7,000 visitors expected today

Wondering why there are so many people on campus today (April 22), and who took all the parking places? It's Decision UC Davis, a day of programs and tours for newly admitted freshmen and their families. Officials were expecting upward of 7,000 guests.

It is one in a series of events designed to encourage newly admitted students to enroll at UC Davis. Freshmen have until May 1 to submit their statements of intent to register.

“We are very excited about the opportunity to provide information about our excellent academic programs, describe our outstanding student services, showcase our beautiful campus, and allow our nearly 6,000 guests to engage with faculty, students and staff,” said Vice Chancellor Fred Wood, who leads Student Affairs.

In a message to faculty and staff, Wood said: “Please be advised that we expect our guests to require approximately 2,500 parking spaces throughout the campus. We realize there may be some inconveniences, and we appreciate your understanding and support for this important campuswide endeavor."

Bicycle auction: April 30

The second and last bike auction of the 2010-11 academic year is scheduled for Saturday, April 30 — with more than 400 bikes going up for sale.

The Bicycle Program, a unit of Transportation and Parking Services, holds two auctions a year, one in the fall and one in the spring. At the last two or three auctions, bikes sold for an average price of $30 to $40, according to David Takemoto-Weerts, Bicycle Program coordinator.

The inventory mostly includes bicycles that have been abandoned and gone unclaimed, typically cruisers, mountain bikes, road bikes, BMX and a few children's bicycles.

Interested people are invited to view the available bikes from 8 to 9 a.m.
The auction is scheduled to begin at 9 and continue until every bicycle has gone up for bid. The auctions usually end between noon and 1 p.m., Takemoto-Weerts said.

The location is the first floor of the west entry garage at the intersection of Hutchison Drive and Dairy Road, just west of La Rue Road. The bike auctions are open to the public. Purchases may be made with cash, check, or Visa or MasterCard.

More information is available by telephone, (530) 752-BIKE (2453), and online.

Aggie Auction and Band-uh-Thon

Aggie athletics and the Cal Aggie Marching Band-uh are putting on their traditional fundraisers: the Aggie Auction and the Band-uh-Thon.

• Aggie Auction — It’s entirely online this year, with more than 800 items — including vacations, golf outings, wine and fine art — going on display today (April 22) at aggieauction.com. Bidding is set to open at 9 a.m. next Friday, April 29, and continue to 9 a.m. Friday, May 6. Proceeds benefit UC Davis Athletics in its support of student-athletes.

The organizers said they expect to add more items as the auction goes on. Interested people are encouraged to sign up for updates on new auction items and daily deals, to be released via “UCDavisAggies” accounts on Facebook and Twitter.

Previously, the auction comprised online and live elements. The organizers said they decided to go exclusively online, as a way to reach more Aggie fans.

Travel items include a five-night Hawaiian vacation at the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, on Maui; two nights in the presidential suite at the Hotel Shattuck Plaza in Berkeley; and a two-night golf vacation at the La Quinta Resort & Club in Palm Springs.

Many of the Aggie Auction items will feature the “buy it now” option — allowing people to purchase the items immediately.

• Band-uh-Thon — It is scheduled for Saturday, April 30, at Central Park, Third and C streets, Davis. Hours are noon to 4 p.m., with the first hour overlapping with the last hour of that day’s Davis Farmers Market.

The Band-uh-Thon includes a raffle, face painting and carnival games — and great music by the band, of course. Everyone is invited to listen in, maybe even conduct the band and have pictures taken with the drum major.

Viridian apartments open house

We’ve already told you about the first student housing project at UC Davis West Village: The Ramble apartments, due to open in the fall. Now the developer is promoting the Viridian apartment complex, for students, faculty and staff.

The Viridian is under construction, and the developer is hosting an open house for faculty and staff, from 3 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 26. The event will not be at the construction site, but at the preleasing office, 409 Third St., Suite B, Davis. A representative for the developer said office staff will present floor plans and pricing for the one-, two- and three-bedroom rentals.

The Viridian complex — comprising 123 apartments — is going up around the Village Square at the heart of West Village.

The representative announced that refreshments will be served at the open house, and everyone in attendance will have a chance to win a gift certificate for two to Davis’ Osteria Fasulo restaurant.

During the same hours, faculty and staff are invited to visit the construction site for a hardhat tour of the Viridian clubhouse, with tours departing every 15 minutes.

Directions: Go west on Hutchison Drive, across Highway 113, and stay on Hutchison as it curves to the right. Look for West Village, straight ahead.

More information is available online or by calling (530) 753-2447.