UC DAVIS: OFFICE OF THE PROVOST
June 7, 2004
Provost's Update
Hi! I recognize this is a very busy time for all of us as we complete the academic year, so in this update I will briefly highlight some of the activities related to budget issues and implementation of the campus strategic vision's goals ("Framework for Success", "Learning", "Discovery", and "Engagement"). I also want to mention that a comment I frequently hear is "UC Davis is on the rise"; I do believe this is a reflection of increased recognition and appreciation by a wider audience of the many impressive contributions of our students, faculty, and staff. Thank you for all of your efforts!
BUDGET DEVELOPMENTS (http://www.news.ucdavis.edu/budget/): The development of a campus budget for 2004-05 is nearing completion. All academic and administrative units have submitted budget plans based on a 6% reduction target for review. The Council of Deans and Vice Chancellors and chief budget officers will participate in a half-day meeting on June 4 to consider these plans and discuss strategies related to the proposed compact between the state and University beginning in 2005. I am pleased that our campus planning assumptions have proven to match the requirements of two recent budget developments--the Governor's "May Revision" and the proposed compact. Please keep in mind, however, that the budget must be adopted by the Legislature and is subject to change throughout this process. Moreover, the compact does not actually begin until July 2005--so base budget reductions of 6% are still necessary to accommodate the proposed 2004-05 state budget. The compact allows us to avoid additional budget cuts faced by state agencies and offers a positive prospect of some modest cost-of-living adjustments beginning in July 2005.
CAMPUS FUND-RAISING PRIORITIES STUDIED: As state funding growth appears very limited for the near future, one source of support that will receive much attention is gifts to the campus. The campus is investing in fund-raising staff in schools, colleges, and divisions. A committee has been reviewing proposed fund-raising priorities and is completing a draft plan to be communicated to the campus. Deans, Vice Provosts, and Vice Chancellors will be reporting elements of the plan to their units.
STREAMLINING: Course Management in the Department of Physics - Folks in departments across campus are working on creative ideas to streamline our existing administrative processes and return time to faculty and staff for higher priority activities. This month I'll mention a project in the Department of Physics. The Department of Physics has developed a database to streamline the course enrollment process at the beginning of each quarter for classes that have a large enrollment and wait list. The database allows instructors/TAs to confirm attendance, manage the wait list, and issue PTA numbers to students, all on site in the lab/discussion sections. This provides better service to the students, saving them a trip to the department office for a number. It also is a significant time-saver for administrative staff. If you've found a better way to work that you think might help others, please share it with me at strategicplan@ucdavis.edu.
FRESHMAN SEMINARS: The campus has made great progress toward the University's goal of providing a Freshman Seminar experience to all first-year students by increasing our offerings from 93 in 2002-03 to 141 in 2003-04. The experience is summarized by a faculty member: "Working with a small group of students facilitates interchange and is a great way to get to know the students as individuals. My experience with Freshman Seminars has been positive all-around." Many thanks to our faculty, including our professional school faculty, whose efforts with Freshmen Seminars have contributed positively to our campus in many different ways. For additional information, please see http://trc.ucdavis.edu/trc/freshSem/current.html.
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH CONFERENCE (http://www.dateline.ucdavis.edu/dl_detail.lasso?id=7794): The 15th Annual Undergraduate Research Conference included more than 180 UC Davis undergraduates presenting their research projects to a public audience through oral presentations or in poster format. A great experience for all!
NEW, "SMART" CLASSROOM SPACE ON THE WAY (http://www.dateline.ucdavis.edu/dl_detail.lasso?id=7735): With its existing classroom space operating at close to 100 percent of capacity and limited state funding in store for new capital projects, UC Davis is seeking creative ways of funding new construction and providing a technological facelift for existing classrooms. Giedt Hall, the $7.5 million building opening in 2006 in the Engineering/Physical Science region of campus, will offer 650 seats of classroom space, including the 250-seat Rand and Ted Schaal Auditorium. Many thanks to the generous gifts for this building by UC Davis faculty members Warren Giedt and Rand Schaal and their families. Also opening in the near future will be the Sciences Laboratory Building, including a 500-seat lecture hall and multiple classroom laboratories. Over the past several years, the campus has renovated existing classroom space in Wellman, Olson, Young, and Everson Halls, installing, among other improvements, digital equipment that enables coordinated multimedia learning experiences.
MAJOR NEW RESEARCH FUNDING: UC Davis researchers and three partner institutions recently received $18 million to establish a national center hosted at Texas A&M to enhance national security against animal diseases and diseases like avian influenza that are transmitted to humans (http://www.dateline.ucdavis.edu/dl_detail.lasso?id=7763). UC Davis researchers in the Institute for Transportation Studies have been awarded $10 million to study ways of bringing a hydrogen fuel economy closer to reality (http://www.dateline.ucdavis.edu/dl_detail.lasso?id=7775). UC Davis and partners have received a $10 million grant to fund restoration of grape and raisin vineyards in areas of Afghanistan once riddled with land mines (http://www.news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=7032). Our research activities are most definitely "on the rise"!
SENATE'S DISTINGUISHED PUBLIC SERVICE AWARDS: The UC Davis Academic Senate recently honored three of its members for significant service contributions to communities near and far (http://www.dateline.ucdavis.edu/dl_detail.lasso?id=7766): Wing Thye Woo (Economics) for his work on the economic and financial issues of East Asia; Suad Joseph (Anthropology/Women and Gender Studies) for her work on gender, family, politics, and cultural identity in the Middle East; and Howard Schutz (Food Science and Technology) for his work on product development and production methods, and consumer behavior and preferences. Congratulations and thank you for your efforts!
AGGIE ADVOCACY (http://aggiefamilypack.ucdavis.edu/news_items/chancellor_act_ltr.html): For the first time ever, proposed state funding reductions mean that the University of California will not be able to admit all qualified students. Therefore, UC Davis is asking alumni, students, parents, faculty, staff and friends to join in a systemwide grassroots campaign to remind elected officials why state funding for UC is critical for California's future.
UC DAVIS ALUMNI COLLEGE (http://www.alumni.ucdavis.edu/college/): The UC Davis Alumni College on July 15-17 is an exciting new program that provides UC Davis alumni a chance to return to their alma mater and learn in a campus environment.
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