 604, and 629.”
Note: UC is on record in opposition to the Prosper Act but for different reasons.
Followup with UC National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement
“[…]We would like to use this exchange as an opportunity to learn from you how the Center’s leadership understands not only its mission but also its relationship to UC Senate faculty, for we would also be happy to assist suggesting ways UC faculties could be better integrated into the activities of the Center.”
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SURVEY OF FACULTY JOB SATISFACTION
Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE) Survey of Faculty Job Satisfaction results:
Cover letter from Provost Hexter
Introduction and Overview of Survey Results
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UC DAVIS BUDGET PROCESS REVIEW
May 8, 2018 cover letter from Chancellor May and DD Senate Chair Rachael Goodhue:
“This review was initiated at the suggestion of the Academic Senate and included participation by faculty, deans and staff. Now that we have the final report, it is important that we study EY’s recommendations thoughtfully as we consider the next stages of the budget model. Over the coming years, we must achieve a more holistic approach to the campus budget process because it seems likely that the rate of growth that has characterized the recent past will moderate, challenging us to find other opportunities to maintain our strength and advance our mission.”
Note: EY is a large, multinational professional services company
Budget Allocation Assessment Report
“Our analysis indicates that all three components of the budget system may require adjustments, not just the budget model…Many seem to understand the formulas driving the allocation of tuition revenue, there is no confusion. People may not like the outcomes or the principles guiding the allocation, but at least they know how the outcomes were derived…Budget model incentives aligned to the 2020 Initiative, but there is perception that they are not as well aligned to promoting quality education…Decision making process and logic to support investment decisions is not consistently transparent at many levels”
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UC DAVIS LONG RANGE DEVELOPMENT PLAN
At their meeting July 18 and 19, the Regents approved the
As you can imagine, the LRDP and the associated Environmental Impact Report include a great deal of information. Significant growth is envisioned: the addition of 5,175 students to a total of 39,000, the addition of space for an additional 9,050 students living on campus to a total of 18,868, the addition of 2,135 employees to a total of 14,500.
Not everyone is pleased.
Davis Enterprise
UC Regents approve LRDP over city’s objections
Davis Vanguard
Regents Approve LRDP but Want UC Davis to Work with City to Address Mitigation
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UC BUDGET
“The Legislature adopted a final 2018-19 State Budget on June 14 and the Governor signed the budget package into law on June 27. The State General Fund budget totals $138.6 billion and reflects a spending increase of nine percent ($11.6 billion) over 2017-18. For the University, ongoing General Fund support for operating expenses will increase by $98.1 million, a 2.9 percent increase over the University’s 2017-18 permanent base budget. In addition, the budget provides the University with temporary, one-time General Fund appropriations totaling $248.8 million, including $105 million for general University needs and $35 million for deferred maintenance. This new funding has been incorporated into a revised 2018-19 budget plan for the University, which the Board is asked to approve. Under the plan, the University would have sufficient funds to cover projected increases in mandatory costs in 2018-19 without the immediate need for a tuition increase and would be able to make critical one-time investments in student success, restoring academic quality, and other areas. However, because over two-thirds of new State support for the University is provided in the form of temporary, one-time funding, additional ongoing resources will be needed to maintain proposed levels of expenditures beyond 2018-19. The proposed budget plan reflects the fact that, by fall 2018, the University will have recovered nearly all damages resulting from two class-action lawsuits that led to the assessment of a temporary tuition surcharge of $60 since fall 2007. Consequently, under the plan, the surcharge would be eliminated and tuition would decline by $60 effective fall 2018.
“The University plans to work closely with the incoming Governor’s administration and the Legislature to develop a sustainable longer-term enrollment and funding model consistent with the University’s long-term goals of access, affordability, and excellence.”
The rest of this Regents agenda item provides a clear and instructive description of the legislative history this year and is recommended reading. In short, although State revenues, legislative support, and advocacy for the University were very strong, Governor Brown held firm, and the final State UC budget contained only a very modest (2.9%) increase in base funding.
The temporary one-time funds include a number of specific carve-outs. Of note is one for our struggling sister campus to the southwest: “The Budget Act provides $25 million to UC Berkeley to address its operating deficit, subject to certain reporting requirements.”
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PENSION THEFT
It has recently become known that there have been three cases in which thieves were successful in stealing pension payments by impersonating the legitimate payee and switching direct deposit to a different bank account. At last report, the University has not chosen to reissue checks to the affected retirees.
Senate letter Re: Cybersecurity Improvements for Payroll & Pension Access
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SENATE LETTERS
Shared Governance in the Review of UCOP Reorganization
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Report of the Systemwide Public Safety Task Force
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The Future of UC Press
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LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LAB CONTRACT
“On June 8, 2018, the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA) announced that it had awarded the follow-on LANL management and operating (M&O) contract to the UC team: Triad National Security, LLC.
“Triad is a limited liability company consisting of three members: the Regents of the University of California, Battelle Memorial Institute, and the Texas A&M University System. Triad will be supported in the performance of the LANL M&O contract by integrated subcontractors Fluor Federal Services, Stoller Newport News Nuclear, and various small business concerns.”
Comment: Interesting choice for the name of the LLC. In nuclear weapons speak, the triad refers to the three components of the strategic nuclear weapons force: land based ICBMs, submarine launched missiles, and long range bombers.
Related reporting:
UC History and Future: Manhattan Continues
UC History and Future: Manhattan Continues – Part 2
U. of California and Texas A&M Win Bid to Run Birthplace of Atom Bomb
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JULY REGENTS MEETING
Some items not already mentioned above:
Senate Chair Shane White’s comments to the Regents (PDF and VIDEO)
These pointed remarks to the board review problems with State funding for UC and end with a challenge to the Regents.
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Lecturers with Security of Employment (LSOE)
This long-running discussion of changes related to the LSOE title appears to have ended in compromise.
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Nonresident Undergraduates and Their University of California Experience
This report contains some useful, interesting, and even inspiring tables comparing various student populations.
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ONLINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Governor Brown gets something in one of his favorite areas
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OPEN LETTER TO UC PRESIDENT ON FUNDRAISING
Remaking the University: open letter to Janet Napolitano on the over reliance on private giving