2015-16

Dear colleagues,
We were blessed with glorious weather for our Saturday and Sunday commencement ceremonies, and I want to thank everyone who helped to make the occasion so memorable for our graduates and their families. Now that commencement ceremonies are over for the year, I look forward this week to our annual Staff Appreciation Week, starting Tuesday through Friday.

Dear Faculty and Staff:
 
With our second semester rapidly winding down and preparations already under way for our 11th Commencement, I’d like to take a moment to provide a brief update on what is proving to be a very productive year for UC Merced. From our growing number of academic and research achievements to the enormous headway we’re making on our expansion plans, this has been a significant year for our campus on many important fronts.
 
Recognition
 

Dear Colleagues,

I am pleased to announce that Ed Klotzbier will join UC Merced in June as Chief of Staff and Associate Chancellor. This is a new position, but with no new budget, created through attrition and restructuring in the Office of the Chancellor.

Dear campus community,

This morning, the UC Board of Regents approved the “Principles Against Intolerance,” which affirm the UC’s allegiance to academic freedom and free speech but also strongly affirm that intolerance and hate have no place in the University of California. I applaud this statement and urge you to read it.

Dear campus community members,

I want you to be the first to know the results of the FBI investigation into the tragic events that occurred on our beautiful campus on Nov. 4. I appreciate your patience and understanding as law enforcement completed its work.

Dear colleagues:
 
Since its founding, UC Merced has been constantly evolving.
 
Yet for many, the pace of change in recent years feels particularly accelerated. From Strategic Academic Focusing and the planned physical build-out by 2020 (including the new Downtown Center by 2017) to performance management and other process improvements — a lot of change seems to be hitting us at once.
 

Dear colleagues,
 
You may have heard about a report issued yesterday by the state’s Legislative Analyst’s Office that raises some questions about our 2020 Project and other University of California matters.
 

Dear members of the campus community,
 
As your Chancellor and Provost, we are proud of the culture of tolerance and respect that defines UC Merced. We are equally proud to be part of a university culture committed to fostering an academic environment where the search for truth and knowledge can occur without fear of retribution.  
 

Dear colleagues,
 
As we head into the holiday season and winter break, I want to extend my deepest appreciation for your continued dedication to UC Merced.
 
This year, we continued to make a difference in students' lives, breakthroughs in our research and connections in our communities. We welcomed newcomers and said good-bye to dear friends.