University of South Carolina Libraries
.opinion Lawsuits lower respect for USC The university is currently the defendant in three 1 TM ^ J I C P t <TT< lawsuns inea oy auorneys ior iormer coacnes. i wo of the suits accused the university of breach of contract in the cases of former head football coach and athletic director Jim Carlen and his successor as football coach, Richard Bell. Both suits claim the university not only broke the i j. 4.. i A _i _ j Ai _i _ r coacnes contracts out aiso ruinea ineir cnances 01 obtaining positions elsewhere. The third suit was filed by attorneys for former women's basketball coach Pam Parsons. She is suing President James Holderman and Chris \ /1 /"? V* r% lur oirnf Atvir in An ? /-I f f 11 V\ r* 1 n rt y-l v iauu|jiud, viv,t tdiuciii, iui iiuci aiiu slander. Parsons says the statments these officials made were the basis of the article in Sports Illustrated. The article suggested Parsons was a lesbian and was having an affair with one of her players. Because of its controversial nature, this suit is receiving the most publicity which is not flattering to USC. The university has tried to have each of the suits thrown out of court before coming to trial. Univer sity attorneys put forth a motion claiming the university was a state agency and the *'alter-ego1' of the state, therefore immune from liability. The motion was rejected by U.S. District court Judge Matthew Perry in the Carlen suit and later in 13-11 ~ tut utn ease. USC also lost an attempt to have Parsons' suit dismissed on the bases of an employment release she signed at the time of her resignation. It presently appears that these suits may make it to court. Certainly, in a time when the university is having to raise tuition to meet costs, USC will be hard-pressed to deal with the additional costs of three lawsuits. But the financial cost is not the only problem with which USC officials will have to deal. The comments made to the Gamecock at the time _ r i * f - - - - - ui dcii s dismissal inaicate anotner problem. Most of the students with whom the Gamecock spoke felt that Bell had not been treated fairly. Certainly, no one would deny the university's right to fire employees whom it feels are not performing up to university standards of conduct and who refuse to act in the best interest of the school. But, in light of the lawsuits and student opinions, their removal could have been handled in a more professional way. The controversy surrounding the athletic department and the tenure of coaching positions hardly make a strong platform on which to build a fine athletic department with full student support. Therefore, future situations .concerning coaches or any university employees should be examined more thoroughly before action is taken. T I i- ' " ? ... in uiuci i?j maintain respect lor tne administration and support for its decisions, sensitive issues must be handled more carefully. It is up to the courts to decide whether the university or the three coaches are right, but it is obvious that better handling of these situations couid have resulted in less dissatisfaction and more conviction that the administration acted in an en- j tirely proper way. Got an opinion? Write a letter Got an opinion[ The Gamecock wants to hear it. USC's student newspaper welcomes any letter to the editor or guess editorial on a newsworthy topic.i Letters should be typed, with the author's signature, major, class standing and phone number. All letters should be sent to Opinion page editor, Gamecock, Drawer A, Russell House, Columbia, S.C. 29208. ammammmmmmmmmmmmmmmummmmmmmmmmmmmam "mu \t Fiuw.lv mm o TJCk DUS&1&MS. \MAl 11 r*Mv \ iiw ivmwia'w ..letters President si in preprimai Even though the 1984 presiden tial election Is more than a year away, news reports abound, telling about the activities of the candidates. The candidates and the media are doing themselves diservice with all this attention. The crowded democratic field scurries across the country to parade before any organization or special interest group that will hear them. And the media trudges along and dutifully reports how they fared. If a straw poll is taken, the stakes increase, heeanse a virtnrv by a lesser known candidate is considered an upset and a sign that the front runners are faltering. Indeed, the straw polls are one of the most absurd facets of this preprimary campaigning. Straw polls are meaningless and only show what a limited number of individuals think at a given time. No HeleantPC arp u/nn in ctrauu r*r?11c Yet, the candidates still strive to win them. WHEN FORMER Vice President Walter Mondale was upset in the Wisconsin straw poll by Sen. Alan Cranston, D-Calif., people began eliminating Mondale. Mondale then worsened the problem by stating he would have to spend more money on the next straw DOll. rum n r<^ -flBFh??J M "THE PRE^DBHT RECOGMIZK OF HAVIMG PAUL VOLCKER. T< ON IP IMP iMTCPCCT PATCC. ? - - " 1M ? 