USD Magazine, Summer-Fall 1993

SUMMER– FALL '99'?>

THE

RIGHT TO

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SILENT

Protecting Your Privacy in the Information Age

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terns from this editor's mailbox for the week of July 19-25: •Two mail-order catalogs for books and one book club solicitation; •Six mail-order catalogs for clothing; • A solicitation brochure from a "save

the children"-type organization; •Three identical full-color brochures from Volkswa– gen of America, each addressed with identical labels; • An invitation to join a bizarre encounter-type group in Los Angeles; • A sales catalog for cycling equipment (never mind that I don't own a bike); • Eight pieces of mail addressed to former residents; •Three magazines; • Six pieces of personal, first-class (i.e. real) mail; • And 16 fliers from local businesses, addressed to "resident," most duplicated in my Thursday news– paper. Sound familiar? Environmental implications aside, the deluge of mail with which we are bombarded on a daily basis is both a benefit and a curse of the high– tech computer age in which we live. "Benefit," because such advances as cordless telephones, online computer services and mail-order have offered us greater flexibility and convenience in daily living. "Curse," because with that convenience has come the danger of misused information as mailing lists are bought and sold and consumer profiles are compiled by companies whose main business is to watch and record what we buy. Our cover story in this issue, "The Right to Remain Silent," deals with the type of information disseminated by USD's Privacy Rights Clearing– house, a program established in 1992 as part of the School of Law's Center for Public Interest Law. The PRC staff has taken on the task of informing the public about how personal information can be abused, and how to prevent it. We hope you find the information useful in your own life. Also in this issue of USD Magazine is "Great Inspirations," our tribute to seven longtime univer– sity faculty members whose influence over genera– tions of students at Alcala Park has been immeasurable. We hope you will join us in wishing only the best to Professors Fred Bahr, Ross Ding– man, Marjorie Hart, Henry Kolar, Irving Parker, Del Schneider and John Swanke.

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USD MAGAZINE EDITOR Suzanne Johnson CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Kate Callen Jacqueline Genovese Trisha J. Ratledge ART DIRECTOR Visual Asylum PHOTOGRAPHERS Jim Coit James Dickens Pablo Mason ILLUSTRATION David Diaz PRESIDENT Author E. Hughes VICE PRESIDENT FDR UNIVERSITY RELATIONS John G. McNamara DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS Jack F. Cannon DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI USD 111agazi11e is published quarterly by the University of San Diego for its alumni, parents and friends. Editorial offices: USD ll1agazine, Publications Office, University of San Diego, 5 998 Alcala Park, San Diego, CA 9211 O. Third-class postage paid at San Diego, CA 92110. Postmaster: Send addres s changes to USD 111agazi11e, Publications Office, 5998 Alcala Park, San Diego, CA 92110. THE UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO RELATIONS John T rifiletti '78

The Right la Remain Silent by Trisha]. Ratledge

Every day, we unwittingly partici– pate in an invasion of privacy– our own. When we use a credit card to order something by mail, talk on a cordless telephone, sub– scribe to a magazine or provide a store with our zip code at the check-out line, the results show up a short time later with more mail, more prime-time telemarketing calls-or worse. USD's Privacy Rights Clearinghouse is working to inform consumers on how to protect their privacy in our infor– mation age.

Great Inspirations by Jacqueline Genovese

When they retired in June, Profes– sors Fred Bahr, Ross Dingman, Marjorie Hart, Henry Kolar (left), Irving Parker, Del Schneider and John Swanke had collectively spent almost 200 years teaching at Alcala Park. USD bids a fond farewell to those who helped bring us this far and whose knowledge and sense of university history will be sorely missed.

KALEIDOSCOPE

ALCALA ALMANAC

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ALUMNI GALLERY

PARTING SHOT

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MAGAZINE l 1

f;I if;lf;l, 1 L MAN AC

USD ANNOUNCES ENDOWED CHAIR IN BIOLOGY

The Fletcher Jones Foundation has awarded $1.5 million to the University of San Diego to endow and establish the Fletcher Jones Chair in Biology, the uni– versity's first endowed chair in the sci– ences. USD will fill the chair with a teacher-scholar in developmental biology who will enhance the reputation of the university's relatively young biology department, said President Author E. Hughes. "We are most grateful to The Fletch– er Jones Foundation for its commitment to private education," Hughes said. "Thanks to the foundation's generosity, this chair will enlighten our biology stu– dents for generations to come." The Fletcher Jones Foundation was established through a bequest from the

late Fletcher Jones, co-founder of Com– puter Sciences Corp. Of the $40 million in grants the foundation has awarded since 1972, $30 million has gone to pri– vate colleges and universities, most of them in California. USD's Department of Biology is a lib– eral arts program of instruction in the life sciences, placing a strong emphasis on laboratory and field experience. Cary Casey, a USD biology major who has studied the populations of three endan– gered bird species in coastal San Diego County, recently was honored by USA Today in its 1993 "All-USA Academic Team" selections. Part of the work being done by USD biology undergraduates was featured in the Winter 1993 issue of USD Magazine .

