dki% trojan
Volume XCII. Number 6
University of Southern California
Tuesday, September 14, 1982
Freshmen must pass skill exams under new G.E. requirement
Photo bv Alexis Ignatieff
RELAXING EXERCISE — Albert Grumauer, a senior studying chemical engineering, really isn't experiencing excrutiating pain. He's simply working out at the new health club. Student Bodies. See stories page 2 and page 20.
By Michael Moflnskl
Staff Writer
Under a new set of general education requirements, all freshman students entering the college of letters, arts and sciences (LAS) this semester are now required to take skill level examinations in mathematics and foreign language.
Students must now pass the math skill level examination as a part of their general education requirements.
To complete the foreign language requirement, a student must first take a placement examination which places them in the appropriate level of instruction and then complete that and subsequent levels of instruction until the equivalent of three semesters of a foreign language are completed.
If a student does well enough on the placement examination, he may be allowed to take a skill level examination which, if passed, exempts the student from any foreign language requirement. The skill level exam is equivalent to the final exam in the third semester of the language.
Students of some of the less popular languages, however.
need not take a skill level exam in order to be exempted from the requirement, said Robert Jones, director of the testing bureau. Under the old requirements, a skill level examination was not necessary, and a student could be exempted from the foreign language requirement by taking only the placement exam.
Other changes include an additional required course in the foundations of western culture sequence, replacing one of the required courses in the empirical approaches sequence, for bachelor of arts degrees in the divisions of social and natural sciences. Also, transfer students to LAS will be required to take the freshman writing final examination.
Only freshmen entering LAS this fall or in future semesters and transfer students beginning their college careers this semester will be affected by the changes.
“The whole theory behind skill levels is not that the students spend a certain amount of time in class, but that they acquire the ability to use certain tools: language, mathematics, the ability to write,” said
University offers nighttime parking passes
By Jeannie Wong
Staff Writer
A limited-use parking permit at a reduced cost is now available for students who live in the off-campus community. It can be purchased in the parking operations office for $33 a semester — half the cost of a commuter permit
“The permit is geared for those wbo live close to campus, on the Row or in apartments, who do not have access to resident permits or do not wish to pay the full price for commuter permits,” said Carl Levredge, director of security and parking operations.
Levredge explained that the permit would be valid on weekdays from 7:30 p.m. to 7
a.m. and all day on weekends.
“During the day, we have to make provisions for commuter students, faculty and staff,” Levredge said.
There is already a university “open campus” policy, Levredge said, which states that after 5 p.m. anyone with a permit or purchased entry pass is allowed to park in virtually any lot, parking structure or street, except those which are restricted, on a first-come, first-serve basis.
“It (the new permit) fills the void for nearby residents who want to come to campus on an infrequent basis but who do not want to find themselves confronted with a $2.50 entry fee.”
The Student Senate approached parking operations with this concern last spring and feels this solution will be adequate to meet the demand.
Dan Dunmoyer, president of the Student Senate, agreed that the problem exists but disapproved of the way it is being solved.
“We were concerned about students who lived off campus and who parked a distance from lighted facilities and buildings, specifically the Menlo Park area,” he said. “We were also concerned about crime that often prevailed in the evening. This way, we can encourage some means for students to park on campus and help solve some crime problems.”
However, although some members of the Student Senate feel that the purpose for the permit is a good one, they have reservations about the means for it
“I don’t feel that it will be successful,” said Andrew Morrow, chairman of student affairs for the Student Senate. “We are fearful that students are not going to take advantage of it The fee is still exorbitant and defeats the whole purpose of making parking affordable in the evening hours.”
Dunmoyer feels that a 50 cents fee, for example, would be more attractive in the long run than a $33 lump sum.
Levredge said other alternatives exist “For those people who still don’t feel they want to purchase this permit, the tram service as well as the escort service still exists. We are just creating another avenue of availability.”
UCLA finds that one solution to the problem of off-campus parking at night is to pro-
vide free parking from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. in various lots on campus.
“We have a lot of room at night that is just going to waste after nine,” said Charles Cuenod, assistant manager of campus parking service at UCLA. “Evening permits are available for $30 per quarter, but they are essentially for our staff who work in the evening and for the night extension students.”
Engineering dean search progressing
By Carmen Chandler
Staff Writer
The advisory committee for the dean of engineering has narrowed its search for the replacement of Zohrab Kaprie-lian, who died in December of last year, to a pool of 120 candidates.
The selection of the new dean is coming along quicker than expected, said George Bekey, professor of electrical engineering and chairman of the committee.
“It’s only been five months,” he said. ‘‘That’s ahead of schedule. A normal search takes six to nine months.”
Though the search is not complete, the committee will meet early Wednesday with Cornelius Pings, the senior vice president of academic af-(Continued on page 7)
Although the area is safer, Cuenod said, students are encouraged to park on campus because many of the local home owners prefer to keep their streets clear.
“A lot of sororities and fraternities and others use some of our parking (facilities).” Cuenod added.
The university parking operations is self-supporting.
Thomas Perry, assistant coordinator of the general education program (as told to Transcript. “Some of the other departments are also considering changes in general education requirements.”
Students who fail the skill level examination for math are encouraged to take math 107x as early as possible. Students can then retake the skill level examination.
Jones said there are alternatives to taking math 107. “For example, students could go off and study by themselves and come back six months later and retake the exam.”
“(Math) 107 will help you pass the test,” said William Harris, chairman of the mathematics department “It involves the minimal skills you need before you can take any math course at USC.”
“At least 1,000 entering students did not pass the skill level test in math this year,” Harris said. “There are different reasons for this. Some of them didn’t know they had to take it”
The new rules result in more students being enrolled in math 107 this year. A year ago at this time, 342 students were enrolled in 107, this year there are 422 students in the course.
“We have added some additional staff so that the student can progress as fast as possible in the course,” Harris said. “If students progress well, they can take the skill level exam at any point during the course, and if they pass, they need not complete the course.
The new general education requirements were proposed in
1979	by the general education committee. Since then, students have been taking the math skill level exam on a diagnostic basis. Over the last two years, approximately 60 percent of the enrolling students failed this exam.
Body of student found decomposed in apartment
By Wendell Mobley
Gty Editor
and Gary Karr
Staff member
The decomposed body of a 24-year-old female university student was found in a West 30th Street apartment at approximately 6 p.m. Monday, police spokesmen have reported.
The cause of death is still being investigated and will not be released until the autopsy is completed later today.
Lt Duane Gansemer of the Southwest Division of the Los Angeles Police Department, said there was no trace of gunshots, but refused any further comment regarding the death.
The woman, whose body reportedly remained in the apartment for at least three days, has not yet been positively identified. However, the Daily Trojan has learned that she was an out-of-state student working towards her doctorate.
Lt Dan Cook, press liaison with the LAPD, said he expected a team of investigators to work through the night on the case.
The woman's parents reportedly called University Security late Monday to say they had not heard from their daughter, and were worried.
Security officers were the first authorities on the scene, the Regal Rita Apartments, located at 803 W. 30th St
The parents were on their way to Los Angeles from Bakersfield as of press time.
Robert Mannes, dean for student life, who was at the scene Monday evening, said he was awaiting the arrival of the parents but would say no more.