Parent & Family News

  • December 12, 2019

    Raising awareness of ‘deficit thinking’

    Undergraduate researcher works to combat harmful perceptions many first-generation students experience

  • December 06, 2019

    Collective boost for Slug Support

    UCSC celebrates success of Giving Tuesday fundraiser focused on student basic needs

  • November 19, 2019

    2019 photo contest winners

    There were over 100 entries this year in the chancellor's holiday photo contest. Here are the winners.

  • November 19, 2019

    Rachel Carson College: Training the green generation

    UC Santa Cruz’s eighth college is a haven for sustainability-minded, environmentally conscious students hoping to lead and empower others .

  • November 06, 2019

    Biotech blooms on Santa Cruz’s westside

    The biotech boom on the westside of Santa Cruz is the culmination of all the pieces falling into place—brilliant and driven graduate alumni and faculty members who are eager to make people’s lives better, vacant buildings in need of a new purpose, and a university partnering with the community to foster entrepreneurs.

  • October 31, 2019

    First generation, lasting impact

    Funding from Jacques M. Littlefield Foundation is helping first-generation students succeed and generating research on practices that can support students across the country

  • October 25, 2019

    Campus sites may be excluded from Tuesday’s planned power outage

    PG&E has said that UC Santa Cruz sites, including the residential campus, may be excluded from Tuesday’s planned power outage. Regular operations are expected to continue tomorrow. Read more at ucsc.edu/status.

  • September 24, 2019

    New website highlights UCSC's "living labs"

    A new website provides easy access to programs offering opportunities for hands-on learning at UCSC.

  • September 23, 2019

    Moving in and moving up

    Move-in at UC Santa Cruz was a time of new beginnings, farewells, excitement and nostalgia. The campus expected to welcome more than 9,000 students to the community over the course of the week.

  • September 23, 2019

    Jack Baskin at 100

    UC Santa Cruz celebrates the centenary of Jack Baskin, a pivotal donor whose generosity has shaped the university and benefited causes throughout the Monterey Bay area

  • September 12, 2019

    UC Santa Cruz among Sierra magazine's top 25 cool schools  

    Reflecting a campuswide commitment to the long-term health of the Earth, UC Santa Cruz is among Sierra magazine's top 25 "Cool Schools" for 2019. 

  • September 11, 2019

    UC Santa Cruz ranks as a top worldwide research university

    UC Santa Cruz is among the top 200 research universities in the world, according to the latest analysis published by Times Higher Education (THE).

  • September 08, 2019

    UC Santa Cruz ranks as a leading university for social mobility

    UC Santa Cruz debuted as the second best university in the country for social mobility, according to the 2020 U.S. News and World Report rankings.

  • September 02, 2019

    Summer enrollment numbers continue to grow

    Summer enrollment grew for the third year in a row at UC Santa Cruz Summer Session with more than 5,999 students taking summer classes. This is the highest recorded summer enrollment, about a 16 percent increase from last year.

  • August 26, 2019

    Finding his way—with a little help

    All alumnus Patrick Bailey needed was some support, which he found in the Summer Research Experience program at UC Santa Cruz; this year, he defied the odds by earning a Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology, and is now doing cancer research.

  • August 21, 2019

    Crown College: Science-minded, socially mindful

    Crown College, known for its science culture, enhances the student experience through academic innovation, ample research opportunities, and courses that make students think beyond their fields of study.

  • July 23, 2019

    Scholars weigh in on new ideas about autism

    The authors of a provocative new paper maintain that many of the behaviors common to autism—including low eye contact, repetitive movements, and the verbatim repetition of words and phrases—are misinterpreted as a lack of interest in social engagement. On the contrary, they say, many people with autism express a deep longing for social connection.

  • July 22, 2019

    Campus increases access for first-gen students

    UC Santa Cruz increased the number of California students admitted from low-income families, underrepresented groups, and those who will be the first in their family to earn a 4-year degree.

  • June 14, 2019

    Updates on commencement impacts

    Stay updated on campus impacts from the 2019 commencement exercises.

  • June 07, 2019

    Student to pursue career helping immigrants

    First-generation college student Hector Arroyo De La Paz will graduate from UC Santa Cruz next week with a bachelor’s degree in legal studies and Latin American and Latino studies. He credits his parents for making it happen.

