Dean’s Report to the Faculty
CBS Annual Faculty Meeting
June 10, 2014
James E.K. Hildreth
Acknowledgements
• Peter Wainwright, Executive Associate Dean
• John Harada, Associate Dean, Faculty Affairs & Graduate Programs
• Susan Keen, Associate Dean, Undergraduate Programs
• Donna Olsson, Executive Assistant Dean
• Dan Isidor, Assistant Dean, Development and External Relations
• Gayle Rutledge, Executive Asst to Dean, Diversity and New Programs
• Mara Evans, BASC Co-Director
• Maria Saldana-Siebert, BASC Co-Director
• Dawn Shell, Director, Graduate Programs
Thanks also to entire dean office team and departmental staff
members!
Major Topics For Today
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New CBS Faculty and Current Faculty Searches
Pending Faculty Search Requests
Other Faculty Issues (Retentions/Salary Equity/Actions)
Education Initiatives in Teaching/Advising
Research Initiatives
Diversity Initiatives
Budget
Development/Fundraising
CBS 2020 Planning
Faculty, Student, Alumni Awards and Honors
New CBS Faculty
Three new faculty in 2013:
• March 2013: Santiago Ramirez, Assistant Professor, EVE
• July 2013: John Albeck, Assistant Professor, MCB
• July 2013: Walter Leal, Professor, MCB
Current Faculty Searches
Nine new faculty will arrive from July 2014 through July 2015:
• Jacqueline Barlow, Assistant Professor, MMG
• Katherine Ralston, Assistant Professor, MMG
• Sean Collins, Assistant Professor, MMG
• Jennifer Gremer, Assistant Professor, EVE
• Mark Huising, Assistant Professor, NPB
• Alex Nord, Assistant Professor, NPB/CNS
• Karen Ryan, Assistant Professor, NPB
• Philipp Zerbe, Assistant Professor, PLB
• Silvia Carrasco, Lecturer PSOE, MCB
Thanks to chairs, faculty, staff involved in searches!
Current Faculty Searches (II)
Four additional faculty candidates will respond to their offers soon:
• Assistant Professor, PLB
• Assistant Professor, NPB and Asst. Prof. In-Residence,
Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine
• Professor, MCB and Mathematics
• Professor, Mathematics with joint MMG appt. pending
If all of the above accept, thirteen new CBS faculty colleagues will arrive
from Summer 2014 through Summer 2015!
Search Requests: LPSOE
Propose to recruit three new Lecturer PSOEs during 2014-15:
• 1 in NPB (continuation of 2013-14 search)
• 1 in MCB
• 1 in a CBS department to be determined.
Provost’s response to these proposals is due later this month.
Search Requests (cont.)
• Propose to recruit 6 new Assistant Professors in Human
Biology—3 in 2014-15 and 3 in 2015-16.
• Propose to recruit 1 new Assistant Professor in the
Center for Neuroscience and SOM.
Provost’s response to the above proposals is due later this month.
Approved HIP Searches
The Provost has allocated 2 FTEs to CBS for HIP proposals:
• 2014-15: Human Genomics and Human Health. One
Bioinformatics position in the Genome Center, with the
CBS department to be determined during the search.
• 2015-16: Neuroengineering and Medicine. One position
in CBS. Details to be determined during the next year.
Provost funding has been requested for the full start-up costs for both of these
HIP positions.
Faculty Retentions
We continue to face challenges in retaining CBS faculty.
• Internationally-known institutions seek our outstanding
faculty (six retention challenges in 2013-2014).
• Dr. Alex Mogilner accepted an offer at the
internationally-recognized Courant Institute of
Mathematical Sciences at New York University.
• Competitiveness of faculty salaries is a challenge.
This year we implemented a multi-stage salary equity initiative.
Faculty Salary Equity
• A UC Santa Cruz study found that faculty salaries at UC Davis
are low compared to other UC campuses.
• After considerable discussion with the chairs, the Provost,
and the Vice Provost of Academic Affairs, CBS implemented a
faculty salary equity program.
• As a permanent funding source was needed, the program is
being funded from the CBS share of salaries from the next 4
to 6 CBS faculty retirements. (The CBS share is 70%. The
Provost retains 30%.)
• CBS has proposed that the Provost and CBS split the costs
until all the retirements occur.
