Associated Students, the voice of undergraduate students at UCSB, is heavily involved and invested in the community of Isla Vista, working through its various Boards, Commissions, Units, and elected officials to address the needs of students and support the community as a whole. Every year, Associated Students invests more than $800,000 in direct funding to Isla Vista community-based programs and services. In addition, the membership of AS organizations, and UCSB students as a whole, invest thousands of volunteer hours in service to the community every year, and a staff of dozens of students and career-staff support programming activities and administration.
These student-led entities focus on academic support/study space; arts, culture and alternative programming; civic engagement; community safety; community service; environmental stewardship; health and wellbeing; and housing and legal assistance, to name just a few. In addition, Associated Students provides funding for numerous efforts and initiatives that support the Isla Vista community.
Over the years, student agency has led and supported many community-building efforts, including the Isla Vista Food Cooperative, Isla Vista Community Council, Isla Vista Credit Union, Isla Vista Neighborhood Clinic, St. George Family Youth Center, Isla Vista Community Network, and the Isla Vista Community Development Corporation. In addition, students pay into the Isla Vista economy through rents—among the highest in the nation— and sales taxes, and support the local of local businesses and services.
Associated Students also receives support and services from the Isla Vista community and enjoy it’s unique culture, beautiful parks and open areas, a setting supportive of academic excellence, and residential life unrivaled in the country, and a rich and diverse community made up of families, elders, children, youth and students from UCSB and Santa Barbara City College. Isla Vista is a beloved community for the 60% of UCSB students who reside here.
To learn more about AS’ work in Isla Vista, read our annual reports: