Chancellor's Priorities for 2007/08
Launching the School of Medicine
On July 17, 2008, the University of California Regents approved establishment of a research-based School of Medicine at UCR.
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.
Under the leadership of Chancellor Timothy P. White, UCR will now launch a search for the founding dean, begin formalizing agreements with area hospitals and clinics, and accelerate fundraising activities for the new medical school. For more information, please click here School of Medicine.
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, Campus leadership developed 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. Three-year fundraising targets have been established for undergraduate scholarships, graduate fellowships, and endowed professorships and chairs in support of this goal. For more on UCR's development activities, see University Advancement.
Laying the Foundation for Enhancement of Arts and Culture Programs for the Campus and Community
UCR is now of sufficient size that it is time to think 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 collaboration to enhance the arts and cultural offerings for the entire region is moving forward. Riverside’s Mayor and Chancellor White will 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
Chancellor White 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
For background and details on current activities, visit the UCR in Dialogue website.