COMMENCEMENT '93 Marc Christopher Shulga (B.B.A. '93) and his family were among the thou– sands of celebrants on hand as USD awarded a record number of degrees dur– ing commencement ceremonies May 22 and 23. The 1993 commencement speakers were: Lt. Gen. Robert John– ston, USMC (undergraduate); civil rights attorney Morris Dees (law); and Rehtaugh Graves Dumas, dean of the University of Michigan School of Nurs– ing (graduate).

GUEST OF HONOR University of San Diego President Author E. Hughes was honored with an honorary doctorate at the spring com– mencement ceremonies at Dominican College of San Rafael, Calif.

MAGAZINE

RIEDY NAMED TO FILL HAHN CHAIR

Mark J. Riedy, former president of the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), has been selected as the first holder of the Ernest W. Hahn Chair of Real Estate Finance at the Uni– versity of San Diego's School of Busi– ness Administration. Riedy comes to USD from the National Council of Community Bankers in Washington, D.C., where he served as president and CEO from 1988 to 1992. He will assume his full-time duties of teaching, dialogue and research in real estate finance in September. "We were fortunate to attract an individual of Dr. Riedy's caliber and experience to launch this important aca– demic chair," said USD President Author E. Hughes. "Ernie Hahn dedicated himself to improving the quality of life in America through superior real estate develop– ment," Hughes added. "The Hahn Chair, under Mark Riedy's guidance, will further that mission." The Hahn Chair was the brainchild of friends and associates of the late Ernest W. Hahn, a national pioneer of commercial real estate development and the first lay chairman of the USD board of trustees until his death Dec. 28. A 23 -member steering committee headed by Daniel F. Mulvihill, chairman of the board and CEO of Pacific South– west Mortgage, is raising $ 1.5 million to create the endowment fund supporting the Hahn Chair.

"After the traumatic decade of the 1980s, the real estate industry continues to undergo revolutionary changes," Mulvi– hill said. "The future of real estate financing demands seri– ous study by our best and brightest minds. The selection of Mark Riedy for this post is an exciting step in that direc– tion." Ronald E. Hahn, chairman

of the board of the LandGrant Develop– ment Co. and a leading member of the steering committee, said the Hahn fami– ly has been enthusiastic about the chair. "My father was an ardent proponent of higher education and of greater profes– sionalism in the real estate industry," he said. "A chair in real estate finance at an institution of higher learning that he deeply loved is a most appropriate trib– ute, and we think Mark Riedy is an excellent choice." Before taking the helm of the National Council of Community Bankers, Riedy was president and chief operating officer of the J.E. Robert Cos., one of the nation's largest real estate workout firms, from 1985 to 1986. At the Federal National Mortgage Associa– tion, where he served as president, chief operating officer and a director, he was responsible for day-to-day management and achievement of profit objectives. Riedy earned his Ph.D. in business economics at the University of Michi– gan-Ann Arbor in 1971. He has held a variety of other positions within the real estate finance industry, including execu– tive vice president and chief operating officer of the Mortgage Bankers Associ– ation of America and vice president and chief economist of the Federal Home

Loan Bank of San Francisco. He also has served as senior staff economist on the President's Council of Economic Advisers and has taught at the Univer– sity of Colorado. He currently serves on the board of directors of St. Vincent de Paul Village in San Diego. Riedy will be responsible for devel– oping a major program in real estate finance at the USD School of Business Administration. Ultimately, with the Hahn Chair as a catalyst, the university plans to establish a center for the study of real estate finance that will serve as a valuable regional resource for the indus– try and the business community.

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by Trisha J. Ratledge

THE RIGHT TD REMAIN

PERSONAL PRIVACY IN THE INFORMATION AGE

very day, we unwittingly par– ticipate in an invasion of pri– vacy-our own. In what seem to be innocent transactions on the telephone, at the gro– cery store and at the post office, for example, we give out information that can and will be used against us. New

services and technologies have intro– duced a higher level of convenience into our lives; however, the price we pay for this convenience is often our own priva– cy. • Flipping through a mail-order cata– log in your family room, you see the jacket you've been looking for, and it's on sale. You pick up your cordless phone, call in the order using your Mas– terCard number, and the jacket is soon on its way. • You run into the grocery store to pick up a few things for dinner. Your grocery club member card is swept through the machine at the check-out stand, you authorize the electronic debit from your checking account and head home to start cooking. • You're getting ready to move. The first thing on your checklist is to pick up the change-of-address packet from the post office-a change-of-address card that you file with the Postal Service as well as a packet of similar cards that you mail to companies and people you want to notify. For a limited time, the Postal Service will forward mail from your old to your new address, ensuring that you don't miss anything. All perfectly innocent, you say? More than 35 percent of households use cordless phones, says Beth Givens, pro– ject director of the Privacy Rights Clear– inghouse at USD, yet few people are aware that their conversations are acces– sible to anyone with a radio scanner who is within one mile of their house. If you are talking on a cellular phone, the reach with an advanced scanner is 15 to 20 miles. Though chances are unlikely that someone will be monitoring your calls, they can pick up information acci-

dentally, so it's wise to avoid giving out financial information over a cordless or cellular phone, Givens says. With your name, credit card number and expiration date, she says, "they would have all they need to assume your identity and start spending your money." When you use your grocery store member card at the check-out stand, your name and address are stored elec– tronically along with a record of every– thing you just bought. This information can be used by the grocery store itself or it can be sold, for instance, to a soft drink company that wants to send a coupon to everyone using a competing brand. The Postal Service makes its change– of-address lists available to direct mail companies. That's one reason you might receive offers in your new mailbox from credit-granting services, window blind companies or other businesses targeting new neighbors.

