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   December 10, 2025

   Vol. 6, No. 12       

A publication from the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor

Dear Colleagues, 

As you have probably already heard, I have decided to make this my last year as Executive Vice Chancellor. My last day in the EVC role will be June 30, 2026, and I will return full-time to the faculty on July 1, 2026.  

After 23 years as an academic leader, nine of them as your EVC, I am eager to spend more time on my research in physics and physics education, to begin teaching regularly again, and to contribute service from the perspective of a Senate faculty member. I am also looking forward to attending more of the fascinating talks, expos, exhibits, and performances across campus, now that my schedule will be more flexible. 

It has been an honor and a pleasure to work with you on our shared goals of supporting intellectual excellence, research growth, and student learning. We have built large-scale partnerships across academic disciplines and professional specialties, to accomplish collectively what no one can do alone. We have explored difficult questions and implemented solutions through the processes of shared governance. And we have done it through the most difficult circumstances: a global pandemic, financial threats, and severe challenges to academic freedom and free expression. 

I have greatly enjoyed getting to know you: students, staff, faculty, and leaders throughout all the schools, colleges, centers, institutes, and administrative units of this university. And I have benefited immeasurably from your wisdom and partnership. 

Let’s see what we can accomplish together in the seven months ahead! 

With best regards, 

Elizabeth H. Simmons 

Just a reminder that the easiest way for us to talk is to schedule time during my office hours. Click the button below to find out about ways we can chat! 

During the upcoming campus winter closure, the Library will adjust its building hours while continuing to provide access to most online resources: 

UC San Diego students, faculty and staff may access online licensed resources using a secure login system called OpenAthens, allowing access using Active Directory (AD) login credentials. 

Join UC San Diego students, staff, faculty, and alumni for San Diego's Martin Luther King Jr. Parade and an Annual Day of Service.

MLK Day of Service: January 16, 2026  
UC San Diego is partnering with Webster Elementary for a day of community building and connection. Volunteers will lead interactive classroom activities designed to inspire leadership, compassion, and civic responsibility among Webster students. T-shirts, lunch, and transportation will be provided so be sure to register to reserve a spot. 

MLK Parade 2026: January 18, 2026 
11 a.m. | Harbor Drive, Embarcadero

The UC San Diego contingent will begin lining up at 10 a.m. outside of the County Administration Building. The group will be led by a large "UC San Diego" banner, followed by the UC San Diego Pep Band, the Eight Colleges, and members of the campus community. Departments and organizations are encouraged to showcase their own banners, letters, and signage in the parade. T-shirts and a free shuttle to and from campus will be provided.

Registration for both the MLK Day of Service and the Parade will be available in mid-December on the Community Service website. For any questions, please contact csiservice@ucsd.edu and campusevents@ucsd.edu.  

Triton Days events, hosted by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, celebrate and welcome future Tritons, giving them the chance to explore all that UC San Diego has to offer. 

Triton Days 2026 Events: 

Last year, Triton Days Open House welcomed more than 12,000 students and families, while Transfer Celebration hosted 2,250+ participants. These events offer guests a valuable opportunity to experience UC San Diego’s vibrant, supportive community, while allowing departments to connect early with future Tritons, answer questions, and showcase why our campus is the perfect fit for them. 

Department Participation Opportunities: 

All departments are encouraged to participate in both events. The participation form will be open Wednesday, Jan. 7 – Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. Please note that late submissions will not be accepted. 

UC San Diego Library's Special Collections & Archives showcases 65 years of UC San Diego history through photographs and campus publications. The Welcome to UC San Diego Exhibit is on view in Geisel Library (2nd Floor West) until December 19, 2025, during the building’s open hours. 

As part of UC San Diego’s Campus Activation initiative, the new Campus Events Calendar: calendar.ucsd.edu elevates the visibility of campus events and creates a more connected and engaged campus community. Whether you're hosting a research talk, student performance or department open house, the calendar makes it easier than ever to promote your events to the audiences that matter. 

It’s easy to generate customized code for a widget that displays upcoming events and activities on your CMS web page. 

All campus instructors are invited to complete a brief anonymous survey to gather a snapshot of instructional practices, the challenges instructors face, and what kinds of support would make their work easier and more effective. The deadline to complete the survey is Friday, December 12th. 

