Daily CH Trojan
University of Southern California
Volume LXXII, Number 9 Los Angeles, California Thursday, September 29, 1977
Overenrollment in courses cited as cause of bookstore shortages
By Wendy Zimmerman
staff Writer
While many universities have experienced enrollment declines, USC has shown a steady increase, and officials believe the university population will continue to grow for the next few years.
Last year. 24,478 students were enrolled here. This year, approximately 25.200 are enrolled, said James L. Jones, director of Student Administrative Services. He believes the university’s enrollment will continue to grow at a rate of two percent for the next two or three years.
Total enrollment breaks down to 14,064 undergraduates. 8.166 graduate students and 2,248 students in the professional schools.
Enrollement at the university differs from the national norm in
several ways.
Women now comprise more than half of the college population nationwide, according to statistics compiled by the Census Bureau for the fall of 1976, but at the university they are outnumbered by males at a three-to-two ratio.
Including international students, minorities made up 32^ of the student community last year. Jones said the percentage of minority students here is higher than in the state university system.
(continued on page 6)
By Marc Corman
SttfT Writer
Unexpected enrollment increases in some classes have left both Tam’s and the University Bookstore short of books. Some students will be without required texts until new orders arrive.
“Some of the shelves are empty,” said Randy Tubbs, manager of the book area at the university’s bookstore. “There are areas where there are no books at all.”
Reordering necessary
He attributed this to overenrollment of classes in some departments. This overenrollment is difficult to predict and thus the University Bookstore finds itself reordering many texts to meet the increased demand, Tubbs said.
Professors turn in their book requisitions for the fall semester in April, using past enrollment figures in their classes as a guide for the number of books to order, said Irene Soloff, an administrative assistant in the Department of Civil Engineering, which has experienced overenrollment in some of its classes.
Freshmen a factor
Also figured in the requisition is the number of expected incoming freshmen in the department. However, new students are not required to
finalize their choice of school until May, after the requisitions are completed.
“I really thought there would be enough books in Tam’s and the USC bookstore,” Soloff said.
Tubbs felt the insufficient supply of books for certain classes is sometimes unavoidable.
Low estimates
This year, many departments were very low in their estimates, he said. “The departments were just not prepared for the additional number of students here this year.”
When the bookstore receives a requisition from a professor, it also makes an estimate of the number of books to order based on past figures.
“We will reduce the quantity we order based on. . a sales history analysis,” Tubbs said.
Stores in a bind
Tam’s also receives professors’ requisitions and it too must decide what quantity of books to order.
Charlene Toews of Tam’s said that when enrollment rises unexpectedly, the stores are in a bind.
“There’s nothing anyone can do about that,” she said.
Toews believes the problem really isn’t that bad.
“Actually, we’re not out of a lot of books,” she said. “With a few exceptions, we have all the books we need.”
Most of the enrollment increases were at the freshman level, Tubbs said. He cited French 110, a class in which enrollment has jumped from 110 to 225. Tubbs said this kind of rise can’t be foreseen.
Increases at all levels
Not all of the enrollment increases are in freshman classes, however. Civil Engineering 541, a graduate-level class, has 42 students this semester, compared to the usual 15, Tubbs said.
The School of Business also has had an increase in the number of students trying to get classes.
Paul Shay, director of student affairs for the school, said most of the increase has come from Letters, Arts and Sciences students wanting to take business classes.
ASSIGNMENTS TO CONTINUE
700 students still await housing
By Merilynne Cohen
Staff Writer
Approximately 700 student names still remain on the housing waiting list. The figure has been attributed to an increase in out-of-state freshmen and transfer students, as well as a greater demand for Troy Hall and Cardinal Gardens apartments.
A total of 6,000 applications for approximately 2,700 spaces were received this year by the Residential Assignment Office, said Hans Reichl, director of residential life, compared to 5,000 last year.
With housing cancellations down two to three percent, many more students have been faced with a housing problem.
Housing assignments are made on a priority basis, with out-of-state freshmen given top consideration. Next in priority are transfer and out-of-state students, followed by out-of-state freshmen who filed late applications and students living within a 20-mile radius.
Despite the increased housing demand, the Residential Assignment Office has continued to assign those students placed high on the waiting list as cancellations come in.
“Part of the problem of the assigning process is that we
don’t have current telephone numbers for all those on the waiting list," Reichl said.
“In addition to not being able to contact students when we do have housing for them, another problem is students who don’t inform us when they have found alternate housing. This then
slows up the process considerably.”
To additionally assure housing placement, Reichl urged those on the waiting list to stop by the Student Auxilary Services Building to supply a current phone number and confirm or deny housing needs.
Students wishing to cancel housing contracts may still obtain their original $75 deposit, unless they desire to hold their contracts for the spring semester.
The office hopes to end triple and quadruple arrangements currently set up within the dorms by early next week.
The office also assists those in dire need of housing to find alternate living arrangements. Operation P'ind-A-Flat. as well as roommate lists, have had a two-thirds success raie in an attempt to secure Wilshire-area apartments for out-of-state transfer students.
When asked whether all students on the list will receive housing. Reichl said. “We just don't know. Until we receive all the cancellations, we can't give a definite no or yes answer. It s a difficult situation, because we want to house everybody, but unfortunately, that’s physically impossible.”
ANYONE FOR
PICASSO?—Students contemplate paintings at
the fine art exhibit and
sale. Continuing through Friday, the sale offers framed reproductions of famous artists' works. The sale is located on the Student Activities Center patio. DT photos by Doug Gray.
Slower growth predicted for university enrollment
ME AND MY BOOK—Hoose Library in Mudd Hall of Philosophy is home to this student and her books. Leather chairs and a nearby fireplace complete the setting. DT photo by John Murray.