UC Davis Updates

Academic News

• Scholarship Eligibility for Transfer Students. Scholarship eligibility requirements for transfer applicants changed beginning with the 2008-09 academic year: the letter of recommendation is now highly suggested, though not required. However, transfer students who submit a letter of recommendation will have their applications read holistically by the scholarship committee, which may result in a more favorable review and increased scholarship eligibility. Transfer applicants who wish to be considered for the Regents Scholarship must have a 3.80 GPA and must submit the letter of recommendation.
• New Middle East/South Asia Studies Major. Available to new applicants beginning in fall 2009, the Middle East/South Asia Studies major within the College of Letters and Science is one of only a half dozen such university programs in the nation that focus on studying both regions through an integrated curriculum. UC Davis offers 70 courses in its social science and humanities programs related to Middle East and South Asia studies, with 27 faculty members teaching regular courses in the area. Students will complete two years of instruction in Arabic, Hebrew or Hindi/Urdu, in addition to coursework in religious studies, history, anthropology, art history, comparative literature, women's studies, English, music and political science.
• New Environmental Science and Management Major. The College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences will offer an Environmental Science and Management (ESM) major to incoming undergraduates beginning in fall 2009. This major addresses environmental problems from an interdisciplinary perspective, linking the natural and social sciences. Students in the ESM major will study the interaction of physical, biological and social components of environmental issues. Graduates of this major will have a scientific grounding in environmental decision-making and will be qualified to address the legal, economic and political issues aspects of environmental management.
• Two Majors Renamed and Redefined for 2009. Two majors in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences will undergo a name change and will be available to new undergraduates beginning in fall 2009. Students selecting the new Plant Sciences major (formerly Crop Science and Management) will gain a scientific understanding of how plants develop in managed ecosystems, and how plant products enhance society. Students graduating with this major are prepared for a variety of technical and administrative positions in agribusiness. The Ecological Management and Restoration major (formerly Agricultural Management and Rangeland Resources) reflects a changing world view of our relationship to the planet, and offers students a solid foundation in restoration and rangeland ecology. Undergraduates in this field will develop expertise in a wide variety of ecological and agricultural areas, including ecology, horticulture, weed science, soil science, genetics, plant propagation, community development and environmental policy.
• New Minors and Emphases Offered. The 2009 academic year heralds in four new minors for incoming UC Davis undergraduates: Civil and Environmental Engineering (College of Engineering); Evolution, Ecology and Biodiversity (College of Biological Sciences); Human Physiology (College of Biological Sciences); and Watershed Science (College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences). Also new for these students are an astrophysics emphasis for Physics majors, and economic development emphasis for Community and Regional Development majors and three new emphases for Applied Chemistry majors: chemical physics, environmental chemistry and pharmaceutical chemical physics.
• Nikkel-Lampe Scholarship Recognizes Student Perseverance. The College of Letters and Science offers new and continuing undergraduates the new $2,500 Nikkel-Lampe Scholarship for their successes in overcoming difficult life circumstances while striving to achieve a higher education.
• New Chemical Engineering and Biochemical Engineering Honors Program. UC Davis offers a new invitational honors program to students majoring within the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science. Unlike other departmental honors programs that consist of just a senior thesis, this honors program is designed to be a four-year experience, ranging from seminars on current topics to a year-long honors project.
• Art Department Receives $1 Million For Student Support. Presented by the estate of alumnus Freemond E. "Pete" Gadberry, the gift will enable the art department to create an endowment to attract the best new prospective students, including California residents and out-of-state and international students who cannot afford the non-resident fees. The donation will also fund student participation in residency programs such as the Skowhegan Summer Program and the Headlands Studio Program.

Campus News

• Campus Community Book Project Promotes Dialogue. Tracy Kidder's book, "Mountains Beyond Mountains," will be the focus of the seventh annual Campus Community Book Project. The story, accompanied by campus discussions, exhibits and events, celebrates public service and reminds us about how people and universities can serve the world.
• Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science Heralds an New Era of Growth. Dedication of the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science (RMI) will kick off the UC Davis Centennial celebration on October 10, 2008. This new campus facility brings the Viticulture and Enology department, the Food Science and Technology department and the UC Davis Olive Center under one roof to investigate the role of healthy and safe foods for quality of life. Groundbreaking for the Teaching and Research Winery and the Anheuser-Busch Brewing and Food Science Laboratory will occur during the summer of 2008 with completion by 2010.
• Earth and Physical Sciences Building Moves Toward Completion. The $65.5 million Earth and Physical Sciences building is expected to open in 2009 and will house the department of Geology and additional teaching laboratories for the Chemistry and Physics departments.