ntil recently, only a few savvy consumers were aware of how companies and mar– keters are minding your business. Enter the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse in July 1992. Operating as part of the Center for Public Inter– est Law in USD's School of

Law, the PRC is staffed by one full-time person and several part-time people. The staff disseminates information on priva– cy rights-with an emphasis on telecom– munications-and directs Californians to the appropriate source for action. In its first three months, the PRC staff researched numerous privacy issues to

hough the PRC does not actively resolve privacy prob– lems or complaints, it helps by educating the public on the issues, identifying legislation

develop an in-house resource guide as well as a packet of privacy rights fact sheets for consumers on such topics as credit reports, Social Security numbers, telemarketing, employee monitoring, medical information and junk mail. In November, the PRC set up a toll– free hotline for Californians with ques– tions and specific problems. The hotline was wildly successful from the first day-logging as many as two to three calls per minute at first-and has received 8,000 calls since. The rate has settled to an average of 300 to 500 calls per month, except for spikes of activity following media coverage. Though the calls are becoming more diverse now, with more questions on workplace priva– cy, medical privacy and more, Givens says the reigning topic is still the combi– nation of junk mail and telemarketing. In May, the PRC opened a computer bulletin board on which information about pending state or federal bills con– cerning privacy rights is updated weekly. As research associate for the PRC, Claudia Terrazas '88 (J.D.) tracks the latest amendments as well as where each bill stands in the approval process. The bulletin board currently contains sum– maries for 87 state bills and 40 federal bills covering such issues as stalking, telemarketing, medical records and cred– it. Through the bulletin board, computer users also have access to the PRC fact sheets. In the first two months of opera– tion, Givens estimates that the bulletin board had 200 to 300 users.

that applies to the issue at hand, directing the public to the existing sources that can help and forging new avenues for the public to pursue. By forging one new avenue, the PRC staff was able to address an issue that came up in about one of every six calls– people who had problems clearing mis– takes in their credit reports. Most often, the callers had credit reports that con– tained damaging information from people with similar names. The bad information was preventing them from getting loans approved, but they would get trapped in voice-mail limbo when they called the credit bureaus. The PRC staff responded by finding "insiders" at each of the three credit bureaus-TRW, Equifax and Trans– Union-contacts whose job at the bureaus is handling problem calls. Now, when a person with a credit problem calls the hotline, the staff can give the caller a name and phone number at each of the credit bureaus. "We've done a hundred or more such referrals," Givens says. "Not one has called back to say it was the wrong direction." In the area of credit, at least, you can usually see the problem and address it. More often, the problem is nebulous. You are simply aware that your junk mail is multiplying at a geometric rate, for example, and you wish it would stop. "[Direct marketing] is one area where people feel out of control most of the time," Givens says. "They say, 'Why is this deluge of mail coming? Why does my phone ring every night at 7 p.m., and it's somebody trying to sell me some– thing?"' The PRC fact sheets help educate the public on how our personal information is "captured" and then shared or sold. One popular way to get our fingerprint, so to speak, is through "800" or "900" phone numbers. In a notorious example,

Protecting your privacy: Claudia Terrazas [left) and Beth Givens.

a drug company established an 800 number that anyone could call and, by punching in your zip code, find out the pollen count of your city that day. Through a sophisticated system called Automatic Number Identification (ANI), the drug company recorded the phone number of everyone who called and matched that list against a huge database that contains names, addresses and phone numbers. They then sent an advertisement to everyone on the list about their new allergy drug. "It's very creative marketing," Givens says. "But it's also very decep– tive. Talk about a 100-percent hit rate." That same technology is used to speed customer service at mail-order companies. When you call your favorite mail-order company, your record is on the representative's computer screen before he or she even answers the phone. After you dial, your telephone number information travels through the line, triggering a connection with the company's computer system, which then retrieves your record and sends it to the representative's screen-all before the phone rings. American Express repre– sentatives used to alarm customers by using their name when they answered the phone, Givens says. "They now pre– tend they don't know who it is, but they really do." "We get a lot of calls from people who are pretty upset about ANI," Ter– razas says. "They assume when they are calling 800 or 900 numbers that their calls will be private. They don't know that they sometimes end up on telemar– keting lists."

