Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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% Reagan update p# 4 jCMi^ ...jjeedi I MB USC parties all night p. 8 m Warn hBSh^H^hmW^ MP September 19, 1983 Gamecocks pull upset p. 10 H I H ? Hal University of South Carolina USC considi By Brian McCreight Pending a university decision, residents of the Wade Hampton Hotel may have to find a room in another dormitory or live off campus next year because USC officials are discussing the sale of the hotel. "It's a choice piece of real estate; the best in thp n\t\r ' * caiH A 1 Uncr V* kl?v V.i;, JHIU 4 &l ftXWOd, UViWriUUl^l UI Ctl manager for Residential Life Services. "I think the students enjoy staying at the hotel; it sets them apart, makes them unique." Student morale at the Wade Hampton is high, according to residents. One hall advisor described them as "a close knit group," and other residents said they would like to stay at the Wade Hampton until they graduate. BUT THEY may not get the chance if USC sells the hotel to an interpsteri nrivnt#* developer. There is no official word out yet about possibly selling the hotel, but resident manager Joe Tiller said it is a popular topic of discussion among the residents. Perhaps one of the major hotel chains would be interested in the location, he said. A story in The State newspaper Dec. 22, 1978, said one of the conditions of USC purchasing the hotel was the university could sell it if private development opportunities arose. The Wade Hampton Hotel opened for business in May 1940, and was leased by USC in 1978 after the hotel failed and was taken over by National Bank of South Carolina, National Bank of North Carolina and First Union Bank of Charlotte, N.C. The university leased the building for nine months for $270,000, and speit* nearly the same amount to renovate the rooms and the maintenance systems. Further negotiations in 1978 between USC, the banks and state and county legislatures secured a $3 million federal loan with repayment in 40 years at 3 percent in leresi irom me ueparimeni 01 Mousing ana Urban Development. At that time, USC President James Holderman said the university would not be interested in keeping the hotel for more than five years. SINCE THEN, enrollment has dropped and admittance standards have increased, so there are fewer students requesting oni I ? iippHq hrr W V/i IIUUUU Ml W By Chris Handal A regionwide solution seems to be the only answer for the increasing turmoil Lebanon is facing, according to a USC professor. The civil war is mainly between right-wing Christians and Druse Moslems. Tension in the area has escalated in the past few weeks as the United States and Syria moved closer to conflict in Lebanon's civil war. U.S. Marines are in Lebanon as part of a multinational peace-Keeping iorce, ana me United States has said it will respond if attacked, meaning air strikes and artillery attacks from naval ships off Lebanon's coast. THE SYRIANS, an ally of the Soviet Union, responded if they were attacked by U.S. forces, they would not fail to respond. The situation has prompted those opposed to President Ronald Reagan's Middle Easl policy to call for withdrawal of forces, ever though such a move could cause the collapst of the Gemayel government. What most people are forgetting in thi; situation is the United States is partially tc blame for the troubles in Lebanon, saic Shahrough Akhavi, a government and inter national studies professor. The Marines are in Lebanon as a result o the Israeli invasion more than a year ago which former Secretary of State Alexande Haig implicitly sanctioned, Skhavi said. IN AN article in the spring 1983 issue o Foreign Policy, Zeev Schiff detailed th United States' tacit approval of the invasior "Although the Americans sounded cii cumlocutory warnings for public consumf jrs selling V campus housing, according to RLS. Yet, the Wade Hampton has had 100 percent occupancy for the past five years. The annual maintenance budget for the hotel is about $250,000 to $300,000. Ross said. "But I don't think the maintenance problems are any different here than anywhere else. It's an ongoing thing," He said he didn't know of any remodeling plans for the hotel by the univesity. Richard Wertz, associate senior vice president for business and finance, said, "We've f I? i < ,-111 -' - v i. - The Wade Hampton Hotel USC officials are discussing the possibilii iad, regionwide tion, the American nay was so feeble that Israelis regarded it merely as a diplomj maneuver designed to exonerate the Uni States should the military operation go sc "The Americans ? having received vance information about Israeli intention; chose to look the other way, making ? biguous comments about Lebanon that Israeli government could interpret any wa liked," the article said. Akhavi said, "I'm not very optimi about the situation. What is the iob of peace-keeping force? The job is to creai strong central government. But the n point is that even before the Israelis invac Lebanon had problems. "Maybe creating a strong govermen [ good from the American point of view, maybe that's not what the Lebanese war i he said. LEBANON'S PROBLEMS can be tra 5 back to World War I, he said. > Lebanon was part of the old Ottaman 1 1 pire, and when the empire was on the lo side of World War I, France was given responsibility to administer the area, he s f "The Syrians have not forgiven the Fre , for carving out Lebanon from Syria. r Syrians have never abandoned the thougf close ties with Lebanon," even possibly nexing it, Akhavi said, f Throughout Lebanon's