If you are facing serious problems dealing with material needs such as 

• Food insecurity 
• Housing crisis
• Financial insecurity

Slug support is there to help. You can either self-refer to the program, or ask Next Gen. SAM staff to do it for you. The Slug Support team will develop an action plan focusing on helping you back on track through provision of support and resources. The earlier you deal with the crisis, the better the outcome. 

The Food Pantry also provides free produce from the UCSC farm for students who cannot afford it, as well as pantry staples and dry goods.

The MEP program has a book and calculator lending program, as well as snacks, and is available to any student in the Next Gen. SAM program.

You should also always feel free to contact the Next Gen. SAM director, and/or the Next Gen. SAM counselor. 

Between academic stress, financial stress, family-related stress and personal stress, life as a college student can become overwhelming at times. CAPS offers various services to help you navigate through temporary or longer-term difficulties.

If you think you need help, you can either self-refer to CAPS, or speak with one of the Next Gen. SAM staff to get a referral. 

CAPS provides individual or group sessions to help students with issues ranging from 

• General counseling and psychological services (Psychological assessment and therapy; stress management; ADHD)
• Alcohol and other substance abuse
• LGBTQ+ counseling and assistance
• Crisis assistance 

and many others. 

CAPS can also help you seek off-campus referrals if on-campus options are not sufficient.

Through its principles of community, UCSC strives to provide an environment where people can learn and work while being safe and healthy, free from violence and harassment. 

If you have been subjected to any kind of violence or harassment, several campus resources are at your disposition to seek the help you need to report it, prevent it from recurring, and heal. 

Sexual harassment and sexual violence

The UCSC Sexual Violence Prevention and Response website provides a comprehensive summary of the various options you have in order to report a problem and seek help, either immediately or later. 

Things to know:

• Faculty, staff and graduate students, as well as some undergraduate students, are legally required to report to the Title IX office any information they receive regarding sexual violence or assault perpetrated against another member of the UCSC community or affiliate.
• If you require confidential advice or help, please contact the CARE office. CARE Advocates can provide a variety of support with reporting, accommodations, case management, and healing.
• If you wish to report sexual harassment or sexual violence, you can either file a complaint with the Title IX office, or report a crime with the UC Police Department.  

Hate/bias-motivated crimes and incidents

Hate or bias-motivated crimes and incidents, and hate speech, that target people or groups based on such characteristics as race, color, socioeconomic class, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender, or gender identity, are not tolerated on campus. 

If you believe you have witnessed, or that you have been a target of, a hate-or-bias motivated incident on campus or while participating in a University-sponsored activity, you may bring the incident to the attention of the Hate/Biais Response Team using this online reporting form. 

UCSC is the home of many identity-based groups and centers that provide support to students, staff and faculty: 

For women: The UCSC Women’s Center affirms the dignity and diversity of all women. The center continues and challenges feminist traditions by creating community space for all women and their allies to achieve individual and social change.

For LGBTQIA+: The Lionel Cantu Queer Resource Center is the nexus of support and advocacy for the LGBTQIA+ community at UCSC.

For transfer and re-entry students: STARS provides culturally responsive support to transfer, re-entry, veteran students, as well as students who do not have traditional family support due to experiences in the foster care system, with homelessness, abuse, parents who have been incarcerated, or other factors impacting their family life.

For First Generation students: The First Generation Initiative aims to raise the visibility of first-generation students at UCSC, to foster a positive campus climate that welcomes first-generation students and to build long-term relationships of support, understanding, and learning between students, faculty, and staff.

For Latinx / Chicanx students: El Centro serves as a hub of organized activity and resources that support student transition, retention, graduation and academic advancement.

For African American students: The mission of the African American Resource and Cultural Center (AARCC) is to provide support for the students in the African/Black community at the University of California at Santa Cruz.

For American Indian students: The American Indian Resource Center is dedicated to supporting the needs of American Indian students and increasing Native visibility on campus by advocating student centered programs, cultural events, and tools for academic success and well being.

For Asian American and Pacific Islander students: The Asian American Pacific Islander Resource Center (AA/PIRC) provides and enhances opportunities for developing leadership, building a stronger sense of community on campus, and linking students to community service opportunities.