OTHER NEWS
 

UC Regents Fund Telescope Project Headed by Chancellor Yang

Plans to build a new, giant telescope will move forward after UC Regents agreed to fund a project designed to vastly improve astronomers' ability to image the night sky. UC Santa Barbara Chancellor Henry Yang is overseeing the project.

The $1.4 billion project is a collaboration between the UC system, Caltech and astronomy groups around the world and the telescope's 30-meter diameter will make it among the largest space observation instruments on the planet.

Construction is scheduled to start on the Hawaiian island Mauna Kea later this year and the telescope could be operational by 2022.

Chancellor Yang has said no tax dollars or tuition revenue will be used for the project.


UC Santa Barbara team Recognized at White House for Better Buildings Contest

An interdisciplinary team of UC Santa Barbara undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students has taken a top prize at the 2013 Better Building Case Competition.

Held in Washington, D.C., at the White House, the competition is part of President Obama's Better Buildings Initiative, which is striving for a 20 percent reduction in commercial and industrial energy use by 2020.

The contest is held annually by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) with an aim to engage college students in the hunt for creative energy efficiency solutions.

The UCSB group was among 14 universities – including Yale, MIT, Cornell, Dartmouth, and Tufts – vying in the competition.



Napolitano Chills Talk of Unfreezing Tuition


Tuition for UCs will remain unchanged - for a year at least - says UC System President Janet Napolitano. Napolitano has discussed the possibility of lifting the freeze on UC tuition rates at Board of Regents' meetings in the past. More recently, before a Public Policy Institute of California forum in Sacramento, Napolitano insisted tuition would remain frozen through the 2014/2015 academic years.


In November, Napolitano told a UC Board of Regents meeting: “I want tuition to be as low as possible, and I want it to be as predictable as possible.” UC tuition fees have been frozen since the 2012/2013 academic year.


Alumni Association releases Annual Report


The Alumni Association's current fiscal situation continues to be stable and healthy. Read more about our fiscal year ending in 2013 in our annual report.


Water Polo Star Dies in Tragic Training Accident


A UCSB water polo player died Monday after being pulled from the bottom of the swimming pool at Santa Barbara High School, according to the Santa Barbara Police Department. The man has been identified as Nicholas Johnson, a 19 year old UC Santa Barbara psychology-major who previously attended Santa Barbara High School and still often trained at the swimming facilities there.

Authorities are continuing their investigation into exactly what occurred.


DA Files Charges Against UCSB Professor


The Santa Barbara District Attorney’s office has stated it will file three misdemeanor charges against UC Santa Barbara feminist studies professor Mireille Miller-Young after an altercation between the professor and an anti-abortion activist. The incident occurred on campus March 4. More information is available at noowzhawk.com.