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UC Regents recap – March 14

The University of California Board of Regents discussed an increase in professional degree supplemental tuition, a multi-year budget plan that would increase degree attainment and the possibility of tabling a tuition increase for nonresident students at its meeting Thursday. (Ashley Kenney/Daily Bruin)

By Julia Shapero

March 15, 2019 3:48 p.m.

The governing board of the University of California met for the third day of its March meeting at UCLA on Thursday. The Board of Regents discussed an increase in professional degree supplemental tuition, a multi-year budget plan that would increase degree attainment and the possibility of tabling a tuition increase for nonresident students.

Board of Regents

  • During public comment session, out-of-state and international UC students urged the regents to vote against the increase in nonresident tuition increase.
  • Representatives from the Teamsters Local 2010 union urged the regents to upgrade the UCPath program, which they said is understaffed. Representatives also said UCPath workers were not paid sufficiently considering the amount of work they are responsible for.
  • Caroline Siegel Singh, president of the UC Student Association Student Board, said she hoped to see more transparency from UC leaders and more student input for matters relating to diversity and tuition increases. Siegel Singh added she thinks the regents should not vote to increase nonresident student tuition.
  • Stephanie King, president of the UC Graduate and Professional Council, said she recommends an institutionalized mentorship training program for graduate advisors. King also gave student testimonies of UC graduate students that had encountered unsupportive or demeaning advisors.
  • Regent Gareth Elliott, member of the Academic and Student Affairs Committee, said the committee discussed the approval of multi-year plans for increasing professional degree supplemental tuition. The item proposed increasing PDST for 42 UC programs, including the UCLA Law School which was approved to raise its PDST over two years. The regents voted to approve the committee report.
  • Elliott also spoke for the Compliance and Audit Committee. He said the committee voted on the approval of the external audit plan for the year ending June 30, 2019. Elliott added the committee voted to recommend Michael Schini be appointed the financial advisors for the committee for a three year term. The regents voted to approve the committee report.
  • The regents voted to separate the vote for nonresident student tuition from the vote for the finance and capital committee report. After an open discussion about the pros and cons of the item, the regents decided to table the motion for the following regents meeting, with the implication that the UC would also ask for funding from the state legislature in the meantime.
  • UC president Janet Napolitano said she wants the UC to implement a multi-year budget plan that would increase the number of degrees given to low income and first generation students. She said the multi-year budget plan is meant to stretch out through four years, and the framework will help the UC give out 200,000 more degrees.
  • Napolitano said the UC also hopes to invest in research and professors and improve timely graduation for low income, first generation and underrepresented students.
  • Pamela Brown, vice president of institutional research and academic planning, said the UC is looking for ways to close the gaps in graduate degree attainment and doctoral degree attainment for Pell grant recipients, underrepresented students and women.
  • Brown added the UC needs to expand its capacity to accommodate the needs of its growing student body.
  • Regent Chair George Kieffer agreed that the UC should commit to a long term moderate tuition increase to avoid radical tuition increases. Kieffer said the UC needs to implement a multi-year plan to overcome financial challenges and improve enrollment and graduation rates.
  • Nathan Brostrom, the UC’s chief financial officer, said the UC system has gained more than $2 billion in private donations every year for four years. He added there is a need to consider intra-campus disparities in philanthropy and asset management.
  • Bostrom said while enrollment has grown by 2.4 percent on average over the past 10 years, overall staff has grown by 0.6 percent. He added staff supported by core funds declined by 1.4 percent annually.
  • He said overall core funding has increased by 10 percent since 2000. He said state general funds to the University were $3.2 billion in both 2000-2001 and 2017-2018. He added between these fiscal years, enrollment grew by 100,000 students.
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Julia Shapero | Assistant News editor
Shapero is a senior staff News reporter. She was previously an assistant News editor in the National News & Higher Education beat. Shapero is a fourth-year political science student who enjoys covering national and statewide news.
Shapero is a senior staff News reporter. She was previously an assistant News editor in the National News & Higher Education beat. Shapero is a fourth-year political science student who enjoys covering national and statewide news.
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