UC Riverside chancellor Timothy White assured the Coachella Valley community he has no plans to shut down the university's Palm Desert Graduate Center, according to an op-ed that appeared over the weekend in the Desert Sun.

The paper said concerns about a closure were raised in the community last month when the chancellor laid off the center's executive director Carolyn Stark and six staff members.

In an editorial board meeting with the Desert Sun, White told the paper the action was part of a plan to "press the reset button." He called on the community to work with the university on a new needs...