Newspaper Page Text
b!
»>
THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 1974
S/S
RED AND BLACK
Georgia's only collegiate dally newspaper
WEATHER
The werkemu owt.auk can
for parti/ 1 cloudy oldoa
with . scattered ihowan
aad thundershowers la the
afternoons and eveolaga.
Highs should be in the Wa
and Iowa in the M’s.
THE UNIVER8ITY OF GEORGIA ATHENS. GEORGIA MM2
VOLUME 81. NUMBER 7
AID investigation reveals
Gameroom fund misuse
By MITCHELL SHIELDS
Executive editor
A recently released study by AID, the
investigative agency of the Student
Government Association’s executive
branch, has uncovered use of gameroom
funds that AID director Scott McLarty
has termed “harmful to a sound fiscal
policy."
The funds, according to the report,
were used at varying times during the
past year to cover deficits in the
University accounts of the Interfraternity
Council and the department of Cultural
Affairs.
According to Dr. William Powell,
director of student activities, the deficits
were covered to “help out the student
groups.”
“IK WE hadn't given the money (to
Cultural Affairs) they would have ended
up $4,000 short when the books closed in
June, and they would have faced trou
ble,” Powell said. "I would rather take
the trouble on myself."
A $3,000 “interest free loan” to IFC
was also approved by Powell because it
“was the best option available at the
time,”
“Concert programming had not been
what it was in the past,” Powell said,
“and at the end of fall quarter IFC didn't
have enough money to cover costs from a
concert. I had a meeting with (then IFC
advisor) Randy Farmer, (then IFC
president) Herbert Bond and (Student
Activities bookkeeper) Mary Mangham
to decide what could be done.
“Farmer and I suggested it might be a
good idea to take $3,000 from the
gameroom monies and transfer it to the
IFC account as sort of an interest free
loan The IFC had three options — get a
loan in town, let the bills ride, or have us
bail them out. I decided this would be the
best option.”
A high level ad hoc committee investi
gating grievances within the geology
department met Tuesday to receive
information from Professor Armando A
Giardini concerning the internal situation
of the geology department
A reporter and photographer from The
Red and Black were barred from the
meeting despite requests by Giardini and
his attorney Alan Alexander that the
meeting be open to the press and public.
The committee was appointed by John
C Stephens, dean of arts and sciences.
V$nd University President Fred Davison
upon the recommendation of an earlier
committee which investigated charges by
Dr. Edward A. Stanley that some
members of the geology department were
carrying out unethical practices.
The first committee, according to
geology department head Norman Herz,
did not discover any evidence of wrong
doing but said the allegations were
“symptomatic" of other problems in the
department. The second committee was
instituted to investigate these problems
Giardini was "called before the secret
high-level University investigative com
mittee to defend myself for having taken
stands in support of good teaching and
for student safety," a statement released
by Giardini said.
The $4,000 deficit in the Cultural Affairs
account Also came about due to a
concert, Powell said. He commented that
the Mandrill concert suggested to Cultur
al Affairs by the Black Student Union
“was the biggest concert fiasco of the
year" and resulted in the debt
McLARTY SAID he saw "nothing
wrong with the transfer accounting, but
we feci it should be properly budgeted. I
really don't like the idea of transfering
monies to the IFC and Cultural Affairs.
Thissimply undermines the SGA’s attempt
to run a tight fiscal ship."
SGA President J Rivers Walsh said the
AID investigation was made “to help
develop a sound fiscal policy for student
monies. Our belief is that deficits in one
account should not be covered by another
account.”
McLarty also said he felt the people in
Cultural Affairs “should have come to
the student senate treasurer when they
saw they would be in debt. The SGA hak
a contingency fund to cover things like
that.”
THE AID investigation was begun
spring quarter following a discussion of
the gameroom account during the se
nate’s allocation's hearings. At that tine
a number of student senators questioned
what use was being made of money
generated by the gameroom and suggest
ed that the University Union’s budget
e.i ht be cut in anticipation of gameroom
income. Powell reacted to that by
clan ling the gameroom’s income was
needed to cover minor expenses at the
Unie
At irding to Walsh, the senate interest
plus executive branch interest" spurred
the it estigation.
In me report. AID listed seven facts
they h.nl discovered during their investi
gation The facts concern the gameroom
account and conclude by saying “a
COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN Jerome L.
