Newspaper of the University of Southern California
Wednesday April 17,1996 Vol. CXXVII, No. 60
Rain cancels tennis, baseball
The USC women's tennis and baseball teams had their games postponed due to rain. Baseball will face Cal State Fullerton tonight while the Women of Troy resume against San Diego Tuesday.
Sports, page 16
Red fish, blue fish; we fish, you fish
Benjamin Acker, the Daily Trojan's resident official on fishing, provides tips on hot spots, bait prices and tackle bargains—all in the pursuit of nabbing slimy little aquatic animals.
Diversions, page 8
Housing doesn't deserve knocks
A flier by Local 11 warns of the bad housing conditions here at 'SC. But editorial writer Aaron Paquette feels campus housing is not as bad as it's bashed, and that it is unfair propaganda.
Viewpoint, page 4
F.Y.I.
Columbia to offer summer program
Columbia University will be offering a new summer study program in Oracle, Ariz. in earth and environmental sciences on its new campus, Biosphere 2.
The new undergraduate program will be a six-week field course beginning in mid-May. Students in the Earth and Environmental Science course will learn to use modern field techniques that are being used in earth and environmental research.
Tuition for the course is $4,000; room and board costs are $1,680. Financial aid is available for eligible applicants. Undergraduates, beginning graduate students and adult learners may apply. Prerequisites are introductory geology or environmental science and basic chemistry, or special permission. The application deadline is April 30.
For more information, call the Biosphere 2 campus at (520) 896-6377.
Bonsai shopping
Elliot Moban* / Dally Trojan
Blair Pruit and Eric Pinckert, sophomores majoring in business, shop for bonsai trees at the arts and crafts fair Tuesday in Alumni Park
Newly elected senator survives three-story fall
By Morgan Segal
Staff Writer
A member of the Student Senate is in the intensive care unit at County USC Hospital after falling off the third story balcony of nis residence Friday, according to the Department of Public Safety and County-USC Hospital.
Eric Flores, Student Community senator, fell backwards off his balcony at Hillview Apartments, fracturing vertebrae, said Bob Taylor, deputy chief of DPS. Flores went into surgery Monday night, Senate Administrative Assistant Shana Cantor said.
"Flores was sitting out on his third floor balcony on Friday
imbibing an alcoholic beverage when he lost his balance and fell onto the ground," Taylor said.
According to the police report, DPS Officer James Fairington said when he went to Flores' apartment he found three empty 32-ounce beer bottles and two empty 12-ounce beer cans. He also said he found the same size beer bottle on the ground where Flores had fallen.
Taylor said Flores got up and dusted himself off and then went back inside to talk to his friends for awhile. Later, he felt discomfort in his back and decided it would be a good idea to go the hospital, Taylor said.
'The hospital released Flores
(See Flores, page 2)
Beta Theta Pi suspended from activities
After fraternity member was hit on the head with a keg, house is suspended until hearing takes place
By Christian Cooper
Assistant City Editor
Following an incident in which a student was struck on the head with an empty beer keg, Beta Theta Pi fraternity has been placed on suspension, said Ken Taylor, director of the Office of Residential and Greek Life.
The student, Erik Larson, a senior majoring in political science, is recovering at home.
"Effective last Friday, we informed the chapter to suspend all activities except educational activities and chapter meetings," he said.
"(Vice President of Student Affairs) Michael Jackson met with members of the chapter on Friday afternoon and informed them of the university's action," Taylor said.
Cynthia Cherrey, associate dean of Student Affairs, said "they cannot exercise any activ-
ities of being a student group. That includes social activities and everything."
"We always take accidents like this very seriously," Cherrey said.
Greg Williams, president of Beta Theta Pi, declined to comment on the university's action.
"My basic concern right now is for Erik's health," he said. "That's where we're leaving it now."
Cherrey said that because this is an interim action the fraternity has the right to a hearing within 15 days.
At the hearing, members of the fraternity will be able to present their case and witnesses, Cherrey said.
The panel is comprised of students and staff and is chaired by a student, she said.
According to Section 12.15 of the university student conduct code, as stated in SCanipus, the review panel handles cases involving situations in which "an organization poses a substantial threat to the safety or well-being of members of the university community."
The panel has the authority to recommend limited or university-wide sanctions, accord-
Fils photo
Beta Theta Pi fraternity house
ing to the code.
"Sanctions can vary," Cherrey said. "They can range from educational sanctions all the way to the removal of the chapter."
"Our primary concern is for the well-being of every member of the fraternity. We're taking this very seriously," she said.
Law education the focus of new JEP program
By Rad Probst
Staff Writer
To help undergraduate students get involved in the courts system, the Joint Educational Project will begin an undergraduate pre-law program this fall that will involve students in four to six hours of intern work at the Superior Courts in Los Angeles, according to representatives at the JEP house.
Students will be involved in jury service, court operations and, after their first semester, domestic violence departments, said Monica Cazares, a senior majoring in psychology, sociology and pre-law, and one of the JhP coordinators of the new program.
"There's nothing specifically geared to get undergraduates involved in the courts or law," Cazares said.
Students who take part in the
program will have two training sessions. One of these sessions will include a joint training within the Superior Courts tof get more legal perspective on the duties involved.
The second is the standard JEP session that follows the same format as other JEP programs.
The session includes a description of the weekly journal entries the students will write as a way to reflect on their experiences, Cazares said.
Prior to the pre-law program, JEP has conducted a pre-health program, called the Troian Health Volunteers, which nas been quite successful for the last 10 years, said Hope Serdowsian, director of Trojan Health Volunteers for 1995-%, in an informational letter about the program.
Tne Trojan Health Volunteers program places students at
local hospitals and clinical sites. Within this program, students generally find their experiences to be rewarding and beneficial; they are able to discover more of what the health field entails and make contacts at each site, Serdowsian said in the letter.
Generally, there are about 70 to 80 positions open for each semester, she said.
In the start of the pre-law program, there will only be about 20 positions open to students, Cazares said. This is so that JEP can keep in contact with all participants and see the
benefits of the program, she said.
The lack of alternative programs in other majors, outside of pre-law and health, stems from a limited budget and time constraints, Cazares said. JEP acquires its money through
fundraisers and target the programs that get little exposure from undergraduates, she said.
"The pmgram sounds like an excellent opportunity for students to get a hands-on experience before going to law school," said Karen Lash, assistant dean of the Law School
"The program sounds like an excellent opportunity for students to get a hands-on experience before going to law school."
—Karen Lash