September 2016 News Archive

Study implicates glial cells in fragile X syndrome

Genetic defect behind a common cause of mental retardation affects not only neurons but also the more numerous glial cells in the

2016-2017 Campus Food & Garden Guide now available

UC Santa Cruz ranks in the top 20 of Sierra magazine’s list of “Cool Schools” in large part because of its dedication to improving the campus food

Required state and federal notices

n compliance with a federal law known as the Jeanne Clery Act, the Annual Campus Security and Fire Safety Report 2015 (PDF) is online.

Jody Greene appointed founding director of Center for Innovations in Teaching and Learning

Jody Greene, professor of literature, feminist studies, and history of consciousness, has been appointed the founding director of the new Center for Innovations in Teaching and Learning

A tale of two fetuses

In 'What Becomes Us,' a new novel by UC Santa Cruz literature professor Micah Perks, twin fetuses tell the story of a pregnant woman who abandons her controlling

In Memoriam: Madeline Halluin

Madeline Halluin graduated in spring 2016 with a bachelor of arts in sociology and a bachelor of arts in film and digital media with a concentration in general film and digital media.

Ocean conditions contributed to unprecedented 2015 toxic algal bloom

A new study connects the unprecedented West Coast toxic algae bloom of 2015 to the unusually warm ocean

Assistance needed in identifying a person of interest placing bias-motivated packages on campus

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department has been alerted to several bias motivated packages containing a CD and note that have been left at several locations on campus yesterday afternoon and this morning.

Cultural competency training aims to help foster an inclusive culture

For the past eight years, Diversity and Inclusion Program Coordinator Donnae Smith has been delivering a training to students to help them support the difficult conversations that can

Giving voice to the voiceless

Andres Arias (Oakes, 2016), a double major in Latin American and Latino studies and sociology, has immersed himself in California migrant communities to conduct original research about

Pesticide predicament for California's strawberry growers

The powerful fumigant methyl bromide will be retired from California’s strawberry fields at the end of this year after more than 20 years of fierce debate over its

UC Santa Cruz embarks on equity initiative for Latino, low-income students in STEM fields

The UC Santa Cruz Science Education & Mentorship In Latino Lives in Academia (SEMILLA) Project,will enable the campus to create a comprehensive set of interventions—guided by analysis and

Physicist Anthony Aguirre appointed to endowed chair in physics of information

Faggin Family Presidential Chair for the Physics of Information supports research and teaching to address fundamental

Spring Nominations: 2016-2017 Excellence in Teaching Awards

Is there an instructor who you think deserves special recognition from your spring quarter 2016? If so, nominate that person for an Excellence in Teaching Award!

Recent Thefts and Burglaries (September 2016)

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department is seeking the community's assistance in identifying the individual(s) responsible for a series burglaries and thefts that have occurred throughout the campus.

Register to vote today on National Voter Registration Day

If you are not registered to vote, wish to change your party affiliation, or are not sure if you’re registered, we urge you to take a few minutes to do so today.

Arboretum holds Fall Plant Sale on Saturday, October 15

The Fall Plant Sale offers dazzling, year-round color for Central Coast

Campus community invited to hear from diversity officer candidates

After the visits, the search committee will invite those present (via an online survey), to provide their assessment of the candidates' presentations.

Wildfire in Santa Cruz Mountains

New senate faculty further campus expertise across divisions

UC Santa Cruz has more than three dozen new senate faculty members joining this academic year, bringing the campus total up to

Anger in Politics: From Shakespeare to Donald Trump

What place does anger have in public life? On the eve of an historic election, the Institute for Humanities Research at UC Santa Cruz, in collaboration with the

Art professor to stage 'exercise of freedom' at former military police headquarters in Greece at Documenta 14

UC Santa Cruz art professor Elizabeth Stephens and her artistic collaborator Annie Sprinkle will participate this weekend in Documenta 14, one of the most prestigious art exhibitions in

Making 'green' multicolor—and multicultural

The People of Color Sustainability Collective is getting high praise for increasing awareness about the various ways people of color contribute to sustainable

Entering class increases diversity, access

The growth in undergraduate enrollment, 650 more California undergraduates than fall 2015, is part of the University of California’s commitment to enroll 5,000 more students across the UC

Resources for supporting students in distress

We are happy to announce the completion of a mental health handbook for faculty and staff. This handbook represents a compilation of the best practices and thinking on recognizing and responding to student mental health issues based on input from UC CAPS directors and mental health practitioners throughout our system.

Student of Color Conference

The Student of Color Conference (SOCC) is the annual University of California Student Association (UCSA) event where members come together to engage and challenge students of color and their allies to address issues of structural and cultural inequalities.

Genomics leader David Haussler to advise Chan Zuckerberg science initiative

The professor of biomolecular engineering is among the experts who helped shape the initiative's new focus on

Welcome to campus: safety tips

If you or someone you care about needs support around overuse of alcohol and/or drugs or would like to learn more about obtaining a naloxone kit, utilize the resources provided to students through SHOP in the Cowell Student Health Center.

