“Argument 2: ‘But isnʼt the UC in particular broke?’
• Yes and no. While state funding has declined sharply, the mismanagement and priorities of UC Administrators and the Regents have worsened the impact of these cuts on students, workers, and overall educational quality.
• Assumption: Because the UC is a public university, the Regents who manage the UC must be transparent and accountable to voters—and share our priorities.
BUT: the Board of Regents is neither transparent nor accountable.
• The majority of the 25 Regents are appointed by governors to serve 12-year terms, (usually as political favors for large contributions or fund-raising efforts.)
• Voters, students, and even lawmakers have almost no say about who gets to be a Regent or what their priorities should be in managing the University.
SO: What are those priorities?
• The UC prioritizes construction projects, administrative growth, and executive bonuses—over students, workers, and faculty.
• The ratio of managers to professors in 1994 was 3 to 6. But by 2010, there were actually more managers than professors.
• The Regents approve millions in 20-25% raises and bonuses for top executives nearly every time they meet—even as they are cutting pay and hiking fees.
• The cost of administrative bloat in the UC is estimated at $600 million a year.
POINT: The UC is not broke. Like the state, UC Administrators and the Regents have made a choice to respond to state cuts by funneling money to administrators and executives, while forcing pay cuts and tuition hikes on UC workers and students.”
–“Teach the Budget”. Winter 2012. teachthebudget.com. Quote on pages 2-3.