USC returns to postseason play after it accepts an invitation to play in the Las Vegas Bowl on Chritsmas Day against Utah /16
S I N C U 19 12
Student newspaper of the University of Southern California
WEDNESDAY
November 28, 2001
Of interest...
Editorial Columnist Kimberly Britton examines America's obsession with shopping / 4
News Digest	2	Calendar	2
Opinions	4	Lifestyle	7
The Buzz	7	Classifieds	12
Crossword	13	Sports	16
vol. CXLIV. r>o. 60 yiwv.dailytrojan.com
Officials Senate election officials resign
examine tapes of rushing
Crowd: Students running on to field sparked problems, security acted appropriately, USC safety official says
By ROBB FERRIS
Staff Writer
Problems after the UCLA football game two weeks ago arose when students stormed the Coliseum field and there is little evidence of police brutality, said Department of Public Safety Deputy Chief Bob Taylor.
Despite student reports, the reaction when hundreds of students rushed the field was not an eruption of total chaos, Taylor said Tuesday.
Coliseum and university officials are now developing possible solutions to ensure that such an incident is not repeated.
Suggestions for solutions to the recent problems with crowd control at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum were voiced during a meeting last Wednesday, but no conclusions have been reached, university officials said.
“There will be many more meetings in the future," said Don Ludwig, director of recreational sports. “We have a lot more work to do.”
Representatives of USC faculty, administrators and students participated in the meeting, including Taylor, Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs Cynthia Cherrey and Student Senate President Hema Patel.
The group watched a video taken by members of the Athletic Department that captured the moments after the game, when many I see Gam*, page 3 1
Cabinet Some say stepping down symbolizes problems between highest officers and directors, senators By LORI STUENKEL
Student Senate Writer
The two top Student Senate election officials resigned Monday, less than three months before elections. Four members of the executive cabinet and one student senator have resigned since the start of the semes-
► Senate votes to improve academic advisement procedures / 3
ter, which some say reveal problems between the top Senate leadership and officers.
Shazia Ali, former director of elections and recruitment^estgned Monday and was quickly/followed by her assistant, Bill Dufour. Some Senate officials say the resignations are a result of micromanagement and lack of appropriately stated goals from top Senate officials.
Ali, a senior majoring in biology,
submitted her letter of resignation to all Senate members, lodging several complaints against the president and chief of staff.
“Instead of demonstrating patience and confidence in my ability to do the job 1 was hired for, the administration was unable to work through our differences with constructive communication, and my efforts were continually belittled," she stated in the letter. “There are limits to how much micromanagement one can tolerate.”
Josh Katz, who was director of
advertising and promotions, resigned earlier this semester.
Annette Stepanian, who was assistant director of student advocacy, resigned in September along with Sarah Talei, a commuter senator.
Senate Vice President Craig Brooks said the resignations were not connected.
“It’s a pretty big coincidence that with all these other people resigning for time commitments, we are having this other controversial resignation," he said. “Those other ones are I see Sonata page 3
Pledging commitment
Song and dance.
Pledges of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity perform on Trousdale Parkway Tuesday afternoon.
Jeannie Kwoti I Daily Trojan
Stagnant market still yields work
Dieting not fast-track to shedding loads of pounds
Economy: Jobs available for those willing to push skills, but openings remain scarce
By SARAH REA
Contributing Writer
Seniors preparing to graduate are facing a weakened job market in an economic downturn, but USC financial experts and career advisers say students can find jobs if they learn to market themselves.
“I think it’s too early to be discouraged for the class of 2002,” said Eileen Kohan, director of the Career Planning and Placement Center. Since the economy began to fal-
ter last year, the U.S. unemployment rate has risen from 3.9 percent to 5.4 percent this month, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Students about to enter the job market face more competition and higher standards as they apply for now more highly coveted jobs.
“I think the big difference is, two years ago we had jobs looking for applicants, now we have applicants looking for jobs," said Tim Burgess, director of career development at Annenberg School of Journalism.
But experts say there is no need for students to panic.
“The market is tough, there’s no question about it, but there are still jobs out there," Burgess said.
The difference, advisers say, between those who will find jobs and those who will be left looking is the ability to market themselves — to use internships, networking skills and the “Trojan family" to secure positions in their uncertain first years in the weakened economy.
However, many students have noticed the lack of abundant job offers this year.
“The biomedical engineers were saying at the job fair that there’s usually three biotechnology companies, and there weren’t any this year." said Megan Sribour, a senior majoring in biology.
A temporary shortage of employ-I see Economy, page 14 I
By NEIL CHRISTOPHER APELES
Staff Writer
With the holidays just weeks away, magazines are loaded with diet plans and more people are jumping on the diet bandwagon, but nutrition and medical experts at USC agree that choosing the right diet and cutting down caloric intake are essential to losing weight
It is best to consult with a physician before starting a new diet program. Around this time of year people want to see results fast, but this often means turning to radical plans that
HEALTH & MEDICINE
produce rapid weight loss. These diets can be dangerous and do not keep the weight off.
Among the most popular are the Atkins. Ornish and Sugarbusters programs. The Atkins diet is high in protein and low in carbohydrates. Dr.
I see Heattit page 14 i