Did you know...
One of USC’s founders, Ozro William Childs, came to California during the Gold Rush, helped establish Exposition Park and Pershing Square and built the first Los Angeles Opera House.
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Running up records: use pole vaulter and women’s 400-meter relay team break school records Saturday at Cromwell Field.	1	c
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NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
April 3, 2000 Vol. CXXXIX, No. 47
Springfest and Sugar Ray band draw thousands
Festival: Event brings headliner and local bands to ‘diverse crowd’ with almost no problems, organizers said
By DANA NICHOLS
Program Board Writer
Spring’s beginning provided warm weather and a sunny attitude Saturday evening for the thousands of students and others w ho saw Sugar Ray headline the annual Springfest festival.
The concert, held at the center of campus, began at
3	p.m. and ran into the night, featuring local and big name bands as well as various booths with giveaways and activities.
“It was a very diverse crowd,” said Raquel Bethencourt, a pre-law sophomore. “But even though it was diverse, it was a very good vibe. Everybody was happy and enjoying themselves."
With a backdrop of women floating in a pool and lights projected onto the Student Union, Sugar Ray performed its well-known songs to the audience of energetic students.
The band opened at 10 p.m. with “Glory” and closed with its popular hit, “Every Morning.”
“1 have not been to the campus since 1990,” said lead singer Mark McGrath, who is also a graduate of USC, “when I cheated my way through a communications degree.”
McGrath also drew laughs when he said, “Hey friends, let’s all raise our waters,” sarcastically referring to the absence of the beer garden.
Some concertgoers said they also felt the void of the beer garden.
“I think the lack of the beer garden turned a lot of people away," said Mark Sloan, a vendor at the Uzone.com booth and a recent graduate of USC.
Organizers recognized that students may have come to the concert already inebriated.
“I’m sure people did,” said Barrett Reiff, executive director of Program Board and a junior majoring in accounting. “What was important was that people who did come in drunk weren’t destructive, and they weren’t."
Some felt that the beer garden wasn’t as important as it’s been made out to be.
“It looks like everyone figured out a way to have fun without it,” said Sara Corley, a sophomore at Cal State Northridge.
Jurassic 5 took the stage at 8:30. The popular underground hip-hop group had the crowd waving their hands but repeatedly apologized for the sound system.
“They’re just really picky,” said Aron Cowan, the
I see Springfeat, page 3 I
SC SPOTLIGHT
Helping hands
Matt Scott I Daily Trojan
Decorating lives. Members of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity aid children in making Easter eggs at the Los Angeles Orthopaedic Hospital.
Members of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity raise funds to buy therapy equipment for child patients
By LENA WARMACK
Staff Writer
ecorating Easter eggs and cookies with college students brought smiles to the ! faces of young patients at the Los Angeles Orthopaedic Hospital Foundation on Friday at Sigma Phi Epsilon’s inaugural Spring Fling event.
USC’s Sigma Phi Epsilon chapter is raising $10,000 for the Los Angeles Orthopaedic Hospital Foundation to purchase new physical therapy equipment for pediatric patients.
“We decided to come and do something and make a little bit of a difference," said Todd Harnett, a junior majoring in communication.
Sometimes philanthropic fundraisers only involve members of the fraternity, said Jonas Brooks, Sigma Phi Epsilon philanthropy chair.
“Unfortunately, a lot of times at these events, the people who are benefiting don’t get a chance to be
involved," Brooks said.
After a rugby injury at USC, Brooks was a patient at the hospital for four months and said he wanted his fraternity to see and gain a better understanding of the patient’s experiences.
“I wanted the guys to see the hardships that some of these kids go through with their disabilities,” said Brooks, who went through physical therapy for his knee injury. “I saw the kids coming in and out and learning how to walk at five or six (years old). I wanted them to see them and what these people are doing."
The hospital staff sent invitations to patients along with their families and friends to join the event packed with food, games and prizes.
Children who showed the most creativity decorating Easter eggs and cookies earned prizes.
“I just wanted to see the kids looking happy (and) enjoying themselves. I’m hoping this event will be a success,” said Thelma Villafuerte, a secretary at the Los Angeles Orthopaedic Hospital Foundation.
Warren Sleed brought his 2-year-old son Cody to the hospital for physical therapy after he had a stroke at birth because he was born three months premature.
“I think that’s cool (and I) would like to see more (events such as this) in the future,” Sleed said.
Jose Colmenares, 15, recently received muscle and
I see Spotlight, page 3 I
Group proposes installing tram arrival time indicators
File Photo I Daily Trojan
University tram
Project: Writing class students working with Transportation Services to develop device plan
By ASH LEA TATE
Staff Writer
To eliminate tram arrival time uncertainty, a group of students in a business w riting 340 course developed a proposal that may lead to the installation of electronic devices at tram stops that indicate w hen the vehicles are coming as early as mid-April.
The final decision to approve the project lies within the hands of a decision-maker, who in this case is Brian d’Autremont, director of Transportation Services. Though not responsible for grading the group’s project, d’Autremont can make their idea into a reality.
The group’s final presentation, consisting of
its research on need, cost of equipment and benefits of the equipment, will be part of d’Autremont’s decision to implement the project.
What will persuade him, d’Autremont said, would be results indicating students’ need for the devices to be implemented.
“That is the No. 1 determinant of my decision to go through with the project,” he said.
Upon completing the project, the group concluded th it the devices are definitely needed. Part of the research included a survey that tram riders filled out as they waited for the tram.
The questions asked about the probable helpfulness of electronic devices, the posting of traffic and campus event information and alternative solutions to taking the tram, in addition to the extent that tram arrival uncertainty' causes participants not to park at the Parking Center.
Overall, results indicated that most people would benefit. Very few thought that there wasn’t a need for the devices.
‘Those people probably get to school early and have the luxury of waiting for the tram,” said Courtney Lewis, a group member and junior majoring in accounting.
Esther Khuu, a group member and junior majoring in business administration, said most people, especially commuters, don’t have that kind of time. Khuu, a commuter, recalled parking at the Parking Center and waiting for the tram to arrive. “I was always uncertain,” she said. “Some days I walked or took a different route.”
Collective frustration with tram arrival and a desire to improve the USC community inspired the group to create the project.
“We wanted to do something realistic,” said Jay Lee, a group member and junior majoring in business.
Originally, the group wished to implement a tram route to the Sports Arena for the men’s basketball games so more students would
I see Project, page 6 I