UCSB Students Weigh In on Academic Calendar
Undergraduates could soon vote on whether they prefer UCSB's quarter system or a semester system in a nonbinding referendum.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in College Life
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UCSB's Associated Students Senate considered a resolution proposing a nonbinding student referendum on the university's academic calendar, which would gauge whether students prefer the current quarter system or a semester system. The Senate referred the resolution to its Outreach Committee for further discussion.
Why it matters
The Senate has no authority over UCSB's academic calendar, but the referendum would give students a formal channel to communicate their preferences to the university. Senator Alec GeoSimonian introduced the resolution to address the lack of structured student input on the academic system.
The proposed referendum would be nonbinding and appear on the A.S. election ballot, asking students to weigh in on the quarter-based versus semester-based system. The resolution was referred to the Outreach Committee, and no deadline for a ballot placement was reported.
The players
UC Santa Barbara Associated Students Senate
The student government body of UC Santa Barbara, which represents undergraduates and oversees student-funded activities on the campus.
UC Santa Barbara
A public research university in the University of California system whose academic calendar is the subject of the proposed referendum.
Alec GeoSimonian
A UCSB student senator who introduced the resolution to increase student input on the academic system.
The details
The resolution, considered at the Senate's Oct. 28 meeting, would add a question to the A.S. election ballot gauging student opinion on UCSB's quarter system compared with a semester system. Because the Senate cannot change the calendar itself, the results would serve as a signal of student preference to the university. The Senate also discussed the financial side of any transition, including cost of attendance and how long it might take students to graduate, and it referred the measure to the Outreach Committee before any ballot language is finalized.
Timeline
Oct. 28, 2026: The Senate considered the referendum resolution at its meeting.
The resolution was then referred to the Outreach Committee for further discussion.
Education Landscape
UC campuses run on the quarter system, while many universities in the country use semesters, so the debate reflects a broader national question about how calendar design affects cost and time to degree. The Senate's effort is a student-led attempt to influence a structure that the Senate itself has no power to change.
If you are a UCSB student, the referendum would give you a direct way to register your view on the quarter versus semester system, but it would only take effect on the ballot if the Outreach Committee advances it. Students weighing how a calendar change could affect cost of attendance or time to graduate should raise those questions with their academic advisers or the university's financial-aid office.
The takeaway
Student voices on the academic calendar are moving through a formal channel, though the Senate cannot change the calendar on its own. If you care about the outcome, watch for the Outreach Committee's next steps and the A.S. election ballot, and bring questions about cost and graduation timing to your academic adviser.
Further reading
For more on the daily realities of campus life, explore our College Life coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Daily Nexus.
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Should UC Santa Barbara switch from quarters to semesters?
