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Remarks and Writings

June 30, 2014
Dear colleagues,   I wanted to share some good news that shows significant progress in Project 2020, our accelerated growth plan that will bring the campus to 10,000 students in the next six years.   The campus is the top bidder for a piece of publicly auctioned land in downtown Merced that will likely serve as the site of a... Read More
June 6, 2014
Dear colleagues:   With the spring semester over and summer underway, UC Merced is a bit quieter even though we continue to serve a growing population of students in our summer sessions. But summer is typically a time when faculty members can focus on their innovative research, staff members can work on bigger projects and everyone can... Read More
May 27, 2014
The UC Merced community is deeply saddened by the senseless and tragic deaths of six UC Santa Barbara students during a shooting rampage this weekend.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends of the students who were killed and injured in this attack. A fund for families of the victims has been established through the... Read More
April 9, 2014
Dear students and colleagues,   I wanted to inform you of Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Jane Lawrence’s decision to step down this summer from the day-to-day responsibilities as vice chancellor. As a founding vice chancellor, Jane has been an enthusiastic and tireless voice on behalf of our students even before the first class... Read More
March 19, 2014
Colleagues,   As you may recall, the University of California Campus Climate survey was administered on our campus a year ago as part of a systemwide effort to gather perspectives on living, studying and working within the UC system. Many of you participated in the survey (38 percent of faculty and 50 percent of staff), as did both... Read More
February 25, 2014
Dear colleagues: Now that the spring semester is well underway, I wanted to pause for a moment and provide you with a campus update. It’s always a challenge for me to decide what you might be most interested in learning from me. Sometimes I get it right and sometimes I miss the mark. But I am always interested in your suggestions... Read More
January 21, 2014
Dear UC Merced students: Welcome back to campus after the winter break. I hope you enjoyed rest and relaxation in preparation for what promises to be another activity-filled semester. The new year brings a significant change at UC Merced (and our sister campuses throughout the UC system). We are now a smoke-free and tobacco-free campus,... Read More
December 10, 2013
Dear colleagues: I am pleased to announce the appointment of Michael Reese as vice chancellor for Business and Administrative Services, effective February 2014. After a nationwide search, Michael emerged as the strongest candidate, with an impressive array of administrative experience. Feedback from the campus following the campus interview... Read More
November 14, 2013
Last week Typhoon Haiyan, one of the strongest tropical cyclones on record, struck the Philippines. The cyclone caused catastrophic destruction in the central part of the country, particularly on Samar Island and Leyte, where it’s estimated at least 10,000 people may have died in the city of Tacloban alone. According to UN officials, about... Read More
October 25, 2013
Dear colleagues:   Our campus is now eight weeks into the fall 2013 semester and in that short time, UC Merced has been bustling with activity. I hope each of you is finding the 2013-14 academic year to be stimulating, productive and rewarding. One highlight so far this fall was UC President Janet Napolitano’s... Read More

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