The Lincoln Log

An illustration of part of UC Merced's campus. (Image courtesy of ucmerced.edu)

University of California, Merced, located in the heart of the Central Valley, will open its doors to its first class of 600 freshmen in the fall of 2005, with approximately 1,000 students making up the entire student body.

UC Merced is the first public research university to be built in the 21st century. After nearly 16 years of planning, UC Merced will finally be joining the other nine campuses in the UC system, which is well-known for its high level of academics. Merced, like all other UC campuses, will be managed by the UC President and the UC Regents, a board made up of 26 members.

UC Merced administration is thrilled about the opening of the college next fall. “We’re very excited about the opportunity for students to come, especially after we fought for a location in the Central Valley. We’re really looking forward to it,” student recruitment coordinator Mitch Ylarregui said.

With good faculty and accelerated programs, UC Merced will offer the same academic level of other UC’s, but Merced has the added appeal for students to be in the first class at the university.

“It’s a great opportunity for pioneering students, [it’s] exciting for new students, especially for the pioneer class and even for the following students in the next years,” Ylarregui said.

Despite the excitement of being in this trailblazing class, not many Lincoln students have asked about the new campus, according to Diane Ehrlich from the College Career Center.

“It’s not as well known, not as popular as the other UC’s because it’s new,” Ehrlich said. One of thmost distinguishing aspects of UC Merced is its small class size. Although its opening student body will be 1,000, the student enrollment is estimated to be 25,000 by the year 2030.

UC Merced will offer several undergraduate and graduate courses. Its academic programs are separated into three sections – the School of Natural Sciences, the School of Engineering, and the School of Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts. These classes will be based on a semester system, unlike the quarter systems of all the other UC’s, except Berkeley.

The tuition for one school year at UC Merced will be approximately $6,500, which is about the same as other UC’s. Incoming students might choose to live on-campus in dorms, and with all the other fees for books and supplies, the cost for an entire school year will be roughly $20,000. Like all other UC’s, Merced has financial aid available to those who qualify.

To take a break from their studies, students will be able to go to neighboring towns around Merced as part of their student life off-campus.

“Merced is located between Fresno and Modesto, each probably about 45 minutes to an hour away, and it’s still close to the Bay Area. From Merced, it’s about two hours from the beach, but you can still go skiing in the mountains,” Ylarregui said. Students have the chance to start not only an exciting, new school year, but also to be the first class in a brand new college.

“This class can shape things for future students at the school,” Ylarregui said. “There are great opportunities here, and hopefully, we will continue to grow.”