Traditions and student activities at the University of Southern California

The University of Southern California has a large and diverse set of traditions and student activities.

Traditions

* USC's official fight song is "Fight On", which was composed in 1922 by USC dental student Milo Sweet (with lyrics by Sweet and Glen Grant).
* The Trojan Shrine, better known as "Tommy Trojan," is a bronze statue located at the center of campus, and an integral figure in school pride, embodying the values of a Trojan: Faithful, Scholarly, Skillful, Courageous, and Ambitious.
* Traveler, a majestic white horse, has been the USC mascot since 1961. Mounted by a rider dressed as a Trojan warrior, Traveler gallops around the field at every home football game whenever USC scores.
* Prior to Traveler making his first football game appearance in 1940, USC's mascot was a campus mutt called George Tirebiter that went around campus chasing cars. A statue was erected in his honor in 2006.
* Spectators walking from campus to the Coliseum back-kick the base of one of the flag poles at the edge of campus on Exposition Boulevard to ensure good luck for the football team at their next game.
* The week preceding the annual football matchup with UCLA is known as "Troy Week" and features a number of traditions including CONQUEST! "The Ultimate Trojan Experience", Save Tommy Night, the CONQUEST! Bonfire, and all-night vigils by the Trojan Knights to protect the campus from UCLA Bruins.
* [http://www-scf.usc.edu/~troycamp/ TroyCamp] is USC's primary charity that serves children from the community in numerous ways.
* Songfest is an annual event on campus to showcase student talent. Most fraternities and sororities "team up" to perform in the show that benefits Troy Camp. For the past four years, the Songfest trophy has gone home with Alpha Chi Omega and Alpha Gamma Omega (2005-2008). This current streak is the longest running Songfest streak in Songfest history.

Mascots

* Traveler – Current official mascot; Andalusian horse.
* George Tirebiter – Past unofficial mascot; car-chasing dog.
* Tommy Trojan – Unofficial; real name is "Trojan Shrine"; the bronze statue is commonly mistaken as the school's official mascot.

Marching band

.

The band was notable in the late 1970s for its appearance on the title track of the 1979 Fleetwood Mac album "Tusk," which went on to be a multi-platinum record. Additionally, the band later played on another multi-platinum Fleetwood Mac album, "The Dance" (1997). [http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=The%20Dance&artist=Fleetwood%20Mac&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2007&sort=Artist&perPage=25 "The Dance", Fleetwood Mac] , RIAA Gold and Platinum Database.] The Spirit of Troy and UCLA Bruin Marching Band are the only two college marching bands to have played on platinum records. [http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=&artist=fogelberg&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2008&sort=Artist&perPage=25"The Innocent Age, Dan Fogelberg] , RIAA Gold and Platinum Database.] [http://thelivinglegacy.net/TheInnocentAgeCredits.html Credits for "The Innocent Age", Dan Fogelberg]

Recently, the band produced an instrumental version of the popular song "The Kids Aren't Alright" and "Hit That", both by The Offspring (whose lead singer is a USC alumnus), and appeared with OutKast at the 2004 Grammy Awards in their hit song "Hey Ya!".

Following in the university's footsteps, the Spirit of Troy has also gone international. One of only two American groups invited to perform, the USC band marched the Hong Kong Chinese New Year parade in both 2003 and 2004. The Trojan Marching Band performed at the 2005 World Expo in Nagoya, Japan. In May of 2006, the Trojan Marching Band traveled to Italy, performing once in Florence, and twice in Rome (including in front of the Coliseum).

The band has also, for many years, performed the 1812 Overture with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra (or occasionally with other orchestras) each year at the Hollywood Bowl "Tchaikovsky Spectacular."

The band also recently appeared at the finale of American Idol 2008, backing Renaldo Lapuz in instrumentation of his original song "We're Brothers Forever."

