Hi everyone, below is the link to submit your signature to sign onto the letter I sent to Chancellor Henry T. Yang. (Deadline to sign is 5PM)

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UPDATE: CLASSES ARE CANCELED TODAY

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https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLSeo1inJNFD6AAE5J…/viewform…

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RE: REQUEST FOR IMMEDIATE POSTPONEMENT OF ACADEMIC DEADLINES

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Dear Chancellor Yang,

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I am writing on behalf of all undergraduate students to request for the immediate cancellation of classes, retroactive omission of all assignments submitted and exams taken after the power outage on Monday, and to postpone the academic and finals deadlines indefinitely until air quality returns to normal. The recent Thomas Fire which has burned over 90,000 acres and counting, poses a significant threat to the health and safety of our students; the cancellation of classes will allow students to stay home in a closed environment and not be exposed to dangerous particulates and give them adequate time to arrange evacuation logistics.

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Santa Barbara County Public Health and Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District announced via email Wednesday morning that air monitoring stations in Goleta and Santa Barbara recorded PM levels that were "unhealthy" for all to breathe. Since then, the PM levels have now reached “very unhealthy”. Exposure to fine particulates could potentially lead to acute health effects such as eye, nose, throat and lung irritation, coughing, sneezing, runny nose and shortness of breath. Exposure to fine particles can also affect lung function and worsen medical conditions such as asthma and heart disease. Scientific studies have linked increases in daily PM2.5 exposure with increased respiratory and cardiovascular hospital admissions, emergency department visits and deaths. Studies also suggest that long term exposure to fine particulate matter may be associated with increased rates of chronic bronchitis, reduced lung function and increased mortality from lung cancer and heart disease. People with breathing and heart problems, children and the elderly may be particularly sensitive to PM2.5.

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Another study conducted by the U.S. Fire Administration Agency (USFA), which is an entity of the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), found that smoke and chemical inhalation may lead to the following respiratory diseases: asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, asbestos related diseases, and valley fever. UCSB students are being repeatedly exposed to gases, particulates, and chemicals that are resulting from structural and wildland fires, building collapses, and explosions. These all liberate high concentrations of particulate matter which enhances the rate by which students could potentially contract respiratory diseases, or suffer from physiologic changes of their respiratory system.

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In spite of the dangers of the air quality, UCSB continues to remain open, and students are expected to attend classes, complete assignments, and study for finals. Students are already stressed out due to the nature of this workload, but this stress is further compounded due to family members or friends who lost a home, potential evacuation, intermittent power outages, and constant worry for their safety. The University has not taken the appropriate steps to ensure the health, safety, and academic success for our students.

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Furthermore, many students had to submit assignments or take exams this week (dead week) after Monday’s power outage which left students no opportunity to study or complete their deadlines. For instance, there were multiple instances of students breaking down and crying in the library because they lost their work. All these assignments submitted and exams taken by students were under unsafe and unhealthy conditions with extreme levels of stress as a result of the fire, smoke, and safety concerns.

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By cancelling classes and postponing academic deadlines, students are given dedicated time to plan for evacuation. For example, not all students own cars and could immediately flee if an evacuation order were given. Additionally, students need dedicated time to plan for emergency food and water, pack their belongings, and to identify potential evacuation centers or locations to flee to. By forcing students to continue to meet academic deadlines, it is impeding their ability to prioritize their safety and planning for potential evacuation.

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Lastly, we also need to keep students in a closed and secure environment, preferably their home. By keeping classes open, we are pressuring students into a situation where they have to decide between their short and long-term health versus their grades. The health and safety of students should be the number one priority. Even if appropriate masks were given, these masks do not filter out all particulates, gases, and chemicals, and thus, give students a false sense of security regarding their health.

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For all the reasons mentioned above, I am urging for the cancellation of classes and postponement of academic deadlines until air quality returns to healthy levels, and ask for the retroactive omission of all assignments submitted and exams taken after the power outage on Monday with approval from the individual student.

I respectfully ask that you take action on my requests.

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Sincerely,

Hieu Le
President
Associated Students

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CC: David Marshall, Executive Vice Chancellor
Margaret Klawunn, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs
Henning Bohn, Chair, Academic Senate
Joel Michaelsen, Acting Vice Chancellor of Administrative Services
John Sterritt, Director of Environmental Health & Safety, 
Risk, and Emergency Services
Jim Caesar, Campus Emergency Manager