Academic Integrity

All members of the UCSC academic community have an explicit responsibility to present as their original work only that which is truly their own. Cheating, plagiarism, and other forms of academic dishonesty are contrary to the ideals and purposes of a university and will not be tolerated. Note that plagiarism includes the deliberate misrepresentation of someone else’s words and ideas as your own, as well as paraphrasing without footnoting the source. Students and faculty are jointly responsible for assuring that the integrity of scholarship is valued and preserved.

To view the full text of the policy on academic dishonesty, see www.ucsc.edu/academics/academic_integrity.

Due Process
Students charged with academic dishonesty have the right to due process through established policies and regulations concerning student conduct and discipline. Copies of these policies and regulations can be found in the UCSC Student Policies and Regulations Handbook (www2.ucsc.edu/judicial/).

Academic Standing and Minimum Progress

Full-time undergraduate students at UCSC are expected to enroll in and earn a grade of C or better (or P) in an average of 15 credits per quarter, completing the 180 credits needed for graduation in four years. Extensions of enrollment beyond the equivalent of 12 full-time quarters require the approval of your college.

Your college will regularly check to insure that you are making (at least) minimum progress toward completing your degree and, at the end of each term, will determine whether you are in good academic standing. If you do not pass enough credits with a grade of C or better (or P), you may be placed on academic probation. If your academic standing or progress falls below minimally acceptable levels, you may be disqualified from further enrollment in the university.

Address Changes

It is important for UCSC offices to have access to accurate address information for all UCSC students. UCSC relies on the addresses on the MyUCSC portal to send you official information. You must update your address each time you change your residence, or you will miss important documents and deadlines. Read through the definitions below to understand the different types of addresses maintained by UCSC before making changes.

Mailing (year round): This should always be your current address. It is your responsibility to keep this address up to date and prevent important campus mail from being misdirected.

Permanent (year round): This address may be the same as your mailingl address or the address of a relative, but it may not be your college address. Your diploma will be sent to this address. The Financial Aid Office uses this address during the summer if mail is returned and they have been unable to contact you using other addresses.

Billing (year round): If you would like your Statement of Account mailed to a third party, such as your parents, grandparents, or guardian, you must establish a billing address. Billing addresses are used only for statements going to someone other than you.
Foreign: Required for students on F and J (non-immigrant) visas.

Residence: Required for students on F and J (non-immigrant) visas.

Request for Nonrelease of Public Information: University policy, consistent with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 as amended, permits disclosure of certain categories of public information.

At UCSC the following information is considered to be a matter of public information and will be disclosed unless the student has requested that it be withheld:

• student’s name;
  
• mailing address;
  
• e-mail address;
  
• local telephone number;
  
• college and major field of study;
  
• dates of attendance;
  
• class level;
  
• degrees and honors received;
  
• number of credits currently enrolled;
  
• name, weight, and height of participants on intercollegiate athletic teams.

To have this information withheld from release, go to the UCSC Directory Restrictions link on the MyUCSC portal. Be sure that you understand the implications of requesting a Nonrelease of Information. Every single item listed above will be withheld. The Office of the Registrar cannot verify your student status for a potential employer, publicize any honors you receive, or include your name and degree earned in the commencement program unless you remove the Nonrelease of Information. Once a Request for Nonrelease of Public Information is filed, it remains in effect until you rescind it via the MyUCSC portal.

If you have any questions about the implications of the Nonrelease of Public Information, contact the Office of the Registrar, 190 Hahn Student Services, (831) 459-4412.

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Administrative Cancellation

Your student status may be cancelled by the campus administration at any time for the reasons listed below. If you

• are barred from enrollment for one or more quarters for academic deficiencies;
• are disqualified for academic deficiencies;
• receive disciplinary action;
• fail to respond to official university notices;
• fail to settle financial obligations; or
• fail to enroll in classes.

Cancellation for any of the first three reasons will be noted on your official academic record.

Administrative cancellation means that your enrollments are dropped, financial aid is cancelled, and you are ineligible to use campus services reserved for students. The registration fee refund, if applicable, is determined by the effective date of the administrative cancellation.

Advance Course Information

Advance Course Information (ACI) is designed to complement advance enrollment. It supplies more course information online than is available through the UCSC General Catalog.

Also available via ACI are book lists for the current quarter. These are arranged by department and are provided by the Bay Tree Bookstore. To get to the ACI web page directly, go to reg.ucsc.edu/soc/aci.

Faculty participation in ACI is voluntary; therefore, information is not available for all classes. If you have any questions, comments, or ideas, you can e-mail ACI at aci@ucsc.edu.

