UC Berkeley NewsCenter: Campus News archive

Recent stories

Japanese Americans receive honorary degrees, 67 years after WWII internment cut short their studies at Berkeley
Forty-two former Berkeley students, now in their eighties and nineties, have finally received the campus degrees they had been working toward nearly seven decades ago, when Japanese Americans were sent to internment camps in the midst of World War II. For 78 additional Japanese Americans now deceased or too infirm to attend, family members accepted diplomas in their honor.
(16 December)

Protesters attack Berkeley chancellor’s home
At approximately 11 p.m. Friday, a group of about 40 to 70 protesters stormed Chancellor Robert J. Birgeneau's home on the north side of the UC Berkeley campus, smashing planters, windows and lights while shouting, "No justice, no peace." They also threw incendiary objects at the house. Eight people were arrested on a variety of charges.
(12 December)

UC police arrest 66 at Wheeler Hall
UC Berkeley police arrested dozens of trespassing students and other protesters early Friday morning, the same day the group was set to hold an unauthorized concert inside a classroom building. The protesters were arrested without incident at 4:40 a.m. for misdemeanor trespassing inside Wheeler Hall and transported to Santa Rita jail.
(11 December)

Paper is out, digital is in, when it comes to dissertations
The move to online publishing of will make the research of Berkeley's Ph.D.'s easily accessible from any computer in the world. The campus will save paper, shelf space, and staff time; students will save money and headaches.
(10 December)

Student activists spend peaceful night in Wheeler Hall
Approximately 50 student activists and others spent Monday night in Wheeler Hall, kicking off what they describe as a week-long effort to establish an "open university."
(08 December)

Campus musicians receive gift from pianist Earl Hines' estate
The gift to the University of California, Berkeley, of the bulk of famous jazz pianist Earl "Fatha" Hines' estate will provide exceptionally gifted low-income students with free musical instruction and the campus's music library with his collection of papers, compositions and memorabilia. Hines' musical archive will become the cornerstone at the Jean Gray Hargrove Music Library of a new Archive of African American Music, which would be unique on the West Coast.
(08 December)

UC Commission on the Future gets feedback from the system's flagship campus
In the ninth of 10 campus forums around the state this fall, members of the University of California Commission on the Future, charged with fundamentally rethinking the institution in a time of financial crisis, came to Berkeley Thursday for an exchange with members of the campus community.
(07 December)

Chancellor's video message to campus community
Reflecting on last month's protest at Wheeler Hall, Chancellor Birgeneau says he regrets that it "escalated into police action," and understands and sympathizes with anger over budget cuts and fee hikes. He calls on students, staff, and faculty to work together — peacefully and constructively — to address the campus's challenges. "Further cuts," he declares, "are unacceptable."
(01 December)

Review of Wheeler Hall protest to be undertaken
Campus leaders have announced that a review is underway of the crowd control measures used by police on November 20, when 40 protesters occupied Wheeler Hall.
(23 November)

Chancellor's message to community: Wheeler Hall protest ended peacefully
In a message to the campus community on the peaceful conclusion of the Wheeler Hall occupation, Chancellor Birgeneau calls for unity in advancing the cause of public higher education.
(20 November)

Art museum project alternate plan due early next year
UC Berkeley’s plans for a new Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAM/PFA) are being modified due to lingering economic uncertainty, museum and university officials announced today (Wednesday, Nov. 18).
(18 November)

Changes are needed to keep post-employment benefits in the safe zone, a UC task force tells campus staff and retirees
The Presidential Task Force on Post-Employment Benefits brings mixed news to intensely interested current and retired campus staff.
(16 November)

Hunger gets a seat at Berkeley's table
To bring home the issue of world hunger, the dining commons in Berkeley's Unit 3 residence hall held a most unusual dinner Thursday night: Just rice and water on the floor for most attending. It was all part of Hunger Awareness Week at Cal.
(13 November)

UHS releases new update on H1N1 flu vaccine
University Health Services sent a CALmessage on Nov. 6 to keep the campus apprised about the status of its H1N1 flu vaccine supply.
(09 November)

At town hall on campus response to budget crisis, students raise concerns and questions
More than 300 students turned out Thursday evening for a town hall meeting with Chancellor Robert Birgeneau and other senior administrators. Their common concern: the state budget emergency and the campus's response to draconian budget cuts that the crisis has brought.
(06 November)

BAM/PFA's kicks off edgy Friday night series

(06 November)

By a 91-68 vote, Academic Senate tells Cal Athletics to pay its own way — starting now
Following a vote of the UC Berkeley Academic Senate recommending that Intercollegiate Athletics become financially self-sufficient, Chancellor Birgeneau said he would explore the best way to move forward on the issue.
(06 November)

Scholar of native textiles to head anthropology museum
Anthropologist Mari Lyn Salvador, a scholar of Panama’s native Kuna people and the textiles that they create and an experienced museum professional, has been named director of the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology at the UC Berkeley. Salvador is scheduled to take the new post in late November.
(05 November)

