CSUN’s budget, student fees and advisement were all fair-game at the President’s Summit Thursday afternoon in the Oviatt Presentation Room. “The point that I wanted to get across is that we could have an open and respectful dialogue between university administration and student leaders,” said Amanda Flavin, Associated Students president. “We provide an opportunity in a forum for students to voice their concerns in a respectful manner to the university, and for the university to answer back some of the… Read more

Dr. Jolene Koester announced her retirement as president of CSUN. In an email to the CSUN community, Koester said she is stepping down and retiring December 2011. In her message, she highlighted some of the university’s achievements in her more than 10 years as president. “Our graduation rates have improved and we are now a beautiful and distinctive campus with improved business processes,” Koester said. Koester also noted the Valley Performing Arts Center (VPAC) as a major milestone in CSUN’s… 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

The opening gala of the Valley Performing Arts Center ushered in a new cultural era for the San Fernando Valley, and ended a long period of waiting and anticipation for the Valley. For CSUN students who have waited two years for the completion of the facility, it marked the end of loud and unsightly construction equipment. For Valley residents who have long hungered for a local taste of the arts, it was an answer to years of waiting for more… Read more

Continuous planning for the future, open dialogue, and student success were at the top of President Jolene Koester’s list for what she wants to see happen this year. At the President’s Annual Convocation, Koester congratulated faculty and staff on a furlough year well done. “We must continue this journey with planning as our mantra,” Koester said. The pain of last year’s $41 million budget cut and decrease in enrollment of 3,500 students is still being felt as all divisions were… Read more

UPDATE: The memorial service honoring Piper will be held Monday, May 17, 2010 at 2 p.m. on the Manzanita Hall Lawn. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Terry D. Piper Endowment. Dr. Terry Piper, vice president for Student Affairs, who had taken an indefinite leave at the beginning of the spring semester to focus on his health, died Thursday, May 13. Piper, who had been diagnosed with melanoma, a malignant type of skin cancer, was expected… Read more

I saw a “Store Closing,” sign at a major shoe store, so I decided to check it out. I handed my keys to a valet and wandered in to see what they had. The giant warehouse housed maybe 35 pairs of size 11 ½ shoes with a couple single stragglers on each shelf. It was pathetic and I never even came to a complete stop. I walked over to the clerk and asked him to validate my ticket. He said,… Read more

At the beginning of last week I learned some disappointing news. It was brought to my attention that President Koester removed the CSUN Farmers Market from her agenda. In other words, we are not having a farmers market on campus. This news arrived unexpectedly. Up until now all seemed to be going well. Although there had been some setbacks things were moving forward — slowly – but forward. I don’t have all the details but I am afraid this is another side effect of the budget crisis. What… Read more