Daily
Trojan
University of Southern California
Vol. LXVII, No. 4
Los Angeles, California
Thursday, September 19, 1974
ONE OF THE LAST?—With the summer vote against mandatory fees came a lot of questions, and one is whether or not students will be losing their free noon
concerts. It is feared, by the program's coordinator at least, that such will be the case next semester. DT photo by Bob Chavez._.
9 cars impounded; 300 cited for violations of parking regulations
By MIKE MEYER
At least nine cars were impounded and the drivers of more than 300 others were issued citations for violating the university’s parking regulations
Wednesday.
John Lechner. director of
Campus Security and Parking Operations, said cars were towed away only when Campus Security officers determined that owners of other cars would find it impossible to exit because of the illegally parked
vehicles.
The cars that were impounded
were parked at various locations
on campus, but the ones on which citations were placed were parked almost exclusively on the intramural athletic field across from Webb Tower.
One driver, apparently believing that every legal parking place on campus had been filled, decided to enter the field from the west side, through Parking Lot 1, at approximately 9:30 a.m.
His decision resulted in a chain reaction of followers, who either did not know the field was off-limits, or were willing to pay the $5 fine in order to arrive in class or at work on time.
Lechner says Times ’ security story unfair
A story on Campus Security at USC that appeared Tuesday in the Los Angeles Times has drawn criticism from some administrators, who claimed it was biased, demeaning and damaging to the university’s community relations.
John Lechner, director of Campus Security and Parking Operations, who was quoted at length in the article, said the article ‘was very unfair and unfortunate for everyone, including the Times."
Lechner was quoted in the Times as saying students who wander off campus at night “have a 50-50 chance of coming back,” and that the Los Angeles Police Department plays “a funny statistical game” with crime statistics.
The article also implied the same sort of “games” are being played by Campus Security.
“I did not even recognize myself in the article,” Lechner said. “It took me three years to build up the rapport and credibility I have —and it took them one morning to tear it down using my own words.”
Lechner has maintained an open and candid relationship with the press as director of Campus Security, but admitted that after the Times article he might not be as inclined to do so. He said he did not dispute the facts in the story, but said that some of his quotes were inaccurate or taken out of context.
James Appleton, vice-president for student affairs, who was also quoted in the story, said the article only presented one side ofthe university’s relationship with the surrounding community.
“The article demeans many of the fine people in the neighboring community,” he said. “To say the Crips are a major voice in the university community is misleading.”
Appleton said the Times should have contacted community leaders in the university area as well as gang members.
Another administrator questioned whether there was an anti-USC bias, not on the part of the Times, but of the individual reporters.
However, he said the university has been defensive in its dealings with the press and hasn’t always told the full story. Understandably, some antagonism between the university and the Times may exist, he said. The administrator wished to remain anonymous.
By the time security officers were called to the scene, the field contained over 200 vehicles, as parking attendants were unable to prevent the intrusion.
Officers began writing the citations at about 10 a.m. and continued until at least 12:30 p.m.
Lechner said there were probably parking spaces available when the first students began to enter the field, but the students were evidently reluctant to spend the time to search for them.
“Many students are unwilling to park in a spot that will make them walk any considerable distance. If they’d rather pay the penalty every day, that’s fine with us, because the money goes into a student-created scholarship fund,” he said.
Lechner said he has had to deal with the annual accusation that he has oversold the parking lots.butsaid hefeelsthe parking situation at USC will be better this year than it has been in years.
“The parking at USC is more than adequate, except for the first two weeks of the fall semester. This situation is no worse than we have experienced in previous years,” he said.
“You can’t go making comparisons between the first two weeks of this semester and the last two weeks of school last spring.
“Last fall there were just about as many citations and impoundments at the beginning, but the problem went away after the first two weeks. I’m sure the same thing will happen again.”
Lechner said he sympathized with the students and faculty for the initial inconvenience, but “when they start preventing others from getting out, they deserve whatever happens to them.
“The students must come to realize that the parking regulations at USC are the same as in any other part of Los Angeles. Anyone with a California driver’s license ought to know
(Continued on page 6)
Faculty proposes 18% cost of living, merit pay hikes
A 17 to 18% salary- increase for faculty in the 1975-76 year was proposed Wednesday at the Faculty Senate meeting in a report of the Senate Employment and Remuneration Committee.
On the same day, a tuition increase of only 10% was recommended by the Commission on Tuition and Fees.
The salary increase proposal is based on a 12 to 13 % inflation estimate for this year plus a 5% increase for merit, “to demonstrate the seriousness of USC’s commitment to excellence,” according to the remuneration report.
An inflation figure of 7% used by the Tuition Commission came from a different source. The discrepancy between the two inflation estimates was the focus of disagreement at the Faculty Senate meeting.
An increase of 10% in tuition “won’t allow expansion of the salary pool to the extent the (remuneration) committee is recommending,” said James Han-shumaker, who presented the salary increase proposal. Other faculty members questioned the economic expertise of the Tuition Commission and the correctness of the 7% inflation estimate.
USC’s position beneath most private universities of comparable size in pay scale for faculty was also cited as a reason that supported the 17% salary increase.
Richard H. Perry, chairman of the Faculty Senate, said he regretted that tuition and (faculty) salaries are so closely linked, but said it was unavoidable. Hanshumaker added that it would be almost impossible to redistribute money from other sources, such as gifts, to build up
RICHARD H. PERRY
Also discussed was the possibility of incorporating annual cost of living increases into the budget as a fixed expense, like raises in the electricity bill. Salary increases would then be automatic with cost of living increases.
The two reports are recommendations. Both must be approved by more boards and committees before they become definite.
Board votes to increase patrol funds
VB;
Improvement ofoff-campus security expected to cost $45,000 has been approved by the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees.
The additions include four security officers and a 24-hour patrol car. They were approved unanimously at the committee’s Sept. 11 meeting.
The murder of the two students near the Row was not cited as the reason for the increased security, but instead the large increase of students living directly off campus.
The 24-hour patrol will cover the area bordered by Adams Boulevard, Ellendale Place and Jefferson Boulevard.
Anthony Lazzaro, vice-president for business affairs, said that during the summer the university arranged to lease 401 student housing spaces off campus. The spaces primarily extend from 27th Street to Adams Boulevard.
The university placed deposits on the spaces in order to assure students’ housing.
“We’ve always patrolled the Row area by using the same patrol car that incorporated the campus area,” Lazzaro said. “As we got into a greater area, we had to add personnel and the car.”
Lazzaro said that the additional measures will “give a better patrol to the Row and the extended housing area where the trams operate.”
John Lechner, director of Campus Security and Parking Operations, said that the area north of Jefferson Boulevard was patrolled but it was very random.
“Before the patrol was random and only in the daytime,” he said. “It probably missed Ellendale very often.”
Lechner said that in addition to the 24-hour patrol at least four other patrol cars are assigned to the campus at any one time.