Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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? Volume LXIX, No. 138 University of South Carolina, Columbia, S.C. July 19, 1979 I Budge curreiiu commits Uni< Union Static &hnrt1iftir*rs By Shelly Kaufman Garrwcock Staff Writer Shoplifting and high labor costs are thwarting the attempts of the Russell House Union Station to generate enough profit to absorb i f c niirrnnf nocVi ini f r\f no vui a vih vaou uciiv.il ui $10,844.63, according to Ken Brandt, assistant director for business of the Russell House University Union. "We had hoped to liquidate five to six thousand dollars and get out of the hole within a year or two," tsranai saia, - dui aue 10 pilferage, we haven't been able to. "The last three months were disastrous in terms of shoplifting," he said. The greatest loss of money has been caused by students' theft of magazines, he added. You d like to think that people are honest, but they're not. If somebody steals a two-dollar magazine, for example, it's a $1.60 loss to us," Donna Uodgers, comanager of the Union Station, said. James Mcintosh, assistant supervisor of the Union Station, attributes the magazine thefts to the placement of merchandise in an accessible area. "There were defects in the design of the Station. The way the store was set up, people would stand around the magazines, and they would mysteriously walk away," he said. "They could have set up the Union Station like a convenience store with a turnstyle tc exit t money i; hpfnrp ? W A 4Ti? ee debate nr? con r m unable to i high labor cc thrr?norh anrl fhow iiiAnlrln'f Kmtn v?ii vu^i?t unvi uivj jrv uuiuu i na vv lost so much (merchandise), but they wanted to do it as cheaply as possible," Mcintosh said. "They screwed up." Not only theft, but also the labor costs to run the Union Station have affected this year's revenues. Because of the loss of revenue on magazines, "labor hours were a higher percentage of sales than they should have been," according to Rodgers. "We wanted to ^pt our rrvstc down 16 to 17 percent," Brandt said, "but we haven't been successful yet." To cut back operations, the Union Station has been opening at 9 a.m. instead of 8 a.m. and is cutting back from 115 to 85 staff hours a week. Employing work-study students is one method of cutting labor costs since only 20 percent of their salaries are paid by the Union Station. The other 80 percent is funded by the government in the form of a grant. Currently, however, no work-study students are employed by the Union Station, according to Brandt. "We tried to hire work-study people to cut costs," said Brandt, "but we couldn't, and our labor v\/oio v/ovami-cu. The reason labor costs are so high, according to Rodgers, is because the store has little personnel turnover, and the students stay there. 4'The university is required to provide only 80 percent of By Sharon Buchanon Gamecock Staff Writer A $4 million appropriation has b< restored to USC's operating budget Robert Denton, vice president for final Previously, the S.C. Senate had c from the statewide operating budget, cut $3.95 million from the sup] propriations act which supports the educational materials. "I am optimistic that we will get a g< money back as the bill goes through process," USC President James B. Ho A conference committee is currc bring the House and Senate into a cerning aspects of the budget bill, legislative bodies disagree on, acc< Daetwyler, system vice president fo finance. "The process is this: The state Bud noara presents me appropriations 10 in January. The House Ways and Me writes the bill and presents it to the debate and amendment," Daetwyle version is sent to the Senate Finance alterations. It is then debated in the 5 differs from the House version, i committee works out the differences,' Daetwyler said the Senate's vei million lower than the House's versior ices in c hwart deficit; ?>r\ /OKJ A/IUIfl^U minimum wage to students," Prvrlffnrc c nirJ 4 4K? ?# ?v?/\of ? nvAigvto oaiu, uui uiusi die; currently working at about minimum wage ($2.90) because they've received merit increases." Additional operating problems that occurred this fiscal year made the situation more severe The iee storm this past February deterred delivery of candy from Chicago for almost a couple of months, according to Mcintosh, but they still had to pay labor costs for people to work. "Word wasn't always getting around to everyone when prices of candy "increased, either," he said. "Communications were weak around here for awhile; there were new people, and you always incur a ai 1 ?' ius? wiui new employees. The operation was $11,839.97 in debt at the beginning of the past fiscal year because of construction costs, purchase of equipment