2010 News Archive

Appointment of AVC for Safety and Risk Services

Associate Vice Chancellor Jean Marie Scott has accepted an appointment as Associate Vice Chancellor for Safety and Risk Services, effective December 1.

Alum's video tribute to the Giants is a hit

Proud Banana Slug and hardcore San Francisco Giants fan, Ashkon Davaran (Porter '02, Theater Arts) has a grand slam viral hit with his YouTube video tribute to the

Ethics lecture examines moral boundaries of scientific research

"Advances in Biotechnology and Medicine: Stretching the Moral Boundaries" is just the beginning of a new series of ethics lectures that will be presented by the UCSC Humanities

Open Enrollment 2011 Presentations and Assistance

If you have questions or need assistance with your open enrollment decisions, consider attending a presentation or participating in a drop-in help session.

UCSC students earn awards at SACNAS national conference

Four UCSC students received awards for their research presentations at the 2010 SACNAS National Conference held in Anaheim in October.

Open Enrollment and retirement benefits recommendations

News stories for UC faculty and staff in the October Our University, UC's systemwide newsletter.

UCSC Student Graphic Art Contest

The Center for Collaborative Research for an Equitable California (CCREC) is hosting a graphic art contest to design a logo for our new research center.

Series of controlled burns planned at Wilder Ranch

The California Department of Parks and Recreation is conducting a series of burns totaling 600 acres at Wilder Ranch State Park as conditions

Humanities Division honors freshman writing students with new award

After more than three decades of guiding teachers and teaching college students, senior lecturer emeritus in writing Don Rothman has established an endowment to honor exceptional freshman students

Astronomer Greg Laughlin will discuss the search for Earth-like planets on November 17

UCSC astronomer Greg Laughlin will discuss "The Search for Other Earths" in a free public lecture on Wednesday, November

Chancellor Blumenthal discusses health care, other issues during staff forum

Chancellor George Blumenthal answered questions about health care costs, UC funding, and the state budget during a Staff Advisory Board Town Hall meeting on Tuesday, October

A letter from President Yudof regarding proposed changes to UC retirement benefits

Proposed changes to UC retirement benefits.

Prescribed Burns at Wilder Ranch

Update - Prescribed burning will be taking place near the Twin Gates area on Tuesday, October 26.

Limiting salmon fishing may help ecosystems and economies

A group of conservation biologists led by a researcher from UC Santa Cruz and Canada’s Raincoast Conservation Foundation has proposed limiting the fishing of Pacific salmon off British

Four faculty members inducted into American Academy of Arts & Sciences

Four UCSC faculty members were inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences at a ceremony on October 9.

Student veterans are featured in newspaper cover story

An increasing number of veterans who have served in the country's military are enrolling at UC Santa Cruz as students. And in the past two years, UCSC has

Jean-Michel Cousteau: 'I am convinced we can change'

Ocean environmentalist Cousteau expresses both concern and hope for the future of the world's oceans in a discussion of the BP oil spill with alum and NPR science

UCSC in the News

News that literature professor Karen Tei Yamashita was nominated for a 2010 National Book Award was reported in media across the country, including the San Francisco Chronicle, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Minnesota Public Radio, Washington Post, and Santa Cruz Sentinel.

Open Enrollment 2011

The annual Open Enrollment period begins today (Monday, October 25) and ends at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, November 23.

Founders Day Dinner honors achievement, UCSC's roots

The fourth annual campus signature event drew a black-tie crowd to the Cocoanut Grove to commemorate UCSC's founding, recognize outstanding

Open Enrollment 2011

Information from UCSC Police

A female student relayed the following information to UCSC officers about an incident that occurred while she was running on a Pogonip trail near the UCSC Firehouse at around 11:30 yesterday.

ITS cyber security "Tip of the Week": Week 4

Check out ITS's "Top 10 List" of good computing practices

Staff Advisory Board hosts fall Town Hall

Staff Advisory Board hosts fall Town Hall. Tuesday, October 26th, Noon –1pm, Kresge Town Hall

"MIXED NUTZ" returns for holiday shows: Nov. 19-Dec. 5

“MIXED NUTZ! The Nutcracker REMixed”--a fun and magical twist on the story of ‘The Nutcracker’ featuring live music by vocalists SoVoSó with Lori

We're 45 years young

You may have noticed that this issue of Review commemorates UCSC’s 45th anniversary. We know, we know—we haven’t exactly been subtle about it. But that’s just because we’re so proud.

Alumni in Profile / Brenda Wong Aoki -- Bringing stories to life

Merrill College graduate Brenda Wong Aoki, a three times National Endowment for the Arts fellow, brings stories to life.

