A state court has mandated that the University of California (UC) release a settlement proposal from the Trump administration by Friday. The decision, delivered by 1st Appellate District acting Presiding Justice Carin T. Fujisaki, marks a victory for UCLA faculty members seeking transparency in negotiations with the federal government. The proposal, valued at $1.2 billion, includes demands for changes to UCLA’s admissions policies, stricter campus protest rules, and a ban on gender-affirming healthcare for minors at UCLA medical facilities.
The settlement proposal emerged after the Trump administration accused UCLA of violating laws related to antisemitism, admissions practices, and gender identity. As a result, $584 million in research funding was initially suspended but has since been restored following a lawsuit filed by UC-wide faculty.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the proposal also suggests that UCLA prevent the admission of “anti-Western” international students and pay for an outside monitor to oversee the agreement.
The UCLA Faculty Association, alongside the Council of University of California Faculty Associations, filed a lawsuit under the California Public Records Act to make the proposal public. Judge Rebekah Evenson of the Superior Court of Alameda County supported this move, emphasizing the public’s right to know about the demands made on a major public institution.
UC spokesperson Rachel Zaentz stated that the university is reviewing the court’s ruling and is committed to transparency, though she did not indicate whether UC would appeal to the Supreme Court of California. Faculty members argue that the settlement’s content is crucial for public knowledge and debate, as it affects students, faculty, and the broader community.
The faculty associations’ lawsuit underscores the importance of shared governance and transparency in higher education. They believe that Californians should have a say in decisions impacting the state’s flagship university system.
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