  • June 06, 2019

    A winning combination

    Chancellor’s Undergraduate Internship Program provides students with work experience while campus benefits

  • June 04, 2019

    Gifts accelerate research, from the galactic to the microscopic

    Gifts from Ken and Gloria Levy support biomedical discovery that may help cancer patients as well as research on dark matter halos, some of the universe’s largest structures

  • May 16, 2019

    Cynthia Larive to become 11th chancellor of UC Santa Cruz

    The University of California Board of Regents approved Dr. Cynthia K. Larive as the eleventh chancellor of UC Santa Cruz. Currently the provost and executive vice chancellor at UC Riverside, Larive has served the UC community for nearly a decade and a half as a faculty member, administrator and leader.

  • May 03, 2019

    The healing power of yoga

    Powerful Netflix documentary 'I Am Maris' explores student Maris Degener’s fall into anorexia, her discovery of yoga as a healing tool, and her eventual recovery.

  • May 02, 2019

    Enrollment opens for UCSC Summer Session

    Open enrollment is underway for UC Santa Cruz Summer Session, which offers a wide range of classes and online courses across multiple departments.

  • May 02, 2019

    Undergraduate with a love for politics eager to give back

    Inspired by the election of President Barack Obama and Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, Davon Thomas is forging his own path through the political sphere, currently serving as the vice president of External Affairs for the Student Union Assembly.

  • April 29, 2019

    Explore the "superbloom" in Santa Cruz County

    A new Field Guide to Plants of UC Santa Cruz makes exploring the landscapes of the campus—and the county—fun and rewarding.

  • April 23, 2019

    Can a drone weigh an elephant seal?

    Undergrad’s innovative research may lead to new methods of weighing seals, expanding our understanding of the mammals and the oceans

  • April 22, 2019

    Smith Society celebrates 20 years and unparalleled success

    On its 20th anniversary, the Smith Society pays tribute to a remarkable intergenerational community that has provided social mobility and a sense of family, making a college degree possible for hundreds of students

  • April 18, 2019

    From scholarship to achievement, five grads make their mark

    The five recipients of the 2019 Distinguished Graduate Student Alumni Award exemplify the diverse ways in which the former graduate students have translated their scholarship into an appreciable impact in various fields.

  • April 12, 2019

    Admissions director forged path as first-gen college student

    Blia Yang, the director of undergraduate admissions, may very well be the first Hmong admissions director in the state—or at least the UC system.

  • March 27, 2019

    Inspired Expeditions: A travel program for the curious

    UC Santa Cruz’s new travel program pairs travelers with expert professors for enhanced perspectives into some of the world’s most fascinating places.

  • March 22, 2019

    Updates on Cowell and Stevenson Commons

    The Cowell and Stevenson Student Commons facility has been closed due to a construction-related asbestos contamination incident.

  • March 18, 2019

    YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki and Google exec Dennis Troper share tips and tales

    During a campus visit on Saturday, tech titan Susan Wojcicki urged college students to pursue careers of meaning and impact in fields that are growing—and to be flexible and humble as they begin their work lives.

  • March 06, 2019

    Veteran teacher shows how achievement gaps in STEM classes can be eliminated

    Professor Tracy Larrabee succeeded in closing the gap between underrepresented minority and first-generation college students and the rest of her class.

  • February 20, 2019

    In memoriam: Irene Osterbrock

    Widow of late Lick Observatory director was tireless UC Santa Cruz advocate, volunteer, supporter of graduate students, and arts patron

  • February 14, 2019

    Marin County: Safe harbor for Native residents during the Mission era and into the 20th century

    Contrary to the dominant narrative of cultural extinction, indigenous residents of Marin County survived colonization, preserving and passing on their traditions and cultural practices, says anthropologist Tsim Schneider.

  • February 13, 2019

    Tech titan returns to campus, shares tales of survival

    Alumnus Michael Lopp is vice president of engineering at Slack, the popular team-building platform, and the author of two books and a blog about leadership.

  • February 05, 2019

    Former Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen receives Foundation Medal

    UC Santa Cruz presented Former Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen with the Foundation Medal, the highest honor bestowed by the campus.

  • February 05, 2019

    Campus to deliver new student orientation online

    Our goal is to provide the best experience for our students and this new approach allows students to learn at their own pace.

  • January 29, 2019

    Mentoring for a new millennium

    Until recently, higher education faculty and staff were largely left to intuit the qualities of a good mentor or to replicate the mentoring habits–skillful or unskillful–that they themselves experienced as undergraduates, graduate students, or postdoctoral researchers.

  • January 29, 2019

    UC Santa Cruz builds strong transfer, frosh applicant pool

    The campus marked the first step toward building the Classes of 2021 (transfer) and 2023 (first-time), receiving 67,262 applications for fall 2019 enrollment.