Criminology and Justice Studies

Updated CJS Department Operations - Covid 19

March 19, 2020

Beginning Monday, March 23rd, 2020, the Criminology and Justice Department Department will hold virtual office hours. We are available online Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM.

You will be able to contact us by email at cjs@csun.edu* – this will be the fastest response.

You may also call us at (818) 677-2117.

* CJS is dedicated to serving students, and this has not changed despite our change to virtual operations.  Please let us know if there is anything we can do to help you, and we look forward to seeing you again soon.

Thank you.

For additional campus and national information and resources:

This is a fluid time, and changes occur frequently, but here is a list of the most updated information with links to resources.

CSUN President Dianne F. Harrison’s most recent message. The CSUN Covid-19 resources page has good information. Dr. Harrison has also released a statement (April 3rd) about changing the grading basis for spring courses in response to the ongoing situation. 

Academic Advising for CJS Majors. Virtual appointments are available and the Advisors and happy to assist you.

Tutoring Options: 

Tutoring for CJS Majors. The tutoring center operated by the college of Social and Behavioral Sciences that serves CJS majors is available remotely.

The CSBS college offers free tutoring in statistics, research methods, and writing. These services will be invaluable as we transition to distance learning. To see the tutoring schedule and see how to reach each of the tutors, please review the site.

Academic tutoring is also available virtually through the Learning Resource Center. They may also be reached by calling (818) 677-2033.

Additional Information and Resources:

The CSUN Student Success Allies offer a wide variety of assistance and support. The allies are within our college and exist to help students especially in these changing and trying times.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC)  is constantly updating their website with important information. Please review this often for updates including social distancing and cleaning recommendations.

The Klotz Student Health Center is open during this time. The main phone number is (818) 677-3666.

The Mitchell Family Counseling Center will also offer 4 free Telehealth Sessions to CSUN students during this Covid 19 pandemic.

University Counseling Services is available to assist students with virtual appointments.

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Please see President Harrison’s newest information released Monday, March 23rd. It is pasted here:

Dear CSUN Students:

I want to take this opportunity to reach out to every CSUN student to express the university’s unwavering commitment to your academic success and your personal wellbeing. You are at the very center of our existence as a university, and we deeply feel the sense of uncertainty and anxiety about the future that many of our students and their families are feeling. But one thing is for certain: we are here for you, to encourage and support your educational efforts as you navigate this semester and beyond. Our history tells us that we are a resilient university community, and I firmly believe that, working together, we will get through this unprecedented challenge. Our primary mission is education and service to our students, and, regardless of our external circumstances, we are here to help you meet your goals. 

Throughout the nation and here in California, the means by which we support students to achieve their academic goals have changed. I have previously written to the campus community to provide overarching guidance on the changes that have become necessary at this time.

So, what do the announced changes in instruction and services mean to you, our students? Below you will find links to websites that can provide you the most up-to-date information about matters of interest to most students and resources available to assist you. 

1.     Academic instruction

a)     Beginning March 23, 2020, CSUN moves to virtual instruction. Your instructor will notify you of how your course will be delivered remotely. If you have not received that information by March 25th, please email your instructor. If you still do not hear by March 27, please email the associate dean of your college. Links to college websites are provided below.

Mike Curb College of Arts, Media, and Communication: Kandace Harris kandace.harris@csun.edu

David Nazarian College of Business and Economics: Paul Lazarony paul.j.lazarony@csun.edu

Michael D. Eisner College of Education: Christine Hayashi christine.hayashi@csun.edu

Engineering and Computer Science: Robert Ryan robert.ryan@csun.edu

Health and Human Development: Dimitri Tamalis dimitri.tamalis@csun.edu

Humanities: Kent Baxter Kent.Baxter@csun.edu

Science and Mathematics: Robert Espinoza robert.e.espinoza@csun.edu

Social and Behavioral Sciences: Bohsiu Wu bohsiu.wu@csun.edu

Tseng College: Graduate, International and Midcareer Education: Shereazad Jimmy Gandhi sj.gandhi@csun.edu

b)     Although most campus buildings are closed or partially closed, some research activities continue. If you are currently engaged in a research lab, your instructor or other research directors will contact you about how this work will continue.

c)     Course grades and possible changes to grading are being discussed. We are aware that many of you have requested changing grades to a pass/fail system for this semester. There are a number of complications to doing so, with certain groups of students required by professional societies and funding sources to have letter grades recorded. The CSUN Faculty Senate and the California State University Senate are considering these issues. We will inform you when there are decisions on this issue. We have also asked faculty to be as flexible as possible in accommodating students with special circumstances related to the disruption. For all of these reasons, we believe that students will receive a meaningful educational experience despite the national emergency we are facing. We are confident that as students and faculty return to instruction this week following Spring Break, learning will continue and students will make progress toward their degree. We are committed to working collaboratively with our students, faculty and staff to realize our educational mission and support of student learning.