Advising

Advisers are available in the colleges to assist undergraduates with general planning issues, such as choosing appropriate course loads, maintaining good academic progress, and integrating majors and minors in an overall academic plan. Advising for specific major and minor programs is offered at the departments. Students may also consult with faculty, career counselors, educational opportunity advisers, psychological counselors, and disability resource specialists, among others.

Apply to Graduate

For information on applying for graduation, and other graduation-related questions, see Graduation.

Auditing of Classes

You may audit (sit in on) a regular course with the permission of the instructor in charge. The instructor may allow you to attend course meetings but only if adequate facilities are available after all students who wish to enroll officially have done so. The instructor is not obligated to devote time to your work. Auditors ordinarily do not write papers or take exams. Since you are not enrolled in the class, there is no record kept; and you receive no grade notation, evaluation, or credit. You are not eligible to audit classes if you’ve been barred or disqualified for academic or disciplinary reasons, have withdrawn, or are on leave of absence.

Cancelled Courses

Occasionally, it is necessary for a sponsoring agency to cancel a course after students have advance enrolled. Whenever possible, the course-sponsoring agency will notify enrolled students about the cancellation. Check the Schedule of Classes (reg.ucsc.edu/soc) on the web for updates. View your enrollments on MyUCSC for cancellations or changes in meeting times, days, or location.

Certificate of Completion of Degree

Certification of Student Status for Outside Agencies

The Office of the Registrar is the only agency on campus authorized to certify student status and academic standing for outside agencies such as student loan institutions, insurance companies, child care programs, banks, and employers.

If you need a certification of student status to defer a federally insured student loan, your request will be forwarded to the National Student Loan Clearinghouse for processing. Most lenders contact this agency directly for confirmation of student status.

If you are registered and enrolled, a certification for the current academic year may be requested from the Registrar’s Office at 190 Hahn. Valid photo identification is required. Certifications requested after noon will be ready for pickup after 1 p.m. the following day.

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Computing Facilities and Services

• You are expected to communicate via e-mail using a UC Santa Cruz Identity, which is your e-mail address and account as well as electronic login and password to many services, such as the network, computing labs, portal, and other services. Your UC Santa Cruz Identity is assigned when you enroll for classes before you come to campus in the fall quarter. There is no cost for this service.
  
• UC Santa Cruz has a wireless network called CruzNet, with coverage in most areas of campus. If you have a laptop computer with a wireless network card, you’ll be able to sit down with a group of classmates in a serene setting among the redwoods, at a cafe or library to do your homework, and still have network access. Because of the wireless access, we highly recommend that you purchase a laptop or notebook computer. There is no cost for this service.
  
• The campus offers a high-speed residential data network called ResNet to all students living in university residential areas. The service cost is included in the housing fees. This service includes technical support (by phone or room visits when necessary) provided by ITS staff.
  
• If you don’t own a computer, or would like to work on homework assignments that require specialized software, there are 12 Instructional Computing labs across the campus. Each lab is open to all students and there is no cost for this service.

Information Technology Services (ITS)

ITS provides you with computing, network, telecommunication, media services, and instructional technology services to the campus. Central computing facilities provide universal services such as electronic mail, web, and file services. See its.ucsc.edu. ITS operates the campus network, which interconnects personal computers, workstations, workgroup LANs, instructional computing labs, central computing facilities, and computer-equipped classrooms with each other, on-campus resources, and the Internet. In addition, wireless service called CruzNet is available to mobile users at some 200 locations. See cruznet.ucsc.edu for more information. On-campus network resources include academic, library, and administrative computing, and database and information servers.

Purchasing a Computer?

If you are planning on buying a new computer, UC Santa Cruz recommends purchasing a laptop with both wired and wireless network capability.

An excellent source for purchasing computers and computer products is the campus Bay Tree Bookstore, slugstore.ucsc.edu, (831) 459-2082. Through university-negotiated contracts, the bookstore offers a full line of Apple and Dell computers, as well as software and peripheral equipment. Because of your student status, pricing is almost always below outside market prices. And the bookstore works closely with ITS to be certain the equipment you buy will meet campus specifications, both wired and wireless. As an added convenience, Apple products can be ordered in advance through the bookstore, and be ready for pick-up when you arrive on campus.

Technology vendors frequently use the “Back-To-School” time frame for additional special pricing, so you might want to check with the Bay Tree Bookstore in July and August as you begin thinking about shopping for a computer. The Bay Tree Bookstore staff can help you make the right choices for your campus computing needs.

