Key Points:

• Valley fever is widely underdiagnosed and often mistaken for common respiratory illnesses, leading to delayed diagnosis and unnecessary antibiotic use.

• Cases are rising and spreading geographically, driven by climate patterns, soil disruption and population growth, making the disease a growing public health concern.

• The study promotes the COCCI framework, which emphasizes early testing, exposure assessment and structured clinical decision-making to improve outcomes and reduce complications.

UC Merced is abuzz with celebration as students, families, friends, staff and faculty finish last-minute preparations for the largest commencement in university history.

Across three outdoor ceremonies, 1,649 undergraduates and 112 graduate students will walk the stage at Spring Commencement 2026, marking a record-setting milestone for the university. This year’s celebrations are especially meaningful as the university awards its 1,000th Ph.D., highlighting just how far the institution — and its graduates — have come.

UC Merced’s CalTeach program is opening new pathways for younger students to experience hands-on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) learning, academic support and early exposure to a college environment.

Only 20 years since undergraduate instruction began, UC Merced is a recognized leader in conducting academic research, developing young minds for career success and driving economic growth, the university’s chancellor said Wednesday.

Gary Stewart, who has won 385 career games across all levels of NCAA basketball, has been named the University of California, Merced head men's basketball coach, Executive Director of Recreation & Athletics David Dunham announced today.

On Aug. 12, 2005, less than one month before UC Merced opened its doors to undergraduate students, Tamela Adkins joined the campus’s Police Department as support services manager.

Intially, her role included managing records and evidence, overseeing the police dispatch center and hiring. She later added responsibility for the administrative unit and a federally required annual report of security policy and crime statistics..

Tears filled her eyes as she expressed what the past 20 years have meant to her.

On Aug. 12, 2005, less than one month before UC Merced opened its doors to undergraduate students, Tamela Adkins joined the campus’s Police Department as support services manager.

Intially, her role included managing records and evidence, overseeing the police dispatch center and hiring. She later added responsibility for the administrative unit and a federally required annual report of security policy and crime statistics..

Tears filled her eyes as she expressed what the past 20 years have meant to her.

Through the lens of Veronica Adrover we have seen buildings rise, graduates cheer and lasers glow. We’ve seen governors, a First Lady and a former U.S. president. We’ve glimpsed a young bobcat in tall grass and celebrated young Bobcats in labs, corridors and classrooms.

Shannon Lee, a New York Times bestselling author and the daughter of martial arts legend Bruce Lee, will share her father's messages of healing and unity Thursday, March 6, at UC Merced.

The event, which is free and open to the public, also will feature Indonesian-inspired food prepared by UC Merced Dining under the guidance of a Michelin Guide chef.

The Biology Integration Institute (BII): The Institute for Symbiotic Interactions, Training and Education in the Face of a Changing Climate, or INSITE, stands out because it is supported by $12.5 million from the National Science Foundation, one of the largest NSF grants UC Merced has ever received.