The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, June 23, 1982, Image 2
^outn Uaroliniana Library
Horseshoo
Russell House closed on weekends
By Chris Handal
Budget cuts and renovations have forced the closing of
Russell House on weekends during the summer, according to
Dennis Pruitt, Russell House University Union director.
"This (closing) is a real sad situation," Pruitt said.
During the summer Russell House is open from 7 a m.
to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 7 a.m. to 5:30
D.m. Fridav. Events scheduled before officials made the
decision to close RHUU will still occur, with limited building
access being available.
The majority of RHUU employees are work-study
students, he said. In work-study, the federal government
pays 80 percent of the student's salary, and the university
pays the other 20 percent.
THIS SUMMER RHUU received no work-study money to
pay students. Rather than absorb the additional expense,
Pruitt said the union had to curtail service.
"We've had to cut back on our labor costs. We now have
three students on the payroll. If we opened on the weekends,
wp'H havp tn hirp mnrp cfnHpnk " Pruitt cuiH
Russeil House is also closed on weekends because several
businesses in the building are closed. The RHUU cafeteria is
being renovated, and Union Station and the Golden Spur are
closed.
The Spur is closed because its manager quit and the position
will not be filled until August. Also, the Spur does not make
enough money during the summer to support itself, according
toPruitt.
DON MILES, University Bookstore director, said Union
Station is closed because it doesn't make enough money to
support itself during the summer, and it's going to be
remodeled. The magazines usually sold at Union Station are
available at the bookstore.
Pruitt said RHUU wouldn't have been closed if the
cafeteria, the Spur and Union Station had remained open.
"Closing runs counter to the purpose of a union. The
philosophy is that students should have a home-away-fromhome
where they can come to watch TV, study or meet a
friend in the Spur.
"It's (Russell House) a neat place to have these kinds of
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Photo by f jpen Mimmond
Pat Sweatmen, an ARA employee for the past 18 years,
began working for SAGA Food Services Inc. this week.
Most ARA employees were retained by SAGA.
things. By closing you sacrifice your phi. >phy as to why you
exist. But with the food service closed, tnis is the most efficient
way to save money," Pruitt said.
He said some students complained the first weekend the
RHUU was closed. "The complaints were all basically about
the mail and the fact that no signs were posted about the
closing."
PRUITT CALLED the absence of signs an "operational
oversight."
During fall and spring semesters mail is delivered to the
RHUU Post Office. This summer, mail arriving on the
weekend is held at Booker T. Washington Post Office, according
to Joe Lawrence, University Station postmaster.
Denying students access to their mail on weekends is not a
violation of the law, said Layton H. Stirrat, public information
assistant at the United States Post Office in
Columbia.
"People are just going to have to look forward to mail on
Mondays," Pruitt said.
Lawrence said about 100 letters come in on the weekend.
Someone expecting mail may call the Booker T. Washington
Post Office Friday and ask them to look for the letter
Saturdav. he said. The student must then 00 to thp nnst offirp
before 11 a.m. Saturday to learn whether the letter arrived.
STUDENTS HAVE mixed reactions about the closing.
"What are you going to do for entertainment if you have no
weekend movie? If you are a student from out-of-town
without a lot of money, you can't afford to go out and spend
$30. If you're going out to get drunk, you're going to spend
almost that much," said Ken Mahaffey, a junior in business
administration.
"I was looking to see what would be the Friday night
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inuvic, 3diu lFUHH lcidllit'U, ct JUIUUX 111 UUbllltJSS au*
ministration,"and there was only a Thursday night movie. It
used to be a nice inexpensive form of entertainment, and $1
compared to the $4 or $4.50 of a regular matinee is no cost at
all.
"It seems like at least they'd leave the P.O. boxes open and
See "Russell House," page three
SAGA food ser
begins operatio
By Forrest Brown , . . . . ..
_ brought in for th
SAGA Food Services Inc., the Chandler said S
recipient of the five-year USC food employees from o
contract, began operations Sunday, the new employe*
June 20. the company and
ARA Services ended more than 30 derstand SAGA's r
years of service to the university Ed Smith, a SA
Saturday, June 19. the University of
Carl Chandler, director of dining member of the o]
services, said the transition between "The transition
his company and ARA was smooth smoothly. Mr.
despite the small amount of time director of dining
SAGA had to prepare for the job. good."
''It's been wild," Chandler said. On Sunday, S
"The first day was a little rough, but I general public at
am happy with the way things have the Top of Caroli
gone so far. We spent about four hours SAGA was very
in meetings last night (Sunday) to see large Father's Da;
how we could improve from our first- SAGA also had
day operations." banquets its first
Chandler said the brief period eluding one for a gi
SAGA management had to familiarize another for abc
themselves with USC dining facilities counselors asseml
posed some difficulties. Carolina.
"We did not know where all the To make the on
equipment was located," Chandler smooth as posssi
said. "We also didn't have the time to ARA's food in
train our people with some of the new valuable time SAC
methods of SAGA. We will also need operations.
time to develop an understanding of Although Chandl
our employees and find out their to use the dining se
capabilities." Hall, Capstone <
Twenty management people were House Snack Bar
y BUILDING HOURS!
? l FALL . SPRING SEMESTERS P
II ??IUIS. f a.m. -l2Midriigh?
I Frl- 7 a.m. -1:30 a.m. i
1 Sat. 8 a.m. 1:30 a.m. EL
I Sun. 9 a.m. 12 Midnight p|
SUMMER I
i I Mon. Fit 7 a.m. -11 p.m. J
Sat. 8 a.m.-10 p.m. p|
| Sun. 9a.m 11 p.m.
| Semester Breaks IP
I I tr~*. * m. - 5:00 P .ro.
I Won. -!-!!.
f Sat - Sun. Closed f.i
I I
| Closed during all University ti
I f.l . Pholo by Capers Hammond
Not a sign of the times
Despite the sign's information, summer hours for Russell
House have changed. The building closes earlier oh
I. .J l _ -i
wBHKtiays ana is ciosea on weexenas.
vice corporation
ns at Carolina
; iransiuon period. uaie ai me Humanities Otiice
IAGA brought in Building, the majority of SAGA's
ther areas to ease summer work will be in catering
is' concerns about special luncheons and preparing for
to help them un- such special programs as freshman
ecipe file. orientation, now in progress.
GA manager from SAGA has been promoting itself to
the South and a new students and their parents by
f>ening team, said, distributing pamphlets during
has run very orientation.
tiaraee uormer we warn 10 snow to the parents
services) was very what kind of company SAGA is, and
what it can offer to their children. We
AG A served the want to make a good impression,"
Patterson Hall and Chandler said.
ma. Chandler said Chandler expects a work force of
busy serving the around 200 people when SAGA begins
y crowd.
J itc 4 /I A I. II
to prepare several occ artUrti pageinree.
day on the job, in- ?~
roup of bankers and I
>ut 100 guidance
t)led at the Top of Biology professor Dr. Wade T.
Batson retires after 30 years of
e-day transition as teaching at USC. Paga two.
ble, SAGA bought The cast of "Cheaper by the
iventory, saving Dozen" returns in Workshop
}A needed to begin Theatre's "Belles on Their Toes." Pag*
JM.
er expects students Two Carolina athletic officials
irvices at Patterson resign their positions to take jobs at
Cafeteria, Russell the University of Colorado. P?g* seven.
and the Sidewalk ?
A