Dear Colleagues, 

Safety is something we all need, to work and learn at our best. It’s something we take seriously at UC Davis — as a place and as a community.
 
Managing security on campus requires continuous upkeep and innovation, which is why I’m proud to see an additional $20 million investment approved by our chancellor for security improvements. I’m impressed that UC Davis has a 15-year tradition of seeking community feedback through lighting safety walks — and responding to that feedback quickly.

In this Digest newsletter, you’ll find quick updates and tips you can use right now — with a focus on your personal safety.

Let us know your feedback on this Digest email, whether this email was useful and how we might better serve your needs next time.

Clare Shinnerl 
FOA Vice Chancellor

/safety

• ⚪ Campus invests in security improvements

• Work is starting now on an additional $20 million investment in outdoor lighting, emergency call boxes, security cameras and building security. Explore security infrastructure updates.

• ⚪ More card-reader locks coming soon

• The first phase of AggieAccess is complete, which means all existing electronic access systems for buildings on the Davis campus have been updated and centralized, with plans to expand to more buildings next. Find out about campus card readers and digital credentials to unlock doors.

• ⚪ Know your personal safety comes first

• Use these tips from the UC Davis Police Department to stay aware around campus, for the safety of yourself and your belongings. Browse the advice.

• ⚪ Consider taking an assailant survival course

• Faculty and staff members can sign up for Active Assailant Survival Training, offered online on Wednesdays, 12-1 p.m., with instructors from the UC Davis Police Department. Sign up or find other active shooter training options.

• ⚪ How to answer a bomb threat

• If your job involves answering a campus phone line, you should know campus procedures for responding to a bomb threat over the phone. See the checklist and request a group training.

• ⚪ Check your office’s red emergency guide

• Make sure your workspace has the current Emergency Response Guide, which was updated in 2021 and is still current, but might be missing in your department. Check the version and request copies here.

/share

• ⚪ Where to call for care and help

• Help share the phone number (530-754-3434) for Health 34’s rapid response team from the UC Davis Fire Department, who will respond to any on-campus caller 24/7 with mental health support and service navigation to prevent crises. Learn more and share broadly.

• ⚪ Prescribing nature for wellness

• Campus health care providers have begun issuing Nature Rx prescriptions to students as part of their holistic care regimen, in a partnership between Student Health and Counseling Services, Healthy UC Davis and the Arboretum and Public Garden. Explore Nature Rx resources.

• ⚪ New website for Hate-Free Together

• A new website launched this week with community resources to combat hate, create safety and cultivate change, through an initiative that brings together the City of Davis, UC Davis, Yolo County, Davis Joint Unified School District and the Yolo County Office of Education. Explore the new Hate-Free Together website.

/tips & benefits

• ⚪ Sign up for financial workshops

• Employees are invited to participate in a series of workshops with University Credit Union in March and April focused on financial well-being, including financial success, repaying loans, buying a home and recovering from a crisis. Check the schedule and sign up.

• ⚪ Learn deep breathing skills

• Employees are invited to explore deep abdominal breathing as a self-calming skill, in a Zoom session with Staff and Faculty Health and Well-being. Sign up for the March 20 session.

• ⚪ Nominate someone for UC women's program

• Nominate yourself or a colleague for the chance to participate in the UC Women’s Initiative for Professional Development, to strengthen skills and form connections in a UC systemwide cohort. Submit a nomination by March 23.

• ⚪ Honor staff members

• Staff Assembly has extended the deadline to nominate non-represented, career staff members and teams for Citations of Excellence, which come with financial awards. Submit a nomination by March 21.

• ⚪ Apply for staff scholarship opportunities

• Likewise, the deadline has been extended for staff members to apply for scholarships, which are available through a single application process for higher education, professional development opportunities and certifications. Learn more and apply by March 21.

• ⚪ Sign up for identity theft protection

• All UC faculty, staff and retirees who are eligible for benefits will soon be enrolled in a new identity theft protection and monitoring program through Experian, paid for by the university. Remember to complete your account setup on April 1.