Want to share your views about UC pension and retiree health benefits? You can do so via a short, confidential, online survey.

Just go to the Future of UC Retirement Benefits Web site between Feb. 5 and March 1 and select the survey button. The survey takes less than 10 minutes to complete and all answers are confidential.

Your responses will help the President’s Task Force on Post-employment Benefits better understand employee preferences about financially sustainable options for future retirement benefits.

ANR has received approval to implement the Furlough Exchange Program (FEP) for Cooperative Extension (CE) advisors and non-campus-based CE specialists who are subject to the Salary Reduction/Furlough Plan. The FEP allows eligible ANR academics to devote extra effort to research projects instead of using furlough time. In exchange for not being furloughed, individuals may charge an equivalent amount of effort to extramural funding, subject to granting agency approval. Individuals may elect to begin FEP on Jan. 1, 2010.

Individuals who elect to participate in this program will forfeit their furlough days and therefore will be expected to work during ANR/campus closures. During the period of FEP participation, furlough days forfeited may not be used for any other purpose, including additional consulting days.

Implementation guidelines and the form that must be completed and approved are at http://groups.ucanr.org/Academic_Personnel/Furlough_Information/.

For more information, contact Carolyn Frazier at (530) 752-7497 or cvfrazier@ucdavis.edu .

The severe budget cuts require ANR to examine every program in relation to our core mission and Strategic Vision, and to evaluate the efficiency of our existing structures. One result of this examination is the difficult decision to end a long and productive relationship with the California Sea Grant College. ANR advisors working as part of the California Sea Grant College have made important contributions over the many years of the partnership. Our intent is that all current CE advisors will have a position within ANR or Sea Grant. Three fixed-term advisors will transition fully to Sea Grant as they are solely supported on a federally funded Sea Grant program grant. Currently, Sea Grant leadership is collecting information on options from UC San Diego, where the California Sea Grant College is based, so that advisors and staff can make informed decisions. 

Opportunities for our advisors to collaborate with the Sea Grant program will continue, and coastal watershed issues will continue to be an important part of ANR's work. We are currently working with the Sea Grant College leadership to ensure an effective transition of advisors and programs by the end of the fiscal year. We will meet with the Sea Grant leadership team in January to further the transition plan.

If you have any questions about this transition, please contact me at barbara.allen-diaz@ucop.edu.

Barbara Allen-Diaz
Associate Vice President, Academic Programs and Strategic Initiatives


Links to previous budget and restructuring announcements:

Aug. 26 announcement: http://ucanr.org/pdfs/8-26-09.pdf

Sept. 21 announcement: http://ucanr.org/pdfs/9-21-09.pdf

Sept. 25 announcement: http://ucanr.org/pdfs/9-25-09.pdf

Oct. 2 announcement: http://ucanr.org/pdfs/10-2-09.pdf

Oct. 22 announcement http://ucanr.org/pdfs/10-22-09.pdf

Barbara Allen-Diaz, AVP – Academic Programs and Strategic Initiatives, announced that Sharon Junge, interim director of the 4-H Youth Development Program, has retired effective Oct. 31. Junge will return on Dec. 1 on a part-time appointment to lead the Healthy Families and Communities Initiative and to serve as interim director of 4-H.

Lucia Kaiser, CE specialist and Human Resources Program Leader, has consented to serve as interim director for 4-H until Junge returns.