Although the competitor! encountered by premed students has often resulted in a large number of last-minute alternative applications to dental schools, new screening techniques have significantly reduced the number of students attempting to make this switch.
John Joosten, an adviser in the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, said. “I know that in the past there has been a great deal of switching, but we decided that this is something that you can’t switch back and forth from whenever it’s convenient.”
Joosten said that before he will support a student’s application with a letter of recommendation to a dental school, he requires the student to explore dentistry to be sure it’s what he really wants.
“I have to make a judgment on the sincerity of the student, so I
Screening methods reduce premed-to-dent switching
am very reluctant to support someone who is choosing this field merely as an alternative,” he said.
Dental schools also have an extensive process of screening to see ifthe student has ever been a premed student.
“If a dental school thinks he is applying only as an alternative to medical school, he’s not likely to be accepted,” Joosten said.
Joosten said he does not discourage students from making the change to dentistry, provided they are not switching because they feel admission to a
medical school is impossible.
“If, after spending a reasonable amount of time in premed, a student feels he would be more at ease in dentistry, that’s fine,” he said.
“A successful switch depends on a student's ability to adjust— whether he will be ultimately satisfied with his decision to switch.”
John Vinton, director of student life and admissions at the School of Dentistry, said he thinks there are very few students in the USC Dental School who chose dentistry7 only after
being rejected by a medical school.
“I definitely wouldn’t say the switch from premed to dentistry is a major trend. I think the students in our school are there because they want to be, not because it’s an alternative to medicine,” Vinton said.
“There are some who have switched. I’m sure, but I also know of some dental school rejects who have applied to medical school. It works both ways.
“My observation is that medicine and dentistry are two vastly different fields. Each re-
quires a different type of individual with different skills and interests.”
Vinton said most of the students he deals with have had long-term interests in dentistry and in the skills which will benefit them in the dental profession. such as the desire to work with their hands.
He said students in premed usually decideto apply to dental school because they feel the requirements for admission are not as stringent as they are at a medical school.
“However. I feel the quality of a student in dentistry is every bit as high as that of a student in medicine,” he said.
“There is no doubt that the medical profession has a higher status in our society, but dentistry has evolved to the point where it is just as demanding academically.”
Daily ip Trojan
University of Southern California
Vol. LXVII, No. 23
Los Angeles, California
Wednesday, October 16, 1974
Faculty opinions on pay, benefits asked
The Faculty Senate, in a move to better represent the faculty’s views, mailed questionnaires to all full-time instructors asking up-to-date opinions on university life.
Faculty members received the questionnaires last week, with results to be presented at the Faculty Senate meeting Nov. 20.
“This is not an attempt to get back at the administration,” said Robert Coffey, professor of management and director of the project.
“We want to know the faculty's views because we don't want to rely on rumors,” he said.
The questionnaire is expected to be returned by next month's senate benefits and faculty confidence in the administration.
“The senate is considering the rights and responsibilities of the faculty.” Coffey said.
“I feel that we needed to have a better base of information to back our established goals.”
The questionnaire also includes questions on research and publication, teaching ability regarding promotion, tenure and admissions standards.
The questionnaire is expected to be returned by next month’s senate meeting.
Coffey said a good response by the faculty would enable the senate to present a more representative list ofgoals to the Board ofTrustees
The annual state of the university address given by President John R. Hubbard earlier this month emphasized that the Board ofTrustees regarded pay raises as the number one priority. That in turn prompted the senate to mail the questionnaires and examine the faculty members’ attitudes.
Tuition hike will not alter recruiting policy
Flu shots available
Free flu shots are being given at the Student Health Centerto immunize people in the campus community against a new strain of flu.
The shots are being given at the Cold Clinic in the basement of the Health Center from 2 to 4 p.m. this week. They are free to students with an II). and $3 to faculty, staff and students' spouses.
A similar shot in a doctor's office would cost between S10 and $15. said Collen Hellige. the Health Center’s outreach nurse who is in charge of the flu shot program.
The new flu. the Port Chalmers strain, hasn't arrived in this country yet, according to information from the Department of Health. Education and Welfare. It is expected in the late fall or winter.
POLICE GIVE AMICE
Rape precautions urged
BY NANCY SHINABARGAR
Staff Writer
Although tuition will increase next year, the university will not seek out wealthier students to ease the burden on student financial aid.
“We certainly don't recruit on the basis of parental income,” Conrad Wedberg, dean of admissions, said.
“The financial need or financial background of a student has no bearing on the admission decision.”
The university received a record 15,000 applications for financial aid for this semester. About 7,500 students applied for financial aid for fall 1973.
Recruitment has been slightly stepped up in Northern Califor-
nia and most of the high schools visited are in the middle and upper income areas.
High schools in San Mateo, Walnut Creek. Palo Alto. Santa Rosa and San Jose are visited by-university recruiters.
“In Oakland and San Francisco we try to include the midcity schools,” Wedburg said. “Inside California we try to visit many high schools. The California State Scholarship program allows lower-income, deserving students an opportunity to receive the full $2,500 if they need it.”
The Admissions Office is in the process of seeing how many students from Northern California applied and came here, Wedburg said.
(Continued on page 5)
BY TOM ROSA
The rape and robbery of a coed in her W. 30th Street apartment last Friday could have been prevented by a few precautions. Billie Taylor and Sam Porter, sex-crime investigators for the Southwest Division of the Los Angeles Police Department, said in an interview.
Porter said that the investigation into the rape revealed a high percentage of coeds making themselves vulnerable to attack.
“We’ve gone on investigations where the doors to girls' apartments are left open or unlocked.” Porter said.
In Friday morning's rape, the woman had left her door unlocked when she went out of her apartment.
When the woman returned, the rapist, who police believe was already in her apartment, used a butter knife to force her into a bedroom.
He blindfolded her, stuck a towel in her mouth, and raped her. No suspect has been ap prehended, police said.
“If girls would only lock their
doors whenever they are in their apartments or leave their apartments, they wouldn’t be so vulnerable,” Porter said.
A secure dead bolt lock on a door in good condition was stressed as a necessity by the investigators.
They said that women often open their doors before knowing who is outside.
“Always make them identify themselves first.” Porter said.
“Most apartments have windows in them.” Taylor said. “Look out and see who is there.”
The door should only be partially opened with a secure chain latch attached when a woman decides to talk to a caller.
“When a girl leaves her apartment, she should have her mind on what is going 011 around her, not daydreaming.” Porter said.
The investigators said that cars should always be checked before getting inside and that women should be aware of dark
corners and alleys.
Friday’s rape is the first rape
in the campus area to be reported this year to the police. There have also been two cases of attempted rape reported.
Although less than 1% of the sex crimes committed in the Southwest area occur in the Row area. Porter said everyone should be aware of the danger.
“When people are afraid of possible attack, they are more conscious and aware,” he said.
The investigators said they feel many cases.of rape are not reported to the police.
“We realize that rape is a traumatic experience for the girl.” Taylor said. “We only want to find out the details ofthe rape. There is no harrassment by the police officers.”
They said that rapists would
•	be apprehended more often if women could give more detailed descriptions.
“Some victims just generalize on the suspect,” Taylor said. "They remember he was a black man or a Latin, but no details.” The rapist in Friday's attack was described as black man. about 18
(Continued on page 5)