Approved Senate Actions
College of Biological Sciences: 2013-14
New Undergraduate Initiatives
• Biology Academic Success Center
• CBS Freshmen Cohorts Program
Biology Academic Success Center (BASC)
• BASC opened September 24, 2013 to serve more than
5400 students as one stop advising hub.
• Combined Dean’s office advisors and departmental
advisors
• Cross training for all advisors to provide “holistic”
advising for all students
• BASC Faculty Advisory Committee provides guidance,
(chaired by Sean Burgess, VCs and major advisors)
Biology Academic Success Center (BASC) 2
• Bringing together large group of advisors facilitates
mandatory advising for 1300 students over 2 quarters
• Enhances professionalism among the advising staff
• Combining advising staff and cross-training allows even
distribution of students among advisors
• Online appointments and drop-in hours allow easy
access and convenience
• BASC has ideal location (Sciences Lab Building) at the
heart of CBS student life.
BASC Student Appointment* Data
Number of
Students Seen
Fall 2014
3585
Number of
Students Seen
Winter 2014
2864
Seen for Apt. with BASC Adviser
2952
2055
Seen for Drop-in with BASC Adviser
N/A
436
Total Students Seen by Peer Advisers
(x7)
Total “No-Show” Student Apts.
633
373
243 (8%)
179 (9%)
Appointment Types
Total Students seen by BASC Advisers
* These data do not include appointments held by three faculty master advisers (NPB and GEN)
who hold office hours through BASC.
Mandatory Advising for First Year Students (Freshmen
and Transfer)
CBS Major or
Category
Assigned
Advisers
BIS
5
BMB
Cell
EEB
GEN
MICRO
NPB
PLB
UND
EOP
INT
TOTAL
2
1
1
1
1
2
1
3
4
4
# Transfer and # Students Seen
(as of Nov. 26)
Freshmen
480
286
47
13
36
28
229
6
176
357
80
1738
457
277
47
13
36
27
223
6
170
346
73
1674 (96%)
Biology Academic Success Center
• Active participation by BASC Faculty Advisory Committee
• 15 member committee chaired by Dr. Sean Burgess met 7 times in
2014-2015
• Career Information Sessions:
• Analytic Consulting Internship Program (winter) –Kaiser
Permanente
• Clinical Laboratory Science (spring) – Sharon Wahl, UC Davis
Health System
• Academic Success Skills Workshops:
• Time Management (offered in both winter and spring quarter) –
Susan Keen
• Stress Management (spring quarter) – Sarah Kasuga-Jenks
• CBS participated in yield events in Southern CA and Bay Area
• 5 BASC advisers participated in the “California Tours”
• New major adviser expected to start by end of June 2014
Biology Academic Success Center
Mary Aften
Lori Bergum
Julie Evans
Mara Evans, Co-Director
Joyce Fernandez
Jennifer Flood
Mariella Guzman-Aquilar
Tom Hall
Patricia Herthel
Tori Hollowell
Millie Ling-Tsai
Erin McMurry
Maria Saldana-Seibert, Co-Director
Connie Tan
*Not pictured: Tori Hollowell
Biology Academic Success Center
CAPS Counselor Now Embedded in CBS
-
Spends 16 hours a week seeing CBS students for
issues related to:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Stress management
- Emotion regulation
- Trauma
- Relationship concerns
- Sexuality, grief, life transitions, and
spirituality.
Dr. Sarah Kasuga-Jenks, PhD - Sarah has particular training in issues related to
skasugajenks@shcs.ucdavis.edu multiculturalism (including microaggressions and
the intersection of multiple identities) and
Office: SLB 1017
underserved student populations.
CBS Freshmen Cohorts Program
CBS Cohorts is a program to enhance student success initiated
with a gift from friend of CBS.
Freshmen class divided into six groups of approximately 200
students (named after kingdoms of life).
Archaea
Bacteria
Excavata
Plantae
Rhizaria
Unikonta
CBS Freshmen Cohorts Program
Goals include:
1) Create a sense of community
2) Facilitate learning communities
3) Reduce sense of isolation
4) Facilitate student-faculty engagement.
CBS Freshmen Cohorts Program
Metrics (tentative) to be followed include*:
1) Time to graduation
2) Student satisfaction with advising services
3) Progress and retention of URM students
4) Admission to professional and graduate programs.
*Impact of BASC and Cohorts evaluated
CBS Freshmen Cohorts Program
Fall welcome, identify members of 6 subgroups of ca. 220
students; mixer/ice-breaker with distribution of T shirts and social
activities
“Your education is your responsibility”
CBS Freshmen Cohorts Program
• New course (BIS 98) in which faculty talk about their career paths
and their research (all 6 cohorts took the class).
