Student Activities and Traditions at UC Irvine

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In spite of its suburban location and relative youth compared to other traditional universities, the University of California, Irvine has a number of student activities and traditions that make the university a distinct social hub for students. The university is also a center for social activism in Orange County, offering a forum for a wide discussion of political and social issues.

1 On-campus activities
2 Traditions
3 Student activisim
- 3.1 Controversy
4 Off-campus activities
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] On-campus activities

See also: Student Housing at UC Irvine

The Associated Students of UC Irvine (ASUCI) are a focal point of campus social activity, particularly student governance. In addition to serving as a liaison between campus administrators and undergraduates, ASUCI also sponsors a variety of events and programs designed to increase campus spirit and offer recreational activities. They include annual traditions such as Reggaefest, Homecoming, Battle of the Bands, bi-quarterly Vendor Fairs on Ring Road, and a Mardi Gras festival. Other ad hoc events include regular Comedy Nites, free concerts at the Bren Events Center, and occasional guest speakers. A lesser-known counterpart to ASUCI, the Association of Graduate Students (AGS) coordinates graduate student social activity. UCI Student Housing, another large campus unit with an influential social bearing, formally sponsors a number of campus events open to all students.

The university's Dean of Students hosts a variety of engaging social activities. It supports nearly 350 student-run clubs and organizations on campus, representing almost every social and professional interest. This includes a very active Greek scene, of which chapters that have a house in Arroyo Vista tend to coordinate Friday parties. Additionally, the Dean of Students hosts a strong Administrative Internship Program for those interested in university governance, and numerous leadership conferences for student leaders. Its keynote conference, the All-University Leadership Conference, is held annually in Palm Springs and attended by administrative officials and students alike. The Dean of Students also sponsors an extensive Passport to the 21st Century leadership program, which allows students to earn a leadership certification by participating in a set number of leadership-themed lectures and events held throughout the year.

The Anteater Recreation Center (also known as the "ARC") is extremely popular and boasts several recreational and sporting facilities. While the ARC is free for UCI students and faculty, members may opt to participate in fee-based courses in martial arts, team sports, SCUBA diving, sailing, and more. Additionally, free club sports are open for all ARC members to join. For most students, the ARC offers a wide variety of options for sports, exercise, and recreation options, even offering an indoor rock climbing wall and High Ropes obstacle course for teambuilding activities. The ARC currently undergoing preparations for an expansion, which will surprise many undergraduates since its facilities are quite large already (hosting three rugby/soccer fields, two baseball fields, and ample basketball, street hockey, and tennis facilities).

UCI's Student Center and Cross-Cultural Center, two focal points for social activity on campus, are currently undergoing a major expansion. The Student Center project will expand the existing facility to 300,000 square feet, nearly doubling its size. Two new food courts, a large ballroom, a clock tower, and several conference centers and stores are among the additions that will become part of the larger renovated center; Completion is scheduled for fall 2007.

[edit] Traditions

See also: UC Irvine Anteaters

SPOP, the Student-Parent Orientation Program, is one of UCI's most successful traditions. Held in the late summer, it invites freshmen and their parents to stay in a dormitory for one or two days while hosted by energetic student facilitators. Parents and students attend separate programs; the parent program is aimed at addressing concerns or questions about college. For students, SPOP emphasizes events designed to get participants excited about college life, culmunating in a facilitator-led variety show. A close relative of this program is UCI's Stay-Over Program (SOP), which is held in March. It invites current high school students to stay as a guest of on-campus undergraduate residents for one or two days.

Welcome Week, held each September, takes place the first week of fall quarter and offers many academic and social events. Academic programs include the traditional Chancellor's welcome (an event specifically aimed towards freshmen) school and major orientation seminars, a campuswide open house, and ongoing campus tours. Social programs include a strong outreach effort by UCI clubs and organizations on Ring Road and during a day-long club fair (traditionally held in Aldrich Park), movie nights in the school's common areas, games and activities hosted by student housing, the ARC All-Nighter (when the Anteater Recreation Center is open all night for social activities), and the ASUCI Foam Party.

Celebrate UCI, held each April, has been the university's formal open house for the past 28 years. It is scheduled every Earth Day, and celebrates environmental awareness through a series of educational programs. However, it caters mainly towards incoming freshmen, offering day-long academic information sessions, tours of various UCI departments, and campus tours within a lively and active atmosphere. Wayzgoose, which is also held each April during Celebrate UCI, is a popular university event as well. This medieval fair and open house features student organization booths, live bands, food, car show, and costumed people in the university community.

Another tradition, the Campuswide Honors Program's "Battle of the Brains," pits students against UCI faculty and administrators in a trivia contest. Ties in trivia categories are broken with constants arm-wrestling each other. The CHP is also responsible for hosting a long-standing Faculty Coffee Hour, a networking session held every Friday that allows honors students to interact with faculty members. The CHP is also responsible for a number of social activities throughout the year through its social organization, the Campuswide Honors Student Council.

