<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style=""><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif">Dear Colleagues, </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"> </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif">July has been a month for
highlighting numbers. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"> </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif">Across the country, Americans
celebrated Independence Day by marking 250 years since the signing of the
Declaration of Independence. In a video for employees, <a href="https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/employee-news/video-the-university-of-california-celebrates-americas-250th-year/" style="color:rgb(70,120,134)"><b>UC
President James B. Milliken reflected on the University of California’s role in
helping build the country</b></a> we know today. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"> </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif">Here at UCR, as we closed one
academic year and began the next, we have been counting the ways the university
serves students, invests in the Inland region, and prepares to further scale
that work. Our numbers tell part of that story.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><b><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"> </font></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"><b>8,293</b><br>
The largest class of new undergraduate UCR students, including both first-year
and transfer, enrolled in fall 2025. This resulted in 24,034 undergraduates and
27,633 total students, both of which represent the largest in their respective
categories in UCR’s history.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><b><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"> </font></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"><b>96.3%</b><br>
California residents accounted for 96.3% of UCR undergraduates, continuing our
long-standing commitment to serving students from across the state.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><b><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"> </font></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"><b>97%</b><br>
Of the students who applied for financial aid, 97% received need-based
scholarships and/or grants. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><b><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"> </font></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"><b>$38.5 million</b><br>
Philanthropic support during the fiscal year outpaced past years, buoyed by
several major gifts.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"> </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif">These are just a few of the
numbers that reflect UCR’s growing reach and impact. The partnerships we build
across the region will help us continue to scale that work.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"> </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><b><font face="tahoma, sans-serif">Three Councils, One Regional
Commitment</font></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif">As I shared during my
inauguration, I believe UC Riverside's future is inseparable from the future of
Inland Southern California. We have a responsibility—and an extraordinary opportunity—to
continue to serve as a catalyst for economic growth, educational opportunity,
cultural vitality, and innovation across our region, state, and beyond.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"> </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif">To advance this vision, I have
launched three Engagement Councils focused on Business Engagement, P–16
Education Engagement, and Community Engagement. These councils bring together
campus and community leaders to strengthen partnerships, align our efforts, and
expand UCR's impact.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"> </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif">Together, they are building a
framework for lasting partnerships through three key initiatives:</font></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraph" style="margin:0in 0in 0in 0.5in;line-height:115%"></p><ul><li><font face="tahoma, sans-serif">Annual Impact Report to showcase
partnerships, measurable outcomes, and regional impact.</font></li><li><font face="tahoma, sans-serif">Partner Engagement Assessment to gather
feedback and continuously improve how we collaborate with our communities.</font></li><li><font face="tahoma, sans-serif">Coordinated Communications Platform to
connect partners with opportunities, highlight successes, and strengthen
awareness of UCR's work across the region.</font></li></ul><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"> </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif">These councils represent more than
a new initiative—they are a long-term commitment to ensuring UCR remains a
trusted partner and an anchor institution that helps shape a stronger,
healthier, and more prosperous Inland Southern California.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><b><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"> </font></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><b><font face="tahoma, sans-serif">California Expands Its
Investment in UC</font></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif">Governor Gavin Newsom has signed
California’s 2026–27 budget, which provides the University of California with $5.5
billion in support, including approximately $541 million in new ongoing support.
</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"> </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif">I am grateful to Governor Newsom
and the Legislature for their continued investment in public higher education. Thank
you to everyone who participated in the Speak Up for Science campaign and other
advocacy efforts on behalf of UCR and the UC system.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"> </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif">State support accounts for approximately
one-third of UCR’s overall budget. As the university’s largest source of
funding, these dollars are essential to honoring our education, research, and
public-service mission.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"> </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif">UCR’s allocation from UCOP increased
by $36.5 million, which doesn’t fully cover increases in salaries, benefits,
and other fixed costs of $43.17 million. I encourage you to read the <a href="https://insideucr.ucr.edu/announcements/2026/07/28/fy27-budget-update" style="color:rgb(70,120,134)"><b>detailed
budget update from Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Elizabeth Watkins and
Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer Sandra Kim</b></a>. As mentioned in
that announcement, we will continue to hold budget review meetings in winter
2027 as we did this year and appreciate your stewardship.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"> </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif">State investment helps make
possible the teaching, research, and public service at the heart of our
mission. The gathering described below demonstrates the reach of that work.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><b><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"> </font></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><b><font face="tahoma, sans-serif">Research Spotlight: Where
Science Meets AI</font></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif">At the close of June, <a href="https://cnas.ucr.edu/news/2026/07/07/intersection-science-and-ai-uc-riversides-ceci-and-sair-foundation-bring-world" style="color:rgb(70,120,134)"><b>UCR
welcomed leading researchers, students, entrepreneurs, industry experts, and
community members for the Science x AI Summit</b></a><b>.</b> Hosted by the
Center for Experimental Cosmology and Instrumentation and the SAIR Foundation,
the event featured Nobel laureate Barry Barish, Fields Medalist Terence Tao,
Google Quantum AI founder Hartmut Neven, and other internationally recognized
speakers.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"> </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif">The discussions ranged from
gravitational waves and quantum computing to mathematical reasoning, scientific
data, and entrepreneurship. Yet the summit’s most important lesson was not
simply about what artificial intelligence can do. It was about what becomes
possible when people from different disciplines, institutions, and generations
work together.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"> </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><b><font face="tahoma, sans-serif">Beyond the Numbers</font></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="">As we look toward the future, our
numbers provide a useful measure. Of course, behind each of these is you, one
of the dedicated employees committed to our students, our research work, and
the impact we make. Thank you for the work you have contributed to this
progress and for the goals we will achieve together in the year ahead.</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" style=""><br></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="">Sincerely, </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="">S. Jack Hu, Ph.D. </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="">Chancellor</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%"><br></p></div></div>