Advising & Academics
At John R. Lewis College, you’ll find resources and guidance to help you thrive at UC Santa Cruz. Advisers can answer questions about requirements and planning, while the core seminar and other courses build skills and spark conversations about social justice and community.
Advising
Your advising team is here to help you navigate your academic path, explore your interests, and plan for what’s next. Connect with us whenever you need support or have questions.
College Courses
First-year students take the college’s core seminar, Introduction to University Discourse: Social Justice and Community, which builds academic skills while exploring timely social issues. The college also offers optional courses in social justice, service learning, and teaching.
Encouraging Academic Excellence
We would like to see you do your best at UC Santa Cruz. That will mean some hard work on your part and also taking the initiative to seek out opportunities.
As a way to encourage student achievement, John R. Lewis College students may graduate with two forms of special recognition. One of them is to graduate with honors. This is based on attaining a minimum cumulative grade point average. A second form of special recognition is to graduate with distinction. John R. Lewis College Distinction is awarded if students pursue three quarters of work through one of two pathways.
Academic Standing and Academic Integrity
The fourth academic component of the college is to monitor students’ academic standing. When a student’s cumulative (overall) and current (most recent term) grade point averages are 2.0 or better, that student is in good academic standing. If either the cumulative or current G.P.A. falls below 2.0, the student is on Academic Notice (formerly, Academic Probation). Academic Advisors work alongside students to track academic progress and identify tools and resources that support student well-being and help students continue making progress towards good standing and graduation requirements.
Good academic standing involves maintaining academic integrity. To maintain academic integrity, it is important students refrain from cheating or plagiarizing. If you find yourself struggling with the material or workload of a course, please reach out for help! If you feel anything may impact your ability to pass a class, it is important to be proactive and check-in with your college advisors. Academic Advisors are here to support you and help identify tools, resources, and strategies that will help you be successful at UCSC.