Lighting Safety Walk Highlights Security Upgrades and Next Steps

Check Progress on $20 Million Investment in Outdoor Lights, Cameras, Call Boxes and Building Security Upgrades

It might not sound like a positive thing, but last week about 250 texts requesting maintenance or improvement to campus lights were received by Facilities Management — one sure sign that the 16th annual Campus Safety Lighting Walk was a productive one. While some of those may be redundant requests, the Facilities and Police teams who led the event are working together to update their to-do lists accordingly.

"The lighting walk is an important chance for our teams to hear directly from the campus community about campus locations that need improvements,” said Clare Shinnerl, vice chancellor for Finance, Operations and Administration, who was at the walk.

Approximately 75 employees and students gathered for the walk, which included paths with recently updated lighting fixtures — such as lights along Shields Avenue, Hutchison Drive, the Sprocket bike path and pedestrian paths south of Lot 25. Feedback from these annual walks plays an important role in shaping campus safety investments.

UC Davis is two years into a five-year, $20 million investment in campus security infrastructure, which includes lights, cameras, emergency call boxes and building security systems. Additional lighting projects and building security upgrades are planned throughout the 2026 calendar year. 

So far the university has spent about $10.1 million on security projects that have been completed (or will be completed in February) since the chancellor announced the $20 million commitment in October 2023. This work involves coordination between staff members in the UC Davis Police Department, Facilities Management, Design and Construction Management, Safety Services and Student Affairs.

"We’ve made significant progress, and we are thankful for the continuous conversation with our campus community members to make these improvements," said Jeff Rott, security director for UC Davis Police, who helped lead the walk event.

Lighting improvements continue with community input

Outdoor lighting is one of the most visible components of this investment. Seven key areas were identified for major pathway and exterior lighting upgrades as part of the $20 million plan — with input from previous lighting walks and campus planners. Four of those regions are now complete, with the other three scheduled for completion in February.

The lighting upgrades focus on improving visibility and safety while meeting campus design standards. The new fixtures use LED lights that are more energy-efficient, direct light downward to reduce light pollution and are controlled by an astronomical time clock that automatically adjusts timing based on seasonal changes.

Some of the new lights were first activated during the week of the lighting walk, and so removal of the older globe lights, which are now redundant, will continue gradually through February.

Emergency call boxes and outdoor cameras installed

UC Davis now has 35 emergency call boxes in operation, up from 26 in 2024. Nine new call boxes were installed in 2025, expanding coverage along key pedestrian routes and outdoor gathering areas.

Each call box features a blue beacon, video camera and direct connection to 911 dispatchers, allowing emergency responders to immediately identify the caller’s location and assess the situation in real time.

In addition, 11 new 360-degree outdoor security cameras have been installed, providing coverage that expands the campus police department’s ability to respond to incidents near Eggheads and near campus entrances along La Rue Road, Hutchison Drive and Old Davis Road. 

Building security upgrades move forward with AggieAccess

One milestone in the investment was the expansion of AggieAccess, the university’s building access system, to Veihmeyer Hall, the Music Building and Briggs Hall as well as improvements to Mrak Hall’s systems. The renovations included installing door access readers, security cameras and alarm systems. In addition to making those buildings more secure, these projects helped staff better define costs and best practices for future installations in other older buildings on campus.

Watch Local Media Coverage

Find more details about the 2026 Campus Safety Lighting Walk, including photos, videos, and tips for how to request a lighting fix on the Facilities Management website.

Coming up next are 10 more campus buildings slated for AggieAccess upgrades, with installation planned for summer 2026 when lecture halls won’t be in full use. Those buildings include: California Hall, Giedt Hall, Khaira Lecture Hall, Kleiber Hall, Olson Hall, Rock Hall, Social Science and Humanities Lecture Hall, Walker Hall, Wellman Hall and Young Hall.

"What’s coming next is going to be a significant upgrade in how we coordinate security and day-to-day operations on campus,” Rott said. “Adding these buildings to AggieAccess this summer allows us to respond quickly to issues, while also better supporting classes and special event management across our campus."

This year’s expansion of AggieAccess is estimated to cost $5.4 million, which includes $4.6 million from the central campus investment along with almost $850,000 from campus departments. Additional spending from the $20 million commitment is expected to include more than $5 million to expand AggieAccess to more campus buildings, including door access readers, security cameras and alarm systems. 

A continuing investment in campus safety

More than a decade into the lighting safety walk tradition, UC Davis leaders emphasize that progress depends on both infrastructure investment and community engagement.

"Every walk reinforces that safety is a shared responsibility," Shinnerl said. "The feedback we receive directly influences where we invest next, and it helps ensure that improvements reflect how students, faculty and staff actually use campus spaces at night."

Check the Progress on Security Investments webpage, on the Design and Construction Management website, for the latest updates to campus security infrastructure.