"Daily Trojan"

The "Daily Trojan" has been the student newspaper of USC since 1912 and is a primary source of news and information for the campus. It has covered a number of important events in history, including JFK's assassination, the first interview of President Richard Nixon after his resignation, the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, the 1992 L.A. riots and the Northridge earthquake of 1994.

"El Rodeo"

USC's yearbook is the student-run "El Rodeo". One of the oldest student traditions at the university, the first edition was released in 1889. It was originally called "The Sybil", but was later changed to "El Rodeo" in 1899 to reflect the cowboy-themed events students threw to advertise the yearbook as a "roundup" of the year's events. Long packaged with the Student Activity Card (which allowed students access to all home sports games), with the dissolution of the Spirit Activity Card in 2007 the yearbook is now sold separately as a stand-alone item. [Katie Hill, [http://media.www.dailytrojan.com/media/storage/paper679/news/2007/03/29/News/El.Rodeo.Yearbook.Fears.For.Its.Future.After.Cuts-2811940.shtml El Rodeo yearbook fears for its future after cuts] , "Daily Trojan", March 29, 2007.]

Alma mater

"All Hail" was written by Al Wessen for the finale of a student show, "Campus Frolics of 1923".

"All Hail to Alma Mater
To thy glory we sing;
All Hail to Southern California
Loud let thy praises ring;
Where Western sky meets Western sea
Our college stands in majesty;
Sing our love to Alma Mater,
Hail, all hail to thee!"

pirit groups

Founded in 1969, the USC Song Girls appear at all football games as well as basketball and volleyball games. In addition, the squad appears at rallies, university and alumni functions, and conducts its own Junior Song Girl camp. The Song Girls, together with the Spirit of Troy, are the most visible public face of the University, and function as the ambassadors of spirit and good will for the Trojan Family. [http://www.usc.edu/student-affairs/IMREC/spirit/song/about/about.html About the USC Song Girls] , University of Southern California.] Unlike other college cheer teams, Song Girls are primarily dance squad and do not perform gymnastics, stunts or lead cheers. [http://www.usc.edu/student-affairs/IMREC/spirit/song/about/faq.html Frequently Asked Questions: USC Song Leaders] , University of Southern California.]

Founded in 1919, the USC Yell Leaders worked closely with the Spirit of Troy and the Song Girls to lead cheers and perform stunts to rally Trojan fans at football, basketball, and volleyball games. The sweater-clad team consisted of all men for most of its existence, though the squad later opened itself up to applicants from both sexes and did feature one female Yell Leader in 1998.Ken Fuller, [http://www.usc.edu/student-affairs/dt/V138/N37/02-lfsd.37c.html Call of the Wild] , "Daily Trojan", October 1, 1999.] They were disbanded by the University before the 2006 season and replaced by the co-ed Spirit Leaders.J. Christina Huh, [http://media.www.dailytrojan.com/media/storage/paper679/news/2006/08/16/News/Yell-Leaders.Traded.For.Team.Trojan-2220735.shtml Yell Leaders traded for Team Trojan] , "Daily Trojan", August 16, 2006.]

The Spirit Leaders, established before the 2006-2007 season, lead chants and motivate the crowds during Trojan football, basketball, volleyball, water polo, soccer, and baseball games and, like the Song Girls, travel with the team to post-season events such as bowl games and the NCAA Basketball Tournament.http://www.usc.edu/student-affairs/IMREC/spirit/leaders/index.html USC Spirit Leaders] , University of Southern California.]

Greek life

and Hoover Street just north of campus, USC's Greek system began soon after the school's founding in the 1880s.Yvonne Ngai, [http://www.dailytrojan.com/media/paper679/previousarchive/V139/N11/01-sigma.11c.shtml Sigma Chi returns after seven years off] , "Daily Trojan", January 27, 2000.]

With 20 fraternities and 10 sororities in the Interfraternity Council (IFC) and Panhellenic Council (PHC), respectively, the USC Greek community has over 2,650 members and is one of the largest on the West Coast. It regularly participates in Homecoming and Songfest, and the community's philanthropic efforts and success in philanthropic leadership annually raise over $150,000.

