UC Santa Cruz to loosen COVID-19 testing requirements as fall prep continues

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION) UC Santa Cruz has announced they will require only one COVID-19 test a week instead of two for students living, working or taking classes on campus.

In a statement, the university points to regional improvements related to the pandemic, including low case numbers among UCSC students and Santa Cruz County as a whole.

Student-athletes will still have to undergo testing requirements put in place by the NCAA.

As far as vaccinations are concerned, a previous statement from Chancellor Cindy Larive encourages students to get vaccinated as they become available.

There was no specific mention in her statement that it would be required.

UCSC says they are aiming to allow for two-thirds to three-quarters of classes to be conducted in-person.

Classes with 150 or more students will stick to online-only or remain in the distance learning format.

All of those plans could change based on state and county guidelines as well as the status of the pandemic.

But what about other colleges and universities on the Central Coast?

We'll have more in a report tonight on KION Newschannel 5/46.