Controversy still surrounds centers suit
CHIEF ED DAVIS
By MELODY GILLARD Managing editor
A number of letters, the minutes from a commission meeting and an attempted investigation by a city policeman into the federally-funded Western Center on Law and Poverty have raised the question of improper behavior on the part of the Los Angeles Police Department.
The Western Center, a legal service organization for the poor, filed a suit against the police department on behalf of all blacks in the county of Los Angeles. The center is operated by the Law Schools at USC, Loyola University and UCLA.
The suit charges the police department, under the direction of Chief Ed Davis, with systematically subjecting blacks to “acts of violence, brutality, surveillance, false arrest, harassment, humiliation and intimidation directed at them solely because of their race.”
One of the incidents, considered by some of the law students to be the crucial issue, centers around a meeting of the Communications Advisory Committee.
During this meeting on Nov. 20, 1969, the use of the telecommunication facilities on Mt. Lee by the School of Engi-
neering was discussed. The school had previously received tentative permission from other utilities commissions to use the facilities for broadcasting educational television programs at a fee of $150 per month. The final decision is up to the advisory committee.
But the Communications Advisory Committee delayed its decision for possibly two reasons. The only reason stated in the minutes of that meeting appearing in the form of a motion made by James Potter, Jr., councilman from the second district, and seconded by Davis.
The motion moved that "... action on the USC request be delayed until they have taken some action concerning the law suit.” It was approved unanimously by the committee.
The topic of the Western Center suit was introduced into the committee meeting iby Davis, who then said, as reported in the minutes, that he “believes that the city should charge 'USC for the use of the iMt. Lee facility on the basis of the city’s costs to defend itself against the law suit.” Davis’ press relations secretary said the chief would not be available for an interview until next week.
Earlier in the meeting it was reported that the $150 sum for use of Mt. Lee “was based on fair rental value as determined by the Bureau of Way and Land.” Although the minutes did not include how much Davis said it costs to defend the suit, it has been estimated at around $3,000 per month.
Jack Munushian, professor of electrical engineering and the only representative from USC at the meeting, feels there were two reasons for a delaying decision regarding the school’s use of Mt. Lee. One, he said, was the Western Center issue; the other “a valid technical reason.”
Munushian said the city had investigated possible interference between existing broadcasting systems and the one planned by <USC, but had not checked out the possibility of interference from proposed city broadcasting systems.
Munushian said that during the meeting Davis asked if the city had checked out proposed systems, such as the police department’s plan to set up its own television system that would link Parker
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University of Southern California
DAILY
TROJAN
VOL. LXI, NO. 72
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
THURSDAY, FEB. 12,1970
Proceeds from SCaffold to be returned Monday
Students who sold books through SCaffold may pick up their money and unsold books Monday through Wednesday, from 1 to 4 p.m. or on Thursday, from 8 a.m. to noon in the Student Activities Center, room 202.
•Unsold books which are not claimed at that time will be sold wholesale, with the money going to SCaffold.
SCaffold is an ASSC sponsored organization which allows students to sell used textbooks directly to other students, eliminating the middleman. In this way both the buyer and seller benefit.
$100,000 donated to Law Center
ASSC group to seek constitutional changes
A $100,000 gift presented to the new Law Center, presently under construction, has made it possible for the facility’s stu-dent-lounge to be expanded.
Lawrence A. Harvey, chairman of the board of Harvey Aluminum and a USC alumnus, and his son, Larry Harvey, a 1969 graduate of the School of Law, personally presented the check to President Norman Topping.
Larry Harvey became aware of the plans for the new Law Center two years ago and noted that the areas for study-lounge use were to be something less than adequate. Taking the matter up with Dorothy Wright Nelson, then acting dean and now dean of the School of Law, he found that the project was privately-funded, and that funds were not available for the facilities he envisioned.
The elder Harvey made a commitment of $100,000 to make possible a 4000-square foot expansion in the lounge which will be named after Harvey.
In addition to heading the firm which bears his name, the senior Harvey is also a member of the American Bar Association, the California Bar Association and the board of di-
loung
rectors of the Aluminum Association.
