Residential
Life Frequently Asked Questions
A: New students who applied for Merrill College housing and met the housing application deadlines will be sent a packet in mid-August with the information listed below. If you have not received it by the end of August, you should contact Merrill Housing Coordinator Kristen Weaver at (831) 459-5233.
- room assignment
- contact information for roommates
- a list of items to bring (and not to bring) to college
- appointment time for move-in on September 21, 2007
- parking pass to use for unloading during move-in
A: All Merrill students, whether living on or off campus will be assigned a mailbox at the start of fall quarter. Both inter-campus mail and U.S. Postal Service mail is delivered to this address. Your address will be as follows:
Student Name
UCSC, Merrill College, Box # ______ *
200 McLaughlin Drive
Santa Cruz, CA 95064
To avoid delays in delivery or lost mail, please do not put your residence hall room number or apartment number as part of your address. Also, do not use "P.O. Box" as part of your address, as this is not a Post Office mailbox.
* At the start of fall quarter, students will be sent an email message to their UCSC email account. This message will include the assigned mailbox number and the combination needed to open the mailbox. Mailboxes are shared, usually 2-3 students are assigned per box. It is important to carefully select your own mail and to check the box frequently to avoid an overflowing mailbox. Once you receive your mail box number you can add it to your address. Mail will still reach you even without this box number, if the rest of the address is correct.
A: You may receive packages and any special delivery mail requiring your signature at your Merrill mailbox using the address listed above. A slip is put in your box notifying you that a package was received. You can then go to the mailroom during the open window hours, posted each quarter.
A: The campus has its own telephone system. Each bedroom has a service-ready telephone jack. Students must provide one telephone per room. Upon moving in, students are provided with the phone number to the room and instructions on how to set up voice mail service. Students can make local calls, and using a calling card, can make long distance calls.
Cellular Phone Service Information: Most major carriers AT&T (Cingular), Verizon, T-Mobile, Nextel and Sprint provide service to campus, although there are some "dead" areas. For more, see this website: http://its.ucsc.edu/services/telephone/faculty_and_staff/services_and_features/wireless_phone_services.php.
A: Parking space on campus is extremely limited, requires a parking permit, and is strictly enforced. We encourage you to leave your car at home and use the various transportation options available. For more information about campus parking permits and off-campus parking resources please go to http://www2.ucsc.edu/taps/index.html. For transportation options see the question below.
A: The Campus Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS) website has information about travel and transportation services. Their website http://www2.ucsc.edu/taps/index.html includes the following information in the "Travel Connections" section:
- "Getting To Campus From Bay Area Airports"
- "Amtrak Train and Bus Connections"
- "Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Information"
- "UCSC-Fremont Bart Connector"
- "Connecting to Caltrain" (serving Bay Area peninsula cities from San Francisco to Gilroy)
- "Greyhound Bus Service to Santa Cruz"
- "Highway 17 Express For Travel Between San Jose & Santa Cruz"
- "OPERS -- L.A. Turkey Express" (Thanksgiving Weekend Shuttle SC-LA-SC)
A: There are a variety of transporation options available. Here are some basics.
Around Campus: Day and Night Campus Shuttles: The campus operates shuttles with various routes both day and night. A fare is not required; the shuttle is supported by the Student Transit Fee.
For those not able to access the day and night shuttles because of a permanent or temporary disability, there is a Disability Van Service. Reservations and medical documentation are required, however, a fare is not required. For more on campus transportation go to http://www2.ucsc.edu/taps/index.html and click on "Transit".
To and From Downtown and County-wide: Santa Cruz Metro Bus Services (Metro) operates wheelchair-accessible routes that serve the campus, including a "Night Owl" on Friday and Saturday nights until about 2:00 a.m. A currently validated UCSC Student ID serves as a bus pass. For more information go to http://www.scmtd.com/.
Bicycle Trailer and Shuttle: The campus operates a bike trailer and van shuttle from Mission Street to Campus. Cyclists can avoid the hill up to the campus and at the end of the day ride their bikes down the hill. http://www2.ucsc.edu/taps/pages/bikeshuttle.html.
A: Biking is a popular past time and transportation option for many UC Santa Cruz students. There are many trail options, both on and off-campus. Part of UCSC's natural beauty is the hilly terrain, which means lots of steep climbs and exciting downhill rides. To protect our environment, mountain biking is only permitted on fire trails.
The campus bicycle program recommends using both a u-lock and a good cable lock to deter bike theft. Campus rules and state law requires you to license your bike; unlicensed bikes can be cited.
There are a couple of residence hallways that allow bicycles to be kept inside, but most residence hall lounges or hallways do not allow this, as they block evacuation routes and constitute a fire hazard. However, indoor bicycle ceiling hooks are available from our college maintenance staff in order to store your bicycle in your residence hall room or apartment. Please ask about them at your check-in. Outdoor racks where you can lock your bike are also available.
For more information on bike trails, licensing your bike, and bike resources, go to and click on "Bicycle Programs".
Another resource is the Bike Co-Op, located in the Redwood Building at the Bookstore Plaza, which provides repair services, education, advocacy and membership opportunities. Contact them at 457-8281 or http://bikecoop.ucsc.edu/.
A: Coordinators for Residential Education (CREs) are full-time professional staff, who along with student Residential Assistants (RAs), live on the halls and buildings along with students. They serve as the primary resource to residents and are trained to respond to emergencies, provide limited personal counseling and enforce campus policies. Both a CRE and an RA are on call and can be reached by calling the RA on-call phone (831) 212-8749.
Community Safety Officers (CSOs): Every night of the year, from 7:00 p.m. to 2:30 a.m., a staff CSO monitors the college. He or she is responsible for ensuring the health and safety of students, staff and guests; maintaining security and responding to emergencies; assisting residents who are locked out of their rooms; and responding to noise complaints. You may reach a CSO by calling campus dispatch at 459-2100.
The campus is closed to the public each night starting at 8:00 p.m. Only invited guests or those attending public events are allowed on campus. If you are expecting guests to arrive after 8:00 p.m., you may call the appropriate gate kiosk to place them on the guest list (you will need to include a vehicle description). Main Gate Kiosk - 459-3377 West Gate Kiosk - 459-3388
The University also provides its own police and fire departments:
The UCSC Police Department website is a great resource for information on crime prevention, campus crime statistics, personal safety tips, and campus policies. http://www2.ucsc.edu/police/index.html
The UCSC Fire Department has a minimum of four firefighters on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The department website has information about the classes they offer and general disaster preparedness. http://www2.ucsc.edu/fire_dept/
Night Shuttle Service, specifically the East Core Night Shuttle comes up the hill and stops at the Crown Circle every 30 minutes until about 11:50 p.m.
Blue Light Emergency Phones are located throughout campus connecting the user directly with emergency assistance.
A: ESSENTIALS: Towels and washcloths, toiletries, alarm clock, clothes hangers, winter clothes, umbrella or rain gear, bedding (beds are extra-long twin), land-line telephone* (local phone service provided), power strips w/built in circuit breaker (UL approved), flashlight and batteries.
For the apartments: cooking pots and pans, dishes and other kitchen utensils.
GOOD IDEAS: A bed and/or desk lamp, shower shoes, laundry supplies, quarters for laundry machines ($.75/wash or dry), posters, plants, aspirin and other over-the-counter medications, copies of prescriptions, extra glasses and/or contacts, small sewing kit, alarm clock, stamps and stationery, cable cord for TV, small iron and small ironing board, mini-fridge (4.0 cu. ft. or less), small microwave oven (1.0 cu. ft. or less), a water filter pitcher and a refillable personal water bottle.
An Earthquake Kit: We recommend that you put together a small earthquake kit which includes bottled water (2-3 gallons), canned food and a can opener, a small bottle of chlorine bleach (for purifying water) or water purifying tablets, extra blankets or a sleeping bag, warm clothes, plastic bags, a flashlight, toilet paper, a portable radio, and extra batteries. The campus has an effective disaster plan, but being personally prepared is always a good idea.
The following are PROHIBITED on campus:
- Pets, with the exception of fish in a 10-gallon tank or smaller aquarium
- Amplified instruments of any type, and drum sets
- Firearms, weapons, or facsimile weapons of any kind including handguns, rifles, shotguns, firearms, knives, darts, archery equipment, B-B guns, etc.
- Fireworks
- Illegal drugs
- Drug paraphernalia
- Incense
- Candles and any open flame devices
- Hot plates, toaster ovens, and any devices with exposed heating elements
- Kegs and common source containers of alcohol
- Alcohol use by minors
We recommend that you do not bring any irreplaceable personal items or items of great value.
A: The use of skateboards and rollerblades is prohibited on all campus roadways, paths, bike paths, and in all areas of the college. You must carry, not ride, these items around campus. You are subject to a citation by the campus police department, or college disciplinary action, if you violate this policy.
A: There is a laundry room in each of the residence halls and two laundry rooms in the apartment complex. You will need laundry detergent since there are no dispensers in the laundry rooms. A laundry basket or bag is also a handy thing to have. Washers and dryers are coin operated (quarters exclusively, $.75/wash or dry) so you may want to bring a supply of quarters. There are no change machines in the laundry rooms. Quarters are available at the Campus Cashier's Office and the Bay Tree Bookstore.
A: Most major California banks have branches in Santa Cruz. Check with your local office for branch information. Bay Federal Credit Union (831) 479-6000 and Wells Fargo (831) 476-6101 have on-campus automatic teller machines at the Bay Tree Bookstore. The University Cashier's Office (located in the central campus area at Hahn Student Services) will cash checks up to $25.00 with a valid student I.D. for a 25¢ service charge. They also sell rolls of quarters.
