Deans and associate deans met with Vice Provost Cynthia Rawitch Monday to discuss the possibility of increasing the number of full-time equivalent students (FTES) to accommodate graduating seniors. The Mike Curb College of Arts, Media and Communications will begin to open seats today, said Robert Bucker, dean of the college. Emails circulating Monday requested deans and associate deans calculate the number of FTES needed to accommodate graduating seniors. The spring semester began with a 15-unit cap, and less class seats… Read more

Violent crimes in Los Angeles have decreased 7 percent since last year and 35 percent compared to 2005, according to Los Angeles Police Department’s end of year crime report. The report, which also compared the number of officers to the total crime rate, found about 700 more officers in 2005, since then, the total crime rate went down by 27 percent. “Some of the new technology – specialized units targeting crime and partnerships formed within the community and more community… Read more

A proposed revision for a more specific definition of autism is being reassessed by the American Psychiatric Association who is working to complete the fifth edition of its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Autism rates have increased dramatically over the past decade and a stricter criterion would decrease the rates at which people are being diagnosed, according to an article in the New York Times. “I think the attempt to make the definition a little bit more precise… Read more

Music is 27-year-old Arsi Nami’s passion, and he wants to share that passion with the world. Despite his growing  international success  as a singer and songwriter of world rhythms, eurodance and electronica music, Nami came to CSUN in 2009 to study music therapy. Three years ago, Nami witnessed patients being treated with music therapy while visiting his brother in the hospital who was receiving treatment for cancer.  Nami was attending Santa Monica College’s music program, and when he found out… Read more

From the semi-reasonable to the ridiculous, fad diets make promises that are simply not sustainable for long-term health:  Melt away the pounds with the miraculous acai berry diet, devour spare ribs and cheese on Atkins, or live it up like a Neanderthal on the Paleo diet. “Fad diets are extremely restrictive, requiring a large reduction in calories, and they remove healthy foods from the diet,” said Ellen Bauersfeld, a registered dietician with the Klotz Health Center at CSUN. Losing weight… Read more

The California Legislature has implemented a one-time traffic ticket amnesty program in an effort to collect revenue from unpaid violations. The program, which allows defendants to make a one lump sum payment of 50 percent of their balance, began Jan. 1 and will end June 30. People who choose to take advantage of the program will fully satisfy the entire amount owed on their overdue tickets, according to Jessica Sanora, senior manager of Enhanced Collections for the Administrative Offices of… Read more

With the growing popularity of smartphones, some universities in the United States are incorporating cellphone use into class curricula, moving past online courses. A survey done by Ball State University found that 99.8 percent of college students own a cellphone and 27 percent of those are smartphones – compared to the national average of 19 percent. Ball State’s associate journalism professor Michael Hanley conducted 11 surveys between 2005 and 2010. “I actually think the whole movement around hybrid learning is… Read more

A meeting to discuss the cap on unit registration, why classes were cut and students inability to add courses was held Friday in the Aronstam Library by the Department of Communications Chair Dr. Bernardo Attias. The state calculates the number of students enrolled at CSU campuses by the number of units they’re enrolled in, or full-time equivalent students. Fifteen units equals one FTES. The state uses FTES to calculate how much money is given to universities. Once a university goes… Read more