Photo's by: William Herbe

Yesterday students gathered outside of the Oviatt Library to raise awareness about the deaf community and audism. Audism is “the hearing way of dominating, restructuring, and exercising authority over the Deaf community.” Students and faculty got together to inform the CSUN community of the deaf culture around the world and that American Sign Language (ASL) should be treated as any other language. The overall attitude of those that gathered was hopeful that the deaf community will be treated and understood with educational demonstrations like this. The following is what students, alumni and faculty had to say about the demonstration and the misconceptions people have about the deaf community:

“It’s going to have to take people to want to take the time to understand rather than throwing the cold shoulder.”
-Jordan Danz,
Junior, Deaf Studies

“We are trying to enhance awareness. Audism is a prejudice against hard of hearing and the deaf community. There are those in the speaking culture who see sign language as an inferior culture. We are here now to raise awareness about the culture and deaf studies.”
-Drew Tolson,
Junior, Deaf Studies, VP of Deaf Students Association (DSA)

“The biggest problem is people don’t have an education. They need exposure to other cultures. We are all here to get out and inform the mainstream.”
-Michele Smith,
CSUN alumnus, Class of 2005

“Everyone needs to respect linguistic diversity. Sign language is equal to every other language in the world and we all need to respect it. It’s important for people to understand and get to know ASL. Both the Deaf studies dept. and the National Center on Disabilities (NCOD) are meeting in the middle of campus to fight for a cause that has sadly not seen as much exposure as it should. We are here because it’s our responsibility to educate the rest of the community.”
-Laura Schrenk,
Junior, Deaf Studies, President of DSA

“Before I came here I never met a deaf person in my life. But now all of my roommates sign and I decided to learn ASL to be an active member of the community. The big problem is that audism is a worldwide issue that is swept under the rug too much. I think it’s because some people are scared to learn about what they didn’t know before. The community is so happy and welcoming. They accept all with open arms.”
-Briana Kramer,
Junior, English Studies

Madeline Wolff
Contributing reporter

At any given point in time, the world, and our country in particular, is in crisis mode. The particular crises vary significantly and are often elevated by the media and our own paranoia to the point of being ridiculous.

Medical outbreaks have been a serious contributor to this worldwide crisis mode for a very long time, including everything from SARS to Mad Cow Disease to the new and improved H1N1 virus — the outbreak of today.

Very few of these diseases-on-alert ever amplify to the point of epidemic, however, as have the likes of HIV/AIDs or the ever-infamous black plague. Is this because of — or in spite of — the seemingly ridiculous over-awareness initially brought on to “prevent” the new illness?

I hear more about the H1N1 virus than I do about HIV/AIDS on any given day. How fair is that, considering how devastating we all know HIV/AIDS to be? The most important question is really whether H1N1 deserves the hype it is receiving, or if it is simply glorified because it makes a good news story.

The statistics on H1N1 are very interesting when analyzed — emphasis on analyzed. Unfortunately, the World Health Organization stopped keeping track of H1N1 infections and deaths back in July as the number of cases rose too high. We do have estimates, but the most accurate information is from three months ago.

It can seem very staggering when you see that the U.S. has accounted for about half of the swine flu deaths worldwide as of mid-July, or 170 out of 382. In regards to overall cases, the U.S. accounted for about 33,000 out of nearly 90,000 in the world, with the next highest occurrence in Mexico at about 10,000 cases. However, overall populations and percentages must be taken into account. The U.S. has a population of 300 million people, while Mexico is home to 100 million. So, realistically, Mexico and the U.S. have had almost the same rate of H1N1 outbreak (as Mexico has one citizen for every three American citizens, and one outbreak of H1N1 for every three American cases).

Also, the regular flu must be taken into account. Every year in the U.S., there are more than 36,000 deaths as a direct result of influenza. This places it in the top 10 causes of death for our country. It is already deadly, so why are we so hyped up now that there is a “new” strain that has killed less than 0.3 percent of what the regular flu kills every year?

