Protest against Berger continues
Lawsuit looms if grievance not heard
Galen Gruman
Staff Writer
The Moviento Estudiantil Chicanos de Atzlan-Black Student Union coalition is investigating the possibility of a lawsuit if they are unsuccessful in resubmitting a grievance against Jay Berger, director of the Office of Admissions.
Dinah Davis of the Black Student Union confirmed the possible alternative, as well as other measures under consideration by the coalition. These included resubmitting the grievance to executive vice-president Zohrab Kaprielian.
The two groups do not expect to work out a joint plan of action until at least next week, a spokesmen said. This is because of the recent Christmas break and necessity of discussing the various options in each group and between the two groups, she said.
Berger said that he "would welcome that" and believes the matter "is a dead issue."
The coalition's first grievance was declared "not specific enough" and was rejected by John R. Hubbard, university president.
Davis said the lawyers were contacted to make sure the university's requirements were valid
Liz King, an assistant to Hubbard, said that if the charges against Berger were specific, "then, of course, we will take a hard look (at them)."
She added that the original charges were investigated as thoroughly as possible, considering the generality of the charges. "The university found no major difficulty," King said.
King said the office would appreciate the finalization of the issue, as it "has been going on for quite a while."
Davis said that the coalition will this time supply specific incidents and names in the charges against Berger.
(Continued on page 6)
trojan
Volume LXXXVII. Number 64 University of Southern California Wednesday January 9, 1980
ASKED TO DOCUMENT CONCERNS
Students make budget requests
By Brandon Bailey
Assistant City Editor
Budget officials asked for students to document their concerns about student services and academic programming so the administration may provide greater accountability for tuition increases, in a President's Advisory Council committee meeting Tuesday.
The request came after two student representatives told the resource management and planning committee that student needs should not be forgotten as the group discusses budgetary considerations for the next school year.
The committee, which is composed of students, staff, deans and faculty, has the task of reviewing university financial policy with the officials who plan the university's annual budgets. The committee has no authority beyond submitting recommendations. One budget administrator told the group Tuesday that its most significant influence will not be seen in the budget which is current-
ly being planned for next year, but the group can have impact on the priorities for subsequent budgets.
The committee seemed in agreement that it should provide a list of funding priorities for the administration's budget planners, who regularly attend the group's meetings, said Donald Lewis, a professor of psychology and co-vice-chair-man of the committee, at the close of the meeting.
There was less agreement on other points, however. Student representatives to the committee called for a more open review of departmental budget requests and more evidence that higher tuition will improve the quality of academic programming and administrative services. Budget administrators told the students why this cannot be provided easily.
Faculty and staff representatives to the committee remained fairly neutral in the discussion.
Lewis established a subcommittee of the group to provide
more information on administrative or academic departments which students feel suffer from poor-quality management and programming. Two students on the committee will work with Steven Kerr, chairman of the School of Business' Department of Organized Behavior.
Kerr said his department consisted of faculty and doctoral students with professional experience in "rooting out the causes of poor morale and poor performance” in business organizations. "This is something we should take seriously and we should get some expertise.
I don't know if the place is mismanaged or not, but it's a legitimate question," Kerr said.
Early in the meeting, the committee discussed how the administration determines the allocation of funds in the operating budget. Funding requests for new programs often have to be weighed against areas of spending that have always had to be funded, and sometimes (Continued on page 6)
Staff photo by Peter C. Wtultch
A DAILY SIGHT — VKC is seen here in a very different perspective. Its distinct architectural features make it a piece of art.
Cheating poses problem; board to review issue
A commission on academic dishonesty has been formed to determine the extent of cheating at the university and whether the university's procedures in dealing with dishonesty are efficient.
"We will review the whole question of academic integrity. An awful lot of cheating goes on that's not caught — our goal is to prevent it from happening," said Robert Mannes, dean of Student Life and chairman of the commission.
The commission, composed of two faculty members, two students and a staff member, was formed in December. It will hold its first meeting Friday.
"Our feeling is that students (who cheat) are under pressure. We want to encourage an environment that doesn't pressure. We're also worried about term paper production. We don't get a lot of complaints of plagiarism, but that's an issue
we'll address," Mannes said.
Mannes has received about 100 faculty reports of cheating in the past five years — about 20 per year — but he estimated that another 20 per year aren't reported to him and three to four times that number aren't caught.
If Mannes' estimation is correct, 2% of the student population cheats.
"Most of the cheating occurs among undergraduates, and mosdy in the first two years. This is our concern. Our general impression is that there is probably a sizeable number that is not reported (by faculty members)," he said.
Presendy, a faculty member who suspects a student of cheating should first confront the student and determine if cheating took place, Mannes said. The professor is supposed to send a memo to Mannes stating that- a student has (Continued on page 6)
Staff photo by Steve Hyman
FOOD FOR THOUGHT — Lyle Jamison, caterer, says, “I like the people at this campus; this place is like a party.' He has been here for two years. His catering truck is open from 1 to 9 p.m. and it is located across from VKC
Construction projects under way or in planning stage
By David Romero *
Staff Writer
Several university construction projects are under way or planned as part of the university's move toward becoming a walk-on campus with a high density of buildings. Included in these projects are new buildings and building additions, as well as mall areas for pedestrian traffic.
Michael Bocchicchio, director of Architectural Services, said the latest major construction project to be completed was a building for the Annenberg School of Communications. It is being occupied now, although work on the building will continue for another month and on its surrounding mall for five months.
Bocchicchio said a contract to build has been signed and off-site work has commenced on the $12-million Seeley Mudd Building. It will be located next to parking lot K on a site which previously housed some music practice rooms.
Salvatori Hall, which will house the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences offices, is scheduled for mid-February completion. The building, just south of Cromwell Field, will cost $4.4 million, Bocchicchio said.
A $24-million building on the Health Sciences Campus, the Kenneth Norris Cancer Research Institute, started construction last September and should be finished in September of 1981.
Also planned are two malls and redevelopment of pedestrian areas on campus. The mall at the north end of Hoover Street will be completed in five months.
(Continued on page 8)