Please bookmark this page as a resource to view upcoming happenings and to access materials from past Berkeley IT events. This page also features different programs we have implemented in the organization towards continuous improvement.
Do you have ideas for social gatherings and want to get involved with event planning? Please email ist-social@berkeley.edu with your suggestions.
Note: Many Berkeley IT events are also included on the One IT calendar.
Upcoming Events |
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itty bITty desk: A Concert with Wes Johnson Wednesday, June 28, 2023 | 1:00 p.m. Join via Zoom Join the FUN Committee for a concert featuring WesdaRuler, aka Wes Johnson, as he performs his music for the IT community. Attendees will also get a sneak peek into his creative process and learn how his passion for music came to be + some time for Q&A. Submit your questions for Wes using the Q&A form. There will also be an opportunity to win a signed vinyl of Ocean Drive by WesdaRuler! Check out his music pages on Spotify and Apple Music. |
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All Staff Update Our monthly all-staff is an informal way for us to share information monthly and engage in dialog around the specific issues facing the Berkeley IT organization (e.g. budget, organizational policies, Action Team progress, etc.). |
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One IT Picnic on the Glade Thursday, June 22, 2023 | 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Faculty Club Glade We are excited to host our second annual One IT Celebration Picnic. Join your fellow One ITers to meet new folx, build stronger relationships, and (most importantly) play some fun games on the lawn! This event is purely for us to take a moment to come together, celebrate those who have retired during the last year and simply have some fun seeing each other in person. Please RSVP by Thursday, June 8. Bring a hat and sunscreen; we’ll provide lunch and lawn games. We look forward to seeing you then! |
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Gender Diversity and The Language We Use with Wes Chernin Kinrose Thursday, June, 15 | 3:00 p.m. Website: hey-wes.com | Instagram: @hey_wes Speech-language pathologist and transgender educator, Wes Chernin Kinrose (he/him), joins the bIT DEIB Speaker Series to engage in a thoughtful and heartfelt conversation about the queer and trans experience. Wes will explore gender euphoria and gender congruence, and then look at how language and communication within the university setting impacts student success and quality of life. |
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Connect with colleagues anytime for FUN on Slack:
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Past Events |
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2023 |
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All Staff Update At the All Staff meeting, we had two great presentations. One from Michelle Davis and Britt McClintock on an exciting new initiative they are launching: Berkeley IT Culture Champions or bIT_CC. This is a fantastic plan to help build on our DEIBJA/culture work by recruiting members of our bIT to join forces. This will be a 12-month paid internship program for individual contributors. This is an opportunity to create a team of advocates, co-conspirators, and interns to move this work forward. More information and invitation to apply coming soon! |
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The Non-Native Speakers Paradox: Speak English, Can with Padma Vemula In this conversation, Padma Vemula shared her lived experiences and thoughts on creating an inclusive workplace for Non-Native English speakers as they often face linguistic and cultural barriers that can hinder their ability to effectively communicate and collaborate with colleagues. By promoting inclusivity and diversity, as a higher education institution we can not only enhance the overall work environment but can also leverage the unique perspectives and talents of all employees. |
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All Staff Update We had a great time at the bIT All Staff! Liz Marsh updated us on the CIO Search, they are hoping to name an Interim CIO next week! Be sure to include your voice in helping to identify the important qualities and competencies of your next CIO; provide your feedback here by May 5. Michelle Davis gently nudged us to complete all our Foundational Skills Required Trainings along with ACHIEVE conversations, and Terence Phuong provided a budget update. If you missed the All Staff, don’t fret. Watch the Zoom recording | view the slide deck. |
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Berkeley Art Museum Tours Thursday, April, 20 | Tours: 1-2 p.m. & 2-3 p.m. A guided tour of the Berkeley Art Museum on April 20th., located at 2155 Center Street in downtown Berkeley. |
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All Staff Update Thursday, March 23, 2023 | 2-2:50 p.m. We had some great conversations at the bIT All Staff where ~250 colleagues joined to hear some updates on the budget from Terence Phuong and to meet Michelle Davis’s awesome People, Performance and Culture team. The meeting kicked off with the usual section where we provide campus updates and open it up to the room for questions. This week several questions had come in via our submission form so Jenn spent some time answering a few of those, many of which were related to her transition over the next few months. If you weren’t able to attend, the materials are here: slide deck | Zoom recording |
