Up for discussion: College rankings

Choosing the right college can be nerve-wracking — a student will likely find his or her life direction there. It’s no wonder, then, that many students and their parents use college rankings to compare and select schools.

But rankings may not be the best source of information when choosing a college, said Mitchel Benson, who, as interim assistant vice chancellor for University Communications, watches the rankings.

Briefly speaking: Students welcome e-mail system

The UC Davis e-mail system is getting a makeover as the campus adopts Google Inc.’s Gmail for student accounts. The switch from the homegrown Geckomail service, beginning next week, gives students use of an e-mail system that is rich with features and provides access to Google applications that make it easier for students to work together.