May 2006

As the end of the Spring quarter approaches, I can’t help but marvel about the many significant events and activities that have taken place this quarter.  In addition, we have a few more important events planned for the campus community before the summer sets in.

Campus Town Hall Meetings for Staff, Students and Faculty

On May 22, we will hold the first of three Town Hall Meetings for members of the campus community to engage me and the UCSD leadership team on issues of interest and concern.  We have had a very busy year and have several important initiatives in the works, including comprehensive efforts to enhance the undergraduate student experience, our environmental sustainability initiative, and the changing face of our campus downtown, including plans for the new trolley line to come to campus. At these one-hour sessions, I will provide an update on UCSD initiatives and my leadership team will be present to respond to questions.

While the last several months have been very exciting for UCSD, I realize that some of the activities and issues, especially those related to UC executive compensation, have been difficult and stressful for staff, faculty, and students. These sessions are planned for students (May 22), faculty (May 30) and staff (June 22), to provide a forum for campus dialogue on a wide range of issues and I encourage you to participate.  For more information about the UCSD Town Hall Meetings, please contact the Office of Special Events and Protocol at 858.534.6386.

It’s Official:  California’s Second Public School of Pharmacy Opens its Doors

On May 2, the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences officially dedicated its new facility on the UCSD campus. The only public university school of pharmacy in Southern California and one of only two public pharmacy schools in the state, the Skaggs School will help meet the critical need for more pharmacists in the state.  The new 76,000-square-foot facility, located on the Health Sciences campus (La Jolla), provides the needed lab and instructional space to train new generations of pharmacists and scientists as key partners of the patient care team. 

A $30 million gift from the Skaggs Institute for Research was instrumental in building and equipping the school’s new facility.  This generous contribution represents the largest gift ever made to UCSD Health Sciences.

UCSD Opens Largest LGBT Center Among U.S. Colleges

This quarter the campus community also celebrated the opening of new Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) Resource Center, the largest center of its kind among U.S. colleges. The 2,700-square-foot center, located in the original Student Center, includes a large community space, conference room, meeting room, staff offices, a community kitchen and an extensive browsing library.  It also includes the David Bohnett Wireless CyberCenter, a unique resource for the entire campus community. The CyberCenter provides a lab environment composed of laptop computers for the use of students, staff and faculty, providing accessible technology in a comfortable and welcoming atmosphere.  For more information about the LGBT Resource Center please contact the Center at 822.3493 or visit their website at: http://lgbt.ucsd.edu

5,000+ Will Turn Tassels at Commencement 2006

This June, UCSD will graduate more than 5,000 students, ranging from the 24 pharmacy students who mark the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences’ charter class to our largest undergraduate college—Warren’s 1,200 graduates.  While this year’s ceremonies signal my second commencement “experience” since I arrived at UCSD nearly 2 years ago, I still look forward to attending these milestone events to congratulate our amazing students and their families and friends and to distribute the diplomas.  These ceremonies represent the culmination of all we strive to achieve at UCSD and they serve to remind us why, in the final analysis, we are here.

My best wishes for a memorable, productive and fun summer.

Sincerely,
Marye Anne Fox
Chancellor