uc davis campus visit

UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden

Visit and Explore

Important parking information.

While the Arboretum and Public Garden does not operate its own parking lots, campus parking is available in visitor lots for daily parking ($15/day) on weekdays, and free on weekends and holidays . Parking may be purchased through AggiePark via the AMP Park app or website. Learn more about AggiePark.

Here for a short visit? Use COSMO permit dispensers  — located in the Gateway Parking Structure , Pavilion Parking Structure , and Quad Parking Structure ,   and visitor parking lots 1 , 5, 25 , 47 and 56 (and lot 30 in the summer) — t o purchase parking by the hour . There are also limited time parking zones that offer 35 and 75 minute parking that can be located on the AggiePark map. Learn more about hourly parking rates.

The Arboretum and Public Garden includes the historic Arboretum — a 100-plus acre campus and regional amenity comprised of demonstration gardens and scientific collections — the Putah Creek Riparian Reserve — a rare stream and grassland ecosystem managed for teaching, research, wildlife and habitat protection — and the rest of our 5300-acre campus.

As specialists in sustainable landscape management and public engagement, and in support of our university’s environmental science expertise, we operate these areas as outdoor museums and living laboratories. Each holds opportunities for engaging and inspiring students to become environmental leaders, for the public to learn about the importance of sustainable gardening and natural land management practices, for visitors to informally explore the academic richness of UC Davis and so much more!

There is no charge to visit the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden; our gardens, natural areas and landscapes are open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. We welcome families, visitors of all ages, even dogs on leashes. Learn more by dropping by the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden Headquarters ; the office is open Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 1 – 4 p.m. 

Visit the UC Davis Arboretum

Visitor map.

Check out the Arboretum visitor map which offers options for three different walking tours and includes suggested places to park for each.   Download the map.

While the Arboretum and Public Garden does not operate its own parking lots, campus parking is available in visitor lots for daily parking ($15/day) on weekdays, and free on weekends and holidays . Parking may be purchased through AggiePark via the AMP Park app or website. Learn more about AggiePark. There are also options for hourly parking via permit machines in certain lots and parking structures and 35 or 70 minute parking in limited time zones. Learn more about hourly parking rates and locations.

Suggested starting points:

Download the Arboretum's Visitor Map to see our 3 suggested loop trails.

• Visit the west side of the Arboretum ( magenta loop ): Start your exploration in our Mediterranean Collection along the Arboretum Waterway and park in  t he Putah Creek Lodge Parking Lot  or use street parking along Garrod Drive (45 minutes – 1.5 hours).
• Visit the central portion of the Arboretum ( blue loop ): Start your exploration at the UC Davis Good Life Garden and park in t he Gateway Parking Structure . (45 minutes – 1.5 hours).
• Visit the east side of the Arboretum ( orange loop ): Start your exploration in the Arboretum GATEway Garden: park in Visitor Parking Lot 5  or downtown Davis (45 minutes – 1.5 hours).

Picnic areas, restrooms and paths

• Picnic tables are located in the  Arboretum Terrace Garden  and in the  Redwood Grove . The lawns at the west end near  Peter J. Shields Grove  are perfect for informal games and picnics.
• Public restrooms are located at the  Arboretum Gazebo ,  Arboretum Headquarters , and  Arboretum Terrace Garden .
• Arboretum paths are popular with walkers, joggers, and bicyclists. The main path is a 3.5 mile loop popular with walkers, joggers, and bicyclists.

Accessibility Information

The west end of the Arboretum and the Arboretum Terrace Garden (limited hours) at the east end of the Arboretum are level and most easily accessible to wheelchairs and people with limited mobility. Disability accommodations for programs will be provided with advanced notice. Please call 530-752-4880 or email your request to [email protected] at least two weeks in advance.

We also offer PDFs of our educational exhibits for visitors with limited mobility. Click here to see a list of our destinations with downloadable exhibits . 

For the safety of visitors and wildlife, dogs must stay on leash in the Arboretum.

