Dear Undergraduate Education Division staff,
After a successful national search, I am pleased to announce that Dr. Aileen Liu has been appointed to serve as the executive director of Berkeley Discovery and Berkeley Connect, effective July 29, 2026. These critical programs enrich the undergraduate experience by connecting students to independent, student-led research and immersive learning experiences, and by building community within their chosen path of study.
Dear Colleagues:
The American Cultures Engaged Scholarship (ACES) program is now accepting applications for its 2026-2027 proposal cycle.
Dear UC Berkeley Student,
We are writing to share an important update regarding the campus academic calendar. Following two years of extensive consultation and deliberation, the Council of Undergraduate Deans (CUD) has reached a decision to adjust the add/drop deadline.
Starting in the fall 2027 semester, the add/drop deadline will move forward by one week, falling on the third week of classes — typically the tenth day of instruction — instead of the fourth week. The revised deadlines are:
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Important Takeaways for Instructors:
Dear Colleagues,
We are writing to provide the instructional community with guidance in preparing course materials for the upcoming Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title II update, which will take effect on Friday, April 24, 2026. We are also writing to advise you on how to communicate with your students about these new requirements.
Dear Colleagues,
We all share a concern about reducing the high cost of course materials and ensuring those materials are accessible to our students. Please read on for information regarding faculty responsibilities and upcoming deadlines for submitting assigned course books and readers.
Deadlines to Submit Textbook Adoption Information for Fall 2026:
Dear UC Berkeley student,
You can now access both the My Berkeley Alumni Portal and the Discovery Opportunities Platform through a single sign‑on. This update makes it easier to explore opportunities, connect with alumni, and navigate campus resources—all in one place, ensuring your student journey doesn’t just end at graduation, but evolves into a lifelong Cal alumni experience.
What These Tools Offer
Sent on behalf of the Charlene Conrad Liebau Library Prize committee
Dear Community,
We are pleased to announce the 2026 Charlene Conrad Liebau Library Prize for Undergraduate Research, which is now open for submissions. The Prize recognizes undergraduate students who make significant use of UC Berkeley Library collections & resources in their scholarly work.
Dear Colleagues,
The CalCentral grade roster is now open for instructors to submit midterm grades for undergraduate students who are struggling academically (i.e., receiving a D+ through F or NP in a course) or have not been attending or turning in work for your course.
Dear Colleagues,
We all share a concern about reducing the high cost of course materials and ensuring those materials are accessible by our students. Please read on for information regarding faculty responsibilities and upcoming deadlines for submitting assigned course books and readers.
Deadlines to submit textbook adoption information for Summer 2026
Dear Berkeley graduate student,
We invite you to take the spring 2026 Student Pulse Survey. These confidential, three-minute Pulse Surveys capture your feedback so UC Berkeley can better support you. As a token of our appreciation, if you complete the survey, you will have a chance to win a $100 gift card of your choice.
The Spring 2026 Pulse Survey is Now Open
Dear Colleagues,
If you taught a course during the fall 2025 semester, we invite you to share your perspective on the evolving instructional landscape. Your feedback is important and can inform how UC Berkeley prioritizes funding and support for instruction. This 20-minute survey will ask about your experiences with:
Dear Colleagues,
Join us in bringing our newest students into our intellectual community by teaching in the Freshman and Sophomore Seminar Program this fall.
Dear UC Berkeley Undergraduates,
Ready to explore opportunities that support your academic, research, and professional goals this semester? The Discovery Opportunities Platform —previously called the Discovery Database — simplifies your search for programs and funding to help you become career-ready.
Please note: in the interest of making semesterly emails more concise and making information easier for you to find, we are providing key information in this email and more detailed information in a new section of the Undergraduate Education website, Campus Communications. You will find additional relevant links below.
Dear Colleagues,
Dear UC Berkeley student,
We are excited to announce a spring course that promises to celebrate all that is UC Berkeley. Whether you’re new to campus, in your final semester of undergrad, or in graduate school, this course is not to be missed! Here are three reasons why you should enroll in Brilliance of Berkeley.
Dear UC Berkeley community,
Dear Colleagues,
We are writing to share guidance on preparing course materials for the upcoming Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title II update, which will take effect in April 2026 and applies to all public universities, including UC Berkeley.
