Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Court( BY MARK MO1ROW Once a week, four people meet ii a small room on the campus t4 decide whether or not a studen should be fined for violations ir USC parking regulations. One member is a USC student another represents the US( faculty, and another represents the administration. The fourth is Assistant Director of Security Danny Baker, who presides ovei the meeting. The meeting place is called the appeals court, but it is not really a court at all. It is more ap propriately called a listening hal] for extenuating circumstances. In the middle of the room is a long table with eight black chairs around it. The room is decorated with colorful wall paper and the floor is covered with a matching carpet. On the table are four stacks of appeals to be read. A separate folder contains the ap peals that are to be heard in the court that day. Danny Baker, secretary of the court, came in first. He told me that the appeals court is "not a gimmick'and that if USC didn't have the court, "it( parking fines) would really be a rip-off." Next, Shelby Kiff, faculty representative, came in followed by Paula Kress representing the student body. Bill Carter, ad ministration representative, was the last to arrive. Once all the members have taken their places at the table, they call for the first appeal. 919 SUMTEH .7ives St The first appeal involved a i student who said that he did not get a letter informing him that one of t the student parking lots was i changed to a commuting student lot. over the holidays and thus required a CS sticker. The members of the court had decided to waive all CS parking violations before the court began because they felt many students did not get the letters informing them of the change. They also felt that many students didn't notice the signs because they reasoned a student doesn't look at parking signs every time he goes into a parking lot. However, they did inform the student that if he was ticketed there again they would not waive the fine. The next three appeals were CS violations and the tickets were all waived. One student who had been ticketed for a CS violation decided that the appeals court was just what it implied; a court. He brought in two law students complete with briefs and evidence which consisted of a list of student names who said they did not get the letter informing them of the change in the parking lot. The court was quick to tell him that "this is not a court of law". Bill Carter reminded the student they were here only to consider ex tenuating circumstances and they had previously decided to waive all CS parking violations. The student looked very happy about getting out of the $5 fine, but the law IN MZ .. - J '/2 pTrice By R. G. DENNIS CLC ST. ACROSS FROM1 U. S. C. H101 'ine Clothiers Since 1971 ud ents students looked a little em barassed; maybe because it wa just too easy. The next appeal involved a staf member who had both a studer1 sticker and staff sticker (C decal and he was ticketed for having botl of them on his car. Somewher between the story of his life and th time he got the ticket ~ he ex plained how he came to have botl stickers. A little checking wa done and it was found he had beer given the stickers by mistake an( that he should have a D sticker. His fine was waived. Bill Carter told me in betweer appeals that many problems o parking are found out in the court. He said a student may say a sign i; covered up or missing and th< police can correct the situation s( that students are not fined un fairly. He said in,a situation lik( this, the fine would be waivec immediately. Another student was ticketed foi failure to register his car. The court did not make him pay the $1( fine, but it did make him buy a $1! student sticker. The student said he usually parks his car of: campus, but this time he did not. There may have been extenuating circumstances here, but the student did not voice them. The student representative did not fee the student should be fined or made to buy a sticker, but the rest of the court did. However, it must be realized that the sign says "decal parking only." THING Appeal Another student re-appealed the i; decision of the court to not waive r the fine for parking in a reserved s zone. The student said he had to t carry some heavy stuff up to his e room on Horseshoe and could not park anywhere else. He said he p was only gone for a few minutes. s The court decided to deliberate on t the ticket. It decided since the s space had a number on it (meaning o it belonged to a dean) they would tl reduce the fine to $3. The student li representative did not agree with v the decision but was out voted. . Carter said if a student feels he v has been cheated he can go see Dr. I Jones and talk to him about it. tl Carter, in defending the appeals s court, said they have to consider the circumstances of an offense. He said if the court feels the cir cumstances warrant it, the fine will be waived. When the court finishes with the appeals to be heard, all three memlers take a stack of appeals a and read them to decide if the fines will be waived. If the student C is unhappy with this decision he a can re-appeal his fine as many times as he likes. Some people, according to Danny Baker, have appealed a single ticket eight times. Baker said he remembers a student who drove a Rolls Royce. He parked his car anywhere he pleased during a semester and would write a check for his fines at the end of each semester. Baker said most schools would probably HEL WAI\ PART-TI/ Apply: 1211 College Street anyone be a psriest? Why study for the priesthood? Why be part of a dying institu- C tion? Why commit yourself to celibacy? Indeed, why get closer to misery in a world that a is already miserable enough?v There aren't any easy i answers to these questions- P even for a Paulist. But he knows E' that today's world desperately n needs people who are commit- a ted to ideals and beliefs. In our search for peace of mind and c! country, happiness, love and brotherhood, we are really Sseeking meaning-a reason- R for being. The Paulist doesn't feel the Iworld is dying; he rejoices in the signs of hope around him 4 Rights ;sue a warrant for the person who an up these kind of bills, but he aid it was ok with him as long as e student settles his fines at the nd of the semester. All things considered, the ap eals court is a fair deal for the tudent who feels he has been cketed wrongly. However, one hould not forget that the members f the appeal board are human and iey make mistakes in judgement ke anyone else. The student rould be wise before he damns a niversity organization to find out rhat it is all about. As Danny aker says, "It's not a gimmick; le appeals court is here to help the tudents." PARKING From Page 2) he intersection of Pendleton and 'ickens Streets was restricted to ommuting students only. So I sked Leigh Leventis why we reren't allowed to park at the oliseum. They've changed it now nd I've been parking there rithout being charged.' Gamecock Want Ads Work P TED AE DAYS BURGER KING nd listens for the sounds of ve. Men like the Paulists ekindle our spirits and their ve for Him includes and mbraces all of us. Every Paulist is a mission ry. Whether he is in the pulpit r the parish house, on campus r in ghettos ..,. whether he ommunicates with the spoken 'ord or the printed word, the. aulist is talking about what oncerns him most: the love of hrist for all people. you are looking for nswers, talk to us. Together 'e may find them. For more iformation about the Paulist riesthood, send for THE AULIST PAPERS--an exciting ew kit of articles, posters id recordings about merica's first religious )mmunity. rite to: ther Donald C. Campbell, om 102 Fathers 5 West 59th St.. New vonk,N.v 1OO19