Attention, bicycle riders on campus and in the city: Police are being extra vigilant to ensure you’re following all traffic laws, and reminding you to be extra vigilant about locking up your bikes.

Library Search Upgrade

The UC Davis Library has launched a new-and-improved website for searching the library catalog: search.library.ucdavis.edu. The new search tool, which replaces Harvest, enables users to find everything from books, journal articles and course reserves to photos, manuscripts and memorabilia from the library’s archives and collections.

The changes to the search interface accompanied a major behind-the-scenes migration to a new system for managing the online catalog. The underlying platform is more powerful and enables users to access millions of search results from beyond UC Davis, often in full text.

Users can filter search results in a variety of ways — including by library location — using the top and left navigation bars. Results also indicate whether an item is available online or at a campus library.

The new search tool features three main tabs:

• “Everything” includes content provided by the UC Davis Library, plus millions of other citations, such as journal articles that may be available through other sources online
• “Library Catalog” searches the items provided by the UC Davis Library
• “Course Reserves” shows the items on reserve for various classes

Additional features available under “My Account” include the ability to check the status of items you have on loan or have requested, and to personalize elements like how many results are displayed per page.

The transition to the new platform and search interface involved a team of more than a dozen library personnel with expertise ranging from information technology to cataloging, metadata and public services.

Learn more about the new library search:

• Contactalibrarian
• Watch the library’s video on “How to Use the New UC Davis Library Catalog Search Tool”

The Davis Police Department announced that it is conducting a series of bicycle safety operations in the first two weeks of October, with officers conducting both education and enforcement stops.

UC Davis police also are stepping up enforcement — but campus officers are giving tickets, not warnings, said Jennifer Garcia, interim chief. “We know no one likes getting a ticket, but our goal with both education and enforcement is safer cycling,” she said. “Better to get a ticket than get in an accident.”

On or off campus, bicyclists are subject to the same rules of the road as motor vehicles. Violations that are being targeted include: riding on the wrong side of the road, against traffic; not stopping at stop signs; riding on sidewalks downtown; and riding at night without lights. If you don’t have a light, go get a free one at campus police headquarters on Kleiber Hall Drive.

And, remember: Always, always, always lock your bike, even if you’re leaving it for “just a minute.” Secure your bicycle to a fixed (but legal) object such as a bike rack or pod, using a high-security lock, and also secure your quick-release wheels and seats. The UC Davis Bicycle Program recommends U-locks, but bear in mind that a determined thief can defeat any lock. Authorities say most bicycles that are stolen had been left unlocked, locked only to themselves, or secured with only a cable lock or a weak lock. Check out the Bicycle Program’s Theft Prevention webpage.

If your bicycle is stolen, report the crime to police:

• Campus — 530-754-2677 or police.ucdavis.edu
• City — 530-747-5400 or police.cityofdavis.org 

Police board posts report,
sets fall quarter meetings

The UC Davis Police Accountability Board has posted its annual report and announced the board’s first public meetings of the new academic year.

Established in May 2014, the board has a mission of promoting accountability, trust and communication between the UC Davis community and the UC Davis Police Department, and independently reviewing and making recommendations regarding investigations of complaints made by members of the campus community and the general public (also referred to as civilian or community member complaints) in a fair and unbiased manner.

Annual reports are posted here. The newest report covers the period from July 2015 through June 2016.

The board holds public meetings each quarter of the regular academic year. Following a practice begun last spring, the board for fall quarter will hold two meetings simultaneously, one on the Davis campus and one on the Sacramento campus, with some board members at the Davis meeting and others at the Sacramento meeting.

The board invites the public to attend to learn more about the board’s work, how to file a complaint, and to raise any issues or concerns. The fall quarter meetings will be held from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19, at the following locations:

• Davis campus — Garrison Room, Memorial Union
• Sacramento campus — 3225 A/B Education Building

New ranking affirms UC Davis as top-10 public university

UC Davis has been recognized as the sixth best public university in the United States in the inaugural Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education College Ranking.

UC Davis is ranked 43rd among all U.S. public and private universities in the rankings released Sept. 28.

In the U.S. News and World Report rankings published earlier in September, UC Davis landed in a four-way tie for the 10th spot among public national universities and in a six-way tie for 44th among all national universities.

— Julia Ann Easley

$22 million boost to innovation, entrepreneurship

Gov. Jerry Brown last week signed legislation that provides $22 million in one-time state funds to UC to broaden its infrastructure for innovation and entrepreneurship.

Each campus will receive $2.2 million to spend on incubator space, equipment, entrepreneurial training, legal services and other basics. UC will raise matching funds to maximize return on the state’s investment and drive long-term benefits for local and state economies.

“We are grateful to the Legislature for such strong support of the university, ensuring that our researchers, faculty and students — and California as a whole — remain at the forefront of game-changing innovation,” UC President Janet Napolitano said. “We are excited to harness the power of UC research and make an even bigger impact on the California economy and the public good.”

UC Health and UnitedHealth to create health plan

UC Health and the nation’s largest health insurer have joined forces to create a new health plan option for employers and expand research into patient data.

Under the 10-year partnership unveiled Sept. 29, UnitedHealth Group Inc. and the UC system will form an accountable care organization that will be offered to large, self-funded employers statewide. In accountable care organizations, or ACOs, physicians, hospitals and an insurer work together to coordinate care, control spending and share savings.

The deal also calls for the for-profit insurer early next year to open a research lab in the San Francisco area, through which UC researchers and physicians will have access to a huge national database of patient records.

UC launches outreach to Boys & Girls Club members

The University of California and Boys & Girls Clubs of America on Sept. 28 launched a partnership to help prepare young Californians for college success. In three pilot projects, Early Academic Outreach Programs at UCLA, UC Merced and UC San Francisco will be paired with clubs in Pasadena, Merced and San Francisco, respectively.

UC has a goal of connecting with more than 6,000 Boys & Girls Club members, to provide information and guidance that will help them apply to and enroll at UC. Boys & Girls Clubs of America shares that goal while also seeking to provide services that will increase its teen membership. Students already served by UC Early Academic Outreach Programs will be offered access to club facilities and leadership opportunities.

The Boys & Girls Club partnership falls under the mission of the Achieve UC initiative, bolstered under UC President Janet Napolitano, to increase enrollment of Californians and add to undergraduate diversity.

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