Student Life

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 enviable place to live.

Housing

College Residences
All undergraduate students, whether they live on campus or not, are affiliated with one of ten residential colleges at UC Santa Cruz. 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 entering in fall quarter are guaranteed university-sponsored housing for their first two years at UCSC. Transfer students entering in fall quarter have a one-year guarantee. All deadlines must be met to qualify for guarantees.

You must be admitted as a full-time student before applying for housing. All new single students who request on-campus accommodations on their Request for University Housing form will be mailed application information after college assignments are complete. This form and the required advance housing fee must be submitted to the Office of Admissions by the stated deadline to assure guaranteed housing. (Guarantee only offered in the fall.)

The room and board rates for the 2006-08 academic year range from $8,487 to $11,877, depending upon the type of accommodation and meal plan (go to the Expenses and Financial Resources section for more detailed information on rates).

The colleges at UCSC offer two kinds of accomodations-residence halls and apartments, both with access to common dining facilities. Kresge houses students in apartments; all of the other colleges offer both options. Except at Kresge and Oakes, most new first-year students live in residence halls; residence halls and apartments are available to continuing students and students transferring in at the junior level. (See The Colleges section for more detailed descriptions of college housing facilities.)

The residence halls have shared rooms and a limited number of private rooms, as well as common lounge areas and bathrooms. The colleges offer coeducational and single-sex floors.

All residents of single-student housing are required to be on a meal plan. You may use your meal card at any of the seven college dining halls on campus, as well as at the UCSC Inn dining hall in downtown Santa Cruz. Some of the meal plans include Flexi Dollars that can be used at other campus dining locations. Additional Flexi Dollars may be added to any meal plan.

College apartments also have various combinations of shared and private bedrooms, along with kitchen, bathroom, and living spaces. They are furnished except for bedding and kitchen utensils. A minimum meal plan is required for apartment residents. You may also prepare some of your own meals along with your apartment-mates

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.

For more information on the colleges, refer to The University of California, Santa Cruz, Communities of Learning brochure, or contact the Campus Housing Office.

Campus Housing Office
This office is responsible for the application and contract records for all single students living in college residence halls and apartments, the Village, University Town Center, UCSC 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 www.studenthousing.ucsc.edu. Centrally located at 104 Hahn Student Services Building, Campus Housing is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, (831) 459-2394, e-mail: housing@ucsc.edu, Web: www.housing.ucsc.edu.

The Village
Located in the Lower Quarry, the Village houses a mix of 153 continuing undergraduates, new transfer undergraduates, and graduate students. Each of the 17 houses has nine single bedrooms with Internet connection, three bathrooms, and a kitchenette. A meal plan is required. 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 2006-08 is $7,047. Call (831) 459-2394 or e-mail housing@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 in two- and three-person efficiency apartments. A meal plan is not required. UCSC students live cooperatively with students enrolled in University Extension's English Language and International (ELI) Programs. Contact the Campus Housing Office for more information, (831) 459-2394 or housing@ucsc.edu.

University Inn and Conference Center
The Inn, located at 611 Ocean Street in downtown Santa Cruz, provides housing for about 200 UCSC students (new freshmen are not eligible for this housing option) during the academic year. Students living at the University Inn have a required minimum meal plan that may be used at any dining hall on campus, in addition to the inn dining hall. There are also some guest rooms for short-term use by faculty, staff, and university visitors and for year-round conference services. Contact the Campus Housing Office for more information, (831) 459-2394 or housing@ucsc.edu.

Family Student Housing
Family Student Housing, located on the west side of campus, has 197 apartments for students and their families (see the Child Care and Youth Programs section 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 2006-08 the monthly rent is $1,087, 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, contact the Family Student Housing Office directly to secure an application form and put your name on a waiting list. Early application is advisable, as these apartments are in great demand. There is a year or more waiting list. Students with children are given priority. The office is in the Community Building, Family Student Housing, (831) 459-2549, fsh@ucsc.edu.

Camper Park
A 42-space camper park on the north side of campus is available to students who own recreational vehicles. Spaces rent for $385 per month. All have water and electrical hookups; eight also have sewer hookups, for $428 per month. 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 Graduate Student Housing Office, (831) 459-5712, rvpark@ucsc.edu.

