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volume 131, number 50
wednesday, april 18, 2012
Go behind the scenes with the Picnic Day board Sixteen students work to fundraise, plan, publicize the event By ISAIAH SHELTON Aggie Features Writer
With a university that prides itself as being connected to its city and one that has mastered the art of inexpensive, people-centric fun, there’s hardly an event more organically placed than Picnic Day. But as students, out-of-towners and alumni alike relish in the ceremony, there’s hardly an incentive to stop and think about how it’s all made possible year after year. There’s much to be discovered about what it takes to run Picnic Day that the average visitor doesn’t know but perhaps should to develop a deeper appreciation for Davis’ biggest event. Despite rumors, Picnic Day is not an event endowed by the gods. In fact, it is the larg-
est student-run event in the U.S. “It’s an event close to heart so we try to keep it close to home,” said Jennifer Mappus, Picnic Day chair. “The best way to do that is to have it run by students.” Mappus oversees a group of 15 other board members. Board meetings are held every week with each member hosting additional weekly office hours. “We have to make sure everyone does their part,” Mappus said. “We usually exceed our minimum hour requirement.” As chair, Mappus has been working on Picnic Day since last June. “My main job and concern is working with the Davis community to ensure that
Picnic Day runs smoothly this year,” Mappus said. With the citywide holiday facing some bad press in recent years, including an accidental off-campus death in 2011 and a reported 545 calls to police in 2010, Mappus said one of her goals is to make sure these types of events don’t happen again. “I attend a lot of external meetings to meet our goal, including Davis Alcohol and Other Drug Advisory Group, as well as meeting frequently with Davis Police and the UC Davis Police Department to work with them on things such as campus safety,” Mappus said. “Working with board members and making sure everyone is doing what they’re supposed to be doing is one thing, but work-
ing with the other groups and trying to make sure everyone’s interests are satisfied in preparation for the big day is another.” For Mappus, the stress of it all is what is most rewarding in the end. “I feel so honored to work with all these people and help so many individuals enjoy this one day,” Mappus said. “From students to UC Davis officials, some 650,000 people come out to Picnic Day. It feels great to have such a big role in it all.” In making sure the big day continues for the future generations, Mappus says it is imperative to outreach to firstyears and make sure they understand the promise of Picnic
See PICNIC, page 2
Seven new urban residences opening by Central Park Energy efficient homes occupied by retired couples By MEE YANG
Aggie News Writer
Upon the approval by the City of Davis, what used to be an area enveloped by older houses is now being replaced by seven new urban residences built by Sherman Home Co. So far, two homes have been completed and are now occupied. These homes are located on B Street, with four homes facing Central Park and three homes in the back alley. The older houses were moved eight blocks in August 2010, down to J Street. They were since renovated to be part of the J Street Solar Housing Community. “The whole area has been run down and they [City of Davis] would like to improve that whole corridor,” said Steve Sherman, president of Sherman Home Co.
News iN Brief
Number of admitted UC first-years reaches record high Exactly 80,289 first-years were admitted to at least one of the nine UC campuses this year, setting a record high. In a press release Tuesday, the University Office of the President said that the “state’s continuing disinvestment in its public university system” brought about a low 3.6 percent increase in the number of California residents admitted, which does not meet the immense demand for a seat at a UC campus. The release stated that with the exception of UC Berkeley, all campuses increased admission offers to out-of-state and international students, dropping the California admission rate from 69.7 percent (Fall 2011) to 65.8 percent (Fall 2012.) Admitted non-California residents declined admissions offers at a higher rate than other applicants, and for this reason the 10 percent systemwide cap on enrollments of non-Californian undergraduates will not be met this Fall. Preliminary campus admissions data also reflected a subtle increase in diversity, which includes more African Americans, Chicano/ Latinos, students from low-income families, those who will be the first in their families to attend college and students from lowperforming high schools, according to the release. The findings do not include waitlisted applicants or students who received a referral admission to UC Merced, under the process in which UC-eligible students are offered a place in at least one UC. “We have the capacity to educate many more students at our campuses,” said Kate Jeffery, UC’s interim director of undergraduate admissions in the press release. “What we don’t have is the funding to admit more California students.” — Muna Sadek
Whole Earth Festival volunteer meeting tonight
Shazib Haq / Aggie
See CENTRAL, page 2 The seven new urban residences will fill the space next to Ciocolat on B Street.
There will be a Whole Earth Festival volunteer meeting tonight in the Student Community Center. The meeting will take place at 7 p.m. and the theme is “uni-colored.” Volunteers, called Karma Patrollers, are invited, along with anyone who is interested in becoming a volunteer. The Whole Earth Festival will be May 11 to 13, and the theme is “The Beginning is Here.” The poster for the festival was chosen last week. — Hannah Strumwasser
Athletic Director update Davis Art Center improves
business with grant money
Final decision delayed By TREVOR CRAMER Aggie Sports Editor
After several months of consideration, UC Davis’ search for a new athletic director has been delayed for a second time. The recruitment advisory committee, which has been charged with helping Chancellor Linda Katehi examine the possible candidates, pushed back its estimated time frame for a final decision from “late winter-early spring” to a rough goal of early summer. “I’m guessing that the official announcement will occur after commencement [June 15 to 17],” said Fred Wood, vice chancellor and head of the recruitment committee. “Hopefully not, but the important thing is that we gather all the necessary input.” The most recent delay was made to facilitate input from the Academic Senate, which requested to have its voice heard on the matter. The Academic Senate’s deliberations have not yet been completely formalized, but it has given the Committee the green-light to continue considering candidates. The search had been previously delayed in the fall to facilitate public comment, including the four town hall meetings held in October and November. The committee is currently considering applicants —whose names are being kept confidential. Over the next few weeks the committee plans to narrow the field down to a longlist of roughly
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eight to 10 semifinalists. Wood said the committee will then conduct interviews with the longlist and he expects to have shortlist finalists by mid to late May. Once the shortlist is reached the finalists will become public and will be asked to make a visit to the campus in order to meet with staff in the athletics department and to interact with the students. The visits would also include individual open forums for each applicant. “[In the open forum, each candidate] will be given a topic to talk on,” Wood said, “and then they will answer questions. So it will be a great opportunity for students and other members of our community, both on and off campus, to come ask [the applicants] questions.” The campus visits would also ideally include time for each of the finalists to meet with Katehi although Wood conceded that this might be difficult to accommodate due to complexities in coordinating schedules. As the search continues, the committee has been given specific qualities to look for in a new head of UC Davis Athletics. “The Chancellor’s direction was very clear: She wants to place a lot of value on the academic integrity [of the finalists],” Wood said. “We want our studentathletes to be able to graduate and find successful careers.” TREVOR CRAMER can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.
Plans for more family programs are imminent
Shazib Haq / Aggie
The Davis Art Center has offered classes since 1959 and has been at its current location since 1986.
By CLAIRE TAN
Associate City Editor
The Davis Art Center (DAC), located on 1919 F St., has steadily been profession-
Forecast The greatest day in Davis is almost upon us: PICNIC DAY! A high pressure ridge will stay over Davis from now through the weekend, bringing us warm and sunny conditions. Forecast for Saturday: Awesome. Kenneth Doss, atmospheric science major Aggie Forecasting Team
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alizing its programs. About a year and a half ago the James Irvine Foundation – a provider of grants to nonprofit organizations across California – awarded the center with
$225,000 over a course of three years. “We have a new mission,” said Executive Director of the
See ART, page 5
Save lives. Donate blood. The Pavillion from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. You get a free t-shirt and 25% off the GAP store in Davis! Amanda Nguyen