Sen. Leland Yee (D-SF) introduced SB 190 a while back. It brings a sense of transparency to the Executive Salary system. And a whole lot of sunshine. I’m not actually sure that I’m really that appalled by UC Executive Pay, but some sunshine would sure be welcome.
Over the flip, you can read the press release about the “faculty and students uniting to support SB190”. You know, I really love press releases. I mean, the language is always so grand. You just feel like the campuses are demanding this action. How much you want to bet that next time I go to Berkeley, that I could go around asking on campus all day about it, and nobody would have heard of this bill. Maybe a few will have heard of the executive pay “scandal”, but I bet most of those are concentrated in the polisci department and the student government. But sure, I’ll go with it: they united to support SB 190.
At any rate, flip it to let the sunshine in…
Faculty and Students Unite to Bring
Transparency to UC, CSU Executive Pay Scandals
Senate Education Committee to vote on Yee’s SB 190
SACRAMENTO – Just weeks after the both the University of California (UC) and the California State University (CSU) handed out exorbitant executive compensation packages, the Senate Education Committee today approved legislation to bring greater transparency and public access to such actions.
Students, faculty, and public access advocates urged the committee to approve Senate Bill (SB) 190, legislation authored by Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco/San Mateo) that will require all executive compensation packages to be voted on in an open session of a subcommittee and the full board. The bill will also require full disclosure of the compensation package with accompanying rationale, public comment on the specific action item, and closes a loophole that allows UC Regents and CSU Trustees on advisory groups to circumvent open meetings law.
“We need to end the culture of secrecy at the UC and CSU governing boards,” said Yee. “SB 190 will bring much needed sunshine to these discussions, provide members of the media the democratic access they deserve, and help restore the public’s trust.”
SB 190 comes after a series of audits, lawsuits and other revelations have found that the UC and the CSU failed to get public approval from the Regents or Trustees for compensation packages and that some top executives were paid more than what was released to the public.
Last week, the CSU faculty announced that 94 percent of its members voted in favor of a strike. In addition to handing out two excessive executive compensation payouts, the Regents and Trustees also recently significantly increased student fees.
“It seems as if the students and faculty – the backbone of our university – are always left to the bear the burden, while high execs live high on the hog,” said Senator Yee. “As a graduate of both the UC and CSU, I want to make sure our higher education systems succeed. We should be investing in instruction, not creating a get-rich factory for executives.”
“SB 190 will give the public an open window into the secret and scandal-ridden compensation practices of the UC Regents and CSU Trustees,” said Tom Newton, General Counsel for the California Newspaper Publishers Association. “This legislation will not only shine some light on executive compensation discussions, but will allow the public to decide for itself whether UC and CSU pay practices are fair and appropriate.”
“Senator Yee’s legislation will make sure that the University lives up to its public purpose and is held accountable for their actions,” said Lakesha Harrison, President of AFSCME Local 3299. “This legislation is an important first step in ensuring the accountability of the University to the people of California.”
“Thousands of students turn to this university for the education they need to contribute to California,” said Susan Meisenhelder of the California Faculty Association. “Instead of helping students get an education, the administration caters to elite executives who get huge pay raises and golden parachutes.”
In addition to the California Faculty Association and AFSCME, SB 190 has already garnered the support of California Newspaper Publishers Association, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), University of California Student Association, Council of UC Faculty Associations, Associated Students of the University, California Nurses Association, Californians Aware, State Employee’s Trades Council, and California Federation of Teachers, as well as co-authors from both Democratic and Republican legislators.
SB 190 will also be heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee before consideration by the entire Senate.