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-opinion Special program remains confusing i icr1 i :* 11 u ~ uas ctiinuuutcu u win uimuiuuiuc iiic uucnsive program designed to help athletes enrolled in the university who can barely read and write. The program was not well-publicized. In fact, it was listed as a course in the College of Education, and the students were given college credit for it. All this was uncovered by The State newspaper, which, in a burst of investigative journalism, revealed athletes were being admitted with Scholastic Aptitude Test scores as low as 200, the equivalent of zero. The resulting public outcry prompted USC Presi dent James Holderman to announce the number of students admitted without meeting the university's entrance standards would be reduced substantially. Once again, The State discovered as many as seven freshmen athletes may be admitted without mfptino rpoiilar aHmiccinn r#?miirf?m#?ntc The justification for their acceptance is given as the unique and special contribution they will make to the university. That translates into a winning athletic team. These revelations are a bit confusing. University officials often repeat the maxim that students are here primarily for a good education and all other things are secondary. This rings false in light of their intentions to jeopardize the school's reputation and high stanJ i _ - _ i - i * ? uarus in orcier 10 nave a winning atnietic team. Perhaps, their intentions are noble, and they want to offer these students an education in exchange for their athletic skills. If so, then President Holderman, to be fair, should find other students who can not meet university admission standards hut arp sWillpH in other ways. Perhaps someone who would be a tremendous asset to the theater department painting scenery. Futhermore, the school may not be doing these athletes any favors by teaching them they are ex empt from the rules applied to everyone else simply because they excel in sports. It is not the best way to prepare them for the day when they can't play sports anymore. Certainly, it is beneficial to these students to be given intensive lessons in remedial English. It would probably be the best thing that could happen to them. Rut it isn't the thino fr\r pvpvnnp It ic ...v V.VUV ?1UI V ? V J vynv. 11 1J 1 VIII forcing the idea athletes are beyond rules and regulations. Obviously, this seems to be a prevalent feeling among South Carolina's major schools. Actually, it is the dominant theme for the entire country. Maybe USC shouldn't be faulted for following the trend. If that is the case, USC should simply make athletes an exception to university rules openly and forego cliches about all being here for a good education. I Gomecoc k Editor in Chief Johnny Boggs Cnnv Dnsk Chinf Hurt P.ntflfi Pnn? fdiinr Alllcnn Qtnln 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 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 tour typed pages. Letters and guest editorials MUST be signed with the writer's name, telephone number, mailing address, class standing or faculty position and major. Pseudonyms are unacceptable, but the writer's name may be withheld upon request if the circumstances warrant. We reserve the right to edit guest editorials and letters, x Address letters and columns to: Opinion Page Editor, Gamecock, Orawer A, USC, Cnlnmhia S T ?f}208. I ' 7 - . ??~J I?>aFe FoReveR f from Trie FiSTf , . ^ - fSaFe FoReveR ] I from tMe ( Bow aNp aRRowf 1 " Amtzm* -11 ?i?? Jetters Student con at 11 sr. Huri % ? w w Mi i The campus housing situation this summer has caused several problems and has adversely affected my grades. I am a senior at USC, and the courses I am taking do not allow much time to take care of the several inconveniences the summer housing situation has caused. First of all, staying on campus this summer is expensive. Two students, wnu micuc 011c iuuiu, paiu a luiai ui $420 for housing during Summer Session II. This would cover the rent and utilities for an two-bedroom apartment at any of several apartment complexes in Columbia. About two weeks before Summer Session I began, I received a letter informing me I was going to live in ?i ft Irk a "1 e-i PREMIER ANPW*tW, I BE LIE AMP SAMW4THA. CAN A6REE "TV WAR IS YUCRV." SaFe FoReveR 1 f; from THe r.i iir* SaFe PoReveR ) C :ROM CONVeKljONaL VJeaPoN&j insr nplains abo ing summei LaBorde because Moore, the dorm I requested, was not going to be ready for the summer. All of my friends to whom I had given my summer phone number now had the wrong number. For the first week of Summer II, the air conditioning for which I had paid, did not work. This made studying and sleeping in the room almost impossible. I went home for the weekend to get out of the "hot box" in which I had been living for the past week. 1 Innn .-/? : ? C 1?., 1 upivjn ltiuiiiiug junudy evening, 1 learned I had to move to University Inn before Tuesday. Just great! I had a paper due Monday, and my roommate had a big exam Tuesday. Needless to say, neither of us had the time to spare to move, but we moved anyway. After getting moved over to Univer a> ? vr I 19R3 The Orlando Sentinel _ Field Newspaper Syndicate I VEVCWAND I "ITfe A WMMlhK IAT AC*/0Ol$lrt& C EXTRA-<STKJE*iC 4 V ?aFe FoReveR 1 from rme g)WORP? g>aFe FoReveR 1 FROM THQ BoMBf MB lit housina r sessions sity Inn, we discovered the phones in the place did not work. The whole building had one pay phone for everyone to share. In effect, no one knew where I was until Wednesday, when the phones began working. I feel the university owes the students affected by the housing situation a big apology. I also think the students should get a partial refund from the university for the inconveniences caused and for the services for which we paid but did not receive, such as air conditioning and telephones. I hope the university will plan better and be more considerate of students in the future. Randal Henry Riicinnec AHminictrotinn caninr wuamwwa nuiiitma&i h?iuu aoiuui t rv> J i . . i _ | vwwo mm IMC. r3v M r 19&3 T r>? Orlando S?nlinei F*?kl N#w?p*p*? Syndic ? 9 ABOOT 00R PA0CA6?M& AND WAPN6N... FROM THE NEW ?TH FTC."