Computer Standards

The campus supports both PC and MAC environments. For general campus support standards, please visit its.ucsc.edu/service_catalog/standards. For standards specific to residential living on campus, please visit resnet.ucsc.edu/CSD/computer.php.

Your UC Santa Cruz Identity Account is Pre-assigned

Your UC Santa Cruz Identity is your e-mail account. Faculty and other campus representatives will send email about classes, important reminders, and information about student services to this account. For example, your UCSC address (youraccount@ucsc.edu) shows up on e-mail lists that faculty use for classes. In addition to e-mail, this same UCSC account gives you access to the campus Instructional Computing Labs, dial-up network access from off-campus, and the central Unix timeshare systems. Every UC Santa Cruz student is assigned a UCSC Identity account upon enrollment. You can activate your pre-assigned UC Santa Cruz Identity through the MyUCSC portal at my.ucsc.edu.

You are expected to monitor your email messages from faculty, staff, and other students. All student e-mail accounts are given a 1GB quota limit.

The campus provides CruzMail, a web-based email client, as well as anti-virus software to keep your machine virus-free. The university also has 12 computer labs located at most of the colleges and a number of academic buildings.

Computing Facilities and Policies

Since the Internet is a dynamic environment, please be aware of the following information:

• Students using UC Santa Cruz computing facilities and services must comply with the
  University of California state and federal policies and laws referenced at security.ucsc.edu/policies.shtml. While that web page lists many of the university policies, it is in no way meant as an exhaustive and complete list. New regulations and policies and procedures are constantly evolving. Laws, policies, or other regulations on aspects not specific to networks or computing may also apply, e.g., student conduct, personnel policy or contract, sexual harassment laws, chain letter laws, or other regulations.
  
• Web pages at UC Santa Cruz (and beyond) are expanding and changing rapidly. Please send questions regarding any information found on the web to a contact person listed on each web site.
  
• Please send questions or concerns about electronic abuses or harassment via e-mail to abuse@ucsc.edu.

Local telephone service is provided in every student room (except for the Camper Park and Family Student Housing). There is one telephone line for each single and double room, and two telephone lines in each room with three or more residents. You must provide your own telephone and use a calling card to place long distance calls. Each telephone line also includes a voicemail box. Because the campus voicemail system picks up all unanswered calls, we recommend not using an answering machine in your residence . Call (831) 459-3111 or contact telephone@ucsc.edu for more information on telephone services.

Modem Access for Students off Campus
If you want to connect from off-campus, you can connect via a university modem pool at no charge, but with limited connection hours per week. See its.ucsc.edu/services/hardware/modems.php for more information on this topic and information on configuring your computer software for these options.

Computing Labs for Drop-in Use and Academic Classes
ITS manages 12 computer labs throughout the campus. These labs have more than 360 computers available for you to use, including PCs, MACs, and Sun workstations. Wireless access is available in most labs.

The computing labs are used like classrooms; they can be reserved by faculty or teaching assistants for instruction. When not reserved for instruction, the labs are available to you on a walk-in basis. Even if they are not teaching in the labs, many faculty request academic software to be installed in the labs so that you may complete homework assignments.

Faculty or teaching assistants can request ITS staff to conduct training sessions as part of an academic course. Contact Robin Ove, Faculty Instructional Technology Center manager, fitc@ucsc.edu, for more information.

More extensive lab information, including hardware and software specifications and hours of operation, is available at ic.ucsc.edu.

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Academic Course Materials on the Web
The WebCT course management system is a tool to create sophisticated web-based course materials to supplement, but not replace, classroom instruction. WebCT uses a web browser as the interface for the course. Faculty using WebCT can incorporate a wide variety of tools in their course site such as a course calendar, student conferencing system, electronic mail, group projects with student-created web pages, and quizzes. Outside of class time, you can use WebCT to view course materials, participate in web-based class discussions, collaborate on student group projects, and take quizzes. Faculty can use WebCT to see what materials students have viewed before they arrive in class. When faculty administer pre-class quizzes on WebCT, they can see what concepts students understand before class and then tailor the lecture accordingly. You must have established your UCSC Identity to enroll in WebCT courses. For more information about WebCT and other UCSC course web sites, see ic.ucsc.edu/services/learning_management_system/index.php and ic.ucsc.edu/services/websites_media_course_materials/course_websites.php.

Disability Accommodations for Computing
If you have a disability and require adaptive or assistive technology to use lab computers, library facilities, or other campus services, please contact the Disability Resource Center (DRC) right away so that they can coordinate services for you. Instructional Computing labs have common adaptive technologies—such as enlarged type for students with low vision and Dvorak keyboards for students with repetitive strain injuries. If you need accommodations, please call the DRC at (831) 459-2089 (voice), or (831) 459-4806 (TTY).

