UCSB’s Associated Students offered student tours to the top of Storke Tower for the first time in the school’s recent history earlier this quarter, and is seeking approval to continue the excursions.

In honor of National Student Appreciation Day, Storke Tower was opened to provide UCSB students an opportunity to go to the top floor and see the campus and the city from a new perspective. Third-year Jonathan Abboud, Residence Halls Association President, said the organization has been negotiating with the school to continue offering free tours up the tower, an idea that has been circulating in A.S. Senate meetings for months.

“In the Winter Quarter, we want to talk to the school about working it out so that ASUCSB will pay for security, which allows students to go on these tours more frequently,” Abboud said. “We spoke to Marc Fisher [Vice Chancellor for Campus Design and Facilities] about holding tours on a daily, monthly or quarterly basis. He likes the idea and wants it back.”

According to Abboud, this chance is aimed to allow students to better enjoy the time they have at UCSB while learning about the landscape of the campus and city. Tours of the landmark were offered in the 1980s but have since been cancelled for security reasons.

“The main goal is to improve the things students do on campus,” Abboud said. “Students go to UCSB and never get to experience going to the top of Storke Tower. Its significance is to make students happy.”

According to Fisher, allowing the tours would permit students to cross this coveted item off their UCSB Bucket List, as many Gauchos never get the chance to see the view from the iconic tower.

“A number of students have asked for this,” Fisher said. “[It] is a great opportunity to see our beautiful campus from a new vantage point.”

Fisher said the tours have the potential to heighten student presence in the plaza and allow Gauchos to develop a more personal understanding of the campus landmark.

“Each participant will assign their own significance to this event,” Fisher said. “There were a flurry of requests for this; we are trying to bring added student life to Storke Plaza.”

According to Fisher, the possibility of future Storke Tower tours is in the hands of students, pending continued interest and support for the idea.

“What would the students like to see? We could easily manage a quarterly tour,” Fisher said.