2.     Academic support services

a)     The Oviatt Library building is closed until further notice, with the exception of one computer lab, which is only open to CSUN students. However, all virtual library services remain open and available, and library staff and faculty remain ready to support you.  Please check the library website for further information.

b)     Access to computing resources on campus will be available in two primary locations. Oviatt Library Computer Lab C will be open to CSUN students Monday thru Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and closed weekends. Students can reserve a computer workstation ahead of time through the Computer Reservation Form. In addition, the USU Computer Lab will be open Monday through Friday 10 a.m.-2 p.m. 

A limited number of laptop computers are available for checkout to students in need. To check-out a device, please call the Oviatt Library at (818) 677-2595.

c)     Academic advisement is being conducted through Zoom sessions and by phone. If you would like to make an advising appointment, please call (818) 677-2969 or go to http://www.csun.edu/findadvisor.

d)     Academic tutoring is available virtually through the Learning Resource Center. Please check the website or call (818) 677-2033.

3.     Information Technology

a)     For tools and guidance in the use of technology with virtual learning, please visit the Keep Learning webpage. Here, you will also find options for Internet Connectivity for Users Who Do Not Have It.

4.     Student support services. 

a)     Generally speaking, all student services units within the Division of Student Affairs are available to respond to your needs Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Most services will be provided remotely with a minimum level of on-campus services. Where absolutely necessary to comply with COVID-19 policies, some services have been suspended at this time. Please visit the following websites for latest updates on how to access services provided.

i)      The Klotz Student Health Center is open. Information concerning services and hours of operation is available online at https://www.csun.edu/shc

ii)     University Counseling Services is open with counseling services provided remotely. Visit the department website at https://www.csun.edu/counseling/update-ucs-services to learn more about services available at this time.

iii)   The Financial Aid and Scholarship Office will be providing counseling and other services online with limited in-office assistance. See website at https://www.csun.edu/financialaid for current information on access to services.

iv)    The Career Center has a suite of services available to students online through CareerLink (https://www.csun.edu/careerlink/). Visit the Career Center website at https://www.csun.edu/career.

v)     Student Housing and Residential Services is in the process of communicating with students about the need to move off campus in an effort to increase social distancing and decrease the possibility for COVID-19 spread. All residents are being individually notified, and accommodations will be made for a limited number of students whose circumstances require that they reside in Student Housing.

vi)    Disability Resources and Educational Services will continue to provide accommodation support and disability management services remotely. Contact the department though its website at https://www.csun.edu/dres/ for information on how services will be provided at this time.

vii)   NCOD: Deaf and Hard of Hearing Student Services will continue to provide communications access services. For information on service delivery during this period of virtual instruction, visit the NCOD website at https://www.csun.edu/ncod.

viii) The University Student Union (USU), including the Student Recreation Center (SRC), serves as a major hub for student connection and interaction. Several programs will now be offered virtually, including fitness and exercise, as well as remote access to the Pride Center and Veterans Resource Center. As indicated above, the Computer Lab will be open and available at designated times. Given the need to practice social distancing, some events, programs and services will not be available at this time, including the SRC and the Oasis. Information on services and hours of operation is available at https://www.csun.edu/usu.

ix)    Many Associated Students programs, activities and services will be provided remotely. Find information on services and hours of operation at https://www.csun.edu/as. Note the AS Senate will continue to meet though video conferencing and student leaders can be reached by email. Students are encouraged to sign-up for the Weekly AS Bulletin to receive updates. Watch for information on AS and USU Board Elections, which will be conducted online. In alignment with current COVID-19 restrictions, some services have been suspended including the Children’s Center, Farmers Market and Outdoor Adventures.

5.     Campus events and co-curricular activities

a)     Commencement and Honors Convocation exercises have been postponed until late fall 2020.  Information and updates about these events will be provided at https://www.csun.edu/commencement, including information on refunds. Graduating student are also invited to share ideas about appropriate ways to provide for the recognition of graduates given the limitations imposed by COVID-19.

b)     Many student clubs and organizations will find ways to provide opportunities for engagement virtually and while maintaining social distancing. Student are encouraged to visit MataSync at https://csun.campuslabs.com/engage/news for the latest updates.

6.     Administrative Services

a)     Parking and Transportation Services has extended the deadline for parking permit refunds. Information is available at  https://www.csun.edu/parking/.

b)     The Department of Police Services is fully operational. Visit the department website at https://www.csun.edu/police/.

c)     Admissions and Records has transitioned to virtual operations. Information on ordering academic transcripts online is available at https://www.csun.edu/admissions-records/order-transcripts.

d)     On-campus foodservices units are closed.

e)     Although the CSUN Campus Store (Bookstore) is closed, it is still open for online business at www.CSUNCampusStore.com

7.     A word of caution!!!!

a)     Cybercriminals are capitalizing on the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic to send fraudulent email and SMS text phishing attacks about topics such as cures or internships. Such emails are commonly used to trick you into giving them your personal information. If you get one of these emails, please do not respond and forward it to abuse@csun.edu.

Look for future communications as we will continue to update the information we have. We look forward to the resumption of instruction and doing our very best to support you in successfully completing the Spring 2020 term and beyond. 

Sincerely,

Dianne F. Harrison, Ph.D.
President