A UC Berkeley professor has called for an independent
investigation of university compensation deals in response to
brewing concerns about perks and bonuses for some top
administrators.
On Monday, a faculty petition for an independent investigation
was presented to the university. Launched two weeks ago, it has
already garnered the support of about 55 University of California
professors, mostly from the Los Angeles and Berkeley campuses.
UC President Robert Dynes had already announced at this
month’s UC Board of Regents meeting the formation of a task
force ““ led by former regent Bob Hertzberg and current regent
Joanne Kozberg ““ to look into making the compensation of UC
employees more transparent. But some say the pair is too closely
tied to the governing Board of Regents to be impartial.
Three weeks ago, the university system was shaken when Provost
M.R.C. Greenwood, the UC’s second highest-ranking official,
resigned amid an investigation into possible conflicts of interest
in two university hiring decisions.
The controversy revolves around the hiring of Greenwood’s
son as a paid senior intern at UC Merced and the hiring of Lynda
Goff, Greenwood’s former real estate partner, for a
high-ranking administrative position.
Additionally, the UC was criticized for lack of transparency
after a San Francisco Chronicle report two weeks ago detailing
bonuses and other previously unreported compensation for
high-ranking officials.
Some say the recent troubles have the potential to hurt the
university system before state lawmakers hash out next year’s
budget.
Bruce Fuller, a professor of education and public policy at UC
Berkeley, said he started the petition in hopes of restoring the
public’s faith in the regents and the UC Office of the
President.
“Until President Dynes recognizes this is a serious
problem, there’s going to be great cynicism among students,
parents and donors about the president’s leadership,”
Fuller said.
In an e-mail statement, UCOP spokesman Paul Schwartz said
it’s the UC’s intention to “be publicly
accountable and as transparent as possible.”
The regent-led task force will “consider ways to improve
our public disclosure policies and internal practices regarding
compensation and other personnel-related matters,” Schwartz
added.
But Fuller said it would be impossible for Hertzberg and
Kozberg, who were involved in figuring compensation deals, to
independently investigate their own decisions.
An investigation into UCOP and the UC Regents led by former and
current members of the governing board would be a conflict of
interest, Fuller said.
He said controversy concerning compensation deals and
high-ranking payoffs could not have come at a worse time, as Gov.
Arnold Schwarzenegger is currently preparing his yearly budget
proposal ““ which includes UC appropriations ““ due in
January.
At their last meeting, the regents voted to increase student
fees next year, except in the case of a funding increase from the
state legislature.
Fuller said that amid recent controversies, good will from
Sacramento that would render fee hikes moot is unlikely.
“It’s a political disaster in Sacramento,”
Fuller said. “Every year the UC president schlepps up to
Sacramento and claims poverty. And after reading the newspapers
around the state, how this president is squandering resources, what
legislator will vote for bigger appropriations for UC?”
Student Regent Adam Rosenthal said the call for an independent
investigation is premature.
“It finds smoke where there may not be any fire,” he
said.
Rosenthal said faculty would be better off addressing concerns
to the regents, a body he said is fully capable of thoroughly and
independently investigating university affairs.
UC leaders, including Dynes, have said the lucrative
compensation deals in question are necessary to attract top
candidates to fill high-ranking positions within the university
system.
The regents approved salary increases averaging 2.5 percent for
top UC administrators, campus chancellors and other executives at
their last meeting.
The faculty petition takes a sharp jab at the assumption that
increased salaries translate into more competent management.
“If such perks have been effective in attracting such wise
managers, why have these same individuals made such reckless
decisions which now place the university’s record of
integrity and moral leadership in jeopardy?” the petition
reads.