University of California, Irvine

University of California, Irvine

UCI Campus Logo (Trademark of UC Regents)
Motto	Fiat lux (Let There Be Light)
Type	Public
Established	1965
Endowment	147 million (FY 2004)
Chancellor	Michael V. Drake, M.D.
Academic staff	1,453
Undergraduates	18,837
Postgraduates	4,891
Location	Irvine , California , USA
Campus	Suburban, 1,489 acres (6 km²)
Mascot	Anteater
Website	www.uci.edu
File:Ucirvine logo.gif

The University of California, Irvine is a public research university situated in suburban Irvine, California. It is one of ten University of California campuses and is commonly known as UCI or UC Irvine. UC Irvine is named after the Irvine Company, which donated 1,000 acres (4 km²) and sold another 500 acres (2 km²) to the University of California in 1959. Together, the University of California and the Irvine Company planned out a city around the campus, which was later incorporated as the city of Irvine in 1971.

In the forty years since its establishment, UCI has grown exponentially to become a prestigious top ten public research university, with a vision of becoming a flagship campus within the University of California. Specializing in the sciences, arts, and humanities, UC Irvine hosts a number of internationally-recognized, award-wining departments and faculty members that have made a significant impact in the academic community. UC Irvine Anteaters participate in Division I NCAA tournaments and has fielded many excellent athletics programs. Serving Orange County, UCI also maintains the UC Irvine Health System (with its flagship Medical Center in Orange), the UCI Arboretum, and a portion of the University of California Natural Reserve System.

History

Early Years

During the 1950s, the University of California saw the need for new campuses to handle both the large number of college-bound World War II veterans (largely due to the G. I. Bill) and the expected increase in enrollment from the post-war baby boom. One of the new campuses was to be in the Los Angeles area; the location selected was Irvine Ranch, an area of land bisecting Orange County from north to south. This site was chosen to accomodate the county's growing population, complement the growth of nearby UCLA and UC Riverside, and allow for the construction of a master planned community in the surrounding area.

Irvine was one of three new campuses established in the 1960s under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the others being San Diego and Santa Cruz. In 1960, The Irvine Company sold one thousand acres of the Irvine Ranch to the University of California for one dollar. This was done as a result of a Company policy prohibiting the donation of property to a public entity. The University purchased an additional 510 acres in 1964 for housing and commercial developments. During this time, the University also hired Pereira and Associates as the Master Planner of the Irvine Ranch area. William Pereira intended for the UC Irvine campus to complement the neighboring community, and the two grew in tandem. Soon after UC Irvine opened in 1965, the City of Irvine became incorporated and established in 1971 and 1975, respectively.

On June 20, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson dedicated UC Irvine before a crowd of 15,000 people, and on October 4, 1965 the campus began operations with 1,589 students, 241 staff members, 119 faculty, and 43 teaching assistants. However, at this point many of UCI's buildings were still under construction and landscaping was still in progress, with the campus only at 75% completion.

UC Irvine's first Chancellor, Daniel G. Aldrich, developed the campus' first academic plan around a College of Arts, Letters, and Science, a Graduate School of Administration, and a School of Engineering. The College of Arts, Letters, and Science was composed of twenty majors in five "divisions": Biological Sciences, Fine Arts, Humanities, Physical Sciences, and Social Sciences (which transformed into the present-day "schools"). Aldrich was also responsible for implementing the wide variety of flora and fauna on the campus that fit the local Mediterranean climate zone, feeling that it served an "aesthetic, environmental, and educational [purpose]."

By June 25, 1966, UCI held its first Commencement with fourteen students, which conferred ten Bachelors of Arts, three Masters of Arts, and one Doctor of Philosophy degree. Since then, the campus has grown exponentially, with UCI conferring 6,759 degrees in 2005. Ongoing construction efforts can be seen throughout the campus, making a popular translation of the abbreviation "UCI" as "Under Construction Indefinitely."

Present Day

A view of suburban Irvine. The white tower in the foreground is part of University Town Center, and everything to its left is part of UCI.

At the time UC Irvine was established, Orange County truly lived up to its name as a haven for agriculture enterprises and livestock. However, today the local economy is vibrant, and provides jobs in all ranges of skills and earnings, from unskilled service work to skilled professions. The area surronding UCI has grown exponentially just as the university itself, both of which have received national acclaim in academia and entertainment (with shows such as Laguna Beach and The OC attempting to portray the lifestyle UCI students enjoy. UC Irvine is a central component of southern California's Tech Coast, and its development as a planned campus reflects its growth in a region identified mainly by planned communities.

UC Irvine currently hosts a strong Physical Sciences faculty. In 2004, Irwin Rose, a researcher at UC Irvine, received the Nobel Prize in chemistry for his work. He joins UCI's other two Nobel laureates,F. Sherwood Rowland and Frederick Reines; the former is known for helping to discover CFCs and their harmful effects on the ozone layer; the latter is known for his work in discovering the neutrino. Interestingly, UCI is the only university to have two Nobel laureates (Rowland and Reines) who received their prizes in the same year (1995). Additionally, UCI's current strengths (and its claim to fame among many students) is its School of Biological Sciences, which has talents in cancer research, genetics, and neuroscience.

As the second-largest employer in Orange County, UCI contributes an annual economic impact of $3.3 billion.

For official information about current events at UC Irvine, click here. UCI's student newspaper of record, the New University, is a useful source for student news and campus issues.

Future Growth

See also: UCI Medical Center

As part of its long-term effors to become a flagship UC campus (to rival UCLA and UC Berkeley, which informally hold that status), UC Irvine is expected to implement a number of construction projects that will accelerate the campus build-out and employ the remainder of the university's land grant. Many long-awaited construction projects, such as more undergraduate student housing, and a new Humanities building and Social Sciences building (to replace aging trailer classrooms), will have significant positive dividends for the university when they are completed. Such capital projects, particulary the renovation of the UCI Student Center, have been delayed due to the recent state budget crisis and the rising cost of construction materials.

A major capital improvement, recently voted for by a majority of UCI students, is a plan to upgrade and renovate the university's shuttle system. Unique among other UC schools, the ASUCI student shuttle is maintained and operated by the campus student government. The recent vote allows for the phased retirement of the old buses, to be replaced with environmentally-friendly alternatives. It also expands the shuttle system markedly and allocates funds for more permanent bus stops (including amenities such as benches and shaded waiting areas)

For a PDF list of in progress and proposed campus projects, click here. For a map of proposed campus construction areas, click here (keep in mind that currently, the southern and western portions of the campus along Bonita Canyon Road and the San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor are mainly empty fields).

The Anteater as Mascot

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The UCI mascot is the anteater. This 430-pound statue is a gift of the class of 1987, and was designed by the same sculptor who created the famous UCLA Bruin Bear.

