UC DAVIS: OFFICE OF THE PROVOST
January 27, 2005
Provost's Update, Winter Quarter
2005-06 Governor's Budget
The Governor's spending plan for 2005-06 proposes increased state funding for the University of California. Included in the plan is funding for faculty and staff salary increases and modest enrollment growth. Details of the budget proposal and reaction from President Dynes and campus officials are available at http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/newsletter/issue16.html and http://www.news.ucdavis.edu/budget/. I am currently consulting with campus administrators and the Academic Senate about the campus budget and faculty position allocation processes for 2005-06 and will be in touch with you soon to provide details of the campus's approach. The state capital budget proposes $46.3 million for the UC Davis Physical Sciences Expansion project that will provide space for Physics, Geology and Chemistry in response to growth needs. Also proposed is $20.6 million for expanding the campus steam and electrical systems to keep the lights and heat on in current and planned new facilities.
UC Davis Facts Online
How many students attend UC Davis-and what are their majors? Where does the campus get its financial resources, and how does it apply them? What is the ethnic and gender diversity of our faculty and staff? A new campus website, http://facts.ucdavis.edu/, delivers at a click these and other commonly sought statistics about our campus. Our aim with this summary is to save staff and faculty the time and effort of hunting through a multitude of systems and sources to get basic information about the campus.
Pamela Ronald, Faculty Assistant to the Provost
I am pleased to welcome Professor Pam Ronald (Plant Pathology) as Faculty Assistant to the Provost. With Pam's help, I am developing new opportunities to communicate with the faculty about the UC Davis Strategic Plan and apply the wisdom of the faculty in specific actions or initiatives that will advance the Plan. If you have ideas about how to accomplish this, please send them by email to strategicplan@ucdavis.edu. More about Pam and her new role appears in the January 28, 2005, edition of Dateline.
Tsunami Response
Chancellor Vanderhoef has appointed a UC Davis Tsunami Relief Task Force to explore ways that the campus might respond to the need for humanitarian assistance in the wake of the massive earthquake and tsunamis that struck South Asia on Dec. 26 (http://www.news.ucdavis.edu/tsunami/). The group is exploring long- and short-term responses, including opportunities to partner with city and regional relief initiatives and apply the campus's academic expertise in efforts to combat disease and restore infrastructure. If you have ideas to share, please contact Vice Provost Bill Lacy (wblacy@ucdavis.edu) or Assistant Chancellor Maril Stratton (mrstratton@ucdavis.edu).
Research, Learning, Engagement: Recent Developments
Asian American Intern Program. To broaden the pipeline of Asian American college graduates interested in a career in public service, the UC Davis Asian American Studies Program and committed alumnus Bill Wong are launching a new internship program at the State Capitol. http://www.news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=7226
Analysis of the Chicken Genome. The chicken genome is now known as a result of an international collaboration with our own Mary Delaney coordinating the analysis of the genome sequence. http://www.news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=7221
Oil Spill Response. Protecting our wildlife is a challenging endeavor in these times; thankfully, our UC Davis rescue experts are leading the way to accomplish this goal. http://www.news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=7258
Lake Tahoe Warming. UC Davis researchers at the Tahoe Environmental Research Center are working to understand the effect of regional climate changes on the lake, local ecological systems, and water supplies for agriculture and cities. http://www.dateline.ucdavis.edu/dl_detail.lasso?id=8086
Best regards,
Virginia S. Hinshaw
Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor
University of California, Davis
One Shields Avenue
Davis, CA 95616-8558
530/752-4964; Fax 530/752-2400
vshinshaw@ucdavis.edu