Welcome to GCR's Weekly Newsletter Archive
Are you interested in state legislation that impacts our students and our campus? How about how federal policies affect our foreign students, faculty and staff, or funding for research, grants and student aid? Do you want to read about students doing powerful work with all levels of government? Or maybe you are fascinated (or at least entertained) by the campus-community relationship and things "town and gown?" Then our GCR newsletter is for you!
This Week in Government and Community Relations at UC Berkeley is a newsletter developed by colleagues in the Chancellor's Office of Government and Community Relations to provide information about local, state and federal policies, actions and events that could impact the university and the communities that count on us. Please sign up for future newsletters. Unsubscribe here. And feel free to contact newsletter editor Jen Loy at JenLoy@berkeley.edu.
Below are links to archived newsletters:
10/24/25: Rep. Swalwell @ the Lawrence, Rep. DeSaulnier @ Oxford Tract & Anchor House; National Academy of Medicine adds 2 UCB; Chancellor hosts elected, alumni leaders @ Cal football games;, Asm. Stefani welcomed by campus leaders, Mayor Ishii defiant, hopeful; BSE Dean and Chancellor host Bay Area school board leaders, GCR joins Zero Waste Working Group, highlights student-led sustainability efforts.
10/10/25: Profs. Clarke, Yaghi win Nobel Prizes, Vision scientist Teresa Puthussery receives MacArthur ‘genius’ award, We're number 1!, Former Air Force chief scientist to guide program development at Berkeley Space Center, Responding to 2025 White House executive orders and agency directives, Gov. Newsom visits UCB to quantum innovation bill, Mayor Ishii celebrates Homecoming with PSC, Southside Complete Streets brings out students and civic leaders supporters, G&FL hosts annual safety fair in Albany.
9/19/25: Golden Bears open home season; State legislative session wraps; UC advances 2026 bill package; SkyDeck updates; Mayor & GCR at East Bay Global Forum; City/UC/Student Relations Committee meets; Happy Neighbors gathering unites students, city & neighborhood leaders; Partysafe@Cal hydration stations promote safer fun; Telegraph Ambassadors expand crisis response; UC Berkeley Safety App push; Berkeley again No. 1 for startups & founders; Seismo Lab–led ShakeAlert seeks continued federal support.
9/5/25: Chancellor Lyons & Mayor Ishii welcome students; Campus–city partners coordinate on safety; Cal Football opens home season; Richmond Rising reports strong year-one outcomes; Congress returns to heavy agenda; Public Health students bridge research and policy at Early Childhood Institute.
8/29/25: Move-In, Convocation & GBO; Caltopia spotlights wellness; Bites of Berkeley; People’s Park housing to honor Judith Heumann; Central Street mural brightens downtown; California Policy Lab opens Sacramento office; HR-1 impacts on California; Assembly launches new website; Washington updates; Berkeley ranked #1 public, #5 overall by Forbes.
8/22/25: Chancellor testifies at NAGPRA hearing; Berkeley welcomes record Fall 2025 class; State holds higher-ed funding flat; Staff spotlight: Ruben Canedo; BPH students partner with mental health workers in Sacramento; UCB educates federal lawmakers on safety-net programs; Move-In to Albany apartments; City–campus football briefing; CRISPR researchers & startups co-locate; Scholars help Bay Area prepare for wildfire season.
6/13/25: Chancellor at Bay Area–Silicon Valley Economic Summit; Cooperative Reuse serves 4,000+; Fireside chat with Chancellor Lyons at Commonwealth Club; New BAMPFA quilt exhibit; Berkeley’s role in regional space industry; OMB funding-withhold directive & House settlement; Washington updates; University alliance trains students on Tribal food-energy-water systems; CEC Chair tours Quantum Lab.
5/21/25: Chancellor’s Awards for Public Service; Mayor Ishii & campus leaders honor Berkeley high schoolers; City/UC/Student Relations spring meeting; End-of-semester roundup; “Boba Capital” explores culture of Telegraph; Golden Buddies clinic links Cal Athletics with community; Governor’s May Revise impacts UC; Berkeley NSF I-CORPS highlights ROI on Capitol Hill; Washington updates.
