LA, California: In a petition to the Chancellor of the University of California, students and others raised concerns about the "Function 44 Proposal". This proposal, it was argued, would have a disastrous impact on UCLA’s research infrastructure, and its capacity to pursue the campus-wide priorities of research, diversity, civic engagement, and financial security.

The proposal, also known as the Economou proposal,  would, it was argued, have an immediate impact of eliminating numerous campus structures and units that fund faculty research and student training and support, at a time when the faculty and students were already under a grave threat of diminishing budgetary support.

With the help of GoPetition, the petition campaign was able to achieve success.

According to one source, "The directors of the north campus research centers, as well as the vice provosts of the International Institute and the Institute of American Cultures met on the morning of March 26, 2012 with Chancellor Gene Block, Vice Chancellor for Research James Economou, and Academic Senate Chair Andrew Leuchter. The purpose of the meeting was to express the group’s and the petitioners’ concerns about the expected impact of the Economou Proposal on vital programs and institutions at UCLA, including the deleterious financial effects on research, student support, and program development."

"At the end of the session, Chancellor Block pronounced the proposal “dead.”"

The campaign organizer thanked GoPetition for a vital contribution to the campaign's success, "The GoPetition website was an invaluable resource for our campaign."

Reported by: John Pope, GoPetition

 

 

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