 Founded in 1965 , UC Santa Cruz began as a showcase for progressive , cross @-@ disciplinary undergraduate education , innovative teaching methods and contemporary architecture . Since then , it has evolved into a modern research university with a wide variety of both undergraduate and graduate programs , while retaining its reputation for strong undergraduate support and student political activism . The residential college system , which consists of ten small colleges , is intended to combine the student support of a small college with the resources of a major university . 
