r/UCSantaBarbara

Earlier this week I sent an email to the 7000+ students, parents, and alumni who subscribe to my listserv. My note was prompted by the revulsion I felt as I learned of the shocking events that took place recently at Cornell.

In an email exchange with an alum (and current med school applicant) this morning, I shared that my note was also shaped by another message from a man who, like me, once wore the uniform of his country and who, like me, felt an obligation to say something in response to predatory behavior that shocks the conscience.

This line from General Morrison's speech stands out: "The standard you walk past is the standard you accept." The point: demand more of yourselves, demand more of others, and refuse to accept, normalize, or condone abominable behavior. And be uncompromising in denouncing those who don't.

I'm entering my eighth year as staff at UCSB, and my sixth as pre-health advisor. As we wrap Week 1 of Fall 2026, one of my expectations for my students this year is that we--individually and collectively--walk the talk: "We Gaucho Back."

-Dave