College Nine
Academic Emphases
College Nine’s theme of International and Global Perspectives emphasizes the causes and consequences of our increasingly interconnected world where responses to threats like climate change and COVID-19 require large-scale collective action. Our academic and co-curricular programs analyze economic and cultural globalization, immigration, ethnic conflict, genocide, and human rights, among other issues. Students interested in these issues either as their major focus or as part of their general education are invited to join the College Nine community.
Additional information about College Nine academics, including Core Course requirements and other academic programs, is available here.
College Community
Founded in 2000, College Nine is one of the newest colleges at UCSC. College Nine creates an integrated living and learning environment through engaging academic and extracurricular programs focusing on the theme of International and Global Perspectives. Student leaders, faculty, and staff collaborate to develop an array of programs exploring the many aspects of the college’s theme. Some of the programs include faculty presentations, guest speakers, conferences, debates, films, courses, arts events, and interactive workshops. These programs unite community members in an atmosphere of mutual respect, in which important contemporary and controversial issues are discussed.
College Nights
College Nights are community programs that feature a special dinner menu, entertainment, educational displays, and activities that often relate to the college theme of International and Global Perspectives. College Nights provide an opportunity to gather as a community several times a year to enjoy a meal and share conversations. Planned by students and staff, past College Nights have focused on Earth Day and sustainability; music and dance from around the world; and popular culture. College Nights are held in the Dining Commons and are open to all students.
Student Government
The College Nine Student Senate serves as the student government for College Nine and represents its students to the college and campus administrations and to the Student Union Assembly (SUA), the campuswide student governance board. The Senate appoints representatives to campus and college committees, provides monetary support to student organizations, hosts community programs, and consults with college administration on policy development.
International Living Center
The International Living Center (ILC) at College Nine offers a unique living environment fostering understanding, cooperation, and friendship among upper-division students from different nations, cultures, and backgrounds. With a portion of the residents joining the community as domestic students from the United States, and the other portion of students joining from various countries around the world the ILC truly embodies the College Nine theme of international global perspectives. ILC students reside in the Colleges Nine and Ten Apartments as they live together and learn from one another in this culturally immersive experience. Based out of the International Living Center, the International Affairs Group (IAG) offers all Colleges Nine and Ten community members the opportunity to engage in lively discussions about important current international issues with one another through guest speakers, film, literature, media, and personal experience.
iFloor
The iFloor is a combination of international first-year students and U.S. first-year students who apply to live in this intentional intercultural community housed within the College Nine residence halls. This unique community offers residents opportunities to make meaningful, lifelong friendships and connections that extend beyond borders.
Co-Curricular Programs and Opportunities
College Nine and John R. Lewis are the only colleges, so far, on UCSC’s campus with a dedicated Co-Curricular Programs office. The CoCo, as it is affectionately known, has been providing dynamic involvement and leadership opportunities for students for more than two decades. Through these student leadership opportunities, and more, The CoCo seeks to provide academic and social spaces that embody and blend the themes and curriculum of our colleges. Getting involved in co-curricular activities is a predictor of college success. Not only do college activities help students make friends, they foster leadership and group cooperation and build the key skills that are needed to build a more peaceful, knowledgeable, and empathetic society as we trek deeper into the 21st century. There are many opportunities at College Nine for student involvement. These include the following groups as well as many other programs, activities, and clubs. The CoCo is located on the ground floor of Social Science Building 1, next to the College Nine mailroom/package pickup. Follow @ucsc9_jrl on Instagram to see what’s going on at The CoCo.
(H)ACER
The (H)ACER Program at College Nine and John R. Lewis College integrates experiential learning with community engaged research opportunities to train undergraduate students in community-engagement and envision themselves as knowledge producers. Students can participate in anywhere from one-day critical service learning experiences to yearlong research apprenticeships. In collaboration with our community partners, students engage in projects that address pressing issues such as social, economic, educational, and environmental injustice through an approach that pushes against deficit and damage-centered frameworks and honors the knowledge of community members.
Practical Activism: Tools for Local and Global Change
The annual Practical Activism Conference is a daylong, student-led conference featuring keynote speakers, multiple workshops, various on- and off-campus organizations, performances, and a variety of hands-on activism activities. Students interested in planning the conference enroll in the JRLC-120 course in the fall and winter quarters to gain valuable leadership and organizing skills which aid in developing and planning this exceptional program, which involves collaboration among faculty, staff and the local community. Visit practicalactivism.ucsc.edu for more information. Follow the Practical Activism Conference on Instagram @practicalactivism.
The annual Practical Activism Conference is a daylong, student-led conference featuring keynote speakers, multiple workshops, various on- and off-campus organizations, performances, and a variety of hands-on activism activities. Students gain valuable leadership and organizing skills through developing and planning this exceptional program, which involves collaboration among faculty, staff, and the local community. Visit practicalactivism.ucsc.edu for more information.
Community Garden
The Community Garden Club meets weekly to discuss sustainability issues, integrate the themes of our colleges into the garden design and practice, and work together on soil preparation, planting, and harvesting. Members of the Garden Club learn about opportunities to work with our sister garden at Calabasas Elementary School in Watsonville. The Community Garden Club raises grant funding to support four staff positions to sustain the garden and run the Garden Club.
Intercultural/Social Justice Community Weekend
This two-day retreat provides international and U.S. students from diverse backgrounds the opportunity to explore various components of intercultural communication. The theme of this yearly retreat rotates between the College Nine theme and the John R. Lewis College themes, which share a lot of overlap. Through a series of structured exercises and small-group discussions, students share perspectives on intercultural issues, values orientation, and cross-cultural communication. The goal of the workshop is to build community and friendship between international and U.S. students as well as to increase students’ understanding of the complexity of communicating across cultures.
Physical Surroundings
College Nine is situated in a redwood grove next to the Social Sciences 1 and 2 Buildings near the heart of campus. One of the campus’s Instructional Computing Labs is conveniently located in the Social Sciences 1 Building. A nature preserve serves as College Nine’s “backyard.” College Nine students have immediate access to hiking, running, and mountain bike trails in the adjacent forest.
Residence halls offer approximately 600 single and triple bedrooms. These fully furnished residence halls include adjacent student study spaces, recreational areas, and WiFi. In addition, there is a state-of-the-art dining hall with an adjoining multipurpose room and recreation lounge for both College Nine and John R. Lewis College.
College Nine and John R. Lewis College also house approximately 400 upper-division students in apartments, with single, double, and triple bedrooms. All apartments have full kitchens, living rooms, bathrooms, and WiFi. Ground-floor apartments have decks, and most upper apartments have private balconies.
For more information about academic or general college programs, call (831) 459-5034, email 910capc@ucsc.edu, or visit the College Nine website.
College Nine Fellows and Staff
College Nine faculty fellows are listed on the college's faculty directory.
College Nine staff are listed on the college's staff page.