Community Briefs

Friday, October 18, 1996

Budget would hike student fees, staff salaries

The proposed 1997-98 University of California budget
recommendations, discussed by the UC Board of Regents Thursday,
would mean a student fee increase of nearly 10 percent and a
faculty pay increase of at least 5 percent.

The student fee hike includes a new $40 charge that would be
used for high-tech instructional aids, such as Internet access.

The Board of Regents took no action on the budget, which is not
scheduled to be voted on until their November meeting. Fees would
not be voted on until after Gov. Pete Wilson presents his state
budget proposal in January.

The fee increase is part of a four-year agreement with Wilson
under which the state agrees to increase UC funding by about 4
percent and UC agrees to raise student fees by about 10
percent.

The proposed student fee increase and instructional technology
fee would raise fees by $370 to $4,536 for undergraduates in the
1997-98 fiscal year. University officials note that is about $500
less than the average of four comparable public universities.

The faculty increases involve an average 2 percent
cost-of-living increase for university employees and normal merit
increases plus 3 percent ”parity increase.”

UC officials say the raise would still leave faculty salaries
three percent under the average of comparison institutions.

Atkinson said he’s concerned about faculty salaries to the point
where he would consider using part of any extra state funding to
boost pay. However, he noted any such money likely would come with
the designation already determined by legislators.

Under the budget recommendation, UC would receive a $136
million, or 4.8 percent, increase in funding for UC for 1997-98. Of
that, $80.5 million would come from a 4 percent increase in state
funding. The rest would come from student fee increases, with less
than a third of that set aside for financial aid.

UC officials said increases in financial aid have kept up the
level of low-income students attending the university despite the
increases. But they noted the hikes have put a squeeze on the upper
middle class.

But student Regent Jess Bravin spoke against the hikes, saying
they violate the state’s 19th-century agreement to provide
tuition-free education to UC students. He also said UC should ask
the state for full funding, rather than agreeing up front to a
student fee hike.

”I think there is a misjudgment when the university agrees to
do the dirty work for politicians in Sacramento,” he said.

UCLA student named top medical student

A UCLA senior was named the nation’s top minority medical
student, the 12th UCLA student since 1978 to receive such an
honor.

Gary Polsfuss, 25, will pick up his C. McClean Award, also known
as the Cadbury Award, during a San Francisco ceremony on Nov.
7.

”Gary’s commitment to the underserved communities is genuine,"
Neil Parker, University of California, Los Angeles medical school
senior associate dean, said Wednesday. "His potential for
contribution is unlimited."

Polsfuss, a Mexican-American, said he’s glad to polished up on
Spanish so he can better serve area residents at community health
fairs.

The senior specializes in the genetics of thyroid illnesses.

Powell evacuated after false fire alarm

Powell Library was evacuated after a false fire alarm caused
libary officials to clear the newly reopened and renovated
building.

Los Angeles City and UCLA fire department units responded to the
scene at about 2:00 p.m. yesterday afternoon when a leaky fire
sprinkler tripped the alarm system, said Los Angeles Fire
Department Capt. Wolf Knabe.

No injuries or damages to the building were reported as a result
of the alarm.

Compiled from Daily Bruin staff and wire reports.