CALLS REPORTING ‘BADLY TIMED’
PAC chairman criticizes King Faisal Chair article
By Brad Avery
Staff Writer
In a letter to the editor of the Los Angeles Times, the chairman of the President's Advisory Council criticized a Times article (Oct. 29) concerning the King Faisal Chair at the university.
David Mars, the council chairman, called the article by the Times' education writer, Don Speich, "a poor piece of reporting and badly timed."
Mars said it was "unfortunate" that Speich focused his article on the two-year-old agreement that established the King Faisal Chair at the university.
The real news was the unanimous adoption of a statement by the council acknowledging President John R. Hubbard's "memorandum of understanding," which reaffirms academic control of the proposed Middle East Center according to existing policies and procedures of the university, Mars said.
The article appeared with the headline "Saudi Donation to USC Seems to Have Strings." The storv said university records "stronglv suggested” that monev donated to the univer-
sity by the Saudi Arabian government for the King Faisal Chair "had some unusual strings attached."
It also said "records suggested" that the Saudis had a hand in the selection of Willard A. Beling, director of the Middle East Center, to the chair and that the Saudis would influence the selection of future occupants of the chair.
A large part of the story was then devoted to reactions of other universities to the apparent strings and their implications.
The story finished up by stating: "Meanwhile, in another development, the USC President's Advisory Council, made up of representative student body, staff and deans, passed a resolution that condemns the procedures followed by Hubbard in the establishment of the Middle East Center."
Speich's story "contributed very little" to developing dialogue around the establishment of the (Middle East) center and the academic controls which would govern it," Mars said in his letter.
"The resolution the council adopted deplored the process by which the center was established but also recommended the creation of a committee to assist in planning the academic programs and operating policies of the center, Mars said.
Mars also said the article had misstated the resolution.
The council did not condemn the procedures followed by Hub-
bard, it deplored the process by which the center was established, he said.
Apparently offended by the article coming out at a time when the council and the administration were trying to straighten the situation out, Mars concluded his letter: "We would hope that future reporting of sensitive happenings on our campus would be done with sensitivity and accuracy."
When asked to comment on the Times story, President Hubbard said, "No comment."
And apparently the letter did not worry Speich.
"I can offer you the standard comment, which is, we stand by our story." When asked about the sensitive timing of the story, Speich laughed and said, "The timing of it is whatever it is — it's a story and we go with it when we can substantiate it."
Director takes leave in conflict
By Robin Oto
Assistant Gty Editor
James Rosenau, director of the School of International Relations, has taken a leave of absence until conflicts between him and the faculty can be resolved.
John Schutz, dean of social science and communication and John Marburger, dean of letters, arts and sciences, asked Rosenau to resign, said an anonymous faculty source.
Rosenau refused to resign and compromised by taking a leave of absence, the source said.
Ross Berkes, a professor of international relations, has
been appointed interim director.
The source said the faculty was not consulted about Berkes' appointment.
Rosenau and some of the faculty differ over direction and future changes in the school.
The senior faculty and junior associate and assistant faculty have also split. Some feel the school should emphasize the professional aspects of international relations and others feel scholarly research and teaching should be emphasized, said an anonymous faculty source.
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trojan
Volume LXXV, Number 31 University of Scthern California Wednesday, November 1,1978
Committee approves priorities for university housing assignments
By Susan Ritchie
Staff Writer
Priority for university housing assignments for 1979-80 have been approved by the housing policy committee of auxiliary services
The priority categories are similar to those used for this year's assignments, said Mike McCarthy, interim director of residence halls.
Assignment priority categories are divided into reserved housing and unreserved housing. Reserved housing is guaranteed Many returning students will be assured of a place to live in the fall. Unreserved housing is not guaranteed and is filled as space becomes available, usually when people decline their contracts.
In the reserved housing category, students who live in university housing during the spring 1979 semestet have first choice to return in the fall.
New freshman students living outside a 20-mile radius from the university are guaranteed housing if their applications are postmarked by the deadline date.
New undergraduate transfer students living outside the 20-mile radius have second priority. New freshmen living inside the 20-mile radius are next, followed by new transfer students living within the 20-mile radius and all new graduate students.
Continuing students who live within a 20-mile radius have last priority.
Giving continuing students outside the 20-mile radius higher priority than last year and separating new transfers and graduate students from continuing students within the 20-mile radius were the changes made this year, said Sharon Kettler,
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Parking attendant allegedly beaten by security officers
By Carole Long and David Watson
A minor incident involving a gate attendant and the driver of a vehicle entering the campus reportedly developed into a violent confrontation between the attendant and several security guards Tuesday night.
Officers from the Southwest Division of the Los Angeles Police Department responded to a call from the university at 7 p.m. They were told Campus Security was holding an armed suspect, said Tom Windhen, an LAPD captain.
Windhen said the unidentified driver of the vehicle ran over the foot of the gate attendant at University Entrance 2 at 36th and Figueroa Streets.
Police identified the gate attendant as Tallie Baldwin.
Campus Security officers reportedly arrived on tht scene and a confrontation occurred between the driver and Baldwin, and then between Baldwin and the other security officers.
"When we arrived here it was total chaos. We really don't know how the whole situation developed," Windhen said.
Several students living in Trojan Residence Hall witnessed the incident.
"I was in my room when all of a sudden I heard Baldwin yell, 'God damn.' That was when the guy drove over his foot," said George Hicks, a student.
When Campus Security officers arrived, the students said Baldwin became more upset. They heard Laldwin tell the security guards, "All you listen to is the white boy's story. I'm a human being too. I'm the same as you guys.”
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Fine arts school may acquire failing institute
By Mary Bird
Staff Writer
The university's School of Fine Arts may take over the Otis Art Institute due to the institute's financial difficulties. Manhattan's Parsons School of Design in New York has also submitted a proposal to merge with the institute.
The institute is experiencing financial problems because it is mainly funded through county revenue. The county no longer supports funding of the school. A merger with a school such as the university could save taxpayers as much as SI million annually.
If acquired by the university, current students would not be required to pav anv additional fees, but all incoming students would have their tuition raised from the present $1,650 to the university's tuition rate of $4,200 per year.
The university may lose money on the institute in its first year of operation, but once tuition is raised that problem should be alleviated. The university also hopes to generate gift support for the institute.
The final decision on which school the institute will merge with will be made Nov. 7, at another Board of Supervisors meeting.
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HAPPY HALLOWEEN, SENATOR - Scott
Tolstad, a senior in public administration, pauses to discuss politics with university fan Charles Layton,
DT photo by Larry Drum
better Known to students as the Senator.” Though colder weather has set in, the Senator still is available to talk to students.