Student Life
2011-12 General Catalog
Campus life is all about learning, discussion, and debate; meeting people from diverse backgrounds; making new and lasting friendships; attending cultural celebrations and artistic and musical performances; and getting involved with student organizations and clubs. UCSC provides a wealth of opportunity for personal growth within the context of a rich and meaningful academic experience. You will live, study, and socialize with other students in your college. You will also meet students from the other colleges—in your classes and at the many campuswide events that take place throughout the year. The colleges (described in the previous section) and various campuswide units provide a wide range of student services to respond to individual needs, interests, and levels of personal development. In addition, students can take advantage of the campus’s stunning natural setting, the friendly and engaging local community, and easy access to the Monterey and San Francisco Bay Areas.
Santa Cruz Community
Located on the northern tip of Monterey Bay, Santa Cruz is famous for its Mediterranean climate, forested state parks, and miles of scenic beaches. Recreational opportunities abound—hiking through redwood forests, bicycling along mountain roads, and surfing, sailing, and scuba diving. The Santa Cruz Mountains are minutes away; the majestic Sierra Nevada is a four-hour drive to the east.
The metropolitan centers of the San Francisco Bay Area are easily accessible. By car, Berkeley and San Francisco are less than two hours from campus. San Jose, Monterey, and Carmel are one hour away.
The city of Santa Cruz, with a population of about 56,000, was originally founded as a Spanish mission. Santa Cruz is a small community with cosmopolitan appeal and a strong awareness of environmental and political issues. Art exhibits, local theater companies, a symphony orchestra, fine restaurants, and a lively contemporary music scene combine to make Santa Cruz an interesting place to live.
Housing
College Residences
All undergraduate students are affiliated with one of 10 residential colleges at UC Santa Cruz, whether they live on campus or not. Each college provides academic support, organizes student activities, and sponsors events that enhance the intellectual and social life of the campus in addition to housing students in small-scale residential communities. About 45 percent of single undergraduate students live in university housing.
Freshmen and new transfer students entering in fall quarter are guaranteed university housing for their first two years at UCSC. All deadlines must be met to qualify for guarantees.
You must be admitted as a full-time student and affiliated with one of the 10 colleges before applying for housing. All new single students who state a preference for university housing as part of the admissions acceptance process and submit the required advance housing fee by the stated deadline will be sent housing information after college assignments are made. The housing packet will include additional information about your affiliated college and instructions for completing the online housing application/contract process.
The room and board rates for the 2011–12 academic year range from $9,945 to $15,921, depending upon the type of accommodation and meal plan.
The colleges at UC Santa Cruz offer two kinds of living accommodations—residence halls and apartments, both with access to common dining facilities. The residence hall floors, typically shared by 12 to 30 students, have common bathrooms and lounge areas. Students can request to live in a coed or single-gender area. Gender-neutral rooms are also available. Apartments, typically shared by four to seven students, have common living/dining rooms, kitchens and bathrooms, and a combination of shared and private bedrooms. Each community provides accessible housing for students with disabilities.
The specific room options available to you will differ, depending on which college you are affiliated with and whether you are a new freshman or a new transfer student. Freshmen are generally assigned to live at their colleges. All incoming transfer students requesting university housing are housed at the Transfer Community, regardless of college affiliation. These residential settings provide academically and socially supportive environments to help new students transition to campus life and get the most out of their UCSC experience.
The Transfer Community, located in the newly renovated Porter College residence hall, is perfectly situated on campus to provide easy access to Services for Transfer and Re-Entry Students (STARS) and the Academic Resource Center (ARC). Students live at the Transfer Community for their first quarter to full academic year, at which time they may choose to move to another university housing community.
There are a variety of theme-housing options for those who are interested. Based on academic pursuits, hobbies, individual backgrounds, and lifestyle preferences, these living/learning options serve to complement a student’s experience in residence.
Each college’s residential program is a team effort. Professional staff (coordinators of residential education) work with students trained as resident assistants. They help organize activities and events, provide referral information about academic or personal concerns, and assist with roommate problems.
All housing contracts for residence halls and apartments at the colleges, and at the University Inn, include meal plans. Students with meal plans may use their student ID cards to access any of the five dining halls on campus, as well as the University Inn dining hall in downtown Santa Cruz. Meal plans include Flexi Dollars (a dollar-for-dollar exchange for “food dollars” that can be used at college coffee shops, campus restaurants, and all dining halls). Additional Flexi Dollars may be added to any meal plan.
For more information on the colleges, refer to the brochure titled UC Santa Cruz, The Colleges: Communities of Learning, or contact the Campus Housing Office.
Redwood Grove Apartments
Located on the west side of campus, between Kresge College and Graduate Student Housing, Redwood Grove Apartments is a community where undergraduate students from all colleges can live together. Each apartment has four single bedrooms, living room, kitchen, dining room, and bathroom. The room and board rates for 2011–12 range from $13,833 to $15,924 depending upon the type of meal plan. Call (831) 466-1359 or e-mail redwoodgrove@ucsc.edu for more information.
The Village
Located in the Lower Quarry, the Village houses a mix of continuing undergraduates and graduate students. Each of the 17 houses has nine single bedrooms with Internet connections, three bathrooms, and a kitchenette. A meal plan is optional. A manager’s apartment, office, laundry facility, community kitchen, and community lounge are located on site. The live-in manager and residential assistants are available to assist students. The Village housing fee for academic year 2011–12 is $9,297. Call (831) 459-4388 or e-mail village@ucsc.edu for more information.
University Town Center
The University Town Center (UTC), located at the corner of Pacific and Cathcart in downtown Santa Cruz, provides housing for continuing students in two- and three-person studio apartments. A meal plan is optional. The UTC housing rates for 2011–12 range from $8,010 to $10,341 depending on the type of accommodation. Contact the UTC Housing Office for more information, (831) 502-0031 or utc@ucsc.edu.
Family Student Housing
Family Student Housing, located on the west side of campus, has apartments for students and their families (see page 116 for information on child care and youth programs). The apartments are unfurnished, and each has two bedrooms, a bathroom, a small study, a combined living-dining area, and an electric kitchen. Several apartments are accessible to people with mobility impairments. For 2011–12 the monthly rent is $1,407, not including utilities and phone. There is a $500 refundable security deposit and a $25 nonrefundable application fee. If you are interested in an apartment, download an application form at housing.ucsc.edu/fsh and submit it with the application fee. Early application is advisable as these apartments are in great demand. Students with children are given priority. For more information, contact the Family Student Housing Office, (831) 459-2549, or fsh@ucsc.edu.
