Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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“ Quote, Unquote ‘We will not rest until South Carolina has the best education lottery in America.' Jim Hodges, South Carolina governor Page 4 Wednesday, March 21,2001 ©ic (Bamccock Serving the Carolina Community since 1Q08 Brock Vergakis Editor in Chief Brandon Larrabee University Editor Erin O’Neal Spotlight Editor Kyle Almond Sports Editor Brad Walters Design Editor Cristy Infinger Asst. University Editor Valerie Matchette City & State Editor Amanda Silva Spotlight Editor Martha Wright Copy Desk Chief Charles Prashaw Asst. City & State Editor Aubrey Fitzloff Asst. Viewpoints Editor New housing policy is unfair to students For the first time, the housing department is implementing a new policy where housing contracts are legally binding, even before students know which residence hall they are assigned to. If students decide after they get their assignment that they don’t want to live in university housing, they will have to pay $200 to get out of their contract with the university. If stu dents wait more than a week to get out of the contract, the fee will go up to $500. This is ridiculous. It’s not fair to charge students for wanting to live off campus if they decide their housing assignment isn’t desirable. In the past, students had time to make this decision before they were charged, and that system should not have changed. This policy change will be detrimental to some students’ fi nancial situations. Few students can afford to pay $200 simply because they were not pleased with the department of housing’s decision to put them in a residence hall they didn’t want to be in the first place. A student who chooses to live off campus wouldn’t go to a re al estate agency and be randomly assigned to an apartment com plex he or she didn’t want to live in. With the housing depart ment operating in this manner, it is no surprise so many students are opting to live off campus. Just like dining services, housing is a service to students that competes with outside vendors. Housing has attempted to pro vide students with services comparable to outside vendors by providing more apartment-style residence halls, laundry facilities, cable television, etc. However, this new policy makes it very clear that it is missing the one thing students desperately need when it comes to a place to live — choice. Housing is obviously not considering students’ needs with this new policy. This policy seems like yet another way for the university to get more money from students. Just like textbooks and food, a residence is another outrageously priced necessity that students can’t go without, and the housing department is taking advantage of this situation by charging exorbitant fees and limiting the choices of students. Should students be punished for living on campus? This new policy says “yes” by narrowing the possibilities for housing and eliminating the time period for students to reflect on residence assignments. Many students might even feel pressured to live in a residence hall that they don’t want instead of paying the fine that comes if they drop their housing contract. Just because the hous ing department’s tenants are students doesn’t mean they should be taken advantage of. About Us The Gamecock is the student newspaper of the University of South Carolina and is published Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the fall and spring semesters and nine times during the summer with the exception of university holidays and exam 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 Department of Student Media is the newspaper's parent organization. The Gamecock is supported in part by student activities fees. Address The Gamecock 1400 Greene Street Columbia. SC 29208 Offices on third floor of the Russell House. Stuoent Media Area code 803 Advertising 777-3888 Classified 777-1184 Fax 777-6482 I Office 777-3888 Gamecock Area code 803-777-7726 Editor in Chief gamecockeditor@hotmail.com University Desk gamecockudesk@hotmail.com City/State Desk gamecockcitydesk@hotmail.com Viewpoints gamecockviewpoints@hotmail.com Spotlight gamecockspotlight@hotmail.com Sports gamecocksports@hotmail.com Online www.dailygamecock.com Submission Policy Letters to the editor or guest columns are welcome from all members of the Carolina community. Letters should be 250-300 words. Guest r columns should be an opinion piece of about 600 r. words. Both must include name, phone number, professional title or year and major, if a student. Handwritten submissions must be personally delivered to Russell House room 333. E-mail submissions must include telephone number for confirmation and should be e-mailed to gamecockviewpoints@hotmail.com. The Gamecock reserves the right to edit for libel, style and space. Anonymous letters will not be , published. Photos are required for guest columnists and ran he provided hv the *nhmitter the cumecock MMHHMHHHHNi Ann Marie Miani Travis Lynn Jennie Moore Sean Rayford Katie Smith Photo Editors Mark Yates Page Designers Crys^i Boyles Mackenzie Clements Betsy Baugh Jason Harmon Sara McLaulin Ashley Melton Community Affairs Copy Editors a*_-- -. gms, oTuOtKT WtcUA Erik Collins Carolyn Griffin Faculty Adviser Business Manager Ellen Parsons Sarah Sims Director of Advertising Manager Student Media Susan King JanneUDeyo Creative Dinlctor Robyn Gombar Kera Khalil Sean De Luna Denise Levereaux Todd Hooks Nic0|e Russe(| Melanie Hutto Advertising Staff Emilie Moca Martin Salisbury Sherry F. Holmes Creative Services Classified Manager Only two letters to the editor per student will be printed in a semester. Staff columns take priority over guest columns, unless the guest columnist offers expertise on a subject, or if the subject s relevance is limited by time. Guest columns and letters may be submitted by e-mail to gamecockviewpointsdhotmaiI.com. n-.ll 