University of California, Merced
Encyclopedia
The University of California, Merced, commonly referred to as UC Merced or UCM, is the tenth and newest of the University of California
campuses. Located in the San Joaquin Valley
in unincorporated
Merced County, California
, near Merced
, UC Merced was the first American research university to be built in the 21st century. The University is also a census-designated place
(CDP), that was uninhabited at the 2010 census.
voted to begin planning for a campus in the region, in response to increasing enrollment and growth constraints at existing UC campuses. On May 19, 1995, the Regents selected the Merced
site, mid-way between Fresno
and Modesto
, as the location for the University of California's tenth campus. The campus groundbreaking
ceremony was held October 25, 2002, and the first day of class was September 6, 2005.
On May 16, 2009, First Lady Michelle Obama
gave the commencement address for the university's first full graduating class.
In 2010 the United States Census Bureau
made UC Merced its own separate census-designated place
. Unlike the other campuses in the UC system, UC Merced was built in a rural, unincorporated area
outside the boundaries of the City of Merced or any other existing city or community. Mail to the campus, however, is addressed, "Merced, CA".
In Fall 2010 the new student housing facilities, The Summits, opened to provide two new residential halls for incoming students. The two, four-story buildings, Tenaya Hall and Cathedral Hall, are reserved primarily for incoming freshmen students.
. After a nation-wide search, on May 24, 2011, the Regents of the University of California named Dorothy Leland, President of Georgia College & State University, to be the university's newest chancellor. Sung-Mo (Steve) Kang, dean of the University of California, Santa Cruz
, Baskin School of Engineering
held the position immediately prior from 2006 to 2011, he stepped down to return to research and teaching. Carol Tomlinson-Keasey
held the position from 1999 until she resigned on August 31, 2006. She returned to teaching and research in psychology in 2007 and later died of breast cancer in 2009. On September 21, 2006, the Regents named Roderic B. Park, a former interim chancellor at the University of Colorado at Boulder
, as the acting chancellor for UC Merced. Park remained acting chancellor until Kang took office in early March 2007.
Although UC Merced is located in a rural area associated with agriculture, it emphasizes cutting edge interdisciplinary research grounded in natural science, math, engineering and social sciences. The campus takes advantage of the surrounding environment by investigating issues relating to environmental systems of the Central Valley and Sierra Nevada, and of its youth by having programs in genetic research conducted in state-of-the-art research labs. It also benefits from proximity to Silicon Valley
and other major universities. Research in fields like language acquisition and cultural issues is facilitated by the highly diverse ethnic makeup of the Central Valley.
UC Merced operates on a semester basis rather than the quarter system for its academic term
. The Berkeley
campus is the only other UC campus on a semester system.
The Social Sciences and Management Building is scheduled to open in the spring of 2011, and is intended to house the planned E&J Gallo School of Management.
For graduate-level study, UC Merced has 9 emphases: applied mathematics, biological engineering and small-scale technologies, computer and information systems, environmental systems, mechanical engineering and applied mechanics, physics and chemistry, quantitative and systems biology, social and cognitive sciences, and world cultures.
In 2007, the campus was granted candidacy for accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges
, and is scheduled to be reviewed for initial accreditation in the fall of 2009. In March 2011, WASC again visited the campus and granted UC Merced accreditation. The school will be officially accredited in the summer of 2011.
Planned institutes
In 2007, UC Merced researchers obtained nearly $7 million in funding from the National Science Foundation
.
, the CDP covers an area of 1.126 square miles (2.916 km²), all of it land.
The campus is bounded by Lake Yosemite
on one side, and two irrigation canals
run through the campus. The buildings will be grouped into "neighborhoods" by academic discipline, much in the manner of the Irvine campus
. However, UC Merced will be developed on a grid plan
similar to historic Central Valley towns, whereas UC Irvine developed along a wheel-and-spoke plan. The campus master plan was developed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, its initial infrastructure
by Arup, and its first buildings were designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Thomas Hacker and Associates, and EHDD Architecture. The library and central power plant have been classified as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
Gold structures in terms of their high energy efficiency and low environmental impact. The campus is located about seven miles (11 km) north of downtown Merced in the middle of a cattle ranch.
