Friday, October 2, 1998
Community Briefs
Researchers’ union protests at Murphy
Last week, 20 UCLA research professionals rallied outside of
Murphy Hall in an effort to end a stall in contract negotiations
with the University of California.
The University Professional and Technical Employees (UPTE), the
union representing the protesters, is requesting the complete
distribution of state and federal granted salary increase moneys,
more career opportunities in place of merit-based pay and "casual"
employment status, protection against long work hours and open
bargaining relations with the university.
"We are asking for the administration of labor relations to stop
playing around with us and finish a contract," said Cliff Fried, a
UPTE representative working in the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer
Center.
"The chancellor can’t negotiate our contract, but he should go
to the president up north and get the people going. He needs to
make use of his bully pulpit like Chancellor Young did."
Although $4.1 billion is provided each year for research, top UC
administrators are not turning the full amount over to research
professionals, said union officials.
As a result, researchers are leaving the UCs for better
opportunities at other institutions and private businesses,
creating an annual turnover rate of 33 percent for all UCs.
This, according to UPTE representatives, is detrimental to the
quality of research because of the losses in talent and time spent
training newly hired researchers.
"I’m really frustrated that the university is refusing to
distribute all retained for salary increases," said Jennifer Felix,
a representative from the Department of Neurobiology.
"(Increases) are necessary to retain hardworking researchers,"
she added.
The average time spent working in the lab is 50 to 60 hours.
UPTE officials argue that they are not getting due recognition
and compensation for both their time and hard work.
"We’re not asking for the moon," Fried said, "we’re asking to be
treated like human beings."
Minority numbers increase at med school
While the number of first-year UC medical students has remained
relatively unchanged compared to last year’s enrollment numbers, a
slight system-wide increase was recorded among under-represented
minority students.
Between 1997 and 1998, first-year Mexican American/Chicano
students increased by six, while Asian American/Pacific Islanders
increased by 13 and Latino/other Hispanic students increased by
four.
However, there was also a decline among Caucasian, African
American, American Indian and Puerto Rican (mainland) students.
First-year Caucasian students declined by 24, and African
Americans dropped by three while the number of American Indian and
Puerto Rican students both dropped by one.
According to the American Association of Medical Colleges, the
total number of under-represented medical students increased from
71 in 1997 to 72 in 1998.
Student association chair, vice chair elected
The University of California Student Association (UCSA) recently
elected a new chair and vice chair to their Board of Directors.
Kami Chisolm, a third-year graduate student at UC Santa Cruz,
was elected chair, and Haady Lashkari, a fourth-year undergraduate
at UC Santa Barbara, was elected vice chair.
Both Chisolm and Lashkari will spend the upcoming year trying to
build UCSA’s presence on all UC campuses.
The association is a coalition of undergraduate, graduate, and
professional student associations from all nine UC campuses. UCSA
puts expanding the accessibility of higher education at the top of
its priorities.
Compiled from Daily Bruin staff and wire reports.
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© 1998 ASUCLA Communications Board