September 3, 2001 Take Note Graduate Commons, Whole Earth Restaurant open The new Graduate Student Commons and its Whole Earth Restaurant are up and running in the Bay Tree Bookstore plaza area. The Graduate Student Commons, paid for in part by fees collected since 1965, provides a long-sought base for graduate students on its second floor, and the first floor provides a new location for the Whole Earth Restaurant, which had been in business next door. The restaurant has added hamburgers and french fries to its menu, and also has some new touches, including a coffee bar, carryout window, and pool table. Large windows are opened to the outdoor seating area whenever weather permits. With office space a problem for many UCSC graduate students, the commons offers a place where graduate students can check their e-mail, use the phone, hold office hours, socialize with other graduate students, conduct review sessions, or just relax between classes. The Graduate Commons facilities manager, Diane Brookes, may be reached at (831) 459-1395. There is also a Graduate Student Commons web site and e-mail account. Crown-Merrill Apartments site for terrorism drill Police and firefighters were out in force for an emergency drill on August 24, featuring a siege in the Community Room of the Crown-Merrill Apartments and evacuation of the "wounded" by helicopter and ambulance. Police, who had exchanged their usual weapons for red plastic ones, "shot" the attacker dead after one student was killed and several wounded in the mock attack. Student workers were enlisted to play victims. Eno said the drill was a success, but highlighted some problems that could arise in such a situation. One communications difficulty, Eno said, was caused by UCSC using its own separate radio system. Eno also said that the number of fire engines being used to fight wildfires around the state meant that fewer were available to participate in the drill. There was also a problem police and firefighters never have in real life: not enough victims. It turns out that some who were supposed to take on the role of victims didn't show up. Alumni Career Conference set for September 8 The annual All-UC Alumni Career Conference, a daylong program of workshops, speakers and networking opportunities for job seekers, will be held September 8 in San Francisco. The 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. event at the Renaissance Parc 55 hotel is open to both UC alumni and the general public. The event includes lunch, an afternoon networking reception and your choice of several career workshops. Register by calling (510) 987-0508--or by visiting the event web site. Getting the facts gets easier A new online service that allows researchers and the public to discover and use government data about California is now available. Taking advantage of Internet and digital library technologies, the service, called Counting California, enhances public access to the growing range of social science and economic information from government agencies. Researchers and the public can find current and historical census data, almanac-style statistics, county business data, and a range of education, crime, election, and demographic information from nearly a dozen different sources. The user can also have information mapped or a bar chart produced. The University of California's California Digital Library developed and hosts Counting California with support from state and federal research grants. Name change in the works for Office of Accounts Receivable The Office of Accounts Receivable will use this current fiscal year to formally transition its name to the Office of Student Business Services. As part of the Business and Administrative Services Division, accounts receivable is under the umbrella of Financial Services. The new name better describes the diverse number of services provided by the office, which include: Student/Employee Debt Management Student Loan Counseling and Collections Student Deferred Payment Plan Campus Cash Management Student Direct Deposit and check disbursement Student and Sundry Accounts Receivable Sundry Debtor billing - SIS/BR module owner Employee Emergency Loan Program The Office of Student Business Services is located in room 203 at the Hahn Student Services Building; hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday-Friday. Wondering what to do with that old monitor? Don't throw it in the trash. It's now against the law to discard TVs or computer monitors as trash. Recent regulatory changes require these items to be recycled through Campus Surplus (a free service) or disposed of as hazardous waste (expensive). Contact Steve Goldie in Campus Surplus at (831) 459-2852 to arrange for recycling. For more information, check the Campus Surplus web page or the EH&S web page, which includes information on what to do with broken or shattered units. Organic produce at the Farm market cart Tuesdays and Fridays The campus's popular market cart, located at the corner of Bay and High Streets, is overflowing with fresh organic produce and lovely flower bouquets each Tuesday and Friday afternoon from noon until 6 p.m. The cart is open into the fall. All proceeds benefit the UCSC Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems' Apprenticeship Program in Ecological Horticulture. For more information, call (831) 459-3248. Staff and faculty mentors sought The Page and Eloise Smith Scholastic Society is bringing together UCSC alumni, faculty, and staff to serve the educational aspirations of UCSC students who are foster children, wards of the court, and orphans. There will be over 40 of these students on campus this fall. They will receive scholarships from the Page and Eloise Smith Scholastic Society, but they will also need other help. Can you help someone through the registration process? Could you correspond occasionally via e-mail with a student needing advice about a major? Perhaps you could help a new student connect with just the right faculty member to explore their visions or goals. If you are interested in any level of mentorship relationship with a current student who has been a foster child, ward of the court, or orphan, please contact Lynn Zachreson in the Alumni Office at (831) 459-5842. Construction update Currents provides regular updates on construction projects that have an impact on campus transportation and parking. Construction update story For more information, visit the Transportation and Parking Services web site and the Physical Planning and Construction web site.