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A UC Berkeley professor has called for an independent investigation of university compensation deals in response to brewing concerns about perks and bonuses for some top administrators.

On Monday, a faculty petition for an independent investigation was presented to the university. Launched two weeks ago, it has already garnered the support of about 55 University of California professors, mostly from the Los Angeles and Berkeley campuses.

UC President Robert Dynes had already announced at this month’s UC Board of Regents meeting the formation of a task force – led by former regent Bob Hertzberg and current regent Joanne Kozberg – to look into making the compensation of UC employees more transparent. But some say the pair is too closely tied to the governing Board of Regents to be impartial.

Three weeks ago, the university system was shaken when Provost M.R.C. Greenwood, the UC’s second highest-ranking official, resigned amid an investigation into possible conflicts of interest in two university hiring decisions.

The controversy revolves around the hiring of Greenwood’s son as a paid senior intern at UC Merced and the hiring of Lynda Goff, Greenwood’s former real estate partner, for a high-ranking administrative position.

Additionally, the UC was criticized for lack of transparency after a San Francisco Chronicle report two weeks ago detailing bonuses and other previously unreported compensation for high-ranking officials.

Some say the recent troubles have the potential to hurt the university system before state lawmakers hash out next year’s budget.

Bruce Fuller, a professor of education and public policy at UC Berkeley, said he started the petition in hopes of restoring the public’s faith in the regents and the UC Office of the President.

“Until President Dynes recognizes this is a serious problem, there’s going to be great cynicism among students, parents and donors about the president’s leadership,” Fuller said.

In an e-mail statement, UCOP spokesman Paul Schwartz said it’s the UC’s intention to “be publicly accountable and as transparent as possible.”

The regent-led task force will “consider ways to improve our public disclosure policies and internal practices regarding compensation and other personnel-related matters,” Schwartz added.

But Fuller said it would be impossible for Hertzberg and Kozberg, who were involved in figuring compensation deals, to independently investigate their own decisions.

An investigation into UCOP and the UC Regents led by former and current members of the governing board would be a conflict of interest, Fuller said.

He said controversy concerning compensation deals and high-ranking payoffs could not have come at a worse time, as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is currently preparing his yearly budget proposal – which includes UC appropriations – due in January.

At their last meeting, the regents voted to increase student fees next year, except in the case of a funding increase from the state legislature.

Fuller said that amid recent controversies, good will from Sacramento that would render fee hikes moot is unlikely.

“It’s a political disaster in Sacramento,” Fuller said. “Every year the UC president schlepps up to Sacramento and claims poverty. And after reading the newspapers around the state, how this president is squandering resources, what legislator will vote for bigger appropriations for UC?”

Student Regent Adam Rosenthal said the call for an independent investigation is premature.

“It finds smoke where there may not be any fire,” he said.

Rosenthal said faculty would be better off addressing concerns to the regents, a body he said is fully capable of thoroughly and independently investigating university affairs.

UC leaders, including Dynes, have said the lucrative compensation deals in question are necessary to attract top candidates to fill high-ranking positions within the university system.

The regents approved salary increases averaging 2.5 percent for top UC administrators, campus chancellors and other executives at their last meeting.

The faculty petition takes a sharp jab at the assumption that increased salaries translate into more competent management.

“If such perks have been effective in attracting such wise managers, why have these same individuals made such reckless decisions which now place the university’s record of integrity and moral leadership in jeopardy?” the petition reads.