Daily Sundial

The University Student Union will introduce a late-night program Apr. 28 aimed to encourage a nightlife atmosphere at CSUN.

Debra Hammond, executive director at the student union, said Matador Night will be from 9 p.m.-2 a.m. The event will include live music and various activities, such as a Crafts Corner.

Carole Degaroppes-Brown, USU program coordinator of training development and major events, said the program was designed to show students that they could have fun on campus, “in a safe environment without alcohol.

Degaroppes-Brown said the USU, which is currently being renovated, is scheduled to be finished Mar. 16. The USU grand opening will be Apr. 19.

Matador Night will follow the grand opening of the USU and CSUN’s annual Carnival – a celebration of different cultures held Apr. 17-18, Degaroppes-Brown said.

Degaroppes-Brown said Matador Night will be the USU “launching program.” She added the USU plans to hold events similar to Matador Night in the future.

The university also plans to make its nightlife accessible to the surrounding the CSUN community.

Hammond said the university wants to provide students, who live in Northridge, with options for activities to do and “increase the quality of life for students on campus.”

She added the USU will be similiar to a plaza, “a real mini-mini City Walk.”

The cost of Matador Night has not been determined, she said.

Degaroppes-Brown said she, Hammond, and four CSUN students, Jonathan Martinez, Felicia Carter-Aaron, David Castro, and Leslie Montoya, attended a conference in Utah sponsored by the Association of College Union International that was mainly about late-night activities on campuses.

The four students who attended also make of the committee in charge of planning Matador Night.

“We’re going to make history,” said Jonathan Martinez, graduate assistant for clubs, organizations, and academic partnerships at the USU.

Surveys and focus groups have helped the committee in determining what students would like to see on campus, he said. Although they are still surveying students, Martinez said the last survey that was issued last week during a student retreat and showed 85 percent of students were open to having a nightlife on campus.

Martinez said students who participate in the next survey will have be eligible to win an iPod.

Degaroppes-Brown would like for other organizations on campus, including sororities and fraternities, to be involved in process of the event. She said she hopes to attract all the different students at CSUN at offer everyone something they will enjoy.

Jaqueline Lopez, freshman liberal studies major, said that although she does not believe she would attend the event, the campus could use a nightlife. She added the event would be a good way to get “involved (on) your campus.”

Kevin Lizarraga, marketing coordinator at the USU, said Pub After Dark held November was their “test program.” He said the outcome of event was successful, adding “that something like (Matador Night) could work on this campus.”

Lizarraga, who received a bachelor’s and master’s degree from CSUN, said that he would have loved to have had a nightlight while he was attending school and believes “this campus could be more vibrant at night.”

Jennifer Balao can be reached at jlb72340@csun.edu.