Watchdog groups call for full USDA open investigation

One of the UC Davis Primate Center’s test-subjects died on Aug. 23 because of failure to close the separating door between the cages of two non-compatible monkeys. This offense follows several other animal safety violations that have occurred in the past year at the Primate Center.

On Sept. 13, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released an official statement of the incident, available to the public upon request.

“On August 23, 2016 two non-compatible non-human primates (NHP) were injured after staff failed to secure and lock a divider door that separated them,” the USDA said in the report. “According to the facility incident report the NHPs (adult male macaques) opened the divider and were found injured when staff returned to the room approximately 20 minutes after shifting animals. Both NHPs received prompt veterinary treatment. One was treated for minor wounds and has since recovered. The second had a significant injury and was promptly euthanized. The staff member involved in the incident has been re-trained. The facility self-reported the incident to officials.”

Watchdog groups across the nation took notice and filed official complaints to the USDA, pushing for an open investigation of the lab. The Center For Ethical Science (CFES) based out of Chicago filed a letter to Dr. Robert Gibbens, director of the Western region of the USDA and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), urging that UC Davis receive the maximum fine of $10,000 per non-compliance.

“[The Primate Center] has violation after violation after violation; it is a criminal lab,” said Jodie Wiederkehr, executive director of CFES. “Pet stores with these same practices would likely be shut down, but when it comes to labs they are fined, then continue to harm and kill animals and the public never really knows. […] Research is important to me, however, animal research is not effective.”

The Primate Center recently came under fire in 2014 for another monkey-related death at the lab. The USDA published an investigative report in 2015 regarding the incident.

“On Aug. 9, 2014, a NHP was injured while being restrained for treatment of a clinical condition,” the USDA said in an official report. “The NHP, a 6-year-old male macaque, was left while on a restraint board in a treatment room during intravenous fluid administration. At some point during treatment the animal chewed through tape restraining his upper body to the board, leaving his legs taped to the board. The animal was found to have a broken leg, was treated, and recovered from the fracture.”

According to Andy Fell, UC Davis associate director of news and media relations, the Primate Center follows strict regulations needed to protect its animals.

“Unfortunately accidents do happen,” Fell said. “Research is strictly regulated. Care of animals is a responsibility that UC Davis takes extremely seriously.”

Ohio watchdog group, Stop Animal Exploitation NOW! (SAEN) also filed a report to the USDA based on the multiple infractions at the UC Davis Primate Center.

“Major violations of the Animal Welfare Act continue to pile up at UC Davis, and these failures to comply with the federal law appear to be fatal almost without exception,” said SAEN co-founder Michael Budkie. “It is pathetic that Davis can’t even manage to follow the law when it is already the target of a federal probe.”

The Primate Center performs cutting-edge research on illnesses such as HIV and the Zika virus, and is home to one of the top research centers for autism nationwide. Truvada, currently the top HIV drug on the market, was developed via resources at the Primate Center. The UC Davis Primate Center is one of only seven in the nation.

Written by: Lindsay Floyd — campus@theaggie.org

The ASUCD Senate meeting was called to order at 6:11 p.m. on Oct. 20, followed immediately by the establishment of the quorum with ten out of the eleven senators present. Senator Sam Park was absent.  

The meeting began with a presentation by Athletic Director Kevin Blue accompanied by a member of the women’s tennis team. Blue discussed the education of the athletes and the department’s continued effort to keep student-athletes on track and focused on their school work. He emphasized the impact athletics has on the academic enterprise, providing statistics of many universities’ level of academic and athletic success over the past years at schools including Princeton, Stanford and UC Davis.

Those in attendance then had the opportunity to bring up questions. External Affairs Commission chair Sara Williams asked, “What is being done about sexual assault awareness within the athletics department?” Blue stated that there are programs that athletes must attend every quarter to discuss that issue.

Senator Samantha Chiang also brought up the issue of mental health, asking if the athletics department is doing anything to address that issue. Blue stated that Counseling and Psychological Services provides psychologists for athletes to seek help and discuss issues in confidentiality.

Blue provided his e-mail and phone number, asking the senators to reach out to him with any other questions or concerns.

Citizens for Responsible Planning presented next, with Eileen Savitz, former planning commissioner for the City of Davis, stating her concerns with the current student housing situation. She expressed her worry regarding the lack of housing for students on campus, and the limited housing is unfair due to the fact that UC Davis is the largest UC in the state and many other smaller UC’s are able to provide more options.

“Davis has been growing over the years but did not increase the amount of housing,” Savitz said. “We won’t be able to house all students.”

Savitz agreed to discuss the issue with President Alex Lee personally on a later date.

Academic Affairs Commission chair Hemali Patel introduced new commission chairs fourth-year neurobiology, physiology and behavior major Kishan Patel and third-year microbiology major Justin Hurst. Senator Joshua Dalavai moved to confirm Patel and Hurst to the Academic Affairs Commission and the motion was seconded with no objections.

Gender and Sexuality Commission chair Allison Tam introduced GASC Commissioners Mary Rasooli, Sheyla Mirka Dirzo, Savannah Vandenbos and Weizheng Zhang. Senator Dalavai also moved to confirm Rasooli, Dirzo, Vandenbos and Zhang to the Gender and Sexuality Commission. The motion was seconded with no objections.

