Annual Report

 It has been just over one year since thedarksideofucsb.com posted its first content.  

Thedarksideofucsb.com was started to address several issues within the UCSB/IV community – all of which the administration of UCSB had the power and the responsibility to address.  We felt that the administration was either not addressing the issues or was ineffective in their approach.  When we wrote the administration, they ignored our complaints.  To this day, we have never heard a single word from Chancellor Yang – he merely ignores complaints or shuffles them off to minions.    

 The statistics for the first year of operation are: 

• Total Hits: just over 475,000 from over 25,000 unique visitors.  
• Emails:  just over 2,000.
• Ranked in top ten on most search engines

The idea of a website was born when the founders of this site (after being ignored by the administration of UCSB) were unable to find any non-UCSB websites that provided help to students or families that were experiencing problems related to attending UCSB.  We were surprised to find absolutely no dissent and no alternatives.  Initially this made us wonder whether the experiences that we had been through were unique to us.  After a few calls to other parents and former students, we knew there were problems in the UCSB/IV paradise – our experience was not unique.  But how could there be no alternatives or dissent?  Thousands of bright young UCSB students with differing opinions (all wanting to be heard) and nobody had a UCSB gripe site?  We were soon to learn why – UCSB, in fact, the entire UC system, attacks anyone who attempts to dissent. 

When we started the site, we had no idea how popular (or despised depending upon which camp you are in) we would become.   We would have been pleased with the site’s performance if we only received a hundred visitors per month.  Instead, the response has been overwhelming.  In addition to the tens of thousands of visitors and thousands of emails, we have received requests for tee shirts with our logo and requests for personal email addresses using thedarksideofucsb.com email system.  Also, several national television and radio programs contacted us for interviews. 

While we have sent hundreds of tee shirts to UCSB students, we do not issue email addresses from thedarksideofucsb.com.  Additionally, we have turned down all requests for interviews or appearances on radio and television – while we have criticized the administration, our goal has not been to bring national shame or indignation upon UCSB (UCSB seems to accomplish that quite well on their own).  Our goal has been to put enough local pressure on the administration to make them step up and take some effective action to improve the UCSB/IV experience.  We want the administration to make UCSB/IV safer and better by providing some positive leadership.  We may have underestimated the resistance of the administration – perhaps a national campaign might have better results.   

Little did we know how much effort it would take to keep a simple web site operating.  The first hurdle we had to overcome was a ham-handed assault by the administration of UCSB and UC on the website itself.  The UCSB legal machine came after us.  It became clear to us why there were no websites that criticized UCSB.  We received multiple communications from UCSB threatening civil litigation and criminal prosecution for using the initials “UCSB” or “The University of California at Santa Barbara,” or “The University of California” in any manner.  It became clear to us why there wasn't any dissent.  How could one publish a website critical of UC or UCSB if you could not even use the schools’ name or initials?   Moreover, it is even worse for UC students.  The UC system threatens to suspend students who use a school’s name or initials on a website.   The UC system even threatened YouCSD.com.  YouCSC.com  stood their ground and is still publishing. 

 Apparently, UCSB has been in the business of squelching free speech for some time.  A quick online search will show that almost everyone, from BYU to Home Depot  to the Democrats and Republicans have critics who use what is commonly referred to as “cybergripe” sites to publish complaints.     

UCSB backed down from its threats when they realized our resolve and when confronted with a letter from the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) who supported our right to publish.  We believe that over the years UCSB (and the entire UC system) has had an active campaign to intimidate people who dissent by using the web.  

Our next hurdle came from cyber attacks upon our site and our Internet Service Provider.  All of these were unsuccessful as well.   However, they did cost us a lot of time and money to fend off. 

Admittedly, we do criticize Chancellor Yang.  But by and large, we have stayed with the Norm Chomsky model regarding our website… “This is not about a person.  It’s about ideas and principles.”  However, many within the UCSB community do not see it that way.  We have been attacked at every level.  Critics have not only attacked our site, they have attack our business associates, our families (including minor children who have never attended UCSB), and they have hurled religious and ethnic slurs at us.  We have received scores of the vilest emails  you can image (all documented from UCSB students).  We have even had death threats.  Of course, these vile threats only reinforce our contention that there is a dark side of UCSB.   And to bolster our contention that UCSB does not clean its own house, when UCSB was advised of the death threats, some using UCSB computer systems, UCSB took no action against the perpetrator. 

Even during these continuous assaults by the university and their bedfellows, the party/crime lobby of UCSB/IV, we were able to get out our message out and support alternative entertainment events for UCSB students.  Last year we funded thousands of dollars into alternative (no booze, drugs or sexual assaults allowed) entertainment programs.

What has been most gratifying is the number of emails we receive from UCSB students who write to us and apologize for what they wrote last year.  Most include a phrase that goes something like this: “After being around UCSB/IV for a year, I now understand what you are trying to say.” 

So while the administration is unwilling to listen or engage in any meaningful dialogue to stop the sexual assaults, the drugs and booze, and violence, at least some of the students and student leadership are. 

Our thanks to the thousands of students, parents, teachers, and local citizens who support our web site.  And, our continuing thanks to the thousands of outstanding young people who make UCSB great – the ones who act responsibly and do the right things. 

 To the losers and abusers (including those within the UCSB administration who facilitate them), we intend keep up the pressure to get rid of you and make UCSB a safer and better place.