Protesters from various schools and organizations march in the streets of San Francisco’s financial district on their way to the Bank of America on California Street, the former location of the bank’s headquarters. Photo by Hilli Ciavarello.

Photo by Hilli Ciavarello.

The UC Office of the President (UCOP) sent out an email on the afternoon of Nov. 14 informing the public that the regents meeting was to be postponed, based on information gathered by the UCPD that “significant violence and vandalism” was likely to occur at the event. The email said UCPD recommended “in the strongest of terms” the meeting be canceled, and after consultation within UCOP, they decided to heed UCPD’s warning.

UAW 2865 had chartered several buses to take protesters to the meeting in San Francisco, where a protest organized by the group ReFund California (an anti–Wall Street statewide coalition comprised of “homeowners, community members, faith leaders and students,” according to the group’s website) was due to take place.

Despite the cancellation of the meeting, the buses transporting over 1,500 protesters (including students from UC Santa Cruz, UC Davis, San Francisco State and K-12 teachers) still went to San Francisco as planned. The protest took place in the Financial District of San Francisco, and included a march and rally that lasted the majority of the day.

“Wall Street and the regents can’t hide from us,” said Josh Brahinsky, UAW affiliate and graduate student at UC Santa Cruz in an email to politics graduate students outlining the change in protest plans. “We’ll be marching through San Francisco’s Financial District, where many of [the regents] have offices … we’ll invite them to join us.”

Student and union representatives have been largely critical of the regents’ decision to postpone the meeting based on the possibility of violent action. UC student regent and student regent-designate, Alfredo Mireles, Jr. and Jonathan Stein respectively, said the regents’ decision was a poor one.

“We understand that UCSF law enforcement authorities recommended the meeting be postponed in the interest of public safety,” they said in a Nov. 14 press release. “However, students have a right to protest peacefully and make their voices heard forcefully; this action eliminates their opportunity to do that.”

Sindy Ramirez, a UCSC SUA representative, said the cancellation robbed students of their voice.

“I think it’s unfortunate students from the UC system are not given this space for solidarity, and to express how we are suffering from these fee increases,” Ramirez said. “However, we must not let these concerns from the regents hinder students from taking action.”

Claudia Magaña, president of the University of California Student Association, said UC students are “strongly opposed to this decision.”

“We do understand the concerns about public safety, yet the regents have a responsibility to the students and people of California to hold open meetings that allow for public access and participation,” Magaña said in a Nov. 14 press release. “By canceling this meeting, the UC regents have done a great disservice to students, and our ability to participate in the governance of our university system.”

Others feel the cancellation of the meeting itself speaks to the effectiveness of the planned protests.

“I think it’s fantastic [that the meeting was canceled]” UCSC grad student Brahinsky said. “If you build a big enough movement, just its presence is an incredible force. We don’t even need civil disobedience — we just need to be there.”

The protest on Wednesday follows hot on the heels of police action that took place on the UC Berkeley campus Nov. 9, where students were arrested and beaten by UC police officers as they assembled in Berkeley’s Sproul Plaza. Antipathy from students towards the UCPD remain high.

“It seems that given the way regents meetings have gone in the past, the only credible threat I can imagine would be coming from UCPD,” said a UAW-affiliated TA who wished to remain anonymous. “This just shows how out of touch the regents are with the student movement.”

Mireles condemns the university response to the Berkeley actions as well, and thinks the UC system needs to differentiate between violent and non-violent protest.

“The police violence at UC Berkeley on Nov. 9 was reprehensible and ought to be condemned, not defended, by campus and systemwide administration,” said Mireles in an open letter to students. “The student regent and student regent-designate support the actions of students who call attention to the privatization of public education through courageous and peaceful protest.”

Around 300 protesters occupied Bank of America in San Francisco. Ninety-five were arrested for trespassing, approximately 60 of them UCSC students. Photo by Hilli Ciavarello.

San Francisco police arrested an estimated 95 students, teaching assistants (TAs) and community organizers who shut down and occupied a Bank of America location in the San Francisco Financial District Wednesday. About 60 of the arrested were from UC Santa Cruz, while others were from UC Berkeley, UC Davis, San Francisco State, community colleges and local Occupy movements.

