"I'm humbled and honored to have been extended the opportunity to lead the flagship public university of the United States," said Berdahl at a telephone press conference following the announcement. "I am very conscious of the quality of leadership Berkeley has received under Chancellor Tien. He will be a hard act to follow."

With 150 undergraduates surrounding him, and an army of TV cameras fixed on him, Vice President Al Gore brought the administration's vision for education to UC Berkeley Feb. 19.

A relaxed and conversational Gore met with students in a town hall discussion at the Clark Kerr Campus. He is the first vice president or president to visit campus since President John F. Kennedy visited in 1962.

Students, clearly delighted with an opportunity to share their views with the vice president, applauded the administration's proposals to increase financial aid and provide tax credits and deductions for tuition costs.

During Gore's hour-long visit he was asked about everything from campaign reform to affirmative action.

Anita Hill is a visiting scholar on campus this semester at the Institute for the Study of Social Change. She is doing research for a book on sexual harassment in the workplace and giving seminars.

Molly Ivins, columnist and author, is teaching a class on political reporting this semester at the Graduate School of Journalism. (You may have noticed her dateline moving from Texas to Berkeley.)

Terry McMillan, alumna and best-selling author of "Waiting to Exhale" and "How Stella Got Her Groove Back" lectured on campus Feb. 19 as part of African-American History Month.

Cellist Yo-Yo Ma performed world premieres with the Mark Morris Dance Group on campus March 6-8.

Janet Yellen, a professor of international trade on leave from the Haas School of Business, is the new chair of President Clinton's Council of Economic Advisors, following in the footsteps of Berkeley professor Laura D'Andrea Tyson, who has returned to campus.