Principles of Community
At UC Santa Cruz, we strive to promote civility, professionalism, honesty, cooperation, and fairness while creating a long-lasting impact on the student body.
We embrace diversity and encourage students to be open, just, purposeful, disciplined, caring, and celebrative - these are known as our Principles of Community.
We strive to be:
- Diverse: We embrace diversity in all its forms and we strive for an inclusive community that fosters an open, enlightened, and productive environment.
- Open: We believe free exchange of ideas requires mutual respect and consideration for our differences.
- Just: We are committed to due process, respect for individual dignity and equitable access to resources, recognition and rewards.
- Purposeful: We are a participatory community united by shared commitments to: service to society; preservation and advancement of knowledge; and innovative teaching and learning.
- Disciplined: We seek to advance common goals through reasonable and realistic practices, procedures and expectations.
- Caring: We promote mutual respect, trust and support to foster bonds that strengthen the community.
- Celebrative: We celebrate the heritage, achievements, and diversity of the community and the uniqueness and contributions of our members.
Sustainability is a key part of our campus and culture at UC Santa Cruz.
Students, faculty, and staff at UC Santa Cruz have an environmental ethos—as Banana Slugs, we work hard to reduce our waste and recycle, conserve energy & water, purchase sustainable products & food, and hold social & environmental justice as crucial to our robust sustainability movement.
Energy management is a top priority of our operations as the campus moves towards a fossil free future.
Keeping waste out of the trash and, in turn, out of the landfill is very important at UC Santa Cruz. Learn more about waste management and how to have a zero waste move in!
Here are four easy actions you can help your student take which will make them more sustainable before they even arrive on campus:
- Help your student coordinate the sharing of any appliances (mini-fridge, microwave, printer, etc.) with their roommates.
- Rent a Micro-Fridge—it is energy efficient, reduces excess mini-fridges after college, and you do not have to move itt!
- Help your student remove and recycle all packaging material at home (for printers, computers, etc.) prior to coming to campus.
- Provide reusables like a water bottle, coffee mug, grocery bag, utensil set, and reusable food storage bags and containers to reduce waste generated all year long!
First-generation students
UCSC welcomes our first-generation students to campus, with over 30% of incoming students being the first in their family to attend a four-year university. Our UC Santa Cruz first-generation communities are making their mark here on campus, locally, regionally, and around the world. Thousands have contributed to education, research, social justice, and more. Our first-gen alumni are going places and giving back. Current faculty chart new paths in our understanding and support the educational aspirations of our undergraduate and graduate students. Our staff contributes daily to promoting a campus of inclusion and support for our educational mission.
Read first-gen student stories: Undergraduates Graduate Staff Faculty
