The student media organization of California State University Northridge

Daily Sundial

The student media organization of California State University Northridge

Daily Sundial

The student media organization of California State University Northridge

Daily Sundial

Got a tip? Have something you need to tell us? Contact us

Loading Recent Classifieds...

Sundial Update

ABC ‘Stalker’ TV show shoots episode in Manzanita Hall

A crew of filmmakers set up in and around Manzanita Hall yesterday to film parts of an episode of the remake of “Night Stalker,” an early 1970s television thriller. The updated “Night Stalker” will air on ABC this season. The scenes being filmed are about a college student who gets involved with hallucinogenic drugs that make him hallucinate about his fear of heights; he later falls off a building and dies. “They’re getting ready to do the blood effects,” according to a crewmember from the production’s makeup department. “We’ll bruise him up to make it look convincing.” A lay-in actor was used prior to the actual take in preparation for the scene. There are more than 100 crewmembers involved in the production, according to production members. Propmaster Steve Guerino said the episode would air on ABC sometime during December. The series centers on Carl Kolchak (played by Stuart Townsend), a journalist who’s been in pursuit of the mysterious and supernatural death of his wife and other supernatural occurrences.

Student Housing considers more residence halls in UPA

In an effort to meet a demand in student housing and accommodate an anticipated future growth in student enrollment, a new proposed student housing project is in its early development stages under CSUN’s Envision 2035 Master Plan. Currently, the project is undergoing a study to determine how great the need is for more housing. Students’ needs and preferences are also being assessed. Once the study and financial planning are finished, estimated to be in late January 2006, the information will be taken to CSU Chancellor Charles Reed’s office, where it will await approval. If approved, an estimated yearlong planning process would begin before breaking ground around Fall 2008 or Spring 2009. The new development would be located in the current University Park Apartments complex. The project would only occupy some parking space and greenery, said Tim Trevan, director of Student Housing and Conference Services. “Right now we are analyzing how well the current (parking) space is being utilized at the UPA complex,” Trevan said. “Generally only one-fourth of the structure is used on a daily basis. The remaining space is empty throughout the year.”

Engineering professor given two communications patents

After four summers of research, CSUN electrical and computer engineering professor Ray Pettit was given consent by the U.S. Patent Office for two of his patents that would help enhance satellite to submarine communications. Pettit, an expert in statistical estimation theory and statistical detection theory, spent his four summers in a program supported by the American Society for Engineering Educators at the Space and Naval Systems Center in San Diego. Working nine-hour days, Pettit looked at satellite to submarine communications. The work that Pettit was involved in looked at the transmission of digital data messages such as a message from the president of the United States that went from a satellite to a submarine. His two patents – the Frequency Synchronizer and the Simultaneous Frequency and Phase Synchronizer – allow faster transmissions that carry more data with less errors. With his work, Pettit’s patents are now beneficial for commercial applications and military satellite communications systems.

RateMyProfessors.com and SwitchTextbooks.com team up

Patrick Nagle and Will DeSantis, founders of SwitchTextbooks.com, have formed a partnership with RateMyProfessor.com, a company they recently obtained. The partnership will create more awareness for the companies because of the amount of students that look at both sites. RateMyProfessors.com will remain a free service, now giving the opportunity to students to lawfully switch textbooks through a safe online network. SwitchTextbooks.com provides a service to students were they can lawfully switch through an online network. Its offices are located in Baltimore, Maryland. RateMyProfessors.com is the largest collection of North American college professor ratings (about 3,800,000), and provides students an automated system for studying and evaluating over 570,000 professors from colleges and universities in the United States and Canada.

More to Discover