The answer is because it is not so new. There have been H1N1 outbreaks before. The most notable was in 1918, when the virus affected 500 million people — one-third of the world’s population at the time. It ended up killing between 10 and 20 percent of those infected.
Since its most recent revival, H1N1 has grown significantly, and it does not seem to be slowing down. Articles report more and more cases each day. The Centers of Disease Control estimates that there have now been over one million people infected in the U.S. alone. This number is 30 times what it was in July, our most accurate statistics.

H1N1, in its current form, seems to have killed about 0.5 percent of its infected population in the U.S. and 0.4 percent worldwide. The world has seen it affect a third of its population before. If that were to happen today, it would affect 2.2 billion people and from recent statistics, we can estimate it would therefore kill 8.8 million people worldwide. If it were to be so strong as to kill 10 to 20 percent of its infected population as it did in 1918, the number of casualties would rise to an insane 220-440 million.

This is, of course, an extreme and highly unlikely example. However, I have been swayed from my former skepticism. Perhaps with all the overexposure the virus is receiving, it can be prevented from affecting the world in such a devastating way.

As we have seen, even with all of the media coverage the virus has received, the number of H1N1 infections is growing. This can certainly be prevented, so let’s try and do so. It is the individual’s responsibility to prevent himself or herself from getting the virus, whether it is by getting flu shots, which comforts some, or by simply washing one’s hands with hot water.

H1N1 has disastrous potential, evidenced by past and present statistics. We need to use that knowledge as well as our current resources to prevent unnecessary deaths. Even besides that, no one I know wants to be laid up for weeks vomiting, coughing, sneezing, and with the chills.

I’m not recommending that anyone lock themselves in a sterile room and not leave. Attend school, attend work, and go about your business, but be aware that the virus is in circulation and you are vulnerable to it. Take your vitamin C before flying and avoid the sniffly passerby. After all, in the U.S., California ranks fifth in the number of H1N1 cases, and we are second in number of deaths only to New York.

For information on preventing H1N1, and the symptoms to watch out for, visit http://www.disabled-world.com/health/influenza/swine-flu/.

Dear Bullfighters,

American society is a mass of adult babies who want the future to spoon-feed them, coddle them, rock them to sleep, and pay their bills. It is time to wake up, children, take out the pacifier, climb out of the crib, rip off the diaper, fling its fecal contents right into the unblinking eye of this blatant façade of a properly functioning educational system, and give it pinkeye.

Soon, in The Game of Life, along the highway during the college years, will have a square that says, “Get robbed blind by well-dressed academic thieves.” After landing in that square, everyone is still in debt at the end of the game. Just like at the end of the highway in that tedious game, when a CSUN student is graduating, where they get to toss their cap off in glee, they will have to stop and ask themselves: After this game, has anything in life actually changed? Maybe CSUN graduates should keep their caps for those cold days standing in line with the 1,000 other applicants applying for one job.

Alternatively, if the degree does not get a CSUN graduate enough pocket money to make it by in the future, remember, there is always something within everyone that the government gladly pays to collect and use: blood plasma.

Jokes aside, the students have power in leadership, expression, and unity, but something about the current grim reality is making CSUN hesitant to act. The feeling is in the air, but the distraction is so much more enticing to remain comfortably numb from the events happening around and to this school.

This epidemic probably far surpasses this campus into a generational and societal outbreak. Apathy is not a cure. In fact, indifference is a far worse punishment for everyone’s future than violent, aggressive reaction or simple civil disobedience.

The solution is for students to become the leaders of their respective schools, organize awareness groups, and plan peaceful demonstrations. Sit-ins are great because protesting can be combined with homework. No one says anybody has to actively do anything besides sit in the dean’s office and get him or her to notice. Plan shifts, make T-shirts and posters, and bring sleeping bags … it could be a long night for the most adamant students. Faculty may even join the efforts.

Is CSUN a civil, obedient, law-abiding student body? Does anyone else feel like the students are on a factory line treadmill slowly moving toward the final educational furnace known as graduation? If it seems that certain freedoms are being denied within the bureaucracy of the school, it’s true. Many who turn to the university for new avenues of success are being blocked. If finding a major has been too difficult, consider a liberal studies degree, because there is no fast track to graduation if a student is undeclared.

