A "thank you" to our faculty

Dear colleagues,

We write today to express our sincere gratitude for all that you have done and will do in the coming months to continue to provide instruction to our students. As we face the enormous challenge of a global pandemic, we know that shifting to remote instruction will not be simple, seamless or the solution to every problem. But your efforts to help students continue to learn remotely have allowed us to reduce the density of people living and working on campus. That will ultimately help reduce the spread and intensity of COVID-19. The work you are doing is crucial, and we are deeply grateful for your efforts in these unprecedented times.

Continuing instruction is not an attempt to maintain normalcy. It highlights our collective commitment to our students and our community. Many of our students depend on financial aid, and by continuing to teach, you are allowing our students to access crucial resources and to stay on track for graduation. While we are apart, you are continuing to create communities of learning.

Crisis reveals the vulnerabilities of our systems and our ways of life. We are working to ensure that our campus remains able to house those who need it, and to do so as safely as possible. We are only just beginning to understand the scale of this public health challenge and the changes needed to support our community. With that in mind, we also thank you for your patience and engagement as these issues unfold.

This has not been an easy year for UC Santa Cruz. Though we are apart physically, we are together in spirit, and it has been and continues to be a privilege to face these difficulties and uncertainties alongside you. UCSC and our community will emerge from these challenges a stronger, more resilient campus.