A question that perplexes many students and visitors alike is the motivation behind having an anteater as UCI's mascot. The anteater was chosen in 1977, when UCI administrators opened the mascot selection process by allowing students to submit potential candidates which would be voted on in a campus election.

An undergraduate named Schuyler Hadley Basset III is credited with choosing the anteater and designing a cartoon representation, having been disappointed with other mascots such as a roadrunner, unicorn, and golden bison. The anteater was inspired by the Johnny Hart comic strip, "B.C." since it was "original and slightly irrelevant." The anteater became the mascot of UC Irvine after winning 56% of the student vote.

It is also a lesser-known fact that the anteater is considered a distant relative of the bear. Thus, the selection of the anteater as UCI's mascot is in line with the University of Californa's traditional bear mascots (with UC Berkeley, UCLA, and UC Riverside sharing various bears as their mascots).

According to UCI tradition, the anteater makes a "Zot" sound (allegedly the sound an anteater makes when using its tounge to eat ants). Students often pair the sound, as in "Zot Zot," as the university's war cry. At athletic events and other campus spirit programs, the hand may also be used represent the UCI anteater by putting one's ring and middle finger on the tip of the thumb, while sticking the index and pinky fingers into the air (thus making an exaggerated reference to the anteater's snout and ears). An accompanying cheer that is interchangable with "Zot" is "Rip 'em Eaters!"

UCI's Completely Insane Anteaters are the campus' most extreme and spirited purveyors of the UCI mascot and its heritage. The compose a strong presence at UCI athletic events, and are an active on-campus student organization that distributes free UCI gear.

Academics

Governance

Like other University of California campuses, UC Irvine is governed by a Chancellor who has significant authority over campus academic and planning affairs. The Chancellor, in turn, is nominated by and answers to the Regents of the University of California and the UC President. Listed below are all of UC Irvine's Chancellors since its founding:

• Daniel G. Aldrich (1962-1984)
• Jack W. Peltason (1984-1992)
• Laurel L. Wilkening (1993-1998)
• Ralph J. Cicerone (1998-2005)
• Michael V. Drake (2005-)

After the Chancellor, the second most senior official is the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost, which is currently Michael R. Gottfriedson. He serves as the university's chief academic and operating officer. Every school on campus reports to the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost through a Dean, and all other academic and administrative units report to his office through a Vice Chancellor or chief administrator. A partial list of these units includes Campus Recreation, Intercollegiate Athletics, Planning and Budget, Student Affairs, UC Irvine Libraries, UC Irvine Medical Center, and University Advancement. The Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost also governs the faculty senate.

Academic Units

Previously, UC Irvine's academic units were referred to as Divisions; the Divisions are now known as Schools. There are eight undergraduate Schools, two graduate Schools, one Department, and one field of Interdisciplinary Studies. The remaining academic units offer accelerated or community education in the form of Summer Session and UC Irvine Extension.

Here is a list of UCI's current academic units:

A picture of the School of Social Sciences from Aldrich Park.

1. Claire Trevor School of the Arts
2. School of Biological Sciences
3. The Paul Merage School of Business
4. Department of Education
5. The Henry Samueli School of Engineering
6. School of Humanities
7. Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences
8. Interdisciplinary Studies
9. School of Medicine
10. School of Physical Sciences
11. School of Social Ecology
12. School of Social Sciences
13. Summer Session
14. UC Irvine Extension

There is also an ongoing effort to establish a School of Design, School of Law, and Nursing Science program; more information can be found here.

Academic Structure

UCI's academic year is divided into three quarters each with ten weeks of instruction and one week of finals. The university requires a minimum of 12 units a quarter (about 3 classes) to be considered full-time status to a maximum of 20 units. (The maximum can be exceeded by petition or by enrollment in the honors program.) Courses offered are usually worth between 1 to 5 quarter units. Summer courses are offered in either the quarter format of 11 weeks or two summer sessions of roughly half the time for a standard quarter.

In total, at least 180 quarter units are required to graduate. Many of the units come from the graduation requirements of a certain major but a substantial amount come from the general education requirement called the "breadth requirement" at the university. The breadth requirement consists of seven subject categories:

1. Writing
2. Natural Sciences
3. Social and Behavioral Sciences
4. Humanistic Inquiry
5. Mathematics and Symbolic Systems
6. Language Other Than English
7. Multicultural Studies and International/Global Issues

The first category, Writing, is separated between lower division writing (one year requirement) and upper division writing (requiring the completion of a research project). The sixth category, Language Other Than English, is usually fulfilled through taking four years of a foreign language in high school, passing an AP test on a language other than English with a 4 or 5, or scoring a 620 or better on an SAT II exam on a language other than English. The seventh category, Multicultural Studies and International/Global Issues, contains two subcategories, Multicultural Studies and International/Global Issues.

UCI's most popular undergraduate majors are Biological Sciences (621 degrees awarded in the 2004-2005 academic year), Economics (417), Information & Computer Science (478) and Psychology and Social Behavior (324). In 2005 the university awarded a total of 5,242 bachelors degrees, 943 masters degrees, and 276 doctorates.

A complete list of majors, minors, and concentrations available at UC Irvine may be found here.

Academic Advising

The large number of students that attend UCI has compelled the university to complement its professional academic advising staff with the Peer Academic Advising Program. This unique program governs the Peer Academic Advisors (also known as PAAs), who are undergraduate students that receive half a year of training in academic regulations, university resources, and counseling techniques. They are allocated to every school's academic advising office on a need basis, and support the office by taking in the majority of students who come in with minor advising issues. These PAAs are available on a walk-in basis and often assist their respective schools in developing various academic and social events. They are also members of the university's Academic Adivsory Committee, offering undergraduates a student voice in improving UCI's academic policies. However, despite being a large component of the university's academic advising structure, it is not difficult to schedule an appointment with a full-time professional academic advisor or see one on a priority need basis.

Rankings and Distinctions

Frederick Reines Hall in the School of Physical Sciences, named after one of three UCI faculty members to receive the Nobel prize.

In the 2007 U.S. News & World Report survey, UCI is ranked 4th among public universities in California, 12th among all public universities in the U.S., and 44th among all universities in the U.S., public or private. UCI is fourth in applications received in the UC system, behind UCLA, UCSD, and Berkeley, and was tied with UC Davis as the fourth-most selective UC school in freshman admissions for Fall 2005. UCI's Master of Fine Arts degree program in creative writing is ranked 6th nationally by US News and World Report, and has graduated such authors as Richard Ford, Michael Chabon, and Alice Sebold.

