July 10, 2009

Chancellor Bishop Discusses UC President Yudof's Newly Announced Furlough Proposal

UCSF Chancellor Mike Bishop, MD, informed the campus community about the recommendations that UC President Mark Yudof will make at the next meeting of the UC Board of Regents at UCSF Mission Bay.

Here is Bishop’s letter in its entirety:

Dear Colleagues:

President Yudof has just issued a video message and letter to faculty and staff regarding the proposal he is bringing to the Board of Regents next week concerning systemwide furloughs/salary reductions. His letter may be viewed by clicking here. His video can be viewed below.

The proposed plan has been submitted to the UC Regents for discussion and action at their meeting next week. The plan would be in effect from September 1, 2009 until August 31, 2010, but subject to renewal by further action of the Regents. The plan features a graduated scheme of reductions, ranging from 4% to 10%, incorporates furlough days, and exempts certain categories of employees. The President will ask that the Regents take the necessary action to protect retirement benefits in the face of salary reductions and furloughs.

The President has received thousands of communications regarding how to approach salary reductions and has conferred extensively with the leadership of the ten campuses. As you can well imagine, reaching consensus on such a matter was impossible. Compromise was the best that could be achieved.

Salary reductions are the last thing that I would want to be announcing in what may be my last message as chancellor to the campus. I know only too well and deeply regret that the reductions will impose personal hardships. But UC faces a budget crisis of unprecedented magnitude, one that can only be weathered by unwelcome austerity.

The plan for salary reductions will be considered during an open session of the Regents’ meeting next Wednesday morning, July 15 (see PDF). The session will be broadcast live over the internet at: http://california.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=2. I ask that supervisors allow employees to hear this broadcast to the full extent that operations allow.

Sincerely,

J. Michael Bishop, M.D.
Chancellor

Related Links: