Teaches foundational concepts for intellectual exploration and personal development within an academic community: analysis, critical thinking, metacognition, engagement with others across difference, and self-efficacy. Reflects our college theme of Social Justice and Community, addressing topics such as identity formation, inequality, and environmental injustice.

Orientation to and exploration of the nature of the liberal arts, and of learning at research universities. Topics include: academic planning for upper-division coursework; enrollment processes; and understanding pathways to degree completion; UCSC resources that support health and well-being strategies for academic success; the cultivation of just communities; the prevention of sexual harassment and violence; campus conduct policies; awareness of risks associated with drug and/or alcohol use; and an introduction to traditions of community-engaged learning, ground-breaking research, and interdisciplinary thinking that define a UC Santa Cruz degree. This course can be taken for Pass/No Pass grading only.

Introduces students to the academic study of popular music. Covers the blues, rock ’n’ roll, soul, funk, disco, punk, and hip-hop. People often understand music genres exclusively in terms of their sonic characteristics. But this course takes a different tack, looking as much at a genre's social context as to the sounds themselves. Indeed, the path toward knowledge leads in both directions. What can history tell us about music? How can popular music tell us about our history?

Through readings, discussions, and primary research on campus, course explores the following questions: What is sustainability at UCSC and what assumptions about the relationships between humans and nature are privileged in these definitions? (Formerly, I Couldn't Imagine Myself Anywhere Else: Understanding UCSC Undergraduate Narratives.)

Examines histories of extinction, with particular attention to how human activity has contributed to species loss. Using the concept of “multispecies justice” as a guide, students consider a variety of historical extinction events, explore how certain endangered species were brought back from the brink, discuss responsibilities to nonhuman beings, and debate the ethics of ongoing de-extinction projects.

Series of presentations, films, and workshops that address personal and cultural identity and examine social, cultural, political, environmental, and other justice concerns.

Students newly appointed into leadership positions at John R. Lewis College explore the concept of leadership relating to the college's theme of Social Justice and Community. Prerequisite(s): current John R. Lewis College student leader; permission of instructor.

Weekly colloquium on social justice issues with a different topical focus each quarter. Presentations by UCSC faculty and invited speakers. Students must attend class, read an assigned article or book chapter(s) on the week's topic, and write a one-page synopsis.

Nonviolent Communication provides tools for the work needed to bring our reality closer to the ideal of a world with dignity and equity for all its members. Explores righteous anger, grief, empathy, diplomacy, and making requests others want to say "yes" to. The course nickname is "Rumi's Field," which comes from a Rumi poem: "out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing/there is a field/I'll meet you there." Formerly Social Justice and Nonviolent Communication (Rumi's Field Living-Learning Community).

Provides students with the opportunity to conduct service-learning work in a local Santa Cruz community over spring break. There are four preliminary class meetings in the winter quarter. Winter meeting attendance is required. Enrollment is by interview only. Enrollment is restricted to College Nine and John R. Lewis College members.