Newspaper Page Text
'ag** * The Red and Black, Tuesday, September 23. 1975
JOYCE MURDOCH
EDITORIALS The c,an 9 er on y° ur id card
’****'**'' ™ Nn American riti7Pn can enroll in thn histories activities and annlicntinnc nf i .wnu.. ~ r„j 1 •_ .
$$$...
Student control of student
money (being activities fees)
promises to be a major issue for
student politicians this year.
Although the quarter has bare
ly started readers will already
have noticed an abundance of
material in this paper on who
should decide how the money is
spent.
We are sure more will come.
In fact, Steve Patrick, treasurer
of the senate, has a column
today on administration tactics
in controlling student money.
This basic issue boils down to
the $7.50 a quarter you pay in
activities fees. This is allocated
to organizations by the Student
Senate and then reviewed and
revised by the administration.
Campus politicos argue that
students alone have the right to
say how their money will be
spent. The administration argues
for a guiding hand to insure
fiscal responsibility and prevent
the possibility of personal griev
ances being taken out in alloca
tions.
Since schools in the university
system are banding together to
fight out the control issue, expect
to hear a lot about it this year.
We support student control
because we happen to believe
that students are responsible
adults who can handle their own
financial affairs.
But we would also like to point
out that this issue, more than
many campus political issues,
involves every student on this
campus directly.
It’s your money. Your $90 over
four years
It will take more than a group
of campus politicians to get
action; it’s going to take student
support. Or if you don’t care or if
you wouldn’t trust a campus
politician within an inch—the
people who control your money
should know that too.
So on this issue, speak out.
We’ll print ietters. Or stop by
SGA offices or talk to someone
in student affairs. It’s your
money so don’t just let someone
else walk off with the ball.
Whatever your opinion is, make
it count.
No American citizen can enroll in the
University of Georgia without giving his
Social Security number, according to the
admissions office.
On the surface this appears to be a
legitimate request because it facilitates
computerization of
records and virtual
anonimity in posted
grades. Also, using
Social Security
numbers is more
convenient for stu
dents because it
keeps us from hav
ing to memorize a
number that’s only
purpose is University identification.
However, federal regulations prohibit
the use of Social Security numbers for
anything except Social Security and tax
purposes Each S.S. card specifically
states the number is "not for identifica
tion."
If the University were the only organi
zation ignoring this prohibition, this
violation wouldn’t be worth mentioning.
Unfortunately, a multitude of organiza
tions across the nation misuse the Social
Security number system.
For example, Social Security numbers
are identification numbers for Georgia
Driver's licenses. Blue Cross — Blue
Shield Insurance, the U S. Army and
even U S. House of Representatives’
employees. In addition, a growing per
centage of financial transactions, such as
opening a savings account or applying for
credit, require Social Security numbers
for identification.
Joyce Murdoch is a former editor of The
Red and Black
The computer boom has led to a
dramatic increase in the nation’s records
systems. At last count the federal
government alone had over 8000 separate
record systems containing data on the
STEVE PATRICK
• • •
and more $ $ $
Charges have been made by the
University administration that students
are too irresponsible to handle their own
money or that the Student Senate, elected
democratically by students, is too politi
cal.
In what seems to
be a trend of tighter
control over practi
cally every phase of
University life, the f '
University
administration set
up the Allocations
Review Committee
'ARC) to oversee
the student activity fees a few years ago.
According to the dean of students,
changes had to be made in the student
budget because of the "political nature of
the senate’s allocations.”
Since students have gone through the
motion of allocating student activity fees,
both the Student Senate and the Senate
Allocations Committee each year have
spent scores of hours debating and
studying ways to allocate fairly the
acitivity fees. It seems each year the
Student Senate and the Senate Alloca
tions Committee have taken another step
to improve the process of allocation.
In 1972 the Student Senate Allocations
Committee released from students before
the items were voted on by the Senate.
On April 19, 1973, Treasurer Steve
Letzsch announced it was the unanimous
decision of the Senate Allocations Com
mittee to keep all of its meetings open A
standing invitation was made on April 26.
