Some Background Material for the Berkeley Academic Senate’s April 22, 2010
Resolution on Reform of University Governance and Leadership
---------------------------------------From the November 12, 2009, meeting of the UC Commission on the Future, comments
by Mark Baldassare, President of the Public Policy Institute of California
“There is a finding and a most recent survey which I will point you to… The majority of
Californians, and large proportions in every political and demographic group, say that
they believe that major changes are needed in our public colleges and universities; and
they believe that the approach to that is a combination of spending money wisely and
increasing taxes. So I really think it is important, particularly at a time when people are
looking for accountability from their public institutions, that some combination of what
we might refer to as efficiency or effectiveness, responsiveness, plus revenues, taxing,
and accountability has to be in that package. …”
----------------------------------------From Insidehighered.com March 23, 2010 by Patrick M. Callan, president of the nonprofit, non-partisan National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education.
“For colleges and universities and their advocates in Washington, the message being sent by the
public is clear. Spending time and money explaining why higher education is essential to the
nation’s future is not the answer. Our data show very plainly that the American people get it
when it comes to the need for higher education. But those same data also depict a public that is
quickly becoming increasingly skeptical of the leadership and management of colleges and
universities. … For policy makers at the state and federal levels, these numbers represent a signal
that voters are increasingly interested in what they are doing and will do to keep higher education
affordable and accessible. … The inconvenient but unavoidable truth is that the time has come
to talk about real changes in how higher education is funded and delivered.”
Full text at:
http://www.insidehighered.com/views/2010/03/23/callan
----------------------------------------Recently amended bill SCA21 pending in the California Legislature:
SEC. 9. (a) The University of California is hereby continued
in existence in the state government, and is subject to legislative
control as may be provided by statute.
(b) The University of California shall be administered by the
existing corporation known as “The Regents of the University of
California,” which is hereby continued in existence in the state
government, and is subject to legislative control as may be provided
by statute.
(c) (1) The Legislature shall enact legislation to implement
this section.
(2) Notwithstanding subdivisions (a) and (b), or any other
provision of this Constitution, the Legislature shall not enact any
law that restrains academic freedom within the University of
California or imposes educational or curricular requirements on
students enrolled at the University of California.
(3) As used in this subdivision, “academic freedom” means the
freedom to discuss all relevant matters in the classroom, to explore
all avenues of scholarship, research, and creative expression, and
to speak or write without institutional discipline or restraint on
matters of public concern as well as matters related to professional
duties and the functioning of the university.
(d) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2011.
Full text at:
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgibin/postquery?bill_number=sca_21&sess=CUR&house=B&author=yee
-----------------------------------------From a Resolution of the Berkeley Division of the Academic Senate, May 6, 1992:
[W]e take this opportunity to declare a position of principle, as follows, which we
advocate for adoption by the Regents of the University of California and by the
governing bodies of all other universities as well:
It should be the policy at any institution of higher learning that the total compensation
paid to any executive officer should not exceed twice the average amount paid to its Full
Professors.
Full text at:
http://academic-senate.berkeley.edu/archives/documents/ExecCompResolution19921.pdf
------------------------------------------Compiled by C. Schwartz
4/10/2010