The University of California announced today (Feb. 8) that it is launching the Double the Pell campaign to urge Congress and the new federal administration to charter a more affordable pathway to higher education for America’s students and families.

The University of California announced today (Jan. 28) that the system received for fall 2021 admission the highest number of undergraduate applications in its history, even in the midst of a global pandemic. Highlights among California freshmen include a jump in overall applications and surges among African American and Chicano/Latino students, while California Community College transfer applications also grew by an impressive margin.

University of California President Michael V. Drake, M.D., released the following statement today (Jan. 20) in response to President Biden’s executive order reinstating the U.S. to the Paris climate accord. 

UC is a major contributor to the state’s vitality, generating $82 billion in economic activity per year and supporting 1 in 45 jobs.

The University is an essential economic engine for the state, supporting over half a million jobs and contributing to the economy in every region. 

The University of California announced today (Jan. 11) that it is planning for a return to primarily in-person instruction systemwide starting fall 2021, enabling prospective and current students as well as their families to understand our goal well in advance amid the uncertainties of the pandemic.

Gov. Newsom’s budget provides $136.3 million of new ongoing support to the University of California, including $103.9 million to partly restore the $300.8 million in reductions made last year to UC. The proposal also includes $32.4 million for ongoing targeted investments in other areas, such as expanding access for student mental health services and supporting UC Programs in Medical Education (UC PRIME), which combine specialized coursework and training experiences that allow future physicians to better support underserved populations.

The orderly transfer of power has been a hallmark of our American democracy for more than two centuries. The shocking display of lawless violence in the nation’s capital on January 6 was an horrific, and ultimately tragic, affront to our national dignity. The University of California cherishes the free speech right of the people “peaceably to assemble” to share their grievances. But that is not what occurred in Washington, D.C., yesterday. We must stand together — regardless of political party or point of view — to condemn the violence on Wednesday and to uphold, protect and defend our bedrock values.

The group will harness the intellectual horsepower of the university to realize the benefits of AI while establishing necessary safeguards.

Justice has prevailed once again. In solidarity with our students and the entire UC community, we are pleased that a federal judge today decisively ordered the federal government to fully restore the DACA program. This is a win for DACA recipients, their families, and for this country that has been so enriched by immigrants.

What began as a brand new UC campus situated on the coast of La Jolla has evolved into one of the top 20 research universities in the world.

The University of California announced today (Nov. 17) that it has adopted systemwide gender identity and lived name options for UC-issued documents and information systems. UC’s new Presidential Policy on Gender Recognition and Lived Names, which acknowledges gender identities other than man and woman, is another milepost in the University’s commitment to equity and inclusion for all.