2025 Campus Elections Results

The UC Santa Cruz Dean of Students Office has officially announced the results of the 2025 campus elections, marking a strong year for student engagement and participation. Voter turnout reached its highest level since 2019, with 31.37% of undergraduates and 24.53% of graduate students casting their ballots.

New officers have been elected to serve in the Student Union Assembly (SUA) and the Graduate Student Association (GSA) for the 2025–26 academic year. These student leaders will represent and advocate for their peers across a range of academic, social, and campus life issues.

Several referenda were passed this year, reflecting broad-based student support for programs and initiatives aimed at strengthening the student experience:

• Communities and Belonging Program Fund: Approved by undergraduate students, this new fund will directly support the campus Resource Centers. The fund will enhance identity-based programming, community-building, and student support initiatives.
• Amendment to Measure 73: This amendment establishes the Students for Empowerment and Accountability in Transportation Services (SEATS) commission, to be housed in SOMeCA. The commission will serve as a student advisory body to Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS), ensuring student perspectives are included in shaping transportation policies and priorities.
• Graduate Student Facilities Fee: Graduate students voted to approve an amendment that increases the fee by $30 per quarter beginning Fall 2025. The additional funding will support the Graduate Student Commons and related graduate student life initiatives.
• Research Pathways Funding: Undergraduate voters approved funding to support the Research Pathways program. The initiative will provide hands-on learning opportunities in areas such as user research, UI/UX design, web development, and AI/ML, while also creating paid roles for student leads and engaging with public interest projects.
• SAVE UCSC Theater Arts and Dance: An increase to the Theater Arts Production Fee was approved, which will support expanded cultural programming, student job opportunities, and free admission for undergraduates to all ticketed Performance, Play, and Design (PPD) performances and events.
• SUA Constitutional Amendment: Undergraduate students approved a constitutional amendment that includes language updates, procedural formalizations, and several substantive changes. These include renaming leadership roles to Chair and Vice Chair, expanding duties for Vice Chairs, and clarifying rules for vacancies and emergency meetings. The amendment also adjusts SUA membership composition, including the creation of new representative roles for International Students and Student Parents, with proportional representation tied to enrollment.

These outcomes underscore the strength of student voice and the continued commitment to building an inclusive, participatory, and student-centered campus.

Full election results are available at elections.ucsc.edu.