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The independent student news site of San Marcos, California

The Cougar Chronicle

The independent student news site of San Marcos, California

The Cougar Chronicle

The independent student news site of San Marcos, California

The Cougar Chronicle

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A Cougar Pantry staff member assembles a bag of groceries. The Cougar Pantry will reopen on Feb. 17.

ASI Cougar Pantry temporarily suspended, to reopen in mid-February

Anneliese Esparza, Editor-in-Chief February 5, 2021

To see this story in video form, click here. ASI Cougar Pantry will not resume food distributions until Feb. 17, according to an update posted on their website. The Cougar Pantry did not hold distributions over winter break, but was originally scheduled to start up on Jan. 27. “The decision...

CSUSM’s annual security report showed that there was a net increase in reported crimes and violations of state and local drug, liquor and weapons laws in 2019 compared to the previous year.

Annual security report shows increase in reported crime

Anneliese Esparza, Editor-in-Chief February 5, 2021

To see this story in video form, click here. CSUSM’s annual security report revealed that 2019 had a net increase in reported crimes and violations of state and local drug, liquor and weapons laws compared to the previous year.  The report contains statistics on calendar years 2017, 2018 and...

ASI canceled their Cougar Pantry for the remainder of the fall semester, a decision some students disagreed with.

ASI suspends Cougar Pantry distributions, drawing criticism from students

Ariana L. Kitts, News Reporter December 23, 2020

ASI announced on Dec. 4 that they are canceling Cougar Pantry distributions for the remainder of the fall semester because an ASI team member tested positive for COVID-19.  ASI cannot disclose when the ASI team member tested positive or when they last worked the Cougar Pantry, but ASI was notified...

Student athletes will have to wait another semester to compete. (Pictured: Sarah Aragon on the women's soccer team.)

Winter, spring athletic competition canceled at CSUSM

Brittney Scardina, Staff Writer December 23, 2020

The California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) announced on Dec. 3 that there will be no athletic competition for the spring semester.  By the next time competition is allowed, student athletes will have not played competitively for a year and a half.  “CCAA Board of Presidents, in conjunction...

An unknown actor infiltrated the CSUSM network in October. The school has now launched a two-step authentication system to improve security.

CSUSM’s internal network hacked; university launches two-step authentication system

Ruben Santana, Staff Writer December 13, 2020

Instructional & Information Technology Services (IITS) issued an email notice to the entire campus community on Oct. 6 that CSUSM’s internal network had recently been infiltrated by an unknown actor. An Information Security unit identified the harmful incident took place overnight from Oct....

Alleged victim of CSUSM student files police report

Alleged victim of CSUSM student files police report

Ariana L. Kitts, News Reporter October 27, 2020

The San Diego Police Department (SDPD) is investigating a report of a sexual battery allegedly committed by a CSUSM student.  The police report, filed by second-year UC Davis student Angie Pham, was received by SDPD on Oct. 13. Pham gave the report’s case number to The Cougar Chronicle and SDPD...

A petition with over 13,000 signatures is calling for a CSUSM student's expulsion for alleged sexual assault and abuse.

Petition calls for expulsion of student

Ariana L. Kitts, News Reporter October 13, 2020

A petition on Change.org calling for the expulsion of a CSUSM student for alleged sexual assault and abuse has gathered over 13,000 signatures in five days.   The third-year CSUSM student is being accused of “sexual assault, groping, sexual coercion, abuse, gaslighting and other non-consensual...

Students for Quality Education demanded that CSUs defund university police departments on Oct. 1. However, CSU Chancellor-select Joseph I. Castro told The Cougar Chronicle in a Sept. 30 press conference that universities need police.

Students for Quality Education voices statewide demands to defund UPD

Ariana L. Kitts, News Reporter October 12, 2020

This story was updated on Oct. 13 with an explanation of  what SQE is and links to their website. Students for Quality Education (SQE) voiced their demands for CSU campuses to defund UPD on Oct. 1.  SQE is a a statewide student organization with chapters on 22 out of 23 CSU campuses that advocates...

Close to 1,000 students have signed a petition to reduce tuition costs for next spring, but the CSU is not planning on changing current prices.

Tuition cost to remain unchanged despite student petition

Ariana L. Kitts, Staff Writer October 4, 2020

This story was updated on Dec. 13 with details on how the CARES Act funds were allocated. CSUs will not lower tuition or fees for the spring 2021 semester despite students calling for reduced costs due to the mainly virtual instruction and the unavailability of in-person campus resources.  The cost...

CSUSM appears to have avoided a coronavirus crisis, with no cases reported as of Sept. 29.

CSUSM maintains relatively low number of coronavirus cases

Anneliese Esparza, Editor-in-Chief September 25, 2020

This story was updated on Sept. 29 to reflect changes in data. As the number of coronavirus cases connected to other major universities in San Diego County rises, CSUSM has managed to keep its case numbers low.  CSUSM has had a total of 23 cases since the pandemic started, but there are no known...

CSUSM gears up for mainly virtual semester

CSUSM gears up for mainly virtual semester

Anneliese Esparza, Editor-in-Chief September 3, 2020

For the first time in its 30 year history, CSUSM will begin the academic year as a majority-online institution.  More than 90 percent of courses are occurring virtually this fall, with the in-person courses being certain labs in the biology and nursing departments.  The other CSU campuses are...

ASI’s office is located at USU 3700.

ASI reports $80,000 in misused funds

Antonio Pequeño, Editor-in-Chief April 25, 2020

Associated Students Incorporated (ASI) reported today that a former professional staff member used $80,000 of its funds for personal gain.  The report comes from a memorandum made by Kenneth Tran, president and CEO of ASI. “I am extremely disappointed to report that a former ASI professional staff...

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