News

The academic salary scales for policy-covered academics will be increased by a general range adjustment of 3.2% (subject to rounding where applicable). This adjustment to the academic salary scales will be effective October 1, 2025 for policy-covered faculty and July 1, 2025 for other policy-covered academic appointees.

Jennifer Chatman, interim dean of the Haas School of Business, has been appointed to serve as the next dean. Professor Chatman will continue in her current role until her permanent appointment becomes effective on July 1, 2025.

Michael Bolden has been selected to serve as the next dean of the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism.

To address security and privacy issues across the Berkeley campus related to the use of generative AI, we write to announce two tools that will become available to all Berkeley faculty and staff starting in June.

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Anne M. Baranger as interim dean of the College of Chemistry, effective July 1st. A respected faculty member, academic leader, and university alumna, Baranger currently serves as the college’s associate dean for diversity, equity and inclusion and as a professor in the Department of Chemistry.

As you are likely aware, federal funding agencies are scrutinizing universities’ adherence to civil rights laws. We write today to affirm our ongoing compliance with all relevant federal and state law, as well as University of California policies, and to reiterate your obligations with regard to compliance.

Kelly G. Sparks has been selected as our next vice chancellor for finance and chief financial officer. Kelly joins us from the University of Maine, where she serves as the executive vice president of finance and administration and chief business officer. Her first day at Berkeley will be July 1, 2025.

As you are likely aware, UC Berkeley continues to face budget challenges. As a consequence, for the upcoming fiscal year 2025–26 (FY 26), we previously set division-specific caps on expense growth as part of our strategy to address our budget challenges. Those caps remain in force.

As you may be aware, four current and two former UC Berkeley students have had their visas revoked and non-immigrant status terminated by the federal government. We know this action is generating understandable concern and questions. While the campus is respecting the privacy of those affected by limiting the information that we release, we want to share with you what we are doing in support of our community members.

The University of California, Berkeley seeks its next vice chancellor (VC) for university development and alumni relations (UDAR), a visionary leader able to take Berkeley’s successful development and alumni relations efforts to new heights.

Fabrizio Mejia has been selected to serve as the interim vice chancellor for equity and inclusion for a two-year term commencing April 1, 2025, pending approval by the Office of the President.

We invite you to provide feedback on the systemwide draft report, “Should the University of California Return to a Common Calendar?”

UC President Michael V. Drake announced today that steps will be taken to reduce costs across the UC system. The steps include a systemwide hiring freeze and consideration of other general cost-containment strategies. At the moment, there is no requirement to make any operational changes or decisions.

Most faculty are aware at this point that the federal government issued new guidelines for indirect cost recovery (also known as “Facilities and Administration” costs, or F&A) for all grants, present and future, awarded by the National Institutes of Health. I write to keep you apprised of the University’s efforts to understand the impact of this directive and take any necessary steps to contest it. This is a serious matter for all of our campuses, especially the principal investigators whose research depends on the maintenance of facilities and the availability of services to keep their work running smoothly.

Susan Stone has been selected to serve as the new dean of the School of Social Welfare. Professor Stone currently serves as the interim dean of the school and will continue in this role until the permanent dean appointment becomes effective on July 1, 2025.

We are excited to announce the appointment of Leslie L. Schibsted, CFRE, as interim vice chancellor of University Development and Alumni Relations. Her appointment will begin on February 2, 2025.

Our campus places great importance on having inclusive classrooms that foster a sense of belonging for all our students. To aid you in that mission, we wish to remind you of some of the resources that the campus provides to help you ensure your classrooms provide equitable opportunities for student success, are inclusive, and foster belonging.

Dania Matos stepped down as vice chancellor of equity and inclusion earlier this month to assume the position of vice president for diversity, inclusion and belonging at DePaul University in Chicago.