Surveillance cameras installed throughout the university are used mainly to deter crime and theft, according to multiple sources on campus. The Oviatt Library and the University Student Union (USU) both have numerous cameras installed, but it is unclear whether the rest of the university is similarly watched. When asked if there were any known surveillance cameras installed in university buildings, CSUN spokeswoman Carmen Ramos Chandler said she could not recall ever seeing a permanent camera installed on campus. The surveillance camera used to catch the CSUN professor accused of urinating on a colleagues door last semester was temporary, installed after suspicion about a potential culprit increased, Chandler said. It was taken down after law enforcement had the footage they needed. USU has the most surveillance cameras on campus, with approximately 40 installed throughout the facility, said Jason Wang, associate executive director. “We put cameras up initially to deter theft, damage, and vandalism,” Wang said. “We want (the USU) to be safe, (for) people to feel safe, so we think having a sign out that says you’re under surveillance might help people make better choices.” Signs are not required to tell people they are in the presence of surveillance cameras, however, if those cameras are installed in a public area, said Melanie Williams, business law department chair. “You have no expectation of privacy normally if you’re in a normal public place,” Williams said. “There would be no particular limitations that apply to a public institution or an educational institution that wouldn’t apply to any other institution or place of business.”
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