777 770C -»: Jennifer Lazo iUE LODds&E ftFfER TH-JS +Ui}tdt^ HLhe^u^HE-O—Ar 'Due TtBuD^EXcil^^ J VJE LUUJ_.BE Rrasxue, ; TUxTrn^,. m help v J^I iSllFa^ Tf,E'BEfluTjnc/>ttnrtl PfoCEdg of ypoR tomPug/J Hodges pledges funding Jim Hodges is the governor of South Carolina. Send responses to gamecockviewpo i nts ©hotmail.com. Over the past several months, I’ve listened to students, faculty and admin istrators from South Carolina colleges and universities. They’ve told me that higher education must be protected in a tight budget year. I have heard their voices loud and clear. Last week, I held a working lunch with presidents of our four-year colleges and universities in South Carolina. We rolled up our sleeves to protect higher education and prepare the next generation of students for the high-tech challenges of the 21st century. This meeting started a very constructive dialogue. By working together, we are united in our efforts to restore funding and keep tuition down at South Carolina colleges and universities. I also had the privilege to meet with two of the professors who make our colleges and universities great. Last Friday, I presented the Governor’s Awards for Excellence in Science to Dr. Kenneth Marcus of Clemson and Dr. Jeffrey Priest of USC-Aiken. This award is the highest honor bestowed by the state of South Carolina on scientists of distinction. Technology developed by Marcus is used in some of the top nuclear laboratories in the world, and Priest is the Director of the Ruth Park Science Education Center at USC-Aiken. This center allows more than 50,000 students a year to explore the wonders of science. It was my great pleasure to honor Marcus and Priest. Their achievements prove once again that South Carolina’s higher education is on the cutting edge of scientific innovation. And I’m committed to encouraging technological innovation in South Carolina’s higher education. This week, I announced our intention to earmark $16 million of education lottery proceeds to fund technology infrastructures at two-year and four-year colleges. Our colleges require new resources to mount quality technology education programs. The education lottery will provide these resources. We must also explore ways to fund research incentives in higher education. If we devote more resources to research, we will see a significant return on our investment. Our colleges and universities will be better able to compete with other research institutions for federal grants and private funding. And the technological advances this research yields will be the engine of future economic development. As additional money becomes available in the state budget, these research initiatives will be my top priority. It is clear that any new money must be used to restore funding to higher education. Students, faculty and administrators have made a compelling case that deep percent cuts in higher education are unacceptable. I have heard their message loud and clear. This week, we began the process of restoring funds to our colleges and universities. As we continue to write this year’s state budget, I will continue my efforts to stand up for higher education in South Carolina. Letters SG should work hard to stop tuition raise To the Editor I would like to commend Corey Ford and Student Government for spearheading an effort to fight against budget cuts for higher education. Their endeavors paid off big time. The State House, Republicans ant} Democrats alike, listened to the thou sands of student letters and dozens of stu dent protesters. SG fought against the budget cuts without any intention of fail ure. Gov. Jim Hodges even said in his weekly column, “I’ve listened to stu dents ... I have heard their voices loud and clear.” I’m sure that’s why the governor has proposed to protect high er education and find money in the bud get. I know every student on this cam pus appreciates the efforts to save higher costs. However, President Palms and USC continue to pressure the General As sembly to abandon the HEPI (Higher Ed ucation Price Index); its intention is to increase tuition. Student Government now needs to turn their efforts internal ly. Instead of SG being a tool of the ad ministration, SG should fight against op pressive measures by the administration. There are other ways to cut our bud get and tighten the purse strings without raising student tuition. For instance, why does President Palms have a private jet? Not even the governor has a private jet! USC is a tremendous institution that has a reputation for leading the state in all areas of academia and culture. Let’s fight to keep it that way, without high er tuition. Chrissy Stauffer Secood-year Student College of Liberal Arts Student Senator President, College Democrats Fogler was a great coach at Carolina To the Editor. After reading Josh Terry’s views on our basketball team and our former coach, I have to wonder if it was really USC basketball that he was referring to. He questions what players such as Travis Kraft, Ro Howell, Tony Kitch ings and Chuck Eidson brought to the table this year? Let’s see here. Kraft sank a 3 at the buzzer to beat Florida. Kitchings led the team in rebounds and blocked shots, while averaging 10 points a game. Ro put up some nasty double doubles against conference opponents and averaged 8.5 points and 5.1 rebounds in only 21 minutes of action. And How ell would most certainly be an all-SEC freshman selection had he played the en tire season. Eddie Fogler is one of the best bas ketball coaches USC has ever had. He took a bunch of scrubs at Vanderbilt and won the damn SEC title with a 28-6 record. Last time I checked, Vandy was n’t good before Eddie came and hasn’t been since he left. He came to USC and had back-to back 23+ win seasons and got a second and third seed in the NCAA tournament. ‘True, we lost in the first round each of those years, which was quite disap pointing, but that doesn’t take