The original concept of the University of California Staff Assemblies (hereafter referred to as the Council) was, and remains, an assembly of staff dedicated to improving communications between University of California (UC) administrators and staff, and between staff at UC locations (Office of the President, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and all ten campuses). The Council’s objective is to provide service to the University by advising and providing a staff perspective to decision makers.

November 26, 1974
  • The University of California Staff Employee Associations was founded.
July 18, 1975
  • The Council was Chartered with delegates from six campuses.
1976-1977
  • Chair of the Council served on two University-wide committees.
1977-1978
  • Council chair and members were invited to Charter Day at the UC Berkeley campus. A Council member was selected to serve on the Systemwide Affirmative Action Committee. President David Saxon met with the Council at the June conference.
1978-1979
  • Office of the President agreed to pay travel expenses for one delegate from each campus. The Council name was changed dropping the word “employee.”
1979-1980
  • The President appointed one Council delegate to three Campus Advisory Committees. The Assistant Vice President Archie Kleingartner recommended that the Santa Barbara project on Quality of Work-Life serve as an educational tool for managers.
1981-1982
  • Council of University of California Staff Assemblies (CUCSA), was adopted. The CUCSA Chair was appointed to the President’s Sexual Harassment Task Force. President Saxon indicated it was appropriate to utilize staff in committee assignments. CUCSA delegates were given opportunities to serve on selection committees for Chancellors and the President. The CUCSA Chair participated in welcoming ceremonies for President Jack Peltason and in Charter Day ceremonies.
1993-1994
  • CUCSA Chair and Vice Chair participated in an All University Long-Range Academic Planning Retreat and presented issues of concern to the newly formed Academic Planning Council. Office of the President and its liaison to CUCSA, Assistant Vice President Lubbe Levin, requested that staff serve on committees.
1998-1999
  • Faculty/Staff Partnership Task Force was formed jointly by the Academic Council and CUCSA. Chair of the Academic Council and Chair of CUCSA co-chaired a project to promote partnerships between faculty and staff for the advancement of the mission of the University.
2000-2001
  • UC Merced delegates joined CUCSA for the first time. Four critical areas were identified and task forces formed: Housing, Communication, Morale, and Training.
2001-2002
  • Special challenges arose on September 11, 2001 as the world watched planes fly into the Twin Towers in New York. There was a State budget crisis. Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) hosted its first CUCSA meeting. CUCSA presented a statement to the Regents expressing unanimous support for relative equity benefits for non-traditional families.
2002-2003
  • CUCSA was invited to participate in the Staff Advisory Committee for the Selection of the President. CUCSA was visited by two sitting Presidents of the University of California-Richard Atkinson and Robert Dynes-a first in CUCSA history.
2003-2004
  • A standing Diversity Committee was formed by CUCSA in response to President Dynes’ declaration that diversity was among his highest priorities for the university. Delegates from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory were added and, for the first time, all UC locations were present at CUCSA, making CUCSA a truly systemwide association.
2004-2005
  • The Board of Regents voted to approve a recommendation by President Dynes that staff be included at The Regents table as Staff Advisors. For the first time staff would be members of two Regental committees-the Committee on Educational Policy and the Committee on Grounds and Buildings.
2005-2006
  • There was close collaboration between CUCSA’s Workforce Evolution Committee and the Office of the President regarding issues of succession planning. Los Alamos National Laboratory and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory participated for the last time at the June meeting due to UC losing its management contract over the Labs.
2006-2007
  • The Board of Regents voted to have a Staff Advisor and a Staff Advisor Designate as permanent members at their table. Under this program, two staff, or non-Senate academic employees, serves as non-voting advisors to designated Regents’ committees. The first Staff Advisors to the Regents would be CUCSA Chairs David Bell and Dave Miller. In celebration of this monumental event, a CUCSA Reunion Event was sponsored by UCOP at UCLA in June of 2007. The Wellness Initiative was previewed.
2007-2008
  • President Dynes announced his resignation as of June 30, 2008. Members of CUCSA were called upon to serve on the Staff Advisory Committee to the Regents for the selection of our next President.
  • Bill Johansen, CUCSA Chair, named UC Staff Advisor to the Regents.
