Gym, Library and Auditing UCSC Courses Information
Gym Access
OLLI at UCSC members have the same gym membership opportunity as other non-student community members. Learn more about how to become a member of the UCSC Athletics and Recreation Center. Once you are a member you can register for Group Exercise, and/or participate in additional programming. Membership fees vary based on type, from $90 to $360 annual fee.
Library Access
The University Library at UC Santa Cruz serves the instruction and research objectives of University faculty, students, and staff. OLLI at UCSC members can gain library access by joining Friends of the UCSC Library for $50 a year.
Auditing UCSC Courses
Like any member of the public members of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute can audit any regular UCSC course with the instructor's permission. If you wish to actually enroll in a class and receive college credit for it upon its successful completion you must do so through the UCSC Extension's Concurrent Enrollment program. Fees will apply. For information on Concurrent Enrollment click here to go to the UCSC Extension Open Campus homepage. Scroll down till you find a section entitled "Members of the Community" with links for applications and other information. You may call (831) 502-8196 if you have questions.
Auditing a class with no credit:There is no charge to audit a class except for the Summer Session. Summer Session has special rules. For current information call the Summer Session Office at (831) 459-5373. No college credit is granted when one audits a course.
The following instructions apply to auditing a course during the Fall, Winter and Spring quarters at UCSC.
The catalog of all courses to be offered during the upcoming UCSC quarter is available as a .pdf document which you can download here. (You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open this file. It is available for a free download at this website.)
Or...
You may go to the special "search for courses" webpage provided by UCSC. This webpage allows you to search for courses according to a variety of criteria including department, level, course title, instructor, days/times, etc.
Once you enter your criteria you will get a listing of courses. Click on any course title to get expanded information including detailed information about the course, its instructor, meeting times, etc.
If you decide you'd like to audit a particular course, make sure you note the course name and number, the instructor's name, the time the class meets and the classroom.
Armed with the information you've gleaned, you can locate the e-mail address and/or phone number of the instructor and send a message to the instructor requesting permission to audit the class. Alternatively, go to the first session of the class(es) early and request permission from the instructor to audit. If the class is small, ask if the instructor would prefer you to simply observe, or if it would be ok to participate in discussions. Whatever the answer is, respect it.
Getting to the class
To find the location of a building or classroom, as well as directions use the links from
https://www.ucsc.edu/visit/maps-directions.html
One of the links takes you to the interactive map
https://www.ucsc.edu/map/
Handicap parking is available at all campus sites. See below for more information
If you are stuck...
There are Institute members who are familiar with the campus will happily help you figure out how to get to your class the first time it meets. Call Mark Gordon, 408 314-4802 or email: mgordon@cruzio.com for assistance.
Parking on campus
The USCS Campus is huge. Parking is difficult. There are some lots with metered marking. You can also buy a temporary parking permit. Go to the TAPS web site (https://taps.ucsc.edu/index.html) to get the latest information about transportation and parking. Because of the increasing challenges of parking on campus, we recommend that you consider using the various bus services (details below) to get to campus locations.
Disabled Parking
For drivers with a DMV disabled plaque or license plate, there are numerous reserved disabled parking spaces and many other options for parking. You may use them without charge and without a permit. See the TAPS webpage: Disabled Parking at UC Santa Cruz.Bus Service
Bus service may be the best way to move around campus. Buses run frequently, but sometimes are crowded. Seniors are offered priority seating, often with graciousness, by drivers and students.
There are two kinds of bus service: Metro Bus which runs from the downtown bus terminal to and through campus, and Campus Shuttle Bus services. It's important to learn the bus routes, and where the bus stops are in relation to various campus locations. Seniors 62 and older can get half fare discounts on Metro Buses. The Campus Shuttle Bus is free to all. Metro publishes a free newsprint booklet called "Headways" that details all routes, with maps and schedules. This is available on many buses, at the bus terminal and at the Public Library. Or you can download the whole publication as a .pdf document here. One other note: The Metro Bus service is very frequent during the regular school terms, (September to June). "Headways" has the details.
