STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SINCE 1912 | WWW.DAILYTROJAN.COM | VOL. 166, NO. 43 | FRIDAY MARCH 27, 2009
INDEX
4 · Opinion
5 · Lifestyle
8 · Classifieds
10 · Crossword
11 · Cryptogram
12 · Sports
No name: ‘Sin Nombre’
explores immigration to
America. PAGE 5
Lighting a fire: Baseball will need
to limit its errors against No. 2
Arizona State today. PAGE 12
By MADELINE REDDINGTON
Daily Trojan
Some USC students living in Cal Student Housing
properties near campus say the leasing office has not
responded appropriately to maintenance requests and
housing managers have not been properly addressing
tenant security concerns, putting their personal safety
and property at risk.
The most recent complaint came from two tenants
in Vista Magnolia Court who said their apartment was
broken into on March 12, just before spring break.
Alexandra Sandler, an undeclared sophomore, and
Katie Garland, who is not a USC student, said the
burglar stole several DVDs and Garland’s key ring,
which included her car keys and keys to the apartment
and outer gate.
Sandler’s car was stolen, and when it was located a
week later the interior was trashed and one or more
homeless people appeared to have been living in it, she
said.
The DPS officer who came to inspect the building
found that a potential burglar could have easily broken
into the apartment by pushing open a ground-floor
window, although it is unclear how this burglar got in,
Sandler said.
Mehrdad Koupai, senior portfolio asset manager
of Property Management Inc., which manages Cal
Student Housing, said there was nothing Cal Student
Housing could do because barring the windows would
violate Historic Preservation Overlay Zone regulations
that protect the property.
Other students say Cal Student Housing has
overlooked additional security issues with the property
as well.
Bijan Gharavi, a former student and tenant of Vista
Magnolia who subleases the apartment to Sandler and
Garland, said the back gate of the complex has a broken
keyhole that can be opened with any key.
According to Sandler, Gharavi entered the back gate
using his car key on the day after the burglary to check
Local housing
management
under criticism
While tenants say maintenance is negligent, the
management says it has done nothing wrong.
| see HOUSING, page 2 |
By LARISSA PURO
Daily Trojan
Students who flocked the stands of veg-etables,
fruits, hot food and merchandise at
the Trojan Fresh Market Thursday said the
monthly event has vastly improved since it
began just over a year ago.
The farmers market, which debuted
last February, originally featured goods
purchased from local vendors sold by
USC rather than the vendors themselves.
Students said this took away from a typical
farmers market atmosphere.
“They didn’t have a lot of the organic
stuff they do now; they didn’t have a lot of
local vendors, so it wasn’t like a real fresh
market like a farmers market,” said Royce
Gene, a sophomore majoring in business.
“But then they took student input; they
started asking us what we wanted, and
they actually listened to us.”
A survey distributed to consumers
Thursday asked for feedback regarding
the market, what they purchased and what
products they want to see in the future.
Market organizers stay on the lookout
for new vendors by visiting local farmers
markets, said Kre Reneau, the food and
beverage buyer for the market. This year,
they are seeking out more environmentally
Trojan Fresh Market continues to thrive at USC
Organizers say they are constantly
looking for new vendors and are
now focusing on eco-friendly ones.
| see MARKET, page 2 |
Mike Lee | Daily Trojan
So fresh · Students check out produce at one of the stands at Thursday’s Trojan Fresh Market, which first came to campus
last February. Organizers said they gather feedback from customers in order to make improvements to the monthly markets.
By HOLLY VILLAMAGNA
Daily Trojan
Stem cell researchers at USC will have
greater opportunities in a changing field as
a result of President Barack Obama’s reversal
of Bush-era restrictions on human embryonic
stem cell research earlier this month.
USC has been conducting stem cell
research at the Eli and Edythe Broad Center
for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell
Research at USC, which has been in place
since 2006.
In 2001, then-President George W. Bush
banned the use of federal funding for the cre-ation
of new lines of human embryonic stem
cells, which are taken from human embryos
soon after fertilization.
Human embryonic stem cells can be dif-ferentiated
in the lab to make different types
of cells — muscle or bone, for example. The
cells can be used to study development and
how cells are impacted by disease, and could
be used to replace damaged tissue in the
body.
If effective, stem cell research could lead
to the reversal of medical conditions ranging
from strokes to Parkinson’s disease.
The Broad Center currently receives pri-vate
funding to conduct research on human
ES cells, including grants from the California
Institute for Regenerative Medicine.
Francesca Mariani, an assistant professor
of cell and neurobiology at the Keck School
of Medicine, said she will begin conducting
research on human ES cells later this year
with private funding.
But she said she would “absolutely” apply
for federal funding when it becomes avail-able.
When researchers throughout the coun-try
begin to seek federal funding for human
ES cell lines, institutions like USC and states
like California that have continued to work
with human ES cells through private funding
will have an advantage, Mariani said.
“Those states that have researchers in
place and facilities already in place will have
an advantage to get federal funds,” she said.
