A light mood prevailed amid discussion of serious issues at the
chancellor’s town hall meeting on Thursday.
Addressing about 200 staff members ““ the people he called
“unsung heroes” ““ Chancellor Albert
Carnesale’s occasional jokes kept the audience smiling as he
talked to the Staff Assembly about budget issues, construction on
campus and student access in the hour-long annual meeting.
Topics of more direct interest to staff, such as salary
concerns, were touched on by Lubbe Levin, assistant vice chancellor
for human resources.
One of the main topics discussed by Carnesale and Levin was the
state budget for the upcoming year.
Carnesale assured the audience that Gov. Schwarzenegger has held
to the compact made last May and will grant the UC system the
agreed-upon three percent budget increase.
“Not that three percent is an enormous increase. It barely
covers academic inflation,” Carnesale said. “But
it’s a lot better than going in the opposite
direction.”
Carnesale talked at length about methods UCLA is using to make
business practices more efficient, such as the closing of campus on
holidays and the raising of private funds. He also highlighted the
importance of keeping UCLA competitive with private universities in
a time when the financial gap between public and private
universities is growing. Carnesale discussed UCLA’s financial
situation and said changes may be necessary in the near future in
order to make sure access and excellence are maintained.
This will likely take the form of “higher fees and higher
aid,” Carnesale said. “People don’t hear the
higher aid part.”
“There are many people who believe we are already not
serving low-income families. … Access is a fundamental value
choice and will remain so” at UCLA, Carnesale said.
Levin took the floor after Carnesale to address questions of
salary proposals, health care cost increases and retirement
issues.
“The governor’s budget acknowledges the fact that
the university needs to stay competitive,” Levin said.
“We’ll know more in May when the governor’s
budget comes out,” Levin finished.
Several audience members liked what they heard.
“I think they talked on the budget, which is on
everybody’s mind, and on the salary raises. We were all
anxious to hear what the governor had to say on that,” said
Virginia Oaxaca, director of employment services for campus human
resources. Others, such as union members from University
Professional and Technical Employees, handed out fliers with
information about a potential UC employee strike to the incoming
audience.
At a time when UPTE is negotiating wages for the upcoming year,
approaching the chancellor is the best way to get the response they
need, said UPTE’s Executive Vice President Cliff Fried.
“We negotiate with the office of the president, but we
believe (Carnesale) plays a role in influencing them,” Fried
said.
“They don’t seem to respond to us unless we approach
the chancellor,” Fried said.