New students know that achieving a manageable timetable to experience the full collegiate experience and graduate in comfort is, or will be, a lofty mirage. Super-seniors, now in their scholastic golden years, are not receiving a senior discount at the Sierra Center buffet, let alone finding graduation easy. This university should put the cliché, “it’s my way or the highway,” as the first sentence of their mission statement because that is, literally, CSUN’s encompassing reality.

Viva La Matador,
Quint “Effing” Flint
Disclaimer:  Quint Flint is an actual student at CSUN, who wishes to remain anonymous.  Look to your left, right and behind you.  Anyone can be Quint Flint.

Dear Editor,

I am a student in a COMS 356 class with two deaf students.  Throughout this semester these students have been without an interpreter for five out of the 12 class meetings.  I have watched their frustration and emotions overwhelm them to the point of walking out of class in tears.  This makes me feel guilty. As a hearing student that I am able to keep up with the curriculum and they are falling behind at no fault of their own.  What has happened to this school that we are allowing this to happen? Are the budget cuts that severe that we are letting some students’ education fall by the wayside?  This is unacceptable! I try to imagine what it would feel like to be sitting in a class and not be able to follow the lecture.  It is extremely frustrating!!  These students paid the exorbitant tuition that was required of all of us, and yet they are not receiving the same education.  I call to all students, faculty and the community to take a stand against this terrible situation and put a stop to this!!

In this together,
Krystal Hughes

Hi, My name is Kylie Kimura and I am currently a junior here at CSUN.   I am also a communication studies major. I am writing to you because I just got home from my morning class of which I have two deaf students in and the interpreter did not show. This is the fifth or sixth time that the interpreter has not come and we have called different departments over and over again and nothing has been done. This is completely unacceptable. The reason I am writing is because I want to raise awareness. I want to get the word out. These students are paying the same tuition as us, if not more for international fees, and they do no get the same, fair education as us. As a class collectively, we have decided that if this happens again, we shall sit in silence, as our deaf students have been forced to do so. In the event of our silence, we invite you to come visit our class. Intercultural Communication is held on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:30-10:45 a.m. and is taught by Randi Picarelli. I am in no way writing this to vent and blame anybody, but to try to make a change. I think that as hearing students we take learning for granted. But could you imagine sitting in a silent class seeing everyone’s mouths move and not knowing what is going on? I think it is completely unfair. Deaf students come to CSUN because of its renowned reputation for deaf studies and these events are only demeaning the program. Thank you for your time in this matter and I hope that I can continue to get people’s attention.

Kylie Kimura

It seems every time a new study comes out asserting some mediocre observation about our society, we tend to latch onto the results as evidence to justify and explain away all of our suspicions or fears about a particular subject or group.

“The Paradox of Declining Female Happiness,” a new study conducted by Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers has made quite the splash on the op-ed pages of the Los Angeles Times, New York Times and countless feminist and anti-feminist Web sites.

Each person writing about the study’s claims, which generalize that women have become less happy and content since the breakthroughs of the first waves of feminism and after 1972, seems to have a different take.

While there are many practical nuances to the study, from sample size and the execution of the study, what the results assert is that even with the amount of progress women have fought for and won on a professional, personal and political level, they have not become any happier as a result of more equality.

This study definitely raises more questions than it answers. What exactly can we identify as reasons why women may be experiencing declining levels of happiness as time goes by? How does one even quantify happiness anyway?

What is alarming about the results of this study is that some would use it to falsely claim that modern women are unhappy because they have chosen professional success over marriage. The study does show that having husbands or children has no impact on the level of happiness women experience.

What is significant about this study is that it highlights an often forgotten or trivialized fact about modern day feminism, which is that although progress has been made, there is still a substantial amount that needs to be fought for.

But to assert that feminism is to blame for women’s unhappiness is blatantly delusional and entirely misinformed.

What has often been echoed about women’s rights actually being human rights has never been more accurate.

The current financial crisis and health care debate are illustrious of the fact that we as a country must actively work to make sure we properly educate and prepare young women and young men for the realities of life, starting from elementary school.

Studies about how happy any segment of the population may or may not be seem to be a superficial way of trying to examine what is really at the core of what the researchers aim to prove.  In an attempt to determine the “happiness level” what we really want to know is why people feel the way they do. It is easier for us to make sense of the world by pointing to tangible factors that can contribute either negatively or positively to someone’s life. But it is often not as simple as answering survey questions.

