Hello.  I'm suggesting that there is a need for a JCAHO-like entity to be created to oversee ethical financial management of UCSF and UC wide institutions.  An independent body made up of people with financial expertise and a proven track record of ethical financial management and high integrity to evaluate, survey, and study the various proposals that UC management 'implements' to the University. 

Since the 'implementation' style of management has taken effect at UCSF within the last couple years, the results have generated aggressive, reactionary responses.  There have been more worker strikes than ever before within a short duration of time and much upheaval due to this 'implementation' aggressive, non-negotiating style of management.  The justification for this style of management is always due to fiscal responsibility and financial savings for the University.  However, the people that generate the supposed financial savings are people who are politically tied by their occupations to ensure that the University accepts their data.  In other words, those people who present the financial incentives toward convincing management to 'implement' decisions in the University work for the University and are invested in making sure their numbers are accepted....with no objective analysis to ensure that those numbers are in fact true, valid and correct.

I'm calling for the creation of a JCAHO-like entity to be created and to be responsible for total financial evaluation of UCSF and UC institutions to provide this objective financial analysis on all levels.  The committee should be made up of local and national experts that are citizens and people of proven integrity.  They should be in no way politically tied to the University to stand to gain any professional or financial benefit whatsoever.  It should be run similar to JCAHO which is the Joint Commission that evaluates the safety and accreditation of hospitals.  A financial analysis counterpart should be created and independent of the University to ensure the financial ethics and integrity are upheld.

This would be different than a government audit.  This idea would actually be the governing decision-maker when the University management wishes to implement impactful changes to the University and there is inherent controversy about whether the decision will in fact save the University money. 

One current example is the issue of transforming the Interpreter Services Department from an all in-person system to a Video Monitor system that depersonalizes the service.  The University insists that this would save them money.  Interpreter Services disagrees and has much data to support their claims that it would not save the University money.  It would cost more in fact to implement this.  As it stands now, the University would simply 'implement' their decisions with no independent financial overseer to act as judge in the decision of these two points of view.  Because they can. The University takes the viewpoint that they do not need any financial overseers other than the State in designated territories.  The workers and most likely the taxpayers strongly disagree.  This new entity of a JCAHO-like financial overseer would act as judge and decision maker to ensure that the financial data was accurate or inaccurate.  This independent body would benefit both the University and opposing groups questioning the financial data proposed by the University by providing the truth. 

I think it's an idea who's time has come.

Respectfully yours,

Freya Magnusson, HUSC III