Posted on 05/17/2006 5:59:09 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
University of California President Robert C. Dynes said Wednesday "overactive secrecy," helped create a situation where millions in perks were quietly doled out to top executives.
Fallout over the extra compensation intensified with some calling for Dynes to resign. But it was unclear whether he had lost the confidence of UC's governing Board of Regents the only people with the authority to fire him.
Regents met behind closed doors Wednesday to discuss Dynes' role in approving violations of UC pay policies and board Chairman Gerald Parsky said he would have no comment on UC leadership until Thursday.
Concerns about how UC rewards its top-ranked employees began last fall when the San Francisco Chronicle reported that executives were getting millions in bonuses, housing allowances and other perks at a time when UC was sharply hiking student fees, saying they had no choice due to state funding cutbacks.
A subsequent state audit found that the extra compensation accounted for $334 million out of $9.3 billion total compensation in 2004-05. Auditors found that UC administrators skirted policies and repeatedly failed to get required approvals from regents.
UC administrators say their executives generally make less than their peers at comparable institutions and say they have to be able to compete for top talent in a market where housing allowances and other benefits have become routine.
Still, the disclosures have been an embarrassment to UC, particularly some individual cases such as a lucrative severance package that allowed a vice chancellor to work from home for two years with an annual salary of $205,000 and no set duties.
Dynes told regents, holding their regular meeting in San Francisco, he "missed some flags that I should have seen," and said a "sea change" was needed in how the university conducts business.
He cited a number of underlying problems including vague and sometimes conflicting policies, salaries that lag the market, as well as "a paranoia about leaking who candidates were before we were prepared."
But Parsky seemed reluctant to accept some of those explanations, asking Dynes why compensation would remain secret after a candidate had been selected. He also questioned the explanation of confusing policies, saying during a lunch break that "any chief executive should either know or should have been informed about the policies that he's responsible for."
Officials have already begun overhauling practices, and they continued that Wednesday, approving a number of reforms designed to tighten up compensation approval. They also were taking steps to recoup improper payments where possible.
Regent Dick Blum said the problem isn't that salaries are too high. "We need clarity," he said. Blum said if administrators decide they need to hire someone at $300,000 a year they should say so, rather than set the salary at $200,000 plus a $100,000 housing allowance.
Earlier, three lawmakers appeared before regents to ask Dynes to step down.
"The accountability meter is running amok," said state Sen. Gloria Romero, D-Los Angeles.
A number of workers also demanded Dynes' resignation, chanting "Shame! Shame!" as they appeared before the board.
Some regents seemed inclined to support Dynes.
"This isn't about hanging anybody," said Regent Norman Pattiz, saying the problem is one of an outmoded system and calling Dynes "a conscientious and talented man."
Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, D-Los Angeles, who is also a regent because of his office, issued a statement applauding Dynes for "admitting to the regents that there is a culture of secrecy about compensation in the UC system and to committing to let the sun shine in. We need to continue the focus on clearing up the UC's administrative issues so that full focus and attention can be directed to where it is most vital the students."
Meanwhile, Regent John Moores took fellow board members to task for not digging deeper on pay decisions.
"I think this board ought to, frankly, be a little embarrassed about what it's failed to do," he said.
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On the Net: http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu
The answer to these pleebes is that their ruling elitist Leftist ruling class have decided, owing to their superior acumen, how best to distribute the wealth of the proletariat, and they came up on the short end. What could be their complaint?
"It will be a good day when our schools have enough money and the Air Force has to have a bake sale to buy a bomber"
-leftist bumper sticker
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