University News

A Message From the Dean - May 2021

New website and committee support diversity, equity and inclusion

Last year, the horrible death of George Floyd prompted a national discussion about race in a way that has been eye-opening, soul-searching and incredibly important. While we’ve seen an increase in violence toward people of color, we also acknowledge that more and more people are recognizing a deep need for change in how we engage with, support and lift each other.

Dan Flynn receives highest honor from California Olive Oil Council

Dan Flynn, who founded the UC Davis Olive Center at the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science in 2008 and has led the organization for 13 years, recently received the California Olive Oil Council’s highest honor, the Pioneer Award.

Flynn expressed appreciation for receiving the award and for the council’s support for the center, noting that the Olive Center has built a network between the university and industry. “Networks thrive even when members exit,” he said. “The Olive Center will remain strong when I leave.”

DiSSC staff members receive professional certifications from global HR society

Two members of the college’s Distributed Shared Services Center (DiSSC) have received certifications from the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM)—human resources managers Andrea Aguilar and Leslie Jones.

DiSSC is a two-year-old department that delivers human resources, payroll and leave administration services throughout the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. It was created in 2019 after the campus converted to a new payroll and human resources system called UCPath. 

A Message From the Dean - April 2021

Springing into action with Give Day and new students

Spring is a traditional time of renewal, a reawakening of life. We see this through the new growth in our fields and greenhouses, the births happening in our barns and from the energy in our communities as people start to enjoy the outdoors. This year feels even more renewing as our society rebounds from the pandemic, and we are experiencing that here as our town and campus slowly come back to life.

Statement on Guilty Verdict in the Derek Chauvin Trial

Chancellor Gary S. May issued the following statement today (April 20):

“The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”  — Martin Luther King Jr.

Today, we learned that a jury found Derek Chauvin guilty of murder in the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Alumnus Bill Werner named new greenhouse manager

UC Davis alumnus Bill Werner has been promoted to lead manager for the extensive network of greenhouses located across campus. He has worked with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CA&ES) greenhouse team since 2017.

April 14 statement on Duante Wright

 

I can’t believe that I am once again struggling to comprehend the senseless killing of black men and women. Coupling that with the rise in hate crimes against the Asian Pacific Islander community, I wonder, when our communities will become safer for people of color? To quote Chancellor May, it’s exhausting.  

Academic Senate and Federation Honor Top Scholars

They influence policymakers, train those caring for the underserved, have helped the university respond to the coronavirus pandemic, mentor students and more — they are the 16 scholars honored by the Academic Senate and Academic Federation this year.

A Message From the Dean - February 2021

Last year, the CA&ES Dean’s Office established the 2020 Academic and Strategic Planning (ASP) committee to review and update the 2015 Academic and Strategic Plan at the request of campus leadership. For the past five years, our college strategic plan has served as the foundational guide for how we continue to uphold our land grant mission to serve the public through research, academics and public service. 2020 marked the five-year anniversary of the initial plan, and we were due for an update.