CSUN BUILDINGS RISE AGAIN; QUAKE-DAMAGED FACILITIES REOPEN FOR FALL SEMESTER.

Byline: Amy Collins Daily News Staff Writer

For the first time since the Northridge Earthquake, most students at CSUN started the first day of the fall semester Monday without taking classes in temporary trailers.

Four buildings reopened to students Monday after undergoing quake renovations. However, as students scrambled to figure out their schedules and locations of their classes, bulldozers trampled down the quake-torn library, administration and old computer buildings.

``I didn't realize how damaged it was. I saw a wrecking ball this morning,'' said Helena Clarke, 20, a freshman psychology major from Burbank.

Sitting in her French 101 classroom, Clarke didn't know she was among the first students back in the building, which had been closed for repairs since the January 1994 temblor.

But for the veterans of three-plus years of campus quake repairs, Monday was much more like a typical first day of school.

``We're getting back into the swing of things,'' said Vashon Nutt, a senior majoring in history and Pan-African studies.

Antonio Quezada, a sophomore liberal studies major, said it's a great benefit to have the buildings repaired and classes in a central location.

``It was so confusing because there were so many different trailers,'' he said. ``But now it's different. When you walk into a building, there are restrooms, offices where you can ask questions. You have more help now.''

The reopened buildings are Jerome Richfield Hall, Sierra Tower and the engineering and kinesiology buildings.

University officials reported no major problems, besides the usual back-to-school parking hassle. The parking mess is a signal the campus is on track to reach its prequake enrollment, with 26,325 starting class Monday, said John Chandler, a university spokesman.

Last year, the first day of fall classes drew 25,789 students.

``We have grown again,'' Chandler said.

The first-day-of-school number normally rises about a month into classes when a first census is taken to gauge enrollment. Last year, the fall semester census recorded 27,189 students, slightly in the shadow of the prequake, fall 1993 enrollment of 27,282, Chandler said.

As enrollment rises, the university is beginning to wrestle with how to financially accommodate the extra students. ``It's not a long-term discussion, it's rather imminent,'' Chandler said.

Spring semester applicants, for example, will probably be faced with an earlier deadline, Chandler said.

As the numbers increase, quake repairs continue on the campus, which sustained $321 million in damages. About $190 million has been spent so far.

``Still, we haven't gotten all the offices back,'' said Darryle Gatlin, a teacher in history and Pan-African Studies. ``Everything is still topsy-turvy here.''

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos

PHOTO (1) Cal State Northridge students Federico Garcia, left, and Antonio Quezada attend classes in some of the renovated buildings.

(2) Sierra Tower is one of four major buildings that were reopened at CSUN. The others were Jerome Richfield Hall and the engineering and kinesiology buildings.

Evan Yee/Daily News