UC Santa Cruz students,
As a guest lecturer at UCSC and as the supervisor of UCSC interns in the Mayor’s office, I have come to recognize an important unresolved issue in our community: You, as UCSC students, do not feel particularly welcomed or appreciated by the rest of the Santa Cruz community. As I have shared this perception with many UCSC students, most nod in agreement. However, when I mention it to people in town that are not connected to UCSC, they are surprised to hear that this is a concern.
I’ve decided that Santa Cruz City government needs to highlight this problem and work to make it better.
I’ll be up on campus along with some of my City Council colleagues for the OPERS festival to more formally express our “welcome” (or welcome back) and to begin some conversation with you on strategies to improve our relationship and our communications. I intend to continue work with student leaders to develop stronger positive ties and build structures to ensure ongoing communication.
I will also be working in the non-UCSC community to inform residents of the need for a more positive outlook and more recognition of the positive contributions of UCSC students to this community.
If you have specific ideas about how to work on this challenge, please contact me at DLane@cityofsantacruz.com or phone me at 831-420-5022.
Thanks,
Don Lane
