Zumberge quote still causes controversy
On Sept. 24, the Daily Trojan reported on an article about the university that appeared in various Scripps-Howard newspapers. University officials were not pleased with the content of the article, and there was some doubt as to the validity of a particular quote by President James H. Zumberge.
The original quote read, “ ‘1 his is no time to look for an improvement in quality,’ Zumberge told his advisers recently. ‘It’s important to get the same numbers. If we don’t generate the tuition revenues we’ve anticipated, we’ll be in serious trouble.' ”
The article was written by Kenneth Eskey, a reporter at the Washington. D.C.. bureau of the Scripps-Howard Newspaper chain.
Eskey’s brother, David, is an associate professor at the American Language Institute on campus. In a letter David Eskey sent to the Daily Trojan, he said the quote in question appears in the March 1981 edition of the CSC Chronicle.
The Chronicle is published by the Office of Academic Relations, headed by Vance Peterson. Peterson stated that he thought it was highly unlikely the president would make such a statement.
Peterson declined to comment when made aware that the quote appears in a publication prepared by his office.
The quote that appeals in the Chronicle reads, “We’ll do well to maintain the quality of the fi'eshman class as opposed to a year ago, but this is no time to look for an improvement in quality. It’s important to get the same numbers ... If we don’t generate the tuition revenues that we’ve anticipated, we’ll be in serious trouble come fall."
“The Eskey story took my commentary on enrollment somewhat out of context. The Chronicle attribution ... is more in line with the point I was trying to get across,” Zumberge said in a phone interview.
Eskey, the reporter, stated, “I wasn't out to rape it. What the hell-do I know about Southern Cal? If the story was unfair, I wouldn't have written it.”
In rebuttal, Zumberge stated that the university is “tuition dependent,” whereby tuition, fees and housing fees account for over 50 percent of the university’s revenues. He said the university set a target number of incoming freshmen, a number that was met. he added, without a drop in the quality of students.
Zumberge admitted that a small drop in the overall quality of students would be acceptable, noting that he would be termed a villain if he said so outright.
(oMHw trojan
Volume XCI Number 23
University of Southern California
Monday, October 5, 1981
Staff photo by Alexis
A QUEST FOR CANS — With a shopping cart filled with aluminum cans, this lady hopes to find more in the trash bins behind the physical education building. The cans may be returned for 32 cents per pound at recycling centers.
TO REPRESENT BANK
Zumberge plans Far East trip
By Barry Sloan
Staff Writer
President James H. Zumberge announced he will travel to the Far East in late October to meet with university alumni associations in Tokyo, Honolulu and possibly Hong Kong.
Zumberge, who was elected to the International Board of Directors for Security Pacific National Bank last August, will represent the financial institution during the two-week trip scheduled to begin the last week of October. During his free time in the Far East, though. Zumberge said he will “touch base" with the alumni groups.
Carl Hartnack, chairman of the Board of Trustees for the university and also chairman of the International Board of Directors for Security Pacific National Bank, will accompany
the president on the trip and hopes to establish strong ties with the alumni groups.
“It has been a plan of mine to gradually familiarize myself with the alumni organization outside of California,” Zumberge said. Being a new president at such a large private university warrants spending time to get acquainted with school-related groups, he added.
The president said his top priority last year was to familiarize himself with University Park and the USC Medical Center. This year he plans to do the same with the international alumni groups.
As for his dual position as universeity president and as a director for Security Pacific, Zumberge said the connection will reap intangible benefits for the school.
“It’s another window
through which the president of a great university can view the world,” he said, adding that it is appropriate for the university to establish and maintain strong ties with the business community because so many members of the Board of Trustees are involved in the private sector.
Aside from representing Security Pacific’s banking interests in the Far East, Zumberge will meet with the alumni group in Tokyo, the university’s largest such international club. The president is also making arrangements to visit alumni in Hong Kong.
