Cal State Northridge Envision 2035

Envision 2035 Campus Open Forum
Campus/Community Feedback
September 13, 2004

Question #3: What can CSUN do to make the campus a better part of the Valley community?

Morning Session – 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.
University Student Union Grand Salon

(Bolded items reflect the emphasis of forum participants)

TABLE 1
Assisted living facility complex for elder programs & elder hostel
Focus on enhancing community relations so community can utilize the campus
Continuing connections and outreach to high school
Outreach to bordering residents
Creation of sorority/fraternity quarters
Better marketing of services to students
Home for weekend cultural activities

TABLE 2
Outreach and Welcome Center
Recreation, sports and entertainment venue and services
Radio-TV-Film Department added classroom space
Collaborative partnership w community
Define pathway from Reseda Blvd.
Connect commuter services to community needs
Centralize services and create synergy among various outside community service programs
Develop University master transit system connected to metropolitan system

TABLE 3
Tennis for public
Jogging path
Shade
Recreation
Neighborhood access to recreation
Open campus to public on weekends
Athletic facilities are not full
Improvement of advertising for the Planetarium and theatre events
University Corporation fees too high for campus events and use of Sierra Center on weekends
Provide more community oriented facilities
Programmed spaces that can be used by departments, accessible to all
More ads and big banners on Nordhoff and Reseda
Big marquees
Students that can’t afford to pay must park on neighborhood streets

TABLE 4
Utilize underground parking to preserve green space
Make it easier to enter and exit the campus with traffic lights and turn lanes
Define entry to parking lots on Zelzah better
Provide parking for athletic events

TABLE 5
Spiritual center needed, open to the community
Housing has reached end of its economic life
Engineering campus car - very loud
University needs to inform community about projects, etc.
Performing Arts Center great for community
Link from Reseda Blvd. to campus
Courses available in alternative deliveries
Communication w/commercial sector

Interface w/hospitality school -- addition of college of hotel & restaurant management

TABLE 6
Reduce traffic at Halsted and Lindley
Holiday experience for community
Foster closer relations with business/campus/community

Traffic Concern
Tech capabilities
Class room sizes
Don’t alienate the community
North Campus housing
Eliminate parking access – Halsted

TABLE 7
High profit sports program

Energy, excitement, enthusiasm
Identity of campus, e.g. people flock to USC because of the football team

ADA parking around core of campus
Surface streets around campus are inadequate

Use all lanes to bear traffic
Left turn arrows at lights

Safety

Easy access to campus – increased need for safety

Side streets congested by student pedestrian traffic
Engaging business community in process of learning and mentoring

Apprenticeship
Different learning modes
Training for trades
Journeymen concept
Valuing trades at same level as academic

Need to be sensitive to residents, particularly on east side

Drop off/pickup congestion

CSUN noted for non-traditional (older) student population & service

Need for services and gathering places for these students
Access issues
Quality of campus life for non-traditional students

How can we make CSUN the center of the North Valley experience?

CSUN is physically hidden
Develop identity - billboards, signature trees

TABLE 8
Mass transit center (train) – Metrolink
Community interest in Orange Grove: not good for “campus face.” No signage, is historic
Finish Performing Arts Center
Build hotel with convention facilities (a la Fullerton) on North Campus
No place for visiting scholars, candidates, distinguished guests
Do a promenade from Reseda into the campus – nice shopping, etc.
Have “gates” to campus
More welcoming center thru parking booths, better directions
Open recreational area to the community – more tennis, racquetball to increase relations
Plan more weekend activities for the community e.g. UCLA’s book festival (Los Angeles Times)
Summary

Hotel and convention space for guests, scholars
Transit Center
Promenade on Reseda
Gates to campus
Recreation space and activities for the community

Evening Session -- 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Satellite Student Union Shoshone Room

TABLE 1
University has been sneaky in the past – better this way, to invite at the beginning
Support the cul-de-sac at Etiwanda
Plummer and Reseda – serious problem – synchronization of traffic lights needs to be addressed
Support an “entrance” to Reseda
Reseda needs to be beautified
Needs synchronization of traffic on Reseda
Need traffic studies done during school year so they can really see
Impressed with AC Martin
If you change your tactics, we will change ours
Make sure need for housing is here
Impacting housing in the neighborhood – traffic noise, speeding, crime
Do need faculty housing – not affordable
Students need quality professors
Prefer faculty housing – near the neighbors
Is the current construction being used efficiently?
Would like to see space utilization study
Are we building monuments
Have not made the case of need
Students feel alienated
Hard to find a sense of community – eating, cozy, meet friends
Physical structure impacts the sense of community –

need places to meet/eating places, place to hang out

More things have negative impact than positive
Neighbors do utilize the campus – bike riding, walking, track (but not allowed anymore)
Un-fence the sports fields – be a neighbor
Noise a huge issue from the sports field – P.A. system can be heard two blocks away

TABLE 2
Children’s programs/community programs
Two way disconnect

Students disconnect - outside community
Community disconnect - CSUN

CSUN’s shows/theater are too expensive – discount?

Special performances for community
Free summer concerts

Bring more attention to art center on Plummer – physical access and P.R
Summary

P.S. Kinzie and Chimineas
Students are not adhering to parking regulations
Not enough parking enforcement
City & CSUN need to partner on parking enforcement
Partying and trash left within the neighborhood/lawns

TABLE 3
Max use of existing land (infield)
More/better public transportation to reduce traffic in neighborhood
Already “impacted” w/no room for growth because of traffic
Saturday session for Master Plan feedback
Very remote parking w/buses
Expand into areas, such as across Darby (avoid private homeowners)
Alliances w/business on Reseda
Consult & inform
Stop city from approving plans in our sphere of influence
Offer community members free admission to for-pay events
Continue to put resources into the perimeter of campus – facing community

TABLE 4
More artistic/cultural events on campus for community
Children’s events, museums
Work w/community to mitigate difficulties that parking, special events and ordinary operations create. CSUN should look at itself and their role in this.
Associated Students alums want CSUN to show it can do a plan that beautifies, and is capable of creating a plan that is functional within Valley as good neighbor
Misc.
Appreciate outreach to community represented by this forum
Summary

Deliver on promises
Good neighbor (track) sound banner etc.
Faculty housing – good neighbor
Safety/crime/noise within and outside
Traffic not kept up with growth
Physical structure to help build community – what gathers people together
Isolating Greek community
Reseda to be beautiful
Mixed use/height/density