Just over a week ago, the Ala Costa Center in Berkeley hosted a screening of Miss Representation, a new documentary (out on DVD) regarding the portrayal of women in mass media and its impact on society. I watched it last week at a private screening hosted by a student group for women in the law. Having written a paper recently about the difficulties women in the workforce face, especially within the upper echelons of our country’s leadership, I simply expected to experience a less academic/more entertaining version of the articles and studies I had read last semester.

After watching the film, I must say that this movie is more than your typical documentary. It’s a powerful and thought-provoking film that makes you challenge the images and rhetoric currently used to depict women in mass media. The film follows the story of a mother struggling to shield her young daughters from the one-dimensional female “role models” lauded by mass media. The film focuses on the fact that, in the eyes of modern mass media, the value of a woman has more to do with her physical appearance than her personal achievements. Without spoiling too much, the film features an impressive list of interviewees including Condoleezza Rice and Gloria Steinem.

The screening I went to consisted mostly of women, and the film was followed by a group discussion session. One consensus that the group reached was that men should be included in future screenings/conversations around this film.

To watch the film, you have a few options: 1) Student organizations and other community associations can apply to host a screening of the film. It’s a very interesting way to start up an engaging conversation about women and the media. More information on the film (and a trailer) can be found here: http://www.missrepresentation.org/ 2) Watch it on OWN (Oprah’s new network) or 3) Attend a screening on campus on March 13 in Dwinelle Hall: http://events.berkeley.edu/?event_ID=51141&date=2012-03-13&tab=academic.

Mark your calendars; you’re in for a treat!

Write a great blog post (at least 400 words) on a topic of your choice that would be of general interest to readers, and the two lucky winners will receive a free massage at Berkeley’s RSF gym!!

First place prizes:

-Two 25 minute massage certificates– that’s 50 minutes of free massage therapy!

-Publication of the blog post

Second place prizes:

-One 25 minute massage certificate

-Publication of the blog post

Submit your entries to berkeleygraduate@ga.berkeley.edu by October 15. The contest is open to Berkeley grad students.

Good luck, bloggers!

The agenda featured insightful remarks by a number of students, faculty and staff.

The discussion during student and faculty panels was lively, and the new graduate students in the audience were able to ask questions and receive helpful feedback from the panel members.

Between panels, there were ice breakers to allow new graduate students to mingle and network with students outside their department, a valuable opportunity for those new to Berkeley.

Thank you to all who attended and to everyone who made this event such a success. On behalf of the Graduate Assembly, we wish you an outstanding first semester at UC Berkeley.

On August 23 the Graduate Division and the Graduate Assembly (led by Tierra Bills, the Graduate Support Services Project Coordinator, and President Bahar Navab) combined efforts to host the New Graduate Student Orientation, providing new graduate and professional students essential information to help them make a smooth transition to their life at Cal.

After welcoming remarks by Graduate Assembly President Bahar Navab and Graduate Division Dean Andrew Szeri, students were treated to an entertaining keynote lecture by Rosemary Joyce, a professor of Archaeology at UC Berkeley.

Sessions throughout the day covered a variety of topics to help students orient themselves to campus life and university resources. Topics included:

• Student Health Services
• Establishing Residency for Tuition Purposes
• What’s in the Library for You?
• Surviving and Thriving at Berkeley
• Academic Services
• Career Center Resources
• Need-based Funding and Fellowships
• Resources for International Students
• Gender Equity Resource Center
• Graduate Student Organizing
• Campus Resources: The Disabled Students’ Program Services & Resources, the Ombuds Office, the Cal Bookstore, and Cal Dining
• Childcare Resources

An important change this year is the addition of the “Empower U” program. This is a new mandatory program for all incoming graduate students designed to curb sexual harassment and other threats to a safe, comfortable campus environment. Students attending the orientation were able to attend an “Empower U” session, or they could attend a session another day elsewhere on campus.

On behalf of everyone who helped make this event possible, thank you for attending, and have an excellent first year at Berkeley.

Welcome to the Orientation Edition of The Berkeley Graduate!

As new graduate students start their first semester of research, teaching or courses at Berkeley, The Berkeley Graduate presents a special post to help get the year off to a solid start. We’ve gathered together a variety of helpful information covering all aspects of life as a grad student in the Bay Area, including academic resources, campus life, and much more.

For those new to The Berkeley Graduate, we are a project of the Graduate Assembly (GA) that presents fresh perspectives from graduate students about their life at Berkeley– from the cutting-edge research in their department or lab to the best cultural events around campus. Want to get paid to blog for us? Find out more here.

Without further ado, welcome to Berkeley!

Academics

The Berkeley Graduate has collected some terrific tips from graduate alumni and alumnae on how to make the most of your experience at Berkeley. Read Tips 1-5 and Tips 6-10 to get up to speed.

As a graduate student, you will find yourself in the role of advisee and advisor. Here are some helpful tips for navigating those relationships, including Grad Student-Faculty Mentoring and Graduate-Undergraduate Mentoring.