Feeding ducks, or any waterfowl, is NOT PERMITTED on the UC Davis campus.

Visit the UC Davis Putah Creek Riparian Reserve

Visit the main UC Davis Putah Creek Riparian Reserve page  for directions, parking information, rules, regulations and more.

Yelp Reviews

UC Davis Arboretum scores 4.5 out of 5 stars on Yelp!

TripAdvisor Reviews

See our reviews and leave your own!

Visiting UC Davis

Planning your visit.

Visiting campus is one of the best ways to find out if you'll be happy pursuing your degree at UC Davis. We invite you to schedule a time to meet with EPM faculty, staff and  current students, and see what Environmental Policy and Management has to offer.

Get to know us

Campus tour.

Campus tour guides are available for both graduate and undergraduate students looking for private and group tours. You'll get a glimpse of student life, hear about our academic excellence, student services, organizations, clubs, as well as research and internship opportunities and see what makes UC Davis unique among college campuses.

Schedule your tour here

A valid UC Davis permit is required to park on campus. UC Davis uses AMP Park, an app that allows drivers to conduct parking permit transactions from their mobile devices. The current visitor rate is $16  but visit  UC Davis Transportation Services  for the most up to date information. If you are interested in requesting a parking permit, please contact the Program Coordinator to see if you are eligible. 

The Quad Parking Structure is the closest available parking lot to Wickson Hall , EPM's home building for faculty and staff. 

Unitrans, the UC Davis bus system has routes throughout Davis, and cost $1.25 for a one ride fare.  Discounted passes  are available.

If you're planning a visit to UC Davis, you are encouraged to schedule meetings with faculty and staff . Please contact the Program Coordinator  at least two weeks before your visit, so we can help plan your trip. If you're interested in talking with a current EPM student, feel free to share your personal interests so we can help connect you. 

Out of town visitors

The Sacramento airport (SMF) is the closest airport to Davis and is about a 20-30 minute drive to campus.

• Davis Airporter  is a private airport shuttle service used by many residents of Davis. This is a door-to-door service that must be arranged in advance for one or more persons. All reservations must be made at least three days in advance. For more information,  visit their website .
• SuperShuttle  – Advanced registration required.  See here .
• Yolobus  is a public transit system that services Yolo County and the surrounding area. Two Yolobus routes provide hourly transportation between SMF and Davis, and they do not require advance reservations. Go to the  Yolobus website  for more information.
• The Hyatt - conveniently located on campus but can be slightly more expensive.
• Best Western University Lodge
• La Quinta Inn & Suites
• Holiday Inn
• Hilton Garden Inn

Additional lodging can be found on the Yolo County webpage .

Visiting King Hall

Come to our campus.

We are happy to announce that UC Davis School of Law will be open to prospective students! Visiting King Hall is one of the best ways to learn about who we are as a law school and whether UC Davis is the right place for you to study law. Schedule an in-person visit. We can’t wait for you to join us! 

• King Hall Tour
• Book a tour to learn more about UC Davis School of Law and the King Hall community.  Book Now

Open House for Prospective Applicants 

Saturday, november 4, 2023 from 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. .

This exciting half-day program is a unique opportunity for prospective applicants to learn about King Hall's admission and financial aid process. During this event, you will have the chance  to see what makes King Hall an amazing place to study law. You will also tour our wonderful building and hear from our deans, faculty, and current law students.

• Open House Event Schedule

Check-In + Light Refreshments 8:00 - 8:30 a.m.

Welcome (Rm 1001) 8:30 - 8:45 a.m. Kevin Johnson , Dean and Mabie-Apallas Professor of Public Interest and Chicana/o Studies Brenda Quintanilla Lopez ‘24 , Law Students Association President Kristen Mercado , Assistant Dean of Admission and Financial Aid

Admission and Financial Aid Presentation (Rm 1001) 8:45 - 9:30 a.m. Kristen Mercado , Assistant Dean of Admission and Financial Aid Montré Everett , Director of Financial Aid

Break 9:30 - 9:45 a.m.

