Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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The GAMECOCK VLLXNO46The University of South Carolina, Columbia, S.C. MONDAY, MARCH 10, 1975 It Murry I wnt to take you higher Electioi BY MARK DILLARD Of The Gamecock staff At least three legal questions surround plans for a $615 suit resulting from last Tuesday's postponed Student Government Association (SGA) elections. David L. Rosmer is seeking restitution from SGA President Leigh Leventis and former Election Commissioner Bob Swelgin for time and money spent on Rosmer's vice presidential campaign. Questions have arisen con cerning jurisdiction for the suit, whether any damages awarded would come from personal or SGA fwids and whether SGA officials are members of state government and unable to be sued for their actions as officials. Under SGA law, the Election Review Board has original jurisdiction or the right to be the first to consider "all events concerning any aspect of elec tions," including voting irregularities. The SGA constitution, on the other hand, gives original jurisdiction over "all election disputes" to the USC Supreme Court. The case could be taken from the Election Review Board, a par* of SGA's executive branch, to the Supreme Court, according to Rosmer. "I would prefer to go straight to the Supreme Court and get it out of the way," he said. Chief Justice Alice P. Schwartz said the Court would probably decide which body had jurisdiction.. As of Friday af USC gra5 BY MARION ELLIOTT Of The Gamecock staff The largest increases in USC enrollment since 1971 have oc curred in graduate studies and on the regional campuses, ac cording to figures from USC Information Services. The figures show a leveling-off of the rapid growth in un dergraduate enrollment at the University from the late 60's to 1971. Total enrollment for the 1974 fall semester was 29,410, in cluding all graduate and un dergraduate students at the main campus, nine regional campuses and four military centers. The figure shows an 11.6 per cent increase over fall '73. Graduate Senrollment increased 17.9 per cent while undergraduate rose 10 per cent. While the main campus' un dergraduate number showed a three per cent increase from fall '73 to fall '74, graduate enrollment rose 23 per cent. At i'the same time, regional campus enrollment rose 24.5 per cent. Art West, admissins director ri suit fa ternoon, she said the Court had not been notified about the suit. "All we know is what we've read in the paper." Schwartz said the Supreme Court would be unable to decide whether to award damages to Rosmer until after spring break. In addition, Justice George Terry said a suit involving money might have to go to civil court. Sch wartz said such a case has not come before the Supreme Court before. SGA Senator Russell Putnam said the courts have never decided whether student government officials are members of state government who can not be sued. CIRCUS-The 104th edition of the Greatest Show on Earth arrived at the Coliseum this weekend. Page 6. Luate enro' ATWEST said since 1971 increase in enrollment on the main campus has been in graduate studies. He cited the leveling-off of the number of high school graduates and the increase in un dergraduates at the University during the 60's as reasons for the high increase in graduate enrollment. ees ques "If that were the case," Rosmer said, "then I would have to sue them as individuals, which I'm perfectly willing to do." If Swelgin, who resigned Tuesday, and Leventis are sued as SGA members, Rosmer said, the Supreme Court or student senate must decide whether any funds awarded would come out of their pockets or from the SGA treasury." Rosmer did not dismiss the possibility of other candidates in last Tuesday's election seeking damages. "All I can say is that several people have said they would be very interested in the outcome." A major reason for the suit is to On the insiden TRACK-The Gamecocks are victorious in triangular meet on Saturday. Page 9. Hlment inc The University had a large undergraduate growth in the 60's from 6,901 in 1960 to 13,497 in 1969. "Many people who enrolled in the late 60's have since gone on to graduate studies and thus in creased the enrollments there," West said. He denied University policy has shifted toward emphasizing graduate studies on its main campus. "I believe the increase in graduate students does not show an overt effort on behalf of the school to stress graduate enrollment so much as it shows the law of supply and demand acting. People have realized that better jobs come with advanced degrees and are seeking them," West said. ~le stressed that the increase in graduate enrollment has not been at the expense of the number of undergraduates. "Un dergraduate enrollment began leveling off a bout '71 and has held its own since then. We expect freshmen enrollment to stabilize at about 2,500 per year," West said. University President William 11. Pattersnn told the olumbia -tions make people take SGA seriously, Rosmer said. "Leventis is handling a budget of $45,000 a year. He's being paid $1,900 a year to run the student govern ment, and if he's not going to, he should resign. "That's the point of the thing," he said, "To serve notice that the student government is not a toy. Swelgin has to be inclded. Some of the mistakes were his and his alone." Rosmer cited Leventis' failure to appoint a 12-person election commission as required by Student Senate statutes. Only ein was appointed. KUNG FU-David Carradine, star of Kung Fu, visited Columbia last Tuesday to promote his new movie, "You and Me." Page 11. reases Rotary Club last month that virtually all of the University's enrollment growth was occurring at the graduate level and predicted the trend would con tinue. "By next year, one out of every three students enrolled at the main campus will be either a graduate or a law student," Patterson said. Talking about the future of the main campus he said, "Pursuit of graduate and research ex cellence opens up what we must all consider to be an increasingly important role for the University of South Carolina." Regional campus enrollments have steadily increased at both the graduate and undergraduate levels during the 70's. "hl enrollment at the main campus has leveled off, our nine regional campuses last year experienced growth of just under twenty per cent in full-time equivalents. Patterson said. He predicted their enrollment would increase just under 10 per cent next year which would mean almost one fourth of all full-time equivalent Cont inued on Pnae 2