News Briefs

12 November 2008

Jan de Vries to serve as interim social-sciences dean at L&S

Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost George Breslauer has announced that Jan de Vries, the Sidney Hellman Ehrman Professor of History and former vice provost for academic affairs and faculty welfare (2000-07), will serve as interim dean of the Division of Social Sciences in the College of Letters and Science through June 30, 2009. He will replace Jon Gjerde, who died unexpectedly on Oct. 26, until a search for a permanent dean is completed.

The 2008 election from a social-justice perspective

A forum to discuss the results of the recent election and what they mean in the context of social justice will be held on Monday, Nov. 17, from 4 to 6 p.m. in 2 LeConte. The event, part of the fall colloquium series of the School of Social Welfare, is sponsored by the school’s African Continuum Caucus. Guest speakers include Kurt Organista, associate professor of social welfare. For information, phone 642-4341.

Fabilli-Hoffer essay contest topic set

This year’s topic for the Lili Fabilli and Eric Hoffer essay contest — an annual competition open to faculty and staff as well as students — is “Rock, Paper, Scissors.” Entries are judged on originality of thought and excellence in writing; the maximum length is 500 words. Typically, $3,000 in prize money is divided at the discretion of the judge. Entries must be submitted in person to prize coordinator Jimmy Ausemus (229 Sproul) no later than 4 p.m. Monday, Dec. 1.

For more information about the Fabilli-Hoffer essay contest, visit students.berkeley.edu/finaid/undergraduates/hofferprize.htm.

For the record . . .

In last week’s article about the campus-climate survey now being conducted by the office of the vice chancellor for equity and inclusion, we stated that the survey was created by a staff team. In fact, the survey team included both faculty and staff. We regret the error.