Spurred by a Mathematical and Physical Sciences faculty recommendation to turn their division into a college, the provost’s office and the Academic Senate announced this week that they are forming a joint task force on the university’s academic organization.

Also this week, the university librarian unveiled a draft of the library’s new three-year strategic plan and welcomed feedback from faculty, researchers, students, staff and all other members of the community.

Academic organization

In a May 13 email to faculty, staff and students, the provost and the senate chair invited expressions of interest to serve on the joint Academic Senate/Provost Task Force on the Academic Organization of UC Davis.

Ralph J. Hexter, provost and executive executive vice chancellor, and Bruno Nachtergaele, chair of the Davis Division of the Academic Senate, said the MPS faculty’s recommendation, to establish the division as a college, separate and apart from the College of Letters and Science, “raises a number of interesting and important questions, and we are seeking representatives from across the campus to consider these questions and provide advice and recommendations.”

“Understanding full well that any formal proposal to evolve one or more divisions of L&S into self-standing colleges will require formal process by and within the Academic Senate, the charge of the task force is to think broadly about the question and reflect on it above the level of a single division or college.”

Hexter and Nachtergaele said the task force will be broadly representative of the campus. They identified the co-chairs as Carolyn de la Pena, interim vice provost of Undergraduate Education; and Andre Knoesen, vice chair of the Academic Senate.

An initial meeting is anticipated before summer break, and a report is expected by Dec. 13.

Expressions of interest should be sent to Karl Mohr, assistant executive vice chancellor, kfmohr@ucdavis.edu, no later than Friday, May 24.

More information: The complete email from Hexter and Nachtergaele, and the Academic Organization of UC Davis: A White Paper to Spur Conversation.

Library strategic plan

University Librarian MacKenzie Smith said the library developed its new strategic plan “in response to changes in university leadership, the technological landscape, the library field, and faculty and student expectations, to guide our future priorities and investments.”

“It is designed to maintain the high-quality library collections and support services that the UC Davis community depends on, while increasing investment in new technology and services that will meet the changing needs of research, teaching and learning.”

More information, including the strategic plan. Llibrary staff members are available to meet with departments or other groups to discuss the plan and the future of the library.

Comments, questions and suggestions should be sent by email to strategic.plan@lib.ucdavis.edu.

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