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A "thank you" to our staff

To: UC Santa Cruz staff

From: Chancellor Cynthia Larive and interim Campus Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Lori Kletzer

March 20, 2020

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 support our students, our faculty, our research, and the mission of UC Santa Cruz.

As we face the enormous challenge of a global pandemic, we know that shifting to remote instruction will not be simple or seamless. But your efforts to help students continue to learn remotely, to support faculty and researchers, and to keep the university up and running 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 to work, teach and learn in the face of such uncertainty is not an attempt to maintain normalcy. It highlights our collective commitment to our students, our mission, and our community. Many of our students depend on financial aid, and by helping them stay the course, you are allowing them to access crucial resources and remain on track for graduation. You are helping valuable research and public service continue, advancing the mission of this university. Your work is greatly appreciated.

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. Your many contributions have not gone unnoticed.

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.