Strategy: Contribute to the solution of society’s most pressing problems locally and around the globe through disciplinary and interdisciplinary research, lifelong education and community partnerships.
Point People: William Lacy and Neal Van Alfen
Narrative Summary of Fourth Year Implementation Efforts:
This strategy continues to be perhaps the most comprehensive, general and broad-based. In addition, it is often the least well-documented of the engagement goals. The indicators call for increasing the level and quality of research and educational activities across the entire university devoted to addressing key societal issues and improving quality of life. Moreover, the indicators include expansion of the number, nature and impact of researchers and educators involved in disciplinary and interdisciplinary work focused on societal issues and increased recognition for research and educational projects that successfully address societal issues. It is clear that there is substantial overlap with this strategy and strategy #3, “Provide effective and active support for the economic development and quality of life in the region and state.” We continue to coordinate with Barry Klein to avoid duplication.
During the year, we have met to discuss how to document the current status of engagement efforts and the indicators of activities and achievement. We have also been in contact with numerous people with responsibilities for various aspects of outreach education and research, and engagement. The list includes: Dennis Pendleton, Dean of Extension; Peggy Shannon, Associate Vice Provost for University Outreach and Engagement; Paul Heckman, Chair of the Academic Senate Committee on Public Service; Pam Stotlar-McAuliffe, Director of Medical Continuing Education; Kevin Johnson, Associate Dean of the School of Law; and Harold Levine, Dean of the School of Education. Finally, we convened the University Outreach Advisory Council which consists of representatives of all the schools, colleges and divisions to continue to help define the key concepts and issues in pursuing the engagement goal and particularly this strategy.
Advances and Ongoing Programs Consistent with the Strategy:
- A new newsletter was launched in 2007 to highlight the numerous and highly successful campus outreach and engagement activities locally, regionally, nationally and internationally (http://uoip.ucdavis.edu/uoip/newsletters.cfm).
- The “2007 Recipients of the Distinguished Scholarly Public Service Award” included Sergio Aguilar-Gaxiola for his extensive work in the field of mental health including establishment of the Center for Reducing Health Disparities at UC Davis and leading efforts to help pass federal legislation to achieve mental health insurance parity; Douglas Gross for providing his proficient clinical expertise as a pediatrician without compensation in such places as New Orleans following Katrina, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and serving as director of Medical Missions to Africa; Joy Mench for outstanding service to assess and improve animal welfare and serving as an officer in a non-profit organization that promotes the humane treatment of animals in science; and Joan Ogden for using her expertise in economic assessment of new energy technologies to address the compelling energy issues facing the U.S. in such activities as advisors to the U.S. Department of Energy on hydrogen, evaluating DOE’s Advanced Automotive Technologies Program and its energy research portfolio and serving on the California Governor’s advisory panel to help implement a plan to make hydrogen a major transportation fuel (http://academicsenate.ucdavis.edu/award/default.html).
- During the last year UC Davis Extension had approximately 60,000 enrollments in more than 4,000 programs serving students and professionals in every state in the U.S. and in 42 different countries. A number of distinctive activities of UC Davis Extension included: a certificate program in Green Building and Sustainable Design, a new certificate in Energy Management and a number of courses on renewable energy; a large and growing program that serves numerous tribes throughout the western U.S. in leadership, management and supervision training; a creative program in international law in partnership with the School of Law educating 176 lawyers and judges from 27 countries in 2007; distance education programs based on distinctive campus strengths in winemaking, brewing, sensory science, and consumer testing; highly successful programs on agro-terrorism funded by a $4.7 million grant from Homeland Security; an ongoing program on leadership development for medical professions (since its inception in 1999, 85 programs have been presented for physicians, scientists, and managers of the UCDHS); and a number of innovative programs for the California Environmental Protection Agency, the Welfare and Human Services Directors statewide, Caltrans, and the State Water Board indirectly impacting millions of California residents (http://universityextension.ucdavis.edu/).
- The College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CA&ES) continues its commitment to outreach and extending knowledge through collaborations with UC Cooperative Extension County Advisors who are physically located in nearly every county of California. A wide range of educational programs assist local communities to enhance the quality of life for their residents. These include: 4-H and youth development activities, food and nutrition education, and plant, animal and environmental programs. In addition the majority of faculty in CA&ES hold a partial appointment in the Agricultural Experiment Station whose stated mission includes developing and disseminating new knowledge and technologies that address specific problems of importance to the people of California. The dissemination of knowledge takes many forms including, but not limited to: commodity/industry workshops, field days, newsletters, and access to information through outreach-focused centers and institutes (http://caes.ucdavis.edu/outext/).