Clutter refused to discuss specific details
about the meeting but said. "We're just
trying to gain information."
According to Giardini. a letter from
Clutter listed three items for the meet
ing’s agenda: a) for the committee to
receive Giardini's thoughts on the current
status of the geology department, b) to
review significant events that have
transpired within the department, and cl
to “receive full information concerning
any grievances you (Giardini) (eel have
been inflicted upon you "
Clutter also declined to release any
information about the committee's pro
gress in its investigation
"I can't give you any substantive
information about the progress 1 don't
think that would be appropriate,” he
said
CLUTTER SAID the meeting was
closed to the press because the committee
decided "it's not in the best interest of
the University or of the people involved
in this for you to be present "
"I was told the committee is honest
and seeks the truth. 1 have nothing to
hide," said Giardini in his statement
"Since the University administration
has already aired some of the issues via
an open letter and the public press. I
assumed that the press was welcome I
certainly welcome the press.'' he contin
ued
possibility exists that this fund (game-
room ai count i is used to lend money to
‘favored groups."
When csked about this, McLarty denied
he was ■ iaking any allegations but only
“shownu. 1 what was possible with the
present way gameroom funds are budget
ed.”
ALONG WITH their investigation, AID
has mad' four recommendations to
cliunge d" present gameroom account.
The i ■ ■ mmendations ask that the
an 11 <Hiii account no longer be used as
i contingency or ’slush’ fund,” “It be
budgeted and allocated following estab
lished l diversity procedures concerning
income accounts," “no transfers or loans
be given any student organization through
Audit
By NANCY BLACK
Associate news editor
Dean of Student Affairs Louise McBee
said Wednesday that she could not
support a statement made by Interfrater
nity Council President Kelly Browning
that there had been “no misuse of funds
by IFC.**
McBee said that "because of missing
checks and lack of documentation to
support the audit, no firm statement
could be made yet." She said that the
audit is "inconclusive at this point."
ALEXANDER QUESTIONED the com
mittee’s decision to close the meeting in
respect to the Georgia sunshine law
Clutter answered his contention by
saying. "Our counsel feels this is in no
way part of the sunshine act. This is just
like the dean (of arts and sciences) doing
business in his private office."
"We’re acting here as a committee
appointed by the dean. We re conducting
the affairs of his office,” added Clutter.
During the meeting, according to
Giardini. his attorney formally requested
that the press be admitted, but to no
avail.
CONTRARY TO Clutter's assertion
that the committee was appointed by the
dean to conduct the affairs of his office.
Giardini said a letter he had received
from Davison said members of the
committee were mutually chosen by
Stephens and Davison
“They are supposed to report both to
the president and the dean, but they keep
referring to it as the dean's committee."
Giardini pointed out
The committee is composed of mem
bers Clutter, forest resources; Walter
Phillips, law W Jackson Payne, micro
biology; Edmund B Feldman, art. and
Cl\do Noble. ps>chology
Clutter said he has no idea as to
when the new committee's report might
bo completed
an> account." and that "if such transfers
or loans arc permitted to be made, we
recommend that effective communication
bo established in regards to such matters
between the Student Activities Funds
Office, the University Business Office,
the s.udent senate treasurer, and the
Activities Review Committee."
Walsh said the report and the recom
mendations had been turned over to Dean
of Student Affairs Louise McBee and
Vice-President for Business-Finance Al
lan Barber.
"The administrators I’ve talked to are
concerned this happened and interested
in stopping it," Walsh said. "I believe
action will be taken.”
Walsh said, however, that no action
was being recommended against Powell.
No mention of missing checks in
connection with the recent audit of IFC
had previously been made. However, one
source has said that there were 74 of 150
checks missing from the IFC books over
a two and one half year period.
MeBEE'S COMMENTS came following
a statement from Browning that he is
"completely convinced that there was no
mishandling of funds, profits made by
individuals or any other action that could
be construed as misuse by the IFC or the
office of Student Affairs."
Browning said in a statement released
yesterday to The Red and Black that both
McBee and Ken Reece of internal
auditing were in agreement on this point.
McBee labeled Browning’s statement
as "broad” and commented. “I. wouldn't
go that far."
Reece also disagreed with Browning's
statement, saying he preferred to "let the
audit speak for itself."