Universities in states other than California,
where private funding for stem cell research
is less available, may have to work harder than
USC to obtain federal funds, said Elizabeth
Fini, vice dean for research at Keck.
“Because we got this jumpstart, it makes
all the difference for us,” she said. “Our
researchers are ready to go, where other
schools are going to have to get this started.”
One way USC researchers can find funding
is through the National Institute of Health
(NIH). As part of President Obama’s economic
stimulus package, the NIH is funding more
than 200 grants for health science research in
the coming year.
USC researchers will be applying for these
grants, and Fini said she “expects some peo-ple
will be using these requests for stem cell
research.”
Eric Schulze, a Ph.D. candidate in genetic,
molecular and cellular biology, said he plans
to pursue a career related to human ES cell
research and will apply for federal funding
Stem cell researchers at USC expect to benefit from stimulus package
Obama’s allocation of federal funding
for stem cell research signifies a reversal
in policy from the Bush administration.
| see STEM CELL, page 3 |
FAST FACTS
􀁳􇍇 Groundbreaking: 􀀳􃌀􀁅􄔀􀁐􅀀􀁔􅐀􀀎􀸀 􀀘􁠀􀀌􀰀 􀀒􁈀􀀐􁀀􀀐􁀀􀀘􁠀
􀁳􇍌 Location: 􀀨􂠀􀁅􄔀􀁁􄄀􀁌􄰀􀁔􅐀􀁈􄠀 􀀳􃌀􀁃􄌀􀁉􄤀􀁅􄔀􀁎􄸀􀁃􄌀􀁅􄔀􀁓􅌀 􀀣􂌀􀁁􄄀􀁍􄴀􀁐􅀀􀁕􅔀􀁓􅌀
􀁳􇍓 Size: 􀀘􁠀􀀐􁀀􀀌􀰀􀀐􁀀􀀐􁀀􀀐􁀀 􀁓􅌀􀁑􅄀􀁕􅔀􀁁􄄀􀁒􅈀􀁅􄔀 􀁆􄘀􀁅􄔀􀁅􄔀􀁔􅐀
􀁳􇍄 Donations: 􀀄􀐀􀀒􁈀􀀗􁜀 􀁍􄴀􀁉􄤀􀁌􄰀􀁌􄰀􀁉􄤀􀁏􄼀􀁎􄸀 􀁆􄘀􀁒􅈀􀁏􄼀􀁍􄴀 􀀣􂌀􀀩􂤀􀀲􃈀􀀭􂴀􀀌􀰀 􀀄􀐀􀀓􁌀􀀐􁀀 􀁍􄴀􀁉􄤀􀁌􄰀􀁌􄰀􀁉􄤀􀁏􄼀􀁎􄸀 􀁂􄈀􀁙􅤀
􀁔􅐀􀁈􄠀􀁅􄔀 􀀢􂈀􀁒􅈀􀁏􄼀􀁁􄄀􀁄􄐀 􀀦􂘀􀁏􄼀􀁕􅔀􀁎􄸀􀁄􄐀􀁁􄄀􀁔􅐀􀁉􄤀􀁏􄼀􀁎􄸀 􀁁􄄀􀁎􄸀􀁄􄐀 􀁐􅀀􀁒􅈀􀁉􄤀􀁖􅘀􀁁􄄀􀁔􅐀􀁅􄔀 􀁐􅀀􀁈􄠀􀁉􄤀􀁌􄰀􀁁􄄀􀁎􄸀􀁔􅐀􀁈􄠀􀁒􅈀􀁏􄼀􀁐􅀀􀁙􅤀
􀁳􇌀 􀀯􂼀􀁎􄸀􀁅􄔀 􀁏􄼀􀁆􄘀 􀀑􁄀􀀒􁈀 􀁉􄤀􀁎􄸀􀁓􅌀􀁔􅐀􀁉􄤀􀁔􅐀􀁕􅔀􀁔􅐀􀁉􄤀􀁏􄼀􀁎􄸀􀁓􅌀 􀁆􄘀􀁕􅔀􀁎􄸀􀁄􄐀􀁅􄔀􀁄􄐀 􀁂􄈀􀁙􅤀 􀁔􅐀􀁈􄠀􀁅􄔀 􀀣􂌀􀁁􄄀􀁌􄰀􀁉􄤀􀁆􄘀􀁏􄼀􀁒􅈀􀁎􄸀􀁉􄤀􀁁􄄀
􀀩􂤀􀁎􄸀􀁓􅌀􀁔􅐀􀁉􄤀􀁔􅐀􀁕􅔀􀁔􅐀􀁅􄔀 􀁆􄘀􀁏􄼀􀁒􅈀 􀀲􃈀􀁅􄔀􀁇􄜀􀁅􄔀􀁎􄸀􀁅􄔀􀁒􅈀􀁁􄄀􀁔􅐀􀁉􄤀􀁖􅘀􀁅􄔀 􀀭􂴀􀁅􄔀􀁄􄐀􀁉􄤀􀁃􄌀􀁉􄤀􀁎􄸀􀁅􄔀
􀁳􇌀 􀀷􃜀􀁉􄤀􀁌􄰀􀁌􄰀 􀁗􅜀􀁏􄼀􀁒􅈀􀁋􄬀 􀁗􅜀􀁉􄤀􀁔􅐀􀁈􄠀 􀁔􅐀􀁈􄠀􀁅􄔀 􀀺􃨀􀁉􄤀􀁌􄰀􀁋􄬀􀁈􄠀􀁁􄄀 􀀮􂸀􀁅􄔀􀁕􅔀􀁒􅈀􀁏􄼀􀁇􄜀􀁅􄔀􀁎􄸀􀁅􄔀􀁔􅐀􀁉􄤀􀁃􄌀
􀀩􂤀􀁎􄸀􀁓􅌀􀁔􅐀􀁉􄤀􀁔􅐀􀁕􅔀􀁔􅐀􀁅􄔀 􀁁􄄀􀁎􄸀􀁄􄐀 􀁔􅐀􀁈􄠀􀁅􄔀 􀀨􂠀􀁁􄄀􀁒􅈀􀁌􄰀􀁙􅤀􀁎􄸀􀁅􄔀 􀀪􂨀􀀎􀸀 􀀮􂸀􀁏􄼀􀁒􅈀􀁒􅈀􀁉􄤀􀁓􅌀 􀀣􂌀􀁁􄄀􀁎􄸀􀁃􄌀􀁅􄔀􀁒􅈀
􀀲􃈀􀁅􄔀􀁓􅌀􀁅􄔀􀁁􄄀􀁒􅈀􀁃􄌀􀁈􄠀 􀀴􃐀􀁏􄼀􀁗􅜀􀁅􄔀􀁒􅈀
􀁳􇌀 􀀲􃈀􀁅􄔀􀁓􅌀􀁅􄔀􀁁􄄀􀁒􅈀􀁃􄌀􀁈􄠀􀁅􄔀􀁒􅈀􀁓􅌀 􀁗􅜀􀁉􄤀􀁌􄰀􀁌􄰀 􀁗􅜀􀁏􄼀􀁒􅈀􀁋􄬀 􀁉􄤀􀁎􄸀 􀁂􄈀􀁁􄄀􀁓􅌀􀁉􄤀􀁃􄌀 􀁁􄄀􀁎􄸀􀁄􄐀 􀁄􄐀􀁉􄤀􀁓􅌀􀁃􄌀􀁏􄼀􀁖􅘀􀁅􄔀􀁒􅈀􀁙􅤀
􀁓􅌀􀁔􅐀􀁅􄔀􀁍􄴀 􀁃􄌀􀁅􄔀􀁌􄰀􀁌􄰀 􀁒􅈀􀁅􄔀􀁓􅌀􀁅􄔀􀁁􄄀􀁒􅈀􀁃􄌀􀁈􄠀􀀌􀰀 􀁐􅀀􀁒􅈀􀁅􄔀􀁃􄌀􀁌􄰀􀁉􄤀􀁎􄸀􀁉􄤀􀁃􄌀􀁁􄄀􀁌􄰀 􀁒􅈀􀁅􄔀􀁓􅌀􀁅􄔀􀁁􄄀􀁒􅈀􀁃􄌀􀁈􄠀 􀁁􄄀􀁎􄸀􀁄􄐀
􀁄􄐀􀁅􄔀􀁖􅘀􀁅􄔀􀁌􄰀􀁏􄼀􀁐􅀀􀁍􄴀􀁅􄔀􀁎􄸀􀁔􅐀􀀌􀰀 􀁁􄄀􀁎􄸀􀁄􄐀 􀁃􄌀􀁌􄰀􀁉􄤀􀁎􄸀􀁉􄤀􀁃􄌀􀁁􄄀􀁌􄰀 􀁒􅈀􀁅􄔀􀁓􅌀􀁅􄔀􀁁􄄀􀁒􅈀􀁃􄌀􀁈􄠀􀀎􀹃
CIRM Center for Regenerative Medicine and
Stem Cell Research at USC
The Eli and Edythe Broad
Background: 􀀴􃐀􀁈􄠀􀁉􄤀􀁓􅌀 􀁉􄤀􀁓􅌀 􀁁􄄀􀁎􄸀 􀁁􄄀􀁒􅈀􀁔􅐀􀁉􄤀􀁓􅌀􀁔􅐀􀀇􀜀􀁓􅌀 􀁒􅈀􀁅􄔀􀁎􄸀􀁄􄐀􀁅􄔀􀁒􅈀􀁉􄤀􀁎􄸀􀁇􄜀 􀁏􄼀􀁆􄘀 􀁔􅐀􀁈􄠀􀁅􄔀 􀀣􂌀􀁅􄔀􀁎􄸀􀁔􅐀􀁅􄔀􀁒􅈀􀀌􀰀 􀁃􄌀􀁏􄼀􀁕􅔀􀁒􅈀􀁔􅐀􀁅􄔀􀁓􅌀􀁙􅤀 􀁏􄼀􀁆􄘀 􀀵􃔀􀀳􃌀􀀣􂌀􀀎􀹌
Laura Nelson | Daily Trojan