Rather than build on 40 acres (16.2 ha) of protected land east of Lake Yosemite, where endangered fairy shrimp
hatch in vernal pool
s, the school will build on a 230 acres (93.1 ha) parcel of grazing land south of campus, under a revised layout. The fledgling campus will cover a total of 810 acres (327.8 ha), rather than the 910 acres (368.3 ha) proposed in 2000. The new design will impact a total of 81 acres (32.8 ha) of native wetlands in the region compared to the 121 acres (49 ha) forecast in the 2000 footprint.
The library was the first building to open on campus. During the Fall 2005 semester, while construction on the Classroom and Science/Engineering buildings was still going on, all academic courses were conducted in the library. Its official motto is "Not what other research libraries are, what they will be."
The Library building is named for Leo and Dottie Kolligian. The first floor of the library was dedicated by Ed and Jeanne Kashian. The McFadden-Willis Reading Room is located on the fourth floor and named in honor of the McFadden and Willis children by Christine McFadden. The Library also has a technology classroom dedicated by Doris Gonella in honor of her late husband Louis, The Gonella Discovery Room.
There is a café located on the first floor, and doors roll up in good weather providing an indoor/outdoor feel. Nearly 300 laptop computers are available for checkout. Currently, the electronic holdings are nearly three times the size of the print holdings, consisting of about 20,000 online journals and 540,000 electronic books, in addition to 70,000 print books.
Schedule.
On November 13, 2006, the University officially opened its gymnasium. The Joseph Edward Gallo
Recreation and Wellness Center, named after the rancher and dairy farmer who donated money for the facility's construction, features a "NCAA-sized basketball court, workout facilities, room for performances, wellness and fitness education and the Rajender Reddy Student Health Center".
At the opening of the facility, UC Merced officials stated their intent to have competitive sports teams, starting with basketball, baseball, men's soccer and aquatics, and women's soccer and volleyball. The campus's goal is to compete at the NCAA Division II level as part of the California Collegiate Athletic Association
(CCAA).
In November 2010 the university announced its intentions to join the NAIA
for the 2011-2012 academic year. The school intends to submit an official application to the NAIA in January 2011 and will know if they are accepted in early Spring 2011. UCM plans to begin play in the NAIA's California Pacific Conference
in men's basketball
and women's women's volleyball
in fall of 2011. The school also plans to eventually add men's volleyball
and women's basketball
. Long term plans include adding soccer
and lacrosse
after the university improves outdoor sport facilities and eventually move to the NCAA as the university and athletic programs expand.
Approximately 1,600 students currently live on campus in the Valley and Sierra Terraces, 4.2 miles (6.8 km) away from the city of Merced
. The most recent additions to Residence Housing are the Tuolumne (opened Spring 2007) and Mariposa (opened Fall 2008) Halls, which make up the two sections of the Sierra Terraces. Student housing, as well as the dining commons, are closed during winter break.
Much of the student life in the Residence Halls is run by the Residence Assistants (R.A.s) through various programs and activities.
The campus diversity in 2007–2008 was:
The remaining students were nonresident aliens or declined to specify their ethnicity.
Due to the United States housing bubble
, and high costs of bond-funded student housing ($13,720 on-campus compared to $7,000 off campus), many students choose to live in new housing subdivisions and McMansions outside of campus. The Cattracks transit system serves student-dense developments.
The campus is not as established as the other UC schools, and the city is not currently active as a college town
. However, many students find a short trip to the metropolitan city of Fresno
worthwhile for extra entertainment options (or a trip to the San Francisco Bay Area
), as choices are limited in the immediate Merced area. The university attempts to engage students in on-campus activities like dances and movie nights. Additionally, many students go to Lake Yosemite
which is near the main campus. Students can walk, jog, picnic, barbecue
, and swim at the lake. Merced has several artistic venues which host plays, concerts, and art shows. They include The Mainzer Theater
, The Partisan, Merced Multicultural Arts Center, and Playhouse Merced. Castle Air Museum
is within close driving distance from Merced. Merced is known as the "Gateway to Yosemite" and it is common for students to take day trips to Yosemite National Park
where they can hike, snowboard, rock climb, and camp overnight.
