6/2/2008   Message: See the attached URL link about the fire at the dorms that happened today http://www.dailynexus.com/article.php?a=17014  Notice how the RAs were instructed NOT to discuss the details with reporters. I AM OUTRAGED.....ONE OF OUR KIDS COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED IN THAT FIRE!!! I spoke with the Dean of the Res Halls last week to let him know that the rules are being violated and he said they would "crackdown" on the violations....NOT! Notice how the article states that even owning the hookah, etc is illegal but yet they haven't decided what to do for discipline?? The inmates are definitely running the asylum....and I have run out of ideas of how to help the situation. How can we let more parents know the seriousness of the problems that are happening?? how do we get the larger media involved??  Signed RS.  Editor's comment:  UCSB always defaults to silence if at all possible.  Try writing Chancellor Yang a letter and see if you can get a satisfactory response.  If you cannot, I would suggest that you consider changing schools.  UCSB won't through out felons, I doubt that a little "smokin" will get anyone in trouble.  The simply do not enforce the rules.    

5/23/2008  Great website & I applaud your effort! But I don't think firing your Chancellor will fix anything - the system is run like the mafia: all power flows from the top. UCOP will simply find another gutless clone to replace the one you have. And I bet whatever your local crime statistics show, that the real truth would be even more disturbing. I am soon to finish an article which I will forward when ready, about an incident at UCI which strongly suggests that UCI covered up evidence about a recent student disappearance and death (of course they’re calling it potential suicide – but UC’s story seems highly implausible). So I expect the Clery violations are a continuing pattern within the UC system – not just at UCSB.

I'm a recent UCI grad. who has been investigating various unethical activities related not only to local Clery violations, but also I think the UC system has orchestrated the present "enrollment crisis" by deliberate and unethical tactics to extend and/or delay many students' graduation. Do you know the university's funding model awards them multi-millions of dollars for "enrollment growth"? (IE, they got $38 M for adding only 5,000 students to their overall enrollment between 05-06 and 06-07 – so there’s not too much incentive for UC to assist students with a more timely graduation, which naturally would solve many of their so-called funding problems.)

I realize this issue might seem unrelated to your concerns about campus safety, but for me, I see all of the individual scandals and indiscretions at UC as part of a systemic problem, rather than independent events. Perhaps more people will stand up to the institution and demand a real change if they saw the puzzle pieces all linked together for a change.

Have you any sense of students at UCSB being delayed by any means, including inaccurate advising, “vague” documents or verbal rather than written guidance which later turns out to be incorrect, denial of subject credit for AP or transferred coursework, etc.? Good luck with your efforts. Feel free to contact me if you have any input about my observations regarding the administratively-engineered bottleneck.  Signed B.   Editor's comment:  Well, does anyone have any thoughts on this?   

5/22/2008   Message: I have reviewed the crime stats for UCSB and IV. You are correct, UCSB/IV has had a huge increase. How do we get the administration to take action against the sexual assault, drugs, and alcohol culture that exists here at UCSB?  Signed SM.   Editor's comment:  Thank you for writing.  Posting on this website helps.  Send a letter to the Chancellor Yang and demand a safer campus.    

5/8/2008    Message: My son is a rising senior and was quite interested in UCSB. I graduated in 1979 and filled him with stories of my amazing years in I.V. I have been reading the Nexus regularly over the past few months and have reviewed your website. Between the alcohol and drug abuse, violence, overcrowding and a complete disregard for victims rights I cannot support this decision...or sign over the out-of-state tuition checks. With this week's San Diego State bust perhaps the UCSB administration will take steps to better ensure the safety of their students. Parents do not expect (or even want) a "drug free" environment. If you want that apply to BYU. But we do expect a safe one. Hope that message is heard loud and clear. Signed LB.  Editor's comment:  Thanks for taking the time to write.  The problem at UCSB isn't that they have a raunch culture (booze, drugs, rape, theft, etc)  the problem is  that they don't even see it as raunch--they think it normal.  .    

5/7/2008  Message: Seeing the recent national news about the drug sting operations at San Diego State made me think about UCSB. Our community would be well served if similar operations were in progress at UCSB. My hopes are in vain in as much as our university heads would not allow such efforts. The fruits of these drug busts would probably not have been possible without the cooperation of San Diego States' President Mr. Weber. I feel certain that many academics within the California college system hold Mr. Weber in contempt for his actions. Signed BC.  Editor's comment:  You are correct.  While the booze, drugs, violence and rape culture of UCSB should be addressed, the admin will not take any action.   I too doubt that the San Diego State crackdown (no pun intended) could happen at UCSB unless it was run by a state or federal agency without the knowledge of the UCSB "powers that be."  

although there are many of us who see him as a 'beacon of light'. Some of these academics, many who are right out of the 1960's, can shoulder some of the blame in as much as they have given instruction to our youth that 'anything goes' and whats the problem with drugs 'they are only hurting themselves'. Maybe, who knows a miracle might happen, and UCSB and its management will awaken, and set a good example. Don't anyone hold your breath though.