Following are the most current national rankings for UCI graduate programs by U.S. News & World Report: literary criticism and theory (2), criminology (4), behavioral neuroscience (5), creative writing (6), health care management (9), information systems (11), organic chemistry (11), drama and theater (12), third-world literature (12), cognitive psychology (13), English (16), psychology – neurobiology and behavior (16), experimental psychology (19), gender and literature (19), executive M.B.A. (20), cell biology/developmental biology (21), 19th- and 20th-century literature (22), psychology – cognitive science (22), sociology (27), aerospace engineering (29), computer science (29), chemistry (30), mechanical engineering (30), civil engineering (31), history (32), environmental engineering (34), fine arts (34), political science (35), biology (36), materials physics (38), biomedical engineering (40), engineering (40), materials science engineering (45), medicine (46), mathematics (47), psychology and social behavior (47), economics (48), business management (49) and electrical engineering (49).

UC Irvine is a member of the Association of American Universities. In the Academic Ranking of World Universities 2005by Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s Institute of Higher Education, UCI is ranked 35th in the U.S., 37th in the Americas and 47th in the world.

Three faculty have been named National Medal of Science recipients. Additionally, three researchers from UCI's faculty received the Nobel Prize during their tenure at UCI: Frank Sherwood Rowland (Chemistry, 1995), Frederick Reines (Physics, 1995) (deceased), and Irwin Rose (Chemistry, 2004). Dr. Rowland's Nobel-winning research was conducted exclusively at UC Irvine, along with fellow prize-winner Mario J. Molina.

UCI's faculty are also members of the following U.S. learned societies:

• American Academy of Arts and Sciences (33 members)
• American Association for the Advancement of Science (75 members)
• American Philosophical Society (7 members)
• American Physical Society (30 members)
• American Psychological Association (20 members)
• Institute of Medicine (4 members)
• National Academy of Engineering (7 members)
• National Academy of Sciences (21 members)

Research Opportunities and Pre-Professional Programs

Honors and Research Programs

Since 1988, UC Irvine has operated the Campuswide Honors Program (informally known as "the CHP") in an effort to attract and retain academically gifted student leaders by combining the "rigor and personal attention of a selective liberal arts college and the opportunities of a dynamic research university". The CHP currently has more than 600 active students from all undergraduate majors, most of whom are consistently academically high-achieving students and well-known on-campus student leaders. Students are accepted into the program either by invitation as a high school senior (by far the most common method), or by individually applying as a current undergraduate or transfer student. Students in the program are entitled to many exclusive CHP benefits that make life at UCI more intellectually stimulating, fun, and convenient. Those who complete the CHP receive a Campuswide Honors notation on their transcript and are linked through an active alumni network. And according to the Campuswide Honors Program, approximately 90% of its graduates have gone on to complete prestigious graduate and professional degrees nationwide.

One of the most significant requirements of the Campuswide Honors Program includes the submission of a capstone honors thesis (also known as a "senior thesis"). A honors thesis can be completed either through independent study with a professor, or through one of the 24 formal departmental honors programs on campus.

These departmental honors programs are much like an independent study arrangement, but offer research seminars and faculty mentor assistance, and confer a departmental honors transcript notation upon thesis completion. It should be noted that the departmental honors programs at UC Irvine are separate from the Campuswide Honors Program and are administered by their respective academic units (e.g. the Sociology honors program is administered by the Department of Sociology under the School of Social Sciences). Therefore, all undergraduates may apply for acceptance into a departmental honors program, should it be available for their major and so long as they meet the program's admission requirements.

Many students who wish to complete an honors thesis, or other work of research, opt to participate in the prestigious Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program, which provides undergraduate students with the opportunity to gain valuable research experience. Better known on campus as UROP (pronounced you-ROP), the program provides funding and credit to undergraduate students who volunteer for faculty-mentored research projects pertaining to all academic disciplines. Launched in 1995, UROP has grown sharply in recent years and has received wide support from the faculty, including the active involvement of the UROP Faculty Advisory Board. Upon completion of the year-long research project, students are expected to present their findings at the school's research symposium. Although not a requirement, some students may submit their written reports (ranging from 15-25 pages) to the faculty committee in order to be considered for publication in the university's research journals. Publication in the UROP Undergraduate Research Journal is known to be extremely competitive. In many cases, students are asked to submit numerous drafts to the faculty committee for review, only to find out that their papers are later denied publication. In the past, a mere 5% of all submissions were accepted for publication in the journal. UROP is comparable to similar programs at other prestigious universities, such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston University, and the University of Michigan.

A similar summer equivalent to UROP is the Summer Undergraduate Research Program, or SURP.

Research Organizations

To complement its mission as a research university, UCI hosts a diverse array of nationally and internationally-recognized research organizations. These organizations are either chaired by or composed of UCI faculty, frequently draw upon undergraduates and graduates for research assistance, and produce a multitude of innovations and scholarly works. Some are housed in a school or department office; others are housed in their own multimillion-dollar facilities. A few of the most notable ones include the Beckman Laser Institute, California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (also known as Calit2), Center for Global Peace and Conflict Studies, Center for the Study of Democracy, Center for Unconventional Security Affairs, Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, Institute for Brain Aging and Dementia, National Fuel Cell Research Center, and Reeve-Irvine Research Center.

A complete list of UC Irvine's research organizations may be found here.

Internship Programs

While most universities have internship programs aimed towards giving students career experience, UC Irvine is unique in starting two internship programs that have become a mainstay for the whole University of Californa system. UC Irvine created the UCDC program in 1982 with four undergraduates; today, UCDC has nearly 60 UCI students in its summer program alone. UCDC encourages students to seek internships in Washington, D.C. through the assistance of the UCI Career Center. This program has since expanded to other UC campuses and may be accomplished in any quarter or during the summer (the academic year program is managed by the university's Center for International Education, while the summer program is still managed by the UCI Career Center). The UC Washington Center, the University of California's Washington, D.C. campus, hosts undergraduates pursuing their internships in modern residential accomodations.

UC Irvine is also responsible for establishing the Sacramento Internship Program (SIP), which was inspired by the success of UCDC. Started in 2000, SIP is very much like UCDC, but arranges for internships in the state capital and offers private apartment rentals through contract rather than a university facility. The UCI Career Center operates the summer internship program, while an equivalent academic year internship program, inspired by SIP, is offered by the UC Sacramento Center.

Graduate/Professional School Preparation

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The main instructional building for the Paul Merage School of Business, formerly known as the Graduate School of Management until the school's current namesake made a charatible donation of $30 million dollars.

UCI hosts a number of programs aimed at encouraging students to attend graduate and professional schools. The Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP), UC-LEADS, Summer Academic Enrichment Program, and Student Academic Advancement Services all prepare participants for competitive admission and success for advanced degree programs in the sciences and social sciences.

