Dally Sundial NEWS/Monday, August 23,, 1993 3 Sierra South closed for asbestos removal By Herb Hiestand "We knew we had a potential to re- 29. The air conditioning system was Asbestos 1s a common name for a Staff Writer lease [asbestos] into the air and didn't shut off in order to prevent any loose form of fibrous mineral used to want anyone to disturb it." he said...It asbestos dust from circulating, accord· strengthen and fireproof materials such University officials closed the Sierra didn't create a hazard, we just tried to ing to Chri"tiensen. as fabrics and tiles before 1979. Sierra South building for six days beginning make sure it didn't happen." The Sierra North building, which South was built in 1963. July 29 after detecting airborne asbes- Kaine Thompson, associate director connects to Sierra South through a se- Although asbestos is natura 11 y tos released while replacing floor tiles ofthe University News Bureau, said 58 ries of shared hallways, has a separate present in the atmosphere in stnal1 in room 110, according to CSUN'a mo.n- summer classes had to be relocated, air C()nditioning system and was not quantities, long term exposure to high ager of Environmental Health and effecting an estimated 1.500 students. closed. levels of it c.an cause ~ung damage, Safety. w:It was not that difficult because An asbestos removal company sent including cancer, Christiensen said. Tests of the air, conducted continu· we're in summer session and there's not work(!nl wearing protective body !rnita The particular form of asbestos found oualy during the clean-up, showed as- that many students on campus," to vacuum and clean every surface and rn Sierra South, known as chrysotile, bestos levels remained well below the Thompson said. object in the room. Later, with the was the moat common and least haz. Permissible Exposure Level set by the CSUN workers, who were replacing air conditioning on and u si ng a leaf a rdous form ofasbestos used in products, Occupational Safety and Health Ad- water-damaged floor tiles in room 110 blower to try and dislodge any re· Christiensen said. mini~tration, Mike Christiensen said. on July 27, suspected the tiles con· maining asbestos dust in the room, ·According to toxicology experts, "It was eight to 10 times lower than t..ained aabestos, Christiansen said. Ini- tests measured asbestos at 20 times chrysotile fibers appear much les.s haz· PEL everywhere we sampled," tial tests showed a 3 percent asbestos below the permissible level and the ard-Ou.s because of their s hape and di- Christiensen said. "That's good enough content in the tiles and a level "mi- building was reopened on Aug. 3, mension compared t.o anth1boles, an- to say this room i.s safe: nutely higher than ambient air levels" Christienaen said. other family of asbestos minerals,'" No major health risk existed, in the room, Chrtstiensen said. "It was cleaned until it reached an Chrishen:sen said. Christiensen said, but as a precaution Cape Environment.al Management, · acceptable clearance level of .01 (fibers "In my professrnnal opinion,"' the building was closed in order to t"On- an outside contractQ.r, confirmed the per cubic. centimeter). as prescribed by Christiensen said. "the real health tain and eliminate any cancer-causing airborne asbestos and the building was federal and state agencie8," threat.... was probably less than passive asbestos released from the hies. closed by Facilities P1anning on July Chri stiensen said. cigarette smoke, far less." Chancellor's office cuts will restore classes By Marla Duncan "The departments have already been age of the department, there have been ment packages a.nd severance arrange- Contributing Writer reduced 15 percent over the last few no raises s1nce January 1991 . ments offered to them. years which haa resulted in some em· Jeff Vaca, CSU's governmental af- The cuts will have no immediate Th.e California State University of- ployeesworkinguntil 7 p.m.,•Mtearthy fairs analyst, said th.at although the impact on cam pus operations. fice of the Chancellor is losing 20 man- said. "'We will surely have to find a more downsizing was not mandated by legis- M.cCarthy said. and even though some agement positions due to the $8 million productive structure for everyone in lation, therewere'"dear messages· sent reductwns will still take place "the ex- budget cut scheduJed to take effect at the system, even on the campuses." from the legislators that CSU and UC pected reducti°'ns to the campuses were the end of this month. The money is According to McCarthy, in some systems should take action to save minimized tremendously."' expected to fund additional class