Chancellor Julio Frenk shared this message with the Bruin community.
Dear Bruin Community:
As we bring the academic year to a close and prepare for a joyous commencement, I want to share my deep gratitude with the UCLA community. The commitment, care and excellence you bring to our shared mission drive everything we do.
On Friday, we will celebrate our graduating students and welcome Olympic champion and alumna Jackie Joyner-Kersee as our UCLA College commencement speaker. This is a moment of both culmination and commencement for our graduates, their families and friends. As our graduating students make their way in the world, they are more than ready to serve their communities with the knowledge, creativity and kindness they developed at UCLA.
Just two weeks ago, I delivered my first State of the Campus address and reflected on three aspirations that define UCLA at its best: to be a connective, impactful and exemplary university. I encourage you to watch the full address to learn more about how we are advancing our shared vision for One UCLA.
This past year, we saw powerful expressions of that vision across our campus. UCLA surgeons performed the world’s first human bladder transplant — a breakthrough that could transform care for patients around the globe. UCLA researchers developed a wearable brain-computer interface that allows people with physical disabilities to control computers and robotic devices — using only their thoughts. UCLA welcomed more than half a million people at more than 1,000 arts events on campus. And UCLA men’s water polo, women’s basketball and beach volleyball claimed national titles.
At the same time, this has been a difficult year for universities across the nation, including UCLA. Financial pressures, uncertainty in federal research support and broader challenges across the academic landscape have required careful decisions and disciplined stewardship. Now more than ever, we must remain focused on our mission of education, research, health care and service.
We also took important steps this year to strengthen our campus community. The action group driving our Initiative to Combat Antisemitism released its report, focused on ending bigotry and hatred in all forms on campus. But even before its release, we moved quickly to replace good intentions with specific actions. We recruited an associate vice chancellor for campus and community safety, reorganized our Civil Rights Office, appointed a Title VI officer and strengthened our reporting and accountability systems. These actions reflect our commitment to ensuring that every member of our community can learn, work and thrive in a safe and inclusive environment.
This year, our community also came together to define UCLA’s refreshed True Bruin Values: integrity, excellence and belonging. Emerging from broad campus engagement, these values reflect who we are at our best and guide how we engage with one another as we continue building a stronger UCLA. There will be new opportunities in the fall to engage with fellow Bruins so we may all further these values.
Thank you for your dedication to our university and for all you do to advance its mission and serve our communities. I look forward to this Friday’s commencement and to seeing the happy faces of our graduates. Congratulations to our graduating students, their families and friends!
We are One UCLA.
Julio Frenk
Chancellor