Here at CSUN the ratio of female to male students is on average 60 to 40. This trend is echoed across the country on college campuses.

More women are receiving higher levels of education despite the fact that the retention rate at work in certain professions is low and the glass ceilings they continue to encounter, and the fact that women continue to make less on the dollar than men for the same work.

Happiness is not tied to gender. In reality, happiness isn’t tied to any one thing, which is what makes it so elusive and fleeting. The best any of us can do, is attempt to define what happiness means for us as individuals, free of any labels or restrictions society wishes to impose upon us.

A group of paparazzi stands outside of Ever After teahouse in Studio City on April 6, 2008, waiting to capture what they could at Jessica Alba's baby shower. Cameras were raised on long poles over the house's fence, in desperate attempts to record the private shower. These illegal efforts were stopped by property owners. Photo Credit: Hanna Pedraza / Photo Editor

Look to your left. No, behind you. No, in front of you. They’re everywhere: the rampant stream of the paparazzi’s celebrity photos all vying for our attention from the checkout stands of the most rundown minute marts to the shelves of the mega-chain bookstores. We are bombarded and forced to take notice (some more reluctantly than others) to the ever-growing work of the paparazzi. But can their photos be considered photojournalism? No way. Not  a chance.

Ever since photojournalism really took off in the 1930s with the advent of the portable camera, its purpose and motivation were and still are quite different than those of the paparazzi. Photojournalism stands by journalistic qualities and ethics; it aims to be accurate and objective and present a fair representation of events, people or places to the public.

With the paparazzi’s celebrity photos, “fairness” is rarely seen. They are completely monetarily motivated, and exploiting the lives of the rich and famous becomes fair.  Photos better be of someone famous, and he or she better have cellulite, or be caught cheating or doing something controversial.

A photojournalist also has a right and even an obligation to record the ugly parts of life, but not so as to exploit the life of an unwilling subject and not without giving context. When celebrities are shown in a negative light, context is never a priority. The public has a right to know about the good and bad and everything in between. So when did it become an obligation to keep the public updated on the trivial activities or tragic mishaps of celebrities? Have we learned to love it because it’s there, or is it there because we love it?

The debate on whether or not more strict laws should be applied to curb the paparazzi’s access won’t be resolved anytime soon. With the familiar struggle between someone’s right to privacy and another’s right to the First Amendment, someone’s toes will get stepped on. Ultimately, it’s up to the photographers’ conscience to be the guide. But when cash is the driving force behind the paparazzi’s efforts, their conscience won’t do much to keep them from shoving a camera over a celebrity’s backyard fence, where he or she does have a reasonable expectation of privacy.

While photojournalists need to make a living, the stories they capture are in no way for the sake of money. It’s about wanting to make a contribution.

But even if we can establish that a paparazzo and a photojournalist are different, so what? The issue just might go beyond a simple matter of semantics; paparazzi photography is not photojournalism, but does it aid or dampen our viewing of it? Does the infiltration of all things celebrity like never before affect our desire for or tolerance of what’s on the front page of the newspaper?

Photojournalism can change people’s perceptions of the world and inspire or even spur people to action. Photojournalism can tell stories and allow people to understand different cultures on an internal level. But all the paparazzi do is show the external lives of a select group of people and steal the spotlight from a branch of photography that can enrich our lives and inform important decisions we make.

We might say that we’re tired of being inundated by pictures of celebrities, but there is something inside us that enjoys watching celebrities caught in ordinary circumstances, but not of an ordinary person surviving extraordinary circumstances.  Maybe, at the end of the day, the only thing our stamina can handle is to turn on the TV and see which starlet was seen in a scanty top or who was kicked out of a club the night before. Maybe seeing a once-fit star’s beer belly on the beach will lessen the blow of the hard news to come later in our evening. But before we settle in to the ease of being entertained by the daily lives of the rich and famous, we should consider what really matters in the long run, our daily lives and contributions we bring.

Unsigned editorials represent the majority view of the Sundial editorial board and are not necessarily those of the journalism department. Other views on the opinion page are those of the individual writer.

