UC Berkeley 2014: The year in pictures
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.
December 23, 2014
For UC Berkeley, 2014 was a year to take stock of where we’ve been — with celebrations, most notably, of the 50th anniversary of a student-led revolt that changed the world, the Berkeley-based Free Speech Movement — and where we hope to go, with the unveiling of plans for the Berkeley Global Campus, envisioned as a Bay Area hub for students and researchers from all over the world.
But if those were the capstones, this year at Berkeley — as always — was a panorama of remarkable history, groundbreaking research and the continuing commitment of students, faculty and staff to make the world a better place. Herewith, a handful of photographic highlights, month by month.
And though December's commencement ceremony includes a small, silent protest against keynote speaker Bill Maher, the spotlight is mainly on graduating seniors. "Graduates," says Chancellor Dirks, "this is your day."
In December, as nationwide outrage continues over the deaths of African Americans at the hands of police, more than 100 black members of the campus community stage a silent protest in front of Sproul Hall in 214
In November, a new interdisciplinary project led by Berkeley ethnobotanist Tom Carlson (above) and statistics professor Philip Stark takes them to East Bay "food deserts" to forage for wild edibles — and to document their availability for local residents.
Turning his sights to the future, Chancellor Dirks unveils his vision for a new Berkeley Global Campus along the Richmond waterfront. "We have the opportunity to become the first American university to establish an international campus in the United States, right here in the East Bay," he says.
In October 1964, the Free Speech Movement erupted at UC Berkeley, a signal moment in the history of student activism here and around the world. (archive photo
In September, Chancellor Dirks' Task Force on Academics and Athletics, established the previous December, releases its report. Its 50 recommendations, the chancellor says, will ensure that "every Berkeley undergraduate, including student-athletes, leaves Berkeley not just with a degree," but fully equipped to lead "a rewarding, intellectually engaged and meaningful life."
Even before they attend their first class at Berkeley, some 5,500 new undergrads take part in "Bear Pact," 90-minute sessions designed to help them navigate universally shared campus hazards like alcohol abuse and sexual assault.
For Move-in Weekend 2014, Chancellor Nicholas Dirks and other campus leaders are on hand to welcome more than 6,000 students and their families to residence halls in anticipation of the start of classes on Aug. 28.
Among the noteworthy campus happenings in July is a 99th birthday party for Berkeley Nobelist Charles Townes, inventor of the laser. He's seen here at the well-attended bash with his wife, Frances, 98.
You might expect summer doldrums in July, but not at Berkeley. In 2014, summer enrollment again tops 16,000 students, keeping the campus humming.
Cal Athletics turns a page in June, as Athletic Director Sandy Barbour steps down after nearly a decade overseeing intercollegiate sports at Berkeley.
Also in May, the Bancroft Library launches the Japanese American Evacuation and Resettlement Digital Archive, shedding new light on a dark chapter in the country's history.
May means commencement, and the Class of 2014 is given a memorable sendoff capped by a keynote address by U.S. Rep. (and former House Speaker) Nancy Pelosi.
A standing-room-only crowd turns out in April to hear French economist Thomas Piketty, renowned for his work on wealth inequality. He's seen here chatting with Berkeley public-policy professor Robert Reich.
In April 2014, the 20th anniversary of South Africa's transition to democracy, Berkeley honors the legacy of Nelson Mandela with a series of events. Above, the spirit of reconciliation is embodied by Linda Biehl, whose daughter was killed by anti-apartheid demonstrators in 1994, and Ntobeko Peni, who was convicted of taking part in the attack.
Also in March, U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, the Kentucky Republican eyeing a run at the White House, makes the case for "a new GOP" at an International House event sponsored by the Berkeley Forum.
March: UC Berkeley and UCSF announce the launch of the Innovative Genomics Initiative, backed by a $10 million gift from the Li Ka Shing Foundation. At the core of the initiative is a revolutionary technology discovered by professor Jennifer Doudna, above. now its first executive director.
Also in February, deans and department chairs gather for an informal changing of the guard in the office of the executive vice chancellor and provost. Here, George Breslauer (left) and incoming provost Claude Steele field a question.
After launching an ambitious fundraising drive during the nation's worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, campus officials announce in February that the campaign has raised more than $3 billion from enough donors to fill Memorial Stadium four times over.
In a year marked by anniversaries, January was notable as the centennial of a major milestone in the Campanile's construction. The iconic bell tower's steel frame was completed on Jan. 31, 1914, an event celebrated at the time with a banquet 200 feet above the campus.