Students interested in a career in business may also consider participating in the SAGE Scholars Program, which offers extensive leadership and business training through courses, events, community service, and extracurricular activities. This program employs numerous networking opportunities with regional corporate leaders, has a strong working relationship with the School of Business, and also maintains a leadership theme house in Arroyo Vista for interested on-campus undergraduate residents.

Another professional preparation program within the School of Social Sciences is the UCI Law Forum. For students interested in pursuing a career in law, this certificate program offers courses, lectures, seminars, and extracurricular activites related to the legal profession. It also allows students to develop unique advocacy, public speaking, and writing skills through a number of hands-on courses and seminars.

Campus

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Ring Road encircles the campus as a main artery for students and other pedestrians.

See also: UCI Medical Center; University of California, Irvine, Arboretum; and University of California Natural Reserve System

Although the campus is located in the city of Irvine, it is located very close to the city of Newport Beach; in fact, the campus itself is directly bounded by the city of Newport Beach and Newport Coast on many sides. The western side of the campus borders the San Joaquin Freshwater Marsh Reserve, through which Campus Drive connects UCI to the I-405 freeway. The northern and eastern sides of UCI are adjacent to Irvine proper, with the eastern side of the campus delineated by Culver Drive (which transitions to Bonita Canyon Road at its southern terminus). Culver Drive also connects UCI to the I-405 freeway.

Despite the suburban environment, a variety of wildlife inhabits the University's central park and wetlands. The university has bobcats, mountain lions, hawks, golden eagles, great blue herons, peregrine falcons, rabbits, raccoons, owls, skunks, weasels, bats, and coyotes. The University of California, Irvine, Arboretum hosts a collection of plants from California and Mediterranean climates around the world. The small rabbits in particular are very numerous and can be seen across campus in high numbers, especially during hours of low student traffic.

Layout

UCI's core campus and surrounding areas. Aldrich Park is the green circle in the center.

The campus is primarily composed of 1960s Modernist/Futurist buildings set in a circle around a large central park. Satellite parking lots lie in another circle outside the main circle of buildings. The park is completely encircled by a pedestrian walkway known as Ring Road. Each school at UCI is located on its own segment of the ring (except for the School of the Arts and the Medical School). Starting from the main Langson Library and Administration building and going clockwise, Ring Road passes through Social Sciences, Engineering, Physical Sciences, Biological Sciences, and Humanities.

The campus was designed favoring large open spaces and decentralized facilities over the dense layout of older campuses. Chancellor Aldrich and fellow university planners concieved UCI as concentric circles of knowledge, with the park serving as the nucleus and academic units moving outward based on educational attainment (for instance, most undergraduate schools are on Ring Road, while graduate and professional schools are located further away). Ring Road, which measures up to a perfect mile, was created both for its aesthetic beauty and to facilitiate construction on the campus. This central pedestrian artery allows students to reach their classes across campus quickly, while underground one will find all major utilities ready to connect to new buildings on Ring Road itself.

Architecture

Murray Krieger Hall in the School of Humanities, named after an inspirational professor and an example of the Brutalist architecture of the campus.

The first buildings were designed by a team of architects led by William Pereira and including A. Quincy Jones and William Blurock. The central park (now, Aldrich Park), designed by an association of three firms led by renowned landscape architect Robert Herrick Carter, was modeled after Frederick Law Olmsted's designs for New York City's Central Park. The campus opened in 1965 with the inner circle and park only half-completed. There were only nine buildings and a dirt road connecting the main campus to the housing units. Only three of the six "spokes" that radiate from the central park were built, with only two buildings each. Pereira was retained by the university to maintain a continuity of style among the buildings constructed in the inner ring around the park, the last of which was completed in 1972. These buildings were constructed in the California "Brutalist" style, which "stretched the limits of how concrete could be shaped." Construction on the campus all but ceased after the Administration building was completed in 1974, and then resumed in the late 1980s, beginning a massive building boom that still continues today. This second building boom continued the futuristic trend, but emphasised a much more colorful, postmodern approach that somewhat contradicted the earthy, organic designs of the early buildings. Architects such as Frank Gehry and Arthur Erickson were brought in to bring the campus more "up to date". As of 2005, the campus has more than 200 buildings and encompasses most of the university's 1,500 acres.

Libraries and Study Centers

Langson Library is the main repository for most of UC Irvine's research materials and hosts many study areas. It is one of three central libraries maintained by UC Irvine.

UCI's library system consists of four main branches: the main Jack Langson Library (which houses general media and electronic resources), the Science Library (the largest consolidated science and medical library in California), the Grunigen Medical Library at the Medical Center, and the Biomedical Library at Gottschalk Medical Plaza. Nearly all departments and schools on campus also have their own reading rooms and scholarly meeting areas; these are open to students and sometimes the choice for more imtimate course lectures and graduate seminars.

In general, most on-campus study areas can be found in the libraries and reading rooms; however, there is also the large Gateway Study Center (across from Langson Library), one of the university's original buildings. Additionally, Aldrich Park and the main plazas on Ring Road (anchored by each school) offer scenic and vibrant outdoor alternatives. The UCI Student Center, currently under renovation, will offer even more study areas and meeting rooms.

Furthermore, as a modern research university, UCI employs technology as a central component in academic instruction. Nearly all of UCI's lecture halls and classrooms have wireless internet access, a digital podium, and a electronic presentation system. The School of Humanities maintains its Humanities Instructional Resource Center (HIRC), which is a drop-in lab specializing in language and humanities education. Additionally, UCI maintains five drop-in computer labs, four instructional computer labs, and a number of SmartClassrooms that can be reserved in advance. The drop-in labs also serve as popular study areas, as do the instructional computer labs during unscheduled usage. The School of Engineering's computer labs are one of the few that are open 24 hours.

Facilities and Venues

The Arnold and Mabel Beckman Conference Center, a prestigious meeting area and lecture hall.

UCI hosts a number of specialized on-campus facilities that support its educational and cultural mission. The university hosts the ultra-modern Arnold and Mabel Beckman Conference Center on its property, which is made available to UCI for events and lectures and is maintained by the National Academies of Science and Engineering. Two of the Beckman Center's annual keynote events are the Merage School's Distinguished Speaker Series, which invites Orange County's most successful CEOs for lectures and networking, and the Chancellor's Distinguished Fellows Series lectures. The Beckman Center also hosts an extensive museum exhibit including the inventions, quotes, and historical record of its benefactor, Arnold O. Beckman.

UCI also has its own performing arts center, the Irvine Barclay Theater, which hosts a variety of musical and performance events. It is also home to the UCI Symphony Orchestra and plays host to prestigious guest speakers as well. For instance, two recent guests hosted by the Irvine Barclay Theater were His Holiness XIV Dali Lama and former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.

