University of California, Irvine
PA-3: Inclusive and Participatory Governance

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BOARD OF REGENTS

The University of California (UC) Board of Regents is the highest form of governance for all ten UC campuses. The UC Board of Regents consists of Appointed Regents, Ex Officio Regents, a Student Regent, Regents-Designate (Alumni and Student), Faculty Representatives to the Regents, and Staff Advisors to the Regents.

The student Regent is a voting member of The Regents of the University of California, attending all meetings of the Board and its Committees and serving a one-year term. This position is not elected but is filled by application and open to all students currently enrolled in the UC system. From the time of appointment as a Student Regent, but prior to the commencement of service as a member of the Board, the appointee holds the title Regent-designate and is invited to participate in all meetings of the Board and of its Committees, but without a vote.

UC faculty in the Academic Senate carry out shared-governance responsibilities established by The Regents. The Senate is empowered by UC's governing body, the Board of Regents, to exercise direct control over academic matters of central importance to the University – to determine academic policy, set conditions for admission and the granting of degrees, authorize and supervise courses and curricula; and to advise the administration on faculty appointments, promotions and budgets.

The Systemwide Academic Senate and the ten Divisional Senates (one for each UC campus) provide the organizational framework that enables the faculty to exercise its right to participate in the University's governance. The faculty voice is formed through a deliberative process that includes the Standing Committees of the Senate, the Academic Council, the Assembly of the Academic Senate, and their Divisional counterparts. Consultation with the senior administration occurs in a parallel structure: at the systemwide level between the Academic Council Chair and the President; and on the campus level between the Divisional Senate Chairs and the Chancellors. With some exceptions and as defined by the Standing Order of the Regents 105.1, Senate membership is granted to individuals who have a ladder-rank or other selected academic appointment at the University.

Two faculty members — the chair and vice chair of the Academic Council — sit on the Board of Regents as non-voting members. The Academic Council elects its chair and vice chair.

Staff members can participate in governance on a UC-wide scale as Advisors to the Regents. The Staff Advisors are selected from all staff and non-Senate academic employees and are appointed by the President in consultation with the Chairman of the Board. Serving as non-voting advisors to designated Regents' committees, the Staff Advisors have direct input into the Board's deliberations and decisions.

https://regents.universityofcalifornia.edu/about/members-and-advisors/index.html




UCI GOVERNANCE BODIES

ASSOCIATED STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE (ASUCI)

The Associated Students of the University of California, Irvine (ASUCI), is the officially recognized undergraduate student government at the University of California, Irvine. In addition to regularly providing resources and student programming through student-run events and conferences, the ASUCI advocates for students on a university, local, state, and national level and represents the student body on administrative campus and systemwide committees.

https://www.asuci.uci.edu/


ASSOCIATED GRADUATE STUDENTS (AGS)

Associated Graduate Students (AGS) is the officially recognized graduate student government at UCI, representing over 5,000 graduate and professional students. The AGS Council, an elected body of graduate representatives from each school that debate and approve committee and organizational initiatives and long-term goals. AGS also consists of Representatives, students who represent the graduate community on UCI Campus Committees and Academic Senate

https://www.ags.uci.edu/contact-us/faq/


UCI STAFF ASSEMBLY

At the campus level, the UCI Staff Assembly is a representative body through which staff participate in the University's governance. The purpose of the UCI Staff Assembly is to promote communication with the administration and provide input on the decision-making process on issues that affect both staff and the University. Council members are elected yearly by UCI staff and advise campus administration.

http://staffassembly.uci.edu/


UCI ACADEMIC SENATE

The UCI Academic Senate is a representative body through which faculty members can participate in the University's governance. The Academic Senate determines academic policies, sets conditions for admissions and degrees, supervises course offerings, and advises administration regarding faculty appointments and budgets.

http://senate.uci.edu/

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

UCI's Office of Campus Physical and Environmental Planning (CPEP) promotes environmentally responsible development and redevelopment of land under UCI's jurisdiction. This includes advising the campus administration on land use, community planning, and environmental planning as well as engaging with public agencies and the local community to foster and inform responsible land use planning. CPEP regularly updates its webpage “Projects Currently Under Environmental Review” (https://cpep.uci.edu/environmental/review.php) with environmental documents prepared consistent with the California Environmental Quality Act that provide detailed information on all proposed campus development projects. Members of the community are invited to provide comments on all proposed projects through this public environmental review process. Comments are generally received from agencies, staff, faculty, students, and the general public. During public review, notices are posted to the local newspaper (OC Register) inviting public comments on these proposed campus development projects.

Depending on the project, further community outreach and engagement may take place. For example, in accordance with established University of California procedures, UCI hosted a public workshop as a part of the planning and environmental review process scoping for the Irvine Campus Medical Complex (ICMC) project. In March 2020, UCI held an in-person public workshop meeting where an overview of the proposed project was provided and comment cards made available. In October 2020, a virtual public hearing took place with opportunity for anyone from the local community to provide oral comment. Written comment was also accepted during the public review period. Public notification, review, and community engagement for the project proactively occurred from February 2020 to November 2020.

Under California Assembly Bill 52, UCI also regularly consults with the Native American tribes that are traditionally and culturally affiliated with the geographic area of the UCI campus regarding proposed campus development projects and cultural resources that might occur in the vicinity of the project site. This includes discussion of tribal interests and potential cultural resources that may occur in the vicinity of proposed campus development.


