HEADLINES
Making them pay. USC comerback Antuan
Simmons is impressive this year with his play
on defense and special teams.	1 C
*	mm XO
Back to Kansas. Ruby red slippeis...yellow
brick road...munchkins...Toto. The Wizard of
Oz’ flies back to the big screen.	7
Mvnmom f
FORECAST
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4 Hkh, 76-
of low morning and fog; bright
WEDNESDAY
nnp.//www.
NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Vol. CXXXV, No. 44
r	PIMot by Gary Semeqian I Deity Troian
Casting cad. Voters cast their ballots at the 29th Street Cate for Tuesday's general election. Many said turnout was poor but expected.
Poll position
DT reporters visit local polling places Tuesday to find out who voted and who didn’t
>- How religious beliefs affect voting, page 2
Marks Tower Lobby
12 :45 to 3:15 p.m.
The voter turnout for Tuesday’s general election was the largest ever at the Marks Tower polling precinct, said poll inspector Elaine Wolfe.
“It’s been busier than I’ve ever seen it,* said Wolfe, who has worked at the precinct for five years. “The first person showed up at 8 a.m., and there have been close to 20 people here already.
“People came out more for this election than they did for the previous presidential election (in 1996),* she said.
Only 20 percent of all eligible voters between 18 and 24 voted in 1994, compared to 45 percent of all eligible voters who voted, according to Rock the Vote, a national organization that encourages citizens to exercise voting.
‘It’s definitely important (that college students vote),’ Wolfe said. “If they don’t start now, then they’ll probably keep blowing it off for the rest of their life."
“I think it is everybody’s obligation (to vote),* said Brian Peterson, an employee at the School of Cinema-Television, after he cast his ballot.
Because of the historically low voter turnout for this age group, which includes most USC students; Rock the Vote, College Republicans, Campus Green Vote and Student Senate sponsored informational booths to educate voters about election issues in
front of Tommy Trojan Tuesday.
The traffic at the polls remained steady during the afternoon, Wolfe said.
“We had 73 people that voted," she said around
8	p.m. Approximately 600 voters were registered at the Marks Tower precinct. “It’s pretty depressing, isn’t it?”
Most voters were upperclassmen and USC staff members, Wolfe said.
After voting, Matt McCook, a junior majoring in environmental studies, said at the polling site, “It was just me and one other person."
Two out of the six people questioned at the poll said that they were voting this election because someone made the materials available to them. Wolfe said she thinks it’s education in voting that has boosted voter turnout throughout the years.
“This is my first time voting, actually," said Jenny Levy, a junior majoring in communications. “I was out shopping one day and this lady asked me if I wanted to register to vote, and I had been wanting to do it for a long time, and it was at my hands, and so I did it.*
Wolfe said she sometimes brings youngsters from her family, as well as kids from local elementary schools, with her to the polls to teach the importance of voting.
■	Chrysta Wilson / Staff Writer
(see Polls, page 2)
Resolution may allow social event
Senate: Proponents request administration to lift ban on partying on school nights
By JENNIFER MEDINA
Staff Writer
Students may legally be allowed to have social activities Thursday nights if Student Senate gets its way.
Senate passed a resolution last month urging administration to amend the policy that prohibits any social event on a school night (Sundays through Thursdays). The resolution states that the current policy is too strict and should be changed to allow university-sanctioned activities on Thursday nights, if the group members have above the 2.98 all-university GPA. Proponents believe the resolution will stop drunk driving.
The Social Events Policy, created in 1991, only allows formally organized parties and dances to be scheduled between 3 p.m. Friday and 5 p.m. Sunday, as outlined in SCampus. A party is defined as an event that has alcohol, loud musk or lasts after 10 p.m.
“This is a chance to bring everybody together and reward houses that strive to do a little bit better,’ said Tyler Kelley, Student Affairs director and Interfratemity Council representative.
Last semester, the Greek GPA was 2.99; sororities averaged 3.09, compared to an allwomen’s average of 3.06, and fraternities averaged 2.91, the same as the all-men’s average.
After the resolution was passed, the Greek senators met with administrators to discuss the likelihood of changing the policy.
“They (administration) don’t want to listen," said Jared Goodman, a Greek senator and a sophomore majoring in finance. Goodman wrote and sponsored the resolution. “They don’t care, they are just moving us along.*
Administration said they are open for discussion.
“(Allowing Thursday night parties) is one of the things we have talked about,’ said Michael Jackson, vice president of Student Affairs. "We are open to exploring.*
Jackson said the policy has changed many of the problems on the Row. He said there is now less public drunkenness, excess noise, sexual
(te* Resolution, page 3)
Alternative student publication denied university support
: Discretionary Board refuses to cover publishing costs for Curious Troy magazine
By NADA EL SAWY Aisutint City Editor
After Discretionaiy Board denied them funding, the editors of Curious Troy, an independent humor magazine, will be using $2,100 from their own pockets to publish their compilation, “The Big Troy Annual.* The
paper’s proponents and others question whether funding for student publications is accessible.
The. co-editors, Matt Kresling, a senior majoring in creative writing, and Jim Riley, a USC alumnus, published the first issue of their satiric magazine in April 1997. They have had at least eight issues since then, with headlines such as ‘Student Senate Declares Tiny Backpacks ‘Absurd,’* and “USC Moves to Prevent Its Sliding Into Pacific.* They are currently concentrating their efforts toward publishing the book.
The circulation of the 10-page, photocopied pamphlets has been about 1,500 issues a month. Kresling and Riley write most of the articles, inspired
by happenings around campus. Writers Wes Atkinson, a sophomore majoring in English, and Tom Brown back, an undeclared sophomore, also contribute material.
Last year, Curious Troy was officially established as a student organization, the first step in asking for funding. At the beginning of this year, Kresling said he asked several people where to go so he could get money to print the book.
After filling out the necessary forms, Discretionary Board allowed Kresling to present his case. The board voted 7-2 against the publication because it felt the magazine would not benefit the USC population, said
Christine Hyun, director of Discretionary Board and a senior majoring in psychobiology.
Hyun said that in order to approve Curious Troy, the board would have to censor the book. Kresling agreed to let the board edit and change whatever was needed. However, Hyun said board members do not have that capability.
“We’re not an editorial board,* she said. “We have no experience.*
Although Discretionaiy Board members did not note specific things they found offensive in Curious Troy, Hyun added that they have an obligation to the entire student population.
(see Troy, page 6)
Curious JYvy