The UC Regents gathered Thursday to discuss – among other topics – compensation policy reform and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

The meeting, which took place at the UC San Francisco Mission Bay Campus Community Center, included a closed session about restructuring the Office of the President. Following the discussion, President Robert C. Dynes announced changes to UC compensation policy. The reforms include the establishment of the position of vice president/chief compliance and audit officer to approve exceptions to compensation policies.

The changes come in the wake of San Francisco Chronicle coverage detailing instances in which UC regulations were not followed with regard to compensation, resulting in millions of dollars of misappropriated UC funds.

Among the changes, Dynes declared the development of a new human resources information system to better track compensation data.

The Regents also recommended that the UC system compete to continue its management over the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. A vote by a Regents committee authorized the compilation of a proposal in cooperation with Bechtel National, Inc. for the bid.

UC previously teamed up with Bechtel to bid for stewardship over the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. The team beat the University of Texas for the bid.

In addition, the Regents received a presentation by the UC Student Mental Health Committee regarding improvements to mental health services for students. The committee suggested increasing staff levels and enacting a prevention program for at-risk students.

Today, the Regents are set to discuss in closed session the appointment of an acting chancellor for UC Merced. The school is the tenth and newest campus in the UC system, and is in need of a new chancellor following Carol Tomlinson-Keasey’s resignation after seven years in the position.

Other topics that the Regents will discuss today include UC Irvine’s proposed law school, research funding from tobacco-related companies and an update on establishing a group to study the impact of Proposition 209, a 1996 proposition that prohibited public institutions from practicing affirmative action.