Whether through traditional advocacy or general education, UC Irvine’s State Government Relations works to promote the university's mission and to monitor state-related legislative activity. Our team advocates for higher education, research funding, and other issues that are central to the university’s mission as an educational and research institution.
By actively engaging with the state’s elected leadership and agency heads, we articulate UC Irvine’s important role in the state while serving the broader mission of education, research, and service. We highlight UC Irvine’s contributions to California’s workforce, innovations, and economy by sharing stories of the groundbreaking research and the rising next generation of new leaders that UC Irvine produces.
Alumni, students, parents, faculty, and staff serve as valuable “Anteater Advocates” in relating their experience as UC Irvine’s grassroots voice. Through their personal experiences and engagement in the legislative process, our advocates help bridge policy decisions to their real-world impacts. The State Government Relations team helps ensure that our advocates' voices and UC Irvine’s priorities remain visible to state decision-makers to further the university’s purpose to educate, further research, and serve the public for generations to come.
For questions, please contact Kristin Vellandi, Director of State & Local Government Relations at kristin.vellandi@uci.edu, or P. Alberto Sandoval, Assistant Vice Chancellor, UC Irvine Community & Government Relations at p.alberto.sandoval@uci.edu.