SUPPLEMENTAL ENGAGEMENT

PUBLIC AGENCIES

UCI has also adopted written planning policy and procedures as a part of the campus Long Range Development Plan (LRDP) to engage and coordinate with the local communities of Irvine and Newport Beach that resulted from community and public input on the Plan. The longstanding coordination includes the implementation and monitoring of sustainable transportation programs and land use/housing development as part of the LRDP. CPEP coordinates monthly meetings with the City of Irvine. Stakeholders in attendance represent long range planning, strategic planning, community development, and transportation. UCI executive leadership also meets quarterly with City of Irvine representatives.


UCI CEO ROUNDTABLE

Composed of local community leaders including CEOs from local industry and non-profits/NGOs that serve in an advisory role to the UCI Chancellor on a broad range of governance and related issues. Through the roundtable’s programs, peer-to-peer networking and university connections, members have direct access to the intellectual capital of UCI’s deans, faculty, students and research. Since its inception, members have supported UCI schools and centers and have initiated the creation of new centers of excellence at the university and in the community. Annual orientation for new members includes a presentation and campus tour by UCI’s Office of Campus Physical and Environmental Planning focusing on the campus' physical environment, proposed campus development, and sustainability initiatives to provide new members with an understanding of UCI's environmental planning goals.


UCI EAST CAMPUS PLANNING

UCI has adopted written land use policies and guidelines as a result of consultation and engagement with local off-campus residents to guide land use planning and capital project planning in UCI's East Campus, which lies adjacent to the residential neighborhoods of University Town Center and Turtle Rock. The policies and guidelines, which resulted from a consultation process which included public workshops with local residents, are addressed in the UCI/City of Irvine East Campus Planning Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which includes, but not limited to, guidelines regarding setbacks; massing; pedestrian, bicycle, and transit circulation; and landscaping that were discussed with the community.


UCI FOUNDATION

The UCI Foundation (https://ucifoundation.org/) advises university leadership in all areas related to public trust, investments and philanthropy and engages with appropriate stakeholders to advance fundraising efforts aligned with the University’s Strategic Plan. The UCI Foundation also aims to build stronger networks of support around deans, directors and health leaders to advance UCI’s contributions to the region; engages with the schools, units and departments in strategic advisory and advocacy roles; and facilitates regional and global partnerships that expand UCI’s capacity to improve lives. The Board of Trustees consists of business professionals representing local companies and local community leaders.


COASTAL/CENTRAL ORANGE COUNTY NATURAL COMMUNITIES COALITION (NCC)

UCI was a founding signatory of the Coastal/Central Orange County Natural Communities Coalition (NCC), which is composed of local, regional, state, and federal agencies; local and state fire authorities; NGOs; and private landowners. NCC oversees the long-term management and governance of open space areas owned by UCI and other private sector and public landowners that jointly comprise 37,000 acres of habitat. The Orange County Natural Community Conservation Plan/Habitat Conservation Plan (NCCP/HCP) guides land use, public use and access, fire management, habitat restoration, and integrated invasive species/pest management for these preserved lands.

The STARS Technical Manual does not provide clear methodology or guidance on how to report for this credit in the absence of formal self-identification of gender or underrepresented groups status.

The Board of Regents’ office stated that it would be inappropriate to survey board members regarding gender identities or other identification regarding under-represented groups because of privacy concerns. With input from the AASHE STARS Team, UC Office of the President and campuses devised a count based on the pronouns used on the Regents’ website biographies.

The pronouns used in the public biographies of the 31 people listed on the Board of Regents Members and Advisors web page were used as the proxy to determine the number that are women and/or individuals who do not self-identify as men. Sixteen people had “he/him” pronouns in their bios and fifteen people had “she/her” pronouns, resulting in a count of 48% women/individuals not identified as men. These data form the basis for our response regarding gender. List of current UC Board of Regents Members and Advisors provided below.

Because there is no clear methodology or guidance for how to ascertain underrepresented groups status of individual members of the Board of Regents, in the absence of self-identification, the UC campuses have chosen not to respond to the optional question about underrepresented groups. In the future, the UC will continue to work with the system-wide Diversity and Engagement office, who also seek more official Board demographics data, in an attempt to get official public reporting of gender data, and, as appropriate, underrepresented groups status.



UC Board of Regents Members and Advisors (as of July 2021)

1. Maria Anguiano – Regent
2. Richard C. Blum – Regent
3. Laphonza Butler – Regent
4. Michael Cohen – Regent
5. Gareth Elliott – Regent
6. Cecilia Estolano – Regent, Chair
7. Howard “Peter” Guber – Regent
8. Sherry L. Lansing – Regent
9. Richard Leib – Regent, Vice Chair
10. Hadi Makarechian – Regent
11. Eloy Ortiz Oakley – Regent
12. Lark Park – Regent
13. John A. Perez - Regent
14. Janet Reilly – Regent
15. Richard Sherman – Regent
16. Jonathan “Jay” Sures – Regent
17. Alexis Atsilvsgi Zaragoza - Student Regent
18. Gavin Newsom – Governor of California and ex officio Regent
19. Eleni Kounalakis – Lieutenant Governor and ex officio Regent
20. Anthony Rendon – Speaker of the Assembly and ex officio Regent
21. Tony Thurmond – State Superintendent and ex officio Regent
22. Michael V. Drake – President of the University and ex officio Regent
23. Art Torres – Alumni Regent and ex officio Regent
24. Cheryl Lott – Alumni Regent and ex officio Regent
25. Amanda Pouchot – Alumni Regent-designate
26. Sandra Timmons – Alumni Regent-designate
27. Marlenee Blas Pedral – Student Regent-designate
28. Mary Gauvain – Faculty Representative to the Regents
29. Robert Horwitz – Faculty Representative to the Regents
30. Lucy Tseng – Staff Advisor
31. Priya Lakireddy – Staff Advisor-designate