Campus News
Important updates to the UC Santa Cruz Student Handbook and UC conduct policy
Dean of Students Garrett Naiman shares important updates about the UC Santa Cruz Student Handook.
Dear students,
With the start of the year, I want to share the updated version of the UC Santa Cruz Student Handbook. The handbook is the university’s official guide to student rights, responsibilities, policies, and resources. It is an important resource that can help you understand your rights as a student, the university’s expectations of you, and provide you with support in being successful during your time at UC Santa Cruz.
For some background, the Student Handbook undergoes a regular review process with a dedicated committee, which is made up of staff and students. The handbook primarily contains language that is shared between all 10 UC campuses, with some additional local implementing language for each campus. The committee reviewed the Student Handbook with a goal of making the language clearer and to better connect related processes. For example, linking the rules for hosting a large event with the event request process. Additionally, the committee worked to streamline the language, remove any duplicative content, and clarify key information so it is easier for you to navigate.
While the campus was preparing to release the new version of the Student Handbook, the University of California Office of the President released interim revisions to Section 100.00 — Policy on Student Conduct and Discipline, and the creation of a new Appendix H — Student Conduct Investigation and Resolution Framework. The interim revisions are effective January 1, 2026, and include:
- Appendix H, which establishes a consistent adjudication framework for investigating and resolving student conduct cases across the system.
- A systemwide sanctioning framework, embedded in Appendix H, that promotes consistency and flexibility in assigning sanctions and related university actions.
- Revisions to Section 100.00 to align the policy with the new Appendix H framework.
- A public open comment period on the interim policies will begin in January.
Additionally, a new California State senate bill (SB1287) requires all students at University of California and California State Universities to read and agree to abide by the Code of Student Conduct. To comply with this bill you will notice a required task as part of MyUCSC that will need to be completed prior to enrolling in Winter classes. To complete the task and enroll you will need to read and acknowledge the updated Student Handbook.
To get a head start on the enrollment requirement, I encourage everyone to take a moment to peruse the updated handbook so you know where to look up important information in the future should you need it. Whether you’re new to UCSC or a returning student, the handbook contains valuable resources and guidelines that can help you make the most of your time here.
Access the UCSC Student Handbook on the Student Conduct website.
Please feel free to share your feedback or questions about the handbook. Your insights are important to us as we continue to improve student resources and support.
Have a wonderful academic year.
Sincerely,
Garrett
Garrett Naiman
Associate Vice Chancellor & Dean of Students
University of California, Santa Cruz