He is also a member of USC’s Associates, a group dedicated to seeking ways of supporting higher education in America.
Lawrence Harvey has two other sons. Brian L. Harvey, also a USC alumnus, is now president of Alflex Co. Randall J. Harvey is a high school senior.
By MARY ANN GALANTE
The ASSC Constitutional Revdew Committee will ask for student suggestions for revising the constitution today at 1 p.m. in the Student Activities Center.
The Committee has been considering possible revisions for the constitution’s triannual review. Tomorrow’s student poposals will be reviewed by the committee, then incorporated into the final recommendations sent to the ASSC Council. The student body will vote on the final draft in early March.
One of the recommendations proposed by the review committee has been the incorporation of constitutional amendments into the constitution itself. This would mean there would be no amendments separate from the main body of the new Constitution.
Other recommendations of the review committee deal chiefly with student body offices.
Under the committee’s proposed recommendations, the qualifications for candidacy for ASSC president and vice-president are that potential officers must have achieved two semesters of fulltime academic work by the end of the semester in which they may be elected. This allows for sophomores to run for student body president and vice-president.
Committee recommendations also call for changes in a vice-presidential office title. Instead of vice-president in charge of programs, the new title will be vice-president of Student Affairs. This post and that of Academic Affairs will be strictly administrative and their officers will be
directly responsible to John Hubbard and Paul Bloland, university vice-presidents of Student and Alumni Affairs, and Academic Affairs.
The presidential duties have also been redefined, removing some of the patronage powers. The committee hopes that this will bring about a closer relationship between the president and the executive council and the consideration of ASSC programs.
The review committee has aimed essentially at making the constitution more workable and updated, according to Donna DeDiemar, chairman of the committee.
To update the constitution, a change in the title of the senior class representative was proposed. Recommendations call for granting the officer voting privileges on the ASSC council, as well as changing the office title to senior class president. The change was suggested because of the many public relations functions of the office.
The committee also aimed at allowing ASSC officers to work more within the constitution. Because the current constitution states all officers must be full-time students during their term of office, officers with high positions have previously ignored this point.
Under the proposed revisions, candidates must be full time students while running for office. Once elected, however, the officer does not have to carry a full program of classes.
Students wishing to express opinions are invited to attend the meeting. Suggestions for consideration must be written to allow for correct interpretation by the council.
Eliminate music pollution, dean advises
By GINGER LANDAU
Music is heard everywhere, under every circumstance—in doctor’s offices, elevators and at football games. But is too much music “music pollution”?
Dr. Grant Beglarian, dean of music, examined this problem yesterday in a speech, at the Faculty Center Association meeting, “Current Issues in Music.”
“We must find some way to unclutter the ear with all the extra music, to gain the focus of interest that modem composers require,” Beglarian said.
There are two main camps of music, according to Beglarian. The first is rule-ridden and dominated by strong structure. However, as rules become rigid and ingrained in the composer, he loses much of his freedom.
The second camp occurs when a group
of musicians will disregard rules and formal structures in hopes of gaining freedom. But, as Beglarian stated, avoiding the rule may in itself become a rule.
Modern musicians are caught between the push and the pull of these camps. Students must, Beglarian said, find a median between freedom and restraint. This is what the School of Music is attempting to accomplish, he said.
Many of the problems of music today as a creative art refer back to the pollution problem, he said.
“Because music is one of the few things which can be called an avocation while you are actually doing something else, it loses its focus of interest,” he said.
For example, one may hear music while vacuuming, eating dinner or conversing, yet may never really listen to it.
Another problem for the modern com-
poser is that most audiences are brought down to a primitive level of listening. They make pictures in their mind rather than hear the actual instruments or sound. “Composers must convince people that there is more to music than this surface purpose,” Beglarian explained.
“Also, many modern listeners are more interested in the composer than the piece being played. The artist is selling himself rather than the art.” Beglarian added that this is contrary to the purpose of music as an art form.
To avoid music pollution we must reduce the amount of music heard, and focus our attention on a smaller amount, he said.
Beglarian was field representative and project director for the Ford Foundation from 1959-68. His most recent composi-ition, “The Cantata,” premiered last December at St. George Church.