Student publications include the official student newspaper The Prodigy, official radio station Bobcat Radio, comedy newspaper The Other Child, the Democrats at UC Merced's newspaper The Donkey Press, the College Republicans' publication The Right Side and literary journals The Kumquat and Imagination Dead Imagine.
The founding graduate students, who joined the Graduate School of UC Merced in early 2004, initiated the GSA in that year, before the university officially opened its doors to undergraduate students in the fall of 2005. The constitution and by-laws were prepared by them. They were then approved by all the graduate students.
The undergraduate students of UC Merced have recently inititated and established their first student government. The Committee on Constitution and By-Laws was established in fall 2005 and was responsible for writing the constitution for the Associated Students of UC Merced (ASUCM).
Elections for the ratification of the constitution were held in April, 2006. The constitution was approved by a majority of the student body, officially establishing ASUCM, which serves as the official representative and voice of students at UC Merced.
, Society of Women Engineers
, American Society of Mechanical Engineers
, Math Society, Amnesty International
, American Medical Student Association
, Chinese Student Association, Circle K International, Hermanas Unidas de UCM, Korean American Coalition, Nikkei Student Union (NSU), Dance Coalition, Student Transfer Outreach and Mentor Program, Democrats at UC Merced, HHM (Hip Hop Movement), Intervarsity Christian Fellowship
, Martial Arts Club, Muslim Student Association, NORML, Persian Student Association of UC Merced (PSAUCM), Pilipino American Alliance (PAA), Republicans at UC Merced
, South Asian Student Association, Taekwondo
(TKD), The Other Child, Rotaract
, Rock Climbing
, and Bakery
clubs.
National Interfraternity Conference Fraternities
International Fraternities
Collegiate Panhellenic Sororities
Professional Co-ed Fraternities
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
campuses. Located in the San Joaquin Valley
San Joaquin Valley
The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...
in unincorporated
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
Merced County, California
Merced County, California
Merced County , is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California, north of Fresno and southeast of San Jose. As of the 2010 census, the population was 255,793, up from 210,554 at the 2000 census. The county seat is Merced...
, near Merced
Merced, California
Merced is a city in, and the county seat of, Merced County, California in the San Joaquin Valley of Northern California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 78,958. Incorporated in 1889, Merced is a charter city that operates under a council-manager government...
, UC Merced was the first American research university to be built in the 21st century. The University is also a census-designated place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP), that was uninhabited at the 2010 census.
History
As the San Joaquin Valley was the state's largest and most populous region without a UC campus, on May 19, 1988, the Regents of the University of CaliforniaRegents of the University of California
The Regents of the University of California make up the governing board of the University of California. The Board has 26 full members:* The majority are appointed by the Governor of California for 12-year terms....
voted to begin planning for a campus in the region, in response to increasing enrollment and growth constraints at existing UC campuses. On May 19, 1995, the Regents selected the Merced
Merced, California
Merced is a city in, and the county seat of, Merced County, California in the San Joaquin Valley of Northern California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 78,958. Incorporated in 1889, Merced is a charter city that operates under a council-manager government...
site, mid-way between Fresno
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
and Modesto
Modesto, California
Modesto is a city in, and is the county seat of, Stanislaus County, California. With a population of approximately 201,165 at the 2010 census, Modesto ranks as the 18th largest city in the state of California....
, as the location for the University of California's tenth campus. The campus groundbreaking
Groundbreaking
Groundbreaking, also known as cutting, sod-cutting, turning the first sod or a sod-turning ceremony, is a traditional ceremony in many cultures that celebrates the first day of construction for a building or other project. Such ceremonies are often attended by dignitaries such as politicians and...
ceremony was held October 25, 2002, and the first day of class was September 6, 2005.
On May 16, 2009, First Lady Michelle Obama
Michelle Obama
Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama is the wife of the 44th and incumbent President of the United States, Barack Obama, and is the first African-American First Lady of the United States...
gave the commencement address for the university's first full graduating class.
