Is space program a waste? Majority favor continuation
By Joanne Baker and Steven Kort
With the recent landing on Mars of the Viking spacecraft, following the Apollo space missions, and with the planned Spacelab project, the American taxpayer has spent billions of dollars for space exploration. with more to be spent.
Recently, many have questioned whether the results achieved from the space program merit spending such large sums of money.
An informal survey of some university students and others in the Southern California area by the Journalism 310, Reporting Public Affairs, class of Lucie Leadabrand showed that a majority of those questioned thoughtthe results were worth the money spent and would like to see the space program continued or expanded.
A medical student said the explorations have already paid dividends. “There is a lot of valuable information that has come out of the space research already such as medical knowledge, technology, and application to x-rays. I think the money invested has more than paid off. We would never have progressed as far as we have in many fields without all of the space research.
Allan Zuckerman, a law student, thought America should take care of the home first and put some of the money into solving problems of transportation and
pollution. He said we should not cut back completely, but only to the point where these other areas are taken care of.
Another law student, Jim Lobsenz, said that until the time when everyone is literate, well-fed and employed, we should concentrate only on satellites, methods for predicting weather and communication.
“There are fifty million other things we need to spend the money on. I’m not opposed to learning about space, but I’d rather use the money on research for cancer or something,” Lobsenz said.
Those who believed the results of the space program to be worth the money believed it would be to our advantage to expand the program. Those who found the money a waste, naturally, wanted to cut back.
“If they could take things step by step, concentrating the spending on one step at a time, they wouldn’t spend quite so much,” said Melinda Hancock, a junior majoring in sociology.
One who opposed continuing the space program was Chris Willis, an international relations major. He said that the money could be spent more wisely.
“There are just too many problems that need to be solved here at home. How can we justify spending billions of dollars just to have one man walk on the moon, while we cannot even properly clothe and feed all our own people here in America,” he said.
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University of Southern California
Volume LXVIV, Number 11	Los	Angeles, California	Friday,	July	23,	1976
Bottom, Furniss, Naber pick up medals in Olympic swim events
Parking headaches may be over with opening of new structures
Summer
Troian
MONTREAL—The United States men’s swimming team, supported by USC swimmers John Naber, Bruce Furniss and Joe Bottom, continued their sweep of medals in the games of the XXI Olympiad.
The United States team has won gold medals in all nine events so far, with USC performers picking up five gold medals and two silvers in competition.
In another Olympic development, James Gilkes was denied in his bid to participate in the games after the country he was representing, Guyana,, withdrew from the games.
In swimming on Wednesday night, Joe Bottom won a silver medal in the 100 meter butterfly competition, losing to Matt Vogel of Ft. Wayne, Ind. by .15 of a second. The race was another American sweep with Gary Hall of Cincinnati, participating in his third Olympics, taking the bronze medal.
Later on Wednesday evening, the United States 800-meter freestyle relay team literally destroyed the world record and beat their closest competitors, the Soviet Union, by over four seconds.
The team consisted of John Naber of USC, Jim Montgomery, Mike Bruner, and Bruce Furniss of USC swimmingthe anchor leg ofthe race. The team took over seven seconds off of the world record, which had been set in heats that morning by the U.S. team of Bruner, Furniss, Tim Shaw and Doug Northway.
For Furniss that gave him two gold medals in the two events he was to compete in, the 200-meter freestyle and the 800-meter freestyle relay. Naber
previously won a gold in the 100-meter backstroke and a silver medal in the 200-meter freestyle.
On Thursday night, Naber added to his collection of medals on the 400-meter medley relay team. He swam the backstoke in 55.89 and the team set a world record of 3.42:22, taking over five seconds off the world record. Joe Bottom swam the event in the morning on the “B” team to qualify the United States for the event, but did not race in the finals.
Friday is an off day for the swimmers, but four USC men still have chances for medals. John Naber still has the 200-meter backstoke event on Saturday, in which he has a good chance for a medal.
Joe Bottom is in the 100-meter freestyle on Sunday, while Rod Strachan and Steve Furniss are in the 400-meter individual medley also on Sunday..
Summer Trojan correspondent Andy Strenk said that Strachan and Steve Furniss should make the finals in their event, but the competition for a medal will be very heavy.
Strenk, who is working for the German network SID in Montreal, said that a major question the other countries have had is how the United States has managed to win so many medals in the men’s swimming.
He said that after winning the medley relay Furniss had mentioned being proud to represent his country and its democratic principles. Strenk said . patriotism and nationalism have defintely played a role in the wins and was a big motivating factor.
After winning Gary Hall had said the people were
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Bv Don La Plante
Editor
Parking has been a problem at the university for as long as some people can remember. There have been complaints about the lack of parking spaces and paying for the privilege of looking for a space.
But all of the problems about parking may finally be comingto an end.
The two parking structures on the west side of campus have been completed and are now open. These structures have added enough spaces to ease the old problems.
“Parking is going splendidly. The new structures are up and completed. They are better than any of the other structures we have. (There is one on the east side of campus and one on the medical campus.) The only thing that needs to be done on the new structures is to install more directional signs,” said John Lechner, director of parking operations.
“The architects didn’t put in enough directional signs, such
as up and down and exit signs. Most people don’t have any problems, but some people have trouble,” he said.
On July 1. a major change took place in the parking system and fees. New parking areas were established, reserved-name parking and assured area parking, and fees were raised for all categories.
The new basic rate for students is $7.50 a month, $37.50 a semester, and $8.50 a month for faculty and staff members. So far Lechner said there have been few complaints about the rise in parking fees.
“There have been very few complaints. Students haven’t said anything yet, but there may well be some complaints in September. Most of the faculty followed the discussions in the President’s Advisory Council and knew about it before they left.
“There has been some resis-tence at the Married Students Housing Complex. They will have to start paying on Aug. 1. It's only fair that they pay like
everyone else,” Lechner said.
Another change was the institution of assured parking areas. A faculty or staff member may pay $12 a month and be assured a parking space in a designated parking lot.
“Some people are confused. It’s basically the little guy who sees a gate going in and doesn’t know what is going on,” he said.
The assured parking program has attracted about 500 people so far. There are two lots, each holding about 250, that are about full and a third area partially filled.
Until Thursday, the gates had been up on the assured parking areas with entry controlled by guards, but on Thursday the gates were to be lowered and now only persons with card keys for the gates will be able to use the lots.
A third change in parking was the establishment of reserved-parking areas for those with a need for reserved parking spaces.
Lechner said the number of
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NIGHT LIFE AT USC—The tower of Von Klein Smid Center serves as one of the few tall buildings in the area illuminated at night. Its height allows it to be seen from the Harbor Freeway providing a landmark for those looking for the university. Summer Trojan photo by Bob Chavez.
SILVER MEDALIST—Joe Bottom won a silver medal in the 100-meter butterfly on Wednesday night. He is entered in the 100-meter freestyle on Sunday. His medal is among seven won by Trojan swimmers so far. Summer Trojan photo by Jim Carr.