Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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:_NEWS_ j Bookstore from page A1 !_ • rate for certain textbooks. Now, the • University Bookstore boasts an “up to 60 percent buyback rate” on certain text books. Chontos said she was surprised and worried with this move at first, but she said she thinks students are smart enough to use their better jucjgment when deal ■ ing with textbook buybacks. Essentially, any bookstore can offer up to 66 percent I for a textbook. Harper explained that if a student ' were to buy a new book for $30, he ; would hypothetically buy it back for • $40, or 50 percent of the original price. • If that same book were sold used for $60, the University Bookstore would ! still give the student $40 for it. Harper said he wants students to understand that [ the bookstores won’t give 66 percent on • every item, but the possibility is there. Chontos said the 66 percent sticker • is just to create a better competition with Addam’s Bookstore. “Anyone can do 66 . percent, they just needed to compete with our stickers,” she said. Harper also said the “up to 66 percent” strategy was to increase competition with Addam’s Bookstore. It is apparent that the campus book stores are in stiff competition with one another. Addam’s Bookstore recently negotiated with its owners to get school supply items for a better retail value. The store’s owner, Follett, is one of the nation’s laigest bookstore chains, and because of this, Addam’s can enjoy the benefits of bulk purchases. The S.C. Bookstore isn’t so lucky. Although it’s owned by the Nebraska Book Co., it’s more or less left to running the book store itself. This means it can’t buy as much as Addam’s can. It relies on the customer service to win over students. “We all were once students here,” Wyndahm said ‘We’ve been there, and we want the students to know we’ll bend over backwards for than.” There is a greater difference among school supply prices when dealing with the bookstores. A TI-83 graphics calcula tor is sold at the University Bookstore for $138.99, and the same calculator is sold at the S.C. Bookstore for $125. “It depends on where bookstores purchase their supplies,” Harper said The bookstores can stay in compe titirwi u/ifh rwiP another r*n mmnnc hi it they fall short when students start look ing for bargains off campus. The Gamecock also visited Wal Mart to compare store prices on school supplies with those of the campus book stores. A one-subject spiral-bound note book can be bought from Wal-Mart for 37 cents. The same kind of notebook is sold at the University Bookstore for $1.79. Addam’s was selling the same item for $1.89, and the South Carolina Bookstore sells it for $2.70. The same TI-83 graphics calculator that could respectively be bought from the University Bookstore and the S.C. Bookstore for $138.99 and $125, can be bought from Wal-Mart for $99. “They’re [Wal-Mart] hard to beat,” Wyndahm said. “It’s very hard to com pete with that.” Wyndahm said it’s hard t6 compete with the power purchasing that Wal-Mart enjoys. “They’re buying for 1,000 stores. We’re buying for one,” he said. Chontos agreed. “Wal-Mart can buy so much,” she said. “They have so much storage and so much money.” The campus bookstores would like to think that students trust going there for a fair deal with school supplies. They all hnacf fhoir mm/ontonf IrY'ntinnc nrtH insist that they stock supplies exclusively for the collie student. Wyndahm said that Wal-Mart gen erally has supplies for grammar, middle and high school students. “When you go to Wal-Mart, you’re on your own,” he said. Nevertheless, some students are still dissatisfied with the prices of school sup plies. Engineering sophomore Michael Rhodes suggested shopping around for textbooks. He said that’s the only way a student will get the best deal on school supplies. Rhodes said the bookstores use their locations to make more money, and he said he thinks that the bookstores take advantage of students who can’t make the drive out to Wal-Mart. “They’re trying to make a huge profit,” he said. “They’re right here with all the kids who can’t drive, so they’ll get you.” Rhodes called the bookstores’ pric ing strategy monopolistic. “It’s kind of stupid,” he said “They know exactly what they’re doing.” Different bookstores, similar prices All bookstores might claim they offer the best deals for students, but a price check by The Gamecock found that prices are similar at all bookstores, for the most part. BOOKSTORE CSCI 101 Textbook (new) n/a n/a $56.00 Textbook (used) $50.40* $42.00 $42.00 Lab manual (new) n/a $15.30 $15.25 | Lab manual (used) n/a n/a $11.40 Biology 101 Textbook (new) $93.00 $93.00 $93.00 Textbook (used) n/a n/a $69.75 Lab manual (new) $16.70 $16.65 $14.00 Lab manual (used) n/a n/a $10.50 * - includes lab manual Brad Walters The Gamecock * Jurisdiction for USCPD extends throughout S.C. [ by Clayton Kale Associate News Editor The USC Police Department is re sponsible for keeping campus crime to a minimum, but university