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Coffee with the CIO (aka Java with Jenn) Thursday, March 16, 2023 | 9-10 a.m.| In-person |
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bIT Social Lounge Thursday, March 2, 2023 | 3-4 p.m. Thanks to out bIT Fun Committee! This Zoom-based social event was a good time! We were able to laugh and chat with our friends and colleagues on topics of shared interest. |
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All Staff Update Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023 | 2-2:50 p.m. This week’s bIT All Staff was jam-packed with updates, introductions, and fun!! Michelle Davis urged everyone to take the bIT Employee Voice Survey (more on that below), Terence Phuong provided a 2850 Telegraph move update along with the latest news on the campus budget, and we met the bIT Strategy and Partnerships Team, led by Liz Marsh. |
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Coffee with the CIO (aka Java with Jenn) Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023 | 9-10 a.m.| In-person |
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Coffee with the CIO (aka Java with Jenn) Thursday, Feb. 7, 2023 | 9-10 a.m.| Virtual via Zoom |
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bIT New Year's Virtual Happy Hour Friday, Feb. 3, 2023 We enjoyed conversation and community online as we shared recipes of our favorite happy hour apps (no, not the digital kind), we talked about food (appetizers) and beverages. We did a virtual toast to the new year and held a raffle which meant chances to win fun prizes. |
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bIT New Year’s party Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023 After a quiet, rainy, and restful winter break it felt fantastic to reconnect with so many of you yesterday at our bIT New Year’s party. We had some laughs, a photo booth, delicious food, some great raffle prizes, and my homemade plum jam! Shoutout to Margarita Zeglin, Stephanie Dunn, Simone Burns, Summer Scanlan, and Chris Bartlett for helping to create a fantastic event. Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate. Stay tuned for info in the coming weeks for a virtual celebration we will host to be sure all of our fully remote bIT members have a chance to celebrate too. Did you snap some fun photos yesterday? Upload them & view more event pics here |
2022 |
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All Staff Update Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022 | 2-2:50 p.m. We had a great time exploring the age-old battle of Coke vs Pepsi, and the results were...Coke by a landslide! We discussed the ongoing strike and it's impact, we proudly welcomed some new faces, recieved a move update from Stephanie Dunn and then headed to the breakout rooms to discuss what we were binge watching/reading. There were so many good suggestions and laughs! We closed with a look back on the past year and talking about our collective accomplishments across Berkeley IT - kudos for a productive and wonderful year! |
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Coffee with the CIO (aka Java with Jenn) Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022 | 9-10 a.m.| Earl Warren Hall | Room 300C |
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All Staff Update Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022 | 2-2:50 p.m. We had the penultimate bIT All Staff of 2022. As we are all well aware, bIT has recently undergone a reorganization and is now made up of seven units (view the bIT org structure here). This week Terence Phuong introduced us to the Business Operations unit, and the departments within: Finance, Technology Program Office, Strategic Sourcing & Procurement, Building & Equipment Management, and Billing. We also had the opportunity to discuss what we were grateful for with our breakout rooms. |
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Coffee with the CIO (aka Java with Jenn) Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2022 | 9-10 a.m. | In-person |
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bITerature: A book read from author, Faye Snowden Join the bIT community as we listen to one of our talented colleagues and published author Faye Snowden, read an excerpt from her book: A Killing Fire. In addition to her role as the Technology Program Office Manager, Faye has published a number of novels, short stories, and poetry. Her Master's in English Literature plus her passion to see more representation in crime fiction has inspired her to write noir mystery books such as Spiral of Guilt, Fatal Justice and A Killing Rain. During this special online event, Faye will read a selection from A Killing Fire and also discuss the importance of the mystery genre, lack of diversity in the field, the process of publishing, and answer audience questions. |
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All Staff Update Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022 | 2-2:50 p.m. UC Berkeley is honored to be co-hosting UC Tech 2023 with UC San Francisco, check out the brand-new UC Tech 2023 website! We had a sneak peek at the new bIT Around the World gallery page, and were reminded to submit a photo (voluntary) wearing your shirt wherever you are in the world. Terence Phuong gave us an update on the new space allocation plans and The Action Team is seeking new IT community members, and we learned what the meaning of the Dewali celebration. As a surprise, we saw the dances in action and got to participate! |