Adventures in the Bay Area

You’re lucky to be going to school in one of the most beautiful areas of the country. Here is a great introduction to some fun activities right here on campus: read Part 1 and Part 2, then go out and enjoy campus!

Venturing off campus is always rewarding, with so many terrific day trips within easy reach. Read our guide to the best day trips in the Bay Area!

Living in the Bay Area

Finding an apartment in Berkeley or Oakland can be a huge hassle, so be sure to save yourself some time and legwork by checking out the Best Tips for the Apartment Hunt.

Once you’re all moved in to your new place you’ll want to start exploring the local grocery stores and markets. Lucky for you, we’ve put together a Grad Student Grocery Guide to help you get the best value for your money while preparing delicious home-cooked meals.

Resources for International Students

Our post highlighting Resources for International Students will help grad students from abroad make the most of their time at Berkeley.

Family Life at Berkeley

Graduate student parents might find some helpful information from the Berkeley Parents Network as well as the Graduate Division’s Student Families site.

Thanks for reading, and welcome to Berkeley from the GA!

Some say that there are two UC Berkeley’s. The first is composed of 9,934 graduate students working towards their graduate and professional degrees in a world of small seminars, specific research, and close work with faculty; the second of 22,880 undergraduates (2004 enrollment data) with larger classes and a different social and academic environment. Interaction between graduate students and undergraduates is an essential part of the instruction at Berkeley; the many graduate students that work as Graduate Student Instructors provide a quality educational experience to undergrads as they themselves acquire valuable experience as teachers.

Outside of the classroom, however, these two worlds rarely intersect. In order to encourage a more constructive and informal interaction between graduate students and undergrads, the ASUC Academic Affairs Office sponsors a Graduate-Undergraduate Mentorship Program. The goals are simple: first, to recruit and match undergraduates with graduate students based on field of study or interest; second, to provide undergraduates with information that will enhance their university experience and broaden their post-university possibilities, such as graduate programs and internships; and finally, the program aims to facilitate mentoring by organizing activities, while at the same time avoiding any extra burden to the students’ workload.

The mentoring program was part of an idea proposed by Rocky Gade, a former vice president of the Office of Academic  Affairs, as part of a larger goal to address the need for more mentorship on campus. “It seems very easy for undergrads to get lost at Berkeley,” Gade comments.

“There have been a lot of other attempts to match faculty with undergrads, but we felt that matching graduate students with undergrads was a way undergrads could develop a relationship with their mentor over their four years at Cal, from which both sides could benefit.”

Since its proposal, Amanda Lynne Garrett, a former director of mentorship of the Academic Affairs Office, initially had the responsibility of publicizing and organizing the program as well as refining its objectives. As director, she observed that the relationships formed between participants can add much to the campus community. The benefit to the undergraduates is fairly clear, she explains. When an undergraduate gets a chance to speak with a graduate student from the same field of study, it can be instrumental in obtaining information about graduate school o job and internship opportunities that are specific to that field, and also in helping to better plan coursework or even deciding which professors to work with and what research projects are available. She notes, however, that the perceived personal benefits might not be as clear to individual graduate students. The problem with recruiting graduate students, she says, is that there is probably no clear incentive to participate in this program, and they rely heavily on the altruism of our participants. However, for students with specific interests in teaching or working closely with undergraduates, the program certainly tries to give them the framework within which they might establish such a working relationship.

Mentoring in itself, however, is an essential part of the university experience and its educational goals. As mentors, numerous graduate students have not only reaped the satisfaction of guiding undergraduates, but have also gained practical experience that could be important in their later academic and professional careers. Rebekah Ahrendt, a graduate student in Musicology, decided to participate in the program partly because of the positive mentoring experience she had as an undergrad and partly because she saw mentoring as an important part of her professional development. As a graduate student who hopes to someday become a professor, she says, “I need to acquire the advising and mentoring skills that will ensure my future students’ success.” Rebekah believes that programs such as this are especially important to the large under-grad student body. “On such a populous campus,” she notes, “it is often difficult for undergrads to get the attention they need in order to succeed. A program such as this one lets undergrads know that they are not alone, and demonstrates the commitment of the Berkeley community to its members.”

Hopefully, the ASUC Graduate-Undergraduate Mentorship program and others on campus with similar goals will continue to receive the support of the campus community as a whole, as their growth is essential to improving the world-class academic experience for which Berkeley is known.

Want to learn more or get involved? Visit the ASUC Mentoring website.

Written by Jonathan Banda and Matt Hoberg.

Editor’s Note: This is a continuation of The Berkeley Graduate’s new graduate student orientation edition.

First things first: don’t panic! Instead, walk uphill on Bancroft Avenue (your back to San Francisco) to the International House (I-House), located at 2299 Piedmont Avenue at the corner of Bancroft and Piedmont Avenue. The International House is your home away from home, or the closest thing to it. International House, a dormitory building that houses nearly 600 Berkeley international and domestic graduate and undergraduate students and scholars, has helped international visitors transition to life in America since it first opened its doors in 1930.

