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Holiday Message from UC President Janet Napolitano

Dear Friends and Colleagues:

As the holiday season approaches, I want to take a moment to say thanks for all of your hard work this year. Once again, your dedication, passion and care made 2013 a year of great success for the University of California and those we serve.

Thanks to you, UC remains the top public research university in the nation, and among the very best anywhere in the world. Thanks to you, we offered more than 238,000 students an excellent, affordable college education. Thanks to you, our medical centers again provided millions of patients with world-class care.

The year was marked by many achievements that highlight UC's fundamental strength and the enduring appeal of our core mission of public service. Riverside's School of Medicine enrolled its first students, a Nobel laureate at San Diego was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, UCLA received more applications than any other college in the country, and Berkeley had another Nobel laureate. These accomplishments, just a small sampling of our triumphs, remind us all of what we can achieve together.

We also faced significant challenges, including continued financial pressures.

Throughout the year, one thing remained constant: UC's excellence, which is built on your daily commitment to strengthen and enrich our great university.

I want to thank you for welcoming me so warmly into the UC family. My first two months as President have been exciting, informative and fun. I'm so proud to be your President, and I'm looking forward to working with you to make 2014 an even better year for UC.

Have a happy, safe and healthy holiday season.

Yours very truly, Janet Napolitano President