Graduate Student Housing
Twenty four-bedroom apartments for single graduate students are located on the west side of campus, between Kresge College and the Baskin Engineering Building. See the Student Life area of the Graduate Studies section for a more detailed description; for applications and additional information, contact the Campus Housing Office, (831) 459-2394, or housing@ucsc.edu.

Community Rentals Office
To assist students, the Community Rentals Office (CRO) maintains current rental listings and names of students who want to share living accommodations. Currently enrolled students can access the listings via the CRO web site and do not pay a fee to access services. Concurrent Enrollment students, Summer Session students, and alumni pay a small user fee to access listings, and can visit the Community Rentals Office to be verified and receive a temporary search pass. Be sure to bring some form of picture identification such as a driver's license or passport.

Other services include renters' workshops, rental forms, other resource information, and basic advising about tenants' rights and responsibilities. You are encouraged to visit the office and learn about the resources available to you.

The Santa Cruz area offers a variety of housing options, including Victorian houses, mountain cottages, downtown apartments, rooms in private residences, and rooms in local motels. Locating suitable housing can take from one to six weeks, depending upon your specific needs. Generally, students are able to locate housing within the service area of Santa Cruz public transportation.

The cost of housing varies according to individual lifestyle and preferences. Price ranges are available at housing.ucsc.edu/cro/costs.html. The Community Rentals Office, located at 125 Hahn Student Services, is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. For further information, call (831) 459-4435, e-mail comrent@ucsc.edu, or visit the web: communityrentals.ucsc.edu.

Program In Community and Agroecology
The Program In Community and Agroecology (PICA) is a living/learning community in the Village. The proximity to our internationally renowned organic Farm and Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems provides an unusual opportunity to focus on the link between healthy communities and healthy food systems. Sophomores, juniors, and seniors from a wide range of majors live, study, and prepare food together in housing modules dedicated to PICA or in cooperative housing situations off campus. Through seminars, gardens in the Village, and project days, PICA faculty and students work in both the classroom and the field to address such questions as:

• How do issues of environmental quality and social justice interact in sustainable communities?
• How does an understanding of ecology inform decisions about farming/gardening practices?
• What impact can consumer choice have on how farmers design and manage their farming systems?
• What roles do imagination, persuasion, and creativity play in shaping social change and in sustaining communities?

Students and faculty explore the contributions of agroecology, art, literature, photography, writing, computer science, and philosophy to achieving sustainability. Practical training in agroecology and organic gardening occurs through courses, workshops, and student involvement in Village gardens, composting activities, and food programs. For further information, e-mail gliess@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
The Kresge Food Co-op is a student-run nonprofit natural food store located in Kresge College. It sells bulk food, produce, sandwiches, ice cream, snacks, and other groceries. Under the student-run collective, the purpose is not just to run a store but to educate people toward personal and social change.

Students are trained to run the business in an economically feasible but nonhierarchical manner (there is no manager). The co-op makes information available to customers about the social and environmental consequences related to food consumption, and it tries to carry products that do not have adverse effects on the society and environment. You can be involved in the Kresge Food Co-op in a number of ways, such as by becoming a working member and receiving 10 percent off your groceries. Come by or 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.

Housing Co-ops
The Santa Cruz Student Housing Cooperative is committed to providing affordable housing, a supportive community, and student empowerment. There are two democratically owned and operated houses where a diverse group of people come together, learn how to communicate, cooperate, and live well. The houses have communal dinners six nights a week, weekly meetings with agreements by consensus, and nice rooms in big Victorians-and they are near the university bus lines. Both houses provide housing for Summer Session students. Call (831) 426-2667 for the Cesar Chavez House, or (831) 425-2667 for Zami House.

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 12-minute frequencies from 7:30 a.m. to 6 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 20-minute intervals, runs seven nights a week between 6 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. A Westside Shopper Shuttle operates seven nights a week during the academic year between college circles and the west side of Santa Cruz. The shuttle serves supermarkets, alternative markets, convenience stores, and restaurants. 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 2:55 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. Sunday-through-Thursday-night service to campus operates until 1:55 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. Multi-geared bicycles are advisable because of the hilly terrain, and helmets are recommended.