Graduate Council mines its past to make venerable lectures available online

(05 November)

Linda Finch Hicks, longtime campus staffer, has died
Linda Finch Hicks, administrative manager in the history department, died Sunday, Nov. 1 at Alta Bates Hospital of pancreatic cancer. She was 55.
(04 November)

Staff forum on future of UC post-employment benefits set for Nov. 10
The University of California President's Task Force on Post-Employment Benefits will hold a forum on Tuesday, Nov. 10, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., in Sibley Auditorium in Bechtel Engineering Center, for staff to ask questions and weigh in on the future of the university's pension and retiree health programs.
(02 November)

Berkeley scholars' adventures in the blogosphere
A growing number of campus scholars are using Web 2.0 blogging tools to reach a larger audience, create intellectual community, and be more proactive in relation to the media.
(28 October)

Fall Academic Senate meeting to focus on Intercollegiate Athletics
The Berkeley division of the Academic Senate will focus next week on the contributions and costs of the campus's Intercollegiate Athletics program. The Senate's fall meeting will host a fact-based discussion, debate, and exchange among faculty, Athletics Director Sandy Barbour, and Nathan Brostrom, vice chancellor for Administration.
(28 October)

UC Berkeley amplifies national voice via The Berkeley Blog
UC Berkeley’s best and brightest are often asked to share their insights at the White House, on Wall Street and with the media worldwide. Now, they are furthering that conversation in a new format – The Berkeley Blog.
(26 October)

Goldman School to have greater impact, thanks to $5 million gift
Over the years, the Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley has emerged as a leader in proposing solutions to major issues facing society, and now a new $5 million gift from the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund will make it possible for the school to make a greater impact in the world.
(23 October)

UC benefits Open Enrollment begins soon
Open enrollment for UC's health-and-welfare benefits runs from Thursday, Oct. 29, through Tuesday, Nov. 24, at 5 p.m.
(20 October)

It’s My Job: Karen Hughes helps put the brakes on college drinking
As coordinator of University Health Services’ PartySafe@Cal program, Karen Hughes works to curb students' use of booze by focusing on the factors that inform their drinking choices, rather than lecturing them about the dangers of alcohol.
(20 October)

Gifts from parents restore full library hours
Thanks to gifts from Berkeley parents, library hours across campus will return to normal, and weekend reductions forced by state funding cuts will end over the next month.
(14 October)

At Hearst Museum beer fair, brewing fanatics sample suds and ponder their ancient peers
The Hearst Museum's Beer Symposium and Fair was the third in a series of annual events on the anthropology of food.
(14 October)

A moving story
For more than 20 years, the Marchant Building on San Pablo Avenue has been a de facto warehouse for UC Berkeley. With the building's recent sale, however, the day of reckoning has come. All the stuff must go … somewhere.
(13 October)

UC Berkeley's Oliver Williamson shares Nobel Prize in economics
Williamson, the Edgar F. Kaiser Professor Emeritus of Business Economics, and Law at UC Berkeley, a pioneer of the multi-disciplinary field of transaction cost economics, and one of the world's most cited economists, is a winner of the 2009 Nobel Prize in Economics.
(12 October)

That's -30- for us
Berkeleyan bids adieu to print
(05 October)

Laurels
UC Berkeley researchers Ashok Gadgil amd Kirk Smith win Heinz Family Foundation awards for their environmental achievements; Professor Emeritus Christopher Alexander wins the Vince Scully Prize; Professor Ruzena Bajcsy is this years winner of the Anita Borg Technical Leadership Award; Human Rights Center director Eric Stover named for Open Society Institute fellowship.
(05 October)

What's new at the Library?
A guide to this semester’s exhibits and events – as well as a plethora of new online resources – from campus libraries.
(02 October)

Campus bids Lustig farewell
Retiring from Berkeley after 26 years, the associate vice chancellor for health and human services looks back on a career rich in service to campus and community
(02 October)

More than two dozen junior faculty receive Hellman Family awards
Twenty-six junior faculty receive grants of up to $50,000 to pursue work of exceptional promise.
(02 October)

A ‘public option’ for scholarship
A new push to ease access to university research, in the form of a five-institution compact to finance open-access publishing, is supported by Berkeley as part of its ongoing commitment to this innovative scholarly-publishing model.
(02 October)

The concerned employee's guide to face time at California Hall
The Chancellor’s Staff Advisory Committee seeks new members to provide staff perspectives to top administrators.
(02 October)

Picture Yourself at Berkeley reaches out to connect with prospective students
A new online service offered by the campus's Office of Undergraduate Admissions helps prospective students envision themselves as a member of the UC Berkeley community.
(28 September)