Alumni in Profile / Stephen Abreu -- At the intersection of business and science

Stephen Abreu earned a bachelors in biochemestry and a masters in molecular biology from Kresge College. Today he helps science move from the lab into doctors' hands.

Alumni in Profile / Gregg Herken -- Unraveling history's mysteries

Gregg Herken, a member of UCSC's pioneer class, brought some of the Cold War's secret weapons into public view.

Open enrollment begins Monday, Oct. 25

Campus Provost Galloway writes about Open Enrollment, which begins on Monday, October 25, and encourages employees to evaluate their options carefully, particularly those related to health insurance.

Researchers investigate marine mammal behavior and responses to sound

A team of researchers recently completed a two-month research project off the Southern California coast, part of a collaboration to study marine mammal behavior and responses to sounds

Oh brother, where art thou?

Early in the life of the campus, three artists helped establish UCSC’s art department with little more than grit, humor, and creativity. Where are they now?

Flu Shot Clinics on Campus

The Student Health Center is once again offering seasonal flu shots for UCSC students.

Seasonal Flu Shot Clinics on Campus

The Student Health Center is once again offering seasonal flu shots for campus staff and faculty.

Uncommon People / Sam Farr: Sea changes

Congressman Sam Farr writes about efforts to counteract threats facing the world's oceans.

Restoring an altered Eden

A UCSC professor fosters a happy marriage between academic rigor and on-the-ground conservation to protect and renew an estuarine gem.

Uncommon people / Judy Yung: Angel Island Centennial teaches important lessons

At 100, the "Ellis Island of the West" shows us that immigration reform is needed now.

Material culture

A young alumna dresses up actresses on the white-hot TV show "Mad Men," capturing the social turbulence of the ’60s

45th anniversary info-nuggets--fall 2010 UCSC Review

In honor of UCSC's 45th anniversary, we've assembled 45 info-nuggets of campus history, discoveries, milestones, and oddities. Enjoy!

UCSC Senate takes positions on post-employment benefits

UCSC's Academic Senate, meeting at Stevenson College on October 20, approved several resolutions related to the University of California's consideration of changes to post-employment benefits and health benefits.

Professor's new book explores the political discourse of Russia's elite

In a new book, UC Santa Cruz politics professor and post-Soviet-era expert Michael Urban interviewed 34 prominent members of the administrations of Mikhail Gorbachev, Boris Yeltsin, and Vladimir

UCSC Review--fall 2010 happenings/news

Zipcar Expansion in the Santa Cruz Community

Four additional Zipcars are now available in Santa Cruz for use by all eligible UCSC students, staff and faculty.

Mists of time

Campus founders chose Santa Cruz over San Jose for UCSC's location in part because of the cooling effect of the marine layer. The rest is history.

Bill Ladusaw and Jim McCloskey elected fellows of Linguistic Society of America

Digital media pros advise young alumni at Silicon Valley networking event

A panel of four highly accomplished UCSC alumni with expertise in digital media shared their insights and experience with an eager crowd of younger alumni at a recent

Astronomer Mark Krumholz wins NSF CAREER Award

Mark Krumholz, assistant professor of astronomy and astrophysics at UCSC, has won a prestigious Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award from the National Science Foundation.

Party hardly: UCSC ramps up its campaign inviting students to think when they drink

Gnomeland Security: An irreverent UCSC alcohol awareness campaign aims at decreasing risk, not condemning students for

UCSC in the News

The New York Times quoted sociology professor Paul Lubeck in an article on a spate of religiously motivated killings in northern Nigeria ... and more.

Patricia Zavella awarded career achievement prize

Patricia Zavella, chair of the Latin American and Latino studies department at UC Santa Cruz, has been named co-winner of the 2010 Prize for Distinguished Achievement in the Critical Study of North America by the Society for the Anthropology of North America. North America.

Pension reform recommendations draw questions and concerns at campus meeting

Several hundred staff members, faculty, and retired employees filled Stevenson Event Center on Monday afternoon to voice concerns and ask questions about proposed changes to UC's retirement

UCSC Review--fall 2010 masthead

UCSC Review--fall 2010 letters

ITS cyber security "Tip of the Week": Week 3

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month. This week's cyber security "Tip of the Week" from ITS focuses on cyber security for mobile devices.

Ghosts, gold, and greed—a spooky tour at UCSC

Join historian Frank Perry of the Friends of the Cowell Lime Works Historic District for a special walking tour of the historic district on campus on October 30.

