Frightful competition among 15 separate entries in Staff Assembly’s annual Halloween office decoration contest left UCSB strewn with severed limbs, mummies, and ghoulish artifacts, not to mention pounds of artificial spider webs, a small army of bats and spiders, and a harvest of jack-o-lanterns.

“It was the most participation we’ve ever had,” said organizer Greta Halle with a gleeful cackle. This is the fourth year of the Staff Assembly-sponsored event and it spooked creative imaginations across campus.

Geographically, the participants ranged from Francisco Torres to the Main Campus to Hollister Research Center, giving the judges a full morning’s work out on Oct. 31. They chose to award first prize to the combined efforts of the religious studies and global and international studies departments.

Conference Services won second place and the Billing/Cashier’s Office took third place honors.

Other entries included Business Services, Development’s main office and its Gifts Administration Department, Educational Opportunity Program Office, the FT Dining Commons, Government Relations Office, Institute for Crustal Studies, Law and Society Department, the UCen Cashier & Post Office, UCSB Bookstore’s Course Materials and Gifts departments, and the Women’s Center.