- The School of Medicine’s Continuing Medical Education Program last year educated over 41,267 professionals from every state in the U.S. and approximately 18 countries through an extensive series of programs for physicians, nurses and other health professionals, more than doubling the total enrolled participants over a six-year period. Teleconferencing programs offered to northern California partners in remote areas have grown from 361 in 2001 to 2192 in 2005. Its more than 50 programs offered via the internet have been recognized as one of the top five online programs in the nation (http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/cme/).
- The Medical Student-Run Community Clinics continued to serve the health care needs of the underserved populations in the Sacramento area often providing these populations their only access to health care. The clinics are run completely by student governing boards making UC Davis the only medical school with student-run clinics. Approximately 85% of UCD medical students volunteer at these clinics during their years in medical school http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/medschool/clinics/.
- The School of Law’s Immigration Law Clinic, Civil Rights Clinic, Prison Law Office and Family Protection Clinic continue to serve some of the disadvantaged communities in the state of California. The Immigration Clinic’s naturalization work to assist needy residents and immigrants become U.S. citizens was highlighted in the 2004 UC Davis Annual report. The Family Protection and Legal Advocacy Clinic, recently funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, focuses on battered Latinas in need of family law such as restraining orders, divorces and child support (http://www.law.ucdavis.edu/academics-clinicals/clinics-overview.html).
- The School of Education and the campus Educational Partnerships Steering Committee are exploring new means to more effectively serve northern California K-12 educators (e.g., through the use of online education for professional development). The school’s Cooperative Research and Extension Services for Schools Center continued to offer numerous professional development programs and projects to thousands of teachers in the region and state (http://education.ucdavis.edu/cress/index.html). A new joint doctoral program (Ed.D.) with California State University, Sacramento and Sonoma State University is addressing the learning and professional needs of K-12 and community college leaders through an alternatively scheduled program intended for working professionals in leadership positions and can be completed within three years. (http://candeljtdoc.org). The Sacramento Area Science Project (SASP) is another education partnership between the University of California, Davis, and California State University, Sacramento. SASP is a regional site of the California Science Project, one of the California Subject Matter projects.
- The College of Engineering has been expanding its efforts to bring technological innovation to the improvement and enhancement of many areas of society and the economy. Several new programs and projects have been developed by the Agricultural Ergonomics Research Center, the California Biomass Collaborative, the Institute of Transportation Studies, the UC Farm Safety Program and the California Alliance for Minority Participation in Science, Engineering and Mathematics (http://engineering.ucdavis.edu/pages/public_service/index.html).
- The Center for Public Policy Research (CPPR) based within the Center for Human Services (Mike Lawler, Director) is flourishing with an initial $4.5 million contract from California Department of Social Services, and in April 2007 an additional a $8.5 million contract from the CA Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The center provides research and service to both departments, bringing the intellectual power and creativity of the University of California to solve California’s pressing problems in such areas as child protection, families on welfare, prisoners, and parolees.
- The School of Veterinary Medicine is dedicated to animal health, public health and environmental health (http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/). Recent efforts include: a new diagnostic test which simultaneously tests for foot-and-mouth disease and six other look-alike diseases in livestock; integrating weather and mapping information into current arbovirus surveillance systems at the Center for Vector-borne Diseases to help forecast the risk of West Nile and other viruses; the NIH supported expansion of the mouse biology program to provide valuable tools for studying human diseases; and the expanding center for continuing professional education. (http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/CE/CE.html).
- International engagement activities and programs in several colleges and schools continue to emerge and grow: e.g., the School of Medicine’s students volunteer effort for the summer in clinics in Leon, Nicaragua and their Parent-On-Line Continuing Medical Education course (attracted participants from over 25 countries); and the School of Veterinary Medicine’s students work with Central American women farmers on-site to improve their success in raising livestock; and the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences’ USAID Global Livestock Collaborative Research Support Program http://glcrsp.ucdavis.edu, Global Horticulture Assessment http://caes.ucdavis.edu/intprog, and new research collaborations with Chinese, Indian and Vietnamese Universities.
Plans for 2007-08
The plans for 2007-08 include:
- Continue to collect and document the numerous faculty and staff activities in engagement
- Convene the University Outreach Advisory Council to review the report and continue to assess next steps
- Work with the Academic Senate Public Service Committee to increase awareness and understanding of the goal of engagement
- Explore plans to publish a newsletter to highlight the numerous campus engagement activities and accomplishments.
Evaluation of Metrics
The metrics appear to be more of a goal than actual indicators given the level of college and school databases in this area. We will continue to work with the deans and their representatives to refine these indicators of achievement.