FINALS WOULD BE BEFORE CHRISTMAS
Senate to study feasibility of academic calendar revision
By Marsha Johnston
SufT Writer
The Student Senate is starting to investigate the feasibility of changing the academic calendar so that finals would be given before an extended Christmas vacation.
A similar proposal was made to the Board of Trustees in October 1976. It was supported by the Students and Faculty Senates and President John R. Hubbard. After it was reviewed by the Academic Affairs and Finance and Budget Committees of the board, it was rejected.
The main reason the proposal was rejected was that the board felt the university would lose junior college students who transfer in the spring semester because their calendars would not be the same as the university’s.
Whether or not the university is in a position to adopt a calendar which might adversely affect mid-year junior college transfers is yet to be determined.
Transfer applications have increased from about 650 in Spring 1976 to a current 956 for Spring 1978. James Jones, executive director of Student Administrative Services, said he expects to receive about 150 more applications before the deadline.
The percentage of acceptance has declined over the past three years. In 1976. 425 of 650 were accepted and in 1977, 500 of 785. indicating better than 507r rates of acceptance.
At this point, only 353 of the 956 Spring 1978 transfer applicants have been admitted. Jones expects a total acceptance figure of around 630 out of 1,200 applicants, approximately a 50^ acceptance rate.
Craig Settles, a senate member who is conducting the preliminary research on the calendar change, intends to contact other universities like Cal State Fresno who had the same situations but still changed their calendars.
Another argument against changing the current calendar was that an extended, say, six-week vacation, tends to increase the drop-out rate.
Bill Dauster. senate chairman, said this could easily be eliminated by making the holiday recess shorter. The university’s law school currently has a three-week vacation after finals.
There are several arguments in favor of ending the fall semester before Christmas and the spring semester earlier.
An earlier spring graduation would give the university the opportunity to take greater advantage of summer sessions.
“I am increasingly optimistic about the possible change (in the calendar),” Dauster said, “As the university reaches a steady state of enrollment, the only way to increase enrollment is to take greater advantage of the summer session, perhaps adding a third.”
“Dr. (Zohrab) Kaprielian (executive vice-president) was thinking of increasing the summer sessions,” Dauster said.
Dauster also said that graduating earlier than some universities would possibly give university students a jump on the job market, especially summer jobs.
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Students may be eligible for tax exemptions
Being in a low-income bracket doesn’t have many advantages. but there may be one.
People who earn less than $2,900 a year don’t have to pay federal income tax. according to John Fleischer, the university tax accountant.
Full-time students who have only summer or part-time jobs and fall into that tax bracket may not even need to have federal income tax withheld from their wages, the Internal Revenue Service reported.
To qualify for exemption from withholding of federal income tax, the IRS says a student must not have incurred liability for income tax in 1977. nor expect to have any income tax liability in 1978.
Such students must fill out a Form W-4 Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate and file it with their employers to claim their exemption. Fleischer said the
form is available from the IRS office and employers.
The form can be filled out at any time, but is usually done at the beginning of a new job, or when there are changes in such things as marital status or the number of exemptions claimed.
Full-time students who work part-time for the university enjoy an extra benefit, Fleischer pointed out — they’re not subject to Social Security taxes.
Fleischer reminded students who have already had federal income tax withheld to file tax returns by April 15 “because with low-income people, quite often too much tax is withheld.”
He added that it’s necessary to attach a Form W-2 to the federal income tax return. Form 1040 or 1040A. The W-2 is prepared by employers and is usually sent to employees at the end of January.
Dany ip Troian
Volume LXXII, Number 60
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California
Friday, January 6, 1978
University to consider discipline for fraternity
The university is evaluating the status of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity to determine if disciplinary action against the fraternity will be taken.
The evaluation began after the fraternity hosted a ‘pint night' Nov. 23 at which furniture and the house, which are both university property, were damaged.
Robert Mannes, dean of student life, said no formal judicial complaints have been brought against the fraternity currently. He said concern has been generated by the pint night.
“The fraternity reputation with the university is not much better than its reputation by rumor,” he said.
Mike Wittern, fraternity adviser, said, “The pint night was the straw that broke the camel’s back.” Wittern said the university has identified the fraternity as a problem.
He said the university is exploring several courses of possible disciplinary action to take against the fraternity.
Wittern said the national organization of the fraternity is aware of the problem. The national organization has the right to revoke the chapter’s charter. The university does not have that authority.
According to a member of the fraternity, the national organization contemplated revoking the fraternity’s charter last year. At that time the organization considered recolonizing the fraternity with new members in a few years. The national organization then decided not to close the fraternity.
The pint night was held during Troy Week. Each participant brought his own drink, con-
sumed in 20 to 30 minutes, to the activity. According to The Row Run, a fraternity-and sorority-oriented newspaper, the alcohol consumed was a minimum of 80 proof. Some participants brought 151 proof rum. and pure grain alcohol.
Members of other fraternities also participated in the event.
A brawl began when one participant threw a bottle. The paper stated that bottles, refrigerators and bodies were thrown from the second floor of the fraternity house. Windows were also broken.
The participants then went to the 901 Club. 2902 S. Figueroa St. According to Chuck Moss, the manager, they destroyed the plumbing in the men’s restroom. They also removed a door and threw bottles throughout the club.
Randy Rice, director of residence halls, said the fraternity has paid for the broken windows and furniture. Everything to Rices’s knowledge has been put back in order.
One member of Delta Tau Delta said some damage to the house was not the result of the pint night. He said windows and furniture had been broken prior to the event.
“This pint night was pretty mild.” he said. “No house decs were destroyed.” (Many fraternities and sororities were finishing the chicken wire and crepe paper Troy Week decorations.)
Andy Proctor, president of Delta Tau Delta,said many ofthe rumors circulating about the status of the fraternity are false. He said he was unsure of the situation, but he was convinced the fraternity would not lose its charter.
Trying to maintain in pouring rain
By Gigi Golden and David Hall
Staff Writers
When Washington came to town for the Rose Bowl, it brought more than its football team. It brought its weather as well.
Unlike the team, the weather stayed here, and after three days of rain, it is questionable whether the inhabitants of “sunny” Southern California can handle the wetness.
It was reported that over 200 people stood in the Student Activities Center watching the downpour. “It was like they had never seen rain before,” said Jeanne Hartley, operations manager of the center.
Life on campus tried to continue as usual, but if the university is any reflection of the general population, we're all in big trouble if the rain continues.
For example:
Parking lot attendants next to Webb Tower were on the job But several minutes after the
rain began, they stopped caring about who or what entered the campus. Their top priority became staying dry, which they accomplished by huddling in the gate booths.
Students still walked to and from classes, but not without mishap. One female student had a particularly rough time. While trying to regain control of a book that fell from her grasp, she slipped and seated herself directly in a large puddle. She did, however, catch the book.
The tram is running. In fact, it was so popular that as it pulled up to Tommy Trojan during a particularly heavy rain, no one got off.
Campus Security cars were rolling — some of them, at least. The rain flooded out one security vehicle at 37th and Hoover Streets and it was a couple of hours before it was removed.
★	★ ★
Things weren’t much better inside, either. There was a high casualty rate on elevators, due to umbrella impalings.
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AN EYE ON CAMPUS
SANDBAGS LINE WALKWAY BEHIND SCIENCE HALL