"I think it's a travesty that we have la say in aur medical lacl sheet that ii yau truly want privacy, ga

Another piece of information that should be guarded closely is your Social Security number. "That is the key to personal information about you," Givens says. With the account number on your check and your Social Security number, for instance, someone with a knowledge of electronic banking ser– vices might be able to gain access to your bank account. "That duo of infor– mation is deadly if it gets into the wrong hands," she says. In spite of the heightened technology and the many layers of communication being shared in the public domain, you can take steps to protect your privacy. (See related story on Page 8.) The PRC advises everyone to practice the three A's. BE AWARE: Be aware of the ways you are giving out your personal infor– mation and monitor that information. BE ASSERTIVE: Ask why someone is requesting certain information and what is going to be done with it. Ask that the information not be used for purposes other than the one at hand. BE AN ADVOCATE: Tell your legislators you want better protection. Most important, when it comes to giving out your private information, know that you have the right to remain silent. Editor's Note: The University of San Diego has a strict policy of protecting infonnation concerning all its con– stituents. The university does not sell or distribute mailing lists, and information regarding students, alumni, parents and fri ends of the university is considered con– fidential. It is not released to any agency or individual. T o maintain your association with USD, it is important to keep the alumni office updated with your current address.

la analher daclar and pay in cash:'

The PRC also is getting its phone number placed in referral directories and is making itself known to referral ser– vices. The PRC was originally funded by a one-year grant from the Telecommuni– cations Education Trust, which was established by the California Public Utilities Commission. In July, the trust awarded the PRC a second grant that provides funding through February 1995. In the meantime, the information provided by the PRC will make Califor– nians much less vulnerable. insurance system is set up right now," she explains, "if you have a medical record that shows you have a serious illness or disabili– ty, it would be difficult-if not impossi– ble-for you to get insurance in the future." The reason is simple. Insurance com– panies might collect your medical infor– mation and place it in a centralized database-the Medical Information Bureau. "If you happen to be in that database and you have a condition that is serious," Givens says, "that informa– tion will be shared with other insurance companies." Of course, this wouldn't be an issue if we had universal health care in the United States, she adds, but that's another issue. "I think it's a travesty that we have to say in our medical fact sheet that if you truly want privacy, go to another doctor and pay in cash." ne of the areas in which the public is most vu lnerable is in medical information, Givens says. "The way the health

ust winding up its first year of operation, the PRC is ready to expand its outreach. Staff mem– bers have translated all of the fact sheets into Spanish, and they are getting the word out that they have Spanish-speaking staff on the hotline as well. ''I'll get on the phone and [the caller] will say, 'It's so much easier to tell you my concern in Spanish,"' Terrazas says. "We've gotten a lot of positive feedback." Terrazas is continuing to spread the word through Spanish-language radio and television stations and newspapers. The PRC also is reaching out to African-American, Asian and other cul– turally diverse or non-English-speaking communities by contacting community– based organizations. They have sent information to several hundred organiza– tions on the PRC mailing list and shared information with other outreach organi– zations such as Consumer Action, which in turn reaches about 1,000 community– based and social service organizations in California. The PRC recently completed mailings to all the libraries in the state, to city attorneys and district attorney offices concerned with consumer fraud work, Better Business Bureau offices and legal-aid offices that serve low– income residents.

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10 EASY

• Ask the Privacy Rights Clearing– house: Call the PRC's toll-free hot– line, (800) 773-7748, Monday through Friday, l© a.rn. to 3 p.m., if you have a question or problem concerning privacy. (Spanish– speaking staff members are avail– able.) Request a set of the PRC's free fact sheets (available in English and Spanish). Connect with the computer bulletin board to learn about pending state and federal bills. (Editor's Note: The toll-free hotline is available only to calls originating in California. An answering machine will record mes– sages during the "off" hours.) •Cordless and Cellular Phones: Be aware that others can listen to calls you make on cordless (up to one mile away) or cellular (up to 20 miles away) phones. Do not discuss financial information or any other information that you want to remain private, such as dates that you will be out of town, etc. Baby monit0rs, children's walkie-talkies and some home intercom systems can be overheard in the same man– ner as cordless phones.

•Credit Report: Request a copy of your credit report each year to ensure that it is accurate. Of the three major credit bureaus, TRW will give you one free copy per year, and Equifax and TransUnion will charge no more than $8 by Califor– nia law. If you have been denied credit within the last 30 days, the bureau must provide you with a free copy upon request. To find out how to obtain a copy of your report, call TRW at (800) 392-1122, Equifax at (800) 685-1111 and TransUnion at (800) 851-2674. • Employee Monitoring: Know that employers have a right to monitor calls that are made on business phones. If you must ensure the pri– vacy of a personal call, consider using a pay phone. Electronic mail at the workplace also is subject to monitoring. Be aware that even when an e-mail message is deleted, it may still be retained in the sys– tem's memory. Don't play around on e-mail.

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• Harassing Phone Calls: Even a sin– gle phone call can be considered harassment when someone uses obscene or threatening language--or even heavy breathing-to intimidate you. You can contact your local phone company, especially if the calls are frequent, or try some sim– ple on-the-spot techniques. Among suggestions from Pacific Bell: Say, "Operator, this is the call," then hang up. Or simply say the word "trap," note the time and date, then hang up. In some areas of Califor– nia, new services such as "Call Trace" are available that can deter harassing phone calls. Ask your local phone company for more infor– mation. write to the Direct Marketing Asso– ciation's (DMA) Mail Preference Service, P.O. Box 9008, Farming– dale, NY 11735, and tell them you do not want to receive catalogs and other promotional material. They send a delete notice to their member companies four times a year. Consider not filling out product registration cards, or provide only limited information. They are gener– ally sent to a company that compiles buyer profiles and sells that infor– mation to other companies for mar– keting. Be aware that when you make any major lifestyle change-mar– riage, birth, home sale, move-a government agency records the event. Many files are open to the public. Though you can't make pub– lic records private, you can write to companies that have put you on a mailing list and ask to be deleted. If you do not want to be contacted by marketers when you move, consider not filling out the Postal Service change-of-address form; instead, directly contact friends, family and companies with whom you do busi– ness (including your favorite univer– sity, of course). •Junk Mail: To reduce the amount of unsolicited mail you receive,

