The UCSC SCUBA program has made an immense impact on my life and on the lives of the 10,000+ students it has certified over the past 50 years. Outside of our little Santa Cruz bubble, SCUBA is largely inaccessible to students because of the high cost of certification and equipment, but this program has given students an opportunity to experience the underwater beauty of the Monterey Bay. Students from this program have gone on to successful careers in diving around the world. 

The director of athletics and recreation at UCSC is trying to take that away from us. The SCUBA program director, Cecilia Shin, has offered us endless support and world-class training. Now it's our turn to be there for her. 

From Cecil:

Sue Harriman, the Director of Athletics and Recreation, has LAID OFF:

- 3 PE Supervisors (Myself - Scuba; Vicki Bergland – Dance, Pilates; and Yoshi Shibata - Martial Arts)

- 2 Recreation Supervisors (Cindy Pierce – Kayak, Outdoor Rental, Drop-in Bike Maintenance; and Danielle Lewis - First Aid, CPR/First Aid, Wilderness Medicine, Banff Film Festival, Cooking).

NO ONE ELSE HAS BEEN LAID OFF. NOT the 17 Coaches or the 18 Administrators. See the A&R Staff Directory. Student athletes are important, but PE courses serve a larger body of students, students who might not be good enough to be on a team, students who just want to learn about wellness and be able to maintain their wellness! Did you know that Sue approved the resurfacing of the Dance Studio with AstroTurf to turn it into a golf practice driving range?!?

Sue Harriman said that we in PE and Rec are being laid-off because "there is no work". How is there "work" for the 17 Coaches but not for PE and Rec? I asked if I can be put on part-time so I can offer online scuba courses, update budget, maintain equipment records, etc. I asked if the 17 coaches could be put on part-time to spread the budget deficit. Sue said NO.

Sue Harriman, Sarah Latham (Sue's supervisor), and Chancellor Cindy Larive have NO knowledge of the history of the Recreational Scuba Program or how it impacts students:

- the program has been in existence for 50 years and has certified over 10,000 students

- it is a feeder class to the Scientific Diving course and upper-division field courses, such as Kelp Forest and Field Quarter courses to Corsica, Sitka, and Baja

- it trains divers for jobs while they are still attending college – at Monterey Bay Aquarium, at Catalina Island Marine Institute, with UCSC research labs, on dive boats as Divemasters and Instructors, vessel hull servicing - just to name a few.

- graduates of our program are working at California Academy of Sciences, California Science Center, NASA Ames, Lindblad Expeditions, Scripps Institute, Monterey Bay Aquarium, National Park Service...

I have been the Director of the Scuba Program for the past 18 years and involved with the program for over 26 years. There have been no major incidents or accidents during my directorship. This program is unique to the UC system. No other UC has a stand-alone Recreational Scuba Program. This program is not only about SCUBA certifications but about community, taking care of each other and creating awareness of the ocean environment.

Sue Harriman is planning to restructure the PE program. Sue is changing the PE supervisor positions from salaried to contractual! And she has eliminated the Recreation positions. I believe this restructuring is shortsighted, not taking into consideration all the students, staff and faculty that have been and could be the beneficiaries of such a unique program. None of us were consulted about the restructuring. Were you?

You are paying $12.50 every quarter (Fall, Winter, and Spring) towards PE. Measures 32 and 64. Where are the PE courses? Those of us who’ve been laid off have proposed to offer online courses.

I WANT SLOANE LOFY (Scuba Program Assistant) AND I TO HAVE OUR JOBS BACK. I WANT TO KEEP WORKING FOR YOU. I want Sloane and I to keep offering safe and thoughtful scuba courses to you. I want Sloane and I to give input to the restructuring to make sure that the scuba courses are not watered down or pushed for profit.

MY LAST DAY IS MONDAY, DECEMBER 14TH. STOP MY PERMANENT LAY-OFF!

Please add your name to save the UCSC SCUBA program as well as other many other PE and recreation programs.