Newspaper of the University of Southern California
Thursday January 30,1997 Vol. CXXX, No. 14
Headlines
Women of Troy shocked at home
The No. 19 ranked USC women's tennis team received a wake-up call Wednesday when Fresno State shocked the Trojans,
5-4 in a contest that came down to the final match.
Sports, page 20
Celebrities at 'SC, past and present
Many have become urban myths on campus since their visits and staff writer Laura Hickey takes at look at those stars who have graced campus with their presence .over the last few years.
Diversions, page 9
Racy pin-ups don't score points
Editorial writer Lizzie Q. Singian explains why women are turned off by men who plaster X-rated posters all over their room and still expect women to take them seriously.
Viewpoint, page 4
APASS open house, Career Day
Asian Pacific American Student Services will have an open house today from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Student Union, room 410.
There will be a raffle for a $25 gift certificate at the bookstore and two AMC movie tickets.
For more information, call (213) 740-4999.
•	••
More than 150 companies will be present at today's Career Day on Trousdale Parkway from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
There will be representatives from Disney, the FBI, IBM, Mervyn's California, Pacific Bell, Toshiba, Wal-Mart and others.
For more information, call (213)740-9111.
•	•t
Diogenes, the undergraduate philosophy society, will have a meeting today at 5:30
P.m. in the Mudd Hall of hilosophy, rwm 102.
For more information, call (213) 764-8262.
Daitylrojan
Senate 'vision' pitched to groups
By Elisa Ung
Assistant City Editor
Student Body President Dave Gabler pitched a general "vision" of his restructuring committee's plan for the future of student government Wednesday, evoking a non-committal response from student groups.
The reception from the Panhellenic and Interfraternity councils and the University Residential Student Community contrasted with contentious debate that erupted in the Student Senate Monday, when senators vehemently expressed concerns for more than three hours before giving the plan a preliminary 9-4 vote of confidence.
Senators will meet with Gabler to work out points of contention before voting again.
IFC and Panhellenic Council did not vote on the plan, while URSC was almost unanimously in favor of the plan. Program Board
voted unanimously for the plan Monday.
Gabler used the meetings more to encourage members to voice concerns than to gain approval for his plan.
The senate will vote next Monday on the proposal. The vote will most likely be another vote of confidence in the measure—a decision that would assure that the elective offices put forth in the plan will be the offices students will vote for in the March senate election, Gabler said.
If the senate gives another vote of confidence, the election director will issue candidate packets. If senate rejects the presented proposal, either amendments will be voted on to move the election back, or the election will proceed with the current offices.
If the restructuring is approved, IFC, Panhellenic and URSC will all have space in what is now the Student Senate office. Program Board will keep its office in the
basement of the Student Union.
Gabler also told the groups they would be given part of the Student Senate's budget.
"(The groups) will be given a sum of money that is not excessive, but is not
Eeanuts, either," Gabler said. The senate udget is approximately $692,000, he said.
Commuter Senator Brandon Mercer, who is also part of the restructuring committee, told URSC representatives that they would now be part of a group recognized by the university's board of trustees.
"The Board of Trustees... don't have to listen to URSC (now)," Mercer said. "We're giving (URSC) a voice."
This sentiment was greeted enthusiastical-
>y-
"I'm 100 percent behind the official recognition of URSC," said Brian Stanke, who represents several off-campus apartment build-(See Plan, page 3)
Spring fair draws potential members
By Thien Ho
Staff Writer
About 90 clubs stationed along Trousdale Parkway offered brochures, encouragement and advice dflring the spring Activities Fair Wednesday as part of the university's Welcome Month.
The Activities Fair gives registered and recog-_
nized clubs and organizations an opportunity to represent themselves, said Laurie Beyl, assistant director of Orientation Programs.
"(The fair lets students) really orient themselves with what the school has to offer, socially
and academical- -
ly," said Leslie Grinner, information specialist for student activities.
The biannual Activities Fair, started in 1985, is organized by
junction with Student Activities.
Welcome Week was turned into Welcome Month in 1993 in order to extend the number of programs held, said David Crandall, director of Student Activities.