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Coffee with the CIO (aka Java with Jenn) Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022 | 9-10 a.m. | Virtual via Zoom |
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All Staff Update September is National Workforce Development Month! Michelle Davis presented news on the Professional Learning & Employee Voice Survey and the UC Berkeley Sponsored Tuition Program. We were reminded to pick up our bIT T-shirt at Telegraph or it will be sent, and to submit a photo wearing your shirt wherever you are in the world. Also, we are getting excited for the One IT at SFMOMA event Saturday, Oct. 8, at 10:30 a.m. |
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Coffee with the CIO (aka Java with Jenn) Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022 | 9-10 a.m. | Second floor patio | 2850 Telegraph |
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Coffee with the CIO (aka Java with Jenn) Thursday, Sept. 7, 2022 | 10-11 a.m. | Virtual via Zoom |
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All Staff Update August has been a busy month. We welcomed several new employees and said goodbye to a few others. We were able to enjoy so many photos for the "What I did this summer" picture submissions. We met the Campus Applications & Data team, and see an in-depth breakdown of who they are and what services are provided. Also, we were reminded of the Cal Night at Oakland A’s Game coming on Sept. 8. |
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Coffee with the CIO (aka Java with Jenn) Thursday, Aug. 25, 2022 | 10-11 a.m. | Second floor patio | 2850 Telegraph |
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Coffee with the CIO (aka Java with Jenn) Thursday, Aug. 10, 2022 | 10-11 a.m. | Virtual via Zoom |
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All Staff Update July has been a busy month. We welcomed several new employees and said goodbye to a few others. The new Love Bug for bIT was announced and made available in the Berkeley IT Brand Guide. Also, we were reminded that Pay IT Forward and Slack #Shoutouts are ways you can connect to offer gratitude and support to colleagues. We heard the project report from Summer Scanlan on the success of the Telephone Credit Reduction Project . |
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Coffee with the CIO (aka Java with Jenn) Thursday, July 28, 2022 | 10-11 a.m. | Second floor patio | 2850 Telegraph |
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Open Conversation This will be a virtual open conversation, a safe space to talk. Say what is on your mind, ask questions, listen, and talk to your colleagues. There is no formal agenda, just the honest question "How are you doing?" I hope you can join us, please sign up here. |
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All Staff Update May has been a tough month with multiple acts of hatred and violence, we shared a moment of silence for all the victims. Robert Rainey spoke about his own connection to these events being from Buffalo, NY, having a wife who is an elementary school teacher, and having kids in school. We welcomed several new staff to bIT and bid farewell to Kong Chou. Wes Johnson introduced his Campus IT Experience (CITE) team. |
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All Staff Update This month we welcomed new staff to bIT along with a few farewells. We want to give a big thanks to presenters Michelle Davis and Terence Phuong for providing important updates on HR deadlines that are coming up and a progress report on the budget process. Our CISO Allison Henry also joined us to introduce her Information Security Office team and provide an overview of all the critical work they do to protect our university data. |
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Coffee with the CIO (aka Java with Jenn) Thursday, April 7, 2022 | 9-10 a.m. | Virtual via Zoom |
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All Staff Update This month we welcomed lots of new staff to bIT along with a few farewells. We shared a bunch of photos of our decked-out office space at Telegraph with all the fun, eclectic art that was selected as part of the project (see slide deck). Dave Browne introduced members of his Campus IT Infrastructure (CITI) team. Each group in the CITI unit shared information on the services they provide, the campus customers they help, and we were able to see how all these groups work together. |
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Coffee with the CIO (aka Java with Jenn) Thursday, March 24, 2022 | 10-11 a.m. | Second floor patio | 2850 Telegraph |
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All Staff Update This month we welcomed lots of new staff to bIT along with a few farewells. We shared a bunch of photos of our decked-out office space at Telegraph with all the fun, eclectic art that was selected as part of the project (see slide deck). Dave Browne introduced members of his Campus IT Infrastructure (CITI) team. Each group in the CITI unit shared information on the services they provide, the campus customers they help, and we were able to see how all these groups work together. |