In 2010 the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
made UC Merced its own separate census-designated place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
. Unlike the other campuses in the UC system, UC Merced was built in a rural, unincorporated area
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
outside the boundaries of the City of Merced or any other existing city or community. Mail to the campus, however, is addressed, "Merced, CA".
In Fall 2010 the new student housing facilities, The Summits, opened to provide two new residential halls for incoming students. The two, four-story buildings, Tenaya Hall and Cathedral Hall, are reserved primarily for incoming freshmen students.
Organization and governance
UC Merced is headed by a chancellorChancellor (education)
A chancellor or vice-chancellor is the chief executive of a university. Other titles are sometimes used, such as president or rector....
. After a nation-wide search, on May 24, 2011, the Regents of the University of California named Dorothy Leland, President of Georgia College & State University, to be the university's newest chancellor. Sung-Mo (Steve) Kang, dean of the University of California, Santa Cruz
University of California, Santa Cruz
The University of California, Santa Cruz, also known as UC Santa Cruz or UCSC, is a public, collegiate university; one of ten campuses in the University of California...
, Baskin School of Engineering
Baskin School of Engineering
The Jack Baskin School of Engineering is the school of engineering at the University of California, Santa Cruz. The school trains students in six areas of engineering: biotechnology/information technology/nanotechnology; bioengineering; information & communication infrastructure; mathematical and...
held the position immediately prior from 2006 to 2011, he stepped down to return to research and teaching. Carol Tomlinson-Keasey
Carol Tomlinson-Keasey
Carol Tomlinson-Keasey was the former chancellor of the University of California, Merced. She held a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, and was a professor at the university's School of Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts. Her research interests included developmental psychology...
held the position from 1999 until she resigned on August 31, 2006. She returned to teaching and research in psychology in 2007 and later died of breast cancer in 2009. On September 21, 2006, the Regents named Roderic B. Park, a former interim chancellor at the University of Colorado at Boulder
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
, as the acting chancellor for UC Merced. Park remained acting chancellor until Kang took office in early March 2007.
Although UC Merced is located in a rural area associated with agriculture, it emphasizes cutting edge interdisciplinary research grounded in natural science, math, engineering and social sciences. The campus takes advantage of the surrounding environment by investigating issues relating to environmental systems of the Central Valley and Sierra Nevada, and of its youth by having programs in genetic research conducted in state-of-the-art research labs. It also benefits from proximity to Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley is a term which refers to the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California in the United States. The region is home to many of the world's largest technology corporations...
and other major universities. Research in fields like language acquisition and cultural issues is facilitated by the highly diverse ethnic makeup of the Central Valley.
UC Merced operates on a semester basis rather than the quarter system for its academic term
Academic term
An academic term is a division of an academic year, the time during which a school, college or university holds classes. These divisions may be called terms...
. The Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
campus is the only other UC campus on a semester system.
Academics
UC Merced has three schools offering 19 undergraduate majors and 18 minors:- School of Engineering
- School of Natural Sciences
- School of Social Sciences & Humanities and Arts
The Social Sciences and Management Building is scheduled to open in the spring of 2011, and is intended to house the planned E&J Gallo School of Management.
For graduate-level study, UC Merced has 9 emphases: applied mathematics, biological engineering and small-scale technologies, computer and information systems, environmental systems, mechanical engineering and applied mechanics, physics and chemistry, quantitative and systems biology, social and cognitive sciences, and world cultures.
In 2007, the campus was granted candidacy for accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges
Western Association of Schools and Colleges
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges is one of six official academic bodies responsible for the accreditation of public and private universities, colleges, secondary and elementary schools in the United States and foreign institutions of American origin. The Western Association of...
, and is scheduled to be reviewed for initial accreditation in the fall of 2009. In March 2011, WASC again visited the campus and granted UC Merced accreditation. The school will be officially accredited in the summer of 2011.
Research institutes
- Sierra Nevada Research Institute (SNRI)
Planned institutes
- MERI (Merced Energy Research Institute)
- The Biomedical and Systems Biology Research Institute
- National Parks Institute
In 2007, UC Merced researchers obtained nearly $7 million in funding from the National Science Foundation
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the CDP covers an area of 1.126 square miles (2.916 km²), all of it land.