•Medical Information: Write to the Medical Information Bureau, P.O. Box 105, Essex Station, Boston, MA 02112, or call (617) 426-3660 to request a free copy of your medical file in their system. Though the bureau does not have a file on every– one, 15 million Americans and Cana– dians are in the system. If your information is on file, you want to make sure it is accurate. •Social Security Number: Only give out your SSN when you are con– vinced it is required (i.e., federal tax forms, employment records, most banking, stock and property transac– tions) or if it is requested by an orga– nization whose practices you trust. Never print your SSN on your checks, business cards, address labels or other identifying information. Request a copy of your Social Securi– ty file every three years to ensure that the information on file is cor– rect. Contact the Social Security Administration, (800) 772-1213 , to request an estimate of your Social Security earnings and benefits. If the information is incorrect, someone may be using your number fraudu– lently.

• Telemarketing: Telemarketers can get your number from the phone book, from one of your checks, from national phone direc– tories or even from a contest you entered that requested a phone number. When someone calls, ask to be taken off their list. The Fed– eral Communications Commission requires telemarketers to heed your request. Or, send your name, address and phone number, includ– ing your area code, to: Telephone Preference Service, Direct Market– ing Association, P .O. Box 9014, Farmingdale, NY 11735, and ask to be added to the "don't call" list. Perhaps the easiest solution is to screen your calls with an answer– ing machine. • Wiretapping and Eavesdropping: If you think your phone line is wiretapped, call your local phone company. The phone company will inspect your lines, then alert you if the wiretap is illegal. You will not be notified if the wiretap is legal. Law enforcement agencies can be granted authorization to legally tap phone lines only after they prove "probable cause" to the appropri– ate authority. Know that most wiretapping devices emit no audi– ble sounds.

FRED BAHR Professor of Business Administration Years at USD: 17

Last Christmas, Fred Bahr received more than 300 cards from former students. The business professor says those cards mean even more to him than the 14 military decorations he earned during three wars (World War II, Korea, Vietnam) and the numerous busi– ness honors he earned over the years. "They prove to me that I achieved what I set out to achieve as a teacher, and that was to touch students' lives," the 67-year-old Bahr says. The desire to be a true teacher to students drew Bahr to USD in 1976. Bahr retired from the Army in 1969 after being selected for full colonel, and decided to pursue a full-time teaching career at The George Washington University. Want– ing to be closer to family, he returned to Southern California and accepted a teaching position at USC a year later. "When I showed up for work the first day, I found I had an office adjacent to one occupied by a young man named Jim Burns," Bahr remembers with a grin. The two developed a strong friendship, and a year or so after Burns had accepted the position of dean of the business school at a place called the University of San Diego, he asked his friend to join him. When Bahr traveled to San Diego to check out the school, his years of military experience told him the small, young uni– versity had the most important ingredient for success: strong leadership. In the military, you learn that leadership is everything, he explains. "When I met Art Hughes, Sally Furay and Jack Boyce, I knew they, along with Jim Burns, were the kinds of leaders that would accomplish what they set out to do." In addition to strong leadership, USD attracted Bahr because it allowed him to put teaching first. "I believe there's a place in academia for research and publishing, but I think the primary function of teachers should be to teach." If the opinions of USD students are any indication, teach– ing is something Bahr did very, very well. For 12 years stu– dents ranked him as one of the best professors in the business school, and at this year's senior class banquet, he was greeted with a standing ovation. To hear Bahr talk about his students, it is easy to under– stand their enthusiasm. "Overall, there has been an emphasis in academia on beat– ing the student down. I don't believe in that," he says. "I like to tell students, 'You are smarter than you think you are, and I am going to prove it to you.' As the semester goes on and stu– dents have done things they didn't think they were capable of, I love to watch their self-confidence grow and to see them think, 'Hey, I am pretty smart!"' Bahr, whose classes consistently had more students than spaces, views college as a sort of "boot camp" for life. "Our

