For UC Berkeley, 2012 was a year of transitions. The past 12 months introduced some new faces — notably, Berkeley’s next chancellor and head football coach — and brought new vitality to the aging Memorial Stadium and Greek Theatre, both of which underwent major repairs and renovations. Continuing to adjust to state disinvestment in higher education, the campus took important new steps toward long-term financial sustainability. As always, the year brought reflections on those we lost, including former chancellor Michael Heyman and U.S. ambassador Christopher Stevens, a Berkeley alum. But it was a year of celebration, too, with well-deserved recognition of Berkeley’s LGBT community, of those who have lived in the shadows as undocumented students, and of those outstanding Cal student-athletes whose Olympic prowess and sportsmanship showed the world that Bear territory is more than a place, it’s a state of mind.

The pictures tell the story. Here’s a glance back at Berkeley 2012, month by month.