Khosla told the Union-Tribune he now has his sights set on building\u00a0a state-of-the-art sports arena to showcase men\u2019s and women\u2019s basketball \u2014 one that would attract more fans locally and raise the school\u2019s profile nationally in sports and entertainment.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s not sure whether it would be built on campus or a short distance away. But he strongly emphasized that he wants a facility that will lay to rest the long-standing joke that UCSD\u2019s initials stand for \u201cUniversity of California Socially Dead.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/SUT-L-UCSD-FALL-006.jpg\")
San Diego, CA \u2013 September 16: The Epstein Family Amphitheater is surrounded by classroom and housing buildings on the UC San Diego campus on September 16, 2026 in San Diego, CA. (K.C. Alfred \/ The San Diego Union-Tribune)<\/p>\n
The joke has lingered because UCSD is mostly known as one of the nation\u2019s 10 largest research universities. Its courses are broken into short, 10-week quarters that students describe as grueling. By tradition, many students end each quarter by letting loose with a chilling primal scream to alleviate stress.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am really concerned about our students\u2019 ability (to) access recreation facilities,\u201d said the 69-year-old Khosla, who has been chancellor since 2012.<\/p>\n
He unexpectedly mentioned his new goal in a back-to-school interview with the Union-Tribune, saying, \u201cIt\u2019s a dream of mine to build a new arena. \u2026 I may not be around (when it\u2019s done), but it is 100% doable.\u201d<\/p>\n
Khosla added that there are \u201cmultiple places\u201d for an arena.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t have to always be on campus,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have to be proximal to campus.\u201d<\/p>\n
The idea is at an early stage of discussion. The potential size and cost of an arena have not been deeply addressed, although Khosla indicated that he wants a facility that\u2019s on a par with the arenas of the top schools that UCSD plays in basketball.<\/p>\n
He added words of caution, saying \u201cthis is purely a dream\u201d that might not come to pass over the next decade.<\/p>\n
Khosla floated the arena idea at a time when the school\u2019s athletic programs are drawing more attention, especially in basketball. Momentum began to build in 2020 when UCSD became an NCAA Division I school. In a surprise, the men\u2019s and women\u2019s basketball teams earned invitations to the March Madness tournament in 2025. It was the first time<\/a> that an NCAA Division I program had both men\u2019s and women\u2019s teams make the tournament after completing their transition from Division II.<\/p>\n UCSD is also in the process of leaving the Big West Conference and joining the West Coast Conference, which is more prominent<\/a> nationally. The transition will become official in July. The shift is being handled by Andy Fee, who became the university\u2019s new athletic director last year.<\/p>\n![\"UC](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/SUT-L-ucsdwomen-0320-02.jpg\")
UC San Diego’s women’s basketball team celebrates after securing the Big West regular season championship in 2025. (Derrick Tuskan\/UC San Diego)<\/p>\n