Need Computing Help?

If you need additional help with computer accounts, network access, or general computer questions, please contact the ITS Support Center. The Support Center is located on campus at Kerr Hall. Support for students is in room 62 and support for faculty and staff is in room 54.

The ITS Support Center provides help to faculty, staff and students with computer-related support requests. Help is available the following ways:

1) Online: http://itrequest.ucsc.edu
2) Call : Ext. 9-HELP (4357)
3) Email: help@ucsc.edu
4) Walk-in support: Kerr Hall Room 54/62, M- F 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Job Opportunities
Instructional Computing (a unit within ITS) has about 100 student staff positions, including lab consultants, who staff labs and assist students; student technicians, who maintain lab hardware and software; and web developers, who work on project teams to produce academic course sites. Please see ic.ucsc.edu/aboutus/jobs.php for more information about the computer lab positions.

The Information Resource Center hires student consultants through the UCSC Career Center. For more information, see www2.ucsc.edu/careers/.

Related Information

• Information Technology Services: its.ucsc.edu
  
• Computing Frequently Asked Questions: ic.ucsc.edu/faq.php
  
• Bay Tree Bookstore (computer purchase): slugstore.ucsc.edu
  
• CruzMail campus e-mail: https://cruzmail.ucsc.edu
• CruzNet wireless network: cruznet.ucsc.edu
  
• ResNet: resnet.ucsc.edu
  
• Activate your UC Santa Cruz Identity Account (free for students who have enrolled): MyUCSC Portal at my.ucsc.edu
  
• Instructional computing labs for students (also see link to apply for student lab jobs): ic.ucsc.edu

Cross-Enrollment

The cross-enrollment program permits UCSC students who meet certain eligibility criteria to enroll in one undergraduate course, on a space-available basis each quarter or semester, at a California community college or California state university. The host campus may charge an administrative fee each quarter, and students must reapply each quarter they wish to cross-enroll at another campus. The fee is $18 per unit.

Note: not all community colleges participate in the cross-enrollment program; contact the institution where you wish to enroll for information.

Lost and Found

The first place to go for lost and found items is the nearest college or department office. Items that are not claimed from these offices are taken to the University Police Office, located in the H Barn near the main entrance to the campus, (831) 459-2231.

MyUCSC Portal Password

Your password is required each time you use the MyUCSC portal. Your password is assigned to you when you receive your student identification number.

We strongly suggest that you change your password and set up a password hint the first time you access the MyUCSC portal. You may select a minimum of 8 characters (one character must be a numeral) as your new password. You may also change your password any time thereafter.

It is extremely important that your password remain confidential. Do not give it to anyone. If you forget your password or believe the privacy of your password has been compromised, e-mail help@ucsc.edu to reset your password.

Name Change

Name Change petitions are available at the Office of the Registrar. A student who is currently enrolled or has applied to graduate and is requesting an official name change on his or her academic records must complete this form and present it, in person, at the Office of the Registrar. You must submit documentation showing legal change of name (court order) or use of requested name on official documentation (e.g., drivers license, social security card, passport, marriage certificate, etc.). You may also correct your name at the Office of the Registrar if, for example, it is misspelled or the punctuation is incorrect. Be prepared to show proof of the correctly spelled name.

When you file a Name Change petition, you may also order and pay for a new student ID card at the Bay Tree Bookstore Building.

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Nonrelease of Public Information

The following information is considered public information and may be disclosed: name, college or local address, e-mail address, local telephone number, college and major field of study, dates of attendance, class level, enrollment status, intercollegiate athlete’s height and weight, and degrees and honors received.

To have this information withheld from release, select the Personal Information link on the MyUCSC portal, then click on Directory Restrictions. Be sure that you understand the implications of filing this request. Every single item listed above will be withheld.

Once a Request for Nonrelease of Public Information is filed, it remains in effect—even after you are no longer attending UCSC—until you request to rescind it via the MyUCSC portal, or by letter.

Student Identification Card

A plastic card bearing your picture is issued the first quarter of enrollment, generally during college orientation.

Each quarter the college (department for graduate students) issues a validation sticker to be affixed to your ID card. The sticker is issued once you have completed registration and is available beginning the first day of the quarter. The card with the current quarter sticker is proof that you are registered. The college or department will not issue a sticker if your quarterly fees are unpaid. Go to the Office of the Registrar to complete your registration, and a sticker will be provided.