Camper Park
A 42-space camper park on the north side of campus is available to students who own recreational vehicles. All have water and electrical hookups; eight also have sewer hookups. Rates for 2011–12 are $500; or $556 with sewer hookup. The community includes a small central facility with rest rooms, showers, a meeting room, and a laundry room. For more information about the park and the vehicle requirements, or to request an application, contact the Village Office, (831) 459-4388, rvpark@ucsc.edu.
Graduate Student Housing
Four-bedroom apartments for single graduate students are located on the west side of campus, between Kresge College and the Baskin Engineering Building. For more information, contact the Graduate Student Housing Office, (831) 459-5712, gradhsg@ucsc.edu.
Campus Housing Office
This office is responsible for the application and contract records for all single students living in campus residence halls and apartments, the Village, University Town Center, University Inn, and Graduate Student Housing. Staff are available to advise students about room and board billing, payment plans, and contractual responsibilities. Students can purchase meal plans or Flexi Dollars online at studenthousing@ucsc.edu.
Centrally located at 104 Hahn Student Services Building, Campus Housing is open
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, (831) 459-2394, e-mail: housing@ucsc.edu, web: Campus Housing Office.
Community Rentals Office
The Community Rentals Office (CRO) maintains current rental listings accessible on the CRO web site. Other services include online Renters’ Workshop, rental forms and resource information, and basic advising about tenants’ rights and responsibilities.
Locating suitable housing in the Santa Cruz area can take from one to four weeks, depending on specific requirements and restrictions. Average rental rates are available at the Community Rentals Office.
The Community Rentals Office, located at 104 Hahn Student Services (North Entrance), is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. For further information, call (831) 459- 4435, e-mail communityrentals@ucsc.edu, or visit the Community Rentals Office web site.
The Sustainable Living Center at UCSC (SLC)
SLC’s mission is to create a site on campus where students from multiple disciplines can apply classroom knowledge in real settings, gain hands-on experience in sustainable technologies and community food systems, and prepare to become environmental educators and leaders. We believe that with such experience students can become engaged agents of change within their communities and embody the values of environmental consciousness and social justice to create a more sustainable world.
SLC is being developed as a program of the Environmental Studies Department and is located in the Village of the Lower Quarry on campus. It is home to the Program in Community and Agroecology (PICA) and Friends of the Community Agroecology Network (FoCAN). At SLC, students from diverse majors are engaged in projects including food production, ecological landscaping, green building, alternative trade systems and much more.
At SLC, young people learn the necessary skills and tools to become leaders in educating and engaging communities in sustainable and equitable food systems. We follow an educational model in which students engage in project-based learning, gain experience through community internships, and use the knowledge they gain from their internships to educate others in the student community.
SLC Programs
Program in Community and Agroecology (PICA), an academic program of the Environmental Studies Department, is an experiential living/learning program at UCSC where students use agroecological principles in the maintenance of a half-acre organic garden, work together to develop community projects such as a composting program for the Village, and share in the many aspects of sustainable living—by harvesting, cooking, and eating healthful food grown organically right next to their rooms. Through a unique collaboration that integrates classroom instruction and community-based experience, PICA has become a model for an experiential learning program that allows students to practice sustainability at a hands-on level.
Academics. PICA offers classes and training in agroecology, horticulture, and organic agriculture through UCSC’s Environmental Studies Department. PICA students and faculty work closely in both the classroom and in the field, addressing topics such as:
• Ecological design of farming, landscaping, and gardening practices
• The impact of consumer choice within a global food system
• Food equity for diverse urban communities
• Social justice and empowerment in agricul- tural communities
• Environmental education focused on sustainability
Many PICA classes incorporate on-farm experience as a vital component of the academic curriculum. The various campus gardens and the world-renowned farm at UCSC serve as outdoor classrooms for hands-on learning. Through PICA, students are finding unique ways to learn and participate in sustainable food systems and communities.
On-campus living at PICA. The PICA residential program offers students an alternative to standard dorm living. At the Village in the Lower Quarry, students from across academic disciplines come together to create a sustainable living environment on campus. PICA residents grow organic food at the nearby Foundational Roots Garden, come together to share in weekly community meals, implement ecological landscaping projects around their housing units, and direct a Village-wide composting program. This living/learning experience allows students a way to link healthy communities with healthy food systems.
Internships and Field Studies. Through internship and field studies programs, students participate in community partnerships and placements in agricultural communities that span geographic and cultural situations ranging from local to international. PICA continues to broaden its network of partnerships with nonprofit, government, community-based, and private agencies and farms working toward sustainability. These internship and field-studies opportunities are an important way of engaging students with issues facing food systems and farming communities around the world.
Friends of CAN is a UCSC student organization affiliated with the Community Agroecology Network, a nonprofit organization that assists rural communities in Mexico and Central America to develop sustainable livelihoods while conserving the natural resources and landscapes of their regions. Through three programs (Action Education, Trade Network Innovations, and Participatory Action Research), an educational and research model for achieving sustainable development has been put in place.
Together these organizations facilitate hands-on learning activities that engage students with all aspects of a sustainable food system—from growing organic food that supports local communities to conscious consumerism on a global level.
For further information, please contact Bee Vadakan at vvadakan@ucsc.edu.
Student-Run Cooperatives
Co-ops are an alternative form of organizing a group of people or a business. Here at UCSC, the co-ops are entirely student run and operated. Although memberships in the Bike and Kresge Food Co-ops are available, anyone, student or otherwise, is welcome to use them.
Kresge Food Co-op
Mission statement: “We are a group of students whose goal is to run a natural food store through consensus decision-making and group responsibility. We embrace cooperation as our tool for social change. We are not for profit; we are for collective power. As a cooperative business we seek to educate all members of the community, including ourselves. We use our buying power to reflect our ideals regarding ecological, social, and political issues. For this reason we carry healthful, locally based, cruelty-free, organic products. We focus on products that are good for the earth, the people who produce them, and the people who consume them. Open to all, we provide a space where good food and revolutionary action meet at the checkout line.” Call (831) 426-1506 for more information.
Bike Co-op
The co-op is student owned and operated, run cooperatively, and nonprofit. Whether you need to purchase a bike, repair a bike, or want to learn, the co-op can accommodate your needs. People are encouraged to attend meetings, learn more about cooperatives, and get involved. The Bike Co-op is located at the Student Union. For information, come by or call (831) 457-8281.
