Draft Policies and Procedures Undergoing Review

Applies To: All faculty, staff, alumni, and third parties hosting events on university property and events held off premises when directed, managed, or supervised by the university; all events held on university properties (owned or leased), and events held off premises when directed, managed, or supervised by the university; and all private events sponsored by non‑campus groups held on university properties (owned or leased).

 

Brief Description: The revised UC Merced policy describes the campus policy on sale and service of alcoholic beverages at campus events and outlines alcohol permit requirements and procedures. Revisions include:

• Conversion from Procedure to Policy.
• Clarification of roles, responsibilities, and applicability of the policy.
• Enhanced procedures around the permit process.
• Strengthening of health and safety measures.
• Addition of marketing restrictions.
• Expands on potential personal and organizational liabilities and consequences for violations.

 

Applies To: All university facilities operated by UC Merced.

These regulations do not apply to employee organizations or their representatives when they are representing employees in grievances filed under a collective bargaining agreement, or grievances and administrative reviews pursuant to the Personnel Policies for Staff Members’ Complaint Resolution Procedure.

 

Brief Description: These interim UC Merced regulations provide employee organizations and their representatives reasonable access to university grounds, facilities and employees while ensuring that activities will not disrupt daily work activities, teaching, research, or otherwise adversely affect visitor experience at the institution. 

 

Applies To: All UC campuses and programs that use Online Program Management companies, including Extension and Self-Supporting Graduate Programs.

 

Brief Description: This UC policy refers to the University of California’s (UC) use of Online Program Management companies and provides requirements for: 

• Instructor transparency for online and on-campus courses
• Course evaluation process and student feedback
• Prohibition of incentive-based compensation for recruitment, admissions, or awardingfinancial aid
• Agreements with non-accredited entities

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November 11, 2025

 

Applies To: All Campus Locations, Health Locations, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR), and the Office of the President (UCOP)

 

Brief Description: This UC policy is proposed to be revised and includes the following key issues:

• Green Building – New provisions added requiring Regents’ approval for investments in natural gas infrastructure that exceed $20M and requiring that new buildings and major renovation projects complete one year of monitoring-based commissioning to ensure that they perform as designed.
   
• Clean Energy and Climate Action - Updates remove references to centrally procured biogas (per the UC Energy Services Governing Board’s direction to focus on direct emissions reductions over the use of biogas as a transition fuel source) and add a provision allowing locations to update their interim greenhouse gas reduction targets at regular intervals. Additional minor revisions remove outdated provisions, clarify intent, and improve organization.
   
• Sustainable Transportation – Soon to be outdated single-occupancy vehicle reduction targets were replaced with general requirements to continue promoting commute trip reduction programs and support locations’ greenhouse gas reduction efforts. Additional updates streamline the policy, clarify which State electric vehicle regulations apply to UC, and add a requirement that each location administer an annual commuter survey.

• Sustainability at UC Health – This section was removed and its policy elements embedded within related topical policy sections. Additionally, the terms for campuses and health locations were standardized throughout the policy to clarify which provisions apply to campuses, health locations, and/or all UC entities. Although these revisions touch all sections of the policy, they do not alter existing requirements.

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December 18, 2025

 

Applies To: All UC Locations, to all members of the University of California community. Also applicable to Lawrence Berkeley National Labs to the extent that the provisions of this Policy are not superseded by those of the Department of Energy

 

Brief Description: This UC policy is proposed to be revised and includes the following key issues:

• Aligns with the technical standard (WCAG 2.1 AA) set by two new digital accessibility regulations, which implement Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
• Requires locations to establish an accessible course content program to ensure faculty support in creating accessible course content and to assist faculty in remediating course content.
• Provides guidance and necessary frameworks for procurement of accessible products, a more defensible exception process for goods and/or services that do not conform to the WCAG 2.1 AA technical standard, and a complaint/grievance process.
• Establishes a reporting requirement for better systemwide oversight and coordination.
• Provides additional guidance around processes and authority.

Applies To: all research conducted under the auspices of any University of California (UC) Location by a person who, at the time of the alleged research misconduct, was affiliated with UC, including but not limited to faculty and other academic appointees, staff, students, postdoctoral scholars, and visiting scholars. This Policy applies to all research regardless of source of funding and/or sponsor. The Policy does not apply to activities undertaken in fulfillment of course requirements (unless there is an expectation of publication or dissemination of the results of such research outside of UC).

 

Brief Description: This proposed UC policy updates the current University Policy on Integrity in Research.

On September 6, 2024, the Office of Research Integrity (ORI) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued revised regulations on research misconduct, Public Health Service Policies on Research Misconduct (PHS Regulations). The PHS Regulations apply to institutions starting January 1, 2026.

The policy includes the following: 

• Publication in the correct format for UC Presidential Policies.
• Adoption of definitions related to research misconduct provided in the Federal Policy on Research Misconduct.
• Restatement that UC is committed to maintaining the integrity of scholarship and research, responding to allegations of research misconduct, and to fostering a climate conducive to research integrity in accordance with the UC Statement of Ethical Values.
• A Procedures Section that directs Locations to implement local policies and procedures for responding to allegations of research misconduct, including complying with federal policies and conditions of extramural awards.