Introduction and Context
Background: Creation of the Strategic Plan and Where We Are Now
UC Merced launched its first comprehensive strategic planning effort in 2020 to create a 10-year roadmap for the campus through 2031. The plan engaged faculty, staff, students, alumni, community members, trustees, and governance bodies. Finalized in 2021, the plan articulated goals to achieve Carnegie R1 designation, advancing student success, and cultivating a culture of respect and dignity. Following its adoption, strategic planning teams were formed to guide the direction of several objectives, with their work shared through the campus Budget Call process. With many of the original goals now accomplished, UC Merced has reached a natural midpoint in the 10-year plan. This update provides an opportunity to celebrate progress while setting new aspirations to carry the university forward through the second half of the strategic plan. Since the plan’s launch, the university has achieved transformative milestones—including R1 designation, prestigious awards such as the ACE Institutional Transformation Award, and notable improvements in national rankings. These accomplishments, paired with shifts in the higher education landscape, underscore the importance of updating our plan at this time to ensure continued momentum.
Campus Achievements since the Launch of the 2021-2031 Strategic Plan
In the last five years, the campus has achieved significant accomplishments vis-a-vis the initial strategic plan. Through a survey invite distributed to UCM internal stakeholders, we asked campus constituents to highlight key campus accomplishments over the past five years. The most common accomplishments highlighted by stakeholders are summarized in the word cloud. The campus celebrated achieving Carnegie R1 designation in record time, being recognized nationally by U.S. News and World Report as among the top 25 public universities, and realizing social mobility and economic prosperity for UC Merced students.
Strategic Plan Update Team
Group Leadership & Facilitation
- Christiane Spitzmueller, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Strategy
- Courtenay Monroe, Vice Chair of the Academic Senate
Team Members
- Kelli Breland, President, Staff Assembly
- Scott Hagg, Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management
- Hrant Hratchian, Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Education
- Ed Klotzbier, Vice Chancellor and Chief External Relations Officer
- Tonantzin Oseguera, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Engagement
Supporting Staff
- Josh Morgan, Associate Vice Chancellor, Strategic Communications
- Jose Lopez Arriaza, Business Intelligence Specialist, Center of Institutional Effectiveness
- Sandra Cuevas-Lezama, Planning Program Manager, Office of Institutional Assessment
- Naoko Kada, Coordinator for Academic Program Planning, Office of Institutional Assessment
