Social and Cultural Contributions
Thousands of UCSB faculty, staff, and students are engaged in various activities that benefit the region socially and culturally. UCSB Arts & Lectures provides performances, lectures, and other special events in collaboration with numerous local organizations. This 45-year long performance history includes ballet, dance, theater, jazz and classical music, film, poetry and other literary events. Also, a diverse range of public lectures cover topics in culture, art, science, and politics, offering attendees an accessible and affordable forum for relevant issues.
All four campus libraries are open to the local public. In 2001, more than 15% of the total borrowing from these libraries was from non-UC patrons. Public tours of other facilities are available, including museum exhibitions, the herbarium, vertebrate and invertebrate collections from around the world, and artifact collections from local archeological sites.
The University, along with local community groups, has played an active role in preserving through the LRDP biologically sensitive sites with endangered species, native plants, and unique landscapes. These natural reserves are open to the public and have docent- or self-guided tours and special activities to educate children and adults on the process of habitat restoration.
A major facet of how UC Santa Barbara benefits the local and regional community is by its extensive continuing education, concurrent enrolment, and certificate programs offered through the UCSB Extension. It offers classes to adults on a year-round basis, with evening and weekend classes as well as week-long workshops. Professionals can participate in specialty training to enhance their careers and working adults have the opportunity to pursue their degree part-time. Special areas of study include cross-cultural development, English as a second language, physical sciences, California history, writing, mathematics teaching ability, and effective learning methods in general for teachers.
The University also engages in extensive K-12 outreach, involving youths in field trips, tours, demonstrations, talks, summer art and science camps, musical and dance performances, career guidance sessions, and workshops for the teachers themselves. Both the College of Engineering and the College of Letters and Science help prepare youths for college, allowing them to take UCSB courses in their junior and senior high school years. These programs stem from a strong commitment from UCSB to motivate young students to learn, and in the process improving academic standards.
In addition to offering community spectators exciting intercollegiate sporting events, UCSB's Exercise and Sport Studies Department offers year-round and summer-only programs geared toward involving members of the community. Programs include aquatics, gymnastics, wine tasting, sailing, aerobics, yoga, ceramics, and community athletic coaching. Summer offerings include surfing, kayaking, swimming, snorkeling, basic lifeguard and rescue skills, weight-training, racquetball, and swimming.