Dear Trustees,
Our spring semester and 2021 year is off to a strong start, and as many of you know, we are now preparing for a return to in-person instruction in Fall 2021. This transition will not be without challenge nor uncertainty, but we trust that the resilience and relentless dedication of our campus community will continue to carry us forward. Thank you all for being a part of the Bobcat family and for all that you do to support our students and mission.
We are looking forward to virtually convening with all of you for the full board meeting on Wednesday, February 24 from 9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. As mentioned in the email last week, we will be focusing on three key university priorities: Student Success, Student Access, and Medical Education. Please be sure to indicate your breakout room preferences within your registration.
Should you have any questions or comments to share in the meantime, please don't hesitate to reach out to ucmfoundation@ucmerced.edu.
Warmest regards,
Ed and Lisa
E. Edward Klotzbier, JD
Vice Chancellor
President, UC Merced Foundation
Lisa Pollard Carlson
Associate Vice Chancellor
Vice President, UC Merced Foundation
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Building Bridges: Trustee Connections |
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You should have received an email last week from Foundation Intern, Keanu Velasquez, on behalf of the Advocacy & Awareness work group. This is a friendly reminder to please complete the form linked below by Friday, February 12, in order to indicate the political, media, and community connections with whom you would be willing to facilitate introductions to the university.
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We are so grateful for the board's support of the Merced Vernal Pools and Grassland Reserve project through contributions to the Trustees' Impact Fund.
If you would still like to contribute to the 2020 Fund, gifts can be made online here or by completing and sending this remit card. Should you have any questions, please contact Lisa Pollard Carlson at lpollard@ucmerced.edu or (209) 291-8169.
Thank you again for your support, which truly makes a tremendous impact on our programs, research, and students.
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Upcoming Work Group Meetings
Thursday, February 11, 1:00 p.m. - Entrepreneurial Ecosystem | RSVP Here
Thursday, March 11, 1:00 p.m. - Advocacy & Awareness | RSVP Here
Thursday, March 25, 1:00 p.m. - Philanthropy | RSVP Here
Friday, April 9, 11:00 a.m. - Nominations | RSVP Here
Full Board Meetings
Wednesday, February 24, 9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. | RSVP Here
Wednesday, June 23, 2021
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A report commissioned by UC Merced’s chancellor shows the university has generated thousands of jobs — and hundreds of millions of dollars — for the San Joaquin Valley’s economy.
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In a record year for applicants to the entire University of California system, UC Merced has received a total of 30,105 prospective student applications among freshman and transfer students into the university — the highest number in the campus’s history.
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Two new projects designed and led by UC Merced researchers will address challenges facing many Californians - wildfire recovery and agricultural labor - but will also have global reach.
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Eleven buildings in the Merced 2020 Project, UC Merced’s ambitious public-private partnership that nearly doubled the campus footprint, have been awarded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.
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Vice Provost for Academic Personnel Teenie Matlock has been honored with the Athena Award for Academic Leadership by the Women in Technology Initiative at the University of California.
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Faculty Feature: Dr. Sora Kim |
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Professor Sora Kim has been named one of this year’s Emerging Scholars by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine.
Only 15 researchers, out of hundreds of nominees, have been selected.
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Sharks have roamed Earth’s oceans for more than 400 million years, quietly recording the planet’s history. If a researcher like paleoecology Professor Sora Kim wants to “read” those records to learn about major global changes that took place about 50 million years ago, she must decode the information stored within what remains of ancient sharks — their teeth.
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Black History Month: A Message from Chancellor Muñoz |
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As we celebrate Black History Month, I am reflecting on the commitment we share to realizing justice for the Black community by continuing to encourage inclusive excellence at UC Merced.
While we have miles to go in our journey toward a truly inclusive and representative community, many at UC Merced are already making history through their work:
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In 2020, Professor Tracy Osborne was named the UC Presidential Chair in Management of Complex Systems in recognition of her pioneering work in climate change mitigation and its relation to social justice. This five-year appointment allows her to collaborate with other scholars on projects that promote climate and social justice and have the potential to heal our world.
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Among many other accolades, Professor Asmeret Berhe was recognized by the American Geophysical Union as one of this year’s recipients of the Joanne Simpson Medal for Mid-Career Scientists for her transformative scientific advances in the Earth and space sciences. According to her peers, her work in soil biogeochemistry has “improved understanding of the dynamics of organic matter in soil systems, in particular in systems that experience rapid changes as a result of fire, erosion and climate change.” In addition to her essential scientific contributions, Professor Berhe is also an outspoken advocate for the inclusion of women and racial justice in STEM.
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Professors Whitney Pirtle and Kevin Dawson published scholarship that analyzed current events through a critical race theory lens and continue to contribute to our understanding of how longstanding power structures and racial and economic inequity impact society today.
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Through her leadership on the People First Workgroup, the Valuing Black Lives Task Force, and the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Associate Chancellor and Chief Diversity Officer Dania Matos has taken tremendous strides over the past year toward creating a culture of transparency, accountability and fostering a climate where social justice, diversity and inclusion are woven into the very fabric of the university.
We remain committed to the ongoing task of learning, growing and creating lasting change in how we embody these values at UC Merced, and we will honor Black History Month this year by working to lift up Black and other underrepresented voices and experiences that strengthen our resolve to achieve a more just, inclusive and equitable future for all members of our community.
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Black History Month Concert
Saturday, February 27, 6:00 p.m.
Event Contact: Kim Garner, Executive Director of Arts
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Literature and Social Justice Series |
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Hundred Flowers Hidden Deep: Queer Aesthetics and Sensibility in Chinese Cinema
Monday, February 22, 4:00 p.m.
Join for a talk and Q&A with Dr. Weisong Gao.
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Q&A on Becoming Othello: A Black Girl's Journey
Friday, March 5, 7:00 p.m.
Zoom link to come
These events are part of a series on writers, activists, performers, and scholars who are making the connection between literature and social justice.
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