L.A.’s Harlem Suite showcases dancing, history of jazz music
See Performance, page 7
Professor emeritus of fine arts dies
______________________________See News, page 3
U.S. troops are needed in Panama
See Viewpoint, page 4
Lights out for UCLA; USC sweep clinches 3rd place, playoff bid
See Sports, page 16
trojan
Volume CVIV, Number 1	University of Southern California
Wednesday, May 17, 1989
to 106th graduating class
More than 22,000 spectators counted in first official tally
Clay Walkar / Summer Trojan
The smile says It all. A candidate for a graduate degree salutes the crowd during a moment of pride and self-achievement Thursday in Alumni park.
By Vivien Lou Chen
Staff Writer
In one of the university's largest graduation ceremonies, more than 22,000 spectators packed Alumni Park for Thursday's 106th Annual Commencement, according to the first official head count.
By counting the number of chairs in Alumni Park and tallying the people standing nearby with hand-held counters. University Marshal Kenneth Servis said he and four other university employees determined that about 22,190 people attended.
The turnout was probably the largest ever, Servis said. But because it was the first time a count had been taken, the figure could not be verified.
In dear but windy 70-degree weather, 6,399 expectant graduates began their march into Alumni Park at 10:35 a.m., wearing robes and hoods signifying various degrees and majors.
Michael Sovem, president of Columbia University, warmed up the program with humor at the start of his Commencement address.
"We have now reached that point of solemnity in the Commencement address when the speaker traditionally urges you to begin anew, to remake the world, to clean up the mess that your elders have made," Sovem said.
"But I prefer the Commencement sentiment of your incisive alumnus Art Buchwald, who said: 'We are giving you this perfect world. Don't louse it up.'
"Of course, you and I and Art Buchwald know that the world can stand a little improvement. Certainly, the world would be a better place if everyone would honor just two of the Ten Commandments. Any two."
Sovern compared his university with USC, pointing out that both are located in "neighbor-
(See Sovem, page 2)
Chemistry professor chosen to take over as dean of LAS
Funds settled
Grad school
Hats off
Capacity crowd battles for seats in Alumni Park
By Tracy Imes
Staff Writer
While graduates fought nerves and excitement before Thursday's 106th annual Commencement ceremony, parents and friends battled each other for seats to see their loved ones.
Annette Ross, whose son Pat received a degree in biology, arrived at Alumni Park at 8 a.m. to claim seats in the two rows just behind the graduates.
"When we got here this morning I saw a lot of graduates lined up to go to their satellite ceremonies and receptions, and I thought we might have missed it," Ross said.
"We're lucky to get these seats, even though we won't see Pat until his biology ceremony."
At 10:30 a.m., prior to the ceremony, many anxious parents who still hadn't found seats attempted to persuade ushers to let them sit in roped-off areas reserved for graduates — "just for a minute" — much to the dismay of onlookers such as Ross.
One woman, decked out in purple, haggled with a Navy ROTC usher. The rope dug into her side as she leaned against it, pointing out the many rows of empty seats on the other side of the barrier.
"Why can't we sit in those empty seats?" she asked. "I'm sure it won't make a difference if we adjust the rope a row or two."
"I'm sorry, ma'am/' the usher said. "Those seats are reserved for the gradu-
(See Graduates, page 3)
In Brief
From USC News Service
CAMPUS
USC President to receive Hollzer Memorial Award
University president James Zumberge has won the Jewish Federation Council’s 1989 Harry HoUzer Memorial Award.
The award is given each year in memory of federal Judge Harry Hollzer, founder and first president of the Jewish Community Council.
It is the most prestigious and coveted award given by the Jewish community to persons who have rendered outstanding service in fostering good will and understanding among people of different racial, cultural, religious and ethnic backgrounds in the Los Angeles area.
INSIDE
Viewpoint........................... 4
Performance .■•••••...•..•....•...•...•...•.....7
S	po rtj.......................................... 16
By Linda Ornelas
Staff Writer
George Segal, a university chemistry professor and former chairman of the department, has been selected to replace William Spitzer as dean of the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.
Segal will assume responsibility for USC's largest academic unit July 1.
After more than eight years in administration, Spitzer will now serve as professor of physics.
A selection committee reviewed more than 125 candidates for the position during a nine-month search, said Jerry Walker, associate provost in charge of staffing the committee.
Ten finalists were selected after a series of interviews, Walker said.
Segal and Fred Byron, dean of natural sciences at the University’ of Massachusetts at Amherst, became the top two contenders for the position. Walker said. But after an additional two-day set of interviews with top university officials, Segal was chosen.
"In Gerald Segal, we have found a dean of the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences who is both deeply familiar with USC and who emerged as the best candi-
date from an impressive list," said Cornelius Pings, university provost, in a May 9 announcement of the appointment.
Segal is "uniquely able to lead LAS in the growth we all envision for it," Pings added.
The college, founded in 1880, numbers about 8,000 undergraduate and 1,500 graduate students. It has 460 full-time professors, 173 part-time lecturers and 515 teaching and research assistants.
About 250 people gathered to express their admiration for Spitzer at a farewell reception held by deans of the various divisions of LAS.
"There is no question Spitzer has been an admirable dean," said Joan Nay, Spitzer”s executive assistant. "He was a man of high integrity, fairness, sound judgement, and was always willing to listen.
"He simply decided to retire from administration and return to the classroom."
Spitzer will teach physics this fall and will go on sabbatical in the spring, Nay said. He has not yet announced his plans for fall 1990.
(See Segal, page 5>
funds hiked in senate vote
By Jason Carroll
Staff Writer
The Student Senate has pledged to allocate the graduate school about $35,000 more than in its initial budget for 1989-90 — money that some graduate senators still doubt will cover projected expenses.
The approved budget gives graduate students about $162,000, said Tara Brigham, senate presklent.
The first budget, defeated April 26 amid allegations that the senate was overlooking the needs of graduate students, would have allocated $127,000 to the school, Brigham said.
The increase comes from a constitutional amendment prohibiting the deduction of "fixed costs," such as staff salaries, when allotting funds to the Graduate Program Board.
Graduate senators proposed the amendment as a means of ensuring (See Budget, page 5)