Mass rally on Sproul denounces deep budget cuts
Thousands of students, staff, and faculty rallied on Sproul Plaza Thursday to protest more than $800 million in state funding cuts to the UC system and, in some cases, the system's response to those cuts.
(24 September)

Research restructuring leads to net reduction in jobs
Responding to the dire budget circumstances facing the Berkeley campus, Vice Chancellor for Research Graham Fleming on Monday announced a major restructuring of services and resources within his office, eliminating a number of administrative positions in research units while creating a smaller number of new jobs in a centralized business support unit.
(14 September)

Well Said
Quotes, bon mots, and noteworthy utterances from the campus and beyond.
(10 September)

Trusting Google with UC's books prompts searching questions
A recent campus conference focused on the proposed settlement of a lawsuit over Google's effort to digitize millions of books - academic and otherwise – and make them available online.
(10 September)

Research Roundup
This semester's On the Same Page program, aimed at focusing the attention of incoming L&S undergrads on a single work or creator, is built around Professor of Journalism Michael Pollan's game-changing take on industrial agriculture and America's food systems, The Omnivore's Dilemma.
(10 September)

New faces on Dwinelle Plaza
Portraits of students who are benefiting from privately funded scholarships and fellowships smile out at passersby, as the now-familiar "Thanks to Berkeley…" billboard gets a one-year facelift.
(10 September)

Fellowship lands recent grad in a real hotspot
Recent grad Sasha Pippenger’s taste for public service was not just satisfied but enhanced by her Gardner-funded experiences working on refugee-relief issues in Pakistan.
(10 September)

A peer in high places
Parking fees for the remainder of 2009-10 have been reduced, saving campus permit holders an average of 8 percent monthly.
(10 September)

It now costs less to park at Berkeley
Parking fees for the remainder of 2009-10 have been reduced, saving campus permit holders an average of 8 percent monthly.
(10 September)

H1N1: Intruder at the gates
Berkeley is preparing for an anticipated surge in flu cases this semester, with an interdepartmental effort aimed at limiting the disease's impact on students and campus operations.
(10 September)

Foreign scholars say 'yes' to American English pronunciation course
In a popular class organized by the Visiting Scholar and Postdoc Affairs program, international scholars at Berkeley hone their ability to hear and create sounds not found in their native languages. The goal is help them prepare for their professional careers and the job market.
(04 September)

Top marks for top values
UC Berkeley has been recognized as the top university in the country for its contributions to society as measured by Washington Monthly's annual college guide and rankings.
(03 September)

Starting today, it costs less to park at Berkeley
Amid this fall's steady rain of bad economic news, UC Berkeley's Parking and Transportation has announced a ray of sunshine for campus commuters: parking fees for the remainder of 2009-10 have been reduced, saving campus permit holders an average of 8 percent monthly
(01 September)

The Budget Squeeze
A look back at key events as the current crisis unfolded
(28 August)

Well Said
Quotes, bon mots, and noteworthy utterances from the campus and beyond
(28 August)

It's my job
Steve Seid began his career writing about film and video, and working for small, independent video-arts organizations and film festivals before coming to the Pacific Film Archive 21 years ago.
(28 August)

Neil Henry steers a new course at the J-School
The new dean of the Graduate School of Journalism aims to uphold ethics amid the chaos of information in American society now.
(27 August)

Pictures (and more) from two exhibitions
Celebrate Charles Darwin's 200 birthday amid rare Darwiniana at the Bancroft Library and eight other campus libraries and museums. Learn about City Beautiful’s tenet of bringing civic order through large-scale plans at the College of Environmental Design's Wurster Hall.
(27 August)

As students return to classes, media meet with the chancellor
Chancellor Robert Birgeneau met the press on Wednesday for a public glimpse of the view of campus from California Hall. He described Berkeley's new crop of 9,400 students as "an exciting and excited class," but the main focus of the hourlong session, inevitably, was the campus's bleak budget picture.
(27 August)

Why Berkeley can keep on building during the budget crisis
Long before a shovel hits the ground, a building project must be planned and designed, but the financing — often from multiple sources — must also be in place.
(27 August)

Brostrom to serve interim role at UCOP leading business operations
Vice Chancellor for Administration Nathan Brostrom will serve as interim executive vice president for business operations in the UC Office of the President through Dec. 31, UC President Mark Yudof and Berkeley Chancellor Robert Birgeneau announced.
(27 August)

Bringing you a better Berkeleyan
With this issue you will see a redesigned Berkeleyan, with a new look and some new editorial formats.
(27 August)

Chancellor Birgeneau speaks out on the budget crisis
By all accounts, the UC system is facing the most serious financial crisis in its history. With the campus gearing up for a fall semester unlike any since his arrival in 2004, Chancellor Robert Birgeneau discusses the challenges ahead
(26 August)

