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Monday, 8/25/97 Rivlarly, Schmivarly PROFESSOR: Trojan joins ranks of Bruins, teaches summer classes at UCLA

By Frances Lee Daily Bruin Senior Staff From the picture window in his office, Dr. Eric Schockman gets a clear view of the hustle and bustle that accompanies the "awakening" of a campus from its summer hibernation. Students stand in long lines, administrators (himself included) scurry back and forth between meetings and the occasional campus tour passes through, stopping at various points of interest along the way: the student union, the sports "hall of fame," Tommy Trojan. Tommy Trojan? There is not a bear in sight here, in this sea of cardinal and gold, because Schockman is a political science professor-turned-associate dean of student affairs at that other school in Los Angeles - USC. But during the summer, in between writing books, Schockman taught a class on L.A. politics at the better cross-town school - UCLA. Schockman laughs. "Rivalry, schmivalry," he says. At the professional level, according to Schockman, rivalry gives way to the exchange of information and ideas. In fact, the chair of UCLA's political science department, Ronald Rogowski, personally invited Schockman to teach the summer course. "For me to teach (at UCLA) is an extension of my relationship (with the school)," Schockman says, explaining that those relationships were built working on collaborative public policy and research efforts with UCLA faculty. "My colleagues at UCLA have been (my) intellectual cheerleaders." After the initial amusement of finding a Trojan in their ranks wore off, the students in Schockman's summer class were more intent on keeping up with the reading than anything else. Occasionally, the professor would make references to USC, such as when he hinted that the midterm could be indefinitely postponed if the class took up a collection to send him to Hawaii (because that's what the students would do at USC, he joked). It was a course that piqued the interests of the students, who described the class as "challenging" and "fascinating" because it dealt not only with the historical aspects of L.A. politics, but touched on present-day issues as well. Schockman's personal involvement with the city and state legislatures added an extra dimension to his class. His knowledge of the inner workings of city council allows him to teach what he "practices." Councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski met Schockman when they were both staff for council members a few years ago. "I always thought he was incredibly insightful on a lot of public policy issues," she said. "I admired him, and I admired his mind," said Miscikowski. He has worked as a political consultant in the city council and in various political think tanks, has been nominated for a commission appointment in Sacramento and was an adviser to Councilman Michael Woo during Woo's 1993 bid for mayor. "He's very caring, very understanding," said Clare Walker, an administrative assistant who has worked with Schockman for five years. "He loves teaching and he loves working with students." In the classroom, whether at USC or UCLA, Schockman says, "I hope (students) get to be their own teachers. My goal is not to be the teacher, but to make teachers." He enjoys seeing students "get a light bulb going in their heads, (that signals a) harmonic convergence with the material. "Overall, I've been somewhat surprised by the caliber of students at both institutions," Schockman says. "The caliber (of the students) seemed to me ... bookends of knowledge, holding up all the weighty points of the disciplines." A transplanted New Yorker who is the product of a public education himself (he received his doctorate degree from UC Riverside), Schockman taught at public institutions such as the University of San Francisco and California State University, Long Beach before landing at USC in 1990. He was recruited to USC to run the Jesse Unruh Institute while teaching about state, urban, racial and sexual politics. In 1992, he helped found the Center for Multiethnic and Transgender Studies (CMTS) after the Civil Unrest, where he served as associate director until his recent appointment to associate dean. April 29, 1992 was a memorable day for Schockman, not only because it signaled a major turning point in political theory, but because it was his birthday as well. He can joke about it now, saying he was "flattered that the city rioted on my birthday. There were more candles than I could have hoped for." But, says Schockman, "It was a sad night." People were prohibited from leaving the USC campus, and Schockman spent the night in his office. "There was the shock of being in the middle of it and watching students go through a metamorphosis," says Schockman, of going from isolation to seeing that they could affect change in society. Back at USC after his teaching stint at UCLA, Schockman is packing his things. He's moving from his third-floor office in the CMTS to the Topping Student Center. He jokes that his new first-floor office lets him be on the same level as the masses. Schockman is excited about his new position because "it's great to be closer to students," he says. He admits that it is a challenge, changing ranks from faculty to administrator, but it's one he is looking forward to. At least one person doesn't think it will be too much of a stretch for Schockman to make the transition from faculty to administrator, especially since the new position involves working extensively with students: Brandon Shamim, a former student, called Schockman "the most student-friendly instructor I know." As the associate dean for student affairs, Schockman has his hands full organizing freshman orientation, an orientation that will probably include an informal introduction to the friendly rivalry that exists between UCLA and USC. "The rivalry (among students) gets carried away," Schockman explains. "It's healthy, but at times, it's not healthy. There could be more sharing between the two institutions." As long as there is the Rose Bowl and college football, however, "sharing" on a mass level is unlikely to happen any time soon. Dr. Eric Schockman Previous Daily Bruin Story L.A.'s wounds slowly healing