ELECTION SET FOR RETIREMENT SYSTEM ADVISORY BOARD: Nominations are being accepted through May 4 to fill two seats on the UC Retirement System Advisory Board. The openings are for employees who are not members of the Academic Senate.

The advisory board develops ideas or new approaches pertaining to retirement and savings program benefits, and communicates such information to the Office of the President.

The board comprises nine members: four presidential appointees, including an officer of the university; the regents’ treasurer or the treasurer’s designee; two people selected by the Academic Senate; and two employees elected from different UC locations, with the requirement that these employee representatives not be members of the Academic Senate.

The election for the employee representatives is scheduled from May 29 through June 22; the two successful candidates will receive four-year terms starting July 1. Nominees must be eligible, active members of the UC Retirement Plan. Similarly, only those employees who are active members of the plan and not members of the Academic Senate will be allowed to vote.

Nomination materials are available online, atyourservice.ucop.edu/ucrs_election, and at benefits offices; at UC Davis, the benefits office is in the Human Resources Administration Building.

The election is set to be conducted online, at the same Web site. Candidate names and statements are due to be posted on the site in mid-May.

POWER OUTAGES TO BEGIN: If all goes according to schedule, today -- April 6 -- is the first day of electrical outages that will affect every building on the main campus for one to five minutes, one time only per building, mostly during regular business hours on five days this month. The outages planned for April 6, 11, 16, 20 and 26 are required as part of an upgrade to the campus's electrical substation. The Facilities Operations & Maintenance Web site offers more information, plus a schedule that will tell you exactly when your building is due to go offline. The Web address is facilities.ucdavis.edu.

CONSIDER VOLUNTEERING: Staff Work-Life's brown bag series is scheduled to continue next week with a program titled "Volunteer! Engage in Building Community," about volunteering and its benefits for you and your community, along with information on volunteer opportunities. The brown bag is open to the campus community, free of charge, with no pre-enrollment required. The event is scheduled from noon to 1 p.m. April 12 in the Cabernet Room at the Silo.

Organizers said Provost Virginia Hinshaw will give a talk on how volunteering can enhance your quality of life and your work within and beyond the university. The program also lists a demonstration of the Human Corps Web site and database, and an information fair where representatives from campus and community groups will showcase volunteer opportunities.

ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME: Director of Athletics Greg Warzecka announced the 25th Cal Aggie Athletics Hall of Fame induction class to be honored in a ceremony set for June 2 in Freeborn Hall. The inductees, chosen by the hall of fame's advisory board and approved by Chancellor Larry Vanderhoef, are:

Tea Austin -- Swimming, freestyle and backstroke specialist, won 23 All-America awards and three NCAA championships from 1997 through 2001.

Pete Faeth -- Soccer, scored a school-record 22 goals in 1993, earning first-team All-West Region honors.

Pat Foster -- Swimming, 18 All-America finishes, including 10 in individual events; and water polo, scored 132 goals and helped the Aggies get to the 1996 NCAA Championships.

Dante Ross -- Basketball, led the 1998 team to a 31-2 record and the program's first NCAA title. All-West Region and All-America honors.

Allison Stonebarger Birdwell -- Lacrosse, All-America honors in each of her last two seasons, including consensus first-team distinction as a senior in 2000.

The induction class also includes coach Marlene Piper, who in her six-year career with the volleyball team compiled a 152-29 record and guided the Aggies to four consecutive NCAA postseason appearances, including an Elite Eight berth in 1992.

Warzecka also announced that longtime volunteer Dick Forbes will be posthumously honored with the hall of fame's Special Recognition Award. He was active as a board member and Aggie Ambassador with TeamAggie, the athletics booster club.

Tickets for the induction ceremony and student-athlete awards baquet can be obtained from Amie Smith at (530) 752-4557.

SERVICE UNITS ON MOVE: Several service units are about to move from the main campus to a new facility west of Highway 113. The units are Mail Services; Special Services; Central Receiving (including compressed gas cylinders); and Central Storehouse. All of these units are now located near the water tower that sits east of California Avenue and north of the arboretum waterway. The move is planned for April 13, and officials advised that there will be no mail delivery or pickup that day, nor will there be deliveries of any other kind.

The university is moving the units to make room for the Physical Sciences Expansion project. The units are moving to the brand-new Service Unit Park at 615 Hopkins Road, across from University Airport. The Bulk Mail Center is set to move from Garrod Road to Service Unit Park on March 20.

CHAT AT HEALTH SYSTEM: UC Davis Health System employees are invited to a brown bag chat with Chancellor Larry Vanderhoef next week. The chat is scheduled from noon to 1 p.m. April 11 in the ballroom of the Courtyard by Marriott near the UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento. Vanderhoef plans to give an update on university activities and issues, and answer questions. All staff, faculty, students, residents and trainees are encouraged to attend, and supervisors should make the time available for staff as operating needs permit.

NIGHT OUT RECEIVES AWARD: The California Parks and Recreation Society's recent awards program included a first-place prize for the city of Davis and UC Davis Government and Community Relations for their Neighbors Night Out event last fall. The award came in the recreation and community programs category.

The city and university collaborated on Neighbors Night Out to help set a good-neighbor tone among students and city residents as the new school year began. City and campus officials visited each of more than 60 block parties held that night.

Gary Sandy of Government and Community Relations said planning will begin soon for the second annual Neighbors Night Out.

THE BEETS GO MISSING: Last week's Department of Plant Sciences newsletter asked: "What happened to the edible landscape? That's what veggie-loving employees want to know."

The vegetables were part of the landscaping in front of the Plant and Environmental Sciences building. According to the newsletter article by plant sciences writer Diane Nelson: "This winter, folks were harvesting Swiss chard, and keeping their eye out for when the onions and beets were good to go. There was a sign asking people not to harvest them just yet. 'So I held off,' said one employee. 'I figured an e-mail would be sent or a sign would be put up when we were given the all clear.'

"But the sign didn't arrive, and the onions and beets disappeared, like thieves in the night. What happened?"

Nelson explained: "A new grounds-keeper came on to the scene. He pulled the crops to make way for new plantings, and apparently didn't know to tell people of the impending harvest. That won't happen again, say those in the know. We'll get plenty of warning next time."