CSUN’s website and student portal will undergo changes to its look and functionality. The new website is expected to be completed by the end of the fall semester and the updated student portal will be completed by the end of the 2023 spring semester.

The Associated Students senators were shown a special presentation on May 2, detailing how the new website and portal would look. The presenters were Kevin Lizarraga, director of university marketing, Kimon Rethis, senior web producer, and Ranjit Philip, interim vice president of information technology and chief information officer.

Student surveys and focus groups are how the group gathered their information on what areas needed changing.

“When we were testing, we had over 1,000 people submit arrangements on how they wanted the portal to look, and we took those [responses] under consideration,” Philip said.

They are working on improving both the portal and website’s environment by making it more representative of students — by including more campus photos and emphasizing links that students use most often. The group also wants the new website to make information easier for students to access.

The new website will have larger images of students, with bolder typography on the home page. More of the university’s school colors — red, black and white — will be displayed on the portal and website.

CSUN’s diversity, equity and inclusion links and webpages will soon be placed higher up on the website, making them more accessible and visible.

After the presentation, the presenters left time for questions.

When asked if there will be space on the website for tutoring resources and links, Philip responded by saying, “As of right now we don’t know. But after today, knowing what it would mean, we are going to add it and plan for it.”

Approvals:

• AS voted to approve to continue free, on-campus COVID-19 testing.
• AS approved the University Affairs Committee’s recommendation to host supplemental workshops for skill-based majors.
• AS approved to transfer $53,779.75 from the Ticket Office student wages account to the program cost account.
• AS approved the club constitutions for the CSUN Black Social Work Caucus.
• AS approved the club constitutions for the Physical Education Club.

Announcements:

• The university will be moving away from Ticketmaster for its theater events, and will soon be using AudienceView.
• C.R.A.M.P.S. Week will now be a recurring event every year.
• There will be a CSUN Act Now “Politics N Play” event on Tuesday, May 10, from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the University Library in the Ferman Presentation Room. This event aims to inform CSUN students on what is on the ballot for the upcoming elections in Los Angeles. 
• AS is in talks among themselves about creating a campus fight song.

The next AS meeting will take place at 9 a.m. on May 9.