Engineering dean Art Ramirez awarded APS McGroddy Prize

The American Physical Society has awarded the 2011 James C. McGroddy Prize for New Materials to Art Ramirez, dean of the Baskin School of Engineering.

Elephant seals improve maps of Antarctic seafloor

Oceanographers are using data collected by elephant seals to improve their map of the seafloor on Antarctica's continental

Physicist Joel Primack featured in National Geographic documentary

A new National Geographic television documentary, "Inside the Milky Way," includes an interview with UCSC physicist Joel Primack.

Post-Employment Benefits Forums: Background Information

In advance of Monday's Post-Employment Benefits forums, here are four fact sheets that UC's Office of the President has produced on the subject.

UCSC farm and garden cart winds down for the season

The UC Santa Cruz farm and garden cart will be open for purchases of fresh organic produce and flowers for two more days, Fridays October 22 and 29, then close for the season.

UC Santa Cruz social scientists honored for teaching, research

Three social scientists at UC Santa Cruz were honored for outstanding teaching and research Thursday, October 14 at the annual fall convocation breakfast hosted by dean of the

SF mayor honors alumnus Peter Bratt with Latino heritage award

Filmmaker Peter Bratt, a UC Santa Cruz alumnus, and his TV star brother Benjamin were named recipients of the 2010 Latino Heritage Month Award in the arts by

Reminder: Town hall meeting about post employment benefits

This is a reminder that on Monday, October 18, the campus will host two town hall meetings about proposed changes to UC's post employment benefits.

UC Santa Cruz Literature professor nominated for National Book Award

Karen Tei Yamashita, professor of literature and co-director of the Creative Writing Program at UC Santa Cruz, has been nominated for a 2010 National Book

Where the streets had no names

For most of UCSC's 45-year history, most of its streets had no names. Visitors and new students would often find themselves lost and bewildered. Not anymore. The campus

Provocative works by extraordinary artists reveal ‘Human Conditions’

Ansel Adams, Diane Arbus, Vito Acconci, Robert Rauschenberg…these are just a few of the extraordinary artists that will be featured in Human Conditions, a new exhibition running through

A Message from VP Dwaine Duckett regarding 2011 Medical Plan Rates

California's benefits plans and rates for 2011. The Open Enrollment period begins October 25 at 8 a.m. and runs to 5 p.m. on November 23.

Seymour Center presents lecture on Gulf oil spill on Sunday, October 17

Mike Beck, lead marine scientist for the Nature Conservancy and a research associate at UCSC, will discuss the Gulf oil spill in a public lecture at the Seymour Center on October 17.

UC Santa Cruz welcomes students, families to preview days

The next two Saturdays, UC Santa Cruz will welcome prospective students and their families to Preview Day, the annual campus open house, to explore the campus and connect

Baskin School of Engineering highlights research advances on October 21

Innovative approaches to solving problems in the critical areas of biotechnology, energy, and human-centered design will be presented by faculty in the Baskin School of Engineering at the

Two faculty members honored with Dickson Emeriti Professorships

Two UCSC faculty members have been honored with emeriti professorships for the 2010-11 academic year: George Brown, professor emeritus of physics, and Donald Wiberg, professor emeritus of electrical engineering.

UCSC research funding hit record levels in 2009-10

UCSC researchers attracted a record $148 million in external grants and contracts to the campus in the 2009-10 fiscal year.

National Coming Out Day

We open this message on a celebratory and supportive note for National Coming Out Day, October 11, while acknowledging somber news across our country regarding the tragic suicides of gay youth and youth who were perceived to be gay by their harassers.

Researchers use hi-res detector to map neural circuits of the retina

Using a sophisticated neural recording system developed at UCSC, researchers were able to trace for the first time the neural circuitry in the

Informational sessions on the NRC analysis

The campus will host two informational sessions to discuss the NRC data and analysis, beginning with a presentation on the council's methodology and some of the results, followed by questions and answers.

Important open enrollment changes for 2011 / Cambios importantes para la inscripción abierta para 2011

The University of California is about to announce the health insurance open enrollment period for 2011.

UCSC in the News

Garrison Keillor, host of A Prairie Home Companion, read a poem by humanities lecturer Gary Young on The Writer’s Almanac, his daily radio program broadcast to over 300

Engineer Wentai Liu honored with Popular Mechanics Breakthroughs Award

Popular Mechanics magazine has awarded a 2010 Breakthroughs Award to Wentai Liu, professor of electrical engineering at UCSC's Baskin School of

Disability History Week begins Oct. 11

The California State Assembly recently passed a resolution declaring the second week of October 2010 as Disability History Week. The University of California will observe Disability History Week this year and every year hereafter.

