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Remarks and Writings

Affirming Our Campus Commitment

August 21, 2017
Dear Campus Community,   UC Merced has always been a place that prides itself on diversity and inclusion, and where people from various backgrounds and with various identities can live, work, study and learn together. This week, now that our first-year students have arrived and as a new semester begins, I want to address events on the... Read More

Concern for Our Students After Weekend Incident

July 14, 2017
Dear Campus Community,   Yesterday, approximately one hundred members of the UC Merced community and others joined in a peaceful protest motivated by the recent troubling incident that occurred at the Chandelier Hookah Lounge this past weekend. Those of us who have seen the video clip showing a portion of the incident can surely... Read More

Thank you from Chancellor Leland

May 15, 2017
Dear Colleagues,   What a great weekend for our campus, graduating students, and their families. Commencement is one of my favorite times of year, but it’s also one of the most challenging events our campus puts together. This year presented its own unique challenge, with our familiar South Bowl venue now a construction site. I... Read More

Central Valley Women’s Forum Keynote Remarks

March 29, 2017
Chancellor Dorothy Leland “Challenges and Opportunities for Higher Education in California”  Leadership California: Central Valley Women’s Forum  Fresno Pacific University Campus Building Fresno, California March 29, 2017   Thank you, Barbara, for that warm introduction. It is not often that I get... Read More

Our Commitment to UC Merced DREAMers

February 8, 2017
Dear Campus Community, The support of so many members of our campus community for the plight of students who have been—or may be—affected by changes in immigration policy is truly heartening. We are a campus that values our diversity and expresses this value in its care for others. I want to address controversy generated by the... Read More

Message from Chancellor Leland Regarding President Trump’s Executive Order

January 30, 2017
Dear Campus Community,   By now you are likely aware of the recent executive order restricting entry into the United States for individuals from Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. While the situation remains fluid and much is unclear, news reports indicate that individuals with immigrant and non-immigrant visas and those... Read More

Welcome to Spring Semester 2017

January 17, 2017
Dear Campus Community,   Welcome to 2017, and a new spring semester!   As you know, UC Merced is truly a special place. Our talented students represent the very best of California, and many are the first in their family to attend college. Our faculty and staff are committed to enriching the lives of our students while supporting... Read More

A New Year Greeting from Chancellor Dorothy Leland

January 5, 2017
2016 was a busy year filled with milestones and accomplishments for our young campus. It’s with great hope that we look ahead to an even brighter future in the coming year.

Yesterday's Presidential Election

November 9, 2016
Dear Campus Community, Our campus, our state, our nation and the world are processing the result of Tuesday’s presidential election. Our students, many of whom are the children of immigrants and rightfully take pride in being the first in their families to attend college, have been exposed to a lengthy, divisive campaign full of hurtful... Read More

Merced 2020 Project

September 6, 2016
Dear Colleagues, As the 2020 Project moves forward, I want to share some additional detail on its implementation. This, by design, will be a very different type of design and construction process than we have used in the past.  It is fast-paced.  It has an aggressive schedule.  And it relies on a sharply defined budget.... Read More

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