Whatever Happened to SCA 21?

For a couple of years now, a handful of California legislators have been trying to get a bill passed in Sacramento that would put the University of California and the Regents under legislative control. It appears that a law passed in the 19th century (1879) made the university regents autonomous. Now some are questioning that decision over a century later. The main issue is exorbitant salaries being made by the regents and high-ranking university officials. SCA 21 was written to address that issue by Senator Leland Yee (D) and Roy Ashburn (R).  As of the last report, it appears CSA 21 remains shelved.

Here is an article witten June 10, 2009 on the subject (Bakersfield Californian).

http://www.bakersfield.com/opinion/community/x820007796/UC-regents-salaries-are-out-of-control

On July 30, the Berkeley Daily Planet (how appropriate) reported that the Berkeley City Council had tabled a measure supporting SCA 21.

http://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/issue/2009-07-30/article/33423?headline=Council-Tables-measure-endorsing-sca21

Here is an undated article entitled, "Hands Off UC". It is by the UC Alumni Association.:

http://handsoffuc.com/background.html

And here is a letter written by UC President Mark Yudof in opposition to the bill.

http://www.indybay.org/uploads/2009/07/25/sca21_letter1.jpg

Here is today's report from the Daily Californian (UC Berkeley).

http://www.dailycal.org/article/106090/bill_proposing_legislative_control_of_uc_stalls_in

So what do you think? In these troubled times, is it really true that UC Regents can set their own salaries? If so, it sounds like that good old City of Bell (California) City Council to me. I am not saying that government control is the answer. Lord knows, I am no fan of government control. Yet, if the tax payers of California are footing the bill for these salaries, then there has to be some measure of oversight here.