University of South Carolina Libraries
r? , The South Carolina Library Volume LXX, No. 1 University of South Carolina, Columbia, S.C. August 27, 1979 Veteran's benefits not recognized for some degree work By Stanley A. Johnson Jr. Qam?cock Staff Writ?r Veteran students taking required courses for their degree prograr may be in classes not approved by the Veterans Administration fo benefits. The S.C. Department of Education recently issued a list of 81 course in 13 colleges, mostly practicums and internships, which are not a{ proved for VA benefits. Many of these courses are reauired fc graduation in each program, according to the USC bulletin for 1978-71 According to VA regulations, a student must be enrolled in a degre program to receive veteran's benefits. Marvin P. Busbee, chief supervisor of the state approving section c the S.C. Department of Education, said: "We have the responsibility t approve complete programs. When we approve programs we review each course, and if it doesn't meet our criteria under VA regulatio 14265, the course won't be approved." "THE MAIN PROBLEMS with practicums, internships and ofl campus courses are in giving regularly scheduled class meetings which means student-teacher interaction," Busbeesaid. "Another pai of the problem is in the wording of the plan of operations with eac particular course. "We are the judge, jury and perhaps the guillotine for determinin eligibility for the university courses with the VA,"Busbee said. 4Tr carrying out the regulations as prescribed." Busbee said some of the courses use pass/fail grading systems, an this results in problems. "In awarding certain scholarships, it is nt possible to get a measurable GPR with pass/fail courses or gradin systems using "s" (satisfactory) and "u " (unsatisfactory)," he said Busbee said if a course has not been approved for VA benefits, th Hoon r\f fhaf o/?V>aa! tv>oi? ?*a onKtviif o il* V.VUI1 VI w.Mfc avuuvi ma; IC-OUUUIU d ICVIOCU il^lltdUUll SllUWUlK III course does meet these standards. "But I can't make them do it, Busbee said. He recommended that students with theae problems get i touch with their deans. HENRY PRICE, head of the upper division of the College of Joui nalism, said, "We went through this submitting twice. My ui derstanding is that with our three courses that weren't accepted, th word practicum itself may be causing problems. The time involve might not be what the VAft wants," he said. "Nonetheless, there i constant supervision h> our practicums." Price suggested something might be done to clear up these conflict on an administrative level. "Perhaps a sit-down conference with th deans of each school and VA representatives," he said. "The first effoi might come from a top administrator, such as the registrar, the provos or even President Holderman." T. Luther Gunter, registrar, said his position is that of a VA liaison.4 try to negotiate with the S C. Department of Education and the deans c each college, but all I can do is try to get the departments to subm what the VA wants to have them submit," he said. "THE VA HAS said they will pay benefits only for class attendance, Gunter said. "But taking attendance at USC is not mandatory." Gunter added that these rules will only affect a small percentage c students. "You only need 12 hours to be full-time for VA purposes," h said. "Where you get into trouble is when you take an internship tha comprises part of that 12 hours." Gunter suggested that if a student ha to take a course that is not approved, he should take it in addition to full load. The College of Education has 59 of the 81 unapproved courses in thei programs. A spokesperson said only two veterans had called in about so far. The campus VA office also confirmed that only a few complaint had been registered. Veterans interested in a complete list of courses not approved for Vbenefits or any other information should contact the Veterans Affair Office on the second floor of the Pendleton Building, Pendleton St. ON THE INSIDE - | Summer news in review page 7a | Calendar of events page 10-llb USC and the Metro -7 page Ic vs. Gamecc '77 travel law By Mark Platte Aukttnt Newt Edhor @ copyright 1979 Gam#cock International Travel Group, Inc. has requested that the U.S. District Court postpone the breach of contract trial against the USC n Gamecock Club scheduled this fall, ?..... ^ r Robert L. Kilgo, attorney for In- |j|B * ternational Travel said Friday. ts The International Travel Group y of Raleigh claims that Edward H. 11 ir Pitts, executive secretary of the ' / , || ). Gamecock Club, entered into an e oral agreement with the travel aflflnrv ffivina it Pvr>lnciu<? rioMc fn ?cr ?j o- ?o - """"*'* ? ?o??w )f organize and set up a charter trip [L%,#wy^r' o to Hawaii for Gamecock Club ?% iv members and others. [ U;M'?M0: Jl4 n The lawsuit stems from the USC ^ pi|| ? 