Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

JIM rARRELL. EDITOR LUCRETIA JONES DAVE LUNDGREN MANAGING ED AD. MNGR. EDITORIALS Stop game The University of South Carolina is an academic in stitution. Wrong. The University of South Carolina is a political institution and is becoming more so every day. The purpose of a university is to further the education of those attending it. When the president of a university has to hesitate because of politics, it is time for the people throughout the state to take another look at the political overtones of the state's university system. President Jones has had to play the "game"' as Charles Wickenberg, public affairs editor of the Columbia State, termed the politics concerning the University in his column this past Sunday. Why should an administrator with the vigor of President Jones, who has fought for the students where many ad ministrators might not, have to answer to the political forces when the education of the students at this Univer sity is so important? As Mr. Wickenberg pointed out, Jones' job seems to be on the line, and politics will decide the fate of the man. It's pathetic that educators have to become politicians in order to keep their jobs. Mr. Wickenberg also brought out the fact that the ef fectiveness of an administrator should be determined by his public record of accomplishments, not by peoples' feelings about the man. Jones has done much to help this University and there are few who can deny this and present facts to substantiate their claim. Confidence in the president seems to be the question. The answer is obvious. After nine years at the University, Jones has displayed an interest in the academics and particularly in the students. This is what every university needs. Why should this man be hanged because of the feelings of certain men who might envision better political ties for the University by replacing Jones with a man who is perhaps politically maneuverable. Leave politics in the State House and let the ad ministrators and educators at the University take care of what they know best... education. READANy OO( BookS 44rky?d Lette SGA 'raps' handled poorly MR. FARRELL: This is being written to express disgust and disappointment at the handling of the SGA "rap sessions" at individual dorms, with emphasis on Bates Houst The poor attendance at Men's Towers, Womens Quadrangle, and at Bates House can be attributed to the lack of advance publicity, and overall poor preparation for a program so vital to the students' understanding of their campus government. The planned "rap session" at Bates House was attended by less than 20 students. This sharply contrasts with the crowd of 400 to 450 who attended the opening meeting of the dorm government. Bates House residents are responsive and interested in their type of government as are students in other residence halls. On Monday, September 20, we were contacted by Bill Shepherd, informing us that student body President Harry Walker was coming to Bates House on Wed nesday night, just two days away. Mr. Shepherd then asked if the dorm government could drum up publicity for the student govern ment "gang" (signs provided by Mr. Shepherd carried this new name for the S.G.A. executive branch). Although angered by the lack of courtesy in giving us such short notice, we assured Mr. Shepherd that we would assist in any way possible. Signs were posted throughout the dorm and these signs were posted by Bates senator Irvin Woods. The duplicating machine at Bates was inoperative and we could not print more releases. About 4 p.m. on the afternoon of Mr. Walker's scheduled ap pearance, 'a secretary dumped several hundred leaflets at the Bates desk and asked that they be passed out door to door. An nouncements were made up until Mr. Walker arrived at Bates House in a last minute effort to get an audience for the student body president. Mr. Walker camet but the students did not. It Is our belief rs to the that Bates government did more than its share of work to cover up for the shortcomings of the . "gang." This is certainly no reflection on Harry Walker him self, but rather the result of a general breakdown in his staff coordination. Hopefully, a blunder that can and will be corrected. It is essential that the dorm government work together with the campus government to provide an efficient, smooth outlet for the Carolina student. The "gang" (SGA executive branch) did not live up to its responsibility in the planning of the very worthwhile "rap sessions." At least as far as Bates House is concerned the old crutch of "student apathy" does not apply here and we stand behind our men on this point. PETE FEHELEY BATES HOUSE PRESIDENT IRVIN WOODS BATES SENATOR ,MATT THORNTON ASSISTANT RESIDENT ADVISOR Students have been betrayed MR. FARRELL: People of USC, we are betrayed. The administration of our "educational" institution has lied to us. We have been led to believe that the post-riot inquisition was the last of its kind for USC. Dean Alexander has personally told me, in front of witnesses, that no summary punishment would ever be dealt out and that judicial "due process" was the watchword of the day. I painted a cannon on Sept. 17. I had the permission of the Nixon troops captain of the Naval ROTC, which he now denies he gave, to turn the cannon into a memorial from the people (yellow, black, white) who were murdered by guns in Indochina and throughout history. Action was taken against me by USC's policeman-Dean for Campus Relations Philip Grier. He asked me to his office and upon arrival informed, me that I REffAfEsR, /F gy NTRd /1040 Ndrva aditor was on disciplinary probation. Then he asked me to tell my side of the story. Pretty obnoxious fella that Mr. Grier. He explained to me that I could see no court because he is the guy who decides who gets to go to court and that I could appeal his dicta to Dean Witten. He called that appeal "due process." Right! The thing is that probation means that you can be booted at any time for anything. Grier calls probation a trivial thing. The door for summary expulsion is wide open for everyone and anything they do. The administration is all powerful (or so they think) and now they won't even listen to your side of it, which is a bit much. I think too much. PHILIP C. SHARPE Frat ad is very frightening MR. FARRELL: Many thanks to R.B. Tanenbaum for her letter in Wednesday's Gamecock about the fraternity ad. And it's probably that no sexism was intended or recognized in either writing the ad or accepting it, which makes it all a little more frightening. We are all very uptight and sensitive about racism, and rightly so-- it is absurd to type a person's intelligience, competence, and role from her -his skin color. It is every bit as ridiculous and oppresive to type people by sex: a man must be unemotional, sexually inexhaustible, and the great protector- conqueror of all woman kind; a woman must be weak and non-intellectual, virginal, seduceable, and destined solely for marriage. It's easy to see that both roles are restrictive, not to men tion confusing. Everyone reading this is bound to be one sex or the other; please let us work to recognize and eliminate sexism where we find it. Ignorance alone oppresses us. FREDERICA GREEN