THE WAY WE WORK
Work It : Gary S . May
A glimpse into the daily life of the UC Davis chancellor
BY Jeff Wilser PHOTO BY Wes Davis
Be quick , be focused , be in touch . This is how UC Davis Chancellor Gary S . May runs a sprawling campus of 39,000 enrolled students , which contributes $ 8 billion annually to California ’ s economy , according to the university . “ I never take my eyes off of being in close contact with the constituents of UC Davis ,” May says . That means constant meetings and never-ending email — to the tune of several hundred emails a day . He reads them all , and he responds ASAP . “ I ’ m just obsessivecompulsive about that . I just like to have my inbox empty or close to empty every day .” This is how he gets it done .
5AM – Immediately checks email , responding to anything urgent .
5:30AM – Runs or walks to the UC Davis Activities and Recreation Center . Lifts weights — a mix of machines , free weights , and calisthenics to work his core , legs and upper body .
6:30AM – Cleans up , dons suit and tie , wolfs down a breakfast of highfiber cereal .
UC Davis Chancellor Gary S . May usually begins his day working at his campus office and returns home in the afternoon for Zoom meetings .
7AM – Arrives at the office 30 minutes to one hour before his day is scheduled to begin . “ That ’ s my time to organize myself for the day , and to respond thoughtfully to emails or texts that help strengthen my relationships with family , friends , colleagues and other connections .”
8AM – Meetings , meetings and more meetings — mostly in person . These
30 comstocksmag . com | November 2021