London Breed ’97 won the race to take over as mayor of San Francisco, declaring victory June 13, eight days after the election that was too close to call before then. Her term runs until January 2020.

The win makes her the first woman of color to be elected to the city’s top job. She’s just the second woman to have the position — the first was Dianne Feinstein, now a U.S. senator — and the only female mayor among those holding the office in the country’s 15 largest cities.

Breed’s victory came in a special election held in conjunction with the June 5 primary, to fill the unexpired term of Ed Lee, who died in December. Breed, as president of the Board of Supervisors, had served five weeks as acting mayor, only to be replaced when she declared her candidacy for the office.

Breed, 43, was raised by her grandmother in a public housing project in San Francisco. She majored in political science at UC Davis and later earned a master’s degree in public administration from the University of San Francisco. She has held many positions within the city of San Francisco and joined the Board of Supervisors in 2013, becoming president in 2015.

A Democrat, she ran for mayor on a platform promoting affordable transportation and housing, public safety, school improvement and a renewed focus on homelessness.

“I grew up in some of the most challenging of circumstances and the reason why I feel so incredible about this (win) is because I think the message this sends to the next generation of young people growing up in this city that no matter where you come from, no matter what you decide to do in life, you can do anything you want to do,” she said on the steps of City Hall on June 13, the day she declared victory.

Staff advisor application deadline extended

UC officials are encouraging applications to be staff advisor to the Board of Regents, calling the position critical in giving staff a voice at the regents’ level. Under an extended deadline, you have 10 more days to apply.

The position is open to nonrepresented and represented staff, and non-Academic Senate academic employees; applicants must have been with UC for at least five years. See “How to Apply” for links to the application and selection processes.

“The staff advisor role has proven to be indispensable,” said George Blumenthal, chancellor of UC Santa Cruz. “The regents want to know how policies impact employees. ... Having staff voices at the regents’ table is vital as a way of providing a staff perspective and as a reminder of the staff’s importance. There’s also great satisfaction in being that voice and knowing you are making a difference.”

Sherry Main, assistant vice chancellor of communications and marketing at UC Santa Cruz, is staff advisor for 2018-19, after a year as staff advisor-designate. She described the position as life-changing.

“There aren’t many roles that allow you to learn from staff members from across the system and to engage directly with President Napolitano, members of the Board of Regents and senior campus leaders,” she said. “I knew going in that this position would be a huge commitment, and I was right. But I am grateful every day for this unique opportunity to help shape decisions and policies that affect all of us.”

The person selected in this round of applications will be staff advisor designate in 2018-19 and staff advisor in 2019-20.

More information is available in this UCnet article.

$400,000 federal boost for campus security

Chief Joe Farrow announced UC Davis recently received a $200,000 grant from the Department of Homeland Security on top of an earlier $200,000 grant from the same agency. All the money is going to campus security projects, the chief said.

To-do list: Strategic plan, campus book

• “To Boldly Go” — “We are eager for our community to review the draft (strategic plan), and to hear how the ideas presented resonate with people’s aspirations for the university,” said Ken Burtis, co-chair of the steering committee. The 10-year plan comprises five goals and multiple strategies for each on the themes of educational experience, research that matters, diversity, partnerships, and the development of an innovative and entrepreneurial culture. Comments are due by July 9.
• The next, next book ­— The Campus Community Book Project is accepting nominations through July 13 for the campus book for the year after next, 2019-20, when the theme will be the issue of “violence-gun violence.” Megan Macklin, book project coordinator, is your contact if you’d like to serve on the selection committee that will start reviewing the nominations in July, or if you’d like to serve on the planning committee for next year’s selection, The Book of Joy.

Women’s basketball keeps coach

After leading UC Davis to back-to-back Big West Conference regular season crowns and five wins in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament the last two years, head women’s basketball coach Jennifer Gross has signed a contract extension that will keep her on the sidelines through the 2023-24 season.

“We are thrilled that Jen will be leading our women’s basketball program well into the future,” Athletics Director Kevin Blue said in announcing the contract extension June 12.

“She and her staff have built a program that is a first-class representation of our university. The team is competitively excellent, and the players are outstanding students who achieve highly at UC Davis before moving on to promising careers of impact and leadership in the professional world. We look forward to continue supporting Jen, her staff and our student-athletes as we strive for even greater success for our women’s basketball program.”

The head coach of the Aggie program since 2010, Gross has guided her alma mater to a 131-91 (.590) overall record and a 69-42 (.662) mark in Big West play in seven seasons — including combining for a 53-15 (.779) overall record and a 28-4 mark in Big West Conference play over the last two years.

NCAA to assist women’s basketball with marketing and branding.

TANA summer workshop, Aug. 7-Sept. 13

UC Davis’ TANA community art center in Woodland will hold a six-week silk-screening workshop this summer, the center announced. Workshop hours will be noon to 4 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, Aug. 7 to Sept. 13.

TANA stands for Taller Arte del Amanacer, which is Spanish for Art Workshop of the New Dawn. The Department of Chicana/o Studies founded TANA in 2009 and has run it since then, encouraging the community to explore and represent Chicano culture through silk-screening, mural painting and other classes.

For more information about the summer workshop, contact the center by email or phone, 530-402-1065.

TANA has exhibitions underway in Woodland and Davis. See “Summer Exhibitions On and Off Campus.”

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