MEMORANDUM

To:            Board of Directors

From:        Frank H. Wu

Date:         June 03, 2011

Re:            Academic Year 2011-12

1. Strategic Planning

I expect that our strategic planning process, led by Academic Dean Shauna Marshall and Controller Debbie Tran, will conclude its present phase in summer 2011 with preliminary work product ready in fall 2011. The document that emerges will identify our unique academic strengths and explain how we will enhance them.

I expect the three themes I have already identified to be developed: (1) practical skills training; (2) international scope; and (3) interdisciplinary approaches to problem-solving and leadership. The document also will discuss the importance of aligning institutional expenditures in a manner consistent with our stated goals, with the greatest emphasis on the dual cores of teaching and research. (This is discussed further below, under Budgeting.)

Once we have a document from which to work, we will begin to publicize the strategic plan and develop implementation details, which will include goals, timetables, and metrics for evaluation. This strategic plan will be realized over the long term.

According to the strategic plan (and consistent with the recommendations released by the US News Task Force), we will study the feasibility of reducing class size significantly (to reach a target of one fewer section at current size of section); we will use selection criteria that are likely to improve the credentials of entering students (in particular, undergraduate grade point average; while maintaining the traditional 20% of LEOP students); and we will increase our efforts to offer career counseling, in order to place more students.

Our efforts to address rankings are properly considered part of, not distinct from, the strategic plan. We will institutionalize the data preparation process, with high-level involvement to consider the changes and potential changes to the factors used to determine ranking; these may require appropriate adjustments to our reporting in each cycle. It is imperative to bear in mind and communicate clearly that we will undertake only those efforts that are ethical and intrinsically worthwhile for our students. We will not pursue the rankings at any cost as other institutions reportedly have done to their regret.

The deliverables are the strategic plan itself, a draft implementation plan, and a recommendation as to reducing class size. In addition, I expect that our budgets for academic year 2012-13 will be aligned to the strategic plan, to the maximum extent feasible, with a shared understanding of even closer correspondence over time.

2. Academic Program

We will continue with our efforts to ensure the highest possible bar passage rates.

Consistent with our international scope, and following up on the upcoming visit to China (June 2011), I intend to visit Japan and Korea in the 2011-12 academic year.

Continuing with the rollout of the UCSF Consortium, we will do everything necessary to launch the new non-JD programs in the 2012-13 academic year. This includes obtaining WASC accreditation.

I have a particular concern about the importance of enrollment management, i.e., bringing in a class that is highly qualified and diverse, in numbers meeting our targets. I’m adjusting our tuition and class size discussions so they are integrated rather than separate, with faculty participation. There is a consensus that, while it is crucial to maintain access (through scholarship support), we have no choice but to raise our tuition to the UC law school average.

3. Capital Campaign and Annual Fundraising

I expect to have a report soon from our capital campaign consultants, who are working with Senior Assistant Dean Amy Sollins, and we then will begin to execute on it. There will be an intermediate action item of further planning. In particular, we will need to create one or more committees of volunteers who as our key leaders would engage in peer-to-peer fundraising.

We will identify the leading prospects by thorough research. We will proceed to assign portfolios to each senior fundraiser myself included (approximately 100 for me). We will start cultivating these donors, with the expectation of making asks, with a “silent phase” in which we secure lead gifts for our fundraising priorities, expected to be student scholarships/financial aid support and faculty recruitment/retention.

The convention is that it takes eighteen months to move a major donor to an “ask.” (In addition, we will set up the US News Advisory Group to educate alumni about the rankings issue, solicit their input, and engage them, within our advancement efforts.)

Meanwhile, I will work with the Advancement Office to ensure more aggressive annual fundraising efforts, including through direct mail and telemarketing. We will compile data in order to assess the return on investment for each channel of fundraising that is used. This will be part of a more comprehensive effort to maintain data showing the effectiveness of our advancement operations. We expect to devote new effort to pursuing foundation grants, by hiring a half-time staffer.

The deliverable is a written plan for the capital campaign.

4. Physical Facilities

I have already initiated a physical facilities “master planning process,” overseen by CFO David Seward. The deliverable for this process is a blueprint that will guide our development, conforming to the strategic plan, over the next 20 years.

We are considering window replacement for the Towers and roof replacement for the 200 and 198 buildings.

5. Budgeting

I am working with CFO Seward on a stable budget that prepares for the possibility of significantly reduced state funding soon and permanently, exacerbated by substantial new costs for the retirement program. I intend to do as much as possible to direct resources, according to the strategic plan, toward the dual cores of teaching and research.

