Chancellor

Launching the School of Medicine

The proposal to establish a research-based School of Medicine was completed in February 2008. Subsequently, the Academic Senate voted unanimously to approve the curriculum and to support establishment of the school. Key elements of the medical school's mission are training a diverse physician workforce and developing research and healthcare delivery programs to improve the health of medically underserved populations of the region. The proposal, currently under review by the systemwide Academic Council and UC Office of the President, is anticipated to go before the UC Board of Regents in July.

Planning for Enrollment

UC Riverside engaged in an extensive process to develop an enrollment plan through 2021 that considers both the history and future of UCR in conjunction with the unique circumstances of the region that UCR serves. In September 2007, Acting Chancellor Grey convened a retreat with campus leadership devoted to developing UCR's strategic enrollment plan. The plan calls for growth to 25,000 students by the year 2021, with 25 percent of that enrollment at the graduate and professional student level.

Setting Targets for Investment in the Academic Enterprise

To achieve UCR's ambitious enrollment targets will require additional support for our students. Acting Chancellor Grey has announced three-year fundraising targets for undergraduate scholarships, graduate fellowships, and endowed professorships and chairs in support of this goal. For more on UCR's development activities, please visit http://www.advancement.ucr.edu/.

Laying the Foundation for Enhancement of Arts and Culture Programs for the Campus and Community

UCR's size that it is time to think more ambitiously about the ways it can enhance and enrich campus life, especially for students, but for faculty and staff as well. With the enthusiastic support of the City of Riverside, a city-campus collaboration to enhance the arts and cultural offerings for the entire region is moving forward. Riverside's Mayor and Acting Chancellor Grey meet monthly and are collaborating on an initial project that will enable both the campus and the community to learn about university-community efforts and that will lay the foundation for a greatly expanded program here. A significant component of the plan with be UCR's downtown ARTSBlock.

Maintaining the Bonds of Community

Acting Chancellor Grey has made it a priority to establish strong bonds of community, both internally and externally. The College Eligibility Initiative provides an example of an external effort and the Staff Climate Survey is an example of an internal program aimed at further this goal.

The Inland Empire has one of the lowest college-going rates in the state. UCR partnered with the Community Foundation to launch a special initiative on college eligibility. Participants include representatives from the area school districts, K-12 schools, community colleges, the business community, and higher education. The goal is to work with local schools to ensure that students are academically prepared to attend a community college, state college, UC, or private school. Ultimately, the initiative will have a tremendous economic impact on the region as a whole.

The Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Staff Climate is charged with executing recommendations that emerged from the campus climate survey. The survey, which drew a 53 percent response rate from staff, identified topics that need management attention, including communications, career opportunities and recognition. Comprised of representatives from the Coalition of Unions, Staff Assembly and a cross-section of campus units, the advisory committee has achieved progress in improving staff communications, as well as expanding recognition and career development programs.

• Improving communication with staff who have no computer access
• Spotlighting staff climate issues in InsideUCR, the faculty-staff newspaper
• Expanding the service award program to recognize staff with five years of service
• Offering the Career Discovery Series, a new comprehensive career development program