Chancellor's Message

Michael V. Drake, M.D. Chancellor

Dear Chancellor’s Club Members:

Brenda and I truly enjoyed visiting with so many of you at our home last spring. I was also pleased to have the opportunity to offer a campus update and to reiterate the campus values that are crucially important in hiring faculty and making decisions that advance the campus. I'd like to mention a few notable items from the update.

• We continue to move forward with our plans for the law school. The search for the dean began this spring. We hope to select a final candidate soon with an anticipated start date of fall 2007.
• We are proud to report that UC Irvine scientists have now received a total of about $13.6 million from CIRM to study a broad range of issues.
• Recently, Dr. David Bailey joined the university as the new Vice Chancellor of Health Affairs. Dr. Bailey will oversee the campus's entire spectrum of health sciences activities and will serve as dean of the School of Medicine.
• UC Irvine Medical Center is ranked as one of America's best hospitals by U.S. News and World Report.
• The Program in Nursing Science has enrolled its first class of 50 students — they have an average GPA of 3.87.
• On March 23, I testified before the House Committee on Financial Services on the role of public investments in promoting economic growth. The emphasis was the importance of federal funding in higher education, particularly in the areas of student financial aid and basic scientific research. UC Irvine efforts improve lives and change our world for the better. We need to continue to spread the word.  

Again, I want to emphasize how much the generosity and support of each and every one you means to me.

Sincerely,

Michael V. Drake, M.D.
Chancellor