Academic Senate of University of California Sees Increased Graduate Fees as Counterproductive. (November 5, 2009)

 The University of California Academic Senate represents the faculty in the "shared governance" of the ten campuses of the University of California. On November 2^nd Henry Powell, Professor of Pathology at the UC San Diego School of Medicine and Chair of the Academic Council*, wrote to UC President Mark Yudof informing him that the Senate will not support further increases to graduate student fees because of the deleterious impact that would have on graduate academic students, research faculty and the research mission of the University of California.

Here we reproduce Professor Powell's letter as well as the letter sent to him by Dr Farid Chehab, Chair of the Coordinating Committee on Graduate Affairs (CCGA)^§.

Whether or not the University of California campuses will be able to maintain their positions among the world's top research universities remains to be seen, but it is certain to be a monumental task for them to do so in the face of the financial pressures confronting them.

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*The University of California's Academic Council is the administrative arm of the Assembly of the Academic Senates and acts in lieu of the Assembly on non-legislative matters. It advises the President on behalf of the Assembly and has the continuing responsibility to request committees of the Senate to investigate and report to the Council or to the Assembly on matters of University-wide concern.

The Assembly of the Academic Senate represents the faculty in the governance of the University as mandated by the Standing Orders of the Regents. The Assembly is authorized to consider any and all matters of concern to the Senate as a whole and has the power to take final action on all legislation substantially affecting more than one Division. The Assembly is ready at all times to advise the President.

^§The Coordinating Committee on Graduate Affairs (CCGA) advises the Senate and University administration on all matters regarding the promotion of research and learning related to graduate education. One of CCGA's chief responsibilities is the authority to review and approve all campus proposals for new graduate programs and schools.