With the CSU Board of Trustees approving CSUN’s Envision 2035 Masterplan, CSUN officials and surrounding residents said they hope that the changes will improve the community and campus life for students.

The masterplan document, approved March 15, sets down general growth guidelines for the campus for the next 30 years. The plan, which is viewable on the CSUN Web site, states the goal of Envision 2035 is to prepare the campus for an increase in CSUN enrollment from 25,000 to 35,000 students, which may not only make classrooms larger but increase traffic around the area, which could affect residents.

Myrna Mandell, a retired professor, who taught at CSUN for 24 years in the Management Department, said she believes the idea of the university expanding is a great idea as long as it’s in the best interests of the students.

“I think they have to keep moving forward,” Mandell said.

When asked why she stayed at CSUN for so long, she said CSUN was always a nice university to work for and she never thought about going anywhere else.

“I loved what I was doing and never wanted to leave. … I was very pleased with my department and CSUN until the budget cuts came,” she said. “I’m a little worried about (the masterplan), but as long as they have facilities and money for it, it’s wonderful, but if not, then it’s not a good idea.”

“I know CSUN saved a lot of money doing it, but I wasn’t for it,” she said, concluding how the new changes must benefit the students above all.

William Jennings, who was the chair of the committee that helped create the masterplan, said the community was very involved in the process of the draft for Envision 2035.

“We met with various groups, neighborhood councils, alumni, A.S.,” he said. “We held public forums for the university community and the neighborhood.”

Jennings said that the university sent out mailers notifying people about the meetings.

“Altogether we sent out over 100,000 mailers announcing meetings for people on and off campus,” he said.

Jennings said the community was a part of every process along the way, helping the committee address concerns and various issues to ensure the plan was best for every one.

Susie Strota, who lives in a nearby neighborhood within a quarter mile of campus, said she does not believe she will be negatively affected by the plan and, in fact, thinks it is a good idea.

“I think they have to do what they need to (in order) to expand and become the school they need to become,” Strota said.

Strota said she knows the school plans to provide better parking, adding that should alleviate some of the problems expected in regard to traffic.

“If you live near a university you have to expect to have some kind of expansion. If you don’t, you’re stupid,” she said. “Everybody (around here) seems to understand and it hasn’t been bad for us here.”

Just across the street from Strota, Charles and Pat Price, who have been living in the same house near CSUN for 42 years, said they are glad to hear about the changes but they hope the changes will help students.

“I’m interested in athletics,” Charles Price said. “They don’t communicate with us about that. I like to see more information about athletics. It’s amazing to me, here we have two million people in the San Fernando Valley and the athletic program could be more successful if they let us know about it,”

Charles then spoke about what he hopes the program does for students.

“35,000 students sounds reasonable, but it would be nice to get you guys through school in four years instead of five or six years,” Charles Price said.

Chris Bubzini, a junior, said that he would like to see the changes encourage more of a college community.

“Seems like a lot of students come here then go home,” he said. “It would be nice to see a college atmosphere while you’re in college.”

Ontay Johnson can be reached at ontayjohnson@yahoo.com.