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Volume XCII, Number 58
University of Southern California
Wednesday, December 1, 1982
THE WRATH OF A STORM — Those who were aggravated or waylaid by the drenching by this crushed AMC Pacer that was parked on 30th Street near Orchard Street Trees rains and gusting winds because a textbook was soaked or an umbrella blew away have were blown over on campus in Alumni Park as well. More rain is expected today. See page much to be thankful for. Damage caused by yesterday's storm was extensive, as evidenced 2 for more wind art
Issues other than X’s and O’s to face Robinson in new role
By George Aguilar
Assistant City Editor
Amid a whirlwind of expectations and curiosity, John Robinson today leaves 25 years of coaching football to offically become senior vice president of university relations.
For the next two months Robinson will encounter a variety of problems and issues as part of the trio of senior vice presidents reporting to President James Zumberge.
Robinson, named to the post Nov. 23 in a move that caught
everyone by surprise, will direct the office that oversees alumni relations, fund-raising, public relations and radio station KUSC. He is replacing Michael Radock, who resigned last June.
He will be responsible for raising $50 million annually, will serve as liaison between the alumni and the university, and be the top public relations man for the university.
Robinson, 47, has no experience in university administration. He graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in education and has been a coach for the past 25 years.
But what Robinson lacks in experience he says he will make up for in enthusiasm and leadership.
“I’m going to get out and hustle. I have no detailed plans right now, but I have a concept of what the job needs and that is leadership,” he said in the aftermath of his appointment.
He expects to face many problems, including the financial crunch the university expects because of governmental cutbacks that will force a greater emphasis on private donations. But he says he is eager to meet the challenge.
“I think the university has responded well in the past. We do have a commitment to higher education and private education.”
As for the university's academic reputation. Robinson is willing to become an academic (Continued on page 3)
Fallen power lines cause blackout at health campus
By Alan Grossman
Assistant City Editor
The university’s Health Sciences Campus w’ent without power and some telephone service for almost five hours Tuesday, after 50 mph winds uprooted a tree, causing it to fall on phone lines, said Lt. Andrew Post, head of security at the campus.
The lines reportedly went down at about 8:30 a.m. No one at the Department of Water of Power could be reached for confirmation.
Post said the blackout affected the campus and the nearby Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, which reportedly used a backup system for power.
Power was restored at about 1 p.m.. Post said, adding that no serious security problems were reported during the almost five-hour blackout.
“We checked all the buildings to make sure everyone was OK, but no special problems came up. everything was peaceful,” he said.
But Niles Hogue, director of Physical Plant for the campus, said his department’s experiences were "hectic" during the incident.
“In a situation like that, a lot of important experiments, which we couldn't put a price tag on, were in danger of spoiling without being cooled or frozen,” Hogue said.
He said the Physical Plant had to find as much dry ice and ice chests as possible to save the collective work, but faced a shortage of the material because, “of course, there was a run on them.”
“We were beatin’ the bushes to get dry ice in time to save the experiments. It was a battle to save them," he said.
Despite the effort, Hogue said that a few were spoiled. “It was tough to maintain the correct temperatures.”
Hogue said the other problem his department faced was in trying to estimate flood damage, and clean up without lights.
(Continued on page 3)
Probe continues
into cause of fire
By Annette Haddad
Staff Writer
The Los Angeles Fire Department is still investigating the cause of Sunday's fire in the Student Administrative Services building that resulted in damages possibly totaling $500,000. a department official said.
“Arson detectives are always called to investigate emergency fires,” David Peters, a public service officer for the LAFD, said.
All student records housed in the building were left intact, although the blaze gutted the top two floors of the building, said Howard Saperston. director of registration and records.
The SAS building has been closed since the fire in order to expedite cleanup and reconstruction. Saperston said the first floor of the building is expected to be open on Thursday so students can obtain information, but probably will not be servicing students until early next week.
Saperston said SAS operations have moved to the Auxiliary Services building and that the spring registration process will proceed as usual.
The fire started in the SAS budget and administration office. Saperston said.
The office, located on the second floor, was completely blackened with soot and its furniture was burned beyond recognition. The blaze caused extensive damage on that level before spreading to the third floor.
“The fire doors held so it (the fire) didn't affect the wings (of the building),” Saperston said. “The fire moved up instead of across.”
He said that the heavy rains Monday night caused additional damage to the building. Many floors on the second level were left unsupported and only tenuously remain intact.
The entire second floor, and most of the third floor, are now covered in soot. Two cleanup crews, hired by the university’s insurance company, are working to relocate the salvaged office furniture, computer terminals and file cabinets to the first floor.
A pine-scented deodorizer has been used in an attempt to absorb the smell of smoke that permeates the upper levels of the building.
Estimated damage to office equipment and furniture is about $100,000 and structural damages are figured at about $300,000.
Saperston said that within 10 days, 90 percent of the SAS will be operational. He added that the reconstruction crew is “working amazingly fast” in repairing the damage.
Computer data lines, which were out of commission due to the fire and water damage, are now back in operation, he said.
Photo by Craig Stewart