Furthermore, I would like to change the process used for developing budgets. I’d like to introduce a higher level of input, especially from academic leadership and faculty (and, correspondingly, greater autonomy for line-item decisions, while maintaining oversight to ensure limits are observed), and promote the maximum transparency that is compatible with the need for candid deliberation. This will involve more participation by a wider range of decision-makers in budgeting than has been the case in the past.

Finally, I have discussed and will continue to explain in a realistic but positive manner that we have been fortunate in how the recession has affected us but we face real constraints on our resources. Our staffing levels, including ratios of staff to faculty, should be appropriate for our strategic goals, across all divisions and departments (i.e., the analysis should be conducted by function and not overall or by formal title). Compensation, including benefits, should be competitive and equitable.

The deliverable is a five-year plan that breaks even.

6. Labor Relations

We are in ongoing negotiations with the Public Safety Officers Association (PSOA) and have begun the negotiations on our first collective bargaining agreement with AFSCME. I have pursued an approach that, in the best interests of the institution, is as collegial as possible toward these two unions, respectively.

With respect to the PSOA, I recommend that the Board conduct an initial discussion of the firearms issue (and related issues) at the September meeting, with the range of input from stakeholders that we are compiling, and then make a decision on these matters at the December meeting.

With respect to AFSCME, our negotiating team of GC Traynum and HR Executive Director Marie Hairston (assisted by Controller Tran), receives the advice and counsel of a Management Advisory Council that includes Director Carin Fujisaki as well as a representative from the senior management of the UC Office of the President.

The deliverables here are a collective bargaining agreement with each union. This will include resolution of the firearms issue.

7. External Relations: Branding and Marketing

We have created a Communications Department. I have given them the ability to develop their own strategic plan to promote our brand and market aggressively, to multiple audiences (including but not limited to prospective students, legal employers, the bench and the bar, and other academics – some of these groups also are voters for rankings purposes).

I have set only three guidelines. First, all materials should be designed with digital native formats in addition to hardcopy; it may be appropriate to use only digital versions and forego hardcopy, for some purposes. Second, all materials should be consistent with our identity manual, including with respect to our name, use of logo(s), fonts, and colors. Third, all materials should be inclusive and present our diversity (in all its forms).

The Communications Department is undertaking website revision. This is a massive project. It is expected to last eighteen months (and note it will need to be undertaken every few years). Website revision is one of, but not the only, major endeavor that must be initiated and then maintained regularly. I’ve also asked the Communications Department to generate a detailed plan for strategic marketing. I’ve indicated that many of the action items may be appropriately delegated to outside consultants such as the firm that produces the alumni magazine. I’ve encouraged them to consider use of social media, to the extent it is demonstrated to be effective.

The deliverables are completion of 2/3 of the website revision (per the project plan that has been prepared) and a strategic communications plan.

8. External Relations: Legislative Affairs

I intend to become more personally involved in fostering our relationship with the State of California.

9. Technology

Based on the recommendations of the strategic plan, I intend to organize our IT functions in a manner that promotes adoption of technological innovations in the classroom and to change our educational model, as well as to make business operations more efficient. This likely will necessitate a new structure for all IT functions.

10. Standard Operating Procedures

I intend to initiate a comprehensive effort in all divisions of the College to document standard operating procedures (SOPs) if they exist and to develop them if they do not. These would be generated according to best practices, with input from all parties involved or affected. They also would reflect actual practices, and they will be revised regularly.

Of particular interest to me is emergency preparedness. Chief Bill Palmini has developed a manual on crisis procedures. We will conduct a “tabletop” exercise this summer, to plan for an earthquake. Subsequent exercises will be more elaborate simulations. I’ve asked to conduct two drills per year.

The deliverable is an SOP on SOPs and the beginning of a repository of SOPs accessible to senior staff.

11. Academic Responsibilities

We have begun making progress on issues of Board-faculty relations, in particular with respect to academic responsibilities. I have proposed and am working with Director Marci Dragun on the fall retreat, a significant portion of which will concern this subject. I’d also like to systematically promote Board-faculty interactions, in both formal and informal contexts. We will develop SOPs regarding approval of College-sponsored programming, the relationship of the institution to academic programs occurring on campus, and the identification of faculty in their publications and appearances.

The deliverable is the fall retreat and SOPs as identified above.

12. Scholarship and Teaching

I engage in very little scholarship and teaching. I believe it important, however, that I remain active to some extent, not only for my own professional development but also to ensure faculty, students, and others are aware that as the leader of an academic institution I remain familiar with its core functions.

I intend to continue work on a book about the Vincent Chin killing and an article about Wong Kim Ark, the case establishing the doctrine of birthright citizenship. Both works will situate legal proceedings within their societal context.

Finally, I will continue, as I have this past year, to serve as a guest lecture or co-teacher in courses in which I possess competence.