Become a student affairs officer

The campus announced that applications are now being accepted for the SAOs for the Future program, intended to cultivate a diverse pool of talented and motivated staff interested in pursuing entry-level student affairs officers positions.

The 10-month development program for up to 30 people is scheduled to run from June through March of next year. Participants must have been employed on the main campus or within the health system for at least one year (past probation, career status) as of the application deadline.

For more information on the program, people are invited to attend any one of four brown bag sessions; they are scheduled from noon to 1 p.m. March 5, 6 and 12 in the Cabernet Room at the Silo, and March 9 in the training room, Suite 2400, Ticon III, at the UC Davis Health System.

The application is available online: sdps.ucdavis.edu/sao.htm. Applications are due by noon March 23 at Staff Development and Professional Services, Tercero Trailer B.

Questions can be directed to Paula Driver Shimada, participant coordinator, (530) 752-1255 or pdshimada@ucdavis.edu.

Diversity nominations due

The Office of Campus Community Relations has extended the deadline to March 5 for nominations for the annual Diversity and Principles of Community Achievement Awards.

Anyone in the university community — main campus and health system — is invited to submit nominations. Award descriptions and the criteria for nominations are available online, http://directives.ucdavis.edu/2007/07-004.cfm.

Nominations should be directed to program coordinator Vickie Gomez in the Office of Campus Community Relations. Her office is in 417 Mrak Hall.

Music downloading service ends

A company with which UC Davis partnered to offer a music downloading service — free to students and at a fee to employees — is discontinuing the service.

Cdigix formally notified the campus last week that it will cancel, effective April 30, its basic service that allows users to download, stream and create playlists through the company's music player. The service upgrade, which enabled users to download tunes onto an MP3 player for $6.99 a month, has already stopped.

In a notice to campus, Cdigix's vice president of university sales said the decision was made for business reasons, including a new focus on service for academic content.

"Given the harsh reality of student filesharing of music, together with the increased emphasis on music by large global companies such as Apple and Microsoft," said Mark Brodsky, "it became clear to us that a renewed focus on education would require us to make a transition away from our Ctrax music service."

The service began during the fall quarter. Cdigix last reported in December that there were 1,300 free subscriptions.

Tracy Bennett, associate director of Student Housing, said the campus will not be arranging for a replacement service. "UC Davis had considered it, but we think the market now meets consumers and students needs," he said. "We continue to encourage students to make use of legal alternatives."

The cancellation of the service does not have financial implications for UC Davis. Under the contract, UC Davis did not have any direct costs or revenue sharing agreement, Bennett said. UC Davis has posted a notice on the Web site used to promote the service, and Student Housing sent an e-mail last week to students living in residence halls.

Faculty named wine 'icons'

Two renowned faculty members from the UC Davis' Department of Viticulture and Enology, the late Maynard Amerine and the late Harold Olmo, will be named "icons" in the Vintners Hall of Fame by the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone.

The honor recognizes the two trailblazers' contributions to the establishment and growth of the California wine industry. The awards will be presented during a March 9 gala event at the culinary institute's campus in St. Helena. The honorees were determined by ballots sent to 70 top American wine journalists. Also, the institute will designate legendary winemaker Robert Mondavi as a wine "pioneer."