October 2020 News Archive

Open Enrollment 2020

The annual Open Enrollment (OE) period Open Enrollment will take place from 8 a.m. on Oct. 29 through 5 p.m. on Nov. 24. Changes made during Open Enrollment become effective on January 1, 2021.

Spring-run and fall-run Chinook salmon aren’t as different as they seem

Genetic analysis of Klamath River Chinook salmon finds a simple genetic variant determines the timing of migration, and seasonal runs are otherwise the same

Update about the campus budget, voting and COVID testing

The economic impacts of COVID are also sobering, for families and our country. The University of California system is not immune to these realities.

Campus publishes reports on CARES Act funding

UC Santa Cruz has published two reports summarizing how it has used funding received through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

Genetic analysis system yields new insights into bacterial pneumonia

Using a CRISPR interference system to study virulence genes in a mouse model of pneumonia, scientists observed surprising variability in how the disease

Big Ideas contest offers up to $20,000 for big ideas in social innovation

Big Ideas contest, open to all UC students, seeks student-led, early-stage projects or ideas with a social impact focus.

Scientists discover how a common mutation leads to ‘night owl’ sleep disorder

A small change in a key component of our biological clocks lengthens the clock period, causing people to stay up late at night and sleep late in the

MacArthur 'genius' grant winner reflects on early influences at UC Santa Cruz

Forrest Stuart has built his career pursuing burning questions about the societal underpinnings of poverty and criminalization across disciplines. Stuart said his research focus has been influenced both

Planned power outage announced for Santa Cruz County

Pacific Gas and Electric Co. announced late Friday that it will likely preemptively cut power tonight to a large swath of Central and Northern California, including parts of Santa Cruz County, to prevent power lines from sparking wildfires during dry and extremely windy weather forecast for later this week. Thirty-eight counties may be affected by the planned outage.

UCSC Library completes project to make 670 Cabrillo Music Festival recordings available to public

The project preserves and now makes available live Festival performances from 1964 to 1990, featuring works by such experimental artists as John Cage, Annea Lockwood, and Lou

UC Santa Cruz iGEM team seeks a solution to plastic waste

Through campus shutdowns, wildfires, and a two-week quarantine, 13 UCSC students have been finding ways to research a solution to agricultural plastic

Campus conducting post-CZU Fire community experience survey

Reminder: COVID-19 information forum tomorrow

The next UC Santa Cruz COVID-19 Information Forum will be on Friday, October 23 from 9:30–11 a.m.

Rolling out new telecommuting tools

While in many cases, remote work is situational and will eventually return to working on-site, there are other cases in which working remotely, part-time or full-time, can be a long-term model for our employees.

Feminist studies Ph.D. student receives American Association of University Women fellowship

The program aims to tackle barriers women face in education by recognizing recipients whose academic work and community projects empower women and

UCSC alumna Traci Chee named finalist for 2020 National Book Award

'We Are Not Free,' a work of historical fiction by UC Santa Cruz alumna Traci Chee, has been named a finalist for the 2020 National Book Award for

Physical and Biological Sciences Division honors three prominent alumni

The PBSci Distinguished Alumni Awards recognize contributions to society by graduate and undergraduate

UCSC Winter Break Curtailment

Like many of you, we were discouraged to learn we would no longer be allowed to use our available COVID-19 UC Expanded Paid Admin Leave to cover campus-based winter break curtailment days for this year.

Provide feedback on UC’s proposed systemwide curtailment/salary reduction plan

President Michael Drake and the UC Office of the President seek feedback from all campuses on a proposed systemwide combined curtailment and salary reduction plan that would apply to both staff and faculty to help mitigate the financial impacts of COVID-19.

HSI grant to support graduate students

The grant from the U.S. Department of Education will help the campus increase the readiness of Latinx, low-income and students of color from UC Santa Cruz and CSU

Voter registration deadline is today

Today is the deadline to register for the first time or to update your registration if you have moved since last casting a ballot.