open- cases, the ti me management has been course sections for students. ",.tjthough we were unable to add ings in the Spring, according to the successful and in others it has failed. Vaca said the reorganization wae classes to the Fall schedule at this late Public Affairs office. ~we have lost5,000 faculty members not only designed to save money. but date, adjustments will be made during Although combining Business Af- over the past three years, which has was also needed to make the "manage· the year and classes w1l1 be added to the fairs and Administrative Services will resulted in the elimination of many ment of the Chancellor's office more Spnng '94 semester... McCarthy said. add to the workload ofthe already over- classes: McCarthy said. The process- streamlined and efficienl" Vaca said there 1s no way to deter- worked staff, it is expected tit:> maximize ing of financial aid paperwork has als-0 McCarthy said employees w1 II be mine the number of classes that Wlll be the efficiency of the otfice, Steve suffered, he said. encouraged to voluntarily t.enninate McCarth,;: of Public Affairs said. McCarthy said despite the shrink- t..he1r employment by accepting retire- See CHANCELLOR, page 4 We want You even if you think Hebrew is a macho beer! UPComina Hillel Events Stop by our booth in Sierra Quad! Lounie Nites at Hillei ·Ongoing Open House · free ·Meet Je wish students get acquainted ·fun and games 1n ;1 fr1cndly ~ett 1 ng ·Refreshments $er~ed •We dnes.days. September 1 & 8 •at 7. 30 pm until 1 Rabbi's RaP Group ar Hillel ·Mecl R:ibb • jerry ·N o pre\sure No books 1ust d 1\ Cu SS •on' -.A.ny and a!I quest i on~ .)re OK ·Bring your brown bag dinner ·Wednesdays . Sept I & 8 •) 30 IO 6 30 prn around ,1 L1 br,1ry tabie Shabba.t Celebration •Informal and warm prayer (1rcle ·Great kosher dinner w ith i.ong$ ·Student panel : 1 "What's 1t like to be a Jew at CSUN " •Friday night . Sept 3 •6 to 10 pm Let Us Take You BY Storm •Dinner cost: $6. 1n advance •Rese1Y.1t1on required by Wednesday night Hiah HolY OaY Servtces •Free to paid Hillel members •Led by Rabbi jerry •In the Un1vers1ty Student Union ·Rosh Hash<mah. Sept 16 •Yorn K.1ppur . Sept 25 CSUN Hillel Ask for your copy o( Kolaync.J . rl'u! monthly jewtsh student newsletter. Jewish Student Center (or o ful schedule of events 17729 Plummer St. Northridge, CA 91325 ( 112 block east of Zelzah) (8 I 8) 886-5 I 0 I 4 NEWSIM,onda:y, Aug~st 23. 1993 Two CSUN students win grants from Disney By Aatlsh Kumar CSUN students Kenneth Nwabueze "We had a wide variety ofthings that antee a job with the company. .. We have, however, hired two st u Staff Writer and Jose Cuevas were among the mem· we could enter, mainly consisting of b.?rs of five minority associations that designs of stores, rides, and resta u - dents s-0 far from last year's rompet it1 un TwoCSUNengineeringstudents have took part in the competition: the Ameri- rants, which Disney could use in the beca use they graduated soon afte r won grants of$2,000 and $1,000 for first can Indian Science and Engineering future. I won for my design ofa "Beauty wards. The contest is designed to flnd and third place, respectively, at the sec- Sodety, the Mexican American Engi- and the Beast" ride. which combines talent for our company, but the poss1. ond annual Walt Disney lmagineering neers and Scientists, the Society ofHis· characters from the movie with a roller bility of employment with us is onl v <'VDT) Design Competition. pa nic Professi.onal Engineers. the Na- coaster," Cuevas said. considered after the studtmta gradu'. "!magi-Nations: a nationwide de- tional S-0ciety of Black EngineenJ and '"I also got to go backstage and take a ate," Lee said. sign competition, ie held by WDI to the Society of Women Engineers. look at all the Disney rides and how About 155 student.a participated rn encourage minority and female college Nwabueze, who placed first, is a they work. Even though competition is this year's competition from colleg'(:' s students to develop creative skills and memberofthe National Society of Black fierce in this field, I would love to work such as Hampton UnivenJity in Vir- prep,a:re them for ca.reers with Disney. Engineers and Cuevas is a member of for WDI when I graduate,• he added. ginia, Howard University in Washing- \VDI is the master planning, creative the Society of }iispanic Professional The presentation of designs and t.on,D.C., UniversityofHawaii atManoa development, designing, engineering, Engineers. awards t.ook place in June at the ~d in Honoluluand the UniversityoITexas production and project managementsub- Cuevas said he has always been a big Lion Hotel in Glendale.