The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, July 28, 1993, Page 4, Image 4
Writing Center
offers help
to students
By TOM SMITH
Staff Writer
In the midst of budget cutbacks,
the English department
has manag-ed to keep one of
USC's educational resources
open: the Writing Center.
To break the heat of class
assignment deadlines this summer,
a visit to the center can
cool anxious nerves.
Already this session* four
tutors have assisted students
ranging from undergraduates
working on short essays to doctoral
candidates polishing their
dissertations. The center's work
is not limited to class assignments.
The staff is trained to
help with cover letters, creative
writing, and other extra-curricular
work.
"Particularly in the summer
sessions, paper deadlines can
- - * i ; r
sneaK up on siuuems. oui, n
they schedule appointments with
us early, often we can help them
with each stage of the writing
process. We'll help them brainstorm,
organize their thoughts,
and revise drafts," said tutor and
doctoral candidate Hayes
Hampton.
Chris Helms, an English doctoral
candidate and the center's
associate director, said the tutors
Ar\ nrvt r\rr\\TiHo o r\rnnfroorlin n
uw nv/t put iuv/ a pivv/iivuuiu^
service, even-though they are
eager to help all clients.
The effort in the Writing
Center is two-fold: to help on
specific tasks and guide students
in applying the lessons of that
task to future work, Helms said.
Students gain confidence in
their ability to develop their own
ideas into papers. The center
offer strategies that will encourage
independence, rather than
correct grammatical errors that
would encourage dependence on
the center, Helms said.
Tom Waldrop, English professor
and Writing Center director,
is convinced the summer
hours will be a valuable resource
for students who feel they need a
11 ttla o v tro Knln TKo nfar' e
liiitw VAua iivip. t uv vviuvi o
tutors are willing to arrange
seminars with professors who
want specific topics addressed.
You can avoid the heat of
summer deadlines and visit
Monday through Thursday, 9
a.m. to 4 p.m. An appointment
with a tutor can be made by calling
777-2078 and the nationallyknown
Writer's Hotline is 7772070.
ROTCo.
Belangia said he seemed to n<
attitude among cadets toward hi
"At anything I went to, it se<
cadets knew about me and I w?
ignored or made the object
attention," he said.
During the same time, he s
more telephone threats, which 1
added to the police investigatioi
THE ROAD GETS BUMPIE
On Feb. 18, Belangia sa
Carpenter again. In this meeting
told his commanding officer tl
harassed and treated different
that Carpenter reacted by tellir
have Belangia disenrolled.
But Carpenter said he met w
part of regular procedure for ev
"I only met with Mr. Belan<
following the direct Army rei
meet with all cadets every seme
am required to counsel all scl
period. We're in the people bus
"Developing officers is more
ing up in class at any given p
takes a substantial amount of <
to love them and shelter our cac
Carpenter said cadets meet t
and academic advisement. "Oi
see that these cadets succeed," 1
But for Belangia, chanc
appeared to be running out. Abie
probation, and struggling to
requirements to keep his sch<
already stopped attending physi
by the end of January. By Apri
classroom sessions as well.
"At this point, I had to de
going to do. I've been in th
enough that if you want to get
are enough articles in the U
Code to do it," he said.
Still, he complained there w
or assistance for him from the c
"They didn't want to help
was) no support in studying," 1
with academic problems is enti
absence, he continued, but thai
offered.
"I don't usually offer lea\
Carpenter explained.
Belangia said he stopped al
classes that spring because tht
ment and physical threat was b
for him, even though several
lesbian organizations urged
ROTC an excuse to disenroll hi
"They encouraged me to ke<
and to have the most exemplar
to make it harder for them to
said.
"But the harassment got to tl
it was a question of human dij
had done all I could do from
the next logical step would tx
Fight from outside ROTC."
TO THE PRESIDENT...
AND THE MEDIA
When Belangia arrived fron
the heels of the Great Blizzard
sat down and wrote a letter t
itinued from page 2
otice a change in cially announcing his homosexuality. C
m at this time. were routed to USC President John Palm
jmed that all the Vice President for Student Affairs D
is treated rudely, Pruitt.
of everybody's He said he hand delivered those lett
each office and never received any reply o
;aid he received firmation from any of the officials,
vere notated and Two days later, The Gamecock brol
i. story on the front page, including the disc
/-vf hie iHAntifv oc tho enhi/^f nf on onant
U1 Alio IUV?UIJ CAO UJV OUl/JVVl VI Ull UIIVHJ
!R interview advocating lifting the gay ban tf
Feb. 1. The local media picked up the
id he met with immediately, and Belangia eventually apj
g, he said that he in the news section of The Advocate, the r
tat he was being al gay and lesbian newsweekly.
ly. He also said Meanwhile, Vice President for St
ig him he would Affairs Dennis Pruitt told Gamecock staff
J. Michelle Schohn he had not received h
ith Belangia as a ter.
ery cadet. But Palms had, and according to
>ia as a result of spokeswoman Debra Allen, he then me
quirement that I Carpenter on March 19. While the conte
ister," he said. "I the meeting were private, Allen said the u
lolarship cadets, sity told local media later they were "lc
iness." into" Belangia's charges of harassment.