1^, / (k /IB 1 SllQS a I ^wvu/, 1 ^ \Vi/ UT? MO Ufc&DS HA T \M\Pfe. OUT TH&R @m raw polls abs 7 campaignin The danger in this attitude, and not just to Mondale, is the candidates will burn out before the primaries arrive. If Mondale and the other candidates were intelligent, they would avoid these straw polls. The risks in participating outweigh the gains. Mondale's Winsconsin loss showed this. But the candidate is not the only one who loses, the voter also loses. If a candidate is eliminated or the media portrays him as a loser because of the early setbacks, the voters will not have a chance to fairly evaluate the candidate. Another absurdity of this preprimary season is the constant reporting of opinion polls that attempt to show how Reagan fares when comnared to his wonlH-hp democratic challengers. The results of these polls are even more frivolous than those of the straw polls. HOW POPULAR Reagan is when compared with the challengers is meaningless because of shifting public opinion. For proof of this, one need only look at tVlA 1 QQA iiiv i/uu ^ivaiu^iuiai V/dilipcllgll. First the polls showed the president Jimmy Carter could not beat Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass. What happened? Carter squashed Kennedy's r 6 Copy Desk Chief <^\( / News Editor J( Asst. News Editor i Sports Editor Sarr L [jm Wire Editor 1 w l Opinion Page Editor ... .. rnoxo tailor C f \ Copy Editor ji \ 1 Newsroom 1 Business Office I IT l|| I editorials must be typewrit r HI Letters should hn nn lftnn? *? ? ? "V "VI I to one newsworthy subjec ;wj jh? Ort?oao editorials MUST be signed rn?icM? dress, class standing or far ^^ a ^ A kit# illi iMi/wTAkirr UUI ll"' wihbi s nams may - IHb I&WKTANCE w? nm? ,he ,ioh, J, 5 E>LAME "miN6S Address l?tlers and colum yp ACt^Jhl '' Columbia, S.C. 29208. ? i mm RDfcU?t> SILOS? 1 SUPPLY-/' turd g process challenge in the primaries and went on to win a first ballot nomination. There were also nolle that shnwpH Reagan far behind Carter. By election time, the polls said the election would be a close one. The polls missed again as Reagan won in a landslide that enabled the Republicans to take control of the Senate. Therefore, what is now happening amounts to little more than hot air. Though it will never happen, it would be better if the media backed away from this early campaigning and refused to cover it, or at least gave it minimal coverage. The results would be better for all concerned. The would-be candidates would have more time to prepare for the primaries without each mistake magnified by national media exposure. The voters would not be inundated by the early coverage and would then nrohahlv eive more at tention to the political process when it really counted. And the media can be uncovering real stories, instead of devoting time and space to pointless opinion polls and the special interest groups the candidates are trying to court at the time. Chris Handal Journalism/English senior omecoc k -> Editor in Chief Johnny Boggs Hurt Pnttlo PAnn AlKonn Ctnin w%.. ? wtnv uu|jy K.UIIUI MllldUII UIDIH )hn V8ughan Susan Muir General Manager Ron Emler imy Fretwell Ad Manager Linda S. Haines Leslie Katz Business Manager Jean Hatchell Janet Edens Production Mgr Mark McEwan lave Grimley Graduate Asst Wanda M. Hite Leigh Jones Adviser Mark Ethridge Jr. 777-7181 Advertising 777 4249 777-3888 Production 777 2833 5s letters and guest editorials. All letters and guest ten, triple spaced on a 65 space line. >r than 300 words and fluest editorials should be limited t no longer than four typed pages. Letters and guest with the writer's name, teteohonu number, mailina ad :ulty position and major. Pseudonyms are unacceptable, be withheld upon request if the circumstances warrant. ?dit guest editorials and letters. ins to: Opinion Poge Editor, Gamecock. Drawer A, USC,