University of Southern California - El Rodeo Yearbook (Los Angeles, CA)

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denied that they are valuable to the University. The fraternity system faced more pressing problems. Delta Tail Delta temporarily closed its chapter house and Dean of Men Tom Hull said, The house was closed not so much because of any one thing, but because we all felt it was necessary for the members to re-evaluate the emphasis of the fraternity and the picture it was pre- senting. [Daily Trojan, April 5) FVaternity performance in a Row water balloon incident provoked controversy. The Row men raised their pledging grade point requirement to a 2.2, however, to conclude a year of IFC pressure for a higher fraternity grade point average. In the eyes of many the ASSC Senate could do nothing right. Its problems began early in October when senators refused to accept ASSC President Bart Leddel ' s student government budget. The Senate had not been allocated any funds. The Daily Trojan led the attacks with a Feb- ruary 20 editorial entitled Heal Thyself. It concluded, Ours is a do-nothing Senate peopled with make-believe representatives. While this condition persists, our senators would be wise to refrain from pretending to be judges of the value of other student organizations. Perhaps one of the major problems of student government was indicated by an amendment to the ASSC constitution passed on March 1, which changed the grade point average require- ment from a 2.63 (the all-University average) to a 2.5 for those running for ASSC offices. The Senate problem seemed to be one of a lack of effective leaders. The prob- lems seemed to begin with the inherent inability of the Senate to take effective and meaningful action. The Daily Trojan, editorially, indicated these problems: The reasons for this governmental impotence are complex. But one of them surely is the failure ... of the student government to attract persons of leadership caliber. . . . We will not have an effective student government, with or without flaws, until the persons who really make the decisions are returned to the seat of decision making. (March 20) Newly elected ASSC President Ken Del Conte, a write-in candidate, felt he could help solve the Senate problem. The Daily Trojan quoted him as saying, I ' m going to redefine the functions of the Senate and set down definite functions, even if I have to talk with each senator person- ally. In the past they haven ' t been told what to do. This has to be changed. (March 29) It was protested that constitutionally Del Conte had no right to interfere in the affairs of the Senate, no matter what state that body might be in. Student rights and student obligations became matters of concern; the former, specifically in the student chal- lenge to President Topping ' s decision not to allow Com- munist speakers on campus. This issue was and will con- tinue to be one of controversy. The failure to collect a sufficient number of votes on the student union referendum was called a sign of student apathy. It seemed to reflect the general lack of student interest in campus elections, although the turn-out to vote for student body president was fairly impressive. The International Students House opened in Septem- ber and staged its official welcome with an open house in February. Ricardo Manuel Gonzales of the Philippines said, The T House is a great start. Foreign students who go to it almost always come back ... [Daily Trojan, April 4) These were the fermenting, or the developing intel- lectual currents; the achievements and causes for concern. The year presented these aspects to those willing to grasp them. 1962-1963 was even more than this. It was a time for fun and friendship, for parties and entertainment — the Christy Minstrels, the Limelighters and the campus productions. Homecoming and Songfest. It was a good year. Some doors to the past were being quietly closed while some old controversies continued to rage; but the door to the future was open wide. — M. F.

