Dear Colleagues,

I hope that your winter quarter is off to a promising start. We have shaken off the heavy cloak of fog from the last few months and my spirits have been lifted by several consecutive days of sunshine.

As I begin this letter to you, I want to acknowledge the challenges we are facing, as a campus and as a nation. As faculty and staff working on behalf of the important mission of a public university, we are driven to help bring about a better future for our students and for the world. What you do every day matters to our students, colleagues, and patients. You are making a difference, and I am grateful you are part of UC Davis.  

I am writing to share information about:

You may have heard or seen information regarding Governor Newsom’s proposed 2026-27 California state budget, which was released on January 9. We are grateful for the state’s ongoing commitment to the University of California as we grapple with continued rising costs and unprecedented federal actions. The University of California Office of the President will engage in further dialogue with the Governor and the Legislature as the state budget continues to take shape in the coming months. 

While the proposed increased funding from the state is needed and greatly appreciated, we continue to face financial challenges and increasing costs that require us to stay the course on our reduction plans. Through difficult decisions and responsible stewardship, we reduced the core funds deficit by $108 million between 2020 and 2025, but there is more work to do. As outlined in my campus update in the fall, units are implementing strategic budget reductions on core funds totaling $41.5 million in the 2025-26 fiscal year and will implement an additional $52.8 million in reductions in 2026-27. 

Staying on track with budget reductions is necessary to safeguard the long-term stability of UC Davis, and taking these actions may give us some flexibility amid increasing costs and changes in federal policy and funding. We will continue to share updates with campus as we engage in the annual budget process this spring.

The UC Davis Office of Research has a helpful website with the latest news regarding federal research funding. The Office of Research remains in direct contact with researchers whose federal grants are impacted by policy changes. For broader research updates, subscribe to Research Insights and campus messages from Vice Chancellor Simon Atkinson. The University of California Office of the President also maintains a federal updates webpage that includes a library of fact sheets, an issues tracker, and messages from UC President Milliken.

In the coming weeks, you will receive a detailed message regarding the new Americans with Disabilities Act Title II Rule for web content and mobile app accessibility that goes into effect on April 24, 2026. The new rule requires that digital content provided by state and local governments is accessible to everyone, including individuals with disabilities. The rule applies to all of our digital content including, but not limited to, websites, course-related materials, mobile apps, and social media posts.

I want to acknowledge and thank the colleges and schools that have been working with the Digital Accessibility team to host information sessions and encouraging faculty to attend training sessions.

We know this is a heavy lift for many people on campus, including faculty with extensive course materials. The Academic Senate is engaging in the Request for Consultation process on the Digital Accessibility Implementation Plan, which includes tools that will help faculty meet the new federal requirements.
Here are a few things you can do now:

I would like to thank the IT Accessibility Policy Program Committee and all of the individuals involved in helping the campus prepare for and implement the new requirements.

With the retirement of Vice Provost Jonna Mazet, I announced last fall that Grand Challenges would move to the Office of Research, a transition that will take place this spring. Grand Challenges will be led by Associate Vice Chancellor Paul Dodd. I am pleased to share that Rachel Whitmer, chief of the Division of Epidemiology in the School of Medicine’s Department of Public Health, is joining Grand Challenges part-time as its Faculty Advisor. Visit the Grand Challenges website to learn more about their ongoing work related to emerging health threats, climate change, sustainable food systems, and reimagining the land grant university.  

Christopher Witko joined UC Center Sacramento (UCCS) in the fall as its new executive director, reporting jointly to me and to the UC systemwide provost. Chris has quickly increased enrollment in this amazing program that provides experiential learning opportunities for University of California students, including internships in legislative offices as well as with state agencies and nonprofits.

Since Chris’s arrival, UCCS has experienced record enrollment, nearly doubling for fall, winter, and spring, and more than 300 students have submitted applications for the summer. UCCS students who were enrolled during fall quarter explored policy issues and public service careers through placements in the California Immigrant Policy Center, the Office of the Governor, the California Treasurer’s Office, and the state’s Department on Housing and Community Development, among others.

We continue to engage in searches for deans of the College of Biological Sciences and the Graduate School of Management, and we are on track to have new leaders in place by July 1. We are very grateful for the outstanding leadership of Mark Winey and H. Rao Unnava, each of whom will return to teaching and research after serving for a decade as dean.

Nearly 26 years ago, the Committee to Honor Patwin and Native Americans at UC Davis came together to develop and implement a plan to recognize that the campus sits on Patwin land, to honor the Patwin nations, and to honor the historical presence of Native Americans on our campus. The plan was completed in 2006, and two exterior installations are in place, with two more installations slated for this year at the Memorial Union and the Silo. I am pleased to share that there will soon be a new website to tell the history of this important work and keep the campus community updated on progress and events. My sincere thanks to the original committee members and the current members for their ongoing dedication to this worthy project.

The UC Office of the President, which handles negotiations with labor unions that represent UC employees, has launched a webpage for the latest news on UAW labor contract negotiations. It is important to note that faculty representatives are serving on the negotiations team this year with processes in place for broader consultation and input with faculty, as well as updates. For example, UC Provost and Executive Vice President Katherine Newman provides monthly updates that I distribute through the Academic Senate. I would like to thank the Academic Senate for their partnership in keeping the faculty informed regarding the UAW contract, which covers Graduate Student Researchers and Academic Student Employees, and recently added Research and Public Service Professionals as well as Student Services and Advising Professionals. We will continue to provide updates as they become available.

The Sustaining Teaching and  Research Task Force (START) will wind down after nearly three years of identifying and proposing ways to transform or enhance our education, research, and service models. Thirty-nine recommendations have been shared with campus for feedback so far and several more recommendations will be distributed to campus this spring.

I will send a comprehensive message to campus in the coming weeks that will provide updates on START recommendations, including several that are being implemented and new recommendations that are ready for campus review and input. Please check your inbox in the coming weeks and thank you for engaging in the review and implementation process.

I want to take a moment to celebrate a transformative gift that UC Davis recently received thanks to the tremendous efforts of Dean Mark Stetter, Chancellor Gary May, Vice Chancellor Shaun Keister and many, many others. Philanthropists Joan and Sanford (Sandy) I. Weill gifted $120 million through the Weill Family Foundation to the School of Veterinary Medicine, the largest gift ever made to a school of veterinary medicine anywhere in the world. In addition to preparing more veterinarians and providing care to more animals in need, the Weill’s gift will support research that benefits animal and human health.

I mention the Weills’ gift because it is extraordinary, it demonstrates the confidence that others have in us at UC Davis, and it represents the Weills’ understanding of the role we can play in shaping a better future. This generous gift also underscores the care and compassion that Aggies put into our work every day, in every classroom, clinic, school, college, and lab. Thank you for the great care you show to our students and one another, and for being part of this incredibly special community.

All the best,
Mary

Mary Croughan
Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor