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120-474: The SCA's roots can be traced to a backyard party of a UC Berkeley medieval studies graduate, the author Diana Paxson , in Berkeley, California , on May Day in 1966. The party began with a "Grand Tournament" in which the participants wore helmets , fencing masks, and usually some semblance of a costume, and sparred with each other using weapons such as plywood swords, padded maces, and fencing foils. It ended with

240-624: A joust as a main attraction. PETA and Born Free USA have protested the use of elephants and camels at the Maryland Renaissance Festival and Arizona Renaissance Festival . In addition to staged performances, a major attraction of Renaissance fairs are professional and amateur crowds of actors who play historical figures, roaming the fairgrounds and interacting with visitors. Some allow visitors to bring peace-bonded weapons, while others only allow fair employees to wear them. The Renaissance fair subculture's word for costumed guests

360-494: A " Public Ivy ". Since its inaugural 1990 reputational survey, Times Higher Education has considered Berkeley to be one of the world's "six super brands" along with the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge , Harvard University , MIT , and Stanford University . The 2010 United States National Research Council Rankings identified Berkeley as having the highest number of top-ranked doctoral programs in

480-478: A blue background with an imaginary yellow pen. The California Victory Cannon, placed on Tightwad Hill overlooking the stadium, is fired before every football home game, after every score, and after every Cal victory. First used in the 1963 Big Game, it was originally placed on the sidelines before moving to Tightwad Hill in 1971. The only time the cannon ran out of ammunition was during a game against Pacific in 1991, when Cal scored 12 touchdowns. The Cal Mic Men,

600-506: A broad range of crafts as well as medieval music and theatre . Other activities include the study and practice of heraldry and scribal arts ( calligraphy and illumination ). Members are afforded opportunities to register a medieval personal name and coat of arms (often colloquially called a " device " in SCA parlance). SCA scribes produce illuminated scrolls to be given by SCA royalty as awards for various achievements. Most local groups in

720-650: A candidate to the Order of the Chivalry, a knight of the Society (usually the king) must bestow the accolade ". In Number of the Beast (1980), Robert A. Heinlein portrayed an SCA tournament where live weapons were used and the battles actually fought to the "death". The defeated combatants were either transported to an alternate reality where medical technology was advanced enough that they could be revived from any wound or transported to

840-459: A catastrophic loss of technology. UC Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley ( UC Berkeley , Berkeley , Cal , or California ) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California , United States. Founded in 1868 and named after the Anglo-Irish philosopher George Berkeley , it is the state's first land-grant university and is the founding campus of

960-529: A culvert upstream of the recreational complex at the mouth of Strawberry Canyon and passes beneath California Memorial Stadium before appearing again in Faculty Glade. It then runs through the center of the campus before disappearing underground at the west end of campus. The north fork appears just east of University House and runs through the glade north of the Valley Life Sciences Building,

1080-471: A fairground, winery, or other large spaces. Some Renaissance fairs offer campgrounds for those who wish to stay more than one day. Many Renaissance fairs are set during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England . Some are set earlier, during the reign of Henry VIII , or in other countries, such as France. Others are set outside the era of the Renaissance; these may include earlier medieval periods such as

1200-470: A kingdom. In most cases, this is done with the consent of the members of a given peerage, often at their suggestion. The Society's Bylaws state that "the Crown may elevate subjects to the peerage by granting membership in one of the orders conferring a Patent of Arms, after consultation with the members of the Order within the kingdom, and in accordance with the laws and customs of the kingdom. Restriction: to advance

1320-573: A movement that spread across the country. Although historical reenactments are not exclusive to the United States, Renaissance fairs are largely an American variation on the idea of reenactments. European historical fairs, such as those held at Kentwell Hall in Suffolk , England, operate more on the living history museum model, in which an actual historic site is staffed by reenactors who explain historical life to modern visitors, rather than acting in

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1440-581: A new center for computing and data science. For the 2020 fiscal year, Berkeley set a fundraising record, receiving over $ 1 billion in gifts and pledges, and two years later, it broke that record, raising over $ 1.2 billion. Officially named the "University of California, Berkeley" it is often shortened to "Berkeley" in general reference or in an academic context ( Berkeley Law , Berkeley Engineering , Berkeley Haas , Berkeley Public Health ) and to "California" or "Cal" particularly when referring to its athletic teams ( California Golden Bears ). In August 2022,

1560-482: A parade down Telegraph Avenue with everyone singing " Greensleeves ". The SCA still measures dates within the society from the date of that party, calling the system Anno Societatis ( Latin for "in the Year of the Society"). For example, 2009 May 1 to 2010 April 30 was A.S. XLIV (44). The name Berkeley Society for Creative Anachronism was coined by science fiction author Marion Zimmer Bradley , an early participant, when

1680-754: A persona can simply be a costume and a name used for weekend events, while other members may study and create an elaborate personal history. The goal of a well-crafted persona is a historically accurate person who might have lived in a particular historical time and place. The SCA has onomastic students who assist members in creating an appropriate persona name. The SCA rules state that: "We allow elements and patterns for personal names from beyond Europe, but we require them to be from cultures that were known to medieval and Renaissance Europeans or whose members might reasonably have traveled to Europe". So, while less common, there are members with Saracen , Chinese, Japanese or Native American personae. In addition, claiming to be

1800-435: A print and online edition. Berkeley's FM student radio station , KALX , broadcasts on 90.7 MHz. It is run largely by volunteers, including both students and community members. Berkeley also features an assortment of student-run publications: There are ninety-four political student groups on campus, including MEChXA de UC Berkeley, Berkeley ACLU , Berkeley Students for Life, Campus Greens, The Sustainability Team (STEAM),

