Suggestions and goals were discussed during the UC Commission on the Future’s public forum at UC San Francisco on Tuesday.
Ideas included simplifying course requirements and maintaining the California Master Plan for Higher Education, according to a statement from the UC Office of the President.
“The commission heard from representatives of Academic Senate, the staff organization and from the student regent-designate, Jesse Cheng. “¦ That was the bulk of the meeting,” said Steve Montiel, UCOP spokesman.
The UC Commission on the Future, which is co-chaired by UC Board of Regents Chairman Russell Gould and UC President Mark Yudof, is designed to develop “long-range approaches to ensuring excellence, innovation and access” across the UC system, according to a statement from the UC Office of the President.
There are five working groups in the commission, which focus on the size and shape of UC, education and curriculum, access and affordability, and funding and research strategies. Each group is composed of a variety of members, including students, staff and alumni.
The groups will give recommendations to the UC Commission on the Future in March 2010.
“The working groups have really just started their work,” Montiel said. “There are no specific recommendations (yet).”
The commission intended the forum to be a way to encourage comment and discussion from community members.
“(The forum) is simply to provide (a place) for the general public to give their thoughts, perspective and ideas to the commission,” Montiel said.
A second forum will be held in Southern California in January, however it has yet to be determined if it will be held in Los Angeles or elsewhere.