CSUN TURNS 40; HISTORY SHOWS LONG STRIDES.Byline: Sharline Chiang Daily News Staff Writer As California State University, Northridge CSUN offers a variety of programs leading to bachelor's degrees in 61 fields and master's degrees in 42 fields. The university has over 150,000 alumni. It's also home to a summer musical theater/theater program known as TADW (TeenAge Drama Workshop) that leads teenagers through an , celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, the school that began as a small branch campus of a downtown Los Angeles Downtown Los Angeles is the central business district of Los Angeles, California, located close to the geographic center of the metropolitan area. The sprawling, multi-centered megacity is such that its downtown core is often considered just another district like Hollywood or college is moving toward its goal of becoming the Valley's cultural heart and soul. CSUN's history includes the graduation of more than 100,000 students, tension-filled student uprisings in the late 1960s and its recent triumph over the devastating dev·as·tate tr.v. dev·as·tat·ed, dev·as·tat·ing, dev·as·tates 1. To lay waste; destroy. 2. To overwhelm; confound; stun: was devastated by the rude remark. destruction and enrollment drain presented by the Northridge Earthquake The Northridge earthquake occurred on January 17, 1994 at 4:31 AM Pacific Standard Time in the city of Los Angeles, California. The earthquake had a "strong" moment magnitude of 6. in 1994. It has evolved from a college offering courses in rented high school classrooms to an institution that offers internationally prominent programs. ``We have some outstanding departments,'' said Associated Students president Joaquin Macias, 24, a psychology major. ``And we're one of the most diverse campuses in the state, which means you get a chance to interact with people you wouldn't otherwise.'' Still, as many as 75 percent of the university's students are commuters, drawn as much for its top programs as for its proximity to homes and jobs - and for its affordability. Blenda J. Wilson, university president for six years, said CSUN CSUN California State University Northridge is relatively young for a university, and that's an advantage. ``I think that CSUN is very much like Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, . It remains young and has a sense of pioneering spirit, and we're very often the first to try doing something as the rest of the country looks to Southern California and copies us. ``We're also at the forefront of the tremendous diversification of the American population.'' Academic underdog Over the years, CSUN has been a bit of an institutional underdog, fighting to escape the shadows of two older and more established peers - the University of California, Los Angeles UCLA comprises the College of Letters and Science (the primary undergraduate college), seven professional schools, and five professional Health Science schools. Since 2001, UCLA has enrolled over 33,000 total students, and that number is steadily rising. and the University of Southern California The U.S. News & World Report ranked USC 27th among all universities in the United States in its 2008 ranking of "America's Best Colleges", also designating it as one of the "most selective universities" for admitting 8,634 of the almost 34,000 who applied for freshman admission . Wanting to showcase CSUN's accomplishments and the obstacles it has overcome, campus officials published a book on the university's history in 1993, ``Suddenly a Giant: A History of California See History of California to 1899 or History of California 1900 to present. State University, Northridge,'' by history professor John Broesamle, who has taught at CSUN since he received his Ph.D. from Columbia University Columbia University, mainly in New York City; founded 1754 as King's College by grant of King George II; first college in New York City, fifth oldest in the United States; one of the eight Ivy League institutions. 30 years ago. ``It's often an institution that is taken for granted Adj. 1. taken for granted - evident without proof or argument; "an axiomatic truth"; "we hold these truths to be self-evident" axiomatic, self-evident obvious - easily perceived by the senses or grasped by the mind; "obvious errors" by its surrounding population, but if we didn't have it we would certainly notice its absence,'' he said. ``It's never had adequate resources. But even then, there's been a very, very good deal of teaching a lot of fine scholarship, research and publications.'' Valley State College Broesamle's book details CSUN's humble origins. When its founders looked around Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County in the early 1950s, they saw bedroom communities booming in the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. . But the Valley lacked a four-year college of its own. Through political wrangling and persistence, in 1956 the founders picked a 165-acre lot filled with squash, orange groves, walnut and eucalyptus trees as the future home of a San Fernando Valley branch of Los Angeles State College. Classes began in September 1956 with 1,475 students and 40 instructors in space leased from San Fernando High School San Fernando High School, located in San Fernando, California, is a secondary school that is a part of the Los Angeles Unified School District. The school colors are black and gold. All girl teams are referred to as Lady Tigers, all boy teams simply as Tigers. . By 1958, it became independent San Fernando Valley State College, with 3,526 students. Ralph Prator, former president of Bakersfield College BC was founded in 1913 and initially housed on the campus of Bakersfield High School (then Kern County Union High School) before moving in 1956 to its current location "on the hill" in northeast Bakersfield. , was appointed president. In 1972, the campus became California State University, Northridge, one of 22 campuses in the state system. Today, the university enrolls more than 21,000 undergraduates and 6,000 graduate students and boasts more than 100,000 alumni. The student body is diverse. A majority, 62 percent, are nonwhite non·white n. A person who is not white. non  white adj. .
