Late last week, the wildfire sweeping through the Santa Cruz Mountains forced us to evacuate campus, a first in our 55-year history. My thoughts are with all who have been affected by this fire and the others burning in the state.
The fire thankfully never reached our residential campus, but our community has been greatly affected. The fire has destroyed hundreds of homes, which is exacerbating our local housing crisis as families affected by the fire try to find new places to live. With so much impact on our planning for fall, we can only accommodate a small number of students and are encouraging everyone to spend fall quarter at their current residence, if possible. We are eager to welcome you back to Santa Cruz when we have recovered from this wildfire. Students who have applied for campus housing will be contacted directly today by email to help them determine their best course of action. If you have questions about housing, contact housing@ucsc.edu.
Our campus is not the only thing that makes UC Santa Cruz special. It's also our extraordinary students, faculty, and staff. Our team is at work right now to bring you the best of the student experience come fall.
Stay safe, stay well, and stay connected. And remember that wherever you are, you’re still a Banana Slug.
Chancellor Cynthia Larive
UC Santa Cruz