4/10/2008    First of all how dare you make this biased site with faulty statics that have no link to a valid source! But you report a 900% increase in forced assault crimes, how about you consider the third variable. Due to efforts of many groups the reporting rates of these crimes has increased. The taboo of being involved in a sexual crime is not there anymore because of strong people standing up and doing something about it. There is events such as Take Back the Night which raise awareness and in turn increase the reporting rate. This website is offensive and completely biased. I hope this site dissolves.  Signed C    Editor's comment:    There is a link to the Clery report in the editorial that provides all the source data. It is all public information. What third variable? The rates and numbers are up—you need to carefully re-read the editorial!   The UCSB community has made it even tougher for women to report assaults. Did you see what happened to the victim in the Frimpong case?  Do you realize that Yang has never made a public comment about rape or sexual assault other than platitudinous claptrap?   The Take Back the Night and all the rest of the "programs" are worthless. They just allow you to feel good and pretend that UCSB is doing something. Take the Frimpong case; the victims have been raked over the coals. Where were you when the Frimpong’s support group (including his coach, fellow players, the athletic dept and Yang) sat back and did nothing or assisted his defense by attacking the victims and attempting to intimidate the jury, the judge and the public. UCSB never even excluded Frimpong from campus—even after his conviction they say nothing.  The thing that is most offensive about sexual assaults at UCSB is that the school won't do anything about it except to pretend to take action with silly marches and the like. Expel rapists and those who assault people and the ethos would change in a matter of months. Of course, this might ruin the party image and the party at the school.  

I hope that you actually have a commitment to stopping rape and not just wearing t-shirts and going to silly marches and parties to promote "awareness."  If you do have a real desire for change, go to Yang's office and demand that he make a public pledge to expel all rapist and people who commit sexual assaults (while you are at it, how about asking him to expel and exclude drug dealers, child molesters, and felons in general). Oh, and good luck—you don't stand a snowballs chance of getting UCSB to speak out.  .

3/31/2008  Message: Your site, while trying to take aim at the UCSB administration for its lack of an initiative to cleanup Isla Vista, is cheapened by the editor comments at the end of each posting. When you say that a majority of the UCSB student body would agree with the comments posted defaming your daughter, or when your site agrees with comments that the comm/soc/econ majors are creating a majority of the crime in IV, it cheapens your message, and makes me seriously question your ability for sound reason. You have a choice to use this site to seriously critique the administration and be a force for change, or make snide comments here and there making this site nothing more than a waste of everyone's time.   Signed SC.  Editor's comments:  You need to re-read the postings that you commented upon.  We said the that the majority of students...would NOT agree with this element.   Also, we did not make the comments about the comm and soc majors, it was a UCSB student.  We did so some research and found that most of the highly publicized problems were from those disciplines.  

3/21/2008  Message: are you still at it? crying because your daughter is a whore and got raped....? Signed JESSICA.     Editor's comment:  One could easily argue that no comment is necessary; however, it might be appropriate to point out that this is the mentality of a large percentage of UCSB students.  This ethos grows out of a complete and utter lack of any moral compass--the administration of the school is without a moral compass.  These types of remarks (and we get more than a few) clearly demonstrate a truly disgusting segment of the UCSB population.  What is amazing is the majority of students (and administrators) would not agree with this element.  Yet they allow this group of pigs to drag down the image of the university.   

3/21/2008  You should change the picture of the rum on top of the page...Nobody in Isla Vista would touch that shit, shows how much you know about our party scene.  Signed sorority_slut  Editor's comment:  The photo was taken in IV.   

3/7/2008   First, your editorial made excellent points. I found it while looking for info about my uncle who was killed in 89-90 while training the UCSB Women's Cycling Team on Goleta Highway. Sadly, drunk drivers will never disappear. Thanks again for your thoughtful comments about the dangers of drunk driving. Best of luck with the website. Signed AD.  Editor's comment:  Sadly indeed!  However, with a little leadership from UCSB, the number of deaths around UCSB could be dramatically reduced.   The lack of leadership from the chancellor and the rest of the spineless administration is utterly appalling.  

3/3/2008  Message: If we eliminated the Comm, Soc, Psych, Hist, and Econ majors at UCSB I'm pretty sure most of it's crime and debauchery would fade away. Most of the people that commit the crimes and delinquent acts mentioned on this site are the types taking classes from these fields who have too much time on their hands. Engineers and serious students are way to stressed out and busy trying to get straight A's to get into grad school or to find a high paying job to waste time partying excessively. Signed D.  Editor's comment:  A review of the past few years of arrests would lend credence to your theory.  

2/18/2008  Message: I am so glad you have this website. I was a juror on the Frimpong case as well and first of all, what we, the jurors, heard and saw in the courtroom is very different from what the media reported. Second, unfortunately, one juror has now decided to lie about jury misconduct (was she paid off? Possibly, because she was certainly in agreement with the unanimous guilty verdict or, she is just so weak she was persuaded by the lies written by Kim Seefeld-a woman who wasn't ever in the courtroom during the Frimpong trial)) and because so many ignorant people believe "a soccer player couldn't commit rape" Frimpong may just be released to rape again. Third, to the person who wrote in on 1/27-you're an embarrassment to the human race. To suggest that women are just looking to get fucked is the most ludicrous statement-and to say there are no rapes in IV just proves your ignorance. The young woman who accused Frimpong of rape was RAPED in IV, even Frimpong's defense attorney admitted that. I'm sorry you have no empathy for women.  Signed Juror.  Editor's comment:  Thank you for your service as a juror and for your comments.  It is clear that the UCSB/IV community does not take rape seriously.  What they take seriously is protecting the UCSB image and the sustaining the recruiting draw known as the no-holds-bar party environment.  There are literally hundreds of sexual assaults on the UCSB campus and in IV every year.  The vast majority are never brought to the attention of the public.  We agree that there is something very odd about the public campaign to discredit the verdict.  Someone is paying for all the publicity and organization.  Anyone who even casually followed the trial can tell that the current supporters of Frimpong use less than "half truths" to assault the verdict.      

