Tuesday March 21,1995 Vol. CXXIV, No. 39
Newspaper of the University of Southern California
Headlines
‘Blood Brothers’ heartwarming
David Cassidy and Tif Luck-enbill co-star as twins separated at birth who become "blood brothers" upon a chance meeting. Petula □ark portrays the twins' mother in the award-winning show, now playing at the Wilshire Theatre.
Diversions, page 12
Basketball season ends over break
The women's basketball team lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to Memphis, while the men’s team's season ended a week earlier with their 14th consecutive loss.
Sports, page 24
No light at the end of the tunnel
If you're in a relationship — or think you are — with someone who doesn't give you the time of day, it's time to end the fixation. Editorial columnist Raquel Waight has some advice. Viewpoint, page 4
F.Y.I.
Curator to talk; envoys to visit
Tuesdays at Fisher continues today from 12 to 1 p.m. at the Fisher Gallery with a lecture and slide show by Eunice Howe, exhibition curator of "The Art of Exaggeration: Piranesi's Perspectives on Rome." Dessert and beverages will be provided.
RSVP at (213) 740-4561.
• • •
Ambassadors or representatives of Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, Argentina and others will meet from 6 to 8 p.m. in the VKC Lounge to speak about topics such as tne economy and post-Cold War status of relations among the Latin American states.
• • •
The first in a series of discussions on diabetes will take place tonight at 7 p.m. at the Angelus Plaza, 305 S. Hill St. Dr. Samuel P. Bess-man will speak on "What is Diabetes?"
Instructor evaluations taken seriously
Salary increases, promotions and tenure are contingent on feedback
By Jennifer Hamm
Staff Writer
With the end of the semester in each class at USC come instructor evaluation form9. Regardless of the hassle (or delight) students find in filling out the appropriate bubbles, the course evaluations are used in decision making about professors and their courses.
Dennis Hocevar, professor of education and technical director
of evaluations, said the evaluations are primarily used in decisions regarding promotions, salary and tenure.
"In most units, someone who gets a higher rating gets a higher salary increase," he said.
However, Hocevar said he believes they are not as heavily weighted as research.
Morton Schapiro, dean of the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, also said the evaluations
are an important component in evaluating instructors.
"We take them very seriously in promotion and salary decisions," he said.
Hocevar said professors use the evaluations as a form of feedback about the structuring of their classes.
"They can make a big difference in the way a faculty member teaches," he said.
Schapiro believes students have significant influence in helping or hurting professors.
"Students have a powerful tool in the evaluations," he said.
Randolph Westerfield, dean of the School of Business, said that school is currently using the evaluations to help graduate students select elective courses in the school, and the school plans to use this system in undergraduate studies. Three years of evaluative statistical data about professors and their courses is now included in a book called EKG. A similiar structure is planned for the undergraduate program.
Tne evaluation is a two-part form, which includes quantita-(See Evaluations, page 3)
Mirth amid the masses
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Vl|aah CotmtMrtora / Dally Tro)an
This character can ba found on tha front of the Gwynn Wilson Student Union.
Mail theft on the increase; caution urged
By Joyce Tai
Staff Writer
A steady rise in mail theft in the Los Angeles area has prompted the U.S. Postal Service to warn local residents to be more careful and secure with their mail.
Residents of the North University Park area received a flyer recently notifying them of the problem.
In the past two years, approximately 180 mail theft cases were reported and about 70 cases have been sighted so far this year. Most of the robberies occured on the first or third of each month when carriers deliver various government checks.
"Some of our customers have been victimized by mail thieves who steal mail from their mailboxes before our letter carriers arrive," said Los Angeles Postmaster Jesse Durazo.
Not only are mail-carrying vehicles being robbed, but credit cards and checks have also been taken from unlocked residential mailboxes. Durazo said the checks are often taken and changed to show a higher dollar amount, then cashed by the perpetrators.
Although mail theft has not become a problem on the USC campus, DPS officers advise students to be more alert when mailing important documents or payments.
In order to prevent mail theft from spreading and increasing in the area, the local postal service offered the following tips:
e Do not leave your outgoing mail, such as personal or business checks in an unlocked mailbox. Rather, deposit it in any locked mailbox for carrier pickup or drop it off at any post office.
Mail thieves have been known to steal people's checks, then alter them by writing in a different payee, amount and memo. To prevent this, do not abbreviate payees with initials on your checks. Fill
(See Mail, page 16)
Earth-based religions find support on campus
By Eric Yahnker
Staff Writer
Those preparing to "come out of the broom closet" or just desiring to leam about non-mainstream religions can now turn to USC's Ancient Religions Society for guidance, answers and support.
A witch for 18 years, Anna "Scatha" Nelson, president of the society, said the group focuses on the diversity of Earth-based religions and provides educational information, networking and social contacts and has a seat on the USC Reli-
gious Organizations Council.
"About two years ago, I went to the chaplain and suggested it would be a good idea to have a recognized group on campus," she said.
Originally called Wiccans and Others, the Ancient Religions Society now has about 35 members and has been welj received on campus, said Nelson.
"At first people questioned us a lot to make sure we were not a cult," she said. "We found there is a lot more interest than we expected."
The society meets once a
month, and hosts rituals to celebrate various pagan holidays and celebrations. Last month saw the first university-ap-proved pagan ritual on campus.
Full-moon rituals are an important component in pagan religions.
"The full moon rituals are generally a meditation kind of thing," Nelson said. "We don't do 'sky-clad' rituals or get naked like normal full moon rituals . . . we believe the energy can pass through clothes."
Nelson said taking part in the rituals is not required to be a
member of the Ancient Religions Society.
"It is a decision that everyone must make themselves . . . Wic-caning or initiation only comes when a person has decided, we don't force anyone," she said.
Nelson, and Jayson "Xaevier" Rivest, the society's chair of events, explained that most rituals honor their belief of some god, goddess, lord or lady that is beyond their comprehension.
"We seek to understand these through rituals," Nelson said, "to understand the earth and (See Society, page 15)