The Claire Trevor School of the Arts hosts a number of galleries, such as the Beall Center for Art and Technology. The school is also known for its redesigned Arts Plaza, which was conceived by Maya Lin and completed in 2006. The Arts Plaza serves as a meeting place, study area, outdoor performing arts center, exhibition hall, and lecture area.

For intimate gatherings and conferences, the UCI University Club is often made available due to its full-service banquet and dining amenities. It is also a popular place for students and faculty to have lunch, and its facilities may be rented out for formal events such as weddings or parties.

UC Irvine also hosts a Cross-Cultural Center (also known as "the Cross"), the first of its kind in the University of California. This facility serves as a multicultural gathering area and venue for events and programs aimed at fostering understanding between the wide variety of student and faculty cultures represented on campus. Currently, the Cross-Cultural Center is undergoing a renovation and expansion effort that will double its size and offer more venues for the seven ethnic umbrella organizations and the numerous cultural clubs that operate under them.

Large scale events make use of the Bren Events Center, UCI's largest venue and indoor sports arena. The "Bren", as it is also known, was recently the setting for the 2006 Commencement ceremonies, which had before traditionally been in Aldrich Park. The Bren Events Center is adjacent to the large Crawford Athletics Complex, where UCI's athletes train and compete in state-of-the art facilities. These facilities include a recently-renovated baseball park, track and field, and swimming complex.

Much of the southern part of UCI is occupied by the University Research Park, a 158-acre office and research property operated by The Irvine Company. The University Research Park attempts to form a synergy between UCI, 44 local technology and business interests, faculty start-up companies, and other campus offices. A partial listing of tenants includes Blizzard Entertainment, Skyworks Solutions, Cisco, Center for Educational Partnerships, and more. The property also includes a Starbucks, and is currently under expansion to 2.4 million square feet.

It may also interest some to know that UCI also has its own observatory, which is hidden in the empty fields behind University Hills. The observatory, which is operated by the Physics Department under the School of Physical Sciences, is open to the public during Visitor Nights that are held six times a year.

Two public health organizations maintain independent facilites at UCI. TheAmerican Cancer Society has a research complex on the corner of Campus and California Drive. The Food and Drug Adminstration recently constructed a state-of-the-art complex on the edge of UC Irvine's San Joaquin Freshwater Marsh Reserve. It houses the FDA Pacific Regional Laboratory (Southwest) and its Los Angeles District office.

Parking and Transportation

Due to the facts that the city of Irvine is very suburban and on-campus housing is relatively scare for non-freshmen, the majority of students are commuters. Additionally, dorming freshmen can purchase residential parking permits. These factors have created a huge daily volume of cars, creating a severe parking shortage; methods such as stack parking have had limited success to alleviate the situation. The usage of bikes and the student-run shuttle service has helped somewhat; however, the majority of the users of these are residents of on-campus or near-campus housing and do not commute.

The parking permits for students that exist are:

• R - Residential
• S - Student Commuter
• P - Student Commuter Preferred
• F - Freshman Commuter

The parking permits for employees (faculty/staff) that exist are:

• C - Employee Commuter
• AR - Employee Reserved (these are similar to Employee Commuter, but have special allocated parking spaces)
• ?? - Employee Reserved Preferred
• X - Executive Permit (for Deans, the Chancellor, the Executive Vice Chancellor, and other high level management positions)
• ?? - Emeritus/Retiree
• CP - Carpool

There are also permits/spaces for motorcycles, special staff, vendors, and service vehicles. A special permit called "Nobel Parking Pass" is only given to Nobel Prize recipients and has access to any parking space on campus, except for the service vehicle or disabled parking spaces. The student-run shuttle service is used by students to travel between the distantly located parts of campus; certain routes of the shuttle service cater to on-campus residents who live in communities located on the fringe of campus.

Cars are the most popular form of transportation; motorcycles and scooters also have some popularity. In fact, the large scale of the campus, its vehicle-friendly layout, and numerous parking options makes it possible for students who live on-campus to drive to class and back during non-peak hours (at the risk of receiving a parking citation). Bicycles are used mainly by residents of on-campus or near campus housing. Public transportation is used by a few students to commute although bus fare is provided free of charge to the surrounding areas.

Public transportation is provided by the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA); all the bus routes are available to the students for free. Through the U-Pass program, the student ID is used as a bus pass. This service is paid for by parking tickets at UCI. UCI is located close to John Wayne Airport, a major Southern California hub.

The city of Irvine has a train station that services both Amtrak and Metrolink lines, although OCTA bus service is inconvenient. Like the Irvine Station, the Tustin Metrolink station is approximately 8 miles away, but easier to get to by bus. As a result, the Santa Ana Depot and Tustin Station are the closest train stations (in terms of bus travel time) for Amtrak and Metrolink respectively. Irvine does have a system of bicycle paths, including the San Diego Creek Bicycle Path which make bicycle transportation to and from either the Tustin or the Irvine station fun, safe, and effective.

UCI is close to three freeways: the 405 (a major artery), the CA 55, and the CA 73 (which splits off southbound from the 405 and is a toll road south of the university). The streets of Irvine have speed limits that range from 45 to 55 mph, making them conveniently fast during their non-peak hours. Traffic is notoriously endemic in the region, with peak hours consuming most of the late afternoon and early night.

Residential Accomodations

Options for residential accomodations at UC Irvine vary widely and can accomodate most budgets. Freshmen are typically assigned to live in either Middle Earth or Mesa Court, dormitory complexes which has a variety of recreational and dining options. Generally, Middle Earth has a reputation for being a more closely-knit housing community than Mesa Court, possibly because Middle Earth shares more centralized common areas, recreational facilities, smaller phase one dorms, and established housing traditions. This contrasts with Mesa Court, which is built on rather hilly and expansive terrain (deterring some students from travelling far distances for social events), is not directly connected to Ring Road, and has much larger residence halls (allowing for more socialization within the dormitories themselves). Residents of Middle Earth and Mesa Court are required to choose and pay for one of three meal plans to complement their monthly rent; voluntary meal plans are available to all undergraduates. These meal plans may be employed at a one of many on-campus eateries (through the use of debit ZotBucks) or in one of three dining halls (two of which are in Middle Earth). The two main dining halls, Mesa Commons and Brandywine Commons, are located in Mesa Court and Middle Earth, respectively. Middle Earth also has a second dining hall, Brandywine, which specializes in very freshly-prepared and fast food (at the expense of dining space).

File:UniHIllsSatView.jpg

University Hills, on the southeastern side of UC Irvine. University House is on the lower left corner and the UCI Observatory is visible. The bulldozed land to the right has been developed into extensions of University Hills and Palo Verde.

