August 4, 2025

To the Campus Community:

Many of you have seen the news that federal agencies, including the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health, have suspended research grants at UCLA. Last week, UCLA Chancellor Frenk issued a statement describing the impact that this action will have on science, medicine, and society, both in California and in the world. University of California President Milliken also issued a statement, noting that “UC and campus leadership have been anticipating and preparing for the kind of federal action we saw this week, and that preparation helps support our decisions now.” 

We are monitoring this situation in close collaboration with the UC Office of the President, which oversees and coordinates legal strategy for the University, and we are continuing to prepare for actions that could impact our research community and our entire campus. 

Although the suspensions at UCLA do not directly impact grants received by our campus beyond collaborations and subcontracts, we understand the concern and consternation that these actions cause across the UC system, and we will do our best to keep our community informed as the situation evolves. Federal updates are regularly provided by UCOP. The Office of Research also plans to set up a weekly Friday afternoon Zoom meeting for department chairs and deans to offer guidance and answer questions about the federal funding developments. More details will follow. 

We are committed to preserving and protecting our research community and to upholding the mission of the University of California—to educate, serve the public, and advance knowledge, discovery, and innovation. The weeks and months ahead may be difficult, but we will work together to overcome these challenges and ensure our future as a leading public research university. Thank you for your dedication to UC Santa Barbara. 

Sincerely,

David Marshall
Interim Chancellor

Dana Mastro 
Acting Executive Vice Chancellor 

Rachel Segalman
Vice Chancellor for Research

Rita Raley
Chair, Academic Senate