FAQ

Yes! UC Berkeley is excited to welcome our staff colleagues from all UC campuses to attend this conference.  

Saff from campuses outside of UC Berkeley can register to attend the conference here:

Registration Form (for UC staff outside UC Berkeley) - CLOSED

The final deadline to register for the NOW Conference is May 30. 

For more details about traveling to Oakland, please see the information below.

This year, UC Berkeley People & Culture is again sponsoring 1,200 UC Berkeley staff to attend this career development conference at no cost to you. You must complete the Lottery Form by Friday, April 21 in order to be entered into the initial lottery selection. 

Entry Form - CLOSED

(for UC Berkeley Staff Only)

All names received by the April 21 deadline will go through a random selection process. If the number of lottery entrants exceeds our 1,200 spot capacity, all who enter the lottery will be notified by April 28th as to whether or not they have been randomly selected for a spot to participate in the NOW Conference experience they have chosen (Full Conference Experience or Virtual Coaching HQ Only).

Those who are not selected for a spot will be put on a waitlist based on the random selection order. Those who submit their name after the April 21 deadline will also be added to this list in the order received. Those on the waitlist will be granted a spot subject to availability. 

All who entered the lottery before 5 PM PST Friday, April 21 will be notified by April 28 as to whether or not they have been randomly selected for a spot to participate in the NOW Conference experience they have chosen (Full Conference Experience or Virtual Coaching HQ Only). Those selected will receive a link to confirm their registration in Eventbrite. Only those confirmed in Eventbrite are confirmed to attend the conference. 

UPDATE 5/2: All who entered the lottery before 5 PM (PT) Friday, April 21 received an email on April 26 with instructions to confirm their attendance at the NOW Conference by RSVPing through Eventbrite. Only those who have confirmed in Eventbrite are confirmed to attend the conference. The final deadline to register for the NOW Conference is May 30. 

UC Berkeley staff: Should your schedule change and you are no longer able to attend the conference, cancel your registration in Eventbrite ASAP and no later than Tuesday, May 30. We can then open up your spot to a fellow colleague, or prevent any food waste.

UC staff outside of UC Berkeley: Per the refund policy for tickets purchased in Eventbrite, guests can receive a refund for their registration, except the Eventbrite fee which is nonrefundable, up to 7 days before the event. See Eventbrite for more details.

If you require an accommodation for effective communication (ASL interpreting/CART captioning, alternative media formats, etc.) or anything else to fully participate in this event, please email, please notify nowconference@berkeley.edu(link sends e-mail) with as much advance notice as possible before June 1, 2023 to ensure ample time for accommodation arrangements for the in-person conference on June 8. All virtual events will contain closed captioning. 

The NOW Conference will follow all UC Berkeley COVID-19 guidelines in place at the time of the conference (June 8, 2023).  You can review the most up-to-date version of those policies and recommendations here: https://coronavirus.berkeley.edu/(link is external)

Oakland Marriott City Center(link is external) is located downtown at 1001 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94607. 

If you’re traveling to Oakland from elsewhere in the Bay Area, there are a few different ways to get to the conference:

• Public Transportation: The Oakland Marriott is located two blocks from the 12th Street/Oakland BART Station. 

• Driving: Conference attendees may receive discounted Self Parking of $25.00 per vehicle per day (subject to availability). Hotel guests can charge parking directly to their room if staying at the Oakland Marriott City Center. 2-Hour Street Parking is also available. 

• Ridesharing: Uber or Lyft

Please note that UC Berkeley nor People & Culture will not be covering travel costs for conference guests.

Conference attendees can receive a discounted rate for their hotel accommodations at the Oakland Marriott City Center.

If booked by May 18, 2023, conference attendees will receive an early bird room rate of $199 (regular rate $329). Book using this link to receive the discounted rate: https://book.passkey.com/go/ucberkeleynow2023(link is external)

Breakfast, lunch, and water/coffee/tea will be provided for all conference attendees.

If you would like recommendations for meals outside of conference hours, you may take a look at the Visit Oakland(link is external) website.

You will be asked to present your Eventbrite confirmation at the check-in table at the conference. You can check-in on June 8 as early as 7:30 am and you will receive your name badge at check-in.

Check out our lineup of incredible and inspiring Keynote speakers and Session presenters.

Please consider registering for our Virtual Coaching HQ Only option, which includes pre- and post-conference activities that will be held virtually on June 5, 6, 7, and 9. Attendees will be able to attend virtual group/1:1 coaching opportunities with a career coach or expert recruiter, webinars, and other activities. Following the conference, you may view recordings of the morning and afternoon keynotes, as well as a few of the sessions. Check our website for these links later in the summer.