2/14/2008    Message: Well when I went on the Freshmen tour of the campus I thought I would be attending a very prestigious university overlooking the ocean. I pictured IV as a laid back college town full of hippies, surfers and studious college students. I'm in my second year here and I guess I could say that its what you make it. If you want to party your way through and be drunk 80% of the time then, yeah its possible. But you pick your crowd and there are many people here who do not subscribe to the IV lifestyle. Signed V.  Editor's comments:  We agree that there are a lot of great young people at UCSB who do the right thing.  It is just a shame that the prestige of the school is damaged by the IV/UCSB party image.    

2/14/208  Message: Well I go to UCSB and sometimes I really think I chose the wrong college. I used to live with a bunch of partyers who did drugs nearly every night and had parties with random strangers in my living room. It was terrible. Then one of my roommates moved out and things got better but listen, part of living here is learning how to deal with a whole mix of people and toughen up your resolve. Ever have to break up a party to get a good nights sleep? Well I have and I can tell you that after the experience of living with sterotypical IV party animals that I am one tough dude!  Signed T.    Editor's comment:  Sounds like a great addition to a resume:  "Can break up drug and booze parties when management needs a good nights sleep."  

2/14/2008    since Frimpong is a non-citizen, may he be deported after he serves his time?  Signed C.   Editor's comment:  Yes, if ICE does their job properly.  

2/2/2008    I witnessed an assault that occurred in September 2006.   I hated being a witness.   I hated UCSB.   I left, and I still have to deal with court appearances and other bullshit because of it.   I like this website.   I hate UCSB and everyone there.  Signed M.  

1/30/2008   I came across your web site because I was looking for the official UCSB site. I'm amazed that this site is at the top of my search list!  I attended UCSB between 1989-1993 and the I'm afraid the memories I'll never forget are sex and alcohol. My freshman roommate was already an alcoholic at the age of 18! and I don't think her parents even knew about it.  It doesn't surprise me that UCSB is still known as the party school.  Signed SS.  Editor's comment:  It has only gotten worse since you were here.  Do you know what happened to your freshman roommate?   Did she finish school?  Was she able to overcome her addiction?  

1/29/2008  I was an International Student from Great Britain fortunate to have studied at UCSB from 1992 to 1996. I had the most exciting and happiest times attending there, more fantastic than I could ever have imagined. The worst experiences I witnessed were never the behaviour from UCSB students in I.V., but generally outsiders and visitors to the party scene whom lacked total respect. The students lived life to the max out there but wouldn't be too careless as to ruin it for their peers. Unfortunately the party scene attracted too many hellraisers from elsewhere. They were crazy times for me to say the least, but I gained some of my best friends in life so far who I will never forget. I will also continue to visit UCSB and I.V. and would encourage my kids to study there in the future. Signed G.  Editors Comment:  Glad to hear that you enjoyed your time at UCSB.  We agree that the outsiders are responsible for many of the problems; however, the outsiders come because UCSB/IV puts on the party and tolerates the behavior.    You might also check the crime rate  since you were here.  Between 2002 and 2006 alone, sexual assaults increase by 900%.  You read it right--900%..  There were  2,768 arrest in IV in 2004.  Sounds like a great place for kids.  

1/28/2008  Thank you to James Baron for the article (Nexus January 24, 2008) about the misrepresentation of the facts of the Frimpong trial.   I was there (as a juror) and the vast majority of the public are foolishly listening/believing the inaccurate media reports.  Editor's comments:  Thank you very much for your service as a juror and for speaking out against the misinformation.  The UCSB spin machine is in full attack mode.  They are going to do everything they can to denigrate the verdict.  The facts mean nothing to these people.  They know if they keep telling the big lie long enough and loud enough they can confuse many of the small-minded useful idiots at UCSB.    

1/27/2008   Message: you are such a total asshole. i have lived in iv for almost 4 years. nobody gets raped around here. all the bitches that party hear know the rules. if you get drunk in iv you will get fucked by at least one guy, sometimes more. do you think they come here wearing next to nothing, drunk out their skulls and don't want to get fucked? stop whinning. the girls know the score. the only ones that complain do so because they are cunts and after they get what they want they want to change their minds. probably what happened in the frimpong case. come to iv and party and enjoy the sex. you are such a joke.  Signed TM  Editor's comment:  This is the good demonstration of the UCSB ethos that has made the UCSB/IV scene what it is today--DISGUSTING!  The problem is that there are hundreds (probably thousands) of UCSB students who would agree with  this sick puppy.    

1/27/2008  Message: As a feminist, I am shocked by the attitude of the UCSB community and most of its staff.  You are correct. They clearly do not want to address the issue of sexual assault for fear of harming the school's reputation. UCSB is a very sick culture.  Editor's comment:  Thank you for writing.  It is clear that UCSB wants to down play this issue.  My question is why don't the female students speak up? 

1/26/2008    I just want to let you know that I appreciate you creating this site and completely agree that UCSB needs to create higher social standards for its students. I am currently a freshman and while I have not been directly harmed by the intense partying in IV, I see its effects everywhere. Keep up the work; maybe it will make a difference.  Signed C.  Editor's comment:  Thanks for writing and stay safe.  

1/25/2008  Thank god for your editorials on sexual assault. I was raped last year, reported it to the police and UCSB did nothing. What's happening in the Frimpong case happens all the time. I appreciated your efforts to alert people of this matter. Signed H.  Editor's comments:  Thank you for taking the time to write.  Your story is all too very familiar.  It happens all the time.  We are frequently told that UCSB authorities either take no action or "warn" the victims that they (the victim) will be in a lot of trouble if the victim presses the complaint.   Good luck and thank you for sharing your story.  Our advice to anyone who is raped at UCSB or in IV is to call the Sheriff's office immediately.  Do not talk to the campus police or to the UCSB "counseling" services.  Make a complaint to a Sheriff's deputy and demand that you be taken to the hospital and that a rape kit be used to document the crime. ACT IMMEDIATELY!   Remember, the UCSB system is not going to help you.  Report the rape to a Sheriff's deputy  or directly to the hospital.      