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 bus and by commercial van and limousine services.

Services can change, and 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: www2.ucsc.edu/taps.

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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 university registration 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, dentistry, nutritional counseling, health promotion, x-ray, and laboratory and pharmacy services on site. The center is open daily and Saturday mornings during the regular academic year. (For summer services and hours, see the Summer Session web site: summer.ucsc.edu/.) For more information regarding the Health Center and its services, call (831) 459-2780; e-mail healthcenter@ucsc.edu; web: www2.ucsc.edu/healthcenter

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 Undergraduate Health Insurance Plan (UHIP). All students are automatically enrolled in UHIP 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, see the web at www2.ucsc.edu/healthcenter. 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 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, see the web at www2.ucsc.edu/ healthcenter or call (831) 459-2211.

UCSC Health Promotion Department
The goal of the UCSC Health Promotion Department is to help students maintain their health and wellness as they work to achieve their academic and personal goals. Located in the basement of the Health Center, our various programs provide students information, resources, and support to help them succeed at UCSC-as well as offer unique student internship and volunteer opportunities. For more information on any of our established programs or additional resources, view our various links under Health Promotion on the Health Center web at www2.ucsc.edu/healthcenter, call (831) 459-3772, or e-mail hpromo@ucsc.edu.

Holistic Health. To introduce students to alternative ways to achieve health and wellness, the Health Promotion Department offers "Home Remedies," a presentation teaching simple holistic practices such as finger holds, breathwork, and tai chi. In addition, a large canvas labyrinth is available for programming around such issues as stress reduction, creativity, and meditation/reflection.

Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Prevention Program. Part of UCSC's systemwide effort to address problems caused by the use and abuse of alcohol and other drugs, the Alchohol and Other Drug (AOD) Abuse Prevention Program is designed to reduce substance abuse through education. The program provides formal and informal educational opportunities for students, college residential staff, and other campus personnel. With resources available for all students, the AOD Program also offers limited individual consultations to students with particular needs or concerns.

HIV Prevention Program. Helping students reduce their risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), the HIV Prevention Program offers free and anonymous HIV testing run by highly trained student test counselors; the Condom Co-op, selling safer-sex supplies at reduced cost; Slug Love workshops and other presentations addressing STI transmission, safer sex, values clarification, and communication; and academic classes. We also cosponsor special events such as the annual Santa Cruz AIDS Walk and the Safer Sexcapades.

Student Health Advisory Committee. The Student Health Advisory Committee (SHAC) is composed of students interested in health care at UCSC. The group serves as the liaison between students and Health Center staff, creates and supports health initiatives and other educational opportunities for the campus, and creates a fun, practical way to get involved and make connections with other students and health care practitioners.

Counseling and Psychological Services

Psychological counseling is available from professional staff located in each college and at the central counseling office in the Cowell Student Health Center. Counseling psychologists come from a variety of backgrounds and are experienced in helping students clarify their sense of direction, set realistic goals, and better understand their personal problems.

You can meet with a counseling psychologist individually, visit the stress-reduction clinic, or join one of the many counseling groups offered throughout the year. Both individual and group counseling services are aimed at helping you gain greater personal effectiveness.

Information communicated to a counseling psychologist is confidential and cannot be released without a student's permission except in specific circumstances involving risk and safety.

Counseling psychologists are available to consult with individuals, groups, committees,
and campus departments and organizations in such areas as psychological problem solving, conflict resolution, ethnic and multicultural matters, and organizational development.

You may obtain further information regarding counseling services from the central Counseling and Psychological Services Office in the Cowell Student Health Center, (831) 459-2628. Visit our web site www2.ucsc.edu/counsel.

(For information on academic and career advising, see Undergraduate Academic Program.)

Rape Prevention Education Program

UCSC pioneered the establishment of Rape Prevention Education in 1979 to address issues of rape, and especially acquaintance rape.

During their orientation to the campus, students are encouraged to attend educational presentations that use theater, video, and discussion to encourage respect, responsibility, and mutuality among students. Evening workshops are organized in the residence halls and apartments throughout the year. A wide variety of films and videos are shown campuswide to discuss the politics of gender and the causes and prevention of sexual assault. Resources are available for class papers. A peer education program is offered to both male and female students. Posters, pamphlets, newsletters, and resource booklets are distributed throughout the campus. Both male and female students take advantage of these educational resources. In addition, excellent self-defense classes for women are offered quarterly.

