FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

City of Merced Welcomes UC Merced into Its City Limits

Merced, Calif – [August 23, 2024] – The City of Merced is excited to announce that the University of California, Merced, is now officially part of the city. This important step marks a new chapter in our community’s development and collaboration.

Students, faculty, and staff at UC Merced can expect campus life to continue as usual, with the university maintaining its own safety services to ensure a familiar and secure environment. The transition to other city services, such as fire protection, is underway, with all parties dedicated to coordinating responsibilities between jurisdictions. 

“This milestone marks a new chapter in our university’s journey, further solidifying our role as an integral part of the vibrant Merced community,” said UC Merced chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz. “This integration will foster an even more dynamic environment for learning, research, and community engagement and we look forward to growing, side-by-side with our namesake."

As we get closer to elections later this year, the Merced County Registrar of Voters is preparing to share information about the November 5, 2024 General Election and voter registration. Residents in the newly annexed area will be eligible to vote on national, state, and county issues. However, they will not be able to vote on city-specific contests, such as mayor or city council, because the annexation and subsequent change to voting precincts will not have been in effect within the required 125 days before the election. The city is working on an ordinance to update council district boundaries and will share more information as it becomes available.

Public transportation with The Bus and Cat Tracks will remain unchanged, providing consistent service for all, including the UC Merced community.

“It’s an exciting new era for both the city and the UC,” said City of Merced Mayor, Matthew Serratto. “This isn’t just about expanding city limits—it’s about the shared future we’re creating together. Your creativity, energy, and innovation are essential to Merced’s spirit, and we look forward to all that we will achieve together.”

To all students, faculty, and staff, whether you’re discovering downtown, enjoying our parks, or contributing to our community’s growth, we’re excited to have you as neighbors. Here’s to making this next chapter a memorable one.

Media Contacts:

Jennifer Flachman, Public Information Officer          Brenda Ortiz, Public Information Officer
City of Merced                                                            UC Merced
(209) 564-0235                                                           (209) 628-8263
flachmanj@cityofmerced.org                                     bortiz@ucmerced.edu