Fall classes begin amid budget challenges
Fall classes begin today (Wednesday, Aug. 26) for more than 35,000 students at UC Berkeley. While belt-tightening due to unprecedented state budget cuts will not go unnoticed here, UC Berkeley top officials say the campus is committed to weathering the financial storm and preserving a longstanding commitment to world-class teaching, research and public service.
(26 August)

Honoring our own
The Berkeley campus will gather on Thursday, Sept. 3, for its eighth annual memorial service to honor those of its own who have died during the past year, whose names and affiliations are listed on an online memorial site.
(24 August)

Welcome to UC Berkeley – 141 years and counting
In a back-to-school video message, Chancellor Robert Birgeneau welcomes new and returning Cal students and thanks faculty and staff for their dedication.
(24 August)

Latest U.S. News rankings place Berkeley, again, at the top of the publics
U.S. News & World Report's 2010 guide to "America's Best Colleges," released yesterday, ranked Berkeley 21st among 262 public and private "national universities" offering doctoral degrees.
(21 August)

Campus furlough plan and proposed closure dates
In a message to all UC Berkeley faculty and staff, Vice Chancellor Nathan Brostrom outlines the campus closure dates and other decisions that have been taken to implement the systemwide furlough and salary reduction program approved in July by the UC Regents.
(20 August)

Hacking incident on J-school Web server triggers notices to affected applicants
UC Berkeley will be notifying approximately 490 applicants to the Graduate School of Journalism of a potential personal data breach following a computer security incident in which a hacker gained access to the journalism school's primary Web server.
(11 August)

Campanile set to reopen, then close again for more repairs this fall
Summer visitors to campus will find the Campanile open once more beginning this Sunday (Aug. 9) at 10 a.m. But they should tour it soon, as the world's third largest bell and clock tower — shut down for repairs since mid-June — needs more fixes than first anticipated.
(07 August)

Tools for coping during tough times
As campus managers grapple with difficult decisions and staff await news about cuts and layoffs, employees can find themselves feeling helpless and unsettled. Here are some resources and suggestions on coping with the situation.
(05 August)

Mark Rosenzweig, pioneer in brain plasticity, learning and hearing, has died at 86
Mark R. Rosenzweig, a professor emeritus of psychology at UC Berkeley whose early studies paved the way for today's recognition of the brain's ability to grow and repair itself, died July 20 at his home in Berkeley from kidney failure. He was 86.
(03 August)

Chancellor's Community Partnership Fund Awards announced
Sixteen partnerships between the University of California, Berkeley, and community groups to improve the quality of life for Berkeley residents will share $232,315 in grants awarded by the UC Berkeley Chancellor's Community Partnership Fund. The fund was established in 2006 through an agreement between the campus and the city.
(29 July)

Campus environmental record earns top score in Princeton Review "Green Ratings"
UC Berkeley makes The Princeton Review's Green Honor Roll in recognition of the campus's environmentally friendly policies. UC Berkeley was one of only 15 colleges in the country to have earned the top score in a rating, announced July 27, by The Princeton Review, a provider of education services to help students get into college.
(27 July)

Lisa Bauer honored as UC's 2009 'sustainability champion'
Lisa Bauer has cast a long shadow as manager of Campus Recycling and Refuse Services at Berkeley for more than a decade. For her early vision — and for rolling up her sleeves for years to make it manifest — Bauer was recently named UC's 2009 Sustainability Champion.
(27 July)

Berkeley will remain great, but will it retain its public character?
In a July 22 blog post on the Atlantic website, correspondent Erik Tarloff decried the impending cuts at UC Berkeley, resulting from California's budget crisis, as a "great tragedy" whose damage is "likely to be irreversible." Chancellor Robert Birgeneau responds.
(24 July)

Mitchell Celaya chosen as new UC Berkeley chief of police
Effective Aug. 1, the campus's new chief of police will be Mitchell J. Celaya III, a member of the UC Berkeley Police Department since 1982. Today's announcement follows a nationwide search to replace Victoria Harrison, who is retiring as police chief.
(21 July)

Focus turns to long-term impacts of state funding cuts as regents approve one-year furlough plan
Union employees were louder, but it was the UC chancellors' dire warnings of severe, long-term institutional damage from ongoing budget cuts that packed the biggest wallop at this week's meeting of the Board of Regents, where the regents approved President Mark Yudof's plan for systemwide furloughs and pay cuts.
(16 July)

History's Carla Hesse is named L&S dean of social sciences
Professor of History Carla Hesse, a prize-winning scholar whose interests center on modern Europe, especially France, takes over Aug. 1 as dean of the social sciences division of the College of Letters and Science. Her appointment was approved July 16 by the UC Board of Regents.
(16 July)

Linguists attending international institute
Hundreds of linguists from around the world are gathering at the University of California, Berkeley, through Aug. 13 to weigh thorny issues such as where grammar comes from, what infants learn before they talk, what DNA says about how related languages spread, and the "linguistically modern man."
(13 July)

