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October 10, 2002
To: The Campus Community
From: Chancellor Greenwood
Re: Chancellor's Autumn Message
Dear Campus Colleagues:
I have enjoyed the chance to speak with many of you individually as we have shared the opening events of the academic year. Now, as we begin the third full week of the classes, I want to offer a brief retrospective on recent accomplishments, as well as note issues and events on our horizon.
First, let me say again how much I appreciate the hard work and professionalism of the faculty and staff who have made these first weeks of the fall quarter so successful. From student orientations and the opening of student residences -- including our newest ones at Colleges 9 and 10 -- through the welcome of new faculty and the launch of challenging classes and research projects, faculty and staff have demonstrated once again the exceptional quality of work that characterizes our campus.
This excellence has been recognized recently with several examples of significant private funding. On Sept. 18, the news media reported on a $1 million grant for innovative undergraduate science education awarded from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute to Manuel Ares, professor of molecular, cell, and developmental biology, (http://www.ucsc.edu/currents/02-03/09-23/ares.html). The next day, the headlines announced the largest private grant in the campus's history, $9.1 million from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation to establish a Laboratory for Adaptive Optics. This latter grant is the ideal complement to the federally-funded Center for Adaptive Optics and a testament to the international distinction of UCSC's astronomy and astrophysics program (http://www.ucsc.edu/currents/02-03/09-23/moore.html).
A third example of recent substantial private fundraising is the award from the Rockefeller Foundation for a $325,000 Humanities Fellowship. UC Santa Cruz received one of only eight awards given this year. The grant supports a three-year program of visiting scholars, small public conferences, and workshops focused on contemporary and historic globalization issues. The new program, "Other Globalizations: Histories, Trans-Regionalism, and Cultural Formations," will be based at the campus's Center for Cultural Studies (http://www.ucsc.edu/currents/02-03/09-16/rockefeller.html).
This private fundraising is an essential priority for the campus, in part because we cannot hope to achieve our vision for the future without it. The current economy has resulted in less state funding than we would like, providing our campus with only about 40 percent of our operating budget.
In fact, the University of California experienced significant cuts in the final budget signed recently by the Governor for 2002 - 03, and we still don't have complete details about the impact of additional cuts still to be made. In a recent letter to the university community, President Atkinson noted that we must prepare for as much as an additional 5 percent reduction in state funding this year (http://www.ucsc.edu/currents/02-03/09-16/atkinson_budget3.html).
The fiscal constraints are serious, but they are survivable. We have experienced such periods before, and, as we have in the past, we will do our best to continue to serve our students and the people of California, despite financial limitations. The economy will turn around, we hope sooner than later, and I am very optimistic that the long-range planning efforts we have just completed will position our campus to respond nimbly to opportunities that will emerge at that time. I ask your patience as we weather together this cyclical economic downturn.
I cannot overemphasize the importance of keeping our plans for the future firmly in view, even if we have to delay some aspects of their implementation. Early in September, I hosted a fall leadership conference attended by about 150 faculty, staff, students, trustees and alumni. The commitment to move forward confidently, despite temporary budgetary set-backs, was explicit in our discussion. The tone was set in part by presentations of Senate Chair George Blumenthal, Professor Michael Cowan, and Campus Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor John Simpson. Each of them delivered compelling remarks that I commend to your review and contemplation. (see Selected Remarks at http://planning.ucsc.edu/kickoff2002)
As I write this, several UC campuses, including our own, are preparing for a strike by the AFT union, representing lecturers, and the CUE union, representing clerical workers. This campus has established a web site at which is collected statements from the campus administration and the University of California regarding this potential labor action (http://www.ucsc.edu/news_events/strike_10-02/). Of course, I hope for the quick resolution of labor negotiations. As the university and the unions continue the negotiation process, let me repeat from the preamble to the UCSC Principles of Community, "We are a community living and learning together. Certainly, we cannot expect to always agree with each other on every matter. Yet, we must unfailingly demonstrate respect, tolerance and patience in our communications."
There are many other topics that will engage campus members this year. For examples, the November ballot includes a number of races and propositions that will affect us all. Among them is Proposition 47, the bond act to fund facilities for all segments of California public education, including K-12, community colleges, CSU and UC. The need for more classrooms and labs throughout the state is urgent, if we are to meet the demands of a burgeoning population. Protection of existing investments through seismic retrofitting and deferred maintenance also is essential. Proposition 47 has been endorsed by a wide range of organizations, including major business and industry groups. They understand that an investment in education is an investment in the economic future of the state and the nation.
For UCSC in particular, the passage of Proposition 47 is essential in order for us to move forward with our plans for a humanities and social sciences building, and the expansion and refurbishing of our library, among other projects. More information is available (http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/bondpdf/factsheet.pdf). Regardless of the decisions you make on this and many other important issues, please exercise your right and responsibility to vote. October 21 is the last day to register to vote on November 5.
With these many important concerns and others that may emerge in the coming months, it is essential that all members of the UCSC community stay informed. I urge everyone to take advantage of the information that is updated weekly -- or more often, if needed -- in the campus newspaper, Currents Online. Armed with these facts, I encourage you to serve as campus ambassadors to your family and friends. Please help us share the news of the achievements of our faculty and students, thereby increasing their understanding and appreciation for the many positive contributions of our faculty, staff and students.
Our university educates tomorrow's leaders, and also is the wellspring for new ideas and better solutions. Especially in these times of political and economic uncertainly, the university serves as a beacon to help illuminate broad perspective and foster understanding of others that, ultimately, will lead to a better world. There is no more important work -- and I am honored to share it with you.
Fiat Lux!
Maintained by:pioweb@cats.ucsc.edu