• Faculty also encouraged to talk about their early experiences and
how they shaped an interest in biology.
• Student-faculty lunches; groups of 12 -15 students discuss
research and life over lunch with faculty members (266 students).
CBS Freshmen Cohorts Program
Field trips to Bodega Marine Lab (190 freshmen made trips to BML)
Trips to other natural
resource sites planned.
CBS Freshmen Cohorts Program
Service projects for cohort groups being planned.
49 students took part in
community service project on
water quality at Lake Tahoe.
CBS Freshmen Cohorts Program
Thanks to faculty who participated in student lunches!
Siobhan Brady
Ken Kaplan
Sharon Strauss
Jay Stachowicz
Jeanette Natzle
Steve Theg
Anne Britt
Dave Wilson
Su-Ju Lin
Julin Maloof
Alex Mogilner
Lifeng Xu
Lorena Navarro
Wolf Heyer
John Harada
Judy Callis
Gaby Nevitt
Ken Burtis
Jonathan Eisen
Bill Lucas
Lauren Liets
Mark Goldman
Gail Patricelli
James Hildreth
CBS Freshmen Cohorts Program
Thanks to faculty who participated in BIS 98 course!
Don Strong
Rebecca Parales
Aldrin Gomes
Fred Chedin
Chris Fraser
Siobhan Brady
Jay Stachowicz
Tom Schoener
Sebastian Schreiber
Wolf Heyer
Karen Zito
Katie Dehesh
Gaby Nevitt
Lauren Liets
Lee Miller
James Hildreth
Thanks to Laura Soito and Ruth Gustafson (University Library)
and to colleagues from Genentech as well.
Undergraduate Education: Teaching
• The CBS ad hoc faculty teaching workgroup, chaired by Dr. Jay
Stachowicz, has worked over the past six months on the
development of a new college teaching model.
• The proposed teaching model, once adopted, is intended to ensure
that teaching expectations are equitable, and to reflect our
increased financial dependence on UG tuition revenue/SCH.
• The group’s findings were discussed with the chairs yesterday.
After further discussions between Dean and Chairs, a teaching
policy proposal will be submitted to College Executive Committee.
• As you heard during the Standing Committees portion of this
meeting, the faculty also addressed other significant issues
regarding majors and instruction.
Research Initiatives
Two new programs support New Biology research.
• Kingdom-Crossing program, initiated with a gift, supports
research collaborations between faculty working in model
systems from different kingdoms of life (such as plant and
animal kingdoms). Dr. Anne Britt in PB and Dr. JoAnne
Engebrecht in MCB are collaborating on the first CBS
Kingdom-Crossing grant funded in 2013-2014.
• A New Biology Postdoctoral Fellowship initiative was
developed to recruit post-doctoral scholars who bridge
different disciplines in CBS and other units while addressing
research problems of societal concern.
CBS New Biology Postdoctoral
Fellowship Program
Alana Firl (UC Berkeley) was chosen by a college-wide faculty
committee from among >70 national applicants. She will be co-mentored
by Jonathan Eisen and Venkatesan Sundaresan in research on the
microbiome of rice roots.
Other CBS Research Initiatives
• I have established the College Research Infrastructure
Support Program (CRISP) to provide research grant-writing
support to CBS faculty. The plan is to use CRISP funds to
hire up to 3 grant writers. The Executive Committee will
determine the priorities for the CRISP.
• If you have non-federal carryforward funds that you are
willing to voluntarily loan towards this effort, with
repayment in either 2 or 3 years (your choice), please
contact your MSO before the end of this month to sign
your CRISP MOU.
Research: Space
• Renovation of 2 areas in Briggs Hall to expand capacity
was part of the CBS budget request for 2014-2015 to the
Provost. Faculty growth beyond 2015-2016 may not be
possible unless such renovations occur.
• A 40,000 sq ft research facility on 5th St currently occupied
by Monsanto is being considered for expansion or swing
space. The facilities is configured with 20,000 sq ft of wet
bench space and 20,000 sq ft of office space. The space
could be available for occupancy as soon as October.
