Volume XCI Number 31
University of Southern California
Friday February 26, 1982
Stock portfolio will be published upon university trustee’s approval
By David Wharton
Staff Writer
Although the university announced Tuesday it will publish a detailed stock portfolio, the chairman of the trustees’ finance committee said its decision to release the investment information still requires final approval from the entire board.
“It will have to go to the full Board of Trustees for final approval. What the board will do remains to be seen,” said Jack Horton, chairman of the finance committee. The board will meet next on April 18 for the trustee's annual conference.
Jon Strauss, senior vice president of Administration, mistakenly announced Tuesday that the subcommittee’s decision was final and that the university would definitely publish the portfolio. Strauss said the material would contain a detailed breakdown of stocks and bonds owned by the endowment pool fund and would be released at the end of each fiscal year beginning this July.
“Jack Horton called me with his concerns (Wednesday) afternoon. I would suspect that the board will approve it and it is my feeling that
he wants to the give the board the courtesy of a review,” Strauss said.
Horton said the finance committee supports the release of the information.
“There is no reason not to disclose it, we have nothing to hide,” Horton said Wednesday.
Andrew Littlefair, chairman of the Student Senate, said he believes the board will vote in favor of the finance committee’s decision. He added that the Student Senate’s power to influence the board is limited.
“We haven't had much luck talking to the board about anything. We don’t have much contact,” he said. “I will be contacting Zumberge and Strauss about the issue next week, though."
The finance committee, like other subcommittees of the Board of Trustees, does not always have the power to make final decisions on behalf of the entire board, said George Abdo, executive assistant to President James H. Zumberge.
“There are certain things that the finance committee is empowered to do in and of itself, and I’m not sure if this would be one of them,” Abdo said. “Ordinarily, the committees report to the
(Continued on page 6)
Staff photo by Adam Schaffer
THE POLITICAL ARENA — Former university trustee and current gubernatorial candidate Houston Flournoy spoke Thursday at VKC. He was on campus promoting the political science semester in Sacre-mento
Reorganization of student services looking optimistic
Transcripts, degree checks, diploma certifications withing a week
Some of the criteria include money and a commitment to make the system work. “We are setting aside money for these things and we’re going to have to train people and program the computers,” Pings said.
“The reality of the (current) system is that it’s an old one that’s being swamped,” he said.
“We’re striving for quality on this campus. I’ve had angry students and parents come to me,” Pings said, referring to the quality of services provided by the Graduation Department. The reorganization of SAS, slated for completion by July 1, will create several new positions to be filled, the report said.
The position of dean of Admissions and Financial Aid will be one such opening, the report said. In addition to handling all student financial aid, the dean will “have the responsibility for all undergraduate, graduate and professional admissions except for several of the professional schools which have historically handled their own admissions,” the report said.
Edward Wall, formerly the dean of admissions at Amherst College for 11 years, will serve as dean of Admissions and Financial Aid starting July 1.
Charles Wolfkill will be in charge of improving services to students through the introduction of “more efficient systems and the better training of service personnel,” the report said. He will be responsible for Student Registration and Records in addition to previous responsibilities for Student Financial Operations.
The responsibility of the registrar is being divided into two subdepartments — Student Registration and Records, and Student Academic Services.
Student Registration and Records will be responsible, the report said, for student enrollment processing and record maintenance and the compiling of various statistics. The responsibility will be coordinated with the other support operations in the Admissions and Financial Aid and Student Financial Operations offices.
The other subclepartment, ~ Student Academic Services, will provide academic ipport services such as degree clearance, probation and petitions, the report said. It will also provide the primary support for the campus committee concerned with academic standards and irriculum. It will be expected to maintain close liaison with the office of the senior vice president of Academic Affairs, the report said.
The public contact portion of Admif~>ns and Financial Aid will be moved next summer to the Auxiliary Services Building. The building is located near the intersection of Figueroa Street and Exposition Boulevard.
“This attractive, modern building is highly visible and easily accessible,” the report said, describing the Auxiliary Services Building.
“This move should substantially improve the effeciency of the operation and simultaneously improve the visibility and image both to the campus and to the many prospective students and their parents who will first know USC by their contacts in that office," the report said.
By Wended Mobley
Assistant City Editor
The reorganization of the Student Administrative Services, a process that began last October, is slated to reduce the amount of time that it takes to obtain degree checks and diploma certifications.
A report compiled by Cornelius Pings, senior vice president of Academic Affairs, and Jon Strauss, senior vice president of Administration, outlined some of the changes predicted to take place.
“We would propose standards such-es transcript requests responded to within two working days, degree checks within one week, diploma certifications within two working days
and diplomas available either at commencement or mailed within one week of commencement,” the report said.
Presently, students who call the university’s Graduation Department are told that a degree check would take nine months or maybe longer.
Debrah Smith, who works in the department as a supervisor of undergraduate counselors, said that on the average, degree checks take seven months.
Smith said the report’s predictions sounded optimistic, but said she could not determine whether they would prove successful. Smith said she had not received a copy of the report.
Pings defended the predictions. “They are not unrealistic or unreasonable,” he said, adding that the changes would not occur immediately.
“A substantial amount can be done within months, with significant change within a year,” Pings said.
He said computers, and automation in general, would be needed to make the improvements in the Graduation Department.
“It’s a question of how long _it will take,” Pings said, addressing the potential for such improvements. He said there are certain criteria that need to be met before such changes can occur.
Staff photo by Jessica Friedheim
JAZZED — ferent sound of music was heard on campus as the Del Atkins Quintet performed in E.F. Hutton Park jnursday. Alpha Kappa Psi sponsored the free noon concert