Health Care Recognition for UCSB

The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution on Tuesday, May 6, recognizing UC Santa Barbara for Promotion of Health in Santa Barbara County. The supervisors recognized UCSB for its handling of four cases of meningitis in November 2013, and the subsequent vaccination clinics in 2014.

Supervisor Doreen Farr presented the resolution to UCSB administrators Pam Lombardo, acting associate vice chancellor of administrative services; Dr. Mary Ferris, director of Student Health Services; Debbie Fleming, senior associate dean of student life; and Jim Caesar, campus emergency manager. Also present was Michael Young, vice chancellor of student affairs. Dr. Ferris spoke after the resolution was presented, thanking the supervisors for the recognition and praising the efforts of hundreds of UCSB staff members who worked tirelessly during the two vaccination clinics.

UCSB has provided more than 17,000 doses of meningococcal B vaccine to undergraduate students and other UCSB-affiliated persons identified to be at risk by experts at the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC).  This vaccine was provided through special approval obtained from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). There have been no additional cases of meningitis reported since November.

The resolution:

WHEREAS, in November of 2013, four students at the University of California, Santa Barbara, became ill with meningococcal disease, a serious and communicable disease; and

WHEREAS, the University collaborated with the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department, the California Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control to respond in a proactive manner to prevent the spread of the disease and protect the health of the community; and

WHEREAS, the University secured a vaccine that had only been used in one other setting nationally, coordinated a massive vaccine campaign for thousands of students, and monitored every single student who received the vaccine.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY ORDERED AND RESOLVED that this Board of Supervisors of Santa Barbara County does hereby recognize outstanding leadership by the University of California, Santa Barbara to protect the health of the university community and promote wellness in our county.

PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of Supervisors of the County of Santa Barbara, State of California this 6th day of May 2014, by a unanimous vote of all members present.