UC asks for student input via Web chat
In a one-hour Web chat this afternoon, students will have the opportunity to comment on plans for the university’s future.
The Web chat is part of UC 2025, a project introduced by University of California President Robert Dynes in 2005, which seeks to analyze challenges facing the university and plan for the next 20 years.
“We haven’t gone through a comprehensive look (at the UC) in anyone’s memory,” said UC spokesman Brad Hayward.
In planning for the future, UC officials seek to answer such questions as what the UC will look like in 2025; what California will need from the university at that time; and what the UC needs to do to be among the best universities in the world.
Today’s student Web chat is the third in a series – the UC hosted similar chats for faculty and alumni last fall. A similar chat will be held for staff on April 18.
Students can submit questions and comments starting 15 minutes before the chat begins or add them during the course of the discussion.
“The Web chats will be revealing in that they will show the university’s attitude toward affordability, access and quality of education,” said Liz Hall, university affairs director for the University of California Student Association.
Dynes and UC officials have spent the last year accumulating information regarding the challenges facing the UC in the future, specifically looking at sustained academic excellence, affordability and research, according to the UC 2025 Web site.
And after input from officials, faculty and alumni, it is now the students’ turn.
“Students are the best people to talk to about UC 2025,” UCSA President Anu Joshi said.
For Joshi, affordability is one of the most important aspects of the UC’s future planning.
“If families can no longer afford a UC, where are we going?” Joshi said.
Hayward said the university decided to hold the discussion forum on the Internet because the “comfort of a Web chat will encourage students to contribute.”
He also emphasized that the discussions with faculty, students, staff and alumni will be important factors for the UC.
“Hearing directly from individuals, hearing their personal concerns, carries a lot of weight,” Hayward said.
But since there is only an hour for all students at the university to discuss UC 2025, Joshi said she is concerned with how effective the chat will be.
“It is problematic to only provide one (student) Web chat,” she said.
Though Hayward said the UC will provide another student Web chat if students’ needs are not met, Joshi said she was not convinced students’ opinions are given much consideration in UC decision making.
“How much power students have to make change is questionable,” she said.
Hayward said the release date for UC 2025 is yet to be determined, but he expects it to come out around the end of this academic year.
Students who wish to participate in the Web chat can log on to
www. universityofcalifornia.edu/news/uc2025/webchats.html. The chat will be held today from 4 to 5 p.m.
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