UCSC Holiday Schedule 2026: Official Academic And Staff Paid Leave Calendar

This guide outlines the official 2026 holiday schedules for the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC). To avoid administrative and operational confusion, please note that the UCSC Staff and Administrative Holiday Schedule dictates paid administrative closures and payroll holidays for university employees, whereas the UCSC Academic Calendar governs student instruction, quarter start/end dates, and final examinations.

For staff members, faculty, student employees, and campus partners, planning around the academic and administrative year is critical for ensuring operational continuity, proper payroll processing via UCPath, and personal time-off planning. Under University of California Board of Regents policies and Personnel Policies for Staff Members (PPSM), UCSC observes 14 official paid holidays. This article provides the precise 2026 schedule, structural details of the Winter Curtailment period, critical payroll time-reporting instructions, and student employee policies.

Official UCSC Staff and Administrative Paid Holidays in 2026

The university observes 14 official holidays during the 2026 calendar year. On these days, all administrative, academic, and non-essential operational offices on the high-altitude Santa Cruz campus and the coastal science facilities are closed.

To receive pay for these holidays, eligible career staff and academic employees must be in a paid status on their last scheduled workday immediately preceding the holiday, or their first scheduled workday immediately following the holiday.

Structural Nuances of the 2026 Holiday Calendar

Because Independence Day (July 4, 2026) falls on a Saturday, the University of California system officially observes the holiday on Friday, July 3, 2026. Conversely, holidays falling on a Sunday are historically observed on the following Monday.

For Cesar Chavez Day, the UC system observes this holiday on the last Friday of March (March 27, 2026) rather than the actual birth date of March 31, allowing for a consolidated long weekend that often aligns with the transition between the Winter and Spring quarters.

Navigating the 2026 UCSC Winter Curtailment Period

The Winter Curtailment is an annual closure of the UCSC campus designed to conserve energy, reduce operational costs, and allow employees a prolonged, restful winter break. The curtailment period historically bridges the gap between the Christmas and New Year's holidays.

In 2026, the alignment of the holidays creates a specific operational footprint:

• Thursday, Dec 24, 2026: Paid University Holiday (Christmas Eve)
• Friday, Dec 25, 2026: Paid University Holiday (Christmas Day)
• Monday, Dec 28, 2026: Campus Curtailment Day 1 (Closure)
• Tuesday, Dec 29, 2026: Campus Curtailment Day 2 (Closure)
• Wednesday, Dec 30, 2026: Campus Curtailment Day 3 (Closure)
• Thursday, Dec 31, 2026: Paid University Holiday (New Year's Eve)
• Friday, Jan 1, 2027: Paid University Holiday (New Year's Day)

Options for Covering Non-Holiday Curtailment Days

Because Monday, Dec 28, Tuesday, Dec 29, and Wednesday, Dec 30 are not paid holidays, staff employees must choose how to account for these three non-operational days. Under UCSC HR guidelines, employees have several approved choices:

1. Accrued Vacation Time: Employees can use accrued vacation hours to remain in paid status.
2. Compensatory Time Off (CTO): Non-exempt employees may utilize earned CTO hours.
3. Leave Without Pay (LWOP): Employees who do not have sufficient accrued vacation or CTO, or who choose to save their balances, may opt for unpaid leave.
4. Special Accrual Advanced Allowances: Under specific local UCSC provisions and collective bargaining agreements, newly hired employees who have not yet accrued enough vacation hours to cover the three curtailment days may be allowed to borrow up to three days of vacation time in advance of accrual.

Essential Services Exemptions

Certain essential operations must remain fully active during the curtailment period. Staff assigned to these units are required to report to work as scheduled. These departments typically include:

Emergency Services and Infrastructure Teams

The UCSC Police Department and the Santa Cruz Campus Fire Marshal maintain active 24/7 coverage. Additionally, Physical Plant central heating, utility technicians, and emergency facility maintenance staff remain on call to address critical infrastructure needs.

Student Housing and Dining Services

Limited residential staff and dining personnel remain active to support students who have received authorization to stay in campus housing over the winter break.

Research Facility Support & Animal Care

Laboratory animal care staff, continuous-operation research facilities (such as those at the Coastal Science Campus), and critical environmental health and safety personnel maintain mandatory baseline operational schedules to preserve long-term scientific experiments and comply with federal regulations.

UCSC Academic Calendar vs. Staff Holiday Schedule: Key Differences

While the Staff Holiday Schedule dictates whether university buildings are locked and administrative workers are off, the Academic Calendar determines when classes are in session. This distinction is critical for faculty, teaching assistants, and student employees.

Structural Comparison: Quarters and Holidays

UCSC operates on a fast-paced quarter system: Fall, Winter, and Spring. The administrative holiday schedule directly impacts instructional days. For instance, when a staff holiday falls on a Monday (such as Martin Luther King Jr. Day or Presidents' Day), no classes are held, and administrative services—including advising, registrar functions, and financial aid—are closed.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | UCSC 2026 QUARTER SYSTEM WORKFLOW | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | | | [WINTER QUARTER 2026] | | Instruction Begins: Early Jan | | * MLK Day (Jan 19) -> Campus Closed | | * Presidents' Day (Feb 16) -> Campus Closed | | Instruction Ends / Finals: Mid-to-Late March | | | | │ | | ▼ | | | | [SPRING QUARTER 2026] | | Instruction Begins: Late March/Early April | | * Cesar Chavez Day (Mar 27) -> Campus Closed | | * Memorial Day (May 25) -> Campus Closed | | Instruction Ends / Finals: Mid-June | | | | │ | | ▼ | | | | [SUMMER SESSIONS 2026] | | Instruction Begins: Mid-June | | * Juneteenth (Jun 19) -> Campus Closed | | * Independence Day (Jul 3) -> Campus Closed | | Instruction Ends: Late August | | | | │ | | ▼ | | | | [FALL QUARTER 2026] | | Instruction Begins: Late September | | * Veterans Day (Nov 11) -> Campus Closed | | * Thanksgiving Break (Nov 26-27) -> Campus Closed | | Instruction Ends / Finals: Mid-December | | | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+

During the academic quarter breaks (such as the week between Winter and Spring quarters), the campus remains operationally open. Administrative staff, departmental offices, and university researchers continue to work regular hours, even though students are not attending classes. Staff members only receive paid holidays on the specific dates designated on the official 14-day holiday schedule.

