Re: Some Good News
To: All faculty and staff
May 27, 2021
Colleagues,
Together we have weathered a challenging storm over the past year, and UC Merced has been forced to make some difficult financial decisions. Those who have worked through the pandemic have often had to overcome personal or family difficulties, learn new ways to perform their jobs and do so with fewer colleagues than they had been accustomed to.
We are now seeing some light at the end of this tunnel. Most faculty and staff will be returning to campus this year, and classes will be primarily in-person again this fall. And as we announced last week, the university will begin hiring staff to help fulfill mission-critical needs — 40 positions university-wide, and potentially another 20 depending on state budget outcomes.
I am very appreciative of all those who have helped the university not merely survive, but thrive, and continue to serve our students and our community during this challenge. That is why today I am so pleased to announce a 3% salary increase to most policy-covered staff, and on-scale salaries for faculty, beginning July 1. Human Resources and the Academic Personnel Office are providing information about eligibility.
We also will set aside $250,000 over the coming two fiscal years for Star Awards and stipends to additionally reward staff for their dedication and innovative spirit during the pandemic. Furthermore, I have authorized another $200,000 to address pay inequities across classifications — as well as, for the first time in a systematic way, gender, racial and ethnic inequities.
I thank you for all you do, every day, for UC Merced, and I hope to be able to express my gratitude in person to as many of you as possible when we are together again on campus later this year.
Together, we are UC Merced, and our future is ever brighter.
Sincerely,
Juan Sánchez Muñoz, Ph.D.
Chancellor
