Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Mc C BY NICK PARHAM A speech by President of the Sen ate Tim McConnell on methods of strengthening Student Senate caused such heated debate Wednes day night that a five minute recess was called to restore order. While the initial reason for the speech was the introduction of new legislation, McConnell was really discussing what course of action the Senate must undertake to become the effective power of change it has aspired to be. "We have some things that need to be done. Changes are necessary for the success of Student Govern ment and Student Senate" said McConnell. onnell sp ecess need To become the power it should be the president called for the resigna tion of ineffective "ego inspired" senators, reform of obsolete aspects of Student Senate and a full fledged attack on problems facing students at USC. McConnell feels these actions will provide Student Government with the necessary backbone of power...student body support. Senator Fred Magner took issue with certain aspects of the speech and asked if he could make a state ment. When McConnell refused to relinquish the floor on the grounds that Magner's turn to speak had passed, Magner beccame angry and argued that he was legally entitled eech rai ed to resi to speak. "We have freedom of speech in this country. I don't care about your shit." Magner shouted at McCon nell. As other members of the Senate rose to enter the argument Senator Wood introduced a move to adjourn the session which was subsequently voted down in favor of a five minute recess. During the recess a compromise was reached and Magner won the right to speak. When the Senate re-convened, Senator Mann made a motion to put the meeting in executive session presumably to exclude the press. The motion was defeated after ses Senal tore orde Senator Wood rose and asked that the press not be excluded as it could only hurt what the Senate was try ing to accomplish. Senator Magner in his speech stated that if the Senate really wanted to gain power it would have to deal in big issues and attempt to gain control in areas that the Board of Trustees now oversee. "People make a concerted effort to avoid big issues. We have to deal with how and when we get power," stated Magner. After Magner's talk, the Senate voted to move on to other business. A resolution was passed sighting the danger to children of the exca vation work being done between te ire; University Terrace and the pedes trian ramp. It called for the Univer sity to cover up the 22 foot deep hole at night and to surround it with a six foot high fence. A second resolution passed con cerned the recent power failures in the Tower Complex. It asked that emergency power generators be installed to prevent the black-outs which have resulted in several stu dent injuries. In other business, the Senate approved the appointment of James Ross to fill the vacant district 16 senate seat. Absent from the session were Senators Phil Atkinson, Nancy Davis and Gladys Feely. 4ECOK Vol. LXIII-No. 22 University on wheels. Credit for touring Europe? Please see page 4. University Black ad BY BETTY WILLIAMS One of Carolina's first black administrators in recent years will resign Dec. 31. H. Kershaw George, assistant director of admissions since September 1970, said he is leav ing Carolina "For personal reasons. "My relationship with the people here has been very good," he said. "I've been out spoken and they've taken it in stride. There have been times when I have been very vocal about the need for changes and the need for the University to become more suitable for black study." George commended the University for its hiring of black faculty and staff. "The University operates in such a way that it doesn't have a strong program but a continuous even going one. "Many universities hired numbers of blacks when it was fashionable and have since gone into a post-Reconstruction T Or ju See ed Af South Carolina, Columbia, ministrator period where many of them were cut off. The University did not hire a large number of black people at any time but did not go into the post Reconstruction period." George said he did not know if a black person would be his successor as assistant admis sions director or not. After Dec. 31, George said he will be involved in directing a new corporation his family has formed which will deal with photography. To make USC more meaning ful George recommended that school officials find out if black people at the University, in the community and around the state feel they can refer to it as -our University." If it is still "the white university" in their minds he said, "I feel they ought to be about making the Univer sity of South Carolina so everyone in the state can view it as their own." According to George black and white students have similar problems with relevance. iovin' On st fadin' a itorial, pa S. C. 29208 T to resign "Unless a black student can cope with the black people's situation here at the University he can't cope with the black people's situation when he graduates. "It's the same for white stu dents," he said. "If they don't get involved with black stu dents here they won't be able to get along with black people in the community. "The black students is faced with more difficulties than the white because he is in a hostile environment. While the University tries, he is in some instances significantly hand icapped, George said. As one who helped formulate admissions policy George said, "I feel that every admissions officer here is quite committed to help students. More impor tant the staff is committed to helping students make the right admissions decisions." way? e8. ursday, November 16, 1972 Student Senate seeks support from off-campus students. Please see page 3.