Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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/' SouthrtCaroliniana^Librarjr Horseshoe j Former stui By Chris . Handal A handicapped veteran has sued 18 USC officials, alleging he was denied reasonable access to his classes. Former USC student Wayne Cockfield, 32, whose legs were amputated as a result of injuries suffered in Vietnam, alleges in a suit filed May 18 in U.S. District Court that he was nrovontoH frnm oninu fn place hv pare that pithpr illpfXn 11 v parked in handicapped spaces of blocked sloped curbs used for easier wheelchair movement. The suit contends that this problem is a violation of Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act, which states any institution receiving federal funds must be accessible to the handicapped. Named in the suit are USC President James B. Holderman, System Vice President for Law Enforcement and Safety Carl B. Stokes, Police Chief Kenneth Pereira, board of trustees chairman R. Markley Dennis and the rest of the 15-member board. According to Cockfield, USC officials failed to respond to his complaints about the parking situation. "I've been griping with the university for over a year. They ignored me. Nothing was done. It's just a bureaucratic jumble. "They might screw me out of going to school, but I'm not '"j'.m. ..... < Recent USC graduates discuss parking problem By Chris Haridai 'College of Social Work, Campus Police Chief Jfe*,,!! Kenneth Peretra said he with care iUegafl}; wad unaware Of problems Iparked in handteapped . with W&t "hSSwed parking only0 spaces, but someone two recent USC graduates i^rf^ill^aliy ^ a who are handicapped said nrnhfom* do metal Rutledge, the Horseshoe "There i& aomewhat of a buUdin? *** Hved m ^ttring partofhertimeatusc, Kiddoo who has a master? ^miU) s*la **?PU* ;? police were responsive to degree in rehabilitation h**> narkinff orohieitis services from USC. "It P ?? ~?d would help to educate nonknMfttAamuwi rt*? about tnat? I u call and & handicapped students. Ailotof H hasiodo w ww T w **k women were off saw someone ^arkine camPus for part of their I^aUy to> S.KSSC! space''When I explained ^ wf^' Mid?TdW^notISmt"a PMktag is the handicapped person would ????"? Col?Per ubralK j,-Tars. - i^rsosu ^ ' handicapped spacer or LORI SMITH, a spring Sm miniiiitiinX >1982 graduate of USC's - ndum" pmt$ tm. ....... ' - : ,?1 111 i livi r'' ~ i r i fniii^' i 'i i i'i 11 i V -VmW... .i, Security make: ^ <?>: Photo by Caper* Hammond A University Police officer enforces USC parking rules. The police department is working with new methods and programs to improve its service. \ lent sues US 'They might screw me out of goiog to school, but I'm not going down without a fight' ? Wayne Cockfield going down without a fight," Cockfield said. COCKFIELD SAID he missed several classes because of the parking problems. "If the test is from the teacher's lectures, you have to be able to attend class." He said he often tried to arrive on campus an hour early to find parking spaces. "The level of frustration is innnmnrokinnpihlo in cnmonno nnt in a whppl^hair " Hp cniH hp vw av...vv..v " ~ ? realized parking was a general problem for USC students, but "for handicapped students parking is a necessity. "You can call, supposedly, and have them come and remove the car, but if you can't park or a sloped curb is blocked, how are you going to make it to a phone? " Cockfield said. "When you do complain, it's like you become the villain. For some reason, it's like the person complaining is causing trouble." The breaking point came in February, Cockfield said. "I had been studying for four or five days for these two tests I had. When I got to school to take the two tests, I couldn't get in (to a parking space). "I said'to hell with it and went to my adviser and dropped all my courses and started looking for a lawyer," he said. GLORIA DAY, Cockfield's attorney, said the purpose of the suit is to require USC to enforce its parking rules. The suit also asks for monetary compensation, but no sum is named.. "Money is not the major emphasis for the suit," Day said. "The officials named in the suit have the power to enforce the parking regulations." Police Chief Pereira said USC has about 95 handicapped | parking spaces. The fine for cars parked illegally in these spaces is $15 and the cars may be towed, but Pereira said he had no figures on how often "handicapped parking only" rules were violated. "I was unaware we even had a problem," Pereira said. Security director Stokes said the procedure was to find the owner of the illegally parked car and ask him to move it. "He (Cockfield) never came to see me about any parking problems. "We have been trying to bend over backwards to help everybody," Stokes