'M ) football team's trip to play at SJtiMiSlS Hawaii in late November, 1977. f- International Travel Group, a "wholesaler" of excursions, QESHBHSB *t claims it wanted every travel h agency in South Carolina to be able to sell the "Gamecock Tour" and g were selling it at the "lowest rate n possible." The Gamecock Club entered into d another contract with Mid>t American Arkansas Travel g Agency in late spring of 1977, || . which apparently led to an e estimated loss of $85,000, included ie seating reservations with United to be read in trial, " Airlines, advertising, promotion Pitts, USC Pre n and reservation of ground ac- Holderman and U commodation in Hawaii for the coach and athlei people from South Carolina, for the Carlen declined r- agency, according to the complaint referred all legal i- and Hugh W. Cannon, agency attorney Timothy ie attorney. was unavailable f< . Arthur White, ls Kilgo said the postponement will ternational Tra I enable International Travel to call Pitts shook han witnesses from Atlanta and agreement witl l? possibly Kansas and Hawaii. The Travel "in a roon ^ problem is one of time and present. distance, Kilgo said. "We don't hav< "It's (the case) moving along; tract," Kilgo said. J everyone's represented by a they kept after h " lawver." Kileo said. "It's going to written nontrart ^ take longer than a normal trial took the position t because we have the problem of from him was all getting witnesses from other Under the law, if areas. We're going to have to go to contract and act i North Carolina to take depostions, right." White s; * the testimony of witnesses and totals over $500,0 e have it transcribed and available International Tra it ?__ * i mliuit mue ; by board oi s By Michael Gooding N?w? Edhor 1 South Carolina resident students will have to pay $75 more in fees beginning this spring semester at USC Columbia campus. This will increase fees from $370 to $445. Out-of-state residents will be charged a Jlf>0 iinfrnm a cpmpufftr Students attending the two and four-year campuses will pay an increase of $40, bringing tuuition to $355 a semester. Out-of-state students will pay an additional $80 a semester. These increases apply to full-time undergraduate and law students. The USC Board of Trustees approved the tuition increase for next Januarv at their annual burbot I meeting Aug. 9 at USC's Spartanburg campus. FART-TIME FEES for in-state undergraduates at the Columbia campus will be increased from $30 to $37, and out-of-state, part-time undergraduates will Dav an increase of 113. un from 17ft tn ifts Fpps fnr I part-time law students who are South Carolina residents will increase from $34 to $41, and nonresident law student fees will increase from $85 to I $98. These increases also apply to summer school students. Part-time fees for in-state students at two and four jg year campuses win increase from $27 to $30, and out? *ck Club . A 1 sun penamg ... : .V* * 33?? .. ' i & '" jsF 8111 ?1 g jBPfBtiPHllffiP" SrimBBiSSP:-:::gg&fflgBi tuigoaaaea. trying to recover its losses sident James B. totalling an estimated $85,000. SC head football "They (Gamecock Club) claim tic director Jim we knew early enough to stop our comment and efforts and had little or no loss," matters to USC Kilgo said. "They'll be dii "ing G. Quinn. Quinn they had a contract with us and it ar comment. was only in negotiation stage when president of In- we backed out." ( vel,claims that ids on an oral Kilgo also indicated that Pitts 1 International failed to make the Gamecock Club 1 with six DeoDle and its Dublications availahlp to the travel group for encouraging it b a written con- (the International Travel Group? "Our people say as the travel group. im (Pitts) for a but he always White said that Pitts and the hat a handshake Gamecock Club cannot state that that er needed. Mid-American Travel gave a we have an oral better price because International inder it, we were I ravel ottered lower rates. ; aid the lawsuit "They'll say there was some kind 00, and that the of personality conflict,"White vel Group is still added. ase approved F trustees nf-statp tuition u/ill inrr#?a?p fivo rtnlbirc frnm ?r? $70. The board approved an operating budget of $101,933,942 for USC's nine campus system, wih the Columbia campus receiving $77,16H.75H USC received $85,643,310 in state appropriations. v^ut had originally requested an aditional $7.<< million in funding. THE BOAK1) also approved a freeze on hiring for the nine campuses, and a study will Ik- initiated to reevaluate priorities in order to overcome the unexpected cuts in funding. New personel hired by USC will be limited to 200 and must be approvewd by the administration The univ*?r?iitv hi?H funrlmo fr?r ')tu? now' positions, but the S C. State Senate Finance Committee cut 2.5 of these positions, and USC voluntarily agreed to cut 25 more. The Intercollegiate Activities Committee approved by mail ballot the expenditure of a maximum of $200,(XX) to resurface the university's track on the Columbia campus. The board also approved a change in the fee structure at tho I ISC Js^hrvnl nf Hrnnnino fees for out-of-state medical school students from three times the resident fee ($4,140) to twice the resident fee ($2,760).