Dear Campus Community,
Today, Oct. 9, we mark Indigenous Peoples' Day —recognizing the role of native people in the long history of California, including the land where UC Merced now stands.
In 2021 we dedicated our Toloma Grove monument, which continues to be a center of reflection and remembrance on campus. We also launched the annual Toloma 5K race which will be run again this year on Oct. 28; it raises funds to support our growing scholarship on native affairs as well as native students. November is Native American Heritage Month, during which we expect more campus activities to learn more about and celebrate our native students, faculty and staff.
At UC Merced we recognize that equity, diversity and justice are essential to world class scholarship and research. We continue to build for the future, but must never forget the contributions of those who came before.
Thank you,
Juan Sánchez Muñoz, Ph.D.
Chancellor