Though intended for all students, the spring activities fair is especially aimed at helping transfer students adjust to uni-versify life.
"The first semester you get more recruits but the second semester we try to recruit transfer students," said Cathy Truong, co-pres-ident of the Vietnamese Student Association.
H o 1 1 i e Edgerto, a senior
-majoring in
finance who is treasurer for the Black Business Students Association, agreed that the Activities Fair is a good idea for exposure but said it is really up Orientation Programs in con- to the organization to follow up
...I think (the Activities Fair) is an excellent idea for new students to see their options.
—Derek Robinson
Dania* Caatarton / Daily Troian
Ben Ellefson and Charlie Sullivan of SCORE were at the fair.
that
was
the
not
with recruiting.
Some students felt two-hour time frame long enough.
"I had class during that time and could not attend," said Candy Nguyen, a sophomore majoring in music industry.
"It should be longer," she said.
Even though some students did not have time to attend, they can still see the fair's benefits.
"The Activities Fair did not help me personally but I think it is an excellent idea for new students to see their options, " said Derek Robinson, a senior majoring in English.
Robinson also suggested that the Activities Fair be spread out on two different days and alternate times.
Keri Garcia, a senior majoring in exercise science and a staff
(See Fair, page 3)
'Hard Candy' creator recounts success story
By Arda Hamalian
Staff Writer
Pimp, Porno, Chronic, Trailer Trash, Space Boy, Holiday Homicide, Gansta Booty... These are just some of the off-beat names of Hard Candy nail polish—a company founded by a former USC student.
Dineh Mohajer, a pre-med student before leaving USC four classes shy of her degree, was slightly under the weather as she spoke about the lessons learned in the business world and the sudden success of Hard Candy Wednesday night at Bovard Auditorium.
Her business began when Mohajer, 24, had a "weird urge" for a shade of baby blue polish to matcn a pair of pastel sandals. She mixed and made the polish herself, and it became a hit with friends and strangers.
"The company was really born when one day when my sister Pooneh and 1 were shopping ... and the salesgirls practically attacked our mint green and baby clue toes," she said. "It was at that point that my sister and I sat down ... and said, 'Wow. This could be a real business '"
Mohajer's sister Pooneh and her boyfriend, Ben Einstein, are her partners in the company. Einstein, who was once a USC student majoring in music recording, also left school upon Hard Candy's success.
"The ... ironic part of (my success) is (that) one reason I had decided to do Hard Candy in the first place was to spend the summer taking a break from my demanding pre-med curriculum and staying as far away as possible from the pressures of cervical cancer and (preparing for) the dreaded MCAT," she said. 'This little nail polish project was supposed to be a fun little distraction—sort of like my last hoorah before I was cell-blocked into Anatomy 101."
When the demands of her company calm down, she said she hopes to return to school.
Within a few months, Mohajer's "last hoorah" had turned into a multimillion-dol-lar business, earning her, her boyfriend and her sister $250,000 a month in sales, with a growth of 20 to 25 percent a month.
"You have to be fearless," Mohajer said. "If the risk of failure is at the front of your head, forget it... If 1 had been fearful of failing or knew that building Hard Candy was impos-
sible, the outcome probably would have been failure."
However, Mohajer said at first the business aspect of the company frightened her "After me initial response to our polish in the marketplace, my nightmare really began," she said. "(My partners and 1) had to quickly adapt our student minds into swift thinking business maniacs. .."
Celebrities such as Alicia Silverstone, Pamela Anderson, Courtney Love, Lenny Kravitz and Dennis Rodman have sported Hard Candy's non-traditional nail polish colors on their hands and feet.
"1 initially freaked out when I saw all these famous people wearing this nail polish I had made in my living room," she said. "I think
the appeal is that the product is a paradox, jle woi n
Pimp.
Peop
end
wouldn't imagine that a nice, high-nail polish color would be called
Although much of Hard Candy's clientele ranges in age from 15 to 25, Mohajer said older women are wearing the products at an accelerating rate.
Mohajer's speech was sponsored by
(Ser Mohajer, page 3)