Samantha Pryor
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With Halloween weekend coming up, University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) has taken precautionary steps to keep the usual flood of partiers out of Isla Vista this year.
The university is implementing its annual “Keep it Safe, Keep it Local” Halloween campaign. This includes increased law enforcement and parking restrictions in Isla Vista during the weekend.
To increase enforcement, the UCSB Police Department will employ 100 additional officers as well as recruit officers from other UC campuses, according to UCSB Associate Dean for Student Life Debbie Fleming.
Parking will not be allowed on main Isla Vista streets from 3 p.m. on Halloween day until 6 a.m. on Nov. 2.
The school is also using social media to inform the community of the laws, regulations and ways to be safe in the area. They have launched a website providing similar information.
Fleming emphasized getting the message out ahead of time to deter students from visiting.
This message touched down on several campuses, including Cal Poly, in the form of an advertisement in the Mustang News newspaper.
This is the second year in a row Fleming has bought an advertisement in the newspaper.
In addition to the advertisement, Fleming has been working with Cal Poly Dean of Students Jean DeCosta to deter Cal Poly students from going to Isla Vista.
“It’s a lot about info sharing and using each other as resources, keeping our students informed in the community they belong to and sharing best practices,” DeCosta said.
According to DeCosta, if there is an event UCSB is particularly concerned about, the university will contact Cal Poly administration and vice versa.
“We’re both serving roles to keep our students informed and looking out for students,” she said. “We want to be here for our students.”
The message was given to other campuses as well.
UCSB’s campaign to deter students from Isla Vista targets students outside the Isla Vista community through Pandora and Facebook ads at schools such as University of Southern California, San Diego State University and California State University, Long Beach.
The campaign also focuses on UCSB students and campus.
UCSB plans to host campus events, such as a concert the night of Halloween and other entertainment at its recreation center to deter students from going to Isla Vista.
“There is a lot of emphasis on trying to provide alternatives,” Fleming said. “They are only open to our students.”
UCSB Associated Students is also reaching out to the community by sending a postcard to every resident in Isla Vista and creating events such as “Pizza with a Cop,” where residents asked questions about how to keep their community safe.
All these effects are to protect students, Fleming said.
“We really encourage people to stay in their own community and celebrate with their friends in the community where they are from,” she said.