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Welcome to DEI Departments
This page contains information regarding important cultural and equity departments and centers. These resources include cultural centers on campus that offer peer mentoring and departments that work to support specific minority groups at UC Santa Barbara. Scroll through this page to learn more!
Undocumented Student Services
USS supports undocumented students (with and without DACA) at UCSB thrive academically, professionally, and personally.
We offer various types of programs, services, and resources to increase access and equitable opportunities for undocumented students.
Peer Mentoring
- Building a professional work profile, Mentorship & Networking opportunities
- Adjusting to university-level academic expectations, Planning & preparing for your future during your academic career and after graduation
- Sharing personal & professional experiences as a UCSB student
- Balancing & managing personal, professional, and social responsibilities
- Finding financial and academic resources that work for you...And More!
Faculty Mentoring
Students are paired up with a faculty member in their department or department of interest, a staff, or an alumni. Additionally, we host quarterly socials to allow students and mentors to interact with one another in a friendly environment.As part of this program, you are also eligible to apply for a scholarship that supports research opportunities and/or career development. We have close to 30 Faculty Mentors for 2021-2022 academic year.
UndocuGrad Exploration Program
The USS Grad Exploration Program is focused on exposing undocumented students to the basics of graduate school. Through the program, students have a chance to build community and explore graduate school collectively. The program consists of workshops and guided support by guest speakers, UCSB Alumni, and current graduate students who share their perspectives on graduate school success. By listening to various speakers, and also applying their learnings and hands-on support, students acquire a deeper understanding of continuing their education beyond UCSB.
Cultural Resource Centers
The Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) sponsors diverse cultural programming through the following cultural centers:
- African diasporic Cultural Resource Center (AdCRC)
- American Indian and Indigenous Cultural Resource Center (AIICRC)
- Asian Resource Center (ARC)
- Chicanx/Latinx Cultural Resource Center (CLCRC)
- Middle Eastern, North African, South Asian Resource Center (MENASARC)
EOP provides cultural programs that facilitate interaction and collaboration between students of all cultural/ethnic backgrounds, allowing them to gain an understanding of and appreciation for similarities and differences in each other and themselves. EOP Cultural Services helps to create an environment that celebrates and promotes the history, contributions, intellectual heritage, education and growth of our students.
African diasporic Cultural Resource Center (AdCRC)
The African diasporic Cultural Resource Center (AdCRC) educates, promotes, and encourages the interaction and dialogue among the diverse ethnic groups within the African diasporic communities of UCSB and to promote cross cultural learning and interaction amongst all ethnic groups. The AdCRC is an environment for students, staff, faculty and community members to develop an understanding of and appreciation for their African diasporic cultural identities. AdCRC staff strives to create and maintain a welcoming atmosphere for all to acquire knowledge in relation to the diversity of cultures within the African diaspora.
American Indian and Indigenous Cultural Resource Center (AIICRC)
The AIICRC strives to assist in the holistic development of American Indian & Indigenous (AI&I) students by hosting and supporting programming that focus on several areas: academic excellence, cultural awareness, leadership development, social involvement, and proactive civic engagement. In turn, the AIICRC aids in the overall retention and graduation rates of our AI&I students at UCSB. The AIICRC is a space for students, staff, faculty and community members to develop an understanding of and appreciation for their Indigenous identities. AIICRC staff strives to create and maintain a welcoming atmosphere for all to celebrate, embrace, and learn more about Native culture and local, state, national, and global issues that affect the community.
Asian Resource Center (ARC)
The mission of the Asian Resource Center (ARC) is to educate, promote, and encourage the interaction and dialogue among the diverse ethnic groups within the Asian American community at UCSB. The Center provides a supportive environment for students, staff, faculty, and community members to develop an appreciation for one's identity and to affirm an institutional commitment that recognizes one’s community.
Chicanx/Latinx Cultural Resource Center (CLCRC)
The Chicanx/Latinx Cultural Resource Center (CLCRC) provides a culturally enriched environment where students, faculty, and staff of all cultural and ethnic backgrounds can learn about a diverse culture. Our objective is to educate and unify the UCSB and Chicanx/Latinx community through the mediums of art, language, people, food, and traditions. At the Chicanx/Latinx Cultural Resource Center (located in the Student Resource Building) and El Centro Arnulfo Casillas (Building #406), the UCSB community can develop an understanding and appreciation of Chicanx/Latinx cultural heritage and history.
