It is with great sadness that I am announcing a significant reduction in services to our students provided by the college’s Educational Enrichment and Outreach Programs (EEOP).

These changes are a result of the unprecedented challenges to our university’s scientific and educational mission as federal grant funding is reduced and restrictive new guidelines for grants are implemented. The state and University of California budget constraints are also significant. In short, this is a volatile and difficult time.

At present, EEOP initiatives funded by the National Institutes of Health that have received termination notices are:

• Accelerated Development of Aging Researchers (ADAR)
• Accelerated Development of Aging Researchers - Honors (ADAR Honors)
• Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC)

The Continuing Umbrella of Research Experiences (CURE) program within EEOP remains funded and will recruit a new cohort of students for the next academic year.

There are three other programs outside of EEOP but related in their general focus and impact that have also received termination notices. They are:

• Bridges to Baccalaureate (B2B)
• Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD)
• Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program at UC Davis (PREP@UC Davis)

The termination of these grants amounts to a loss of approximately $1.3 million a year — a sum that we cannot replace from other sources. As a result, ADAR and ADAR-Honors, MARC, B2B, IMSD and PREP@UC Davis are being discontinued at the end of this academic year.

These reductions also affect the long-running Biology Undergraduate Scholars Program (BUSP), which will be suspended and no new cohort will be recruited from the incoming class of first-year students this fall.

We are working to support existing students in each program with college and philanthropic funds, and to transition affected program staff into other roles on campus where possible.

The loss of these programs is a setback for student support and the future of biotechnology, healthcare, and the educational workforce. These are disappointing times. Despite this, we remain committed to supporting our students, fostering innovation, and advancing discovery across the life sciences.

And that will not change.

If you or students around you need support, please contact:

• Staff - Academic and Staff Assistance Program (ASAP)
• Students - Student Health and Counseling Services

If you have questions or other comments about these closures, please contact: Mark Winey (mwiney@ucdavis.edu)