Mock Class (Rm 1001) 9:45 - 10:45 a.m. Katherine Florey , Martin Luther King Jr. Professor of Law

Break 10:45 - 11:00 a.m.

Student Life Panel + Q&A (Rm 2302, 2304, and 2306) 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. UC Davis School of Law Students

Break 12:00 - 12:15 p.m.

Career Services Panel + Lunch (Rm 1001) 12:15 - 1:15 p.m. Craig Compton , Assistant Dean of Career Services UC Davis School of Law Students

Break 1:15 - 1:30 p.m.

King Hall Tours - Tours begin at the Martin Luther King Jr. Statue 1:30 - 2:00 p.m. UC Davis School of Law Students

Information Sessions

In addition to the annual Open House for Prospective Applicants, consider joining us for a one-hour information session. Our information sessions are designed to explain general aspects of the admission process and address a select topic related to the application process and J.D. program. We will host info sessions in person and virtually on Zoom. 

• Upcoming Sessions
• Early Decision Program  Tuesday, September 12, 2023 4:00 - 5:00 pm (PT) DEI and Student Life  Thursday, October 19, 2023 5:00 - 6:00 pm (PT) How to Pay for Law School Tuesday, December 5, 2023 5:30 - 6:30 pm (PT) Alumni in Public Service  Tuesday, January 9, 2024 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. (PT) Student Affinity Organizations  Tuesday, February 6, 2024 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. (PT)

Can't make it to King Hall? 

If you are out of state, live far away, or prefer a one-on-one appointment. There are many ways to connect with our team remotely. If you are interested in speaking with a member of our admissions team, you can join a virtual drop-in session, or you may request a prospective student appointment. If are interested in connecting with us at a law school fair, check out our  recruitment events  to see when a King Hall representative will visit a location near you.

• Virtual Drop-in 
• We host virtual drop-in hours via Zoom every Monday and Wednesday from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. (Pacific Time). Virtual drop-ins are intended for quick questions about the application process that will take no more than 10 minutes. Please note that drop-in hours are unavailable on law school/university holidays.  Please also remember to consult the Law School Calendar for holiday closures.  ** NOTE: drop-in hours will be available on the following dates: May 22, May 29, June 12, July 10, August 7, August 19, and August 21. ** Monday & Wednesday: 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android:  Join our Zoom Telephone: Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1 669 900 6833  or +1 346 248 7799  or +1 253 215 8782  or +1 646 876 9923  or +1 301 715 8592  or +1 312 626 6799 Meeting ID: 940 45478987 International numbers available:  https://ucdavislaw.zoom.us/u/ad5EGkc5T During drop-in hours, you will be placed into a waiting room and a director will admit individually in the order you arrived. Please be patient because only one person mans drop-in hours at each session. This Zoom room is only staffed during the hours listed. If you cannot join the meeting, please email us at [email protected] .  
• Prospective Student Appointment
• You can schedule a 15-20 minute prospective student appointment by emailing us at [email protected] . These appointments are by phone or Zoom.

Office of the Dean 1121 Kemper Hall (530) 752-7642

Take a Tour

The UC Davis College of Engineering is excited to host in-person tours and virtual "Ask an Aggie Engineer!" Q&A sessions . Our Engineering Ambassadors will showcase the college's cutting-edge centers and laboratories, talk about why they chose to study at UC Davis, and answer both general and specific questions about UC Davis and the College of Engineering.

Virtual Tours

Explore the College of Engineering from where you are. Take a 360 virtual tour or watch a video below to check out the college's unique and renowned teaching and research areas.

Take a 360 virtual tour

• Center for Nano-MicroManufacturing

• Engineering Student Design Center

• Other Engineering Buildings and Labs

Directions and Parking

• Kemper Hall
• Bainer Hall
• Ghausi Hall
• Academic Surge Building
• Genome and Biomedical Sciences Facility

For locations and directions to buildings not listed, please visit the UC Davis Campus Map .