The coordinator of Rape Prevention Education is available for individual appointments and provides nonjudgmental support for those who have been raped as well as for their friends and loved ones. The campus also has police officers available 24 hours a day, a network of emergency phones, guards at both campus entrances from 8 p.m. until 3 a.m., and frequent shuttles and buses.

Rape Prevention Education works with other campus units to try to ensure that the physical environment is as safe as possible. Fortunately, the external UCSC environment has been relatively safe and reported rapes or attempted rapes by strangers have been rare. UCSC is similar to other campuses in that over 90 percent of student rapes that occur on campus are committed by aquaintances and are vastly underreported. For more information, contact the Rape Prevention Education Office at the Cowell Student Health Center, (831) 459-2721; e-mail: g_g@ucsc.edu; web: www2.ucsc.edu/rape-prevention.

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. AARC works closely with overall campus outreach to enhance the recruitment and retention of African American students.

AARCC welcomes volunteers and student interns to serve as members of TEAM AARC Outreach Program or on our Advisory Council. Academic clubs include Blacks in Science, 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, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, 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 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call (831) 459-3207, fax (831) 459-2469, e-mail african@ucsc.edu, or consult our web site at www2.ucsc.edu/aasl.

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, 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 dtibbett@ucsc.edu or native@ucsc.edu.

Asian American/Pacific Islander
The Asian American/Pacific Islander Resource Center (AA/PIRC) provides and enhances opportunities for student leadership development, builds a stronger sense of community on campus, and links students to community-service opportunities. Ultimately, AA/PIRC offers education and dialogue on issues affecting Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders toward addressing students' multiple and diverse academic, social, cultural, and other cocurricular needs. At AA/PIRC, students can find information on scholarships and internships at community-based organizations, build alliances in the Asian Pacific Islander Coalition of student organizations, and browse through a collection of Asian American studies publications, student literary journals, novels, senior theses, magazines, and newspapers. The center also produces an annual resource guide and a quarterly newsletter, and maintains several e-mail listservs for connection to the AA/PI community. AA/PIRC is located on the third floor of the Bay Tree Building in Quarry Plaza. For more information, call (831) 459-5349, e-mail aapirc@ucsc.edu, or visit the web: www2.ucsc.edu/aapirc.

Chicano Latino
The Chicano Latino Resource Center (El Centro) offers programs and activities designed to enhance students' transition to university life, academic success and advancement, leadership development, community-service opportunities, and preparation for graduate studies. The programs offered through El Centro focus on retention, graduation, and academic advancement of Chicano Latino undergraduate students. These programs and activities include workshops, a Chicana Latina Pipeline Project, Academic Culture courses, a Chicano Latino Leadership Conference, collaborations with Chicano Latino student organizations, and a Senior Thesis Support Group. El Centro offers education and dialogue on academic, social, cultural, and personal issues that affect the Chicano Latino community. Students are welcome to stop by and find out more about El Centro events and activities or for individual consultation. El Centro also offers student internships to help with organizing events and activities. For more information or to make an appointment, call (831) 459-5608 or e-mail cab@ucsc.edu.

Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex
The Lionel Cantú Gay, Lesbian, Bi, Trans, Intersex (GLBTI) Resource Center, located in a beautiful redwood building next to Crown and Merrill Colleges, is a friendly, welcoming place to the entire community. The center's mission is to provide educational, social, and support services to students, staff, and faculty on GLBTI issues. The GLBTI Resource Center is home to several student organizations that meet weekly; a host of exciting programs; and a library offering books, magazines, and videos. AIDS information, safer-sex supplies, 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 GLBTI Resource Center coordinates student programming with a queer focus. Education of the nongay campus population is another function of the resource center; volunteers offer workshops for groups, classes, and dorms about unlearning heterosexism. 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 10 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 GLBTI Resource Center at (831) 459-2468 or via e-mail at glbticenter@ucsc.edu. The center's web site, www2.ucsc.edu/glbticenter, features an extensive Queer Calendar. To get on the listserv for latest updates, e-mail the center with your name and e-mail address.

