Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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VOL LXIII-No. 33 University of South Carolina, Columbia, S. C. 29208 Thursday, February 8, 1973 Board BY DEBE GREENWAY AND PATRICK TYLER Coach Paul Dietzel's contract with USC was made public last night by the USC Board of Trustees in response to persistant requests by Columbia Newspapers Inc. and on advice from state Atty. Gen. Daniel McLeod. The disclosure of the contract terms was a result of insistance by the newspaper company which owns The State and The Columbia Record that the terms of personnel contracts with state agencies should be open to public inspection under the Freedom of Information Act of 1972. The dispute over interpretation of the act began at the Jan. 22 meeting of the Trustees when Robert Pierce, managing editor of "The State," (see GAMECOCK Jan. 25) read before the board a statement challenging the validity of executive sessions where the press is excluded to discuss terms of state personnel contracts. Pierce said that such contracts when involving state funds were in the "public domain." T. Eston Marchant, board chairman, told Pierce his complaint would be considered by the board and following the meeting behind closed doors reported that the board had held that all matters concern ing University personnel would continue to be dis cussed in executive ses sion and that "University employe' contracts are not subject to public scrutiny." However since the point had been raised and interpretation of the law was in question, the executive committee of the board decided to ask the attorney general for a decision in the matter, according to Sig Huitt, assistant information director for the Univer sity. In his decision given last week McLeod said that "contracts of employment with a pub lic agency such as the University are public records within the mean ing of the Freedom of releas( Information Act and that they are therefore open to public inspection and copying under the terms of that law." (See GAMECOCK Feb. 5.) Long range ramifica tions of the ruling take a much broader scope than just revealing the terms of one man's con Salary Terms Salary is currently $36,112 paid in twelve monthly assignments. Additional benefits are: 1. An expense account amount ing to six per cent of annual salary. 2. A bonus for participation in bowl games amounting to ten per cbnt of annual salary. 3. Second priority to the Univer sity plane. 4. Permission to negotiate seperate agreements for radio and television. S. Permission for Mrs. Dietzel to accompany the team on road trips. At two year intervals, if contract terms cannot be agreed upon, the University remains bound to the existing contract, while Dietzel is no longer legally bound. tract, according to a source in the attorney general's office. The source told the GAMECOCK last night that "in general the ruling will make all per sonnel contracts with state agencies matters of public record and sub ject to public scrutiny." However, Huitt of Information Services said last night "what the board said is this is what we're letting out, and this is it--period." The text of the con 13 BOOKSTORE-The mana ger of the Campus Shop explains the rising costs of books and the problems involved with providing students with books.Pna 2. Ws Diet tract released to the GAMECOCK includes a copy of the 1969 agree ment which provides for an annual salary of $31,500 through 1979. It was re-negotiated in April 1971 and extended to 1982. The present contract calls for an annual salary of $36,112 and includes One of the long te controversy, will b4 incidents of this kind, and more rulings tha and more open mee the following provisions: ----an expense account amounting to six per cent of the annual salary. ----a bonus for participa tion in bowl games amounting to ten per cent of annual salary payable in a lumps um from non-appropriated funds. ----second priority after the needs of the Presi dent) on use of the University airplane. ----permission to negotiate separate GAY LIB-A USC student is organizing a Gay Libera-I tion on campus to provide an alternative for the 'closet' cases in Columbia. I Page 3 eI's co agreements outside the University for television and radio productions relating to USC football. ----permission for Mrs. Dietzel to accompany the coach on all team trips. In addition to these benefits the agreement allows Dietzel to "get out" of the contract if rms effects of this more and more there will be more t will lead to more tings. "contract terms cannot be agreed upon;" but "the University is still legally bound" to fulfill its obligations until the 1982 expiration date. Release of the contract should negate rumors that the head coach receives "kickbacks" from football conces sions program sales and advertising. Marchant also denied in a letter to The State that the University had agreed to subsidize Dietzel's tele vision shows if sponsers SENATE-Sen. Barbara Mrce takes a few licks while ittending the Senate meet ng last night. The Senate ntroduced a bill for more Ighting on campus. Pna 4. ntract could not be arranged. It is speculated that Dietzel receives 1500 to $2000 per show for sea sonal football programs with WIS-TV. A group called Con cerned Supporters of Carolina bought news paper advertisement last year raising ques tions along these lines. PAUL F. DIETZEL ...1972 record: 4-7. In the statement quoted by The State, Marchant said; "This action is taken after a majority of the board gave their approval. This was accomplished by telephone polling on Tuesday and Wednes day, and after a majority of the executive commit tee of the board so recommended at the meeting on Monday." Part of the delay as explained by University officials came because several of the board members had never seen the document and requested to see them before voting. The contract states that Dietzel is "com pletely responsible to and only to the chief administrative officer (President Thomas F. Jones) of the University of South Carolina..." One of the long-term effects of this con troversy according to Dr. Reid Montgomery of the USC College of Jour nalism, "will be more and more incidents of this kind, there will be more and more rulings that will lead to more and more open meetings." See DIETZEL's. Page 3