$120 Million Gift Sets the Stage for a New Era in Veterinary Education at UC Davis

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 16:41:19 GMT

Today, the University of California, Davis announced a historic $120-million philanthropic commitment to their veterinary program. This gift from Joan and Sanford I. Weill, through the Weill Family Foundation, will help expand clinical capacity, modernize teaching infrastructure and address workforce shortages.

This gift represents one of the largest ever made to veterinary medicine worldwide. In response to the generosity, the university has renamed the school the University of California, Davis, Joan and Sanford I. Weill School of Veterinary Medicine, or the UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine in short.

“Joan and Sandy Weill’s extraordinary generosity will allow UC Davis to move faster, think bigger and rise to meet the most urgent challenges facing our world,” says Dr. Mark Stettler, dean of the UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine. “This gift empowers us to drive discoveries, expand access to world-class education, and develop new insights at the intersection of veterinary and human health. It launches an exciting new era in veterinary medicine and provides the catalyst needed to advance the construction of our new hospital. With continued support from our philanthropic community, we can bring this vision to completion.”

Expanding Capacity as Demand for Veterinary Care Grows

The transformative impact of this gift will center an $80-million investment toward the construction of a new small animal teaching hospital designed to support a significantly higher caseload while serving as an advanced training platform for veterinary students, interns and residents. This is a part of the school’s ongoing initiative to expand their Veterinary Medical Complex. The current UC Davis veterinary hospital treats approximately 50,000 patients annually; the new facility is expected to enable care for up to 20,000 more across species while relieving capacity constraints that can limit teaching exposure.

This expansion means students will be exposed to larger and more diverse clinical caseloads allowing them to encounter a broader range of conditions, gain earlier responsibility under supervision and train in high-demand specialties such as neurology, oncology, cardiology, and primary, emergency and critical care. These updated facilities will also allow for the enrollment of more students, supporting the current veterinary shortage.

The remaining $40 million will be directed toward fundamental and clinical research, strengthening the link between education and discovery. By supporting team-based science and early-stage projects, the funding is expected to give faculty greater flexibility to pursue high-impact ideas that can lead directly into advanced training opportunities.

A Longstanding Connection to Veterinary Medicine

The contributions of Joan and Sanford I. Weill to medical research, education and cultural institutions spans decades. Their support has led to advancements in cancer, immunology and neuroscience research. Their connection to UC Davis veterinary medicine includes earlier support for clinical research initiatives and personal experience as clients of the veterinary hospital. Further, Sanford Weill has served on the UC Davis Chancellor’s Board of Advisors since 2014, helping influence long-term strategy for the university.

“Joan and Sandy have been extraordinary champions for UC Davis,” says Shaun B. Keister, vice chancellor for development and alumni relations. “Their leadership over the years has made a remarkable difference, and I’m truly inspired by their dedication.”

Rep. Cleaver Requests Information from U.S. Veterinary Schools Over Student Workload Concerns

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 14:04:41 GMT

U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo., has formally requested information from 36 accredited colleges of veterinary medicine, raising concerts about student workload and clinical training practices. Letters sent last week to schools across the country are seeking details on how institutions monitor clinical duty hours, ensure student welfare and prevent students from being overextended during required rotations.

While colleges should provide rigorous curriculums that guarantee students will receive the best education and experience possible, we must also ensure students are not being exploited.

With numerous allegations of abuse at veterinary schools, I’m demanding answers.…
— Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (@repcleaver) December 10, 2025

“I write today concerning troubling allegations of systemic abuse taking place within American veterinary medicine schools,” Cleaver wrote. “Despite a relatively small number of veterinary schools across the country, recent years have seen an explosion of students speaking out about the conditions at these programs.”

In December 2023 , fourth-year veterinary students from the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania penned a letter to their administration outlining how they were consistently working 100 hour weeks, when the Student American Veterinary Medical Association guidelines call for a cap of 80 hours per week. A similar situation was revealed at the College of Veterinary Medicine Iowa State University, with students lacking the required eight hour rest period between shifts and not having proper time for meals while on shift, despite university policies on duty hours.

“I believe strongly that our higher education institutions should provide rigorous curriculums that guarantee students will receive the best education and experience possible, ensuring they are capable and qualified when they enter into the workforce,” Cleaver said in a press release . “However, just as we have taken steps to ensure colleges and universities are not taking advantage of student athletes for institutional monetary benefit, we must ensure that students at veterinary medicine schools are not being exploited. Unfortunately, with numerous allegations of abuse, it appears we have more work to do, and I’m hopeful that these institutions will provide information to address these concerns and ensure proper protections are in place.”

The letter underscores the tension in academic medicine of balancing clinical service demands with student learning, supervision and well-being. Excessive duty hours are not only a student wellness issue, but could also affect patient safety and education quality, particularly when fatigue limits learning or decision-making.

What Veterinary Schools are Being Asked to Provide

Rep. Cleaver’s letter requests information on:

Policies governing veterinary student clinical duty hours
How schools track and enforce workload limits
Mechanisms for students to report excessive hours or unsafe conditions
Protections against retaliation for students who raise concerns
How institutions balance educational objective with clinical service demands

Cleaver requested a response from schools by year-end.