The UC Board of Regents last week traveled to UC Davis and took the pulse of faculty members on issues like salaries, shared governance and the Los Alamos National Laboratory.

The April 27-28 visit included 10 regents, regent-designates and ex-officio regents who toured the Davis campus and UC Davis Medical Center. On Wednesday, the regents talked with about 30 members of the UC Davis Academic Senate and Academic Federation about pressing concerns.

Cathi Vandevoort, Federation chair and assistant research physiologist at the California National Primate Research Center, said Federation members typically earn less in salaries and face greater job insecurity than Senate members.

The Federation represents a group of lecturers, librarians, adjunct and clinical professors, extension specialists, researchers, coaches and other academic positions.

"The vast majority of our members are Unit 18 appointments without continuing appointments," said Vandevoort.

Regent-designate Richard Rominger wondered why UC Davis is the only campus in the system with an Academic Federation that represents non-Senate faculty.

"Budget cuts," said Vandevoort, saying fiscal restraints in the early 1990s shelved plans at other campuses to organize non-senate faculty. Overall, the different roles of the Senate and non-Senate faculty are often the subject of debate on campus.

At a public comment period earlier Wednesday, English lecturer John Stenzel, who recently was chosen for the Academic Federation's 2005 Excellence in Teaching Award, spoke up in favor of empowerment for lecturers.

"I'm ashamed that I am treated — an entire caste of lecturers is treated — as 'non-Senate faculty,' that we're not actually part of the faculty. We're defined by what we are not," said Stenzel.

Governing together

Academic Senate faculty members are eligible for tenure while Federation members are not. While the Senate has a much greater role in governing the university, UC Davis relies heavily on non-Senate faculty for teaching many classes.

In the discussion with the regents, Daniel Simmons, chair of the Academic Senate and law professor, said UC bylaws, standing orders and other policies determine the relationship between the Federation, Senate and administration.

"We need more (Federation members) to work effectively as a university," Simmons said. "The Academic Federation is an outstanding example of giving a voice to these faculty."

In the UC, shared governance divides authority over the university between the administration and the Academic Senate. "We are not simply part of a consultative relationship" with the UC administration, but are responsible for maintaining the academic quality of the university, he said.

To this end, Simmons described the tenure track as a "very careful vetting process for faculty quality."

Regent Joanne Kozberg asked what types of obstacles faculty face at UC Davis. "Money and housing," replied Simmons, adding that recruiting and supporting top graduate students is another key issue.

UC faculty salaries need to be competitive with those at similar public institutions, he said. On housing, Simmons acknowledged the high price of real estate throughout California and said the lack of affordable housing in Davis is a hindrance for faculty recruitment. In January 2005, the median sales price of a home sold in Davis was $540,000, according to DataQuick Real Estate News.

Amid the rising prices, the regents learned of good news on the horizon. "The campus is making efforts to build more housing," said Simmons, noting that plans are underway for a 224-acre West Village neighborhood west of Highway 113 that would provide housing for faculty among other employees and students.

On graduate education, Trish Berger, chair of the Senate's Graduate Council and an animal science professor, suggested that the value of doctorate degrees is found in how much they boost the state's economy. "This is the most convincing argument to make."

Simmons said that in recruiting graduate students, the UC increasingly encounters stiff competition from higher education institutions in China, Taiwan and India. "They are building good universities over there."

Los Alamos lingers

Some faculty members expressed anxiety about the UC bid to retain management of the Los Alamos National Laboratory if that complex evolves into more of a weapons facility. "I'm frightened by the prospect of Los Alamos going to a private military contractor," said Simmons.

Gerard Parsky, chair of the regents, expressed concern about the situation, but more specifically about the security lapses that occurred at Los Alamos. Above all, he thinks UC management at the lab needs to improve. The regent urged a "change in culture and attitude" in the UC role at Los Alamos and noted that the university is exploring a partnership to assist with the "non-scientific focus" of the lab that would "allow us to move forward."

The U.S. Department of Energy has put the lab up for competition partially as a result of a string of security breaches and mismanagement issues. Parsky said the UC's decision on whether to bid will depend on the nature of what the federal government seeks in the management of the lab. The UC has operated the lab for 50 years and prestige, pride and billions of research dollars are at stake.

Said Parsky, "It would be a national shame if it (the lab management) was shifted" to another institution. However, Parsky sounded a note of optimism. "I think we have more support in Washington than has been indicated so far."

'Affinity to Davis'

After one of the public comment periods Thursday, the regents took a break to tour the year-old Activities and Recreation Center. Parsky was surprised at the growth on the campus, including Mondavi Center where the regents took in "space music" by the Kronos Quartet on Wednesday evening.

"I think UC Davis is a central campus in the UC system," he said, noting: "Our family has had some personal and positive experiences here."

Parsky said that years ago his family took their German shepherd dog, Luke, to the UC Davis Veterinary Medicine Hospital for cancer treatment. "The veterinary school was incredible in how they were able to prolong his life," Parsky said. "We share a deep affinity to this campus for that reason."