Will Trojans be in Texas?
Sports, page 28
’90s should take lesson from ’60s
Viewpoint, page 5
Abortion pill testing done
Life / Arts, page 11
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Volume CXIII, Number 45	University of Southern California	Wednesday, November 7,1990
Trojan under wraps
Daniel De La Rosa / Dally Tro|an
Tommy Trojan got a new suit of armor to protect him from prospective UCLA vandals, as the university prepares for the Big Game in two weeks.
University begins ‘big push’
Low enrollment figures prompt bolder recruiting
By Annette Chadney
Staff Writer
With the national decline in the number of high school students applying to college this year, universities across the nation are increasing their recruiting efforts to attract larger, better-qualified freshman classes for the fall, 1991 semester.
USC is no exception. After a 16-percent drop in the number of freshmen attending the university this year, admission officials said Tuesday they are preparing to make the "big push" in recruiting to attract new students to the university for enrollment next September.
As part of the effort to persuade students to become Trojans, Ann Rike, senior associate director of admis-
sions, said USC recruitment officers are visiting approximately 1,000 high schools in 33 states across the country to promote the university.
Rike said USC will also host receptions nationwide at city libraries and museums and present two on-campus open houses with approximately 1,500 guests invited.
But officials say their new tactic for 1991 is to increase personal interaction between recruitment officers and students.
"We are fairly personal once they are admitted, but we would really like to get to know students while they are considering coming to the university," Rike said.
She said the university's big recruiting push begins when students start their junior year in high school and continues after the first of the year, when students tour potential colleges and universities.
She said this is a crucial time because they are taking their SATs and seriously considering college choices.
(See Recruit, page 9)
Shower’s effectiveness part of investigation
Fire victims remain in critical condition; inquiry continues
By Annette Chadney
Staff Writer
Investigation into the cause of the chemical fire that injured two researchers in a Health Sciences Campus laboratory last Wednesday is still continuing, university officials said Tuesday.
"We haven't finished the investigation yet. We are still trying to find out what happened, the cause and basically everything about it (the fire)," said Leo Wade, director of Safety and Risk Management.
The investigation will also test a deluge shower — designed to spill 10 gallons of water to detoxify a burn vic-
tim — that reportedly malfunctioned when the burn victims tried to use it.
Seid Mirsadeghi, a 30-year-old post-doctoral fellow from the National Institute of Health, is hospitalized at Sherman Oaks Community Hospital.
Tan Tran, 22, has been undergoing surgery all week at Torrance Memorial Medical Center.
As of Tuesday, both victims were listed in critical but stable condition.
"We investigate all serious accidents in order to leam something to prevent future problems," Wade said. "For-
(See Safety, page 20)
Pocket change
$7 million still needed for construction of new library
By Gloria Lau
Staff Wriler
The university is $7 million short of the $29 million necessary to complete the proposed teaching library. Construction is scheduled to begin more than a year from now, library officials said Tuesday.
The University will court large and small donors for the remaining funding, said Nelson Gilman, interim director of the central library system.
A fin|al plan for the project is expected to be announced at a meeting Thursday between library officials and university administrators.
"The university felt the teaching library was its highest priority, and it's President Zumberge's highest priority," Gilman said.
Most students do not use the present library information search equipment efficiently, he said, but the new teaching library would employ new computer systems seeking to promote student reliability on electronic search techniques and to provide access to global information networks.
Gilman said students are expressing concerh that the university's existing library system is not up to par with
other major California universities, but funds to improve the libraries' resources are difficult to come by.
Gilman said it is more prestigious for donors to give to building projects rather than for books and supplies to add to existing resources.
"Library acquisitions have gone down, and we really cannot compare with other universities in terms of our libraries," said Rajesh Srinivasan, a
doctoral student in economics and a Budget Advisory Committee member.
Steve Webber, president of Student Senate and a doctoral student in urban and regional planning, was pessimistic about the effectiveness of a teaching library.
"We wind up going to UCLA to do our research. This teaching library really won't do anything to solve our problems," Webber said.
Daniel De La Rosa / Dally Trojan
Construction plans for the new teaching library are nearly final, and work on the structure Is scheduled to begin during the fall, 1991 semester. The grass field in front of Bimkrant Residence Hall has been chosen as the site for the library.
Student to file complaint against security officer
By Elizabeth Arucan
Staff Writer
A student said he will file a complaint today against University Security alleging he was beaten by officers Oct. 29 after he called them to lock the door of a classroom in which he had been teaching.
University Security officials said they have already begun an internal investigation into the conduct of Officer John Williams in an incident involving David Benson, a senior majoring in mathematics.
Benson is an instructor for PDP 030, a computer course, taught Monday evenings in the Salvatori Computer Center.
Benson said he had to seek medical attention Oct. 30 because of a swollen wrist, hand injuries and multiple bruises on his back as a result of being hit with an officer's baton.
Benson reportedly called security last Monday night to have them lock doors shortly after he finished teaching. Officer John Williams arrived around 8:40, Benson said, and after attempting to find the correct key, told Benson he would have to call his watch commander to ask for another key.
At that point, Benson said Williams told him, "I couldn't find a key, and they don't pay me
(See Complaint, page 8)