Doctoral candidate wins Switzer Fellowship for environmental justice research in El Salvador

James Alejandro Artiga-Purcell, a Ph.D. candidate in Environmental Studies, was recently selected for the 2020 Switzer Environmental Fellowship as part of a cohort of 20 top scholar-activists from

‘Be the Difference’ Award honors UCSC Molecular Diagnostic Lab

The award recognizes UCSC’s efforts to provide local testing for coronavirus

Provide feedback on UC’s proposed systemwide curtailment/salary reduction plan

President Michael Drake and the UC Office of the President seek feedback from all campuses on a proposed systemwide combined curtailment and salary reduction plan that would apply to both staff and faculty to help mitigate the financial impacts of COVID-19.

The savior of the opera

With dampened prospects for in-person classes, rehearsals, and performances this pandemic year, UC Santa Cruz’s opera program is adapting with help from donor Scott

'Response, recovery, and resiliency'

Threatened with wildfires in August and September, an army of UC Santa Cruz employees worked hard to keep their community safe, fed, and housed.

Curtailment — Revision/correction to Oct. 12 announcement

This memo corrects one important error in the Oct. 12 message pertaining to what types of leave can be used to cover the six curtailment days.

‘Visualizing Abolition’ series kicks off with conversation featuring Angela Davis and Gina Dent

The UCSC Institute of the Arts and Sciences has joined forces with associate feminist studies professor Gina Dent to offer a year-long online series featuring artists, activists, scholars,

Updated information on flu vaccine requirements for faculty and staff

To support the health and well-being of students, faculty, and staff amid the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, the University of California is strongly encouraging everyone in the campus community to receive a flu vaccine by Oct. 31.

Oct. 22 Town Hall to focus on budget present, future

After much conversation, we understand that there are many issues occurring all at once, but foremost on many of our minds is what is happening with our campus budget. We will be partnering with the Chancellor's office to host a Town Hall centered around our budget present and future.

Founding campus leader Hal Hyde dies at 97

Harold A. (Hal) Hyde, who, as the first vice chancellor for business and finance at the University of California, Santa Cruz, helped create a world-class campus on a

Sad news regarding founding administrator Harold A. (Hal) Hyde

It is with a very heavy heart that I share the news of the passing of UC Santa Cruz Vice Chancellor Emeritus Hal Hyde. Hal, who helped transform our campus from a working ranch to a globally known teaching and research institution, died peacefully of natural causes on Monday, Oct. 12, at his home in Corralitos. He was 97.

Anemic star cluster breaks metal-poor record

In a surprising discovery, astronomers have found a globular star cluster in the Andromeda galaxy that contains a record-breaking low amount of

UC Santa Cruz study cited in arguments against gig economy proposition

The report, "On-demand and on-the-edge: Ride-hailing and Delivery Workers in San Francisco," underscores the financial vulnerability of workers in the gig economy.

Challenging how we see the prison-industrial complex

An ambitious two-part exhibit, titled Barring Freedom and Visualizing Abolition, organized by the UC Santa Cruz Institute of the Arts and Sciences, combines art and activism to address

Planned power outage announced for Santa Cruz County

Pacific Gas and Electric Co. announced late Monday that it will likely preemptively cut power Wednesday to a large swath of Central and Northern California, including parts of Santa Cruz County, to prevent power lines from sparking wildfires during dry and extremely windy weather forecast for later this week.

UCSC seeks clarity on water access

After many meetings and years focused on resolving the disagreement, involving the courts will not impact the strong, productive partnership the campus has with the city, particularly as

Joint statement from chancellor and mayor on water access

The chancellor and mayor agree that a court ruling is the best route to settle the long-standing dispute the university and the city of Santa Cruz have regarding access to water service throughout the UC Santa Cruz campus. 

Fall 2020 Transportation Programs

As our UCSC community begins the fall quarter, we compiled some information regarding campus transportation options.

UC Santa Cruz Human Rights Lab investigates social unrest in Chile

Human Rights Investigations Labs at UCSC and UC Berkeley collaborated on open source research focused on the human rights crisis in Chile, which began with massive anti-government demonstrations

Expanded Winter Curtailment 2020/2021

Our 2020-2021 winter curtailment will be expanded this year to run from Monday, December 21 through Friday, January 1, 2021. Work is scheduled to resume on Monday, January 4, 2021.