Campus
Lake Yosemite
Lake Yosemite is an artificial freshwater lake located approximately five miles east of Merced, California in the rolling Sierra Foothills. UC Merced is situated approximately half a mile south of Lake Yosemite...
on one side, and two irrigation canals
Aqueduct
An aqueduct is a water supply or navigable channel constructed to convey water. In modern engineering, the term is used for any system of pipes, ditches, canals, tunnels, and other structures used for this purpose....
run through the campus. The buildings will be grouped into "neighborhoods" by academic discipline, much in the manner of the Irvine campus
University of California, Irvine
The University of California, Irvine , founded in 1965, is one of the ten campuses of the University of California, located in Irvine, California, USA...
. However, UC Merced will be developed on a grid plan
Grid plan
The grid plan, grid street plan or gridiron plan is a type of city plan in which streets run at right angles to each other, forming a grid...
similar to historic Central Valley towns, whereas UC Irvine developed along a wheel-and-spoke plan. The campus master plan was developed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, its initial infrastructure
Infrastructure
Infrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function...
by Arup, and its first buildings were designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Thomas Hacker and Associates, and EHDD Architecture. The library and central power plant have been classified as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design consists of a suite of rating systems for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings, homes and neighborhoods....
Gold structures in terms of their high energy efficiency and low environmental impact. The campus is located about seven miles (11 km) north of downtown Merced in the middle of a cattle ranch.
Rather than build on 40 acres (16.2 ha) of protected land east of Lake Yosemite, where endangered fairy shrimp
Fairy shrimp
Anostraca is one of the four orders of crustaceans in the class Branchiopoda; its members are also known as fairy shrimp. They are usually long . Most species have 20 body segments, bearing 11 pairs of leaf-like phyllopodia , and the body lacks a carapace...
hatch in vernal pool
Vernal pool
Vernal pools, also called vernal ponds or ephemeral pools, are temporary pools of water. They are usually devoid of fish, and thus allow the safe development of natal amphibian and insect species...
s, the school will build on a 230 acres (93.1 ha) parcel of grazing land south of campus, under a revised layout. The fledgling campus will cover a total of 810 acres (327.8 ha), rather than the 910 acres (368.3 ha) proposed in 2000. The new design will impact a total of 81 acres (32.8 ha) of native wetlands in the region compared to the 121 acres (49 ha) forecast in the 2000 footprint.
Kolligian Library
The Library building is named for Leo and Dottie Kolligian. The first floor of the library was dedicated by Ed and Jeanne Kashian. The McFadden-Willis Reading Room is located on the fourth floor and named in honor of the McFadden and Willis children by Christine McFadden. The Library also has a technology classroom dedicated by Doris Gonella in honor of her late husband Louis, The Gonella Discovery Room.
There is a café located on the first floor, and doors roll up in good weather providing an indoor/outdoor feel. Nearly 300 laptop computers are available for checkout. Currently, the electronic holdings are nearly three times the size of the print holdings, consisting of about 20,000 online journals and 540,000 electronic books, in addition to 70,000 print books.
Athletics
UC Merced recently established an intercollegiate athletic program in hopes of joining the NCAA in the near future. In addition to having intramural team the university competes in 14 sports currently independent of the NCAA or other college athletic organizations. Current sport clubs include basketball, baseball, lacrosse, softball, soccer, ultimate frisbee, and volleyball. The schedule for the new basketball team consists of a tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada.Schedule.
On November 13, 2006, the University officially opened its gymnasium. The Joseph Edward Gallo
Joseph Edward Gallo
Joseph Edward Gallo was the brother of Ernest Gallo and Julio Gallo and owner of Joseph Gallo Farms, a producer of cheeses.-Biography:...
Recreation and Wellness Center, named after the rancher and dairy farmer who donated money for the facility's construction, features a "NCAA-sized basketball court, workout facilities, room for performances, wellness and fitness education and the Rajender Reddy Student Health Center".