Non-freshmen undergraduates live in Campus Village, Vista del Campo, Arroyo Vista, or in one of the many apartment complexes off-campus. Campus Village, located off Ring Road next to the School of Biological Sciences, is a university apartment complex in which residents are chosen and paired together via lottery. Vista del Campo (or "VDC" for short), is a modern on-campus apartment managed by American Campus Communities, a private firm. Nearby Vista del Campo Norte is scheduled to open in fall 2006. Both complexes have modern amenities such as swimming pools, private theaters, and large recreation centers.

Arroyo Vista, located south and west of the Vista del Campo apartment complexes, is a unique university housing complex composed of houses accomodating 16, 24, or 32 residents each as of fall 2005. Unlike other housing options, prospective Arroyo Vista residents must meet the academic requirements of each house and write essays as part of the application process. The houses themselves are divided between academic themes and Greek life. Academic theme houses are sponsored by a department or on-campus organization, and incorporate courses or events relevant to the house theme (e.g. Biology, Engineering, or Campuswide Honors). Greek life houses are allocated to various fraternities and sororities, and can be loosely compared to the equivalent of a Greek Row. In spite of this arrangement, many fraternities and sororities advocate the development of a true Greek Row on or near the campus. Most recently, Arroyo Vista is introducing an International Village in fall 2006, which will combine international students with undergraduates into four adjacent theme houses.

Graduate students are housed at the Verano Place and Palo Verde apartments. These accomodations cater to families as well as single students, and both complexes have numerous day care and child education facilities within their premises. Off-campus housing options vary widely; however, a common denominator for off-campus apartment housing in Irvine, Tustin, and parts of Newport Beach is the fact that most of these complexes are maintained by Irvine Apartment Communities, a subsidiary of The Irvine Company. The most coveniently located housing is in nearby Newport Beach, Tustin, and Costa Mesa, with rates varying on accomodations and the number of roomates who share them.

Faculty and staff members may opt to live in Las Lomas and University Hills, an on-campus apartment complex and planned housing community aimed at the university's teaching professionals. Las Lomas is at the foot of University Hills, with the former constructed in 1982 and the latter in 1986. Both share open community areas, a Montessori school, parks, and bike paths. The streets in this area are named after famous individuals in the arts and sciences. The Chancellor's residence (the Thomas T. and Elizabeth C. Tierney University House) is located at the top of University Hills.

Because of increasing enrollment in recent years, on-campus housing is only guaranteed for freshmen and transfer students. However, plans for two-year guaranteed housing are in motion and is expected to begin in the Fall 2006 quarter.

For more information about living on-campus, and for resources to find housing off-campus, visit this website.

Social Activities

Due to its location in a preplanned suburban community, general student apathy, reputation as an academic or suitcase school (students tend to go home on the weekends, but stay on campus during the week nights), UCI has had a reputation as a quieter college town. However, there are a number of opportunities for social outings, so long as students take the initiative (having access to a car is also useful).

On campus, 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 a High Ropes challenge/obstacle course for teambuilding activities. The ARC currently undergoing preparations for an expansion, which will suprise 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, a focal point for activity on campus, is currently undergoing a major expansion. The project will expand the center to 300,000 sq feet nearly doubling its size. Two new food courts, a large ballroom, 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.

The Associated Students of UC Irvine (ASUCI) are also a focal point of campus social activity, particularly student governance. In addition to serving as a liasion between campus administrators and undergraduates, ASUCI also sponsors a variety of annual events and programs designed to increase campus spirit and offer recreational activities. A lesser-known counterpart to ASUCI is the Association of Graduate Students (AGS). 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 also 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.

File:DuskatBalboa.jpg

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

Off campus, Orange County itself hosts a variety of attractions. For example, Newport Beach, which is less than 10 minutes away, is home to a vibrant night life. It is also home to the famous Balboa Island, as well as a pristine bay 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 nearby shell-lined beaches of Newport Beach (notably its Balboa Peninsula and Corona del Mar neighborhoods), Huntington Beach, and Laguna Beach are generally far less crowded and cleaner than their Los Angeles counterparts, and host small shopping boulevards nearby. Balboa Peninsula and Corona del Mar are particulary known for hosting numerous bonfire pits for late-night parties, with the Balboa Peninsula also hosting two restuarants on its historic piers. Furthermore, Balboa Peninsula itself has a boardwalk, replete with a Ferris wheel and bumper car zone, and is the launching point for trips to Catalina Island. State beaches such as Crystal Cove State Park, while charging admission, offer even more secluded and tranquil retreats for the hiker as well as beachgoer. Laguna Beach in particular is noted for its pristine sea life habitats and excellent SCUBA sites at areas such as Fisherman's Cove, and also boasts a vibrant old-fashioned downtown area. Laguna Beach also has a reputation for being a mecca of fine arts; students interested in the arts should peruse the city's numerous art museums and retailers. 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 central shopping areas, the University Town Center has been heavily developed to provide shopping, entertainment, and dining, and is accessible from UCI via the Watson Bridge. Nearby Campus Plaza hosts many restaurants and an Albertsons that serves as the area's main grocery store. Also, the campus is within driving distance of local attractions such as the Irvine Spectrum Center, South Coast Plaza, The Block at Orange, 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, there are of course two of the nation's most famous amusement parks: Disneyland in Anaheim and Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park. Wild Rivers, a water-based amusement park, is located in Irvine south of UCI. Nearby Anaheim also is host to Downtown Disney, 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 feasable and affordable. In good traffic conditions, Los Angeles is approximately one hour away, and San Diego two.

For more information about planned campus and off-campus social events, you can consult UCI's student newspaper, the New University, which is published weekly. There are also two ideologically oriented student magazines, the Irvine Review and The Irvine Progressive, as well as other independent publications, which from time-to-time also offer reviews of places to go and things to do. Additionally, UCI's official communications website, Today@UCI, regularly previews all official upcoming campus and athletic events.

Athletics

A prominent UCI sign at Crawford Hall, part of the Crawford Athletic Complex.

Main article: UC Irvine Anteaters

UCI's sports teams are known as the Anteaters. They participate in the NCAA's Division I, as members of the Big West Conference and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. Their traditional rivals are Long Beach State.

UCI fields nationally competitive teams in cross country, track and field (men's throws), basketball, baseball, volleyball, water polo, soccer, swimming, rowing, and sailing.

Unlike many traditional universities, UCI does not have a football team. An unconfirmed rumor states that in a campus election, students voted to allocate funds towards the construction of the Science Library rather than the establishment of a football program. A pragmatic and more realistic explanation is that UCI administrators tend to see a football program as not cost-effective, given the fact that a more diverse number of athletic progams may benefit from the funds required for a football program.