Transcript Information

A transcript is an official copy of a student’s academic history at UCSC. Transcript requests are not processed if you have outstanding financial obligations to the university. If you received a message after ordering your transcripts that indicates you have a hold on your transcripts, please contact Student Business Services via e-mail at oarinfo@ucsc.edu. Two versions of your official UCSC student records are available from the Office of the Registrar: with or without evaluations. See reg.ucsc.edu/students/ordering.htm for information about ordering transcripts and for transcript fees.

Transcripts with evaluations include:
Courses graded P, A, B, C, D, F, W, or I. NP will appear for courses taken fall 2001 and after. The grades of A and B may be modified by a plus (+) or minus (-). The grade C may be modified by a plus (but not by a minus). Incompletes lapse at the end of the subsequent quarter; in letter-graded courses, the I lapses to an F, in Pass/No Pass grading, to a No Pass.

Degrees awarded, honors, number of transfer credits, evaluations of courses, and an evaluation of comprehensive examination or senior thesis also appear.

Transcripts without evaluations include:
Courses graded P, A, B, C, D, F, W, or I. NP will appear for courses taken fall 2001 and after. The grades of A and B may be modified by a plus (+) or minus (-). The grade C may be modified by a plus (but not by a minus). Incompletes lapse at the end of the subsequent quarter; in letter-graded courses, the I lapses to an F, in Pass/No Pass grading, to a No Pass.

Degrees awarded, honors, and number of transfer credits also appear.

Requesting a Transcript
The fastest way to order a transcript is via the web with a credit or debit card. Credit/debit card orders must be requested through Credentials Inc., avendor that provides this service through an agreement with UC Santa Cruz. To use the online ordering system, go to reg.ucsc.edu and click on Ordering UCSC Transcripts. Under Ordering by Credit Card, select the Credentials Inc. icon. This is a secure, encrypted site. The charge for using this service is $1.75 per transcript.

Transcript Availability
Transcripts are available as follows:

• approximately 10 days after the end of the quarter to include grades, or
• approximately six weeks after the end of the quarter to include evaluations or a degree if applicable.

Processing/Mailing Time
Allow one to two weeks for processing from the time your request is received by our office. During the peak period (November through February), processing may take longer.

You may request and pay an additional fee for your transcript to be mailed via next-day service. This service provides fast delivery and a receipt that the transcript was received by the recipient. This service expedites transit time, not processing time. Federal Express is used for all destinations, except post office boxes, in which case the transcripts are sent by U.S. Postal Express. The additional charge for Federal Express within the U.S. is $20. The additional charge for Federal Express outside the U.S. is $30 per transcript (with or without evaluations). Please note that if the appropriate fee has not been received for next-day service, your transcript will be sent via regular mail.

UCSC Extension Transcripts
Transcripts for UCSC Extension courses must be ordered from UCSC Extension, 1101 Pacific Ave, Suite 200, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, (831) 427-6600, or via the web at www.ucsc-extension.edu.

Veterans and Veterans’ Dependents

Veteran Services, a part of the Registrar’s Office located in 160 Hahn Student Services, serves as a liaison between the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) and students who, as veterans, veterans’ dependents, or reservists, receive education benefits. The staff also assists with the Cal Vet program, which offers fee waivers to California residents who are dependents of veterans who have died or are disabled due to service-related causes.

If you are a veteran or veteran’s dependent, to ensure timely processing of your benefits claim, contact Veteran Services as soon as you receive notification of admission to UCSC. Call 459-1358 for further information.

Satisfactory Progress Toward a Degree Objective
Veterans and veterans’ dependents who receive educational benefits are expected to make satisfactory progress towards completion of a degree objective. Until you have decided on a major (degree objective) and have a study plan on file, benefits will be paid only for general education courses and adviser-recommended remedial courses. If you remain on academic probation beyond two quarters without improvement, your benefits shall be subject to suspension.

Dropping a course or requesting a W grade notation will affect your payments; you are responsible for promptly reporting the drop or W to Veteran Services. If, due to mitigating circumstances, you drop a course or withdraw from the university, the reduction or termination of payments will begin on the effective date of the drop. If mitigating circumstances cannot be shown, the DVA will consider the effective date to be the first day of the quarter in which the drop or withdrawal occurs, and you will be charged for an overpayment from the first day of the quarter. A mitigating circumstance is defined as a circumstance beyond the student’s control that hinders the student from pursuing a program of studies.

Please note that you cannot be paid for auditing a course.

Transfer Credit
The amount of transfer credit which satisfies UCSC graduation requirements (including major requirements) is reported to the Department of Veteran’s Affairs as “credit for prior training.” The DVA will pay only for the maximum number of quarters required to complete 180 credits.

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