Transportation and Parking Services
The UCSC campus strives for an academic environment disturbed as little as possible by automobile traffic. The university has chosen to reserve flatlands for future buildings, natural areas, and social and recreational spaces; as a result, parking is a limited resource on campus. UCSC requests that students not bring cars.
Comprehensive transportation systems have been developed to reduce traffic and eliminate the need for a car. Movement on the spacious campus is made easier by the care with which buildings have been located, a network of foot and bicycle paths, and an extensive intracampus shuttle system that links the colleges, central core facilities, and the two remote parking lots. Shuttle buses operate on 10- to 30-minute frequencies from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays (except on academic holidays). During summer and quarter breaks, day shuttle service is provided at 12- to 15-minute intervals. In addition, a night shuttle service, operating at 10- to 30-minute intervals, runs seven nights a week between 8 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. during the academic year. The night shuttle provides curb-to-curb transportation to the colleges. Both day and night shuttles provide wheelchair-accessible services and are free of charge. Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS) also operates the Disability Van Service, which provides transportation to those with mobility impairments.
Shuttle routes and schedules are available at the colleges and at campus Transportation Information Centers.
The Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District (Metro) provides regular and convenient bus transportation to campus and to outlying areas from Boulder Creek to Watsonville, as well as to the Santa Cruz community. Metro provides service to UCSC every five to eight minutes on weekdays during academic sessions. Metro “Night Owl” buses provide late-night service to campus until 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. Sunday-through-Thursday-night service to campus operates until 2 a.m. This service is funded by a mandatory student fee. Students may ride any Metro bus without additional charge by showing their current UCSC identification card to the driver.
Bicycles are a popular means of transportation on campus and in Santa Cruz. UCSC offers bicycle programs including licensing, a bike trailer for commuters, and bike racks on the shuttles. Multigeared bicycles are advisable because of the hilly terrain, and helmets are required.
Permits for on-campus parking are limited. Parking in the residential areas adjacent to the campus is restricted and strictly enforced. Due to lack of space, storage of vehicles for on-campus residents is limited, and the majority of remote-lot spaces are available to commuting students. Parking on campus for first- and second-year students living on campus is available by exception only. Parking regulations are strictly enforced; all students who bring a car to campus must purchase a permit in advance. UCSC requests that students not bring vehicles to campus if they are not eligible to purchase an on-campus parking permit.
UCSC offers a weekend shuttle between the campus and the Fremont BART Station. Use the shuttle to connect with BART, which offers rail service throughout the north bay, including stops in San Francisco, Berkeley, Pittsburg, Pleasanton, Concord, and Richmond. The UCSC Fremont BART Connector provides service on Fridays and Sundays during the academic year. Reservations are required and can be made weekdays 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at (831) 459-3779.
Santa Cruz is served by commercial bus lines on a regularly scheduled basis. The nearest commercial airport is in San Jose, approximately 35 miles from Santa Cruz. The San Francisco Airport is about 70 miles from campus. Both airports are accessible by commercial van and limousine services.
For the occasional need of a car to travel off campus, go to the beach, go shopping, or even go home for the weekend, UC Santa Cruz has contracted with Zipcar to provide car sharing services to all eligible UCSC students 18 year of age and older. Zipcar is a membership-based car rental program providing self-service access to a variety of vehicles located on and off campus, 24/7. Reserve a car online by the hour or day, just “pay as you go”; low fees include rental costs, gas, mileage and insurance. Join Zipcar even before arriving campus at www.zipcar.com/ucsc.
Services can change, so it is recommended that you get up-to-date information from TAPS. Call (831) 459-2190, e-mail taps@ucsc.edu, or visit the web: taps.ucsc.edu.
Student Health Services
Located on McLaughlin Drive across from Colleges Nine and Ten, the Student Health Center provides quality health care focused on the particular needs of students. All registered students have access to the Student Health Center regardless of their insurance plan, as services are partially supported by their Student Services fee. Care is provided by board-certified physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. Students can been seen by appointment or, in cases of acute illness or injury, on the same day in Urgent Care. In case of emergencies, either during the day or after normal operating hours, please call 911.
In addition, the Student Health Center offers psychiatry services, nutritional counseling, health promotion, x-ray, and laboratory and pharmacy services on site. The center is open daily during the regular academic year. (For summer services and hours, visit the Student Health Center’s web site.) For more information about the Health Center, call (831) 459-2211; e-mail healthcenter@ucsc.edu; web: Health Center.
Student Health Insurance
To ensure emergencies and other health care costs do not interfere with a student's education, all University of California students are required to carry medical insurance. A comprehensive and inexpensive program specifically designed for students is available through the university via the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP). All students are automatically enrolled in SHIP and billed quarterly through their student account, unless they choose to waive this coverage by providing proof of comparable insurance by the specified deadline. For detailed information regarding insurance coverage and the waiver process, visit Health Center. You may also contact the insurance office at insure@ucsc.edu or (831) 459-2389.
Mandatory Hepatitis B Immunization
California state law mandates that all entering students under 19 years old must be immunized against Hepatitis B. These students are required to provide the Student Health Center with documentation proving their compliance with this law. Those not in compliance at the beginning of the quarter may be dropped from their classes. For more information, visit Health Center or call (831) 459-2211.
Student Health Outreach and Promotion
Student Health Outreach and Promotion (SHOP) provides opportunities for students to explore and enhance their health and wellness as they pursue their academic and personal goals. Our various programs and services offer UCSC students culturally sensitive, nonjudgmental information, education, resources, and support around issues related to alcohol and other drug use, sexuality and sexual health, holistic health, and other health concerns. Students can get involved with SHOP by becoming peer educators, HIV test counselors, Volunteers for the Condom Co-op, and/or CUIP Interns. For more information about these positions, visit SHOP at Kresge College in the Piazetta (across from STARS), view the SHOP web site, e-mail us at shop@ucsc.edu, or call (831) 459-3772.
Alcohol and Other Drug Education. SHOP coordinates alcohol and other drug (AOD) education, prevention, and early intervention efforts on campus. Staff members work collaboratively with students to help identify relevant information and facilitate informed decision making. Educators provide formal and informal sessions and workshops for students, college residential staff, and other campus groups. Staff also serve on the campuswide AOD Advisory Committee, which develops, implements, and assesses policies.
HIV and Other STI Prevention. Helping students explore their options around the sexual choices that they make, SHOP seeks to reduce students’ risk of HIV, other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and unplanned pregnancy. SHOP offers the following: free and anonymous HIV testing, run by highly trained student test counselors; the Condom Co-op, selling safer-sex supplies at a reduced cost; SLUG LOVE workshops and other presentations addressing STIs, safer sex, and values clarification and communication; and academic classes. SHOP also cosponsors special events such as the annual Santa Cruz AIDS Walk.
