Questions About Student Life

What's there to do on campus for fun?
A lot! There are more than 90 student organizations and dozens of athletic activities. There are social, academic, athletic, ethnic, political, religious, service and special interest clubs. There's a great Theatre Arts department which produces five to seven shows a year, including plays, musicals, and dance - and all students are encouraged to try-out and participate.

The Conservatory of Music presents more than 100 performances each year. There are 20 intramural sports, 8 club sports and 16 intercollegiate sports. There are Residence Hall Associations and Student Government groups for both the University as a whole and for each school or college. There are social and professional sororities and fraternities. (And lots of other things too!)

Do most students stay on campus during weekends?
Many students stay on campus during the weekends, although some leave. It depends on the time of year. We are close to many great recreational areas which students can easily get to on a weekend.

Are students able to get housing?
Yes. There is space for anyone who wants to live on campus. About 50% of students live on campus. Students can usually get their first choice of housing. Freshmen and sophomores are required to live on campus, unless their parents live within 50 miles of campus.

What kind of housing is available? Is there a freshman dorm?
There are residence halls, apartment complexes, and housing for sororities and fraternities. There is no freshman dorm, although all freshmen live in a residence hall. Upper class students can live in a hall, a Greek house or one of the apartments.

What are the residence halls like? Which one is the best?
One of the great things about the residence halls is the variety of sizes and themes. There is no best residence hall - it depends on what you want. If a student wants to live in a big or small hall, one with a theme or one without, in a quiet or a non-smoking section, we have them all. Students usually get their first choice.

Do residence halls have Internet access?
All of the residence halls have direct broadband access to the Internet.

Do I need a computer?
Well, you will probably want a computer. But University of the Pacific does have many computer laboratories on campus where you can go to use a computer, printer or access the Internet.

Will I have a roommate? How are roommates matched?
Almost all freshmen will be assigned roommates. This matching is done personally by Resident Assistants in each building. They use the information the incoming student provides during the summer. It's very important to fill out this housing information card accurately and honestly. Entering students can indicate a preference of roommate.

Do you have sororities and fraternities? How big is the Greek System? What role do social fraternities and sororities play at Pacific?
Between 18% and 20% of undergraduates join the social Greek system. So it's large enough to be active, but not so big that it's overwhelming. If a student wants to be involved, it's available. If not, it's not the only social life on campus. Students can't join a social sorority or fraternity at Pacific until the spring semester of their freshmen year (it's called "deferred rush"), so students can learn about the Greek system before deciding whether or not to join.

What kind of clubs or organizations are there on Campus?
Students belong to more than 100 University-sanctioned clubs and organizations.

Is there a student government at Pacific?
Students are members of the Associated Students of University of the Pacific (ASUOP). As the major student governance body, ASUOP is responsible for administering the Student Senate and student activity fees, providing social, cultural, and informational programs and activities, representing students on Pacific committees, and managing student-run services.

Is there a student paper?
The Pacifican, published weekly during the academic year, has a circulation of more than 5,000.

Should I bring a car to campus?
Most students agree that a car makes it easy to leave campus. Stockton, like most cities in California, is so spread out. City buses regularly leave campus, so it is up to the student to decide if the responsibility of having a car on campus is worth the convenience.

How's the parking on campus? How many students have cars?
Any student can have a car on campus. Cars must be registered and have a parking permit which costs $75 for the year. Parking is available around campus. A "reasonable" estimate is that about 50% of our undergraduate students have cars.

How safe is campus?
Campus is very safe, but you still need to pay attention to what's going on around you. The University has an excellent safety record and is very proactive in making campus as safe as possible. Our Department of Public Safety is a trained police force that patrols campus 24 hours a day. There are also approximately 30 emergency "blue light" phones around campus connecting you immediately to Public Safety.

Is there an escort service?
Public Safety will provide an escort for anyone who requests it.

What is the alcohol policy? Do students drink on campus? Is there an alcohol problem on campus? Is Pacific a "dry" campus?
Here's the basic policy. State law stipulates that only persons 21 and older may possess and consume alcohol in any place open to the public. It is the student's responsibility to comply with the law. Possession and consumption of alcohol on campus is permitted in several areas designated for parties and gatherings. The University has several programs to educate students and provide alternatives to alcohol. There are groups on campus (Crossroads and Pacific Live) that sponsor coffeehouses and other events throughout the year.

What is Stockton like?
Stockton is the 12th largest city in California and the 74th largest city in the United States. The population is close to 250,000. Stockton has many of the advantages of a large city: lots of restaurants, several shopping malls, movie and civic theaters, a symphony, museums and recreational activities. But it is small enough so you won't get overwhelmed. It has been a multicultural city since 1850, where people from all ethnic groups work well together. It is a great place to learn about community. Stockton is part of the The California Delta , a 1,000-mile waterway, where you can water ski, jet ski, wind surf, sail, etc.

What about outside of Stockton?
Stockton has the good fortune to be located to take advantage of all that Northern California has to offer. We are 45 minutes south of Sacramento, 90 minutes east of San Francisco, Napa or San Jose, only 2 hours from Santa Cruz or Yosemite National Park, and less than 3 hours from Lake Tahoe.

Does Stockton have problems?
Yes . . . but what city doesn't? Of course there are places in the city that you shouldn't go to alone or at night. But with a revitalized downtown area, and the 1999 All-America City award, Stockton continues to set its sights on improvement. Our university is located in a nice, residential neighborhood that is within easy walking distance to several malls and shopping areas.

What is the weather like?
Stockton's climate is very nice. We are far enough north that we get all four seasons, but none of them are extreme. The annual temperature ranges from 37 degrees in January to 94 degrees in July. Yes, some summer days are hotter, but it usually cools off in the evening thanks to breezes off the Delta. Our winters are warmer than the northeastern and midwestern parts of our country (no snow), but it is a bit cooler than Southern California. Our occasional, famous "thick winter fog" (known as "tule fog") isn't quite as much fun as playing in the snow, but it does resemble the weather in San Francisco or London.

What types of sports does Pacific have?
We have three types: Intercollegiate, Club and Intramural. Our varsity sports compete in NCAA Division 1A.

Are athletic scholarships offered?
Yes. All intercollegiate teams have scholarships available. If a student is interested in information, she or he should contact the specific coach directly.

Didn't Pacific have varsity football? What happened?
Yes, we did have a football team for many years but the costs of running a Division 1A team prohibited the continuation of the program at that level.