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University of California Employment Practices Theaten Quality Research, Study Finds
Turnover among researchers at the University of California campuses has reached crisis proportions, with a completely new research team required to work on key medical and scientific projects every three years, on average.
That is just one of the findings of a comprehensive analysis of UC spending and research policies conducted by the University Professional and Technical Employees/Communications Workers of America Local 9119.
The study, "Preserving Quality Research at the University of California," also revealed that UC is jeopardizing quality research by diverting millions of dollars that have been earmarked for salaries and support of the university's 3,800 research professionals. The union has called for full disclosure by UC to ensure that taxpayer dollars-awarded to the university through research grants- are properly spent.
At UC Davis, where there is a smaller pay differential between university and private sector researchers and a more limited use of temporary workers, annual turnover among research staff is about 16 percent, the lowest in the UC system, noted Peter Livingston, a research professional and UPTE member. At UCLA, however, where both the pay gap and use of temporary workers is the greatest, turnover is an astounding 49 percent, the UPTE study found.
"It's inconceivable that a university such as UC will be able to maintain a quality research program given the exodus of trained staff people at this alarming rate," Livingston said. Such an extreme turnover rate disrupts and delays important research and "is a disservice to those who are counting on the university's expertise to resolve serious health, medical and scientific concerns," he added.
Over the past six years, UC management has diverted $16.2 million that had been budgeted for salary increases for professional researchers, the study found, stressing that these funds, from federal grants, state appropriations and various foundation grants, were awarded to the university specifically for staff pay increases.
In practice, grants from such agencies as the National Institutes of Health or the National Science Foundation include a "standard escalation factor," intended for annual salary increases for researchers. But UC has not been passing along these budgeted salary increases to its research professionals.
This practice has serious repercussions for the quality and continuity of research at UC. "The university must be able to retain scientists and professionals who can maintain high standards in health and medicine; physical and natural sciences; social welfare and psychology; technological advancement and other areas," said UPTE president Jelger Kalmijn.
The University of California plays a major role in the nation's scientific research, with nine campuses, five medical centers and three national laboratories. But, said Kalmijn, "this reputation is being undermined by a university system that in effect has slashed pay, forced staff to work as casual and `at-will' employees, and denied them the benefits and rewards of career employment."
Among the study's findings:
Salaries are stagnant, with UC researchers earning 25 percent less than colleagues working in comparable positions outside the UC system.
The annual turnover rate among research professionals is a staggering 33 percent, as researchers take their skills and acquired training to private sector jobs.
Discretionary "merit" pay increases have been meager, averaging 2 percent and lagging behind the rate of inflation.
At UCLA, some 64 percent of staff research associates were classified as casual employees in 1997. Casual employees receive only minimal health coverage (with family benefits not available); they have no retirement benefits; they are widely excluded from raises; they can be fired "at-will" and are denied access to promotions, transfers and other job upgrades.
"By following these practices, there is no question that UC will continue to lose experienced and dedicated research professionals to private companies and other facilities," Kalmijn said.
Long-term continuity of staff is a key factor in maintaining a high-quality research program, because major discoveries in science, treatment and technology "are actually made possible only through the slow accumulation of data and observations and the contributions of many scientists over long period of time," the study pointed out.
Not only is continuity adversely affected, but "the high turnover rate means that a substantial portion of government grant money is funding unnecessary training, not research," with a substantial loss in productivity and cost-effectiveness of research dollars, the study said.
The study urged federal and state lawmakers and the foundations and endowments that provide funds to the university to hold UC accountable and ensure that grant money designated for staff is actually spent on staff. It also called for full public disclosure by UC of the research personnel line item in all grant awards, along with effective enforcement to ensure that the funds are properly allocated.
Further, UC should "reverse its misguided management policies and take concrete action to reaffirm its commitment to staff retention as a foundation for quality research," the study concluded.
###
Reporters can obtain a copy of the full study by contacting CWA at 202/434-1168.
That is just one of the findings of a comprehensive analysis of UC spending and research policies conducted by the University Professional and Technical Employees/Communications Workers of America Local 9119.
The study, "Preserving Quality Research at the University of California," also revealed that UC is jeopardizing quality research by diverting millions of dollars that have been earmarked for salaries and support of the university's 3,800 research professionals. The union has called for full disclosure by UC to ensure that taxpayer dollars-awarded to the university through research grants- are properly spent.
At UC Davis, where there is a smaller pay differential between university and private sector researchers and a more limited use of temporary workers, annual turnover among research staff is about 16 percent, the lowest in the UC system, noted Peter Livingston, a research professional and UPTE member. At UCLA, however, where both the pay gap and use of temporary workers is the greatest, turnover is an astounding 49 percent, the UPTE study found.
"It's inconceivable that a university such as UC will be able to maintain a quality research program given the exodus of trained staff people at this alarming rate," Livingston said. Such an extreme turnover rate disrupts and delays important research and "is a disservice to those who are counting on the university's expertise to resolve serious health, medical and scientific concerns," he added.
Over the past six years, UC management has diverted $16.2 million that had been budgeted for salary increases for professional researchers, the study found, stressing that these funds, from federal grants, state appropriations and various foundation grants, were awarded to the university specifically for staff pay increases.
In practice, grants from such agencies as the National Institutes of Health or the National Science Foundation include a "standard escalation factor," intended for annual salary increases for researchers. But UC has not been passing along these budgeted salary increases to its research professionals.
This practice has serious repercussions for the quality and continuity of research at UC. "The university must be able to retain scientists and professionals who can maintain high standards in health and medicine; physical and natural sciences; social welfare and psychology; technological advancement and other areas," said UPTE president Jelger Kalmijn.
The University of California plays a major role in the nation's scientific research, with nine campuses, five medical centers and three national laboratories. But, said Kalmijn, "this reputation is being undermined by a university system that in effect has slashed pay, forced staff to work as casual and `at-will' employees, and denied them the benefits and rewards of career employment."
Among the study's findings:
Salaries are stagnant, with UC researchers earning 25 percent less than colleagues working in comparable positions outside the UC system.
The annual turnover rate among research professionals is a staggering 33 percent, as researchers take their skills and acquired training to private sector jobs.
Discretionary "merit" pay increases have been meager, averaging 2 percent and lagging behind the rate of inflation.
At UCLA, some 64 percent of staff research associates were classified as casual employees in 1997. Casual employees receive only minimal health coverage (with family benefits not available); they have no retirement benefits; they are widely excluded from raises; they can be fired "at-will" and are denied access to promotions, transfers and other job upgrades.
"By following these practices, there is no question that UC will continue to lose experienced and dedicated research professionals to private companies and other facilities," Kalmijn said.
Long-term continuity of staff is a key factor in maintaining a high-quality research program, because major discoveries in science, treatment and technology "are actually made possible only through the slow accumulation of data and observations and the contributions of many scientists over long period of time," the study pointed out.
Not only is continuity adversely affected, but "the high turnover rate means that a substantial portion of government grant money is funding unnecessary training, not research," with a substantial loss in productivity and cost-effectiveness of research dollars, the study said.
The study urged federal and state lawmakers and the foundations and endowments that provide funds to the university to hold UC accountable and ensure that grant money designated for staff is actually spent on staff. It also called for full public disclosure by UC of the research personnel line item in all grant awards, along with effective enforcement to ensure that the funds are properly allocated.
Further, UC should "reverse its misguided management policies and take concrete action to reaffirm its commitment to staff retention as a foundation for quality research," the study concluded.
###
Reporters can obtain a copy of the full study by contacting CWA at 202/434-1168.