Besides the I-House, the following resources for international students are available:

The Office of the Services for International Students and Scholars (SISS)

Located inside the I-House, SISS is the place to go with questions about immigration or visa documents. SISS assists international graduate students with questions about work permission, programs and services for international students at UC Berkeley, government information and general advising for international students. It also files H1 visa petitions for UC Berkeley employees.

To find the SISS office, upon entering the main lobby of the International House, turn right (not left, which leads to surprisingly good cheap eats and generous portions at the International House Café). Then make your first left, followed by a right into the mailroom opposite the Great Hall (a big living room). From the mailroom, turn left and follow the hallway corridor. Services for International Students and Scholars is located in this hallway on the right side.

The International House Program Office

Want to meet new people? Become a member of the International House. For one low fee, members receive International House Program News (5 issues/yr) and reduced admission to tons of events, including fitness and dance classes, Ethnic Heritage Dinners, performances, lectures, and group trips. Detailed monthly program information is available at the International House Program Office.

International students and scholars can also participate in the International Friendship Program, which pairs individuals with American families. For more information about the International Friendship Program, email ihprogra@uclink4.berkeley.edu (Attention: International FriendshipProgram Coordinator).

International House Meal Plans

Tired of cooking spaghetti in your kitchen? The International House’s cafeteria offers meal plans for students and non-students. Meal plans include access to ethnic theme dinners, barbecues, chef series dinners, the annual beach party and more.

Editor’s Note: This is a continuation of The Berkeley Graduate’s new graduate student orientation edition.

If you like drinking good beer for a good price, and meeting other grad students at the same time, be sure to go to BEC’s tonight at 8 for the Graduate Social Club summer social. There are special discounts on beer, and there will be some fun events for grad students and their guests. The GSC runs some great social events throughout the year, so be sure to follow the GA calendar to stay up-to-date on graduate social life.

If you really must do something educational on your Friday night, the Chabot Space & Science Center is showing Into Eternity, a documentary on nuclear power. If zoology piques your interest more than environmental policy, you might enjoy the showing of Steven Spielberg’s Jaws at the Paramount Theatre in Oakland: tickets are only $5.

On Saturday, watch history in the making as Oakland hosts its inaugural Jazz Festival at The Dunsmuir-Hellman Historic Estate. Or, watch some of the Bay Area’s finest culinary talent battle it out at the East Bay Food Fight in Jack London Square, from 4:30-7:30.

Saturday evening, combine your childhood love of Disney with your now more sophisticated aesthetic palate when the San Francisco symphony performs your favorite Disney tunes at 8 PM: Disney in Concert: Magical Music from the Movies.

If being outdoors is a must, this is a great time to explore all the terrific hiking the Bay Area has to offer. A great place to cool off in the summer is Tilden Park, with plenty of shady forests and a wonderful swimming hole, Lake Anza. Get there early to beat the summer crowds, and beware of poison oak!

Whether your graduate funding allows you to live as a prince or pauper, it’s important to make the most of your limited time to find high-quality groceries at affordable prices. With a huge number of restaurants per capita, from Angeline’s to Zachary’s—including some that are fairly reasonably priced by Bay Area standards—it’s worth eating out every now and then to sample the local fare and expand your palate. For the times when you need or want to cook at home, the most important thing is to get good ingredients at good prices. Here is The Berkeley Graduate’s opinionated guide to Berkeley area grocery stores.

Berkeley Bowl

Pros: By far the best quality, selection, and prices of produce in Berkeley—this is vegan and vegetarian heaven. The bulk bins are fantastic, and the meat and fish counters are solid.

Cons: Prices here vary—some items are well-priced and competitive with Safeway and Grocery Outlet, others are more in the Whole Foods and Andronico’s range.

Trader Joe’s

Pros: Exceptional prices on dairy and good prices on bread, eggs, pasta, nuts, and more. The wine and beer is very good here— $3 six packs and $2 bottles of wine, as well as higher-priced options.

Cons: The produce here simply cannot compete with Berkeley bowl in price, quality or selection.

Andronico’s

Pros: Student discounts at some locations, good selection, and convenient locations (Telegraph, Shattuck, Solano and University).

Cons: Andronico’s tends to be priced higher than some of its competitors for many items.

Whole Foods

Cf. Andronico’s, except no student discounts.

Grocery Outlet

Pros: The best prices in town for organic products (you’ll never want to go to Andronico’s or Whole Foods again), fresh-baked bread (loaves of rye or sourdough for less than $2), canned goods and pasta, fresh meat, and more.

Cons: The produce can be unreliable.

Safeway

Pros: Sign up for a Safeway card and get good deals on rotating items. The prices here are very good on a lot of staples, like pasta, bread, flour, canned goods, meat and dairy.

Cons: The produce can be hit or miss.

Other good options

-Korean markets on Telegraph

-Latin American markets (e.g. Mi Tierra Foods)

-Monterey Market

-Farmer’s markets

-Farm boxes

-Dollar stores (e.g. the Dollar Tree on Shattuck)