Last month, the “Blow job” article squirmed its way into the Daily Sundial, grabbing the attention of students and faculty all around CSUN campus. The negative reactions that have spiraled out from this may have to do with the article’s lack of clear intentions, important statistics and useful facts helpful to sexually-active college students.

The author of the opinionated article spoke of her literal distaste for oral sex quite openly in regards to her experiences with her boyfriend of over four years. Not only did she list the reasons why she does not perform oral sex (“afraid of swallowing” as being one of them), but she also did not address the serious psychological and emotional damage from being pressured to give oral sex in a relationship and how that affects a grip of students on campus.

Instead of writing a frivolous article about personal insecurities, students on campus would benefit more from an article focusing on date rape. According to the National Survey of Sexual Violence on College Campus in 1988, only 27 percent of the women whose sexual assaults met the legal definition of rape, thought of themselves as rape victims. Even more surprisingly 42 percent of college women who are raped tell no one about their assault. Unfortunately, the percentages have significantly increased since then.

Now by no means am I concluding that the author of the article was in anyway, shape or form sexually harassed by her boyfriend, but she even admitted, “Recently my boyfriend has been pressuring me into giving him a blow job.” The risks of feeling pressured to perform any type of sexual activity is a growing problem and can lead to severe consequences, which is what the article should have touched bases with.

By definition, rape is any act of sexual intercourse that is forced upon a person. Date rape is specifying that the victim is dating the person who rapes him or her. When it comes to sexual relationships among college students, it is easy to get wrapped up in the idea of wanting to constantly please your partner, quite possibly in hopes of that person returning the favor. However, studies show that sex is truly enjoyable and healthy when the partners all give consent for it to happen.

The article could have had more of a positive effect on CSUN students if solutions to being pressured to give oral sex had been actually addressed. The article also highlighted other student’s opinions of oral sex and whether the issue is prevalent in their relationship or not. Majority of the responses that came from female students said they do not enjoy performing oral sex for many different reasons.

Instead of bashing the male genitalia and offering, quite often, too many excessive details, risks of performing oral sex should have been highlighted at least once in between the negative opinions. According to www.aids.about.com, “Millions of teenagers become infected with STD’s such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV and herpes each year and oral sex is a route by which teens are becoming infected.” College students are constantly reminded to practice safe sex, yet there are so many students right here on CSUN campus that have unplanned pregnancies and sexually-transmitted diseases.

The article would have received much more positive feedback if details to counseling office hours on campus regarding sexual assault would have been listed. Even more importantly, students that are truly affected by the issues of performing oral sex in relationships without their consent, would have felt support from a fellow outspoken student, and possibly found help.

Realistically, the author of the article might have started off with good intentions in hopes of reaching her fellow peers, however, a lack of statistics, facts, and important information delayed the point. According to a professor in the Journalism Department, “The article should’ve targeted the readers of the Sundial who are sexually-active and need facts as opposed to personal experience.” I can’t say that I could agree with her anymore.

Despite furloughs, budget cuts and the difficult economic times, not all aspects of education are suffering as four CSUN students have received scholarships from the China Scholarships Council to study abroad at U. S. sister universities in China.

Danielle Cabello, Don Duprez, Susan Tang and Lisa Farber have either started studying in China or are on their way.

These scholarships are given by the Chinese government to allow U.S. students an opportunity to learn about and experience China from a student’s point of view.

Dr. Justine Zhixin Su, CSUN’s director of the China Institute, is excited about the four scholarships that were given to these deserving CSUN students.

“We want next year for more of our students to apply for this,” Su said.

In total, CSUN students have earned 18 scholarships from the Chinese government including the four from this year.

Cabello, an English major, is studying at the Northeast Normal University in Changchun. Duprez, an anthropology major, is attending the Wuhan University of Science and Technology and Tang is attending the Central China University of Science and Technology to work on her degree in health science.

The other scholarship recipient, Farber, a theater major with a focus in design and management, has been studying at the Central Academy of Drama in Beijing for about two weeks. The academy is highly respected and considered to be the Chinese equivalent to Julliard.

“I’m honored to have been placed at this school, as many Chinese students dream their whole lives of coming here,” Farber said.