CSUN is the 40th-largest educational institution in the country,
offering 50 degrees in fields such as business, education,
entertainment, Pan-African studies, psychology, the arts, humanities,
engineering and computer science.
Successes CSUN boasts many accomplishments and successes over the past 40 years: It has the largest Chicano studies Chicano studies is an academic discipline. Like most branches of Ethnic studies, it incorporates aspects of various other disciplines, including history, sociology, psychology, and literary and textual analyses from the academic studies of the English and Spanish languages. department in the nation. It has the largest number of students studying to be deaf interpreters and the largest deaf student population for a mainstream university. It is creating, with Vaughn Next Century Learning Center, a public charter school in Pacoima to identify and train potential teachers at a young age. It produces about 40 percent of all teachers for the Los Angeles Unified School District The Los Angeles Unified School District (the "LAUSD") is the largest (in terms of number of students) public school system in California and the second-largest in the United States. Only the New York City Department of Education has a larger student population. . It is one of the few universities in the nation that offers an undergraduate cancer research program. The program is headed by professor Steven Oppenheimer, who encourages students, even high school students, to publish papers. It is ranked ninth in the nation among universities and colleges in the number of bachelor's degrees in journalism awarded to minority students. A turning point The 40th anniversary comes at yet another turning point in CSUN's history. After making strides in recovering from the 1994 Northridge Earthquake, fewer signs of temporary trailers and construction remain and there are more signs of stability. The magnitude-6.7 earthquake devastated dev·as·tate tr.v. dev·as·tat·ed, dev·as·tat·ing, dev·as·tates 1. To lay waste; destroy. 2. To overwhelm; confound; stun: was devastated by the rude remark. the university and brought tragedy to the community. Two students living in an off-campus apartment were killed. The quake damaged many buildings beyond repair, requiring an estimated $321 million in repairs, demolition and construction. Despite the destruction and chaos, the campus reopened in time for the spring 1994 semester, although with 10 percent fewer students. ``That's been the great transforming influence,'' Broesamle said. ``I don't mean to be romantic about this, but the best moment in the campus's history is how it faced that quake. The fact that the campus wasn't just shuttered and closed, that it continued to serve students.'' As a testament to its gains in recovery, enrollment at CSUN is up. In fact, for the first time since the quake, last fall campus officials restricted enrollment for incoming freshmen to avoid overenrollment. This school year also marks the start of construction of several new or renovated buildings, including the Oviatt Library The Oviatt Library (Delmar T. Oviatt Library) serves the California State University, Northridge (CSUN) campus. The library is named for Delmar T. Oviatt who was instrumental in the founding of CSUN. Today it features over 1.2 million volumes in its collection. wings and a new Arts, Media and Communication building. Also this year, construction will begin on the $80 million, 28-acre biotechnology complex on the university's North Campus area. Stumbling as it grows Like many a teen-ager, CSUN has had to endure considerable growing pains grow·ing pains pl.n. Pains in the limbs and joints of children or adolescents, frequently occurring at night and often attributed to rapid growth but arising from various unrelated causes. in its transformation from college to a university with a capital U. The campus is seen by some people as drab, and only now is CSUN working on improving entrance gates, roads and landscaping to create a sense of beauty and culture - and shed its pejorative pejorative Medtalk Bad…real bad nickname, ``Cal State Nowhere.'' University officials have had to learn the hard way how to communicate their vision to the community of students, faculty, staff, alumni and surrounding businesses and residents. The university repeatedly tried to push forward with plans to turn North Campus into a retail center, but was derailed by public protest. Last fall, officials opted to lease the area to a biotech firm and entertainment production companies. In the summer of 1997, in possibly the biggest publicity debacle in years, Wilson announced she was canceling four popular men's sports programs. Following a series of public forums and a one-time bailout grant from the state, Wilson agreed CSUN would retain all 20 of its intercollegiate athletic teams for at least one year. Until this year, the school did not have a vice president of university relations, a fund-raising and publicity administrator most institutions would say they couldn't live without. Two years ago, while the university touted some 130,000 graduates, the alumni database, a key tool in fund-raising, only held 60,000 names, many with outdated addresses. Since then the database is up to 80,000 and the alumni division hopes to reconnect with more grads this year. University officials acknowledge that they need to promote the university - even the 40th anniversary celebrations - better. While everyone agrees the 40th anniversary is a landmark, until six weeks ago, CSUN administrators hadn't put together