The McHenrys, a family that has long been involved in the UC system, wrote this letter to UCSC Chancellor George Blumenthal in response to recent cuts to the Arboretum. The McHenrys also sent the letter to UC President Mark Yudof, the Board of Regents, Arboretum board member Lynda Haworth and City on a Hill Press. We have reprinted it here as a further elaboration on this week’s story covering these Arboretum cuts.
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October 8, 2009
Dear Chancellor Blumenthal,
The McHenry family is greatly distressed by the personnel/finacial cuts being made to the UCSC Arboretum. The Aboretum is a living monument to the life work of Dean and Jane McHenry, both of whom worked tirelessly for higher education for the citizens of the once great state of California. Dean, with Jane at his side, influenced many lives as a political science professor at UCLA, a major contributor to the Master Plan for Higher Education for the State of California (1960), and as the founding chancellor of UCSC.
This unique Arboretum is an important place for all of us as it has been a special project of Dean and Jane’s since the beginning. It was started with plants from their travels to far corners of the earth. There is a garden named in Jane’s honor, a plaque honoring Dean’s mother, and a recently dedicated amphitheatre honoring Dean.
This shortsighted cuts by the UCSC administration not only disrespect their historic contributions, but also threaten the future of a valuable, irreplaceable educational and public asset.
Sincerely yours,
Members of the McHenry Family
