Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Educe The fellowing is the second part in a series of three articles dealing with higher education in South Carolina. BY R. VANCE BUTTS of The Gamecock staff Last week, the Gamecock examined the recent trends of post secondary education in South Carolina. Perhaps the most im portant issue raised was the possible dualism in programs between the USC regional cam puses and the South Carolina Technical Education System (TEC). The question of dualism goes back to at least 1971, with the hiring of Dr. Julio Bortolazzo as head of the state TE system by Governor John West. Bortolazzo remrined in office only 16 weeks after being brought out from retirement in California, where he had been acquainted with the California system of community colleges. He recomrpended the same system for South Carolina, and was met with a fusillade of opposition from many quarters in the state. Bortolazzo claimed that the Woman Wins Strom Award BY JACK BAINE of The Gamecock staff The first woman ever to win the J.P. Strom award from the South Carolina Police Academy can be found on the USC campus regularly patroling her beat. Officer Debra Kelly was presented the award on June 20 for being first in a class of 45 males and three females. The award is given to the officer who shows the best academic performance for the eight week class. "The second in the class was also a woman, so I guess we showed the men," Kelly said. An attractive 21-year-old, Kelly began working for the campus police on Nov. 4, 1974. She first became interested in police work while in the eleventh grade at Columbia High School because "It was something that women just didn't do." After a year of working as a veterinarian's receptionist, she decided .to follow her earlier in terest. "Women were just getting started in law enforcement, so I said why not," Kelly said. "I couldn't sit behind a desk for eight hours a day, seven days a week anyway." Kelly graduated with honors 84t 6amecock The GAMECOCK Is the student mewspaer r ofte University of South CarolNaa and s apeulshed twice weekly, e- Mendas and Thursdays, during the faN and spring senmester and once a week dwirg the summner by the USC Board ef Publications and Corn. munications. The University of Seuth Caroena Is an -qa espreiy institutien. Change of address forms, subscription requests and other correspondence sould be sent 9o The GAMECOCK, Drawer A, USC, Columbia me2. Sub. scriptien rates are 53 per semester and 52 fo the summer sessions. Second class postage paid at ition D regional-TEC system was inef ficient, that they could be com bined and that the dual system discriminated against poor black and white South Carolinians who wished to obtain a quality post secondary education. Presently, 12 of the 16 TEC schools have received ac creditation as full colleges, with the other four now in candidacy for full accreditation. There are two separate facets of programs in the TEC system, one program providng training for specific industry jobs, the other providing programs in general technical skills (such as masonry or automotives). Inherent in its philosophy and state-wide goals (from the TEC pamphlet of the same name), is "The recognition of its role as a unique and vital part of higher education. TEC accepts the responsibility to cooperate with other post-secondary educational institutions as well as secondary and vocational education systems in order to minimize undesirable duplication and to maximize resource utilization and ar ticulation procedures." Essentially then, TEC must balance itself on a line that prevents duplication between TEC Debby Kelly from Palmer College in August 1974 with an Associate Degree of Science in Police Administration. After a year with Pinkerton's, Inc. Kelly joined the campus police on the recommendation of some of her friends. "I enjoy working with the campus police and assisting p le on campus," she said. 'Te campus is slower paced and the students are younger and more interested in you as a person." After a year with the campus police, Kelly is building up a reputation as a good policeperson. Patrolman Jesse Gaskin said she is well liked by both officers and students. "Officer Kelly is the type of officer who is understanding; she would rather talk out a problem than give a ticket," Gaskin said. When asked about sex discrimination, Kelly said there simply wasn't any. "I was really expecting sex discrimination, but I was surprised that there hasn't been any," she said. "lf there is a touchy situation with a girl, it's easier to deal with if a female handles the problem because we're more aware of thg problems that might upset the girls," Kelly said. What does the future hold for Kelly? "Well for now, I want to keep patrolling my beat and stay in close contact with the students," she said. "Eventually I want to go back to school and get my FEWS AMALYSE Lalism: I courses, high school vocational programs and the academic programs of state universities and colleges. Earlier this week, the Gamecock spoke with Dr. Charles E. Palmer, executive director of the State Board for Technical and Com prehensive Education about the present status of TEC and about the question of dualism. Out of 110,000 students enrolled in the '74 '75 fiscal year-with as much as 20 per cent for the '75-'76 year-1200 students were enrolled in college parallel programs. These programs aren't unlike courses taught in a university-yet Palmer said they were important to TEC. "We have to offer subject matter that's appropriate to the programs we're offering." Some of the degree programs require participants to have a good knowledge of English and science and it apparently is more efficient for TEC to teach the courses rather than having a student run across town to the nearest regional campus to obtain the same cour ses. When asked about Bortolazzo's plan to combine Regional-TEC systems into a community college format, Palmer said "We don't think it would work here." He explained that the California post secondary system is significan Your We've come u satisfy your pala One is a 14 m thru Friday lunc The other is a Monday thru Fr who commute. If you are int< by our office on - all us at 777-48 . UNIVERSI [s lt Wor different from the post-secondary system in South Carolina-where regional and TEC systems had already been in operation at the time of Bortolazzo's ad ministration. A community college system would reverse the emphasis on technical education conducted by the TEC system, placing emphasis instead on academic programs according to Palmer. This might severely hamper the excellent job TEC has done in attracting new industries to the state, he said. When asked about Bortolazzo's claim in 1971 that the Regional TEC system discriminated against poor black and white students, Palmer replied that "In 1969 or 1970 there may have been some modicum of truth in that. In 1975, it's not, because we now have various forms of financial aid and state tuition and grants programs. The student who wants to obtain a college education in South Carolina can do so, either by attending a state college, regional campus or TEC school." In relation to the stress placed upon state institutions by the current recession, Palmer said it would be hard to make ends meet, but that several moves were un derway to alleviate the problem among them, holding fewer and maecasses. " We're not oin to self S Mone p with two new me te and your pocketl: .eal a week plan, M( five meal a week p iday - designed espe arested in either of the 1st floor of the 10. We'll fill you in < TY DINING SEnRvIcEs attack or oppose the budget requests of other post-secondary schools," Palmer said. At the other side of the spectrum. H. Willard Davis, vice president for USC regional campuses replied when asked about the efficiency of the regional campuses that "I think our regional campuses are serving a good cause. They're bringing university-level ex periences to people who live at home or who live at home and work... I wouldn't be surprised at all if the average age of the people at the regional campuses is higher Than the average age of un dergraduates at. this (Columbia) campus." At present, there are eight regional campuses, with two (Coastal and Spartanburg) now authorized for full four-year programs. Another, Aiken, is expected to reach four-year status shortly. An enrollment of 700 students per regional campus is required in order to qualify for junior-level courses, while 1,000 students are required in order to teach senior-level courses. When asked about consolidating the Regional-TEC system into a community college system-one school--Davis said: "Whether you could run one school system Please Turn to Page 3 ome 1l plans that can ook. nday breakfast lan, lunches cially for those these plans come Russell House or mn the details