Bigger Undergraduate Enrollment Brings Advising and Commencement Changes

An overwhelming increase in enrollment has brought many changes both to the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and to the departments within the college.

The Animal Science Department has gone from having 340 students in 1993 to more than 800 in 2003. Students coming into the department may choose among four majors: Animal Science, Animal Science and Management, Avian Sciences and Animal Biology.

To meet the demands of the increasing enrollment the Advising Center in Meyer Hall has hired more staff and student assistants. In addition to the staff advisors, Rod Santos, and Amber Pflager, four student peer advisers are available during the academic year. Two undergraduate students, Erika Scharfen and Rachelle Brammeier, work the front desk in the Advising Center.

Besides consulting with the two staff advisors and four peer advisers, students also see their faculty advisers, who play an important role in advising and academic opportunities.

One change the university made this past fall was adding a December commencement ceremony for UC Davis undergraduates who finish their degrees in the summer or fall.

Vice provost for Undergraduate Studies Pat Turner said the ceremony was instituted because the spring ceremonies of two of the undergraduate colleges—each attended by about 1,000 students—are nearing the capacity of the Recreation Hall. This year 21 Animal Science seniors graduated in the fall, with nine participating in the commencement ceremony.

The spring 2003 commencement ceremony for the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences will take place on Saturday afternoon, June 14, 2003. About 150 undergraduate students are expected to graduate from the Animal Science Department majors..