Information and Educational Technology announced that the SmartSite upgrade is a “go” for June 22-23, starting at 10 p.m. Friday and ending by 8 a.m. Saturday. SmartSite will be unavailable during that window.

The upgrade, originally announced in April, provides many enhancements and fixes. The work includes an upgrade of the Gradebook2 tool to version 1.8, which delivers more than 50 high-priority bug fixes.

Post-upgrade, SmartSite will continue to look and feel much like it does now. Details are available on the upgrade page. Status updates during the installation will be posted as needed at status.ucdavis.edu.

Research compliance director named

Craig Allison, a graduate of the School of Law, has returned to UC Davis as director of Research Compliance and Integrity in the Office of Research.

He monitors federal and state regulatory developments and changes to university policy, and crafts new policies and procedures to ensure the campus operates in compliance with applicable regulations. He also assesses research compliance risks and opportunities.

His areas of responsibility include research conflict of interest, stem cell research committees, export trade controls, responsible conduct of research education, research integrity investigations, quality assurance and control for human subject protection, and other areas of compliance within the purview of the Office of Research.

Allison, who also holds a Master’s of Public Health from UC Berkeley, previously worked for the DLA Piper law firm, where he was a partner handling complex civil business litigation, and compliance matters, including environmental, health care, tax, securities, antitrust, and immigration criminal and civil enforcement actions.

Out with Comet, in with EasyPark

Transportation and Parking Services, or TAPS, announced that it will make the switch Monday (June 18) to a new brand of personal parking meter.

EasyPark personal parking meter

The EasyPark replaces the Comet; both devices keep track of minutes that you pay for in advance. Then, instead of putting coins in campus parking meters, you hang your EasyPark on the inside of your car window — and parking enforcement officers can see the minutes ticking away.

EasyPark is valid in all visitor lots, C lots and at metered parking areas on the main UC Davis campus and is available to students, staff and faculty — and departments, too — as well as the general public.

The charge works out to $1.50 per hour (the same as what you would put into a meter), up to a daily maximum of $7 (equal to the cost of a daily parking permit).

TAPS recommends EasyPark for people who make regular trips to the campus, but not so many visits that a long-term permit would be the better option.

EasyPark meters are available at the TAPS office just north of the west entry parking garage off Hutchison Drive. TAPS requires a $33 deposit for EasyPark, and you may add funds in increments of $25 up to a maximum of $300. More information is available by telephone, (530) 752-827, and online.

Career Management Academy: July 27

The next session of the Career Management Academy is scheduled for Friday, July 27, offering comprehensive career assessment that facilitates self-knowledge, job satisfaction and the development of professional goals.

Two certified career counselors lead the one-day academy, presented several times a year by Staff Development and Professional Services. After July 27, the next academies are set for Oct. 19, Feb. 8 and May 17.

The academy asks participants to inventory their work values, personality, interests and skills — all of which are integral steps in developing career goals.

“Participants will emerge with a renewed sense of direction, more confident and prepared to make informed work-life choices,” the organizers said.

The academy runs from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Hamilton Room at the Heitman Staff Learning Center (between Bainer Hall and South Silo).

Online registration: lms.ucdavis.edu (click on “Career Management” in the catalog). If you have questions or need enrollment assistance, contact Staff Development and Professional Services, (530) 752-1766 or sdps@ucdavis.edu.

Blood drive coming to the Quad

Blood drives at UC Davis don’t take the summer off, so get ready to roll up your sleeves Wednesday and Thursday, June 27 and 28.

The ASUCD-sponsored blood and marrow drives switched to a new location (The Pavilion) in January, but for summer, look for the bloodmobiles in their traditional parking places, alongside the Quad.

Hours both days are 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Brie Leon of Sacramento-based BloodSource said every participant will receive a $5 gift card for Togo’s sandwich shops.

For more information or to volunteer to help at the blood drive, contact Leon at (916) 416-9459 or brie.leon@bloodsource.org.