At the opening of the facility, UC Merced officials stated their intent to have competitive sports teams, starting with basketball, baseball, men's soccer and aquatics, and women's soccer and volleyball. The campus's goal is to compete at the NCAA Division II level as part of the California Collegiate Athletic Association
California Collegiate Athletic Association
The California Collegiate Athletic Association or CCAA is an intercollegiate athletic conference in the Division II of the NCAA. All of its current members are public universities, and all except for UC San Diego are members of the California State University system.It was founded in December 1938...
(CCAA).
In November 2010 the university announced its intentions to join the NAIA
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
for the 2011-2012 academic year. The school intends to submit an official application to the NAIA in January 2011 and will know if they are accepted in early Spring 2011. UCM plans to begin play in the NAIA's California Pacific Conference
California Pacific Conference
The California Pacific Conference is a college athletics conference in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics . The conference commissioner is Don Ott. Conference leadership is shared among the member institutions. The conference president is Themy Adachi of Mills College. The...
in men's basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
and women's women's volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
in fall of 2011. The school also plans to eventually add men's volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
and women's basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
. Long term plans include adding soccer
College soccer
College soccer is a term used to describe association football played by teams who are operated by colleges and universities as opposed to a professional league operated for exclusively financial purposes...
and lacrosse
College lacrosse
College lacrosse refers to lacrosse played by student athletes at colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. In both countries, men's field lacrosse and women's lacrosse are played in both the varsity and club levels...
after the university improves outdoor sport facilities and eventually move to the NCAA as the university and athletic programs expand.
Student life
Merced, California
Merced is a city in, and the county seat of, Merced County, California in the San Joaquin Valley of Northern California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 78,958. Incorporated in 1889, Merced is a charter city that operates under a council-manager government...
. The most recent additions to Residence Housing are the Tuolumne (opened Spring 2007) and Mariposa (opened Fall 2008) Halls, which make up the two sections of the Sierra Terraces. Student housing, as well as the dining commons, are closed during winter break.
Much of the student life in the Residence Halls is run by the Residence Assistants (R.A.s) through various programs and activities.
The campus diversity in 2007–2008 was:
- 33% Asian AmericanAsian AmericanAsian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
- 30% Hispanic AmericanHispanic and Latino AmericansHispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
- 24% WhiteWhite AmericanWhite Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
- 6% African AmericanAfrican AmericanAfrican Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
- 1% Native AmericanNative Americans in the United StatesNative Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
The remaining students were nonresident aliens or declined to specify their ethnicity.
Due to the United States housing bubble
United States housing bubble
The United States housing bubble is an economic bubble affecting many parts of the United States housing market in over half of American states. Housing prices peaked in early 2006, started to decline in 2006 and 2007, and may not yet have hit bottom as of 2011. On December 30, 2008 the...
, and high costs of bond-funded student housing ($13,720 on-campus compared to $7,000 off campus), many students choose to live in new housing subdivisions and McMansions outside of campus. The Cattracks transit system serves student-dense developments.
The campus is not as established as the other UC schools, and the city is not currently active as a college town
College town
A college town or university town is a community which is dominated by its university population...
. However, many students find a short trip to the metropolitan city of Fresno
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
worthwhile for extra entertainment options (or a trip to the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
), as choices are limited in the immediate Merced area. The university attempts to engage students in on-campus activities like dances and movie nights. Additionally, many students go to Lake Yosemite
Lake Yosemite
Lake Yosemite is an artificial freshwater lake located approximately five miles east of Merced, California in the rolling Sierra Foothills. UC Merced is situated approximately half a mile south of Lake Yosemite...
which is near the main campus. Students can walk, jog, picnic, barbecue
Barbecue
Barbecue or barbeque , used chiefly in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia is a method and apparatus for cooking meat, poultry and occasionally fish with the heat and hot smoke of a fire, smoking wood, or hot coals of...
, and swim at the lake. Merced has several artistic venues which host plays, concerts, and art shows. They include The Mainzer Theater
The Mainzer
The Mainzer , also known as The Mainzer Theater or The Mainzer-Strand Theater, is a music venue in Merced, California known for its indie rock scene. It is also recognized by various Art Deco societies for the restoring and remodeling process which took place beginning in 1999.-History:The...
