How to get around campus during a construction boom

New construction work is in full swing at UC Riverside, and with it come some growing pains. The campus community can continue to see some road, pathway, and other closures accompanying the work in the coming months. Five major projects are already underway with more, including the Student Success Center, kicking off soon in what is one of the...

By Imran Ghori |

UCR among top 1% of world universities

UC Riverside is among the top 1% of universities in a world ranking that shows the campus continuing to climb in position. The World University Rankings ranked UCR No. 204 in its list of the top 2,000 out of 18,000 total universities worldwide. The campus ranked No. 75 nationally in the 2019-20 list released this week. Both scores were an...

By Imran Ghori |

Interim provost wants to keep UCR moving upward

When Thomas Smith accepted the position of interim provost and executive vice chancellor, he had a simple goal: continue UC Riverside’s upward trajectory. Smith, who began his new role July 1 after five years as dean of the Graduate School of Education, was appointed by Chancellor Kim A. Wilcox to serve until next June or until a permanent provost...

By Imran Ghori |

Remembering Canyon Crest as it makes way for new housing

For decades, the 50-acre, World War II-era housing complex known as Canyon Crest Family Student Housing was home to UCR students with families. The shuttered site is now being razed to make way for a massive student-housing expansion project. About two dozen people, most of whom had worked in some capacity at Canyon Crest through the years...

By University Communications |

Health and wellness leader joins UCR

A public health practitioner who has worked extensively in education has been appointed as UC Riverside’s assistant vice chancellor for Health, Counseling & Wellness. Denise Woods-Bevly will join the campus Sept. 3. She is currently director of Student Wellness and the Basic Needs Initiative at California State University, Office of the Chancellor...

By Imran Ghori |

Campers get a taste of college life

UC Riverside welcomed Operation Purple Camp to campus this week, giving 94 military-connected kids a chance to experience college life and have some fun. The campers, who came from Southern California and beyond, took part in activities such as archery, rope climbing, and swimming during their week-long stay from July 14-18. UCR Recreation, which...

By Imran Ghori |

New GSOE dean views education as a way to transform communities

Louie Rodríguez likes to draw from a saying by Brazilian philosopher Paulo Freire that it’s not just about “reading the word but reading the world” in his approach to education. “I’m a big champion for promoting education, not just in terms of one’s own human capital growth, but also how we can use our education to transform opportunities for...

By Imran Ghori |

UCR ranked No. 12 for public universities that pay off best

UC Riverside ranks high among public universities where graduates can expect a good return on their investment. CNBC placed the campus No. 12 on its list of the top 50 public universities that pay off the most. The list, released July 16, evaluated average tuition costs in relation to graduates’ future earnings. This is the first time CNBC has...

By Imran Ghori |

UCR Health appoints new CEO

UCR Health has named a 30-year health care veteran as its new CEO. Dr. Donald W. Larsen has most recently been the chief medical officer for Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, and interim executive director of the John Wayne Cancer Institute in Santa Monica. UCR Health is the fast-expanding clinical arm of the UC Riverside...

By J.D. Warren |

Celebrating a trip to the moon

About 200 adults and children attended a celebration on campus July 11 of the 50th anniversary of the historic Apollo 11 moon mission. Attendees partook in telescope viewings of the moon, engaged in hands-on activities, and attended a lecture titled “Fifty Years of Discovery — From the Moon to Mars and Beyond.” Children participated in cratering...

By Iqbal Pittalwala |

Operation Purple Camp coming to UCR

As an Army veteran, Jennifer Sayre knows that her two sons sometimes deal with issues — such as the deployment of a parent — that only other military families understand. That’s why she jumped at the chance to enroll her kids — aged 9 and 12 — in Operation Purple Camp when she learned UC Riverside will host it this year from July 14-18. She and her...

By Imran Ghori |

Interim provost appointed

UC Riverside Chancellor Kim A. Wilcox has named Thomas M. Smith as interim provost and executive vice chancellor, pending approval by UC President Janet Napolitano. Smith, who previously served as interim vice chancellor for student affairs during 2018, joined UCR in September 2014 as dean of the Graduate School of Education (GSOE). He is a...

By University Communications |

Provost reflects on legacy as she leaves for UC Santa Cruz

When Cynthia K. Larive joined UC Riverside as a bioanalytical chemistry professor in 2005, she had no aspirations of an administrative role. She was happy as a faculty member and busy with a productive lab. But when the time came that she felt she could be of service, Larive stepped up — first as a department chair and later as a divisional dean...

By Imran Ghori |

Long-serving employees share UCR memories during celebration

Silly pranks, romantic connections, and inspirational moments. For UC Riverside’s longest-serving employees, those are the memories that stand out during their decades-long careers. A group of about two dozen employees — with careers spanning 30 years or more — were honored at a June 10 luncheon at the Alumni and Visitors Center. At the suggestion...

By Imran Ghori |

A fond farewell to the provost

UC Riverside paid tribute to departing Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Cynthia K. Larive at a farewell reception June 10 at the Alumni and Visitors Center packed with well-wishers. Larive has been appointed as UC Santa Cruz chancellor effective July 1. At the reception, Larive was honored for her history with UC Riverside that began as a...

By Imran Ghori |

Pierce Hall gets $60 million renovation

One of UC Riverside’s oldest buildings is getting a makeover. Part of Pierce Hall has been fenced off since January as work takes place on a $60 million renovation that will replace old mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, expand restrooms on all floors, and update fire alarm systems. The project will also modernize the more than 114,000...

By Imran Ghori |

European agriculture innovation company to invest $5 million in research, collaboration, and translation with UCR

Eurosemillas S.A., a global leader in the commercialization of agriculture innovations, has signed a $5 million agreement with UC Riverside to expand a research and licensing partnership that has taken the campus’ citrus varieties to nearly 20 countries. The company, based in Cordoba, Spain, is UCR’s largest international licensee of the Tango...

By Imran Ghori |

Research teams start moving into MRB

From the top floor of UC Riverside’s Multidisciplinary Research Building, Jericho Ortanez can enjoy views of the Student Recreation Center next door, nearby city neighborhoods, and the region’s surrounding hills. The microbiology doctoral student is among approximately 150 faculty members, students, and employees who are the first to move into the...

By Imran Ghori |

UCR’s new dean of students is an advocate for underrepresented students, free speech

An educator with a passion for boosting marginalized students will become UC Riverside’s next dean of students. Christine Mata will join UCR on Aug. 1 as dean of students and associate vice chancellor for Student Affairs. She is presently interim dean of students for Humboldt State University. Prior to her appointment to that post in July 2018...

By J.D. Warren |

UCR websites change to be completed soon

UC Riverside is completing its transition to a new website content management system that will result in campus web pages with a consistent look and are easier to update. By June 30, websites on the Omni Update platform can no longer be edited or updated with new content. Acquia Cloud Site Factory, which uses the Drupal platform, is now the...

By Imran Ghori |