Reece said he could make no judgment
because of the missing checks and docu
mentation that McBee mentioned Reece
said. “In many cases we don't know what
happened to a given receipt or docu
ment." Reece indicated that his office
had “exhausted all available sources to
find the missing checks and documents "
BOTH Me BE E and Browning agreed
that many of the problems within the
audit stem from "sloppy bookkeeping
and poor record keeping of paid invoices"
i>\ the IFC
Browning said. "There were some
records of dues taken in and an
accumulation of income that were not
documented as to source." He blamed
this on the “past advisor's restructuring
of the file*."
In the statement. Browning called a
VUXX) loan made last November to the IFC
by the department of student affairs a
“tactical error." Browning said the loan,
which was made with Union gameroom
profits, was "unsolicited."
Browning also cited "poor student
response to 1F(-sponsored concerts" as a
reason for IFC’s financial problems
Browning's statements came after a
recent rumored deficit and a subsequent
audit of IFC by the University's depart
ment of internal auditing
It was originally rumored :hat the IFC
was up to $<>.000 in debt However.
Browning has repeatedly denied this.
Two weeks ago at a meeting to review
llic audit it was announced that the audit
would Ik- released last week Browning,
though. indicated that the audit would not
Ik- released until later tins week.
Committee meets
on Geology problems
By THOMAS R. FRANKLIN
Copy editor
McBee can t support
IFC president's claim
Photo by BILL DURRENCE
Finale coming
Be sure to read the story about problems handicapped students must face at the
University in next week s expanded final summer quarter issue In addition to the
usual new coverage, the final issue will have sections on academics, student
affairs, sorts, Athens potpourri and LOOKOUT! In depth interviews with Student
Government Association President J Rivers Walsh, University President Fred
Davison and Dean of Student Affairs Louise McBee will be included along with
stories about bookstore cost comparisons, what happens when a student is arrested
and a special preview of Georgia's football team with an analysis of next fall's
lineup.
Campus center
conflict brewing?
By JON COOGLE
A conflict over the establishment of a
south campus center appears to be
shaping up between the Student Govern
ment Association (SGA* and University
Campus Planning
"If an appropriate location is found we
will be glad to set up a suitable vending
machine facility for the south campus
students." Joe Broadhurst. director of
the business services office of campus
planning said
J Rivers Walsh, president of the SGA.
said. "Neither the Student Government
Association nor the Ag Hill Council will
accept such a Hole-m the-Ground-type
operation'.'and that the SGA will strive to
attain a facility similar to the Bulldog
Room
Walsh said that the SGA will not accept
a vending machine area because it might
deter future attempts to get a better
facility for south campus students
Scott McLarty, director of the SGA AID
program said he had earlier stated that
Hole-in-the-Ground is inadequate in the
opinion of north campus students "We
don’t need to make another mistake by
erecting another facility like this," he
said
According to Broadhurst, the money
for such a facility as the Bulltfcg Room*
would be a definite problem "There isn’t
enough of this kind of business on
campus to justify a facility that requires
staffing with paid personnel (as opposed
to vending machines). The Bulldog Room
is not breaking even as it is." he said
Broadhurst said that Walsh had not
contacted him about anything being
wrong with another Hole-in-the-Ground
'Til be glad to work with Mr Walsh if he
lias any suggestions," he said.
Capsule News<s^^
Streakers cases pending
The cases against ten persons arrested in alarcn on enarges ot puonc muecency
during streaking activities are still pending in state court, but Clarke County
Solicitor Ken Stula predicted the cases will be called to court during the August
term of the court
The ten persons arrested were Mark Kirley. Anthony J Lucas, Emory Hicks, >
Mark Ford, Lee Ford, Robert Gregory KempI, Marvin David Newbron. Craig
Cummings, Phil McCormick, and Edward Driskell
Victor Allen Bailey was also arrested but later released and his bond refunded.
Authorities would not reveal the reason for his release
Eberhard named head
Dr Wallace B Eberhard was named head ol me journalism sequence in me school
of journalism last week, according to an announcement by Warren K. Agee.
Eberhard Was acting head for the past year
Eberhard, an assistant professor and former newspaper and magazine reporter
and editor, and also serves as regional director of the Society for Professional
Journalists-Sigma Delta Chi.
I The journalism sequence prepares students for news and editorial careers with
papers, press associations, magazines, and the broadcast media.