Furloughs, pay cuts announced for UC staff and faculty
UC President Mark Yudof revealed the shape of the future for many of the system's 120,000-plus employees Friday morning when he announced his proposal for "a graduated approach" to unpaid furlough days for faculty and staff that would reduce pay on a sliding scale.
(10 July)

UC president proposes plan to address fiscal crisis
University of California President Mark Yudof today released details of a proposed plan to offset an anticipated $813 million reduction in support from the state General Fund. The plan, which includes a graduated furlough and pay reduction for most staff and faculty, will be presented July 15 to the UC Board of Regents.
(10 July)

President Yudof's letter to the UC community on furlough proposal
In an open letter to the University of California community, UC President Mark Yudof spells out the details of the systemwide furlough plan he will propose to the Board of Regents next week, and thanks staff and faculty for their comments and recommendations that helped shape the final proposal.
(10 July)

New opportunity to apply for voluntary separation option
Employees who are considering separating or retiring from their jobs — and not returning to UC employment for at least three years — can apply for this option to leave with a severance payment. The new VSO-2 is open to full-time or part-time non-represented career staff, non-represented librarians, and represented employees in participating unions. The deadline to apply is Aug. 7, 2009.
(08 July)

Berkeley's GradLink-on-the-Web wins Sautter Award, UC's top technology honor
Last week the University of California recognized UC Berkeley’s GradLink-on-the-Web and its developers with the Larry L. Sautter Award for Innovation in Information Technology. The award honors top technology projects from the 10 UC campuses.
(22 June)

UC President Yudof proposes three systemwide furlough/salary reduction options
With the University of California facing a severe reduction in state funding, President Mark Yudof has offered three options for furloughs and/or salary reductions that would be applied systemwide.
(18 June)

Chancellor delivers grim budget news at BSA gathering
The news, mostly bad, for the annual meeting with staff: deeper budget cuts, more layoffs, and likely 8 percent wage reductions
(16 June)

Budget Message from Chancellor and Provost
In an urgent letter to the campus community about California's financial crisis, Chancellor Birgeneau and Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Breslauer discuss actions to cut costs across the UC system, explain what they think may happen, and describe their leadership strategy for the Berkeley campus in these difficult times.
(16 June)

Life after Berkeley
New retirees from offices all over campus share their feelings about Cal, their reasons for bidding Berkeley adieu, and their plans for the future. From violin-building to travel abroad, they may be stepping down, but most aren't slowing down.
(11 June)

Good news for campus car commuters
A bit piece of good budget news: P&T holds the line on parking-permit fees.
(11 June)

Political scientist Chhibber named to head IIS
Teacher, scholar, and former chair of the political science department named to a five-year term as director of the Institute of International Studies.
(11 June)

Philip Brett Fund to support LGBT studies
A new fund to support research into LGBT topics in any discipline has been created to memorialize a professor who pioneered gay studies in music.
(11 June)

Additional campus, UC budget cuts pending
The state budget picture as it applies to UC remains unclear, though largely discouraging. A bright spot in the gloom: cuts to vital Cal Grant support for students in need of financial aid are off the table for now.
(11 June)

Vice Chancellor Nathan Brostrom wins a 2009 Bay Area CFO of the Year award
Nathan Brostrom, vice chancellor for administration, last week was named Bay Area CFO of the Year for a non-public company by the San Francisco Business Times and Larkin Street Youth Services. He was one of six winners honored because they "exemplify the professionalism, integrity, resilience and mastery of key skills that make a great CFO."
(01 June)

Ronald Takaki, pioneer and legend in ethnic studies, dies at age 70
Ronald Takaki, professor emeritus of ethnic studies at the UC Berkeley, and a preeminent scholar of U.S. race relations who taught the University of California's first black history course, died at his home in Berkeley on Tuesday, May 26, at age 70. He had struggled for years with multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune condition that attacks the central nervous system. Although Takaki retired from UC Berkeley in 2003, he was frequently seen on campus, delivering guest lectures to standing-room-only audiences or joining marches about social justice, with his shock of silver hair, trim runner's body and professorial spectacles.
(28 May)

Campanile’s spire to be repaired
Sather Tower, better known as the Campanile, will be having a little work done this summer, necessitating occasional short-term closures. But what nonagenarian doesn't need a little cosmetic intervention every now and again?
(26 May)

Matías Tarnopolsky new director of Cal Performances
Robert Birgeneau, chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley, today (Wednesday, May 20) announced the appointment of Matías Tarnopolsky as director of Cal Performances. The announcement was made at a press conference in Zellerbach Hall on the UC Berkeley campus.
(20 May)

As voters weigh state's budget options, UC Berkeley eyes severe options for addressing cuts
With a slate of critical ballot propositions facing voters on Tuesday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger yesterday offered two revised scenarios for mending the state's worsening budget outlook. One is bad news for the University of California. The other, for some, is too grim to contemplate.
(15 May)