Campus Traditions

See also: UC Irvine Anteaters

A unique campus tradition is SPOP, the Student-Parent Orientation Program. Held in the summer before the start of fall quarter, it invites freshmen and their parents to stay at a UCI dormitory for one or two days. Parents and students reside in separate arrangements. The program includes networking activities, workshops, and orientation programs designed to get high school graduates excited and knowledgable about college life. A close relative of this program is UCI's Stay-Over Program (SOP), which invites current high school students to stay as a guest of on-campus undergraduate residents for one or two days. Held in March, SOP's goal is to convince high school students to choose UCI through experiencing the campus itself.

Welcome Week, held each September, is a university tradition that takes place the first week of fall quarter. During the week, a plethora of academic and social events are offered. Academic programs include the 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. This medieval fair and open house features student organization booths, live bands, food, car show, and costumed people in the university community.

Reggaefest, which is sponsored by the Associated Students of UC Irvine (ASUCI) each June, is another popular event that hosts live bands, flea market-style shopping, free food and drinks. June is also the month when AIDS Walk Orange County is hosted at the UCI campus.

ASUCI also sponsors a variety of other social events, such as Homecoming, a Battle of the Bands at Gateway Commons, regular Comedy Nites, free concerts at the Bren Events Center, bi-quarterly Vendor Fairs on Ring Road, and a Mardi Gras festival.

Two historical campus traditions, often sung at athletic or spirit events, are Anteaters Go! (by class of 1985 alumni Lori White) and the UCI Fight Song, which commemerates UCI's historical rivalry with the California State University, Long Beach:

Anteaters Go!	UCI Fight Song
Go Mighty Anteaters Go Beat Each Opposing Foe Oh We'll Win The Battle Tonight U-C-I , Fight! We [a]'re Marching To Victory Colors Aloft, For All To See Oh How Faithful We'll Always Be Oh True To The Blue and Gold U-C-I-Zot U-C-I-Fight, Fight... To Alma Mater We Sing Long Let Our Praises Ring Oh All Hail To Irvine U-C-I	We are the Sons of California, Fighting for Gold and Blue Palms of glory we will win for Alma Mater true Long Beach State will soon be rousted By our dazzling "C" And when we serpentine Their black will turn to green In honor of our victory! U (clap, clap, clap) C (clap, clap, clap) I (clap, clap, clap) Fight! (clap, clap, clap) UCI Zot, Fight, FIght, Fight!

Student Activisim

Despite being located in a relatively quiet college town and having a conservative reputation, UC Irvine remains a vibrant center for ongoing student activism. A large number of lectures on campus offer thought-provoking instruction that invariably leads some students to debate 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 also 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.

Israel-Palestine Tensions

Due to hostile demonstrations held by the Muslim Student Union regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, some Jewish students and leaders, most prominently the Zionist Organization of America, have alleged 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.

A flashpoint for this controversy began two years ago when 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.

College Republicans

In September 2003 and February 2004, the university's College Republicans 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 severly 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.

Controversy

See also: UCI Medical Center

Aramark

UCI administrators are under student scrutiny for allowing Aramark, a food services corporation, to manage nearly all residential dining facilities and restaurants on university property. This includes UCI's three dining halls (Brandywine, Pippin Commons, and Mesa Commons) and three flagship restaurants (Phoenix Grille, B.C.'s Cavern on the Green, and Bistro by the Bridge). ASUCI, which is partially responsible for negotiating UCI's food services contract, has justified the decision to offer Aramark its business since Aramark has pledged to invest millions of dollars into the university's food service infrastructure.

Critics argue that offering one corporation the university's food services contract is a de facto monopoly. In doing so, they note all the privately-owned restaurants that are being shut down temporarily (in the case of the Pub and Student Center food court) or permanently (with Cornerstone Cafe being replaced by a Starbucks Coffee and the Physical Sciences Cafe being shut down). It is also argued that the management of food handling by Aramark leads to low-quality food and poor customer service, and that support of Aramark condones its perceived low employee benefits and pay.

Proponents argue that the new UCI Student Center, to be completed in 2007, will soon offer a larger food court than the former Student Center, thus opening up alternatives. UCI also points to the number of food carts and vendors that may be found on campus as existing food service alternatives. And most importantly, UCI notes the huge long-term investment Aramark is making in infrastructure that will outlast its current contract.

The Irvine Company

This argument over corporate governance versus local management mirrors the larger campus debate over how influential The Irvine Company has historically been throughout the development of UC Irvine. In many ways, the question of The Irvine Company's role in UCI's affairs has grown to become a popular conspiracy theory among students.

This controversy, perhaps as much rooted in fiction as it is reality, is based on these known facts and unverified claims:

Facts

• UC Irvine was entirely built on Irvine Ranch land owned by The Irvine Company.
• William Pereira, architect of UCI's master plan, was also the architect for the planned community of Irvine, which inspired other like communities in what is known as the Irvine Ranch Master Plan.
• The Irvine Company owns territory that comprises one-fifth of Orange County (including Irvine, Newport Beach, Newport Coast, Tustin, and portions of Laguna Beach and Costa Mesa), two major shopping centers (Irvine Spectrum and Fashion Island), and other county locations. In effect, UCI is nearly surrounded by Irvine Company holdings.
• Donald Bren, the CEO of The Irvine Company and the nation's wealthiest landowner, has sponsored two of UC Irvine's most important facilities: The Bren Events Center and the Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Science. He is also one of UC Irvine's largest patron donors.
• The University Research Park is a collaboration between The Irvine Company and UCI. The park is built on land owned by The Irvine Company and UCI, which the university leases to The Irvine Company.

Unverified Claims

• The planning of the interstate freeway system linking Orange County to Los Angeles and San Diego were heavily influenced by The Irvine Company, which is a holding company for the former Irvine Ranch. Its successful influence allowed the company to plan its long-term property development strategy.

Notable UC Irvine people

Main article: List of University of California, Irvine people

As with any major public university, many UC Irvine alumni have achieved fame or notoriety after graduating. These people include athletes (Steve Scott, Greg Louganis and 34 Olympians), film and television actors (Jon Lovitz), and technological innovators. UC Irvine also boasts a number of authors, such as Michael Chabon, James McMichael, Alice Sebold, Richard Ford, and Yusef Komunyakaa who earned MFA degrees from the school's creative writing program.

Several members of the faculty have been honored with the Nobel and Pulitzer. Ralph Cicerone, an earth system science professor and former chancellor, is currently president of the National Academy of Sciences.

Prior to the death of Jaques Derrida, best known as the creator of Deconstructionist theory, in 2004, UC Irvine was ranked number one in the nation in Critical Theory. Derrida and Wolfgang Iser, best known for his Reader Response theory, are legends in the field of Critical Theory.

