UC Santa Cruz employees represented by AFSCME Local 3299 are striking Monday and Tuesday, reducing dining hall hours, health appointments and bus service on campus.
Higher Ed
Cabrillo College governing board soliciting nominations for vacant seat after Manuel Bersamin’s sudden death
After Cabrillo College Trustee Manuel Bersamin died suddenly on Oct. 26, the college announced Tuesday it is searching for candidates to fill his seat.
UC Santa Cruz chancellor review is underway
University of California President James Milliken has launched a standard five-year performance review of UC Santa Cruz Chancellor Cynthia Larive, marking her first formal evaluation since her 2019 appointment.
Cabrillo College names four finalists for president, sets Nov. 12 public forums
Cabrillo College has unveiled a shortlist of four candidates to become the school’s next president, with plans for a community forum before aiming to select its next leader next month.
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Capitola Mall redevelopment inches forward; Driscoll’s pledges $5M for new campus farm store in SLO
The Capitola Mall’s future as a housing development is on the agenda for the city’s planning commission this week, Driscoll’s invests at Cal Poly and a commercial crabbing delay are all in focus in Jessica M. Pasko’s weekly survey of Santa Cruz County business.
Manuel Bersamin, Cabrillo College trustee, ex-Watsonville mayor, dies at 67
Manuel Bersamin, a former Watsonville mayor and Cabrillo College trustee with a passion for helping first-generation college students passed away Friday, the college said on Monday. He was 67.
UC Santa Cruz posts $95 million budget deficit, despite boost from state funding and investment gains
UC Santa Cruz reported a $95 million deficit for the 2025 fiscal year, exceeding spring estimates by $14 million but falling below initial projections, due largely to one-time funding sources.
How Santa Cruz County is investing in kids — starting at birth
Santa Cruz County’s Semillitas program helps families build wealth for their children from birth, offering every newborn since 2021 a college savings account with up to $500 in potential deposits. More than a financial tool, write Semillitas director Crystal Gonzalez and former Santa Cruz mayor Ryan Coonerty, it’s “a statement of community values.”
UC Santa Cruz projects $80 million deficit for 2026 fiscal year
Despite implementing cost-cutting measures, UC Santa Cruz is projecting another year of deficits: nearly $80 million. Last fiscal year, the university said it was on track to close with a similar deficit.
UCSC aims to cut vacant faculty jobs, attract international students to fix budget gap, new interim provost says
Facing mounting budget pressures, UC Santa Cruz’s new interim provost, Paul Koch, says the school is charting a course to cut $170 million in spending, balancing academic excellence with fiscal reality.

