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There are around 200,000 living USC alumni, nearly three-quarters of which live in southern California.
New Yoric, New Yoric Chris Claiborne and other USC football players hope the Big Apple brings them luck at the NFL Draft Saturday.
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Bad Ac's‘Word’: In a Dr interview, the rapper reveals his future goals and current success.
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NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
April 18, 19M
Vol. CXXXVI, No. 55
Amber Otto I Daily Troian
A cry for help. A member of the Concerned Students Coalition reads a poem at a rally on Wednesday to encourage diversity.
Coalition gathers to urge diversity
Activism: Noontime rally calls for ethnic organzation growth, more minority faculty and staff
By CHRISTI SCHULER
Staff Writer
Emphasizing the need for students to connect with their individual cultures and traditions, members of the Concerned Students Coalition held a Student Action Rally at noon Wednesday in Hahn Plaza to generate support and awareness in expanding ethnic diversity and studies in institutions of higher education.
“There is a need to bring students together...to create change here on campus,” said CSC member Eduardo Hernandez, a graduate student majoring in planning and public administration. “We cannot do it alone.”
Neither the administrators nor the students at USC are diverse, Hernandez said. CSC, a group of students
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“There is a need to bring students together... to create change."
Eduardo
Hernandez
CSC member
USC music major dies in a Tahiti traffic accident
Obituary: Friends remember band, fraternity member LaForcefor musical passion
By KODI HIRST
Staff Writer
USC student Brian LaForce died Monday from injuries suffered in a traffic accident while in Tahiti, French Polynesia. He was 23.
LaForce was employed by Princess Cruise Lines, playing trombone in a band aboard the Crown Princess, which is the reason he was in Tahiti. He left USC in 1997 to be a part of the cruise’s ensemble, though he walked in the 1997 commencement ceremony.
“He was doing what he wanted to do,” said Paul Bfosche, a 1997 USC graduate with a bachelor’s degree in computer science and LaForce’s best friend. “He really loved that cruise.”
At an early age, LaForce’s passion for music was recognized, and all he wanted to do was go on the road with a big band and play every night, Brosche said. Aboard the Crown Princess, LaForce’s dreams were coming true as he traveled and played for audiences nightly.
“He was just so excited,” said Rick McIntosh, a family friend. “He thought he had found his niche in life."
LaForce’s enthusiasm was noticeable to all his colleagues, and he was referred to as ‘the sunshine of the boat,” Brosche said. Due to their traveling schedule, LaForce’s friends aboard the Crown Princess will not be able to come to the funeral.
“They were absolutely heartbroken that they wouldn’t be able to attend his funeral,* McIntosh said, adding that while LaForce’s mother, Raquel, was onboard the cruise ship for
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Brian Larorco
Students asked to vote on reform
City: New Los Angeles charter provokes panel to educate attendees on political ramifications
By EDITH CHAN
Staff Writer
Urging more students to vote on June 8 for the Los Angeles City Charter reform, the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics hosted a one-hour panel discussion Wednesday in Taper Hall to better inform
USC students on the latest development of charter politics.
The session featured panelists from various levels of the Los Angeles City government who have been involved in reforming the City Charter for the past two years.
Aiming to provide educational materials rather than debate specific issues surrounding the reform, H. Eric Schockman, associate dean of Student Affairs, moderated the discussion.
‘A lot of people are not familiar with the City Charter reform that has been going on for two years," said Steven Greene, assistant director of the Unruh Institute of Politics. “Now that the election is on the way, we feel that it’s important to
inform voters on significant issues. We want to educate students with politics.” The Los Angeles City Council, at the request of government officials and the public, created two reform commissions two years ago to review and make core changes in the 74-year-old city charter.
Critics have been attacking the existing charter for being out of date and its restrictions in allowing certain government officials or departments to perform efficiently in their designated function.
Other communities have also attacked the charter for ignoring neighborhood politics and placing too much focus on the central Los Angeles region.
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Student arrested on suspicion of batteiy
Crime: Incident at Springfest in addition to possible assault by outside security agent
By JENNIFER MEDINA
Student Senate Writer
A male student was arrested on suspicion of battery of a Department of Public Safety officer at Saturday's Springfest, DPS officials said Wednesday.
The suspect, who was allegedly drunk and disorderly, was escorted from the event by Officer Daniel Hect around 7:15 p.m., said DPS Deputy Chief Bob Taylor.
The suspect then began spitting on the officer and was brought to the DPS station, where he continued to act in a disorderly manner, Taylor said. He was then taken to the Southwest Station and booked.
‘Normally when students are
taken to (a Los Angeles Police-Department) station they get scared and their behavior changes," Taylor said. “This guy was just as much of a jerk there, so we put him with the rest of the people.”
The student may now face conviction for battery of an officer and will also be up for review in Student Conduct, Taylor said.
Hect practiced extreme restraint with the suspect, Taylor said.
Another student was allegedly assaulted by one of the officers from Totally Secured security company, Taylor said. DPS contracted Totally Secured to monitor the mosh pit and stage area at Springfest. A representative from the Totally Secured office was not available for comment.
One male student was thrown backstage after crowdsurfing and was detained by a Totally Secured officer. The student then struggled with the officer to break free and then stayed backstage, Taylor said.
The officer said he thought the student would leave the area and I see SpriagfMt, page ■ I
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HangbV touch. A Totally Secured employee grabs a crowdsurfer during Saturday's Springfest concert.