Tsunami memorial, dialogue and relief efforts set ...

The campus will hold a memorial event for the victims of last month's tsunami in South Asia from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 25, in the ARC Ballroom.

The program will include a welcome from the campus and community leadership and remarks by various members of the religious community reflecting the broad diversity of the victims, and by members of the student community. A moment of silence will also be observed to reflect upon the losses.

On the same day, faculty members may devote 15 minutes of class time for discussion on the tsunami. "We might turn tragedy into an educational opportunity for all of us," said Dan Simmons, Academic Senate chair.

On Feb. 7, a faculty seminar on the tsunami will take place from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in the Alumni Center's AGR Room.

On Jan. 1, Chancellor Larry Vanderhoef set up a Tsunami Relief Task Force to provide a campus response to the issue. Links to agencies receiving donations, campus and health issue resources, and a list of faculty members with relevant expertise are available at http://www.news.ucdavis.edu/tsunami.

Regents eye capital improvement plan, stadium

The UC Board of Regents' Committee on Grounds and Buildings heard a presentation Wednesday, Jan. 19, on UC Davis' multi-year capital improvement plan.

Campus planner Rick Keller, the document addresses the future capital improvements proposed for the campus. He delivered the presentation to the committee.

"This is about how we look at capital investments as a strategy to achieve objectives," said Keller, noting the campus's mission focuses on "teaching, research and service."

The plan reflects all state-funded and non-state-funded capital resources, with an emphasis on how the capital plan addresses the campus's academic strategic plan. It covers capital needs for the period 2004-05 through 2009-10.

Different types of funds -- from state funds to donor gifts -- have different types of characteristics, limitations and possible uses, said Keller.

The meeting was held at UC San Francisco's Laurel Heights campus in San Francisco. The committee also considered action on budget and design approval for UC Davis' multi-use stadium.

(Dateline went to press before the outcome was known.) For more details, visit http://www.ormp.ucdavis.edu.

Tests show campus water supply is safe

Tests and inspections of the UC Davis water supply last week found the water is safe, say campus officials.

The tests were conducted after campus police received a letter Jan. 13 suggesting that a small amount of a cleaning product had been put into a campus well. However, an immediate, complete check of campus wells and other water facilities found no security breaches. Water tests found no contamination.