trojan
Volume LXXV, Number 62	University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California_Friday, January 12,1979
Commons Building has rodents, uses spoiled food, employee says
By Susan Ritchie
Staff Writer
Rodents in the Commons Building and the use of spoiled food was reported to the Daily Trojan bv a food services employee.
The employee, who asked not to be named for fear of losing his job, said the rodent problem has worsened during the last seven months.
"We (employees) feel sick when we see the rodents in the morning in the dining room and kitchen. I've found bread that has been nibbled on by rodents and tortillas that have obviously been eaten around the edges.
"When I see food like this I throw it out, but if I were caught I might get in trouble. I don't know what the others do when thev find food like this," the employee said.
The Commons Building is inspected at monthly intervals by the Los Angeles County Health Department. I he latest inspection took place late last week.
"The boss tells us to clean everything before the inspector comes. I wanted them to find out about the rodents so I left the droppings, but this time thev didn't see it," the employee said.
The health inspectors are accompanied bv food service employees throughout the inspection.
The employee also said he knew of instances when spoiled food had been used.
"Before Christmas we were
told to grate cheese and when we came back on Jan. 2, it was all moldy, but they told us to use it anyway," the employee said.
The employee also said bad-smelling meats have been used. The meats are mostly ham and hamburger, the employee said.
"I have heard no reports of bad food being used. There have been no customer complaints," said Milton Degraw, manager of the Commons.
"I have heard no reports of
DT takes break
As the last day of classes approaches, the Daily Trojan, under editor Valerie Nelson, will cease publication today in preparation for final examinations. The fall staff of the Daily Trojan wishes all students good luck on their final examinations and a farewell to graduating seniors. The Daily Trojan will resume publication Feb. 6.
rats. I have heard of mice," Degraw said.
The university employs an outside extermination service, said Paul Copeland, director of food services.
"1 understand there's a pretty serious problem at the Commons Restaurant,” said Arthur Garland, supervisor of Rose Exterminators, the university's exterminators.
"The area needs a thorough cleaning by someone exper-
ienced. We have an experienced technician on the job but he needs more help because the problem has gone beyond what one man can handle," Garland said.
Rodents are not unusual tor this area and when the weather turns cold and rainy, mice go indoors and become more noticeable.
"They multiply like rabbits and come indoors looking for food and a place to live," Garland said.
"There's no doubt about it. This part of the community has rodent problems," Copeland said.
"For one period of time it (the rodent problem) was getting comical," said Craig Settles, student supervisor at the Sidewalk Cafe.
"Once in a w hile we see signs like chewed up register tapes, but all the food is put away when we close. The uncooked food is put back in refrigerators and the cooked food is thrown away," Settles said.
Settles said he had seen no evidence of spoiled food being used in the Sidewalk Cafe.
"Most of the meat comes from refrigerators and is still frozen. If there is a box of meat that is outdated we send it back to the company," Settles said.
Copeland estimated the Commons Building services
16,000	customers daily.
Student Senate task force seeks end to housing assignment favors
By Gail Harris
Staff Writer
Students are urging the end of the administrative power that gives vice-presidents at the university’ the rights to make special housing appointments.
The Student Senate Task Force on Housing will recommend Monday that another committee be given power to veto special housing requests made by James Appleton, vice-president of student affairs and Anthony Lazzaro, vice-president of business affairs.
A certain number of housing spaces are reserved for special cases, said Jeff Gates, chairman of the senate's student affairs unit.
For example, a student living within a 20-mile radius of the university may have been denied campus residence by the housing office, but needs to live on campus because of problems at home. This case would probably be appealed before Appleton, Gates said.
But some students believe that other students who are relatives or social relations of Appleton and Lazzaro, and sons and daughters of trustees and donors often get into the spaces.
For example, a source, who wishes to remain anonymous, said a close family friend of Lazzaro was allowed to move into Cardinal Gardens apartments as a result of Lazzaro's influence.
This student did not go through normal procedure for housing, the source said.
Although Gates does not have documentation of misuse of the spaces, he agreed that such situations may exist.
"I think we have very ethical vice-presidents but hypothetically the opportunity for abuse is there and the students need to have the assurance that these spaces are not being abused," Gates said.
The task force plans to submit guidelines to prevent such abuses from occuring. The guidelines will require Appleton and Lazzaro to submit written justification for all appointments they want to make. If the appointments seem controversial, the student affairs committee would be able to veto it, Gates said.
Gates said there must be some kind of accountability for these spaces but the question is "can a veto power be feasible" and if so, "how-feasible can it be?"
If the senate approves the task forces' recommendations, the student affairs committee will make the final decision.
Lazzaro was not available for comment.
Appleton, a member of the President's Advisory Council's committee, said he disagrees with the recommendation for veto power.
"1 agree with everyr single point on the task forces' study except that I will reserve the prerogative of making some exceptions for housing and I don't agree that this is a matter that should be taken out of my responsibility," Appleton said.
VS£- PAIL-y trojan
Amos sees baking as fun, not as profit
By Nancy Harlow
The outside of the brown-shingled store looked almost like the gingerbread house where Hansel and Gretel were entrapped. Like the curious children, customers were lured byr the delicious smells. They entered and seemed unable to depart without buying.
The sign said "Famous Amos Chocolate Chip Cookies."
In the kitchen, visible through the back door, careful hands placed cookies on large sheet pans. Other hands, equally practiced, kneaded dough.
The inside of the store seemed appropriately decorated for the kind of wares it sells. The flip sign on the door did not say "closed." It said, "The cookie is asleep." There was a giant picture of a chocolate chip cookie on the wall. Another sign read, "Have a very brown day."
The smell of the store affected almost everyone who walked by. A man in a suit hurried past the window, but the odor captured him too. He backtracked into the shingled store. He looked sheepish.
People sauntered in and out.
"I want peanut butter chocolate chip," a girl giggled.
No one seemed to be serious about chocolate chip cookies and the million-dollar enterprise on Sunset Boulevard.
Least of all Wally Amos.
Amos, the entrepreneur who sells Famous Amos cookies, is not interested in business. That is a strange concept for a man who sells 60 million cookies a year. Amos believes his success is due to his personal philosophy, his main precept being that a person be honest and responsible.
"I have no marketing techniques," he said. "What I try to do is set a good example for people in general. I want to set a positive example, have honesty, integrity and be consistent."
Amos' example of consistency and following through permeates his business.
He said he hired responsible people, since his large enterprise required people who would follow through.
"1 require and expect that. I don't oversee it all, so I have responsible people working for me."
Amos said he was quite content with the cookie business. He is not planning to expand into another type of food, he said.
"I have no competition. I don't know if I am copied. No one else
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