Dear Colleagues,

I am writing to update you on activity related to the OP Restructuring Effort. We have promised to let you know when we are beginning to review a particular option so that you are aware of and can engage in the consultative process.

As such, I would like to announce that I am initiating the consultation process for the following areas. The timeline for each will vary depending on complexity, but I will continue to keep you informed as decisions are made.

New Consultations

• UC Press — In 2017, an internal UC Press exploration was launched to determine if we should move UC Press to UCLA. While this effort concluded with a summary of the perceived advantages and disadvantages in such a move, no decision was made on whether to proceed with the change. Huron’s report from the fall identified moving operations to a 501(c)3 as a possible future state structure for UC Press in addition to the option to remain within OP or move operations to a campus. Provost Brown and I have agreed that UC Press’ analysis and report provides sufficient information for consultation with the Academic Senate, UC Press’s decisional bodies, and other interested stakeholders.
• Research Grants Program Office — At my direction, Provost Brown will also explore the options and possible future structures for the Research Grants Program Office (RGPO). Provost Brown will examine possible hosting options for RGPO, how certain grants programs are funded, and how all the grants programs — including the state-funded programs, the Lab Fees Research Program, and the UC Research Initiative — are structured in the RGPO. Provost Brown and I agree that additional consultation with the Academic Senate, campus leadership, and the relevant advisory committees and councils are needed to inform a decision about RGPO’s future.
• The UC Washington Center (UCDC) and UC Center Sacramento (UCCS) programs were identified as industry-leading assets that should be maintained and assessed further. Provost Brown and I agree that a deep understanding of UCDC’s and UCCS’s current strengths and challenges is required to determine whether their reporting structures and other attributes should change or remain the same. We recognize the importance of consultation with the Academic Senate, the relevant advisory committees, and those involved and invested in these programs, and look forward to a robust consultative process.

In Progress

Restructuring options announced in February and May for consultation continue to move forward and decisions will be announced as they are finalized:

• The UC Health Advisory Committee recently completed its report of findings and draft recommendations. The report has been sent to systemwide stakeholders to elicit feedback and was presented to the Health Services Committee in August. Feedback will be used to inform the final recommendations to be presented to President Napolitano and the Board of Regents this fall.
• The UC ANR Advisory Committee is also well underway. They have completed stakeholder interviews on proposed options and are scheduled to deliver preliminary recommendations to the President by November 2018.
• A decision regarding the future state of the Mexico programs (UC Mexico Initiative, UC Mexus, and la Casa de California) is scheduled to be announced in October.
• An assessment and proposal for the Innovative Learning Technology Initiative (ILTI) is underway and will be completed in the coming weeks.
• The UCOP Operations workstream is underway, and a decision will be finalized in the coming weeks.

I would like to thank those of you who have shared your thoughts with me and your division and department leaders. I value your input and would like to encourage you to continue providing your ideas to me electronically through janet@ucop.edu or anonymously here.

As before, I want to assure you that we are working hard to act promptly and engage meaningfully with members of our community as we conduct these processes. We are committed to deliberative thought, shared governance, and transparent consultation, all of which will serve to enhance the strength and success of our organization.

Yours very truly,

Janet Napolitano

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