1920-669: A research facility and headquarters for the California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences , opened. Supported by a grant from alumnus James Simons , the Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing was established in 2012. In 2015, Berkeley and its sister campus, UCSF , established the Innovative Genomics Institute to develop CRISPR gene editing , and, in 2020, an anonymous donor pledged $ 252 million to help fund

2040-641: A role. In recent years, American-style Renaissance fairs have made inroads in other countries. Germany has seen a very similar phenomenon since the 1980s, and fairs have grown increasingly popular in Canada and Australia since the mid-1990s. Spinoffs of Renaissance fairs also include fairs set in other time periods, such as Christmas fairs set in Charles Dickens ' London. Renaissance fairs have several variant names, many of which use old-fashioned spellings such as faire or fayre . These spellings originate from

2160-468: A shire) that are associated with an institution, such as a school, military base , or even a military ship at sea. All SCA branches are organized in descending order as follows: Groups are active all over the United States , Canada , Europe , Australia , Japan , South Africa , and New Zealand , with scattered groups elsewhere, including China , Israel , Panama and Thailand . At one time there

2280-539: A single king through actual combat. The SCA's first event did not choose a "king". Fighters vied for the right to declare their ladies (only men fought at the first event) "fairest", later called the "Queen of Love and Beauty". The highest ranking titles in the SCA belong to the royalty, followed by the former royalty. Former kings and queens become counts and countesses (dukes and duchesses if they have reigned more than once), and former princes and princesses of principalities become viscounts and viscountesses. This system

2400-448: A specific historical individual, especially a familiar one (e.g. Genghis Khan , Julius Caesar , Henry Plantagenet , Queen Elizabeth I ), is not permitted. Likewise, one is not allowed to claim the persona of a fellow SCA member, alive or dead. Nor is one allowed to take on the persona of a sufficiently familiar fictional character (e.g. Robin of Locksley/ Robin Hood ). A major dimension to

2520-538: A standard at home football games, has recently expanded to involve basketball and volleyball. The traditional role comes from students holding megaphones and yelling, but now includes microphones, a dedicated platform during games, and the direction of the entire student section. Berkeley students are offered a variety of housing options, including university-owned or affiliated residences, private residences, fraternities and sororities, and cooperative housing (co-ops). Berkeley students, and those of other local schools, have

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2640-526: A student regent, and a non-voting student regent-designate. Prior to 1952, Berkeley was the University of California, so the university president was also Berkeley's chief executive. In 1952, the university reorganized itself into a system of semi-autonomous campuses, with each campus having its own chief executive, a chancellor, who would, in turn, report to the president of the university system. Twelve vice-chancellors report directly to Berkeley's chancellor, and

2760-598: A system of semi-autonomous campuses, with each campus given a chancellor, and Clark Kerr became Berkeley's first Chancellor, while   Robert Sproul remained in place as the President of the University of California. Berkeley gained a worldwide reputation for political activism in the 1960s. In 1964, the Free Speech Movement organized student resistance to the university's restrictions on political activities on campus—most conspicuously, student activities related to

2880-538: A trustee of the College of California, suggested that a new campus site north of Oakland be named in honor of Anglo-Irish philosopher George Berkeley . The university began admitting women the following year. In 1870, Henry Durant , founder of the College of California, became its first president. With the completion of North and South Halls in 1873, the university relocated to its Berkeley location with 167 male and 22 female students. The first female student to graduate

3000-453: A university task force was formed which recommended renaming the athletic identity to "Cal Berkeley" to further tie the athletic brand to academic prestige, and reduce public confusion. The University of California is governed by a twenty-six member Board of Regents , eighteen of whom are appointed by the Governor of California to 12-year terms. The board also has seven ex officio members,

3120-427: A variety of activities, including combat and chivalry , archery , heraldry , equestrian activities, costuming, cooking , metalworking , woodworking , leather crafting , music , dance , calligraphy , fiber arts , and others as practiced during the member's time period. To aid historical recreation, participants in the SCA create historically plausible characters known individually as personae . To new members,

3240-567: Is Oski the Bear , who debuted in 1941. Previously, live bear cubs were used as mascots at Memorial Stadium until it was decided in 1940 that a costumed mascot would be a better alternative. Named after the Oski-wow-wow yell, he is cared for by the Oski Committee, whose members have exclusive knowledge of the identity of the costume-wearer. The University of California Marching Band , which has served

3360-446: Is 'playtrons,' a portmanteau of the words player and patron. This adds enjoyment to guests' experience by 'getting into the act' as Renaissance Lords and Ladies, peasants, pirates, belly dancers, or fantasy characters. However, many Renaissance fairs discourage interaction between the official cast and so-called 'playtrons.' Most fairs have an end-of-the-day ritual parade, dance, or concert where all employees gather and bid farewell to

3480-453: Is a general goal of maintaining a historical atmosphere. However, SCA members will use modern elements when necessary for personal comfort, medical needs, or to promote safety (e.g. wearing prescription eye-wear, using rattan for swords or shear thickening substances for padding). Unlike some other living history groups, most SCA gatherings do not reenact a specific time or place in history, leaving members free to dress as any culture within

3600-462: Is a quarterly magazine, each issue covering a range of topics and including several features such as news, a humor column, book reviews, war reports and various articles on SCA-related topics of interest. The SCA is incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation in California , with its current headquarters in the city of Milpitas, California . It is headed by a board of directors , each of whom

3720-636: Is also home to the University of California Botanical Garden , with more than 12,000 individual species. What is considered the historic campus today was the result of the 1898 "International Competition for the Phoebe Hearst Architectural Plan for the University of California," funded by William Randolph Hearst 's mother and initially held in the Belgian city of Antwerp ; eleven finalists were judged again in San Francisco in 1899. The winner