said. "There have been other handicapped students to graduate from Carolina without having to sue. We try to go the second mile to keep everybody happy." COCKFIELD SAID, "You don't see President Holderman's place taken up. If a car parks there it gets ticketed right away or towed away. But this doesn't happen in handicapped parking places. "I'm not the only person with this problem, but I'm the only one with a lawsuit," he said. * > cnanges to im| By Susanne Hafthaway program, using The University Police Department majors, to add is making changes within its program will pr department "to prevent crime and "hands-on exper improve the image of law en- vide more eyes ai forcement within the university department," Ba community," according to Danny These progn Baker, assistant vice president for plement improve law enforcement and safety. methods, Baker Baker said System Vice President principal crime for Law Enforcement and Safety Carl theft, and the d Stokes has been working to make centrated on fin security "a bona fide professional stolen material. / segment of the university. Stokes program, begun i wants to utilize people to maximize lower bicycle the potential." fall the depa Mouj nrnuramc nnH mpthruic nr*? distribute a CO] underway to better serve USC, Baker bicycle serial nur said. "Hopefully we can start getting departments," ht the recognition we deserve...people Residence hall are seeing things being done." high priority, anc A high priority has been to improve guards provided morale and pride within the depart- Services serve < ment, and Baker said a recent more security is workshop for campus police officers housing. was a step toward this goal. The first "Officers hav of its kind at USC, the two-day near many of the: i workshop featured sessions con- of recent crimes cerning rape prevention, the parking to bring about a' situation and other topics. Baker said. The Univerr.itv Police Department Theft in dorm: has also begun a reserve police officer Baker said. "Res iC officials " . i SE^B^BHHhhhBhmP^II^^^^h lw| ' ' IWWB^BBBfifilinr i if^r :,:<Xv::!t:-:-: ME^ESEPSH ? '"'""t ~ -,Hr G&Sti . . T |B# ' 11111 KW^MI ll''?l I, MWMtfMMMWMl Wi;<|l??)MMMHMMMM Photo by Capers Hammond Because of cars illegally parked in handicapped spaces, Wayne Cockfield sued 18 USC officials. The suit alleges the illegally parked cars denied him access to classes. Formerly an undeclared major, Cockfield was planning to join the government and international studies department before he dropped out of USC, he said. "I'm 32 years old, not some 18-year-old who says, 'I might as well to to college.' I came to Carolina because I wanted an education. My tax money goes to this school and I pay tuition. I have a right to go to class." Day said she expects the suit to reach the court by the end of this year, unless an out-of-court settlement is made. USC was originally named in the suit, but was removed from it June 10 because a state agency cannot be sued k federal court, according to Kenneth Woodington, senior assistant attorney general for South Carolina. Only individuals of stage agencies can be sued, he said. The remaining defendants have not filed responses to the suit, according to Lyn Hensel, associate legal counsel to the university. a prove service ; criminal justice community living, and then we tell personnel. The new students to lock their room...there are ovide students with conflicting emotions in the system." ience, and also pro The University Police Department id ears for the oolice hoe fa imnrAif^ ofinnc iirifK * **UO VTV4 avu tv Ulipi V7 VV A V/lil VIV/liO YYIU1 kersaid. other organizations of USC, Baker ims should com said. Police work with APO Escort id crime prevention Service, which provides free campus said. He said the transportation to students at problem at USC is night.The week before the Clemson epartment has con- football game, police worked with ding ways to trace fraternities to protect the campus ^ bicycle registration against vandalism. Police also n spring 1982, helped worked with Student Government to ;ft 20 percent. "This distribute crime-prevention pamrtment hopes to phlets to dorm residents, mputerized list (of nbers) to local police ? J :said.. . inside security is another ^ A . . , , , rtc,? , . 1 Baker said security * A, t?.p,ca' d"y ,o/ USC by Residential Life 'V busy one for the very dorm, though ?"? parents P"r" ; focused on female ''"Pate. Page three. Mevie Wonder s Original e developed beats Musiquarium V ismore than just a se dorms, and charts typ,cal Kreatest hlts P"cteaKc SIX are posted in dorms '.. ... , . . .. . , . .. wareness of crime," * ' d,dn 1 s ar .ou'tha thc, US C mascot Cocky has enjoyed , , , national fame and success. Page s is also a problem, J * ;idence halls speak of ' ??