Updated Dec. 21 to correct UC Davis’ GreenMetric global rankings over the last seven years: fifth, 2020-22; third, 2017-19; and first, 2016.

---

INDEX

• Take steps to prevent unauthorized “holiday shopping”
• GreenMetric: 1st in US for 7 years, top 10 globally for 10
• HOLIDAY HELPING: Toy drive and Stuff the Bus updates
• Survey asks for feedback on Nourish food labeling program
• Handshake to stop taking individual household job postings

---

As the campus empties out for the winter holidays, empty or underpopulated buildings are an attractive target for thieves. Don’t forget to take steps to prevent unauthorized “holiday shopping.”

• Ensure windows and doors are locked before you leave. Most property thefts and burglaries are crimes of opportunity.
• Remove valuable items such as laptops or lock them away. At minimum, move valuables out of sight from windows.
• If you’re on campus over the break, do not leave doors unlocked or propped open.
• Do not let people you do not know into buildings, or allow someone to “tailgate” after you.
• If you see anything suspicious or out of place, please report it to campus police at 530-752-1727.

Police and Aggie Host security will be patrolling the campus over the winter break. The Police Department is in the process of recruiting professional security staff, nonsworn officers who will provide additional security on campus in the new year.

More safety and security tips.

7 years at No. 1 in GreenMetric

The 2022 GreenMetric sustainability rankings of the world’s universities, released Monday (Dec. 12), show UC Davis is No. 1 in the United States for the seventh year running and No. 5 in the world, marking the 10th year in row UC Davis has been among the top 10 globally.

(As originally published, this news brief incorrectly stated UC Davis had been No. 5 globally for the last seven years; in fact, UC Davis has been ranked fifth in the world since 2020 and previously held the third-place ranking, 2017-19, and the first-place ranking, 2016.)

The University of Indonesia established its UI GreenMetric World University Rankings in 2010 and has issued them every year since. Ninety-five schools participated in the first year; 1,050 participated in 2022.

The rankings measure universities and colleges for their environmental commitment and initiatives in six categories: setting and infrastructure, energy and climate change, waste, water, transportation, and education and research.

When asked on this year’s questionnaire about innovative programs in energy and climate change, UC Davis Sustainability answered with a list that included:

• The Big Shift
• Campus Energy Education Dashboard, or CEED
• Fossil Fuel Free Pathway Planning
• UC Davis Sheepmowers
• TherMOOstat

Barrels of toys, a bus full of food

Way to go, campus donors, and way to go, Mail Services, for picking up 331 toys in this year’s collection for Toys for Tots!

Mail Services runs the collection on behalf of the Marine Corps Reserve, which plans to distribute toys to Yolo County children this weekend.

But that’s not all on the holiday helping front: Unitrans plans a special stop Wednesday (Dec. 14), at the ASUCD Pantry, to drop off food and other essentials that people contributed during the sixth annual Stuff the Bus, held Saturday (Dec. 10).

“Despite the rain and wind, the event went pretty well,” said Jeff Flynn, Unitrans general manager, who worked the morning shift. “When I left around 12:45 p.m., we were already filling up the second floor of our vintage double-decker and by the end of the event, we had lots of food upstairs.”

The collection took place in the parking lot of the Davis Food Co-op, which co-sponsored the event with Unitrans. The food and other items have since been unloaded from the bus and loaded on pallets for delivery.

‘Nourish’ this survey

Student Health and Counseling Services is asking people to answer a survey on the campus’s Nourish food labeling program, which identifies foods and beverages at UC Davis eateries and markets that meet certain nutritional guidelines.

“We would like to know if having a food icon program is helpful for you when choosing what to eat on campus and how it makes you feel about your food and beverage choices,” the survey introduction states, adding that the responses will help the Nourish team “better understand your needs and preferences regarding a food labeling program at UC Davis.”

Here is the survey link. Participants can be entered in a random drawing to win one of five $25 Amazon gift cards. Winners will be drawn on Jan. 27.

Questions? Please contact Shantille Connolly, health promotion specialist, Student Health and Counseling Services, 530-752-9651 or shathompson@ucdavis.edu.

Handshake pulls back

The Student Employment Office on campus announced last week that it will discontinue accepting job postings from individual households seeking to hire UC Davis students effective Feb. 1.

Handshake, the national job posting platform used by the campus, is making changes to better protect students against fraud and job scams, and the campus office is no longer able to serve individual households.

The office emailed the announcement last week to community members who had posted individual household jobs since the campus started using Handshake in 2019.

“We delayed our transition to Handshake in part to maintain our community-based postings,” the email said. “With our charge at UC Davis being to help students obtain career positions, it is our responsibility to use the platform that best supports that goal.”