California political leaders say the economic fallout from COVID-19 is expected to pose significant challenges to the state’s budget, including funding for the University of California. Its impacts could be felt beyond the current 2020-21 fiscal year, said Gerry Bomotti, vice chancellor of Planning, Budget and Administration. Gov. Gavin Newsom...

The wait is over. The Barn will reopen for dining July 13 for the first time in two years following a $30 million renovation and expansion. A grand opening had been planned for April but was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Dining Services has added additional cleaning and social distancing measures to keep visitors and employees safe in...

Mona Eskandari, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering, has been awarded the 2020 Marlan and Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering Distinguished Teaching Award. Students praised her knowledge and teaching skills, crediting her active-learning techniques with better preparing them for engineering careers. “Professor Eskandari was selected...

The UCR Foundation Board of Trustees has a new chair and nine new members, all of whom begin their terms Wednesday, July 1. The 40-member volunteer Board of Trustees oversees UCR’s affiliated foundation, receiving and managing the investment of a $190.9 million endowment as of May 31 that supports the long-term strength of UCR’s research programs...

The UCR Botanic Gardens reopened to the public Monday after more than three months of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic. The 40-acre living plant museum, which has more than 3,500 plant species, is the first major area of the campus to reopen. The Botanic Gardens is following state guidelines allowing for the reopening of parks and trails...

Four UC Riverside faculty members were honored by the Graduate Division and Academic Senate with 2019-20 Senate Faculty Awards, announced in a letter on June 16. Kate Sweeny, a professor of psychology; and Flip Tanedo, an assistant professor of physics and astronomy; both received the Commitment to Graduate Diversity Award, which recognizes those...

UC Riverside students took part in bootcamps, a pitch competition, and received mentoring from business professionals as part of the first year of the program known as Blackstone LaunchPad powered by Techstars. The program, which had been offered at UCLA since 2014, expanded to all UC campuses in fall 2019. It offers tools and resources for budding...

As the number of COVID-19 cases began rising in March, recent UC Riverside graduates Aram Ayra ’18 and John Stefan '20 knew they wanted to do their part to help. They decided to take a community approach that emphasized neighbors helping neighbors, creating the Riverside Mutual Aid Network. “We saw the cases were becoming more severe,” said Ayra...

Ginger Mickow is used to feeling the energy of a room of students moving to music when she leads kickboxing, body toning, and other classes at UC Riverside’s Student Recreation Center, or SRC. But in recent weeks, the instructor has been leading classes in an SRC studio accompanied only by a camera operator. She faces a camera instead of a mirror...

Several working groups have begun discussing guidelines for how and when UC Riverside will start allowing more students, staff, and faculty members to return to campus. A new website provides more details on the ideas under discussion. Research is the first area where on-campus activity can resume, under certain conditions, starting Monday, June 8...

A new student housing complex is one of several UC Riverside projects making progress while much of the campus remains empty. Despite the campus closure on March 13, construction has continued at a regular pace as it was deemed an essential service under Gov. Gavin Newsom’s stay-at-home order. Contractors and subcontractors have put in place...

UC Riverside student Jennifer Le is one of 14 recipients of the Donald A. Strauss Public Service Scholarship for a project seeking to close the gender gap in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields, or STEM. The Donald A. Strauss Public Service Scholarship Foundation provides $15,000 scholarships to college sophomores and...

The Barn has gone through several transformations since its original incarnation as a horse stable in 1917. Its latest dramatic change — a $30 million renovation and expansion — is now complete after almost two years of construction. Featuring 18,500 square-feet of dining and cooking space, it’s about three times the size of the original structure...

Julie Salgado, a past president of UC Riverside’s Staff Assembly, is a recipient of the Kevin McCauley Memorial Outstanding Staff Award for her leadership in promoting staff. Recipients are selected by the Council of University of California Staff Assemblies, the umbrella organization for Staff Assembly units across the UC system. Named in honor of...

UCR Staff Assembly is honoring Ronda Inzunza and Robert Stephens as the latest winners of its Get Recognized peer awards program. Inzunza, an administrative officer at the Harvest Shared Services Center, was the January winner. Stephens, an assistant director in Student Conduct & Academic Integrity Programs, was the February honoree. Stephens was...

Running up a mountain trail, practicing yoga, and working out in the garage are among a few ways UC Riverside students, staff and faculty members are taking part in UC Walks. In past years, participants walked or ran laps at UC Riverside’s outdoor track for the annual UC systemwide event promoting an active lifestyle. With the campus closed due to...

The search for UC Riverside’s next provost and executive vice chancellor has been narrowed down to three candidates. The candidates were interviewed and provided online video presentations in late April outlining their visions for the campus. The finalists were selected by a search advisory committee working with an executive search firm. “We were...

The UC Riverside campus may be mostly empty, but the work of keeping it secure continues. Since the Riverside County stay-at-home order went into effect March 13, UC Riverside police, Environmental Health & Safety, and Facilities Services have been among the departments with staff working on campus performing critical duties. “Over the past few...

Two UC Riverside School of Business professors have been named to the Poets & Quants Top 40 Under 40 MBA Professors list for 2020. Ye Li, 36, and Marlo Raveendran, 37, are both assistant professors of management. Li has been a faculty member since 2012 while Raveendran joined UCR in 2013. Poets & Quants, a publication covering business schools and...

Helping UC Riverside students affected by the coronavirus will be the focus of a special Giving Tuesday campaign on May 5. Normally held on the first Tuesday after Black Friday as an international annual day of giving, the global nonprofit behind the campaign organized the upcoming fundraiser as an emergency response to the unprecedented need...