What else did the Regents do?

Well, we know the Regents increased student tuition by 8%, and we know that one UCPD oficer drew a gun on students protesting the fee increase (UCPD also proceeded to take down legally posted fliers on the Berkeley campus denouncing this extreme over-reaction to the student protests — so much for the First Amendment).

Less known is that the Regents also proceeded to approve total compensation of $481,000 for the Vice Chancellor of Research at UC Davis, an increase of $243,600 over the compensation previously approved for this position. Executive VP of Business Operations Nathan Bostrum justified the appointment by pointing out the plight of UC's senior managment:

If you look at our senior management, they're grossly underpaid relative to the market. Our chancellors are 22 percent under market relative to other executives.

Student fees to rise 8%

In an "open letter to California," President Yudof announced today that he plans to bring to the Regents a proposal for a further 8% increase in tuition for in-state students (on top of the 32% increase last year), bringing in-state tuition to a total of $12,150. At the same time, UC would raise the ceiling on the Blue and Gold Program from $70,000 to $80,000 a year.

Nothing unexpected, I suppose. CSU had already announced similar increases, and the State's "restoration" of some of the cuts from last year does not go nearly far enough. But one wishes that at the same time as the University asks students and their families to pay more to attend a UC campus, they would also make a commitment towards transparency and get the different constituency around the university (students, faculty, staff, etc) involved in a serious discussion of UC's financial situation.

Harbinger of things to come

The state of the University.