From the Desk of Willie Brown V4N5

Transitioning Back to Normalcy

Over the past two years, COVID-19 has changed the way we work and live. Because of campus community members' high vaccination rate coupled with boosters, we now have the opportunity to transition back to normalcy this summer. Here are some highlights of work that is happening behind the scenes to accomplish this.

• The Conference & Hospitality Services team is working towards a full return of our summer conference operations. There are 120 programs scheduled to come through our doors this summer (currently 90 returning groups and 30 new groups). The June and September Temporary Housing options are also returning this year. Stay tuned for an article in the next Compass about the return of summer conferences which will fill our halls and dining commons with much youthful exuberance. 
• We are making significant progress toward a phased reopening of The Club & Guest House. On July 1, The Club will reopen in a limited capacity for a small number of summer conference guest stays and events that have contracts with Conference & Hospitality Services. The Club staff will be conducting internal testing of operations and new integrated software after a two-year closure, and will need to perform these responsibilities with a more controlled population before reopening to the general public. The Dining Room will remain closed for the summer months; however, The Club & Guest House looks toward a full reopening in late September.
• Housing for the 2022-23 academic year is moving full steam ahead. The Residential & Community Living staff, in collaboration with the MarCom Team, recently concluded a very successful in-person Housing Fair at UCSB’s Open House (the first since 2019). Over the course of the day thousands of potential students and their families had the opportunity to learn about the UCSB housing experience, and were able to ask our professional and student staff a myriad of questions. The hard-working University & Community Housing Services staff members continue to methodically process thousands of housing applications and contracts for different class levels. We anticipate that we will continue to house approximately 40% of our total campus enrollment. The university does not intend to offer emergency housing in hotels next year.

I’m feeling optimistic as we move toward more normalcy, as well as grateful that we are in a much better place than we were two years ago. Many thanks for your support as we continue this transition together.