Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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SAC: Un3 ustified Ignorance Charles Smith is not very good at masking his true intentions. The Student Allocations Commission (SAC) chairman recently stepped down from his position for what he cited as academic reasons. But even though Smith never said it in so many words, he was probably sick and tired of the petty politics that abounds in this group, USC's version of the Division for Business Affairs. Each spring, the SAC convenes to parry out the student activities fees to the various and sundry organizations on campus. Each group must prepare an elaborate budget request and defend it before the Commission. It is something like the Spanish Inquisition. A group of self appointed elites trying to tell heads of major organizations that they do not need the money they , are requesting. How is an agency packed with Union and student government people supposed to .know what it is going to take to publish the Garnet and Black? The fact is, they don't, but it doesn't really matter to the SAC members. They sit back in their condescending manner, make ar bitrary cuts on what THEY think is unnecessary, with little regard for the actual survival of the organization or its planned projects. Could .the University Union suffer with the same percentage In o nO cut that has been initially leveled )p E 1on the Afro-American Society or "ot is a newspaper's duty to print the University Players? Can the the news.ond raise hell." Commission safely dictate the --Wilbur F. Storey. year's activities for a group it The Chicago Times. 186 i knows nothing about because it is not Union- or SGA-oriented. The answers to both questions are undeniably no. However, the fact remains that SAC members are doing this, consciously or un consciously supporting their own interests at the expense of other organizations they know nothing about. And with student money, no less. One thing becomes blatantly obvious in view of the Commission's problems this spring: The SAC has to be restructured It cannot continue to function in a responsible manner unless it is guaranteed more and better student input.. The Union and SGA cannot and should not be allowed to dictate ' organizations' policies. If Leigh Leventis does anything constructive in the coming year, he'll take the initiative to critically study how well the present SAC is serving the students. If he can look at the problem objectively, despite the potential power of his own SGA and the Union, he might realize that the Commission is not acting in what one might call a reasonable manner. The Union does not need three members on the SAC. It needs one. Student government needs one and so do the other big-budget organizations: The Garnet and Black and The Gamecock., Ap pointees from these organizations are there to protect themselves and the groups they represent, though some do not even do that, working instead against their own vested interests. It is understood that there is a money shortage in regard to activities fees this spring, so requests have to be tight and money allocated carefully. But that doesn't mean risking the very survival of some of the university's major organizations, a problem that has become more serious in the past few weeks. The Allocations Commission has got to get off its pedestal of om nipotence. It has to stop responding in a super-elitist manner to student needs. It has to begin to examine requests in an objective manner, understanding both the reasons for and the actual needs of the various organizations. In short, the SAC has to be changed so travesties like this spring's hearings never occur again. It is not a question of finding a better way to distribute student monies. It is merely a question of getting the individuals on the Commietion to act in a responsible, rational manner; in a way, despite their contentions to the opposite, they simply have not been doing. USC needs people on the Commission who represent student ac tivities as a whole; not a couple of special interest groups. It is to be hoped that the present SAC can be shaken into some asemblence of reality. A reality that admits they are not acting in a manner good for the entire student body. They must gauge the value of each organization sensibly, oblivious to their own personal prejudices. And it is blatantly obvious that the present structure and the in dividuals involved are unable to do so. Letters Policy Although theGAMECOCKwill attempt to run all letters received, preference will be given to those typed and under 200 words. We will not run anonymous letters, although we can withhold names for valid reasons. While we try to guarantee that letters will be printed, we do n'ot guarantee w hen letters will be nrinted. Westmoreland: 'People's Politician' To the Editor: In denouncing Westmoreland on March 28, 1974, before the true gubernatorial candidates emerge, The Gamecock merely re emphasized the battle cry of South Carolina politics for the past one hundred years: "If a dog runs on the Democratic Ticket, I would vote for him." True, Westmoreland blew a vital question concerning issues. But the issues in South Carolina ire obvious since we have always been dominated by a one-party system. Merely look to the voting record during the past reign of Governor West and one begins to realize that the supposed "issues" shouted out by politicians once every two or four years aren't really so im portant after all. What -happened to ERA? What happened to the $50,000 spent on road signs reading 50 miles per hour rather than 55? What happened to the $500,000 spent on reapportionment? What happened to education in this state? Etc., etc., etc. True, Westmoreland is not a politician's 'politician, since he spent his early years in the military. If he were a politician's politician, he would be running for governor on the Democratic ticket; for that is the back-slapping group of old men who have always dominated politics in this state. Why else would these gentlemen of the Democratic regime be afraid to pass the ethics bill in South Carolina but for the fact that their wallets have grown fat from favoritism? What South Carolina needs is a push in a new direction. A push that history reveals can only be provided by new leadership. South Carolina needs a people's politician, an administrator like Westmoreland, instead of the usual politician's politician. If The Gamecock wants a can didate it can truly criticize, wait until Dorn wins the Democratic Primary. Now that is a true politician; a politician worn out in Washington, wanting to come home to retire. Toney J. ister II "TRST ME." )ur Mail Westmoreland Lacks Opinion, Knowledge To the Editor: General Westmoreland officially i entered the gubernatorial primary last Tuesday. If South Carolinians e are seriously considering sending this man to the State House, his first "press conference" as a candidate may instill some doubt V into their minds. s c To begin with, in answer to a luestion, Westmoreland stated h hat he was not overly familiar vith his party s court suit to extend :andidate filing procedures until he current reapportionment case as been resolved. Being a can lidate and a Republican, he should a iave taken the, time to study the natter enough to at least speak ntelligently about it in public. Westmoreland appeared somewhat confused about pending auto liability insurance legislation, telling reporters he felt the issue iad been resolved by passage of :he bill. When told by reporters hat the bill was still being debated' n the House, Westmoreland said i-:dit< lDoug \Vi The Gai Although The Gamecock students of the Universita is not an official publicatio opin ions ex pressed herein resent those of' the univer or all the staff members o Nen%S I-:ditor............ 'ports I-:ditor........... I 'hoto I-d itor............ E p4rt s Ne~ w IA .dit or... I':ntlertainmetfI-:dit..... he bill had passed the Senate on Wlonday. In fact, the Senate passed :he bill more than two weeks ago. When asked about his views on wublic complaints about the state )airy Commision's power to fix nilk prices, Westmoreland again aid he was not familiar with the ubject. Later, in an interview with a TFBC-TV reporter, the candidate aid he was not familiar with the urrent single member district apportionment plan adopted this ionth by the House. He stated, owever, that he was confident the louse plan was "fair" since the louse is "a responsible body." He Iso once again confirmed that he as never cast a vote or been a onfirmed voter until a few weeks go. Judging from these instances it s quite obvious that Westmoreland as not done the necessary tomework expected of a guber iatorial candidate. His lack of pinion and knowledge of the ssues causes one to wonder upon vhat he is basing his campaign. )ennis R. EasIer Art Franik necock is a publication of the of South Carolina, it i of the university. The do not necessarily rep sity, the student body r The Gamecock. ....itiu (ooper ....teve I'arkerI .....itu.s .I'ff( ont ... Kith ;eis ma .....I l I 'r %ia iid ... . ill ut l1w