In response to “New performing arts center not for students,” originally published on Feb. 6.

Dear Editor:

We all realize that Sundial writers are students learning on the job. However, with freedom of expression comes a responsibility to be factually correct. I wish the writer of the Feb. 6 opinion piece on the planned performing arts center had researched the facts rather than printed an opinion based on false assumptions.

Let me set the record straight. First, “capital outlay projects” like the performing arts center are funded from an entirely separate state source than those that support faculty salaries and other needs. Second, the funding for the center is completely unrelated to student fees. Third, while the university’s primary mission is always educating students, an important secondary responsibility is serving the surrounding region, which clearly the performing arts center would do. Fourth, the center will have a tremendous positive effect on students by creating more classroom and lecture hall space for an anticipated 3,000 students a week. It also will provide scholarships, internships, and other educational experiences, bring to campus cultural events otherwise unavailable, and raise the profile of the university, thereby helping to enhance the value of Cal State Northridge degrees.

Clearly, the level of private donations the center has already received indicates the high level of support for it in the community. This leads to another important point. Private fundraising is a key to maintaining the future excellence of the university. This performing arts center is only the beginning of a continuing transformation designed to create a new culture of giving and to engage community and business leaders who will be more likely to support all kinds of other university needs in the future.

As you know, one role of the university’s public relations office is to provide accurate information to media, and as always I encourage your writers to use this resource.

Ken Swisher Assistant Vice President Public Relations and Strategic Communications Cal State Northridge

Responses to “Red Rally won’t raise school spirit of CSUN students,” originally published on Feb 7.

Dear Daily Sundial,

As the sports and recreation chair for the Union Program Council and the coordinator of Red Rally, I would like to respond to the recent opinion article “Red Rally won’t raise school spirit of CSUN students.”

The event, which was started a year ago by the University Student Union, is designed to increase Matador spirit at a campus that has been referred to as a commuter campus for too long now. The Red Rally has received positive feedback from students, faculty, players, coaches, and parents.

In fact, more than 100 students attended the event in the past and an entire section of the Matadome is now dedicated to attendees of the rally at each game. The players are grateful to have a sense of “school spirit” at the athletic events. Our vision is to build a sense of tradition and pride among CSUN students. Let’s join efforts and be part of the vision.

Using a historical framework, Red Rallies can be associated with communism, but the intent of this program is to promote school spirit. Energetic fans and the spirit squad shouting “Go Big Red” at these events indicates that there is a level of enthusiasm for athletics and our school, and it is our hope to ignite a greater sense of pride. It should be noted that this program is organized by the UPC and the University Student Union, and the participants are treated to “Red Rally” tee shirts and other USU giveaways to increase the enthusiasm and interest before the game.

It is our hope that more students would join us for a future Red Rally and the Sundial staff can interview those students, players, coaches, faculty, staff and parents who believe that Matador pride can and does exist.

By the way, this event is organized for students and by students. I am a volunteer trying my best to make a change on this campus – one game at a time.

Jonathan Martinez, Graduate student in Education, Psychology, and Counseling Sports and Recreation Chair for the Union Program Council

Ms. Mossberger,

I read your recent opinion piece on the red rally section and homecoming and was dismayed by your point of view. You seem to understand the need to promote school spirit yet attack the only attempts to do so and then don’t actually respond with any ideas of your own besides changing the name of an event.

I was also dismayed about how you used sarcastic comments to insult the homecoming efforts by saying “I’m more curious about a homecoming. And if memory serves me right, it happened during football season. We don’t even have a football team. So, which team is coming home then? Last I remember homecoming was held during the fall, not the spring. We’re going to have homecoming, in the spring, for a non-existent football team.”

There are actually hundreds of colleges across the nation without football teams that have homecoming. In fact, both Long Beach State and U.C. Irvine fellow Big West conference schools have Spring homecomings focused on basketball. So instead of having a superior attitude and throwing sarcastic insults at A.S. about events, step back and do about 10 seconds of research and find out that what they are doing has been done at many schools much like our own and have been very successful.

Great job A.S. and UPC on your efforts to promote school spirit and our athletic teams. Keep up the hard work. It may seem like a hopeless effort at the time but it can be done.

Marcus Afzali CSUN Alumni