Winter quarter wrapped up as never before on Friday, as students packed their belongings into pick-up trucks and minivans, strapped surfboards to rooftops, and tucked guitars into back seats.
There were no good-bye hugs as the campus community made a major pivot to remote education for spring quarter to help prevent the spread of coronavirus. As finals week wrapped up, more than 6,800 students had indicated that they plan to move off campus for spring. Another 1,300 told housing officials they planned to remain in campus housing. Housing officials anticipate relocating some students to further increase social distancing.
In the midst of this unprecedented disruption, signs of spring were everywhere: cherry blossoms, flowering wild iris, and the periwinkle sparkles of hound’s tongue. Deer grazed the meadows and wild turkeys stopped traffic, familiar hallmarks of the campus and reminders of the enduring rhythms of the natural world.
More information about the campus's response to COVID-19 can be found online at ucsc.edu/coronavirus.
