The reeling Trojans must regroup after a shocking 0-3 start in the Pacific 10 Conference / 24
s I n c i:	10	12
Student newspaper of the University of Southern California
WEDNESDAY
October 18, 2000
Of interest...
Hush detractors are wrong to frighten voters with threats of a pro-life Supreme Court / 4
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vol. CXXXXI, no. 36
www.usc.edu/dt
Third debate
inspires few
Politics: Pinal presidential meeting draws audiences but does little to change voters ' opinions of race
By ROBB FERRIS
Contributing Writer
The third installment of the presidential debates saw a decline in student interest, despite the recent heightened tensions in the Middle East and the sudden death of governor of Missouri Mel Carnahan on Monday night.
The discussion, held in the Annenberg Auditorium one hour before the final debate and was televised onto its projection screen, involved the role the media plays in
CAMPAIGN
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elections and politics and the different responsibilities journalists have to the voting population.
“Not only have the spin doctors’ been running rampant, but the. emphasis lately has not been on what direction a candidate wants to take the country" said Terry Anzur, an assistant professor of journalism and a former KTI.A TV news anchor.
"I see the debates not becoming an enlightening experience for voters;
I see Politics, page 19 I
Scooter fad increases campus injuries
HEALTH & MEDICINE
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Relationship abuse common among youth
By BETH COOMBS
Contributing Writer
W ith one out of every 10 teenagers a victim of relationship violence, the Young Women's Christian Association is sponsoring a three-day series on campus to raise awareness of abusive relationships of all ages.
“We tend to think of adults (in relationship violence)," said Sharon Shelton, Senior Program Manager for YWCA. “Teens aren't lumped into that category."
Yet she estimates that more than 40 percent of college students are in some form of an abusive relationship.
“We have to open our eyes,” she said. “We have teenagers in very abusive relationships.”
While the Center for Women and Men would not release statistics of abuse on campus, its director, Elizabeth Davenport, said that she regularly deals with abused students.
The YWCA series “Drawing the Line Against Violence” is hosting speakers, plays and discussions to promote non-violence in the community. It continues today and Thursday with events at the Davidson Conference Center.
Dr. Jill Murray, who worked in an Orange County domestic violence shelter for two years, said during a presentation Tuesday that women first typically engage in domestic relationships in high school and col-
I	see Health, page 18 I
Safety: Students urged to take precautions, decrease accidents occurring on crowded midday campus
By AMANDA CARACCI
Stall Writer
Motorized and self-propelled scooters, through the latest trend, have increased injuries on campus, causing DPS to take extra precautions to ensure students' safety.
Scooters pose as a threat to stu-
dents, said Department of Public Safety Chief Steven Ward.
“Whenever you add another vehicle into the mix of pedestrians, bicycles, rollerblades, skateboards, carts and other vehicles, it can pose a problem,” said DPS Deputy Chief Bob Taylor. "This is especially true for pedestrians who are traveling at a much slower pace and often do not hear or see a scooter or skateboard."
Some students feel more secure on a scooter than on a skateboard because they have handlebars to hold onto, Taylor said. This causes some students to gain a false sense of secu-
“Scooter users should be wearing the same protective devices... worn by skateboarders because they sustain the same injuries."
BOB TAYLOR, DPS Deputy Chief
rity that makes them “oblivious to what might happen,” he said.
DPS plans to monitor the situation and encourage scooter users to wear safety equipment, Taylor said. To help prevent accidents, DPS officers guard the center of campus to prevent
students from riding their bikes or scooters through the dense crowds when the campus is busiest, from 10
a.m. to 2 p.m weekdays.
Nationally, emergency room visits for injuries from scooters went from approximately 400 in May to nearly I see Safety, page 18 I
Senate resolution condemns prejudices on USC campus
"We wanted Senate to show support for students being able to express their beliefs and live their own lifestyles."
MICHAEL
MATOBA,
Executive
Director,
Program
Board
Senate: Declaration rebukes acts of intolerance praises Housing Services
By LOREN CHI00NI
Stall Writer
In response to “acts of intolerance” during National Coming Out Week, Student Senate unanimously passed’ a resolution Tuesday that condemns such acts and promotes freedom of expression and diversity.
“We wanted Senate to show support for students being able to express their beliefs and live their own lifestyles,” said Program Board Executive Director Michael Matoba, a senior majoring in business administration.
Last week 15 of the 20 GLBTA (lags on campus were stolen.
“It took so much effort to take
down so many flags that it's only natural for us to conclude that this was a hate crime," said Senate President Dana Parker, a senior majoring in public policy and management.
Senate plans to host a roundtable discussion with the Gay, Lesbian, Bi, Transgendered Association and DPS, whose job involves helping maintain the safety of hate crime victims, to heighten awareness of GBLTA issues, Matoba said. The discussion will help Senate find ways to prevent hate crimes and better address such concerns, he said.
Senate will also work with Student Affairs to develop programs to educate students about these issues, Parker added.
GLBTA and DPS assert that last week’s act of intolerance was a continuation of acts over the years,
I see Senate page 19 I
Student studying overseas plans to return to Israel
Alexandra Schmidt, the USC student on break from her semester at Jerusalem’s Hebrew University, confirmed Tuesday that she plans to return to the embattled city.
"It’s been a little bit of a roller coaster here because I have decided to go back," she wrote in an e-mail from Vienna, Austria. "Needless to say, my parents aren't too thrilled.”
Schmidt, who is Jewish, had said Saturday that she was concerned about tensions with the Palestinians living near her dormitory in light of the recent violence.
But she said Tuesday that other students in the program had assured her that there was nothing to worry about.
“1 talked to some people from my program in Jerusalem, and I was extremely worried when I called, and they literally had no idea what I was talking about,” she said. “They said that everything was exactly the same and that all my worry comes from the media, which I think is basically true.”
—	Brendan Loy, Assignment Editor
Midseason
Blues
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Randall Yong I Daily Trojan
Straight talk. Craig Smith, professor at Cal State Long Beach, and USC instructor Terry Anzur discuss the debate.