1/25/2008  James Baron. Your article (see Nexus 1/24/2008) was not bad. People tend to be one sided when they guilty was a past soccer player. The only thing i've got beef with is "And we are all sooooo upset about changing the name of FT!"  You are a retard. Sorry some freshmen have some pride for the dorms they live in, and don't want the name changed.  Signed A.  Editor's comment:  The purpose of the sarcasm directed to the renaming of FT was to demonstrate that while many people (not all freshman) were soooooo concerned about the name change that they took the time to write an opinion piece, not a single person took the time to write in support  of a fellow student (who was the victim rape) and oppose the smear campaign that is being waged against the victim.  Not one UCSB student, faculty or staff is on record condemning Frimpong, condemning the rape, or supporting the victim.   We also notice that your email does not support the victim or condemn Frimpong or the rape culture at UCSB.  It would seem that your email confirms the premise of the opinion piece   

1/24/2008    Message: In addition to your article "How UCSB re-rapes victims" you should write an article entitled "How UCSB pre-rapes victims." How is a girl pre-raped? Well, she shows up in a lewd and party-filled atmosphere. They socialize her to force her to wear barely any clothes, go out at all hours of the night and drink until she cannot function. All the while, taking pictures with her camera phone of her and her friends posing provacatively, making out with each other, straddling drunk guys. The foundation is laid...what comes next is sadly obvious. To be fair, some of this lies on the heads of drunken males, but some of this falls on the heads of these drunken females as well. Where is your response to this side of it?  Signed DR  Editor's comment:  We agree.  The ethos is so sexually charged that it leads to problems.  

1/12/2008    Message: Your articles and editorials about Eric Frimpong are right on. We have a culture here that ignores sexual assaults. To recognize them would highlight part of the root problem.  The out of control party scene!   A quick reading of the accounts of the Frimpong rape case clearly points out that the party scene is part of the problem.  Signed, transferring this quarter

1/11/2008   reading you FAQ column I was surprised by your answer to "why UCSB"? when, as you admit, these problems exist on all campuses around the country. I graduated from UCSB and know there were problems there like any other college town. If you are saying people should avoid this college because it has a "dark side", you might as well be telling people to avoid college all together. Is that your point? To tell people to avoid UCSB?   Message: I was surprised to read your answer to a FAQ of why are you focusing on UCSB when many campuses share the same issues that UCSB does.  You agree the problems exist elsewhere but want to start somewhere. I thought surely you had some statistics that showed Isla Vista or campus life having more than it's share of problems.  By bashing UCSB, you might as well bash the entire college experience. Good luck.  Signed SA.   Editor's comments:  All school deal with problems.  A quick check of even the "scrubbed statistics regarding crime at UCSB reveals a very high crime rate.  There are lots of stats on the website, keep reading.  

1/10/2008   Dear Darkside Editor,  I wrote to you last year about my concerns about my daughter attending UCSB.   Anyway, she is doing well and yesterday she said that she joined the new campus newspaper called "The Bottom Line".  This newspaper seems to be on a much higher plane than the Daily Nexus, which I consider to be a lot of smut.  In fact here is an article that was printed, called, "To Transfer or Not to Transfer".  I was quite impressed that the writer does not defend the party lifestyle at UCSB.  

More about the Bottom Line:   The "About" section of this page says:  "The Bottom Line is a new voice on campus...  We provide a printed space for investigative journalism, culturally and socially aware commentary, and engaging reporting that addresses the diverse concerns of out readership and community.  We hope that the student photographers, comic artists, opinions writers, and reporters featured in this issue and those to come inform and inspire you. This is your community to build, share ideas, and publicize your issues and events. So don't just read - do something!"  

12/21/2007   This site comes off very negatively. I read through your FAQs and I feel that part of the reason that you are so often attacked is because there doesn't seem to be any real positive actions taken. I don't mean that you aren't doing your best to make a difference, but perhaps instead of focusing so much on accusing the people of IV (which may not be your goal but I think it's pretty obvious that people feel attacked by this site), you could focus on how we can help IV. Perhaps some campaigning would help. I've done a lot of work to help communities and I find that having a positive force behind your motives increases the amount of people interested in helping. This website comes off as very angry and accusatory, which I don't think is the best way to reach the people. I'm sure you agree.  Signed AJ.   Editor's note:  Perhaps you missed the part where we funded alternative events for students and the IV community.  However, we are the "dark side" and as such we don't put on a happy face for the abuse and crime that goes on in IV and UCSB.  The school has lots of web pages to present the "positive."  It is our goal to bring the negative to the attention of the parents, the public and potential students in an effort to get UCSB to mitigate some of the issues rather than to encourage and promote bad behavior.  Thank you for your comments and for visiting our website.    

11/23/2007 This is a wonderful website. I have a son that goes to UCSB and worry all the time for him. It took courage to make this website. God Bless. Your website is excellent! Signed J.  

11/14/2007 It appears to me that many of the very serious issues addressed by this website are trivialized. I am a fairly recent UCSB alumna, and am familiar with much of what is exposed on this site. In short, I would like to draw the editor’s and the readers’ attention to the fact that a university’s primary mission is to provide quality education to its students. Though we may hope that the university will also repair the poor character of some individuals, and interpret and enforce the law beyond the ability of courts and law enforcement agencies, it is ultimately not the university’s responsibility.  Maybe we should create more alternative means of entertainment especially for the under-21-year-olds. Most of what Santa Barbara and Goleta have to offer as entertainment after 8pm is largely centered around alcohol consumption.