Three hundred protesters initially filled the bank lobby, standing on desks and even setting up a tent, forcing out employees and customers. The protesters chanted they were there to deliver a pledge to UC regent Monica Lozano, who serves on the Bank of America board, and asked her to support tax rises to the rich and refund social services.

“We could consider staying until Monica signs the pledge,” they chanted. “Sign the pledge, Monica.”

On the date of the UC regents’ cancelled meeting, around 150 UCSC undergraduate and graduate students filled several buses chartered by the TA union UAW Local 2865 to the city. Combined with other schools and organizations, the protesters reached around 600 in number and filled an entire block, not including the trailing police, as they marched from Justin Herman Plaza to the bank.

Bill Chorneau of the Oakland Alliance of California for Community Empowerment said the bank occupation was still going to take place after the regents meeting.

“I don’t expect us to get results today,” Chorneau said. “It’s going to be a long struggle, but as long as it keeps getting bigger and bigger, the 1 percent’s in trouble.”

San Francisco police spokesman Carlos Manfredi said the arrested would be taken to the county jail on charges of trespassing. While the police brandished batons as protesters pinned them outside the bank, no injuries were incurred. Police presented opportunities for occupiers to leave if they did not want to be arrested.

While seated on the floor, one protester found Lozano’s telephone number and called her. The protester announced Lozano’s secretary was trying to find Lozano, but the call eventually led nowhere. Another protester shared a haiku she created in honor of Lozano.

“We’re thinking of you,” she said. “Are you thinking of us too? Sign the fucking pledge.”

UCSC third-year Tyler Correa originally planned to attend the regents meeting, but still decided to take the bus to San Francisco after the meeting was canceled.

“Everyone needs to know they’re victims here,” Correa said. “Some people are upset but don’t have a face to be angry at.”

As they marched to Bank of America, the crowd drew the attention of businesspeople. Businesses like the Omni Hotel on California Street locked their doors, while their customers’ eyes were glued to the protesters.

Prior to the march, protesters gathered at Justin Herman Plaza and listened to speakers from the educational community.

Bob Meister, UCSC social sciences and political thought professor and president of the Council of UC Faculty Association supported the actions in response to the canceled meeting.

“Instead of making the argument [the regents] are working for Wall Street, we did the walk from the regents to the Financial District,” Meister said. “This is the connection that needed to be made.”

SUA, which functions as the the official student government body at UC Santa Cruz, has operated since 1985, and was created to serve the student body as a collective group. SUA is run entirely by students and is made up of six chairs, six at large representatives, 30 college representatives and four advisory members. The SUA is funded largely through Measure 8, a voter-approved measure that takes a $7 fee out of each student’s university fees.

“We get a third of a million dollars every year from the students, and that’s a third of a million dollars the students are saying, ‘you know what you are doing, SUA you know how to best spend this money, go ahead and spend that money,’” said Justin Riordan, Kresge parliament representative and SUA assemblyman.

SUA’s operational budget comprises Measure 8 funding and is supplemented by carryover, which goes to the general fund. Carryover, according to Riordan, is the accumulation of funds that go unused by SUA-funded organizations, which is then transferred over to the next budget.

Among the criticisms that have emerged following the recent amendment is concern over former SUA chair Tiffany Loftin’s decision to not hire a treasurer. Current SUA chair Amanda Buchanan said this led to the projection of these funds to be far greater than they were in actuality, leaving SUA with an unbalanced budget.

“For the past two years, carryforward on the budget was $150,000, and then for this year it was actually around $60,000,” she said, “So she assumed the carryforward was the same as last year’s, even though we had spent a lot more this year.”

Due to this error, the budget for this year had to be amended. The 2011-12 overall budget had to be cut from a proposed $457,242.48 to $397,230.30.

The cuts were absorbed in a number of places. Spending on conferences dropped from a proposed $120,000 to an amended $94,566.00. Office supplies were cut from $12,000 to $7,000. A proposed $1,000 office furniture expense and $1,452 in ethernet charges were also removed.

The areas SUA chose to absorb the cuts were criticized as well.

“We cut money from the conferences, I would say that’s one of the only things that the SUA does for the student body directly,” Riordan said. “We take these students to student conferences, we teach them how to lobby, we take them to Sacramento, these are a thing that we do directly for the student body, and that’s where we cut from first, not the SUA staff.”

