Where is UCLA heading? Chancellor Julio Frenk tells us in his first State of the Campus address

In his inaugural State of the Campus address as UCLA chancellor, Julio Frenk laid out a clear-eyed vision for the university's future, returning to a theme he has stressed frequently in what has been an often turbulent year-and-a-half in Westwood: great universities are built not on academic achievement alone but on deep connections, a shared sense of purpose and a willingness to be bold in the face of critical challenges.

Speaking Tuesday before an audience of faculty, staff, students, alumni and community partners at De Neve Auditorium on campus, Frenk reflected on UCLA's historical trajectory, celebrated recent accomplishments across the university and outlined a forward-looking plan based on the community-informed One UCLA strategic vision and rooted in the three aspirations he first introduced during his inauguration last June - to be a connective, impactful and exemplary institution.

In his speech, Frenk acknowledged the heady "mix of pressure and promise" that has characterized the 18 months, from the Los Angeles fires to the federal government's suspension of UCLA research grants.

"Like many universities across the country, UCLA is facing serious financial headwinds," he said. "A perfect storm of financial pressures is driven by the combination of curtailed state funding levels, rising operating costs that outpace revenue and an unprecedented attack on higher education."

And while he would return to the topic - announcing several new policies and strategies aimed at addressing financial and other strains on the university - he also showcased the significant achievements and progress UCLA has continued to make under the shadow of pressure and uncertainty.

From the moment he took office, Frenk emphasized the importance of building connective relationships - between UCLA and the local community as well as within the Bruin community, strengthening bonds of trust and understanding among students, faculty and staff. To that end, he has helped launch a series of initiatives, including UCLA Connects, that have quickly become part of the social fabric of the university.

In particular, the chancellor spotlighted the work of UCLA Connects' Campus Community Conversations, a forum in which Bruins meet to discuss difficult questions and navigate diverse viewpoints in respectful environment, and the newly formed UCLA Connects Council, which will help deepen collaboration across the university and beyond.

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"Throughout UCLA, we are strengthening the ties that bind us to one another," Frenk said. "We are creating spaces where students, faculty and staff engage across roles and perspectives. These connections are essential to a university whose strength lies in the exchange of ideas."

Likewise, UCLA's ongoing community engagement efforts, buoyed by the campus's community partnership summit held earlier this spring, are expanding the projects Bruins collaborate on with local and global partners and helping to forge connections to address some of the most pressing issues facing society and the planet.

On campus, Frenk himself regularly participates in workshops and community-building exercises, has joined student breakfasts, and has hosted and office hours for Bruins eager to have their voices heard.

Other speakers at the State of the Campus representing the faculty, staff and student communities, praised the chancellor's personal commitment. His tenure, said event emcee Adriana Galván, dean and vice provost of undergraduate education, "has been defined by connection and community from the very beginning," a sentiment echoed by Michael McCormack Colón, president of UCLA's Staff Assembly, who said, "Chancellor Frenk has been a true partner every step of the way." Megan McEvoy, chair of the Faculty Senate, welcomed his efforts to increase transparency, and Graduate Students Association President Naomi Hammonds lauded Frenk's communication with the Bruin community during the Los Angeles fires and throughout his Listening Exercise.

Student well-being featured prominently in Frenk's speech, and the chancellor highlighted Hope Connects Us, a student-focused mental health campaign launched earlier this year, framing it as part of a broader effort to ensure UCLA remains focused on its core mission. Frenk has described mental health as one of the defining challenges facing higher education nationally and said UCLA has both an opportunity and an obligation to lead with compassion, innovation and action.

Frenk also showcased sports as a powerful unifying force on campus and beyond, celebrating undergraduate Alysa Liu's Winter Olympics gold medals in figure skating, the women's basketball team's national championship under head coach Cori Close, and NCAA titles by the men's water polo and beach volleyball teams. His reference to UCLA as the University of Champions , Los Angeles, drew raucous applause.

"In classrooms, in labs and on our playing fields, we come together as one Bruin community," Frenk said. "This year has brought breathtaking moments of shared pride."

