Philip Frickey Calls for Resolution of Indian Trust Litigation

San Francisco Chronicle, February 17, 2009 by Philip P. Frickey and Curtis Berkey
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/02/17/ED7315U2G6.DTL&type=printable

The Obama administration can signal its intention to change the way the government handles Indian affairs by changing its basic approach to the case. Rather than fighting every step of the way, the government should be primarily concerned with how to reform the trust fund management and accountability system. It should treat the plaintiffs as collaborators in a joint process to fix the system and provide justice to the account holders.

Christopher Edley Recommends Rainy Day Fiscal Relief

San Francisco Chronicle, February 17, 2009 by Christopher Edley
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/02/17/ED7315TQ48.DTL

If California, for example, could borrow when revenues fall, it would help meet expenditure demands for programs the public wants and needs, rain or shine. Of course, it’s best to balance borrowing with enough fiscal discipline to retire the debt when times are good. What is needed is a kind of “rainy day fund,” but financed with medium-term borrowing instead of savings.

Christopher Edley Heads Task Force to Smooth Transition from Community College to UC

Contra Costa Times, February 16, 2009 by Matt Krupnick
http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_11717823

The task force, Edley said, hopes to improve upon past attempts, particularly a 1997 agreement between UC and the community colleges that laid out broad goals for improving transfer rates. “The earlier (pact) created a check-the-box culture based on meeting a head count target more than a culture of lifting up the whole education system,” he said. The goal of the new endeavor “is making sure students know where the on ramps are so they can get back on track.”

Christopher Edley Battles Top Tier Schools for Best and Brightest

Contra Costa Times, February 15, 2009 by Matt Krupnick
http://www.contracostatimes.com/alamedacounty/ci_11711949

“I have three (offers to Berkeley professors) that I’m worried about right now from Harvard,” said Edley, who himself was lured from Harvard in 2004 to lead Boalt Hall. “And three more that are likely to develop from top-five schools in the next year…. “Our private competitors, despite the declines in their endowments, have been as tough as ever,” he said. “We’ve won (retention attempts) many more times than we’ve lost, but that could change any day.”

Maria Echaveste Applauds Think Tank’s Recommendations on Immigration Policy

San Francisco Chronicle, February 12, 2009 by Tyche Hendricks
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/02/12/BATJ15RJGU.DTL&type=printable

“Here is a long list of administrative actions that can be taken to improve performance on the mission that’s important at Homeland Security with respect to illegal immigration but also services for legal immigrants,” said Echaveste, who teaches immigration law and policy…. “What’s distressing about this very thorough analysis is that people have tried over the last three or four years to communicate suggestions such as this and it fell on deaf ears.”