Student Health Advisory Committee. The Student Health Advisory Committee (SHAC) is composed students interested in health care at UCSC. The group serves as a liaison between students and the Health Center staff; creates and supports campus health initiatives and other educational opportunities; and provides a fun, practical way for students to get involved and make connections with other students and health care practitioners.
Counseling and Psychological Services
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) offers a range of professional services to undergraduate and graduate students seeking help with personal concerns. We provide assistance for students with academic and personal stress, relationship and family issues, psychological problems, and crisis situations. Depending on a student’s needs, a student may be provided with brief individual or couples counseling, group counseling, psychiatric services, crisis intervention, or a referral for longer-term therapy off campus. Information provided to any CAPS professional staff member is confidential and cannot be released without a student’s permission except in specific circumstances involving risk and safety. All services are aimed at helping a student gain greater personal effectiveness and academic success. Professional staff members are available at various locations on campus, including the Student Health Services building, the Colleges, and Family Student Housing.
Staff members are also available to provide consultation to staff, faculty, individuals, or family members for assistance in helping students in distress. Counseling psychologists can also provide trainings and programs on a variety of mental health topics, stress and coping skills, multicultural issues, and organizational development.
For more information about Counseling and Psychological Services, please call (831) 459-2628 or visit our web site.
Sexual-Assault and Rape-Prevention Education
Since 1979, UCSC has addressed the issues of rape—especially acquaintance rape. Students are required to take an online education course called Sexual Assault Edu and to attend educational presentations to encourage respect, responsibility, and mutuality among students. Workshops are organized in the residence halls and a variety of educational resources are available for male and female students. In addition, self-defense classes for women are offered quarterly.
An experienced Sexual Health Educator in SHOP is available for individual appointments and provides nonjudgmental support for those who have experienced sexual assault or have been raped. These resources are available for their friends and loved ones. The sexual health educator is certified as a crisis counselor by the state of California. Police officers are available 24 hours a day, as are emergency phones, guards at campus entrances from 8 p.m. until 3 a.m., and frequent shuttles and buses. For more information, contact SHOP at the Student Health Center, (831) 459-3772; e-mail: shop@ucsc.edu; web: Student Health Center.
Resource Centers
African American
The African American Resource and Cultural Center (AARCC) develops and fosters cocurricular initiatives that promote academic success, leadership training, and student development. Since the center’s inception in 1991, the program’s primary mission has been to serve as a key resource to acclimate students to general campus life and academic culture. In addition, the program provides advocacy and support in helping to monitor students’ academic progress and subsequent achievement of their educational goals. AARCC works closely with overall campus outreach to enhance the recruitment and retention of students of African descent.
AARCC welcomes volunteers and student interns to serve as members of TEAM AARCC Outreach Program or on our Advisory Council. Academic clubs include Black Science Network, Student National Medical Association, UCSC Gospel Choir, Honors and Scholars Club, and National Society of Black Engineers. Other organizations affiliated with the center include African/Black Student Alliance, African American Theater Arts Troupe, Black Sistas United, Black Men’s Alliance, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Destination Higher Education, Rainbow Theatre, University Brothers/Sisters, MLK Youth Classic, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. AARC works collaboratively with others on campus and in the surrounding community to enhance cultural and ethnic diversity initiatives on the UCSC campus. The center, located on the third floor of the Bay Tree Building in Quarry Plaza, is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call (831) 459-3207, fax (831) 459-2469, e-mail african@ucsc.edu, or consult the AARCC web site.
American Indian
The American Indian Resource Center (AIRC) works in collaboration with the Student Alliance of North American Indians (SANAI), the University of California American Indian Counselors/Recruiters Association, and native faculty and staff, as well as the indigenous tribal community leaders of the region to develop information, programs, and events that assist public understanding of native peoples. Invested in creating a campus climate that supports all students, the center provides mentoring and personal and academic advising. AIRC is located on the third floor of the Bay Tree Building in Quarry Plaza. For more information, call (831) 459-2881 or e-mail native@ucsc.edu.
Asian American/Pacific Islander
The Asian American/Pacific Islander Resource Center (AA/PIRC) provides and enhances opportunities for education and dialogue on issues affecting Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, as well as opportunities for leadership development and community building. AA/PIRC aims to address students’ multiple and diverse academic, social, cultural, and other cocurricular needs through programs and services. Programs include Asian American/Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Year-End Ceremony for graduating seniors, leadership skills workshops, graduate school panels, and community receptions. AA/PIRC events also highlight writers, performance artists, scholars, and community leaders. AA/PIRC sponsors academic and paid internships for students interested in gaining professional exerience. Through AA/PIRC, students benefit from networking with individuals and resources such as alumni, faculty and staff, off-campus community-based organizations, and on-campus student organizations.
AA/PIRC is located on the third floor of the Bay Tree Building with the African American, American Indian, and Chicano Latino Resource Centers. Add your e-mail address to AA/PIRC’s listserv to receive announcements on leadership, scholarship, internship opportunities, events, and community news. For more information, call (831) 459-5349; e-mail aapirc@ucsc.edu, or visit the Asian American/Pacific Islander Center.
Chicano Latino
The Chicano Latino Resource Center (El Centro) is a hub of organized activities and resources that support Chicano and Latino student transition, retention, and academic advancement at the university. Through collaborative efforts with campus partners, students can participate in a host of activities that encourage intellectual growth, leadership development, preparation for graduate or professional school, and career options. El Centro encourages and supports student and community development through cultural and educational programming. Programs include the following: New Student Welcome Program; Chicana Latina Pipeline Project; César Chavez Convocation; dialogue on academic, social, cultural, and personal issues that affect the Chicano and Latino community; and a weekly online newsletter, CHISME E-news. El Centro offers student internships that support leadership-skills development while students help to organize events and activities. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call (831) 459-5449 or e-mail cab@ucsc.edu. Web: Chicano Latino Resource Center.
