CAMPUS BRIEFS: Wednesday, December 3, 1997

Trammell Crow stock soars in initial trading The Dallas-based real estate services company, which is the country's largest commercial property manager, signed an agreement in October with the University to manage most on- and off-campus buildings as of March 1. The firm raised about $85 million in revenue from the offering. It will use the proceeds to repay outstanding debts. The 10-year agreement with Penn, which marks the company's first foray into higher-education services, sparked a month-long controversy that culminated in the recommendation of University Council -- a campus-wide advisory body -- that the Board of Trustees reject the deal. On November 7, Trustees unanimously approved the agreement anyway. Shares in Trammell Crow, initially priced at $17.50, rose $4.25 to $21.75 on November 25 in trading of 3.44 million shares. Yesterday, the stock fell 25 cents to $23.25 in trading of 204,800 shares. The company originally announced the offering September 3. -- Scott Lanman Student to stand trial for alleged role in assault College junior Justin Majors was ordered last week to stand trial for allegedly punching a student and a police officer in one of the four alcohol-related assaults police said occurred within a few hours of each other during the last weekend in September. If convicted, Majors could face a maximum penalty of several years in jail. A municipal court judge set a February 12 trial date for the case, according to District Attorney's office spokesperson Bill Davall. In an earlier hearing, Majors pleaded innocent to one count of resisting arrest and two counts each of aggravated assault, simple assault and reckless endangerment of another person. Majors allegedly struck the student in the face during the early-morning brawl, causing him to fall and cut the back of his head open on the ground. The student was rushed to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where he was diagnosed with a concussion and received 20 stitches. After punching the student, Majors attacked a University Police officer who was trying to break up the fight, police said. The officer was not seriously injured. Majors' attorney was unavailable for comment yesterday afternoon. -- Ian Rosenblum