University of South Carolina Libraries
Check cash ii is tough By SCOTT DERKS Cashing checks can be a tough business. Gene Long, owner of Cornell Arms Phar macy, says so. So does Howard L. Rhodes, USC treasurer. Check cashing is a part of their daily lives. So is the problem of bad checks. Rhodes says most of the checks are just in sufficient funds and are not "bad" until they are uncollectable, until the University loses the money. That happens occasionally. Once is too often. Long, who claims he "probably cashes more checks than anyone in town," sees the business of cashing checks as a drawing card for his business. "People come here," he said and handed a petite USC coed a $20 bill, "because they can buy a pack of cigarettes, a magazine and get some money." Long figures he cashes about 600 checks a day which keeps a stream of students lined up at his counter. "I really don't make any money directly because of the administrative costs. The bank charges me, there is a fee from Wells Fargo, I have to have additional em Long ployees...excuse me...Can I see your ID?" he asked a long haired student. "Have you got a dime?. ..cause you see I have to keep someone employed just cashing checks," Long said. Cornell Arms stays open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week, handling mostly student checks -- 4,200 a week. The charge is one percent of the amount -- a percentage that can be costly on a large sum. But students must have cash and some would prefer to take the loss than suffer the suspicious scrutiny they must endure when paying by check uptown. One student recalls tbst a ' 0t Oore recorded her dr er's li - udent ID number, er h dresses, her telephone number and even the registration number on her bicycle registration card. Long thinks that most merchants don't want to mess with checks because of the time it takes, the capital outlay necessary and the fear of bad checks. ''I have a book here and I can tell you back 10 years about people who wrote bad checks. its just not worth it to most merchants to cash the checks. I cash mainly for the University but I do it for other people. You lust have to know what you're doing and you have to keep records.'' Long said. Rhodes agrees. The 14-year USC veteran Foundation gran Marine lab The Sarah Mellon Scaife Adn oteipra Foundation of Pittsburgh, Pa., has la'lotinacoin granted the University $l00,000 to begarthcaatri be used for construction of a achpoet fr Marine Science Laboratory. suis h rxmt The facility will be located on the Ilt nuplue unspoiled North Inlet estuary of Wna a,aplue the Hobcaw Barony, the Baruch anthopncenav plantation, and will add a vital thbaefracniug component to a program of marine comn btc p science research and the newly viomna prbe established marine science eturnecstm.( curriculum at USC.istemrhad re D)r. Thomas F. Jones, USC weesawtrmn president, announced the grant at frswaeanwhe a program that also included mrn raim hi a brief tour of the Baruch property, Te Brc nt pointing out the site of the new Crln,si eneg laboratory just beside an arm of athrekyesrc the North Inlet waters. ivligteetaya "We are immensely pleased that*-alyiofnesu the Scaife Foundation, through this ln eido iet grant, is assisting us -- the University and the state -- in placing more emphasis on research involving the coastal waters," Jones said. Directing the activities of the laboratory facility will be D)r. F. , John Vernberg, who heads the Belle W. Baruch Coastal Research Institute, established at the . University of South Carolina in The building at North Inlet will ~ contain more than 5,000 square feet of space and will include 10 , separate laboratory segments in addition to a seminar room. Dr. Vernberg said the facility will allow scientists to conduct long-term studies, on location, in the marshland area, especially ., those dealing with the problems of culturing marine animals in their nab'sraocatin,taccordin business leaned back in his padded chair and explained that since the depository began keeping a list of students who had written checks that had bounced, their problems had been reduced. A framed edict of check cashing rules is in the poorly lit hallway at the depository. Checks will not be cashed over the counter in excess of $75.00 for any interval of ten days. A fee of $5.00 will be charged for any bad check. After one bad check has been received, no further checks will be cashed. It is signed by Howard L. Rhodes. "We really don't go by that," Rhodes said. "If a student will come and talk to me about it, we won't stop cashing his checks. We try to be fair." Rhodes claims the depository, which is open from 9:30 to 1 p.m. and 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, cashes 2,000 checks a week -- half the number Cornell Arms handles. The University depository provides the cheapest check cashing service in the area, just 10 cents per check, no matter how large. But many students insist they would prefer to get their money elsewhere. The hours and rules of the depository are among the most restrictive of the establish ments that cash checks as a practice. But the most resentment seems to rise from the current fee card requirement and the attitude of some of the personnel. "If you are not currently enrolled, you are not a student," Rhodes explains. "Besides, if we didn't do that we'd have people coming in off the streets to cash checks." A senior said he does not go there because "of the way they treat you. They act like they are doing you a big favor to cash your check. Besides you have to pull out 13 IDs to get your money." Rhodes explains that he has tried to impress upon "the girls" to be nice. "But it is hard to smile all day long," Rhodes says. "It is difficult for everyone to feel good everyday. But you won't believe what some people call them. You can't hire someone and expect them to put up with that kind of abuse. "A lot of times it is the same ones that talk like that to the girls that come complaining about the way they are treated," Rhodes pointed out. Rhodes said he hopes that once the depository is moved from the administration building in December the atmosphere of the new location will be better. The destination is still undecided, but the USC bank may relocate in the soon to be vacated business school. Rhodes has reacted to the bad check problem by making the check cashing rules more restrictive, if the rules could have been con sidered lenient in the first place. A major part gI the despository's job is handling student f culty checks. Rhodes himself admits that the depository is useless as a student bank. Bad checks are a problem ana lust last week one man cashed seven bad checks with the University before leaving town. Long had $140 worth of checks returned last Friday -- insufficient funds. It was an average day. ''I get it back most of the time,'' Long said. If a student makes a habit of writing bad checks at Cornell Arms (and Long has the records to know who and how many times) he stops his service. Normally the threat of the magistrate is not needed to bring most folks around. Long lost $1,000 out of several million dollars worth of checks cashed last year. ts $100,000 to be built ice of the comprehensive data of importance to Vern- not only in assessing the value of tics of the tidelands, but also in managing marine these resources. of North -- development of aquaculture estuary; techniques for which the North estuary ; Inlet estuary provides an excellent provided region for experimentation in the study of a commercial raising of marine food lex en- species. n, the -- development of expertise, i estuary drawing from scientists, lawyers, created economists, politicians and others. ~les with to assist federal and state agencies mportant in management practices in .) volving estuaries. tute at The University also received is looking approval recently to launch a problems degree program in marine science, .aoe a initiated this summer, to offer B. 'oe a S., M. S. and Ph.D. degrees in produce marine science. r" f{ ily iff The 1973 is off to a So, we ask you to 4 first one with con events and ideas. Vietnam, politics, AN OUR STAFF RESERVES THE I I I , AMECC S a "v 45 T AND BLACK fresh, new start. Welp us make this year the iplete coverage of students Send us your opinions, o,n pot, sex, athletics, fraternities YTHING TO Box 5132, Campus RIGHT TO EDIT BEFOE PUICAleTIN