About UC Merced
The tenth UC campus, opened in September 2005 as the first 21st-century research university, offering student-centered educational opportunities.
- UC Merced students are vital to the university's mission of education, research, and public service. Majority of UC Merced students are low-income, underrepresented (and underserved) minorities, and the first in their families to attend college.
- We serve students who are undocumented and some who are battling mental and/or physical health challenges.
- Check out this video for perspectives on the first-generation experience.
Principles of Community
UC Merced is a public land-grant university dedicated to education, research, and service, fostering access, inclusion, and lifelong learning.
- Celebrate community identities, and respect
- Support free expression, collaboration, and innovation
- Foster excellence through exchange and engagement
- Promote civic responsibility, environmental care, and learning
- Build a culture of unity and respect
- Principles of Community were developed by the Chancellor’s Advisory Council with campus input in pursuit of these principles. Download the Principles of Community
Instructor Policies and Expectations
As educators, we promote learning, uphold standards, respect students, guide them, and protect their academic freedom.
- Faculty Code of Conduct (APM-015) details faculty rights, responsibilities, and academic conduct standards
- Instructors must hold classes, office hours, conduct exams, and grade promptly
- As per the NonSenate Instructional Unit (MOU), Full-time lecturers teach 6 IWCs over 2 semesters, capped at 5 IWCs for writing or foreign language courses
- Committed to highest ethical standards in teaching, research, and public service; see the UCOP Statement of Ethics .
Campus Compliance, Advocacy, & Climate
Indigenous peoples inhabited the land of UC Merced, and we embrace diversity while upholding the UC Diversity Statement.
- Diversity Statement highlights our commitment to foster a diverse campus.
- The CARE Office provides confidential support for violence victims.
- The Office of Ethics, Compliance, Audit, and Risk promotes a safe environment.
- The California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA) requires reporting abuse.
Academic Honesty, Conduct, and Reporting
At UC Merced, students must uphold high standards of honesty and respect in all activities.
- Students must uphold honesty and respect in all activities; see Code of Conduct for more info.
- Academic integrity is essential, and misconduct includes cheating and plagiarism.
- To report misconduct, file an Information & Incident Report at OSRR.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
To access student records, confidentiality is required by law.
- FERPA grants students rights over their educational records. Test your knowledge with the FERPA quiz.
- Student records are confidential and may only be released with consent.
- Read more about the UC systemwide FERPA policy.
- Questions about FERPA rights? Contact the Office of the Registrar at 209-228-7178 or registrar@ucmerced.edu.
