Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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A C Wkhi INTERVIEW BY Kathy Edwards Gamecock Staff Writer GAMECOCK: In 1962 you were quoted as saying, "My job here is to do everything possible to develop higher education in South Carolina through the University of South Carolina." Do you feel you have accomplished this? What was your major ac complishment? JONES: I think my major ac complishment was bringing the University of South Carolina into the national mainstream. We used to have difficulty recruiting faculty. We are now very much accepted across the country as a major university. On the other hand, education is an ever-changing thing. We are working now with the model school program that deals with how schools ought to be set up. They are operated in a modern fashion which deals with student needs rather than the old, rather stereotyped and firm curricular ideas. Every person's needs are really different. This is the kind of educational leadership the ,University. should give. Also one of the most significant things was getting the funding up to a level which is somewhat .competitive with other in stitutions in the country. For years we were funded at one-half to two-thirds of that level. I think today we are funded comparably with the other state universities in the nation. GAMECOCK: What did you feel was your major defeat? JONES.: You know, I don't remember defeats. I really don't. I think it was a little harder to get money out of the legislature at first. The first couple of years were pretty grim. But after that,, it came along fine. I just don't recognize any. GAMECOCK: Do you think that the University is at a turning point now? "My resignion Is now a thin things yeto be done. And!I al by Ru.sell Jefas. mfvmrsal Dr. Tom J JONES: It is sort of leveling out. This year they funded us up to the level of the state formula, which means that we end the phase of catching-up in funding. On the other hand, increases in enrollment at the undergraduate and probably at the graduate level, tend to bring in additional funds. The growth phase is partly ended. Now, the University will continue to grow some but the rate will be much, much slower. Over the last 12 years it has been almost 1,800 students a year. That also takes account of the regional campuses. But it is still a fantastic growth. That is like adding a college or a small university, a new one, every year. The administration has had not only to operate a big and on-going institution, but virtually build a sizeable new one. GAMECOCK: Michael Mungo, Board member, has presented the idea of a President for USC business affairs and a Chancellor for academic affairs. You have been in the situation. How do you feel about this idea? JONES: They need to divide up the duties in some way. The duties of the current presidency are too large. They need to find an ap propriate way of taking account of the rank of people in branch campuses that are going four year. I am sure that the Board with the present administration will work that out. GAMECOCK: Could you reflect on the riots on 1970 yor us? JONES: They were very dif ficult times. The main issue at Carolina was largely the drug issue rather than the war. I don't mean that the war wasn't a strong issue, but it was secon dary, really, to the drug issue. There was a sizeable number of amphetamine "freaks" on campus. I don't know that the use of amphetamines has decreased, but I don't see as many freaks about as I used to. During that time, every con sultation I had with student g ofthe past. I have a lote ingoing in do them." Photosm Ion activist groups dealt basically with law enforcement questions. That is, the rules regarding search and seizure. On the other hand,there were students who were deeply con cerned about the war. I don't mean to minimize that. But the forefront leaders were sort of radical activists; the next group of about 300 were amphetamine freaks; about 1,000 were -student idealists. They were concerned with larger issues but weren't nearly as violent. I think one of the most beautiful things about that terrible era is that for the first time on this campus, students and faculty really came close together. The faculty rallied around the students to comfort them in that very trying time with the grards on campus. Numbers of them went into the dorms and stayed the evenings--even spent the night--to give them some com fort. We kept the University open. The radicals wanted to close it because that would be a victory. But the faculty did go into the dorms and have rap sesssion. And this brought about a feeling of security. This was essential for our operation at that time. Since then, the student-faculty relations have been different on campus. They have been better. It had a good ending. GAMECOCK: Didn't John Foard criticize you greatly for this? JONES: He seemed to want to throw students out without due process. I never saw him but once. He came to a Board meeting and proposed a scheme of getting out the radicals and drug users. It would not have been due process. We didn't buy it, and ever since he has been mad at me. GAMECOCK: Has he pressured you any since then? JONES: Only with the press. But not directly. GAMECOCK: Do you think the drug problem has leveled out too? JONES: Yes, it has ceased to be so much of an issue. Usage patterns have pretty well stabilized. They don't appear to be greatly different from then ex-ept that I don't see as many bombed-out freaks We do a drug survey every couple of years to look at the patterns and it shows that it is pretty stable and fits into the patterns of the graduating high school seniors. The incoming freshmen had almost the same drug usage as the continuing students. This identified the problem as a social one rather then a problem of institutions. It's everybody's problem. GAMECOCK: How do you see students changing over the 11 years? JONES: I think they come in less naive in many ways. By and large they are more serious. There is less of the party-party party. Matter of fact, I think one of the very interesting things is that during the enarly io60's the d..ess of students was very much prescribed by the norms of students. They were very, very proper. Goodness gracious, you had to wear a raincoat over slacks. There was a rule like that. It got laughed off the campus in time. But it was very serious. About the mid-60's there ap peared on campus a few in dividualists--girls. who would wear knee socks. Ladies wore hose before that, you know. Then slacks and pant suits came in. That was before the mini. I think the clothing pattern reflected greatly the value system change here. I think this has been one of the great changes. I have to admire the modern, present-day student, who, in effect, refuses to adopt the values of others but tries to think through the values for himself. I think this is a very healthy period and conducive to education. GAMECOCK: Do you think that students now are more apathetic than they were during the early 70's? JONES: On the average, no. The peaks were the really up tight, concerned students of five years ago. But I think the average student is probably more concerned today than the average student was then. I guess you have to say concerned abot wat I hikthyrely osie edcto,cres/h mI where am Igon,tasrtf thig. heyar moe cncene of tdeners durin thtveryiodc pescrieythernalmes. of steenslo Tef coner tody,.er propECoodnes gratcos you that. it t lauged offn the Universintine.d Btias erya srecion,gigunothsae.0s AouEItn that' ithnered ap heoe eore ateyoukno. Then Univesityd pantsubeen caeribly rigd.at as eoetheini.vrh Irinkit thgea celoththingsttr reflected dgreatl thegam value systemrangudesh. I think thisn chers Ih have sto adiree goal modrn,d prena hsuden who,rinuffect Thefusaes things theavales ko others wat. Teyt think tog te altes for hislf Ithin thisn al ver GAMECOCK:sin Do you thin mode. It is not that the lecture is so bad, but 15 hours of lecture a week is bad. If half were lecture and the other half something else, that might not be so bad. I think one of the great changes needed and which may happen during that time, is to have a more flexible time interval. A course could run half semester, a semester, or two semesters. I think this would provide for a lot of.things you just can't do with the 15 week session you now have. By in large, I think the in stitution needs to become more flexible to meet the needs of the people it serves. This requires a great change in tradition, but it is an important direction in which to go. GAMECOCK: Do you have anything else you want to say about your resignation? JONES: No, except that I am now going into a rather different area. I have never been a person who sought power as such. Everyone has and uses some power. I have had the power of the presidency these years and I am reasonably pleased with what I have been able to do with it. But now I will use persuasion to go on with some of the things that I think are important. The things we have talked about. My resignation is now a thing of the past. I have a lot of things yet to be done. And I am going to do them.