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex
The Lionel Cantú Gay, Lesbian, Bi, Trans, Intersex (GLBTI) Resource Center (aka the Cantú Queer Center), housed in a beautiful redwood building near Crown and Merrill Colleges, is a friendly, welcoming space for the entire community. The center’s mission is to provide educational, social, support and advocacy services to students, staff, faculty and alumni on GLBTI issues. The Cantú Queer Center is home to several student organizations that meet weekly; a host of exciting programs; the GALA gallery; and a library offering nearly 3,000 books, magazines, and films. Safer-sex information and other GLBTI-related materials are also on hand. Information and referral to campus and community GLBTI resources is available by phone or in person. Throughout the year, the Cantú Queer Center coordinates student programming with a queer focus. Education of the nonGLBTI campus population is another function of the resource center; professional staff members offer workshops for groups, classes, and dorms about unlearning heterosexism and transphobia. Everyone is welcome to use the center’s cozy lounge, full kitchen, and study center to relax, study, socialize, and become involved in the campus’s queer community. The center is open Monday–Friday; usual hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Stop by and meet the center’s friendly staff and find out about internship and volunteer opportunities. You can reach the center at (831) 459-2468 or via e-mail at queer@ucsc.edu. The center’s web site, provides an overview. Self-subscribe to QConnect, the center’s e-newsletter and calendar, on the site’s homepage.
Women’s Center
Located in Cardiff House, a historic farmhouse near the main entrance to campus, the Women’s Center is devoted to helping students maximize their success at UCSC. Resource referrals and informal advising are always available, and weekly events include films, readings, and talks. At least one staff member is a state-certified domestic violence peer counselor. We create or sponsor student-oriented workshops on topics ranging from money management to positive body image and stress reduction.
The Women’s Center is home base for a variety of student groups and student-run community-service efforts. Other opportunities for involvement include internships, independent study, and work-study jobs. Students can become involved in such Women’s Center projects as the 51% Pipeline Project (leadership), Take Back The Night (anti-violence), Inside Out Writing Project (Women in jail)—or create projects with the support and mentorship of staff.
The Center, a haven located in a picturesque meadow, is also close to the campus police station. The center’s meeting rooms, kitchen, and garden are ideal places to study, relax, or connect with students, staff, faculty, and community members. Rotating art exhibits bring the center’s walls to life, and students are encouraged to inquire about showing their work.
For more information, visit the center’s web site, e-mail women@ucsc.edu, or call (831) 459-2072.
Physical Education, Recreation, Sports, and Wellness
The physical education, recreation, sports, and wellness programs provide a variety of interesting and challenging activities intended to attract you to becoming an active participant. The emphasis is on giving you an opportunity to develop knowledge, skills, and habits related to wellness to last through a lifetime of enjoyable physical and recreational activity.
Obtain further information about the programs described below from the Office of Physical Education, Recreation, and Sports, located at the East Field House, (831) 459-2531. Web: OPERS.
Physical Education Courses
Regularly scheduled courses, which carry no academic credit but are recorded on your transcript, are available in a broad range of physical activities (see pages 407–409). Many classes are small, and all offer expert instruction and carefully designed practice periods so that you can accomplish much in sessions of two to three hours per week. Most activities have intermediate and advanced sections as well as courses for beginners. Subjects offered include swimming, scuba, sailing, rowing, basketball, racquetball, tennis, volleyball, ballet, folk dance, jazz dance, modern dance, fencing, soccer, aerobics, tai chi chuan, weight training, yoga, aikido, and tae kwon do.
Intramurals
The intramural sports program includes competitive leagues, tournaments, and special one-day events. Many of the activities are coeducational. The leagues feature basketball, flag football, floor hockey, indoor and outdoor soccer, softball, ultimate frisbee, and volleyball. Some of the leagues are divided into different skill levels. There are tournaments in basketball, racquetball, and tennis. Special events include a 5-k and 10-k run, and an annual triathlon. Prospective participants are encouraged to form their own teams. Individuals looking to be placed on a team are also welcome. Web: http://www.ucscintramurals.com
Sports Clubs
The sports club program offers a variety of activites depending on student interest. Currently, active clubs include men’s and women’s rugby, water polo, and ultimate frisbee; men’s soccer, baseball, cross-country, lacrosse, and track and field; and coed Special Olympics, cheerleading, dance, equestrian, triathlon, disc golf, cycling, sailing, badminton, and fencing. Web: http://www.ucscsportsclubs.com/
Intercollegiate Teams
UC Santa Cruz offers the only National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III program in the UC system. As a Division III member, the program offers no scholarships or grants in aid that are based on athletic ability. Both men’s and women’s NCAA intercollegiate teams compete in the following sports: basketball, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis, and volleyball. Women’s teams compete in golf and cross-country. For information on teams, rosters, schedules and Booster Club, go to www.goslugs.com.
Wellness Center
Located within the East Field House complex and overlooking Monterey Bay, the Wellness Center offers two floors of state-of-the-art cardiovascular and strength-training equipment. Classes, workshops, fitness testing, and personal training are available to assist everyone in reaching their fitness goals. Web: http://wellness.ucsc.edu
Recreation
The Recreation Program is designed to fulfill the diverse needs and interests of all members of the UCSC community. More than 100 activities, workshops, classes, off-campus outings, and special events are scheduled quarterly. In addition, the program offers a 10-day Wilderness Orientation (WO) prior to the start of school. WO is an invaluable experience for incoming college students, serving as an introduction to mountain travel and the “journey” of college education. The beautiful settings of the Sierra Nevada provide students an opportunity to form new friendships and discuss their hopes and fears about entering college while learning outdoor skills. No previous backpacking experience is necessary.
The Outdoor Equipment Rental Center offers recreational equipment including surfboards, wetsuits, and high-quality backpacking and camping gear. If you are interested in planning your own outing, contact the Recreation Program Office for assistance. The office has extensive files, and staff members act as consultants, planning with people as well as for them. The office sells international student ID cards, provides bicycle licensing, and offers a free weekly drop-in bicycle maintenance program.
Open recreation hours are scheduled quarterly; you are strongly encouraged to use the facilities. Sports equipment may be borrowed without charge. There are also recreation clubs if you are primarily interested in organized recreation and individual performance. Clubs are coed and feature some combination of recreational participation, advanced instruction, and individual competition. For a list of currently active clubs, go to ucscrecreation.com.
Banana Slug Mascot
The Banana Slug, a bright yellow, indigenous gastropod found in the campus’s redwood forest, was the unofficial mascot for UC Santa Cruz’s coed teams since the university’s early years. In 1981, when some campus teams wanted more organized participation in extramural competition, UCSC joined Division III of the NCAA. Since the application required an official team name, UCSC’s then chancellor polled the student players, and out of this small group emerged a consensus for a new moniker—the sea lions. It was a choice that the chancellor considered more dignified and suitable to serious play than the Banana Slugs. But the new name did not find favor with the majority of students, who continued to root for the Slugs even after a sea lion was painted in the middle of the basketball floor. After five years of dealing with the two-mascot problem, an overwhelming pro-Slug straw vote by students in 1986 convinced the chancellor to make the lowly but beloved Banana Slug UCSC’s official mascot.
