Whether you have been evacuated from your residence on campus, are living near campus, or are watching or hearing about the fires in the Santa Cruz area from some distance away, I know that many of you are scared right now. You have concerns and might not be sure where to turn or what to do next. You are not alone.
Other staff members from around campus and I are working to support you through this.
Yesterday, the chancellor issued a Declaration of Emergency which began the process of campus evacuation. Shortly after, a mandatory evacuation order was issued by Cal FIRE. UCSC has set up an evacuation center open to students in the local Santa Cruz area, and who are facing evacuation.
The evacuation center, located at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, is open to any student who needs a place to go during the fires and evacuations. There are staff members ready to greet you, provide you with a warm meal and help you continue to stay safe while the fires and evacuation orders persist. Pack a bag with essential clothing, toiletries and any medicine that you take. Bring your student ID. COVID-19 safety precautions are in place at the center.
We are also providing meals at the evacuation center for all students today and during the period of evacuation. The schedule for meals is: 8:30 am, 12:30 pm, and 5:30 pm. Please present your student ID upon arrival at the evacuation center and let the check-in staff know that you are stopping in for a meal only.
For those of you who may have other urgent needs (including students who are not physically in the Santa Cruz area) related to housing, food insecurity, or health and wellness, you can call Slug Support at (831) 459-7003 and we will connect you with a case manager who will assist you.
In an effort to understand the needs of our off-campus students who are in the local area, and how the campus may support you, I encourage you to complete this survey which has been designed to collect feedback from students who are off-campus.
I know that you have many questions about the wildfire, the status of the campus and how recovery and restart will unfold. We post information centrally so that all students can access it at: https://status.ucsc.edu/fire/
And we will keep you updated to the best of our ability. Below you will also find information about important resources and services. If you still aren’t sure where to turn for support, please don’t hesitate to reply to this message and I will make sure a member of my team gets back to you.
In community,
Jennifer
Resources and Services
UCSC Evacuation Center:
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Evacuation Center for UCSC Affiliates: Cocoanut Grove at the Boardwalks (use entrance B), 400 Beach Street, Santa Cruz. Parking is in the lot adjacent to the Cocoanut Grove.
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
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A Let’s Talk Session is scheduled on Monday, 8/24/2020 from 1:30 - 3:30 pm PST. This session is primarily intended for students who have been displaced by evacuation of the campus but any UCSC student may participate. Access information can be found on the CAPS Calendar.
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For counseling support any time, please contact: 831-459-2628
Campus Fire Updates
Local News to Follow:
Fire Safety and CalFire Information
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Red Cross Wildfire Safety website
