Spotlight on…

Nursing a visionPhoto: nursing students

Their studies have only just begun at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing, and the first students are already giving back, surprising school leaders recently with the establishment of the Inaugural Classes Endowed Scholarship to assist future students. The fund drew support from everyone in the first classes — for a total of $43,000. Watch a video about the inaugural students. [ More… ]

NEWS SUMMARY

More stories at Dateline UC Davis and UC Davis News and Information

Open enrollment presents complex choices

Open enrollment is under way — giving staff and faculty until Nov. 23 to make any benefits changes for 2011. Significantly, in the area of health care, UC has added two lower-cost plans. For many people, the most perplexing option likely involves the two Health Net plans, one of which excludes Sutter Health as a provider. [ More… ]

Letter to UC from President Yudof about proposed changes to UC retirement benefits

President Mark G. Yudof reveals his recommendations regarding changes in post-employment benefits: "In short, I am proposing a new pension program for future employees hired after July 1, 2013, that will preserve good pension benefits while also reducing UC's long-term costs." [ More… ]

WarnMe test scheduled for Nov. 4

UC Davis is scheduled to conduct a test of its WarnMe emergency alerting service — for providing timely information and instructions in major emergencies — next Thursday, Nov. 4. Between now and then, emergency officials urge faculty, staff and students to check that their contact information is registered with WarnMe and up to date. [ More… ]

Hellman program gives $245,000 in grants to assistant professors

Thirteen assistant professors are the recipients of research grants totaling $245,000 from the UC Davis Hellman Fellowship Program, as announced recently by Barbara Horwitz, vice provost of Academic Personnel. The San Francisco-based Hellman Family Foundation has funded the fellowship program annually since 2008, to assist newer faculty members who have promising research plans but lack the stable funding of more established faculty. [ More… ]

In brief: Blood drive, Fall Dialogue with the Chancellor, Picnic Day forum, commencement regalia, free calendars

UC Davis is hoping for a three-peat in the third annual Causeway Classic Blood Drive, Nov. 2 and 3 ... The Fall Dialogue with the Chancellor is set for Nov. 3 ... Also Nov. 3, the city of Davis, the university and the ASUCD and other organizations are sponsoring a public forum to gather suggestions on how to improve Picnic Day ... Faculty members are being advised of order deadlines for fall commencement regalia ... And Repro Graphics is taking orders for its popular calendars — free, UC Davis-themed posters on which you can highlight the dates of your choosing. [ More… ]

IET starts posting service, outage notices on Twitter

Computer systems excel at lots of tasks, but not at telling you when they're down. When they're down, they can't tell you much of anything. To help get around this problem, Information and Educational Technology now posts service and outage notices for critical campus networks and systems on a new public Twitter account: @UCDavisStatus. [ More… ]

Dr. Verosub goes to Washington

Ken Verosub, distinguished professor of geology, recently completed a year as a Jefferson Science Fellow, working at the U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department, where, in his first day on the job, he prepared a briefing book for Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton. Verosub says his year in the nation's capital changed his understanding of how Washington works — and the kind of science that the government needs. [ More… ]

Laurels: Psychological association recognizes early career contributions

Simona Ghetti receives an American Psychological Association award for distinguished scientific early career contributions to psychology, and Charles DeCarli, a neurology professor and director of the university's Alzheimer's Disease Center, is the recipient of the J. Allyn Taylor International Prize in Medicine. Plus more faculty honors. [ More… ]

Low elevations hold climate surprises

Contrary to expectations, climate change has had a significant effect on mountain plants at low elevations, says a new study led by a UC Davis researcher. The information could guide future conservation efforts at local scales by helping decision makers anticipate biological responses to climate changes. [ More… ]

DIRECTIVES

No directives were issued this week.

EVENTS

Lecture: Health care disparities in pain medicine

Wednesday, Nov. 3, 5 p.m., MIND Institute auditorium, 2825 50th St., Sacramento

Carmen R. Green, an anesthesiologist and pain medicine physician from the University of Michigan Health System, will speak on "The Unequal Burden and Unheard Voices of Pain: Creating a Health Care System with Justice for All." Part of the UC Davis Health System Dean's Lecture Series, the event is free and open to the public. Reservations can be made by e-mailing specialevents@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu or calling (916) 734-9101. [ More… ]

Rumors and Gallathea set to open a week apart

Rumors: Nov. 3-7, 10-14, Wyatt Pavilion Theatre

Gallathea: Nov. 11-14, 18-20, Main Theatre

The rumors are true: Studio 301 Productions, the only student-run theatre company at UC Davis, is presenting the farce Rumors, by Neil Simon. Also true: The Department of Theatre and Dance is presenting the gender-bending Elizabethan comedy Gallathea, written in the 16th century and updated at UC Davis with a contemporary set, original music, outrageous costumes — and even video and text messaging. [ More… ]

On exhibit: Who We Are, plus Craft Center show and auction, and more

Nov. 5-Dec. 3, Craft Center Gallery

The Craft Center presents its ninth annual Staff Show and Silent Auction, filling the gallery with jewelry, glasswork, textiles, ceramics, metalwork, woodwork, photography, painting, drawing, screen printing and mixed media — unique crafts for yourself or for gift-giving. Also new: Oil paintings by alumna Diane Carlson at the Buehler Alumni and Visitors Center; Who We Are: Selections from the Chicana/o Studies Poster Workshop, in the Memorial Union's ArtLounge; and an exhibition on disability awareness at Shields Library. [ More… ]

More calendar listings…