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3840-487: Is an important symbol of California school spirit. The Big "C" has its roots in an early 20th-century campus event called "Rush," which pitted the freshman and sophomore classes against each other in a race up Charter Hill that often developed into a wrestling match. It was eventually decided to discontinue Rush and, in 1905, the freshman and sophomore classes banded together in a show of unity to build "the Big C." Students invented

3960-480: Is an outdoor gathering that aims to entertain its guests by recreating a historical setting, most often the English Renaissance . Renaissance festivals generally include costumed entertainers or fair-goers, musical and theatrical acts, art and handicrafts for sale, and festival food. These fairs are open to the public and typically commercial. Some are permanent theme parks, while others are short-term events in

4080-616: Is decentralized; applicants apply directly to the department or degree program. Most graduate students are supported by fellowships, teaching assistantships, or research assistantships. Doe Library serves as the Berkeley library system 's reference, periodical, and administrative center, while most of the main collections reside in the subterranean Gardner Main Stacks and Moffitt Undergraduate Library. The Bancroft Library , which has over 400,000 printed volumes and 70 million manuscripts, pictures, and maps, maintains special collections that document

4200-487: Is nominated by the membership of the SCA, selected by sitting directors, and elected to serve for 3.5 years. Each director serves as an ombudsman for various kingdoms and society officers. The BoD, as it is called, is responsible for handling the corporate affairs of the SCA and is also in charge of certain disciplinary actions, such as revoking the membership status of participants who have broken Corpora regulations or modern law while participating in SCA activities. Because

4320-399: Is not historically based, but was developed out of practical necessity early in the Society's history. Directly beneath this "landed" nobility (current and former royalty) rank the highest awards, the peerages. The SCA has four orders of peerage with one split into two parts: the Order of the Chivalry, awarded for skill at arms in armored combat, split into the knights and the masters of arms;

4440-555: The Berkeley Student Food Collective , Students for Sensible Drug Policy, Cal Berkeley Democrats, and the Berkeley College Republicans. The Residence Hall Assembly (RHA) is the student-led umbrella organization that oversees event planning, legislation, sponsorships and other activities for over 7,200 on-campus undergraduate residents. Berkeley students also run a number of consulting groups, including

4560-643: The Civil Rights Movement . The arrest in Sproul Plaza of Jack Weinberg , a recent Berkeley alumnus and chair of Campus CORE , prompted a series of student-led acts of formal remonstrance and civil disobedience that ultimately gave rise to the Free Speech Movement, which movement would prevail and serve as a precedent for student opposition to America's involvement in the Vietnam War. In 1982,

4680-666: The Lawrence Hall of Science . The Museum of Paleontology, found in the lobby of the Valley Life Sciences Building, showcases a variety of dinosaur fossils including a complete cast of a Tyrannosaurus Rex. The campus also offers resources for innovation and entrepreneurship, such as the Big Ideas Competition, the Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology, and the Berkeley Haas Innovation Lab. The campus

4800-625: The Mathematical Sciences Research Institute (MSRI) was established on campus with support from the National Science Foundation and at the request of three Berkeley mathematicians— Shiing-Shen Chern , Calvin Moore , and Isadore M. Singer . The institute is now widely regarded as a leading center for collaborative mathematical research, drawing thousands of visiting researchers from around the world each year. In

4920-551: The Middle English feire (variant spellings include feyre , faire , and fayre ), which comes from the Anglo-French word feire . They can also be referred to as Elizabethan , Medieval , or Tudor fairs or festivals. A German Mittelaltermarkt (literally "medieval market") resembles a Renaissance fair. Many Catalan towns hold Mercats Medievals (literally "medieval markets") as part of their annual festivities. Within

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5040-589: The National Register of Historic Places . Built in 1873 in a Victorian Second-Empire-style , South Hall, designed by David Farquharson, is the oldest university building in California. It, and the Frederick Law Olmsted -designed Piedmont Avenue east of the main campus, are two of the only surviving examples of the nineteenth-century campus. Other notable architects and firms whose work can be found in

5160-604: The Sather Tower (nicknamed "the Campanile" after its architectural inspiration, St Mark's Campanile in Venice), the tallest university clock tower in the United States. Buildings he regarded as temporary and non-academic were designed in shingle or Collegiate Gothic styles; examples of these are North Gate Hall, Dwinelle Annex, and Stephens Hall. Many of Howard's designs are recognized California Historical Landmarks and are listed on

5280-736: The Space Sciences Laboratory , the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute , an 800-acre (320-hectare) ecological preserve, the University of California Botanical Garden and a recreation center in Strawberry Canyon. Portions of the mostly undeveloped, eastern area of the campus are actually within the City of Oakland ; these portions extend from the Claremont Resort north through the Panoramic Hill neighborhood to Tilden Park . To

5400-511: The University of California system. Berkeley has an enrollment of more than 45,000 students. The university is organized around fifteen schools of study on the same campus, including the College of Chemistry , the College of Engineering , and the Haas School of Business . It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity". The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

5520-767: The University of California, Los Angeles . In 1905, the University Farm was established near Sacramento , ultimately becoming the University of California, Davis . In 1919, the Los Angeles branch of the California State Normal School became the southern branch of the university, which ultimately became the University of California, Los Angeles . By the 1920s, the number of campus buildings in Berkeley had grown substantially and included twenty structures designed by architect John Galen Howard . In 1917, one of

5640-578: The Viking Age or later periods such as the Golden Age of Piracy . Some engage in deliberate 'time travel' by encouraging participants to wear costumes representing several eras in a broad time period. Renaissance fairs encourage visitors to engage with costumes and audience participation, often renting outfits to fairgoers. Many welcome fantasy elements like wizards and elves . Most Renaissance fairs are arranged to represent an imagined English village during

