The University of California, Santa Cruz encompasses more than 2,000 acres and educates more than 16,000 students each year. A series of paths and trails, many of them handicap-accessible, connect the sprawling campus.

The hilltop community is often referred to as a "City on a Hill" (which is also the name of one of the campus publications). Undergraduate students pursue degrees in 60 majors and graduate-level students work in 30 academic fields.

UCSC is the single largest employer in Santa Cruz County and is responsible for more than $1 billion annually in economic activity.

The university is also a leader in scientific endeavors. "The Rise of American Research Universities" ranked UCSC first in the assessment of productivity in the social sciences, and a survey by Thompson Scientific ranked the university first in the nation for its research impact in physics.