Raises for nonunion staff

The university announced that it gave "merit" pay increases of 3.5 percent, effective Oct. 1, to nonrepresented, or nonunion, employees whose job performance "meets expectations." The state budget is providing the money as part of an overall funding increase of 4 percent for UC compensation and benefits programs. For nonrepresented employees, the money for salaries is being split two ways: 3.5 percent for "merit" increases and 0.5 percent for an "equity funding pool … to address significant individual market parity and equity issues," according to the UC Office of the President. Wages for represented employees are subject to collective bargaining, with information available through union representatives.

Brown Bag programs

The Academic and Staff Assistance Program announced its fall schedule of Brown Bag programs, open to the campus community, free of charge, with no reservations needed. All sessions are scheduled to run from noon to 1 p.m. For more information, call the Academic and Staff Assistance Program, (530) 752-2727.

• The Joy of Laughter — Oct. 26, DeCarli Room, Memorial Union.
• Managing Chronic Illness — Nov. 17, Garrison Room, MU.
• Effective Communication Skills — Nov. 28, Garrison Room, MU.
• How to Get Through the Holidays With Your Family — Dec. 7, DeCarli Room, MU.

Commencement regalia

The Special Services division announced that departments have until Nov. 13 to put in requests for faculty caps and gowns and other academic regalia for fall commencement. UC Davis offers free loan of such regalia, including tassels and UC doctoral hoods. Departments can place orders online: http://ucdmm.ucdavis.edu/SpecialServices/CapsGownsProd. For more information, call Terry Chase, (530) 752-9309.

The university maintains a storehouse of doctorate, master's and bachelor's degree robes. Also available are hoods denoting doctorate degrees from the UC system. Faculty members who require doctoral hoods from other institutions must place rental orders through the bookstore: bookstore.ucdavis.edu/ucd-access/facultyhoods.

New GSM Web site

The Graduate School of Management on Oct. 5 unveiled its redesigned public Web site, www.gsm.ucdavis.edu, for prospective MBA students, corporate recruiters, alumni and business partners. The launch of the redesigned site coincides with the Graduate School of Management's celebration of its 25th anniversary this academic year.

Visitors will find specific "toolkits" in each major section, allowing people to quickly and easily find the most frequently sought information about GSM programs.

Business Officers Institute nominations

The UC Office of the President will be offering the next session of the Business Officer institute from Nov. 27-30, in San Francisco. Nominations are due Oct. 18. To nominate someone, send the following information to Chuck Yannacone at cgyannacone@ucdavis.edu:

• Participant — name, title, title code, department, email address, telephone number; whether nominee is from an academic or administrative unit.
• Supervisor — name, title, email address and telephone number.
• Nominator — name, title, email address and telephone number.
• Rationale for your nomination.