On March 13th, UC Santa Cruz canceled their judicial review hearing against Cruz Molina just before it was set to begin, off-campus, at the UCSC Inn. Cruz and David Benterou are UCSC freshman targeted for allegedly having the tree-sitters as their “guests” on the morning of November 7th, 2007. Supporters of Cruz and David organized a “Student Justice Teach-In” on March 6th. They assert that UCSC is trying to scapegoat Cruz and David by holding them responsible for all past, present and future actions of the tree-sit on Science Hill.
Students and other community members arrived at the UCSC Inn to discover that demonstrations are not allowed there because it is private property and that Cruz’s hearing was canceled. No official explanation was given for the cancellation, though some people asserted that Doug Zuidema, UCSC’s Director of Judicial Affairs, wanted to hear Cruz’s version of the events before holding a hearing. The announced demonstration and media exposure of UCSC’s off-campus, behind closed doors, judicial review process may have influenced them more than a last minute altruistic decision to inquire about Cruz’s version of events. Read More and View Photos
On January 12th, two University of California police officers used pepper spray to disperse about 15 people gathered below an occupied redwood tree on Science Hill at UC Santa Cruz. The officers got out of their car, which was parked in the parking lot, and then followed the people dressed in black and wearing bandannas across their faces. One of the officers proclaimed that the group was trespassing and then both officers began pepper spraying people in their faces.
On January 10th, a tree-sitter on Science Hill at UC Santa Cruz dangled a lime green shopping bag from a platform high up in a redwood, presumably with the desire of receiving food, dry clothing and other supplies for occupying the crown of a coastal redwood during a stormy winter. UC police officers stood below the trees to prevent people from sharing with tree-sitters. A security guard also confiscated a backpack from under a tree and then turned it over to the police. UCSC has resorted to a diversity of tactics in trying to end the tree-sit which has been ongoing since November 7th, 2007, including police intimidation and violence, public relations lies and propaganda, and seeking a court injunction against named and unnamed individuals. 
A tree-sit on Science Hill at UC Santa Cruz is entering its third month since it began on November 7th, 2007, as a protest against UCSC’s 2005 Long Range Development Plan (LRDP). The tree-sit has opened up a social space, both below and beyond the trees, for students and community members to visualize their contempt for the LRDP and solidarity with the county-wide movement to limit university expansion. In response, the university is seeking a court order to prohibit the tree-sit and all activities they deem in support of the demonstration. 
In 2003, the Princeton Review ranked UC Santa Cruz as having the ‘most beautiful campus’ in the nation. This year’s rankings are in and UCSC placed 8th in the ‘most beautiful campus’ category for “The Best 366 Colleges: 2008 Edition.”
