Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Dinion Editorials Pretrial convictions The assumption that a person is innocent of any crime until proven guilty in court is one of the oldest and most sacred rights assured by the United States Constitution. But, apparently, it is not a University policy. It is a University policy to evict dormitory residents soon after the University receives the police report that the student has been arrested for "possession with the intent to distribute" marijuana or for other more serious drug offenses. Sometimes the student is evicted even before a preliminary hearing is held to determine if enough evidence is available to take the student to civil court. Not only is the student evicted, but he also forfeits his dormitory fees, which the University is sure to collect before the beginning of each semester. Legally, the University's procedure is sound. The policy is clearl spled out in writing, and can be read by any student bore signing the standard USC housing contract that binds the student to all the procedures and policies of the University. In short, if the student doesn't like the University's policy he should not have signed the housing contract. And, the policy of penalizing persons charged with drug offenses, or any other offense for that matter, affects onl students living in University-owned housing. The iiist will not take disciplinary action against j6ther stdts until after the case has gone through the courts. But, even though the University's policy is legally -sound, that does not make it right. By evicting a student 'accused of a crime, the Umversity is convicting the -itdent before the case goes to court. It is the University's claim that eviction is in no way to e taken as prejudgment of the case. However, if the .4kudent is not being presumed to be guilty of the crime, wh is the University kicking him out of his dorm withut, a refund? Certainly the University's position does have its med$ts. Can President Patterson be blamed for not wanting a student to use a University-owned dormitory ~rern as.a warehouse for non-prescription drugs? But, here is the problem: Suppose the student who is arrested i later found to be innocent. In that case the Atident has -been subjected to harrassment by the Uversity because they asnned that the student was and did not bother to wait to see if the evidence ,'- hoUbld up in court. We University also argues, and quite correctly, that h*nst every landlord has a policy in a lease to give the p*Wr to evict "undesirable tenants." However, the University should understand that it is not in the same position as other landlords. For instance, most students would not be able to at tend college if they could not get the low-cost housing that dormitory living gives. This fact gives the University almost a monopoly situation in student housing, since students must either accept the cheap dormitor housing or not go to school. Accepting this point, it seems as though the University should make sure that the person arrested is guilty of a crime before evicting him, especially when eviction means expulsion from school for the student. THE GAMECOCK MeneeneEditr J HEdRSH STEVE PARK(ER ART PRANK Theanagwelcomes Meisfrm readers. Letters should be limited toea single subiect and a maximum of 20 wrds. They must be signed with the writer's true name. Pseudonyms or other allases wilt not be ued, but the writer's name wil be withheld if circumstances warrent. T* assist us in verifying the identity of writers, pleain clure vour mailing addrss end a telashene ngmber where you can be reached. We reserve the right to edit all letters, nos t. orentent, but to meet our space lm"tetle-s Address: campus.Opinion, Orawer,A, USC, Colmbi. 2920. Dietze l's trusting I A bitter Paul F. Dietzel an nounced his decision to retire from University politics Friday af ternoon. The decision, surprising only in light of Dietzel's acceptance of the newly-created vice presidency for University relations Jan. 15, of ficially ends the turbulent era in USC athletics known as the Dietzel years. Dietzel made it quite clear to the cameras of WIS-TV Friday night that he was upset about the Board of . Trustees' Dec. 13 decision, saying when he first came to Carolina nine years ago he was promised the athletic directorship when he gave up football coaching. Dietzel was understandably disappointed because the Board reneged on its promise. Dietzel's blind trust in the men that run this institution was un fortunate. Instead of the athletic directorship that he so badly' wanted to keep, Dietzel was of fered- the meaningless title of vice president for University Relat4ons, a position so valuable in the The Gam Berlin's voi TO THE EDITOR: Contrary to popular belief, Eileen Berlin's opinion is not the voice of God-not this week, or any week, for that matter. And although I do not claim to be divine, either, I do believe Berlin has made allegations in her columN of Jan. 27 which she could not support if she were Atlas. First, she faults USC for modifying General Studies while the rest of the nation's colleges are establishing similar programs. Now, what virtue is there in imitation just for the sake of imitation? I get the impression that if a bandwagon bound for Hell rode by Berlin would jump aboard reflexively. Many good sch9ols have xisted for years without any program that resembles General Studies. There are other ways to ac complish the aims of the present College of General Studies, just as