business as a university is to get students ready for the real world, and the real world is getting to be a tougher and tougher place. I try to teach them how to take needed risks and chances.'' Risking and taking chances are two things Bahr knows well. Reared during the Depression by a single mother who he describes as one of the first "professional women," Bahr learned early the lesson of those tough economic times. "You either stood up and fought, or you let it beat you. My mother was a fighter; she had high expectations for us. She wouldn't let my sister or me give up.'' When it literally came time to fight-in World War II– the 17-year-old Bahr marched to the Army recruiting center and enlisted. At 18 he was a commissioned officer, and at 19 he commanded a 200-man unit. Being in charge of other peo– ple's lives changes a person, and Bahr learned something about the preciousness of life and time the hard way. "You have to enjoy each day and live each day like it's going to be your last," he says. "You can't waste time looking back. You have to make the most of the time you've been given.'' Bahr practices what he preaches. While teaching at USD, he served as the regional consultant for State Farm Insurance, as well as sitting on the boards of several companies. Now that he has retired, he jokes that he doesn't know how he ever had time to work. "Betty (his wife) and I already have eight trips planned, we work out at the gym six days a week, and I have numerous projects around the house I want to finish. I don't know when this retirement is going to start.'' The couple also plans to spend more time visiting their four children and eight grandchildren, and Bahr relishes the thought of tending the 300 rosebushes and numerous fruit trees that surround their Rancho Bernardo home. Although he'll be busy in retirement, Bahr says he will miss USD. "I have worked in a lot of places, so you can believe me when I say USD was really Shangri-La.'' (Editor's Note: Bahr would love to hear from former stu– dents and colleagues. Letters should be sent to 12378 Reata Court, San Diego, CA 92128.)

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ROSS DINGMAN Professor of Biology Years at USD: 26

had our own parking spaces with our names on them. That was a long time ago, when the school wasn't very big and everyone knew each other." Although the growth of the school meant the loss of a per– sonalized parking space, it did mean the growth of the biology department into one of the strongest on campus, a fact of which Dingman is extremely proud. "Our students, for the most part, go on to medical school or to earn their doctorates. They work at places like the Mon– terey Aquarium, Virginia Marine Institute and the University of Rhode Island. And one of my former students is my den– tist!" Dingman's personal interest in his students started the day they entered his classroom. "I care about my students as peo– ple, not just as students," he explains. Dingman's office was equipped with a beanbag chair and "plenty of boxes of tissues," for the countless students who came for advice on everything from dating problems to health issues. One of Dingman's favorite activities as a professor (and the times he learned the most about his students) were class field trips. "I enjoyed those immensely," he says wistfully. "Out in the field, the biology really came alive for the stu– dents. It's one thing to read about plants and animals. It's another thing entirely to observe them in their natural habi– tat." Biology lessons weren't the only things dispensed on those field trips. "Sitting around a campfire, I would learn more about my students than I did during hours in class." Dingman's obvious concern and care did not go unnoticed. Former student Peter August '74, M.D., flew in from Rhode Island to attend Dingman's retirement ceremonies, and numer– ous alumni living in the area attended the professor's last class– room lecture and daylong retirement party. In addition, a group of alumni worked together to create the "Dr. Ross Dingman Research Stipend" in the biology department. Along with donations, former students have sent letters of appreciation and thanks to their teacher. One former student, Michael J. Howard '86, thanked the professor for doing nothing less than changing his life. " ...My experience with you changed me," Howard wrote. "I saw a man who loved nature for the sake of loving something greater than anything humankind could ever aspire to recreate or change to suit its purpose, and you loved the people who stud– ied it. You seemed to recognize something in me that I was not fully aware of, and you fanned its small flames into a forest fire which continues to sweep through my life and my work today."

Ross Dingman is talking on the phone from his new home in Ruidoso, N.M., when he suddenly stops and exclaims, "Listen! Can you hear that?" What Dingman hears is rain-lots of it-falling on the roof and windows of his cabin. "Can you believe this? " he asks with an almost-childlike excitement. "It's raining in the middle of the day!" Afternoon showers are just one aspect of life in New Mexi– co that the biology professor anticipates in retirement. A native Californian, Dingman says when he arrived at his new home, he couldn't believe "how many different shades of green there are in nature." Adjusting to life in a small town and settling into his cabin have kept Dingman and his wife of 44 years, Ginny, busy dur– ing the summer-but not so busy that he doesn't think about USD. "I honestly can't think of much else I would have rather done over the past 26 years. The friends I've made, my col– leagues and students-they were all hard to leave," he says. What wasn't was so hard to leave was San Diego. "The city has really grown so much, and housing is so expensive. It's sad, but we didn't want to spend our retirement years in such a crowded place." But never fear, Dingman laughs-he will visit. "I still have children and grandchildren in the area, and when I'm back, I'll definitely come by USD." Pausing a moment, he laughs, "Now that I'm a professor emeritus, that means I'll always have free parking." Parking in the early days at Alcala Park is a fond memory for Dingman. "I know this will be hard to believe, but we all

