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Page 6 ? September 21, 1984 Opinion the gamecock Students' responses vital to commission wiicii you ie young, u seems you oueii nave trouble making your feelings known. Parents lay down their own opinions, teachers don't take you seriously, bosses are bosses and politicians ignore you because they know young people just don't vote. One man at USC, however, does want to hear what undergraduate students have to say. Indeed, he has to if he is to do his job. He is Dean Harry Lightsey of law school. He is the chairman of the newly created Presidential Commission on Undergraduate Missions. His commission was aooointed bv President James Holder man to evaluate USC's undergraduate programs to ensure that they are offering the best in an undergraduate education. They plan to use studies done recently on Carolina's academics, take surveys, interview faculty, administrators and, last but not least, students. The emphasis may well be on students. They are the best source as to what is happening in classrooms here. They know what they need and want out of an education, and whether USC provides it. Faculty members, who know their fields backward and forward, certainly know what they should teach; they will no doubt have strong opinions to offer Dean Lightsey and the commission. But it is the students themselves who will be the better sources on how to blend academic programs into a university that offers the best undergraduate euucauon possiuie. nvcn ai a iciauveiy yuung age, students know what they need in an education. They know what they need more of, whether it be computer literacy, an understanding of the sciences, foreign-language fluency or an appreciation of the arts. Lightsey seems to realize this. This is one reason why he seems well suited to head the commission. Another obvious reason for his selection, it seems, would be the fact that because the law school has no undergraduate programs, he can look at undergraduate programs with a more detatched point of view. And, perhaps more importantly, Li^uiscy s cuiiccpucu i ui d uivtiaintu uiuvu^u; education is a good one. Lightsey and the commission have a big job. They've been given a year to make a report to Holderman and the board of trustees. A year is a long time, but it may not be enough for such a huge undertaking as evaluating all of a university's undergraduate academic programs. That's why f Uatr t r\ Uaor fV rt.m ctuHnntc IllK*y llLV^U IU IIV CI I 1 & Will OLUUV1UO. When he announced the creation of the commission, Holderman said programs may face negative comments as well as positive. Lightsey acknowledged that recently, and said he would not hesitate to recommend eliminating programs if necessary. That may not sit well with many people, but they must speak up now, before the commission finishes their report, not after. A r* s\ m 11 rti i/lnntf mnrt rnrMom Kd?* t Un Ci ma* rtnu an 3iuuv,iii3 iiiii^i i v.uiv,uiuv,i 11iv, suiu^. up now to the commission. They want to hear you. Gamecock? 1 Editor in Chief I David Hill Managing Editor Leslie J. Dun son Copy Desk Chief Ron Bracken Copy Editor Cat Harrison News Editor John Deiner Copy Editor Tim Surralt Asst. News Editor Ann Farmer Copy Editoi Laura Dannhardl Entertain. Editor Marisa Porto Copy Editor Maria Ferrara Asst. Ent. Editor Susan Paine Copy Editor Crystal Chapman Sports Editor Andrew Miller Copy Editor Kip Botts Asst. Sports Editor Tracy Mixson Photo Editor Mary Ann Hollis General Manager Hon Emler Asst. Photo Editor Jennifer Wooten Ad Manager Douq Trueblood Copy Editor Susan Llewellyn Production Manager Mark Mctwan Copy Editor Hal Hewell Graduate Assistant Ron Buchanan Copy Editor Lynn Cusick Adviser Bill Rogers Newsroom 777 7181 Advertising 7774249 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 bb-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 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. i Address letters and columns to: Opinion Page Editor, Gamecock. Drawer A, USC, | Columbia, S C. 29ZUH. mMF i j. 1 1 l . . Tx Greeks offer sol Ta PH 11 A r We are very disappointed in the recent poor investigation by The Gamecock concerning the block seating problem. You have failed to report that the greek organizations are very interested in having the spirit of the football games improved by mov ing the other spirited organizations down to the lower level of WilliamsBriee Stadium. We even offered a solution to the problem and our assistance in achievflffinials shnul V I I I WIM IV w w To the Editor: I for one am extremely angry about the controversy concerning the proposed Swearingen Center on Field F (in Monday's issue of The Gamecock). First let me say that I take great pride in attending USC and wholeheartedly pledge my allegiance thereof, but 1 get continually frustrated at USC officials' apparent obsession of wasting money. I certainly applaud the progress of this university, but not at the senseless waste of school funds (which IfWREST n||T|y HE ? I </V 7 , ,'3K" i t\ s wr i 3 1\ .OMAR / / Z EH rA (****-??-> .1 V ' \\ red m. W6,?c./ tk??, \ i - ^ Letters lutions to block : ing that solution both to the groups present at the recent block seating meeting and to the athletic department. No improvement would be made by moving 3,000 spirited fans away from the action or by leaving the other 1,800 independent block seaters in the top deck. For once, let's get all organizations to work together for total improvement of the Carolina spirit! Let's stop persecuting any one group, support IH cnpnrl funds IU MIIMW consist of my tuition). I can't understand why universtiy officials would spend money to have a new fence and drainage tiles installed on a field, only to see that field torn apart six months later for construction. Not only is that an horrendous waste of money, but it reduces our total number of intramural fields to three. Now not only are we paying three coaches who no longer work at USC, Mb m&mtfw&e. IW 1JJIS&UNTKY I CKCCC. K CDlCtC rtP L/M "IClT- i n w/i ^ -1 i, ^ ^ MOKM& PIW1W... ? N'. v \ r (.(top ios3 1 1 H Sjjll ^ /" <"22&. 'SflMfceiKr 'AW'xrxiad | REPU&UCMl UKTL k seating issue one another, and work to satisfy everyone! We are interested, Are You? Angela Hill Panhellenic assoc. president ci i i.:? CIBdllUI JttllKlllb Panhellenic council president Russell Seay Interfraternity council president Melvin Stroble AFRO president more wisely we spend money to maintain a field that, in six months, will cease to exist. 1 would one day like to see USC officials spend school funds more wisely, but I dare say that day may never come. Perhaps in the future university officials will adhere to the six P's; Prior Planning Prevents P--- Poor Performance. Michael Bell Advertising junior ?J<^urn it? i. v CU00IK P3?