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MOVEMENTS ON THE NATIONAL, WORLD SCENES points. A few days later Ronald Reagan spoke in Richard Nixon ' s behalf, and then the candidate ' s wife, Pat Nixon, made a short visit to her alma mater. Just prior to elec- tions, Nixon had become the lesser of two evils to USC students. But by November 8, Richard Nixon had tasted his last bitter political defeat. He lost by approximately 40,000 votes, and bowed out saying to the press, You won ' t have Nixon to kick around anymore, because, gentle- men, this is my last press conference ... There were some surprising Republican gubernatorial victories, though — George Romney in Michigan. William Scranton in Pennsylvania, and Oklahoma ' s first Republican gov- ernor in the state ' s 55-year history, Henry Bellnion, and of course. Nelson Rockefeller in New York. Senator Barry Goldwater spoke on campus just prior to Christmas vacation, to an audience anticipating an ultra- conservative and getting, to the surprise of many, a rea- sonable man. In the wake of a series of ugly outbursts from France ' s President Charles de Gaulle, directed at Great Britain and the United States, came former French Finance Min- ister Andre Philip, who spoke in Bovard on March 21. He charmed his audience and spoke convincingly for the redevelopment of a bridge of understanding and cooper- ation across the Atlantic to form a closer link between the destinies of France and the United States. His speech will probably be iriost remembered for a simple faux pas. Said Monsieur Philip, We would like to have Great Britain in the French — I mean, European Community. Troy itself made national headlines as a superb foot- ball team, became No. 1 in the country, listed two All- Americans, claimed the No. 1 Coach of the year — John McKay — and won the Rose Bowl. In fact, the New Year ' s Day game will be discussed for a long time. USC, enter- ing the game as a two-point underdog, played a stupendous game until the fourth quarter. Then Wisconsin ' s Ron VanderKelen tried to reverse the score singlehandedly and gave the Trojans a last-minute scare. Consequently, some sportswriters tried to discredit the USC performance. Jim Murray said in the Los Angeles Times on January 2, The Trojans were a better football team than Wisconsin. The problem was whether they were better than Ronald Vander- Kelen. Adding insult to injury he continued, No one went up to Coach McKay to ask, ' When did you know you had it won, coach? ' He still isn ' t sure. The response of Jerry Wilcox, Daily Trojaji Sports Editor, was typical of student reaction. He felt it necessary to point out oi] January 4: Wisconsin fell five points short. It is the No. 2 team in the nation. Milt Bruhn is the .No. 2 coach of the year. USC won. It is the No. 1 team. John McKay is the No. 1 coach. As a matter of fact, the Trojans won the greatest game in Rose Bowl history. It had been billed as a natural, but no- body dreamed it would turn out like it did ... it turned out to be the only day-night single header in Rose Bowl annals. In February, the Trojan team added the Grantland Rice Award to their laurels. The baseball team, gaining momentum after a leth- argic start, moved to recapture the CIBA title, ending Santa Clara ' s one year dynasty. There was also a re- surgence in track — in Eugene for a dual meet against the University of Oregon, the USC team made up for their losses in the 1962 season. USC was pursuing other goals, more long range ones, with equal success. Dr. Norman Topping ' s Master Plan was being implemented as fast as funds were available. The new Olin Hall of Engineering, a $2.2 million project, was nearing completion by the end of spring semester. In December, Dr. Topping dedicated the $2 million Howard Ahmanson Research Center. And also in December, the University received a surprise gift of $6.5 million from the Ford Foundation, which could be used on a matching three to one basis. Dr. Topping said that the first $1 mil- lion would be used to improve the faculty, for the Uni- versity ' s fund raising program and to construct a physical sciences complex. Tlie grant was the largest USC had ever received. A major change in the curriculum dubbed the four course plan, was announced after approval by the Board of Trustees in December. Its intent is to promote individ- ual study and to require learning in depth. To be begun next year, its success and popularity will remain a moot question for some time, but one thing is clear: the transi- tional students will suffer as their requirements for grad- uation change in mid-stream. 1962-63 showed a marked trend towards stiffening of academic standards. For ex- ample. Dr. Jay Savage, honors program coordinator, said in the Daily Trojan on April 2, It is our intention to restrict the honors program to the top five or six per cent of the students in the College of Letters. Arts and Sciences. Right now the re is close to nine per cent. Entrance re- quirements are no longer lenient. Students must now begin their college career with a 3.0 from high school. The col- lateral system was abolished and library hours were ex- tended. The status quo was challenged in other areas. The Greek system and the ASSC Senate, rightfully or not, were primary objects of attack. Some segments of the student body toyed with the idea of the advantages of deferred rush, particularly in the sorority system. Mortar Board President Eileen Mc- Donagh argued, It seems to me that either the Row- should be protesting USC ' s new emphasis as an encroach- ment on its existing philosophy of social activities or modifying its activities to complement the change in other areas of student life . . . Deferred rushing would enable the student to investigate his University first and the Row second. {Daily Trojan, March 20) On April 3, Lynn Ann Baker expressed her opinion: Would it not be better to encourage freshman women to wait from six months to a year before they affiliate with a sorority? . . . She would better comprehend the sorority ' s place and value, if any, within the University. The sororities have been less vocal in defending their position, but it cannot be

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