USC Media and Public Relations

Los Angeles Times featured the USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times Poll, which found that a ballot measure to replace California’s death penalty with life without parole has low support among voters. Fifty-one percent opposed Proposition 34, while 38 percent favored it. Los Angeles Times reported that the poll found strong support for a measure easing California’s “three strikes” sentencing law. Proposition 36 was supported by 66 percent of voters, with 20 percent opposed and 14 percent undecided or not answering. KPCC-FM reported that support for Gov. Jerry Brown’s tax measure, Proposition 30, has slipped, though a majority of voters still support it. The poll was also covered by McClatchy Newspapers.

The Wall Street Journal featured a study by USC doctoral student Ravi Iyer and colleagues on the moral sensibilities of libertarians. The study surveyed 12,000 self-identified libertarians, comparing their personality surveys with those of liberals and conservatives. The study found that libertarians reacted to moral dilemmas with less emotion, reaching utilitarian conclusions. They also fit a more masculine psychological profile than did liberals and conservatives, which “may explain why libertarianism appeals to men more than women,” Iyer said.

Los Angeles Times ran an op-ed by William Fulton of the USC Price School about the hidden costs of city sprawl, and how they contribute to city bankruptcies. “Where houses go, where businesses go, where roads go, where sidewalks go, where farms and open space go are all things that collectively affect a community’s economic performance and the cost of providing services there,” Fulton wrote.

EFE (Spain) covered USC’s admissions for 2012, reporting that Latinos make up the largest group of minority students enrolled for the fall semester. Of 46,000 applicants, 3,021 were admitted, of whom 21 percent were minorities. This year’s freshmen have set new standards of quality and diversity, said USC Dean of Admissions Timothy Brunold.

KPCC-FM reported that the U.S. Department of Commerce gave USC a grant for a program that will help governments, small businesses and community groups with economic development and disaster recovery. The grants are designed to maintain or add jobs in the region.

USA Today highlighted the USC Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy, established by former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Schwarzenegger said he hopes the institute will “continue to promote the policies I care about, things like political reform, climate change and the environment.” The institute was also mentioned by two Los Angeles Times stories (second link here).

The Wall Street Journal quoted Edward Lawler of the USC Marshall School about effective management.

The Washington Post, in an Associated Press story, quoted Olu Orange of the USC Dornsife College about the creator of an anti-Muslim video that incited protests around the world.

CNN interviewed Steve A. Kay, dean of the USC Dornsife College, about biological clocks and the optimal time of day for people to conduct different tasks. Kay was also quoted by CommonWealth (Taiwan) and Business Insider.

Bloomberg Businessweek quoted Dan Schnur of the USC Dornsife College about billionaire Nicolas Berggruen, who is assembling a blue ribbon panel of experts to come up with solutions to California’s problems.

Bloomberg Businessweek quoted David Carter of the USC Marshall School about negotiations between Time Warner Cable and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Variety quoted Martin Kaplan of the USC Annenberg School about a suicide that was broadcast live on Fox News.

The Chronicle of Higher Education mentioned USC in a story about online graduate programs.

The Washington Post highlighted a lecture by Steven Ross of the USC Dornsife College on his book, “Hollywood Left and Right: How Movie Stars Shaped American Politics.”

The Rafu Shimpo mentioned a USC Davis School study of dementia.