Riordan and dissenting Kresge parliament members said cuts could be made elsewhere in SUA, most notably from the parking budget. According to Riordan, $3,366 was allocated to purchasing the permits, most of which went to the purchase of three “B” permits. These permits allow access to virtually every parking location on campus, and are unavailable to undergraduates.

“We should be thinking about where we want our priorities — is refusing to cut from parking in relation to cutting from the conferences an appropriate use of funds?” Riordan said.

Riordan said elimination of the all but one of the “B” permits and trading in the other three for “R” carpool permits would allow SUA to send more individuals to conferences, and therefore better serve the entirety of the student body.

The SUA general body agreed to keep “B” permits in a vote totaled 3-30. Buchanan acknowledged that while they are helpful to officers in times of voter registration, changes to this budget could come in the foreseeable future.

“B permits gives us specific access college-by-college,” she said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if there is a cut from “B” to “R” in spring, but we need to do that math to see what it’s worth.”

Transparency, or lack thereof, within the financial realm of SUA is also an issue that has prompted Riordan to speak out. Much of this has to do with the perceived ambiguity of spending by the organization.

“I don’t know what [funding] has been spent on for the last couple of years,” Riordan said.

Doug Baker, Kresge parliament and SUA member, agreed SUA lacked transparency.

“We do not get any paperwork or notification,” he said. “The only way we can find out is by asking them what they are spending on.”

SUA Chair Buchanan said providing both the student body and SUA general assemblymembers prompt and accurate expense reports is now a higher priority, and is being addressed, as the newly hired treasurer will be in charge of updating SUA expenses.

“That’s a huge priority of mine, I’ve charged the treasurer to give monthly reports to the body and that they are published online,” Buchanan said.

As the year comes to a close, SUA hopes to begin 2012 on a positive note, moving toward becoming a more transparent and fiscally sound student-led organization.

Looking forward, Buchanan said she feels hopeful.

“We are trying to catch up, and we are trying to implement all these things,” she said. “Spring will a good time to evaluate, and see how far we have come and how can we institutionalize some of the things that we have required this year.”

Emotions Run High in “The First Seed,” written by UCSC alum Aman Gohal, directed by students Sharif Zakout and Aye Thant. Photo Courtesy of Katie Ventura.

An arranged Indian marriage and four men held captive by a group of women — what do these two plots have in common? For one, they both bring up issues of racism and gender inequality. And they also are both plays currently being put on by UC Santa Cruz’s own Rainbow Theater.

The theater troupe illustrates the connections between cultures in the two plays “First Seed” and “Captivated.” Creative and well produced, these shows address issues of sexism and ethnicity among a wide range of people, leaving audiences with a new perspective.

“First Seed,” directed and written by UCSC and Rainbow Theater alumnus Aman Gohal, tells the story of a contemporary Indian family and the arranged marriage of their eldest daughter. The play draws contrasts among the varying cultural identities of the family’s three sisters. For example, the eldest sister wears the traditional Indian caftans and scarves, while the youngest sister wears short dresses and caked-on makeup. The eldest sister grapples with having an arranged marriage with a wealthy Indian doctor, who has her parents approval but isn’t quite a perfect match for her.

Differing expectations of cultural gender roles, chauvinistic jokes and stereotypical bread-winning husbands all have a part in this play, which focuses on domestic violence toward women and dueling cultures.

While the message in “First Seed” is very clear, it often feels overbearing. Yes, the repeated quarrels and clashing personalities of the sisters effectively show the struggles of immigrant cultures, but in a way that weakens the effect with every repetition. Similarly, although the intense action and dialogue keep the audience captivated through about an hour and 20 minutes of drama, the piece at times lacked subtlety.

Regardless, Gohal succeeds in getting his audience to take a deeper look at domestic abuse, ethnic differences and sexism.

“Captivated,” the second show, written by Darryl Davis, addresses gender expectations between men and women in an extreme setting: a laboratory with four cages, each cage with its own captive human male. The men are held captive by three female scientists who perform “experiments” on them.

The main character is a black man who represents the racial contrast between himself, the other captives and the scientists. He is confused as to where he is or what is going on.

