Through a set of college based focus group interviews, analysis’, and spring based presentations and publications, the Campus Garden Assessment will hope to enhance campus stakeholders’ understanding of their college’s needs and ability to steward the development and ongoing support of campus gardens and experiential learning sites based on the nuances of their respective sites.

Through the design of a clear process and set of questions in fall quarter, the project leader conducted between 10-12 focus group interviews in winter quarter (consisting of Provosts, College Administration Officers, Student Gov’t, and students involved in gardens and/or interested in doing so). These focus groups were specific to existing and potential experiential learning sites across the UCSC campus. The outcomes of synthesizing the interview content during winter and early spring quarter were multi-modal - the data and analysis was presented at a spring garden forum for stakeholders and will serve to inform the Campus Sustainability Plan’s Food Section objective around establishing experiential learning sites at each college as well as inform existing & proposed student fee measures on key needs and visions for garden sites. Publications will include updating and adding new content to the UCSC Campus Food & Garden Guide (the Garden section); a specific briefing on the focus group participatory action research project on site needs and visions; as well as a poster presentation and hand-out for the end of year Sustainability Celebration.