A magnitude-4.2 earthquake shook the Southland Thursday afternoon about 4 miles east-southeast of Newhall, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The first shake hit at 1:47 p.m., followed three minutes later by a magnitude 2.0-aftershock. Students reported feeling the quake, along with Angelenos in Hollywood and Van Nuys, according to Facebook statuses. Buildings in Los Angeles are built to withstand a quake of this magnitude, which could knock books off shelves and break windows, USGS geophysicist Jessica Sigala… Read more

Updated 7/2 Gov. Jerry Brown signed a balanced budget that will reduce state funding to the California State University by at least $150 million Thursday and will likely lead to tuition hikes for fall 2011. The additional $150 million will come on top of $500 million in cuts enacted in March, totaling $650 million. CSUN anticipates their share of the cuts to be about $46 million, according to the campus budget webpage. CSU Board of Trustees will meet July 12… Read more

In today’s high-tech world it’s good to know a mechanic of sorts. Someone that can help keep the absolutely necessary laptop running smoothly, or for that matter, help find that lost password that seems harder to locate than the infamous single blue striped sock.   CSUN has a knowledgeable staff of technicians in its IT Help Center and it’s probably a good bet most don’t know about this service or where to find it. They don’t call it the “dungeon”… Read more

About 4,000 birds were killed by the BP oil disaster last year. That’s a lot of turkey salad gone to waste. Considering 4,000 birds according to the Deepwater Horizon response’s Consolidated Fish & Wildlife Collection Report, it may look like British Petroleum is responsible for one of the greatest avian disasters of the decade, at least. But it was far from the biggest threat to the birds. Collisions with buildings cause 100 million to one billion bird deaths per year…. Read more

As of their final meeting of the academic year, the Associate Students senate had $12,729 in their unassigned contingency fund and $21,905 in their academic related resource fund and will see their budget increase next semester. Director of Finance Vahan Khodanian said that although the fiscal year does not end until the last day of June, the senate is safe in its finances. “We’ve been pretty consistent,” he said.  “I’ve allocated  a lot but they’ll be fine to finish the… Read more

As graduation approaches in a week, I feel the need to reflect on the past when I thought this day would never come. Heading into college as a teenage mother, I had my daughter and the thought of getting my education went out the door. I understood the sacrifice that I needed to make. So I stayed at work until two weeks before I had her and I went straight back to work a month after her birth. At this… Read more

CSUN President Jolene Koester will retire by the end of Fall 2011. Koester sent out an email earlier today announcing her plan to faculty and students. Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Harry Hellenbrand who has worked with Koester said she will be missed. “It’s a big loss to us all – personally and collectively,” Hellenbrand said. He said Koester’s “legacy” would be the philosophy she has established on campus. “It will carry us through,” Hellenbrand said. He added… Read more

If you don’t like the terms going “green,” eco-friendly, environmentally-friendly, earth-friendly or any other way you spin it, it’s simply judt about taking care of the environment and ourselves. It’s not about money, even though the rest of the world is. Because of this frugal and money-savvy mentality, many are against the movement of organic-made products and environmental-friendly ways. It cost more money to be green and save green. But this should be a way of life and not an… Read more

Although the spring election drew a historically high voter turn-out, several student leadership positions remain unfilled. Elections, held on campus and online during April 13 – 14, garnered 2,509 votes for the presidential candidates and 2,220 votes for the constitutional amendment changing bi-yearly elections to annually. The following positions are still available, according to the A.S. elections website: -          Graduate Senator II -          Education Senator II -          Humanities Senator II -          Science and Math Senator II -          Director of Finance… Read more