1973, to the dean of students to attend all
allocations meetings. However, Dean O.
Suthern Sims never attended and worked
only through the adminstration ARC.
This is the second in a series of editorials
on allocations written by Steve Patrick,
senate treasurer.
This year, the first official act of the
Senate Allocations Committee was to
vote unanimously for open meetings and
for standing invitations to University
officials to participate in committee
hearings and debate
While one effort after another has been
made to cooperate with the University
administration and to make the alloca
tions process more open ahd democratic,
the reverse has been true with the
administration's ARC. As reported in the
May 16, 1973, issue of The Red and Black,
ARC members were sworn to secrecy on
proceedings and on discussion of changes
in the student budget.
The meetings were closed to both
spectators and the press The thought of
people making decisions about students'
money in a veil of secrecy in intolerable.
The closed meetings of the ARC have
continued to this date Unless you want to
consider the most recent policy which
allows no more than three spectators at
the meetings and bans all members of
the press.
The secrecy of the ARC is not the only
tactic used by the administration to keep
students and the University community
uninformed and misled. Two other ex
amples come to mind — the changing
signature page of the student activity
budget and the more recent denial to
SGA officials of what is known as
transmitted documents. These documents
are sometimes known as "interoffice
communication,” a term that will prob
ably be seen again this year.
Each year the propsed student activity
budget is sent to the Board of Regents. It
‘s bound and on the first page of this
proposed budget is a signature page
which one would assume to indicate the
appropriate individuals approve the stu
dent activity budget
In 1972, this page began to change.
Student Treasurer David Burch refused
to sign the proposed 1972-73 Student
Activity Budget because of overallocation
made by the University administration
and because the budget failed to reflect
the wishes of the Student Senate. Where
as in previous years there was signature
line for the student senate treasurer, the
year Burch refused to sign the budget
this signature line was left out altogether
— certainly no accident on the printer's
part
The following year. Student Senate
Treasurer Steve Letzsch also refused to
THE RED AND BLACK
Deborah Blum, editor
Steve Burns,
Executive editor
Mike Millions,
Business manager
Kathy Hogan and Edie McLaurin. news editors; Jim Galloway and Sandi
Martin, associate news editors; Boh Longino, copy editor; Paul Curtis and
John Habich, state editors; Beverly Thomas, city editor; Lynn Plankenhorn,
feature editor; Bill Eichenberger, sports editor; Sandy Evans LOOKOUT!
editor. Kirk Duckworth, photography editor; Karen McKay, wire editor;
Kandy Burroughs, art director: Danny Williams, production manager
I lie Red and Black student newspaper of Ike
I nisersits of Georgia la published Tuesday
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paid al the Athens Pool Office. Athens. Georgia
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Subscription rale is SIS per year
histories, activities and applications of
Americans.
As. more and more records systems
rely on identification by Social Security
number, gathering data on a given
individual becomes much easier. The
best example of such coordination is the
Federal Bureau of Investigation's Crimi
nal Kile which contains the records of 21
million Americans who've been arrested.
This file's information is available to law
enforcement agencies throughout the
country to aid in the control of crime,
according to the FBI.
Why should the growing use of data
banks bared on Social Security numbers
worry the average, law abiding citizen?
First, the information cannot ade
quately be safeguarded so that it’s only
available to individuals who are author
ized to receive it.
The American Civil Liberties Union
reported that "an absence of effective
regulation, enforcement and sanctions
has allowed virtually unfettered dissemi
nation of criminal records far beyond the
authorized’ community: to private em
ployers, landlords, credit reporting agen
cies. educational institutions, insurance
companies, newspaper reporters and all
manner of social services, both public
and private." If the FBI misuses its
information, other record keeping insti
tutions can similarly be expected to
violate confidentiality.
Second, even supposing that informa
tion goes only to "authorized" persons,
there’s no guarantee that the data will be
accurate. Even normally reliable agen
cies, such as the Retail Credit Corpora
tion. have made errors that have had
almost unbelievable repercussions.
