(volume Ixv, number 87 friday, march 9, 1973
Daily
Trojan
university of southern California los angeles, California
Students sue USC on raise in tuition
By Bettye Wejls
associate editor
Two law suits seeking $5 million in damages are being filed against the university and the Board of Trustees by students at the Law Center in protest against tuition hikes that began in 1970.
The first suit, filed Monday, is a class action suit on behalf of several hundred law students asking for damages totaling $240,000 on the grounds that the increases were unreasonable and constituted a breach of contract between the university and its students.
The second suit, filed on behalf of undergraduate students attending USC from 1970 to the present, seeks more than $5 million in damages and is scheduled to be filed today in Los Angeles Superior Court.
A at both suits were filed to recover money from past, present and future tuition increases, which they claim were made illegally.
The spokesman, who asked to remain anonymous, said that the suits are based on two theories.
“There is a written contract (between the university and its students), the terms of which are included in Scampus under ‘Rules and Regulations',” he said. “The university has to consult the students before it can raise the tuition.”
The students claim that the university's neg-lact in conferring with official student representatives, as required in section four of the “Statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities,” constitutes a breach of contract on the part of the university.
The second basis for the suit concerns what the spokesman described as an adhesion contract. “This arises out of the nature of the situation and is implied,” he said. “The university forces students to pay or get out.”
I n addition to the damages the students hope to recover, a declaratory judgment for next year is being sought to clarify the status of contractual rights between students and the university. The students are also asking the court to order the university to account for how tuition monies were spent from 1970.
The spokesman said he believes the students have a good case and a good chance to win because of the current climate in California courts.
While the students feel their cause is justified, university officials do not agree. “Of course we don’t think they’re justified (in bringing suit),” said a spokesman for Carl Franklin, vice president for financial and legal affairs. Franklin was unavailable for comment.
Several students' names appear as plaintiffs in the suits, but the primary power behind them is the Tuition Action Committee, an organization of law and undergraduate students.
The committee was formed last spring when another tuition increase was announced and became active in organizing campus opposition to it. The committee is funded by donations primarily from undergraduate students and is supporting the suits.
Since the cases involve class action suits filed only in behalf of law and undergraduate
students, a spokesman for the committee said that other students, such as those in the medical or b An open meeting has been called for Saturday, March 17, todiscuss the formulation of a new student government.
The meeting was called by James Appleton, vice-president for student affairs, after consultation with a selected group of students and staff, Wednesday night. The students agreed to call the March 17 meeting.
Appleton thinks that with the term of the Interim Programming Board due to expire on April 30, there is a pressing need to consider the alternatives concerning student government.
“With the formulation of the University Council already in progress, the relationship between this body and any new student government must be discussed and determined by students themselves,” Appleton stated in his letter.
The University Council is an advisory body being formed by President John Hubbard.
At the Wednesday meeting, the group decided against formulating any agenda for the larger meeting. The group concluded that any agenda would limit the meeting and not allow the students in attendance to decide its course.
The session will begin with coffee at 9 a.m. and the meeting at 9:30.
Any student wishing to attend may contact the Student Activities Office, Student Union 300 (746-2791) before 4 p.m. Wednesday.
The reason for the request of notification is so that the staff will be able to arrange for a lunch.
Open meeting will consider plans for student government
An open meeting has been called for Saturday, March 17, to discuss the formulation of a new student government.
The meeting was called by James Appleton, vice-president for student affairs, after consultation with a selected group of students and staff, Wednesday night. The students agreed to call the March 17 meeting.
Even though letters are being sent to student members of university committees and heads of campus groups urging their attendance, Appleton emphasized in his letter that, “this meeting will be open to all interested students.”
Appleton thinks that with the term of the Interim Programming Board due to expire on April 30, there is a pressing need to consider the alternatives concerning student government.
“With the formulation of the University Council already in progress, the relationship between this body and any new student government must be discussed and determined by students themselves,” Appleton stated in his letter.
The University Council is an advisory body being formed by President John Hubbard.
At the Wednesday meeting, the group decided against formulating any agenda for the larger meeting. The group concluded that any agenda would limit the meeting and not allow the students in attendance to decide its course.
At the March 17 assembly, Appleton plans to make a few introductory remarks outlining the history of student government problems. Then the students will decide which way the meeting should procede.
The session will begin with coffee at 9 a.m. and the meeting at 9:30.
Any student wishing to attend may contact the Student Activities Office, Student Union 300 (746-2791) before 4 p.m. Wednesday.
The reason for the request of notification is so that the staff will be able to arrange for a lunch.
Wachs criticizes city government
i’ll**
By Joy Barrett
staff writer
Councilman Joel Wachs, candidate for mayor of Los Angeles attacked the involvement of special interest groups in city government and criticized the present city administration in a speech at the Student Activities Center Thursday.
“People don't hold their public officials in very high regard,” Wachs said. “In my experience as a city councilman, quite honestly I have seen a lot of things to give people good reason to feel the way they do.”
Wachs said that City Hall is run by people who finance campaigns of elected officials. “City Hall is dominated by people who do business with the city and have something to gain by it.”
He went on to explain that City Hall is “dominated by an absolutely incringed, massive, yet insensitive bureaucracy, which literally wastes millions of dollars on projects designed primarily to perpetuate their own power and often rejected by the very communities in which they are intended to be placed.” The incident at Pacific Palisades and the offshore drilling was given as an example of special interest involvement.
“The people saw their government go against the overwhelming majority of the people, in favor of one oil company.”
Wachs said that special interests groups are found inside the governmental system.
“When 1 talk about special interests, it's not just big land developers, or oil companies. The bureaucracy downtown is probably the biggest special interest group of all. Nobody will step on anyone's toes.” Wachs accused Mayor Sam Yorty and Jess
WEE THREE—Donna Essoe, left, Judy Guttman and Sam Berman performed Wee three . . .plus variables\n a dance concert Wednesday night in Bovard Auditorium. The dance was composed by Guttman as a part of her master’s
thesis, which will be presented later in the semester. The dance program was choreographed by students in the Modern Dance Department. DT photo by Bob Chavez
JOEL WACHS
Unruh, two other candidates in the race, of this “political wheeling and dealing which their careers are based on.”
As an alternative, Wachs said that people are needed who are in positions of power to exercise that power with the primary interests of the people in mind.
Wachs says the city can maintain a healthy economy as well as preserve a good way of life.
Wachs believes in controlling growth in Los Angeles. “We must limit and control our growth. It means changing the whole concept of growth. Basically we've got to hold it back. We must grow explained.
(Continued on page 3)
Noted playwright postpones visit until March 18
The scheduled appearance of Tennessee Williams, playwright, has been postponed one week until Sunday, March IS.
Williams was to be the guest of honor this Sunday. March 11, at the USC Friends of the Libraries luncheon. The postponement is due to his illness.
Williams is in Los Angeles to observe the Center Theater Group's rehearsals for the 25th anniversary production of his play. A Streetcar Named Desire.
Tickets, priced at SI0, will be available to USC students for $5. For further information, call 746-6058.