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By Michael Falcone

Daily Bruin Senior Staff

More than three months after the San Francisco Examiner first reported on political wrongdoing by UC Regent Gerald Parsky, a coalition of university labor unions is demanding an investigation.

A statement released Aug. 25 by the California Nurses Association and other unions representing UC employees around the state called for an independent probe to look into a possible connection between a UC contract awarded and donations to Republican presidential campaign coffers.

“We don’t feel like we can trust the regents on their own,” said Claudia Horning, the statewide vice president for the Coalition of University Employees.

The unions have filed a complaint with the Fair Political Practices Commission. As per policy, the FPPC would not comment on any investigation possibly pending.

“If the FPPC were to contact the university we would obviously respond,” Davis said.

Union leaders and a UC labor representative met Aug. 17 to discuss the matter at which time union representatives say the university was planning an investigation.

The unions waited to file their complaint to give the university time to act by itself.

But, since that time no investigation has occurred and none are planned, said UC spokesman Trey Davis.

“The university has reviewed this matter and is satisfied that appropriate and proper university practices and procedures have been observed throughout the process,” Davis said.

Parsky, who is presidential candidate Governor George W. Bush’s California campaign chairman, has been criticized for pushing the approval of Wilshire Associates, a Los Angeles-based consulting firm, to oversee the UC’s $59 billion pension fund.

A week before the recommendation to select the consulting firm, Dennis Tito, the president of the Wilshire Associates, allegedly made an $80,000 donation to the Bush campaign.

All parties involved have denied wrongdoing.

With reports from Timothy Kudo, Daily Bruin Senior Staff.