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Interim Chancellor Named
UC CFO Nathan Brostrom (center) has played a key role throughout the Merced 2020 Project. He will now lead the project as interim chancellor of UC Merced.
Celebrating Our Graduates
More than 1,300 students — UC Merced's largest graduating class — will cross the commencement stage during two ceremonies May 18 and 19.
A Special Message from Chancellor Dorothy Leland
Forever a Bobcat

Design Features

Flexible, Resilient Design

SSince 2005, UC Merced has been enriching lives, communities and scholarship. This comprehensive once-in-a-generation expansion that was designed to continue that mission by enhancing student life and expanding access to the University.

Construction was completed in three phases between 2018 and 2020. As the designs evolved, the key principles, including connectivity to the existing campus, created places for people to gather and sustainability.

When the project was completed in Fall 2020, UC Merced addressed critical existing needs and had the physical capacity to expand access to the University for California students. In addition, the choice of materials, the arrangement of facilities and the applied operations and maintenance strategy has been done strategically to ensure long-term flexibility as UC Merced's academic mission evolved. This has expanded and reached the campus's mission of teaching, research and public service.

Click here to download the Project Map (PDF)

The 2020 Plan

The land-use-planning approach is compact and addresses multiple needs.

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Teaching and Research Facilities

New classrooms, research laboratories and student-focused spaces will support the university’s goals of promoting interaction and collaboration across disciplines.

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housing

Student Housing 

1,700 new beds for student residents will be arranged into a mixed-use living-learning environment.

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recreation

Student Life, Recreation and Athletics

The plans include expanded dining options, a wellness center, space for student organizations, groups and clubs, an expansion of the Early Childhood Education Center, a new competition level pool, a competition-level field, recreational fields as well as basketball and tennis courts.

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mobility

Mobility and Parking

Bike paths, a transit hub, 1,500 new parking spaces and a circulation network will enable pedestrians and vehicles to coexist while also connecting to the existing campus.   

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landscape

Landscape Design

A low-water, drought-tolerant landscape will blend with the existing campus and UC Merced's natural surroundings.

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landuse

Sustainability

The expansion builds on UC Merced's sustainability leadership and is committed to expanding access to the University in a way that minimizes impacts to the natural and built environment.

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