Dear Colleagues,

For me, this month can best be described as bittersweet. On the one hand, this is my favorite time of year. I am once again energized as students and faculty fill classrooms and labs, engaged in learning and discovery. I enjoy seeing familiar and new faces at the annual picnic.  I like sending a new welcome video to campus that hopefully brings about a few laughs while also reinforcing our focus on student success.

But as I announced earlier this month, I am planning to retire next summer, making September both the beginning of the academic year and the beginning of my last year as chancellor at UC Riverside. UCOP oversees the search for a new chancellor and soon, you should have more information about that process.

Since making the announcement, I have received many kind notes, reinforcing my gratitude for the honor of being chancellor. However, I’m also grateful that I still have most of a year to work on important initiatives and share updates with you, like the exciting news below.

No. 1 in Social Mobility Again

Once again, UCR has risen to the no. 1 position in the social mobility ranking in US News and World Report. 

Among all national universities, UC Riverside does a better job than any other institution at bringing students in at one socio-economic level and helping elevate them to another. 

For six years, ever since the ranking was established, UCR has been at the top—four times in the no. 1 spot.

We announced the ranking news last week, which seemed perfectly timed. As students return to campus, thank you for the work you do to help them advance in life, work, and study.

Free Expression on Campus

Another way we can support our students is by helping them to understand the opportunities and responsibilities of practicing free speech on campus. 

On September 9, I sent to campus a notice about policies and resources that all employees should review and understand. Please take time to visit the website and examine all of these materials related to time, place, and manner policies; consequences for violation; how we will respond to safety threats; and resources for education, fostering discussion, and mental health. 

A Continuing Priority

One question I have received in recent weeks is about what I want to accomplish in my last year as chancellor.  Putting UCR on a path toward having a hospital is a priority.

When I arrived in Riverside, we knew that the Inland Southern California region needed more primary care physicians to support the population. This was part of the case for establishing the UCR School of Medicine. We hoped to educate MDs who would complete residencies with community partners and practice here. 

But the population kept growing and our need for clinical placements has exceeded what our community partners can provide. As a result, the gap between what we need and what we have persists. A regional market study in 2020 showed that the IE has the lowest primary care ratio in California. We need to increase the percentage of primary care physicians by roughly 50% to reach acceptable levels.  

In the coming months, I plan to continue to advocate for the region’s healthcare needs and for securing a UCR health facility to help meet the region’s educational and healthcare demands.