The University of California Board of Regents today (Jan. 18) voted to permanently add two UC employees as advisors to the board. The action comes amidst completion of a two-year pilot program designed to increase direct communication between UC employees and regents, and to help facilitate the inclusion of the views of staff and non-Senate academic employees in board deliberations.

Under the program, two staff and/or non-Senate academic employees are selected to participate in open sessions of certain committees of the board.

UC President Robert C. Dynes praised the decision. “I have been a strong proponent of the staff advisor program since its inception, and I am very pleased that the regents have recognized the importance of including all members of the UC community in our decision-making by making these positions permanent,” Dynes said.

The current staff advisor to the regents, David Miller, manager of client services in UCLA’s communications technology services department, and staff advisor-designate Lynda Brewer, UC Irvine's assistant director for capital planning, were enthusiastic about the decision.

“With this action, the regents send a clear message to the entire university community about their commitment to UC staff and the importance of all UC employees in the ongoing success of UC,” said Miller.

“This is an important milestone for UC employees and we want to thank President Dynes and his staff, and the regents, for their support of this program and giving UC staff a stronger voice in board deliberations” said Brewer. “The staff advisor program is a wonderful opportunity for staff to become more involved in the decision-making of the university, and I hope that employees will take advantage of the unique opportunities this program presents in the years to come.”

More information, including video interviews with Dynes, the regents, and other officials about the program’s success and value, is available on the staff advisor web site: www.universityofcalifornia.edu/staffadvisors.

The UC Office of the President has announced a call for nominations to select the next staff advisor-designate, who will serve from July 2007 through June 2009. Program information, and application materials will be available at www.ucop.edu/staffadvisorpgm and at each UC campus beginning Jan. 24. Applications will be accepted from Jan. 29 through Feb. 28, 2007.

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