Diversity Initiatives
Summer Research Internships
Purpose of Summer Internship Programs
• To increase the pipeline of underrepresented students
who know about UC Davis and what we have to offer
• To increase the number of URM students who have a
solid scientific background and are prepared for
graduate studies
• To increase the number of URM students who apply
and are accepted to University of California
institutions – preferably UCD
Diversity Initiatives
Summer Research Internships
• 2014 Program Dates: June 18 – August 12
• 12 students will participate in the program
• Partnering institutions include:
• Howard University (Department of Evolution & Ecology)
• University of Maryland, Eastern Shore (UCOP / MCB)
• Tennessee State University, Savannah State University (CBS Dean’s
Office )
• Planned activities and daily agenda includes:
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GRE prep courses
Laboratory research
Bodega Bay field trip
Day trip to other UC campus
Presentation session at conclusion of program
Networking opportunities
Diversity Initiatives
Summer Research Internships
2014 Summer Internship Funding Sources
UC Davis / Howard University Evolution & Ecology Graduate
Admissions Pathways Program (EEGAP)
• PI: Rick Grosberg
(Grant recently renewed; September 1, 2014 – August 31, 2017 / Total: $165,127.00
UC Davis / Maryland Eastern Shore Molecular & Cell Biology
Graduate Pathways
• PI: Daniel Starr
(UCOP Grant award for 3 years beginning 2014 / Total: $197,265.00)
UC Davis / CBS Dean’s Office Program
•
PI: James Hildreth
(CBS unrestricted gift from anonymous donor)
Approximate Total Funding For 2014: $120,000.00
Diversity Initiatives
Summer Research Internships
2014 Faculty Mentors
• Howard University students:
Annie Schmitt
Sharon Strauss
• University of Maryland Eastern Shore students:
Bruce Draper
Aldrin Gomes
Mitch Singer
Lorena Navarro
James Hildreth
Frederic Chedin
• Tennessee State University & Savannah State University students:
Keith Baar
Brian Moore
Neil Hunter
• Program Coordinators:
Carole Hom
Gayle Rutledge
Diversity Initiatives
Other Undergraduate Efforts
• The Biology Undergraduate Scholars Program (BUSP), led by Barbara
Horwitz and Ken Burtis, prepares URM and disadvantaged UG students for
graduate education. The NIH-IMSD competitive renewal for BUSP was
successful but funding cut for staff. The Provost and CBS are partnering to
continue BUSP staff support.
• CBS will soon begin to participate in the summer residential SMASH
program for URM students, coordinated through Undergraduate
Admissions.
• The CBS Executive Committee, is collecting information on faculty-led
outreach and diversity initiatives. Dr. Theg has led one such initiative for
students interested in Plant Biology research. Faculty are encouraged to
respond to the EC’s request for this information, as it will likely help make
CBS more competitive for diversity grant funding.
Diversity Initiatives
Faculty and Fellows
• One of the CBS assistant professor recruits was
approved for CAMPOS funding.
• Two pending joint hires with MPS are URM, one
supported by CAMPOS.
• Five of the 9 confirmed new hires for 2013-2014 are
women (2 of 4 pending hires are women).
• Two URM postdoctoral fellows supported by Dean’s
discretionary/gift funds.
Budget (I)
• The new campus budget model clearly recognizes that UC now
depends more on UG Tuition and less on State funding.
• UG Tuition is the single largest source (54%) of the $39 million in
ongoing core funding for CBS. UG Tuition is the key funding source
for faculty salaries and benefits.
• Anticipated Increases in CBS SCH (primarily), majors and degrees
awarded should increase UG tuition revenues for CBS.
• Indirect Cost Recovery represents 13% of ongoing core funding for
CBS. ICR is a key funding source for faculty start-ups, research
equipment and some CBS staff.
• While the current research grant climate is very competitive, CBS
ICR will likely increase over time.
Budget (II)
• One additional CBS funding source, Graduate Tuition, while a small
share (3%) of the ongoing core CBS budget, could also grow over
time.
• Other significant shares of the ongoing core CBS budget are the
Provost Allocation (22%) and AES funds (8%).
• However, AES funds are 100% state funds, and Provost Allocation
funds are primarily State funds. Therefore these fund sources are
less reliable as state funding has been declining in recent years.
• Bottom line: Increasing UG tuition revenues (54% of core CBS
budget) and ICR (13%) are keys to CBS growth.
Development/Fundraising (I)
• Over 700 donors gave to CBS in 2013-14, a 15% increase
from 2012-13.
• CBS raised over $4.5 million, a 99% increase from 201213.