and merchandise. Several thousand dollars short of their projected saies, me union station generated $1,000 profit for 1978-79. "We're projecting a five-andone-half to seven thousand dollar profit for this next fiscal year," Brandt said. "Unless we're very lucky, we're not going to make it (out of the "red") until next year; it's going to be a tight vear monev wise," he said. "It's upsetting not knowing what's going on, but we've identified what our problems are, and I think we've cot it turned around." Brandt said. "It is our understandi committee increased the aj jen tentatively to get it in line with the orig , according to Holderman said the ice. restored virtually everyth ut $4.6 million sonnel reduction. and the House Currently the bill is at t elemental ap- stage, according to Daetwj acquisition of way to go. "It must go back to th xxi share of the agreement. If they do n 41 A: * me legislative reacnea, ana a iree conle lderman said. work out known difference; sntly trying to bill," Daetwyler said, greement conwhich the two The state Budget and C ording to B.A. mended $4 million plus $25 r business and the Carolina Arts Centei appears on the bond bill, ? get and Control reduced it by $3.95 million the legislature Senate next week, he addec ans Committee The final budget will be \ House floor for Trustees meets and approv r said. "Their "The Executive Comr Committee for Trustees is scheduled to n Senate, and if it board meeting is scheduli the conference said. 'hesaid. Daetwyler said this sch< rsion was $4.6 how long the legislature t i. but he said they should be f ;ontrovei Investigation lea of four 'Spur e By Michael Goodi Gnmacock Staff Writ Four employees of the Golden Spur vestigations by USC auditors found ' procedures," according to Tom Otts, University Union, RHUU. Patrick Crossin and three other student < were fired aftpr an auditor nh?prvf?H "Hrai miscellaneous items like potato chips and away to friends and band members, sai decision to fire the employees. The amoui "any amount is sufficient to warrant discip "When I was hired, 1 was told that giv customers is good business. It's always b beer to the band. It's courtesy," Crossin sai This is not a legitimate practice at the according to Otts, "an auxiliary service system; any money collected is state Campbell, vice president of Student Affa money because they generate their own." The Golden Spur is audited every three year, said USC auditor Alton McCoy. The money, he added. The Spur did meet their projected incc Kf?n RranHt assistant ri.iwtnr fr?r hncim made $167,000 this past year, Brandt said. Brandt said all of the union's funds are standard practice for a minimal amoun performers by an establishment to pr( goodwill. Brandt also said the former employees no one has been rehired to fill their positior tne loss in labor, "we've reduced the num p.m. instead of noontime, and if there is ; Brandt said. Crossin said the decision to fire him was i asked me what the story was. I never tal Campbell. I feel the way my job was termi was not confronted with any witnesses; I w? Brandt said the dismissed employees coi himself or to Jake Williams, manager of t report would then be sent to Campbell or Ot ng that the conference >propriations by $4 million inal bill," he added conference committee ing but a 10 percent perhe conference committee ^ler, and it still has a long | le House and Senate for ot agree, an impasse is rence must be formed to 5 in certain sections of the control Board has recom 0,000 in planning funds for *, Holderman said. That ind the House has alreadv y . It will be taken up by the 1. set after the USC Board of es it, according to Denton, nittee of the Board of leet August 1, and the full ed for August 9," Denton idule in no way influences akes to approve the bills, ; inished by mid-August. rsy ds to firinq employees ng or were fired July 8 after in'irregularities in operating director of Russell House ;mployees of the Golden Spur rt and bottled beer, and other I pretzels" were being given d Otts, who made the final it given away was small but linary action," he said, ing away free draft to good een our practice to give free td. ? Golden Spur because it is, i which is part of the state money." However, James iirs, said, "This is not state ' years, and this is the third Golden Spur has not lost any >me of $165,000, according to ess of the HHUU. The Spur really state funds, but it is t of beer to be provided to >mote public relations and "voluntarily resigned," and is. In order to compensate for b^r of hours hv nrw?nino nt 9 a band, they open later on," unfair because "nobody ever Iked once to Otts, Brandt or inated was an insult to me. I inst " jld file a grievance report to he Golden Spur. The written ts.