Friday March 4,1994 Vol. CXXII, No. 35
Weather
Today will be repeat of yesterday. The high will be in the upper 70s and the low in the 50s. There will be a cooling trend this weekend with mostly sunny skies.
INSIDE
USC beats UCLA at home, 85-79
USC continued its dominance of UCLA basketball, winning 85-79, at home. USC has beaten the Bruins four of the last five games at the Sports Arena, and six of nine overall.
Sports, page 12
Funny ‘Greedy’ right on money
Sniveling, bootlicking relatives clamber to entertain their dear old (and coincidentally, filthy rich) Uncle Joe (Kirk Douglas) in "Greedy." Also stars Michael J. Fox, Phil Hartman.
Diversions, page 6
Taoh of Pooh and Other Stuff
Winnie the Pooh from a Taoist perspective, how to beat (or maybe how not to beat) writer's block, life at the Daily Trojan, campus apathy and the pursuit of Zsa Zsa Gabor.
Viewpoint, page 4
F.Y.I.
Aerospace expert speaks to public
The USC School of Engineering is sponsoring a speech by aerospace engineer George I. Donohue today at 1 p.m. in GFS, Room 106. The talk is free, and open to the public, as part of the W.V.T. Rusch Engineering Honors Colloquium.
Donohue, the vice president and director of Project AIR FORCE, a research division of RAND Corp., will discuss the defense industry's transition to civilian production.
Donohue is a former director of the Aerospace and Strategic Technology Office within the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
Newspaper of the University of Southern California
Hangin’ around
Laura Lancheatar / Dally Trojan
Freshman Damon Edwards, pre-med., and junior Heather Mey-lor, communications, (light-test sky chairs at the crafts fair.
Dean named to lead accounting
Merchant plan: more funds for research, Ph.Ds
By Nik Trendowski
Staff Writer
Kenneth A. Merchant, KPMG Peat Marwick professor of accounting, will take the position of dean of the School of Accounting on March 31.
Randolph W. Westerfield, dean of the School of Business Administration, announced Merchant's appointment to the sition Monday. The seat will vacated at the end of the month by Michael A. Diamond, who will spend a year as a faculty resident at Ernst & Young, and will then return to USC in 1995.
"In one sense, I'm excited about the chance to lead the school. I also have some trepidation because I have a lot to learn in a hurry," Merchant said.
Westerfield said he will work closely with Merchant and make him part of his top management team. Merchant also serves as associate dean for accounting
programs in the School of Business.
"Ken brings stature, credibility and visibility to the program," Westerfield said. "I think the appointment of Dr. Merchant is an excellent choice," President Steven J. Sample said. "He's a very distinguished professor."
Merchant said he does not yet have any firm goals for the school, but wishes to maintain the school's excellent ranking.
USC's School of Accounting currently ranks within the top five in the country on most lists, Westerfield said.
"To stay at the top we have to continue to improve," Merchant said.
He said he would like to see more resources invested in the doctoral program and research.
Merchant joined the USC faculty in 1990 after 12 years teaching at Harvard. He earned his doctorate at UC Berkeley after a year with Ernst & Young and four years at Texas Instruments. He received his MBA from Columbia University and his undergraduate degree from Union College in New York state.
(See Merchant, page 3)
LAPD officer gives auto safety tips
By Melanie Asp
Staff Writer
A car on the Row reved its engine and screeched its wheels during Eric Mosher's most recent seminar on auto safety and car-related crime. The audience at Sigma Phi Delta fraternity cringed.
"I hope that wasn't stolen. We just had a carjacking a half-an-hour ago, we don't need another," Mosher said. "No gunshots, please, don't do it."
Detective Eric Mosher of the Southwest Division of LAPD has been conducting seminars on car theft, burglary and break-ins for students residing in the USC area. Mosher is also working to initiate several task forces with LAPD and the universtiy Department of Public Safety to
combat auto crime and educate students on safety.
" 'USC is my Bullock's — I go shopping at USC.' One guy we caught with a stolen vehicle actually said that," Mosher said.
Though Mosher joked and spoke lightheartedly with students, he relayed the serious facts and statistics about car-related incidents in the area. He explained the LAPD task force and what students should do to reduce the high rate of motor vehicle burglaries, car thefts and grand theft autos.
"There are 20 to 30 reports of auto incidents in the USC area at the office per working week," Mosher said. "In the past month, we've investigated approximately 150 of them. A lot
of those reports were very preventable."
Mosher defined the "USC area" as bounded by Vermont Avenue to Figueroa Street and Flower Street and from Adams Boulevard to just beyond Exposition Boulevard. A large number of "hot spots" for car burglary, theft and grand theft auto occur in this region, he said.
Hot spots include the 3600 block of McClintock Avenue, the 620 block of West 35th Street, the 1000 block of West 36th Street, the 1100 block of Jefferson Boulevard, the 640 block of West 34th Street, the 3000 block of University Avenue and the 1200 block of West 30th Street, Mosher said.
Vehicles most targeted in and
around the USC area are Toyo-tas, Nissans, Hondas, Fords and Chevys, according to LAPD statistics. Older model cars are also stolen more often, because the type of people who steal cars like these would not be expected to drive newer cars, Mosher said.
On average, one grand theft auto takes place every hour around USC and adjacent areas. Mosher said this was largely due to the gang-infestation in the South Central Los Angeles.
"Toyota pickups and mini-vans are most often picked up in cases of grand theft auto," Mosher said. "Any shaved Toyota key will start the ignition."
"We're not going to stop (the (See LAPD, page 2)
Will students feel safer with jalapenos?
DPS to certify users of defensive pepper spray; misdemeanor to carry a canister without license
By David Lipin
Staff Writer
As a result of state legislation, pepper spray, which is used by the police department and the Department of Public Safety, is now available to the public.
Jalapeno-based pepper spray will be a safe and legal self-detense alternative for students who complete the minimum certification process to be offered through USC's Department of Public Safety.
"I think it's one of the best law enforce-
ment tools to come along in years ... I'd rather see students think about carrying this rather than a gun because . . . it's a felony to carry a firearm on any school campus, " DPS Lt. David Ritch said.
Pepper spray comes in a hand-size canister that propels a stream of the jalapeno pepper, water and nitrogen- formula up to 15 feet.
Ihe spray is an instant irritant that causes disorientation, breathing difficulty and discomfort to mucous membranes when
sprayed in the face. The spray does not cause serious injury and the effects wear off in about 20 minutes.
DPS Deputy Chief Bob Taylor said that people who have been subdued with pepper spray "have a healthy respect for it . . this works on people who are intoxicated; we've had it used on students who were uncooperative . . . after they were sprayed with the pepper spray, they became very compliant."
Certification can be attained in three ways:
•	Pass a multiple choice test at the point-of-sale and successfully test spray a canister with inert contents.
•	Watch a 30-minute instructional video-
(Ste Pepper, page 3)