In 1879, the University of California Board of Regents were granted autonomy on all issues related to the management of the institution and thus subject to legislative control only on some fiduciary regulations. As a result, statutory laws are generally not binding over the university.

Two weeks ago, I proudly joined several University of California students and employees to introduce legislation that would bring much-needed public oversight, access, accountability and transparency to the university. Senate Constitutional Amendment 21 would allow the voters to decide if the UC Board of Regents deserves to keep their autonomy and be able to ignore laws passed in response to their egregious actions, such as the recently approved exorbitant executive pay hikes at UCSF and UC Davis.

The UC Regents and Office of the President-along with their lobbyists and public relations machine-are again fighting this commonsense reform, just as they have deliberately undermined every reasonable effort to correct their previous acts of misconduct. Unsurprisingly, the UC administration is attempting to characterize this effort as a takeover by the legislature. And like many of their assertions through the years, this could not be more false or misleading.

The fact is the legislature can enact statutes that affect policies at the California State University, yet the CSU is still fully administered and managed by the Board of Trustees. SCA 21 would allow for a similar relationship between the people's elected representatives in the legislature and the completely unaccountable Board of Regents. Simply stated, the UC Regents would no longer be able to ignore legislation attempting to rein in their arrogance.

As an alumnus of UC Berkeley, I say, "Enough is enough." It is time for the UC administration to stop acting like a private institution. Only five other public universities in the country have a similar status, with UC receiving the greatest level of autonomy. This completely outdated model results in the regents thinking they are above the law. They continuously violate the public trust and disrespect students and taxpayers.

Unfortunately, the University has been plagued by several scandals over the years, most recently when the regents approved double digit compensation hikes last month to two new chancellors earning over $400,000 each (more than the President of the United States and the Governor of California). In the same meeting, they significantly raised student fees and squelched public comment by holding the meeting via teleconference.

Since 2004, there have been several attempts to rein in egregious actions by the UC administration. However, the questionable conduct continues:

• the UC approved several executive compensation packages behind closed doors, resulting in SB 190 (2007) to require such actions to be done during public session.

• the UC continues to hold closed door meetings to discuss executive compensation packages.

• low-wage workers were forced out on strike after receiving no relief from their poverty wages and were later threatened with retaliation by UC administrators.

• unlike most research institutions (public and private), the UC has contracted with the tobacco industry to conduct research on teen smoking cessation.

• campus auxiliary organizations fail to comply with the state's public records act, resulting in SB 218 (2009).

• public contracts have often been kept secret, including financial audits at UCSF, resulting in SB 1696 (2008).

• workers have been disenfranchised during elections to a pension advisory board.

• UC Regents ignored a legislative resolution, SCR 52 (2007), requesting employees be given shared governance of their pension plan.

• the legislature approved AB 2581 (2006) and SB 1370 (2008) to grant student speech rights and protect journalism advisors from retaliation.

• the UC has handed out several "golden parachutes," including individual severance packages in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

• after receiving generous severance packages, some high level executives have been immediately rehired at their previous salaries.

• it has become the yearly norm for regents to approve double digit student fee increases.

• despite the state's budget deficit, regents frequently provide exorbitant pay hikes for top executives, resulting in SB 217 (2009).

• employees have been retaliated against for reporting waste, fraud, and abuse and given no legal protections, resulting in SB 219 (2009).

• some campuses have failed to put contracts out to a competitive bidding process and contracted with businesses that violated wage and hour laws. Last year, the UC killed a bill (SB 1596) I authored to ensure that the university contracts with responsible businesses and that there is a competitive bidding process every three years. In addition, the bill would have required the university to maintain a centralized database of contracts available for public review at each campus.

• a number of the management contracts of the UC Retirement plan have been awarded to firms owned by members and family members of the UC Investment Advisory Committee. These high-priced pension consultants and money management firms replaced professional university financial staff who managed the pension plan with far greater success.

It is with great concern about the state of the University of California that I have joined my colleagues on both sides of the aisle-Senators Roy Ashburn (R) and Gloria Romero (D) and Assemblymembers Anthony Portantino (D), Brian Nestande (R), and Paul Fong (D)-in introducing this Constitutional Amendment.

While students are hit with huge fee hikes and tuition increases, top UC administrators receive exorbitant salary hikes. The UC regents use Californians' hard-earned tax dollars on the spoils of holiday jaunts, sabbaticals, and even a chancellor's dog run, and then allow thousands of UC workers to live on poverty wages. In these hard economic times, California residents have been asked to make hard choices. Our state budget and our residents cannot afford to furnish an elitist lifestyle.

Please join our bipartisan coalition supporting SCA 21 that would restore the luster of the University of California as a gem, ensure taxpayer dollars are not used to line with gold the pockets of university bureaucrats, and create the oversight necessary to ensure the regents keep the public interest at heart.

Tags: SCA 21