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Thursday March 30,1995 Vol. CXXIV, No. 46
Headlines
But who was he before 1776?
Yes, Thomas Jefferson was a founding father and president, but a new Merchant Ivory production, "Jefferson in Paris," details the years the statesman spent as ambassador to France. Tim Grierson tells us how well Nick Nolte pulls off the title role.
Diversions, page 10
Coaches’ stories differ on departure
USC swimming coach Mark Shubert and diving coach Rick Earley have different stories about whether Earley's recent departure was voluntary or whether he was told to leave.
Sports, page 20
So don’t pretend that you know me
When a white alumnus tries to tell an African-American student what it means to be black, there's a level of misunderstanding involved that can't be disarmed by anyone's affirmative action plan.
Viewpoint, page 4
F.Y.I.
Mariachi Festival today at Tommy
The Fourth Annual Mariachi Festival will be held at Tommy Trojan today at noon. Mariachi Nacional and the Ballet Folklorico de Maria Arredondo will be featured as well as DJ Pio "El Vampiro" Ferraro from KLVE 107.5 FM. The event is part of the Festival de Aztlan and will include an afternoon of activities, food, etc.
•	• •
Tonight at 7:30, an evening of comedy with Sheryl Underwood of BET Comic-view in Taper Hall Room 201. Underwood will be joined by Mike Fullmer from the Laugh Factory, Chip Washington from the Come-
ngtoi
dy Act Theatre, Marilyn Martinez from the Improv, and Melanie Comarcho from HBO. The event is free to USC students, $5 for others.
Newspaper
the University of Southern California
Peace Corps head speaks to teachers
By Tamra Fitzpatrick
Staff Writer
U.S. Peace Corps Director Carol Bellamy made a special appearance to speak about different aspects of the corps at the fourth annual Teachers' Conference on Wednesday at Upstairs Commons.
USC is involved in a two-year program with the Peace Corps, offering past volunteers an opportunity to get both a master's degree in education and a teaching credential. USC presently has nine fellows, most of whom have had a teaching assignment.
"We want to bring back sensitivity to culture in the classroom," said Judy Grayson, director of teacher education.
With help from DeWitt Wallace-Reader's Digest and the Knight Foundation, the Peace Corps pays for half of each fellow's education, Grayson said.
In turn, the fellows must work in an underserved community when they graduate, Bellamy said.
(See Peace Corps, page 12)
Foooood, yesssss!
Stavan Hyda / Daily Tro|an
From left, Letycla Torres, Paul Cicala, and Tony Davia enjoy international food beside the Turkish flag at Wednesday's ethnic comestibles fair In Alumni Park.
MEChA conference at USC a success
Uniting Chicano community among goals of attendees at statewide event
By Eric Yahnker
Staff Writer
Nearly 1,200 students attended a recent statewide conference of the Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan, the largest of its kind in 10 years, proved to be a tremendous success for MEChA USC.
USC, which was chosen by an overwhelming vote through a competitive statewide bidding
process, hosted the event March 17-19. The conference brought out several Chicano studies professors and Chicano community leaders who volunteered to speak and run workshops.
The theme of the conference, 'Taking Back Xicano Studies," focused on reinvigorating, empowering, and educating young chicanos through workshop and discussion sessions, said Cesar
Lopez, statewide steering committee member.
"Although the theme 'Taking Back Xicano Studies’ seems like an action, it is more symbolic," he said.
"One of the main focuses of the conference was to have young people come out with something concrete to take back to their schools and communities."
The goal of the statewide conference was to work toward uniting all campus MEChA chapters to form a strong state-
wide and national political force by addressing the issues presented in the conference and supporting other campuses to carry out the resolutions of the conference.
The workshops offered education on topics such as Chicano history, community involvement and leadership, volunteer projects, understanding of current sociai issues and affirmative action.
"The national structure workshop was particularly exciting (See MEChA, page 3)
Homeless village a tourist attraction
By Christine Carrouche
Contributing Writer
Homeless people living in a village of dome housing west of downtown have become hosts to some of L.A.'s more adventurous tourists.
The village, named Genesis I, provides short-term housing for
24	homeless people inside 10 dome structures, and is visited by 20 to 30 tourists a week. Some come because they have read about it in the newspaper, but most accidentally spot the cluster of white plastic domes surrounded by gray industrial buildings as they drive the Harbor Freeway.
"One woman told me she spent an hour trying to find us because she took the wrong offramp," said Virginia Contreras, a resident and staff member of the village. "She said she just had to see what we were all about."
Village visitors are usually given a tour by a resident during
which they can see the inside of one of the domes. A partition divides each dome into two living sections. Each also has a kitchen and dining area, and a garden. Since the village opened in November 1993, the Dome Village has been visited by tourists from as far away as Brazil, Japan, France and Alaska.
"The people from Alaska really seemed to like it," Contreras said. "I think because the domes reminded them of igloos from home."
Whatever the reason tourists are drawn to the village, its organizers see the visitors' interest as a business opportunity.
"We're hoping to capitalize on it — make postcards and shirts and sell them," said Ted Hayes, founder and president of Homeless USA, the organization that started Genesis I.
Already, the village produces black and white "Dome Village" t-shirts and sweatshirts and (See Homeless, page 3)
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Julia Qargan / Dally Tro|an
Ornate buildings grace the campus of Mount St. Mary’s College.
Neighboring college makes itself known
By Eric Rodriguez
Staff Writer
Four blocks north of campus, another college sits on a former estate where North University Park and the southern edge of downtown come together.
Mount St. Mary's College is an independent Catholic college with two campuses. The Mount St. Mary's College on Adams Boulevard west of Figueroa Street is known as the Doheny
Campus, which was established as a school in the early 1960's. The Doheny Campus of Mount J St. Mary's College was once owned by Estelle Doheny, who donated her estate to the Archbishop of Los Angeles, said Norma Carmona, who works in the college's administrative offices.
Mount St. Mary's is a liberal arts college which provides an (See St. Mary's, page 13)