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Tuesday March 26,19% Vol. CXXVII, No. 44
Headlines
Volleyball can't find answers
The USC men's volleyball team continues to search for the answer to a season-long dilemma: How to avoid mental collapses and finally live up to the high expectations placed on the team.
Sports, page 16
Independent spirit alive and well
The Independent Spirit Awards were held this past weekend, honoring the best independently produced . films of the past year. Winners included Sean Penn and Mare Winningham.
Diversions, page 8
Ballot propositions broken down
Along with the meaningless presidential primaries today, California voters have the chance to decide on a slate full of propositions. Staff writers Krik Sanjurjo and Nik Trendowski review propositions 200, 201, 202 and 197.
Viewpoint, page 4
F.Y.I.
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Primary elections to happen today
The university will be hosting various balloting sites for the primary election all day today.
Students who are registered voters will have the opportunity to vote on a number of propositions and local official elections.
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Prototypes WomensLink, a multi-service center for IIIV/AIDS infected women, is in need of volunteers.
Prototypes is a meeting place where women and their families can congregate to receive a wide variety of professional and paraprofes-sional services such as peer support counseling and groups, case management, alternative treatments, treatment advocacy, mental health counseling, family support services, housing assistance transportation and hygiene products.
For more information, contact Leigh Grode at (310) 313-5139.
Newspaper of the University of Southern California
By Franke Santos
Staff Writer
University Residential Student Community officers were elected earlier this month with hopes of increasing their visibility, improving student life through cooperation with administration and gaining greater input from students.
The four new officers are: Jeff Foster, president; Steven Salcedo, vice president for advocacy; Allison Linehan, vice president for funding, and Jory Harfouche, vice president for programming.
"We want to maintain the recognition that people know they can come to us if they want to see things done," said Foster, a senior majoring in environmental studies.
Foster said he hopes to improve the relationship with Student Senate so the two organizations can work together on student advocacy. He said he is confident of improving relations between the two groups because Student Body President Dave Gabler and Senator Timur Taluy are current URSC coordinators.
Salcedo said he hopes to advocate student issues by "empowering representatives to speak to administrators."
Salcedo, a sophomore majoring in French and psychology,
Get set...
Troy Witt / Daily Trojan
Runners start the IM-Rec-sponsored H5K Torch Relay” in Hahn plaza Monday. Staff and students competed in teams of five. University Computer Services also participated in the event, with a five-member team called “Slow Folks.”
Officials seek to cut $13 million
USC administration committee looks for loopholes in overhead spending in hopes of cutting finances, improving academics
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cacy board more visible to students so they know their grievances can be addressed.
"Others grin and bear it; we smile and cnange it," he said.
Harfouche, a freshman majoring in political science, said he hopes to do more cooperative programming with building
(See URSC, page 3)
By Jennifer Arrache
Staff Writer
The university recently launched a program to cut direct and indirect administrative costs by $13 million from 1997 to 1999, while enhancing services to its customers, Project Manager Michael Diamond said.
The program, run by the Cost and Service Task Force, was developed in January for the purpose of reducing administrative costs, thereby achieving status as a top private research university, Diamond said.
"Every dollar we spend on administrative services is one less dollar to be spent on academics," he said.
The committee listed 16 university "processes" to be reviewed over the next two to three years.
Currently, three projects are being researched for implementation over the next six months.
The first project focuses on making the purchasing process for goods and services more efficient and less expensive.
The second project will review the university s operations management.
The final project, which will start in May, will review student services. Financial aid, records and admissions will all be reviewed, in hopes of gaining an idea of how to provide better service efficiently to "the prima-
ry customer," the student, Diamond said.
University officials have enlisted the aid of financial consultants from the firm Coopers and Lybrand, USC's financial auditor, to identify areas in which costs can be reduced.
The firm has sent three consultants from their San Francisco branch, who fly to USC about once a week, to advise the task force committee.
The consultants, who have worked with a number of other universities, are training staff members to recognize areas in which expenditure could be decreased and service could be improved.
According to Jerry Dark, a senior associate with the firm who has worked in higher education for over 15 years, similar financial matters have been tackled in universities such as
(Sff Task Force, page 3)
Organization alumnus recognized for service
By Olivia Hemaratanatom
Staff Writer
Tony Huerta, founder of USC's Latino Business Association, has become the first USC alumnus to receive the Cuauhtemoc Award, which honors significant people in the community.
Huerta was presented with the award March 23 at El Centro Chicano's annual Unity Banquet. El Centro Chicano is a resource center with various programs for Latinos; each year, the center holds the Unity Banquet, a fund-raiser for scholarships.
A committee of past award recipients nominated Huerta for the Cuauhtemoc Award. He was recognized for his activities in the community, for upholding education and for making a difference in people's lives.
"I am very proud to receive this award," Huerta said. "Some nice people who have improved the community nave received this award, like Tony Annaya, ex-governor of New Mexico."
Huerta said he and his wife, Carmen, have devoted their lives to helping others.
"We don't have a separate life," Carmen Huerta said. "Helping our community is our life."
The Huertas once closed both of their McDonald's restaurants in the El Monte area
and invited low income families for a Christmas dinner. After finding out the names of families through local agencies, Huerta also gave out personalized gifts.
Huerta and his wife head the Huerta Scholarship Program, which awards scholarships to high scnool employees who attend
"We can't wait for a rider on a white horse to come. Each Latino has to do (his or her) part in the community."
— Tony Huerta
four-year colleges. Most of his workers are from the El Monte School District and can receive financial assistance for their education.
Carmen described her husband as a softhearted person who is always giving money.
"If he doesn't have money at that point in time, he offers help in whichever way he can/' she said.
Huerta's bookkeeper and close friend, Aurora Ferrec, recalls a child approaching Huerta and saying, "Hi, Mr. Huerta, my class
is taking a field trip and all we need is $50 for all the students to go."
Huerta responded by pointing to Ferrec and saying, "Sure, no problem. Talk to her." Huerta wrote a check for the $50 even though he did not know the child, Ferrec said.
Huerta said he could not do all that he does for the community without the support of his family and feels that he is receiving the award for them. He sacrifices time spent with his family to support the Latino community, but they agree with him when he says "we can't wait for a rider on a white horse to come. Each Latino has to do (his or her) part in the community."
Huerta said he loves and acknowledges USC for the "great education, business ethical behavior and meek and humble attitude" he acquired.
He learned from one of his professors that
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"it's not bad to be rich and if you have the power to do something, you can do good,” Huerta said.
His eldest son graduated from USC, his daughter currently attends USC and his other three children will go here as well, Huerta said.
In 1978, Huerta founded the Latino Business Student Association because he saw
(See Award, page 3)