This academic year, External Vice President for Local Affairs Owen Meyers hopes to expand his work with University of California in Isla Vista — the organization he chaired before assuming his position — and the Pardall Center, while carrying on some of the work of his predecessor.
EVPLA Owen Meyers spoke with the Nexus on his summer work. Maddy Fangio / Daily Nexus
The EVPLA serves as the Associated Students (A.S.) representative for all I.V. and Santa Barbara County affairs, coordinating issues in the area which directly impact students while advising and informing the President and Senate on all local external matters and affairs.
After spending the last few months as External Vice President for Local Affairs (EVPLA), fourth-year history of public policy and law major Meyers has significantly invested in the University of California in I.V. (UCIV) in hopes that the organization will spread education, increase safety and reduce the heightening of policing in Isla Vista.
UCIV is a volunteer-based, non-police affiliated organization that provides food, water and escort services in I.V. with a tent that operates day and night during Fridays and Saturdays.
Building off of his connections as its previous chair, Meyers helped UCIV expand its team to have 20 representatives and 24 new team members patrolling I.V. Over summer, a second tent was added at the Pardall Center, which will behave as a “mobile task force” focused on patrolling and delivering supplies.
The expansion is aided by an increased budget and staff rollover since the 2023-24 fiscal year, Meyers said. The UCIV budget primarily comes from the EVPLA office, and in the 2024-25 fiscal year, the budget increased to $13,000 with $40,000 rolled over, totalling $53,000. In 2023, the EVPLA was unable to tap into a pre-allocated UCIV account. Last year, the organization’s funds were unable to be accessed by the EVPLA. Now, UCIV has its own account and can access the rollover, while being overseen by the EVPLA.
Given that UCIV is one year old, Meyers says it’s experiencing a “logical growth.”
“We’re just more capable because we are actually acquainted with it and the system works very well by now,” Meyers said.
Meyers expects the Pardall Center, an A.S. building that provides community resources, to have a bigger presence this year. Meyers said the center may expand its hours this quarter after limiting its hours since the COVID-19 lockdown and is currently hiring more staff, alongside giving more hours to current workers.
“The strength of the Pardall Center is it’s the only resource that is distinctly for students by students. I know it’s cliche to say, but the reason it’s so strong is because you have students working on the board made up of students. That allows them to be a lot more receptive to student wants and student organizations and able to reach out to those organizations,” Meyers said.
The center now has a coffee machine and a microwave available for anyone to use during the center’s operating hours. If the Senate is able to procure a basic needs vending machine, a project that got the green light in spring quarter, it will be located in the center.
“I want to continue expanding that, that part of the Pardall Center, in that way, to what becomes a place where any student can go for basic supplies,” Meyers said.
To prepare for Election Day, Meyers is planning a voter registration drive with Gauchos Vote Coalition in mid- to late October. The event is meant to function similarly to previous years, and the EVPLA office aims to include a guest speaker “from local government.”
Meyers wants to continue the trend of the EVPLA office hosting town halls informing the community on events that drastically change the environment of I.V., including Halloween and Deltopia.
The previous EVPLA, Osaze Osayande, also worked to expand the restorative justice program — a partnership between UCSB’s UC Police Department (UCPD) and the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, where nonviolent misdemeanor citations can be waived through a restorative justice class and community service hours. It was suspended for the first time during Deltopia weekend this year, when the Isla Vista Foot Patrol (IVFP) Lieutenant Garrett TeSlaa stated participation within Deltopia itself is “inherently uncooperative with law enforcement and public safety agencies.”
Meyers said that last year, the UCPD was not alerted about the IVFP’s decision to suspend restorative justice for Deltopia weekend. He wants to work with Third District Supervisor Laura Capps on presenting data from student surveys from the previous year to IVFP and is considering a plan to reverse the suspension of restorative justice on Deltopia weekend.
“I will try my best to work on not having that suspended again this coming year. I know that [Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office] believe[s] that they intend to continue that, but I think with the survey data we collected last quarter showing general student trends towards restorative justice, I believe that we can use that and speak with the district supervisor’s office. And I think the town halls will help with that as well,” Meyers said.
When it comes to existing resources in I.V., Meyers said he wants to hire a dedicated caseworker for the Isla Vista Tenants Union. Currently, the tenants union is operated entirely by students but has caseworker in the office. He also wants to deliver housing workshops in collaboration with the organization.
Meyers wants to finish the work of a bluff tragedies memorial project, which would honor the lives of the 13 students lost to bluff incidents. The initiative is aligned with Capps’ safety plan, which seeks to increase safety measures in Isla Vista and honor those students with a memorial in Isla Vista.
As for work with the A.S. Senate, the EVPLA is proposing a project to get an electric bike for UCIV to expand its water distribution capabilities. Last Deltopia, UCIV’s Mobile Task Team distributed 10-15 jugs of water, amounting to around 300 pounds. With a bike, they could restock supplies more quickly, Meyers said.
Meyers wants to work with other senators for local affairs projects this year.
“I plan to be more involved in the Senate this coming school year and attending Senate meetings and presenting my own information, as I would like to pitch things myself,” Meyers said.
For events to look out for, the EVPLA is working with the Isla Vista Recreation and Park District (IVRPD) for a Halloween-themed night market event on Oct. 25 with a free concert and vendors.
Meyers shared sentiments about his role as EVPLA and expanding collaborations in the new year.
“The main thing I’ve realized as EVPLA is that I don’t have to do this on my own necessarily. I have to use collaboration. I have to work with different campus organizations. I don’t have to do events alone. When there are organizations that can be called upon to help me, there’s no reason not to call upon these organizations.”
A version of this article appeared on p. 1 of the Oct. 3, 2024 edition of the Daily Nexus.
