To: Faculty and Staff
Colleagues,
As we celebrate outstanding growth with the largest enrollment in UC Merced’s history, I’m pleased to share additional positive news that further strengthens our foundation for the future.
Over the past academic year, there have been numerous presentations and discussions regarding the expiration of our supplemental Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the UC Office of the President (UCOP). I am delighted to share that, after months of work by university leadership, UCOP has approved a new MOU that will provide UC Merced with additional financial support over the next six years, following the conclusion of the current agreement at the end of Fiscal Year 2026.
The successor agreement also provides a higher level of baseline funding than the current MOU. Importantly, it endorses our roadmap for strengthening UC Merced’s long-term financial sustainability by linking additional support to specific performance measures aligned with the university’s strategic plan. However, our record enrollment and this new agreement do not lessen our responsibility to continue asking how we can work differently and more effectively to best support our mission of teaching, research, and public service. Our success should give us both confidence in what we have accomplished and ambition for what comes next.
Campus leadership is preparing a presentation to share more details about the agreement, including its financial commitments, performance measures and what they will mean for the future of UC Merced. These sessions will also provide opportunities for discussion and questions about how we can work together to make the most of this agreement as we pursue our shared commitment to excellence in teaching, research and public service.
For now, I hope we can all take a moment to appreciate the tremendous momentum with which we are beginning this academic year. Thank you for all you do to make this university stronger every day.
Sincerely,
Juan Sánchez Muñoz
Chancellor
