Chancellor Messages

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Travis M. Smith as UC Riverside’s new vice chancellor of Development and Alumni Engagement. He will also assume the role of president of the UC Riverside Foundation following confirmation by the foundation board of trustees. Travis’s appointment will begin on July 6, 2026.

Sandra Kim has been named vice chancellor for finance and administration and chief financial officer for UC Riverside following a nationwide search. Since April 2025, Kim has served in the role on an interim basis. Kim has more than two decades of experience managing financial strategy and operations in higher education.

Dear Colleagues, At UC Riverside, research is central to our mission—and it is a shared effort. Every day, our faculty and students contribute to scholarship and discovery with global impact—whether placing a sample under a microscope, testing a new system, recording results, or supporting the work behind the scenes. Often, that work rises to a level that captures wider attention—advancing knowledge in ways that are both significant and inspiring. Here are just a few of the latest research <strong>headlines appearing in major media outlets</strong> in the last few months.

Dear Colleagues, Welcome back to a new quarter. Spring is an exciting time for UC Riverside’s next cohort of students. Beginning in late February and continuing through March, first-year applicants receive admission news. Next month, transfer students will receive their notifications. By June, we’ll know who wants to be a Highlander in the fall.

Dear Campus Community,&nbsp; After a national search, I am pleased to announce the appointment of Greg Paules as director of intercollegiate athletics. His first day will be March 23, 2026. &nbsp;

UC Riverside has received an $800,000 grant from the W.M. Keck Foundation to bolster essential scientific research in agricultural science, quantum mechanics, and regenerative medicine.

Dear Colleagues,

UC Riverside celebrated the inauguration of Chancellor S. Jack Hu with a look to the future, congratulatory speeches, and festive music and dance performances. Hu was formally sworn in as UCR’s 10th chancellor at the Thursday, Feb. 5 investiture ceremony where he outlined his vision for UCR to become “the nation’s model for an inclusive, innovation-driven public research university.”

Dear Campus Community:

Dear Campus Community: The University of California and UCR are committed to providing a digital environment that is accessible to everyone, including individuals with disabilities.&nbsp;

We understand that recent reports of immigration enforcement activity nationally have caused worry among UCR students, faculty, and staff. At the present time, UCPD has received no information about current or pending immigration enforcement activity on campus. However, I ask that everyone become familiar with the guidance and resources available, including on a new website.

Dear UC Riverside Community, As part of our institutional obligations under recent state legislation—Senate Bill 98 (2025) and the continuing provisions of Assembly Bill 21 (2017)—I write to share important guidance related to potential immigration enforcement activities at or near UC Riverside.