On the return trip, Zumberge will talk to the l,200-member alumni group in Honolulu. Hawaii also accounts for the second largest number of students enrolled at the university, behind California.
(Continued on page 15)
Services for murdered student attended by nearly 50 persons
Under gray skies, a small memorial service for Petter Petterseon, the Norwegian student who was killed last Friday, was held Thursday afternoon in the university’s Religious Conference Center Church.
Approximately 50 persons attended the 30-minute service which was led by Alvin Rudisill, university • chaplain.
“It has been a very hard week . . . and we now gather together to share our sadness over the loss of a colleague and friend,” the chaplain opened.
Even though there is grief over Petterson’s death, Rudisill explained the importance of celebrating his life. “Life is worth living, and having shared Petter’s life with him, for however briefly, has given all of our lives more meaning and a richer purpose.
“There is meaning and purpose in simply gathering together in a time of sadness," the chaplain continued as he read passages on comfort and hope from the Psalms and Ecclesiastes.
During the service, Petterson's resident adviser, Jed Shay, described his friend. “Petter took a liking to philosophy, often staying up all night to study it. He even had some of Socrates’ sayings posted on his door, although I’m not sure some of took the time out to notice them."
Eric Twite, another of Petterson's friends from Trojan Hall said the rainy weather during the service was quite fitting. “It's very difficult to accept Pet-ter's death," he said, explaining that just as the rain has cleansed the air, everyone must go on after the memorial service and begin to lead the rest of their lives.
As the service closed with the reading of the prayer of St. Francis and The Lord's Prayer, Rudisill invited everyone to “pray for Petter, his' family, our university, our city and especially for peace among all peoples.”
Community relations committee composed
By Jamie Mohn
Staff Writer
A group of concerned- university, business and neighborhood members met Thursday to discuss the need of a committee to represent the community. The meeting concluded with the selection of -11 people volunteering to form this committee.
The basic function of this body will be to facilitate interaction between the university and the city. “We need to pull together a network to represent the community so that when the officials need to discuss an issue with the community, there will be someone to talk to who can be their voice," said Rev. Ed Penonzek, chairperson of the Greater University Parish.
Rev. Penonzek worked as the head of the parish to obtrain a low-income housing complex in the community. The group’s work culminated in the Toward Century
II	housing complex.
Rev. Penonzek opened the meeting by defining his concept of an urban university that would utilize the academic expertise the university has to offer, stating, “ ’SC is doing projects all over the country. Why can’t they be doing them here in the city?"
The gfoup discussed and decided on several immediate goals. One of these was the selection of a body of interested members from the university and the surrounding community. The group will participate hi conferences in working toward an urban university.
Sev-eral members in the audience said they have had experiences with similar successful programs in Chicago and Harvard. where the city and the university worked together toward a common goal. This workshop would be the first step toward harmonizing the community and the university.
Several long-term goals were
also discussed. “We would like this body of persons to become policy-oriented to housing zones, land use and also to be able to answer the various questions that would arise. This committee will be able to confront officials in a democratic way,” Rev. Penonzek said.
The parish recently negotiated with the university and the Community Redevelopment Association. “We have a good relationship with both the CRA and the university. If we can bring people together in a workshop to bring about this long-range goal the CRA said they will provide the money, while President James H. Zumberge offered to get as much of the university to participate as possible,” Rev. Penonzek said.
“It’s tough, but I think the university is at a point where they are willing to respond. We should be using what is already available to us. We don’t have to invent the wheel again,” he said.
In the course of making the selection of committee members, the audience debated as to who should be on the committee. While some thought it was important to have neighborhood people as members, others felt it was
questionable whether they would be able to speak for themselves and not be intimidated by the businessmen. The final decision was to have representation from all areas.
DT apology
Due to computer problems caused by the recent electrical storm, the Daily Trojan did not appear on Oct. 2. We apologize for any inconvenience to our readers.