CA and UC budget information

by Joe Kiskis The long-overdue State budget finally signed into law appropriated to the University almost the same amount of money in current dollars for 2008-2009 that it received for 2007-2008. After accounting for inflation and other unavoidable cost increases,…

A new look at funding for public universities

Chris Newfield, Professor at UC Santa Barbara, member of the UCSB Faculty Association, and former Chair of systemwide Planning and Budget, wrote a very compelling argument in favor of public funding of universities. His arguments are especially relevant in the…

CUCFA Actions Update

This past year has been a busy one for the Council of UC Faculty Associations (CUCFA), the systemwide umbrella organization that the DFA is a part of. As the state’s budget situation has grown worse, CUCFA has spent more time…

Changes to your UCRP benefits administration

The message below, written by CUCFA Vice President Joe Kiskis, is being forwarded to the members of the DFA at the request of DFA Chair Ian Kennedy: ————————— Hi, folks. Attached [PDF], please find the official Senate position on the…

The State of Shared Governance

by Ian Kennedy The following paragraph (p.8) in the annual report on The State of Shared Governance by UC Senate Chair, Michael Brown, was spotted by a DFA member. We share it below with our bold highlighting added. Some of…

Information about HCRA and COBRA accounts

UCOP continues to make changes to our benefits programs. See the notice below that was received by CUCFA. Begin forwarded message: Re: Administration of Flexible Spending Accounts and COBRA  Administration. For your information, the University of California is assessing proposals…

CUCFA letter to Yudof on Natural Reserve System

Earlier this year the DFA and CUCFA (Council of UC Faculty Associations) apprised President Yudof of our concerns about the proposed changes to management of the UC natural reserve system. CUCFA sent him a letter expressing our concerns. We have…