Dear Students,

I am happy to welcome you to the 2023-24 academic year. I hope you are full of excitement as you embark on a new year at UC Davis. The start of a new academic year is a time of beginnings, opportunities and growth. It's also a time to embrace new challenges, make new friends and discover your potential. As you settle into your classes and academic pursuits, I want to take a moment to introduce you to an integral part of your university experience—the Division of Student Affairs.

What Student Affairs Does, and Why It Matters

The Division of Student Affairs complements the classroom experience at UC Davis by providing a wide range of resources that support the whole student. From Aggie Orientation, housing, dining, recreation and health care to tutoring, personal development and employment, our programs and services enrich all aspects of well-being and connect undergraduate, graduate and professional students with opportunities to nourish their potential and growth.

Here’s an overview of the many services Student Affairs offers:

Community and Connection: Our 16 dedicated cultural and identity-based centers and programs are perfect for making connections and finding your community as an Aggie, and our Center for Student Involvement hosts over 800 Registered Student Organizations (RSO), including our Sorority and Fraternity Life (SFL). You can explore all of the RSOs on Aggie Life and learn more at a glance about our various SFL organizations in the annual Sorority and Fraternity Community Report.

Academic Support: Our Academic Assistance and Tutoring Centers see thousands of students every year, and our four Academic Retention Initiatives offer academic advising and retention support for marginalized student identities. Our Success Coaching and Learning Strategies can help you manage your time and study smarter to achieve your academic goals.

Beyond that, our Student Disability Center approves services and coordinates accommodations to ensure equal access to the University’s educational programs, and our Equitable Access program enables all undergraduate students to pay the same low rate for their textbooks, regardless of major.

Health and Wellness Resources: We know that health and well-being is directly connected to academic success. Our Student Health and Counseling Services provides a wide variety of medical, mental health and wellness services to all registered UC Davis students regardless of insurance coverage, and our Aggie Mental Health campaign helps simplify the process of accessing the many mental health resources available on campus. Our Aggie Compass Basic Needs Center provides access to fresh, nutritious food, CalFresh enrollment assistance, professional wardrobe, bedding and all basic needs resources. In addition, our Office of Student Support provides non-clinical case managers to help students struggling with challenges and crisis-related issues that interfere with their academic and student life success.

On the well-being side, our Department of Campus Recreation enhances well-being and the educational experience in the UC Davis community through personal development and involvement in our dynamic programs, services and facilities like the ARC, Craft Center, Rec Sports, Club Sports and so much more.

Career Development: Our Internship and Career Center is the primary career development resource at UC Davis. It offers four internship and career fairs, workshops on finding an internship or part-time job, beginning a job search, developing a resume, networking and preparing for an interview and the online job search app Handshake. Additionally, Student Affairs is the largest employer of students on campus, offering real life job experience and learning opportunities. 

Housing and Dining: Our Housing Services provides housing to approximately 15,000 undergraduate, graduate and students with families who live in on-campus residential facilities, and our Dining Services produces about 20,000 delicious, nutritious meals made daily from sustainable food sources at the campus restaurants, dining halls and markets. We also oversee all of the food trucks and Peet's Coffee locations on campus.

My own life—and perhaps yours, too—was transformed through the power of education. I am driven every day by the desire to pay forward the opportunities that were instrumental to my success. As you embark on this academic journey, I encourage you to take full advantage of the resources and opportunities offered by the Division of Student Affairs. We are here to support you, guide you and ensure that your time at UC Davis is both fulfilling and transformative.

Remember that your success is not just measured by grades alone but by the personal growth, connections and experiences you gain during your time here. Make the most of every moment and don't hesitate to reach out to us whenever you need assistance or have questions. I recommend that you bookmark this message so you can refer to the information in the future. 

I wish you all a remarkable and rewarding academic year ahead. Together, let's make this year a memorable chapter in your educational journey.

Sincerely,

Pablo Reguerín
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs