Wednesday September 8,1993 Vol. CXXI, No. 6
Weather
Expect to see some clouds in the sky today. It will be mostly sunny with the afternoon high reaching a warm 88 degrees. The overnight low falling to a cool 67 degrees.
Newspaper
the University
Southern California
Traveler’s trot
Laurel Williams / DaWy Tro|an
Traveler IV, the university's maecot, la reduced to galloping In the Coliseum during football games.
USC safety
■ ■ ■
Southern Cal merchandising expands to Orange County
Inside
Pitt and Lewis a crazy couple
Brad Pitt and Juliette Lewis do the white trash thing in the disturbing new road movie, "Kalifomia." This film takes a deep look into the demented mind of a serial killer.
Diversions, page 12
USC dumps on Houston, 49-7
Quarterback Rob Johnson threw for 279 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Trojans over the Cougars in the first game played at the renovated Couseum.
Sports, page 24
Writer promises this story is true
Clinton may tell economic fish stories, but this writer promises that his record-breaking, 300-pound halibut was real. As with Clinton, we'll just have to take his word for it.
Viewpoint, page 4
F.Y.I.
Writer’s group now recruiting
The Trojan Writer's Association is a new student organization and is looking for applicants to fill positions. Leadership positions are available.
The association will feature oral showcases of poetry and short prose by students and faculty and also interactive exchanges.
To apply, students must submit their name, phone number and a brief resume explaining the student's writing experience.
Those interested can sub- . mit applications to James Emerson in the office of the Student Senate, Student Union Room 106.
For more information, call (213) 743-9794.
New Costa Mesa retail outlet plans to draw alumni
By D. Chug Abramowitz
Staff Writer
Another USC-UCLA rivalry may be brewing, but this time it is not in the sports arena but in retail.
Last week USC opened its first off-campus retail outlet at South Coast Plaza's Crystal Court in Costa Mesa. The store features a wide variety of USC paraphernalia, ranging from clothing to doorbells.
The store's opening was marked by an appearance by the Trojan 'Marching Band and a Heisman Trophy display.
Dan Stemler, a USC merchandising buyer, described the opening as a "huge success."
"There were mass quantities of alumni coming out," he said.
Stemler describes the store as a boutique patterned after Nordstrom.
"You'd be amazed that you can make that kind of look with 'SC products," Stemler said.
UCLA opened a similar shop at the Universal Studio City Walk last May. *
Tim Bayley, the UCLA store director, said, "We are trying to make it convenient for alumni, friends and fans of UtLA to purchase an item from UCLA."
The UCLA store also acts as the bookstore for an extension campus located in the area.
Bayley reasoned, "As long as
we are supplying the textbooks and academic material, why not expand and include merchandise?"
The USC store sells no academic products, and as of now is only temporary.
Stemler said, "If we get the support we need, we will look into the possibilities of opening a permanent store."
Jennifer Gordon, the marketing director of Crystal Court, said, "The store's an asset; it's an addition that enhances our overall retail mix."
Gordon said Crystal Court has 60 stores, and is an ideal location for USC, due to the approximately 21,000 alumni that reside in Orange County.
The store plans to have several promotions, including a big-screen TV showing USC football highlights, ticket giveaways, and autograph signings by Heisman Trophy winners and other athletes.
Retail stores have many advantages over the catalogues, Stemler said.
"You don't get the spontaneous buy with the catalogue. Whereas, if you're in the store and something catches your eye, you’re more likely to buy it."
UCLA's Bayley agrees and adds, "I think that both institutions gain by the ability to communicate’ with the community.
"Both stores get the same reaction out of the opponent," Bayley said. "If an 'SC person walks into our store.they'11 walk in and be trying to figure out
what the store is. The more they notice everything is UCLA they get a look on their face saying 'gee, what am I doing here.' Frequently they say 'Where's the 'SC stuff?' "
Both stores also admit the suc-
(See Store, page 15)
advantages over LAPD
By Roger D. Sequeira
Staff Wnter
Concerned that the majority of security calls are going to the Los Angeles Police Department, USC's Department of Public Safety is asking students to contact them first, rather than the boys in blue.
While LAPD is racing across town, map in hand, DPS would already have made it to the scene of the crime, say DPS officials, who point out that they can respond to a call within three to five minutes. It takes an LAPD unit, on average, seven to 10 minutes to respond.
"In some cases, we've encountered when it took the LAPD up to 15 minutes to respond to an emergency call," Lt. David Ritch, of DPS, said.
DPS is familiar with the cam-
Eus layout and able to quickly >cate addresses and landmarks. Often, LAPD officers must resort to using a campus map, an officer at Southwest Division admitted.
Just the sheer numbers that LAPD must deal with daily can add to the delays in response time, starting with all of the phone calls flooding in with crime reports.
Depending on the volume of criminal activity in a day, a phone call may be left in a holding pattern, backed up behind reports of muggings and domestic disputes.
Ritch said it could take up to 10 minutes just to get through (See Safety, page 5)
IM
A panel of sexuality experts will respond to student letters concerning issues including sex and sexuality, relationships, sexual orientation, HIV, STD’s, intimacy, sexual anatomy, dating, sexual safety and condoms.
Panelists include USC Health Center educators, a medical doctor and psychologist.
Letters should be submitted to the USC Health Center in person or by mail. Letters should be addressed to:
Ann Hickey/*SCex Line 849 W. 34th St.
Student Health Center Room 221 Los Angeles, CA 90089-0311
Letters can also be faxed to (213) 740-0241
Trent K. Tanaka/Daly Tro(an