News

How many students should live in each UC Berkeley residence hall this fall? What happens if one of them gets sick with COVID-19? What research should continue in a lab and what can be done at a dining room table? Which classes move online? How can the campus cut some $240 million from its budget?

And what happens if a second wave of the coronavirus spreads across the Bay Area?

Those are the difficult questions UC Berkeley leaders have been grappling with in recent weeks as they lay out a sketch of the plans for the fall semester.

Eugene Whitlock, chief people and culture officer, sent the following message to the campus community on Wednesday on behalf of the Chancellor’s Cabinet:

Eugene Whitlock, chief people and culture officer, and Ben Hermalin, vice provost for the faculty, sent the following message to faculty and staff on Monday:

In the coming months, although the public health crisis will continue to evolve, the campus will begin gradually increasing on-campus operations, consistent with orders issued by public health authorities, and in close coordination with them. We are writing today to share information and direction on how we will proceed.

Chancellor Carol Christ sent the following message to the campus community on Thursday:

Today, a memorial service for George Floyd will be held in Minneapolis. As we acknowledge his senseless death, let us take a moment together to reflect.

Divisional Finance Leaders and Chief Administrative Officers,

As you know, UC Berkeley is pursuing Public Assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for COVID-19 related eligible costs. FEMA provides reimbursement for specific emergency protective measures taken by entities such as ours to protect the health and safety of people and personal property during this COVID-19 pandemic. On April 10, 2020, we submitted the request for public assistance. Now, we are beginning the data collection process.

Chancellor Carol Christ and Oscar Dubón, Jr., vice chancellor for equity and inclusion, sent the following message to the campus community on Friday:

Vice Chancellor for Administration Marc Fisher and Vice Chancellor for Research Randy Katz sent the following message to faculty and staff on Friday:

Dear Colleagues,

We wrote to you earlier this month to describe our campus budget picture and the principles we are using to make decisions. Today, we share an update, as well as additional information that we are using to further understand and shape the campus budget for the remainder of this fiscal year, for FY 2021, and beyond.

Chancellor Carol Christ and Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Paul Alivisatos sent the following message to faculty and staff on Wednesday:

We are writing today to share the latest information regarding the campus budget, our principles for decision making, and our initial recommendations.

The Accounts Payable team is continuing its services with minimal interruption during the shelter in place order. Most services will continue unaffected, however, until further notice the production of paper checks will be run once a week on Wednesdays. 

We encourage you to sign up for electronic funds transfer (EFT) if you have not already done so. 

Dear undergraduate, graduate and professional school students,

With the shelter in place order in effect for the Bay Area, there are a few updates to the way we’re receiving and processing payments. 

Temporary suspension of onsite check payment processing

Eugene Whitlock, assistant vice chancellor for People and Culture, and Benjamin E. Hermalin, vice provost for the faculty, issued the following message the evening of Friday, March 13:

Dear Colleagues,

this updated message was sent to your supervisors and managers today for you to continue discussing alternative working arrangements in light of the ongoing coronavirus COVID-19 situation.

_________________________

Dear Supervisors and Managers:

UC Berkeley on Saturday publicly launched the largest fundraising campaign in its history, to raise $6 billion by the end of 2023.

The ambitious goal aims to secure UC Berkeley’s status as the world’s top public research and teaching university. The Light the Way: The Campaign for Berkeley, has already raised $3.4 billion since its quiet phase began Jan. 1, 2014.

The College of Natural Resources at the University of California, Berkeley, has been renamed the Rausser College of Natural Resources in honor of a landmark $50 million gift by Gordon Rausser, former dean of the college and the Robert Gordon Sproul Distinguished Professor Emeritus of agricultural and resource economics at UC Berkeley.

Dear Campus Community,

Colleagues,

In partnership with the Supply Chain Management team, the Accounts Payable team has transitioned the vendoring process on campus to the Controller’s Office. Vendoring is the process for adding new suppliers or updating supplier information in the Berkeley Financial System (BFS) database. With this move, the process for adding, updating, and paying vendors has been consolidated into one team.