:: UCLA TODAY Home

©2004
The Regents of the University of California
 

Staff deserve place at table

by DAVID T. MILLER

For almost a decade, chairs of the Council of UC Staff Assemblies (CUCSA) have expressed the need to ensure meaningful input by all members of the university community.

While the students, faculty and alumni have representation on the Board of Regents, we staff continue to struggle to find ways to make our voice clearly heard, insightful and deliberative. We are articulate and eloquent members of the UC community and have a lot to contribute to the dialogue.

After years of listening to our petitions for staff representation at the regents’ table, it now appears that many of the regents agree, according to comments made at their most recent meeting on July 14. Regent Odessa Johnson was one of several regents who spoke in favor of a non-voting staff adviser to represent more than 55,000 UC employees. “I don’t want any employees to feel like second-class citizens. Stop beating around the bush,” she told her fellow regents. “You (staff) belong at the table to be heard, and we want to hear you. Let’s leave it up to (UCOP) administration to get it done.”

A feasibility study done by UCOP identifies some issues that must be resolved before a staff adviser can be appointed. There are state laws, for example, that would prohibit staff from participating in regents’ closed sessions relative to collective bargaining issues.

We recognize these challenges, but also know that the university has courageously overcome far greater challenges in the past.

CUCSA agrees that the very capable and dedicated staff of UCOP’s Human Resources and Benefits, as well as the General Counsel, can devise a process that would ensure staff engagement at the table while protecting the university from violating regulatory policies.

From CUCSA’s perspective, one possible option would be to select a staff adviser in the same way a student regent is selected. Under this model, staff who are qualified, have the support of their immediate supervisor, department head and chancellor, and have demonstrated their commitment to issues for all UC staff would be eligible for nomination or to self-nominate.

All nominations would be submitted to a staff adviser selection committee. After rigorous review and personal interviews, the committee could refer three candidates to the regents. The regents would then interview each nominee and make the final selection.

UCOP would be charged with developing the criteria for selecting a staff adviser and the composition of the selection committee. This idea has already been discussed with regents and provosts. And their response has been positive and encouraging — most indicating that it would remedy the issues raised in the report.

CUCSA would like to see the hard work, dedication, intellect and commitment of staff to the quality of the university acknowledged in a meaningful way by making staff part of the institutional culture.

As we face some of the most challenging issues in the history of the UC system, the regents and the UC community would greatly benefit from a staff perspective that is now missing.

If you want your voice to be heard, contact the regents and President Robert C. Dynes through Dynes Desk. Also, let the chancellor know of your support for the proposal.

It’s time for UC to demonstrate its commitment to inclusion, diversity and respect for all members of the university community.

Miller, manager of client services for Communications Technology Services, is the 2004-05 chair of CUCSA.