5/9/25: James B. Milliken named UC’s 22nd president; Berkeley leaders join UC Advocacy Day; VC Fisher testifies on UC capital projects; Former Obama/Biden officials meet state lawmakers; California’s democracy transformation; FGR Director Gina Daly honored; President’s “skinny” budget proposes major research cuts; Indigenous knowledge informs biotech; Mayor Ishii speaks with Social Welfare students; Spring Creek walk explores watershed health; BHS Lego League supported by CCPF; Berkeley Lab joins Cinco de Mayo Festival; Telegraph Boba Day draws big crowds.
4/25/25: Mayor Ishii & Chancellor Lyons in conversation; Barbara Lee elected Oakland Mayor; Cal Athletics meets with lawmakers on Capitol Hill; 12 student visas restored after ICE reversal; Federal visa program updates; Washington roundup; Executive actions target cultural institutions — Berkeley scholars respond; MPS Dean Kahn testifies on Quantum Innovation Zone bill.
4/4/25: Congress funds government through September; Washington updates; Bipartisan delegation, Berkeley advocates promote Quantum California; Seismo Lab director pushes for ShakeAlert support; Sen. Christopher Cabaldon visits alma mater; Chancellor Lyons shares vision with Bay Area Council; AVC Vu throws first pitch at UVA; ABGSL spring season opens; Berkeley Startup Cluster briefs Mayor Ishii; Staff volunteer at UVA Bear Pantry; Pre-College Program of the Year: UCB–BUSD Partnership.
3/14/25: Washington updates; CALPIRG advocacy in DC & Sacramento; Chancellor Lyons attends Sen. Arreguín’s swearing-in; State Legislature opens budget hearings; Go Bears, Go Vote honored by Sec. Weber; ASUC students join UCSA lobby conference; ASUC EAVP year-in-review; Albany Mayor and campus leaders tour Anchor House.
3/7/25: VC Yelick meets with lawmakers in DC; Court issues injunction in NIH F&A cap case; Washington updates; UC Center hosts Bay Area lawmakers at BAC Advocacy Day; Janet Napolitano joins strategic AI policy discussion; Mayor Ishii celebrates future of food at the Lawrence.
2/28/25: U.S. reps vow to fight federal research funding freeze; Chancellor meets with federal officials in DC; Dean Ackerly advocates for agricultural research; Initiative advances rightful presence for Ohlone community at Berkeley; Chancellor hosts newly elected representatives; Cameron Institute & Athletics host Go Girls Go Bears Go Play Day; Co-op garden managers share stewardship insights; Budget Subcommittee reviews Governor’s education proposal.
2/14/25: UC Regents Host Legislative Reception in Sacramento, UCB Grantees Share Climate Action Research Updates with State Policymakers, Energy Institute at Haas Provides Energy Fundamentals Briefing for Asms., UCB and UCLA Convene the REACH Network in Sacto, Flurry of executive actions, court orders, 24-Hour bathroom ribbon cutting, celebration of community, campus, city partnership, Lower Codornices Creek Stakeholders talk trout, invasive vegetation.
1/24/25: Ceremony celebrates xučyun ruwway, UCB’s newest housing for graduate students, Berkeley’s 14th Annual Dr. MLK Jr. Breakfast Celebration, Cal Student-Athletes @ Richmond’s MLK Jr. Day of Service, Fiat Lux Walk focus on Campus Lighting, New Student Services and Telegraph District Partner for Spring Dine Around, GSPP Partners with (Former) Senator Josh Newman to engage lawmakers, Inaugural gathering of Jewish faculty affinity group meets in downtown museum, Asm. Rebecca Bauer-Kahan visits campus, UC Berkeley researcher explains implications of TikTok Ban, Doudna awarded National Medal of Technology and Innovation
12/13/24: Holiday stories and gift guide 2024: New books by UC Berkeley authors, With final race called, 119th Congress set, Cal Bears win axe, Chancellor hosts electeds, Biden announces National Monument dedicated to the legacy of Indian boarding schools, 2025 Legislative Session begins, New Mayor Adena Ishii pledges to make Berkeley a progressive beacon, City, student and campus leaders on annual Fiat Lux safety walk, GCR hosts Chancellor’s Community Partnership Fund Berkeley grant information session
11/22/24: Election updates, Cal students volunteer 12,000 hours across the city, Albany, Berkeley UCB staff on Lower Codornices Creek, Governor Newsom appoints Bob Myers to UC Regents, Legislative Analyst’s Office visits Berkeley, LAO’s State Fiscal Outlook, Secretary Tong leads delegation for campus, Lab tour on Quantum Computing, Assemblymember Jackson returns for further engagement with students & faculty, Governor Newsom’s Assistant Deputy Cabinet Secretary for Education visits alma mater, Energy Institute at Haas holds legislative policy forum on campus
