April 2026 Gaucho Parent & Family Newsletter

Hello, Gaucho parents & families!

Spring quarter is underway and the UCSB campus is buzzing with activity! This month's newsletter includes answers to frequently asked Commencement ticket questions, a highlight of the best local spots to explore when visiting your student, an introduction to the University Center, and more.

Have Commencement ticket questions? We have answers!

How many tickets does each graduate get? Each graduate participating is allotted six guest tickets for family and friends.

Can a parent access tickets? No, the graduate is responsible for distributing their tickets to family and friends.

What is the deadline to make a Commencement reservation and claim guest tickets? May 18, 2026

How does a graduate obtain their tickets? First, the student needs to declare degree candidacy on GOLD. After declaring candidacy, they will be redirected to Tassel to confirm their participation. Only after a student has a confirmed reservation can they claim and distribute their tickets via Tassel.

Is there a waitlist for additional tickets? In the reservation form on Tassel, graduates have the opportunity to join a waitlist for additional tickets. If capacity allows and additional tickets become available, graduates will be notified by May 22.

We encourage graduation candidates, family and friends to review the important information and resources on the Commencement website.

Thank you for your support on Give Day 2026! We are overwhelmed by the generosity of our parents, alumni, and friends. Together, we raised $6,750,544 from 4,601 individual donors - our highest participation ever. Thank you for investing in our students, our research, and our future.

UCSB is in the process of migrating systems to the cloud to improve reliability and long-term performance. As part of this work, several student-facing systems will be temporarily unavailable on Saturday, April 25 from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. These systems include: GOLD/GOLD Alumni, Financial Aid/My Aid Status, GradPoint, and Student Affairs web applications, services, and integrations. These updates are scheduled on a weekend to minimize disruption. We encourage students to plan ahead if they need access to any of these systems during that time.

From hikes and beach visits to State Street shopping downtown, the REEF teaching aquarium on campus and the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, there are countless places to explore when you visit UCSB students.

11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., Lagoon Lawn

Join the UCen on Earth Day for UCensation, a celebration for students with live music, games, and free food. There will be a climbing wall, dunk tank, carnival games, and plenty of swag and goodies. UCSB students get a free burrito and snow cones with their Access ID.

Senior Celebration

11:00am - 1:00 p.m., Storke Plaza

We invite seniors to make the most of their last quarter with photo ops, live music, free food, exclusive UCSB merchandise, and resources to support their career planning, staying connected with UCSB, and preparing for the next chapter. We look forward to celebrating this milestone with them!

Deadline for students to make Commencement reservation: May 18
Memorial day (campus holiday): May 25
Commencement: June 11-14
2025-26 Academic Calendar
2025-26 Parent & Family Calendar

In UCSB parasitologist Armand Kuris’s lab, undergrads discovered a new crab egg predator—a finding that has major implications for local crab fisheries. “It gave me experiences that I could take into grad school,” said one student. Learn more.

As the UC Santa Barbara student union, the University Center (UCen) provides services and events for the entire campus community while giving students a place to relax between classes, host events and meetings, and gather with friends. The UCen has everything your student needs in one place.

Shop at the Campus Store
Dine at Markets & Eateries
Play in the Game Room
Attend events and concerts in The Hub
Meet for special events, conferences, job fairs, and so much more!

The UCen is home to essential student services including:

Access ID and Information Desk
Associated Students Environmental Affairs
Associated Students Food Bank
California Public Interest Research Group
Food Security and Basic Needs Advising Center
Graduate Student Association
Multicultural Center & Theater
SBPrinter, a local print shop
University & Community Housing Services
U.S. Post Office

Academic Calendar
Information on quarterly instruction dates and holidays.

Campus Calendar
Displays all the events happening around campus. You can filter by event types, target audience, or topic and stay informed on what UCSB has to offer each quarter.

Campus Map
UC Santa Barbara’s newly launched, interactive campus map can help you navigate our beautiful campus on your next visit.

Club & Guest House
Visit your student and stay in UCSB's boutique hotel with 34 guest rooms, a restaurant with fine-dining lunch service, and event facility conveniently located on campus with lagoon and ocean views.

The Current
UC Santa Barbara’s official news source. Subscribe now!

Gaucho Parents Facebook Page
The official UCSB Parents & Family Facebook page.

Gaucho Parents Website
Connects parents and supporters of UCSB students to valuable resources and offices on campus in order to better address questions and concerns.

Parent & Family Giving
Interested in getting more involved with UCSB? Learn how parents can make an impact at our University.

Student Affairs Departments & Resources
A centralized list of all services in Student Affairs and the easiest ways to contact departments.

University & Community Housing Services
Handles all housing processes for UCSB residence halls and apartments, and offers resources for community housing such as rental listings, conflict resolution, and rental advice.

Need help finding an answer to a question? We are here to help!
sa-ucsbparents@ucsb.edu