The 22-year-old has many expectations during her time in China including carrying on a conversation in Chinese and meeting people who are as eager as she is to learn about the Chinese culture and history. She hopes to make life-long friendships and gain experiences and memories with people all across the world.

In only a couple of weeks Farber has already made friends with students from various places including Germany, Hong Kong, and London. Farber said that all of these students are part of the scholarship program at the academy in Beijing and there are a total of about 30 students studying in the scholarship program.

“My experience has been stellar,” Farber said.

Other than suffering from a little jet lag on her first day of language class, Farber said the teachers are very energetic and have a relaxed teaching style.

Compared to the United States, where classes are scheduled for an exact time whether everyone arrives on time or not, classes at the Beijing academy do not begin until all the students are sitting in class.

“It’s much less formal than I’d imagined, in a good way,” said Farber. “Everyone is attentive and eager to get this difficult language under our belts.”

Only six people make up Farber’s language class. She said that it is a nice change to have small classes opposed to being in the large theater classes at CSUN.

The application process to study abroad in China was easy Farber said. Receiving a scholarship from the Chinese government that pays for tuition, books and all accommodations was definitely worth the paperwork.

One day last year, after stumbling upon a flyer posted in Nordhoff Hall with the words ‘Study Abroad for Free,’ Farber said she could not pass up that kind of opportunity. She wrote a two-page paper about why studying abroad would help her education. She got two letters of recommendation and within a few months she was scheduled for an interview.

“They basically asked me about my paper and my study plans,” said Farber. “Shortly after that I was informed that I was accepted as a scholarship candidate.”

Nerves and excitement jumped through Farber once she knew she would be studying in China, specifically because the scholarship recipients were given little information about what to expect other than the location of the school they were going to attend.

Farber has just begun to study and experience the Chinese culture and people, yet she already hopes to extend her scholarship in order to be able to study in China longer.

“There’s no other education quite like life experiences like this,” Farber said.

Cabello, a 30-year-old CSUN graduate who is now in China studying Mandarin, said her application process was lengthy but well worth it.

Originally Cabello heard about the study abroad program from Su and was interested in what the program had to offer. Like Farber, Cabello is already hoping to stay in China longer.

“I do miss some small things like real coffee and toast, but in exchange I eat the best dumplings I’ve ever had in my life. If I really yearn for American food there is, of course, a MacDonald’s within walking distance,” Cabello said.

Cabello studies Mandarin for about six hours per day in the classroom and just recently bought a bottle of water on her own.

“It seems a small victory, but given that I now truly understand the meaning of ‘language barrier’ I might as well have climbed Mount Everest,” Cabello said.

CSUN played host Saturday to the ninth annual of Big Show festival. Put on by students for students, it sure was big this year. In the eternal struggle between booking a flavor of the month big name or to find a well-established artist, no compromise was needed.

Lupe Fiasco has had a rich career. After the critical success of his debut studio album “Food and Liquor” and the conceptual followup of “The Cool,” Fiasco fascinated everyone with his crossover success from indie to hip-hop. Major credit goes out to the booking of Lupe Fiasco as well as strong support from Talib Kweli.

Although music is and will always be the main focus of Big Show, the Associated Students and S.P.A.C.E did a bang-up job of making the concert more of a community experience. Festivities included giant blow up slides, games, and booths set up to help some of CSUN’s clubs with fundraising. Local vendors were on hand as well to provide fuel for the occasion, ranging from tacos to Sprinkles Cupcakes. The addition of all these elements helped amp up school spirit and boost the event to festival status, creating a unique sense of community not often seen at a commuter school.

Lupe Fiasco may have been the main draw for a majority of attendants, but the opening support was nothing to overlook for true hip-hop fans. Strong Arm Steady was the first act to break the filler after a lengthy warm-up DJ set from Power 106’s own DJ Felli Fel. A new group, Far East Movement, followed up with a stylish set that featured interplay between the DJ and emcees that channeled classic acts.