A bad credit rating, regardless of
whether it’s justified, can jeopardize a
person's job and ability to get a
mortgage or car and cause untold other
problems. If may take months or years
(or be impossible) to get the error
corrected and passed on to all the
organizations that received the false
information.
As more computers use Social Security
numbers for identification, it becomes
increasingly easy for misinformation to
be disseminated quickly.
This summer the Social Security ad
ministration found that its own compu
ters were responsible for over $400
million in over payments to Social
Security recipients Obviously, untold
mistakes must be made that aren’t
caught, if an error of this magnitude can
be made before an agency catches it.
Finally, information that properly be
longs in one record may have no
legitimate reason to be in another. This
would be the case of the middle-aged
man whose insurance company file noted
that he'd once been hospitalized for
cancer but was later cured. If his
employer had access to this file, he might
react in the typical way toward cancer
patients and fire the man who’d turn out
to be more a victim or predudice and
Social Security identification numbers
than of disease.
It should be clear by now that the
dangers of inter locking record systems
based on Social Security numbers aren't
something out of a science fiction novel.
Rather, they are a problem that needs to
be dealt with immediately.
Already we live in a society where
giving one’s number is expected and
unquestioned. And no loud objections
were heard earlier this year when a U.S.
Senator suggested that the government
instigate a federal work permit system
under which every employe would have
to prove his citizenship by showing a
permit before he could be hired. Follow
ing this proposal would probably accom
plish its aim of reducing the number of
illegal immigrants holding jobs at the
cost of infringing on Americans’ Consti
tutional rights.
Fortunately, the trend toward record
ing more and more information about
individuals may be partially off-set by
the Privacy Act of 1974 which will take
effect Sept. 27.
This law will aid individuals in finding
out what information the federal govern
ment has about them and let them
correct any errors. (The ACLU expects
to publish a booklet soon on how to get
access to the government’s records on
yourself.)
Although the Privacy Act is a step in
the right direction, the use of Social
Security numbers for identification needs
to be stopped. Information swapping
between organizations about an indivi
dual should occur only with his know
ledge and consent.
For example, if I want a credit agency
to have my University, bank or driving
record. I'll release that information. But
1 don’t want it given out without my
approval.
The present identification system that
the University and many other .organiza
tions use aids in the unwarranted sharing
of personal information.
Therefore, the University should heed
the federal law against use of Social
Security numbers for identification and
return to the use of its own numbering
system. The inconvenience caused by this
change would be far outweighed by the
privacy it would restore
sign because of administration changes.
In 1973, the administration changed the
signature page so instead of the student
treasurer and other University adminis
trators giving approval for the budget,
the senate treasurer would only propose,
the ARC review, the dean of students
would recommend, and the provost and
president of the University would ap
prove.
To make it even more interesting,
Letzsch did not give permission for his
signature to be used in the manner that it
was. He never signed the revised
signature page but simply had his
signature lifted from the activity budget
he sent directly to the Board of Regents
and the president of the University.
Last year. Treasurer Bobby Tankersly
did sign the signature page as it had been
revised in 1973. This year, the ARC, Dean
Louise McBee and President Fred Davi
son, again made changes in the student
budget. I, as Student Senate treasurer,
could not in good conscience sign a
student budget that was in reality an
administration budget designed to meet
their needs and not students’.
1 was also determined not to allow the
University administration to use my
signature in the same manner they had
with Letzsch. Need I say — the Univer
sity did away with all signatures except
for Davison and Vice President for
Business and Finance Allan Barber.
In early summer, I discovered the ARC
approved the funding for a student
lawyer and McBee also approved the
Student Senate proposal for a lawyer
and forwarded her other recommenda
tions and changes to the president.
Though to this date it has not been
publically or officially announced, it was
Davison who vetoed the proposal for a
student lawyer
During the summer, the Student Senate
passed a resolution asking that the
chairman of the ARC, the dean of
students and the president of the Univer
sity send the actual changes of the
student budget as well as any accom
panying transmitted document from each
ievel of review to the Senate Allocations
Committee
Acting recorder of the summer senate
Nancy Cline sent the resolution and a
letter to those individuals in mid-summer
and to this date has only received one
letter from McBee stating only the
changes made in the student budget.