Middle Eastern, North African, South Asian Resource Center (MENASARC)
The Middle Eastern, North African, South Asian Resource Center (MENASARC) promotes the cultural awareness and academic success of students of Middle Eastern, North African and South Asian (MENASA) heritage. It fosters dialogue, cross-cultural learning, and interaction among the diverse ethnic groups within our MENASA student communities and the campus-at-large. Through its programs, the MENASARC works to assist students to embrace their cultural identity, integrate into student life, promote an appreciation and celebration of diversity, and reinforce an affirmation of our institutional and educational commitment to leadership, achievement, collaboration, excellence, and community.
Equal Opportunity Program (EOP)
The Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) is committed to providing a support and information base that validates each student's experience and nurtures a sense of participation, belonging and empowerment. Through mentorship, academic programs, one-to-one counseling/advising, campus student support service referrals and social/cultural programming, we strive to maximize a student's involvement and success in the campus academic community. In addition to assisting students through to graduation, EOP helps motivate and inform students to utilize services to enhance their preparation for the job market and/or graduate/professional school admission. EOP focuses on serving those who are income eligible and first-generation undergraduates.
Multicultural Center (MCC)
Through its pillars of educational programming, student engagement, and community outreach, the MultiCultural Center models a mutually supportive relationship with its students, the campus at large, and serves as a bridge to the larger surrounding community. These pillars, along with the day-to-day interactions and opportunities for students and community members to foster and maintain connections, continue to ground the center as a shared community space that provides platforms for critical dialogue and serves to uphold a safer, welcoming space that validates marginalized identities.
Women's Center
The Women’s Center is the primary organization on campus dedicated to providing education on women’s issues, feminism, healthy masculinities, and gender and social equity. Our space and programs are available to all individuals of all genders interested in understanding how gender shapes our social world, and how we can work to eliminate all forms of gender-based oppression. The Women's Center does regular collaborations with student health and the Department of Health & Wellness. We share a lounge space with Health and Wellness where students are welcome to study, relax, check out books from The Women’s Center library, use the massage chair, and get access to free and healthy snacks.
The Women's Center is dedicated to providing students with the menstrual and sexual health products they need. More information on where you can get free and affordable menstrual and sexual health products on campus.
Non-Traditional Student Resource Center
The Non-Traditional Student Resource Center (NTSRC) is a home for undergraduate students who are over 24 years old (25+), graduate students who are over 28 years old (29+), students with dependents, or re-entering students. The NTSRC, located in the Student Resource Building, provides a space to study, eat, relax, or hang-out, as well as staff to guide you to campus and community resources and help manage the challenges associated with achieving your academic goals.
Info/Services for Student-Parents
- Priority Registration
- Undergraduate Childcare Grants
- Child-Friendly Programs
- Calfresh
- California Earned Income Tax Credit
- Young Child Tax Credit
- California Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children
Resource Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity
The Resource Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity (RCSGD) serves as UCSB's LGBTQIA+ center, and is located on the 3rd floor of the Student Resource Building. The RCSGD exists to ensure that LGBTQIA+ students have the support they need to succeed at UC Santa Barbara.
The center has a lounge where students can study and spend time between classes, a computer lab with free printing, free snacks, free safer sex and menstruation supplies, and a whole lot of resources!
Office of Black Student Development
In response to a strong culture of Black student activism, the Office of Black Student Development (OBSD) advances the experiences of all Black students, advocates for their needs, and fosters their personal and academic achievement through graduation and beyond. Through the development of innovative and sustainable programs and services aimed to increase the recruitment, retention, academic achievement, holistic support, and self-advocacy of our Black community, OBSD addresses the needs of the Black student community and holds ourselves and the university responsible to meet those needs. We strive to engage, develop, and activate these experiences to promote an inclusive campus experience that fosters a sense of belonging and leaders of social change.
Direct Health Equity Services
The Health Equity Advocate role works closely with Student Health, the RCSGD, and other campus departments to assure that marginalized students, especially queer and trans students, receive accessible and equitable healthcare. They are equipped to help with health discrimination, transitioning, LGBTQ+ health, insurance, and more. Check out the LGBTQIA+ student health page for more information. Or you can email them equity@sa.ucsb.edu or schedule a 30 or 50 minute meeting via shoreline.