a list of special events beyond the coming weekend. Look to the future Wilson and other administrators hope that this year will serve as a time to draw attention to CSUN's future, including efforts to increase community outreach, enhance campuses appearance and boost fund-raising. Wilson's other top goals: turning CSUN into the cultural center of the San Fernando Valley, stepping up its sports program, building a new football stadium on campus and helping local business leaders revitalize Reseda Boulevard. ``It's going to be a very wonderful year built on what we stand for and what we value,'' Wilson said. WHAT A TIME 1950s The predecessor institution of California State University, Northridge, is formed. September 1955 - First semester of the San Fernando Valley branch of Los Angeles State College begins in leased rooms at San Fernando High School. Jan. 4, 1956 - Groundbreaking on original 165 acres in Northridge. Delmar Oviatt appointed dean. September 1956 - Branch opens with 1,475 students and 40 instructors. September 1958 - San Fernando Valley State College opens as an independent college with 3,526 students. Ralph Prator appointed president. 1960s The Faculty Senate, the School of Letters and Science and the School of Engineering are established. Guest speakers include Lyndon Johnson, Robert Johnson, Robert, 1911–38, African-American blues singer, guitarist, and songwriter, b. Hazelhurst, Miss. A sharecropper's son, he grew up absorbing the music of Delta bluesmen, learning the harmonica and then mastering the guitar. Kennedy, Janis Joplin Noun 1. Janis Joplin - United States singer who died of a drug overdose at the height of her popularity (1943-1970) Joplin and Jerry Rubin Jerry Rubin (July 14, 1938 – November 28, 1994) was a high-profile American social activist during the 1960s and 1970s. He underwent a remarkable political transformation in the 1980s. . 1964 - Courses created for deaf students. Today CSUN has the nation's largest mainstream program solely for deaf students. 1965 - First budget crunch: state funds cut by $500,000, restricting spring admissions. First women's athletic coach hired. Fall semester enrollment reaches 12,690. 1967 - Federal program of educational opportunity grants established to help economically deprived students, many of them minorities; 224 new African-American and Mexican-American students enrolled. 1967-68 - CSUN's first Black Student Union chartered. Courses on black America offered for first time. New Experimental College offers course called ``Marxism-Leninism: How to Make a Revolution.'' Nov. 4, 1968 - Student protests erupt after 25 African-American student leaders accuse a volunteer coach of racism and demand his termination. Students occupy the fifth floor of the campus Administration Building, 150 LAPD 1. LAPD - Link Access Procedure on the D channel. 2. LAPD - Los Angeles Police Department. officers called to quell the unrest. Students demand increasing minority enrollment and courses, creation of Afro-American and Mexican-American studies departments. Jan. 8, 1969 - More campus violence. About 350 students march to the Administration Building, demanding to see the president but are stopped by police and guards. A leader of the Black Student Union is arrested. April 1969 - Afro-American studies and Mexican-American studies approved. CSUN's Chicano Studies is the first of its kind and grows to become largest ethnic studies department in the nation by the 1980s. Oct. 21, 1969 - James Cleary inducted as president of Valley State College. November 1969 - Three student leaders sentenced to state prison for up to 25 years for ``masterminding'' the 1968 takeover. Eight others are sentenced to county jail. 1970s The geography department becomes the largest in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. . Enrollment grows to 24,450, with 2,750 faculty, administration and staff. College offers bachelor's degrees in 39 fields and master's degrees in 29. January 1971 - After a month-long student boycott organized by Latino students, the university Foundation agrees to purchase lettuce only from companies that sign agreements with the United Farm Workers The United Farm Workers of America (UFW) is a labor union that evolved from unions founded in 1962 by César Chávez, Philip Vera Cruz, Dolores Huerta, and Larry Itliong. This union changed from a workers' rights organization that helped workers get unemployment insurance to that of Organizing Committee. June 1, 1972 - San Fernando Valley State College becomes California State University, Northridge. 1973 - Oviatt Library construction completed. William Watkins elected president of Associated Students, the first African-American to hold the office. 1976 - Disabled Student Services created. 1977 - University Student Union opened, Womens Studies created. 1980s 1982 - CSUN's China Institute created. March 1988 - CSUN faculty and president agree to shift all athletics, except football, to NCAA NCAA abbr. National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I. March 1989 - Some 90 protesters confront administrators after commencement exercises shifted from campus to the Hollywood Bowl The Hollywood Bowl is a modern amphitheatre at 2301 North Highland Avenue in Hollywood, California, USA, that is used primarily for music performances. The "bowl" in this context is the natural cavity in the earth into which the amphitheater is built, rather than the shape of the . 