away from Fogler’s ability as a coach. If tournament performance was the lone basis by which coaches kept their jobs, Kansas would have fired Roy Williams years ago. In stead, UNC begged him to be their coach. Questions of loyalty need go no fur ther than the reason for our players pos sibly leaving USC: their loyalty to Ed die Fogler. Terry says firing Fogler is a step in the right direction to becoming a consistent top 25 team. Wfe’U see where we are ranked in the following years if the previously mentioned players don’t return. Any possible candidates to be a bit suspect as well. Why accept a job offer from Mike McGee? He just forced one of his peers, who you have the utmost respect for as a college coach (unless you’re Billy Donovan), to resign. I hope USC selects a new coach that will keep Tony, Chuck, and Ro in Game cock colors. Forcing Eddie Fogler to leave as head basketball coach was highly ques tionable at best. There would be no ru mors about our stars leaving if he was the still the head man today. Jason Thompson Third-year Student Darla Moore School of Business Phone companies overcharge at USC To the Editor Right from the time I came to USC, my long distance phone company has been AT&T. But on Jan. 4, Sprint took over the connection without my autho rization, and I mysteriously got recon nected to AT&T on Jan. 11. For that short time between Jan. 4 and Jan. 11, Sprint has sent me a hefty bill for calls during that period. The rates were much higher than AT&T. I think they have misused the information that I gave the SprintPCS company for get ting a mobile phone connection. 1 talked to them a number of times. The last substantial thing they told me was that the case is now being handled by the fraud department. But everytime I get my BellSouth bill, it also shows the amount that Sprint quoted. The same experience has happened to one of my friends, and maybe there are others who are also affected by such companies. Can you do something about this? Suryanarayanan Vasudevan First-year Student College of Engineering and Information Technology USC Goals Tougher standards needed for admission Brock Vergakis is a fourth-year student in the College of Journalism & Mass Communications. Send letters to gamecockviewpoints ©hotmail.com. This past fall, the board of trustees set a list of goals for USC to achieve by 2005. Among them was becoming one of the top five public universities in the South. There is no question that the administration will try everything in its power to improve academic programs, research and faculty to achieve this. However, one senous problem will need to be addressed for that goal to happen: the poor quality of students entering Carolina. While there is no doubt that USC has very bright and ambitious students, there seems to be a very short supply of them. Students choose to attend a college for a variety of reasons. But when it comes down to it, the best students want to go to schools with the best reputations. The problem is USC doesn’t even have the best reputation for a public university in South Carolina, much less the entire South. And make no mistake about it, the competition among public schools is stiff when you consider the likes of UNC, Georgia, Virginia, N.C. State, Clemson, Florida, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Auburn, Kentucky, Tennessee and LSU. So the question is: how does USC earn a better reputation — quickly? The simplest solution is to quit admitting so many students. This school should be ashamed of itself for admitting so many ill prepared students with low SAT scores and lousy high school GPAs from an educational system that is consistently rated as one of the worst in the country. The students Carolina does admit should have a proven record that shows they will be competitive during their time at USC and after it. This isn’t to say that SAT scores and GPAs are everything, but those are two of the most important factors USC considers when weighing whether to accept an applicant. The application itself is part of the reason the student body at USC isn’t the envy of the South. If Carolina wants to have a reputation for having outstanding, competitve students, it needs to make a point of that front the beginning. The application should require letters of recommendation, extracurricular activities, employment, essays, athletics involvement, leadership positions, etc. At the very least, it could ask applicants to write a paragraph about their toughest class to prove they are actually literate. Only by including these things on the application will the university be able to gauge whether the student applying is competitive. The application the university uses now is a joke. I was embarrassed to show it to my friends at Vuginia and UNC. I know some people who only applied here because the application was so simple. As pathetic as it is, the application to live in Preston is more detailed and telling than the one we all filled out to gain admission. Making admission to the university more difficult, or should I say, difficult in the first place, would do wonders for this school. Once word starts spreading that it actually takes half a brain to get into USC, our reputation will start to improve. Once the quality of students begins to rise, instruction will improve because professors will no longer have to teach so many remedial courses. Class sizes would also decrease because fewer students would be admitted. As these students graduate, they will be more successful in the workforce and will enhance USC’s reputation for future students seeking employment. Churning out thousands of graduates who have never attempted to be competitive in high school or college is hardly the way to be recognized as the best. And if we want to be one of the top five public universities in the South, we must prove that USC students are every bit as competitive as students at other universities.