Walking around Berkeley, you will likely meet a wide host of characters. From classmates to custodians, from city officials to campus administrators, the faces of Berkeley are numerous and varied. Below we have included some of the more prominent figures you are like to see or read about both on campus and around the city of Berkeley.
#1: Janet Napolitano
Janet Napolitano was appointed as the 20th president of the UC system in July. The Office of the President manages the fiscal and business operations of the UC system while supporting the individual campus missions. Napolitano will be the first female president in the university’s 145-year history. She will take over as president in late September.
#2: Nicholas Dirks
Nicholas Dirks is the 10th chancellor of UC Berkeley. The chancellor sets the priorities for the university. He recently served as the executive vice president and dean of the faculty of Arts and Sciences at Columbia University and was approved by the UC Board of Regents in November.
#3: Margo Bennett
Margo Bennett is the chief of UCPD. The police department oversees the central campus as well as University Village in Albany and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Bennett has more than 25 years of law enforcement experience and previously served as a UCPD captain.
#4: DeeJay Pepito
DeeJay Pepito is the current ASUC president at UC Berkeley. Elected in the campus’s general elections in April, Pepito ran with the CalSERVE party for the top student government position. As president, Pepito is the chief representative of the ASUC, and her duties include monitoring the well-being of the entire student body community.
#5: Robert Reich
Robert Reich is a professor at the Goldman School of Public Policy. Also a former U.S. Secretary of Labor, Reich teaches one of the most popular classes at UC Berkeley, which is entitled “Wealth and Poverty” and is open to undergraduate students. He also served on President Obama’s transition advisory board prior to his inauguration.
#6: Harry Le Grande
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Harry Le Grande handles the branches of the university’s administration that specifically pertain to prospective and current students and handles the admissions process. Among other duties, the student affairs office encompasses undergraduate admissions, the registrar’s office, financial aid, housing, dining and career services.
#7: Tom Bates
Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates was elected to a fourth mayoral term in November. He has served as mayor for more than 10 years. He served 20 years as a member of the California State Assembly. He is married to former Berkeley mayor and current State Sen. Loni Hancock.
#8: Zachary RunningWolf
Local activist Zachary RunningWolf can often be seen wandering around town or hanging out on Sproul Plaza. RunningWolf, a former Berkeley mayoral candidate, is a well-known figure for participating in several Berkeley tree-sits. He famously participated in a tree-sit opposing the planned removal of a grove of oak trees near Memorial Stadium in 2007.
#9: Yoshua
David Temple, known as “Yoshua” due to the lettering on his shirt, is a local figure in the Berkeley community. Often holding a Bible and flyers, he will tell students walking through Sproul Plaza about the end of the world.
#10: Hate Man
Former New York Times reporter Mark Hawthorne lives in People’s Park and calls himself “Hate Man.” He is known for encouraging people to be honest about their negative feelings.