The closest visitor parking to Kemper, Bainer, Ghausi Hall and Academic Surge is visitor parking lot 47 . The closest parking for the Genome and Biomedical Science facility is visitor parking lot 53 .

Parking is purchased through the AggiePark via the AMP Park app . Parking on weekends is free, except during special events.

NEWS BRIEFS: Take a virtual walking tour of the campus

• by Dave Jones
• August 17, 2012

We see tour groups all the time on campus, led by students walking backwards! Starting today (Aug. 17), UC Davis offers a virtual walking tour .

“We are very excited to bring the beauty and ‘wow’ factor of UC Davis to all prospective students who have Internet access, regardless of their ability to physically visit us before applying and making their college selection,” said Kristin Burns, marketing and communication manager for Undergraduate Admissions, which produced the tour.

A "live" tour guide accompanies you, popping up on still photos of buildings and other features as you click on green arrows to go from photo to photo, making your way around the campus. Additional photos, 360-degree views and videos are available for many stops on the tour.

The virtual tour website also includes buttons to apply online — and to schedule in-person visits.

Dining Commons chefs on the fire lines

Normally they feed hungry students. But this week, four chefs from UC Davis Dining Services are cooking for the men and women who are battling forest fires in southwest Oregon.

Chef Mike Baldocchi, reached this morning (Aug. 17) by cell phone, did not hesitate when asked who eats more, students or firefighters: “Firefighters! They get roughly a pound and a half per plate!”

The UC Davis cooks — Baldocchi and Darwin Gross of the Segundo Dining Commons, and Emily Cornejo and Mark Rivera of the Tercero Dining Commons — left for Oregon on three hours’ notice Aug. 13. The chefs are employees of Sodexo, the international company that runs Dining Services, and Sodexo has federal contracts for all kinds of food service — including fire camps.

The UC Davis chefs are working the dinner shift at the Fort Complex base camp; the name refers to three fires in close proximity to one another. According to today’s command report, 664 firefighters are fighting the Fort Complex, which had burned 4,140 acres of brush and timber. Officials reported 35 percent containment, and estimated the fires would not be fully contained until Aug. 30.

The UC Davis chefs are scheduled to be on duty at the Oregon fires through Tuesday of next week.

Preorders being taken for campus poster calendar

As your UC Davis poster calendar comes to the end of its useful life Aug. 31, rest assured the new one is on its way, designed by University Communications and sold by UC Davis Stores.

Preorders are being taken now for folded and rolled calendars. They cost 90 cents each and are eligible for the 10 percent departmental discount.

Folded calendars will be delivered for free. If you order rolled calendars, you can pay to have them delivered for $2.50 (shipping materials fee, per order), or you can pick them up.

Sarah Brodberg at UC Davis Stores is taking orders by email: [email protected] . Orders should include department name, contact name, phone number, delivery location (room number and building), quantity or quantities (folded and rolled), and DaFIS account or billing ID.

Bookstore purchase orders also are acceptable, with the same information, via fax (530) 752-4791.

The calendars are due from the printer by the end of August. Folded copies will be available for purchase at all stores, on the Davis and Sacramento campuses, while supplies last. Rolled calendars will be available for sale and pickup at the main store (Memorial Union) or the medical center store in Sacramento.

Blood drive Aug. 28-29 on the Quad

The second ASUCD Blood and Marrow Drive of the summer will bring a traditional summertime treat (ice cream) and a new treat (MyBloodSource, including a rewards program).

The blood drive is scheduled from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug. 28 and 29.

“Summer is still one of the hardest times for blood banks,” said Brie Leon of the Sacramento-based BloodSource, which will park its bloodmobiles on the west side of the Quad. “If you can encourage your friends, co-workers and fellow students to attend, we would greatly appreciate it. The need for blood is constant and we always need to be prepared.”

She said each participant will receive a coupon for a free pint of Baskin-Robbins ice cream.