2008-2009
  • In August 2008 the Chair resigned. Per the Bylaws, the Chair Elect stepped up to take on the role of Chair. An election was held in November to elect a new Secretary and Vice Chair.
2009
  • CUCSA Chair appointed to serve on Presidential Task Force Pension Benefits Work Team.
2010
  • CUCSA Leadership invited to meet quarterly with UC President Yudof; CUCSA Chair participated in UC Advocacy Day; CUCSA Chair-Elect appointed to the Commission on the Future of UC Funding Strategies Working Group; UCFW and CUCSA initiates work group to explore educational benefits for dependents; UCOP initiates review of educational benefits for employees and dependents.
2011
  • CUCSA Chair invited to serve on Campus Climate Study Team.
2012
  • CUCSA Chair invited to serve on search committee for new UC Provost. CUCSA conducted the first systemwide Staff Engagement survey for policy covered staff.
  • Kathy Barton, CUCSA Alumni Delegate (UC Riverside), named UC Staff Advisor to the Regents.
2013
  • CUCSA was invited to participate in the Staff Advisory Committee for the Selection of the UC President.
2014
  • CUCSA is asked to recommend a staff member to serve on the  UC Task Force and Implementation Team on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Climate and Inclusion
2015
  • CUCSA Chair invited to serve on the President’s Retirement Options Task Force. CUCSA conducted the second systemwide staff engagement survey for policy covered staff.
  • A proposal of recommendations was submitted by CUCSA to President Napolitano regarding wellness initiatives systemwide; CUCSA members participated in a wellness planning session to formulate a comprehensive Wellness Program. Two CUCSA delegates are asked to sit on a Veterans Re-Entry Program Workgroup.
  • LaWana Richmond, CUCSA Alumni Delegate (UC San Diego), named UC Staff Advisor to the Regents.
2016
  • Jason Valdry, CUCSA Alumni Delegate (UC Irvine), named UC Staff Advisor to the Regents.
2019
  • Members of the 2019-20 Delegation engaged the Board of Regents during public comment to oppose employee pension contribution increases. Public Comment participants included future Chair Crystal Petrini.
2020
  • With the COVID Pandemic, CUCSA became a virtual entity as of 2020 with a virtual meeting at UC Office of the President.
  • UC President Janet Napolitano resigned. CUCSA members engaged in the selection deliberations which resulted in the selection of President Michael V. Drake, M.D.
  • Lucy Tseng, UCLA CUCSA Delegate,  named UC Staff Advisor to the Regents.
2021
  • CUCSA advocated for a pay increase of five percent in consideration of a lack of pay increases during the UC Board of Regents Public Comment. A three percent increase as of July 2021.
  • Priya Lakireddy, CUCSA Alumni Delegate (UC Merced) and Kevin McCauley Memorial Outstanding Staff Award Recipient, named UC Staff Advisor to the Regents.
  • CUCSA advocated for a pay increase of five percent in consideration of a lack of pay increases during the UC Board of Regents Public Comment. Chair-Elect Dennis McIver advocated for the increase during the November Regents public comment session. Ultimately, a 4.5 percent increase was approved as of July 1, 2022.
2022
  • CUCSA Chair Crystal Petrini addressed the UC Board of Regents during the January 2022 meeting.
  • CUCSA Chair Crystal Petrini participated in the selection committee for the next UC Systemwide Provost.
  • Members of the 2022-23 CUCSA Delegation, Alumni Delegates, and UCSF Staff Assembly advocated for a 10% increase for policy covered staff during the November 2022 UC Board of Regents meeting.
2023
  • In conjunction with UC Administrative Management Professionals and the UC Staff Advisor to the Regents, CUCSA held a systemwide townhall to discuss events related to all three organizations in January 2023.
  • CUCSA Chair Dennis McIver addressed the UC Board of Regents during the January 2023 meeting.
  • In cooperation with CUCSA, an article encouraging systemwide participation in Staff Assembly was published by UC Net in March 2023. This would be supplemented with a systemwide zoom roundtable on getting involved in Staff Assembly.
  • In a historic first, CUCSA would host a systemwide webinar where four workgroup presentations were delivered before local Staff Assembly Executive Boards as well as Human Resources contacts in June 2023. This would be done to facilitate local discussions on the content and empower local Staff Assemblies to engage their local contacts with the findings.