government & community relations
Community Relations
UC Santa Cruz plays a significant role in the community, and beyond. With more than 20,000 alumni living throughout the county, graduates from UC Santa Cruz have shaped what Santa Cruz looks like today. Locally, UCSC alumni are leaders in government, education, and business. The campus strives to make a positive impact on our local economy, culture, and resources—and in turn, the community provides extraordinary experiences and opportunities for our Banana Slug family. Woven together, these threads of campus and community form a single, strong bond of caring and commitment—we are Better Together.
Commitment to more housing
UC Santa Cruz is pursuing an ambitious plan to provide more than 40 percent additional student housing by 2030. To learn more about our upcoming housing developments, please visit our Housing page
Leading in water conservation
The UC system has an ambitious goal of reducing potable water use by 36 percent by 2025 compared with a three-year average baseline.
UCSC Fact Sheet
Excellence with Impact. A global research university, UC Santa Cruz is part of the world’s most celebrated system of public higher education and stands among the most renowned institutions of higher learning. Leading at the intersection of innovation and social justice, UCSC faculty and students conduct transformative research and scholarship that serves society.
The Good Neighbor Initiative
The Good Neighbor Initiative was established in 2004 to foster positive relations between UCSC and the Santa Cruz community. Good Neighbor Initiative interns work diligently with the UCSC Community Relations Office to bridge communication between neighbors, students, the community, and the university. Interns provide student interface with neighbors and are glad to field any suggestions, responses, or policy ideas to improve the university’s relations.
Slugs in the Community
UCSC students, staff, and faculty participated in the Santa Cruz County-wide Pitch In cleanup day on May 10, 2025.