Each School also has its own keynote social events. For instance, the School of Social Sciences hosts a "Cafe Social" every quarter, which attracts many students and faculty for free food, lectures, and performances. Also, during the annual E-Week celebrations held by the Engineering Student Council, several engineering related contests are held including an egg-dropping contest from the roof of the 140-foot Engineering Tower (the tallest building on campus) and the construction of Rube Goldberg machines.

[edit] Student activisim

Despite being located in a relatively quiet college town and having a reputation as a conservative campus, UC Irvine remains a vibrant center for student activism. A large number of lectures on campus invariably leads some students to debate strongly with professors or teaching assistants. Events featuring controversial guest speakers (such as John Yoo and Viet Dinh, co-authors of the USA Patriot Act who appeared for separate lecture events) have been known to attract large crowds of demonstrators.

All large-scale protests, sit-in, political activities, and awareness campaigns occur on the portion of Ring Road between the School of Humanities and Langson Library in an area known as the "free speech zone". Such activities tend to gravitate near the Student Center or Gateway Commons to the north of the campus. The Gateway Commons entrance faces a portion of Ring Road with a brick tile representation of a huge anteater, an alumni gift that marks the spot of many large protests. The free speech zone is also where most student clubs and organizations traditionally set up booths promoting their missions or fundraisers. It is also where, on any given day, Greek organizations will have tents and barbecues. This area of Ring Road is also popular for those seeking support for petitions, upcoming elections, and publicity for upcoming events. ASUCI famously locates a very large inflatable anteater in this area when publicizing its events.

Some major recent and ongoing activism efforts include support for demands to increase wages and benefits for campus labor unions, support for Tagalog and Philipino Studies (TAPS), awareness for the crisis in Darfur, protests against the conflict in Iraq, ASUCI-sponsored political debates, and lectures sponsored by the Muslim Student Union.

[edit] Controversy

Activism on the part of the Muslim Student Union regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict led some Jewish students and leaders, most prominently the Zionist Organization of America, to allege that the campus is hostile to Jews. University officials defended their hands-off attitude on allowing the demonstrations by the MSU to proceed as supporting freedom of speech. It was also pointed out that other recent demonstrations on campus have included material offensive to other groups (including Muslims) such as the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons.

In 2004, the Muslim Student Union created a cardboard facsimilie of the Israel-Palestine wall on the Gateway Commons. The wall was later burned down at night a few days later, leading to claims of hate-motivated crime that were investigated by the FBI. This past year, a larger version of the wall was introduced onto Ring Road. As of 2006, UCI was under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights regarding these allegations.

In September 2003 and February 2004, College Republicans at the University of California, Irvine were criticized for having a bake sale that protested affirmative action by selling cupcakes at different prices to students based on race. After some students voiced their criticism, the university officially protested the action but did not halt the bake sale, citing that the prices were quoted as "Suggested Prices". UCI's perceived inaction by bake sale opponents was severely criticized. It should also be noted that in general, the student-run College Republicans, Irvine Conservative Student Union, and the conservative Irvine Review newspaper have all been involved in controversy regarding their vocal conservative standpoints.

[edit] Off-campus activities

See also: Parking and Transportation at UC Irvine

Balboa Island. Ten minutes south of UC Irvine, it is host to million-dollar mansions, moored yachts, and trendy shopping.

Orange County itself hosts a variety of attractions popular with UCI students. Newport Beach, which is less than 10 minutes away, is home to a vibrant night life and the famous Balboa Island. Newport Harbor is perfect for water sports such as rowing or sailing. The UCI Crew team headquarters its operations in the city's Upper Bay; similarly, the UCI Sailing Association operates out of in Newport Beach, holding regular regattas and classes through the ARC.

The idyllic shell-lined beaches of Newport Beach (notably its Balboa Peninsula and Corona del Mar neighborhoods), Huntington Beach, Crystal Cove State Park, and Laguna Beach are popular local attractions for students, many of whom visit after a day of lectures. Balboa Peninsula and Corona del Mar are particularly known for hosting numerous bonfire pits for late-night parties, with the Balboa Peninsula also hosting two restaurants on its historic piers and a boardwalk. And for students interested in scenic cliffside views and renting jetskis, Dana Point and San Clemente a short drive away from Laguan Beach, south of Pacific Coast Highway.

In terms of major shopping areas, the University Center has been heavily developed to provide shopping, entertainment, and dining, and is accessible from UCI via the Watson Bridge. The campus is within driving distance of the Irvine Spectrum Center, South Coast Plaza, The Block at Orange, Downtown Disney, and local shopping centers. Additionally, the city of Irvine itself has many well-known student hangouts, such as the Irvine Lanes bowling alley, Boomers!, the Verizon Amphitheater, and the local Target.

In the greater Orange County area, Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm are popular for large student group events. Wild Rivers, a water-based amusement park, is located in Irvine south of UCI. Nearby Anaheim also hosts Angel Stadium and the Arrowhead Pond. Furthermore, day trips to Los Angeles or San Diego are far from uncommon, and since most UC Irvine students have access to vehicular transportation, such getways are feasible and affordable. In good traffic conditions, Los Angeles is approximately one hour away, and San Diego two.