, The Partisan, Merced Multicultural Arts Center, and Playhouse Merced. Castle Air Museum
Castle Air Museum
Castle Air Museum is a military aviation museum located in Atwater, California, United States adjacent to the site of the former Castle Air Force Base...
is within close driving distance from Merced. Merced is known as the "Gateway to Yosemite" and it is common for students to take day trips to Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park is a United States National Park spanning eastern portions of Tuolumne, Mariposa and Madera counties in east central California, United States. The park covers an area of and reaches across the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain...
where they can hike, snowboard, rock climb, and camp overnight.
Student publications include the official student newspaper The Prodigy, official radio station Bobcat Radio, comedy newspaper The Other Child, the Democrats at UC Merced's newspaper The Donkey Press, the College Republicans' publication The Right Side and literary journals The Kumquat and Imagination Dead Imagine.
Student government
The student governments at UC Merced comprise the Graduate Student Association (GSA) and the undergraduate body called the Associated Students of UC Merced (ASUCM).The founding graduate students, who joined the Graduate School of UC Merced in early 2004, initiated the GSA in that year, before the university officially opened its doors to undergraduate students in the fall of 2005. The constitution and by-laws were prepared by them. They were then approved by all the graduate students.
The undergraduate students of UC Merced have recently inititated and established their first student government. The Committee on Constitution and By-Laws was established in fall 2005 and was responsible for writing the constitution for the Associated Students of UC Merced (ASUCM).
Elections for the ratification of the constitution were held in April, 2006. The constitution was approved by a majority of the student body, officially establishing ASUCM, which serves as the official representative and voice of students at UC Merced.
Clubs
There are approximately 113 student run clubs, including: Sports Shooting, Merced Pre-Law Society, Business Society, American Women Making A Difference, African American Student Association (AASA), National Society of Black EngineersNational Society of Black Engineers
National Society of Black Engineers , founded in 1975 at Purdue University, is one of the largest student-run organizations in the US, centered on improving the recruitment and retention of African-American engineering students.-History:...
, Society of Women Engineers
Society of Women Engineers
The Society of Women Engineers , founded in 1950, is a not-for-profit educational and service organization. SWE is the driving force that establishes engineering as a highly desirable career aspiration for women. SWE empowers women to succeed and advance in those aspirations and be recognized for...
, American Society of Mechanical Engineers
American Society of Mechanical Engineers
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers is a professional body, specifically an engineering society, focused on mechanical engineering....
, Math Society, Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
, American Medical Student Association
American Medical Student Association
The American Medical Student Association , founded in 1950 and based in Washington, D.C., is the oldest and largest independent association of physicians-in-training in the United States. AMSA is a student-governed, national organization...
, Chinese Student Association, Circle K International, Hermanas Unidas de UCM, Korean American Coalition, Nikkei Student Union (NSU), Dance Coalition, Student Transfer Outreach and Mentor Program, Democrats at UC Merced, HHM (Hip Hop Movement), Intervarsity Christian Fellowship
InterVarsity Christian Fellowship
InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA is an inter-denominational, evangelical Christian, student-led ministry which for the past 70 years has been dedicated to establishing witnessing communities on U.S. college and university campuses...
, Martial Arts Club, Muslim Student Association, NORML, Persian Student Association of UC Merced (PSAUCM), Pilipino American Alliance (PAA), Republicans at UC Merced
College Republicans
The College Republican National Committee is a national organization for college and university students who support the Republican Party of the United States...
, South Asian Student Association, Taekwondo
Taekwondo
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way", "method", or "path"...
(TKD), The Other Child, Rotaract
Rotaract
Rotaract originally began as a Rotary International youth programme in 1968 and has now grown into a major Rotary-sponsored organisation of over 8,700 clubs spread around the world and 200,000 + members. It is a service, leadership and community service organisation for young men and women between...
, Rock Climbing
Rock Climbing
Rock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
, and Bakery
Bakery
A bakery is an establishment which produces and sells flour-based food baked in an oven such as bread, cakes, pastries and pies. Some retail bakeries are also cafés, serving coffee and tea to customers who wish to consume the baked goods on the premises.-See also:*Baker*Cake...
clubs.
