Student Newspaper of the University of Southern California Since 1912
www.dailytrojan.com
February 22, 2006
INSIDE
After a 20-point loss in Westwood Jour weeks ago, the Trojans evened the series Sunday to heat the Bruins 71-69 at the Sports Arena. 24
Vol. CXI. VI, No. 2H
Tajima ticket disqualified from election
The Senate Judicial Council refused to hear an appeal by Tajima to overturn the ruling.
By JOANNA UN
Staff Writer
ChaseTajima and Aresh irajpanah weredisqualified from the Student Senate elections after the Elections Commission unanimously cited the presidential-vice presidential ticket on Saturday with several “egregious” violations.
The commission said in its rulings that it “cannot, in good faith, justify their candidacy and potential election into office, as their behavior has severely violated both the written rules and the spirit of the election."
Tajima submitted an appeal to the Senate Judicial Council on Sunday to overturn the rulings, but the council announced Monday that it declined to hear it.
In its statement released Tuesday, the council wrote, “Based on the merits of the appeal, the Judicial Council finds no substantive rationale to warrant a hearing."
“I don't understand how they can come to that conclusion without hearing the case," Tajima said.
The council declined further comment
The ticket could now appeal to Student Affairs, or senators could awmih? the commission's verdict*. Tajimu said. Hilt he said that he has "exhausted (his) appeals and will not take further action.
Tajima said he believed the severity of disqualification warranted a council hearing. “I think (the council's) job is to make sure the rules are being followed and applied and to speak for those who can’t speak for themselves anymore," Tajima said. “I’m disappointed with their decision — they missed an opportunity to right a wrong.”
Even if the council upheld the commission's rulings, and even though his ticket came in third in the election, Tajima said he still believes his appeal should have been heard to value students' votes.
"Students’ votes are their voice. By not hearing the appeal, (the council is) silencing their voices," Tajima said. "A lot of people voted for me and Aresh. It's a sad day when they can cancel those votes."
Irajpanah said that the council declining to hear the ticket’s appeal hurts him, but that he has “no regrets through the whole campaign."
"This was honestly one of the best experiences of my life ... If anything, I'm grateful for the whole process. Unfortunately at the end, it was not the outcome we expected,” he said.
Irajpanah said that in running for vice president, he
I see Tajima. page 15 I
Gordon, Chaudry win vote
The Gordon-Chaudry ticket advocated student safety and gmranteed an ln-N-()ut.
By JOANNA LIN
Staff Writer
Sam Gordon and Sahil Chaudry were elected Student Senate president and vice president Tuesday, winning 1,434 out of the 5,742 total votes cast.
Behind by 67 votes were Gary Lee and Andrea Schwartz, who received 1,367 votes.
Chase Tajima and Aresh Irajpanah
came in third place, receiving 1.304 votes, but the Elections Commission disqualified the ticket on Saturday after citing it with several SCampus, Code of Ethics and Elections Code violations.
Jason Handman and Merrianne Fermanian came in fourth with 802 votes, followed by Dan Birken and Tony Liao with 335 votes and Andrew Stinnett and Sevak Keshishian with 271 votes.
In addition, 229 votes were for write-in candidates, were left blank or were indeterminable.
The election results are unofficial, as they are pending a review of the
candidates' finance plans. The official results will be announced Tuesday, but Catherine Finneran, co-director of elections and recruitment, said “nothing should change."
“I'm very happy," Gordon said. "I love this school, and I am humbled by the opportunity to help out the student body as much as I can."
Gordon and Chaudry’s campaign platform was to make Student Senate “go big." The ticket advocated in particular for increased lighting on residential streets and said they would work with the Department of Public Safety I see Sanata page 16
Quick
Facts
♦
The Gordon Chaudry ticket received 1,434 out of 5,742 votes.
229 votes were for write in candidates, blank or indeterminable.
Rachel Elias < Daify Trojan
Celebration. Sam Gordon and Sahil Chaudry embrace after hearing Tuesday night of their victory in the 2006 Student Senate Elections.
Administrators reject idea of college standardized testing
INDEX
The proposal aims to hold universities accountable for the gradtudes they produce.
By ASHLEY ARCHIBALD
Staff Writer
The Bush administration's Commission on the Future of Higher Education is examining the feasibility of standardized testing for colleges and universities, but USC officials say they are opposed to such testing
Headed by Charles Miller, a former regent of the University of Texas system. the commission u examining the current state of higher education in the United States in order to increase university accountability for the quality of graduates that they produce
One proposal that caused a great deal of debate called for a national standardized test for all institutions of higher education.
Though he acknowledges the necessity of student assessment, standard ized testing is not the best method said Peter Stan. USC dean of undergraduate programs.
“Standardized testing as the answer to the assessment puzzle is like using a rusty hatchet to peel an apple: the tool is too blunt and too apt to strip away precisely what's good," Stan wrote in an e-mail.
The proposal of a national standardized test is a controversial one because American universities operate without the constrictions of a national curriculum.
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Facts
The Commission on the Future of Higher Education is headed by Charles Miller, a former regent of the University of Texas system
The commission report will be released in August.
Dick Cheney’s hunting accident Ls no laughing matter. 4
Transgender summit highlights overlooked group. 10
News Digest..2	lifestyle---1
Upcoming_____2	Classified*—SO
Opinions-----4	Sports------14
WEATHER
Today: Sunny. High 69. low
46
Tomorrow: Sunny.
Computer science class will delve into science-fiction
The new class will teach students fact from fiction in science-fiction novels.
By LAURA SIMURDA
Staff Writer
From Star Trek's Lt Cmdr Data to the Little Lost Kobot from Isaac Asimov's stones, a computer science class arriving soon at USC will utilize science fiction to teach students about robotics and artificial intelligence
Course creators Mihnd Tamhe. an auu late professor of computer science, and Emma Bownng, a third-year Ph.D candidate, are currently working to adapt what would usually be a graduate-level coursewnrk tn an undergraduate intensity by focusing on the fundamentals
"In a sense there are sort of two big steps — one is teach ing not a graduate level class, two is teaching via science fiction." Tambe said.
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