RAGS, RICHES, BRITCHES — Ed Cray, journalism lecturer at the university, captures the story of Levi Strauss and the nse of a multi-million dollar industry. Cray portrays the company's concern for employees, retirement benefits, management and employee relations and social values
From rags to riches: Levi’s famous jeans
By Robin Oto
Assistant City Lditor
The old "rags to riches but keep your same old britches" theme was depicted in a popular television series known as The Beverly Hillbillies, but it was also the story for the popular Levi Strauss and Co.
The top executives at Levf Strauss and Co., the San Francisco-based manufacturer of famous jeans, are different.
They don't drive big cars and wear fancy clothes even though they're multi-millionaires.
For example, Walter Haas, former chairman of the board and still active member of the company, sits on every new hat he buys to "break it in" before he wears it.
Ed Cray, journalism lecturer at the university, captured this and other peculiarities of the Levi Strauss and Co. in his recently published book, Levi's.
Cray said the company has a strong sense of social concern and responsibility which reflects the attitudes and values of Haas and other executives.
"It's a very unusual firm. (The company) is a helluva pat on the back for American enterprise. We couldn’t have consumer protection agencies if companies w>ere all like Levi Strauss," Cray said.
As an example, Cray said the company was under federal regulations which set factory formaldehyde emissions at four parts per million.
"1 don't like the smell," Haas said while strolling through a plant. He immediately ordered the emissions reduced to two parts per million for all Levi factories.
The company is a family operation. Haas is the great-grandnephew of Levi Strauss, the company founder.
Cray said the company is also highly concerned with employee welfare.
"Levi really is a big family and they do try to spread the wealth," he said.
Before the company went public in 1972, stock was sold to employees at reduced rates, and five shares were given for every five years of employment. After going public, 21 employees became millionaires from their stock shares, Cray said.
Without being asked, the company also raised retirement benefits for employees who already retired.
Cray said the company watches over retirees by keeping in touch with them. The entire executive staff, composed of Haas family members, attend special dinners for retired employees.
The company pays the rent, in addition to regular retirement benefits of a 101-year-old woman who retired in 1948, Cray said.
Dan Koshland, retired president of the company, sent a retired employee a hand-made lap robe for her 70th birthday, Cray said.
"I doubt many companies have that kind of feeling. They (Levi Strauss) don't have to do that — most companies would just say 'bye'," he said.
C.ay said the company is also fair in minority treatment.
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Volume LXXV, Number 8 University of Southern California	Thursday, September 2S 1978
Faculty Senate to study possible tenure violations, parking solutions
By Marsha Johnston
Assistant City hditor
The Faculty Senate has charged two subcommittees to investigate an apparent violation of tenure standards and study possible solutions to the university's parking problem.
The executive board of the senate will decide which subcommittee will recommend steps to correct the administration's alleged granting of a "fixed term renewable contract" to a School of Business Administration faculty member
Granting such a contract violates the American Assn. of University Professors tenure standards.
A "fixed term renewable contract" grants a professor a specific amount of time where he does not have to worry about the status of tenure. At the end of the allotted time, the contract is subject to renewal or revocation.
The proposal to investigate came from Donald Vett, a professor of economics and senate member.
"We (the senate) haven't seen the contract," said John LeBlanc, senate president. "The attitude of the Faculty Senate is not to shoot from the hip. We will not make allegations without having the facts. We are still in the information-gathering stage."
Parking problems will be discussed bv the Faculty Environment Committee when it meets Wednes-
day. Doug Basil, committee chairman, said Carl Levredge, director of Campus Security and parking operations, will be asked to attend the meeting.
"I don't see any real solutions," Basil said. "The only way to do anything about it is to revoke the whole thing and start over. It's kind of like being six months pregnant. Anything we do will most likely not be for next semester but for the next academic year.
"They (parking operations) apparrentlv haven't kept track of how manv hunting licenses (parking permits) they've sold and how many spaces there are."
A solution that mav be considered by the committee is a point system used by other universities. In such a system, parking spaces are allotted to students and faculty on the basis of seniority points accumulated.
"With this you might get a situation where freshmen are out in the boondocks and seniors get better spaces," Basil said.
The senate asked to study the problem because of requests by the staff of the Institute of Safety and Systems Management.
Anthony Lazarro, vice-president of business affairs, said the university has no official parking policy.
HEADS CAMPAIGN
Flournoy in thick of anti-Prop. 5 battle
By John Anctzak
Staff Writer
"The mad regulators, they're at it again...The wav to stop the regulators is to vote no on Proposition 5." This is one of the familiar radio spots against the antismoking measure on the California November ballot.
Houston Flournoy, vice-president for government affairs at the university, is the cochairman of Californians for Common Sense, the group attacking the proposition.
Voters in the election will be asked to decide if smokers and nonsmokers should be separated at work and in some public places.
The controversial measure is designed to give nonsmokers the right not to have to breathe smoke-filled air. Proponents call it a confrontation between public interests and business interests.
Californians for Common Sense, its main opponent, said it is badly worded, an infringement
on rights and will be counterproductive for business in California.
"I think it is a tremendous interference with the rights of citizens,"said Flournoy, former California controller and 1974 Republican candidate for governor.
"It goes far too far in mandating a code of behavior. It is an undue interference,"he said.
While the proposition is not intended to advocate nynsmoking, its passage would mean employers would have to separate smoking and nonsmoking workers. Enclosed public places, such as restaurants, would be required to do the same.
The law would also require signs to be posted designating nonsmoking areas. Violators would be fined $50.
Flournoy said the wording of the proposition is one of its principle faults. He said while workers would be segregated, executives and managers would have
no restrictions on smoking in their work areas.
Another example of bad wording, he said, was a section that allows smoking in an auditorium during a rock concert, but not during a classical concert in the same auditorium. Californians for Common Sense have been emphasizing this point in their advertising.
"It is too badly written in terms of what it is attempting to accomplish," Flournoy said.
Flournoy was selected to cochair the organization, said a spokesman, because "he is a very well recognized and respected Republican leader and his name is known to the public."
The perception that Proposition 5 represents a fight between business and public interests stems largely from the funding of the organizations for and against.
The Yes on 5 group says it receives contributions from the (continued on page 2)
Record heatwave melts 3,000 candy bars, closes shop
By Niki Cervantes
Staff Writer
The university Smokeshop, with possibly 3,000 melted chocolate candy bars on its hands, closed Wednesday. It was one of many casualties of the wilting, 100 degree-plus heatwave that has rolled over Los Angeles this week.
A breakdown in the air-conditioning unit that services the ground-level floor of the Student Union caused the problem. Technicians began repairing
the unit late Wednesday afternoon.
"We closed our doors when it got to the point ‘where students would touch a candy bar and their hands would go right through it," one employee said.
Cost of the damage has not been determined. Other Smokeshop snack items, such as its stock of nuts, may also have been ruined.
"We've been complaining about the air conditioning in here for five years. I think they turn it off in the summer. I mean, you bake in the summer and when the winter comes they turn it up and you freeze.
Three hundred students reported to the Student Health center with heat-related health problems this week. Most of the problems were minor and easily treated with eyedrops and throat lozenges.
Air conditioning units across the campus were straining to make it through the heatwave as well.
"Only a small percent of the units have broken down. Frankly, I would have expected more breakdowns. These units are made for Southern California. They're not made to work under this kind of heat. A lot of them partially work," said Jerry Norris, associate director of the physical plant on the health sciences campus.
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