Unlocking artifacts of antiquity
Photo courtesy of Bruce Zuckerman
Preserving history. Bruce Zuckerman, professor of Semitic languages, has developed an online system to immortalize ancient artifacts.
Brace Zuckerman uses the latest photo technology to study ancient texts, providing new findings on the date of their creation.
By NATHAN GO
Contributing Writer
or almost 20 years now, Bruce Zuckerman, professor of Semitic languages, has held the key to some of the world’s oldest civilizations in his hands.
From deserts to war-torn areas, Zuckerman has pursued and taken hundreds of thousands of images of ancient inscriptions using the latest
technology in photography — usually revealing new, striking information.
Zuckerman’s findings last summer on an artifact believed to bear the earliest biblical passage might end the controversy surrounding the date of its existence.
While some scholars question the artifact’s age, Zuckerman’s high-resolution photographs show that the text is a distinct style of an early Hebrew script. The script was
used from the period just before the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C., thus confirming its antiquity.
The images Zuckerman took provide the clearest analysis of the inscriptions ever taken so far, and he hopes they will finally dispel the cloud of doubt hanging over the artifact.
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October 18, 2004	Vol.	CLlll,	No.	38
Student Newspaper of the University of Southern California Since 1912
Provost announces retirement
Lloyd Armstrong Jr., who has been provost and senior vice president of academic affairs since 1993, will retire in June.
By KIM HOLMES
Staff Writer
Lloyd Armstrong Jr., provost and senior vice president of academic affairs, will retire at the end of the academic year, after holding the position since 1993.
He said he was proud of the achievements USC made under his watch, but he felt it was time to leave.
Most provosts in the American Association of Universities, an asso-
ciation of research universities to which USC belongs, only remain in office for about five years, he said.
’’I’ve lasted longer than most of my colleagues,” he said. “(Now) it’s time to let in someone with new energy and ideas."
As provost, Armstrong is responsible for overseeing the development and improvement of academic and research programs and has helped write USC's last three strategic plans.
“The happiest part is the growth and quality that the university has
achieved over that time." Armstrong said, referring to his career as provost. “It’s been very exciting."
Roberta Williams, vice president of pediatrics and academic affairs for the Childrens Hospital in Los Angeles and professor and chair of pediatrics for USC’s Keck School Of Medicine, said she attributes many of USC’s programs and standards of excellence to Armstrong.
"He brings together people and pulls them together in a meaningful way," she said. "I'm very sad to see him go. I really admire him."
But after so many years of service, he deserves a real life, she said.
"There’s a popular saying that you should leave people wanting more and he is,” she said.
Making improvements
USC’s growth is especially impressive, Armstrong said.
“Endowments are poor compared to Yale, Harvard and Stanford," he said. "We do a lot of things with fewer resources so we must be smarter and more careful."
Armstrong wrote the Strategic Plans in 1994, 1998 and the most recent one released on Oct. 6.
The strategic plans have focused on bringing breadth and depth to undergraduate education and have I see Armstrong oage 13
WEATHER
Today: Showers. High of 63, low of 58.
Tomorrow: High 62, low57.
Black family events highlight weekend
Black Family Weekend — a special version of USCs Trojan Parents Weekend — officially closed Sunday in front of a crowd of 50 people for the Family Worship and Gospel Brunch at Ground Zero.
About 600 people attended this year’s Black Family Weekend events, said Corliss Bennett director of the Center for Black Cultural and Student Affairs.
Bennett started the tradition of the Black Family Weekend in 1999 when she noticed something missing about USC's annual Trojan Parents Weekend.
“1 just felt like it wasn't diverse enough," Bennett said. “There weren't a lot of people there who look like me. And the black family is just as Trojan as anybody else."
—Nathan Go. contributing writer
Trojan family. The USC Fly Girls perform in front of Marks Tower Friday as part of Black Family Weekend.
Professor finds new terrorism statistics
Todd Sandler, professor of international relations, maintains an independent database of attacks.
By BORIS MELNIKOV
Staff Writer
An analysis of the State Department terrorism data by a USC professor revealed that the United States had underestimated terrorist activity in the world during last year by as much as 32 percent.
In the course of his research, Todd Sandler, professor of international relations in the College of Letters, Arts & Sciences, also found what he believes is a politically motivated manipulation of data on terrorism by the current administration.
He, along with other leading researchers in the field, maintains an independent database of terrorist activities throughout the world, dated back to 1968 and compiled using media accounts. The data he obtained for 2003 shows 67 more terrorist acts than the figures provided by the U.S. Department of State, which releases its own survey of terrorism every year, even after the State Department revised its estimate upwards.
Sandler’s database shows that 275 terrorism acts occurred in 2003, as opposed to State Department's count of 208.
The 32 percent difference between the two sets of data is a recent phenomenon that has not been seen in the previous years of this administration, Sandler said. The State Department data has been manipulated to show I see Sandler page 13 I
INDEX
Professor Todd Boyd uses hip-hop and film to reach his students. 7
Women 's volleyball beats UCLA in three	matches. 20
News Digest.......2	Sport*.___________20
Upcoming__________2	Classifieds_______16
Opinions__________4	Lifestyle----------7