USC launches free speech task force
Tomo Chien
January 17, 2025
Good morning. It’s Friday, and I’m reading about what fire containment percentages actually mean. Onto the five USC, Los Angeles, and California stories you need to know for today.
The newsletter will be off on Monday for the holiday.
1.
A new USC task force will analyze the school’s free speech policies months after it was ranked nearly dead last in the nation for speech climate. One professor in the task force has decried the “death spiral” of “wokeness” in academia and is an outspoken critic of DEI policies.
2.
USC launched a crowdfunding campaign for students, faculty, and staff displaced by LA’s wildfires. The application to receive funding launches next Tuesday, but you can already donate here. Morning, Trojan previously reported that dozens in the USC community have lost their homes.
3.
City officials warned that rain expected later this month could wreak havoc in LA’s fire-scorched regions. A lack of vegetation in burn scars can increase the risk of landslides and flash floods, experts said. Fire crews continued to curb the Palisades and Eaton blazes overnight thanks to a brief lull in the wind.
4.
It’s the last thing anybody needs: A stomach bug is circulating at the wildfire evacuation center in Pasadena as norovirus cases spike in LA County. Public health officials said staffers are “providing appropriate medical treatment.”
5.
The architect of Donald Trump’s most far-right policies is a Southern California native who has posted wild online screes since his days at Santa Monica High School. Now, Stephen Miller has more power than ever as he re-enters the White House with fewer internal rivals — and the president’s ear.