Joseph McGinty Nichol, of the class of 1990, is responsible for directing the Charlie's Angels films and is the executive producer of the television series The OC.

Trivia

Student traditions and culture

File:UCI letters.png

UCI Athletics logo

• The OPY's (Outstanding Professors Awards) were started in 1991. Professors are voted on by the graduating senior class. Winning professors are honored at a ceremony in spring quarter.

• One of the biggest traditions at UCI is the Wayzgoose Medieval Faire in April, which includes student organization booths, live bands, food, costumed individuals, games and rides for children, an Earth Day celebration, academic information, car show, and campus tram tours. The event is free and open to the public. The day also functions as an Open House for incoming and prospective students.

• The acronym UCI has often been jokingly claimed to stand for "Under Construction Indefinitely" (due to the recent surge of growth and construction activity on campus). It has also been said to stand for "University of Civics and Integras" because of the predilection for these two types of cars (popular as rice rockets) among the highly Asian student population. Furthermore UCI has been called the "University of Chinese Immigrants", "Under Chinese Invasion", as well as "UCA" (UC Asia), mocking the abundance of said people.

• Buildings in the Middle Earth student housing community are named after places and characters from the fictional world of J.R.R. Tolkien, author of the Lord of the Rings fantasy novels. Additionally, although possibly unrelated, the main circular road on campus is called Ring Road.

• 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.

• During his tenure as Chancellor, Daniel G. Aldrich exclusively employed the sixth floor of the Administration building as his personal gym.

• Casa Cesar Chavez, the Chicano/Latino Studies theme house in the Arroyo Vista housing complex, is rumored to be haunted by the ghost of the deceased civil rights advocate.

• During his first year as Vice Chancellor of Student Housing, Dr. Bill Zeller lived on-campus in a Mesa Court freshman dormitory.

Film and Television

File:Apes4.jpg

UCI as backdrop for "Conquest of the Planet of the Apes". Social Science Tower, which was brand new at the time, is in the background.

• Neuroscience labs and exteriors of UCI were featured in the 1985 science fiction/comedy film Creator starring Peter O'Toole, Mariel Hemingway, Virginia Madsen, David Ogden Stiers, and Vince Spano.

• Several of the Futurist buildings at UCI were involved in the production of the 1973 movie Conquest of the Planet of the Apes.

• Aldrich Park (in the middle of the campus) was shown during the wheelchair chase scene in the Mel Brooks film Silent Movie.

• The school was featured in the 2001 production of Ocean's Eleven. In the movie, the building where the crew steals the EMP device is actually the Gillespie Neuroscience Research Facility located in the College of Medicine.

• Exterior shots of the Langson library were used in the 1982 film "Poltergeist".

• UCI is frequently mentioned in the television series, "The O.C." Its executive producer, Joseph McGinty Nichol, is a UCI graduate.

• Commander Chuck Street, a helicopter pilot, traffic reporter for KIIS-FM and KTLA, and local celebrity, landed in front of UCI's Gateway Commons next to the Administration building lawn to participate in 2004 Wayzgoose celebrations. This stunt was made riskier in light of an unexpected rainstorm that occured during his landing, which eventually led to the event's cancellation. Commander Chuck also made an appearance at UCI Medical Center in 2006.

Miscellaneous

• Blizzard Entertainment, a PC game developer, has its headquarters on UCI land.

• Broadcom Corporation, one of the top technology companies in the world, has its Irvine operations located in UCI's University Research Park.

• There exists an official "North Campus" that consists of several small buildings and trailers and has no academic use. It is located next to the UCI Arboretum; both the North Campus and the arboretum are located a considerable distance from the main campus.

• The origin of the UCI College of Medicine predates the university by more than 60 years. The College of Medicine originated from the Pacific College of Osteopathy, established in 1896.

• A series of tunnels beneath Ring Road were the subject of much rumor and debate; some believing they functioned as a sort of emergency escape passage. However, they were as maintenance tunnels containing utility pipes from the central plant to be used for any future expansion of the university.

• In October 1970, a Bank of America branch across from campus was burned down as part of an apparent string of California bank arsons that year. The arsonists left radical slogans on graffiti and signs. Student and faculty public reaction was uniformly negative.

• The Department of Chemistry operates a 250 kilowatt steady-state Mark I TRIGA reactor, used for radiochemistry research.

• Calit2, a research organization on campus, has been noted for its development of the HIPerWall, which allows researchers to employ a wall of computer monitors to conduct high-resolution imagery research.

• The University of California, Santa Cruz, also established in the same year as UC Irvine (1965), shares another irreverent mascot choice: the banana slug.

• University Town Center, a shopping area across the street from UCI, once had a Denny's Restaurant as a tenant. Interestingly, the restaurant did not fare well and shut down, to be replaced instead by the immensely popular Lee's Sandwiches. The same shopping area also hosts an equally popular In-n-Out Burger; the corporation's headquarters are in Irvine.

• The streets of Irvine directly to the north of UCI are named after Ivy League universities, such as Stanford, Yale, Cornell, and Harvard. The streets in the southern part of the UCI campus that contact University Research Park are named after scientific terminology (e.g. Theory and Innovation). The streets in UCI's University Hills are named after prestigious scientists and academians (e.g. Mendel, Aristotle, Cezanne), mythological figures (e.g. Orion, Olympus), and celestial terms (e.g. Sunshine, Moonlight). Main campus thoroughfares are named after central figures in the university's developmetn (e.g. William Pereira and Jack Peltason).

See also

• UCI Arboretum
• UCI Medical Center
• University Hills
• Paul Merage School of Business
• KUCI

External links

• University of California, Irvine
• UCI Medical Center
• University of California Digital History Archives
• UCI Sceneries
• UC Irvine Athletics
• UCI Office of Institutional Research — Campus statistics

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Schools

• Claire Trevor School of the Arts
• School of Biological Sciences
• The Paul Merage School of Business
• The Henry Samueli School of Engineering
• School of Humanities
• Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences
• School of Medicine
• School of Physical Sciences
• School of Social Ecology
• School of Social Sciences

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Student media

• Anthology Yearbook (Official Yearbook)
• KUCI 88.9 FM
• New University (UCI Student Newspaper)
• Med Times (Medical Field Newspaper)
• Irvine Progressive (Liberal Newspaper)
• Irvine Review (Conservative newspaper)
• Jaded Magazine (Asian-American Magazine)
• The Koala (Comedy Magazine)
• Forest Fire Magazine (Music and Alt. Culture)
• New Forum (Creative Writing Journal)

Student clubs and organizations

• Directory of student clubs and organizations