The audience shares the captive’s confusion as to what the imprisonment and experiments mean. It might be frustrating at times for the viewer to be asked to go along with the play without having reference points for the plot. But as issues rise between the captives and experimenters, it becomes clear the play centers around exploring male privilege.

In one scene, the black experimenter, who is wearing tight black pants and a matching tank top, lets the main character out of his cage. Moments later, the freed man starts to make offensive comments about the experimenter’s body, objectifying her, giving her pet names and even trying to cop a feel. The experimenter turns on him in an instant, throwing the man on the ground.

“Captivated” is most effective because it takes a look at commonplace social conflicts in an unrealistic and jarring setting, forcing the audience to reevaluate their own prejudices. Though it was difficult to follow at certain points, Davis without a doubt conveys a strong message to the audience, and the confusion only added to that strength.

Café Gratitude, a well-known San Francisco restaurant, opened a location in Santa Cruz this past spring with the mission of making vegan, organic food accessible to everyone. One of their signature dishes, the Grateful Bowl, is available per donation. Photo by Prescott Watson.

The biggest concept that stumped and shocked many business people about Café Gratitude is the free food. Created in the midst of the recession in the mid-2000s, the café’s “Grateful Bowl” is a donation-based program that offers a bowl of brown rice, black beans and kale with tahini garlic dressing to everyone, from the homeless to lower-middle class to students and anyone else who might be under financial strain.

The café offers an option to pay anywhere from a penny to the $7 cost of production, or even above. The money goes to fund the Grateful Bowl program and feed another person.

While the average price for customers is $3, there have been donations that exceed the production cost. Café Gratitude has received donations as high as a $1,000.

“It’s being able to provide the community a chance to let them provide for their own community, too. We wanted to create this so that people can actually see the difference,” Manzo said. “We’re not in the business of making anyone wrong or right. We’re willing to make less money to provide this for the community and in turn, what we’re providing for our customers, we’re providing for the local farmers and the vendors that we’re buying from.”

While the program may seem susceptible to being taken advantage of, Manzo explains Café Gratitude is a “school of transformation,” where customers can change and transcend as individuals. Manzo recalls a regular customer that embodies his idea of transformation.

“We have one homeless guy who comes in almost every day and he might spend a penny on a Grateful Bowl one day, but then he’ll come in the next day and spend $30 on it,” Manzo said. “That’s the transformation we’re looking for.”

When Manzo first proposed starting a restaurant that was 100 percent organic and vegan, focused on making healthy options accessible to customers, people had doubts about its potential to succeed. However, since its original San Francisco opening in 2004, a handful of locations have opened, including a recent addition in downtown Santa Cruz on Aug. 15.

“The more we think about what we’re grateful for, the easier it is to feel the abundance out there. The earth provides everything that we need,” Manzo said. “This kind of food actually fuels this way of being. For asking people to be more healthy and positive, we can feed them food that helps fuel them. If we told you to come in and be happier, be healthier and go out into the world with a positive energy, but we’re feeding you 99-cent cheeseburgers, Coca-Cola and Cheetos, your body would be holding you back.”

Manzo created the café with “old-school” restaurant business in mind, where the focus is not on profits. The restaurant’s sole interest is the community: the café uses only produce from local farms and vendors and prioritizes providing for the community over profits.

Melissa Mango, a waitress at Café Gratitude, said this unusual focus has made working at the restaurant a unique experience.

“It supplies a sense of supporting one’s spirit,” she said. “It’s not just a job where you clock in and clock out. I’ve never worked at a place that is so high in integrity and trust.”

For Manzo, the Grateful Bowl reflects one of the restaurant’s very basic philosophies, rooted in the café’s origins.

“We weren’t interested in just opening up another restaurant,” Manzo said. “In the ‘80s when money started to become a conversation, we watched restaurants get away from what they’re providing for the community to how they can make the most money possible. So for my family, the old-school version for a restaurant is providing.”