officers also can assist any law enforcement in the state. The officers wearing USCPD badges are commissioned by the governor as constables. Legally, USC police officers have jurisdiction anywhere in South Car olina. “By policy, we stick to the univer sity to fill their needs,” Director of Law Enforcement and Safety Ernie Ellis said. USCPD often responds to calls from Columbia police, Richland County po lice, the South Carolina Highway Pa trol, and public safety officers, Ellis said. “That’s why you may have seen a [USCPD] patrol car in Five Points,” El lis said. USCPD has about 60 officers, some of whom are graduates of USC’s crim inal justice program. “We try to have adequate numbers of officers on duty to respond to the uni versity at all times,” he said. Many of the crimes that occur on campus can 6e prevented, Ellis said. The majority of crimes are larcenies. Locking donn doors and hiding valu able items in the trunk of the car, in stead of leaving them in plain sight, is important for keeping valuables safe, Ellis said. “Freshmen tend to come from safer environments,” Ellis said. USCPD encourages community ac tion. “Police can’t be everywhere at once. We need strong community support,” Ellis said. For emergencies, students can call 777-9111. For non-emergencies, USCPD can be reached at 777-4215. The USCPD headquarters are on Main and Wheat streets. Sean Rayford photo editor FTO Gass directs traffic Saturday on Greene Street. Because residence halls opened Saturday, extra help was needed with the influx of cars. August 16 • Assault and battety, Russell House. The victim told an officer | that both site and the suspect were approaching a park ing space at the inci dent location. When the suspect wouldn’t let the victim enter the parking space, the subject made a hand gesture. The suspect was shouting and calling the victim names. The suspect then ran toward the victim and struck the victim’s face and shoulders. • Minor in possession of alcoholic liquor, Bull Street An officer observed someone making an improper start from stop by spinning her tires at Greene and Pickens streets. The officer stopped the car and saw an open bottle of alcoholic liquor in plain view. The subject admitted to have been drinking ear lier. The subject was arrested, booked and given a ride home. T^ a CRIME I REPORT August IS •Trash can fire, Swearingen Engineering Center. An officer responded to a complaint of smoke coming from the courtyard inside Swearingen. The officer arrived and found a fire developing inside a trash can. A fire extinguisher was used to put out the flames. No damage was done to the building. August 13 • Autobreaking, Computer Services parking lot- An officer responded to the incident location, where the vic tim said someone broke into his car and stole his cassette player, air saw, utility console and jigsaw. • Malicious injury to real property, Roost parking lot The complainant said someone broke the glass out of the driver’s-side front window and bent the metal window casing out ward. Engage in the Process Fall Scholarship Workshops University Students have won 97 awards and 2.5 million dollars in national scholarship and fellowship competitions since 1994. Plan to attend a Scholarship Workshop this fall to learn more about the criteria and application processes for the following awards. First-year students and sophomores are encouraged to attend a workshop to begin the process of becoming a scholar. Rhodes a Marshall Scholarships (for advanced study in Britain) Tuesday, August 24, 4 pm Gressette Room Fulbright Grant (research and study abroad for seniors and graduate students) Wednesday, August 25, 4 pm Gressette Room Truman Scholarship-Attention juniors! (for graduate work in public service or government) Tuesday, August, 31,4 pm Gressette Room National Science Foundation Fellowships (for graduate study in science, math, and engineering) Wednesday, September 8, 4 pm Gressette Room Goldwater Scholarship Attention Sophomores & Juniors! (planning a research career in science, math, or engineering) Tuesday, September 21, 4 pm Gressette Room Mellon Scholarship (for graduate work, teaching in humanistic studies) Tuesday, October 19, 4 pm Gressette Room lldall Scholarship Attention Sophomores & Juniors! (interested in environmental public policy issues) Tuesday, November 2, 4 pm Gressette Room NSEP Scholarships & Fellowships (study abroad for undergraduate and graduate) Wednesday, November 3, 5:30 pm SEC Room (201) RHUU For more information, call the Fellowships Office at 777-0958 The Gressette Room is located in Harper College on the Horseshoe. m •me Week Activities ^August 16th - 20th. offered Monday - Friday at ;J®tNoon and 5:15pm. Register for Intramural Sports such as co-rec softball, flag football, and sand volleyball. Join us for Happy Hour an Wednesday from 3:00 - 6:00pm. hhhhhhhhhhhhhhbhmhbhhmhmhhhhmmhmhhmhhmbhbhhhmmmpmm I Office of Campus Recreation 5 p; 202 Blatt PE Center I www,sa. sc, edu/pecenter/crec. htm I Department of Student Life/Division of Student and Alumni Services/ USC I