Facilities
To make it convenient for you to utilize campus physical education, recreation, and sports facilities, field houses are located on the east and west sides of the campus. At both the East Field House and the West Field House, you will find the following: gymnasium, tennis courts, outdoor basketball and volleyball courts, and locker rooms. The East Field House also has a dance studio, martial arts room, handball/racquetball courts, equipment center, fitness center, 50-meter swimming pool, half-mile jogging track, and sports fields. A strength-training and cardiovascular-fitness court is located near the east jogging track.
The UCSC Boating Center is located at the Santa Cruz Small Craft Harbor, about five miles from the campus. The boating program offers instruction and recreation using sailing and rowing vessels, such as Moore-24 sloops, Laser dinghies, C-15 dinghies, rowing dories, and sea kayaks. Web: UCSC Boating Center.
All facilities are open daily during academic terms and are available for individual recreation whenever they are not being used for classes or other scheduled activities.
Student Union
The Student Union is a student-governed facility located at the center of campus where students can take a break and lounge, play pool or ping pong, use computers, meet, or watch television. The Student Union is also home to registered student organizations, campuswide student government, the Student Union Governance Board, the Bike Co-op, and Engaging Education.
Located in Quarry Plaza across from the Bay Tree Bookstore, the Union complements college facilities by providing an alternative social, recreational, and educational gathering place for all students and members of the campus community. Student-support offices located at the Union include Student Union administration, Engaging Education, and Student Activities.
The Union is open Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and has limited weekend hours. The Union is closed holidays and quarter breaks. For up-to-date information, call (831) 459-3167.
Student Activities
Campuswide Student Organizations
Expand your horizons and your academic life by joining one of over 150 student organizations. Get involved in one or more cultural, ethnic, religious, Greek, political, service, or social organizations. Gain valuable life experience in leadership and develop rewarding and lifelong friendships.
Student organization membership is open to all UCSC students. Learn more about UCSC’s campuswide groups or start your own at the Student Organization Advising and Resources (SOAR) office. Contact SOAR at (831) 459-2934, e-mail soar@ucsc.edu, or visit the SOAR web site. SOAR is located on the second floor of the Student Union.
Sports or recreation organizations can be contacted through the Office of Physical Education, Recreation, Sports, and Wellness (OPERS): sports clubs at (831) 459-4220; recreation clubs at (831) 459-2806. Broadcast or print media clubs can be reached at (831) 459-2840.
Community Service Opportunities
Community service is a vital part of the university’s mission. It is possible for individual students, as well as campus-wide student organizations, to develop service projects that link the university with the broader Santa Cruz community. With the financial support of the campus’s Community Service Project funding, students have aided local groups such as Students Toward Achievement in Writing Success, the Strange Queer Youth Conference, and renovation of the Siena House.
The Student Volunteer Center, located in the Career Center, connects students with local volunteer opportunities based on skills and interest. Volunteer opportunities range from aiding youth and elderly to addressing homelessness and environmental issues.
Service programs also exist through some colleges. Check with your college office about opportunities. Student resource centers (see pages 112-113) also coordinate volunteer efforts on and off campus.
For more information about service opportunities, see the Student Volunteer Center web site, or contact the Student Volunteer Center at (831) 459-3364 or volunteer@ucsc.edu.
UCSC Student Voice
Santa Cruz offers you a unique variety of opportunities to participate in university governance at the college, campus, systemwide, and national levels. Regardless of what level you choose, participating in student government will provide you with a wonderful chance to practice leadership skills, meet others who share your interests, and learn a great deal about yourself and the university.
Advisory Committees
Serving on a campus advisory committee is a recognized channel for student involvement in the university’s decision-making processes. Advisory committees, composed of faculty, staff, and student representatives, are established to develop and recommend policies on a wide range of subjects. Annually, the Student Committee on Committees (composed of one student appointed by each college and chaired by the Internal Vice-Chair of the Student Union Assembly) nominates more than 100 students to serve on over 50 administrative and Academic Senate committees. For information about the selection process, contact Student Committee on Committees, (831) 459-5533, or the Student Union Assembly, (831) 459-4838.
College Student Governments
Each college has its own form of student government, enabling students to gain experience in planning, budgeting, executing, and evaluating a wide range of college programs and policies. Like the colleges themselves, each college governing body has its own character, structure, and meeting times and dates. For information, inquire in your college office or talk to our college programs coordinator.
Campuswide Student Government
The Student Union Assembly (SUA) is the undergraduate advocacy organization and the official student voice of UCSC. It comprises three representatives from each college government; six elected officers: chair, internal vice chair, external vice chair, organizing director, commissioner of academic affairs, and commissioner of diversity; and one appointed representative from each of the following student organizations that represent historically underrepresented people within the UC system: African/Black Student Alliance; Asian Pacific Islander Student Alliance; The Network (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex Students); Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan; Student Alliance of North American Indians; and Ethnic Student Organization Council. The SUA also provides paid part-time internship opportunities for students each year. These internships include but are not limited to field organizers, treasurers, outreach and publicity, and strategy and planning. The SUA conducts open meetings that are held every Tuesday at 6 p.m. throughout the academic year. Students interested in advocacy, activism, and politics, as well as those concerned with their own and their friends’ lives, are invited to get involved. The assembly operates via issue-specific campaigns and around general campus concerns. In the past, the SUA has formed campaigns around fighting fee-hikes, defending affirmative action, saving financial aid on a national and state level, striving for reasonable campus growth, and reforming UC Regents’ procedures. Current issues have been fighting to make a UC education affordable, fighting to stop balancing budgets on the backs of students, fighting for the rights of UC workers, and working with community groups because UCSC students are also Santa Cruz residents. The SUA also works with the UC Student Association and the United States Student Association on system, state, and national issues and will host the 2006 Statewide Womyn of Color Conference. For more information, contact the SUA at (831) 459-4838, or visit the SUA office on the second floor of the Student Union.
The Graduate Student Association (GSA) provides governance and representation for graduate students, and its Steering Committee coordinates student-life programs and activities for graduate students. For more information, contact the SGSA, (831) 459-3142, or visit the SUA office on the second floor of the Student Union.
