In the wake of last year’s events, the ongoing issues in Isla Vista have become more visible. While Chancellor Yang has taken care to keep faculty apprised of the university’s immediate responses, it has been more difficult for Isla Vista’s residents to make their own plans and responses known.
Currently, residents are organizing around questions including self-governance, housing, police and safety, and mental health. In addition, Santa Barbara County is currently reviewing proposals, submitted by organizations in Isla Vista and Santa Barbara, to create a Community Center in Isla Vista.
As working groups and committees continue to form, in Isla Vista and in the university, there is an increasing need for coordination and communication among the committees.
At the request of Isla Vista residents, the SB Faculty Association Board would like to support Isla Vista communities by providing a liaison to Isla Vista committees. The FA liaison would work in tandem with liaisons from various committees working in Isla Vista and in the university. The goals of the liaisons are as follows:
- Identify communication gaps: Some Isla Vista residents receive little to no information from the university and vice versa.
- Identify committees’ projects: There is significant overlap in committees’ projects.
- Identify committees’ resources: There is significant disparity in resources among the various committees.
- Create and implement communication strategies to improve communication between Isla Vista-based and university-based committees and between Isla Vista residents and the university.
- Assist with resource consolidation, where possible.
- Time commitment is approximately 1 hour / week.
- Spanish language skills are very helpful but not required.