Also, she said, donors are invited to sign up for MyBloodSource , a new addition to the BloodSource website . With a MyBloodSource account, a donor can review his or her donations and physical data (temperature, pulse, blood pressure and the like on donation days), schedule appointments for donations, and track rewards points that can be redeemed for such gifts as movie tickets, T-shirts and e-readers.

“Those who come out to the blood drive will get points and the Baskin-Robbins coupon — a double win,” Leon said.

Prospective donors are advised to bring photo ID, and to drink plenty of fluids and to eat before donating.

For more information or to volunteer, contact Leon at (916) 416-9459 or [email protected] .

Follow Dateline UC Davis on Twitter.

Media Resources

Dave Jones, Dateline, 530-752-6556, [email protected]

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A global adventure calls

If you want an experience that will change your life, get engaged with another culture or community — either on campus or abroad. It’s an education like no other. And at UC Davis, we’ve got the country, program and experience that will suit your needs:

• Study abroad
• Global community engagement
• Global skills and leadership
• Global internships and research
• Search all Global Learning programs at UC Davis
• Search all Global Learning funding at UC Davis

Concerned about affordability or graduating on time? UC Davis offers opportunities for shorter stays, lower-cost programs, on-campus experiences, grants, scholarships and loans. We also help you integrate classes abroad into your major so you can keep on track for progress toward graduation.

Search Global Learning

Study abroad in your major

Gaining global skills while making a difference

As our world becomes more interconnected, our job market becomes more global and our knowledge crosses more boundaries. Global learning experiences are more important than ever in preparing our students for life after graduation. Beyond studying, you’ll find working or volunteering locally or abroad through one of UC Davis’ Experiential Learning programs a strategic choice. Many students find they are more competitive for jobs or graduate school when their resumes feature global experiences, real-world projects and cultural competency.

UC Davis is committed to Global Education for All, an ambitious goal to provide 100 percent of students with international or intercultural learning experiences before graduation, preparing you to succeed in this global job market and interconnected world.

If you are an international student, we invite you to check out another community or country as part of your UC Davis experience. Being able to skillfully negotiate in a number of cultures will be invaluable to your future.

Additional Global Learning Hub resources

•   Global Learning Hub website
•   Events and info sessions
•   Access and diversity
•   Scholarships and funding
•   Global Learning Blog
•  Sign up for our monthly Global Learning newsletter
•   Global Learning on Instagram
•   Global Learning on Facebook
•   Global Learning on Twitter

What Can I Do With My Major? Blog

•   “Global Experiences Take Students to All 7 Continents”
•   “International Relations Majors Seek Peace and Security through Global Learning”

  “Study Abroad Led a Biotech Major toward International Work”

UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden

Glitter is litter: Grads Asked to Use Eco-friendly Photo Props and Backdrops

• Wed, May 22, 2024

To create the perfect graduation photo, many students and photographers take advantage of props like plastic confetti and glitter. The problem is that these micro-plastics end up abandoned on campus grounds, get in the storm drains that discharge to the Arboretum Waterway, and then eventually the Sacramento River and San Francisco Bay.

“We want all our grads to get that perfect photo,” says Nina Suzuki, waterway steward for the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden. “We also want to make sure the photos don’t degrade our water quality or affect the health of our wildlife. We know both can be accomplished!”

Consider these Eco-Friendly Supplies

Get creative by shopping reuse stores for these or other eco-friendly supplies, then share them with friends and grads.

• Ribbon wands
• Signs (funny grad hat, mini blackboard, diplomas, etc.)
• Fallen leaves
• Graduation leis
• Large grad photo frame
• Grad banner

Photogenic Locations

Or, simply take advantage of the many photogenic spots founds throughout campus!

• UC Davis brick wall behind Young and Dutton Hall
• Any of the iconic Egghead locations
• Love Lock Bridge in the Arboretum
• Ivy Arbor on the Arboretum side of Mrak Hall
• Centennial Walk on the Quad
• Any of our gardens or collections

We wish our new graduates the best and hope they’ll find eco-friendly photos and celebrations just as fun and festive!

