Robinson resigns, joins administration
Leaves 25-year coaching career to become senior vice president
By Johannes Tesselaar
Assistant Sports Editor
John Robinson, one of the most successful football coaches in the history of this university, resigned as head coach Tuesday to become the senior vice president of university relations, effective Dec. 1.
“It was time for me to think about another career. I'm looking forward to trying other things.” Robinson said, speaking before a large crowd of media members at Town and Gown.
Robinson will be responsible for fund raising, alumni relations, public relations and KUSC, the university-affiliated National Public Radio station.
The appointment completes the selection of three senior vice presidents who form the university's executive committee along with President James Zumberge. He replaces Michael Radock. who resigned June 30.
“The decision (to leave football) is obviously a very difficult one for me.” Robinson said. “The concept of changing in mid-career is frightening. I've been in coaching for 25 years and enjoyed every min-
ute of it.”
Saturday’s game at the Coliseum will mark the end of Robinson's seven-year career as head coach, one that was marred by probations during the 1980 and 1982 seasons. His record is 66-14-2.
Ted Tollner, the team’s offensive coordinator, will become the new head coach.
Zumberge said he thinks Robinson is qualified for the new-job because the coach is wrell known and respected by the university’s alumni, students, faculty and staff.
“He has proved an able manager, and he is experienced and adept in communicating with the public and the media,” Zumberge said, reading from a prepared text. “He has embraced his public role with energy, engendering great support for the university.”
Zumberge said that Robinson’s salary structure is privy information. Liz King, assistant to the president, said a written agreement has not been formulated or signed.
The president said that Robinson. in becoming one of his three key administrative asso-
Staff photo by Jessica Friedheim
FROM ATHLETICS TO ADMINISTRATION — Head football coach John Robinson bids farewell to the gridiron and announces that he will become senior vice president of university relations. Robinson steps down from 25 years of coaching, seven with the university during which he amassed a 66-14-2 record. Also shown, from left are Athletic Director Richard Perry and President James Zumberge.
ciates, will supervise a staff of 110 and a budget of S4 million.
Robinson, 47, will work with James Appleton, vice president of development, in an attempt to raise S50 million annually.
Zumberge said he offered the job to Robinson around the wreek of Oct. 9 when the foot-
a bye between and Stanford
ball team had the Oregon games.
Robinson said he thought it over for about three weeks before deciding to accept the job.
The decision to announce his resignation four days before the season finale was not going
to be used as a ploy to inspire the team against Notre Dame, Robinson said.
“The potential to hold the information another week was difficult,” Robinson said. “It’s also selfish on my part because I’d like to go out with the (Continued on page 3]
trojan
Volume XCII, Number 56 University of Southern California Wednesday, November 24, 1982
Housing costs may be on fee bills, requiring students to prepay rent
By Belma Johnson	sidered invoices that are payable upon receipt or
By Belma Johnson
Staff Writer
University housing costs may be added to fee bills next fall, and students who do not arrange to pay will not be allowed to move in. according to an apparently premature announcement Monday night.
According to the announcement, the plan affects dormitory and apartment residents and it is designed to consolidate student payments into one bill. No one seems to know who made the announcement.
The current student housing contracts are con-
sidered invoices that are payable upon receipt or which may be deferred, said Joyce Lara, a housing collections representative.
Students in dormitories must pay their bills in one payment or defer it. said Eric Moorehead. a housing services representative.
Under the new plan, students would be required to prepay for any student housing.
It is too early for students to worry about such a drastic change in university policy, said Jon Strauss, senior vice president of administration.
He described a billing plan for next year much (Continued on page 9)
University officials react to Robinson’s appointment
By George Aguilar
Assistant City Editor
When the university concluded a nationwide search for its senior vice president for university relations, many people expected a candidate with fund-raising and publicity credentials stacked a mile high.
Instead, they got a variation: head football coach John Robinson.
Administrators involved with the decision are ecstatic that Robinson chose to forego his successful coaching career. They give little attention to the fears of a football coach becoming one of the top administrators of a large university.
Student, faculty and staff reaction to Tuesday’s announcement by President James Zumberge wras one of shock, surprise and questioning.
But it seems nobody is more confident of tackling the university’s fund-raising and image problems than Robinson himself.
“I'm taking this job because I’m capable of doing it,” he said, after the crush of reporters and television lights had subsided.
Robinson's move from Heritage Hall to the Bovard Administration Building will not be an easy one.
His duties entail supervising 110 staff people and a budget of S4 million. The office of development and university relations is the umbrella that houses the departments of alumni support, public relations, fund raising, and university publications.
(ContlnueO on page 6)
Hazardous waste storage: university doing its part
Chemistry department meets federal guidelines
By Alan Grossman
Assistant City Editor
In the wake of Proposition 12, and an ever-widening awareness across the country concerning nuclear issues, the problem of radioactive waste storage at the university has been carefully delineated to ensure the safe transition of the material to government dump sites.
The men in charge of disposing of the university’s radioactive and hazardous wraste say they carefully follow' a set plan which meets the guidelines of federal goverment agencies.
John Pickering, radiation safety officer for the university, said that before radioactive waste is transported to the dump site in Richland, Wash., it is sent to the university's chemistry department.
Franklin Billig, laboratory manager and safety officer in the chemistry department said he collects both radioactive and hazardous waste from various university departments.
Billig said the university meets guidelines set by the Department of Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency in preparing waste for licensed government disposal agencies.
He said the vendors from these companies are responsible for transporting the radioactive material to Richland, and hazardous waste material to various other dumpsites.
“Once we get (the waste), I segregate it according to DOT regulations by flammables, causitives, etc,” Billig said.
He said the disposal agencies go through the various chemicals, and pack it according to DOT and EPA regulations. He said that only 13 gallons of waste can go into the 55-gallon drum in which it is packed.
Pickering said the waste-container drums are “wipe-tested” for leaks before and after radioactive materials are placed in them. “The containers must be certified or wre won't even accept them,” he said.
He said that the “wipe-test” involves placing a sensitive filter over any area of the container which would be handled during the packaging.
He added that the university does not keep waste stored over 90 days, in accordance with EPA regulations.
Pickering said that radioactive waste is either decayed until it is no longer radioactive, or just packed in the drums before being transported to the dump site in Richland by the radioactive waste vendor.
“If its liquid waste, it is placed in absorbent material, then in the drum. Dry or solid w'aste is put in plastic containers, and compacted if it is possible. The w'aste is put in plastic bags thick enough so it won’t break down," Pickering said.
Upon arriving in Richland. Pickering said the drums are once again tested for leakage, before being buried in the ground in a protective shell. He added
that the dump periodically exhumes containers for retesting.
Environmentalists have expressed concern over the burial system, saying that the drums will eventually corrode, allowing the waste to seep into the underground water table.
Pickering disagrees. “Over a period of years, I assume the 55-gallon steel drums w'ould break down, but (the wastes) are also packed in the plastic.”
Pickering also said the university also recycles waste when it can, explaining that some materials have to be bought in large quantities because of manufacturer policy.
“If it is cost effective, we may resell it to another user. We prefer to recycle the waste,” he said.
Billig said the university hires a company which recycles waste by first distilling and purifying it. before analyzing it for safety, and finally repackaging it for sale to other laboratories.