Regents discuss stem cell research, appoint administrators

Following a day where most actions and debates revolved around the topic of fee increases, the UC Board of Regents meeting at UCLA ended today as the regents covered issues that included an update on stem cell research around the university as well as the appointment of administrative positions and salaries.

The meeting opened with a public comment session, where a few professional students came to speak about their discontentment with the regents’ decision Wednesday to raise student fees.

Monica Sanchez, the president of the Graduate Students Association, reflected on her own personal circumstances, having an 8-year-old son and having to take out many loans to afford her education.

Sanchez said she believes the fee increases for professional students did not take into account that some students are parents and have an extra financial load to support their families.

A brief update was also done on the UC-managed laboratories, including the status of continuing the bid for the Lawrence Livermore laboratories.

Though he was vague about the status of other competitors for the lab bid, Robert Foley, the vice president of laboratory administration, said that a transitional team has been put in to ensure a smooth changeover if the university receives the offer.

Foley also acknowledged the Department of Energy for choosing the lab’s design of a reliable replacement warhead, which he said he believed met the needs of the program.

“There seems to be a stronger pedigree in the Livermore design,” Foley said.

During the committee on compensation session, the regents disclosed and approved Diane Griffiths as the new secretary and chief of staff for the board. Griffiths was previously the state counsel of the California State Assembly Rules Committee.

According to regents chairman Richard Blum, the position will report directly to the regents and will be responsible for coordinating and facilitating all the work of the board.

The regents also appointed Katie Lapp as the university’s executive vice president for business operations, which is a newly created position made by the UC. The position would be responsible to help improve accountability of the UC’s administrative support operations.

Griffiths’ and Lapp’s appointments are part of a management restructuring occurring throughout the UC’s Office of the President, according to a UCOP press release.

“(Lapp’s) consensus-building leadership, breadth of experience and administrative skills will help us continue to make UC’s business operations more efficient, more strategic and more effective in fulfilling our mission to shape the university’s and California’s future,” UC President Robert Dynes said.

Rory Hume, the vice president of health affairs, led a presentation on stem cell research and the university’s involvement in the field, with UCLA faculty and researchers Judith Gasson and Owen Witte assisting the presentation.

Many regents showed support of the progress the university was making and the recent grant money nine out of the 10 UC campuses received by the Institute for Regenerative Medicine. UCLA received nine of these grants, the most out of any campus.

“This work is the most exciting work that any scientist will ever tell you they’ve ever been involved in. And the UC system is taking an incredible lead,” Lansing said.

Hume also spoke for the study group on diversity, saying they will be making interim recommendations in May as to the status of student diversity at the UC.

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