Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Law scl By R. VANCE BTTS Gamecock Staff Writer "I feel that the faculty and majority of students who are petitioning are totally neglecting the feelings, personality and character of the 14 students in volved. in their fervor to combat the board's decision." The place was an out-of-the-way room in Russell House, and the above words were spoken last Friday by one of the 14 students caught in the no-man's land bet ween the USC Board of Trustee's New librar e0 By BE'I SISK Gamecock Staff Writer The Thomas Cooper Library, located behind the reflecting pool at the Russell House, will be ready for use after Christmas break. The structure was originally scheduled to be ready for the fall semeste-, yet, due to weather delays and last-minute changes, the completion date has been extended beyond the initial con tractor's clause. The building has been "sub stantially complete" since Jiy 18, but the actuai moving of books and equipment could not be initiated due to the opening of the fall term, and the strain and labor involved in the transfer. THE NEW FACILITY covers some 246,000 square feet, consists of seven levels and will house approximately 1,500,000 books for student use. According to Harold Rrinton vice-president of e 0 001 ref decision to override the failure of 14 Summer Pre-Admissions Trial (SPAT) Program participants, thus admitting them to USC Law School, and the law school faculty's refusal to admit or give grades to the 14 SPAT participants. While charges float around that the students' admission to law school was based on political pressure, that the admission of the 14 SPAT students could hurt the law school's accreditation, the student who talked with GAMECOCK representatives Friday indicated that he had in no to open ili operations at the University, McKissick was never ar chitecturally suita ble for library use. The low ceilings, large number of corridors and poor lighting have the structure generally undesirable for a library. After the move in December, McKissick will be used for the storage of many of the University's ASSAULT F According to Key, the girl called the s !re called in and the area was seaj entify the suspect but campus and Cc r a man to fit the d escription given by I Key said the cam pus is well patrolled id the patrol is "beefed up" until 1I hich occurred on campus between J wer than the previous year, according large and the many side streets arour ding places. Key cautioned the girls to travel in pe cars or across campus. e0 iylote 0 ,1 outh'i iction '1 way put pressure on the board. He also corrected what he felt was a misstatement of fact in. last Thursday's issue of the GAMECOCK. He wanted to make it clear that not all 14 students had raised questions concerning the admissions or their SPAT grades. THE STUDENT--who preferred to remain anonymous--said "As of Aug. 8, I was notified that I did not qualify for the Fall Session. I accepted this without question as justified, impartial, and final, as regards myself." He continued, "I then cancelled my (University January various collections, easing the traffic strain on the Horseshoe area. As most users of McKissick can attest, parking can be a major problem. This will also be a problem at the new library. Plans for an additional parking area at the old Booker T. Washington campus are being discussed for the future, but no date has been set. rom Page One Dcurity policy. Campus Police ched. The victim could not lum bia city police are looking he victim. at night by foot and car patrols i.m. The number of assaults un e 1974 and June 1975 were to Key. However, the campus id the campus offer numerous tirs when going out after dark * *0 10 -% ALJ e 0 0 08 . * S iurts' st Housing) residence, and left to find another residence. I obtained employment after the SPAT (program had ended). I did at no time make any effort whatsoever to challenge, reverse, or refute in any way the decision that I was not qualified for admission." After cancelling his University Housing, and setting out to find a job, the student said, "Wednesda! Sept. 3, I was phoned by my parents who told me that a gen tleman at the law school had been trying to get in touch with me. A Mr. Tupper informed me that I had been accepted into the law school, that I should come down im mediately and register before five, as it was the last day (of registration). When I asked why I had been admitted, I was told that I would receive a letter explaining the reason for my admission." The student said he believed at first someone else had dropped out of the SPAT program, thus creating, a qualifying slot for him. Later, he said, "Tupper told me that there was a great deal of animosity toward the board's decision, and that it was highly possible that there was animosity towards me." THE LAW SCHOOL FACULTY has already decided that no grades will be given to the 14 students on their exams. After reading the letter Tupper had given him, the student said his understanding was that the board had simply given him a chance, and he feels that any week e* . IFinI ist Cl.ub udent student given another chance would have snapped it up. "The board did give us an op portunity to come back. If there were attitudes against this decision. they should have been picked up and fought before the decision was made. The decision has been made, (it) should be followed. The decision should never have been made if it wasn't going to be a final decision." The student said he could offer no real explanation for his and the other students' admission into the law school, other than what has already come out in the press, that "Your guess is as good as mine." On the question of the anonymous grading system, the student said "only Professor Montgomery had a test in which the social security number and name were put on paper--but on a separate piece of paper handed in at the time of the exam. The other two professors used bluebooks on which only the social security number was used. The idea was that the students' names would only be known after the tests had been graded, and that at no time would any professor match names and social security numbers during the tests." While the reasons fo the board's actions remain factually unclear, it is clear that in the meantime some of the 14 students are caught high--and will remain--on a tightrope not wholly of their own making, until the matter is decided one way or another. 4W 71 Al4 4j ..n4