Graduation ceremony season starts tomorrow (Thursday)
Pixar Animation co-founder Alvy Ray Smith; Sir Andrew Duncan Crockett, president of JP Morgan International; State Treasurer Bill Lockyer and world-renowned sleep researcher Matt Walker will be among the speakers passing on acumen and inspiration to graduating students at UC Berkeley, at ceremonies starting tomorrow (Thursday, May 14).
(13 May)

Managers who embrace change to be honored
The 21st annual BSA Excellence in Management awards, presented by the Berkeley Staff Assembly, will be conferred on 22 campus managers.
(12 May)

Assistive Technology Center opens new lab
An expanded Assistive Technology Teaching and Learning Center, for use by students in the campus Disabled Students Program, was opened at UC Berkeley on Monday, May 11.
(12 May)

Top graduating senior is an intellectual superstar
Emma Shaw Crane spent her teens riding horses and making mischief at her Waldorf school in Santa Rosa, Calif. She filled out her application to UC Berkeley, while recovering from typhoid on a beach in southern Mexico. Growing up among activists and anarchists, Shaw Crane said she never expected to be admitted to a top research university. But like her thick, tawny hair, Shaw Crane's life is full of twists and turns. Today, she has landed a coveted prize as UC Berkeley's top graduating senior, selected to receive the University Medal and address thousands of her peers at Commencement Convocation on May 22. She also will receive a $2,500 scholarship.
(12 May)

School of Public Health launches $5 million Kaiser Permanente Community Health Scholars Program
An ambitious initiative designed to meet the increasing need for highly educated public health workers launched today. The Kaiser Permanente Community Health Scholars Program, funded by a $5 million grant to the School of Public Health, is expected to expand California’s public health workforce, with an emphasis on recruiting students from underserved communities and placing them in health departments and other organizations that serve vulnerable populations.
(12 May)

Neil Henry named dean of Graduate School of Journalism
Award-winning journalist, author and professor Neil Henry has been chosen as dean of the University of California, Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism, a post he has held on a transitional basis since 2007.
(08 May)

Hackers attack campus databases, steal Social Security numbers, other data
The University of California, Berkeley, today (Friday, May 8) began notifying students, alumni and others that their personal information may have been stolen after hackers attacked restricted computer databases in the campus's health services center.
(08 May)

Dishing diversity at the dinner table
All in the family: A mother and her adult daughter both have campus jobs dedicated to increasing diversity at Berkeley.
(07 May)

Mentoring is its own reward … but plaques are nice, too
A recent round of awards honor the campus's invaluable graduate-student instructors . . . and the faculty who mentor them.
(07 May)

Workforce- reduction measures are having an impact
A variety of workforce-reduction measures announced in March are contributing to the campus's bottom line.
(07 May)

UC president addresses Berkeley Senate
Mark Yudof addressed his good-news/bad-news budget message to faculty at last week's Senate meeting.
(01 May)

Jennifer Wolch named ninth dean of College of Environmental Design
Jennifer Wolch, a leading scholar of urban analysis and planning, will take the helm at UC Berkeley's College of Environmental Design on July 1, 2009. Wolch will become the college's ninth dean and Berkeley's fourth current woman dean.
(29 April)

An impatient man, a hopeful moment
At the April 23 groundbreaking for the Richard C. Blum Center for Developing Economies' new campus home, Al Gore paid tribute to its founder and, especially, to the students whose engagement gives the center such promise to aid the world's poor.
(24 April)

Professors ace teaching test
Five University of California, Berkeley, professors have been chosen by their department colleagues and students to receive a 2009 Distinguished Teaching Award, the campus's most prestigious honor for superlative instruction.
(22 April)

Al Gore to speak at groundbreaking of new Blum poverty studies building
Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore will participate in a groundbreaking ceremony for the new home of the Richard C. Blum Center for Developing Economies at UC Berkeley, this Thursday, April 23. Gore shared the 2007 Noble Peace Prize for his efforts to bring worldwide understanding to the issue of global climate change.
(20 April)

Voluntary separation with severance pay is now an option
A newly approved program could offer an attractive option to staff considering retirement: a severance payment based on their job classification and length of service.
(16 April)

A truly distinguished lot
Five faculty members will be honored April 22 at this year's Distinguished Teaching Awards ceremony. Learn about them from our "Do-ers" profiles…
(16 April)

Campus staffers honored for 'going beyond' daily responsibilities
At last week's annual recognition event, three staff teams and 22 individuals were honored for their exceptional hard work on Berkeley's behalf.
(16 April)

Breyer: Faith in reason, or faith in force?
According to Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, who spoke at Berkeley last week, the rule of law is a "subtle thing" that relies on citizens to follow it, and on governments to enforce it.
(16 April)

Career Compass maps out its next stage
The campus's multifaceted workforce initiative enters its next phase this month, with innovations that will make it possible to compare specific jobs (and their pay levels) to the external market.
(16 April)