(from left to right)

“Honestly, I don’t really know much about it, so I don’t really know what it does for me.”
Stephanie Alejandre
First-year, Oakes
Undeclared

“A lot of stuff. They basically speak for the students and act as an alliance between the students and the regents.”
Jessica Quintua
Fifth-year, Oakes
Community studies and history

“Probably not a lot. Nothing I notice anyways.”
Paul Vasquez
Third-year, Merrill
History

“It represents the student voices on campus. For the past 10 years we have been working on the Dream Act. Our priority this year is working on voter registration, getting students registered to vote so politicians take us seriously.” 
Shaz Umer, SUA member
Second-year, Merrill
Earth science

Protesters gather for a general assembly at the Occupy Santa Cruz encampment in front of the county courthouse on Water Street. Photo by Arianna Vinion.

Story updated 11/17/2011 at 10:30pm

Last week, Santa Cruz city attorneys filed a lawsuit against members of Occupy Santa Cruz (OSC) for allegedly being a public nuisance, citing the presence of feces, drugs and fights in San Lorenzo Park. The park is under the jurisdiction of the Santa Cruz Police Department.

“If the demonstrators continue to camp in the city park in violation of an injunction issued by the court, the city would be authorized by the court order to remove the camping equipment from the park,” said city attorney John Barisone.

Barisone added that protesters would not be allowed “in the park without a permit between sunset and sunrise.”

The permit the city gave OSC outlines rules and regulations protesters are to follow to continue their demonstration, including a prohibition against staying in the park overnight. It also calls for protesters to dismantle their tents and clean up the area of the park they’ve occupied by Nov. 16.

Santa Cruz attorney Ed Frey, who represents OSC, filed a notice of removal in federal court on Tuesday, effectively stalling a hearing in Santa Cruz County Superior Court that would have allowed a county judge to decide whether or not OSC is a public nuisance.

SCPD deputy chief of police Steve Clark said he is “surprised [protesters] would balk at conditions that simply ask for a measure [of] responsibility to accompany the rights they wish to exercise.”

Across the country in the last week and a half, Occupy protesters have faced increasing police presence. Last week, protesters at UC Berkeley were beaten with batons by university police near Sproul Hall. UC President Mark Yudof issued a statement on Wednesday expressing support for “peaceful” demonstrators at the protest, and said “a process is in place to review the violence of last week.”

On Tuesday, thousands of students calling themselves “Occupy Cal” marched around Berkeley in support of Occupy Wall Street, whose encampment in New York’s Zuccotti Park was forcibly taken down by the NYPD in the early hours of the morning. Occupy camps have been removed in Oakland, Berkeley, Portland and New York, among other places, but protesters have returned with more conviction and passion than before their eviction.

Tuesday night at 10:30 p.m., protesters continued to occupy the Santa Cruz County Courthouse and San Lorenzo Park despite the 49-degree weather. People camping at the courthouse and park for the past month were there, along with many other new faces. Tents along the river in the park multiplied as well.

People in front of the courthouse shouted, “Whose dome?” while others shouted back “Our dome!” in a call-and-response, referring to their aptly named “Occudome.”

In what appears to be a growing response to local law enforcement and the city’s recent attempts to shutdown OSC, more people are joining the 24/7 protest on county and city property.

“Tents, signs, EZ-ups and someone’s glasses” have been taken by sheriff’s deputies, said Hayden Bean, a protester who has been occupying the courthouse steps for several weeks. Bean said two people were arrested earlier in the day, and one was allegedly assaulted by a non-uniformed officer who had no visible badge and would not provide his name.

The officer who arrested the two men was about to start his shift when he noticed the men photographing his personal vehicle, which was parked next to his patrol car. He claimed the men had touched his personal car and arrested them on suspicion of tampering with a vehicle. UCSC students Austin Bruckner and Joseph Sherman-Williams were the two men arrested, according to the Santa Cruz Sentinel.

Aside from the violence, Bean feels things are going “very well … even though it’s cold, people have high spirits.”

Last week, protesters began constructing new shelters and tents in front of the courthouse in response to the permit issued by the city and Santa Cruz County sheriff’s officers who have told protesters to dismantle their structures. Protesters are refusing to dismantle the tents and instead have chosen to erect more tents, shelters and signs around the dome.

Protester Abby Bacon said many of the protesters have not been getting a lot of sleep because they do not want to get cited for sleeping at the courthouse. Bacon only gets a few hours of sleep each night and she has already been cited.

“They took my tent and backpack,” Bacon said. Sheriffs told her she would have to pick up her belongings later that day. “The general feeling that I have is that people want to stay and protect the spot if evicted.”