5760-479: The "University shall have for its design, to provide instruction and thorough and complete education in all departments of science, literature and art, industrial and professional pursuits, and general education, and also special courses of instruction in preparation for the professions." Ten faculty members and forty male students made up the fledgling university when it opened in Oakland in 1869. Frederick Billings ,

5880-636: The 1930s, Ernest Orlando Lawrence helped establish the Radiation Laboratory (now Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory ) and invented the cyclotron , which won him the Nobel physics prize in 1939. Using the cyclotron, Berkeley professors and Berkeley Lab researchers went on to discover sixteen chemical elements —more than any other university in the world. In particular, during World War II and following Glenn Seaborg 's then-secret discovery of plutonium, Lawrence's Radiation Laboratory began to contract with

6000-552: The 19th century in the future era in which the novel is set, to include cowboy and Civil War reenactors ). In May 1999, The Onion ran a front-page article headlined "Society for Creative Anachronism Seizes Control of Russia" featuring photos of actual SCA participants from the Barony of Jaravellir ( Madison, Wisconsin ). In his conclusion to the Space Odyssey series, 3001: The Final Odyssey (1997), Arthur C. Clarke portrays

6120-697: The Air by Peter S. Beagle was written after the author attended a few early SCA events circa 1968; but he has repeatedly stated that he then studiously avoided any contact with the SCA itself for almost two decades, so that his description of a fictitious "League for Archaic Pleasures" would not be "contaminated" by contact with the actual real-life organization. Members of the SCA are given pivotal roles in S. M. Stirling 's Emberverse series, where their skills in pre-industrial technology and warfare become invaluable in helping humanity adapt when all modern technology (including firearms) ceases working. The novel Murder at

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6240-539: The Berkeley Group, founded in 2003 and affiliated with the Haas School. Students from various concentrations are recruited and trained to work on pro-bono consulting engagements with actual nonprofit clients. Berkeley Consulting, founded in 1996, has served over 140 companies across the high-tech, retail, banking, and non-profit sectors. Renaissance fair A Renaissance Festival ( medieval fair or ren faire )

6360-542: The Berkeley campus is in the city limits of Berkeley with portion of the property extending into Oakland . It encompasses approximately 1,232-acres, though the "central campus" occupies only the low-lying western 178-acres of this area. Of the remaining acres, approximately 200-acres are occupied by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; other facilities above the main campus include the Lawrence Hall of Science and several research units, notably

6480-512: The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, billionaire Sir Li Ka-Shing , Israeli-Russian billionaire Yuri Milner , Thomas and Stacey Siebel , Sanford and Joan Weill , and professor Gordon Rausser ($ 50 million gift in 2020). Hundreds of millions of dollars have been given anonymously. The 2008–13 "Campaign for Berkeley" raised $ 3.13 billion from 281,855 donors, and the "Light the Way" campaign, which concluded at

6600-615: The Crown Tournament and his/her consort are styled "Crown Prince and Princess" and serve an advisory period (three to six months, depending upon the scheduling of the Crown Tournament) under the current king and queen prior to acceding to the throne and ruling in their turn. This selection method is not based on how actual medieval monarchs were chosen, as there is no record of one being selected by tournament combat in this manner. There are, however, literary and historical bases for

6720-635: The East Kingdom and Middle Kingdom, is the biggest event in the SCA. Likewise, Estrella War was held for over thirty years, mainly between two large regional SCA groups: the Kingdom of Atenveldt and the Kingdom of the Outlands . Most Estrella Wars were held near Phoenix , Arizona in late February and last around 7–9 days. Several thousand people attended each year, some from as far as Sweden , Germany , France , Italy , Greece , and Australia . On July 13, 2021 it

6840-572: The Haas ( Walter A. Haas , Rhoda Haas Goldman , Walter A. Haas Jr. , Peter E. Haas , Bob Haas ) family. Berkeley has also benefited from benefactors beyond its alumni ranks, notable among which are Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan ; Vitalik Buterin , Patrick Collison , John Collison , the Ron Conway family, Daniel Gross , Dustin Moskovitz and Cari Tuna , along with Jane Street principals; BP ;

6960-586: The Haas School of Business (1), College of Chemistry (5), College of Engineering (20), College of Environmental Design (4), College of Letters and Science (67), Rausser College of Natural Resources (10), and individual majors (2). The most popular majors are electrical engineering and computer sciences , political science , molecular and cell biology , environmental science , and economics . Requirements for undergraduate degrees include an entry-level writing requirement before enrollment (typically fulfilled by minimum scores on standardized admissions exams such as

7080-546: The Order of the Laurel, awarded for skill in the arts and sciences; the Order of the Pelican, awarded for outstanding service to the Society; and the Order of Defense, awarded for skill at arms in rapier combat. In several kingdoms the Order of the Rose, made up of former consorts, is considered a peerage equal to the other four. Peerages are bestowed by the Crown (the sovereign and consort) of

7200-560: The Renaissance fair community, there are different opinions on the desirability of 'authenticity' at festivals. Some believe fairs should be as authentic an experience as possible, supplemented with educational aspects similar to European living history museums . Others believe that entertainment is the primary goal. Richard Shapiro, who founded what later became the Bristol Renaissance Faire outside Chicago in 1972, favored entertainment, saying "we were so authentic back then it

7320-529: The SAT or ACT), completing coursework on "American History and Institutions" before or after enrollment by taking an introductory class, passing an "American Cultures Breadth" class at Berkeley, as well as requirements for reading and composition and specific requirements declared by the department and school. Berkeley has a "comprehensive" graduate program, with high coexistence with the programs offered to undergraduates, and offers interdisciplinary graduate programs with

