Orientation Edition

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Orientation Edition

August 18, 2011 in Orientation Edition by TBG | Comments closed

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!

Graduate-Undergraduate Mentoring

August 8, 2011 in Campus resources, Orientation Edition, Things to do by TBG | Comments closed

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.

Resources for International Students

August 1, 2011 in Campus resources, Orientation Edition by TBG | Comments closed

You’ve waded through immigration red tape, said goodbye to loved ones, and, after hopping on the plane, you’re here! Congratulations. Just getting here can be an accomplishment. Now what? Living in a foreign country is far from easy, especially if you’re a neophyte in the land of the red, white and blue- and after the initial honeymoon stage wears off, it is quite common to experience the blues. Sure, the weather is warm (compared to some places), the people are friendly (sometimes), and the school offers a plethora of opportunities to cement new friendships and embark on awesome adventures. But when all is said and done and you’re stuck in your closet-sized, hole-in-the-wall dorm room with no blanket the first week you’re here, no car to get to the nearest Bed, Bath & Beyond to buy said blanket, no furniture (it was supposed to be delivered two weeks ago), and no idea of where things are or how things work, life in the USA can spark moments when catching the next plane back home sounds like heaven.

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.

Resources for Grad Student/Faculty Mentoring

July 30, 2011 in Campus resources, Orientation Edition, Teaching by Jonathan Banda | Comments closed

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

Graduate students are an integral part of the academic core of the University, conducting research and instructing undergraduates, with a personal interest in the success of this institution. The relationship between faculty and graduate students is at the heart of the discoveries and productions that are generated by any research institution, and at UC Berkeley, a university that in the recent years has been recognized as the best overall graduate institution in the nation, successful relationships between faculty and graduate students are integral to the overall graduate experience.

Oftentimes, a close academic relationship with a mentoring professor can become the pivotal factor in a student’s success and completion of his or her graduate degree. While such relationships do not always occur instantly or remain sustained, success in mentoring is something that requires the cooperation and efforts of both the professor and the graduate student.

One of the main aids to faculty-graduate student mentoring is the Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) Teaching and Resource Center, which provides teaching support and guidance to GSIs as well as mentoring seminars and workshops for faculty to help them become better mentors. Berkeley is one of the only universities to incorporate faculty mentoring of GSIs into university policy. The policy outlines the guidelines concerning recruitment, workload, preparation, and assessment of GSIs, as well as highlights the central role that faculty play in mentoring graduate students as teachers.

At any given time, there are over a thousand GSIs working in the university and the goal of the GSI Teaching and Resource Center is to great an ongoing feedback loop between GSIs and faculty so that the quality of the courses is enhanced. The results not only make for a better teaching experience, but also improve the quality of undergraduate education.

Among the numerous endeavors of the Center is to make sure that the work that faculty are doing in relation to mentoring graduate students is acknowledged and included in the university reward system. To that end, each year a few select faculty, from both within the Academic Senate and without, are recognized with the Faculty Award for Outstanding Mentorship of GSIs. In addition, a similar award, the Distinguished Faculty Mentors Award, is given annually by the Graduate Assembly to honor faculty research mentoring.

Exploring the Bay Area- Day Trips and More

July 18, 2011 in $10 or less, Orientation Edition, Things to do by Lucy | Comments closed

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

Photo by Matt Hoberg

As a graduate student in the Bay Area, you are fortunate to be living close to some incredible natural and cultural attractions, many of which are free or very inexpensive. Between BART, AC Transit, CalTrain, Amtrak, CityCarshare and ZipCar, there are many places within easy reach, even if you don’t own a car.

The Sonoma Coast: Best known for its grapes, Sonoma County is also home to a rugged coast that boasts secluded beaches, great seafood, and the only Russian colonial outpost in the lower 48. Don’t Miss: Bodega Bay, home to the Tides Restaurant—parts of Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds were filmed there and it has a great selection of seasonal seafood; Goat Rock State Park,where impossibly smooth sections of rocky sea stacks are thought to represent ancient backscratchers for wooly mammoths; and Fort Ross, which from 1812-1841 represented the far eastern extent of the Russian America Company’s vast fur trade empire.

Monterey: Steinbeck’s Cannery Row is now a tourist destination, and Monterey and the surrounding area make a great day trip from Berkeley. Check out the Monterey Bay Aquarium and its wide array of sea life and interactive displays. Get up close and personal with sea otters (within the legally established limits, of course) on a kayak tour of Monterey Bay. Just south of town, visit quaint Carmel-by-the-Sea or take the scenic 17-Mile Drive past the world famous Pebble Beach golf course.

