Introduction:
The A.S. Living History Project was begun this year by Living History Project Coordinator and former A.S. President Mahader Tesfai. The project includes the A.S. Living History Project Blog, which can be accessed by clicking here. Mahader describes The Living History Project in his initial project proposal submitted in October of 2011.
UCSB students protest budget cuts in March 2010 (Lara Cooper/Noozhawk photo)
About the Project:
This site will bring together stories and remembrances about the political impact/role students at UCSB have played in shaping the campus throughout the years. Showcasing and celebrating the history of ASUCSB through collected oral history interviews, photographs, radio archives, and other resources.
Implementation:
Working with students, staff, faculty, and community members the project’s goal is to create a broad historical timeline of the history of student activism to which participants can add their personal experiences. The timeline will inform the interactive website of the ASUCSB Living History Project. An example of a dynamic timeline can be seen by clicking here.
With a focus on historical moments relevant to ASUCSB, the project will combine audio, visual, and text-based information coming from various sources, including University archives, KCSB, AS documents, personal interviews, etc. to create an online tactical timeline.
This timeline will include the following:
· Text elements on different historical moments
· Links to related articles and online projects
· Historical photos, videos, and audio
Vision:
One of the main ideas pushing this project is the notion of building a collaborative history together. The purpose of this project is to create context for one of the most pressing issues in student governance, which is the lack of continuity, planning, and understanding of issues and programs from one year to another. Over the years this has resulted in duplication of efforts, work, and planning.
Understanding A.S.’s role and impact on student well-being at UCSB and how it has developed over the years is a step towards strengthening students’ effectiveness and their ability to promote change on the campus.
This project is a great opportunity to build and strengthen ties between Associated Students, the general student body, the UCSB administration and faculty, and the Santa Barbara community at large.
The project is designed to teach students that they can be their own historians and empower their community and themselves personally by writing and documenting their own history. It’s critical for students and the association as a whole to present what we want the rest of the campus and world to know about ASUCSB!