Matador Nights is a chance for continuing students and incoming freshmen to meet and have fun on a typically serious campus. With school just starting and new students flooding the campus, why was the upcoming Sept. 9 event canceled?

Some have speculated that the Matador Nights held last April, which ended early after a fight broke out — is to blame for the cancellation. But after talking to the University Student Union events manager, I believe this cancellation, and the changes it will bring, were inevitable and in the best interest of CSUN students.

For those not aware, the last Matador Nights was held in spring 2011, and abruptly ended after two unidentified males got into an altercation and USU administrators evacuated the event. In total, 11 crimes were reported on this night alone and some students were even taken to the hospital due to their levels of intoxication.

“It has grown so much,” Shanell Tyus, USU events manager, said of the lately troublesome Matador Nights.  Tyus says that with this growth in attendance comes the inevitable challenge of keeping it a safe event, but still fun at the same time.

Tyus, along with the events team and student committee, need to look at the logistics more thoroughly and having a fall event proved unfeasible without major changes.

For freshmen and others who are new to CSUN, this event marks a chance to meet people on campus, something that with a college as big and diverse as CSUN can be challenging.

What must be remembered though is the idea of safety.

A college campus is supposed to be that safe bubble where parents can send their children and feel secure in their well-being.

Even with CSUN’s close proximity to areas such as Hollywood and Downtown Los Angeles, it still needs to remain that safe haven, something that cannot be achieved without the proper security and planning to events such as this one.

Tyus said that while the fall scheduled Matador Nights might have been canceled, the spring event will be held, as well as many smaller events throughout September, to welcome both new and continuing Matadors.

Many incoming students look forward to these major events, but not if there’s a safety risk involved.

 “I don’t think it’s fair for new students to miss out, but I also don’t want anything scary to happen,” said Jessica Shofner, a freshmen psychology major.

As a new CSUN student, Shofner said she doesn’t know anyone on campus yet, and that large-scale events such as Matador Nights are things she would attend just to meet new people alone.

“Smaller things (like the planned movie night and comedy show) just don’t seem as worthwhile to drive up here (to campus) for. I don’t know if I would meet as many people,” Shofner said.

The safety of students, especially during events that tuition and other fees fund, should be of the utmost focus and concern.

If ensuring that safety means postponing or canceling an event until that can be guaranteed then it should be done.