Spotlight on…

Aggies to star in evening parade as state fair kicks off today; 'Dream Big' exhibit and student vets also shine

The California State Fair kicks off today, and UC Davis — in honor of its centennial — will lead the first of what will be nightly parades at the Cal Expo fairgrounds in Sacramento. The 30-minute-long parade is expected to start at 6:30 p.m., and feature the Cal Aggie Marching Band-uh and Gunrock. Meanwhile, our "Dream Big" exhibit is expected to draw crowds, as will our team of vet and animal science students, who will care for more than 7,000 critters — and teach visitors a thing or two about animal care. [ More… ]

NEWS

Senate committee passes researcher protection measure

The state Senate Public Safety Committee on Thursday approved legislation that would help enhance law enforcement's ability to protect academic researchers and their families from acts of violence and intimidation by anti-animal research extremists. The bill goes next to Senate Appropriations Committee, and it may then go to the Senate floor as early as next week. [ More… ]

'Dying for Science?'

In an editorial published today in the journal Science, nutrition professor M.R.C. Greenwood and two co-authors discuss the firebomb attacks by animal rights extremists on UC Santa Cruz researchers and call on state and federal lawmakers to strengthen the laws that protect researchers. Greenwood, who is also chancellor emerita of UCSC, and two others from UCSC write: "Scientists and their colleagues, from all disciplines, should speak out to galvanize support for expanded efforts to apprehend and prosecute these types of criminals." (Note: If you are trying to view this editorial from an off-campus computer, you might need to register — at no charge — on the Science site.) [ More… ]

Annual State of the Lake Report: Tahoe getting warmer, clarity loss slows

UC Davis' annual Lake Tahoe health report finds that the long-term warming trend first described last year continues, that 2007 was the 14th driest year on record, and that clarity improved over 2006. The annual review is intended to give the public a better understanding of the changes occurring in the Tahoe Basin on a year-to-year basis and to place current conditions within a historical perspective. [ More… ]

For sale: Campus poster calendars available soon at bookstores

The new academic year is approaching, and new poster calendars with a centennial theme are due to go on sale later this month — 80 cents each for individuals and 72 cents each for departments and units. There is a new distribution system in place for 2008-09. Campus bookstores in Davis and Sacramento will handle all sales, both to departments and individuals. [ More… ]

Faculty and staff get first crack at Mondavi Center single-event tickets

The Mondavi Center already offers discounts to faculty and staff. Now it is offering them another perk: a head start on buying single-event tickets for the 2008-09 season. Single-event sales to the general public begin Aug. 25. But faculty and staff can make their purchases early, Aug. 20 through 23. [ More… ]

Davis-Sacramento shuttles gain riders as price of gas rises

As the price of gas goes up, more people are riding shuttle buses between the Davis and Sacramento campuses — so many more that officials have added extra buses on the two busiest runs each day. The university promotes the shuttle service and other modes of alternative transportation as a way to cut traffic on the region's roads and help bring about cleaner air. [ More… ]

No more ringy-dingies: Campus ending dial-up Internet access in January

The campus is ending its dial-up modem Internet service on Jan. 1. Dial-up access has been free to faculty, staff and students since 1997, but demand has dwindled as users switched to commercial Internet service providers with faster connections. The shutdown is part of Information and Educational Technology's $1.46 million in budget cuts for 2008-09. Alternatives to the dial-up service include DSL, cable modem or another dial-up link, from commercial ISPs. [ More… ]

Equestrian Center alum wins silver in the Olympics

A bit of Olympic silver dust was sprinkled across the UC Davis Equestrian Center this week. Gina Miles, who rode at the campus facility in the 1980s and early '90s and has returned to hold clinics for UC Davis equestrians, won an individual silver medal Tuesday in the eventing sport held in Hong Kong. Riding students, boarders and staff at the center had been following the competition closely, said Julie Smith, an assistant director of Campus Recreation who is responsible for the center. [ More… ]

DIRECTIVES

Annual asbestos notification

California Health and Safety Code Section 25915 requires that all UC Davis employees be notified annually of the presence of asbestos in campus buildings constructed prior to 1979. Administrators are being asked to post this year's notice in locations accessible to all employees. [ More… ]

EVENTS

Taylor dance students offer free show today

Today, Aug. 15, 4 to 5 p.m., Main Theatre, Wright Hall

A free dance performance is the culminating event in UC Davis Extension's Paul Taylor West Coast Dance Intensive, a professional training course in modern dance. The director is David Grenke, professor and chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance, and a former principal dancer in the Paul Taylor Dance Company. [ More… ]

Blood drive set for next week

Wednesday and Thursday, Aug. 20 and 21, 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Quad

An ASUCD blood drive next week is a give-and-take situation: You give a pint of blood, and in return you get a coupon for a free pint of Baskin-Robbins ice cream. That is in addition to the satisfaction of helping someone in need with your blood. [ More… ]

On exhibit: Designer's M.F.A. thesis showcases 'guilt-free' clothing

Aug. 18 to 29, noon to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, Design Museum, 145 Walker Hall; designer's talk at noon Wednesday, Aug. 20, 135 Walker Hall

Designer Rachel Stone says the "I want it now" culture of clothes-buying is depleting the world's resources, so she is offering alternative attire made from sustainable textiles and natural dyes. She plans to show some of her designs in a master of fine arts thesis exhibition this month at the Design Museum. Both the show and Wednesday's talk are free and open to the public. [ More… ]

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