Some Call for UC President to Step Down

A trio of state legislators Wednesday called for the beleaguered president of the University of California to resign or be fired following a series of critical reports that have shown widespread irregularities in the way UC compensates its top managers and professors.

State Sens. Gloria Romero (D-Los Angeles) and Abel Maldonado (R-Santa Maria) held a news conference to urge UC President Robert C. Dynes to step down immediately, saying they had lost confidence in his ability to lead the public university system.

The demand came one day after the release of a state audit, the latest in a series of investigative reports, that found that UC’s troubles on the compensation issue were even broader than previously reported, extending to many of its campuses.

The audit found that UC repeatedly violated or circumvented university policies in order to provide additional salary or perks to senior administrators and professors. UC leaders also regularly failed to disclose the extra pay to regents and, in some cases, to seek required approvals.

“The public trust has been ruptured beyond repair,” said Romero, the Senate majority leader and a former UC professor. “Enough is enough. It is time for President Dynes to resign.”

Maldonado, the vice chairman of the Senate Education Committee, said the findings of three audits and three legislative hearings over two years convinced him that Dynes needed to step down.

“I think that Mr. Dynes is a good man. I think Mr. Dynes is a good academic,” Maldonado said. “I don’t think he is a good manager and he’s definitely not suited to run a $20-billion university system.”

State Sen. Jeff Denham (R-Salinas) went a step further, urging the regents Wednesday to fire Dynes without delay. “I hold him responsible not only for the [policy] exceptions that he and his staff have made, but more importantly, for not correcting them after the fact,” Denham said in a phone interview. “I think he’s asleep at the wheel.”

The demands put new pressure on Dynes just as UC begins its annual budget negotiations with legislators.

But at least one legislative leader, Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez (D-Los Angeles), indicated Wednesday that he does not support calls for Dynes’ resignation. Nunez “feels we really need to focus time, energy and efforts on the many issues facing the UC system, rather than the individual personalities involved,” spokesman Richard Stapler said.

In a statement issued by his office, Dynes said he “understood the frustration” the lawmakers expressed and reiterated earlier pledges to reform the university’s pay practices. The statement gave no indication of any plans to resign. “I am committed to full accountability and transparency at the University of California,” Dynes said.

Gerald L. Parsky, the regents’ chairman, said in a phone interview Wednesday that the board plans, at its next meeting in mid-May, to hear an accounting from Dynes of various compensation decisions. The regents also will hear new details from outside auditor PricewaterhouseCoopers about those responsible for each of the numerous policy exceptions and violations outlined in an April 24 audit, and will receive the results of a third examination of UC compensation, this one by the university’s internal auditor.

Any disciplinary action could come as early as that meeting, Parsky said. “I believe it’s in the best interest of the university to have all the information available and then to take any action, including action regarding President Dynes, senior management and the compensation practices of the university,” he said.

Romero and Maldonado said they were prepared to attend the May 17-18 regents meeting, if Dynes has not resigned by then.

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Tempest reported from Sacramento, Trounson from Los Angeles.