Provost Latest News

Interim guidance in addressing discrimination and offering support

Dear Campus Community, The University of California and UC Riverside are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive campus community free from discrimination. This includes protecting all members of our community, regardless of their religion, ancestry, national origin, or any other protected characteristic, and this commitment extends to Arab...

By Elizabeth Watkins, Kiersten Boyce, and Alex Nájera |

Provost's winter campus update

Dear Campus Community, I write this quarter with an update on investments being made to support our research mission at UCR. The campus will make two significant investments in 2024: 1) recurring central funding for a new campus interdisciplinary research center and 2) the purchase of a web-based platform that displays publicly available...

By Elizabeth Watkins |

UCR Budget Update for Fiscal Year 2023-24

Dear UCR Colleagues, We are writing to give you an update on the final outcome of the fiscal year 2023-24 UC Riverside operating budget. As usual, we have a lot of information to share, which makes for a long email! For those of you who are interested in learning more about the overall campus budget process and operations , Stephanie Flores...

By Elizabeth Watkins and Gerry Bomotti |

Provost's fall campus update

Dear Campus Community, As we start another academic year, I’ve been thinking a lot about student success. Last week I sent out a communication about new investments in PhD and MFA student funding, as a first step towards achieving our desired growth, which includes not only a larger number of students enrolled at UCR, but also improved outcomes for...

By Elizabeth Watkins |

PhD/MFA student funding at UCR for 2023-24 and 2024-25

Dear Colleagues: Graduate education is at the core of our mission as an AAU member university. It is our express ambition, as affirmed in the UCR 2030 strategic plan, to grow our doctoral programs. This growth includes not only a larger number of students enrolled at UCR, but also improved outcomes for those students in terms of graduation rates...

By Elizabeth Watkins and Lidia Kos |

Resources at UCR amid violence in Israel and Palestine

Dear Campus Community, We were heartbroken to watch as violence broke out in Israel and Palestine this past weekend. At UC Riverside, we encourage department leaders to reach out to students, faculty, and staff that may be impacted. Additionally, we provide services for students through the Counseling and Psychological Services team at 951-827-5331...

By Elizabeth Watkins |

Campus operations continuing as normal

Dear Campus Community, I am writing to confirm that classes will continue as scheduled tomorrow, Monday, August 21. However, we encourage instructors to practice maximum flexibility and utilize remote options if needed, and to communicate those options to their students. Similarly, though campus operations will continue tomorrow, we encourage...

By Elizabeth Watkins |

CNAS dean stepping down

Dear Campus Community, Kathryn Uhrich, the longest serving Dean of the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences (CNAS) in 40 years, is stepping down effective September 1, 2023. Dean Uhrich was appointed in January 2016. For the past seven and a half years, she has remained steadfastly committed to the pursuit of equity and excellence in...

By Elizabeth Watkins |

Provost's spring campus update

Dear Campus Community, I am pleased to announce the official launch of our campus strategic plan, UCR 2030. The website is now live! I encourage you to explore the site, which includes links to the strategic plans of our academic and administrative units as well. Progress on initiatives and action items will be updated annually in the spring.

By Elizabeth Watkins |

UAW Contracts Updates

Dear Colleagues, As I noted in my winter campus update, the new union contracts with our academic researchers, postdoctoral scholars, graduate student researchers, and teaching assistants provide important salary increases and expanded benefits to these essential members of our academic workforce.

By Elizabeth Watkins |

Provost’s winter campus update

Dear Campus Community, We start this new year with signed union contracts with our academic researchers, postdoctoral scholars, graduate student researchers, and teaching assistants. The contracts provide important salary increases and expanded benefits to these essential members of our academic workforce, and we all look forward to working...

By Elizabeth Watkins |

UCR budget update for fiscal year 2022-23

Dear UCR Colleagues, We are writing to give you an update on the final outcome of the fiscal year 2022-23 UC Riverside operating budget. As we noted in last year’s letter, we once again have a lot of information to share, which makes this email a lengthy read.

By Elizabeth Watkins and Gerry Bomotti |

“Compassionate clause” concluding at the end of this quarter

Dear Colleagues: This fall the UC Riverside campus has successfully returned to our most expansive in-person operations since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. With the wide availability of vaccines and boosters to Californians of all ages, high vaccination rates among employees and students, more COVID-19 treatment options, and continued...

By Elizabeth Watkins and Gerry Bomotti |

Provost's Fall Campus Update

Dear Campus Community, Each September, campus leadership kicks off the academic year with a day-long on-site retreat. The group consists of the chancellor’s cabinet and the provost’s cabinet, plus leaders from the Academic Senate and Staff Assembly. This year, we spent the day discussing undergraduate enrollment, because our colleagues in...

By Elizabeth Watkins |

Compassionate clause to continue fall quarter

Dear Colleagues: As we look forward to the start of the fall quarter, we would like to confirm that the compassionate clause will remain in effect. The compassionate clause, which was in place last academic year, allowed for exceptions to normal course delivery modes through an approval process starting in the home department that is offering the...

By Elizabeth Watkins and Gerry Bomotti |

New School of Education dean appointed

Dear campus community, I am excited to announce the appointment of Dr. Joi Spencer as Dean of the School of Education. Her first day will be January 1, 2023. Joi joins us from the University of San Diego, where she is a Professor of Mathematics Education in the School of Leadership and Education Sciences (SOLES). During her 16 years at USD, Joi has...

By Elizabeth Watkins |

New dean of the UCR School of Public Policy named

Dear campus community, I am excited to announce the appointment of Dr. Mark Long as Dean of the School of Public Policy. His first day will be January 1, 2023. Mark joins us from the University of Washington, where he is a Professor in the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance and an Adjunct Professor of Economics. He previously served as...

By Elizabeth Watkins |

Spring update on FY22 Budget

Dear UCR Colleagues, While we await news on the final State budget and our allocation from the UC Office of the President for 2022-23, I thought I’d write to inform you about a number of financial decisions recommended by the Campus Finance Committee (CFC) and approved by the Chancellor and me since I last wrote in November about UCR’s 2021-22...

By Elizabeth Watkins |

Reinstating indoor masking for two weeks

Dear Campus Community, In consultation with UC Riverside’s Public Health Advisory Committee, campus leadership, the Academic Senate, and other UC campuses, we have elected to temporarily reinstate UC Riverside’s indoor mask mandate, starting Monday, May 30. From May 30 through June 13, face coverings will be required in indoor spaces on campus and...

By Elizabeth Watkins and Gerry Bomotti |

Provost’s Spring Campus Update

Dear Campus Community, The topic of this spring campus update is strategic planning. What has happened? Soon after I began as provost in May 2021, I pressed pause on the strategic planning process. While we had some of the best thinkers on campus engaged in strategic planning, some campus constituencies expressed disappointment with the penultimate...

By Elizabeth Watkins |