Media must avoid sensationalism


By
 in , ,
As news outlets started calling the election for President Barack Obama on Tuesday night, I couldn’t help feeling like we could have called it a long time ago. Even if Republican Mitt Romney hadn’t had such a clumsy campaign, it’s become increasingly rare for an incumbent president to lose, especially an unchallenged one. And Obama […]

USC must maintain open campus


By
 15 Comments/in , ,
One of the most admirable actions taken by USC for the local community has been keeping its campus open to local residents so it can serve as a community as well as a student space. USC’s open-campus policy is one that celebrates the coexistence of the university and its neighbors, in spite of enormous differences […]

France’s homework ban is unjustified


By
 in , ,
Elementary students’ dreams came true last month when French President Francois Hollande promised to ban homework in all of the country’s public schools. The announcement was just one part of the newly elected president’s robust educational plan, which attempts to prioritize learning and equalize students’ abilities to succeed. In addition to eliminating take-home assignments, Hollande […]

Prop. 34 would end injustice of death penalty


By
 1 Comment/in , ,
Tomorrow, Californians will be faced with a question of life or death. In addition to choosing the next president of the United States, California voters must decide whether they will continue to support the death penalty, or vote to abolish it. If approved, Proposition 34 would replace the death penalty with life imprisonment without the […]

Higher ed reform needs online education


By
 2 Comments/in , ,
On Sept. 17, an 11-year-old girl named Khadijah Niazi in Lahore, Pakistan was taking the final exam for a college-level physics class created by a Silicon Valley startup. As she was watching YouTube videos for the course, Niazi was interrupted by a message telling her the website was no longer available. The Pakistani government had […]

Students must engage with city


By
 2 Comments/in , ,
If you drive north on Vermont Avenue, beginning just west of Compton, you travel through the Latino-dominated community surrounding USC, pass Koreatown and end up gawking at ritzy homes at the base of the Hollywood Hills. Too often, however, these diverse Los Angeles communities are extremely isolated from one another. Such de facto segregation deals […]

Electoral college must be abolished


By
 1 Comment/in , ,
Recent predictions about the upcoming 2012 election, conducted and released by The New York Times this October, project Ohio with a 50-50 chance of deciding the election. Swing states such as Ohio have been fundamental in U.S. elections for years, but with the repeal of Citizens United — a landmark Supreme Court ruling that allows citizens […]

Republicans must amend party platform


By
 4 Comments/in , ,
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has gotten a lot of flak for his antiquated views on some social issues that, though not the focal points of this election, mean everything to some voters. Despite a conservative fiscal policy and a focus on strong national defense that many young Republicans support, Romney’s anti-gay marriage stance eliminates […]

Should medical marijuana be state or federally regulated?


By
 12 Comments/in , ,
Federal authorities closed a number of medical marijuana dispensaries throughout Downtown Los Angeles in September as part of an effort to cut down on the sale and use of the drug, which is legal in California for medical purposes but still considered illegal by the federal government. This month, the Drug Enforcement Administration followed up […]

Voters must be wary of endorsements


By
 in , ,
The Seattle Times came under fire last week for running a full-page, color advertisement supporting Republican gubernatorial candidate Rob McKenna. More than 100 Times staff members signed a protest in response and some readers called to cancel their subscriptions. Underneath the advertisement, these words were written: “Paid for by The Seattle Times Company.” News reporting is […]