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University of Southern California
Volume LXXV, Number 22
Thursday, October 19, 1978
Iranian group receives $510 in CAAB appeal
By Shari Cookson
Staff Writer
The Campus Activities Allocation Board voted Wednesday to give $510 to the Iranian Students Assn , overriding the board's original decision to deny the group all of its $13,000 funding request.
The allocation board acted under pressure from the review board and from the Iranian students, who said thev would protest if they did not receive funding.
“Although our organization is purely educational, cultural and intellectual, we are capable of creating conflict if necessary,” said a spokesman for the Iranian Students Assn.
The spokesman said the club doesn't need the $510 as much asJt needs recognition from the university.
"Iran is one of this country's strongest allies. We've got resources and a strategic location. If Iran goes, the U.S. goes, just like that," he said snapping his fingers.
One of the main purposes of the association is to increase interaction between Iranians and other students at the university.
Stan Kivota, chairman of the allocation board, said the group was originally denied money because it first did not submit a list specifically detailing how it would use the funds.
Members of the club said the delay of funding was an insult. "We're not just some rinkv-dink organization," a spokesman said. "We have 70 serious members come to our weekly club meetings. We get things done. We've planned speakers, festivals and parties. Last week we showed an international film that drew 400 viewers."
Kivota said there is friction between the Iranian Students Assn. and the International
Students Assn. The board allocated almost $10,000 to the International Students Assn., an umbrella organization for all foreign students at the university.
Kiyota said the Iranian students refuse to be a part of the International Students Assn. so they've formed their own group and want their own funding. Kiyota said it was a political situation.
The review board has frozen the funds allocated to the International Students Assn. because of problems with the association's administration organization and its financial structure.
By Carole Long
Staff Writer
A $7-million grant donated by the East-West Foundation for the funding of the university's Middle East Center has generated much concern among the Jewish community.
Neil Sandberg of the American Jewish Committee said in an article in the B'nai B'rith Messenger (Oct. 13) that the center could eventually be influenced and directed by the Arabs and their American business allies.
The East-West Foundation-is a nonprofit organization that receives contributions for educational purposes. These contributions often help fund grants to large universities.
Janis Plotkin, assistant area director for the American Jewish Committee, said many of the contributions to the foundation come from American corporations that have interests in Saudi Arabian businesses.
"By giving money to the center they are hoping to get preferential attention from the Sarji Arabian businesses," Plotkin said.
Rabbi Laura Geller, director of Hillel House, agreed with Plotkin in an official statement issued
Wednesday representing the views of Jewish university student and faculty.
Plotkin said the committee is also concerned with the fact that academic groups within the university were not consulted in the decision to accept the grant from the foundation.
"The Board of Trustees voted on the contract and it was consequently signed," Plotkin said.
Sandberg, in the article, said "they bypassed faculty groups and other governing systems to railroad the agreement through."
J. Robert Fluor, chairman of the Board of Trustees, could not be reached for comment.
President John R. Hubbard said no funds are in hand for the Middle-East Center and no money has been offered from Arab countries or Arab corporations.
"The center needs clearance from the Internal Revenue Service as a nonprofit charitable organization before it can receive any money for funding," Hubbard said.
Sandberg said he and others met with Hubbard, who "referred to available finances as a bottomless well."
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Students say judiciary held unfair hearing
By Niki Cervantes
Staff Writer
One of the three students found guilty of theft by the Student Judiciary Council said the panel lacked "concrete evidence" and failed to consider "obvious loose ends and contradictions" before reaching a decision on the case.
Mark Sarkowsky, a senior in public administration, Ron McElhaney, President of the Student Community Council (SCC) and Steve Machado, former vice-president of the SCC and administrative assistant to Guy Hubbard, director of auxiliary services, were found guilty last week by the panel of the theft of $1,500 worth of university furniture.
"Almost everything presented at the case was based on hearsay. They had no evidence to base their decision on," Sarkowsky said. "Every one of us had a different story but there wasn't enough evidence to say one story was right and one was wrong."
An anonymous source who
attended the hearing agreed. The source said the panel had to base its decision on "credibility of each defendant."
Sarkowsky intends to appeal the panel's decision. However, because the panel failed to tape the hearing — normal procedure — he feels his chances of success may be jeopardized.
"It is the rule that the judicial panel always records these things. That way, if the decision they reach on a case is appealed, there is a complete record of the original case. Under the circumstances, I feel I should be allowed a whole new trial," he said.
Sarkowsky and Machado pleaded guilty to charges of theft. McElhaney pleaded innocent.
"Yes, I admit I took the furniture for my own uses, but I never admitted that I took it knowing that we were doing it illegally. The panel didn't consider that," he said.
In fact, Sarkowsky said he never had a chance to "fully communicate" that and other
statements on his behalf during the hearing.
"I don't feel I was ever given the chance to completely communicate my side of the story to the panel. The whole attitude of the hearing seemed to be, "Let's just keep moving along here," he said.
Sarkowsky's story differs on some points from versions of the incident given during the hearing.
According to official notes of the decision, the students moved the furniture from Century Apartments to an off-campus storage room. The furniture was to be used to refur-
nish Machado and Sarkowsky's new Troy Hall apartment.
McElhaney, who originally reported the incident to university officials, said Machado told him they were moving extra furniture and that his position in auxiliary services authorized this action. When Machado later told McElhaney that the university had not authorized him to move the furniture, McElhaney claimed he tried to persuade Machado to return the furniture. When Machado refused, McElaheny reported the incident, the notes stated.
The notes said McElhaney, (continued on page 2)
OFFERED SUPPORT-
Geology prof remembered as ‘dedicated’
By Amy Alpern
Feature'Focus Editor
"Dick Stone was married to the university and its students were his children," said Bernard Pipkin, geological science professor and friend of the late Richard O'Neil Stone.
On July 23, Stone, professor and former chairman of geological sciences, lost a year-long struggle to cancer. A memorial service will be held at 3:30 p.m. Friday in Bovard Auditorium.
The loss of Stone — teacher, adviser, friend — has been felt by the administrators and professors he worked with during his 27-vear affiliation with the university. But it is the students who will suffer most by the loss.
Stone was a devoted teacher and twice was the recipient of the Associates Award for Teaching Excellence. Few teachers have been honored with this award twice in their careers.
His memory still remains in the minds of his geology students.
"We all need someone to talk to once in a while. You
RICHARD STONE
could always go to him and sort of cry on his shoulder," Louis Rothenberg, a senior in geology, said.
"Dick was never married, so his entire life was centered around this university. He could be found here at all
hours, seven days a week — he was that dedicated," Pipkin said.
Stone came to the university in 1951 as an instructor, and completed his master's degree and doctorate here. After being an assistant, associate and then professor of geology, he became the chairman of the Department of Geological Sciences.
During this time, Stone's dedication was to his students, especially the undergraduates.
"Besides moral support, he also offered many of his students assistance in getting financial aid. Just having his letter of recommendation helped people be selected as scholarship recipients. He would also find jobs for students on campus, and he would even reach into his own pocket to help students meet costs," Christine Far-rens, a senior in geological sciences, said.
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PERSPECTIVE — The lamp of learning illuminates Mudd Hall of
Philosophy.	OT .photo by Larry Drum