UC Merced Library

The field of student affairs plays a critical role in the higher education experience. The work done by student affairs professionals helps students begin a lifetime journey of growth and self-exploration (National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, n.d.). An important part of being a student affairs professional is promoting and encouraging respect for the diverse communities served by our respective institutions. The purpose of this study is to explore the use of language in the recruitment process of special programs such as the Fresno State Outreach and Special Programs office. The study seeks to answer the research question, how does the language utilized in recruitment materials impact students who may apply for a particular program? The goal is to offer recommendations for more equity-minded recruitment practices. The study finds that the Fresno State Outreach and Special Programs office utilizes the six equity-mindedness practices of the USC Equity Web Scan Tool.

It is crucial we examine the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the field and practice of librarianship and on teaching information literacy (IL). Calls for development of IL skills[i] are more urgent in the face of AI technologies because of their unprecedented abilities to mimic how humans create information, which has resulted in widespread belief these technologies are “thinking” and yielding trustworthy and complete “answers." At UC Merced, we are undertaking a study combining A/B user testing and qualitative approaches to look at the attitudes and behaviors of students toward AI in Library Research. In particular, this study aims to compare student uses of and reactions to UC Library Search’s AI Research Assistant. We will present preliminary findings that can inform libraries that are deciding whether or not to introduce AI into their own discovery systems and tips to librarians who are looking for critical ways to teach these tools in classrooms. The presentation will also provide an overview of UC Merced’s AI planning more broadly.

[i] Recent studies from Project Information Literacy (PIL), Stanford Graduate School of Education, and NIH have called for development of IL skills in high school and college students and in teachers.

Building healthy soils that store more carbon and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while increasing food security is a multi-pronged climate action for the world. This work examines affordable technologies for rapidly assessing soil surface efflux of carbon dioxide quickly and accurately at multiple locations over short time periods (approximately 1 hr) in agricultural fields. Soil carbon dioxide efflux or respiration rate is known to be a strong function of soil texture, moisture content, and temperature. Thus, spatiotemporal variation of the efflux signal is complex and dynamic, particularly when soil texture and irrigation patterns are heterogenous. We use a combination of computational modeling and empirical measurement to study this problem at the UC Merced Experimental Smart Farm, on a roughly 2 ha track of flood-irrigated land. Using computation model (Hydrus 1d), we simulate soil conditions and CO₂ emissions for a variety of ambient temperature and irrigation conditions. We calibrated the model parameters using efflux data obtained during multiple sampling campaigns using low-cost CO₂ efflux chambers. Results indicate that relatively elevated emissions occur as key soil pore pathways drain following irrigation events. The timing of these emissions depends strongly on soil texture, with tighter clayey soils causing more dramatic “hot moments” and more smoothly draining sandy soils. While initial campaigns were carried out by researchers, future campaigns are being planned in which robotic micro-tractors will be equipped with the CO₂ chambers and maneuvered using path planning algorithms programmed to adequately characterize the field-scale CO₂ efflux while performing their primary agricultural functions. In this context, the farmer can monitor and achieve compliance with GHG emission goals with a minimal time investment.

The White Paper highlights selected Library activities and aligns them with UC Merced's Strategic Planning Goals; it does not showcase all Library services and contributions. Included recommendations suggest how an investment in the UC Merced Library can support the ongoing advancement of the university’s mission.

The goal of this history guide is to introduce Livingston students and community members to a Livingston history that is intentionally inclusive of different communities. By presenting a diverse account of Livingston's history, we are able to better understand the town's present context, how it operates for different people, and how we can work together to build a better future for all. As part of the Livingston Centennial Celebration, the following organizations partnered to create this guide: the University of California Merced Department of History & Critical Race and Ethnic Studies, UC Merced Library, City of Livingston Recreation Department, Livingston Historical Society, Merced Union High School District, and Livingston Union School District.

The investigations undertaken in this project have provided a systematic study of the soils within a broad band of National Park land that includes the watersheds between the Marble and Middle Forks of the Kaweah River and the southerly side of Ash Peaks Ridge. The products of this study are: 1) a reconnaissance (Order 4) soil map and map unit descriptions of the selected area: and 2) ultra-detailed (Order 1) soil maps and map unit descriptions of three sites within the larger area at which long-range, intensive studies on the ecologic effects of acid precipitation are underway. The latter are: the Emerald Lake Area, the Log Meadow Area, and the Elk Creek Area.