Daily (go Trojan
Volume LXVIII, No. 123
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California
Wednesday, May 5, 1976
Financial aid staff awaits action on recommendations
By Cathy Taylor
Assistant City Editor
Members of the staff of the Financial Aid Office say they are pleased with the report of the Special Task Force on Student Financial Aid, butthey have mixed feelings about the implementation of the recommendations.
The task force, charged by the President’s Advisory Council, released a report last week that recommended the reassignment of Richard Dolen, interim director of Student Administrative Services, to his former position as assistant to the dean ofthe division of natural science and mathematics.
It also advised that William G. Wagner, special assistant to the president for academic record services, devote full time to running the computer system during the search for a new director.
“Concerned members ofthe Financial Aid Office were pleased with the complete and final report of the task force and we are awaiting the implementation ofthe recommendations,” several members of the aid office said in a joint statement.
Because of the sensitivity of the situation, the members asked not to be identified.
One member said the test ofthe report is whether it will be implemented, and another wondered how that will be accomplished.
As a group, they expressed appreciation for the work the task force has done, and to President John R. Hubbard for releasing the report in full.
But one said the problems aren’t over: the Student Administrative Services needs a strong director, and that an untested report doesn’t mean anything if it’s not executed.
than answers, but that it was a step in the right direction.
“The way we’ve been treated as a staff, I don’t trust anybody,” one said.
“We look at ourselves as professionals, and we re not being treated that way,” another said.
The opinions ranged from one who said the staff had no faith that the recommendations will be implemented to another who said they should take the report in good faith with a positive attitude.
Concerning the way the office runs under Robert Johnson, interim director of financial aid, these staff members were pleased. They said Johnson was trying to define their jobs more precisely and keep communication channels open. One said he was trying to collect information to give them so they can better answer students’ questions.
Another added that they can only give the most general information to students, either because they don’t know the answers or the policies aren’t written.
-Ron Mills, a former assistant director under Pam Walbom of the aid office who now works in the Office of Program Development, said the report did not ask the important questions.
“They got rid ofthe sympton—Dolen—and not the cause—Wagner,” he said.
He outlined the questions he thought should have been addressed. “Number one, what would have happened if Wagner had not intervened in the aid office?”
He said there were no major problems until spring of 1975, after Wagner had reduced the staff
Another said the report raised more questions by 30% and refused to hire a computer expert.
Mock election shows Reagan, Brown as presidential favorites
The presidential and California senatorial candidates had their day of reckoning Tuesday, at least on this campus.
Approximately 700 students voted in a mock election that showed Ronald Reagan and Gov. Jerry Brown as clear winners in the presidential race. Bob Finch and Tom Hayden were victorious in the senatorial race.
Ofthe 355 Democratic ballots cast. Jerry Brown was the overwhelming victor with 157 votes (44.2%). Jimmy Carter was second with 55 votes (15.5%). Henry Jackson came in third with 4.5% of the vote, Frank Church with 3.7% and Fred Harris with 3.4%
In the Democratic senatorial race, Hayden won by a clear majority with 256 votes compared to Tunney’s 71 votes.
Ronald Reagan received 66% of the 302 Republican ballots to Ford’s 33% making the win two to one over the President.
The Republican senatorial race was closer, with Bob Finch
receiving 30.2% of the votes (91) and Alphonzo Bell receiving 21.5% (65). S.I. Hayakawa received 16.7% and John Harmer received 14.9%.
The election was sponsored by the Trojan Young Republicans. Its purpose was to give information to the students about the candidates, spur students to register to vote and force them to make an early decision and take an active interest in a candidate. Campaign workers for most of the candidates were present to pass out information to students.
The election also served to funnel people into active participation in the campaign, said Tom Carter, president of the club.
“The voter response was better than that for the recent student government elections. The election was significant because it indicated to the Southland what USC is thinking about the candidates.” he said.
“I expected Reagan to win all
along because this campus is conservative. I also expected a landslide for Hayden because he has campaigned here six times and his wife has been here twice. It is also important that Brown won because he has done virtually no campaigning,” Carter said.
Crafts faire begins today
The semiannual Crafts Faire. an open-air market of demonstrations. displays and handmade goods, begins today and will be held in Alumni Park through Friday.
The faire. sponsored by the Craft Center and Residence Halls Coordinating Council, has expanded to three days this spring because of its success in the past.
Among the 100 displays will be jewelry. wooden items, pottery, plants, leather goods and articles of clothing.
For the first time in the faire's history, students will man some of the booths to display their own products.
DT photographer Paula Daniels photographed Sue Anderson (left), a sophomore in prepharmacy and head of the Craft Faire Committee, as she presented a visitor with a gift
Earthquake question continues: to leave town or not to leave?
Julian Bond to discuss future of black politicians
State Sen. Julian Bond (D.-Atlanta) will speak Thursday at 12:30 p.m. in Bovard Auditorium as part of the university’s Black History Week.
Bond's deep involvment with the civil rights movement in the 1960s earned him his party's consideration for the vicepresidency in 1968. Bond, who was 28 at the time, was disqualified because of his age.
The topic of Bond's speech will be “What's Next’1 in relation to black politicians
By Julie Rees
Southern California is about to be rocked by another damaging earthquake. True or false0
James Whitcomb, a geophysicist at California Institute of Technology, believes it is true. He has predicted that within one year, parts of Southern California will be hit by a moderate to strong earthquake, registering from 5.5 to 6.5 on the Richter scale.
Bernard Pipkin, professor of geology here and theteacherofa class in earthquake study, says earthquake prediction is a valid study.
“Scientists can only carry it so far. The social scientists must take over. How do you tell the people? This is where the psychologists and sociologists come in.” Pipkin said.
Whitcomb said it would not be possible to keep such conclusions from the public. “Once you decide earthquake prediction is a useful, fruitful avenue then you have to present information to your colleagues. The information is going to be public whether we want it to be or not." he said.
The quake foreseen by Whitcomb is predicted to cover an 80-mile area, approximately the same area as the 1971 Sylmar
quake. It would include Los Angeles at its southern extent. Fillmore to the west and almost as far east as Mt. Baldy. The quake will be centered somewhere in the San Fernando Valley.
This prediction has not gone without notice. Following publication of the Caltech press release of Whitcomb's prediction, the school's switchboard was clogged with calls from anxious residents seeking verification, assurance and helpful hints on earthquake safety.
One concerned man who was worried about living in the San Fernando Valley said he was planning to move to Frazier Park. Frazier Park is located, however, on the San Andreas Fault.
Indeed, so much flack was raised that one Los Angeles city councilman urged legal action because of alleged "harm to San Fernando property value."
The prediction was based on a method that involves the monitoring of changes in the velocity of sound waves traveling through stressed layers of subsurface rock
This method has been used successfully by the Russians to predict an earthquake in that countrv It has also been used by
a team of scientists from Columbia University. New York, to predict a quake in some New York mountains.
Whitcomb concedes that despite these successful applications of the method, his hypothesis requires further scientific testing.
In considering the decision to publicize his predictions. Whitcomb had to consider the possi-bility of legal action being brought against him.
California has a liability statute which holds that anyone responsible for erroneous information that causes people to make expenditures to protect against a possible disaster is liable for legal action. Whitcomb could be held liable for people shoring up the foundations of their houses if the earthquake does not occur as predicted
Pipkin said many scientists believe the earthquake predictions provide a good defense against overwhelming earth quake destruction.
Pipkin says more damage to human life in an earthquake is due to falling debris than collapsing walls. He said one ofthe safest things to do during an earthquake is to get under a table and stay there until the quake stops.