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All Staff Update & Virtual Game Show! This month's all-staff was brief but packed in a lot of great information from our guest Patrick Goff. Patrick is the Executive Director of Environment, Health & Safety, and he joined us to answer questions about masks: what to wear, when to wear, how to avoid purchasing counterfeit masks, and more. We then joined together in a virtual game show with the bIT Executive Leadership Team represented in each room! |
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New Year Q&A with the CIO With the fluidity of information coming through regarding the return to campus for spring, we put together a short Q&A session to answer any questions the Berkeley IT community may have about spring semester. |
2021 |
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All Staff Update This month's all staff focused on the official launch of our new organization Berkeley IT! CIO Jenn Stringer provided a look back at where we started, shared where we are today, and some additional transitioning that will happen in the months to come. Six lucky winners received Amazon gift cards! |
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Coffee with the CIO (aka Java with Jenn)
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All Staff Update CIO Jenn Stringer shared some highlights from this week’s EDUCAUSE conference, we met new staff members, did a brainstorm breakout session on engaging staff who work remotely, and we talked about the great work the Action Team has done in putting together an acknowledgement of the Ohlone People during this difficult time of year around fall holidays. |
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All Staff Update After providing some updates, Jenn Stringer announced our new name: Berkeley Information Technology. We will begin to use this name in January when we officially launch our organization. Take a look at the all staff slide deck to view the new branding and to get an overview on how we arrived at our new name. The 266 people in the meeting were invited to take part in an exercise to help build our mission statement. We asked people for words and phrases that describe who we are; what we do; why we do it; and the value we bring to campus. Terence Phuong, Executive Director of Business Operations also announced some upcoming transitions for his team |
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Coffee with the CIO (aka Java with Jenn)
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Meditation Session - Healing Spaces for All These weekly sessions were guided by Patricia Juárez from the Action Team with the last session in Sept. 2021. Patricia has been a mindfulness meditation practitioner since 2011 and has been leading meditation sessions with her students and her Native community since 2012. |
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All Staff Update Carla Jackson from Be Well at Work joined in to share tips on how to break the stress cycle. Jenn provided her CIO update and welcomed Kevin Reyes to our organization. We received an Action Team update with a call for new members! Our service spotlight was on Productivity & Collaboration Services with a presentation from Luis Hernandez, Jon Hays and Vahid Nadi. |
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All Staff Update We met some new team members this month! Then Jenn Stringer and Liz Marsh provided information about the vision for Agile Collaborative Teams (ACTs): A cross-functional team charged with exploring a critical strategic challenge that will transform the way we work and/or deliver services. |
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All Staff Update This month's all staff focused on announcing exciting updates with our Organizational Design Project. |
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All Staff Update Terence Phuong provided an update on the budget and Danny Grieb gave an overview of the results from the Return to Campus OCIO/IST Survey to date. Jenn Stringer then took us on a walk through of our new space at 2850 Telegraph. |
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Coffee with the CIO (aka Java with Jenn)
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All Staff Update This month after Jenn's CIO Update, CISO Allison Henry provided the latest info on the UC security breach. Five new staff were introduced to the OCIO/IST family and a big congratulations to Gladys Oddoye and Danny Grieb who both received an Excellence in Management Award. We had a breakout session to have a group discussion on the transition to the fall then wrapped up with progress and status of our ODP work. |
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All Staff Update We welcomed four new staff members this month, Jenn gave her CIO update, then a big portion of this month's meeting was spent walking through some of the outcomes from the survey on organizational strengths and weaknesses that staff filled out last fall. |
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Coffee with the CIO (aka Java with Jenn)
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All Staff Update This month we welcomed lots of new babies! CIO announcements included finances for network update, campus plans for Spring and Fall, a COVID testing update and the continued rollout of the security passphrase requirement. Program Manager for the move to Telegraph, Rich Meyer, provided the latest status on the building and Gert Reynaert gave an update on ODP progress. |
