Associated Students plans to open a new off-campus workspace that will cost $82,500 a year to operate.

Located on the second floor of 570 Embarcadero del Mar, above the Isla Vista Medical Clinic, the annex will house offices of 15 Associated Students Boards, Committees and Commissions. The 4,270 square-foot space, which may open as early as next month, will also include community resources for UCSB students including a computer lab as well as rooms for studying, recreation and tutoring.

Cori Lantz, A.S. external vice president of local affairs and a fourth-year political science major, said the new office will provide the student body amenities that can currently  only be found on campus.

“We’re trying to do more outreach to students and families in Isla Vista,” Lantz said. “This is a really amazing resource that [I.V.] needs.”

Megan Shumate, Isla Vista Community Relations Committee chair, said the annex will also provide a meeting space for A.S. entities that currently don’t have a residence.
“Our committee deals just with Isla Vista and its relations on and off campus so we’re really excited to finally have a home in Isla Vista,” Shumate said.

A.S. Community Affairs Board Chair Amanda Galvin said the Family Literacy Program will greatly benefit from the space. Galvin also said the tutoring service will now be accessible to more I.V. families as its new location will be an ideal middle-ground between families and student tutors.

“This program is helping elementary students through tutoring given by UCSB students,” Galvin said. “We’re moving all our offices for it out to the new space.”
Lantz said the money devoted to the project will circulate back to the community.

“The money that’s paid towards rent will go back into a public agency so the money has been committed to the development of Isla Vista,” Lantz said. “It could go towards lighting or repaving of streets so the aesthetics of Isla Vista will be improved.”

IVCRC and C.A.B. each distributed $24,000 for the new space, while A.S. Legislative Council dispensed $3,000 and the Student Commission On Racial Equality distributed another $1,273. Nearly $33,000 of annual funding is needed to move ahead with the project, and the external vice president of local affairs office and 12 other A.S. BCCs are seeking additional funding from Finance Board for that amount.