To: Academic Senate Faculty
Dear Colleagues:
We started this academic year with many concerns about the state of shared governance and protecting the academic mission. I know that communication writ large has been an issue. While concerns still remain, I feel there has been real progress in recent months. Some of this headway is due to the Legislative Assembly meetings, town halls, and conversations among Senate faculty that have allowed more voices to be heard and information exchanged. I have appreciated that faculty have put forward resolutions to the Legislative Assembly, which have largely reflected unified faculty advice around issues. Additionally, your participation in the surveys we have conducted have helped us better understand your concerns. Senate work on Councils and Committees also has been key, and the letters and memos that result are vital to documenting the work and identifying actions. I appreciate the efforts that Chancellor Frenk and other administrators have been making to engage with Senate faculty both in Senate forums and other events, and their endeavors to improve Senate consultation.
We've made progress on budget transparency. The Administration is now sharing more information with the Council on Planning and Budget as well as the larger faculty body, which is welcome and necessary at this time of fiscal austerity. Working with EVCP Hunt, we have finalized a protocol on budget transparency, which will help the Council on Planning and Budget fulfill its advisory role on the budget moving forward. A new activity as part of this protocol is a retreat that will occur in late summer/early fall where Administration and Academic Senate jointly will review the budget decisions and process of the prior year and establish top priorities and plans for the coming fiscal year.
As we face a structural deficit and the Administration is evaluating cost-cutting measures, Vice Chair Groeling and I continue to strongly advise the Chancellor via his Executive Budget Action Group (EBAG) to protect the academic mission above all else. This ongoing advocacy reflects the earlier Legislative Assembly resolution and the Senate’s Principles to Guide Fiscal Decision-Making during the Current Period of Financial Uncertainty conveyed to the Chancellor and EVCP in February 2026.
One area of the budget that continues to be a particular concern for the Senate is the Athletics deficit. Although it is true that many recent changes to collegiate athletics have resulted in increased costs, these costs cannot go unchecked. The Senate position is that any subsidies from central resources to Athletics come at the expense of our academic mission, and these must be curtailed and eliminated. While we know that Administration is paying attention to this matter, we urge immediate, decisive, and substantive action. You can read the Senate’s newest and previous letters to the Chancellor and EVCP on the Senate website.
The Senate recently concluded a review of two white papers arising from the Graduate Education task force convened by EVCP Hunt. The consultation process included Senate councils and committees, as well as faculty input from live meetings. The Senate feedback on the undergraduate education white paper and feedback on the graduate education white paper are available on the Senate website.
The Committee on Academic Freedom developed a short survey to assess faculty concerns in the area of academic freedom. I urge you to participate, since surveys are an excellent way to find out about matters of importance to you and develop concrete responses.
In response to the numerous concerns about costs and efficiency of capital projects and facilities work, Chancellor Frenk commissioned an external review of the university’s capital programs and facilities delivery functions. This review will examine costs of capital projects and the processes through which projects are initiated, planned, approved, and delivered. We appreciate that the Chancellor has heard these concerns, expressed in many venues including the Senate-led Conversation with Chancellor, and responded. Recently, I, Vice Chair Groeling, and several Senate committee, council, and FEC chairs met with the reviewers to provide faculty feedback, and we hope that substantive changes for the better will result from their review.
Following the work of the University of California Adaption to Disruptions (UCAD) workgroup last year, the continuation of this effort (UCAD+) has included joint administrative and Senate systemwide work, and additional subgroups with attention to research, teaching and other areas. The reports of these workgroups and the larger UCAD+ report are nearing completion and will be circulated for systemwide review in the fall. Additionally, the Senate at UCLA has convened a workgroup to specifically address adaptions to disruption on our own campus (UCLA Adaption to Disruptions – UCLAAD). Their report is in the final draft stages as well. Please be on the lookout for these reports in the coming months.
As the academic year draws to a close, most importantly, I want to express my gratitude to my colleagues across campus for your engagement and work on behalf of UCLA. I continue as Senate Chair until September 1, so please feel free to reach out to me with your comments or concerns over the new few months. I hope that the summer provides time both for fulfilling research and creative activities and an enjoyable respite.
Sincerely,
Megan McEvoy
Chair, UCLA Academic Senate
Academic Senate Updates
June 2026
In this issue:
- Complete the Faculty Academic Freedom Survey
- Distinguished Academic Senate Service Award
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Awards
- Participate in Your Academic Senate
Complete the Faculty Academic Freedom Survey
The Academic Senate’s Committee on Academic Freedom seeks input from Senate faculty on whether academic freedom concerns are impacting their teaching and research. Complete the brief, five-question Faculty Academic Freedom Survey by June 30, 2026.
Distinguished Academic Senate Service Award
This year the Academic Senate launched a new Distinguished Academic Senate Service award. Thank you for the submitted nominations. The award selection committee chose Professor Emeritus of History Michael Meranze as the inaugural recipient. In addition to Meranze’s extensive leadership service with the UCLA Academic Senate including serving as Senate Chair when the pandemic began, he was selected because he has consistently modeled, mentored, and advocated for, meaningful shared governance. He has provided wise counsel to many leaders in the Academic Senate and Administration. His dedication to the Academic Senate and the campus has strengthened the institution.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Awards
The Academic Senate’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion awards honors Senate faculty who demonstrate extraordinary accomplishments in leadership, innovation, initiatives, and creativity related to diversity, equity, and inclusion in research or teaching at UCLA. The 2025-26 award recipients are Professor Robert Eagle, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability and Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, and Professor Lauren Ng, Department of Psychology.
Participate in Your Academic Senate
The Academic Senate is only as strong as its engaged faculty. We encourage you to volunteer for Senate service, contact your Legislative Assembly representatives, reach out to your Faculty Executive Committee Chairs, visit the Academic Senate website to learn about current issues, and follow us on X at @UCLASenate or on Bluesky @uclasenate.bsky.socia