A BETTER CSUN LOOKING AT CAMPUS'S PROGRESSIVE DECADE.

Byline: Lisa M. Sodders Staff Writer

NORTHRIDGE - California State University, Northridge, President Jolene Koester led about 50 faculty and staff members Friday on a walk across the campus to commemorate efforts to rebuild the school after the 1994 Northridge Earthquake.

Early on the morning of Jan. 17, 1994, a 6.7 magnitude earthquake struck Northridge, damaging or destroying the campus' 53 main buildings and causing an estimated $400 million damage. Despite that, the campus reopened just four weeks later for the spring semester, using hundreds of temporary structures.

Koester recalled how then-president Blenda Wilson rallied the campus after the quake with the slogan, ``Not just back - better.''

``I say to you now, Cal State Northridge is not just back, but better,'' Koester told staff during the walking tour.

The destruction of the then-aging campus allowed it to be rebuilt with better, more modern infrastructure, said Cynthia Rawitch, associate dean of CSUN's College of Arts, Media and Communication, who wore a commemorative earthquake T-shirt from a decade ago under her blazer.

``The worst and best thing to happen to this campus was the earthquake,'' Rawitch.

Many recalled how far the university had come in the decade since the earthquake.

Michael Neubauer, CSUN Faculty Senate president and coordinator of the developmental mathematics program, remembered interviewing for a teaching position a few months after the earthquake occurred: ``I thought it was remarkable that the place was open for business.

``People were in good spirits, even though the physical environment was not optimal,'' Neubauer said. ``Now, I think it's one of the most beautiful campuses I've ever been on.''

Koester led the group from University Hall, past the Oviatt Library, which was severely damaged during the earthquake, to Science 3, where they paused for a moment of silence to remember the 57 people - including two CSUN students - who were killed in the earthquake as well as people whose lives were disrupted by the disaster. The group then walked to the Earthquake Sculpture Garden, which includes concrete chunks of the parking garage which was destroyed in the quake.

``We were indispensable to the region then, and we are indispensable to the region now,'' Koester said. ``And better able to serve the needs of the region.''

Lisa M. Sodders, [phone]

lisa.sodders(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1) CSUN President Jolene Koester speaks to staff Friday in the Earthquake Sculpture Garden. The Northridge Earthquake hit Jan. 17, 1994.

(2) Koester, right, looks over photos taken after the quake with senior counselor Steve Loving.

David Sprague/Staff Photographer