11/8/24: Election roundup, At his inauguration, Chancellor Lyons thanked UC Berkeley and charts path for ‘the people’s university’, Undersecretary Jacobs-Young Tours Oxford Tract Greenhouse, Governor Newsom convenes a special session of the Legislature to protect California values, CA Department of Finance’s monthly bulletin calls October strong, Elected Officials Cheered for the Bears, Berkeley students lined up to vote on campus
10/18/24: A big year for Nobels at Berkeley, Two UC Berkeley alums awarded 2024 MacArthur ‘genius’ fellowships, ASUC honors legacy of Rep Lee, USDA UnderSec. Jacobs-Young speaks at IGI Summit, Chancellor Gilkerson and Trustees Tour Anchor House, Zero Waste October: Zero Waste & Eat Well Berkeley Catering Competition, UCB and fire mitigation partners @ Hillside meeting, ESPN College GameDay’s visit to UCB, Sacto Career Day draws CA gov. alumni, UCB joins BAC and Asm. Wicks for Bay tour, UCB Space Center event at Moffett Field highlights project with local officials, UC Student & Policy Center partners with CalMatters for ballot proposition discussion, UCB to launch computer hub with California Education Learning Lab, National Indian Education Association Conference
10/4/24: Chancellor Rich Lyons talks finances, rankings and ‘painting a picture’ of UC Berkeley’s future, Dean Liu nominated to lead National Academy of Engineering, Congress averts shutdown, Campus Participation in East Bay Wildfire Coalition Meeting, UCGTCF Dean’s Advisory Meeting: Reviews Successes, Identifies Partnership Opportunities
9/20/24: Asm. Jackson on campus, CEC Chair Hochschild keynotes climate hub launch, CA Sen. Newman on campus, UC Hosts Ten Members of Congress in Silicon Valley, California Truth & Healing Council Regional Hearing, Bringing Back the Sacred Roundtable, Chancellor hosts Mayor Arreguín, Trustee Delfín Polk at Cal game, UC/City/Student Relations Committee meets at City Hall, G&FL hosts annual Safety Fair at UVA, GSPP holds annual policy conference featuring Alum from Amazon
9/6/24: New chancellor, new housing and robot ramen help kick off Berkeley’s 2024 fall semester, At fall convocation, campus leaders urge 9,000 new students to discover the ‘Berkeley Way’, Chancellor Lyons welcomes UCB to a new academic year, ‘Job of a lifetime’: Chancellor Rich Lyons discusses his vision for UCB, CA Legislature last week of session, 2024 Welcome from Chancellor and Mayor, Annual Preseason Football Community Briefing, New Golden Bears dine on Telegraph, UCB ranked No. 1 for generating startup founders, companies and female entrepreneurs
8/23/24: Chancellor: What free speech, community mean to UC Berkeley, ICYMI: Golden Bears tie school record with 23 medals, UC Berkeley hosts the Native American Museum Studies Institute, Rep. Lee staffer visits UC Berkeley, Kamala Harris’ hidden foe: pervasive bias against powerful middle-aged women, Anchor House, xučyun ruwway welcome first students, 9000 move in to Berkeley Housing, What does UCB’s incoming class look like?, First 8 reconvenes ahead of start to the semester
8/9/24: Rich Lyons begins his term as Chancellor, UC Berkeley Olympians have earned 18 medals, more events to come, UC Berkeley student president discovers data science’s power in economics, Presidential election ballot is set, Governor Walz inspired UC Berkeley staffer to think globally, Chancellor provides NAGPRA update to CA legislature, UC Berkeley convenes, connects California data science education pioneers, ICYMI: CALPIRG Berkeley had a busy spring, Dorothy’s Closet: Clothing distribution, thrift store opens in Southside, Move In and Traffic Mitigation Planning is Underway
6/28/24: State budget agreement reached, CalFresh eligibility expands for UC and CCC students, Asm. Wicks advances permitting modernization effort, Campus celebrates re-launch of ‘oṭṭoytak, Tribal–academic climate collaboration highlighted, House Financial Services Committee members visit Berkeley, Dr. Bristol speaks at federal summit on teacher shortages, Major construction defines Chancellor Christ’s tenure, Igor Tregub sworn in as District 4 councilmember, Telegraph District meeting recognizes partnerships and progress, Downtown Berkeley unveils new logo and welcomes thousands of new residents.