Campus helps graduating students cope with bleak job market
With the Class of 2009 understandably worried about employment prospects after graduation next month, UC Berkeley is helping seniors prepare for a job market riddled with layoffs and hiring freezes.
(15 April)

UC Berkeley welcomes visitors April 18 for Cal Day 2009
The Year of Science, Charles Darwin's birthday, the Obama administration, and the economic crisis will be highlighted at this year's Cal Day, the annual open house at the University of California, Berkeley. On Saturday, April 18, at least 35,000 people again are expected to descend upon one of the world's most prestigious research universities, accessing museums, buildings and labs, many of which are typically closed to the public.
(09 April)

Berkeley moves toward climate neutrality
A new report outlines the steps Berkeley has taken over the past two years to attain its goal of cutting back its greenhouse-gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2014.
(09 April)

Cal Day: It's about the dazzle
The annual campus open house on April 18 will offer dance, music, theatre, lectures, hands-on activities, tours — a banquet of opportunities at which 35,000 are expected to nourish themselves.
(09 April)

"Pursuit of Happyness" hero to address 2009 graduates
Chris Gardner, the self-made entrepreneur and philanthropist whose homelessness-to-riches story inspired the 2006 autobiography and feature film, "The Pursuit of Happyness," will deliver the keynote address this spring at the UC Berkeley's Commencement Convocation, an annual event honoring all graduating seniors. Gardner's commitment to speak at the Greek Theatre on Friday, May 22, is a triumph for the Senior Class Council of the Californians, the student group that plans Commencement Convocation.
(08 April)

Almost 13,000 high school students offered admission to UC Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley, announced today (Tuesday, April 7) that it has offered freshman admission for the 2009-2010 school year to almost 13,000 high school students, including several nationally-ranked debaters, a world-champion figure skater, and a set of triplets.
(07 April)

Campus police chief will step down in July
Victoria Harrison will step down as chief of police at UC Berkeley in July, concluding a 36-year law-enforcement career that began as a student CSO at UC Santa Barbara. Over her 19 years as UCPD chief, Harrison successfully saw the campus through wide-ranging adversity.
(26 March)

Campus leaders tell Town Hall they hope to minimize layoffs, but must close a 'huge funding gap'
Chancellor Robert Birgeneau and his vice chancellor for administration, Nathan Brostrom, discussed the campus's budget challenges and answered questions from some of the hundreds of UC Berkeley staff attending a town hall forum in Wheeler Auditorium on March 24.
(24 March)

Oakland police Sgt. Daniel Sakai killed in line of duty was a '96 Cal grad
Oakland police Sgt. Daniel Sakai, who was killed March 21 along with three fellow officers, was a '96 Cal grad and husband of a UC Berkeley police officer.
(23 March)

A poet views the oak-grove standoff
Professor English Robert Hass, in his Faculty Research Lecture last week, said his subject would be “thinking about nature.” His thesis? That “we don’t do it very well.”
(19 March)

A free lunch, with filmmakers Ang Lee and James Schamus
Two celebrated moviemakers have spent the week at Berkeley as part of this year’s “On the Same Page” program for undergrads
(19 March)

Quench your thirst the Berkeley way
Drinking fountains for the 21st century: just one way Berkeley is overcoming its bottled-water habit.
(19 March)

A new garden grows at Berkeley
A group of students has been tilling and planting a conspicuous space in the heart of campus . . . to grow their own food, and to show others how it’s done.
(19 March)

Staff invited to March 24 town hall on the budget
Staff and non-senate academic employees are invited to a town-hall meeting to discuss Berkeley's budget situation and plans to address it.
(19 March)

New Mark Twain book offers fresh insights into author
Fans of another famous author, Samuel Langhorne Clemens, best known by his pen name, Mark Twain, will likely be lining up for "Who is Mark Twain?" – an intriguing collection of two dozen previously unpublished sketches and essays by Twain that will be in bookstores on April 21. The materials come from The Mark Twain Papers and Project at UC Berkeley.
(17 March)

From the Chancellor's Office: Followup on the budget and senior administrators' actions
With staff and faculty forums coming up to address actions UC Berkeley is taking to address the budget crisis, the chancellor's office also discusses questions about whether senior campus administrators should take cuts in their salaries.
(16 March)

One week, four key lectures
Pearls will spill from podiums all over campus this coming week, starting when our own Robert Hass, professor of English, delivers the first of this year's two Faculty Research Lectures on Thursday, March 12. Coming up next week: two Hitchcock Lectures from prominent University of Chicago biologist Neil Shubin, and an intriguing talk about the future of the Republican Party by the Iowa GOP congressman who made headlines when he endorsed Barack Obama.
(11 March)

Staffer a winner in campus essay contest
Linda Finch Hicks’ essay about an aspect of her childhood in Tokyo was submitted on the theme of “Rock, paper, scissors” in this year’s Fabilli-Hoffer Essay Contest . . . the only such campus competition open to staff and faculty.
(11 March)