Tuesday, December 16, 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Online 

The Eighth College Student Affairs + Residence Life team is working with consultant Keith Edwards, co-author of The Curricular Approach to Student Affairs and co-chair of the ACPA Institute on the Curricular Approach.

Join a 90-minute virtual session that is open to any and all interested colleagues to learn about the Foundations of a Curricular Approach. This session will also be recorded and made available for 30 days. 

To prepare and share the resources and information needed for these programs, the Summer Planning team is collecting preliminary information.

Submissions received after Nov. 12 are considered late, and support for Summer 2026 may be difficult, or in some cases, not possible. Late submissions will be accepted until Wednesday, January 7, 2026. 

For questions, please email Director of Summer Planning, Rocco Fragomeni. 

Tuesday, December 16, 1 – 2 p.m. | Online 

The Academic Affairs Center for Operational Excellence (COE) Lean, Lunch and Learn (L3) Workshops, in partnership with Business Excellence Community of Practice (BECOP), will host a session with COE Team presenters. They’ll highlight campus-supported and free engagement tools including Mentimeter, Qualtrics, Google Forms, Liberating Structures, Lucid and Zoom Surveys. 

This session is open to all UC San Diego audiences. Registration Required. 

The Student Employment Office and the Teaching and Learning Commons’ Experiential Learning team have partnered to ensure that all UC San Diego casual/restricted student employment positions are fully represented in the Co-Curricular Record (CCR) catalogue by the end of AY 2025-2026. Academic Affairs departments are progressing well at a 60% upload rate for their student employment positions.

Contact the project managers to check your department’s participation status: Helen Stapleton or Laszlo Folks

The new REAL Portal is now live: a one-stop platform for all Commons experiential learning (EL) opportunities. The REAL Portal includes all research, experiential and applied learning opportunities from across campus, both paid and unpaid positions. UC San Diego affiliated organizations can post opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to apply to directly in the portal. Students, faculty, and staff can search by EL opportunity type or EL program (academic internships, CCR, and campus opportunities). 

The highly anticipated Triton Student System (TSS) will go live for students in Summer 2026. Staff will gain access earlier, starting February 2026, to prepare for student registration and Fall 2026 schedule building.  

TSS will replace the long-standing Integrated Student Information System with a modern platform designed to better support students, faculty and staff. 

Explore Key Project Information: 

For questions about the project, contact esr-student@ucsd.edu

The Hub Basic Needs Center provides Food Security Resources, Housing Resources, and Financial Wellness services to undergraduate and graduate students.

Food insecurity remains a critical issue for college students nationwide and 2024 UCUES data showed that 51% of UC San Diego undergraduate students report facing food insecurity - threatening their wellbeing and academic success! But CalFresh, a state program that awards up to $298 a month for groceries, can help! More than 50% of UC San Diego students are CalFresh eligible, and ~60% of students enrolled receive more than $200 monthly. 

You can help by joining the many instructors who are including food support information in their student-facing communications, such as class syllabi, Canvas pages and slides. Use the resource downloads on the Collective Impact website. 

• USS Interactive Guidebook: On and off-campus resources

• USS Questions & Concerns from our Students

• What to Do What to Say (in English and Spanish): Quick guide on how campus employees can respond to a warrant, subpoena or request for confidential student or staff information. 

Have a student who seems distressed? For support, you can contact Triton CORE, a Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) Program.  

HOW TO REACH THEM: 
Triton CORE is available Monday – Friday, from 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. Call UC San Diego Police Department’s (UCPD) non-emergency line at 858-534-HELP (4357) and ask to speak with Triton CORE. 

To schedule a TRITON CORE presentation for your team, email tritoncore@ucsd.edu 

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) introduces Triton Lighthouse: Immersive Care Program, a new campus-based initiative providing comprehensive support for UC San Diego students navigating mental health challenges. 

This short-term program offers individualized treatment plans with a range of services: skill-based workshops, therapy, case management, community activities, psychiatric support, and digital resources. Referrals are welcome. 

• BIPOC Support Group 
• Black Community Support Group 
• First-Generation Professionals (FGPs) 
• Mindful Pause (Mindfulness Meditation Group) 
• Neurodivergent Support Groups 
• Parent and Caregiver Support Groups 
• Tritons Flourish
• Working Parents Support Groups