USC in the News 9/15/2009

Daily Journal featured the USC Gould School's new graduate program in tax law, which makes the Gould School the only top 20 law school on the West Coast to offer an LL.M. degree in taxation. "We have a great tax community in Los Angeles ... . We're going to draw on that community," Gould School Dean Robert Rasmussen said. "Any time you can get a program like this in a major legal market, that program is going to have a great quality." Rasmussen added that taxation is a strong suit for the Gould School, which has leading tax faculty and a long-running annual tax institute. Deborah Call, associate dean of graduate and international programs at the Gould School, pointed out that because only six of the top 20 law schools offer tax LL.M. programs, many of California's tax attorneys have sought degrees outside the state; by establishing its own tax law program, the Gould School will serve as a geographically accessible, top-tier choice for lawyers looking for tax expertise. The school's tax scholars include Elizabeth Garrett, Edward McCaffery, Edward Kleinbard and Thomas Griffith of the Gould School, the story noted. Students may begin applying next month for full- or part-time enrollment in fall 2010, the article reported.

Los Angeles Times highlighted USC in an article on Zipcar, the car rental program that parks its hybrids and other environmentally friendly vehicles around campus for students and area residents to use by the hour or day. USC has 16 such cars, and the program is set to expand, the story noted. The news was also covered by ABC News Los Angeles affiliate KABC-TV, NBC News Los Angeles affiliate KNBC-TV, the Contra Costa Times and the Los Angeles Daily News.

Xinhua News Agency (China) featured Clayton Dube, associate director of the USC U.S.-China Institute, in an article on physical and cultural changes in China over the last 60 years. Dube, who has visited China frequently since the early 1980s, said that China is completely different in the way its cities look and the way people dress than when he first traveled to the country. He said that there is now more freedom for individuals to choose the way they live, work and travel. Dube added that the Communist Party of China has "both driven change and needed to respond to change." "China's achievements over the entire 60 years, especially in the last three decades are stunning," Dube said.

The Jerusalem Post (Israel) reported that a demonstration is scheduled to be held today at USC, other universities and several embassies, advocating that Egypt release a blogger who has been incarcerated since 2007, the story stated. The demonstrations will be coordinated by Cyberdissidents.org.

O Globo (Brazil) quoted Clayton Dube, associate director of the USC U.S.-China Institute, and Baizhu Chen of the USC Marshall School about whether the dramatic increases in China's markets represent a threat to the world financial system. Dube said that the Chinese government's $586 billion economic stimulus program has driven big infrastructure projects and that the government's loosening of credit has produced a real estate bubble. He noted that the effort followed massive layoffs in China's export sector. Chen said that the government was investing and seeking to create jobs to avoid social instability.

Chicago Tribune quoted Christine Porath of the USC Marshall School in an article about recent highly publicized outbursts by South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson, tennis player Serena Williams and musician Kanye West. "I think the norms have shifted dramatically over the years, and it is something where people think it's not a big deal, and even if they behave this way, it'll blow over quickly, and there are not important consequences for their behavior," said Porath, who co-authored the book "The Cost of Bad Behavior." She added: "We watch people get away with rude and outrageous demands in public settings so frequently that it becomes the new norm."

The Washington Times reviewed a book edited by David Kang of the USC College and a colleague from the Hiroshima Peace Institute. "Engagement With Korea: A Viable Alternative" explores the option of working with North Korea diplomatically rather than coercively. Kang and colleague wrote that "there has been little sustained effort either to explore the theoretical logic of engagement or to assess whether or not -- and if so in what ways -- engagement has worked on the Korean Peninsula," concluding that "engagement in general is a viable alternative to coercive strategies for inducing North Korean cooperation." Kang's concluding essay presents the lack of a viable alternative as the most fundamental argument for engagement, the review stated.

Bloomberg News quoted David Carter of the USC Marshall School about professional tennis player Serena Williams' tirade against a line judge during a semifinal match at the U.S. Open. The outburst cost her the match and resulted in fines. "Her public persona is very strong, so it will take more than a single incident to impact her considerable standing and body of work over the years," Carter said.

Reuters quoted Sandra Chrystal of the USC Marshall School about the firing of a Wells Fargo executive who allegedly held parties at a $12 million Malibu beachfront house the bank had foreclosed on. "If anything the corporate culture is now more sensitive to issues like this because of the financial problems and impression that anyone in the financial industry is wealthy or having a good time at the expense of the common public," Chrystal said.

L.A. Weekly reported that USC University Hospital and USC/Norris Cancer Hospital plan to hire 300 additional nurses, physicians, administrators, therapists and environmental workers. "This is a unique opportunity to join the university leadership in really building the USC culture at University Hospital and at Norris," said Matthew McElrath, chief human resources officer for the USC Hospitals. "We have a number of exciting career opportunities available in a tough market."

Los Angeles Times quoted Jerry Swerling of the USC Annenberg School in a story about a Wells Fargo executive who allegedly used a $12 million beachfront Malibu home owned by the bank for personal use. "The use of the house suggests that Wells Fargo has failed to ensure that executives make concern for the company's reputation an organization-wide priority," Swerling said. "They need to ask themselves, 'Is this consistent with who we want to be?' If it's not consistent, don't do it."

NBC News Los Angeles affiliate KNBC-TV interviewed Karen Sternheimer of the USC College about South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson's outburst during President Obama's health care speech. "This is not a new level of incivility. We are in a cycle where fear incites more fear," said Sternheimer, adding that when many parts of our lives change, the upheaval leads to fear, which can lead to panic. Sternheimer said that health care reform has become a battle between good and evil, ballooning into something much more than a political issue. She added that soon calmer heads will prevail. "Right now, outbursts are getting a lot of attention, but sooner or later, Congress will have to work together."

La Opinion mentioned USC in an article about South Los Angeles middle- and low-income families who feel they haven't received the federal stimulus funds they are entitled to. One high school student said that while USC is in his neighborhood, he feels attending the school would be cost-prohibitive.

Rockford Register Star cited a USC study on motorcycle accidents in a story on a rise in motorcycle deaths in Winnebago County, Ill. The study found that motorcycle rider error was at fault in two-thirds of accidents that involved just the motorcycle. However, in accidents involving multiple vehicles, the driver of the other vehicle violated the motorcycle's right of way and caused the accident two-thirds of the time, the story noted.

Ventura County Star ran a story featuring John Dean of the USC Annenberg School. Dean, a former White House counsel who served as a key witness for the prosecution during the Watergate trial, spoke at the High Street Arts Center in Moorpark, Calif., last week. Dean also signed copies of his Watergate book, "Blind Ambition: The End of the Story." Dean said he believes young people don't know enough about Watergate and reissued the book in part to educate them. "I don't think they teach kids today about Watergate in high schools unless they still have very old textbooks and can't afford new ones," Dean said.

Ventura County Star highlighted Rise to Action, a conference that was held at the USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center. One of the speakers was a cancer survivor who started a nonprofit to help others with the disease, the story noted.

Pasadena Star-News highlighted the Friends of the USC Libraries' Literary Luncheon featuring Kevin Starr of the USC College, which will take place September 29. Starr, who is also California state librarian emeritus, will discuss "Golden Dreams: California in an Age of Abundance, 1950-1963," the latest volume in his chronicle of the Golden State.