SANTA CRUZ RESIDENTS (ALONG WITH CITY OFFICIALS) EXPRESSED CONCERN AT THE WEDNESDAY NIGHT PUBLIC MEETING, THAT DISCUSSED PLANS TO EXPAND U.C.S.C. IT TOOK PLACE AT THE UCSC INN AND CONFERENCE CENTER ON OCEAN STREET THE UNIVERSITY WANTS TO ADD ANOTHER 6,000 STUDENTS AND 2,000 FACULTY AND STAFF, BY THE YEAR 2020. AT ISSUE IS THE IMPACT OF MORE TRAFFIC, A LACK OF HOUSING, AND ADDED WATER DEMANDS. UCSC SPOKESWOMAN LIZ IRWIN SAYS THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT WILL BE THE NEXT PHASE OF THE PROPOSED 15-YEAR-PLAN. BUT SHE TAKES EXCEPTION WITH THOSE THAT SAY HER SCHOOL HAS NOT BEEN OPEN TO COMMUNITY INPUT.
SHE SAY PUBLIC MEETINGS ARE PRESCRIBED BY LAW, AND HER SCHOOL MEETS AND EXCEEDS ALL REQUIREMENTS. SHE SAYS IT SHOULD NOT BE AN "US-THEM" SITUATION, BUT THE COMMUNITY MUST WORK TOGETHER TO MOVE FORWARD. IRWIN SAYS FOR FUTURE MEETINGS, THE PUBLIC SHOULD KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR ADDS PURCHASED IN THE PRINT MEDIA, OR ANNOUNCED IN THE CAMPUS NEWSPAPER NAMED ?THE CURRENT? WHICH IS AVAILABLE ON LINE TO EVERYONE, AS WELL AS ON THE SCHOOL HOME PAGE AT:
WWW.UCSC.EDU