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Marked by a monthlong celebration of the Free Speech Movement and the unveiling of plans for an ambitious new Berkeley Global Campus, 2014 at UC Berkeley was both a year to remember and a time to reimagine the future.
Events at Berkeley archive
BAM/PFA throws an all-day moving party
December 19, 2014: The Berkeley Art Museum/Pacific Film Archive is celebrating its final day of programs in its Bancroft Way building, with art, music, dance, performance and a festive procession to its new site at Center and Oxford streets. Things kick off at 11 a.m. Sunday (Dec. 21).
Beautiful botanical art, on display now at the Bot Garden 
December 16, 2014: The beauty and complexity of plants are captured in extraordinary detail in the UC Botanical Garden’s new “Following in the Bartrams’ Footsteps” exhibit, which opened this week in Julia Morgan Hall. Featured are 44 original artworks by artists who create their pieces in the style of John and William Bartram, who lived three centuries ago. Watch our video to take an online tour with one of the artists.
Black staff, faculty stage silent protest at Sproul
December 15, 2014: Black staff and faculty at Berkeley led a silent protest in front of Sproul Hall on Monday, in solidarity with the nationwide #BlackLivesMatter movement. More than 100 stood in a driving rain to silently voice their support for the growing movement.
Dirks, Richmonders get down to business on global campus
December 15, 2014: The chancellor met Thursday with Richmond civic leaders and city residents to hear their perspectives, and to reiterate — and reinforce — his commitment to the community as the new Berkeley Global Campus moves ahead.
Forestry club offers holiday trees, fresh from the Sierra
December 5, 2014: Evergreen trees sustainably harvested in the Sierra by the Cal Forestry Club are on sale Dec. 7 to 13 at Mulford Hall. Proceeds from the annual sale support professional development for members of the 102-year-old student organization.
I School hackathon develops technological aids for Heifer International
December 3, 2014: Students from across the Bay Area came to the assistance of Heifer International, which fights world hunger and poverty by linking communities and helps bring sustainable agriculture and commerce to areas with a history of poverty.
Big Ideas guest lecturer Wendy Schmidt advocates for a sea change
November 26, 2014: Schmidt Ocean Institute co-founder Wendy Schmidt delivered a guest lecture to students in the College of Letters and Science’s Big Ideas “Oceans” course, telling them a sea change was needed to rebuild humans’ relationship with the planet. “We are the last generation to have the chance to do something about this,” said the Graduate School of Journalism alumna, who is president of the Schmidt Family Foundation.
Campus gives a ‘Big Thanks’ for successful fund drive
November 21, 2014: UC Berkeley sends out a “Big Thanks” to the legion of supporters who made Thursday’s Big Give such a big success, one that will benefit students, faculty and research.
Chopping down the Stanford Tree in slow motion
November 19, 2014: Hundreds of Cal fans showed up for the annual Tree Chopping Rally on Sproul Plaza Tuesday and cheered on a group of axe-wielding students. To psych up the campus for the 117th Big Game, Saturday against Stanford, the Cal logging team showed off their chain sawing and chopping techniques, symbolizing California’s triumph over the Stanford Tree, the mascot of the Stanford band.
Going out, doing good: Berkeley Project Day 2014 in photos 
November 14, 2014: Berkeley Project Day 2014 sent more than 1,400 UC Berkeley students out into the community to get things done: rehabbing homes for people in need, cleaning up streets and parks, sprucing up childcare centers, just to name a few. The annual community-service day is entirely student-run.
Three free days of all-things-piano
November 13, 2014: Free lectures, performances, workshops and recitals are all part of the 2014 Piano Institute, taking place Friday through Sunday (Nov. 14-16). The Music Department program is open to the public.
How a cardiac surgeon became ‘Egypt’s Jon Stewart’
October 29, 2014: In this video interview, political satirist Bassem Youssef, who made a campus appearance Wednesday, discusses how his life and career changed after the 2011 Egyptian revolution, and shares his thoughts on free speech, student life and food.
Mavis Staples reflects on activism and music, past and present
October 28, 2014: Mavis Staples, whose campus visit Thursday (Oct. 30) culminated with a show presented by Cal Peformances, grew up singing as part of the Staples Singers, a family group that became widely known in the 1960s for songs that helped galvanize the Civil Rights Movement. Staples, now going solo, says a lot of the older songs are still relevant today.