As for the main event, Fiasco busted out all the stops to ensure the show stayed true to its name and being “Big” in all aspects. His attitude carried the big band sound and an over-the-top lighting setup. It’s nice to see a college campus host a rapper that addresses his crowd intelligently, almost like a professor, covering sentiments of war, political, and social awareness. He addressed such issues while still having so much fun, which he manages to do with ease. Fiasco ran through his massive catalog of hits such as skater anthem “Kick Push”, breezy “Paris Tokyo,” and megahit “Superstar.” The combination of a DJ, a drummer and a guitarist lent to an organic yet sleek sound that feels like the future of hip-hop.

Talib Kweli rounded out the bill and closed out the evening, which had its draws as a mass of people dissipated after Lupe’s powerful set. Talib Kewli may not have the same name recognition, but being an underground staple for years it was nice to see a core group of his devoted fans being treated to a raw performance.

This year felt like a total success and hopefully, the evolution of Big Show.Big

The Basic Residential Security workshop took place at the Department of Police Services last Wednesday. Crime prevention coordinator Dan Foster gave tips on residential security. Photo Credit: Zara Aleksanyan / Staff Photographer

Kevin McAllister was accidentally left behind when his family took off to Paris for a Christmas family vacation. He was 8 years old, and enjoyed living by himself until two intruders tried to rob his house. He protected his home and himself by learning how to fight the robbers.  He arranged traps throughout the house, left glue and nails on the steps leading to the attic and used an electric fan and feathers to distract the burglars.

These are scenes from the 1990 movie, “Home Alone.” In movies and television shows, this approach to taking down the bad guys may work but in real life knowing how to secure one’s home can be difficult.

Daniel Foster, the CSUN Department of Police Services crime prevention coordinator, held a workshop Wednesday about basic residential security. The goal of the workshop was to provide participants with information that will help reduce the risk of criminal victimization in and around their home by increasing awareness of the safety measures and resources available.

Foster started the workshop with a pop quiz asking what time of the day most burglaries occur.  He then explained that burglaries tend to occur between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. when no one is likely to be home.

Crimes are specific and situational, he said. Specifically, on our campus, it tends to be opportunistic. Victims casually leave some property unattended or in an open place where it can be seen or stolen.

He also said crimes relate to land and transportation networks. Offenders tend to go to places they are comfortable in. Crimes arise out of daily activities, routines and in places without observers or security features.

Foster discussed a method called Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design that included three crime prevention strategies: natural surveillance, access control and territorial reinforcement.

The primary purpose of natural surveillance is not to keep intruders out, although it may have that effect, but to keep intruders under observation.

One of the examples of natural surveillance is lighting. Foster said burglars are like cockroaches, “if you turn on the light, they tend to run away.”

“Lighting dissuades people from criminal activities,” Foster said.

The second strategy is natural access control. Access control refers to doors, fences, shrubs and other physical elements to keep unauthorized persons out of a particular place. Access control can be achieved by the use of adequate locks, doors and window barriers.

An ideal house for an intruder is surrounded by large shrubs that may hamper visibility from the street and neighbor’s houses. Another tip is to prune trees so it won’t help intruders climb into a second floor window or balcony. Also, consider the use of plants with thorns and needles and a dense structure.

The final strategy is territorial reinforcement. It defines property lines and distinguishes private space from public spaces using fences, pavement treatment, signs,  and landscaping.

Gardens, artwork and furniture individualize spaces and show that someone cares and is paying attention. House or street numbers should be visible from the street.

“You can have a thousand rabid dogs and the most elaborate alarm system, but if you don’t feed the dogs, you neglect them and you forget to hit armed, it does no good,” Foster said. “You have to maintain and use it.”

Foster added that graffiti and unregistered or non-operating vehicles must be reported immediately. The graffiti hotline is 311, and to report vehicles, call 1-800-ABANDON/1-800-222-6366.

The following is a list of other workshops conducted by the police department that are available to students, staff, faculty and the community. The workshops are held at the CSUN Police Department on the corner of Darby and Prairie.

* Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) –Basic self-defense for women. Oct. 14, 15, 21 and 22 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

* Aerosol Defense for Citizens – The basics for pepper spray. Nov. 4 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

* Identity Theft Prevention – Dec. 9 from noon to 1 p.m.

For more information contact Daniel Foster at (818) 677-5820 or daniel.foster@csun.edu.