ITS cyber security "Tip of the Week": Week 2

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month. This week's cyber security "Tip of the Week" from ITS focuses on eliminating unnecessary stored information.

State budget news

The latest word from Sacramento today is that we appear to be on the brink of having a state budget that will contain good news for the University of California.

Career fairs open doors for students

The Career Center has scheduled two upcoming fall events that will help students think about life beyond UC Santa Cruz.

Chemistry department hosts exciting science show on Sunday, October 17

Two of chemistry's most colorful ambassadors will perform dazzling feats of physical science in an interactive chemistry show at UCSC on Sunday, October

Annual economics conference Oct. 22

Netflix CEO: Luck, 'maniacal determination' played into company's success

Speaking to a crowd of 400 at Tuesday's What's Next lecture co-sponsored by UCSC, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings shared success tales and early horror

Bike to Work commuters climb to the top at UCSC

The annual Bike to Work celebration drew an enthusiastic crowd of students, staff and faculty to campus on

Family ties bind desert lizards in social groups

UCSC researchers have found that a species of lizard in the Mojave Desert lives in family groups and shows patterns of social behavior more commonly associated with mammals

UCSC to offer healthy lifestyle support online

Starting October 4, all UCSC staff and faculty--and their families--can enroll in the online health and wellness Alive! program at no charge.

Ocean protection expert to give Keeley Lecture on Environmental Policy

Amber Mace, a leading expert on ocean protection policy, will present the fifth Fred Keeley Lecture on Environmental Policy Wednesday, October 20 at 7:30 p.m. at the UC

Please conserve water

You may have recently noticed the "Please Conserve Water" banner at the main entrance to the University. Although we are not currently under regional water restrictions as we experienced the last few years, water is a precious natural resource that is vital to our health and the programs and projects at the University.

Acclaimed author and journalist Gurcharan Das to deliver 2010 Maitra Lecture at UCSC on Oct. 17

The UC Santa Cruz Foundation presents the 10th annual Sidhartha Maitra Memorial Lecture--featuring acclaimed Indian author and columnist Gurcharan Das--on Sunday, October 17, at 3 p.m. in the

Funding boost for hay barn restoration project

The UC Santa Cruz Foundation and the Friends of the Cowell Lime Works Historic District is gaining momentum in its efforts to preserve the sprawling, fast deteriorating hay barn near the base of campus.

Bike to Work returns to UCSC

Fall Bike to Work/School Day -- popular with UCSC bike commuters -- returns in full force on Thursday, October 7, with over 6,000 cyclists taking to the streets.

Nobel laureate Stanley Prusiner to speak at UCSC on Friday, October 15

Nobel laureate Stanley Prusiner, M.D.--who discovered the infectious proteins that cause "mad cow disease" in cattle, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans, and other neurodegenerative diseases--will discuss the latest developments

Founders Dinner on October 22 to honor discovery, philanthropy, artistic endeavor

UC Santa Cruz will host its fourth annual Founders Day gala dinner at Santa Cruz's Cocoanut Grove on Friday, October 22, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Settling in and getting to work

As I begin my third full week on the job, I want to thank everyone for the warm welcome and let you know a bit about how I'm focusing my time.

Jean-Michel Cousteau joins NPR's Richard Harris for a "Report from the Gulf" on Friday, October 22

Jean-Michel Cousteau, president of the Ocean Futures Society, and Richard Harris, science correspondent for National Public Radio, will discuss the impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in

October 7: Public Education Rally

Rallies in support of public education are scheduled to take place in multiple locations throughout California on Thursday, October 7, as part of a statewide effort to call attention to the impact of recent state cuts.

Winter Campus Curtailment 2010-2011

Our 2010-2011 Winter Campus Curtailment is scheduled for the time period of December 23, 2010 through January 2, 2011.

Town hall meeting about post employment benefits

On Monday, October 18, the campus will host two town hall meetings about proposed changes to UC's post employment benefits.

Sam Farr to speak at UCSC reception for exhibit on sustainable agriculture and organic farming

U.S. Representative Sam Farr will be the guest speaker at a reception to be held on Thursday, October 14, from 4 to 6 pm at the UCSC Science

Campus food and student gardening guides now available

The Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems (CASFS), the Food Systems Working Group, and the Student Environmental Center have worked together to produce the first UCSC Student

George Hitchcock — Celebrating a Life Well Lived

Members of the UCSC community are invited to celebrate the life and work of Professor Emeritus George Hitchcock: poet, painter, actor, director, partner, father, friend, teacher, patron of arts, mentor to generations of artists of so many descriptions.