Quick scroll to the city of Davis, visiting the campus
WELCOME TO THE University of California, Davis. Set between the Coast Range to the west and the towering Sierra Nevada to the east in the heart of California's Central Valley, UC Davis is close to the thriving and vibrant state capital and the San Francisco Bay Area but cherishes its small-town culture and security. Nearly everyone—students, faculty, administrators, staff—lives near campus, close enough to ride a bicycle to class or work, close enough to walk to town for dinner and a movie. Our students come from every California county, all 50 states and 111 foreign countries, creating a diverse cultural and intellectual community that enriches us all.
The campus's reputation has attracted a distinguished faculty of scholars and scientists in all fields. UC Davis faculty rank 16th in quality among comprehensive public universities nationwide, according to a multi-year study of U.S. doctoral programs reported in 1995 by the National Research Council. Creative teaching and academic innovation are encouraged by several programs, including the $30,000 Prize for Teaching and Scholarly Achievement, believed to be the largest award of its kind in the country. And UC Davis undergraduate students persist and graduate at the highest rates among UC campuses.
UC DAVIS IS ONE of nine campuses of the University of California, which was chartered as a land grant college in 1868 and now constitutes the pre-eminent system of public higher education in the country. Together, the nine campuses have an enrollment of more than 157,000 students, 90 percent of them California residents. Some 150 laboratories, extension centers, research and field stations strengthen teaching and research while providing public service to California and the nation. The collections of the more than 100 UC campus libraries are surpassed in size in the United States only by that of the Library of Congress.
Founded in 1905 as the University Farm, where students from the first UC campus in Berkeley learned the latest in agricultural methods and technology, UC Davis today offers a full range of undergraduate and graduate programs, along with professional schools of law, management, medicine and veterinary medicine. Our agricultural roots are still honored, however, in our nickname—the "Cal Aggies."
UC Davis is the largest of the nine University of California campuses, with 5,200 acres, second in total expenditures and third in enrollment. UC Davis stands 22nd in research funding among universities in the United States, according to the most recent information from the National Science Foundation. For the third consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report ranked UC Davis among the top 10 public universities nationally. UC Davis is one of only 62 universities admitted to the prestigious Association of American Universities.
The Davis campus has undergraduate colleges of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Engineering and Letters and Science. Undergraduate enrollment is more than 19,000 students. Graduate Studies administers graduate study and research in all schools and colleges. Professional studies are carried out in the schools of law, management, medicine and veterinary medicine; more than 5,100 students are engaged in graduate or professional study. Located off-campus are numerous laboratories, extension centers and facilities, including the UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, the Veterinary Medicine Teaching and Research Center in Tulare, Bodega Marine Laboratory at Bodega Bay, the College of Engineering's Applied Science Department at Livermore, and the UC Davis Washington Center in Washington, D.C.
DAVIS IS SURROUNDED by open space—including some of the most valuable agricultural land in the state. Outdoor sports enthusiasts will find many beautiful recreational areas within a 70-mile drive from campus: the American River, Clear Lake, Lake Berryessa, the Napa and Sonoma valleys and the historic Mother Lode country. The Sierra Nevada, Lake Tahoe ski resorts and coastal areas of Mendocino and Monterey are about 150 miles from Davis.
If you prefer city life, Sacramento, the state capital, is 15 miles to the east, and San Francisco is just 72 miles to the southwest. Both cities offer music, the ballet, professional sports, theater and other entertainment.
For long-distance travel, Davis has a Greyhound bus terminal and an Amtrak station. If you travel by plane, the Sacramento Metropolitan Airport is an easy 20-minute drive from downtown Davis. Within Davis, bicycles are a favorite mode of transportation. The terrain is flat and 50 miles of bike paths crisscross the city. With more bicycles per capita than any other city in the nation, Davis has earned the title "City of Bicycles."
Winters in Davis are generally mild. It rarely snows, but you should get good use from your rainwear. Summers are sunny, hot and dry. Although on some days the thermometer can exceed 100 degrees, summer days are usually in the low 90s, with overnight temperatures in the 60s. Spring and fall weather is some of the most pleasant in the state.
ECOLOGICALLY AWARE and socially innovative, Davis has a small-town friendliness and spirit of volunteerism that distinguish it from cities of similar size. Residents are active in local, national and international political causes, in the arts, and in community organizations ranging from Little League to the Rotary Club.
Students compose a large portion of the city's population of 53,000, making Davis one of the state's few remaining college towns. You'll find an abundance of bookshops, coffee houses and restaurants catering to students in the bustling downtown area adjacent to campus.
Though closely linked to the university, the city maintains a strong identity of its own. The Davis Art Center, Davis Comic Opera Company, Davis Musical Theatre Company and several local galleries provide creative outlets for people in the community and supplement the cultural events presented by the university.
The city has long recognized the importance of open space in maintaining its small-town atmosphere and has created 31 city parks offering a variety of attractions: tennis courts, playgrounds, swimming pools, playing fields and even a skateboard facility.
LIKE THE CITY of Davis, the campus has a relaxed atmosphere, with plenty of open space, trees and lawns. Even as the student population grows, the campus continues to maintain its informal, friendly ambience.
Underlying the casual style of Davis students, however, are a fundamental seriousness and a dedication to academic excellence. Davis students do study hard. After your studying is done, however, you can relax at a movie, public lecture, dance recital or concert. For the energetic, intercollegiate sports, club sports and one of the largest intramural programs in the country offer athletics for fun or competition. UC Davis' reputation for producing outstanding student athletes was reinforced this past spring when the men's basketball team won the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II championship—just one of several sports in which Aggies excel.
Davis welcomes the exchange of opinions and ideas and is committed to advancing the diversity of its students, faculty, staff and administrators. UC Davis' commitment to a learning environment characterized by mutual respect and understanding is reflected in the "Principles of Community," reprinted on the next page.
Information:
Visitor Services Office
Buehler Alumni and Visitors Center
530-752-8111
YOU ARE WELCOME to pay us a visit. Weekend tours depart from the Buehler Alumni and Visitors Center at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. No appointment is necessary. For weekday individual or group campus tours, contact the Visitor Services Office at least one week in advance. If you have questions about application procedures or entrance requirements, write or visit Undergraduate Admissions and Outreach Services in Mrak Hall.
UC Davis 1998-99 Online General Catalog. Posted July 31, 1998.
catalog-comment@ucdavis.edu
Keitha Hunter and Barbara Anderson, Editors
We welcome your comments.