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A short time later, May was diagnosed with cancer. He died before graduating. "David donated his extensive record collection to the department," Hart says softly. "His mother told us how much that music meant to him during his illness." In addition to the students and liberal arts emphasis, Hart says she is thankful to have worked with the Religious of the Sacred Heart at USD. "Mother Rossi [the music department founder] was my mentor-I was so fond of her," Hart says witlt_a smile. "She was so forward-thinking about music, and she really wanted to establish an excellent program." Mother Rossi wasn't the only nun who made an impres– sion. Hart remembers Sister Sally Furay, then dean of arts and sciences, helping in the theater for musical concerts, and Sis– ter Alicia Sarre, founder of the Spanish department, sweeping the hallways. "The sisters had such impressive academic credentials, yet they took great pride in the physical surroundings of the school. There wasn't a job too large or too small for them, and they paid attention to every detail. I really learned from and admired their dedication to the educational process." An accomplished cellist, Hart says some of her fondest USD memories center around playing with the Alcala Trio. "We performed free noon concerts for USD and the San Diego community. They were time-consuming but always a pleasure. It was a way to reach out to people who didn't have an opportunity to take a class and to present live music in the French Parlor." Hart also played with musicians from all over California every New Year's. "Every year we would rent a house on the beach near Santa Cruz and enjoy a week of cooking gourmet food and playing chamber music. It was really great fun." Playing chamber music is something Hart will be able to pursue full time now that she is retired. She also hopes to continue research on Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's travels throughout Europe. "Mozart wrote a lot of letters, so I've been able to determine all the different places he'd been," she explains. "It's fascinating to visit the cities and places that he described in his letters and study the original manuscripts." Hart is also looking forward to traveling with her husband and spending more time with her four children and eight grandchildren. She will also participate in the USD Retirees Association. Reflecting on her 26 years at USD, Hart notes "You know, I never thought about leaving here. It will always be part of me."

MARJORIE HART Professor of Music Years at USD: 26

The year American composer Aaron Copland came to USD, Marjorie Hart understood better than ever the true value of a liberal arts education. "I'll never forget that," she says, her eyes bright with the memory. "Charles LiMandri, a student who was taking music as an elective, fell in love with Copland's work. He asked if we could bring Copland to campus. At the time, Copland was such a famous figure in music, it never occurred to us that he would come." It never occurred to LiMandri, a 1977 graduate, that Cop– land wouldn't come to campus, so he sent a letter asking the composer if he would visit Alcala Park. "Copland not only came- he stayed for three days," Hart laughs. "That really was one of the highlights of my career here. And that happened because a student was exposed to music that he fell in love with, and he wasn't afraid to try. That's the wonder of a liberal arts education." Hart says she felt fortunate to teach at USD because of the kind of students the school attracts. "I've always enjoyed the students here. They're so motivated and eager to learn. I particularly enjoyed teaching in the preceptorial program because I had the chance to meet students from all different majors." One of those students, David May, provided Hart with perhaps her most poignant memory. "David was a history major, and he was in my 'History of Music' class. One day, he went to Tower Records to buy a recording he had heard in class, and nobody there could help him. David offered to work there part time and organize the classical music section-and they hired him."

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HENRY KOLAR Professor of Music Years at USD: 35

When Henry Kolar's father introduced him to the violin at the tender age of 5, the elder Kolar, a violin teacher, unintentional– ly set the course of his son 's life. From that point on, Kolar remembers with a smile, his entire world centered around music. "I've been blessed in that I have been able to do what I love for a living," the music profes– sor explains. "When I go home, my life in music doesn't stop. There's no separation." Kolar decided early to combine his love of music with his interest in children, and began teaching instrumental music at the elementary school level shortly after earning his master's at Northwestern University. In 1949, his contacts in the music world brought him to San Diego, teaching at Ramona High School for one year before moving on to El Paso, Texas. A strong string program was being developed in El Paso, and during his two-year stay he performed with the El Paso Symphony, was first violinist in the El Paso String Quartet, and was concertmaster of the newly formed El Paso Symphonette. In 1952, Kolar returned to San Diego as a teacher first in the San Diego Unified School Dis– trict, then at Mesa College and, finally, at the San Diego Col– lege for Women. Although the college didn't have an instrumental music program at the time, Kolar says meeting Mother Aimee Rossi convinced him to sign on as an initial architect of the depart– ment. "Mother Rossi was a little dynamo," Kolar says, laugh– ing. "She had such vision and energy. She felt strongly that music was an integral part of a student's education." While Kolar worked to create an orchestra at USD, he remained active in the San Diego music community, serving as concertmaster for the San Diego Symphony Orchestra and con– ductor of the San Diego Youth Symphony and the La Jolla Civic Orchestra. Kolar also played in the orchestra for numerous ballets, operas and theatrical productions. Although performing for a musical seems glamorous, the violinist jokingly admits, "Sometimes, life in the orchestra pit could really be the pits!" Kolar goes on to explain that, for plays, musicians are fre– quently called to perform unfamiliar music with insufficient preparation time. "That could get a little frustrating because when you perform, of course, you want to be at your best."

