Dear faculty and staff,
As we begin to wrap up the fall semester, I’d like to provide you with an update on campus developments that potentially affect all of us and answers to questions that have surfaced recently.
Strategic Workforce Planning
As you are probably aware, the campus is engaged in a workforce planning exercise that seeks to identify the most critical administrative and staff positions the campus will need as it grows to 10,000 students. This exercise is also an opportunity for the campus to create efficiencies that allow for new investments, drive innovation and invent new and more effective ways of working.
Some of you have asked why we are doing this now given all of the other initiatives the campus has undertaken. The answer is simple: We can’t afford not to.
We know the current staff-to-faculty ratio at UC Merced is higher than other University of California campuses, and this is typical of a new campus in its early stages. Even so, we are weak in some staffing areas, including support for our faculty and schools. Given we will not have the fiscal resources to continue to grow staff in the future at the same rate we have enjoyed in the past, it is imperative our future staffing plans reflect our most critical needs and also build on efficiencies in our business and administrative operations.
All non-academic divisions have now submitted workforce plans, which are being reviewed collectively by our vice chancellors and provost to determine areas where we might reduce overlap and redundancy, gain efficiencies and improve collaborations. I appreciate the work many of you have put into creating these workforce plans.
2020 Project
As discussed in previous updates, our future growth will depend on our ability to add physical space more rapidly and cost-effectively than in the past. We are pursuing an innovative strategy for making this happen, and I want to bring you up to date on our progress.
Six development teams participated in the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process conducted over the past few months. Their responses (Statements of Qualifications) were reviewed and evaluated according to pre-established criteria during the month of November, and I am pleased to report three highly qualified teams have been short-listed to take the next step in this process.
Several people have asked if we are already in the design phase of the 2020 Project. We have not reached that phase yet. Currently, we are refining our financial models and space estimates, and soliciting and receiving comments from experts on our draft Request for Proposal (RFP) documents.
More information on the short-listed teams and the RFP process will be made available in January.
Long-Term Stability Plan for Tuition and Financial Aid
I’ve been asked to share some thoughts with you on why I support UC President Napolitano’s stability plan for tuition and financial aid.
Under the plan, tuition and fees could increase by a maximum of 5 percent per year over the next five years. That would amount to $612 for the 2015-16 academic year, if implemented.
The amount of the increase will depend on the level of state funding UC receives each year. Increases could be anywhere from 0 to 5 percent annually over the course of the five-year period. Importantly, if there is a tuition increase, the majority of our undergraduate students at UC Merced (65 percent) will not be affected, as they are covered by the university’s Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan.
Although the University of California has received modest increases from the State of California over the last two years, these increases have not even covered inflation. The deep budget cuts during the recession have compromised the university’s quality and led to increases in student-to-faculty ratios and reductions in academic and other support services. Already, the university serves several thousands of students who are not funded by the state (many of them here at UC Merced). If the university continues to grow without state funding increases above 4 percent, we won’t have sufficient resources to achieve our long-term enrollment plan and development as a highly competitive and distinctive University of California campus.
I believe the plan proposed by the president is predictable and fair, and it allows families to plan ahead. My hope is that the plan will also serve as a wake-up call to political leaders about the very real and urgent funding needs of the University of California in general and our campus in particular.
As we head into a new state legislative session next month, we can expect to see political posturing and news headlines regarding the topic of tuition and whether the state should be investing more in public higher education. Again, bear in mind that tuition may increase by less than 5 percent — or not at all — depending on the level of state support.
Sexual Violence Prevention
I’m sure you’re all aware of California’s “Yes Means Yes” legislation that sets new standards for ensuring sexual contact among college students is consensual. The law also specifies how reports or complaints of unwanted sexual activity are to be investigated and acted upon by university administrators.
By law, sexual violence occurs when physical sexual activity is engaged in without the consent of the other person or when the other person is unable to consent to the activity. It also includes domestic violence, dating violence and stalking. Consent is an affirmative, unambiguous and conscious decision by each participant to engage in mutually agreed-upon sexual activity. Consent is voluntary and revocable at any time. To see the full definition and explanation of what constitutes sexual misconduct and consent, please review the UC Policy on Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault.
All of us should be familiar with the resources available at UC Merced, including support services, information on how to report crimes and complaints, educational programs and our own processes for responding to these types of incidents. I invite you to review related information on our new sexual violence prevention website.
I recently urged members of my cabinet to join me in pledging to end sexual violence in our campus community, and I urge you to join us in that commitment. One incident is too many. Let’s work together to keep our campus safe.
Closing thoughts
Having joined the campus over three years ago, I marvel at how far we’ve come in such a short amount of time. We’ve made very strong faculty hires. We have new and talented leaders who are guiding us into the next critical phase of growth. Our staff members continue to step up time and time again, realizing what worked when we were a smaller campus may not work in the future — and adapt accordingly. I’ve also noticed a marked improvement in the quality of communications from campus leaders.
During the holiday season, take time to rest and celebrate your friends and family. I look forward to seeing you again in January.
Happy holidays!
Sincerely,
Dorothy Leland
Chancellor
