Campus News

Peter J. Shields Library’s national ranking has plunged as a result of a lack of funding over the last fifteen years, according to a report released by UC Davis’ unionized librarians. University Council-American Federation Teachers (UC-AFT) Davis Local 2023, a union of UC Davis lecturers and librarians, released a fact sheet titled The UC Davis University Library is in Trouble, claiming that even though the campus has grown, the library’s adjusted budget has remained virtually unchanged.

Ever wonder if your place in society is affecting your health? The relationship between social class and health will be the topic of a documentary preview screening and panel discussion on campus tonight. The documentary, directed by Larry Adelman, is titled Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick? It focuses on the disparity in health between the working class and the upper class. The documentary screening and panel discussion will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. in 180 Medical Science Building 1C. The screening is free and open to the public, although attendance for the entire conference is $20 for students.

Students for Justice in Palestine held a die-in Wednesday at noon on the Quad as a response to the recent five-day Israeli military siege in the Gaza Strip. As 23 students lay down on the pavement, SJP president spoke about what he called the New Holocaust. Our primary goal is to raise awareness of what’s going on in the Gaza Strip, said Nawal Wahhab, junior biological psychology major.

When riding through a round-a-bout during rush hour it’s clear that UC Davis is a campus unlike any other. With more bikes in the city than cars, planners must raise their standards for facilities. For this reason the UC Davis Office of Resource Management and Planning began plans to renovate the bike paths, transit routes, round-a-bouts and sidewalks in Tuesday’s UC Davis Bikeway and Transit Planning Public Workshop.

By appointing a renowned expert in education and social issues for children with high-functioning autism, UC Davis officials aim to make the university a leader in the field. Developmental and clinical psychologist Peter Mundy brings over 25 years of experience to his dual post as the Lisa Capps chair for neurodevelopmental disorders and education in the UC Davis School of Education and director of educational research at the UC Davis MIND Institute.

For the first time at UC Davis, two types of imaging – positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) – have been combined into a single scanner. Both are medical imaging techniques used to see inside the body. MRIs use radio waves to excite the water molecules in the body to show a detailed image of the body but do not show how the body part is functioning, explains Simon Cherry, professor of biomedical engineering and director of the Center for Molecular and Genomic Imaging.

Campus Judicial Report for Wednesday, Mar. 12, 2008 Copying homework Two students were referred to Student Judicial Affairs after a grader noticed that their homework assignments were identical. One student received an administrative notice as a warning measure, and the other’s case is still pending. Plagiarism A senior was referred to SJA for stealing another student’s work. The student admitted to the violation and agreed to a sanction of disciplinary probation until graduation and community service.

Innovative risk services programs have saved the UC approximately $101 million since 2005. The Be Smart About Safety program is the most significant factor in financial savings in years, said Jennifer Ward, spokesperson for the UC Office of the President. It’s been beneficial on many campuses and has saved a lot of money, Ward said. We’re using principles like ergonomics and holding seminars on following proper safety procedures in the workplace.

During their investigation into Wednesday night’s evacuation of the Tercero residence halls, police have discovered that there was an explosion earlier in the evening, said a UC Davis spokesperson on Monday. On Thursday, students told police and the media that they had heard explosions several hours prior to the mandatory evacuation, but police were unable to confirm such assertions at the time.

UC Davis students concerned about raises in tuition fees have at least one group of people working on their behalf: the ASUCD Lobby Corps. Lobby Corps is a unit of ASUCD that recruits students to directly lobby university officials and legislators at the state capitol.

The long-awaited recital hall that the UC Davis department of music has been sorely lacking is finally under way thanks to a significant donation from a local family. Announced on Sunday at the annual performance of the combined UC Davis Symphony Orchestra, Chorus, and Alumni Chorus, the $1 million gift from Grace and Grant Noda and their adult daughters – Kathy Miura and Tanya Yan – is the largest in the department of music’s history. It will go entirely toward construction of a 400-seat facility.