The Master of Science Applied Behavior Analysis keeps getting positive attention! Congratulations to recent graduates for earning high scores on the Board Certified Behavior Analyst ® (BCBA®) Exam, administered by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board®. The BCBA® designation is a prestigious graduate-level certification for behavior analysts.

First-time test takers from CSUN earned a 92 percent pass rate, well above the national average of 65 percent. CSUN’s high score ranks the university 14th out of 103 colleges and universities internationally in pass rates of first-time candidates. CSUN also is the top-scoring California State University and the top-scoring West Coast university.

Behavior analysts provide assessment and intervention services to people of many backgrounds and abilities. Behavior analysis is an evidence-based treatment approach for individual with autism spectrum disorders. In the United States, about 1 in 59 children have an autism spectrum disorder, and the need for behavior analysts keeps growing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that between 1 and 2 percent of people in Asia, Europe and North American have autism.

CSUN faculty also shine in the M.S. Applied Behavior Analysis program. Psychology professor Ellie Kazemi co-authored a recently published handbook for trainees in the behavior analysis field. With psychology faculty Peter Adzhyan, PsyD, and Brian Rice, Dr. Kazemi prepared the Fieldwork and Supervision for Behavior Analysts guide. The handbook prepares students for field experience and will benefit trainees worldwide.

Congratulations to students and faculty in this program!

How do you prepare society’s most vulnerable populations for a disaster? You do it, says Elaine Linga, from the heart. That’s how she and her teammate, Maryel Albarran, approached the 2018 Crisis Management Case Challenge. It’s also, in part, how they won. The pair, who took first place against teams from across the nation, partly attribute their win to lessons learned in CSUN’s MPA program. “Our professors encouraged us to think creatively and to use our hearts to solve the complex problems of our communities,” said Linga, who works for Los Angeles County’s Workforce Development, Aging and Community Services.

Congrats to Master of Public Health grad Angela Oakley for earning the highest mark on the 2018 Certified Health Education Specialist Exam! She scored first out of more than 1,700 registered candidates.

CSUN welcomes students from around the world for Summer study in July! The Tseng College partners with the International Business School of São Paulo, Brazil to offer a three-week, intensive summer program. Eighty-six visiting students will take classes in communication, design and innovation; design thinking; and digital companies and e-business revolution.

In addition to coming from Central and South America, the group includes students from the Czech Republic, Ireland, Kenya, Lithuania, Mexico, the Philippines, Spain and the United Kingdom. "They will stay in our on-campus housing and will be fully immersed in the CSUN campus experience", said Vanessa Andrade, associate director of international partnerships and programs development for the Tseng College.

Tax Day recently passed, but learning about tax law never ends. Even experts have to keep up with changing rules. And while most people wouldn’t call a day of tax talk fun, professionals in the field look forward to CSUN’s taxation get together. The Alumni Association hosts the 2018 Bookstein Institute Tax Development Conference May 4 and expects a big crowd. “We have several Master of Science Taxation faculty presenting, and students may attend as well,” said Accountancy Professor Rafi Efrat, director of the M.S. Taxation program and the Bookstein Institute. The Bookstein Institute for Higher Education in Taxation organized the annual event.

Congratulations to CSUN for rising to the top 1% of the 2017 Social Mobility Index by CollegeNET! CSUN placed 13th out of 1,363 colleges and universities nationally.

The ranking measures the commitment of higher education to success and opportunity for economically disadvantaged students. “The Social Mobility Index helps policymakers determine which colleges are addressing the national problem of economic mobility,” said Jim Wolfston, CEO of CollegeNET. “Administrators have a better chance to help strengthen U.S. economic mobility and the promise of the American Dream if they can identify and learn from the colleges that are skilled at doing this.”

CSUN students, if you’re planning or doing research in your field, take part in the Annual Student Research and Creative Works Symposium! Whether you’re an undergraduate or graduate student in any field, get recognition for your projects and creative activities. Share the results with students, faculty and officials throughout campus at a conference April 6, 2018.

Finish a semester-length class in just a few weeks in Winter Term! You can spend the time between Fall finals and the start of the Spring semester completing an academic-credit course. CSUN offers two Winter Term components: Dec. 21-Jan. 18 (online classes), and Jan. 2-19 (face-to-face classes). Get a class out of the way before the Spring semester starts. You don’t even have to be enrolled at CSUN to take a Winter Term class.

The California drought is over, but the water crisis isn’t. Despite record rainfall, Southern California still has to tackle ongoing challenges of waste water and storm water, watershed storage and conservation. CSUN will help tackle these community issues through the City of Los Angeles One Water LA initiative.

Faculty and staff from around campus recently met with city representatives to get the conversation started on dealing with water demands and solutions. University reps and city officials will work together on addressing the city’s water needs, resources and facilities. “We have faculty interested in long-term studies,” said Sherry Sidick, associate director of external relations for the Tseng College. “There are opportunities we can offer for the One Water Plan. Faculty and staff asked excellent questions at the meeting to start the ball rolling with possible proposals and/or relationships. The One Water plan will help the region with sustainability.”

(August 1, 2017) - “People actually care more about you there!” “Go Matadors”. “Best experience of my life”. With comments like these, it’s no wonder CSUN hit the top five nationally in the Forbes #MyTopCollege competition.