Newspaper on a mission
Daily Cal editor Bryan Thomas is working hard to keep the campus’s student paper alive in the present while positioning it for the future.
(11 March)

Berkeley student body lines up and around and around to see the Dalai Lama
The line, the likes of which had been seen only once before, formed early for tickets to see the Dalai Lama at his April 25 appearance here at UC Berkeley.
(11 March)

Chancellor, campus leaders brief the media on Berkeley budget issues
Campus leaders spoke to the media on March 10 about the impacts of the state and global economic crisis on UC Berkeley and steps being taken to respond to the $60-70 million campus budget shortfall projected for 2009-10. Reporters from some 20 media outlets dialed in to the conference call.
(11 March)

New options for employees aim to reduce workforce and workload
Vice Chancellor for Administration Nathan Brostrom says some layoffs are likely, but campus planning focuses on ways to shrink the workforce through voluntary reductions and attrition. New ideas are also emerging to reduce workload and save money.
(09 March)

Birgeneau, Breslauer lay out budget situation, options to address shortfalls
With many challenges, much planning, and new programs, UC Berkeley intends to emerge from the recession with a stronger foundation for the future.
(08 March)

Stiles Hall: a 'living room' with a committed fan club
It's a student-services center, a cauldron of social causes, an incubator for campus and community initiatives, and an important contributor to Berkeley's diversity.
(04 March)

Campus turns out for opening of Sutardja Dai Hall
With 141,000 square feet of innovation-inspiring lab and classroom space, Berkeley's new CITRIS building is ready to host decades of discovery.
(04 March)

'Pockets of intimacy' for undergrads
"Teaching freshmen taught me," says a faculty member who has organized more than 20 seminars for lower-division students since 1997. He's part of a program that offers 'meaningful intellectual contact' to the campus's youngest scholars.
(26 February)

Sexual-harassment training for supervisors
The campus offers supervisors several options for completing the mandatory two-hour training in sexual-harassment prevention that by law must be conducted every two years.
(18 February)

Applicants sought for 2009-2010 grants from Chancellor's Community Partnership Fund
Non-profit and neighborhood groups based in the city of Berkeley may now apply for grants from the Chancellor's Community Partnership Fund for 2009-2010. Funds will go to select groups who partner with the campus to improve the quality of life for Berkeley residents.
(18 February)

What's cooking at the Library?
A tour through the most appetizing stacks on campus — the culinary collection in Berkeley's Koshland bioscience library.
(12 February)

Regents act on UCRP, eligibility
(12 February)

Plans to restore historic campus building and provide new Blum Center home move forward
Plans to renovate, expand and seismically upgrade the campus’s historic Naval Architecture Building took a major step forward last week, following UC Regents review of the plan. The building will create a home for the Richard C. Blum Center for Developing Economies and provide space for engineering faculty along with work space for students.
(09 February)

Library @ Berkeley
A roundup of spring-semester exhibits and events; a look at new electronic resources; schedules of training workshops, and more useful news for the campus community.
(28 January)

In case of emergency, get a warning
By phone, text message, or e-mail, WarnMe will have vital information for you
(28 January)

The state of Berkeley's budget
A Q&A with two top campus decisionmakers yields insights into how Cal will deal with the most difficult fiscal environment in decades.
(22 January)

Picture-perfect preservation
The Bancroft's Pictorial Collection is a repository for the visual resources on which so much historical research depends
(22 January)

The Mark Twain Project stretches out
New digs mean not just more room for researchers, but better conditions for archival storage
(22 January)

Retrofitted and revamped, Bancroft reopens to regular hours
The Bancroft Library is back - and it's better than ever. One of the University of California, Berkeley's premier special collections libraries, it reopened this week with regular hours following a three-year, $64 million seismic retrofit and upgrade.
(21 January)

Matthew Tirrell, UC Santa Barbara engineering dean, to join UC Berkeley as new chair of bioengineering
In a move that signals a major new direction for bioengineering research and teaching at the University of California, Berkeley, Matthew Tirrell, dean of the College of Engineering at UC Santa Barbara, has been appointed chair of the Department of Bioengineering in the College of Engineering at UC Berkeley. Chancellor Robert J. Birgeneau announced the appointment today (Thursday, Jan. 15), following a nationwide search.
(15 January)

Archaeological study complete at athletic facility construction site
No evidence of prehistoric Native American artifacts or human remains were found beneath the construction site for UC Berkeley's new Student Athlete High Performance Center, according to a report on the geoarchaeological dig commissioned by the campus.
(08 January)

Weatherproofing the campus against financial storms
In his new role as a campus vice chancellor, Frank Yeary advises University Hall administrators on strategic financial planning. The former international investment banker, in this Q&A, discusses financial challenges facing UC and the Berkeley campus.
(05 January)