Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Jack Dunn Editor in Chief C. E. Holman Managing/Viewpoints Editor Carson Henderson Copy Desk Chief Ann Winchell News Editor , Radhika Talwani Carolina! Editor Andrew Borgert Sports Editor Sean McGuinness Graphics Editor Eric Glenn Photo Editor Keith Jones Darkroom Technician Paul Jon Cartoonist Laura Day Production Manager Jim Green Assistant Production Manager Shannon Wadford Production Assistant Renee Gibson Advertising Manager Erik Collins Faculty Advisor The Gamecock is the student newspaper of the University of South Carolina and is published weekly during both summer sestultU tho ovr>ontinn r>f uni_ dlUIld, mui UJV VAVVJ/HWII V* Millversity holidays and examination periods. Opinions expressed in The Gamecock are those of the editors or author and not those of the University of South Carolina. The Board of Student Publications and Communications is the publisher of The Gamecock. The Student Media Department is the parent organization of The Gamecock. The Gamecock is a registered student organization of the University of South Carolina and is partially funded by student activities fees. The Gamecock P.O.Box 85131 University of South Carolina Columbia, SC 29208 NEWSROOM 777-7726 ADVERTISING 777-4249 Support for ed More students look to financial aid assistance By KEVIN MENKEN Staff Writer Financial support for higher education in South Carolina may continue to experience problems for the foreseeable future, forcing more students to dig deeper into their pockets for additional funds and inrreasina thp. numhpr denen dent on some form of financial assistance. With state formula funding support declining this year40 only 64.3 percent of the need assessment for ttifc University of South Carolina, operating belts from academic departments to administrative offices are being^pulled closer to their last fastening hole. From the students linted pocketfining to the state's financially-strapped education coriiroittee, a chorus of "Buddy, Can You Spare A Dime'is.. becoming a common refrain heard around most publicly supported universities across the country. "The problem has been with the economy," explained District 26 State Senator Nikki Setzler, chairman of South Carolina's Senate Education Committee and a member of the Finance Committee. "The pressure has been on for funding things that need to be funded." That state funding includes coping with the rising demands of revenue for education, corrections, and health care, Setzler said. He added that among the "big three," health care needs seem to have risen dramatically in the last few years. Susan DeWitt, a research analyst in Setzler's office, explained that the formula system for dedicating monies for the university system is based on several factors, including the number of students enrolled and the level of study conducted at the institutions. Faculty salaries, maintenance, Campus police t< Campus police to include data base and program X u By J. MICHELLE SCHOHN Staff Writer USC hopes to make campus safer by adding a data base at the university police department, more call boxes around campus, and a new program for victims of sexual assault. Steve Wright, spokesman for campus police, said the data base should be in use within the year. According to Wright, the data base will keep up with statistics such as response time, which stands at about three minutes, and call box activations. Wripht said the nniversitv has 41 of the nro posed 114 call boxes operational, adding that maintenance is in the process of adding more. Seven new call boxes have already been installed. Frank Mims, administrative manager for maintenance services, said they had received an allocation of money specifically for call boxes. Mims said the boxes, which should be activated within the next week, were installed in the following locations: McMaster Capstone loading dock Gibbes Court at Capstone the P.E. Center the entrance of The Pitt ucation continv expectations in class size and number of hours in teaching also figure into the formula for determining the amount of state support for each university, she said. But no matter how much need exists, there is only so much money available to go around, and Setzler admits that some people in state government are trying to look for more sources to tap for additional revenue for higher education. "There have been some who have looked for other dedicated sources for revenue for higher education," he said, adding that searchers view new sources as a way to avoid the annual floor fights over carving up the state's general fund revenues. But he also agreed dedicated funding can be a double-edged sword, leaving few places to make up lost dollars if a source dries up in a given year. DeWitt said that one dedicated source idea, the catalog sales tax, which officials "guesstimate" -could produce up to $30 million for higher education, produces nothing now, while it is facing legal challenges in another state. A state sales tax now soes to a general education fund. That sales tax is one thing Richard Ishler, dean of the College of Education, said he would like to see increased on big ticket items like expensive luxury cars. He also thinks the state should look at education budgeting as the total picture from elementary school through college and is concerned about quality in the current budget crisis. "It does affect quality," he said. "The amount of money given to higher education each year is declining while enrollment is increasing." Ishler's college, which has to shave 12 percent off its operating budget over the next three years, is one example of the amount of belt-tightening most university departments have faced to cope with declining revenues. While he said he is happy to have some kind of three year plan, it d add more emerg Byrnes the Coliseum at the College of Journalism "If we don't use up all the funding, we'll prob aoiy aao one or two more, Mims san. Mims said the new boxes were not put in with the original 41 because installation in these areas was more difficult. Last semester, the university created the Office of Sexual Assault Programs and Services. "Most students don't know about this sexual assault office and probably won't know about it until fall," said Eileen Korpita, coordinator of the newly created office. The program will serve several of the needs of students and faculty who become victims of sexual assault. It will provide victim support and assistance as well as helping the victim get professional counseling through the Rape Crisis Network and legal information through USC Victim/Witness coordinator Rita Yarborough. Korpita said the office will not have an advocacy program to begin with, but that the office has looked at the possibility of starting one. Such an advocacy program could be in place within a year. Korpita said a peer-run group, Creating Attitudes for a Rape-free Environment, or C.A.R.E., has been established. "We are focusing on education and risk reduction," she said. Those needing to reach the Office of Sexual Assaults Programs and Services should call 777-7619 or 777-3174. All ser les to decline isn't exactly the ideal one for an educator. "We don't want to sacrifice the quality for the quantity," he said. Instead, his college may look at restricting programs and eventually enrollment numbers to keep costs down, something he said is becoming increasingly common at other universities. "When there are diminishing resources, there is mnrp arrmintahilitv " he. said "We're in the decade of accountability," Setzler agreed. "I think there is a continuing process in getting what is best for our dollars." FINANCIAL AID For students at USC, the tighter state coffers translate to higher tuition and leads to more borrowing, according to Bob Godfrey, associate director of financial aid. His department has already seen a ten percent increase in the number of students filing financial aid applications over last year. "What we've seen can be tied into the fact that tuition rises with the budget crunch," he said. That crunch has also affected scholarships and grants, he said, which have remained virtually stagnant in the last few years. Many academic departments have reduced their assistantship and research programs. What is left are student loans, and Godfrey said his department has processed 11,000 of those already for the 1993-94 school year, a whopping 29 percent increase over the number for the same period last year. "It continues to grow steadily year by year," he said. Some 65 percent of USC's student body will rely on financial aid to gain an education, most of that in the form of student loans, he continued. "I'm concerned with the level of student loans," he said. "However, what is the alternative?" ;ency call boxes lln . MK ; vices are voluntary and confidential. Wright said that while students believe they are not safe on campus, most continue to go places alone and do not attend public safety talks. "They think, 'This won't happen to me,"' Korpita said. "We've all been through the stage WIJCIC WC 1CCI IIIV1I1C1UIC. While the new programs will enhance student safety on campus, Wright adds that student pranks continue to frustrate efforts to protect USC students and faculty. "The majority of call box activations were pranks," Wright said. "When a prank occurs at the Honeycombs, someone could be being raped at Capstone.