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 from center staff, and weekly events include films, readings, and talks. The center also sponsors student-oriented workshops on topics ranging from money management and car care to assertiveness 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, field and independent study, and work-study jobs. Students can help organize projects like the V-Day College Initiative, Take Back The Night, and Women's Ensemble Theater-or create their own programs with advice and support from staff.

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, check the center's weekly calendar, visit the center's web site at www2.ucsc.edu/wmcenter, e-mail women@ ucsc.edu, or call (831) 459-2072.

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Physical Education, Recreation, Sports, and Wellness

The physical education, recreation, wellness, and sports 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. The web address is www.ucsc.edu/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. 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. Web: www.ucsc.edu/opers/indexpage/p.e.html.

Intramurals and Club Sports
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 biannual "cardiac pacer" runs, an annual triathlon. Prospective participants are encouraged to form their own teams. Individuals looking to be placed on a team are also welcome Web: www.ucsc.edu/opers/im/.

The sports club program offers a variety of sports. Teams compete against other universities in men's and women's rugby, lacrosse, and ultimate frisbee; men's soccer, baseball, cross-country, and track and field; and coed Special Olympics, cheerleading, dance, equestrian, cycling, sailing, water polo, golf, badminton, fencing, table tennis, and diving.

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 athletic scholarships or grants in aid. Intercollegiate teams, known as the Fighting Banana Slugs, are provided for those who want the opportunity to compete against rival institutions in an official format, with set practice schedules, regular road trips, and rigorous training. Both men's and women's NCAA intercollegiate teams compete in the following sports: basketball, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis, water polo, and volleyball. Women's teams compete in golf and cross-country. Web: 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: www.ucsc.edu/opers/wellness.

Recreation
The Recreation Program is designed to fulfill the diverse needs and interests of all members of the UCSC community. A full range of activities, workshops, classes, off-campus outings, and special events are scheduled quarterly. In addition, the program offers a 10-day Wilderness Orientation prior to the start of school. Wilderness Orientation (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. Most clubs are coed and feature some combination of recreational participation, advanced instruction, and individual competition. Recently active clubs include aikido, fencing, ju jitsu, ashtanga yoga warrior, creative movement, ninjitsu, scuba diving, Okinawan karate, swing dance, and tai chi. Web: www.ucsc.edu/opers/rec.

Banana Slug Mascot
The Banana Slug, a bright yellow, slimy, shell-less mollusk 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, equipment center, and locker rooms. The East Field House also has a dance studio, martial arts room, handball/racquetball courts, 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, HyFly sailboards, rowing dories, and sea kayaks. Web: www.ucsc.edu/opers/boating/.

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 that houses lounges, conference space, and recreational areas for dances, parties, and other social gatherings; billiards, art exhibits, musical performances, public-use computers, and television; work and office space for registered student organizations and campuswide student government; and campus information services.

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, Student Life, and Student Activities.

The Union is open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and has limited weekend hours. The Union is closed holidays and quarter breaks. Check the web site for up-to-date information at studentunion.ucsc.edu or call (831) 459-3167.

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Student Activities

Campuswide Student Organizations
Expand your horizons and complement your academic life by joining one of over 100 student organizations registered through the Student Activities Office. Get involved in one or more cultural, ethnic, religious, Greek, political advocacy, civic service, or social organizations. Gain valuable life experience in leadership and planning, and develop rewarding and lasting friendships. Student organization membership is open to all UCSC students. Students frequently create new organizations as their interests change and expand. You may be able to earn academic credit for an activity when your work has an academic focus and is supervised by faculty.

For more information about campuswide student organizations, call Student Activities, (831) 459-2934, e-mail soar@ucsc.edu, or visit the web: soar.ucsc.edu.

Students wanting to start or join sports and recreation clubs should contact OPERS: sports clubs, (831) 459-4220; recreation clubs, (831) 459-2668. Students interested in print and broadcast media organizations should contact Student Media: (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 campuswide student organizations, to develop service projects that link the university with the broader Santa Cruz County 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 Connection in the office of Student Life, 245 Hahn Student Services Building, connects interested students with the community to volunteer their time to tutor children, mentor youth, feed the homeless, and train people with developmental disabilities.