President Alex Lee then introduced Whole Earth Festival (WEF) director Jess Tierney.

Before confirmed as director, Tierney said that she hoped to fix WEF’s relationship with ASUCD and explained her goals for this year’s festival. Tierney said she would like WEF and ASUCD to work together to foster open communication and mutual respect. Her goal is to have a more student-focused festival.

“I would like to essentially create a festival for students by students,” Tierney said.

Senator Ricardo Martinez moved to confirm Tierney as Whole Earth Festival director. The motion was seconded and there were no objections.

The senators moved on to consideration of old legislation and discussed Senate Bills seven and nine as well as Senate Resolution one.

SB 7 would have allocated $720 for the ASUCD’s Gender and Sexuality Commission (GASC) publicity, outreach and supplies. At the meeting Tam withdrew the bill.

SB 9 is an ASUCD Senate Bill to allocate $61 for Housing Advising for Undergraduate Students to purchase a vinyl banner to help them advertise for Housing Day. Dalavai moved to call the bill into question. The motion was seconded. The motion carried unanimously and there were no objections to passing the bill.

SR 1 calls for the halt in the designation of the next chancellor of UC Davis until a more transparent and democratic process for selection and appointment has been established. Senate pro tempore Adilla Jamaludin moved to call the resolution into question. The motion was seconded. The motion carried unanimously and there were no objections to passing the resolution.

New legislation was then introduced. The Senate first discussed the ASUCD bill to exempt KDVS and The California Aggie’s social media pages from including ASUCD in their social media page titles. They also discussed the ASUCD bill to increase spending limits during elections, the ASUCD resolution to stand in solidarity with Standing Rock and the ASUCD bill to allocate $270.50 for Aggie Reuse.

The meeting closed with elected officer reports, announcements and approval of past meeting minutes.

The meeting adjourned at 9:48 p.m.

Written by: Demi Caceres — campus@theaggie.org

Leaders to implement changes to curriculum, research practices

Interim Chancellor Ralph Hexter has hired four new leaders for UC Davis: Graduate School of Management Dean Rao Unnava, College of Biological Sciences Dean Mark Winey, interim vice chancellor of the Office of Research Cameron Carter and interim dean of the School of Education Paul Hastings.

Unnava previously served The Ohio State University for 32 years, where he held  positions as associate dean of Students and Programs, associate dean for Undergraduate Programs and director of Doctoral Programs.

“[Unnava] has been voted Outstanding Professor by the American Marketing Association Student Chapter seven times, was presented [with] the Westerbeck Undergraduate Teaching Award twice and won the Outstanding Service Award at Fisher College of Business in 2014,” Hexter said in a press release.

While serving as dean, Unnava plans to implement the flipped classroom teaching method and make the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program more reflective of the strengths of UC Davis, including having it be more industry-focused. He also wants to create a more engaging communication system between the program and alumni.

“We are trying to reposition [the MBA program] based off the strengths of UC Davis,” Unnava said. “We will be incorporating professors from UC Davis as well as top industry experts. There are also programs called flipped classrooms which [are] being discussed at UC Davis. The reason it’s called a flipped classroom is because in the past, the [material] that is homework was what was lectured [on] in the class, and the application was given as homework. Now […] they are doing more enriched kinds of things in the class.”

Winey came to UC Davis following 25 years at University of Colorado, Boulder. Previously, he held a  chair position in the Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology at Boulder. His background includes research in genetics and microtubule organizing centers, which include cancer development and miscarriages.

“Mark has the distinction of having been a Guggenheim Fellow and a Pew Scholar, and he was elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2014,” Hexter said in a press release.

Interim Research Vice Chancellor Carter has been involved in UC Davis throughout much of his career. Carter pursued his residency in psychiatry at UC Davis in 1985, then became a professor at the university in 1989. In 2003 he was appointed director of the Imaging Research Center and in 2009 he was elected director of the Center for Neuroscience.

Carter is well decorated in his field, receiving the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Community Engagement in 2008, the Dean’s Excellence in Mentoring Award in 2006 and Endowed Professorship in Schizophrenia Research. He also served as director of the Schizophrenia Research and Education Program.

While serving as interim research vice chancellor, Carter plans to take control of animal care and use under the Office of Research in order to raise standards for animal-related experiments. Carter also hopes to develop research partnerships with universities abroad.

“One of the things we will be doing in the coming year is we will take responsibility of animal care and use at Davis,” Carter said. “We are developing some partnerships with other universities including one with the University of Sydney that will probably lead to joint research projects in the areas of vet med, agriculture and the environment and possibly neuroscience and mental health.”

Interim Dean Hastings has been part of the UC Davis faculty since 2008, holding positions as professor and chair in the Department of Psychology. His research includes the emotional development of children and adolescents with a focus on the contributions of social environment and neurobiology. Hastings is also a member of the Center for Mind and Brain, Center for Poverty Research and the Psychology and Human Development graduate group.

In addition to these new leaders, the university continues its search for replacements for chancellor, vice provost of academic affairs and police chief.

Written by: Lindsay Floyd — campus@theaggi.org