Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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UIp (Iameark% Editor BOB BAKER SMog~intr News Editor CARL NAYLOR MARION ELLIOTT Advertising Manager ART FRANK AMen 0he GAMECOCK is a publication of the students of the Unv t of Seath Carolina, it is not an official publication of the University- The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily "Presewl flow of the University, the student body or all the staff meanft of he GAMECOCK. Governance Plan Too Ambitious University governance, a proposed plan calling for the creation of a University Council composed of equal representation for students, faculty and administration that would have broad powers for running USC, is a very ambitious plan. It is understandable that such a plan would not be readily accepted by the administration nor the faculty. Faculty members do not wish to have students on any body deciding academic questions which the faculty now decides by itself. And the administration understandably is not jumping at the idea of students and faculty being in on ad ministrative decisions. It is not surprising that the faculty has rejected the plan. Such a setup would be a very big step from where we are now with students having very little authoritative say so about University affairs perhaps too big a step at this time. The SGA would be well advised to try to achieve more power for students on a more gradual scale. First of all, the SGA should make sure that students appointed to University committees that they are allowed representation on (yes, there are a few) are willing to attend all meetings of those committees and prove to the faculty and ad ministration that students can make helpful con tributions on deciding key issues. Dr. Rufus Fellers, chairman of the committee whose recommendation to reject the governance proposal was approved by the faculty, said this week that student representatives on committees have in the past had very poor attendance records. SGA officials have admitted that this is true to some degree but rationalized that student at tendance has been no worse than that of faculty committee members. While such a claim may or may not be true, the point is that the faculty are satisfied with the power they have. The SGA is not. The SGA must get the approval of the faculty (among others of course) in order to get their powers of governance increased. Therefore, student members on University committees must prove to the faculty that they are serious about wanting to make useful contributions to the governing of USC. They will not do that by merely attending meetings only as often as most faculty members do. SGA President Steve Hill has said he plans to carefully select student representatives to com mittees who will be conscientious in carrying out their duties. This is a necessity. And if such students fail to carry out their duties fully, then there is indeed no place for them in the governing of a state university. Structures similar to University governance have been implemented in other universities. It would be a welcome addition to USC if students are in terested enough to take on the responsibilities. However, if such a setup is ever to be accomplished here, it will come only after students gradually over time prove themselves to their superiors. It will not come in the form of a proposal calling for such sudden changes as University governance does. Gradually if students prove to be capable of making contributions, chances are the faculty will grant them more powers. This would, of course, take time. However, when you consider that University governance was three years in the making and was batted down in very short fashion, it appears a new approach is called for. ME Gene Hood 'Steps--why I leap tall buildings in a single bound.' Lion Tamer,Interviews And Such Nonsense Satire By MICHAEL HARRIS Hi there, this is your on the spot reporter. Normally your humble news servant doesn't do interviews, but this week we were graced with the presence of Dr. Jane. The good doctor is head of the College of Lion Tamers on campus. Question: Dr. Jane, do people, especially students, give you a hard time about your name being the same as that of a girl's first name? Answer: Young man you are speaking to a faculty member! Remember that or I'll have you barred from McKissick Library. We are here to discuss the reason we are all here, EDUCATION!! Question: Oh, ah, yessir. Well tell me Jane, what course do you see the USC College of Lion Tamer's taking? Answer: That's Dr. Jane to you young man. As I see it we want to prepare our graduates to be the best lion tamers in the entire world. We want to prepare them for ten years down the road. To the time when they will have moved up to their own act. The skills we teach them now, cracking that whip, that snarl on their faces, forcing that monster back, using only a wooden chair. That is what we are grooming them for. Why in ten years they will be able to command top money from the biggest circuses. Some may even have their own T.V. shows. Everything we teach them now will be put to the utmost use in ten years. Question: Doc that seems all well and good, but what about today, NOW? Answer: Now! What about now? What are you talking about? Question: Now, today! What good is ten years from now going to do to the prospective young lion tamer today? Answer: Now, is not the issue here. Question: But Doe, if the young lion tamer has never been in a lion's cage before he comes to vour school, then what good will advanced training and skills do for him if he's afraid of going into the cage with at lion ? Answer: Young man, you are trying to confuse the issues. We teach skills, not bravery. Question: Well then one more question Doc. If the prospective young lion tamer can't get a job using his skills when he graduates from your school, then what do you think he'll be able to do? Answer: Clann lion caemo crse.. ...a else Sterilization Case May Set Precedent A jury of six men and women have acquitted Dr. Clovis Pierce in the Aiken sterilization case. As white middle class America stands and p plauds this verdict. saying;'them welfare niggers got what wuz comin' to them," we must stop and recognize the dangerous precedent that has been established in this trial. According to court testimony the plaintiffs were placed in a position where they had no choice other than to agree to the sterilizations. In effect, Dr. Pierce dictated to these women what they could and could not do with their private lives. Now that Dr. Pierce is off the hook, the door has opened for other doctors to follow suit with similar policies. While it is not against the law for mothers on welfare to have more than three children, if other doctors take up this practice, their action as a group would have the effect of law. It is argued that one should not bring children into the world that one cannot financially afford to raise, and that the taxpayer must bear the burden for these welfare mothers. No one denies this, but if the welfare system rips-off the taxpayer, then change the system, don't try to remedy the situation through the use of Nazi-like tactics such as forced sterilization. The decision to acquit Dr. Pierce gives doctors the power to CONTROL peoples' lives. Almost two centuries ago we declared our in dependence as a nation because we did not want an individual or group of individuals telling us what we could and could not do. As we await the 200th an niversary of this declaration less than a year from now, let us not forget that George Orwell's "1984" is less than a decade away. siV Recent Editorial Gets Response July 10 the Gamecock ran an editorial com menting on the careless use of the sprinkler system over on Gibbes Green. They had been set so they watered both the grass and any students who happened to be nonchalant enough to trudge through. At least paitially because of that editorial, Harold Brunton, vice-president of operations, sent a letter to Weldon Frye, who happens to be USC's supervisor of grounds. In the letter Brunton notes that our editorial did "pose a legitimate gripe as far as I am concerned." He agreed that "There have been many times this summer where it has been almost impossible to walk through Gibbes Green without getting soaked by the sprinklers." He then suggests several actions which would alleviate the problem. It is good to know that maybe, just maybe, there are some persons who do care about this University and about the opinions of all of us who are involved in its existence and continuation, even if we are just students. We applaud Mr. Brunton for recognizing the problem and taking the initiative in seeing that this irritating, if minor, problem is solved. Too often our administrators don't recognize obvious problems. Of course we are overjoyed knowing our editorials are read, and sometimes heeded. However, not singling out Mr. Brunton, we wonder why some people can't recognize problems until they are pointed out to them. 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