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7440-506: The SCA as still being active in the year 3001 . In Christopher Stasheff 's "Warlock" series, the inhabitants of the planet Gramarye are revealed to be descended from SCA participants. A prequel, Escape Velocity , describes how the SCAdians first came to Gramarye, and how lands were assigned to the royal peers. In John Ringo 's The Council Wars science fiction series, characters with SCA or SCA-like experience help their society recover from

7560-450: The SCA have their own traditional annual events such as Baronial Arts and Sciences competition, a championship tournament, and often a Yule or Twelfth Night feast. Various SCA groups also sometimes host collegia or symposia, where members gather for a raft of classes on various medieval arts and sciences and other SCA-related topics. The minimum standard for attendance at an SCA event is "an attempt at pre-17th century clothing", and there

7680-562: The SCA hold weekly fighter practices, and many also hold regular archery practices, dance practices, A&S (Arts & Science) nights and other regular gatherings. Some kingdoms and regions also have occasional war practices, where fighters practice formations and group tactics in preparation for large scale "war" events. The research and approach by members of the SCA toward the recreation of history has led to new discoveries about medieval life. The SCA does not require participants to wear historically accurate clothing or equipment. According to

7800-577: The SCA is its internal system of Heraldry . Any member of the society may apply to register a name and device for their persona, which are checked by the heralds for uniqueness and period authenticity, before being blazoned and recorded in the society's Armorial. The system has evolved since the formation of the society; and now has three Sovereigns of Arms , with Principal Heralds for each Kingdom, who oversee deputy officers for matters such as heraldic education and processing registrations, and local officers (generally one for each local chapter) who assist

7920-740: The SCA now has groups all over the world, it has also been incorporated in other countries, e.g. SCAA in Australia, SCANZ in New Zealand , SKA Nordmark in Sweden, SKA in Finland , and the UK CIC which covers both the UK and Ireland . These affiliated bodies work with the U.S. BoD with regards to Societal issues, but make all decisions affected by local law independently of the U.S. parent body. Although they agree to work in unity with

8040-514: The SCA was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation in California . By the end of 1969, the SCA's three original kingdoms had been established: West Kingdom , East, and Middle. All SCA kingdoms trace their roots to these original three. The number of SCA kingdoms has continued to grow by the expansion and division of existing kingdoms; for example, the kingdoms now called the Outlands, Artemisia, Ansteorra, Gleann Abhann, Meridies, and Trimaris all are made up of lands originally belonging to

8160-435: The SCA's time period. The SCA produces two quarterly publications, The Compleat Anachronist and Tournaments Illuminated , and each kingdom publishes a monthly newsletter. The Compleat Anachronist is a quarterly monographic series , each issue focused on a specific topic related to the period of circa 600–1600 in history. Issues are written by SCA members and have covered a wide range of topics. Tournaments Illuminated

8280-406: The Society's formal organization, the largest of which is the Mongol Empire -themed Great Dark Horde . The twenty SCA Kingdoms and the geographic areas they cover are (in order of founding) The Society as a whole, each kingdom, and each local group within a kingdom, all have a standard group of officers with titles loosely based on medieval equivalents. Members of the SCA study and take part in

8400-426: The U.S. Army to develop the atomic bomb. Physics professor J. Robert Oppenheimer was named scientific head of the Manhattan Project in 1942. Along with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley founded and was then a partner in managing two other labs, Los Alamos National Laboratory (1943) and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (1952). In 1952, the University of California reorganized itself into

8520-578: The U.S. SCA board of directors, they are autonomous and are not bound by any ruling of the U.S. body. The SCA is divided into administrative regions that it calls kingdoms . Smaller branches within those kingdoms include Principalities , Regions , Baronies , and Provinces ; and local chapters are known as Cantons , Ridings , Shires , Colleges , Strongholds , and Ports . Kingdoms, principalities, and baronies have ceremonial rulers who preside over activities and issue awards to individuals and groups. Colleges, strongholds, and ports are local chapters (like

8640-453: The UC Office of the President and accounts for 12 percent of Berkeley's total revenues. Berkeley has benefited from private philanthropy and alumni and their foundations have given to the university for operations and capital expenditures with the more prominent being J. Paul Getty , Ann Getty , Sanford Diller , Donald Fisher , Flora Lamson Hewlett , David Schwartz ( Bio-Rad ) and members of

8760-619: The United States. Berkeley students compete in thirty varsity athletic sports, and the university is one of eighteen full-member institutions in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Berkeley's athletic teams, the California Golden Bears , have also won 107 national championships, 196 individual national titles, and 223 Olympic medals (including 121 gold). Berkeley's alumni , faculty, and researchers include 55 Nobel laureates and 19 Academy Award winners, and

8880-688: The University of California (ASUC) is the official student association that controls funding for student groups and organizes on-campus student events. The two main political parties are "Student Action" and "CalSERVE." The organization was founded in 1887 and has an annual operating budget of $ 1.7 million (excluding the budget of the Graduate Assembly of the ASUC), in addition to various investment assets. Its alumni include multiple State Senators, Assemblymembers, and White House Administration officials. Berkeley's student-run online television station, CalTV ,

9000-449: The War ( Knightfall in paperback edition) by Mary Monica Pulver is a murder mystery set entirely at the SCA's largest annual event, Pennsic War . In David Weber 's 1996 science fiction novel Honor Among Enemies , main character Honor Harrington mentions that her uncle is a member of the SCA and that he taught her to shoot from the hip (the time the SCA covers having been moved up to

9120-481: The alternate reality that was Valhalla . The contestants' desires were placed in sealed envelopes prior to the tournament, which were destroyed if the competitor won and obeyed if a competitor lost. In Ariel (1983), a post-apocalyptic fantasy by Steven R. Boyett , technology suddenly stops working and sorcery and sword fight take over. Several characters who are former SCA members attribute their survival to their SCA experience. The 1986 fantasy novel The Folk of

