Hazing bill signed; penalties expanded
By Mary Ann Meek
Staff Writer
Gov. Jerry Brown signed an assembly bill Wednesday increasing the maximum penalties for hazing to one year in County Jail and a $5,000 fine.
Authored by Assemblyman Jim Cramer (D-Upland), AB1256 broadens the definition of hazing and redefines the authorities responsible for dealing with hazing incidents. Under the new bill, hazing is said to include “pre-initiation or initiation rites which are likely to cause bodily danger, physical harm, personal degradation or disgrace resulting in mental or physical harm'.'
A spokesman for the assemblyman said Cramer became involved in writing the bill when a group of students came to him last February and expressed concern over hazing practices at California state university campuses. "Assemblyman Cramer has always been interested in education,” the spokesman said, “particularly since he has a daughter in college a.id a son who is about to enter college. Because of this concern w'ith education, the assemblyman agreed to carry the bill.”
Prior to the passage of the hazing bill, the governing body of a university was responsible for the investigation of hazing practices and for the implementation of any actions taken against individual sororities and fraternities.
“Under the new bill,” Cramer’s aide said, “the rules are more clearly defined and the penalties are much stronger.”
Before AB1256 was signed into law, the maximum penalty for hazing was a S500 fine and six months in jail. However, as under the previous law, hazing remains a misdemeanor.
Tom Piernik, assistant director of Greek Life at this university, said the Interfratemity and Panhellenic councils are well aware of the new law prohibiting hazing. “We’ve been discussing the hazing problem in several workshops and pledge education programs this year,” Piernik explained.
As for Greek reaction to Brown's signing of the bill, Piernik said he hopes it will force sororities and fraternities “to view themselves more critically'" as well as help establish more positive pledging programs.
“A number of fraternities have come to us with various problems and they want to find some sort of activities which can be substituted for the traditional hazing practices.” Piernik said
Although the new’ bill designed to discourage hazing is less than a week old, Piernik added that no hazing incidents have been reported to the IFC this year.
Staff photo by Rich Levine	Staff photo by Joe Fives	Staff photo by Rich Levine
FOUNDER’S DAY — The university's 101st birthday was celebrated Monday with contests, prizes, food and a concert in Alumni Park. At left, Linda Kuglmeier anticipates a cold splash in the dunking booth. Center, a magician places a student's finger in a guillotine and, right, a student participates in the egg toss event See story on page 7.
University aids Bahraini growth
Socio-economic problems studied
By Katy Smith
Assistant City Editor
The university entered a unique agreement w'ith the Bahraini government in February of 1977 in order to make the entire faculty available as an expert consulting service.
In the past, individual departments were hired by' a third party, such as the United States government or a world organization, to assist developing countries with their problems.
“The project is unusual in the sense that Bahrain, like some other countries, is now' paying for the effort (to develop),” said Ted Thomas, the coordinator of the project. “The university’s operation here is with the government of Bahrain, not the U.S. government, the Ford Foundation nor the United Nations.”
The agreement stipulates that the university find the experts needed among the faculty. The university bills the Bahrainian government for the service, w'hich includes the professors' salary and transportation to the country'. The gov- ' ernment pays for any expenses incurred while in Bahrain.
The university' has been involved in several projects and has also provided teaching services.
The university’s Sociological and Population Research laboratory sent representatives to help the Bahraini government design surveys for their 1981 census. The university also
sent regional planners, economists and engineers to work on the transportation problems on the small island.
The School of Public Administration provided executive training workshops for the young Bahrainian businessmen, many of whom are involved in the running of the government.
In the future, the university will be extensively involved in studying the ecological effects of the proposed 15-mile causeway between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. The university convinced the government that an environmental impact study
was needed to anticipate the ecological, economic and sociological problems created by joining the two countries, the coordinator said. These range from the loss of employment in the dhow (a type of boat used for ferrying) fleet to the effect of the clash between the different cultures’ treatment of women.
The faculty members who have been involved in the project have found it very rewarding.
“It’s an exciting project because (Bahrain) is a very interesting, rapidly developing na-(Continued on page 3)
Suspect flees scene after student raped
A female university student was kidnapped and raped Sunday evening by a suspect described as a young, black male, approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall, 175 pounds w'ith a beard, according to Officer Carole Steele of University Security.
The victim was allegedly abducted by the suspect in the 3100 block of Figueroa at 6:44 p.m. while she was attempting to park her car.
Steele said the suspect allegedly approached the victim under the pretense of asking for the time. When he neared the car, he apparently informed the victim that he had a weapon and w'ould “blow her head off if she screamed.”
The suspect then reportedly forced his w'ay' into the vehicle and the suspect and victim drove to the 3000 block of Hi'l Street, where he is said to have committed the rape.
After the rape, he reportedly' ordered the victim out of the vehicle and drove oft with the victim's car. money and jewelry. Police were alerted and the victim, hysterical after the incident, was transported to California Hospital where she received medical treatment, Steele said.
The suspect is still at large. Police said they have no leads in the case.
trojan
Southern California	Tuesday, October 6, 1981
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Volume XCI Number 29^
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