October 2, 2003

MEMBERS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY

It is with great pride in the accomplishments of the University of California and great excitement about this institution’s future that I assume the presidency of the UC system today.

This is the premier university in the world, a place where the very best come to study, to work, and to learn. It also is an institution that has a deep impact on the society around it. California today is the envy of the world – a testament to the success of innovation, diversity, tolerance, risk-taking, and entrepreneurship. Much of that success simply would not be possible without the University of California and its contributions to education, health care, job creation, and an improved quality of life.

This is a great institution because of the greatness of its people. Our faculty are world leaders who provide a level of excellence in teaching and research that is unmatched by any public university. Our committed, hard-working staff provide highly effective and absolutely critical support to the academic enterprise. Our students are the very best academic performers from all corners of California, and they enrich our campuses with a multitude of contributions. Our alumni use their UC education to become innovators for our society in business, medicine, the arts, education, public service, and countless other fields. Our employees at the national laboratories make breakthrough achievements in a startling array of scientific fields while also making an important contribution to our nation’s security. And our many other friends in the community provide much-needed support for the University and its mission. Together we make an invaluable impact on millions of individual lives throughout the world.

We have many challenges to face, particularly in the current state budget climate in California. But I am greatly optimistic about this institution’s future, and I am eager to begin working together toward that future.

Over the coming months, I will be traveling throughout California – and to New Mexico, home of the Los Alamos National Laboratory – to meet firsthand with the many members of the University of California community. Rather than have a formal inauguration ceremony, I intend to make these events a kind of inaugural “tour” of the University of California and the regions it serves. I will be meeting with faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends of the University, along with local individuals in elected office, business, the media, and many other areas, to hear their perspectives on the University of California and the opportunities before it.

In the meantime, I will be holding a series of three “web chats” in the coming weeks – focusing separately on faculty and staff, student, and alumni issues – as I want to hear from you about your concerns, your ideas, and your dreams for UC. The chat schedule and set-up can be found at http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/newpresident/chatinvite.html. I hope you will join me for the kind of two-way communication that is so important to the effective functioning of an institution like ours. (Please note that the web chats require a java plug-in that you may need to install in advance.)

I look forward to seeing or hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,

Robert C. Dynes
President