UCSB student organizations pushing for more COVID accountability in Isla Vista

ISLA VISTA, Calif. — Stop the spread of COVID-19. That’s the goal of two University of California Santa Barbara student-led groups. 

Gauchos 4 Transparency and UCSB Party are using social media to hold other students accountable. Izzy Mitchell is a junior and a member of Gauchos 4 Transparency. When she saw pictures and videos of weekends on campus she said they look like a normal weekend. And she’s shocked that there are normal-sized gatherings and parties during a pandemic.

Representatives from both groups said they would like to see the university hold repeat offenders more accountable. They would like to see more procedures in place to limit the spread of COVID-19. And they would like more access to free testing in Isla Vista.

Both Gauchos 4 Transparency and UCSB Party are posting videos and pictures on their social media pages of large gatherings. They're also sharing information about testing.

According to the Santa Barbara Public Health COVID-19 dashboard, as of Monday, Isla Vista has had 255 confirmed cases of COVID-19. That number could change as results from Friday’s first free COVID-19 testing are submitted. Mitchell also believes those numbers are higher because younger people see fewer symptoms than older people.