To the UC Davis Community:
Welcome, Aggies, to the 2024-25 academic year! We come from every corner of California, the United States and around the globe to be part of the UC Davis community. The first days on campus are an exciting time of new connections and renewed energy.
I write today to highlight some of our resources and events, as well as changes on campus for the coming year.
UC Davis is one of the top public universities in the nation, and it all starts with our community and our commitment to world-class education, groundbreaking research and public service. Our high-achieving students choose UC Davis for our top academic programs and supportive campus environment. Alumni are lifelong Aggies making their marks in fields ranging from the arts to aerospace engineering, and our faculty drive and support student learning and innovation, working to address pressing issues across academic disciplines. The nation is taking notice, with the Wall Street Journal naming UC Davis as the No. 3 public university in the country. And, for the third year in a row, in 2023 UC Davis surpassed $1 billion in outside research funding. That’s a rare feat, even among top research universities.
Student resources and campus opportunities
I want to make sure that newcomers to campus are aware of the extraordinary opportunities to get involved with projects and people whose interests align with yours. These connections — meeting new friends and allies and building a path to the career of your dreams — are at the heart of the university experience.
Our hundreds of clubs and communities offer endless opportunities for students to connect with others who share their passions. Our Undergraduate Research Center opens doors to collaborate with faculty in hands-on learning experiences that will prepare you for graduate school or professional life.
Our Leadership Job Shadow Program offers a unique opportunity for students to share their perspectives and spend a day learning about the complexities and challenges of running a top university. It’s one of the highlights of my year to mentor and learn from the students selected for this program. Applications for the Fall Quarter cohort are open through Sept. 30.
We also celebrate the arts at UC Davis. I encourage you to visit the world-class museums on campus and attend performances by national and international artists at the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts. This year, UC Davis is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the installation of the beloved Eggheads, created by the late UC Davis faculty member and renowned ceramicist Robert Arneson. Learn about these iconic works of art and our yearlong celebration.
Finally, cheering on Aggie athletes is another way to engage in campus life. I hope to see you showing your Aggie Pride at Homecoming Weekend Oct. 11-12, when we engage in the next Battle for the Golden Horseshoe, our annual football game against the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Mustangs.
Free expression and the university
Free expression is a bedrock of a UC education and the UC Davis experience. It allows us to express our viewpoints, learn from others, identify and counter disinformation, form powerful new ideas and move our democracy ever forward. We must use it, celebrate it and defend it.
Empathy is a vital trait when it comes to safely and respectfully embracing free expression. All viewpoints are respected on our campus, even those with which we disagree. We would all do well to make a concerted effort to see things through the eyes and experiences of our classmates and colleagues. One of the hallmarks of an excellent university education is to have the opportunity to listen to those with different backgrounds and different points of view, to have a free and open exchange of ideas, and to learn from these experiences.
This can be quite challenging at times, and in this regard, the 2023-24 academic year was a difficult time for many in our community. The violence and suffering in Gaza, Israel and the West Bank brought protests and demonstrations to campuses across the country, including ours. Peace in that region of the world is not yet at hand today.
In preparation for the coming year, we and the University of California Office of the President have taken steps to ensure everyone is aware of their rights and responsibilities, as well as university policies, around expression.
We have refreshed our Free Speech website to provide useful tips and information about the many ways members of the campus community can appropriately express themselves in compliance with university policy. In addition, we are offering a webpage outlining policies governing free speech activities, relevant codes of conduct for violations of law or policy, consequences for violations of law or policy, the processes for resolving complaints and planned campus response to disruptive events. You can also find links to information on mental health and trauma support, fostering healthy discourse, and our non-discrimination policy.
Our Principles of Community, aspirational goals that will celebrate their 35-year anniversary in 2025, emphasize our culture of mutual respect and honor our diverse perspectives, backgrounds and experiences.
Taken together, these policies and goals continue to support a healthy, thriving campus climate. Please take a moment to watch this video in which campus leaders state the Principles of Community.
Health and safety are top priorities
We are committed to supporting the health and well-being of the campus community, and we offer many ways to connect those in need to our trained staff and valuable resources.
Our Aggie Compass Basic Needs Center provides students with support and services for mental health, housing, finances and food security needs. This month we celebrate the one-year anniversary of Health 34, which offers a free, proactive approach to well-being. From field visits to phone calls, Health 34 meets people where they are, offering support in moments of high pressure ranging from stress to roommate challenges. More resources can be found at Aggie Mental Health.
Our Safe Ride program is a free service offering rides in security vehicles or escort on foot by an Aggie Host security officer, seven nights a week, until 3 a.m.
UC Davis is committed to providing resources for students or employees who experience sexual harassment or sexual violence. The Center for Advocacy, Resources & Education, or CARE, provides confidential support to those who have experienced any form of sexual violence or harassment. Please take some time to learn more about sexual violence prevention and the resources available to you.
Our university workplaces are no place for harassing or threatening behavior; and such abusive conduct is prohibited by UC and UC Davis policy.
Election season
The presidential election is just six weeks away, and I strongly encourage students to get involved, get educated on all the candidates and propositions on the ballot and cast their votes. Our Aggies Vote webpage offers voting registration and location information and resources for political engagement.
As political engagement grows, I also want to remind you of UC and UC Davis policies around political activity. We welcome scholarly research and instruction on politics, as well as political events or activities that comply with university policy and state and federal laws.
Yet as a tax-exempt organization and state entity, UC policy prohibits the university from participating in political campaigns, and this extends to faculty and staff acting in their official capacities. Individuals may not use university time or resources when supporting or opposing ballot measures or candidates for office, or state or suggest that their views or actions represent the official views of the university.
Last year we adopted a new policy and guidelines on public statements from university leaders that set out a process for when we can weigh in on major issues affecting our campus. The UC Regents also adopted a policy on discretionary statements from academic departments. We should all follow these policies and guidelines when making any statements.
A solid foundation
Before I close, I want to acknowledge that for thousands of years, the land on which we’re gathered has been the home of the Patwin people. Today, there are three federally recognized Patwin tribes: Cachil DeHe Band of Wintun Indians of the Colusa Indian Community, Kletsel Dehe Wintun Nation, and Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation.
The Patwin people have remained committed to the stewardship of this land over many centuries. They have cherished and protected it, as elders have instructed the young through generations. We are honored and grateful to be here today on their traditional lands.
UC Davis is a place where people can and do achieve their dreams, make connections that last a lifetime and build on the incredible Aggie legacy. I’m thrilled to see our campus come back to life and look forward to a spectacular year. Go Ags!
Sincerely,
Gary S. May
Chancellor