What Kind of News and Updates Can I Find on the UCSB Sociology Department Site?

The UCSB Department of Sociology site (soc.ucsb.edu) carries a News section that aggregates campus-wide and department-level updates. Based on the homepage content, you can expect items such as faculty and student awards, memorials for notable scholars, and general campus happenings. The page also links out to "More News" and a "Links and Resources" section, so the news area functions as a running feed rather than a static archive.

What the News Section Covers

The homepage presents news in a few recognizable categories:

• Awards and recognition — for example, the "2025 Outstanding Faculty Mentor of Graduate Students Award" appears as a current item.
• Memorials and tributes — the site features a remembrance of Tom Scheff, a pioneering sociologist who passed away on May 23, 2025, known for foundational work in the sociology of emotions and for student-centered teaching.
• Campus news — a "UC Santa Barbara News" block notes "Here's what's happening around campus," pointing to broader university updates beyond the department itself.

How the News Is Organized

The homepage uses a few structural elements to surface updates:

The "More News" link suggests the homepage shows only a subset of items, with the full feed available elsewhere on the site.

What You Won't Necessarily Find

The homepage evidence does not indicate a dated archive, category filters, or a search function for news. If you need older items or a specific topic, you may need to browse the linked pages directly rather than rely on the homepage feed.

Practical Use

If you're tracking departmental activity — for instance, checking whether a faculty member has been recognized, or looking for memorial notices — the News section is the first place to check. For campus-wide context, the "UC Santa Barbara News" block and its "More News" link extend coverage beyond the department.