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UCCSC FAQs

redwoodsWhat is UCCSC?

UCCSC is the annual University of California Computing Services Conference. Each summer a different UC campus hosts UCCSC.

The first “conference” was at UC Santa Cruz in 1982. It was hosted by Jim Mulherin, a consultant who suggested that UCSC find out what other UC campuses were doing with respect to academic software. The focus was strictly on academic software and it was held in a conference room on campus. Twenty-one people attended.

Who can attend UCCSC?

UCCSC is open to all UC staff and faculty who have an association with or interest in information technology. Subjects for presentations are generally intended for IT professionals, but there are numerous sessions that cover more general subjects such as project management, service delivery, procurement, planning for UCPath, and others. We invite you to review the list of sessions to see what might be of interest.

Who should attend UCCSC?

Each year, UCCSC draws between 250 and 350 computing professionals and others for whom technology plays a significant role in their daily activities from across the University of California.

Participants include technical support staff, system administrators, unit directors and managers, librarians, information security experts, service managers, and others.

If you are interested in learning how other campuses are addressing the technology issues and challenges you face, or if you wish to build a network of professional IT colleagues through the UC system, you should attend UCCSC.

How will I know if my proposal has been included in the program?

All proposals will be reviewed by a panel of technical staff for appropriateness and to reduce duplication. The conference organizers will contact you if the review panel has any questions about your proposal. When your proposal has been accepted, you will be notified via email. The schedule for sessions will be available soon after registration opens.

What is a UCCSC Ambassador?

The UCCSC Ambassador represents a UC campus in the planning and running of UCCSC. Together, the Ambassadors team makes the conference better for all attendees.

The ambassador is asked to use her or his network of contacts on campus to raise awareness and enthusiasm for UCCSC.

UCCSC often includes “campus updates” in which each attending campus reports on IT accomplishments, projects of note, and who from each campus is in attendance and may be a resource to the other campuses. Sometimes this takes the form of a five-minute oral presentation, sometimes a printed poster, sometimes an automated slide show. Usually the ambassador has the best sense of what UCCSC is all about and leads the development of the update for her or his campus.

The ambassador usually attends UCCSC and serves as a conduit of information from the conference to the members of his or her campus who are in attendance.

Often, the Ambassador has the privilege of leading the planning when it's her or his campus' turn to host UCCSC, but the CIO for each campus makes the official appointment.

Who is the UCCSC Ambassador for my campus?

The UCCSC Ambassador is a person designated by each campus to help plan UCCSC, to encourage participation, and to answer questions. Ambassadors for 2016 are:

Does UCCSC have an existence beyond the summer conference?

Absolutely! There is a mailing list which IT professionals throughout UC use to communicate year-round.

If you wish to participate in the UCCSC list, fill out the subscription form at http://maillists.uci.edu/mailman/listinfo/uccsc

I'll be in Santa Cruz before and/or after the conference. What is there to do around here?

Check out this cool website to search for all the things you can do in the area.