AC Transit, BART seek campus views on transit
October 27, 2014: AC Transit planners will hold a campus workshop Thursday, Oct. 30, to get feedback on East Bay and transbay bus service. Members of the campus community are also invited to answer online surveys about AC Transit and BART, as part of the agencies’ long-range planning.
Bassem Youssef, ‘Egypt’s Jon Stewart,’ heads to campus
October 23, 2014: As part of the Free Speech Movement’s 50th-anniversary commemoration, the political satirist is set to appear Oct. 29 at Zellerbach Hall to talk with Chancellor Nicholas Dirks about free speech and social change.
Open Enrollment for 2015 UC benefits begins Oct. 30
October 22, 2014: Open Enrollment for 2015 UC health and welfare benefits begins Thursday, Oct. 30. The campus’s Human Resources unit will offer informational sessions for faculty, staff, emeriti and retirees; an article from UC details plan offerings.
At Student Learning Center ‘Friday Jam,’ creative energy abounds
October 21, 2014: More than 200 attended the Oct. 17 launch of “SLC Friday Jam,” featuring a multicultural array of spoken-word, rock and dance performances.
Bancroft opens stunning California Captured on Canvas exhibit
October 21, 2014: The Bancroft Library is providing a window onto California’s unique history and culture with an new exhibit of oil paintings from its pictorial collection, some of which haven’t been publicly displayed before.
Campus to join statewide ‘ShakeOut’ Thursday
October 15, 2014: At 10:16 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 16, campus sirens will sound as UC Berkeley participates in the “Great California ShakeOut,” a day of events designed to encourage Californians to prepare for major earthquakes and other emergencies.
Rare silent film, with live music, highlights sweeping Georgian cinema series
October 15, 2014: The screening of the rare Georgian silent film Eliso, with live musical accompaniment by Trio Kavkasia playing a score commissioned by BAM/PFA, is a highlight of the 50-film Discovering Georgian Cinema series now underway at BAM/PFA. Eliso will be shown Oct. 25 and 26.
They like to watch, yes, but that’s just the beginning
October 13, 2014: Kai Huotari, a sometime filmmaker and former visiting scholar at Berkeley’s School of Information, analyzed thousands of tweets and interviewed 45 “TV live-tweeters” to learn why people would do such a thing. Note to TV producers: It’s not all about you.
Secretary of State forum Thursday night at I-House
October 8, 2014: California’s Secretary of State candidates will be facing off in a public debate at the International House on Thursday.
Lab-coat distribution event promotes safety culture
October 7, 2014: Environment, Health and Safety is distributing lab coats and other personal-protective equipment to new lab researchers and staff Oct. 7 and 8 at the foot of the Campanile.
Photo slideshow: Student inventors do battle at Cal Hacks
October 7, 2014: More than 1,000 inventive students from across the country inhabited California Memorial Stadium this weekend as they sought glory, prize money and the sheer thrill of solving problems together in a 36-hour tech event, Cal Hacks.
Savio lecturer: Speak up for workers ‘behind the kitchen door’
October 3, 2014: Saru Jayaraman, who gave this year’s Mario Savio Memorial Lecture on Thursday, was largely oblivious to the plight of tipped workers until 9/11. Today she’s one of the most impassioned, articulate voices on behalf of the nation’s restaurant workers.
#FSM50, in words, videos and photos
October 3, 2014: With rallies, lectures, classes, conversations, photos, videos and — always — with passion, UC Berkeley is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Free Speech Movement, whose legacy reverberates on campus and throughout the world. Catch up on this week’s events on the NewsCenter’s #FSM50 page.
College Information Day to be held this Saturday
October 2, 2014:
College Information Day, an event at the University of California, Berkeley, in which dozens of college and university representatives will give tips to college-bound students and their families.
‘#FSM50 Voices of Free Speech’
October 1, 2014: A two-minute crowd-sourced film by Emmy-nominated Berkeley alum Tiffany Shlain commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Free Speech Movement, bringing together voices from around the world to recall the words of Martin Luther King, Jr. and FSM leader Mario Savio to demonstrate the power of free speech today.
Words of freedom: video made from Mario Savio’s 1964 ‘Machine Speech’
September 30, 2014: This kinetic-typography video shares some of the most memorable words from that speech, dubbed “The Machine Speech.”
