If you’re looking to get involved on campus and expand your efforts into the local community, consider the following Associated Students organizations which work to affect change in the greater Santa Barbara area.
Community Affairs Board
The A.S. Community Affairs Board bridges the gap between the UCSB campus and its surrounding communities through service projects such as after-school tutoring programs and communal gardening.
CAB Co-Chair Kyria Edwards said the group provides a vehicle for students to give back to the community with regular hands-on activities.
“We create volunteer opportunities for ourselves in order to get students involved,” Edwards said. “But we also have a budget that we use to sponsor OSL groups that come to CAB and propose their ideas. We try to help them fulfill their own projects and ideas to help the community.”
Students interested in joining the group can sign up for weekly e-mail updates at www.as.ucsb.edu/cab.
Isla Vista Community Relations Committee
The IVCRC is another A.S. service entity specializing in large-scale events such as the annual Pardall Carnival and Chilla Vista music and art festival.
Former Committee Chair Megan Shumate said this allows for greater concentration on uniting residents and highlighting everything gives Isla Vista its one-of-a-kind flair.
“We try to bring together all the different communities in I.V. — business owners, families, students — and try to get them involved in projects,” Shumate said. “At Pardall Carnival, kids from I.V. Elementary School were at the event, local business owners gave food to the event, and lots of students came out.”
Students interested in joining the committee can follow updates on the group’s site, www.as.ucsb.edu/ivcrc.
Coastal Fund
The A.S. Coastal Fund sponsors and organizes projects along the Isla Vista coast to provide environmental aid including the reconstruction of scenic trails and rehabilitation of native plants.
Tanya Jones, who acts as the group’s chair, said the group follows the principles of preservation, education, open access, research and restoration to ensure preservation of local habitats.
“We helped fund the reconstruction of the trail at West Campus Bluff and we fund a lot of internships to preserve the coast, through things like planting native plants,” Jones said. “We’re trying to put new stairs by that new trail and also by Campus Point.”
Students interested in Coastal Fund efforts can visit the group’s site at www.coastalfund.as.ucsb.edu.