In-Person Classes to Resume at UCSB in Fall Quarter

Nearly 10 months after the transition to remote instruction due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the University of California announced that classes for fall 2021 are expected to be mostly in-person across all 10 campuses, including UC Santa Barbara. Although the statement was made public on Monday, January 11, UCSB administration has not released any specific details about their plan of action.

“The university is formulating plans for fall, and we will communicate with our students and campus community in the coming months,” said Andrea Estrada, a UCSB spokesperson. “We also will continue to work closely with the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department as those plans are worked out.”

While many students welcome this news and are excited about returning to the classrooms, some Isla Vista residents reacted with apprehension over housing. Rent is a huge cost for college students living in the beachside community, and a lease on an apartment would be a large commitment for the fall.

“I’m hesitant to sign a lease for next year because of the uncertainty around university housing,” said Sophie Groenwold, a third-year computer science major at UCSB. “My first choice would be living in the university apartments, but their viability as an option depends on whether or not on-campus housing will be open in the fall.” Questions to UCSB regarding on-campus housing were not answered.

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