history, it e traditionally been a place for people fie i. from repression to go, he said. The result been a group of people with vastly diffe >- religious beliefs living in the same area. Wade Hamptoi already filled the 7,500 available spaces on campus this semester, but between now and may mere win oe vacancies ? we aon t know how many, because everv year is different. "WE'VE ALWAYS had serious buyers, but the decision to sell the hotel depends on vacancies and those wanting out of their contracts,-" Wertz said. There would be sufficient space throughout the campus for the 500 displaced residents to find a new room, Wertz said. I HB v1 ^ 11R ' jraHii OTIfrfTIIWillBil il II Wl liMI?fflMIIII Mill illllMI If III III Photo by Copers Hammond ty of selling the building. solution to Leba the i uic news analysis ted ?? iu "TIH'llli' A IH-T -it Ipgct civ mainr rplioinn ad- groups and as many as 17 different religiou > ? affiliations or groups," he said, mi- To administer this area, the French neede* the some allies ? the Maronite Christians. Th iy it 1932 census showed the Maronites to hav plurality of the population, he said. The French determined the Maronite stic should have the leading office in the coun the try, Akhavi said. With the onset of Worl< te a War II, it became obvious that France's con >ery trol of Lebanon was ending. led, "In 1943, a national agreement was work ed out by the various forces in Lebano t is about what would happen when the Frenc but left," Akhavi said. it," THE AGREEMENT recognized tha although the countrry was heavily influence by France, it was also an Arab nation, h iced said. Also, the agreement divided the majc government offices into a six-to-five split i Em- favor of the Christians, Akhavi said. sing "The story since 1943 has been the attemj the to make the compromise agreement worl aid. There has never been another census sint :nch 1943," Akhavi said. "I think the Shi'ii The Moslems are in the plurality now. That (tl of six-to-five split) ought, at least, to \ an- reversed." This political make-up has complicated tl has situation in Lebanon and the Palestiniai cing have only made the situation more comple has The Palestinians have come to Lebanon rent other groups in the past have ? to avo repression. "The opression is c'omming fro n Hotel Hotel residents oppos. -ale By Scott Blakeney lYCdiuuu iu Liic fjiupuacu ciuaiiiK ui Wade Hamptc lotcl at the end of the 1983-84 academic year has been negative among hotel residents. Mary Jones, senior hall advisor at the hotel, was upset when she heard the news. "It's been rumored for a couple of years now, and everybody asks every year, 'Is the building going to go this year? Jones said. Wade Hampton Hotel was purchased in 1979 to provide extra housing for the growing student population. But decrease in student enrollment and increase in costly maintenance problems have resulted in discussion to sell the building. This fact' is disauietinc to the residents of the dorm When asked about the maintenace problems, Jones said, "There are maintenance problems, but I don't think v/e have any more maintenane problems than any other building." Other residents agree that maintenance problems are not a factor, and other than troubles with the air conditioning, there are really no problems of any consequence. Mike Heath, a senior accounting major and a resident of the hotel, said he will I regret seeing the dorin sold. 441 think it's I I kind of a sham in a way. I think it's a I I pretty nice dorm./ Donnv Adams, a senior, said "If I was I still going to be here it would upset me. I like the building and 1 like the location, too, because it's kind of away from everything." Underclassmen have a problem that seniors don't: finding a place to live next year. Freshman Donna Hugie said she had heard rumors shortly after arriving on campus that the dorm was going to be sold. She summed up the feelings of most underclassmen residents of the hotel by asking, 44 If the building closes down, where are we going to live?" n/in 4- i Kin oil IIUII LUIIMUII the Zionist policy of excluding Palestinians. Also, this is a product of inability or unwill= ingness of Arab states to grant Palestinians s in their country citizenship," Akhavi said. s THE UNITED States can do two things to d help the situation in Lebanon, he said. The e first is to move toward recognizing the idea e of a Palestinian state, he said. Such a recognition would not have to include s specifics such as the location or political i- structure of the state, Akhavi said, d This move could help get the Palestinians i- out of Lebanon, and it would help with Moslem sentiment toward the United States, he said. n The United States should also support h another census, which could start a national dialogue. "Again it would tell the Moslem it people that the United States isn't antid Islamic," he said. ie If these steps are not taken, the civil war >r could spread and American casualties could n inprpacp Til/1 I Initprl />c wniilH huv/> little choice but to pull the troops out. Four 5t Marines have died in Lebanon, c. WITHOUT THE *peace"keeping troops, ;e Lebanon could end up as a partitioned counte try with Syria controlling the eastern and le northern parts, Israel controlling the south >e and a state around Beirut, Akhavi said. U.S. News and World Reports aptly surnle marized the situation. "All this means that us unhappy Lebanon, a country where loyalty x. to tribe and religion is stronger than loyalty as to country, cannot look forward anytime id soon to an end to the bloodshed," the m magazine said.