Also, I would like to urge all who are concerned with the betterment of the atmosphere at UCSB and in IV to take personal responsibility for their actions. If you do not condone parties that are destructive and abusive in nature, please do not attend those parties and urge others not to attend as well by explaining your reasoning. If you can relate to the agony of someone who was sexually assaulted, please do not add to their pain and call on others who do. I believe that targeting UCSB and IV in their entirety is unfair and not really helpful. Groups consist of individuals. When individuals begin to take responsibility, offensive groups often dissipate. Let’s face it, by far the majority of UCSB students are great people and admirable scholars. Maybe it would be more helpful to encourage healthy empathic behavior rather than continue trying to shame those who misbehave. Signed JH  Editor's comment.  Thank you for the note. While we agree that the primary focus of any school is to educate, UCSB has a Code of Student Conduct that provides for disciplinary action in the event that a student violates the code.  When the school refuses or neglects to enforce the rules, students care less and less about the rules and chaos follows.  This is the case of the UCSB/IV scene.  A very public example is the now very pathetic case of a former UCSB Student Body President, Cervin Morris.  After multiple violations of the law, including felony assault, Cervin continues on what appears to be a downward spiral.  Had UCSB taken some strong action against him early, perhaps he would not be were he is today.  Maybe, just maybe, he would have gotten the counseling, treatment or jail time that would have turned his life around.  Instead, the UCSB community continues to tolerate his behavior and he continues to have more and more problems.  What message does this send to other students.  It tells them that you can do whatever you want to do and there are no consequences other than a few Mickey Mouse remediation measures that most students pretty much laugh at when the are forced to attend.    

10/25/2007 Message: Hello. I think goal of this website is somewhat futile. As a recent UCSB graduate, I can honestly say that I never got into any fights or any troubles while attending, and yes I did go out all the time so its not like I was just hiding in my room. People will likely say "Hey, just because you didnt have any problems doesn't mean they don't exist blah blah blah". My response to this is simply this: Violence and bad things happen all the time all over the world, the root for all of these problems comes from BAD PARENTING! Im serious when I say this. Signed BJ.  Editor's comment:  Bad parenting?  OK, bad parenting caused a girl to be raped.  Who did This is a wonderful website. I have a son that goes to UCSB and worry all the time for him. It took courage to make this website. God Bless. Your website is excellent!the bad parenting? The rape victim's parents or the rapist's parents?  Or, was it both?   

10/9/07        Message: I am currently a UCSB student and naturally do not support the website. I value the education I am attaining and hate hearing negative remarks regarding UCSB. My purpose in posting is trying to figure out your motive behind the website. I have previously read comments saying you want to make people aware and have UCSB make a change. Are you also trying to get people to avoid coming here altogether? I just read advice you gave to an individual to go to the next best school instead of coming to UCSB. Surely not because the education value is lacking, right? I had opportunity to intern at a very respected corporation over the summer and meeting with top executives of the corp. they always commented on the quality of school UCSB was. I feel this website is tring to devalue the education we have earned during out time in UCSB and fails to acknowledge the good people achieve during their time here. You always say you acknowledge UCSB is a quality school but nowhere on your site do you have anything regarding its accomplishments. Maybe a page acknowledging the schools positives would at least show your willingness to recognize the good of UCSB as you say you do. Please do no try to devalue the hardwork the majority of students here put in to earning a good education. We work hard and this site simply tries to take away from it.   Signed J.   Editor's comment:  OK, we are willing to go along with your proposition.  All we ask is that UCSB and all of its official websites put up pages that show the dark side of UCSB.  Now, back to reality, the truth is that is it UCSB and its administrators that devalue the school's reputation and standing by failing to provide any leadership to stop the damage done by the UCSB/IV drug, alcohol and sex abuse scene.  Every school has great things to offer its students--that is why not everyone applies to UCSB.  It is just not the right school for many people.  It certainly is a dangerous place for young people.  Just check out the planning for Halloween.  One will hear the argument that the majority of people who cause problems on Halloween are not UCSB students.  How could they be?  There may be over 30,000 people parting in IV.  But This is a wonderful website. I have a son that goes to UCSB and worry all the time for him. It took courage to make this website. God Bless. Your website is excellent!who is hosting the party?  UCSB/IV party pukes.    

10/4/2007 Message: How do you get this website out to the parents of UCSB students? Every parent thinking about sending their kid to UCSB should know about this site. IV is a dirty, dangerous place for college students, I know, I lived there and now work there. Parents have the right to know the truth. SB  Editor's comments:  We have advertised on local TV stations, had aircraft pull aerial banners, provided tee shirts and a host of other activities to get the word out.  To date, over 100,000 people have visited our website.  Thanks for the support and you can help by merely passing the URL to people in your emails.  

9/9/2007 Wow. Thank you SO much for creating this website. as a 3rd year UCSB student I struggle with the decision to even stay in college because I despise the environment around here so incredibly much. For a substance free student, it is hard to find anyone who seems to relate to my negative experiences at UCSB. The town of IV is a terrible place to live, the substance abuse and violence is out of control. Thank you for trying to make these problems known.  Far too many people are unaware of the social problems in this area and make poor choices in where to go to college or where to send their kids. I hope that this website does not get shut down. thanks again. Signed K.  

9/5/2007  Message: Hi! Isla Vista was sooooo safe this summer! My girlfriends and I had to park a few blocks from our place on DP, and we walked home a lot. It never felt threatening, even at 2:00am after a night down on State Street! Thanks darkside and I'm glad you help UCSB do such a great job out here! Signed JJ.  Editor's comments:  Do we hear a bit of sarcasm here?  Glad you didn't have any problems; however, I guessed you missed the stabbing, fights, and crime reports.  Stay safe.  

