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Volume LXXXVIII, Number 41
University of Southern California
Thursday, April 10 1980
Tehran contacts two nations
Asks aid for Iranians here
Staff photo by Sttw Hyman
‘CONCERNED AMERICAN' — Former President Gerald Ford outlined three issues that must be resolved for a “confident America tomorrow,” including the economy.
ATHLETES GIVEN SECOND CHANCE
Crash course offered again
By Richard Bonin
Associate Investigations Editor The 26 student-athletes enrolled in Speech Communication 380 last fall will repeat the crash course they took over Christmas break “due to irregularities discovered in the conduct of the first make-up," President John R. Hubbard announced Wednesday.
The Academic Standards Commission, that has been reviewing the case since February, ordered the repeat of the make-up course. The commission reached its decision after conferring with June Shoup, chairperson of Communication Arts and Sciences, who discovered the irregularities in the first make-up course.
The first make-up course was organized in December when university officials learned the student-athletes, 20 of whom were on the 1980 Rose Bowl championship team, were to receive credit without having to attend classes.
John DeBross, who taught the speech course open only to members of the debate team, administered the crash course. In addition to attending a series of lectures over Christmas break, the athletes were required to evaluate debates held at tournaments at UCLA and the university in January.
The second make-up became necessary when university officials learned that several problems surrounded the original crash course.
"Some documents needed to substantiate the about-to-be-assigned grades were missing or found to be altered" was one of the problems encountered, according to a prepared statement released through the university's news service.
The Daily Trojan reported last month that at least 14 of 20 football players enrolled in the crash course were denied academic credit • because it seemed people other than the football players themselves took the final exams, which consisted of evaluating student debates.
Jqhn Marburger, dean of the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, said he has not seen the evaluations, and therefore cannot. comment on the authenticity of the authorship of the exams. But in the prepared statement Marburger said, "The matter of possible student culpability associated with altered documents submitted in conjunction with the first make-up course will be turned over to the appropriate student judiciary body for adjudication."
Regarding missing documents, student-athletes have claimed they did more work than the speech department has in its possession.
"Some documents that students claimed to have turned in could not be found," said Vance Peterson, director of Academic Relations.
Some of the evaluations were not given directly to DeBross, but" to Jeff Birren, academic adviser to football players. Birren resigned in March for his role in advising the athletes to take the speech course, as well as two others.
By Paul Escobar
Staff Writer
The Iranian government has contacted Switzerland and Algeria to represent Iranian students in the United States, and an agreement with either appears imminent, according to American sources.
An American official in Switzerland said the Iranian government has contacted the Swiss to discuss the possibility of Switzerland representing Iranian students financially in the United States, due to the President's executive order Monday cutting the flow of money to Iranian nationals in the United States.
Edmond Zorwley, an American embassy official in Berne, Switzerland, said Wednesday that Tehran has contacted the Swiss government, but an agreement has not yet been made.
'The possibility of the Swiss government representing the Iranian students in the United States is currently being discussed by Iran and Switzerland. We may know the results of the discussion within approximately three days," Zorwley said.
An Iranian official in the Ministry of Finance in Tehran said he had received no word of an agreement with either Switzerland or Algeria.
"I am not in the position to say whether an agreement has been made or discussed/' he said. The official did not deny the possibility of talks opening with Switzerland or Algeria.
A press officer of the Iranian Task Force at the Department of State in Washington, D.C. said the Algerian government has been contacted by Iran.
"There is an expectation that the Algerian government will represent the Iranian students in this country," he said. "The media should know shortly of any agreement between Iran and Algeria."
A spokesman for the chancellor of the Algerian embassy in Washington, D.C. said he could not give an immediate answer. "Nothing official has been issued from the Iranian government," he said.
Washington must be involved with any agreement between Tehran and Beme to represent Iranian students in the United States, Zorwley said.
"Washington would expect Tehran to act in a reciprocal manner. Switzerland should be given access to the hostages, representing American interests in securing their release," he said.
However, Zorwley said it is up to the Iranian government whether the Swiss will represent the Iranian students.
"Unless Tehran agrees to allow Beme to represent their students, nothing will happen."
Swiss consulate officials in Los Angeles said Wednesday they had not been notified by their government of talks with Iran.
(Continued on page 15)
Staff photo by Stwv Hyman
PRESIDENTIAL POLITICS — President Hubbard jokes in an aside with former President Ford before Ford spoke to an audience in Bovard Auditorium Wednesday.
RAPS CARTER, REGISTRATION
Ford calls for military strength
Another reason for ordering a repeat of the makeup was that some students registered for the course believing they would receive letter grades, while others were told grading would be on a passtio pass basis.
(Continued on page 16)
By Stephan Stem
Staff Writer
Former President Gerald R. Ford, looking tan but tired, told a packed audience in Bovard Auditorium Wednesday that America's problems could be solved by rebuilding the economy, an effective energy program, and military superiority.
Calling himself a "deeply concerned American," he said if these three issues were resolved, a "confident America tomorrow" would result.
Ford was interrupted several times during his one and a half hour speech by boisterous and heavy-handed applause, especially when he denounced President Carter's proposal to reinstate draft registration.
He said far greater priorities than the draft exist for America, naming: new weapons for active duty military personnel,
stronger reserve forces, and an improved military retention rate.
Among other things, he suggested that the "aging B-52" bomber be replaced by newer aircraft and that a cruise missile program be "expedited on land, sea and air."
"These may be costly but insurance for peace is a very sound investment."
About the only compliment he gave to the Carter administration was their reluctance to impose price and wage controls. Other than that, Ford sharply criticized Carter's handling of the nation's economy.
"I'm sad and I'm angry over the economy. We all hope the president's new and fourth anti-inflation program is successful," he chided.
Although he earlier spoke out against a "nostalgia retreat,"
saying "we can not bring back the economic stability of the 50s," Ford invoked memories of a 4.8% inflation rate, when he left office 39 months- ago, compared to the present inflation rate of 18%.
To achieve an economic panacea he recommended a reduction in federal spending, a balanced budget, a freeze on' government hiring, and greater cooperation with the Federal Reserve Board.
Turning to energy, Ford said that, in addition to further tapping of the nation's natural gas and oil resources and converting oil-fired electric plants into coal-fired, the nation also must continue to maintain and expand its nuclear power stations. Several persons booed that idea.
(Continued on page 17)