Mission & Values
This is an exciting time to be at UC Merced. In 2021, the University of California, Merced’s first long-range comprehensive strategic plan was announced, culminating a year of thoughtful engagement by faculty, staff, students and external partners. The strategic plan provides the blueprint for our growth as an institution through 2030.
Opening in 2005 as the newest campus of the University of California, UC Merced continually strives for excellence in carrying out the university’s mission of teaching, research and public service, benefiting society by discovering and transmitting new knowledge and functioning as an active repository of organized knowledge. As a key tenet in carrying out this mission, UC Merced promotes and celebrates the diversity of all members of its community.
Read our full mission statement →
Commitment to Sustainability
Our vision is to create and institutionalize an ever evolving collection of sustained, supported, and meaningful projects and actions that develop resiliency and create practical lasting solutions.
Visit our sustainability website →
Principles of Community
The University of California, Merced, is a public, land-grant institution created to serve the communities of the San Joaquin Valley, the State of California, the nation and the world through excellence in education, research and public service.
These principles reflect our ongoing efforts to increase access and inclusion and to create a community that nurtures lifelong learning and growth for all of its members. We encourage every member of the UC Merced community to join us in our collective pursuit of these principles:
We recognize and celebrate the identities, values and beliefs of our community.
We affirm the inherent dignity and value of every person while cultivating a campus climate rooted in mutual respect and compassion.
We uphold the right to freedom of expression and encourage a culture of dialogue, understanding, and civility in all interactions. We seek to create a campus where a rich tapestry of ideas is shared, collaboration is embraced, and innovation is promoted.
We pursue excellence in teaching and learning through contributions from all community members fostering a culture of open exchange.
We promote opportunities for active participation and leadership in our communities.
We champion civic engagement, environmental stewardship, research and teaching that connect theory and practice to learning and doing.
We take pride in building, sustaining and sharing a culture that is founded on these principles of unity and respect.