Clark said the city’s conditions are reasonable, as protesters have expressed to the police department they would like to disassociate themselves from the group of mostly homeless people who have set up tents in San Lorenzo Park near those of the Occupy protesters. Clark, like other city officials, cites alcohol, drugs, violence and trash as the inappropriate behavior through which OSC is becoming an issue with the city and police department.

The police department has offered their assistance in removing those people who are interfering or disrupting the event, Clark said. It is up to the protesters to use the permit as a tool to disassociate themselves from that “unwanted element,” he said.

“This will test their resolve toward this, or signal that their words have been just rationalizations and excuses,” he said. “We do expect them to abide by the permit conditions, and we do expect consequences should they refuse to do so.”

The area in front of the courthouse is under the jurisdiction of the Sheriff’s Department. April Skalland, Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Department press information officer, said the Sheriff’s Department has been working with OSC, focusing on keeping an open dialogue with protesters and assessing the situation day-to-day.

“We encourage OSC to keep that open dialogue with us,” Skalland said.

Mayor Ryan Coonerty, who expressed support of the movement and local protesters a few weeks ago, has changed his tone as more people complain about the protesters in the park.

“Overall, I am hopeful that the protesters will take reasonable steps to address the public health and safety issues,” Coonerty said. “I also hope that they focus their energies on addressing a serious national issue and not protesting the need for Port-a-Potties.”

One protester who wished to remain anonymous said they protested in response to the UC Berkeley police brutality on the Nov. 9 Day of Action.

“Today Berkeley decided it’d be a day of action and asked all UCs to do something, and we decided to do this,” he said. “If military recruiters get kicked out, the whole [job fair] gets shut down.”

Event organizer and Career Center director Barbara Silverthorne cited the 1996 Solomon Amendment, which allows the Secretary of Defense to deny federal grants to institutions of higher education if they prohibit or prevent on-campus ROTC or military recruitment, as the reason for having the recruiters stay in spite of the protests.

UCSC alum Marine recruiter Lieutenant Colin Campbell was not bothered by the protest.

“It’s kind of sad,” Campbell said. “It doesn’t really affect us, but it’s not the troops’ fault the decisions that are made.”

As the students linked arms and wound their way through the room chanting, “No Recruits, No Troops, No Wars,” Silverthorne of the Career Center called the UC Santa Cruz Police Department.

Around six police officers arrived, and some took pictures of the protesters.

“We took pictures just to show the actions that were being taken on both sides,” UCSC police chief Nadar Oweis said.

Illustration by Christine Hipp

UC Santa Cruz’s Student Union Assembly (SUA) has made strides in representing students on campus in the University of California Student Association and the United States Student Association. While City on a Hill Press applauds the efforts of SUA members, many of whom struggle in their positions with problems inherited from those who previously held their positions, it is important to pay attention to the actions of the representatives and ensure student money is being used responsibly and effectively.

Third-year Justin Riordan serves as Kresge parliamentarian, and on Oct. 31 submitted a report on the operations of the SUA. Riordan has found areas that seem like appropriate places for budget cuts.

In a letter to City on a Hill Press, Riordan said he presented an alternative budget to the SUA that had no cuts from conferences, save the Grassroots Legislative Conference (LegCon) in DC, and instead made up the cuts in Officer Programing.

“I did and do advocate for cutting from LegCon because of the expense per student required of this particular conference. Which was correctly identified as about $1000 per student,” he said. “These conferences are one of the direct and tangible things the SUA does for the Student Body and I encourage all student to apply to them, as they are open to all students and not just members of the SUA, [and] as they are amazing opportunities.”

Another aspect of the budget that has received much attention from the campus community has been the $5,000 used to purchase “B” parking permits for officers. Sources note there has been considerable opposition to ending the purchasing of the permits for officers, which are not guaranteed as compensation in the SUA’s documentation.

Without explanation, this kind of spending can be interpreted as a sign the representatives hold themselves above the students they represent. When the majority of UCSC students utilize campus and Metro buses to get around campus, such a large sum being spent on these permits seems unnecessary.

However, whether or not students agree with these decisions, it is important to stay informed — students should ask questions about where their money is being spent, and know the reasons purchases are made. It is important to note that the campus community must charge themselves with closely monitoring SUA representatives’ spending, and take action against projects they do not feel are in the best interest of the student body. In the current uncertain climate of the UC, it is more important now than ever that all students are communicating and working together to protect their right to their education.