Share your eco-celebration photos via social media using these hashtags #UCDavisEcoGrad #GlitterIsLitter

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Eggheads Self-Guided Tours

Event Date May 27, 2024 - Dec 20, 2034 @ 8:00am - 8:00pm

Go for an Egghead Art Walk on the UC Davis campus. Download the Egghead Art And Merch Finder map or drop by the Manetti Shrem Museum on campus to pick up a copy. All five Egghead installations include informational labels with historical background and a QR to scan for more background and fun facts.

Large Group Tours

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University of California, Davis , One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616 | 530-752-1011

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• Principles of Community
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• Last update: March 13, 2021

Copyright © The Regents of the University of California, Davis campus. All rights reserved.

Campus Recreation

Hours, location and contact.

Monday- Friday: 8:30am- 3:30pm

Office hours are by appointment only in the off-season. Please contact us via email or phone to schedule a visit.

[email protected]

530-754-4304

We are located in the Rec Pool Courtyard, adjacent to Lot 30.

Parking is available in the parking lot adjacent to the UC Davis Rec Pool. Parking is monitored by TAPS on Campus. If you do not have a Campus Parking pass, you can pay for parking via  Park Mobile.

Mailing Address

232 ARC, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616

The science of coffee: UC Davis now home to first coffee research center at a U.S. university

DAVIS -- You've heard of college students drinking coffee to study, but what about college students studying coffee? 

Coffee research has thrived in Davis since 2016 through graduate programs on the university's campus. 

Earlier this month, the UC Davis Coffee Center finally opened its own building on campus . It is now the only coffee research center at a university nationwide.

"UC Davis is known throughout the world for its innovation in food and food systems and agriculture. Coffee fits naturally in that. So we are very proud to have the nation's first academic center focused on coffee," said Bill Ristenpart, founding director of the Coffee Center. 

UC Davis has led graduate-level research for years and also offers an undergraduate course on the design of coffee, which more than 2,000 students have taken this year alone. 

"The goal is to do for coffee what UC Davis has already done for wine and for beer, which is to help elevate our state of knowledge about coffee, to help create an academic talent pipeline to serve the coffee industry and help make coffee better," Ristenpart said. "Not only for the people who consume it here in the United States but for the millions of people around the world whose livelihood depends on growing and producing coffee."

The Coffee Center is home to state-of-the-art technology allowing graduate researchers and faculty of many different fields to engage in innovative study on the science of coffee itself. 

Irwin Donis Gonzalez, co-director of the Coffee Center, showed CBS13 the Green Bean room, home to the coffee beans stored and studied at the center. 

Most all coffee beans are green or golden in color before they are roasted to give the desired flavor. At the center, this room is where their research starts. 

"What are the storage conditions that can better keep the quality of the coffee?" Gonzalez asked. "We cannot improve the quality, but can maintain the quality we are obtaining from the field."

That is the main goal of what is researched in this room: the exact science of how to store each batch to preserve its true character. 

Gonzalez said they use environmental chambers to do just that. 

"We can very accurately control the relative humidity and the temperature," Gonzalez said. 

The transformation process for those beans starts in the roastery where they're loaded into an oven-like spinning machine where every single variable matters. 

"We are heating at 37%. Our exhaust temperature is at 391 degrees," said head roaster Tim Styczynski, tweaking the exact measurements for a batch of beans in the roaster. 

The beans are heated up and dried out, and the exact formula used each time impacts the roast: for example, more heat and more time in the machine means a darker roast. 

They can also tweak certain inputs to generate a more sweet or sour roast. 

"As we are monitoring the bean temperature, I am looking to see if there's any hips or valleys. I don't want to mess it up. It has to be just right," said Styczynski. 

After the beans roast, they cool for about three minutes in a machine that spins them in the open air. 

"It cools the coffee down and stops the roasting process," said Styczynski. 

After cooling, they can then be bagged up and will eventually be analyzed bean by bean in the center's science lab. 