Dear colleagues,
You are warmly invited to upcoming instructional events to help you prepare for the coming semester:
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Important Takeaways for Instructors:
Dear Berkeley undergraduate student,
We invite you to take the second Student Pulse Survey of the fall semester. These confidential, three-minute Pulse Surveys capture your feedback so UC Berkeley can better support you. As a token of our appreciation, if you complete the survey, you will have a chance to win a $100 gift card of your choice
The Fall 2025 Pulse Survey #2 is now open
Please note: in the interest of making semesterly CalMessages more concise and making information easier to find, we are providing key information in this email and more detailed content in a new section of the Undergraduate Education website. You will find additional relevant links below.
Dear Colleagues,
The CalCentral grade roster is now open for instructors to submit midterm grades for undergraduate students who are struggling academically (i.e., receiving a D+ through F or NP in a course) or have not been attending or turning in work for your course.
Dear Colleagues,
We all share a concern about reducing the high cost of course materials and ensuring those materials are accessible by our students. Please read on for information regarding faculty responsibilities and upcoming deadlines for submitting assigned course books and readers.
The deadlines to submit textbook adoption information for Spring 2026 are:
Dear campus community,
The nomination cycle for the 2025 Awards for Excellence in Advising and Student Services Program is now open. Our advising and student services staff continue to provide outstanding support of our students each and every day. These awards acknowledge equity-oriented, student-centered approaches, innovation, and commitment to student success in a wide variety of categories outlined below.
Dear campus community,
The Academic Senate’s Committee on Teaching is currently accepting initial nominations for the 2026 Distinguished Teaching Award, the highest teaching award on the Berkeley campus. We strongly encourage you to initiate a nomination of someone for this prestigious award.
As with last year, initial nominations may be submitted by anyone in a department—including students, staff, or faculty—via the 2026 DTA Initial Nomination Form.
Dear Berkeley undergraduate student,
We invite you to take the first Student Pulse Survey of the fall semester. These confidential, three-minute Pulse Surveys capture your feedback so UC Berkeley can better support you. As a token of our appreciation, if you complete the survey, you will have a chance to win a $100 gift card of your choice.
Dear Campus Community,
At the close of a successful national search, I am pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Anne Marie Richard as Assistant Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and Chief Academic Technology Officer (AVP/CATO). In this role, she will lead Research, Teaching, & Learning (RTL) and provide vision and direction at the intersection of teaching, learning, and academic technology across the UC Berkeley campus.
Dear campus community,
The Academic Senate’s Committee on Teaching is currently accepting initial nominations for the 2025 Distinguished Teaching Award, the highest teaching award on the Berkeley campus. We strongly encourage you to initiate a nomination of someone for this prestigious award.
As with last year, initial nominations may be submitted by anyone in a department—including students, staff, or faculty—via the 2025 DTA Initial Nomination Form.
A conversation about accommodating students with disabilities with a vice provost for undergraduate education.
Dear Instructors and Students,
This year Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and Eid al-Fitr, a religious holiday Muslims observe yearly, will occur during the spring semester. Ramadan is a month where Muslims observe fasting from sunrise to sunset daily and Eid al-Fitr commemorates the end of this holy month. This year, Ramadan will take place from March 22 to April 21, with Eid al-Fitr scheduled for April 21 (the precise date depends on when the new moon is sighted).
Information for students, faculty, and staff for the coming semester.
Oliver O’Reilly will be the campus’s new vice provost for undergraduate education starting Friday, July 1.
Information for students, faculty, and staff for the coming semester.
Information for instructors regarding accommodation requests for remote course access.
IST announcement that all major, user-impacting systemic issues with campus Wi-Fi have been resolved.
News spotlight on the Berkeley Discovery Initiative.
Resources for students, staff, and faculty members impacted by the situation in Afghanistan.
Information for students, faculty, and staff for the coming semester.
Information for students on how to request an Adobe Creative Cloud license for Fall 2021.
Information about campus services and facilities for this summer and fall.
The first group of Berkeley Discover awardees. These teams will receive multi-year awards to support a vision of growing Discovery to reach all students in their units.
The campus will begin in-person instruction at the start of fall semester rather than observing a seven-day period of remote instruction
Oliver M. O’Reilly has been appointed interim vice provost for undergraduate education effective July 1, 2021.
Statement of support regarding the COVID tragedy in India, and information on campus support services for those who are impacted by the crisis.
Vice Chancellor for Undergraduate Education Catherine P. Koshland has been appointed interim EVCP.
Reminder to faculty, staff, and students about important academic resources and accommodation information for the Spring 2021 semester.
Announcement of new implementation phase of the Berkeley Strategic Plan focused on discovery in the undergraduate experience.