9240-1062: The backyard of her Laurel Canyon home in the Hollywood Hills as the fairgrounds. On May 11 and 12 in the same year, Patterson and her husband, Ron Patterson, presented the first " Renaissance Pleasure Faire " as a one-weekend fundraiser for a radio station KPFK , drawing some eight thousand people. The Living History Center designed the fair to resemble a springtime market fair of the period. Many original booths were free-of-charge reenactments of historical activities, including printing presses and blacksmiths. The first commercial vendors were artisans and food merchants, and had to demonstrate historical accuracy or plausibility for their wares. Volunteers were organized into "guilds" to focus on specific reenactment roles (musicians, military, Celtic clans, peasants, etc.). Both actors and vendors were required to stay "in character" while working by speaking with period language, accents, and mannerisms. The original Renaissance Pleasure Faire of Southern California (RPFS)

9360-459: The campus and surrounding area are Bernard Maybeck (Faculty Club); Julia Morgan (Hearst Women's Gymnasium and Julia Morgan Hall ); William Wurster (Stern Hall); Moore Ruble Yudell (Haas School of Business); Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects (C.V. Starr East Asian Library), and Diller Scofidio + Renfro (Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive). Flowing into the main campus are two branches of Strawberry Creek . The south fork enters

9480-560: The college football tradition of card stunts . Then known as Bleacher Stunts, they were first performed during the 1910 Big Game and consisted of two stunts: a picture of the Stanford Axe and a large blue "C" on a white background. The tradition is continued today by the Rally Committee in the Cal student section and incorporates complicated motions, for example tracing the Cal script logo on

9600-443: The consultation of the other people who have received the award, such as peerages and consulting orders. The Crown has some authority over other matters relating to leadership, but the extent of this varies from kingdom to kingdom. Each SCA kingdom is "ruled" by a king and queen chosen by winning a Crown Tournament in armored combat . Corpora require this to be held as a "properly constituted armored combat" tournament. The winner of

9720-478: The current century, Berkeley has become less politically active, although more liberal. Democrats outnumber Republicans on the faculty by a ratio of nine to one, which is a ratio similar to that of American academia generally. The school has become more focused on STEM disciplines and fundraising. In 2007, the Energy Biosciences Institute was established with funding from BP and Stanley Hall,

9840-694: The custom, most famously the tournament in Sir Walter Scott 's Ivanhoe . In the Middle Ages, there were a number of different "mock king" games, some of which involved some form of combat, such as King of the Mountain or the King of Archers. In the 17th century the Cotswold Games were developed, the winner of which was declared to be "king". Also, the medieval sagas contain accounts of uniting petty kingdoms under

9960-400: The deans of the fifteen colleges and schools report to the executive vice chancellor and provost, Berkeley's chief academic officer. Twenty-three presidents and chancellors have led Berkeley since its founding. Presidents Chancellors With the exception of government contracts, public support is apportioned to Berkeley and the other campuses of the University of California system through

10080-649: The end of 2023, has raised over $ 6.2 billion. Berkeley is a large, primarily residential research university with a majority of its enrolment in undergraduate programs but also offering a comprehensive doctoral program. The university has been accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission since 1949. The university operates on a semester calendar and awarded 8,725 bachelor's, 3,286 master's or professional and 1,272 doctoral degrees in 2018–2019. There are 1,789 full-time and 886 part-time faculty members among

10200-503: The first Eastern King of the SCA. That September, a tournament was held at the 26th World Science Fiction Convention , which was in Berkeley that year. The SCA had produced a book for the convention called A Handbook for the Current Middle Ages , which was a how-to book for people wanting to start their own SCA chapters. Convention goers purchased the book and the idea spread. Soon, other local chapters began to form. In October 1968,

10320-618: The following year in Washington, D.C. A televised version was broadcast on the Hallmark Hall of Fame in 1966 which included Dustin Hoffman playing the part of the dragon slain by Saint George . In 1971, Langstaff established a permanent Christmas Revels in Cambridge , Massachusetts . In 1963, Los Angeles schoolteacher Phyllis Patterson held a small Renaissance fair as a class activity, using

10440-515: The fourth kingdom, Atenveldt, which began as a branch of the West Kingdom. In 2012, the SCA agreed to pay $ 1.3 million to settle a lawsuit brought on behalf of 11 victims of child sexual abuse . The abuse was committed in Pennsylvania at the private residence of Ben Schragger, who pleaded guilty to criminal charges in 2004. Schragger was a member of the SCA at the time of the abuse. His membership

10560-797: The history of the western part of North America, with an emphasis on California, Mexico and Central America. The Bancroft Library also houses the Mark Twain Papers, the Oral History Center, the Center for the Tebtunis Papyri, and the University Archives. In his memoirs, Clark Kerr records Berkeley's rise in the rankings (according to the National Academies ) during the 20th century. The school's first ranking in 1906 placed it among

10680-572: The local participants. In addition to design of arms, heralds in the Society also provide services such as voice heraldry (similar to a master of ceremonies ) at tournaments and official functions, and organizing tournament brackets or "lists." The SCA has ceremonial rulers chosen by winning tournaments (Kings/Queens, Princes/Princesses) in SCA armoured combat . Barons and Baronesses are appointed by Royalty, although some baronies hold elections or competitions to choose their preferred Baron and/or Baroness. One of

10800-607: The maintenance of the six Cal flags, the large California banner overhanging the Memorial Stadium Student Section and Haas Pavilion , the California Victory Cannon, Card Stunts and The Big "C" among other duties. The Rally Committee is also responsible for safekeeping of the Stanford Axe when it is in Cal's possession. Overlooking the main Berkeley campus from the foothills in the east, The Big "C"