"It's as easy as snapping a photo just like this," said Keegan Thompson, an undergraduate communications student doing marketing for Roast Pic.  

Roast Pic is an app that was developed by students at the UC Davis Coffee Center. The technology scans the photo of the beans and identifies any inconsistencies or imperfections as well as general information about each bean and its roast. 

"It's making sure you are having a reliable product shipped out, making sure your coffee is going to be brewed the same every single time," said Thompson. 

The coffee beans will then be brewed at the center using exact temperatures, ratios and more to perfect the desired cup. 

"Every coffee has its own recipe, and even throughout the day as humidity changes and barometric pressure changes, they all have an effect on brewing a great cup of espresso," Styczynski said. 

The espresso is then served up for a sample in the sensory tasting booth where researchers study how people perceive each sip. 

The booth's red light masks the coffee's color. This forces whoever is tasting the coffee to ignore its color and focus only on its flavor when giving their opinion. 

"A coffee that looks darker or lighter could give people preconceived notions on how a coffee would turn out," said graduate student researcher Lik Xian Lim. "My main interest is really understanding consumer preferences in terms of how people like coffee differently and their perception of it to answer different questions. Why do they actually like coffee?" 

The goal of the Coffee Center is to grow and nurture the coffee industry. Leaders hope to one day offer a graduate degree in coffee science. 

Their work is made possible thanks to generous donations from community partners. The center's building was paid for privately, with no tuition dollars or tax dollars used. 

To learn more about the center and its research, visit its website.

UC academic workers union calls for strikes at UCLA and UC Davis over campus protest responses

The labor union that represents thousands of University of California academic workers is calling on members at UCLA and UC Davis to go on strike to protest their campuses' responses to pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

In a pos t on X , the UAW 4811 union urged academic workers at the two campuses to "STAND UP and walk off the job" on Tuesday. The workers would be following in the footsteps of union members at UC Santa Cruz, who went on strike this week.

UAW 4811, which is part of the United Auto Workers, represents 48,000 graduate students who work as teaching assistants, tutors and researchers across the UC system's 10 campuses. The spring quarter ends June 13 at UC Davis and June 14 at UCLA .

The union argues the UC system "mishandled and escalated the situation by taking unlawful actions that cut to the heart of our collective bargaining agreements," alleging administrators infringed on the free speech of pro-Palestinian and antiwar activists protesting the Israel-Hamas war.

UAW 4811 is also protesting the arrests of union members who participated in demonstrations.

The UC system did not immediately respond Friday to a request for comment on the possible strikes. UC officials filed an injunction with the state Public Employment Relations Board to stop the walkout. The request was denied, but the board issued a complaint Thursday accusing UAW 4811 of failing to "provide adequate advance notice of its work stoppage."

The expanded strike was announced the same day UCLA Chancellor Gene Block testified before a Republican-led House committee about campus antisemitism after Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel and Israel's subsequent military campaign in the Gaza Strip.

Block testified that UCLA should have acted more quickly to remove an encampment of pro-Palestinian activists that devolved into chaos late April 30 after a mob of counterprotesters launched a violent attack.

The clashes went on for hours before law enforcement officers arrived. The encampment was eventually taken down, and more than 200 people were arrested.

"With the benefit of hindsight, we should have been prepared to immediately remove the encampment if and when the safety of our community was put at risk," Block told the GOP-led panel Thursday. He testified alongside the presidents of Rutgers University and Northwestern University.

UCLA announced this week that the campus police chief who was faulted for his apparently slow response to the night of violence had been removed from his post , "temporarily, pending an examination of our security processes," it said in a statement .

On Thursday, pro-Palestinian activists returned to UCLA while police in riot gear stood nearby. The university said in a statement that it would not tolerate another encampment.

"Demonstrators have been informed that if they do not disperse, they will face arrest and possible disciplinary action, as well as an order to stay away from campus for 7 days," the statement said.

Daniel Arkin is a national reporter at NBC News.