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 John 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 John 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 |

UCR athletic trainers lauded for life-saving efforts at tennis championship

As athletic trainers at UC Riverside, Tony Ontiveros and Jessika Hunt have long emphasized the importance of teaching CPR and first aid to their coaches. They demonstrated those lessons and years of training when they were suddenly called to provide medical aid to a man who collapsed at a recent tennis conference championship in Indian Wells. Their...

By Imran Ghori |

‘MeToo’ founder speaks at UCR

Tarana Burke didn’t have the words more than 25 years ago to connect with a young girl who, like her, was a survivor of sexual violence. “What I really wanted to tell her was, `This happened to me too,’” said Burke, who was working with local youth at the time. “That’s where the literal words ‘me too’ came from.” Since then, those simple words have...

By Imran Ghori |

Student growth studied in UCR’s Long Range Development Plan

UC Riverside could increase its percentage of graduate students and improve its faculty-student ratios by 2035. Both are among the assumptions that campus planners are considering as they draft the next Long Range Development Plan, or LRDP, a land use plan that looks at broad growth assumptions over the next 15 years and considers their...

By Imran Ghori |

UCR staff and faculty donate during May fundraiser

UC Riverside staff and faculty are showing support for their favorite programs and departments as part of “Together,” a month-long fundraising effort. May has been designated Faculty and Staff Giving Month as part of UCR’s first comprehensive campaign, “Living the Promise: The Campaign for UC Riverside.” The university is approaching 80% of its...

By University Communications |

UCR takes a walk around the track

More than 400 UC Riverside staff, faculty, and students walked laps around the outdoor track Wednesday as part of the 10th Annual UC Walks. The event is a UC systemwide effort to promote an active lifestyle with similar events taking place on all campuses between April and June. Participants chose how many laps they wanted to walk around the track...

By Imran Ghori |

More than 800 Inland high school students joined UCR’s College Signing Day celebration

About 860 college-bound high school students attended College Signing Day at UC Riverside on Wednesday, May 1, as part of a simultaneous celebration across all nine University of California undergraduate campuses. The event is part of former First Lady Michelle Obama’s Reach Higher Initiative, which celebrates the achievements of students...

By Imran Ghori |