Systemwide Student Government
The UC Student Association (UCSA) is the statewide association of graduate and undergraduate student governments from the 10 UC campuses. UCSA is the officially recognized voice of the students to the UC Board of Regents, various UC administrative offices, and the UC Office of the President. Issues covered by UCSA include UC fees and financial aid, comprehensive admissions policies, and academic policies, as well as broader issues of social responsibility such as environmental concerns and civil rights. UCSA coordinates the yearly selection of the UC Student Regent.
The SUA external office provides grassroots membership and support for the two main UCSA offices in Oakland and Sacramento. The campus office organizes students to run the grassroots campaigns that are adopted each summer during the UCSA Congress. At this session, delegates from the 10 UC campuses come together and choose the critical issues to be worked on for the next year. Issues in the past have included voter registration drives, letter-writing campaigns on particular UC issues, and increases in financial aid. UCSA provides a thorough introduction to UC politics and student representation. Students may also serve on systemwide committees through UCSA and gain a wide knowledge of the entire UC system though their service.
Two officers help to coordinate UCSA activities on our campus. The external vice-chair (EVC) is the official representative to the UCSA Board of Directors. This position has voting rights for UCSC, is the primary contact regarding all UCSA issues, and coordinates all lobbying of UCSA and local, state, and Federal governments on behalf of UCSC students. The organizing director (OD) coordinates with the EVC to effectively run the grassroots campaigns that are sponsored by UCSA every year. These positions are elected for one-year terms during spring quarter every year.
The Student Union Assembly officers in charge of UCSA activities can be reached at (831) 459-4838.
Student Media
UCSC Student Media comprises 20 print publications; KZSC 88.1, the campus radio station serving the campus as well as the tricounty Monterey Bay Area; and campus Student Cable Television (SCTV Channel 28). Over 700 students enrich their cocurricular involvement through internships, academic credit, fellowships, and employment opportunities.
With the greatest broadcasting power of the UC stations, KZSC broadcasts diverse music, news, and public affairs programming. KZSC is a student-governed station with more than 20 students serving in management and leadership positions.
The state and national award-winning student newspaper of record, the weekly City on a Hill Press, covers campus, local, national, and international news and offers reviews and commentary. Fish Rap Live! publishes twice monthly and provides an alternative forum for free expression of ideas, coverage of local and campus events, and personal journalism. Campus newsmagazines include EyeCandy, TWANAS, Kresge Town Krier, Leviathan, Disorientation Guide, and The Project.
Annual literary journals offer poetry, prose, photography, and art. Examples include Chinquapin, Big Q, Red Wheelbarrow,
La Revista, Alay, Las Girlfriends, Yellowt, Matchbox, and the Black African Voice.
SCTV is a student-governed campus cable television station, which programs and broadcasts artistic, narrative, experimental, documentary, and public-service announcement submissions of video and film by 10 broadcasting organizations. These include Banana Slug News, Rainbow TV, Film Production Coalition, Moxie Production Group, Barn TV, SCTV Events, the Community Service Documentation Project, On the Spot, and others. Many of the students are affiliated with the film and digital media major; however, students from all disciplines are encouraged to participate.
If you are interested in contacting any of the Student Media print or broadcast organizations, call the Press Center at (831) 459-2840, KZSC at (831) 459-3811, or SCTV at (831) 459-5630. Visit the Student Media web site for links to print and broadcast organizations.
Campus Cultural Programs
Throughout the year, UCSC offers frequent and varied cultural opportunities. Students, faculty, and staff have the opportunity to participate as audience members, performers, or behind-the-scenes support crew.
The considerable range of offerings includes art exhibits, lectures, films, concerts, recitals, and dance and drama presentations; programs vary from single performances to weeklong cultural celebrations. The colleges host a number of events, and the departments frequently engage speakers of particular academic interest to address the campus community or present lecture-demonstrations.
The Arts Division serves as a gateway to the entire University, presenting high-quality research and work by faculty, students, and guest artists. Art exhibitions, film screenings, digital arts presentations, music recitals, and several major theater, dance, and music presentations are mounted each quarter in conjunction with the academic programs. In addition, the Arts Division offers regular public lectures and colloquia to introduce audiences to professional practitioners and scholars in the traditional and digital arts.
Recent full-scale mainstage productions by the Theater Arts Department have included the musical Hair and Bertolt Brecht’s The Good Person of Sezuan. The department also regularly produces classic and contemporary plays such as Equus by Peter Shaffer, In the Blood by Suzan-Lori Parks, and Language of Angels by Naomi Iizuka as well as the annual showcase of student choreography, Random with a Purpose. In 2010, Theater Arts produced an original multimedia production in collaboraton with the Digital Arts and New Media M.F.A. program entitled Stop the Press!
The Music Department presents a variety of classical and contemporary concerts by the University Orchestra and Chamber Singers, as well as fully staged operas. Recent performances have featured works such as Mozart’s Requiem, Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle, and the opera L’elisir d’amore (The Elixir of Love) by Donizetti. The Music Department also presents concerts by the Jazz Ensembles, Big Band, Electronic Music Studios, and ethnomusicology groups such as the West Javanese and Balinese Gamelan Ensembles and Latin American Ensembles. In addition, the department sponsors regular performances of Indian classical music, featuring artists such as sarode player Pandit Aashish Khan, as well as the Pacific Rim Music Festival in alternate years. Student recitals, class open rehearsals, and informal “Friday at Four” showings round out the calendar.
The Sesnon Gallery, located at UCSC’s Porter College, operates a museum-oriented program for educational purposes. The gallery organizes an annual schedule of exhibitions that represents a broad range of methods, media and cultures in a local, regional, and national context, with a focus on contemporary practice. The Sesnon Gallery works to integrate these programs and exhibitions into the lives of a broader community. Details on exhibitions are available at the Sesnon Gallery web site and (831) 459-3606.
The Digital Arts and New Media (DANM) M.F.A. program’s graduate student exhibition takes place on campus each year in the Digital Arts Research Center. DANM hosted the acclaimed Digital Arts and New Media Festival in 2006 and The Art of Collaboration Symposium in 2009.
All students, not just Arts Division majors, are encouraged to audition for Theater Arts Department and Music Department productions and ensembles. For information about how to get involved, call the Theater Arts Department at (831) 459-2974 and the Music Department at (831) 459-2292.
The Music Center, including the 396-seat Recital Hall and Indonesian gamelan and electronic music studios, houses all Music Department programs as well as performances by visiting artists.
