I want to take a moment to connect with you and reintroduce the Dear Slugs newsletter—a space where I share important resources, events, and opportunities to support you throughout the academic year. This is also a place to name the challenges we are facing as a campus community, and to offer guidance on how to navigate issues that may be impacting you as students.
We are living through extraordinary times that may be unsettling for many, with each day seemingly bringing new stressors and challenges. Local, national, and global events and issues can create uncertainty, affecting members of our community in different ways. I know many of you are coming together and actively advocating as students and student organizations. As we navigate this moment together, I want you to know that I’m thinking of you, your well-being and what matters to you most.
I will be reaching out periodically, using this platform to uplift events and spaces on campus where you can engage with other students and the larger campus community, as well as to bring you information about issues that may impact you. See below for some resources and upcoming events I wanted to highlight in this volume. You can also reach out to me anytime at deanofstudents@ucsc.edu.
More than ever, this is a time to come together as a community, to offer care, respect, and support to one another. UCSC is a place where every student belongs, and we will continue to work toward making our campus a welcoming and inclusive place to live and learn. Please continue to check Dear Slugs for updates, and reach out to me anytime.
We will continue to move through all of this, together.
Associate Vice Chancellor & Dean of Students
Campus Connections: Celebrating the Arts
Come Together Through Art: Attend Paradise Blue
Join the African American Theater Arts Troupe (AATAT) as they bring Dominique Morisseau’s Paradise Blue to life! This gripping play explores the struggles and resilience of Detroit’s Black communities amid urban redevelopment, displacement, and cultural erasure.
The arts have a unique way of fostering community and connection, allowing us to engage with stories that inspire, heal, and transform our outlook. Morisseau’s storytelling is raw, powerful, and deeply relevant—don’t miss this opportunity to witness a compelling piece of Black theater history. Come support student artists and connect with a story that matters!
Dates: Feb. 21–23 & Feb. 28–Mar. 2
Times: 7:30 p.m. (Fri–Sat) | 3:00 p.m. (Sun matinees)
Admission is free for UCSC students. Secure tickets in advance via eventbrite.
Ground and Gather: Community Healing Space
Join your fellow Banana Slugs on Friday, March 7 from noon to 3 p.m. in the Stevenson Event Center for the Healing Justice Clinic.
Engage in activities & experiences led by On the Margins, offering a blend of culturally-rooted and somatic healing modalities such as reiki, bodywork, and limpias. Create crafts and pick up a self-care kit. Lunch provided.
Campus Resources
Resources to support undocumented members of our community
UC Santa Cruz remains committed to supporting undocumented members of our community. Chancellor Larive and Campus Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Kletzer reaffirmed this commitment in their recent message, Resources for Undocumented Members of Our Community.
Additional resources include:
- Printed Know Your Rights cards are available at the ARC front desk.
- Undocumented Student Services has compiled this list of Know Your Rights Resources.
Campus Contact Information:
Call the Dean of Students (831) 502-5009 at any time of day if you are advised that an immigration officer is expected to enter, is about to enter, or has already entered the campus to execute an immigration order. It is also important to keep in mind that immigration officers may appear on campus for reasons unrelated to apprehending an individual, such as carrying out duties related to the international Student and Exchange Visitor Program.
LGBTQIA+ Resources
At UC Santa Cruz, we affirm and celebrate our LGBTQIA+ students, recognizing the strength, resilience, and joy within queer and trans communities. As we navigate these unsettling and challenging times, know that you are valued, seen, and supported. UCSC is committed to fostering a campus where every student belongs and has access to the resources they need to thrive.
For support, connection, and community, I encourage you to read the Lionel Cantú Queer Resource Center's recent statement about Trans and Queer Solidarity. This powerful message offered words of encouragement as well as a long list of trans and queer resources available to students.
