Petition urges USC to decline Trump deal
Tomo Chien
October 06, 2025
Good morning. It’s Monday, and these are the five USC, Los Angeles, and California stories you need to know for today.
1.
A faculty group is urging USC to reject the Trump administration’s offer of priority funding in exchange for conservative policy reforms. “When an invitation is accompanied by consequences for not accepting it, it is in fact a threat,” the petition says. Read the document at link below or sign it here.
2.
Gov. Gavin Newsom chided USC for even considering Trump’s deal, urging the school to “do the right thing." Some experts aren’t sure it’s so simple. “What does it mean to not be prioritized for federal research funds?” asked one education analyst. “It is not entirely clear what it means to say yes and what it means to say no.”
3.
A proposed state law would bring denser housing to the USC area by permitting the construction of taller apartment buildings near train stations and bus routes. Gov. Gavin Newsom has until next week to veto or sign the bill, which some LA officials have opposed.
4.
In case you missed it: A USC student is recovering from injuries that have left him immobilized after a hit-and-run near campus Wednesday. Junior Gabe Bunny said friends and family are visiting him in the hospital. “I’m doing pretty well for the misery I went through,” he said.
5.
California is seeing a revival of so-called “gold fever” as the price of the precious metal skyrockets. Amateur prospectors are flocking to rivers with pans and metal detectors chasing what one called the “the nugget shakes” — the rush of unearthing a lucky find. Here’s where you can pan near LA.