Yet Another UC Compensation Scandal Renews Calls for Legislation
California Political Desk
August 13, 2009
SACRAMENTO – Last month, the University of California Board of Regents yet again approved exorbitant pay raises for more than two dozen executives. The hikes, which include a 25 percent increase for UC San Francisco´s chief financial officer and pay in excess $500,000 for UCSF´s chief operating officer, were documented in last week´s San Francisco Chronicle.
The latest scandal has renewed calls for legislation currently pending that would limit executive compensation increases in years in which the state budget allocation to the UC has not increased.
The legislation, SB 217 authored by Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco/San Mateo), is set to be heard next Wednesday in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
"The public is tired of the UC administration acting like AIG," said Yee. "It is imperative that we stop the UC Regents from turning our public university into a private country club. We can ill-afford an administration that continues to disrespect the taxpayers, students, and their low-wage workers and faculty."
The recent scandal is just the latest of several pay hikes for UC executives in 2009. Earlier this year, the UC handed out 22 percent pay increases for several senior managers and paid exorbitant administrative leave for two former chancellors, receiving over $300,000 and $400,000 a year each. The Regents also approved a $450,000 salary for the new UCSF Chancellor (a 12 percent hike from the previous chancellor) and a $400,000 salary for the new UC Davis Chancellor (a 27 percent hike from her predecessor). UC President Mark Yudof also receives nearly a $1 million in salaries and perks.
These actions come at the same time the Regents approved pay cuts, layoffs, and furloughs for lower wage workers.
"Excessive pay raises and extravagant perks is yet another example of UC executive's misguided choices and misplaced priorities," said Lakesha Harrison, President of AFSCME 3299. "Workers are being asked to put less food on their families´ tables while UC executives continue to enrich them themselves. Students are asked to pay more but get fewer services. This is outrageous and unacceptable. It is the reason why Californian's need to reform the UC to make it accountable to taxpayers, not their own self interest."
Senator Yee, along with several Democratic and Republican co-authors, also introduced Senate Constitutional Amendment 21 to require the UC to adhere to all state laws. Unlike the CSU, community colleges, and all other public entities, the UC can currently ignore statutes approved by the Legislature and signed by the Governor.
SCA 21 has received over 6,000 letters of support from students, faculty, and taxpayers, and is endorsed by AFSCME, University Professional and Technical Employees (UPTE), University Council of the American Federation of Teachers (UC-AFT), California Nurses Association (CNA), Service Employees Trades Council (SETC), California Labor Federation, San Francisco Labor Council, State Building and Construction Trades Council, and the Phoenix Project for UC Democracy, among others.
Supporters of the UC reform measures have also launched a Facebook page with over 1,500 fans and a website – www.reformtheuc.com – to call on the Legislature to approve SB 217 and SCA 21, as well as SB 218 (requiring campus auxiliary organizations to adhere to the public records act) and SB 219 (protecting UC whistleblowers).
SCA 21 is currently pending in the Senate Rules Committee; SB 218 will be considered on Wednesday in the Assembly Appropriations Committee; and SB 219 will receive a procedural concurrence vote on the Senate Floor next week before heading to the Governor´s desk.
The latest scandal has renewed calls for legislation currently pending that would limit executive compensation increases in years in which the state budget allocation to the UC has not increased.
The legislation, SB 217 authored by Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco/San Mateo), is set to be heard next Wednesday in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
"The public is tired of the UC administration acting like AIG," said Yee. "It is imperative that we stop the UC Regents from turning our public university into a private country club. We can ill-afford an administration that continues to disrespect the taxpayers, students, and their low-wage workers and faculty."
The recent scandal is just the latest of several pay hikes for UC executives in 2009. Earlier this year, the UC handed out 22 percent pay increases for several senior managers and paid exorbitant administrative leave for two former chancellors, receiving over $300,000 and $400,000 a year each. The Regents also approved a $450,000 salary for the new UCSF Chancellor (a 12 percent hike from the previous chancellor) and a $400,000 salary for the new UC Davis Chancellor (a 27 percent hike from her predecessor). UC President Mark Yudof also receives nearly a $1 million in salaries and perks.
These actions come at the same time the Regents approved pay cuts, layoffs, and furloughs for lower wage workers.
"Excessive pay raises and extravagant perks is yet another example of UC executive's misguided choices and misplaced priorities," said Lakesha Harrison, President of AFSCME 3299. "Workers are being asked to put less food on their families´ tables while UC executives continue to enrich them themselves. Students are asked to pay more but get fewer services. This is outrageous and unacceptable. It is the reason why Californian's need to reform the UC to make it accountable to taxpayers, not their own self interest."
Senator Yee, along with several Democratic and Republican co-authors, also introduced Senate Constitutional Amendment 21 to require the UC to adhere to all state laws. Unlike the CSU, community colleges, and all other public entities, the UC can currently ignore statutes approved by the Legislature and signed by the Governor.
SCA 21 has received over 6,000 letters of support from students, faculty, and taxpayers, and is endorsed by AFSCME, University Professional and Technical Employees (UPTE), University Council of the American Federation of Teachers (UC-AFT), California Nurses Association (CNA), Service Employees Trades Council (SETC), California Labor Federation, San Francisco Labor Council, State Building and Construction Trades Council, and the Phoenix Project for UC Democracy, among others.
Supporters of the UC reform measures have also launched a Facebook page with over 1,500 fans and a website – www.reformtheuc.com – to call on the Legislature to approve SB 217 and SCA 21, as well as SB 218 (requiring campus auxiliary organizations to adhere to the public records act) and SB 219 (protecting UC whistleblowers).
SCA 21 is currently pending in the Senate Rules Committee; SB 218 will be considered on Wednesday in the Assembly Appropriations Committee; and SB 219 will receive a procedural concurrence vote on the Senate Floor next week before heading to the Governor´s desk.
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