there is usually more than one way to do anything. Since the specifics of the reorganization have yet to be announced, it seems a little premature to carp just because the window dressing might not look the same. Second, Berlin is upset because she feels rising enrollments justify the college's continued existence and because she thinks the reorganization is a vendetta against former President Jones. Again, I question the logic of both these arguments. Since when does rising enrollment mean anything per se? Since when does doubled enrollment mean anything? Relatively new programs usually do show rapid spurts in growth at first, University 101 b eing a salient example. But rapid growth does not mean that re-evaluation is not necessary sometimes. Nor does the fact that Dr. Jnanhad a ha.nd big flaw: he Board By Bill Grant department hierarchy that it will probably now be abolished. And so, Paul Dietzel leaves the University on a sour note. This tone comes across strongly in his resignation letter and the statements he has made to the press since it was announced. The tone of the letter was very defensive. The financial condition of his department is defended throughout, as - is the way he conducted his department in ac cordance to NCAA standards. While Dietzel's nine-year record as head football coach can only be called disappointing, even his severest critics credit him with bringing USC's athletic depart ment into the 20th century. To say then, that Paul Dietzel got a raw deal Is an understatement, no matter where you stand on his relative abilities as a football coach. The scenario of events is clear. The Board wanted a "name" football coach to replace Dietzel, but the only way they could get one ecock's m ce is not that of Go in General Studies make the program sacrosanct. But I guess Berlin can't appreciate that logic, since she has apparently never changed her mind about anything. Third, Berlin wonders what will happen to all the people now connected with General Studies. As I understand it, the programs will be continued. Dean Varney and staff have been given the responsibility for all freshmani advisement. That in itself will be a full-time job worthy the talents and efforts of a man dedicated to student welfare. It is hardly the demotion everyone makes it out to be. But, of course, Berlin knows all about that, despite the facts she didn't graduate from the College of General Studies and has never done freshman advisement In her life. Fourth, I personally resen~t and find insulting Berlin's lauding of General Studies as the best of everything and the only repository of goodness left in a benighted university. While I am willing to grant that Dean Varney and staff are always pleasant, courteous, helpful, and worthy of everybody's respect- I know from personal experience-I am not willing to admit that they have exclusive rights on these qualities. I work for a dean and know the deans and staffs of the Colleges of Social Behavioral Sciences, Science and Math, Arts and Letters, and LUberal and Cultural Disciplines. They are all fine people to work with, are both good and competent, respected, and respect others. If they don't pay Berlin the respect to which she feels she is euntitled, Iwould suggest that perhaps she doesn't deserve it. In this case, she simply doesn't know what she's talking about was to include a piece of the big prize, the athletic directorship. And no matter what the position is called, USC can only have one athletic directo'r. Somebody had to go. But that's not the way things are done at USC. You're not fired, you're shifted into another position, with all the "added responsibilities." So a new position was created, the invitation was extended and accepted. But Dietzel saw he would no longer have control over the program he did so much to establish. So he had to leave. The resignation is accepted with "regrets" by the University, ac cording to remarks attributed to William H. Patterson. Thus the Board washes its hands of the Paul Dietzel affair. Certainly, the actions of the Board in recent memory give credence to the thought that the University is becoming more and more political in nature, Paul Dietzel is its latest caiualty. ail Finally, if Berlin has any reasgns for defending General Studies, I wish she would pUt them forth and quit parading her personal vendettas all over the newspaper. If she's their most eloquent spokesiperson, I believe they're in more trouble "down the hill" than they realize, for it is plain that if Berlin's brains were dynamite, they wouldn't blow her nose. EVERETT WILKIE P.8.--I am the graduate assistant to the Dean of Fresh men in Liberal and Cultural Disciplines. However, this letter is not an official opinion and represents nothing more than my own personal fei . -1 Gamecock room food poor TO THE EDITOR: I am writing In reference to the poor service and to the poor food that students are subjected to in the Gamecbck room. Just because the Gamecock room has a con venient location, and just because it is open longer than any ether campus eating facility, is that an excuse for students having to suffer just to get sometigto eat? Many of my friends anI have come up with a variety of solutions to the problems. When going to the Gamecock room to eat, one should be equipped with the foliowlig items: one sleeping bag, one tooth brush, one alarmclock, two alka seltzer tablets and a huge amount of patience to put up with the constantly wise-cracking em ployees. EMILE 1. OHErT. JR.