Chromium-6 detected at the site of the former Laboratory for Energy-related Health Research, or LEHR, does not affect campus wells used for drinking water or agriculture, UC Davis officials said Monday.

The university continues to clean up the south campus land where the LEHR was located, designated as a Superfund cleanup site under the supervision of the Environmental Protection Agency. Test wells have revealed levels of chromium-6 above the recently-set permissible limit for drinking water in California.

Chromium occurs naturally in soils throughout the Central Valley, including Yolo and Solano counties. Campus drinking water comes from six wells drilled into aquifers 800 to 1,400 feet deep and is tested regularly to ensure it is safe to drink. Water quality reports are available online.

However, one of the campus wells, like many other public supplies in the region, may contain levels of chromium-6 that exceed the new drinking water standard — and, as a result, the campus has taken the well offline. The campus is working with state regulators and consulting hydrogeologists to reduce chromium concentrations pending startup of the new regional surface water supply project in 2016.

The source of chromium-6 at the superfund site is not definitely known, as there is no evidence that this metal was ever used or dumped at this site.

Aggies have strong showing in NCAA academic scores

Aggie athletes posted an average score of 985 out of 1,000 in the latest Academic Progress Rates from the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

In scores released May 27, all 23 Aggie teams beat the NCAA’s benchmark of 930 (average over two years), measuring student-athlete retention and eligibility (based on classroom performance). Two teams — women’s volleyball and women’s water polo — scored 1,000.

“UC Davis student-athletes are extraordinary young people, not only in their commitment to their athletics performance but in their commitment to their work in the classroom,” said Teresa Gould, interim director of athletics. “Our strong APR scores along with our outstanding graduation success rates demonstrate that our student-athletes don’t have to compromise their academic performance to compete and succeed in their sport. I am very proud of these accomplishments and applaud our student-athletes for their tremendous work.”

Read the complete news release.

Men’s basketball coach Jim Les inks contract extension

Jim Les has signed a contract extension that will keep him as UC Davis head men’s basketball coach through the 2020-21 season.

The deal announced by Teresa Gould, interim director of athletics, follows the basketball team’s historic 2014-15 season: the year’s best turnaround in the NCAA’s Division I, going from 9-22 to 25-7; regular-season championship in the Big West Conference; and a berth in the National Invitation Tournament for the first time.

Gould credited Les’ strong leadership for the basketball team’s accomplishments on the court and in the classroom. “Our student-athletes are fortunate to have him at the helm,” she said.

Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi called Les “a tremendous ambassador (who) increased the visibility of UC Davis across the country by showcasing both the excellence of our men’s basketball program and our outstanding university.”

Read the complete news release.

Campus map now optimized for cellphones

New students, visitors and anyone else in need of some help getting around campus now have an easier time using their cellphones to do so.

The new version of the online campus map, which debuted in January, is now available on mobile browsers.

It's not an app to download; instead, the campusmap.ucdavis.edu site has been optimized to work on Android, iOS and other mobile devices for the first time ever.

"Most people carry around those little maps we make, and that's fine, but this will just bring it down to a more mobile-friendly world," said Chris Di Dio, geographic information system analyst in Campus Planning and Community Resources.

He said almost a third of the people visiting the online map do so from cellphones, even though the site wasn't "very usable on a mobile device" before this change.

The mobile version of the map includes all the same features as the newly redesigned desktop version — the ability to search for a building, get directions from Google Maps and more.

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