The Delta: Just a short drive east of the Bay Area lies the Sacramento/San Joaquin River Delta, a vast bucolic backwater rich inhistory. A maze of sloughs, levy roads, and free ferries lead you through California’s boating capital. Rio Vista offers some interesting dining options, while Locke showcases the region’s rich Chinese history. On the way home, drive through the Montezuma Hills and marvel at the gigantic modern wind turbines spinning right next to the 19th century windmills of former homesteads.

Golden Gate Park: Closer to home lies San Francisco’s answer to New York’s Central Park. Stretching for 3 miles from the psychedelic Haight-Ashbury District to the Pacific Coast at Ocean Beach, the Golden Gate Park is home to various museums and other attractions. The Conservatory of Flowers features a variety of amazing plants; the California Academy of Sciences is open again and offers exciting science exhibits and nightlife; and the de Young Museum boasts an eclectic collection of art from the worldover. Also check out the buffalo herd or attend one of the many annual events such as the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass concert in the park. At the end of the day, watch the sunset at the Beach Chalet at the western end of the park.

Point Reyes: Jutting into the Pacific from Marin County, Point Reyes is one of the most beautiful and desolate places in the Bay Area. Legend has it that famous British explorer Sir Francis Drake landed in the area in 1579, and you can take the road that bears his name all the way to land’s end where the National Park Service maintains the historic lighthouse. Or check out the reconstructed Coast Miwok village at Kule Loklo near the Bear Valley visitor’s center. You can also see the Tule Elk herds at the northern part of the park or visit one of the area’s many beaches, such as Limantour or the sheltered Heart’s Desire beach on Tomales Bay. Stop in Point Reyes Station to snack on artisan cheese or hit up one of the many barbecued oyster stands around Point Reyes and Tomales Bay.

Wine Country: Napa and Sonoma Valleys produce some of the world’s finest wines, and it is no surprise that they make a great getaway for bleary-eyed grad students or for vacationing parents. Tastings run the gamut of all price ranges and interest levels; be sure to check the tourist information centers for special deals. If wine isn’t your thing, check out the Napa Valley Mustard Festival, get a mud bath or great BBQ in Calistoga, or visit Mission San Francisco Solano—the last of the 21 Spanish missions to be founded in California and now a state historic park in downtown Sonoma.

More options: If you’ve got a whole weekend to spare, there are a number of other exciting destinations within a few hours’ drive from Berkeley. Go skiing in Tahoe, double down on your GSI paycheck in Reno, admire the majestic beauty of Yosemite, go condor-spotting at Pinnacles, become one with it all at Big Sur, gaze upwards among the redwoods in Humbolt County, or check out California’s golden heritage in the hills around Placerville.

Grad Student Grocery Guide

July 11, 2011 in Bay Area basics, Orientation Edition by TBG | Comments closed

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

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)

Best Tips for the Apartment Hunt

July 5, 2011 in Bay Area basics, Orientation Edition, Uncategorized by TBG | Comments closed

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

As the Fall semester approaches, new graduate students are faced with the often daunting task of finding an apartment in the Berkeley area. The rental market can be quite competitive, and around campus this is the most competitive time as there is a huge rush for securing apartments close to the University. To help you keep your sanity and your stipend, this post will offer some helpful tips for navigating the apartment search gauntlet.

Make technology your friend. Search Craig’s List for the neighborhood and price range you’re looking for. It can be helpful to set up an RSS feed to track the latest listings. It’s also useful to do a text search for important items, such as move-in dates, whether there is a yard or garage, etc.

Another great option is PadMapper, which integrates Craig’s List postings with a Google Maps interface. Just input a price range, scroll and zoom to find your favorite neighborhoods, and you’re good to go.

Cal Rentals hosts apartment listings geared especially for members of the University community. While there is a small fee to subscribe and the volume of postings is much smaller than Craig’s List, Cal Rentals can still be a useful resource.

Know the process. Take the time to learn about what you will be asked on a rental application so that you will be able to file them quickly. Be prepared with a check at each apartment showing—many property owners charge an application fee to allow them to run a credit check. Alternatively, think ahead and get your own credit report to provide to property owners, saving you money in the long run.

Know your rights. Berkeley’s Rent Board has a reputation as being friendly to tenants, but you still need to do some due diligence to avoid sticky situations. You are entitled to interest on your security deposit, to a walk-through inspection by your property owner, and to the protection of rent control. Remember that rental laws vary by city, so if you’re renting outside of Berkeley you’ll need to research the local rental laws.

Document everything. Before you move anything into your new place, go through the apartment and take photographs of the entire living space. If anything is broken, tell the property owner immediately. These are key steps to a smooth move-out—the last thing you want is a battle with the property owner about whether you left the place in worse condition than you found it. If you document along the way, you’ll have a compelling case if any issues need to be resolved by the Rent Board.