Service programs also exist through some colleges (College Eight's core course requires volunteer efforts and the Community Studies Department offers opportunities; Oakes has its own service coordinator); check with your college office about opportunities. All the student resource centers also coordinate volunteer efforts on and off campus.

For more information about service opportunities, contact the Student Volunteer Connection, (831) 459-3363; Office of Student Life, (831) 459-5707; the Oakes College service coordinator, (831) 459-2356; the Colleges Nine and Ten coordinator of service learning, (831) 459-1237; or your college.

UCSC Student Voice
Santa Cruz offers you a unique variety of opportunities to participate in university governance at the college, campus, and systemwide 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 ov5r 50 administrative and Academic Senate committees. For information about the selection process, contact Student Committee on Committees, (831) 459-5533, e-mail suaivc@ucsc.edu; or the Student Union Assembly, (831) 459-4838, e-mail suaofficers@ucsc.edu.

Leadership and Civic Engagement
The University Leadership Certificate Program (ULCP) provides emerging leaders with an opportunity to develop important skills while learning to lead with integrity and purpose. Students are asked to reflect upon and engage in dialogue regarding various social and political issues and put their new understanding into practice both on campus and in the local community. For more information on this yearlong program and various workshops provided, contact the Office of Student Life, (831) 459-5707.

The Hate/Bias Peer Response Team (HBPRT) is a student program that provides peer education programming to the campus at the request of campus community members and in response to reported hate/bias incidents. In addition, HBPRT organizes Hate/Bias Awareness Week, a weeklong series of lectures, workshops, and discussions designed to increase awareness of hate and bias in the local, national, and world communities. For more information on this yearlong program, contact the Office of Student Life, at (831) 459-5707.

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 your 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 two appointed and one elected representative 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: African/Black Student Alliance; Asian Pacific Islander Student Alliance; Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex Network; Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan; Student Alliance of North American Indians; and Ethnic Student Organization Council. The SUA also provides internship opportunities for a limited number of students each year. These internships include but are not limited to web, business, internal and external affairs, and organizing. The SUA conducts open meetings at least eight times a quarter throughout the academic year and invites students interested in advocacy, activism, and politics 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 the Narrative Evaluation System, striving for reasonable campus growth, and reforming UC Regents' procedures. Current issues have been 24-hour parking and campus transportation, preserving Student Organization Advising and Resources (SOAR-now called Student Activities), labor solidarity, and advocating against the Classification of Race, Ethnicity, and National Origin (CRENO) initiative. The SUA also works with the UC Student Association and the U.S. Student Association on state and national issues. For more information, contact the SUA, (831) 459-4838, e-mail suaofficers@ucsc.edu; web: sua.ucsc.edu

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, e-mail gsa@ucsc.edu; web: www2.ucsc.edu/gsa/.

Systemwide Student Government
The UC Student Association (UCSA) is the statewide association of graduate and undergraduate student governments from the 10 UC campuses. UCSC 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 UCSA campus 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.

Three 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 and is the primary contact regarding all UCSA issues. The organizing director (OD) coordinates with the EVC and the Lobby Corps to effectively run the grassroots campaigns that are sponsored by UCSA every year. Lastly, the Lobby Corps director (LCD) coordinates all lobbying on behalf of UCSC students to the UCSA, local, state, and national governments. 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; e-mail: suaevc@ucsc.edu, suaod@ucsc.edu, sualobby@ucsc.edu.

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 300 students enrich their cocurricular involvement by receiving academic credit, as well as fellowship 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 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, Redwood Review, Leviathan, Escrache, and The Project.

Annual literary journals offer poetry, prose, photography, and art. Examples are Chinquapin, Big Q, Red Wheelbarrow, La Revista, Alay, Las Girlfriends, Calliope's Notes, Turnstile, and Variance.

SCTV is a student-governed campus cable station that schedules and broadcasts artistic, narrative, experimental, documentary, and public-service announcement submissions of video and film. 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) 459-3914. Visit the web site for links to print and broadcast organizations: studentmedia.ucsc.edu.

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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.