9/3/2007  At first I was turned off by what your website writes about UCSB but then when I think about it the negatives are correct. I enjoyed UCSB because I survived. I however will not donate a penny to the school, not because I do not like the school but because I do not like the administration and staff. I ran the Greek system for 3 years and you wouldn't believe the crap they allowed the Greeks to get away with. I myself was complacent in about half the transgression b/c I thought I was protecting the Greek system. But when we had an increase in hazing fatalities and rape in 1997 I had enough and wanted to make examples of those involved. But I was stone walled by the university, and then when 20/20 wanted to do an expose on it they approached me for an interview. However the university got wind of it and with cooperation of the office of student life made their own threats to me about why I should not do the interview. In the end they got what they wanted and in the spring quarter another hazing incident happened involving the same house.  It’s amazing that the university does less to enforce the rules on the Greek system then the National Headquarters of these organizations. If I do decide to donate money it will be to the organizations that I was a part of like the scuba club, rowing club, student government and to my Greek organization. They provided a more positive experience of UCSB then UCSB ever could. Signed mg  Editor's comment: Couldn't have said it better.  If you look at the national rankings, UCSB has one of the lowest alumni giving rankings.   

9/3/2007  Poll. Fire Yang? Are you just crazy? I realize that it is not saying much, but the fact is that he is the very best Chancellor UCSB has ever had. Ever. We had him after the South African megalomaniac and the affirmative action babe (we had to take an alcohol challenged person at some point.) Yang is at UCSB forever. His kids are young professionals in the Bay Area and he and hit gracious wife Diling would love to move up there. Only hitch is that he is not eligible for a system-wide job after he sexualized the promotion process at the highest levels. Word went down to the lowliest custodians at the smallest Jr. Colleges in Calif. within hours. Did you not hear about it? Want me to tell you? Signed KW Editor's comment:  Yes, tell us more.  

9/3/2007  And why is UCSB running the County government in Isla Vista? You probably know that but it sure makes Brooks Firestone look like a chump. Singed KW  Editor's comment:  UCSB has always run the county as it relates to any actions surrounding UCSB/IV.   UCSB is the 900 pound gorilla in SB County. 

9/3/2007  Message: Do you really have nothing better to do with your time? College students drink and do drugs in school? College students fight and have sex when they drink? This really is earth shattering news! Yet somehow, you and the other cyber vigilante dorks managed to get through. This site is a joke. It acts as if people are dragged to Isla Vista and forced to drink and do drugs. If you don't want to party in IV when you come to UCSB you don't have to. You people just haven't been outside enough. There are real problems in the world which you haven't experienced. My sister teaches school in Compton. If you tried explaining to her that UCSB was a dangerous place filled with !ALCOHOL!, !SEX!, AND !DRUGS!, she'd laugh in your face.  I just think its sad that a few retards with computers can spout garbage that tens of thousands would refute if they only had the same amount of time to waste. Signed R.  Editor's comments:  Riiiight.   Check the crime stats.  Just because other places are bad shouldn't excuse the bad behavior at UCSB.  We don't object to the party, we object to the out-of-control party scene that is dangerous.  

8/29/2007   Message: In all your bitching and moaning about UCSB, maybe you should also note that UCSB is one of the most respected universities in the world. Despite the "evils" you so unjustly accuse UCSB of, and aside from your efforts to knock down our alma matter, quite a many of us are proud to claim UCSB as home and glad to see it receives the world attention it deserves. The Shanghai Jiao Tong Univ. rankings (by many considered the best and most unbias rankings of universities worldwide), has ranked UCSB at #35 in the world! Congratulations to UCSB. Well done, well done indeed.  Editor's comment:  We have never said that it wasn't a good school.  We are concerned about crime and how the school protects its students.  IV/UCSB is a dangerous place and should be made safer.  

8/10/2007 Message: You mention that you help the situation at hand by sponsoring several "clean" events. Not that I am trying to discredit you or anything, but what would those be? I'm just curious.  Signed Steven.  Editor's comment:  No problem, glad you asked.  We have funded tens of thousand of dollars into "clean" (we call them alternative events).  Not everything we fund is on our website but a few are.   We have funded: tennis matches, plays and dances.  

This will have a greater impact on the UCSB/IV party culture than anything previously discussed on this site. It will mean that many students will have to take classes on Fridays on Mondays -- and some unfortunates may actually be forced to get up for classes that begin at 8AM. Oh the HORROR!! Signed: CB  Editor's comment:  We agree.  Of the "students" who cause the worst problems, most are not full-time honor students.  Notice how close the vote was?  Scary!    

The first is that Jessica has ALWAYS taken full and total responsibility for Alex's death. She has never said it was not her fault. What she has said is that her memory of the wreck was that someone stopped or slowed quickly in front of her, and she swerved into oncoming traffic to avoid rear-ending the car in front of her at high speed. This may well be the dillusional memory of someone with a very high BAC, but it is her memory. She still takes total and full responsibility for Alex's death and has from day one.

The second thing is that Jessica did stop drinking. After spending a month in a wheel chair with two broken legs and a month on crutches, her friends finally got her out of the house. They took her dancing and some drinking -- a beer or two -- but no one was getting drunk. This is the sworn testimony of one of her good friends (and a friend of Alex's also, by the way) at the sentencing hearing. Jessica drank a little at first, and eventually quit drinking altogether.