Use local contacts. Trying to find an apartment remotely can be tough, but if you have some friends or family in the area, it’s time to call in some favors! Have them check out some of your favorite listings so you know whether it’s everything you hoped it would be. Colleagues in your department might be willing to help as well, so don’t be afraid to ask for a favor in return for a beer when you get into town.

Know what to compromise on, and what not to. You probably don’t need granite countertops and fancy appliances, but you might really want some space to garden, a garage for your car or hobby, or a living room big enough to have friends over. The one thing you should never compromise on is safety and comfort. If you don’t feel safe and comfortable walking in the neighborhood at night, it’s going to be very difficult to focus on your teaching and research. If you don’t need a lot of space and can’t afford a one-bedroom in a nice area, think about finding a studio, or try to connect with some students in your department to get a place together and save on rent. One and two bedroom apartments in Berkeley are fairly expensive, but the prices get much more reasonable with three or four bedrooms, since those apartments will often take up one floor of a house.

Technology can help you figure out how safe a neighborhood is. The Berkeley Police Department has a crime map that can give you a sense of how often crimes are committed in an area, and how serious they are. Oakland has a similar site. These are important tools to use since safety can vary dramatically, even from one block to the next. Talk to folks in your department about where they’re living, and be sure not to rely on stereotypes—many parts of Oakland are much safer than some parts of Berkeley, for example.

What to do on campus, part 2

June 22, 2011 in Campus resources, Orientation Edition by TBG | Comments closed

Photo from Flickr user John-Morgan

6. Many students find it relaxing and fun to use the studio space for ceramics and the darkroom for photography provided by the ASUC (The Associated Students of the University of California) in Lower Sproul Plaza. The ASUC art studio also offers courses in ceramics, creative writing, digital imaging, drawing & painting, jewelry, knitting/textiles/sweing, photography, printmaking/book arts, sculpture and video. To see the classes being offered this fall visit http://artstudio.berkeley.edu. The Fall session begins in early September, so sign up for a class soon if you’re interested.

7. The Campanile – also called Sather Tower – is certainly the most visible symbol of Berkeley’s campus and also one of the most famous. Berkeley students are accustomed to seeing this landmark from the ground, but did you know that you can also view the campus and surrounding area from the Campanile’s observation deck? Open daily and admission is free to UC Berkeley students.

8. Finally, whether it’s for getting to campus or getting away from it, don’t forget to pick up your Class Pass, which enables students to ride free on AC Transit and campus shuttle buses. The line is usually long in the first few weeks of school, but you’ll be glad you have it on the first rainy day or sooner if you are a regular bus commuter.

What to do on campus

June 17, 2011 in Campus resources, Orientation Edition by TBG | Comments closed

Editor’s note: Another excerpt from our orientation guide for new graduate students.

Berkeley Botanical Garden. Photo by Flickr user theMaykazine

In addition to world-class research facilities, Berkeley offers a variety of fun cultural and recreational activities. So next time you’re looking for something to do, start your search close to home. As a student, there’s more much more than academics available to you on campus.

1. Enjoy an event at Cal Performances at half price with the 50%-off discount available to Berkeley students. As the campus center for the performing arts, Cal Performances features dance, music, and theater, in addition to occasional speakers. To view the schedule of events or to purchase tickets online, visit www.calperfs.berkeley.edu

2. Watch a movie at the Pacific Film Archive (PFA). The PFA is the place to view rare, historic, and new movies from around the world. With tickets at just $5.50 for Berkeley students and more than 600 programs offered each school year, you can experience the world of cinema without leaving campus. For current and upcoming film series, see www.bampfa.berkeley.edu/filmseries/

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Words of wisdom, part 2

June 15, 2011 in Campus resources, Orientation Edition by TBG | 4 comments

More advice for new graduate students. Tips 6 through 10 are below. For tips 1 through 5, click here.

Photo by Flickr user Lydia Chow

6. As Berkeley students, we are fortunate to have a fantastic regional park right in our backyard. Tilden Park offers great opportunities for hiking, grilling, and hanging out with friends. There’s even a petting zoo, a perennial favorite with young and old alike. Getting up to the hills offers great views of your new home, vistas that are sure to please long-time residents and out-of-town guests. At times the weekends can be a bit crowded, so take advantage of the graduate student’s flexible schedule and visit on a weekday. If you don’t have a car and the walk or bike ride seems daunting, AC Transit provides bus service to the park. Finally, a little further afield, the rest of the East Bay Regional Park system is well worth visiting for an introduction to the ecosystems and history of the area as well as recreation and relaxation.

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