Dear Campus Community,
Last week, I had the privilege of representing UC Merced in Washington, D.C. and, as board chair of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), to convene the 30th National Capitol Forum. This event brought together higher education leaders from Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) across the country to advocate for policies that support the success of our students and communities. My meetings with elected officials representing California and states across the country underscored the importance of ensuring that federal support for higher education, including HSIs such as UC Merced, continues to grow appropriately in both funding and recognition.
Meanwhile, the University of California joined with 15 other higher education associations and peer institutions in a lawsuit to challenge the proposed 15% cap on National Science Foundation F&A funding, which threatens to undermine critical research in fields ranging from advanced materials and biomedical innovation to natural disaster forecasting.
Additionally, the proposed FY 2026 federal budget includes deep reductions to education spending, with potential consequences for student aid, first-generation support programs and key research agencies including NSF and NIH. UC President Michael Drake has expressed serious concerns and affirmed UC’s commitment to working with federal partners on more sustainable solutions.
Provost Dumont and I were pleased to be invited to provide an update and answer questions from faculty during a town hall hosted by the Academic Senate this week. We deeply appreciate the concerns and leadership of the faculty and their invitation to address specific questions on issues ranging from federally funded research, immigration issues and support for academic freedom.
While this will likely be my last federal update of the semester, campus leadership will monitor these evolving issues closely and I will continue to provide updates throughout the summer and as needed. Thank you for your continued dedication to our mission, students, community and each other.
Fiat Lux,
Juan Sánchez Muñoz, Ph.D.
Chancellor