; than just show- u5u spokesman kuss Mciunney tate
lace and time. It Palms, when asked whether he and Car]
iollars. We have discussed a university investigation durinj
lets." meeting, "could not remember that."
o get counseling McKinney also said Palms may not
ur business is to acted on the "ME" letter
ecoming to much involved in the Army ROTC program."
national gay and While USC was deciding how to resp
him to not give the charges, Belangia said he received
im. harassing phone calls, and then moved
;p going to class, the next week to Columbia Hall,
y record possible Piers Torday, Belangia's roomm
kirk me out" he. Columbia Hall, said Jav kent a loe of
calls that would come to their room. 1
he point to where said he only recalled answering one call
?nity. I felt that I the remainder of the semester. That calle
inside ROTC but up before speaking,
s to continue the Belangia said he still received some
including one telling him not to attend
training exercise at Ft. Jackson or he "wi
make it back alive." He said he didn't att<
exercise because he was afraid.
In early April, Belangia met with Dark
a spring break on initial interview concerning an investi
of '93, he said he into a possible violation of his civil rights
o Carpenter offi- On June 8, almost two months after th
ie explained. that outed Belangia in
es for success the fall because he prob- 'I WclS n
eady on academ- ably never saw it. "Dr. agenCV O
meet contractual Palms gets a lot of letters i ccm
olarship, he had like that," he explained, D^r^SSm
ical training class referring to crank, politi- Of cinyor
1, he had skipped cal and unsigned letters. of cUlV C<
Dennis Pruitt, vice anv qf.,,
cide what I was president of Student v
ie military long Affairs, said he thought the Arm]
somebody, there Carpenter requested an
niform Military investigation from USC. Lt. L-Ol
"As I recall, Jay and he
as little attention had requested one previlepartment.
ously," he said, adding
i me any, (there that Lawrence Dark,
te said. Someone head of USC's Office of Equal Oppoi
tied to a leave of Programs, would know more about any ii
leave was never gation.
Carpenter said he didn't know aboi
res of absence," harassment charges. "I was never aware 1
agency or person involving harassmer
tending labs and Belangia, or anyone," Carpenter said. "I;
: level of harass- aware of any complaint made by any s
!opies view, Belangia got a letter from Dark asking
is and him if he wanted to continue to pursue an invesennis
tigation into alleged harassment by the ROTC
unit. The letter, and Belangia's response,
ers to arrived more than two weeks late because'
r con- Belangia had moved several times since the end
of the spring semester,
ce the Dark said he was informed he could not pur
losure sue an investigation of the cadet's charges,
mious Instead, like other university departments, he
latran said Affirmative Action will look into the
story charges involving instances in the residence
reared halls.
lation- "Anytime we have any kind of harassment
cases," Dark said, "they become priorities."
udent
writer HEARING AND OUT?
lis letFor
Belangia, the month of May was also a
ITCP ?:?A u_ : A i?^
ujv, piiuiuy. wti i\iay lie wd^ iwucu a liicniu pmct
with ing him on leave of absence pending the outnts
of come of the ROTC disenrollment board's invesniver
tigation.
>oking The board's investigation was scheduled for
May 27, but later moved to June 2 by
r said Belangia's request, so that he could attend the
penter National Association of College and University
g their Residence Halls conference.
He made other requests: one seeking a conhave
tinuance so he could make up previously
uncompleted coursework;
another asking for
o\ror anv a rhanee of venue
IV V vx u?? WXV J ? ? o
r person involving because of the media
L a a r? i publicity surrounding his
ent, Mr. Deiangia, case. The continuance
te. I am not aware and change of venue
amplaint made by we^e 1x3111 denied.
, . J Instead, a panel of
dent involved in officers was appointed
Y ROTC program/7 from other schools in
South Carolina, rather
. Walter Carpenter than the customary selecUSC
Army ROTC tion of participants froir
Commanding Officer ^ university.
Military counsel was
appointed to Belangia,
tunitv although he was able to select civilian counsel
nvesti- at his own exPenseOn
June 2, the members of the board, counsel,
witnesses and observers gathered in Legare
ut any
, College for the session to decide Belangia's
y ., fate. The chaiges included breach of contract,
it, Mr. - . 6 . . . .
failure to maintain minimum academic require
ments and indifferent attitude or lack of interest
tu ent in military training.
The meeting, which was to be open to the
ond to pUbiiC) was closed upon Belangia's request.
more jater ^ ]ega] counsel's advice was tc
durmg resign> partly because it could influence the
board's recommendation and his possible miliate
in an(j financial obligation to repay scholarcrank
monjes after jjjg judgment,
rorday Belangia also said he couldn't mention his
dunng homosexuality, since disclosure would immedir
hung atejv _ t in vio^tjon 0f the "homosexualitv
is incompatible" provisions of his contract and
: calls, jgj Up ^ removai
a field por his defense, he said he read a short stateouldn
t ment about the harassment and attitudes of his
;nd the superior officers.
Belangia's future remains uncertain as he
: for an awaits the disenrollment board's decision,
igation
Kevin Menken is also a correspondant
e inter- for Q Notes.
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