• Faculty continue to do outstanding work to generate
private grant funding (about $2 million) and the CBS
Development Office, often working with faculty, raised
about $2.5 million.
Development/Fundraising (II)
Key Development/ Fundraising successes this year include:
• Anonymous gift of $1.5 million – used to establish
endowment and to fund new programs and scholarships
• Stanley and Jacqueline Schilling Awards of $2000 each
to an outstanding student from each major; awards
made twice each year in Fall and Winter quarters
• Simon Chan Memorial Endowment ($500k and growing)
• Ted Jones Microscopy Lab, Center for Neuroscience
($50k)
Every one of these gifts, and many others, involved key partnerships
between the CBS Development office and appropriate faculty.
Development/Fundraising (III)
Key Development/ Fundraising successes this year include:
• Barbara Chapman Fund ($25k)
• Neff Fund for New Biology ($50k)
• Launch of the Freshman Cohorts Program, the result of a
generous gift from Dr. Edward Yu.
• Stacy Harmer and Julin Maloof established provision in
their estate for a Distinguished Graduate Fellowship in
the Department of Plant Biology
Developing CBS 2020 Plan
• The CBS growth plan for 2020 will be developed later this year
as part of the new CBS Academic Plan for 2015-2020. (The
current academic plan goes through 2014.)
• CBS may enroll 1000 to 1500 new UG students under the UCD
2020 plan. The CBS UG applicant pool is deep and strong. The
proposed growth plan calls for 6000 to 7000 UGs taught by a
faculty of 180 to 200. Graduate enrollment growth is also
needed.
• A combination of undergraduate tuition, graduate tuition,
Provost Allocation, and gift funds will be needed to achieve
such growth.
• Developing the CBS 2020 plan will a major focus for 2014-2015
and will begin in the fall.
Awards and Honors
Students
• Once again, CBS students have received many high
honors. The Undergraduate of the Year for CBS is Duy
Tran, and the College of Biological Sciences Medalist is
Daniel Curiel.
• The University of California President’s Outstanding
Student Leadership Award winner (for the entire UC
system) is Axana Rodriguez-Torres, double-major in NPB
and Psychology.
• CBS students, led by Dr. Siobhan Brady in Plant Biology,
beat Stanford University in a major gene-annotation
competition.
Awards and Honors
Alumni
• Biological Sciences alumnus Kyle Pierce was selected to
create a 43 foot mural for the Smithsonian’s National
Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.
• Our 2013 CBS Alumni Award Winners were: Charlotte
Owens (Physiology, 1990); Victor Convertino (Ph.D.
Physiology, 1981); and Bobeck Modjtahedi
(Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 2005). We will
announce the 2014 awardees in October at our College
Celebration.
Awards and Honors
Faculty
• Dr. John Wingfield in NPB was elected to the American
Academy of Arts and Sciences.
• Dr. Neil Hunter in MMG was selected as an HHMI
Investigator, effective September 2013.
• Dr. Carol Erickson in MCB was awarded an honorary
doctoral degree from Japan’s NARA Institute of Science
and Technology (NAIST).
• Dr. Katyoon Dehesh and Dr. Julin Maloof, both in Plant
Biology, were elected as fellows of the American
Association for the Advancement of Science.
Awards and Honors
Faculty (cont.)
• Dr. Gail Patricelli (EVE) was selected as a 2013 – 2018
Chancellor’s Fellow.
• At our October College Celebration, Dr. Eric Sanford in EVE
received the CBS Faculty Teaching Award. Dr. Neil Hunter in
MMG received the CBS Faculty Research Award at the same
event.
• Dr. Barbara Horwitz (NPB) was named the 2013-14
Academic Senate recipient of the Chancellor’s Achievement
Award for Diversity and Community.
• Dr. Susan Keen (EVE), Associate Dean, received an Academic
Senate Distinguished Teaching Award for UG teaching.
Faculty (cont.)
Awards and Honors
• Dr. JoAnne Engebrecht (MCB) received a Chancellor’s Award
for Excellence in Mentoring Undergraduate Research.
• Dr. James (“Jim”) Trimmer (NPB) received a 2014 Faculty
Award for Excellence in Service to Graduate Students from
the Graduate Student Association.
• The winners of the 2013-14 CBS Faculty Teaching Award and
the CBS Faculty Research Award will be announced at our
College Celebration in October.
• James Hildreth elected to Harvard University Board of
Overseers.
Questions?