Illustration by Matt Boblet.

When people think of college dining halls, they usually don’t think of tasty, refreshing and original meals — but Mike Kraus does.

UC Santa Cruz senior food service manager Kraus has dedicated himself to bringing tasty and nutritious food options to campus, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed. In fact, his work has been acknowledged by a nomination in the first annual Real Food Awards.

“It’s definitely a proud moment,” Kraus said. “I think I do a lot of creative things with the menu here, and it’s exciting to get some recognition as far as what we do here at the dining hall on a day-to-day basis.”

The Real Food Awards, sponsored by the Real Food Challenge organization, recognize people who bring “real food” — defined by the organization as “food which truly nourishes producers, consumers, communities and the earth” — to university and college campuses.

“For me, it’s all about tying the community into what we are doing with dining services at UCSC and taking advantage of the abundant seasonal produce here in California, and Santa Cruz in particular,” Kraus said.

Described as a “lifelong foodie,” Kraus has been acknowledged for making a variety of creative and healthy “real food” options available on campus. Kraus has been involved in bringing to campus unique dining initiatives and options, such as Meatless Mondays, fruited quinoa, black bean burgers, sun-dried polenta and numerous gluten-free items.

“I like surprising people and challenging what they’re expecting, and giving them new dining options, what they don’t expect at a dining hall,” Kraus said.

The Real Food Awards has five categories: Students, Faculty, Food Service Managers, Cafeteria “Worker-Leaders,” and Food Producers. Kraus is a finalist in the Food Service Managers category.

The finalists are defined by the Real Food Challenge as those who “have demonstrated dedication to excellence in college food, whether through improving working conditions, obtaining real food in dining halls, or growing sustainable and nourishing food on community farms.”

“The people nominated are exceptional and really inspire people,” said Nina Mukherji, Real Food Challenge director of programs. Mukherji said the nominees have been recognized for making “really concrete change” and “developing leadership.”

“Mike Kraus has all these [qualities] to a high degree,” Mukherji said.

The candidates in each of the categories were nominated by students, and of the 100 nominations, the Real Food Challenge team narrowed the candidates down to 19 finalists.

“These are the real people who are the Real Food Challenge,” said Tricia Kiefer, food day coordinator of the Real Food Challenge.

The Real Food Awards provide an opportunity to put “names and faces to our organization, and really saying these are the stories making ‘real food’ a reality,” Kiefer said.

The winners of each category will be determined by votes via the Real Food Awards website by Nov. 9, and will be announced on Nov. 18. All winners will be featured on the Real Food Challenge website and receive a certificate of recognition. The winners in the Student and Worker Leader categories will receive $750 cash prizes.

The Real Food Challenge will also be awarding “Pioneer Awards,” recognizing schools piloting the Real Food Calculator and/or signing the Real Food Campus Commitment. The Real Food Calculator is a measurement students take to calculate how much “real food” they have in their dining halls. Students go through dining hall receipts and put the food into one of the four categories: Local/Community, Humane, Ecologically Sound and Fair.

The Real Food Campus Commitment is a pledge universities and colleges sign to “support a healthy food system” by shifting their food purchases to 20 percent “real food” by 2020.

“[We’re focusing on] one campus at a time rather than change the whole system over night,” Kiefer said.

The primary goal of the Real Food Challenge, according to their website, is to “shift $1 billion of existing university food budgets away from industrial farms and junk food and towards local/community-based, fair, ecologically sound and humane food sources by 2020.” Since the inception of the Real Food Challenge in 2007, the organization has been able to effectively shift $35 million to “real food.”

The organization plans to reach their goal through initiating and assisting in student-led campaigns. They offer support and training to students through Real Food Challenge campus visits, providing leadership training and development sessions and supplying campaign materials on their website. Additionally, the Real Food Challenge holds summits with interactive workshops, speeches given by movement leaders and panel discussions.

“We believe in the power of students,” Kiefer said, “and we believe students have the energy and power in the system to make a lot of change.”

To learn more about the Real Food Awards and the Real Food Challenge, visit http://realfoodchallenge.org/