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rojan
Volume CXVII, Number 14
University of Southern California
Tuesday, February 4, 1992
Fraternity party ends early in chaos
Broken window, rumored gunshots leaves questions in need of answers
Edward Siegel/Dally Trojan
A window in Annenberg was broken at the Omega Psi Phi dance Friday night.
By Liz Washburn and Janet Cavallo
Assistant City Editors
The only clear fact about the dance sponsored by Omega Psi Phi fraternity on Friday night is that it ended, albeit in confusion, before its scheduled conclusion.
University Security reported that three to five gunshots were fired at the Annenberg School for Communication, where approximately 40() people gathered for the dance.
But students in attendance claim they did not hear shots fired, although there was a fight in the middle of the dance floor.
"There were people around the people fighting; if the people fighting fired shots, someone would have been hit," said Steven Holmes, a senior majoring in radio,
television and film at California State University at Northridge.
Tables and chairs fell over and a window was broken, said David DeTriest, a senior majoring in business at CSUN.
"We were inside, security was in front of the P.E. Building. If someone would have fired shots we would have had chaos," said Darris Tillman, a representative for the fraternity and a senior majoring in aerospace engineering at USC.
While security officers are connecting the broken window to possible gunshots, several students witnessed a woman fall against the glass.
DeTriest, who was outside when the fight broke out, said he saw something resembling a person's arm come through the window.
Another witness told DeTriest that a
punch was thrown at a woman standing near the window.
Fraternity members broke up the fight on the dance floor and started evacuating the building, Tillman said.
About 30 of those in attendance were members of Omega Psi Phi's USC chapter, he said.
"People were reluctant to leave, they were hanging around hoping the party would start up again," he said.
DeTriest speculated that the impact from the punch and the woman falling against the glass caused the window to break.
The sound of the window cracking could have mimicked the sound of a small gun, DeTriest said.
A bullet hole in a metal window frame taken from the Annenberg lobby is the only physical evidence of shots being fired, said University Security Officer Phil LeMans.
"Someone fired a gun inside the dance, there's no doubt about it," said LeMans,
(See Dance, page 3)
Campus split on standards Issue
Students dispute policy’s efficiency
By Stephanie Tiemann
Staff Writer
Since the institution of minimum conduct requirements for fraternities and sororities last fall, some students and officials are lauding the effectiveness of the program while others say it has done little to promote study and curb illegal or dangerous student activity.
"By and large, I think they've done wonders," said Ken Taylor, director of the Office of Residential and Greek Life, referring to fraternity and sorority compliance.
Although there have been a few disciplinary hearings, mostly for noise infractions, the mere threat of losing university recog-
News Analysis
nition has forced fraternities and sororities to watch their conduct.
"I think people have basically policed themselves. They're getting more serious about their education and future," said Sgt. Aaron Drake of University Security. Drake did not know whether it was due to new standards or the recession, but noted that "there are less problems this year."
Staff members from the Office of Residential and Greek Life have been patroling The Row, inspecting parties and giving suggestions on compliance. Inspectors check IDs and tour the
(See Standards, page 2)
Students given a taste of the real ‘campus’ thing
By Eric Hamish
Staff Writer
The Office of Undergraduate Admissions is working with several other departments to sponsor this year's Preview USC Overnight program, said Hilary Furlong, assistant director of undergraduate admissions.
The program allows prospective freshman to spend a night at the university and attend classes in a subject in which they may be interested, Furlong said.
The School of Engineering is having an orientation lecture as well as letting students sit in on actual classic Preview, page 11)
Candidate to appear on campus
Student organizations promote diversity by asking independent party member to speak
By Bronagh Byrne
Staff Writer
The Greens Party, Black Student Union and Student Action for Environment are working together to bring political diversity to the campus by inviting Ron Daniels, an independent candidate for the 1992 presidential election, to speak tonight at 7 p.m. in the Norman Topping Student Center.
ITte groups hope to expose students to political groups other than
Republican and Democratic parties, said representatives from the sponsoring groups.
"It's important to get a wide variety of political views on this campus, especially since we are so conservative," said Jyoti Subramanian, a member of the Greens Party on campus.
"Basically he wants the same thing that everyone else wants but will never happen," Subramanian said.
Subramanian said Daniels is radi-
cal in his views but feels the exposure to other political parties is valuable to students.
"It's time for massive civil disobedience, if necessary, and independent political action to fight for a human rights agenda and a socially responsible economy in the United States," Daniels said in a statement of intent during a series of news con-frences in April, 1991.
In the same statement, Daniels proposed three money generating measures to fund the development of what he calls a "socially responsible economy."
(See Daniels, page 11)
Jeff Sherwood / Dally Trojan
There are conflicting opinions about whether the Minimum Standards Policy, instituted in August for USC’s Greek system, has been effective at improving social and academic conditions on The Row.