An open house this Thursday night (Oct. 22) is the first of four where UC Davis officials will introduce “Campus Tomorrow," leading into the process of updating the Davis campus’s Long-Range Development Plan, or LRDP.

The public is invited to view a collection of illustrations demonstrating the LRDP's major themes and referencing a variety of planning issues, most notably housing and transportation. Feedback is welcomed in the LRDP process, led by Campus Planning and Community Resources.

Here is the schedule of open houses:

• Thursday, Oct. 22 — 6-8 p.m.
• Wednesday, Oct. 28 — noon-2 p.m.
• Wednesday, Oct. 28 — 6-8 p.m.
• Thursday, Oct. 29 — 6-8 p.m.

All open houses will be held in Nelson Hall (formerly the University Club). If driving, please use Lot 5, Lot 5A or Lot 10; Campus Planning and Community Resources is sponsoring complimentary parking for the evening programs.

For more information, you may sign up for email notifications or send questions by email to the planning team. Look for the sign-up form and a contact button on the “Campus Tomorrow” website. Interactive features will be added to the site in conjunction with the first open house.

Required cybersecurity training

UC is rolling out a new round of cybersecurity training, mandatory for all faculty, staff and student employees. The training runs for 50 minites, online, and must be completed by Jan. 31.

Ralph J. Hexter, provost and executive vice chancellor, sent an email last week to announce the training. He indicated that all employees would receive emails this week with instructions on how to access the training; in fact, those emails from sdps@ucdavis.edu will not come until next week, in preparation for the training program's launch (tentatively scheduled for Oct. 27).

“This is basic cybersecurity education that does not require any specialized technical knowledge,” Hexter wrote. “Because of the constantly changing challenges associated with cyber risk, this training program will be regularly updated and will be required annually.”

Diversity and inclusion forum Nov. 4

UC Davis faculty, staff and students as well as members of the public are encouraged to attend a Diversity and Inclusion Initiative Engagement Forum to be held the evening of Wednesday, Nov. 4.

Organized by the Strategic Planning Committee on Diversity and Inclusion, the forum will comprise a brief program followed by small-group discussions designed to identify key issues of concern and opportunities for improving the campus climate.

Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi will give opening remarks, including an overview of her vision for diversity and inclusion at UC Davis.

The program also includes remarks by Adela de la Torre, vice chancellor of Student Affairs and Campus Diversity, and a presentation on recently collected diversity and inclusion data.

The forum, to include light refreshments, is scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Conference Center. Seating is limited; please RSVP via this online form.

Big Bang! starts with a bang, of course

UC Davis’ 2015-16 Big Bang! Business Competition kicks off next week with a public program featuring a keynote by Matt Flannery, who’s had a few “big bangs” of his own.

He’s the co-founder of Kiva.org, a nonprofit crowdfunding platform that asks for loans of as little as $25 to help create opportunity for impoverished people around the world; and the founder of Branch International, a “branchless bank” providing small loans in Africa, specifically Kenya to date.

The Child Family Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship organizes the Big Bang! competition. Now in its 15th year, Big Bang! is the largest annual business competition in the Sacramento region, awarding nearly $40,000 in prize money last year.

According to the organizers, Big Bang! provides a rich immersion for students, faculty, researchers and staff interested in starting or growing business ventures. More than a competition, Big Bang! also includes a comprehensive series of workshops for building entrepreneurial skills. The nworkshops are open to all, even if you're not competing in Big Bang!

The kickoff provides an opportunity to meet other aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs, share ideas, meet past winners, learn about the competition and form teams. Refreshments will be served.

The kickoff is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 27, at the Buehler Alumni Center. The event starts with networking at 6:30 p.m. and runs until 9:30. RSVPs are requested, online.

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