Arts & Lectures (A&L), a series of public performances and residencies by artists of international stature, is presented by the Public Affairs Office during the year. Recent appearances have included the vocalist Bobby McFerrin, the Ailey II dance company, performance artist Laurie Anderson, musician Lyle Lovett, and the Guaneri String Quartet. Lecturers have included documentary filmmaker Michael Moore, NPR's David Sedaris, and political columnist Molly Ivins. A&L collaborates with the colleges and academic units in the development of workshops, lecture-demonstrations, and seminars offered by visiting artists, with the common goal of enlarging cultural perspectives through the arts. The Arts & Lectures phone number is (831) 459-4058.

The Arts Division maintains a high profile in the community with events by faculty, student, and guest artists: music recitals are offered regularly, and several major theater, dance, and music presentations are mounted each quarter in conjunction with the academic program.

Recent full-scale productions by the Theater Arts Department have included a new translation of Victor Hugo's Ruy Blas, Brian Friel's Translations, Sabina Berman's Between Pancho Villa and a Naked Woman (Entre Villa y Una Mujer Desnuda), and The Emperor's New Clothes (coproduced with Shakespeare Santa Cruz). Recent student productions have included classic and contemporary plays such as Aloha, Say the Pretty Girls by Naomi Iizuka, In the Blood by Suzan-Lori Parks, Bent by Martin Sherman, and The Women of Trachis by Sophocles, as well as the annual showcase of student choreography, Random with a Purpose.

The Music Department sponsors a variety of concerts by the University Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Chamber Singers, and Concert Choir, as well as fully staged operas and faculty recitals. Recent performances have featured major works such as Mozart's Requiem and The Marriage of Figaro, Lou Harrison's Mass for St. Cecilia's Day, Leonard Bernstein's Chichester Psalms, and Morten Lauridson's Lux Aeterna. The department also sponsors concerts by the Jazz Ensembles and Big Band, Percussion Ensemble, and Electronic Music Studios, and ethnomusicology groups such as the West Javanese Gamelan Ensemble and Latin American Ensembles. In addition, the department sponsors a growing number of performances of Indian classical music, with recent appearances by violinist Sisirkana Chowdhury and sitar player Pandit Habib Khan, as well as the Pacific Rim Festival of Music in alternate years. Student recitals, class open rehearsals, and informal "Friday at Four" showings round out the calendar.

All students, not just 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/or the Music Department at (831) 459-2292.

The Music Center, including the state-of-the-art 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 year-round program of drama, dance, and special events. The 528-seat Theater Arts Mainstage, 215-seat Second Stage, 400-seat Media Theater, and large Experimental Theater, as well as supporting studios and shops 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). For additional information about performing arts events, contact the Arts Division Events Office, (831) 459-2787. Online calendar: events.ucsc.edu/calendar.

Shakespeare Santa Cruz
Shakespeare Santa Cruz (SSC), recognized by USA Today as one of the 10 best Shakespeare festivals nationally, is a professional theater company that unites scholarship with academic endeavor. Every July and August, SSC produces a summer festival that includes two plays by William Shakespeare as well as non-Shakespeare productions carefully chosen by the artistic director to complement the season. In late November and early December, SSC stages a holiday production, providing high-quality family entertainment. The festival also offers courses through the university Summer Session; sponsors conferences for scholars, teachers, and passionate theatergoers; and provides several opportunities for the community to get involved in the intellectual and theatrical components of Shakespeare. The acting company is composed of professional Equity actors and top nonunion talent from throughout the United States, local professionals, and university students, as well as apprentices. Production crews are made up of regional and local professionals and also include university students and apprentices. 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, discounted magazine subscriptions, a film-processing drop, book buyback services, fax services, and limited check cashing. The bookstore also houses the campus's convenience store (the Express Store), Student ID Card Services, and UCSC's Digital Copy Services. For more information, call (831) 459-4544 or visit the web: slugstore.ucsc.edu/.

Child Care and Youth Programs

Child Care Services offers several campus child care programs for children of students, faculty, and staff. Enrollment is limited and early application is encouraged since most programs have waiting lists. Free or reduced rates are available to low-income students who qualify.

All programs reflect the belief that the best child care occurs in nurturing, homelike environments that are safe and developmentally appropriate. The programs 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. Information on all programs, fees, and applications is available from the Child Care Services Office in the Community Building at Family Student Housing, (831) 459-2967 or e-mail childcareservices@ucsc.edu.

