UCSB faculty and staff, including their spouses and family, have a strong sense of social responsibility for the Santa Barbara region. Faculty and staff spend an average of about 10 hours a month in volunteer activity, while half their spouses spend about the same amount. This includes community education, youth and childcare programs, the environment, and arts and cultural events. Students volunteer with the community: 63% of undergraduates spend about 9 hours a month, while almost half of graduates spend 8.5 hours a month.
Faculty and staff of UCSB contribute a significant amount of money through donations to charities and organization in the tri-county* region. Staff donated $7.4 million in the same year, at an average of $1,154 per person. Faculty donated over $1.2 million at an average of $1,419 per person in 2004 alone. Undergraduate and graduate students together donated over $1.3 million.
* San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura Counties