UC’S PUBLIC REPORTING ACTIVITIES
Q. The SF Chronicle story suggests that salaries and other forms of compensation or benefits for senior UC managers are, at least occasionally, not as publicly visible as they ought to be. What’s UC’s response?
A. As a public institution, the University of California is accountable to the citizens of California and there is little that the University does that is not subject to public review. For example:
- Bi-monthly Regents meetings, at which major decisions are discussed and made, including executive appointments, are public (only confidential personnel issues, collective bargaining matters, lawsuits, or other similar matters are discussed in private);
- The University’s operating budget, which includes compensation and benefits allocations, is discussed openly at Regents’ meetings and other forums, and is subject to thorough legislative review via the annual State budget process;
- UC’s financial statements, which reflect all UC spending, are prepared by management and audited each year by a leading independent auditor (currently PricewaterhouseCoopers) and are distributed publicly and posted online;
- UC is subject to the Public Records Act, the Freedom of Information Act, the Higher Education Employer-Employee Relations Act, State audits, legislative hearings and other means of inquiry under which UC responds to requests for, and provides a great deal of information about its activities.
The salaries for UC executives are approved at, and are reported publicly following, Regents’ meetings (occasionally, recruitment and retention needs require action in between meetings, but these are exceptions and are reported at subsequent meetings). UC also reports executive compensation annually to various media organizations and State agencies (The Chronicle of Higher Education, the California Postsecondary Education Commission, etc.).
Additionally, we have begun reporting sources of compensation beyond base pay for executive appointments, have always openly answered public questions about total sources of compensation for all senior officials, and will continue to do so in support of our commitment to public accountability, and a spirit of openness.