The Latest

Universities That Eliminated Admission Test Requirements Saw Gains in Student Body Diversity
Professor Greta Hsu: "Effectiveness of test-optional policies depends on university priorities."
Greta Hsu, professor and associate dean of undergraduate programs, co-led research showing test-optional admissions can boost diversity, but gains fade when universities face enrollment or financial pressures and prioritize test scores.

When Neutrality Is a Constraint
Journalism in the 1930s failed to communicate the danger of Hitler’s rise. Are we repeating the same mistake now?
Lecturer Dickson Louie says because mainstream media outlets serve such a broad audience, they will continue to report “both sides,” so to speak, “despite the administration’s deviations from traditional political norms.”

Rules for Calculating Climate Risk in Financial Reporting by NZ Businesses Need Revisiting
Distinguished Emeritus Professor Paul Griffin writes that the case for mandatory disclosure of extreme weather events in New Zealand may not be strong if markets already price in such risks, and a voluntary framework might suffice for many firms.

School Shootings Leave Lasting Scars on Local Economies, Study Shows
Assistant Professor Mike Palazzolo and co-authors find household spending drops
Fatal school shootings don’t just devastate communities emotionally—they also harm their economies. People eat out less, avoid public spaces and generally spend less money after a tragedy strikes a local school.

Dean H. Rao Unnava Returning to Faculty in 2026
After a decade leading the UC Davis Graduate School of Management, H. Rao Unnava, the Michael and Joelle Hurlston Dean, will step down on June 30, 2026, and return to faculty. A national search for his successor will begin in September.

How Do Digital Platforms Shape How Vendors Compete?
Professor Rachel Chen: "Platforms turn productivity shifts into economic opportunity."
Digital platforms do more than host content—they shape competition. A new study in Marketing Science, co-authored by Professor Rachel Chen, shows how platform strategy drives innovation and value.

OPEC Projects Continued Oil Demand Growth. Other Energy Groups Disagree
Adjunct Professor Matthew Zaragoza-Watkins sees a shift toward renewables
“If somebody wants to build the cheapest, most reliable electricity generating unit right now, it's probably going to be a combination of wind, solar, and natural gas,” says Adjunct Professor Matthew Zaragoza-Watkins, an energy economics expert.

The Psychology of Competition, Negotiations and Growth Mindset
Professor Stephen Garcia: "Competition is often just a matter of perception."
In this podcast, Professor Stephen Garcia breaks down the psychology of competition—how perception, fear, group size, and even rankings shape our motivation, performance and mindset.

Daniel Martinez Honored among Poets&Quants' 2025 Best & Brightest Online MBAs
"I chose the UC Davis Online MBA because it offered the academic rigor of a top-tier program with the flexibility to balance full-time work in aerospace operations," says Daniel Martinez, named one of Poets&Quants' 2025 Best & Brightest Online MBAs.

Wells Fargo Scandal Drove Borrowers to Fintech Lenders, UC Davis Study Suggests
Assistant Professor Keer Yang: "Trust drives lending choices, not interest rates"
A new study by Assistant Professor Keer Yang shows how the 2016 Wells Fargo scandal eroded trust and drove homebuyers to fintech lenders despite steady interest rates.

Rebuilding the Pipeline for Accounting Talent
Let's make CPA requirements more flexible
In her commentary for AACSB Insights, Janie Chang, academic director for the Master of Professional Accountancy program, says that in addition to new paths to earning the CPA, business schools can make their accounting programs more appealing.

Big Bang! Business Competition Celebrates 25 Years of Empowering Entrepreneurs
Fostering leadership, innovation, training, mentoring, networking, funding
Celebrating 25 years, the Big Bang! Business Competition, hosted by the UC Davis Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, empowers entrepreneurs to launch transformative ventures. View video and learn more.