UC retiree input needed in survey to tell story of collective activities, accomplishments

Ocean scientist Christina Ravelo honored as a Fellow of the California Academy of Sciences

Christina Ravelo, professor of ocean sciences at UC Santa Cruz, has been selected by the California Academy of Sciences to join the ranks of Academy

Interim Conflict of Interest Related to Consensual Relationships (Policy EEP–0001)

The Office of Equity and Equal Protection has issued a new Interim Policy on Conflict of Interest Related to Consensual Relationships. The Interim Conflict of Interest Related to Consensual Relationships Policy (EEP-0001) applies to everyone in our UC Santa Cruz community including anyone who works, lives, visits, or otherwise engages in university activities.

Tech for Social Good student project funding now open for applications

Students can get up to $5,000 in funding for projects looking to solve societal

University Library to launch new documentary podcast series about Loma Prieta earthquake

The Library will celebrate the launch of 'Stories from the Epicenter'—a new documentary podcast series about the Loma Prieta Earthquake in Santa Cruz County—with a free online event

Temporary Employee Redeployment Program

As another academic year begins, the campus moves forward during times of continued uncertainty. We know that campus operations have adjusted to fewer students, no in-person events, reduced travel, and a host of other changes in response to COVID-19, and as a result, many units are facing service level impacts and reduction in workload.

10-screen film installation and photo exhibition by professor Isaac Julien opens at McEvoy Arts

The McEvoy Foundation for the Arts in San Francisco will present the West Coast debut of 'Lessons of the Hour,' a moving image and photography exhibition about the

Simulated Phishing Awareness Campaign

UCSC is launching a simulated phishing campaign to educate the campus on up-to-date phishing email tactics. Think of these simulated phishing emails as an exercise - we want you to react as you normally would if you received a real phish.

Support for undocumented members of our campus community

The Supreme Court decision in June to not rescind protections for nearly 700,000 people under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy was a sigh of relief.

Winter 2021 Instruction and Housing Planning

We are so pleased about the start of the fall quarter and could not be more grateful as we begin another academic year together. So many people have worked hard to welcome students, propel our research mission, and support high-quality instruction during this unique time.

Giving Day raises $600K for worthy causes

Despite being postponed because of the pandemic, UC Santa Cruz's annual online giving event in support of student and faculty projects was a smashing

COVID-19 information forum

The next UC Santa Cruz COVID-19 Information Forum will be on Friday, October 23 from 9:30–11 a.m.

Campus implementing temporary redeployment program

As campus operations have adjusted to fewer students, no in-person events, reduced travel, and a host of other changes in response to COVID-19, many units are facing service level impacts and reduction in workload.

Kresge College provost search

In 2020-21, the Division of Undergraduate Education is undertaking a search for the next Kresge College Provost.

Chemistry grad student awarded DOE support for research at national lab

Vivien Cherrette, a graduate student in chemistry and biochemistry at UC Santa Cruz, is among 52 outstanding U.S. graduate students to receive support from the Department of Energy’s

Campus Air Quality

Smoke from multiple northern California fires is impacting our local air quality. The Air Quality Index (AQI) generated by the EPA’s AirNow and the UCSC Clarity systems provides general air quality ranges along with corresponding health messages

Students: Give feedback for UCSC’s future Interdisciplinary Science Building!

Update on COVID-19 planning and testing

Whether you are physically on campus or working, teaching and learning remotely, we want to ensure you are updated on the latest campus COVID-19 planning efforts.

UCSC publishes online collection of 10,000 photos documenting over a century of Santa Cruz history

The University Library at UC Santa Cruz announced today the online publication of the Santa Cruz County Historic Photograph Collection, featuring original photographs and copy prints from 1866 to

Celebrating the start of the academic year

Hello colleagues, and welcome to the start of a unique academic year. Our UC Santa Cruz community is more spread out this quarter than years past, but do not let that temper your excitement for the start of this new chapter for our university and for our students.

New faculty build on campus strengths

UC Santa Cruz is welcoming 43 new faculty members to campus this academic year. Areas of expertise include psychology, mathematics, astronomy and astrophysics, computer science and engineering, and much more. 

Kicking Off National Cyber Security Awareness Month

October is Cyber Security Awareness Month, a national effort to help everyone stay protected whenever and however you connect. This year’s theme is ‘Do Your Part, Be Cyber Smart,’ and UCSC is proud to be a champion and support this safety and education initiative in October.

Fall quarter kicks off with new students, programs

UC Santa Cruz students are excited to start their college journey, despite the challenges created by a global pandemic that has reshaped society. Faculty and staff are ready