UC Riverside Chancellor Kim A. Wilcox kicked off the start of the fall quarter Thursday, Sept. 12, with the annual Chancellor’s Staff and Faculty Picnic on Hinderaker Lawn.

Wilcox said the university is blessed to be able to mark the start of each academic year.

“Every year’s a new beginning,” he said. “It’s a time to stop and think about all we’ve done.”

 

UC Riverside’s No. 1 placement in social mobility in the 2020 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings is an accomplishment that staff and faculty can feel proud of, Wilcox said.

“Of all the universities in the country, UC Riverside is No. 1 in helping students make a better life,” he said. “That happens because of what everyone here does.”

The event drew 1,018  staff and faculty members who enjoyed burgers, chips, and ice cream at tables set up on the lawn as music played on loudspeakers. Scotty the Bear roamed around, stopping at tables to greet people as they ate lunch.

Attendees also had an opportunity to visit booths hosted by campus organizations including Staff Assembly, Healthy Campus, the Student Recreation Center, and KUCR.