Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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■ TERI Continued from page 1 “My biggest question is where is the interest from the retirement accounts going?" Baker said. As of June 2005, 14,000 state workers chose the program, which allowed them to no longer have retirement deductions taken from their paychecks and begin getting pension benefits. However, the benefits are put into an account that TERI workers can only get to after they truly retire from the state, according to The State newspaper. “My biggest worry is for the young people who are looking into retirement plans in the state," Baker said. “There are no guarantees out there because TERI has shown that it changes whenever the legislative votes on it." The biggest issue has been the cost-of-living adjustment, but in June, lawmakers decided to get TERI workers that alteration. According to Jeff Stensland, a staff writer for The State, annual cost-of-living adjustments were in peril because of rising debt in the $25 billion pension system. The State Budget and Control Board perpetuated the system June 15 when they relieved the worries of 90,000 state retirees with a 3.4 percent cost-of-living increase. Provost Mark Becker defends the program in terms of USC’s involvement by stating the flexibility the program allows. “TERI is accelerating a demographic transition for the state. There is a financial incentive to encourage state employees to sign on," Becker said. “It is very financially adventitious for people involved. When it comes to university employees on the plan, it allows a good flexible adjustment when new employees come in." In a March article in The Gamecock, Becker said he was planning to hire more than 600 faculty in six years. “With the transition of hiring many new employees the flexibility of the transition is good because we don’t have a sudden collapse of faculty members," Becker said. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecocknews@gBm.sc.edu USC’s Web site adopts Google search engine By JASON REYNOLDS THE GAMECOCK Explorers of the USC Web site will notice a wider path when they search through hundreds of Web pages via the Internet’s most widely used search engine, Google. “The shift to the popular search engine means the main page is more comprehensive than ever,” said Kimberly South, the public information coordinator for University Technology. South said the basic search process on the site is the same and users won’t get bombarded with pop-up ads unless students click the World Wide Web option instead of the www.sc.edu option when the Google page pulls up. Google replaces the previously used Inktomi, a slower system which South said is less compatible with students’ needs and has frustrated them in the past. “It’s just a better search engine,” South said. “It’s easier to use, and everybody is familiar with it.” South said the decision to implement Google is in the wake of many other universities that have already done so. “It’s becoming the standard. It’s becoming what everybody is using,” South said. “Most companies and major universities are using Google as a search engine.” Stan Lawrimore, director of the Contractual Services Group, the technology division that has implemented the new system, said Google will be more compatible with our future architecture and needs of the university.” Making the switch to the popular search tool was made primarily because it is more comprehensive, and turning to Google is a step toward syncopating university services and information for the fastest and easiest access. “Google will help us move ahead with different projects that the entire university is working on,” South said, but added that it was a small drop in a bucket of many steps to help unify the university on developments, such as OneCarolina. South said no additional student activity fees were used to power Google. Regional and senior campuses throughout the USC system will be able to use the search as well. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecocknews@gwm.sc. edu Learn inside tips on business school admissions, score-raising GMAT* strategies, and M.B.A. career opportunities from a panel of admissions experts. August 4th 6:30 p.m. Columbia Kaplan Center Scott Kaplan, Associate Director of Graduate Admissions for the Moore School of Business, will be among the panel. Get the edge on business school admissions. Register for this free event today! | /fTJITfk 1-80C-KAP-TEST kaptest.com/edgeevents Ce/VhMfiwM AN HISTORIC RESIDENCE Efficiency One Bedroom Two Bedroom $525 $585 $620 Rent includes all utilities and cable TV. All rates quoted are month to month. (Leases available, prices subject to change) Located across from the University Of South Carolina Horseshoe and the State Capital, Cornell Arms offers the premier location for downtown living. (803) 799-1442 1230 PENDLETON STREET COLUMBIA, SC 29201