6/7/24: California Supreme Court Rules in Favor of People’s Park Housing Project, Carol Christ: Years of challenge, years of historic progress, Claudia Sheinbaum, once a researcher at the Berkeley Lab, just became Mexico’s first female president, State Budget Update, UC Berkeley Co-Hosts Joint California Summit on Generative AI, Berkeley Space Center showcased at California Aerospace Day, Cooperative Reuse Serves 3500+ people, students make reusable furniture free to the community
5/24/24: Commencement and Graduation Highlights, Language Archive publishes North American Indigenous language sound recordings, State budget update, Lawrence Hall of Science discusses NSF project to support Ohlone youth, Zero Waste Fellows, ASUC EAVP Team Local, SERC and GCR partner for recycling program, Cynt Marshall meets with graduating Richmond Promise Scholars following Commencement, emphasizing education, community, We Are All Neighbors Community Mural Project
5/10/24: Commencement with Cynt Marshall, Top senior shaped by San Quentin tutoring, University Medal finalists reflect on resilience, Student creates Berkeley “time capsule,” Chancellor Christ discusses encampment, legacy, retirement, UC Day sends campus advocates to Sacramento, Largest Hawaiian repatriation completed at Berkeley, Dean Ackerly meets Chairwoman Corrina Gould, Berkeley joins NSF Quantum Showcase, Cecilia Lunaparra sworn in as first Latina councilmember, Commencement circulation plan released, Happy Neighbors shares CKC summer preview.
4/26/24: Community Leaders in Albany, Berkeley recognized in partnership with campus, No longer forgotten: Berkeley researchers innovate to shine a light on hidden histories, In tough Oakland neighborhoods, a bold project builds public safety — and hope, New UC Berkeley housing complex to be called xučyun ruwway, honoring Ohlone people, UC Berkeley participates in Congressional Briefing on Water
4/12/24: Rich Lyons, longtime campus business, innovation leader, will be UC Berkeley's next chancellor, Condoleezza Rice, Chancellor Christ in Conversation, UC Regent, Chairman of Graton Rancheria, & author Greg Sarris tours campus, UC Berkeley hosts White House Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Higher Education Summit, Congressman DeSaulnier visits Journalism School and tours campus sustainability projects, UC Berkeley Faculty Provides Remarks at Senate Education Committee Hearing, Berkeley Project Day, City of Berkeley Brings students to Lower Codornices Creek, Cal Shines at East Bay Economic Development Agency Innovation Awards, Chancellor’s Community Partnership Fund Recipient Hosts international teen robotics competition
3/22/24: Bancroft Way closed for Spring Break, Congress advances FY2024 funding while President Biden releases FY2025 priorities, Cal Performances director visits Capitol Hill, Berkeley moves to return shellmound site to Ohlone people, UC Berkeley presents “Vision for Quantum” in Sacramento, Bay Area Council honors Assemblymember Buffy Wicks as Regionalist of the Year, Assembly Budget Subcommittee examines higher-education access, Assembly Select Committee on Happiness holds informational hearing, California Supreme Court to hear UC housing appeal on April 3, Telegraph District board meeting and District 7 candidate forum, Mayors’ Conference tours Albany Village graduate housing, Chancellor’s Award for Sustainability recognizes Cooperative Reuse
3/8/24: Election Results, UC Berkeley International Education Centers meet with Congressional offices, Two UC Berkeley AI experts testify at informational hearing, UC Berkeley joins Silicon Valley Leadership Group in Sacramento for AI Advocacy Day, CALPIRG Students in Sacramento, Inaugural UC Berkeley Tech Policy Summit on Navigating the Future of AI Governance
3/1/24: Chancellor and Provost’s Campus Message About Upholding Our Values, ASUC EAVP Hosts Congressman DeSaulnier, UC Berkeley Advocates for Agriculture Programs on Capitol Hill, Meet Tedde Simon, UC Berkeley’s First Tribal Liaison, LAO Analysis of Governor’s Budget Plan for UC, Regent Joel Raznick Meets with Campus Housing Experts and Tours Projects