10920-517: The medical schools at the University of California, San Francisco and Stanford University . The university offers Master of Arts , Master of Science , Master of Fine Arts , and PhD degrees in addition to professional degrees such as the Juris Doctor , Master of Business Administration , Master of Public Health , and Master of Design . The university awarded 963 doctoral degrees and 3,531 master's degrees in 2017. Admission to graduate programs

11040-457: The nascent group needed an official name in order to reserve a park for a tournament. "Berkeley" was dropped as the group expanded. Three other co-founders were science fiction author Poul Anderson , his wife, writer Karen Kruse Anderson , and their daughter, Astrid. In 1968, Bradley moved to Staten Island , New York and founded the Kingdom of the East, holding a tournament that summer to determine

11160-551: The nation's first ROTC programs was established at Berkeley and its School of Military Aeronautics began training pilots, including Jimmy Doolittle . In 1926, future Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz established the first Naval ROTC unit at Berkeley. Berkeley ROTC alumni include former Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara , Army Chief of Staff Frederick C. Weyand , sixteen other general officers , ten Navy flag officers , and AFROTC alumna Captain Theresa Claiborne . In

11280-426: The nation. Berkeley doctoral programs that received a #1 ranking included English, German, Political Science, Geography, Agricultural and Resource Economics, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Genetics, Genomics, Epidemiology, Plant Biology, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Civil and Environmental Engineering. For Fall 2022, Berkeley's total enrollment

11400-444: The newcomer's guide: We request that all participants make "an attempt" at pre-17th-century clothing commonly referred to as "Garb"...As you pick items, always remember to try not to make them "obtrusively modern". The SCA holds its own events as a non-profit education organization for the benefit of SCA members and their guests. This is unlike most Renaissance fairs , which are held mainly for profit to entertain customers and open to

11520-584: The option of living in one of the twenty cooperative houses participating in the Berkeley Student Cooperative (BSC), a nonprofit housing cooperative network consisting of 20 residences and 1250 member-owners. About three percent of undergraduate men and nine percent of undergraduate women—or 3,400 of total undergraduates—are active in Berkeley's Greek system. University-sanctioned fraternities and sororities comprise over 60 houses affiliated with four Greek councils. The Associated Students of

11640-719: The original site of the Campus Arboretum. Trees in the area date from the founding of the university. The campus features numerous wooded areas, including: Founders' Rock , Faculty Glade, Grinnell Natural Area, and the Eucalyptus Grove, which is both the tallest stand of such trees in the world and the tallest stand of hardwood trees in North America. The campus sits on the Hayward Fault , which runs directly through California Memorial Stadium. The official university mascot

11760-588: The patrons. Renaissance fairs are staged around the world at different times of the year. Fair vendors, actors, and crew often work by going from event to event as one fair ends and another begins. In post-World War II America, there was a resurgence of interest in medieval and Renaissance culture . Folk musician and traditionalist John Langstaff gained popularity in the 1950s as part of an early music revival trend. In 1957, Langstaff hosted "A Christmas Masque of Traditional Revels" in New York City , and another

11880-424: The primary functions of state for reigning monarchs is to recognize participant achievement through awards. Most awards denote excellence in a specific pursuit such as local service, arts and sciences, and combat. Some awards change the precedence and title of the recipient, giving him or her the privilege of being known as "Lord"/"Lady", "Baron", "Duchess", "Master", and so forth. High level awards are often given with

12000-409: The public. Another noticeable difference is that SCA events are historically earlier than most Renaissance fairs. Each kingdom in the SCA runs its own schedule of events, which are announced in their kingdom newsletters (and usually posted on the kingdom website), but some of the largest SCA-sanctioned events, often called "wars", attract members from many kingdoms. Pennsic War , fought annually between

12120-478: The reign of Elizabeth I , often thought of as the height of the English Renaissance . Within a modern Renaissance festival, there are stages or performance areas set up for scheduled shows, such as plays in Shakespearean or commedia dell'arte traditions, as well as anachronistic audience participation in comedy routines. Other performances include dancers, magicians, musicians, jugglers, and singers. Between

12240-745: The stages, the streets ('lanes') are lined with stores ('shoppes') and stalls where independent vendors sell themed handcrafts, clothing, books, and artwork. Renaissance fairs typically feature a wide variety of foods inspired by both medieval cuisine and typical American fair foods like corn dogs . Some foods, like turkey legs, steak on a stick, and bread bowls have become iconic of Renaissance festivals. Beer, mead , and wine are also common. Games include typical fair events, such as archery, axe-throwing, and dunk tanks . Rides are typically not machine-powered; various animal rides and human-powered swings are common, as are live animal displays and falconry exhibitions. Larger Renaissance fairs often include

12360-435: The top six schools ("Big Six") in the nation. In 1934, it ranked second, tied with Columbia and the University of Chicago , behind only Harvard ; in 1957, it was ranked as the only school second to Harvard. In 1964, Berkeley was named the "best balanced distinguished university", meaning the school had not only the most top departments but also the highest percentage of top ranking departments in its school. The school in 1993

12480-527: The university also owns land to the northwest of the main campus, a married student housing complex in the nearby town of Albany ("Albany Village" and the "Gill Tract"), and a field research station several miles to the north in Richmond, California . The campus is home to several museums including the University of California Museum of Paleontology , the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive , and

12600-532: The university is also a producer of Rhodes Scholars , Marshall Scholars , and Fulbright Scholars . Made possible by President Lincoln 's signing of the Morrill Act in 1862, the University of California was founded in 1868 as the state's first land-grant university, inheriting the land and facilities of the private College of California and the federal-funding eligibility of a public agricultural, mining, and mechanical arts college. The Organic Act states that