Turning to the theme of research, innovation and impact, Frenk described UCLA as an institution whose work resonates far beyond campus boundaries. "To be impactful," he said, "is to ensure that what we do matters, beyond our campus and beyond this moment."

He pointed to UCLA's wildfire recovery efforts following the devastating January 2025 fires, including the university's blue-ribbon commission and community-based recovery partnerships, as examples of UCLA's public mission in action. He also highlighted the university's Research and Innovation Blueprint initiative, which aims to accelerate discoveries, expand industry-sponsored research and help faculty translate ideas into therapies, technologies and companies that improve lives.

Among those industry-university partnerships was the launch last week of a $125 million semiconductor hub at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering, in partnership with companies like Broadcom and Meta. These types of partnerships, the chancellor said, strengthen UCLA's financial standing, the U.S. economy and national security.

Frenk also praised UCLA's longstanding culture of discovery, referencing the university's Nobel Prize legacy and acknowledging scholars like Andrea Ghez and Fred Ramsdell, while stressing that UCLA's impact extends beyond science and medicine to the arts, humanities and creative work.

In addition, Frenk said, philanthropy remains essential to advancing UCLA's mission. He cited several recent transformational donations, including a $100 million gift from Stewart and Lynda Resnick to support UCLA's mental health efforts in Los Angeles County as an example of donors investing not simply in projects but in people and possibility.

"Philanthropic giving reflects the confidence in our mission, trust in our institution and a shared commitment to the future we are building," he said.

At the same time, and in the same vein, Frenk acknowledged the broader pressures confronting higher education, including political polarization, research funding and financial uncertainty.

"We must be clear-eyed about the gravity of this moment," he said. "Unprecedented challenges demand bold ways of thinking and acting. Today, I am announcing a series of concrete steps to strengthen our financial position."

Frenk said that consolidating certain key administrative functions and undertaking a comprehensive review of UCLA's real estate portfolio would help the university focus more acutely on its mission, improve efficiencies and potentially save money in the long term.

And crucially, he said, the university plans to use bond funds it received in a legal case to pay down a majority of UCLA Athletics' financial deficit.

"By reducing this financial burden," Frenk said, "we will be in a stronger position to move toward sustainability through new revenue generation and cost-containment strategies."

Athletics, he added, will continue its "crucial contribution towards expanding access to higher education, enriching student experience, building community within and beyond our campus, and offering a platform to showcase values we hold dear, such as fair competition, teamwork and service-oriented leadership.

The final part of Frenk's speech centered on what it means for UCLA to be exemplary.

"To be exemplary is to lead - not only in what we achieve, but in how we conduct ourselves," Frenk said.

He discussed UCLA's Initiative to Combat Antisemitism, describing its recommendations as a road map for strengthening campus climate and ensuring UCLA is safe and welcoming - and free from hatred and bigotry - for all members of the community.

Frenk also highlighted the university's continued academic momentum, noting that UCLA remains the most-applied-to university in the nation while faculty continue to earn election to the National Academies and receive honors such as Guggenheim Fellowships.

Operational stewardship also emerged as a theme. Frenk referenced the university's Effective UCLA initiative as part of an effort to improve processes and better align university operations with UCLA's mission and long-term sustainability.

Near the conclusion of the speech, Frenk formally introduced UCLA's newly refreshed True Bruin Values, developed over the past year through campuswide conversations and listening sessions.

Closing the address, Frenk returned to the themes of continuity, stewardship and shared purpose.

"Nearly one year ago, following a Listening Exercise that took me to every corner of our campus and brought together more than 8,600 Bruin voices, I articulated our collective vision for UCLA," he said. "Today we are advancing that vision with your active involvement."

He described UCLA as a university that connects, makes an impact and strives to lead by example and urged the campus community to continue building together in what he called UCLA's era of boldness.

"The work ahead will require dedication, integrity and a shared sense of purpose," Frenk said. "Let us continue to build, together, a university worthy of the public trust we must strive to earn every single day - for our students, for our communities and for the generations of Bruins yet to come.

"We are bold. We are purposeful. And we are One UCLA."