The University of California (University) was chartered in 1868 by the Constitution of the State of California, Article IX, Section 9 and classes began in Oakland one year later. Today, with its ten campuses, national laboratory, Agriculture and Natural Resources, six academic health centers, and numerous other units and affiliated institutions, the University is one of the largest and most renowned centers of higher education in the world. This chapter outlines the University's basic organizational structure and lines of authority for governance and facilities management and briefly discusses the preparation of The Regents' materials.
Governance of the University is entrusted to the Board of Regents (The Regents). The Regents appoint the President of the University and, with the President's advice, the officers of the University. Among these officers are the Executive Vice Presidents, other Vice Presidents, and the Chancellors. The Regents also appoint their own principal officers: the General Counsel, the Chief Investment Officer, and the Secretary and Chief of Staff.
According to the Bylaws and Standing Orders for The Regents of the University of California, The Regents' role is similar to that of a board of directors of a large corporation. They are responsible in this case for governing and setting policies for the University.
Members. The Regents consist of 26 members: 18 each appointed by the Governor of California for a 12-year term; one student is appointed by The Regents for a one-year term; and seven ex-officio members (the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the Assembly, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the President of the University, and the President and Vice President of the Alumni Associations of the University). In addition, two faculty members — the chair and vice chair of the Academic Council — sit on the board as non-voting members. In the history of the University, more than 400 people have held the position of a Regent. Although the Governor is officially the President of The Regents, in practice, The Regents' Chairperson is the presiding officer. Both the Chairperson and the Vice Chairperson are elected from among The Regents' membership for a one-year term.
Committees. The Regents operate through eight standing committees: Academic and Student Affairs, Compliance and Audit, Finance and Capital Strategies, Governance, Health Services, Investments, National Laboratories, Public Engagement and Development, and Special. There are also a varying number of subcommittees and special committees.
Meetings. The Regents hold six, two-day meetings each year. Standing and special committees meet as required, usually on the day preceding The Regents' meetings.
Authority. The Regents have the basic authority for governing the physical planning, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of the University's facilities. This authority is set forth in the Bylaws of The Regents. The Regents have delegated much operational authority to the University President and have delegated some authority to University faculty in matters related to academic programs. With few exceptions, all matters requiring Regents action are first considered by the appropriate Regents' committee, which has authority only to recommend or report to The Regents.
The President of the University is an ex-officio Regent and an officer of the University who is responsible to The Regents.
Authority. Authority in facilities-related matters is delegated by The Regents to the President. The President can therefore determine facilities-related policy for the University. Duties of the President are listed in the Standing Orders of The Regents.
Office of the President. The Office of the President is composed of the President, the President's staff, and the Executive Vice Presidents, other Vice Presidents, and their respective staffs.
Within the FM, the proper name the Facility is given to any University campus, laboratory, unit of the Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, or location of any other administrative unit. The common term facility refers to a building, structure, site, or ground improvement, or other item built or installed to serve the University's mission of providing academic, scientific, and public service.
Each of the ten University campuses is managed by a Chancellor who is an officer of the University and is responsible to the President. The ten campuses are Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz.
Authority. Authority in facilities-related matters is delegated by the President to each of the ten Chancellors. Each Chancellor determines policy for the campus, consistent with Bylaws 31.
The Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory is managed by a Director who is an officer of the University and is responsible to the President. (The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Los Alamos (New Mexico) National Laboratory are each managed by an LLC of which the University is a member.)
Authority. Authority in UC facilities-related matters is delegated by the President to the Laboratory Director, subject to the limitations noted in Volume 2. The Director determines policies for the laboratory.
The Office of the Vice President – University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (VP UC ANR) resides within the Office of the President. The VP UC ANR is usually delegated authority in facilities-related matters.
Certain University units, such as the University of California Press, University Extension, and the Laboratory of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences, have not been delegated authority in facilities-related matters. These functions are normally performed by the facilities management department at the Facility where each unit is located.
UC Law San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings) is affiliated with the University but is not subject to University policies and procedures regarding facilities-related matters.
Within the Office of the President, the Secretary and Chief of Staff to the Regents of the University of California coordinates The Regents’ Meeting agenda items from the campuses. The final meeting agenda is prepared by the Secretary. Facilities should refer to the materials on the referenced website when preparing agenda items or other materials for The Regents, such as Interim Authority items and Emergency Authority items. The Regents' Coordinators at each Facility and at the Office of the President are available to assist in the preparation of The Regents' materials.
The Treasurer, General Counsel, Secretary, and Chief of Staff to The Regents prepare their own agenda items, which the Secretary assembles and mails. The Regents’ Agenda Coordinators at the Office of the President prepare all other items, duplicate them in the proper quantities, and forward them to the Secretary for mailing as the President's portion of the agenda.
Approval of Building Design. See Volume 2 for guidelines on preparing The Regents' items regarding the approval of a building design.