This course will dive into the rich history, remarkable spirit, and spectacular traditions of Cal from its founding in 1868 to the present-day. We will touch on the origins of the Stanford Axe, the Free Speech Movement, and even some current events at the University. Our hope is that this course will allow you to love and appreciate Cal even more. The majority of our lectures will feature an expert on the subject at hand, including professors, alumni, and friends of the University. The course will include a paper, a midterm, and a final project. From “The Play” to
the Cal Marching Band, we’ll explore in the Cal History, Spirit, and Traditions DeCal!

This is a one-unit course that will last for 14 weeks, with 1 hour of lecture per week. Each lecture will cover a particular concept related to the history, spirit, and traditions of the University of California, and will likely feature a speaker with personal experience or expertise on the topic. Classes will include guest speakers, history presentations, field trips, learning Cal cheers, and small weekly warm-ups. Students will be expected to attend lectures and give the guest speaker utmost respect. Course assignments will include a short paper, a midterm, a final project, and engaging with speakers during class.

You are allowed 2 unexcused absences. If you’ve met those and have another absence, send an email to calhstdecal@gmail.com within 24 hours of class starting and let us know that you will be absent. Being present and following this policy is 20% of your grade. In general, it is courteous to send an email to either facilitator before any absence. The remaining 10% of the attendance/participation grade comes from a Community Involvement Assignment. To get this done, you must simply participate in 3 out of five spirit assignments, which will be very easy to do (ex: submit a Cal fun fact).