Kent Wong, director of UCLA's Labor Center, and the student authors of "Underground Undergrads" will discuss the book, answer questions and put a personal face on the challenges of higher education for undocumented immigrant students.

Their presentation, which is free and open to the public, will take place at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 14, in the Whitsett Room, room 451, of Sierra Hall on the west side of the campus at 18111 Nordhoff St. in Northridge.

"Far too often, we think about and talk about immigration as a policy issue, and there is certainly a time and place for that," said history professor Josh Sides, director of the Center for Southern California Studies. "But too often, we miss the personal stories of the experience of being an undocumented immigrant. Nor do we understand the challenges that undocumented students face. The mission of our college and the center is to be regionally relevant. Few issues are more regionally relevant than immigration."

CSUN's Center for Southern California Studies was established in 1996 to promote the study, documentation, and understanding of the cultural, historical, and ecological resources in the Southern California social and environmental setting.

Housed in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, the center provides a bridge between diverse disciplines across the campus while strengthening research ties between the university and the community.

California State University, Northridge is celebrating "50 years of life-changing opportunity" this year. The university has more than 36,000 full- and part-time students and offers 64 bachelor's and 50 master's degrees as well as 28 teaching credential programs.

Founded in 1958, CSUN is among the largest single-campus universities in the nation and the only four-year public university in the San Fernando Valley. The university serves as the intellectual, economic and cultural heart of the Valley and beyond.