Ironman scientist races to the front of the pack

Pelayo Menendez Fernandez, a visiting Long Marine Laboratory researcher from Spain, put in a great showing at the Ironman triathlon in Santa Cruz

ARCS Foundation scholarships support UCSC graduate students

Eleven UC Santa Cruz graduate students have received scholarships worth a total of $110,000 from the ARCS

Rules governing political campaign-related activities

The decisions made on Tuesday, Nov. 8, will be of great importance to all Americans.

OPERS Fest traffic impacts on 9/20/16

OPERS Fest will be held on the OPERS East Field on Tuesday, September 20th from 3pm-6pm.

Re-opening of Bike Path on Wednesday

The Great Meadow Bike Path will be open for public use again this Wednesday afternoon, September 21st.

Welcome to the new school year

Classes haven't even begun, and already this year is off to a great start: UC Santa Cruz was just named one of the greenest schools in the country, we received high rankings for academic quality in an international assessment, and last week we introduced the campus to Rachel Carson College (formerly College Eight).

Patricia Zavella wins anthropology association distinguished career award

Patricia Zavella, UC Santa Cruz professor of Latin American and Latino studies, has been named winner of the 2016 Distinguished Career Award from the Association of Latina and

Meditation sessions open to campus community

The sessions are free and open to faculty, staff, and students. No prior meditation experience is needed. The exercises are nondenominational and secular.

Campus strengthens bridges to high school students via summer session offerings

Local high school students took courses, helped with research, worked campus jobs, and even lived on campus this past

Philanthropy in pursuit of a healthier planet

Alec and Claudia Webster, who help steward the philanthropy of the Helen and Will Webster Foundation, look at how they can accomplish the most good with their

College Eight becomes Rachel Carson College

The naming gift from the Helen and Will Webster Foundation recognizes Carson for her courage and pivotal role in awakening the public to environmental issues.

Erika Check Hayden will be new director of Science Communication Program

Veteran science journalist Erika Check Hayden will become the program's third director in January

Erika Check Hayden to be next director of Science Communication Program

UC Santa Cruz student games featured at IndieCade Festival

The UCSC game design program will be well represented at IndieCade, the biggest event in the indie games

Astronomer Garth Illingworth to receive Astronomical Society's Berkeley Prize

Illingworth will receive the 2016 Lancelot M. Berkeley – New York Community Trust Prize for Meritorious Work in

A gift that honors the legacy of UC Santa Cruz

I am delighted to share the wonderful news that UC Santa Cruz has received a gift to establish an endowment for College Eight, which will be named in honor of crusading environmentalist Rachel Carson.

UC Santa Cruz Farm hosts Fall Harvest Festival Sunday, Sept. 25

Fresh produce, music, farm tours, cooking demonstrations, and much more await visitors at the 2016 UC Santa Cruz Farm & Garden Fall Harvest Festival, Sunday, Sept. 25, from

New optofluidic platform features tunable optics and novel 'lightvalves'

UCSC engineers developed an integrated platform for biological sample processing and optical

Annual campus Move-In begins Thursday, Sept. 15

This week we are preparing to welcome more than 9,100 residential students to our community. University Housing will open its doors for occupancy beginning Thursday, Sept. 15, and student Move-In will continue through Sunday, Sept. 18.

UC Santa Cruz ranks among top 30 U.S. public universities

The campus also is one of the top 100 national universities, according to the annual rankings by U.S. News and World

NSF funds UC Santa Cruz project to develop assisted public transit services

With a grant of nearly $1 million, UCSC engineers will create a service for passengers with special

Julie Snyder: Serially great journalism

UC Santa Cruz alumna, who will receive this year’s Alumni Achievement Award, talks about making the hit podcast Serial and how her college years laid the foundation for

Student challenges assumptions about transgender athletes

At 19, Chloe Anderson transitioned from male to female. The 24-year-old transfer is one of the first transgender athletes to participate in volleyball at the NCAA Division III

Big questions to be explored at Silicon Valley Campus grand opening

The celebration, showcasing the multidisciplinary teaching and research hub, will feature an open house, a ribbon cutting, and a handful of engaging talks by leading campus

UCSC Natural Reserves director Gage Dayton appointed to endowed chair

The Wilton W. Webster Jr. Presidential Chair for the UC Santa Cruz Natural Reserves provides support for research, teaching, and infrastructure at the

UC Santa Cruz among greenest universities in Sierra Club ranking

Coming in at No. 18, the ranking underscored UC Santa Cruz’s strong commitment to protecting the environment, addressing climate change, and encouraging

Alumnus Tom Franco Collaborates with Art

Growing up in Palo Alto, CA into a gifted artistic family, it seems natural that Tom Franco would want to pursue a career in art. Both of his

Football, farming, and food security

Former NFL star defensive end Kalimba Edwards is on an ambitious mission: He hopes to one day create a self-sustaining food system that can feed the nation’s hungry

UC Santa Cruz highlighted in Green College Honor Roll

UC Santa Cruz scored 99 points—the most possible—in a listing meant to provide a comprehensive measure of a school's performance as an environmentally aware and prepared institution.

Astronauts sequence DNA in space using technology developed at UC Santa Cruz

DNA was sequenced in microgravity for the first time using a device based on UCSC's nanopore sequencing