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Volume LXXXIX, Number 32	University of Southern California	Thursday. October 30, 1980
School board member faults colleagues’ actions
By Eric Vincent
Slatt Writer
Los Angeles School Board member Rita Walters reaffirmed her j support of desegregation and bilingual education and con-| demned the actions of fellow board members in a speech to university students Wednesday afternoon.
The speech was actually more of a discussion, with approxi-| mately 30 students questioning Walters for mosi of the two-hour session. The major topics covered were desegregation, bilingual education and the conduct of the board, which Walters described as irresponsible.
Desegregation was a major topic of concern to the students, who initiated many questions and negative views on the matter, j Walters gave two reasons for her support of the current dese-| gregation plan.
i "First, it's the law, and we are a law-abiding society. Second, I think that desegregation will contribute to a stronger society."
Pointing out that researchers have found that the first two j vears of a desegregation plan are the most difficult, Walters sees 1 the success of the plan dependent upon a commitment by both j the school board and community leaders to see that the program | works.
"I just think it is so terribly tragic that in 1980, the 200th anniversary of Los Angeles with it's tradition of cultural diversity, people are standing up and saying people should be segregated," Walters said
(Continued on page 14)
Role of advisement committee reviewed
TARANTULA EVICTED
Spider creates web of trouble
Media ignore v.p. races
By Jerrold Dale
Slatt Writer
Heard the one about the TV correspondent who hadn't made prime time for weeks since his assignment was switched from led Kennedy to Vice President Walter Mondale?
"Hello, you don't remember me." he began one videotaped gag report. "I used to be on television everv night — mv face was my passport for hotels, restaurants and rental cars all over. But then I was assigned to the Mondale campaign and now I need this (he whips out an American Express Card) more than ever."
Or the story about the reporter assigned to Republican vice presidential candidate George Bush? He tried to phone some news to his office and was put on hold so long he fell asleep. He was still on hold when he woke up six hours later.
These stories mav be exaggerated, but thev nevertheless illustrate the lack of attention the
two maior vice-presidential candidates have received during the campaign. Reporters and television crews traveling on the Bush and Mondale campaign planes joke that their respective candidates are conducting "stealth” campaigns — a reference to the secret aircraft that is supposed to be invisible to enemy radar.
Yet the two men have been anything but invisible. Thev are serious about their tasks, extremely loyal to their running mates and effective campaigners.
A Gallup poll taken in late August shows that Bush and Mondale are viewed favorably bv the majority of those polled. Perhaps more importantly, neither man is viewed as a political liability.
But does anybody even pay attention to the vice-presidential candidates when thev vote for president?
"Most research suggests a (Continued on page 3)
Just because spiders can't swim, two university students will have to give up their pet tarantula.
"The onlv pets allowed in university housing are tropical fish, and they are limited to 10-gallon tanks," said Susan Hunt, manager of Regal Trojan Apartments, the location of the spider's laire.
Oddlv enough, the spider — named Melchore — does live in an aquarium, albeit without the water.
Jim Brown and Jim Gallagher, Melchore's owners, received a memo from University Housing telling them to evict the tarantula bv Friday.
Thus the "prohibited pet" clause that helped evict |.R. the cat from Portland West, is now being used to force Melchore the tarantula from the Regal Trojan.
Brown and Gallagher have been co-owners of Melchore, which means evil god, for more than a vear and a half.
The pair came across Melchore in a pet shop in Santa Barbara. "If vou buy that thing we're not getting in the car" responded their girlfriends. But the girls' decree was more of a dare, and $30 later Brown, Gallagher, their girlfriends and Melchore were driving toward Los Angeles.
Since then, savs Brown, "Melchore has been a good pet and a great conversation piece."
Brown and Gallagher kept Melchore in College-Universitv Hall all last year with onlv one minor problem. The spider, which is slightly smaller than a softball, but not nearly as round, escaped. She roamed free for three days. Someone found the spider crawling in the courtyard outside College-Universitv Hall and returned it.
Brown and Gallagher worried
ART DECO? — The school s initials ornament a drainpipe on the Physical Educational building, serving as a constant reminder of who owns the building
An dd hoc review committee on student advisement and counseling reform, mandated bv President Zumberge's report on lhe athletic-academic scandal, will have limited capacity and membership if the president heeds the recommendations of the committee's chairman.
The committee "is not a policy committee and should not represent a wide constituency," said James Appleton, vice-president tor Student Affairs and committee chairman.
Zumberge's report named Appleton chairman of the new committee and requested that he recommend appropriate membership for presidential review and final appointment bv today.
Appleton said he has not discussed the committee with the president, but will meet with him early next week to relav recommendations on the committee's makeup and membership.
The new committee "is to be charged with review ing implementation of the principles and actions specified" in Zumberge s Oct 12 report, including changes in admissions and athletic eligibility
that Melchore was lose in their room and thought that it might
crawl in bed with them seeking warmth or whatever it is spider's seek.
But Brown, holding Melchore between his thumb and forefinger adds, "It was nothing to worry about." He savs the fur-rv spider's bite is no more harmful than a wasp sting to an adult, and at the most might make a child verv sick.
In response to the eviction, the pair savs, "the novelty of
having a pet tarantula is wearing off, but we don't like to be forced to get rid of him "
Brown and Gallagher will comply with the university's decision. For anyone interested in a pet tarantula and terrarium, thev are asking S45 for the set.
"We hate to see her go,” Brown said, "she really is a good pet."
Melchore only eats 12 crickets a month at a cost of 50 cents a dozen so who can argue.
EVICTED - Jim Brown will remain, but Melchore. his 3-inch-long pet tarantula, has been deemed ineligible for housing by the administration.