However, she did post party pictures on her MySpace. Let me tell you, People (I really want to say "Kids," 'cause it feels more lovingly parental, but some "20-somethings" have objected to being referred to as "kids," even lovingly, by this 50-something.) But, let me tell you, your MySpace can land you in prison, and I don't mean jail, I mean PRISON, the BIG house. And that's what happened to Jessica. She never did anything illegal after the wreck, but her posting of pictures of herself, to share with her friends, having fun with friends - with alcohol in some of the photos -- after she caused Alex's death, did her in. The DA printed them in full color and pounded her on the stand about every one of them. You should have seen her on the stand. I have never seen such courage or presence. She never denied her culpability or lack of judgment and never broke. The judge, on the other hand, never got past the photos.

Jessica signed up with an AA counselor and, before being shackled in front of her mother and father and escorted out of the courtroom, she was attending several alcohol substance therapy programs.

Jessica is a first-time offender, a rape crisis counsellor, a caretaker of autistic adults, and what the probation officer called "a good kid." It reminds me of the proverbial good girl who had sex once and got pregnant.

But, enough about Jessica! Let's talk about -- Alex? Loved to drink. Drank a LOT in Isla Vista. He had been drinking with Jessica all evening and asked HER for a ride home. Contrary to popular belief, Jessica did NOT knock Alex out, wrap him in a pink blanket kept in her trunk for just such a purpose, and belt him into the death seat. They walked together to the car, not staggered, but walked. (That is Jessica's memory of it.) Jessica fiddled in her purse for her keys, called a friend to say they were leaving the party, and they drove off together. Two consenting adults. They BOTH made bad choices, because they had been drinking so much. Yes, I, too, wonder who let them drive away? Friends don't let friends drive drunk. Let's remember that from now on.

So, now. Me. Alex's Dad, Roger. My husband, Alan ( Alex's father for 19 years.) My mother and father, Alex's Nani & Gramps. We all feel the same, and have from the beginning. When I assumed that whoever was at the wheel of that car had simply passed out and run straight on into oncoming traffic, I felt the same way. So I guess you could say it is unconditional compassion for anyone who kills a friend, colleague or even a stranger because they screwed up and made a very bad judgment call. Due to his or her own negligence. My first thought of this young woman was, "Man, she is going to suffer from THIS for the rest of her life." Don't you feel that way? When you hear about a drunk-driving fatality, don't you always look to see if the driver, the person at fault, survived? I do. What an inhumane burden to shoulder for the rest of your life. And on top of that, she is involved in a dramatic and traumatic incident -- fatal car crashes are no picnic in the first place, even if you weren't the driver. I know. I was in one when I was 16. My sister and cousin died in front of me. So on top of severe damage to her body, and trauma to her mind and dealing with having killed someone, she has to think about being a felon for the rest of her life, getting an attorney, pleading to the court, and maybe going to prison. And exactly HOW does she pay the bills?

So, as a mother, as the letter on my blogg (http://AtTheHearth.WordPress.com) says, my heart broke for Jessica. Somehow, she became one of the kids for me, just like all the other young men and women in Alex's extensive but tight Santa Barbara friend family.

We asked for leniency (probation) for her, because, as Alan said, "it's the right thing to do."

I also know that, there but for fortune, go so many of us, including Alex. Now the work ahead of us is to create a multi-fasceted program of social change, marketing change and tool use. We DO need to start using breathalyzers. We DO need to say, "Friends don't let friends drive drunk." We do need to get 5% of the alcohol companies' marketing budgets and create get-home-safely programs. It CAN be done.

Just think, if every 6-pack came with a little breathalyzer, some people might never use them, toss them in the trash (recycle, please), but think of the MESSAGE it sends. Let's make it OKAY to give your friend a hard time for not using his breathalyzer before he gets in his car after a few drinks. Let's teach ourselves what .062 or .20 FEELS like. Let's take back responsibility for ourselves and for one another. Let's show each other we care about one another, and risk the relationship in order to keep our friend alive.

Ahhhh, but I ramble. Love to you all,  Susan, Alex Baer's Mom  

PS  One more thing, cut Paige Reid a little slack. She is a gentle soul (as opposed to some of the rest of us) whom my son loved. Their relationship was causing him to turn his life around in terms of sobriety, albiet not quickly enough to save him. She has been brutalized by the loss of her daily, loving companion. Paige is looking for some good to come out of Alex's death. She will help make that happen.  Paige, Caleb Day and Reid Spencer are putting together a concert "Another Way Home" at sOhO on April 13. Maybe you can encourage people to participate. Free brealalyzers?? Not tempted?  Editor's comments:  Thank you very much for taking the time to post your comments.  Our best wishes to your family and to Jessica's family as well.  I hope that everyone can emerge from this tragedy.    

I saw the "party till you puke" attitude and it is way out of control. The fact of the matter is it is never going to stop. UCSB trys every year to do something whether it's dry fraternities, upsidedown cups, or Bills Bus, nothing will stop college students who are just so excited to be free from parents or whatever. Do you know how many students fall off the cliffs in IV every year beacause they are so drunk? atleast 4. It is really sad, and no one really reports on them either.

All we can do is hope that people will take responsilbilty for their actions. Whether its driving drunk or even a drunk in public. And just because you have "gotten away" with it once, twice, or even ten times, it doesn't mean that you will NEVER get caught. And when you do, you should be prepared to pay the concequences no matter what they are. - AS

Message: I am responding to your "sad commentary" article. I thought it was pretty good until you started attacking everyone at the end. Who are you to say anything? I am a friend of Alex's, I do not live in SB anymore. So, it was out of my hands AND i'm sure most others to decide whom he got a ride home with.....also, you should really get your story straight before ranting and raving about what happened.

I saw the "party till you puke" attitude and it is way out of control. The fact of the matter is it is never going to stop. UCSB trys every year to do something whether it's dry fraternities, upsidedown cups, or Bills Bus, nothing will stop college students who are just so excited to be free from parents or whatever. Do you know how many students fall off the cliffs in IV every year beacause they are so drunk? atleast 4. It is really sad, and no one really reports on them either.