Infant Toddler Center
Located in Family Student Housing, the Infant Toddler Center provides care for infants and toddlers ages 3-36 months. Small groups, low child-to-adult ratios, and primary caregivers ensure that children receive consistent and individualized care and nurturing. Full- and half-day schedules are offered. The majority of spaces are reserved for students who meet low-income requirements; these spaces are free or have a sliding-scale fee, depending on income. A few spaces with flat monthly fees are reserved for faculty and staff families. Fee-for-service spaces at a reduced rate may be available to student parents whose income exceeds state-subsidy requirements. The Infant Toddler Center operates virtually year-round, with closures for administrative holidays, academic breaks, and staff development.

Granary Child Development Center
Located near the main entrance to campus, the Granary Child Development Center provides care for preschool children ages 2-4 years. Full-and half-day schedules are offered. State-subsidized (free or sliding-scale) spaces are available to low-income students, and reduced student rates are available for higher-income student parents. Several spaces are available for faculty and staff at flat monthly rates. The Granary operates virtually year-round, with closures for administrative holidays, academic breaks, and staff development.

Children's Center
Located in Family Student Housing, the Children's Center provides care for prekindergarten children ages 4-6 and after-school care for children in kindergarten. Full- and half-day schedules are offered. State-subsidized (free or sliding-scale) spaces are available to low-income students, and reduced student rates are available for higher-income student parents. Several spaces are available for faculty and staff at flat monthly rates. The Children's Center is closed during the summers, but children may enroll in the School Age Center's Summer Recreation Program.

School Age Center
Located in Family Student Housing, the School Age Center is an after-school recreation program for children in kindergarten through sixth grade during the academic year. The program provides developmentally appropriate arts and crafts, life-skills and sports activities, occasional community outings, and quiet time for homework. Extended service hours are available on a preregistration basis for elementary school holidays or in-service days. The majority of spaces are available at low cost to Family Student Housing residents; a few fee-for-service spaces are available for university-affiliated parents who do not live in Family Student Housing. An all-day Summer Recreation Program is also offered for children of UCSC students, faculty, and staff.

UCSC Alumni Association

Through the UCSC Alumni Association, graduates of the university can maintain a lifelong connection to UCSC.

The association contributes to the life of the colleges and to the enrichment of the entire campus. Thirty percent of annual membership fees fund student programs, special activities, and other projects at the colleges, and additional funds support similar projects campuswide.

The association promotes excellence at UCSC through its sponsorship of awards for alumni achievement, excellence in teaching, and outstanding service by a university staff member; two types of student awards (college service and financial need); and its Distinguished Visiting Professor endowment.

The association brings hundreds of alumni back to campus during the Banana Slug Spring Fair reunion weekend. Thousands of alumni reconnect with UCSC through the association's Online Community, which offers an online alumni directory, association event information and RSVP services, student and alumni online mentorship opportunities, and much more. Over 700 alumni act as career information resources through their participation in the Career Advice Network program, the annual Multicultural Career Conference, and other career fairs and conferences. The Alumni Association also participates with other UC Alumni Associations in an annual legislative conference in Sacramento aimed at increasing support for UC.

Events for alumni and alumni-student mentorship opportunities are offered by regional groups nationwide-Los Angeles, New York, Rainier (Seattle), Sacramento, San Francisco Bay Area, Santa Cruz, Silicon Valley, and Boston-and by four affinity groups-Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender (GLBT), Latino Alumni Network (LAN), Black Escargot, and the Page and Eloise Smith Scholastic Society.

Members are eligible for benefits such as library privileges across the UC system, use of campus recreation facilities, the alumni online directory, an alumni affinity e-mail account, insurance coverage, use of a UC vacation center, UC Extension discounts, alumni events, and more. News of alumni is featured in the campus's magazine, the UCSC Review, and the Alumni Association's newsletter, the Banana Slug Bulletin.

The association, governed by an elected board of volunteers called the Alumni Association Council, is a dues-supported, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Information about the Alumni Association is available at its campus headquarters in the Carriage House, (831) 459-2530, (800) 933-SLUG, e-mail alumni@ucsc.edu, web: alumni.ucsc.edu/.