Greek life
There are currently seven social Greek organizations and four professional Greek organizations. The social Greek organizations are all governed by one council known as Fraternity Sorority Council. Collectively, fraternities and sororities constitute one of the largest student groups on campus. They are affiliated with large national organizations that are founded upon principles of leadership, scholarship, service and brotherhood or sisterhood.National Interfraternity Conference Fraternities
- Sigma Alpha EpsilonSigma Alpha EpsilonSigma Alpha Epsilon is a North American Greek-letter social college fraternity founded at the University of Alabama on March 9, 1856. Of all existing national social fraternities today, Sigma Alpha Epsilon is the only one founded in the Antebellum South...
ΣΑΕ, Chi Mu Chapter - Sigma ChiSigma ChiSigma Chi is the largest and one of the oldest college Greek-letter secret and social fraternities in North America with 244 active chapters and more than . Sigma Chi was founded on June 28, 1855 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio when members split from Delta Kappa Epsilon...
ΣΧ, Lambda Delta Chapter - Omega Delta PhiOmega Delta PhiOmega Delta Phi , also known as O D Phi, is an intercollegiate fraternity that was founded on November 25, 1987 by seven students attending Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. Its seven founders known as the "Men of Vision" to fraternity members wanted to create an organization to help...
ΩΔΦ, Colony
International Fraternities
- Kappa SigmaKappa SigmaKappa Sigma , commonly nicknamed Kappa Sig, is an international fraternity with currently 282 active chapters and colonies in North America. Kappa Sigma has initiated more than 240,000 men on college campuses throughout the United States and Canada. Today, the Fraternity has over 175,000 living...
ΚΣ, Rho Omicron Chapter
Collegiate Panhellenic Sororities
- Delta Delta DeltaDelta Delta DeltaDelta Delta Delta , also known as Tri Delta, is an international sorority founded on November 27, 1888, the eve of Thanksgiving Day. With over 200,000 initiates, Tri Delta is one of the world's largest NPC sororities.-History:...
ΔΔΔ, Epsilon Kappa Chapter - Delta GammaDelta GammaDelta Gamma is one of the oldest and largest women's fraternities in the United States and Canada, with its Executive Offices based in Columbus, Ohio.-History:...
ΔΓ, Eta Rho Chapter - Kappa Kappa GammaKappa Kappa GammaKappa Kappa Gamma is a collegiate women's fraternity, founded at Monmouth College, in Monmouth, Illinois, USA. Although the groundwork of the organization was developed as early as 1869, the 1876 Convention voted that October 13, 1870 should be recognized at the official Founders Day, because no...
ΚΚΓ, Eta Xi Chapter
Professional Co-ed Fraternities
- Delta Epsilon MuDelta Epsilon MuΔΕΜ , commonly nicknamed DEM, is a Professional fraternity for male and female college students in the United States who are interested in or currently study in the pre-health field. It was founded in Fall 1996 at Binghamton University, in Binghamton, New York...
ΔΕΜ, Theta Chapter - Phi Delta EpsilonPhi Delta Epsilon- History :In October 1904, Aaron Brown and eight of his friends founded Phi Delta Epsilon at Cornell University Medical College. During the first decade of this century there were many doors closed to Jewish medical students and physicians, doors which would not fully open until after World War II...
ΦΔΕ, Lambda Chapter - Alpha Kappa PsiAlpha Kappa PsiΑΚΨ is the oldest and largest professional business fraternity. The Alpha Kappa Psi Fraternity was founded on October 5, 1904 at New York University, and was incorporated on May 20, 1905...
ΑΚΨ, Psi Upsilon Chapter - Theta TauTheta TauΘΤ Fraternity was founded in 1904 by four engineering students at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. As defined by the fraternity, the purpose of Theta Tau is to develop and maintain a high standard of professional interest among its members, and to unite them in a strong bond of...
ΘΤ,Colony - Alpha Phi OmegaAlpha Phi OmegaAlpha Phi Omega is the largest collegiate fraternity in the United States, with chapters at over 350 campuses, an active membership of approximately 17,000 students, and over 350,000 alumni members...
ΑΦΩ, Colony
See also
- :Category:University of California, Merced faculty