The UCSB Staff Assembly invited departments and offices to join the Halloween festivities and win lunch for its staff by entering into the 11th Annual Halloween Decorating contest. On Friday, October 30th, Staff Assembly visited each participating department or office to judge their Halloween spirit, based on decorations and costumes. Participating offices and departments included Geography, the Disabled Students Program, Anthropology, Human Resources, the Marine Science Institute, the Institute for Collaborative Biotechnologies, and the UCen Administration office. The winning department won a gift card from Woodstock.
Sadly, Geography lost out to Human Resources, but we put up a good fright! As our Chair, Professor Dan Montello, put it: “Apparently we did not win the Halloween competition. Does that surprise you as much as it does me? I have been truly impressed by the zeal and high morale with which our fantastic staff jumped into this one. It expresses Geography’s joi de vivre and fervor for the fearsome. In my book, you are winners. To ‘Macabre’ Mo and her minions, thanks for the smiles. And keeping my head clean.” [Dan’s last quip refers to his bald head encountering all the sheets of toilet paper that were hanging from the ceiling of Ellison Hall’s 1800 wing.] Tommy Dickey seconded Dan’s comments by stating, “What a great group! We are so fortunate!!!!” Oliver Chadwick chimed in by saying, “What an awesome job. I want to keep it that way until the New Year”; and Dar Roberts added, “I agree it was an amazing display of Halloween spirit. I am hoping we can keep it up long enough for my kids to see it. They would love it. Too bad we can’t host a bunch of kids trick or treating.”
Apart from spectacularly creepy costumes and devilish door and wall decorations, Geography staff also came up with spooky sound and light effects, and Bill Norrington and Dylan Parenti posted a “Welcome to the Department of Ghoulology” graphic on the marquee in the Ellison foyer. Even the offerings of food were frightful – including everything from “eyeball” candies and “spider” (devilled) eggs to “bone” cookies and anatomical cupcakes with a topping of “brains.” The judging took place around 11:30 am, and all staff got together afterwards for a communal lunch which included Woodstock pizza (courtesy of Mo Lovegreen, not Staff assembly) and some wickedly wonderful accompaniments from other staffers. Lots of pictures were taken by several Geography personnel, and they will all eventually be posted on Geography’s Event Photos page. Stay tuned.