I was particularly interested in the
student lawyer I was told by former
Dean of Students Louise McBee that
University lawyers Ralph Beaird and Bill
Soloman had done some legal research
on whal are and what are not public
documents.
II was their opinion that the "interof
fice communication" was not necessarily
a public document and McBee. Douglas
and Davison did not have to provide
transmitted documents for anything The
ground work has been laid for the
University to further deny information to
members of our University community.
It seems that if the SGA is to present
arguments before various levels of re
view or before the Board of Regents, it
would be important to know the rationale
of University administrators in making
changes Also, it is important that
students know who is supportive of
students' positions and who is not.
However, as long as there arc people
and institutions which deny information
to the public and as long as there are
professions, such as lawyers, who use
their skills to support oppressive and
secretive ways within those institutions of
our society, then change towards a more
open and democratic society will lie slow
and participation, vital to a democracy,
will be frustrated and stymied
'O'flappenS) nefe • fcunrecoil
leiiersSleiters
Forget past events'
TO THE EDITOR:
In response to Randy Franklin's editorial
of Sept. 18th, we agree that the circum
stances surrounding the briefing of the
Allocation Review Committee student
members were regrettable. Fortunately,
our working relationship has been re
stored and is improving as we work
towards student control of student fees.
We feel it mor^ important that we not
belabor past events but seek campuswide
unity for restored confidence in student
government. This is the only way we can
effectively represent you.
JODIE O’CONNELL
President
Student Government Association
STEVE PATRICK
Treasurer
Student Senate
CAROLYN WILDES
Administrative Vice President
Student Government Association
Question your
own ethics'
TO THE EDITOR:
Randy Franklin's
latest effort was, it not disappointing.
certainly disturbing. Although 1 am
always happy to hear Randy’s two cents
worth, his production has apparently
failed to rise with the level of inflation.
Admittedly, it was somewhat refresh
ing to discover that Franklin cannot be
bought (not that his product is all that
marketable) However, I deeply resent
being ushered through a melodrama
where the names are excluded to protect
the guilty. The experience was somewhat
akin to reading a mystery novel without
ultimately being told who the culprit is.
If, indeed, someone did attempt to
peddle power with Franklin, he had an
obligation -to immediately bring the
entire incident to light, names and all By
waiting several months to disclose the
sordid happening and by refusing to
reveal the names of those involved,
Franklin afforded himself the maximum
ot self-righteous glory-basking at the
minimum risk I cannot help but be
curious as to whether Franklin penciled
in the word "applause" after his.by now
historical revelations.
In bringing forth these “non-ethics in
SGA,"office without the public being
warned of his scandalous behaVior.
(Fortunately, Franklin assured me that
even without his help, the voters were
wise enough to reject said candidate.)
It Franklin refused to sell out to the
power-brokers, he dealt his soul at a
bargain basement price to an equally evil
merchant I refer to the selfish psuedo-
ethic that forces it subscribers to place
personal glory belore public interest and
price security before professional re
sponsibility. Perhaps he does not appear
richer to the transaction, but then, what
can you buy nowadays with 30 pieces of
silver?
FI) GREEN
Editor's note: Ed Green’s assumption
that the student politieian who apparently
tried to make a deal with former editor
Randy Eranklin was a candidate for
office is incorrect. The Franklin column
last week said the person in question was
“considering seeking the office of student
body president." However, that candi
dacy never got off the ground and the
student concerned did not appear before
the voters.
Letters Policy
Letters to the editor should:
•Be typed, double spaced, on a
60-space line
•Be brief, to the point.
•Include name, • address and
phone number of contributor.
Mail letters to rne Red and
Black. 309 Journalism building.
University of Georgia. Athens. Ga!
10602 or bring by 309 Journalism
building.