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Volume XCV, Number 13
University of Southern California
Thursday, January 26, 1984
Pings addresses senate, discusses academic plan
By Sheldon Ito
Assistant City Editor
Cornelius Pings, senior vice president of academic affairs and provost, told the Student Senate Wednesday night that his office was beginning to resemble a "command post in some battle zone" because of all the people hard at work preparing the second draft of the university's academic plan.
The administration is currently drafting the academic plan which will attempt to assess the present state of the university and determine improvements which need to be done over the next six to 10 years.
Pings spoke at the senate's weekly meeting and answered questions about the first rough draft of the plan which had been submitted to the senate, the Board of Trustees, the board of the General Alumni Association and various deans and faculty committees for criticism.
He said that one of the major purposes of the document will be to "put together a budget for a major new development campaign" similar to the Toward Century II campaign of a few years ago.
One of the key issues of the plan discussed at the meeting was the strengthening of the humanities and science disciplines. The rough draft of the plan states: "Specifically, USC must be assured of solid departments in such areas as classics, philosophy, literature, the basic languages, and history, regardless of student population trends or whether at any given moment these fields are fashionable."
The draft also proposed similar emphasis on programs in the arts — music, visual arts, cine-ma/tele%'ision and drama.
"We do not have an adequate humanities program now," Pings said.
He said the university does not need to have the "very best in all areas of the humanities," however it does need to have the basic areas "adequately co-
vered" and should be "outstanding in at least a few."
He said that undergraduate students should take advantage of the opportunity to receive a broad, balanced education.
As an example. Pings said that,as an engineer who has sat on accrediting teams, he can see that "our engineering undergraduates are forced to take too much concentration in those specialties."
He said these students graduate from this and other major universities with too little exposure to the humanities.
"You just aren't a university if you don't have that bedrock of a solid program of humanities," he said.
However, Pings said improvements in the humanities and the arts will not be done at "the overwhelming expense of the rest of the campus."
The rough draft of the academic plan was divided into five major areas: undergraduate education, professional schools, graduate education and research, lifelong learning and unsettled issues.
A few of the draft's key issues brought up at the meeting included the development of honors	programs	for undergraduates, the computerization of the campus, the library system, development of faculty housing near campus, and development of non-classroom facilities.
Pings said the next rough draft of the plan, due out today, will be "twice as long" and "considerably improved in language and syntax."
He also said a search committee has been appointed to find a replacement for Edward Wall, the dean of admissions who has been placed on "terminal furlough" by the administration.
Pings said that for the sake of speed the committee will restrict its search to individuals who are at the university, or have been recently affiliated with the university.
Compromise reached on museum exhibits
By Glen Quon
Qty Writer
A tentative agreement has been reached between the California Museum of Science and Industry and the Community' Redevelopment Agency (CRA) regarding the outside exhibits planned for the Aerospace Museum which is under construction in Exposition Park.
In October, the CRA sought an injunction to stop construction of the project's Air and Space Garden because plans included adding a runway and airplane exhibits which would have resulted in a significant loss of greenspace.
In a public statement made by the Museum of Science and Industry, a spokesman said plans for the construction of the Corwin Denny Air and Space Garden will proceed as scheduled, while the proposed runway and airplane exhibits will be "postponed."
Bill Brown, project manager for the Hoover Redevelopment Project of the CRA, said although he is "content" with the current steps being taken to beautify the park, he is still concerned about the community's involvement in the project.
He added that although the museum and the community have been discussing the project, there is still a need for the museum, the CRA and communitv businesses to work together as a "team" in developing Exposition Park.
In this way, Exposition Park will "meet the needs of the community" and become an asset to the museum — something Brown
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He said although a replacement will not be named for several months, the staff and directors of the admissions department are "very competent" and he is not worried about the admission of next year's class.
Senate president. Bill Lilia, concluded Pings' question and answer session by asking him the following question: "If this was the year 1999 and USC was starting a new process of academic planning, and it was your task to identify the strengths of the university at that time, what do you think those strengths will be?"
Pings said he thought the university would have an engineering school in the top five nationally, a number of science and humanities areas in the top ten, a few social science areas that are outstanding, an outstanding business school, a top-10 law school, a medical school that's doing very well, and a strong program in the arts.
He also said that, overall, there will be a "better quality, exciting undergraduate education," more students and faculty living near campus, a closer relationship with the sports complex and new museums south of campus, "downtown Los Angeles knocking on our back door" to construct office buildings . . .
And a winning football team.
ADAM KRAJCHKVOAM.V TROJAN
Abortion was the issue hotly debated in front oi Tommy Trojan Wednesday at a rally sponsored by the university's Freedom Council. Dr. Jeffrey Phelan, from Johns Hopkins Medical Center, and Virginia Browson, president of the West Los Angeles Crusade for Life, were among the speakers.
Student’s suicide attempt fails
National suicides on rise, campus incidents up also
By David Jefferson
Assistant Qty Editor
A female resident at College-University dormitory attempted suicide Sunday night by taking an overdose of prescription medicine and alcohol. University Security reported.
Security officers were flagged down and advised that the overdose victim was inside the dorm. A doctor on call attended the student, who was later transported to California Hospital for further medical observation.
The attempt came shortly after another incident at College-University last Wednesday night, when officers received a report of a possible drug overdose that may have been suicide related.
An Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) treated the male student, who was reportedly under the influence of drugs and acting in an irrational, uncooperative manner.
Fearing the overdose was a possible suicide attempt, security contacted the Los Angeles Police Department and requested that the student be watched for 72 hours. However, officers determined there was no suicide danger, and the student was released to his roommate.
"The number of suicides has increased nationally over the past few years," said Lt. Art Blair of University Security.
In 1983, there were two suicides off campus and two attempted suicides on campus, as compared to only one suicide or attempted suicide in 1982.
"We must be careful, however, in interpreting such trends on the university level, since such small numbers may be misleading," Blair said.
Karl Harris, administrative director of clinical services for the Suicide Prevention Center, said there are no figures which support the premise that the number of suicide attempts increases at the beginning of a school semester.
"Actually, we see a slight correlation with graduation and the number of suicides, because that's
the time when students are all finished with school, and there it is — the rest of their life waiting for them," Harris said. "People aren't as uneasy when starting school," he added.
Harris noted that, contrary' to a common notion, the number of suicides and suicide attempts actually declines during the winter holidays and increases during the spring.
He said there are several possible explanations for an increase in suicides and suicide attempts during the spring semester.
'The theory I lean toward is that in spring the entire world is renewing itself . . . and these people are saying to themselves, 'Here I am with my same problems. Time to call it quits,' " Harris explained.
‘And. these people are saying to themselves, 'Here I am with my same problesm. Time to call it quits.'
The highest number of suicides occurs in the 25-to 39-year age group, Harris said. He added that adolescents, ages 10 through 19, account for 10 percent of all suicides.
The Suicide Prevention Center, which is in charge of Los Angeles County, provides the training program for the university's Helpline staff.
"We also offer training every' year to the (resident advisers) and the interns at the university's counseling center," Hams said. "Our plan is if a student reaches out to anv part of campus, there will be someone there to help.
"The university has taken a giant leap in helping with the prevention of suicide," he added.
The emergency number of the Suicide Prevention Center is 381-5111. Helpline, which operates Sunday through Thursday from 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., can be reached by dialing 743-2333.