Above the jurisdiction of student governments, deans and chancellors lies that of the UC Board of Regents.
The board is comprised of 26 of the most influential individuals in the University of California system, yet many students may be unaware of who they are or how they impact daily campus life.
The board was created in 1878 by a section of the California Constitution and was intended to keep the UC system from being influenced by state politics, according to the Regents Web site. Thus, the regents serve as the governing body of the UC system and meet every other month for two days at various UC campuses.
Eighteen of the 26 regents are appointed by the governor of California for 12-year term, insulating them from political influence, said UC spokesman Steve Montiel. He added that the long terms were intended to prevent the regents from beholding to the current or future governors.
In addition to the 18 gubernatorial appointees, one regent is a student who is appointed by the regents for a one-year term.
There are also seven regents seats reserved for ex-officio members who are part of the board based on virtue of their position. The ex-officio members include the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the assembly, superintendent of public instruction, president and vice president of the Alumni Associations of UC and the UC president, according to the Web site.
Two faculty members, the chair and vice chair of the Academic Council also sit on the board as non-voting members, according to the Web site.
Serving as a regent is not a full-time job and regents do have other occupations, Montiel said. He added that the regents do not receive monetary compensation for their work.
Although all 26 regents could not be reached for interviews, Daily Bruin assistant news editor Samantha Masunaga spoke with three of the regents about their positions on the board and important issues for the upcoming school year.
Chairman Russell Gould
Regent Gould previously served as senior vice president of Wachovia Bank and executive vice president of the J. Paul Getty Trust, where he was responsible for investment of the trust’s assets. He is also an alumnus of UC Berkeley, where he received his bachelor’s degree in political science. As chairman, Gould is responsible for presiding over board meetings and dealing with administrative matters. He recently created the UC Commission on the Future, which met for the first time on Sept. 8.
Daily Bruin: Why did you decide to become a regent?
Russell Gould: I went to Cal and it absolutely opened the world to me. My father was a plumber and my mother never went to college so the chance for me to go to college opened many doors. (Being a regent) gave me a chance to give back and maintain the tradition for students to transform their lives like mine.
DB: What is the purpose of the UC Commission on the Future?
RG: (It’s purpose is) to reintroduce the UC to Sacramento and fight for every dollar. The university is important to build California’s economy and leadership ““ we need the legislature and the governor to support it. I can’t imagine a successful California without the UC and we’re beginning the campaign and fighting hard. We need to look at maintaining excellence and how to manage affairs with budget reductions and how we can re-imagine affordability.
DB: What is it like to be chairman of the board?
RG: The timing was not quite perfect. It’s a tough period for the state but the UC is so vital that we’ve got to get a stronger commitment. This is too important not to get engaged.
Student Regent Jesse Bernal
Bernal is a graduate student at UC Santa Barbara at the Gevirtz School of Education working on his doctorate in education with an emphasis on cultural perspectives. As a student regent, Bernal is a member of the Committee on Compliance and Audit Finance and the Committee on Long Range Planning. He is also the chair of the Special Student Commission on the Future.
Daily Bruin: Why did you decide to become a student regent?
Jesse Bernal: I was in the UC Student Association a year before and was the university affairs chair, so I did lobbying and positions for the regents. I knew about (the regents) already and my goals are to enhance diversity, affordability, and bring a student perspective to the board.
DB: What is it like to be a student regent?
JB: At the first meetings, (the regents) were initiating findings of the UC diversity study and it seemed to be an anti-diversity governors’ meeting. But the board is opposite ““ they wanted diversity and they reaffirmed their commitment. The regents wanted to serve the community and I want to be a part of that. I want to relate messages to students and I’ve gone to all 10 campuses ““ part of my job is to be a liaison between students and regents.
DB: What are some of the issues that you would like to address this year?
JB: Accountability, like the registration fee accountability plan. I want to know where the money is going. Also I’d like to see LGBT and students of color issues on the table ““ it hasn’t really been addressed and with the budget issues being addressed, this is pushed to the side.
DB: What have you learned since working with the regents?
JB: It’s a tough place to be sometimes and I’ve gained appreciation for people in these roles. They really do care about the university and faculty and students. Their hands are tied with the state budget and if we had funding, the regents wouldn’t vote for furloughs or fee increases. But it’s not totally a sympathetic situation ““ a sense of understanding between all groups is really necessary.
Regent Joanne Corday Kozberg
Regent Kozberg is a partner in California Strategies, a public affairs consulting firm and previously served as California’s Secretary of State and Consumer Services. She is also an alumna of UC Berkeley, where she received a bachelor’s degree in history. As a regent, Kozberg is a member of the Committee on Compensation, Committee on Finance, Committee on Grounds and Buildings, and chairs the Committee on Long Range Planning.
Daily Bruin: Why did you decide to become a regent?
Joanne Kozberg: I had been a cabinet secretary in Sacramento and when I was departing, I was asked by the governor (Pete Wilson) to be a regent. I was very honored. As a graduate of Berkeley and a cabinet secretary ““ I saw first-hand the importance of the UC to individual students and the state. Higher education in California is most remarkable ““ it’s the crown jewel in creative thinking and economic vitality. We create the most creative thinkers to address state future issues.
DB: What are some of the issues that you would like to address this year?
JK: (I would like to address) how the university maintains excellence and provides for predicable affordability and maintaining the balance between these. We’ve seen state support erode each year and how do we help students pay for education and make sure that education is excellent?
DB: What are your duties as the chair of the Committee on Long Range Planning?
JK: (I oversee) faculty recruitment and retention ““ we’d like to retain educators as much as possible.