Each year, USC programs and faculty research are highlighted in print, broadcast and online stories throughout the world. Highlights of recent news coverage are compiled by USC Media Relations.
USC in the News 11/2/2012
Los Angeles Times ran an op-ed by Dan Schnur of the USC Dornsife College about Gov. Jerry Brown’s efforts to pass Proposition 30. Schnur wrote that the governor’s support of California’s high-speed rail project undermines his appearance of fiscal concern. A USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times Poll found that 60 percent of voters would oppose the rail project if they voted on it today; support of Proposition 30 has dropped nine points in the last month and almost 20 points since spring. “It’s time for Jerry Brown to tell the people of California what’s more important to him: the money or the train,” Schnur wrote.
Chicago Tribune featured the USC School of Cinematic Arts’ Electronic Arts Game Innovation Lab, directed by Tracey Fullerton of the USC School of Cinematic Arts. Fullerton said that while playing a video game with her niece, she noticed the goal of the game was to acquire a bigger house and community approval. “So on a trip to Walden Pond, I wondered if you could make a game that expressed the ideas of Thoreau,” she said. The National Endowment for the Arts has partially funded Fullerton’s “Walden, a Game,” designed to be a meditative experience. Fullerton will talk about her work during the Chicago Humanities Festival.
LatinoLA featured “Mission: Admission,” a Facebook game developed by Zoe Corwin of the USC Rossier School, Tracy Fullerton of the USC School of Cinematic Arts and colleagues. The game is designed to teach high school students how to prepare and apply for college. Corwin said that first-generation and low-income students are the target audience for the game. “We wanted to figure out a way to make both the college application and financial aid process more accessible, inspiring and fun,” she said. “We are encouraging freshmen to play the game because it’s never too early to start thinking about college,” Fullerton said.
KPCC-FM featured research by Brie Loskota of the USC Dornsife College and a colleague, finding that faith-based organizations represented close to two-thirds of the social service agencies involved in recovery efforts in New York after 9/11 and New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. “The trust in validating the communications that they hear, the ability to deliver services in the immediate aftermath of a disaster, and then the long-term ability to bring people meaning and social connection — those are all supported by congregations,” Loskota said.
Popular Science featured research by Eric Rice and Hailey Winetrobe of the USC School of Social Work and colleagues, finding that teens with smart phones are more likely to have sex and meet others online for sex. “Parents and school health professionals should talk to their teens about being safe in meeting people online and in using condoms to prevent sexually transmitted infections and unplanned pregnancies,” Winetrobe told The Escapist. The research was also covered by The Register (U.K.).
Los Angeles Times quoted Joseph Nunes of the USC Marshall School about businesses cutting back on customer rewards programs.
Inside Higher Ed quoted Nicholas Cull of the USC Annenberg School about the U.S. opening cultural centers at Chinese universities, and noted that Cull authored “The Decline and Fall of the United States Information Agency: American Public Diplomacy, 1989-2001.”
The Jerusalem Post (Israel) quoted Dan Schnur of the USC Dornsife College about foreign policy in the 2012 presidential race.
Agence France-Presse quoted Steven Ross of the USC Dornsife College about Hollywood actors tending to be liberal.
Hispanic Business cited Richard Green of the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate about the elimination of the mortgage tax deduction.
Pacifica Radio Los Angeles affiliate KPFK-FM’s “For the Record” interviewed Steven Ross of the USC Dornsife College about his book “Hollywood Left and Right: How Movie Stars Shaped American Politics.”
The Wall Street Journal highlighted the USC Marshall School’s presence in Asian business hubs and its collaboration with existing educational programs in Asian countries.
Los Angeles Times cited the USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times Poll finding that 46 percent of California voters support Proposition 30. USA Today and Jewish Journal also cited the poll.
Los Angeles Times ran a photo of President Gerald Ford during a 1976 appearance at USC.
Vanity Fair reported that USC alumnus George Lucas will give his $4.05 billion payout from Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm to his philanthropic endeavors, focusing on education. The Hollywood Reporter noted Lucas’ charity gave $175 million to the USC School of Cinematic Arts in 2006. The story was also covered by National Post (Canada), Ottawa Citizen (Canada), One News (New Zealand) and San Francisco Business Times.
Smithsonian cited a column by USC graduate student Jason Goldman about animal species that enjoy dancing.
Bloomberg Businessweek mentioned the employment of USC Marshall School graduates.
The Oregonian mentioned research by Behrokh Khoshnevis of the USC Viterbi School on how 3-D printing could be used to construct shelters for disaster relief.
KPCC-FM ran a story by the California HealthCare Foundation Center for Health Reporting, which is spearheaded by the USC Annenberg School.