The Theater Arts Center is the setting for a diverse, year-round program of drama, dance, and special events. The 528-seat Theater Arts Mainstage, 215-seat Second Stage, 400-seat Media Theater, and modular Experimental Theater, provide professional facilities for campus and visiting artists and productions.
Other on-campus performance venues include the 153-seat Barn Theater, the Kresge Town Hall, the outdoor Upper Quarry Amphitheater, and the colleges’ dining commons. Ticket information is available from the UCSC Ticket Office, located at the Theater Arts Center, (831) 459-2159 (voice or TDD) and santacruztickets.com.
For additional information about presentations from the Arts Division, contact the Arts Division Events Office at (831) 459-2787 and visit our online calendar at arts.ucsc.edu.
Shakespeare Santa Cruz
Shakespeare Santa Cruz (SSC), recognized by USA Today as one of the 10 “most influential” Shakespeare festivals nationally, is a professional theater company in residence at UCSC. Every July and August, SSC produces a summer season that includes two plays by William Shakespeare as well as non-Shakespeare productions carefully chosen by the artistic director to complement the season.
SSC offers courses through the university Summer Session; sponsors lectures in dialogue for scholars, teachers, and passionate theatergoers; and provides opportunities for the community to get involved in the intellectual and theatrical components of Shakespeare. The summer acting company is composed of professional Equity actors and top nonunion talent from throughout the United States, local professionals, and college-age interns. Production crews are made up of regional and local professionals and also include university students as interns.
Every spring, SSC sends out a touring group of 10 student actors and a stage manager to local schools in Santa Cruz, Monterey, and Santa Clara Counties. This program, Shakespeare to Go, performs a 50-minute version of one of the plays to be produced in the summer.
For further information, contact the Shakespeare Santa Cruz Office in the Theater Arts Center, (831) 459-2121, or visit the web site: shakespearesantacruz.org.
Bay Tree Bookstore
UCSC’s Bay Tree Bookstore is located in the Quarry Plaza complex in the center of campus, at the intersection of Hagar Drive and Steinhart Way. The bookstore serves as the campus resource for UCSC course materials, including new and used course books and customized faculty publications, general reading and reference books, a wide variety of school and personal supplies (including computers and computer supplies), and many other items such as backpacks, emblematic apparel, art supplies, posters, gifts, greeting cards, and academic regalia. Services include online reservations for course materials, student debit accounts, special ordering of books, book buyback services, fax services, and limited check cashing. The bookstore also houses the campus’s convenience store (the Express Store) and Student ID Card Services. For more information, call (831) 459-4544 or visit the Bay Tree Bookstore web site.
Child Care and Early Education Services
Child Care and Early Education Services offers programs for children of students currently enrolled in classes at UCSC. All of our centers are conveniently located on campus near the West Entrance. Free or low-cost tuition rates are available for students who meet the eligibility requirements for subsidized care (please see Eligibility for State Funding Chart. All meals are included in the program (breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack).
Our programs are dedicated to providing the highest-quality developmental care possible in a secure, homelike environment characterized by warmth, affection, and support. The classrooms stress the importance of meeting children’s needs in all areas of development: social, emotional, physical, cognitive and creative. The curriculum emphasizes play as a learning process and provides environments that are rich and challenging.
Programs are open to all children without regard to religion, color, ethnicity, gender and physical or mental ability. All of our centers are located in the Family Student Housing Complex. Each of our centers is operated during the academic year from September through June, closed during the summer months, administrative and university holidays and staff development days. All of the childcare spaces are provided for children of student families only. The majority of the spaces are reserved for students who meet the qualifications for subsidized care. Fee-for-service spaces at a below market rate may be available for student families whose income exceeds state-subsidy requirements.
Information on all programs, fees, and applications is available at Early Education Services Office, and at the Early Education Services Office in the Community Building at Family Student Housing, (831) 459-2967, or e-mail earlyeducation@ucsc.edu.
Infant Center
The Infant Center serves 12 children ages 14 to 24 months. Small groups, low child-to-adult ratios, and primary caregivers ensure consistent and nurturing care. The hours of operation are 8:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Preschool Center
There are three preschool classrooms that serve a total of 36 children from 24 months until they enter kindergarten. Each classroom provides small groups with low child-to-adult ratios, and an environment that provides a stimulating and rich curriculum, which helps prepare children for kindergarten. The hours of operation are 8:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
School Age Center
The School Age Program serves 16 children. It operates as an after-school recreation program during the academic year. The program provides developmentally appropriate arts and crafts, life-skills and sports activities, occasional community outings and quite time for homework. The hours of operation are 12 p.m.–5:30 p.m. for kindergarteners; and 2:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays for 2nd through 4th graders. On Wednesdays (public school minimum days), care is available from 12–5:30 p.m. for all school-age children. Extended care is available on a sign-up basis on some Santa Cruz City Schools closure days (university closure days excluded).
UCSC Alumni Association
UCSC’s graduates—more than 70,000 of them—can maintain a lifelong connection to the campus through the UCSC Alumni Association. Through the dues they pay, Association members contribute to the living-learning environments at each college and the enrichment of the entire campus. Thirty percent of annual membership dues directly support student programs, special activities, and other projects at the colleges and campuswide.
The association promotes excellence at UCSC by making three annual awards. It supports students by offering two types of awards (college service and financial need), and enriches campus and college intellectual life through its Distinguished Visiting Professor program and endowment.
Hundreds of alumni return to campus during the annual Reunion Weekend to enjoy receptions, tours, panel discussions, and other programs through which they reconnect with old friends, faculty, and students. Thousands more reconnect through the Online Community, which offers an online alumni directory, association event information and RSVP services, and much more.
Alumni are keenly interested in career issues. More than 1,000 of them act as career mentors online through the Online Community and Career Services’ Career Advice Network, and in person at the annual Multicultural Career Conference and similar events. The Alumni Association, in partnership with other UC Alumni Associations, brings politically minded graduates to Sacramento for an annual legislative conference aimed at increasing support for UC.
Alumni reconnect at events offered by regional groups across the nation and by six affinity groups.
Members of the Alumni Association enjoy a range of benefits. These include use of the campus pool and recreation facilities, insurance coverage, use of a UC vacation center, UC Extension discounts statewide, library privileges across the entire UC system, the online Digital Library, invitations to alumni events, and more.
Information about the Alumni Association is available by contacting us at 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, locally at (831) 459-2530, toll-free at (800) 933-SLUG, via e-mail at alumni@ucsc.edu, and on the web: Alumni Association.
Revised: 8/13/12