12720-614: The university since 1891, performs at every home football game and at select road games as well. A smaller subset of the Cal Band, the Straw Hat Band, performs at basketball games, volleyball games, and other campus and community events. The UC Rally Committee, formed in 1901, is the official guardian of California's Spirit and Traditions. Wearing their traditional blue and gold rugbies, Rally Committee members can be seen at all major sporting and spirit events. Committee members are charged with

12840-421: The university's academic enterprise which is organized into fifteen colleges and schools that comprise 180 departments and 80 interdisciplinary units offering over 350 degree programs. Colleges serve both undergraduate and graduate students, while schools are generally graduate only, though some offer undergraduate majors or minors: The four-year, full-time undergraduate program offers 107 bachelor's degrees across

12960-546: The upscale residential neighborhoods of the Berkeley Hills . Immediately southeast of campus lies fraternity row and beyond that the Clark Kerr Campus and an upscale residential area named Claremont . The area south of the university includes student housing and Telegraph Avenue , one of Berkeley's main shopping districts with stores, street vendors and restaurants catering to college students and tourists. In addition,

13080-455: The west of the central campus is the downtown business district of Berkeley ; to the northwest is the neighborhood of North Berkeley, including the so-called Gourmet Ghetto , a commercial district known for high quality dining due to the presence of such world-renowned restaurants as Chez Panisse . Immediately to the north is a quiet residential neighborhood known as Northside with a large graduate student population; situated north of that are

13200-479: Was 45,745: 32,831 undergraduate and 12,914 graduate students, with women accounting for 56% of undergraduates and 49% of graduate and professional students. It had 128,226 freshman applicants and accepted 14,614 (11.4%). Among enrolled freshman, the average unweighted GPA was 3.90. Berkeley's enrollment of National Merit Scholars was third in the nation until 2002, when participation in the National Merit program

13320-673: Was Frenchman Émile Bénard , who refused to personally supervise the implementation of his plan and the task was subsequently given to architecture professor John Galen Howard . Howard designed over twenty buildings, which set the tone for the campus up until its expansion in the 1950s and 1960s. The structures forming the "classical core" of the campus were built in the Beaux-Arts Classical style, and include Hearst Greek Theatre , Hearst Memorial Mining Building , Doe Memorial Library , California Hall, Wheeler Hall , Le Conte Hall, Gilman Hall, Haviland Hall, Wellman Hall, Sather Gate , and

13440-631: Was announced that Estrella War was cancelled permanently. Other annual SCA wars include Gulf Wars in Gleann Abhann (formerly Meridies), Great Western War in Caid, War of the Lillies in Calontir and others. Other annual or semi-annual Kingdom-level events held analogously by most or all SCA kingdoms include Crown Tournament, Coronation, Kingdom Arts and Sciences competition and Queen's Prize. Additionally, most baronies in

13560-592: Was discontinued. For 2019, Berkeley ranked fourth in enrollment of recipients of the National Merit $ 2,500 Scholarship (132 scholars). 27% of admitted students receive federal Pell grants . Berkeley students are eligible for a variety of public and private financial aid. Inquiries are processed through the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office, although schools such as the Haas School of Business and Berkeley Law , have their own financial aid offices. Much of

13680-622: Was even a group on the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz , known as the "Shire of Curragh Mor" (anglicized Irish for "Big Boat"), and the shire's arms played on the Nimitz's ship's badge. There is also an active chapter in South Korea , the Stronghold of Warrior's Gate, with a mix of active duty military personnel from the several services and military-connected civilians. There are also non-territorial groups, usually called "households", which are not part of

13800-489: Was formed in 2005 and broadcasts online. It is run by students with a variety of backgrounds and majors. Since the mid-2010s, it has been a program of the ASUC . Berkeley's independent student-run newspaper is The Daily Californian . Founded in 1871, The Daily Cal became independent in 1971 after the campus administration fired three senior editors for encouraging readers to take back People's Park . The Daily Californian has both

13920-778: Was held in the spring of 1966 at the Paramount Ranch located in Agoura, California, focusing on the practices of old English springtime markets and "Maying" customs. In 1967, the Pattersons created a fall Renaissance fair with a harvest festival theme at what is now China Camp State Park in San Rafael, California. The fall fair was moved in 1971 to the Black Point Forest in Novato, California . Both fairs developed into local traditions and began

14040-567: Was in 1874, admitted in the first class to include women in 1870. Beginning in 1891, Phoebe Apperson Hearst funded several programs and new buildings and, in 1898, sponsored an international competition in Antwerp , where French architect Émile Bénard submitted the winning design for a campus master plan. Although the University of California system does not have an official flagship campus , many scholars and experts consider Berkeley to be its unofficial flagship. It shares this unofficial status with

14160-466: Was originally founded as part of the university. Berkeley was a founding member of the Association of American Universities and was one of the original eight " Public Ivy " schools. In 2021, the federal funding for campus research and development exceeded $ 1 billion. Thirty-two libraries also compose the Berkeley library system which is the sixth largest research library by number of volumes held in

14280-498: Was suspended on his arrest and permanently revoked after his plea. The lawsuit contended that the SCA had not conducted a background check on Schragger, though at the time the organization did not perform background checks in general and there is no legal requirement to do so. The SCA engages in a broad range of activities, including SCA armoured combat , SCA fencing , archery , equestrian activities , feasting , medieval dance and recreating medieval arts and sciences , including

14400-549: Was the only remaining member of the original 1906 "Big Six", along with Harvard; in that year Berkeley ranked first. The American Council on Education , a private non-profit association, ranked Berkeley tenth in 1934. However, by 1942, private funding had helped Berkeley rise to second place, behind only Harvard, based on the number of distinguished departments. In 1985, Yale University admissions officer Richard Moll published Public Ivies: A Guide to America's Best Public Undergraduate Colleges and Universities which named Berkeley

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