1990s 1990 - Michelle Cooper voted first African-American woman to post of Associated Students president. Persian Gulf War Persian Gulf War or Gulf War (1990–91) International conflict triggered by Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in August 1990. Though justified by Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein on grounds that Kuwait was historically part of Iraq, the invasion was presumed to be inspires student demonstrations. March 1990 - Faculty Senate votes to terminate the Air Force ROTC program on campus on grounds it discriminates against gays. Administrators veto. March 1992 - A 40 percent tuition hike triggers student protests. September 1992 - Blenda J. Wilson starts first year as CSUN's president. Jan. 17, 1994 - The 6.7-magnitude Northridge Earthquake devastates CSUN and kills two students in an off-campus apartment. Most campus buildings sustain serious damage, requiring $321 million in repairs, demolition and renovation. Spring 1994 - New semester begins in temporary buildings with 2,800 fewer students. Sept. 25, 1996 - Protests and fights break out outside a debate on affirmative action affirmative action, in the United States, programs to overcome the effects of past societal discrimination by allocating jobs and resources to members of specific groups, such as minorities and women. between David Duke David Ernest Duke is a former Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives, a candidate in presidential primaries for both the Democratic and Republican parties, and former Grand Wizard of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. , a former Ku Klux Klan Ku Klux Klan (k  ' klŭks klăn), designation mainly given to two distinct secret societies that played a part in American history, although other less important groups have also used leader, and
civil rights activist Joe Hicks Joe Hicks can refer to:
September 1997 - University drops plans for turning its North Campus parcel into a retail center and opts to lease the area to a biotech firm and entertainment production companies. November 1997 - CSUN caps freshman admissions to prevent overenrollment. With repairs to buildings and new construction, university shows numerous signs of recovery from Northridge Earthquake. December 1997 - Following a series of public forums and a one-time bailout grant from the state, Wilson announces the school will retain all 20 of its intercollegiate athletic teams for at least one year. September 1998 - Forty years after its humble beginnings Humble Beginnings was an American pop punk band from New Jersey. While never gaining large-scale success, many of the band's members went on to mainstream success with other outfits. , campus enrollment reaches 26,000. Source: ``Suddenly a Giant: A History of California State University, Northridge,'' by CSUN history professor John Broesamle, 1993. CELEBRATING CSUN'S 40TH ANNIVERSARY Officials at California State University, Northridge, have scheduled a weekend full of music, food, sports and arts to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the college's opening. Other events, including an Oktoberfest festival during homecoming weekend in late October and a film festival, are planned later in the year. For more information, call the university's alumni relations office at (818) 677-2137. Friday College buffet receptions, 5-7 p.m. College deans and faculty talk about curricula, teaching methods and the future. College of Arts, Media, and Communication in the Music Building courtyard. All other colleges in the Business and Education courtyard. University Archives exhibit. Opening cocktail reception, 7-9 p.m., south portico of the Oviatt Library. The Nuance Ensemble recital, 8 p.m. Alumni musicians Sandra Kipp, flute, and Roger Wilkie, violin, perform chamber music. Music Recital Hall courtyard. Saturday Founders day brunch, 11 a.m., Grand Salon at the University Student Union. Current President Blenda Wilson and former presidents Ralph Prator and James Cleary will be honored. Tickets are $15. Pregame tailgate party, 2 p.m., North Campus stadium. Wilson, college deans and other alumni prepare for football game against Eastern Washington University Eastern Washington University - A university 20 miles southwest of Spokane, WA on the edge of the rolling Palouse Prairie. http://ewu.edu/. Address: Cheney, Washington, USA. . Tickets to the tailgate party and game are $15. Football game, 3 p.m. CSUN Matadors vs. Eastern Washington Eagles. Community showcase performance in the Performing Arts Center A performing arts center, often abbreviated PAC, is a multi-use performance space that can be adapted for use by various types of the performing arts, including dance, music and theatre. , 8 p.m., followed by a ``meet the artist'' reception. By invitation only. Sunday Community showcase performance, 3 p.m., Performing Arts Center. Free. Source: CSUN CAPTION(S): 8 Photos, 2 Boxes PHOTO (1 -- color) California State University, Northridge, is celebrating its 40th anniversary, after rapid growth. Myung J. Chun/Daily News (2) The college's Fine Arts Building The Fine Arts Building may refer to:
Photo courtesy of ``Suddenly a Giant, a History of California State University, Northridge'' (3) A break between classes offers a studying period for Ritu Mahindru, left, and Roman Guaderrama. Myung J. Chun/Daily News (4) no caption (CSUN groundbreaking in 1950s) (5) no caption (Robert F. Kennedy on CSUN campus) (6) no caption (student protests in 1960s) (7) no caption (Northridge earthquake damage) (8) no caption (Robert F. Kennedy) BOX: (1) WHAT A TIME (see text) (2) Celebrating CSUN's Anniversary (see text) |
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