Impact of Holiday Schedules on Student Employees and Pay Cycles

Student employees at UCSC—including Academic Student Employees (ASEs like Teaching Assistants and Readers) and casual student assistants—must navigate unique payroll rules regarding holiday pay and operational closures.

Paid Holiday Eligibility for Student Workers

Most casual student employees (under the Title Code 4922 or similar) are paid on an hourly basis. Under University of California HR policies:

• Non-Exempt Hourly Student Employees: Student workers do not receive automatic holiday pay for days they are not scheduled to work. However, if a student employee is required to work on an official university holiday, they must be paid their standard hourly rate, and under specific collective bargaining or policy conditions, they may be eligible for premium overtime pay (time-and-a-half) for hours worked on the holiday.
• Academic Student Employees (ASEs): Teaching Assistants, Tutors, and Readers are generally salaried or paid on fixed block-time allocations. Their contracts (governed by the UAW bargaining agreements) dictate holiday pay parameters. Generally, if an instruction day is canceled due to an official university holiday, the ASE's monthly compensation is not reduced.

Time Reporting in UCPath

UCSC processes all employee time and attendance tracking through UCPath. It is critical that all non-exempt employees enter their hours correctly during weeks that contain a holiday or curtailment period.

• Holiday Time Reporting Code (TRC): Eligible career employees will see "HLD" (Holiday Pay) prepopulated on their electronic timesheets for the designated holiday.
• Curtailment Reporting: For the curtailment days in December 2026 (Dec 28, 29, and 30), employees must manually enter "VAC" (Vacation) or "CTO" (Compensatory Time Off Offloaded) for the days they are absent to maintain their regular pay rate. If an employee lacks accrued time, they must record "LOP" (Leave Without Pay). Failure to report these hours properly can result in delayed paychecks or incorrect tax withholdings during the critical end-of-year payroll freeze.

Frequently Asked Questions About the UCSC Holiday Schedule

Do student employees get paid for holidays when they do not work?

No, hourly student employees do not receive holiday pay for hours they do not work on university holidays. They are only compensated for actual hours of labor performed on scheduled workdays, unless a specific union contract or appointment agreement dictates otherwise.

If a student worker's regular shift falls on a Monday that is a holiday (such as Martin Luther King Jr. Day) and the office is closed, the student is not permitted to work and will not be paid for that day. Supervisors are encouraged to offer alternative hours later in the week so the student does not lose their planned income.

What happens if a university holiday falls on a weekend?

When an official UC holiday falls on a Saturday, UCSC observes it on the preceding Friday. When an official holiday falls on a Sunday, the university observes it on the following Monday.

This practice is in accordance with UC-wide HR guidelines. For example, because Independence Day in 2026 occurs on Saturday, July 4, the university officially closes and observes the paid holiday on Friday, July 3, 2026. This ensures employees still receive their full allotment of 14 paid administrative holidays.

How does Winter Curtailment work if I do not have enough accrued vacation?

Employees who do not have sufficient accrued vacation to cover the three curtailment days in December 2026 may request to use compensatory time off (CTO) or opt for Leave Without Pay (LWOP).

Alternatively, under UCSC local HR policy, certain employees (particularly newer hires) may be permitted to advance up to three days of vacation time before it is officially accrued. This request must be submitted to and approved by the department supervisor and campus HR prior to the start of the curtailment period in December.

Are library and transit services active during university holidays?

On official staff holidays, McHenry Library and the Science & Engineering Library are closed. Additionally, Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District (METRO) buses and UCSC campus shuttles operate on highly restricted holiday schedules or suspend service entirely.

During academic quarter breaks where staff holidays are not occurring, libraries and campus transit facilities remain open, though they may operate under modified, reduced hours. Always consult the official UCSC Library portal and TAPS (Transportation and Parking Services) alerts for exact service schedules during holiday weeks.

Does UCSC close for Cesar Chavez Day and Juneteenth?

Yes, both Cesar Chavez Day and Juneteenth are official paid holidays for University of California employees, and the UCSC campus is closed.

Cesar Chavez Day is observed on the last Friday of March (observed Friday, March 27, 2026). Juneteenth is observed on its actual calendar date, which falls on Friday, June 19, 2026. All academic instruction is suspended, and administrative, financial, and logistical departments are closed on these days.

Actionable Next Steps for UCSC Personnel

To ensure compliance with university regulations and smooth operations throughout 2026, UCSC employees and managers should complete the following preparations:

• Review UCPath Portals: Regularly check your vacation balances in UCPath to ensure you have saved sufficient hours (approximately 24 hours of vacation or CTO) to cover the Winter Curtailment closure from December 28 to December 30, 2026.
• Coordinate Supervisor Approvals: If you anticipate needing advanced vacation hours for the winter closure, submit your request to your department's HR liaison and supervisor no later than November 2026.
• Adjust Syllabi and Academic Timelines: Instructors, researchers, and teaching assistants should cross-reference their 2026 class syllabi with the administrative holiday calendar to ensure exams, labs, and assignment deadlines do not conflict with campus closures, particularly around Cesar Chavez Day (March 27, 2026) and Veterans Day (November 11, 2026).