Local DMV gets new offices
Moves one block down Hope Street after 52 years
By Terry Allen
Staff Writer
After 52 years housed in what used to be a tire factory, the Los Angeles office of the Department of Motor Vehicles is packing up and moving into a newly constructed facility that will open at noon today.
At a cost of over S2.9 million, the new two-story, elevator-equipped masonry building at 3615 S. Hope St. will provide employees and customers at the DMV with over 33,000 square feet of floor space.
"We will be able to better accommodate the public now," said Richard Bowman, manager of the L.A. office of the DMV. "What we had before just wasn't set up for a DMV with the number of people we had, especially in the case of the handicapped (for whom no ramps or other special facilities were provided)."
According to a press release issued by the DMV's Office of Communications in Sacramento, the state's 17 million licensed drivers (over 5 million of whom live in L.A. County) make over 13 million visits and some 52 million telephone calls to DMV offices statewide every year.
In addition, DMV transactions account for an annual revenue of more than S3 billion, the press release said.
"The old building had an antique air conditioning system, and you couldn't even see around the pillars on the floor," Bowman said. "We really needed to move. Now we can give the public better service by opening more windows to get them out sooner. It will also give employees more space . . . and improve employee morale. It's just a better working environment."
A formal dedication ceremony for the new facility is slated for 10 a.m. on today. Assemblywoman Teresa Hughes of the 47th Assembly District will be the mistress of ceremonies.
Also expected to be on hand for the ceremony are representatives of the Boy Scouts of America, the California Conservation Corps, the Trojan Marching Band, and Del Pierce, director of the DMV, as well as a host of appointed state, local, and national officials, according to the press release.
The DMV's history in Los Angeles can be traced back to 1915 when the first office was established at 2nd and Hill Streets. Later it was moved to 630 Flower St. and then to 2419 S. Grand Ave. downtown.
Finally, in 1934, the office was moved to 3500 S. Hope St., where it has been located ever since.
The first office in 1915 had six employees to deal with nearly 200,000 motor vehicles statewide. Today, there are some 22 million vehicles statewide (nearly 6 million registered in L.A. Countv alone) and 118 employees stationed in the new facility, according to the press release.
The new office will be equipped to handle nearly every type of DMV transaction, including: vehicle registration; transfer and titling; driver licensing, safety and control; occupational licensing of vehicle dealers, salespersons, and dismantlers, and their regulation through DMV's investigative services, the press release said.
After today, the new office will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, except on Thursday when it will be open until 6:30 p.m. Appointments for DMV services are optional.
Wendy Dong Daily Trojan
Security officers line up the bicycles in front of Commons every day.
Volume Oil, Number 10	University of Southern California	Monday, September 15, 1986
Loriar Elbert/Daily Trojan
Richard Nordin, executive vice president of Alumni Relations, at the “Visions of the Future” Leadership Conference.
Bike Program receives new equipment, officers
By Roseanne Tellez
City Editor
Officers from the Bike Program said they plan to crack down on bicyclists this semester and begin issuing citations and fines, instead of warnings, when students break rules.
To help them with their task, they have new officers, computers and beach cruiser bicycles, said Arne Valenti, Bike Program supervisor.
"We're better organized than we've ever been before," he said. The program has five more officers than it did last year, and six new bikes.
With the new bikes, and walkie-talkies that Valenti plans to order, officers will have a better chance of catching thieves and students breaking safety rules. '7ust last week we saw a guy riding a bike and carrying a bike wheel. We caught up to him and he admitted he stole it, but if we had walkie-talkies we could've called ahead and had him intercepted," he said.
The common violations on campus include speeding, parking illegally (especially in areas reserved for handicapped access) and riding double.
"Eventually we'll be giving tickets, just for the safety of the students and the pedestrians," he said.
(Continued on page 9)
Seventy-Fifth Year of Publication
trojan
1912 — 1986
Volunteers told about fund raising plans at General Alumni Association meeting
By Gary Sutton
Staff Writer
The General Alumni Association sponsored an "informational and motivational" conference for volunteers of the university last Friday at the Sheraton Grande Hotel, downtown.
The purpose of the conference, entitled "Vision of the Future," was to inform those in attendance about the university's involvement in a major fund-raising campaign, to encourage them to get more involved with the university and to recruit new volunteers.
Various alumni organizations, support groups, scholarship organizations, staff, faculty, and students attended the conference. More than 230 people were there, the most in the three year history of the event, said John Davis, president of the General Alumni Association.
Students were invited to this particular conference for the first time, and according to Wally Bobkiewicz, president of the Student Senate, their attendance is a necessity because "students are the future alums of the university (and should) realize that the General Alumni Association is an important part of the university."
A good portion of the conference focused on details of the university's third major fundraising campaign, entitled "The Campaign for the University of Southern California."
James Appleton, vice president of development, said it is the largest fund-raising campaign in the history of American higher education. But he point-
ed out that Harvard and Stanford have yet to announce their campaign efforts.
The campaign actually began July 1, 1984, and will be announced to the faculty on Sept. 26 by James Zumberge, said Robert Biller, executive vice provost. It will officially end June 30, 1990.
During this six-year period, the university hopes to raise $557 million. About 5188 million has been raised so far, not including pledges, so the university is well on its way to reaching its target, Appleton said.
Once the university begins raising $100 million per year, it will join the ranks of a select number of schools. This new fund-raising campaign can move the university beyond being just "good," he said.
Administration officials believe five people will donate a
combined $25 million and about 184 people in all will give at least $1 million each, he said.
University officials will travel to all parts of the country in their fund-raising attempts. Until now, most fund raising for the university has been limited to this region, while other top universities have conducted nationwide campaigns. But officials plan to visit such cities as New York, Pittsburgh and Chicago, said Appleton.
The university is currently planning a specific set of objectives for the $557 million. The money will be used in part, for endowments, the construction and renovation of buildings, and an upgrading of the library system, he said.
Appleton said the campaign will only be successful if there is a close relationship between the university and its volunteers.
Lortan Elbert Dally Trofan
Three students talk informally at the conference.