Our past has been remarkable, and we know our future is brighter still.

 

UC Merced Chancellor, Dr. Juan Sánchez Muñoz

Dr. Juan Sánchez Muñoz assumed his role as UC Merced’s fourth chancellor on July 1, 2020, coming to UC from the University of Houston-Downtown, where he served as president since 2017. Having achieved his Bachelor's in Psychology at UC Santa Barbara and his doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction at UCLA, Muñoz’s move to UC Merced is a return to his California upbringing and academic roots. 

During his first year as chancellor, Muñoz has set the university's course for the next decade with an ambitious strategic plan that focuses on growth, impact and equity and justice. Muñoz was named the recipient of the 2020 Cesar Estrada Chavez Award from the American Association for Access, Equity and Diversity for leadership on workers' rights and humanitarian issues, and in December 2020, Muñoz was appointed to the California Strategic Growth Council and currently serves with his wife, Dr. Zenaida Aguirre-Muñoz, as a council member for the Yosemite Conservancy.

chancellor munoz headshot

Chancellor's Priorities

Writing and Remarks

September 18, 2026

In Motion: Updates from the Chancellor - August/Sept. 2026

Dear UC Merced faculty and staff, As summer winds down and autumn draws near, I continue to be inspired by the many ways UC Merced is advancing our mission—through... Read More

June 15, 2026

In Motion: Updates from the Chancellor - May/June 2026

Dear Faculty and Staff, As we move into summer, I want to take a moment to reflect on a remarkable few weeks for our campus and to share a few highlights from recent... Read More

News

Headshots of professors Shijia Pan and Alyssa Weakley flank an image of a small, round, white sensor that plugs into an outlet.
November 5, 2026

Researchers from UC Merced and UC Davis are putting into practice work aimed at helping older adults maintain independence where they live while providing loved ones and caretakers with real-time...

California Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross speaks into a microphone at the grasslands seminar.
October 29, 2026

California's grasslands are a vital part of a healthy ecosystem, supporting native plants and endangered animal species. Yet the vast majority of them - more than 90 percent - have been lost to...

Students unload a wheelchair-accessible electric vehicle from a tractor-trailer at UC Merced.
October 27, 2026

An automatic vehicle delivered by tractor-trailer to UC Merced recently will be the focus of a two-year effort to improve travel options for people with disabilities. The wheelchair-accessible,...

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