2/23/24; Senate Leader Mike McGuire Announces Committee Membership, State Budget: Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance Hearing, State Budget: Deficit Grows per LAO Reports, Reclamation Poetry Gathering, Native American Museum Studies Institute Returns, Indigenous Co-Stewardship of Public Lands: Lessons for the Future, UC/City/Student Relations Committee Meets on Campus, From UC Berkeley to 49ers Sidelines: Harry Edwards Dreams with His Eyes Wide Open
2/9/24: U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor @ Berkeley Law, UC Berkeley Financial Aid Staff in DC for NASFAA, Can Taylor Swift Shape the Future of U.S. Democracy? Yes, She Can, Dr. Obermeyer Testifies on AI and Health Care, Repair: the ‘ottoy Initiative Is Announced, 2024 UC Regents’ Legislative Reception & Legislators of the Year Awards, New Leadership: Senator Mike McGuire Takes Over as State Senate Pro-Tem, Gov. Gavin Newsom Recognizes UC’s Innovation and Research Leadership, Take the First Black History Tour at UC Berkeley, GCR Convenes Second Annual Codornices Creek Stakeholders Meeting, UC Berkeley Students Combat K–12 Book Bans by Creating Their Own Children’s Books
1/24/24: Chancellor Christ Visits Rincon Band of Luiseno Indians, Federal Funding Patch Passed; New Deadline in March, Former ASUC EAVP and Berkeley Councilmember Rigel Robinson ’18 Steps Down, Student Athletes Contribute to Richmond’s MLK Jr. Day of Service, Beyond the Dream: Embracing Unity, UCB and Berkeley Lab Participate in Richmond Vendor Workshop, Telegraph District Hosts New Students via GBO’s Berkeley Bites, Where’s the Innovation Happening in Berkeley?, UC Launches GOTV Campaign
1/12/24: UC Berkeley Launches Closure of People’s Park Construction Site, State Legislature is Back in Session, Gov. Newsom Releases His State Budget Introduction, Year-long Southside Streets Improvement Project, Chancellor’s Community Partnership Fund, City Civic Arts Grant Applications Open
12/15/23: Chancellor: At Berkeley, We Should Come Together in the Face of Disagreement, Holiday Gift Guide 2023: New Books by UC Berkeley Authors, UC Berkeley’s Top Stories From 2023, Berkeley Talks: Nate Cohn on Polling and the 2024 Election, UC Berkeley’s Chapter of CalPIRG Semester Highlights, Telegraph District Celebrates Ambassador Success and the Holiday Season, Student and Campus Leaders on Fiat Lux Streetlight Assessment Walk
12/1/23: Congress Averted Government Shutdown, UC Berkeley Experts Discuss AI on Capitol Hill, APEC Meets UC Berkeley, Bay Area Council Hosts Business Leaders During APEC Summit, Speaker Rivas Releases New Committee Chair Appointments, UCPD & Partners’ Turkey Drive, United Against Hate Week, Chancellor’s Community Partnership Fund Grant Cycle Launches, Work Begins on UC Berkeley’s New Undergraduate Academic Building
11/9/23: Vice Chancellor for Research Kathy Yelick in Sacramento, Two California Life Sciences Pantheon Awards for UC Berkeley in 2023, Possibility Lab & CA Cradle-to-Career Partnership, Elected Officials & UC President Drake Cheer for the Bears, USDA Undersecretary Bonnie Visits Campus, Tedde Simon Joins GCR Team, ASUC Leads Into United Against Hate Week, Transgender and Nonbinary Empowerment Month, Cameron Institute & GCR Support BPH Innovation Grant Workshop, UC Berkeley Plans Downtown Innovation Zone
10/27/23: Regent Hernandez Visits Campus to Screen His Biopic, Why We Must Look Beyond César Chávez to Understand UFW History, Chancellor Christ in Washington DC, Ashok Gadgil Awarded National Medal of Technology and Innovation, Berkeley Space Center at NASA Ames to Become Innovation Hub, Rescuing Dissent: UC Berkeley Supports Prominent Putin Critics, CA Legislative Session Wraps, Senator Newman’s Second Annual Visit with Campus Experts, CA Senator Ochoa Bogh Visits Berkeley
Got tips? Suggestions? Corrections? Contact editor Jen Loy, Associate Director of Government and Community Relations at JenLoy@berkeley.edu.