News Briefs

"It's November, do we know where all our Cal parents are?"

Fall 2001 | Parents are important members of the UC Berkeley community and the university is eager to stay in touch with you, but we need your help.

The Parent Record Form is our primary means of verifying the mailing address we have for you. The form was included in the admissions packets sent to freshmen and was mailed with the parent handbook to the parents of new transfer students. With accurate information, we are able to send you Letter Home, invite you to campus and regional events, include you in outreach efforts, and keep you informed and involved with your students' education. You also can use this form (or call our office) to tell us how to reach a parent living at a different address.

If you have not already done so, please return your Parent Record Form today. If you would like another copy, e-mail jrk@dev.berkeley.edu or call the Cal Parents Helpline at (510) 642-7147. Please also notify the Cal Parents office, via the Helpline or e-mail, of any change of address or telephone number. Be sure to include your student's name.

Health Reminder

With recent news about the increased incidence of meningitis among college freshmen, especially those living in dorms, many of you may be wondering whether your student should be immunized. Although there is no public health recommendation for universal immunization at this time, University Health Services on campus does offer the vaccine to students. The university follows the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which recommends providing information to college students about meningitis and making the vaccine available to undergraduates who want to reduce their risk of infection.

Parents who would like to learn more about meningitis and the vaccine, as well as the recommendations of other health agencies, should see "Managing Meningococcal Disease in College Populations" on the University Health Services Web site (click on "Immunization Update" in the Update section of the home page).

Students can call (510) 643-7177 to arrange for a vaccination or (510) 642-2000 to arrange for a consultation with a clinician.

Car Insurance

Many car insurance companies give discounts to parents of students who are away from home and not driving and to parents of students with GPAs of 3.0 or above. If your student qualifies for the good-grade discount or is away from home and not driving your car, ask your insurance agent for the appropriate application form. Your student can take it to the Office of the Registrar for verification and return it to you.

Cal Caucus

The University of California has given generations of Californians access to the finest education. Add breakthrough research, technology and ideas, and it's easy to see the powerful role that UC Berkeley plays in sustaining California's economy. As a public university, though, Cal must compete each year for scarce resources. Less than one-third of its operating budget comes from the state. Vital research and student programs are at risk each year as the state budget tightens. Federal and state legislators make decisions every day that can strengthen — or weaken — the university as a resource for California.

Cal Caucus addresses these issues. The caucus brings together friends of the university — alumni, faculty, parents of students, and others — whose letters and phone calls strengthen the crucial connection between the university and government leaders. These advocates receive briefings on legislative activity and campus events, plus alerts on how to help the university increase its impact in Sacramento and Washington. Members may choose to lobby in Sacramento by accompanying university faculty and staff in visits to legislators and district offices. They can also team with others to discuss issues with local representatives, and serve as hosts to legislators visiting campus to see UC Berkeley programs in action.

Please consider helping with this important work. Joining Cal Caucus is easy. There are no required meetings or events, just a commitment to help Cal two or three times a year by writing letters or making a phone call. Background information for the letters and calls will be prepared for you.

For more information, e-mail calcaucus@pa.urel.berkeley.edu; call (510) 642-3734; or write to the Office of Public Affairs, 101 Sproul Hall #4202, University of California, Berkeley; Berkeley, California 94720-4202.

New Washington, D.C., Center Opens

Undergraduates studying Washington politics, civil rights, health care and government have a ringside seat in the nation's capital, just blocks from the seat of democracy.

UC's new Washington Center, which opened its doors in early October, will serve as a residence for about 250 UC students and faculty from all nine campuses. It also will be the headquarters for UC's academic programs in Washington, D.C. Each semester Berkeley will send 25 students to the program, said Jack Citrin, professor of political science and the center's faculty director.

Students in the competitive, interdisciplinary program divide their time between a research seminar and elective course, and an internship with an agency such as the Departments of State, Justice, or Education; NIH; the EPA; and the Smithsonian Institution.

The new facility features teaching rooms, faculty and staff offices, an auditorium and a distance-learning lab.

Calling All Sports Fans

You may order tickets to Cal sporting events online at http://calbears. fansonly.com/marketplace/tickets.

Important Dates