John Travolta and Chicano studies professor Annette Cardona dancing on the set of the movie “Grease”. Courtesy of Annette Cardona It wasn’t until she was an adult that Annette Cardona’s mother first bought her a Barbie doll. It was dressed in tight, cropped pants, a fitted sweater and a yellow scarf. The doll’s face and dark curly hair resembled Cardona’s. “It was so ironic,” Cardona said. “When I was a little girl, my mother wouldn’t allow me to have Barbies.”… Read more

CSUN’s KCSN now features the nationally syndicated music program “World Café.” The two-hour program, hosting a variety of music and artist interviews, airs Monday through Friday evenings starting at 7 p.m. Karen Kearns, KCSN general manager, said CSUN began broadcasting the program July 19. “World Café” fit into the station’s new Triple A (Adult Album Alternative) formatting adopted March 1,” she said. “We play singers and songwriters, both acoustic and electronic,” Kearns said.  “We play classics like Springsteen and Dylan,… Read more

Peter Grego flips hotdogs and burgers on the large grill outside Nordhoff Hall. Laughing and joking with the crowd of staff and students awaiting their lunch, Grego’s informal demeanor may seem atypical of a department chair.  In a bright red apron which reads “Caffe Grego,” a chef’s hat and sunglasses, he doesn’t look like one. A seasoned veteran of the stage, Grego knows how to dress the part, and the CSUN theatre department’s semester kick-off barbecue is no exception. Grego… Read more

Students feeling the stress of class work this fall can find some solace at the Living Well Lounge, located across from the Fitness Centre in the University Student Union (USU). The lounge, operated by the Klotz Student Health Center, is a free service to all currently enrolled students. “One of the major things that get in the way of people succeeding academically is stress,” said Sharon Aronoff, health educator of the center. “This was designed to help students with that.”… Read more

When Tova Litvin graduated high school, she contemplated two options: Move to the UK and pursue science or to Los Angeles to write music. Litvin admits that deep down, she always knew she would pursue music. Born in Los Angeles, Litvin spent much of her childhood living abroad in various countries. At 17, she left Israel for the bright lights of Los Angeles. One of her first undertakings was a three-song project. “There was a journalist who was be-headed in… Read more

Registration for the 2011 masters’ degree program in Library and Information Sciences begins in August marking the second time this program will be offered at CSUN. Oviatt Library officials established the program in 2009 in conjunction with the University of North Texas (UNT). Dr. Susan Curzon, Oviatt Library dean said she worked with a team of librarian employers from around the area to create the program. “It had been a dream of mine,” Curzon said. Concern about a librarian shortage… Read more

Nearly 300 CSUN administrators and staff were honored June 3rd at the 44th annual Staff Service Awards and Excellence Recognition event. This year’s program, themed “Recognize, Refocus, Rise,” highlighted the contributions and achievements of employees from departments across campus in a two-hour ceremony held at the University Student Union (USU). “It’s all about celebrating what we do together as a university,” said Marianne Hudz, program manager for the event. The awards have two elements, said Hudz, who works in the… Read more

The CSU Board of Trustees approved a five percent increase in undergraduate fees for the 2010-11 academic year, requiring students to pay $204 more than last year. Board members also voted to increase fees for credential program and graduate students by 10 percent. The decision was rendered in response to current state assembly discussions on the California budget, said Erik Fallis, media relations spokesperson for the CSU system. The budget committee proposed the CSU receives $305 million in a restoration… Read more