Outside of the Panhellenic and Interfraternal councils, the Greek community at USC is very diverse, boasting the Multicultural, Asian and National Panhellenic (historically black) Greek Councils. Organizations governed by these councils include chapters of some of the oldest Latino and Black Greek organizations in the country, as well as Asian and multiculturally based organizations that range from 5 to over 50 years old.

tudent government and politics

Undergraduate Student Government

department.

The Undergraduate Student Government consists of executive, legislative, and judicial branches, along with a programming branch (commonly referred to as "Program Board"). The executive branch consists of students appointed by the elected leadership and is charged with coordinating publications, events, and efforts to solve problems voiced by the student body. The legislative branch, the only branch fully elected by the students, represents the voice of the student body to university officials and legislates change to some limited aspects of university policy. The judicial branch ensures that all operations within Undergraduate Student Government are within the bounds of the organization's governing documentation.

Program Board aims to provide USC students with education and information through a multitude of social, political, and entertaining events. Assemblies and committees, in conjunction with elected and appointed Senate representatives, attempt to program these events in line with the desires of the paying student body. All Undergraduate Student Government activities are funded by the student activity fee, which the President and Treasurer have control over setting and which the Senate approves.

University Residential Student Community

In addition to USG, residents within university housing are governed by the University Residential Student Community, also known as URSC. URSC is composed of five boards: the executive board, the building government chairs, the programming board, the advocacy board, and the funding board. Each building on campus elects a building government, and within that government, four elected members are sent to serve on the URSC General Board. The General Board meets weekly on Wednesday nights, and then splits into individual boards later that evening. In recent years, the Advocacy Board has helped to overhaul the meals plans on campus, as well as initiate new Special Interest Housing. The funding board allocates over $50,000 throughout campus mainly to resident advisors and building governments. The programming board is responsible for planning well known events such as Save Tommy Night, the Dive-In Movie, the Welcome Back Dance, and Battle of the Cans. The Building Governments Chairs are a new addition to URSC and their role will be more clearly defined over the upcoming year.

tudent politics

For much of the late 20th century, USC has had a reputation for being a politically conservative campus.cite news | url=http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/12/25/elec04.cv.usc/index.html | title=USC sheds conservative image | publisher=CNN | author=Gina Goodhill |date=26 Dec 2003| accessdate=2007-04-26] In the politically charged times of the 1960s-70s, and in stark contrast to the University of California campuses, USC was one of the few campuses in California where then-Governor Ronald Reagan could visit without additional protection.cite news|first=Jeff |last=Sklar |url=http://www.dailytrojan.com/media/paper679/previousarchive/V141/N45/01-nixon.45d.shtml |title=From Nixon to Nader |date=November 1, 2000 |accessdate=2006-12-17] This image may have been reinforced by the fact that in the early seventies, several conservative Republican alumni, known collectively as the "USC mafia", served on then President Richard Nixon's staff as well as during Nixon's reelection campaign, which was later tainted by the Watergate scandal. USC's student body has historically consisted of a Republican majority, as suggested by the fact that the major conservative student group on campus, the USC Republicans, had traditionally outnumbered and outvoiced the school's Democratic counterpart for much of its history.Fact|date=June 2008 In the 1960s, the corrpution between conservative factions in student politics was noted in the screenplay for "All the President's Men"; the term ratfucking originates from that period.Ref label|F|f|none [cite news|first=Matt |last=Tabbi |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/9519825/meet_mr_republican_jack_abramoff%20 |title=Meet Mr. Republican: Jack Abramoff |publisher=Rolling Stone |date=March 24, 2006]

The conservative majority has recently begun to give way to an increasingly liberal voice, which has been attributed to the growing diversity, both regional and ethnic, of the student body; student membership in the USC Democrats has surpassed that of the USC Republicans in recent years.

References