Dear Slugs,
Halloween is just around the corner and we know many of you will celebrate on campus and in the community. We encourage everyone to have a plan to stay safe for Halloween and to look after one another. Here are a few tips to help our entire community celebrate in a safe and inclusive manner:
Choose your costume thoughtfully
- Remember cultural, ethnic, and religious identities are not costumes. For many, wearing a costume is part of the fun of Halloween. However, choosing a costume that demeans or stereotypes others can cause real harm within our community. When choosing a costume, remember our UC Principles of Community. This Halloween Costume Checklist can help you determine if your costume may be offensive.
Make smart, safe decisions
- Avoid high-risk behaviors involving alcohol and respect peers’ decisions not to drink.
- Be aware of your surroundings. Stay alert. Be aware of who is around you. If you choose to drink, know what you are drinking and maintain possession of your drink at all times.
- Use the buddy system. Wherever you go, go with a friend or group. Stay together the entire time. Do not separate–or let others separate–from your group.
- Be respectful of our campus and our community. If you are hosting a gathering off campus, be aware of local ordinances and laws and follow them accordingly.
- CALL 911: Timely calls to 911 save lives. Do not hesitate to report any suspicious activity or behavior by dialing 911 (on campus you may also dial (831) 459-2231, ext 1). If you feel that someone is suffering from substance poisoning or another medical emergency, dial 911 immediately.
- Contact university and college staff: Staff across the University and Colleges (including on-call residential staff and Community Safety Officers (CSOs)) are here to provide support and help.
- Know about UCSC’s Responsible Action Plan. Student health and safety are of primary concern at UCSC. As such, in cases of significant intoxication as a result of alcohol or other substances, the University encourages individuals to seek medical assistance for themselves or others. If medical assistance is sought, a conduct record for violations of the University’s Alcohol and Drugs policies will not be created for the intoxicated student or the student(s) actively seeking medical assistance so long as certain conditions are met. Read more about those conditions and the RAP on the Dean of Students website.
Know what’s happening on campus and in the community
- On campus: A variety of activities have been planned on campus, and we encourage you to check them out! College Instagram accounts feature local events, and the graphic below has information about some College Sponsored Programs. Also, The Cove is a substance-free safe space on campus with in-person and online opportunities to connect.
- In the community: The City of Santa Cruz is promoting family friendly activities for Halloween, including 13 Days of Halloween on the Wharf, Halloween at the Boardwalk on Sunday, October 30 from 12 - 7 p.m. and trick-or-treating on the Santa Cruz Wharf from 3 - 6 p.m. on Monday, October 31.
Be aware of increased safety protocols in downtown Santa Cruz
- Because Santa Cruz officials anticipate Halloween celebrations will draw large crowds to the city, a citywide Safety Enhancement Zone will be in effect from 8 a.m. on October 28 until 8 a.m. November 1. During this time, fees will be tripled for any violations of the city’s municipal codes, such as littering, blocking pedestrian or vehicular traffic, and public alcohol consumption.
Know the bus schedules and plan accordingly
- If you do choose to go downtown, SCMTD METRO will operate on their regular weekend schedule with the last bus (Route 18) departing the Santa Cruz METRO Center at 11:25 p.m. to reach Science Hill at 11:49 p.m.. The last campus transit shuttles will stop running at 12 a.m. this weekend. You can use a trip planner like Google Maps or visit scmtd.com to view the METRO bus schedule.
We hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable weekend, full of treats and no tricks. Enjoy your Halloween.
Alex Belisario
Executive Director, College Student Life
Ebonée Williams
Associate Vice Chancellor, Student Success and Equity
Garrett Naiman
Associate Vice Chancellor, Student Development and Engagement and Dean of Students
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