University of South Carolina Libraries
-.opinion Students face financial burden as tuition rises The dark cloud of a tuition increase has been hanging over USC for months now, and with President James Holdfcrman's announcement last week of a definite figure, the rain set in at a steady drizzle. The increase was not as high as the dire predictions of last semester, but it is still a significant rate change and will require eyery student to make some adjustments. For some the increase will mean searching for a parttime job, or even an additional job, in an already glutted market. More hours at work and less time for studies and other activities will be the new routine. Students will be facing their own type of cutbacks. Dwindling allowances will be spent for food, books, inH r?tVipr nprAecaru f>vnpncpc that pat intr* cnpnHino CHilU UU1V1 11VV-VJJWI J VApVliJVJ UlUt VUl JlllV cash. Whether it hits students square in the face or falls primarily on parental shoulders, the higher cost of attending USC will affect everyone. Learning to live with less money is never easy, but it is a cold, hard fact of life. ' The problem now should not be whom to blame. Federal cuts forced the state to trim its budgets, which then let the ax fall on USC, which in turn had no choice but to raise tuition. Any and every link m this chain can be held resoonsible for the increase, including students who did not participate in a concerted lobby effort. But shaking angry fists and name-calling are not going to alter facts. The money to continue this university had to come from somewhere and the only people left to provide it were the students. Students benefit most from the university and they would hurt most by cutbacks. Attending a university is for the primary purpose ot obtaining an education tnat not only prepares a student for life after college, but also allows him to compete for jobs. A degree from a reputable institution is a decided advantage over a degree from a mediocre one in the job market. For years, especially during the current administration, this university has been attempting to improve its standing in world opinion, to give its students an edge over those graduating rrom other state colleges, lhere are still many things to be done, many improvements to be made. It is bad enough that these have been slowed to a grinding halt because there are no funds without allowing deterioration of gains already made. Eliminating departments, leaving nonessential positions vacant, reducing library resource aquirements to a bare minimum, and other results of the budget cuts hardly do much to elevate the status of a degree from Carolina. One can say the media arts program or the education program phase-outs didn't affect many students. But no one can be certain that his own undergraduate degree program would not have faced the ax if a tuition increase had not been enacted. In summary, the increase is not something to cheer about. It is going to demand sacrifice in one way or another from everyone at USC. But it was necessary in oruer 10 maintain a sianaara 01 education. 1 ne money was desperately needed and students were the only ones left to bear the burden. It is now up to the faculty and administration to see that students get that for which they are paying so high a price. ?- Ckimecoc h?? Editor in Chief Johnny Boggs Copy Desk Chief Curt Cottle Copy Editor Allison Stein News Editor John Vaughan Asst. News Editor Susan Muir General Manager Ron Emler Sports Editor Sammy Fretwell Ad Manager Linda S. Haines Wire Editor Leslie Katz Business Manager ... Jean Hatched Opinion Page Editor ... Janet Edens Production Mgr Mark McEwan Photo Editor Dave Grimley Graduate Asst Wanda M. Hite Copy Editor Leigh Jones Adviser Mark Ethridge Jr. Newsroom 777-7181 Advertising 777-4249 Business Office 777 3888 Production 777-2833 I The Gamecock welcomes letters and guest editorials. All letters and guest editorials must be typewritten, triple-spaced on a 65 space line. Letters should be no longer than 300 words and guest editorials should be limited to one newsworthy subject no longer than four typed pages. Letters and guest editorials MUST be signed with the writer's name, telephone number, mailing ad dress, class standing or (acuity position and major. Pseudonyms are unacceptable, Hut tha uuritor'c nnmo man hn Afithhnlri nnnn mniiest if the circumstances warrant. We reserve the right to edit guest editorials and letters. Address letters and columns to: Opinion Page Editor, Gamecock, Drawer A, USC, Columbia, S.C. 29208. - - 1 vB| ' I Jetters Nation neqlec By Tyson Gibbs Statistics from all ethnic groups in the country indicate people are living longer. In South Carolina, the percentage of individuals older than 60 increased