All we can do is hope that people will take responsilbilty for their actions. Whether its driving drunk or even a drunk in public. And just because you have "gotten away" with it once, twice, or even ten times, it doesn't mean that you will NEVER get caught. And when you do, you should be prepared to pay the concequences no matter what they are. Signed AS.  Editor's comment:  Dear AS.  Thanks for posting the comments.  I am truly sorry for the fact that we have to meet (even if only online) because of the death of a friend.  We agree with your comment that someone who drives drunk should be prepared to pay the consequences.  However, while we agree on the fact that the UCSB/IV party scene is out of control, we do not agree that it cannot be fixed.  In truth, UCSB does nothing to stop the party.  They merely give it lip service.  They take no effective action to tone down the party scene (and save lives) because it works for them.  It brings in lots of money for them.  It would be easy for them to stop the party.  Start expelling people who are felons or who are dangerous.   UCSB already has the rules on the books to take action, they simply refuse to do so.  UCSB expels almost no one.   They don't want to look judgmental.  One thing I have learned about UCSB students is that they want to graduate -- they want the UCSB degree.  They want the good job that the degree helps bring to them.  If they knew  that excessive partying and committing crimes would get them expelled, they would mitigate their behavior.  UCSB can control the party scene, they just refuse to do so.  What is even worse is the fact that the UCSB attitude ( you can do anything you want and get away with it) carries over after graduation.  The drunk driver in this case will pay a horrible penalty in her life for buying into the UCSB ethos.  When you get to the real world, UCSB's look the other way policy  cannot protect you.  

As a 1984 Cell Biology/Physiology graduate who successfully survived the UCSB experience, and as one who did study while actually enjoying my time on campus, in IV and on DP, I look back fondly at those years.

After graduating and spending one more year at UCI, I worked as a medical technologist in research and then moved on to air pollution chemistry in Los Angeles. The UCSB education more than adequately prepared me for the modern analytical laboratory workplace. And now, working for the past ten years with a multinational chemical company as a lab manager/chemist, I look to UCSB as a source of new talent for industry and academia.

One thought as I view the campus, now from afar, in Northern California. Please fight the Darkness of Bad Grammar! Read and write in clear English. Please!!!

I confess that I cringe when I see the grammar of many who write in the Daily Nexus on-line edition. And furthermore, the subject matter of the majority of the reporting and opinions focuses inordinately on the "dark side" of UCSB, most often with a flippant attitude toward it. The so-called "Weather" column is incoherent and inane. If the Daily Nexus content and syntax, aside from the writings of "Liberty Belle" and a few other thoughtful individuals, are a reflection of tomorrow's workforce, we may be in more serious trouble than I originally thought.

Finally a supportive word to the wise targeted toward "Dark Side" readers presently at UCSB, from one who has long since passed through the system - -Moderation. Please. For the benefit of the collective student health and mind, practice moderation There is an entire life ahead of you.  Sincerely,  KF  Editor's comment:  Couldn't have said it better.  Thank you for providing some guidance tempered with time.   

"If you really spent a lot of time in Isla Vista or listening to people who live there, you would know that 9 times out of 10, violence, rape and desctruction are perpetrated by immature SBCC wannabe gangstas. You seem to be blaming UCSB students.. while it is the City College douchebags who really have no reason to be there who cause all the problems.  PLEASE address this difference on your website. PLEASE delve deeper into this scourge and help us all. Signed BH"

"I find it extremely unsettling that this website talks down upon SBCC and the "bonehead" classes that are taught there. SBCC is one of the top Community Colleges in California and not everyone who goes there is lazy. Many students are seriously attending SBCC as a less expensive alternative to completing their General Education. Please keep your negative opinions to yourself until you have fully researched SBCC and all the excellent programs of study and transfer resources available there. Signed Tom."

My school may have its faults, as does each and every school, at any level of education, but UCSB and its students are not completely to blame. I would appreciate it greatly if the ills of the IV slum could be referred to the "dark side of IV" so that people from outside of the university community don't come to associate the slanderous material of your website with one of the country's best public schools.  Signed J.M.   Editor's comment:  Thanks for the interesting email.  You seem to agree with us regarding what we see as aberrant behavior.  You just think that UCSB shouldn't take the rap for being part of it.  We agree that SBCC and the out-of-towners contribute to the problems.  Almost all of our articles and editorials say just that.  Try reading this editorial.  However, UCSB created IV and has benefited from the party school image.  Now, people are beginning to wonder about the quality of the school because of the mayhem that it helps to sustain.  If everyone in IV is an adult, then way is there all the "blatant stupidity?"  The truth is that 18 to 20-year-olds are easily manipulated.  Left to their own devices, you get IV -- Lord of the Flies meets Real World TV.  Do you think that parents taught these hooligans to behave the way they do?  I wonder what IV would look like if only ten percent of the parents of UCSB students came to town for a weekend.  The university and SBCC have an obligation to set the tone of the university and to exclude people who poise a threat to other students.  If you don't believe me, try reading the UCSB  General Standards of Conduct (SW, 101.00) which reads in part: "

1. Non-Academic Conduct

... In instances when the health and safety of the individual or members of the University community are involved, the campus disciplinary process will be implemented immediately upon notification of the charges."

The tone at UCSB is to "party till we puke"   Everything from simple drunkenness to felony assaults are ignored by the school.  They (the administration)  know that if they take meaningful action against students, it will highlight the problems at UCSB.  They prefer to ignore the issues.   UCSB could be a really great school but it is being held back by its party school reputation.  A reputation that it uses to recruit more party animals.