University hires PR firm in attempt to upgrade reputation
siderable achievements," the firm stated in its proposal.
The proposal stated that "we do not hear of USC in our conversations about academic quality and achievement (nor do we read of it) . . . Because such recognition is deserved, it is a matter of telling the
story."
The three-phase recognition program is keyed to the upcoming Centennial celebration, Peterson said The program will build early momentum, peak during the year of the celebration and continue for the following year, he said
Phase One, known as market softening," is designed to bring national awareness and visibility to the university in the year before the Centennial celebration.
Under Gehrung's scenario, education reporters on Eastern newspapers and national magazines will be referred to university faculty as sources of expertise for their stories.
"USC's name will pop up more than it ever has in editorial offices, by design, Peterson said.
Phase Two, running from September 1980 through August 1981, will promote university events of the Centennial celebration. Using the Centennial as the hook,” Peterson said, national publicity on the things we do on a daily basis” will continue.
The momentum achieved during the previous year will be capitalized on during Phase Three, September 1981 through August 1982, by extending the university's envisioned stage-center position for as long as possible, Peterson said.
"It will be a time for taking full advantage of the new prestige," Gehrung Associates stated in its proposal.
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trojan
By Rich Bonin
Staff Writer
The university has hired an East Coast public relations firm to improve the school's academic reputation nationwide, said Vance Peterson, director of academic relations.
USC has a special problem, Peterson said. It has an enormous national recognition for its athletic programs — and we don t want to take any of that away. But we always have to work towards a balance
To achieve that balance the university has recruited Gehrung Associates University Relations Counselors, Inc., for about $32,000 a year for three years, beginning this month.
The National Recognition Project is part of the university's Centennial celebration which will begin with the June 1980 commencement
The Centennial celebration has a working budget of SI.2 million and is being financed by the Board of Trustees, Peterson said. He did not know how the board plans to pay for the university s year-long birthday party, but said that its cost will not be passed on to students or faculty.
It will be new money," Peterson said.
Gehrung Associates, based on New Hampshire, defined itself as "in the reputation business" in its proposal to the university. Some of its clients include the Association of American Colleges, Carnegie Council On Policy Studies In Higher Education and Duke University. Dartmouth College, Georgetown and Vanderbilt Universities also employ Gehrung Associates.
"USC is afflicted by a significant image gap between how the general public perceives it and its con-
Volume LXXXVII, Number 3
University of Southern California
Wednesday, September 19, 1979
TOWARD CENTURY II
Fundraising drive sets record
By Brandon Bailey
Assistant City Editor
The Toward Century II fund-raising program brought nearly $38 million to the university in the last fiscal year (1978-79). University officials said this was a record for the drive.
The previous record was set in the fiscal year 1976-77, when commitments totalling $11 million from the Wrigley family brought the year's gifts to $37.1 million. In the last two years, however, no single gift to the university has exceeded $1.5 million, said Bingham Cherrie, director of development for the Century II campaign.
Cherrie stressed this point, saying the success of the fundraising campaign is partly attributable to the number of donors. While the largest gift to the university has been $15 million in commitments from the Annenberg family, Cherrie said other donations have amounted to only a couple of dollars to the alumni fund."
"The impact of the gift is not that important, it's the participation that counts," Cherrie said.
The campaign has raised $215 million since January 1, 1974. A goal of $265 million has been set for June 30, 1981.
Much of the effort behind the
fund-raising campaign is made by trustees and volunteers from the alumni and the Trojan Associates support group, Cherrie said. Individual trustees and associates have sponsored luncheons and other gatherings of social, civic and business leaders in several cities along the West Coast, as well as in a few major cities in the Midwest and the East.
The purpose of these functions is to let these leaders become acquainted with the university, Cherrie said. The actual solicitation and negotiation of gifts is conducted face-to-face individually with the prospective continued on page 2
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Staff photo by Steva Hyman
REGISTRATION RECOVERY — One student outside Birnkrant
Residence Hall seemingly found the answer to the bustle of the first week of school — just take off the shoes and enjoy the sun.
Governance task force shifts study direction
By Sean Dunnahoo
Assistant City Editor
At the last meeting of the task force on university governance September 13, the group changed how they would help the new university president choose a new method of university governance.
In the past, the group had planned on furnishing the incoming president with several governance models for him to choose from, intending to help him set up his administration.
After hearing President John R. Hubbard comment at a previous meeting that the greatest gift the university could give to the new president would be a single governance model approved by all the constituencies, the task force changed its plan.
David Mars, chairman of the President's Advisory Council and convener of the task force meetings, suggested the group study the three governance models they have already devised and select from them the points that were agreed upon by all the constituencies. A single model could then be formed.
His suggestion was met by some opposition, but the task force agreed to form guidelines consisting of points agreed upon by the constituencies as well as points where there was disagreement.
John Elliott, president-elect of the Faculty Senate, told the group the senate has seen the representation of the faculty in the present governance structure as a two-party system, with faculty senators on the President's Advisory Council sometimes working against the goals of the other faculty members on the council.
He also pointed out that the faculty feels they are not the dominating force in the council, contrary to popular belief. He said they have to work hard at coordinating and participating with the other constituencies, while being careful not to lose power on the council.
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Sore muscles, sunburn all in a day’s work at band camp
By Diane Kessler
1 always wanted to march with the Trojan Marching Band — the flash of the trumpets, the cardinal and gold uniforms. I had imagined myself high-stepping down University Avenue to the Coliseum to the rat-a-tat-tat of the drum cadence.
Desiring to be a part of USC's best known symbol next to Tommy Trojan and "The Horse," yet not being able to play an instrument, I decided the best way to experience the band was to go to Band Camp and "fake it."
Band camp is a four-day experience that gives old and new members the chance to get in shape for a full season of marching, teach band hopefuls the fundamental marching style, and to have a lot of fun.
This year band camp was held at the University of California at San Diego. As far as I knew, only one freshman had been locked in the bathroom on the bus trip down.
Freshmen are not well liked by the band. They are loathed. Some say old band members return to camp each year for only one reason — to get
revenge on the freshmen for what they went through as freshmen.
After lunch, practice began. First on the agenda was learning the "chair" march. The march involves snapping the knee up to a position parallel to the ground. Torture drills required holding this raised position for as long as old members or merciless squad leaders demanded. Freshmen soon learned to hate these drills and the old members
My muscles rebelled with aggravated quivers by the second day. Driving and snapping my knees up again and again brought sunburn to my knee caps and pain to my feet bones.
Even though I stretched out again and again, loosening cramped arches and shaking out stiffened knees, by the third day walking was a real effort.
I was one of the lucky ones. By the last day of band camp a freshman trumpet player from St. Louis could be distinguished only by her dark glasses resting on the four layers of bandaids that covered her nose and two swollen duck-billed lips.
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