There’s so much to see at your local UC campuses.

Ever wonder about the science of roller coasters? Visit UC Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science Scream Machines exhibit to satisfy your curiosity – explore the physics of roller coasters and the physiology and psychology of thrill-seeking. But be prepared for a head-spinning, stomach-churning experience!

Maybe the 87-foot-long blue whale skeleton – the world’s largest – at UC Santa Cruz’s Seymour Center is more your speed! Seymour Marine Discovery Center at Long Marine Laboratory’s vast 43-acre site is a stunning spot to learn about marine life in Monterey Bay and the Pacific. Aquaria and other exhibits, including the whale skeleton, promise hours of enthrallment. Tours offer a look into research projects involving bottle-nosed dolphins, California sea lions, elephant seals and harbor seals.

Summer is the perfect time to take advantage of all that your public universities have to offer. The University of California system boasts a number of attractions in the realm of arts and culture. From Davis to San Diego and every campus in between, you’ll find a premiere destination to visit.

Carve out some time to sightsee at your local campus and make plans to visit a campus a bit farther away. No matter which campus you visit, a world-class place of interest awaits you at the UC.

Local Attractions

UC Berkeley

The Pacific Film Archive (PFA) is just the ticket. The Akira Kurosawa Centennial is going on right now. Francis Ford Coppola called Kurosawa “one of the greatest directors ever to work in the cinema,” and directors such as Sergio Leone, George Lucas and Martin Scorsese have credited Kurosawa as an artistic influence and spiritual godfather.

You can also search the Film Collection online. There are 11,000+ records describing cataloged holdings in PFA’s permanent film and video collection.

UC Davis

UC Davis’ SummerMusic ’10 Series is a must. On Friday, August 27, catch the free concert on the quad at 7:30 p.m. Tune in for the sounds of Grammy nominee Nortec Collective, featuring Bostich+Fussible. Coming out of the budding Tijuana electronic scene with a style of music they invented—Nortec, which is a fusion of Norteño (“from the North”) textures and the electronic beats of Techno—Nortec Collective will have you on your feet!

UC Santa Cruz

Gorgeous flora from around the globe await you at the UC Santa Cruz Arboretum. Hailing from Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Chile, these flora are flourishing in all their glory.

More than 40 years in the making, the Arboretum’s unparalleled collection will leave you awe-struck. There’s no doubt you’ll discover something new in the largest collection of Australian and South African plants outside of their native countries, the multitude of eucalyptus and their relatives, an unmatched collection of conifers and other trees, and extensive New Zealand and native California flowers – or in the rock garden!

UC San Francisco

The UC San Francisco library is home to the largest group of health-related Japanese woodblock prints in the United States. Most of the 400 prints date back to the mid-19th century and focus on foreigners and disease, women’s health, contagious disease and religion and health and include drug advertisements. Catch a unique and intriguing glimpse into Japanese attitudes towards health and illness.

The prints are housed in the library’s Archives and Special Collections on the Parnassus campus, or they can be viewed online.

Systemwide Attractions

Read more about what’s hot this summer at UC campuses.

You’ll make the most of the performance appraisal process by utilizing training and resources from Human Resources. Whether you’re looking for an in-person training or online learning or resources, the Performance Appraisal Resources web page is the place to start.

Learn more about the Appraisal Process and Appraisal Policies & Guidelines.

Sign up for the following sessions on the UC Learning Center using your UCOP username and password. Search for the session title; click Register to make your selection; then click Submit.

The Employee Role in Performance Appraisals

Offered as either in person or online, this class helps you participate effectively in the entire performance appraisal process. Learn how to prepare your self-appraisal, play an active role in the evaluation process and build a collaborative relationship with your supervisor.

Classroom Sessions:

• Friday, August 6, 9:00-11:00 a.m., Franklin 11326
• Thursday, August 12, 2:00-4:00 p.m., Kaiser 712
• Thursday, September 9, 9:00-11:00 a.m., Franklin 11326

Preparing for Your Performance Appraisal (online)

This worksheet helps employees assess their readiness, write self-assessments and keep a performance log.

UCOP Brown Bag Series – Performance Appraisals at UCOP

In this informal lunchtime session, employees learn about the appraisal process and available resources, hear about best practices and have an opportunity to ask questions. Contact Tacy Trowbridge at tacy.trowbridge@ucop.edu to schedule a session specifically for your department.

Performance Evaluation Forms

Performance evaluations at UCOP include:

• A description of performance goals and objectives,
• Examples of how the previous goals were met and
• A performance rating on a 5-point scale.

Access the forms that will be used in your evaluation from the Performance Appraisal Resources page. (Departments may use alternative forms for this process that include the elements above.)

• MSP-PSS (non-supervisory) Performance Evaluation Form
• MSP-PSS (manager/supervisor) Performance Evaluation Form
• Represented Employees Performance Evaluation Forms
• Performance Management for Senior Administrators
• SMG Performance Goals and Objectives

Resources for supervisors are also available on the Performance Appraisal Resources page.

The University of California is a magnet for the best graduate students in the country.

A recent report found that UC leads the nation in drawing high-quality graduate students to its 10 campuses. Applications to UC academic graduate programs rose 5 percent annually from 2000-09, compared with 3.5 percent at other top research universities. In 2009, UC had 7 percent of all the graduate students in the United States, and they won 20 to 30 percent of the most competitive and prestigious fellowships in science, arts and humanities.

In surveys, UC graduate students rated their UC and their non-UC top choice schools equally high on reputation, research interest and caring environment. Yet those same surveys rated UC less favorably on the amount, type and duration of financial support as well as on the availability of affordable housing—a concern if UC is to retain its high-caliber graduate students who are central in our research programs and recruitment and retention of first-rate faculty.

Grad students help drive recruitment and retention of faculty and UC research
“Top faculty come to UC for many reasons,” said UC President Mark Yudof. “The eminence of the department matters, but they would not come to a place without vibrant graduate programs and without outstanding graduate students.”

“UC is one of the leading academic research enterprises in the world, and graduate students play an important role in conducting the research,” said Steven Beckwith, UC vice president for research and graduate studies. “They spark ideas, make discoveries, enrich the arts and work to solve some of society’s most pressing problems as they work at the cutting edge of knowledge.”

Read more: Graduate students drive UC research, help keep top faculty

Congratulations to Sally Philbin, manager in UCOP’s Human Resources department, for her volunteer work for the Redwood 4-H. Recently, at the 2010 Alameda County Fair, Sally and a group of adults and 4-H youth put together an award-winning booth on the theme “The Perfect Bouquet for Youth.” Their booth won several awards, including the prestigious Bill Ralph Award for Excellence. This award was presented by their peers and is given in honor and memory of the individual who dedicated much of his life to making the Alameda County Fair one of the best in the State of California.

Chris Simon
Director, UCOP Human Resources