from 5 percent to more than 13 percent between 1930 and 1980. South Carolinians considered to be "old-old" (over 75) have increased from .85 percent of the population to more than 3 percent in that period. This represents a 270 percent increase in the number of South Carolinians who live past their 70th birthday YET IN spite of the increased longevity of various population groups, they age at different rates. Moreover, the debate continues over whether or not cultural heritage, biological fitness or economic status is the major driving force determining how the ethnic person will age. Many gerontologists and other health professionals believe the elderly can live "better" while living longer. Old age is often a time of chronic diseases, physical handicaps and mental incapacitation. Therefore the question has arisen within the context nf the older person's lifestyle, "What can he or she do to maintain a fuctioning state of health?" This question is not new, but the current focus on the older person, particularly the ethnic elderly, is a redirection of past efforts. There are four major distinct ethnic minority groups living in the United States: blacks, hispanics, PacificAsian Americans and American Indians. The United States has more Registration c <% B?? tf* tffc #* AAA piaiaca uuupe of graduate s i: I-.UUUI I have been employed by the gradual five years. The patience and consideratio graduate students I dealt with during registration was exceptional. Those who were forced to wait, di bevond their control, were most mnncraf I i n . 1 tc hoalth nf c 4U IIUUBIII Ml Id guest editorial than 26 million black Americans. They comprise more than 12 percent of the 1980 ooDulation. Most live in the South. More than 3 million are older than 65. IN SOUTH Carolina, non-whites represent a little more than 27 percent of the population, but they make up a disproportionate percentage of those below the poverty level; 32 percent of the non-white population lives below the poverty level versus 9 percent of whites whr> live helnw the nnvprtv level. For the poverty-stricken elderly, this often means decreased access to medical care, lower utilization rates of the medical care system, incfeased incidences of particular diseases and generally poorer overall health. Nonwhite males live fewer years than white males and females. r- j 1 - r ivioai aciivnics icicucu iu ieuerai eiforts in health promotion are in their infancy. That is, advisory committees have only recently begun to define agenda and set goals, and health promotion legislation is only beginning to find its way through Congress. What needs to happen? A concentrated effort has to be put forth to address the needs 01 tne ethnic elderly population in the United States. The major areas are: (1) Policy-Legislation - Advisory committees composed of the appropriate personnel from gerontology r~ lerk JSiQ ration ? || tuaents 1 L^fg e school at USC for n I received from the Summer Session I if to rirrnmctanpoc - - - - YJt CAN ONLX ivc, and I thank yew. , Martha Whitted HW THERE U Fee clerk pOR." sthnic aged centers, geriatric departments, depart ments of preventive medicine, schools of public health and national councils that focus on the ethnic aged should be consulted on the steps to be taken in the promotion of health in ethnic elderly populations. MOREOVER, MEMBERS from all ethnic groups concerned with health promotion in the aged population need to participate on committees and advisory task forces that examine the problems of the elderly, seek to develop policies that include the needs of the ethnic elderly, develop programs specific to the older population, encourage federal agencies to concern themselves with the need for prevention activities in the ethnic elderly community and develop research objectives specific to the aced. (2) Programs-Financial Commitment - In addition to legislation, federal funds should be appropriated or requirements for set-aside expenditures should be made to agencies that have intramural and extramural responsibility for the nation's health. The formation of a financial base for the promotion of health in the ethnic plHprh/ nAnillaflAn vtuvi IJ pvyjjuiunuu gl*V3 11119 JJIVJglCll" the best promise for success. The ethnic elderly are a neglected group as far as programs specifically designed in the areas of health education, prevention, health promotion and health maint#?nanr<? Gibbs is assistant professor in the Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health at the (JSC School of Medicine. He holds a Ph.D. in medical anthropology and a certificate in gerontology from the University of Florida in Gainesville. VOTER I t^STFWlOHl l jQi iJh 1 Ml TK? Fwki | GRANTEE Vol) CAM VOTE, NOT - BE SOMEOE \JOKN<?>