Giving your best in all you do is a philosophy the white– haired Kolar attempts to follow. "I believe you should also give of yourself 100 percent, professionally and personally, " he says. It was the desire to give his best that drove Kolar, along with colleague Marjorie Hart, to create a viable music depart– ment with limited funds and students. "It was a bit frustrating because we couldn't really attract the serious music majors- we barely had a department, much less a school of music," he says. "In addition, San Diego is a tough city for the arts. There are so many other things to do, it's hard to catch people's attention and convince them that they might just enjoy classical music." But exposing students to classical music, and watching their appreciation grow, was the joy of teaching for Kolar. "I found that very satisfying-turning kids on to the symphony and opening their eyes to the beauty of the music." Kolar also sees classical music as a way to bridge the age gap between generations. " In the USD Orchestra, we had stu– dents, community members and employees of all different ages. That age difference goes away when you're caught up playing Beethoven or Brahms. The music transcends time." In addition to playing with the Alcala Trio and teaching, Kolar is also a composer and director. He has had several com– positions published, and one was performed by the San Diego Symphony. "It's really hard work to get a composition pub– lished," Kolar admits. "But there's great satisfaction when you hear your music being played by an orchestra." Kolar is particularly proud of the educational pieces he's written that are used in schools across the country. "I was at a convention in Chicago and met a teacher from Alabama who was using my work in his class. That is gratifying, to actually meet someone who has used your work successfully." Kolar's retirement plans include devoting more time to composing and playing. "While I was teaching, I didn't have the time to keep my playing up to the level I'd like to main– tain. I would like to do some recitals on campus as soon as I attain my goals and put some interesting programs together." In addition to playing and composing, Kolar hopes to spend more time with his family, which includes eight grandchildren. He won't be a stranger to Alcala Park, either. "I've always wanted to brush up on my Spanish and German, so you just might see me up here taking a language class."

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Irving Parker remembers purchasing USD's very first paper cutter. "It's still in use, in the registrar's office," the 65-year– old professor notes with pride. When Parker retired this summer, 39 years of interesting historical details like that one also walked away from Alcala Park. "I don't know what we're going to do without Irving," says Religious Studies Professor Gary Macy. "He's a walking encyclopedia of this place." As a 26-year-old instructor at what was then San Diego State College, Parker had no way of knowing that a phone call from his friend Monsignor John Storm would set his future on a path that was often bumpy, but never dull. "Monsignor Storm asked if I'd be interested in teaching at this new Catholic college, the San Diego College for Men, being started by Bishop Charles F. Buddy," Parker remem– bers. "It was located in an area where my brother and I used to hunt rabbits as kids, and the only other things around were a slaughter house and what we called 'The Pest House,' where people with infectious diseases were housed," he says. "At the time, I was young and enthusiastic, and none of that really bothered me. I thought it seemed like quite an adventure." Parker remembers registering the first 39 students in the College for Men, and teaching in a lecture hall in what is now University of San Diego High School. "I think I realized early on that my future depended on the future of the college," he notes. "I know that sounds selfish, but I was bound and deter– mined to do what I could to make the school a success, because if the school was successful, then I would be, too." That determination prompted Parker to accept whatever challenge he was given. He served as registrar, dean of admis– sions, professor of English, assistant to the president, coordi– nator of the interdepartmental honors program, director of the undergraduate writing program, chair of the humanities divi– sion and chair of the department of fine arts. In addition, he served on no fewer than 46 committees, often serving as chair, vice chair or secretary. Parker says he's perhaps proudest of his work on the university committee on educational review, a committee charged with the task of ham– mering out a single university curriculum for the merged San Diego College for Women and San Diego College for Men. "At the time, we had two somewhat different curricula, and really two different philosophies of academics," Parker remembers. "Finally, after a year of meeting at least once a week, we had our curriculum." The professor also helped create the Office of Financial Aid, the guidelines for faculty committee structure and the incorporation of college boards in the university's admission policy. Parker's extensive contributions did not go unnoticed over the years. His list of honors include the Lowell P. Davies Annual Faculty Achievement Award, the Diocese of San Diego Citation of Honor, the establishment of the "Irving Award" given each year to the outstanding theater arts stu– dent, and an honorary membership in the Alumni Associa– tion. In addition, Parker was invested with a knighthood in the Pontifical Order of St. Gregory the Great by decree of Pope John Paul II. Parker says although he never made a lot of money at the university, his life was made richer because he was part of a dream. "This university has been so good to me. There were rough times, of course, and sometimes I felt like throwing in the towel. But looking back, I wouldn't have done it any dif– ferently."

IRVING PARKER Professor of English and Chair, Department of Fine Arts Years at USD: 39

Some of Parker's fondest USD memories are of the early years and life with the irrepressible Bishop Buddy. "He was a man of great vision who saw the need for leadership in San Diego's Catholic community. He felt the best way to create that leadership was by establishing a Catholic university," Parker explains. "He was always quoting Nehemiah: 'I am about a great work, and I can not come down.' We all felt that, too-that building the university was a great work." The bishop's vision, combined with his unbounded enthu– siasm, were hard to resist. "You could go in to see the bishop about a project, with a list of 10 reasons why it wouldn't work. After 15 minutes you'd walk out of his office, banging the drum for the idea and telling everybody how wonderful it was," Parker laughs. "That was his talent. He could get people caught up in the dream." Sometimes, however, people took the bishop too literally. "I remember once he went to the mail center and was really

upset about the cost of postage. He told the staff there to take the metering machine and 'throw it off the hill. ' Well, about 15 minutes later, they were carrying that big machine toward the canyon to throw it off the hill, just like the bishop said. Fortunately, someone stopped them." Parker's decision to retire was largely influenced by his desire to spend more time with his wife of 26 years, Rita, who he says has been a "patient, patient woman." They both are looking forward to enjoying their Palm Springs home and trav– eling throughout California. Although USD has been an ingrained part of Parker's life for so many years, he says it is time to part ways with the uni– versity. "There comes a time when it's important for things to end," he says quietly. "This is one of those times."

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