To the UC Davis Community,

Welcome to the 2019-20 academic year! I always appreciate the start of the fall quarter — when our campus community bustles with activity and excitement once again. UC Davis continues to shine brightly. In recent weeks, we were ranked No. 4 among best public universities in the nation by Money Magazine and No. 5 in the Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education College Ranking. This is thanks to the dedication and talent of our faculty, students and staff.

We’re preparing for another fantastic year. You’ll notice a lot of construction around campus and that’s a good thing. We’re improving facilities and accessibility. These projects are a sign of a thriving university. We’re also making progress on important work to meet the basic needs of our students. That includes affordable housing, food security and mental health care. You can find more information about available resources at Aggie Compass, our basic needs center.

This year, we’ll continue to shine the spotlight on our Aggie Heroes. These students, faculty and staff embody our spirit of excellence and serving the greater good. You can nominate outstanding Aggies throughout the year. We’re also continuing our Leadership Job Shadow Program, which is a meaningful way for campus leaders and students to engage with and learn from each other. I encourage undergraduate and graduate students to participate. Applications for the fall quarter are being accepted from today through Friday (Sept. 23-27).

I realize many in our community share concerns about ongoing national issues, such as gun violence, immigration, the political climate and other matters that impact us here in California. One way we can continue to connect with one another in meaningful ways is to remain true to our Principles of Community. We are a large community, and a wonderfully diverse one. We must aim at all times to respect, understand and encourage our differences because we are stronger and healthier when we face challenges or opportunities together.

Finally, we all deserve to thrive in a UC Davis community that’s free of violence and that values mutual respect. UC Davis will not relent in the fight against sexual violence, and we will uphold Title IX protections for students who experience sexual violence on campus. I have pledged to be a UC Davis Upstander and encourage you to do so as well. You can find more information on our Sexual Violence Prevention and Response website.

We’re committed to maintaining a safe campus for everyone. We want all students to practice safe behaviors, on and off campus. Let’s continue to look out for one another and strengthen our community. You can find announcements, statements and messages on a variety of topics on my leadership page.

I wish you much success in the coming year. There’s no better time to be an Aggie, so let’s keep pushing to do our absolute best.

Go Ags!

Gary S. May
Chancellor