Volume XCI Number 22
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University of Southern California
Thursday, October 1, 1981
By Ken Alexander
Assistant City Editor
The Student Senate met Wednesday to discuss a resolution against raising tuition rates for the next school year, to question President James H. Zumberge and to consider a resolution over the killing of an international student.
effectiveness. The president mentioned his new organizational structure of the administration, stressing the importance of the Office of the President rather than the individual who works there.
Of particular interest to senators were matters of the university budget and the tuition
The senate also debated Resolution 8104, which advises the administration that the Student Senate is strongly against any increases in tuition for the school year 1982-83. The resolution was passed unanimously.
Zumberge answered questions for almost an hour as a guest of the Student Senate. Mark Slavkin, a senator and chairman of the Financial Affairs Research Action Unit of the Student Senate, admitted that the questions asked of Zumberge were less than magnificent and without bite, while Zumberge admitted to the Senate that some student services, particularly financial aid, are lacking in quality and
rate that students must pay. The university budget is approximately $365 million, or $1 million a day, the president said, adding that tuition revenues account for 40 percent of the university revenue generated each day. Students, the primary beneficiaries of the education process here, should be willing to endure four years of high tuition rates in return for later benefits, Zumberge said.
Slavkin pointed out that tui-
INMEMORIAM
tion actually accounts for close to 80 percent of the total amount of revenue that goes toward paying the operating budget. Zumberge agreed and added that Michael Radock, vice president of development and university affairs, was working on a solution to the problem. Unrestricted revenues to the university are not great enough, Zumberge said, and Radock realizes this. The president said that Radock has said, “ ‘If at first I don’t succeed, then fire me,’ ”
Senator Terri Bingham asked what steps were being taken to improve the deteriorating libraries, a question that seemed to startle Zumberge. After a moment of silence, Zumberge agreed that the libraries are in poor shape, but he cited lack of resources as the reason and said he wishes the library system could be improved.
Two issues Zumberge said he will address this year are the dwindling number of graduate students here (down 18 percent during 1970-80) and
Students set up Pettersen Fund
By Mitchell Rossi
Staff Writer
On the same day Petter Pettersen’s body was flown home to his native country of Norway, the Petter Pettersen Fund was started by fellow Scandinavian students. The Norwegian student was slain last Friday night while walking from a bus stop two miles from the university.
“First of all, we are going to put up a reward,” said Georg Raeder, a graduate student in computer science, about the fund. The main reason for the reward is not for revenge but to help solve \he case, Raeder said. “If someone is willing to kill someone for $20, perhaps another person is willing to turn in someone for a $1,000.”
“If there isn’t a suspect found and the reward isn’t used, we will try to do something in Petter’s name,” said Joel-Tomas Citron, a junior in business administration.
The Southwest Divison police detectives still have no suspects in the case.
This crime has repercussions on the university, reaching far beyond Southern California, Citron said. “I think it is vital that the students as well as the faculty give money (to the fund) because I think it not only affects the victim, it affects every single student at USC and USC as a whole institution,” Citron said.
The effects of Pettersen's murder on the Norwegian government-sponsored scholarships is not yet known. The incident has been publicized on Norwegian national television and in the country’s newspapers.
“It makes it difficult for me to recommend any of my
friends or fellow Scandinavian students to come here,” Citron said about the Scandinavian students planing to attend the university in the future.
The university should have some type of program that could help new foreign students from the day they arrive, said Magne Vollen, a graduate student in physical education. More emphasis on the crime problem should be given to international students during orientation.
“It is not as though a foreign student can go home over the weekend,” Citron said. “You never think it is as bad as it really is.”
“I was not afraid in the beginning because I didn’t know better, but now I’m really frightened,” said Vollen, also from Norway. “I think that it’s the same for all foreign students. They don’t know (at first) but after one year, they really understand what it is like.”
retention of students once they are here. He termed President Reagan shortsighted in not realizing the great potential of university graduates, adding that aid cuts and research grant cuts may be a mistake.
The senate also debated Resolution 8104, which advises the administration that the Student Senate is strongly against any increases in tuition for the school year 1982-83. The resolution was passed unanimously.
The resolution states “that
the Student Senate strongly opposes any increase in the tuition rate above the current $205/unit for 1982-83 . . and that student support of the resolution should be sought.
Slavkin termed the passing of the resolution the most important event of the meeting and said it was the first time the Student Senate had ever passed a resolution as strongly worded against tuition rate increases. Should student support fail to materialize, the Stu-
(Continued on page 8)
RTD considering
rerouting bus line
By George Aguilar
Staff Writer
The university community is in danger of losing a recently rerouted Rapid Transit District bus route because of low rider-ship. However, university administrators are hoping RTD will give the university more time to increase ridership.
Suzanne Rothlisberger, an RTD representative, said her company’s Scheduling and Planning Department is considering rerouting line 813 or 814 away from the university because of a low number of persons riding on the buses. The committee's final recommendation will be made public Friday.
RTD rerouted five bus routes, running from the South Bay area to downtown Los Angeles, to pass by the university starting Sept. 13. However, RTD is concerned about the lack of ridership and has received many complaints from non-university riders claiming that the stops have added ten minutes to travel time.
The routes in question are lines 442, 737, 810, 813 and 814. These routes provide extensive service to the South Bay area and all make stops in downtown Los Angeles. The routes that are not rerouted now will remain in service for the next two-and-a-half months. RTD will then conduct a review of these routes, and a decision on whether to continue them will be made.
The bus company runs five other routes that pass the university which are not going to be reviewed. Those lines are 9, 49, 102, 200 and 204.
(Continued on page 18)
PETTERSEN FUND - Joel Thomas Citron, left and Magne Vollen, both of Norway are trying to raise money for the Petter Pettersen Fund, in memory of the Norwegian student who was slain last Friday. The
Staff photo by Junji Yasuda
fund will be used as a reward for the conviction of Pettersen's assailant Pettersen's body was flown home to Norway yesterday.
Senate passes resolutions against tuition hikes
Zumberge questioned on financial services, libraries