Dorothy Leland: UC Merced’s 2020 expansion is getting started

By Dorothy Leland

Ever since UC Merced opened our doors in 2005 as the first University of California campus in the San Joaquin Valley, we’ve felt a special kinship with the community that welcomed us.

In a region wracked by chronic poverty, high levels of unemployment and low levels of educational attainment, we strongly believed we could become a significant force for beneficial change over time. Our mission was, and is, very clear: to bring a major new dimension of educational and economic opportunity to one of the fastest-growing parts of the state – a region California can no longer afford to leave behind.

Today, we have a vibrant campus of nearly 6,700 students, some 1,500 permanent employees and roughly 5,000 proud Bobcat alumni. We have created thousands of jobs and directly invested nearly $1.3 billion in the regional economy. Most importantly, we’ve seen an enthusiastic response from the young men and women of the region who are now applying to the UC system at more than double the rate of just 10 years ago.

None of these gains would mean much in the long run if we could not continue to grow and invest in the region’s future – a path that has been in question for much of our existence. As I’ve reported in this newspaper and other places for nearly three years, the recent statewide recession and resulting cutbacks to higher education funding have forced us to explore alternative means to fund our growth in the absence of traditional state investment.

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[Source]: Merced Sun-Star