News Briefs
20 November 2008
Chancellor lays out a vision for Berkeley, now online
An important new paper by Chancellor Birgeneau, "Access and Excellence," will be posted online on Friday, outlining his "personal vision as chancellor" of what the Berkeley campus must accomplish in the next several years to sustain its preeminence and continue to fulfill its public mission for California. At their annual retreat in August, members of the chancellor's senior leadership team urged him to reflect on his administration thus far and to set out his vision for the coming years. The resulting document "reflects much discussion, input, and refinement from the campus's senior leaders," the chancellor said.
The campus community is encouraged to read the document — and send comments to Birgeneau — at newscenter.berkeley.edu/chancellor/access.
Campus holiday closure set for Dec. 25 through Jan. 4
The annual winter energy curtailment — during which most campus offices are closed and heating is shut off in many campus buildings to save energy costs — this year will be between Thursday, Dec. 25, and Sunday, Jan. 4. Four days of the closure are university holidays: Thursday and Friday, Dec. 25 and 26, and Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 31 and Jan.1.
Three days of closure are not holidays, however: Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 29 and 30, and Friday, Jan. 2.
Human Resources is encouraging managers to accommodate employee requests to use leave or alternate work schedules during the closure, to let employees know soon what options they will have for taking the time off, and to consider requests for leave from Dec. 22 through 24, which would give employees a full two-week break.
In addition, Human Resources is encouraging managers to accommodate employees who have insufficient accrued leave time by making special arrangements such as alternate schedules, accrual of compensatory time in advance, or reassignment during the closure. Managers should confirm the arrangements in writing for employees covered by collective-bargaining agreements.
Details on the energy curtailment and a list of options to help managers meet both unit and employee needs will be posted soon at hrweb.berkeley.edu/news/2008holidayclosure.htm.
Internal candidates sought for L&S divisional deanship
Applications and nominations are being accepted for the position of dean of social sciences in the College of Letters and Science. The division, which teaches one-quarter of the campus's students and the bulk of its American Cultures breadth requirement, has approximately 295 budgeted FTE faculty (one-fifth of the campus allocation), plus Unit 18 lecturers, adjunct faculty, librarians, and professional research and post-doctoral appointments.
The dean has administrative responsibilities for academic and non-academic personnel; those responsibilities include management of both teaching and research and operational budgets, as well as of physical facilities and instructional technology for 12 academic departments and four service units, and related academic-personnel administration for six research units (ORUs). The division has a permanent budget of about $42.3 million in state and extramural funds.
This search is restricted to full professors at Berkeley. The appointment is effective July 1, 2009; the due date for nominations or applications is Feb. 17, 2009, but earlier submissions are strongly encouraged. For complete application information, visit vpaafw.chance.berkeley.edu/deansearches.html
UC leaders to discuss challenges to public universities Dec. 2
A symposium focusing on current challenges faced by public universities, sponsored by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 2, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the Martin Luther King Jr. Student Union's Pauley Ballroom. The panel discussion, which will be moderated by Jesse Choper, the Earl Warren Professor of Public Law at Berkeley, will feature Chancellor Robert Birgeneau, Berkeley Law School Dean Christopher Edley, Professor of Economics Christina Romer, and UC President Mark Yudof.
The symposium is open to the public, free of charge.
P&T will be closed Friday, Nov. 21
Parking and Transportation offices will be closed all day Friday, Nov. 21, for mandatory training. There will be no parking-permit services available during that time. Those who must make a citation payment should do so by telephone before 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 20, or else visit pt.berkeley.edu to make payment online.
Those with issues relating to permit services or WageWorks may leave a message for Judy Fivecoat at 643-1914 or j5coat@berkeley.edu. For all other matters, call 643-7701 and follow the prompts. P&T will resume normal business hours on Monday, Nov. 24, at 7:30 a.m.
RFK Jr. to give Savio Lecture
Longtime environmental advocate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., reported to be a leading contender for EPA chief under President Barack Obama, will present the Mario Savio Memorial Lecture on Thursday, Dec. 4, at the Berkeley Community Theater. He will speak on the theme "Our Environmental Destiny."
Kennedy, an attorney who has worked on regional, national, and international conservation issues, was named one of Time magazine's "Heroes of the Planet" for his success in the fight to restore New York's Hudson River.
The Memorial Lecture honors the memory of the late Mario Savio, a leader of Berkeley's Free Speech Movement in 1964. The Berkeley Community Theater is located at 1930 Allston Way. Kennedy's talk is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.; doors open at 6:30. Admission is free, but tickets will be required (available at the door).
New deadline for emeriti awards is Dec. 12
The deadline for nominating distinguished retired faculty for three awards sponsored by the UC Berkeley Emeriti Association has been extended to Dec. 12. The awards honor exceptional achievements post-retirement. The honors are the Berkeley Distinguished Emeriti of the Year, given for continued extraordinary work as a scholar, teacher, and community activist after retirement; the Constantine Panunzio Distinguished Emeriti Award, recognizing scholarly work or service in the humanities or social sciences since retirement; and the Dickson Emeriti Professorship, which includes a $10,000 award to support outstanding post-retirement activities. Nominations and enquiries may be sent to association president Professor Emeritus Richard Malkin, 111 Koshland Hall #3102 or dickm@nature.berkeley.edu.