The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, June 15, 1983, Page 4, Image 4
-.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,
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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
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I
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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