Governor Puts Top Executives Before UC Students and Workers
California Political Desk
October 13, 2009
SACRAMENTO – Despite overwhelming bipartisan support in the Legislature, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-Los Angeles) vetoed legislation that would have prohibited executive pay raises during bad budget years at the University of California and the California State University.
"It is deeply disappointing that the Governor wants to ensure top executives live high on the hog while students suffer," said the bill´s author Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco). "The Governor´s veto is a slap in the face to all UC and CSU students and the system´s low wage workers. His veto protects the UC and CSU administration´s egregious executive compensation practices and allows them to continue to act more like AIG than a public trust."
In 2009 alone, the UC Board of Regents has already approved approximately $9 million in executive compensation increases.
At the Regents meeting in July, several executives were appointed at salaries from 11 percent to 59 percent higher than their predecessors. The Regents also voted to give "administrative stipends" ranging from $24,000 to $58,625 to several employees, without any extra duties, and added several new highly paid executive positions.
All told, the Regents approved nearly $2 million in monetary compensation increases at just one meeting. That is in addition to other forms of compensation including generous pension plans, travel allowances, housing, and access to low-interest loans. UC President Mark Yudof also receives nearly a $1 million in salaries and perks.
Since 2002, top administrators at CSU have also received raises in excess of 23 percent.
"The Governor is apparently tone deaf to what is happening at the UC and CSU," said Yee. "California deserves better."
In the Governor´s veto message he stated, "A blanket prohibition limiting the flexibility for the UC and CSU to compete, both nationally and internationally, in attracting and retaining high level personnel does a disservice to those students seeking the kind of quality education that our higher education segments offer."
"There is absolutely no justification for these bloated salaries," said Yee. "Unfortunately for students and California taxpayers, the Governor is not nearly as concerned about stopping the excessive student fee hikes as he is with protecting the exorbitant salaries of university executives. Unlike Governor Schwarzenegger, I believe it is the students, faculty and workers that make our universities special, not ´high level personnel.´"
"It is deeply disappointing that the Governor wants to ensure top executives live high on the hog while students suffer," said the bill´s author Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco). "The Governor´s veto is a slap in the face to all UC and CSU students and the system´s low wage workers. His veto protects the UC and CSU administration´s egregious executive compensation practices and allows them to continue to act more like AIG than a public trust."
In 2009 alone, the UC Board of Regents has already approved approximately $9 million in executive compensation increases.
At the Regents meeting in July, several executives were appointed at salaries from 11 percent to 59 percent higher than their predecessors. The Regents also voted to give "administrative stipends" ranging from $24,000 to $58,625 to several employees, without any extra duties, and added several new highly paid executive positions.
All told, the Regents approved nearly $2 million in monetary compensation increases at just one meeting. That is in addition to other forms of compensation including generous pension plans, travel allowances, housing, and access to low-interest loans. UC President Mark Yudof also receives nearly a $1 million in salaries and perks.
Since 2002, top administrators at CSU have also received raises in excess of 23 percent.
"The Governor is apparently tone deaf to what is happening at the UC and CSU," said Yee. "California deserves better."
In the Governor´s veto message he stated, "A blanket prohibition limiting the flexibility for the UC and CSU to compete, both nationally and internationally, in attracting and retaining high level personnel does a disservice to those students seeking the kind of quality education that our higher education segments offer."
"There is absolutely no justification for these bloated salaries," said Yee. "Unfortunately for students and California taxpayers, the Governor is not nearly as concerned about stopping the excessive student fee hikes as he is with protecting the exorbitant salaries of university executives. Unlike Governor Schwarzenegger, I believe it is the students, faculty and workers that make our universities special, not ´high level personnel.´"
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