Man admits to hacking ’SC Web site
Federal investigators found information on seven different people on Eric McCarty’s home computer.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A San
Diego man was so upset that USC did not admit him as a student that he hacked into the school’s application system and stole other would-be students’ personal information, he admitted in court Tuesday.
Eric McCarty, 24, pleaded guilty to a felony count of accessing a protected computer without authorization and was scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 4. Under terms of a plea bargain with prosecutors, he is expected to receive six months of home detention and pay nearly $37,000 in restitution.
In June 2005, McCarty accessed I see Hacker, page 3 I
LAPD investigating 16 USC identity theft crimes
The crimes include fraudulent Internet purchases using USC student, faculty and staff accounts.
By KAELYN FORDE ECKENRODE
Staff Writer
If you think you’re the only one making purchases with your USC Credit Union checking account, think again. The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating 16 identity theft crimes between Aug. 4' and Sept. 5 using student, faculty and staff accounts.
The crimes include unauthorized ATM withdrawals, fraudulent Internet purchases and the opening of unauthorized credit card accounts, according to incident reports filed with the Department of Public Safety.
Capt. Gloria Graham, DPS captain of operations, declined to comment on the thefts because the LAPD investigation is ongoing.
Peter Tom, vice president of member services for the USC Credit Union, said he was unaware of the LAPD investigation.
“Unauthorized debit card or checking
account usage has to be filed with the police before the Credit Union can do anything,” Tom said. “While we regard them as unauthorized transactions, they are filed as identity theft crimes because that is the only way the report will be taken.”
“Because it is more convenient than driving home to file a report with your local police department, most people file with DPS. That’s why DPS has reported (so many crimes),” Tom said.
Tom said he was unaware of the number of recent crimes.
“I don’t know why there are so many (crimes),” Tom said. "Although, typically at the beginning of the year, you have students beginning to use their accounts again. If their accounts weren’t used over the summer, this is the first opportunity for students to put themselves at risk.”
According to the Department of Justice’s 2006 national report, people aged 18-24 are the most common identity theft victims, along with people who live in suburban areas or have a household income more than $75,000.
Alison Renteln, professor of political sci-I see ID theft, page 13
INSIDE
Find out what students (don’t) know about |9B| politics. 7
Student Newspaper of the University of Southern California Since 1912
September 7, 2006
Vol. CL1X, No. 12
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WEATHER
Today: Mostly sunny. High 85, low 65. Tomorrow: Mostly sunny. High 79, low 64.
$20M multifaith center in the works
The multifaith center will be at least
Remembering. Susan Stewart-Hubler, a costume technician at the School of Theatre, speaks about Ritchie M. Spencer, a professor of costume design who died May 7. Stewart-Hubler was among five guest speakers at the Wednesday memorial service at Bing Theatre.
Memorial held for design professor
27,000 square feet plus outdoor space.
By JODIE OXMAN
Staff Writer
The Office of Religious Life is in the process of raising funds to create a $20 million multifaith center where students and faculty can practice, leam and experience religion and spirituality.
Rabbi Susan Laemmle, dean of religious life, “worked on a vision to serve ’SC students in their religious pursuits however they are defined,” said Susan Wilcox, executive director of development of the College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences. “There were three faiths before (at USC), now there are 82 different religious groups. The space we have isn’t working.”
The idea of building a multifaith center started four years ago when Laemmle held a yearlong strategic planning process with “There were faculty members.
The committee made two recommendations. Firstly, an associate dean of religious life was to be appointed, and the Rev. Elizabeth Davenport was selected. Secondly, the Office of Religious Life would build a multifaith center.
“What remains now is (o raise the money,” Laemmle said.
Wilcox said she hopes to break ground in March 2008.
Students in the School of Architecture at USC made tentative designs for the center.
The late Robert H. Timme, who served as USC’s architecture dean for almost 10 years, designed a semester-long project for a graduate architecture class of 21 students to create potential designs of the multifaith center.
“The process of creating a vision of what kind of building we would be needing really helped us bring (the multifaith center) to life,” Davenport said.
Multiple sites have been proposed for the location of the multifaith center, but no decisions have been made.
USC will be the only major research university with an interfaith center of this kind.
Chapman University in Orange, Calif., has an interfaith center, but USC’s center will be much larger. Chapman’s center has “definitely been an inspiration,” Davenport said.
I see Multlfalth. page 6 I
three faiths before (at USC), now there are 82 different religious groups. The space we have isn’t working. ”
SUSAN LAEMMLE rabbi Dean of Religious Life
Ritchie M. Spencer was a costume design professor at USC for 30 years.
By LISA ROBINSON
Contributing Writer
More than 200 friends, colleagues and former students paid their respects at the memorial service for beloved former professor Ritchie M. Spencer, a man survived by only one family member.
Spencer passed away on May 7 of colon cancer at age 78. He was honored in Bing Theatre Wednesday. Spencer served at USC for 30 years
as a costume design professor, director of production and as the head of costume design.
"I was really lucky to have known him,” said Madeline Puzo, dean of the School of Theatre. “He had an incredibly high artistic standard, and he really did strive for excellence.”
Though the service was emotional, several of the attendees tried to keep the atmosphere light by remembering Spencer’s best traits.
“He was a tough professor,” said former student Meghan Corea, who graduated in May. “But when he complimented you on things, it meant the world. He was the professor who had the biggest impact on
me.”
Several speakers also noted that Spencer was well-known for his witty, caustic sense of humor and his honesty.
The service featured a slideshow that portrayed Spencer from childhood to his last years and dedicated several slides to Spencer’s sketches.
Five of his costumes were on display, including garments that were used in plays “Measure for Measure” and “The Devil’s Disciple.”
The high level of Spencer’s talent was constantly reiterated throughout the service, not only for his skills, but also for his ability to transpose those I see Spencer, page 3 I
INDEX
Last year's star-studded team is already making its impression on the NFL. 20
"Ivy League" should not hold the prestige it does. 4
News Digest........2 Lifestyle...............7
Upcoming...........2 Classifieds........16
Opinions..............4 Sports................20
Spencer