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.

Responsibilities:

In collaboration with the Graduate Division, you will plan, coordinate, and implement the New Graduate Student Orientation. As the date and venue are already set (Tuesday, August 23, 2011 @ Dwinelle Hall), you will be responsible for the following details and other related tasks:

• securing a keynote speaker
• organizing a coordinating committee
• weekly planning meetings
• coordinating all logistics, including room allocation, trash &
• recycling, lunch time activities, workshops, technologies, signage, etc.
• communicating via phone and email with participants
• creating an orientation packet that includes programs and other informational materials
• other related tasks, as needed

Qualifications:

• knowledge of UC Berkeley campus resources
• experience coordinating institutional events
• some computer skills (Word and Excel)
• good time management
• attention to detail
• ability to work within diversity
• strong communication skills
• very organized

Interested parties should send by email a cover letter and current resume to gssp@ga.berkeley.edu. Please email the same address with further questions. We are looking to hire ASAP, so please send documents when you can. Position open until filled.

Students in Field Entomology (ESPM 147) explore the Hastings Field Reserve. Image by Ap2il.

On March 15th, Graduate Assembly representatives attended a meeting of the Environmental Science, Policy and Management (ESPM) Graduate Students’ Association to discuss the GA’s advocacy efforts and projects.

One student remarked that the GA had not been as active this year in the protests against fee increases and budget cuts to higher education. It was noted that in the recent past, the GA had been focusing on lobbying rather than mobilization, and while the GA has been sharing information about actions happening on campus, it hasn’t been actively involved in organizing those actions.

Students in attendance also discussed the importance of a departmental and campus commitment to diversity at both the graduate student and faculty level. Elizabeth De La Torre, the GA’s Project Coordinator Liaison, mentioned that we have had difficulty obtaining relevant diversity statistics at the campus level, and we are currently working with Graduate Division to get access to those.

The issue of Benefits Decentralization (a proposed campus policy change whereby departments would now be responsible to cover the costs of fee remission for their Graduate Student Instructors) and its possible impacts on the availability of 25% and 50% GSI positions was also discussed. Both the GA and the UAW2865 (the GSI union) have been actively working on that question.

Finally, students were interested to know about any changes to the health insurance plan for next year. In March, UC Berkeley decided to join the UC-wide insurance plan in 2011-12, which would increase the level of benefits and provide an opt-in plan for dependents (i.e., spouse or children).

• Saturday, April 2, Graduate Women’s Project Study Hall, from 10 am to 5 pm in Anthony Hall. There will be coffee, tea, breakfast, lunch, and snacks, with vegan options available.
• Sunday, April 3, Student of Color Study Hall, from 10 am to 4 pm in Anthony Hall. Coffee, tea, and lunch will be provided.
• Wednesday, April 6, Sex Slaves: Minh’s Story: Screening with Q&A, from 5 pm to 7 pm in the Multicultural Center in the MLK Jr. Student Union. The Gender Equity Resource Center is screening an MSNBC film about Minh, a former Cal student who survived sex trafficking in the South Bay.
• Wednesday, April 13, GMORR Brown Bag Seminar “Maintaining Your Academic Integrity,” from 12 pm to 1 pm in the Multicultural Center in the MLK Jr. Student Union. Dr. Zeus Leonardo from the Graduate School of Education and other faculty members will speak about the intersection of diversity and academic integrity.
• Thursday, April 14, Catalyzing Knowledge in Dangerous Times, the Center for Race and Gender’s ten year anniversary conference, will be held from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm in 370 Dwinelle Hall. The conference explores “the ways in which knowledge is politicized, embodied, and imagined within a volatile political climate that targets education as a racialized and gendered battleground for defining legitimacy, visibility, and access.”
• Saturday, April 16, Cotton Candy and Cal Day Open House at Anthony Hall from 11 am to 2 pm.
• Thursday, April 28, Reception for Women Graduate Students and Faculty of Color, from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm at the Women’s Faculty Club. Babysitting will be available.
• Friday, April 29, the GSC’s Boat Cruise, will depart Jack London Square at 8 pm and return at 11 pm after cruising the San Francisco Bay. Tickets are $50 and include unlimited beer, wine, and appetizers. Berkeley graduate students and their guests are welcome to this 21+ event.

The project coordinator’s main responsibilities are managing this blog, maintaining regular posting, and publishing a welcome edition of the Berkeley Graduate that’s distributed at the new graduate student orientations in August. This is a year-long, part-time job.

For a complete description of the position’s duties and requirements, please see the job description on the GA website. To apply email a coverletter, CV, and writing sample to Elizabeth De La Torre at projects@ga.berkeley.edu.

View from the Astronomy Department's Space Sciences Lab. Image by Ianan.

On March 1, Elizabeth de la Torre (GA Projects Coordinator Liaison) and Philippe Marchand (GA Internal Coordinator) met with Astronomy graduate students as well as a few guests from the neighboring Physics department. Topics discussed ranged from graduate student representation on campus to upcoming GA events and resources for students and student groups.

One student who had volunteered to serve as graduate representative on a campus committee mentioned potential communication problems between the campus administration, the Graduate Assembly and students serving on committees, and suggested that the GA systematically follow up on committee appointments.

Students in attendance also discussed the Lower Sproul revitalization project, and suggested the idea of a graduate student pub on campus or, if that’s not possible in the short term, instituting a regular graduate student event (“Grad Night”) at the Bear’s Lair.

Hearst Mining Building, home of the Materials Science and Engineering Department. Image by greenwithevil.

On Feb.24th, GA and UAW2865 representatives attended a meeting of the Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) Graduate Student Council. Discussion topics included funding and work conditions, both for GSIs and GSRs.

As in many science and engineering departments, MSE graduate students are primarily supported by external research grants, although there is no guaranteed funding package upon admission in the department. Externally-funded students rely less on Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) work and are less affected by campus budget cuts. This said, the students present were concerned about the existence and enforcement of regulations regarding graduate student work conditions. (In the words of one student: “Your research advisor controls all your life.”) They expressed interest in the idea of a UC ‘Graduate Student Bill of Rights‘ that would set standards and expectations for how graduate students should be treated by their department and advisor.

This is the first year in the recent past where MSE is represented at the Graduate Assembly. GA funding has been beneficial for this department’s social events. However, students have reported to us that they would like the GA to promote its own programs and events better to students who are not already involved.

“Around the campus in 80 days” continues this week with meetings in Astronomy (March 1st) and Chemistry (March 2nd).

March 3: Delegate Assembly Meeting, 5:30-7:30 pm, Eshleman Hall. Check in with your representatives to get the latest news.

March 6: Graduate Student of Color Study Hall, 10 am – 2 pm, Anthony Hall. All are welcome and refreshments will be provided.

March 6: Graduate Diversity Beer and Pizza Reception, 4-6 pm, Multi-Cultural Center in the MLK, Jr. Student Union. Come welcome prospective students of color to campus.

March 9: GMORR Brown Bag on “Academic Writing: Grants, Papers, and Publications,” 12-1 pm,  Stephens Lounge in the MLK, Jr. Student Union.

March 10: The Graduate Social Club‘s Spring Social, 6-9 pm, Pauley Ballroom West in the MLK, Jr. Student Union. Enjoy pizza and beer with friends and other graduate students from around campus.