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THE RED AND BLACK
Inside
Tailgating is more
than a way to get
killed. See p. 10.
VOLUME M. NUMBER 15
Georgia's only collegiate daily newspaper
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA. ATHENS. GEORGIA
OCT 1
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 12. I»77
broader scholarship rights
Regents ask
By GREGG STEINLE
State editor
The University System Board of Regents, meeting as a "committee of the whole,"
Tuesday made a “consensus of the board" recommendation that would greatly
expand the regents' ability to award scholarships.
The change, however, would require a constitutional amendment.
The board also discussed at length terms under which it could receive ownership of
250 acres of land at Fort Gordon in Augusta, which has been declared surplus by the
federal gnvenment.
Also discussed was the possibility of eliminating out-of-state tuition on a reciprocal
basis for students in adjoining states
The board will m«et again today.
Shealy McCoy, board treasurer and a member of the constitutional r> ision
committee, said Donat Payton, director of the Georgia Scholarship Commission GSC)
wants the Georgia constitution changed so state employes can receive educational
assistance in the form of waived tuition for courses that are directly job-related
A REVISION is necessary because the constitution prohibits state employes from
receiving gifts at the expense of the state
The regents are limited to awarding $200,000 in regent scholarships per year while
the hulk of state scholarship money is administered by the GSC. The constitutional
change would provide “very broad powers" which would allow the regents to waive
tuition and fees for an unlimited number of people, something they are now prevented
from doing.
Regent Erwin S. Friedman (Savannah) said this may he a good opportunity to try
to expand the regents' power in the area of scholarship administration
He said he could see no difference between reducing tuition and fees to zero and
awarding a scholarship The motion was unanimously passed in a form that, if passed
by the General Assembly, would give the regents that power
McCOY AND several regents indicated the change stood little chance of passage by
the legislature in that form Although no action was taken, the board discussed for
over an hour the terms by which the regents would have to abide if they choose to take
posssession of the land on which Fort Gordon golf course in Augusta is located
The federal General Services Administration recently declared the land surplus,
and the board is considering making application for possession under federal
guidelines allowing the department of Health, Education and Welfare to give property
away to educational syslems.
The board must agree to the following terms in order to take possession of the land
- The property must be utilized for 30 years in compliance wilh a program
submitted by the educational system before the property is awarded
—The land cannot be sold or leased without the prior written consent of HEW
—Any change in utilization must be approved in advance by HEW
Administration of the property must comply with Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights
Act and other equal-opportunity laws
IF ACCEPTED, the property would be under direct control of Augusta College That
institution has submitted a program for the regents' consideration containing a
commitment to operate the golf course as a public facility for 30 years
Regent Lamar Plunkett (Bowden) said he did not want to be in the business of
running a golf course, even though the property was of high value
The legality of such an operation was questioned because it is illegal for the board
to engage in a strictly money-making operation
Robert Stubbs a representative of the attorney general's office, said that because of
the education benefus to be derived from the golf course and the other 120 acres of
land included in the grant, the arrangement would be legal
The Augusta Golf Association has agreed to provide $200,000 as a guarantee against
losses during the first three years of operation
Wording of the program submitted by Augusta College indicated this money would
be ln ,h e form of a loan rather than a grant If so. it would be illegal for the board to
conclude the agreement because the regents are not empowered to commit the state
to a loan. Stuhhs said
The board decided to study the proposal further during today's meeting
THE BOARD also briefly discussed a query letter from the state of Tennessee
regarding the possible elimination of out-of-stale tuition for Georgia students studying
in Tennessee and vice-versa
t Chancellor George Simpson said the letter indicates "they're pretty serious about
Citing loss of out-of-state tuition fees as the onlvmajor drawback of the proposal
Simpson said similar arrangements would be expected by Florida and South Carolina
if granted to Tennessee. /
No one is certain how much money would be lost by such an arrangement, but $5
million a year, while described as deceptive” by Regent Milton T Jones (Columbus)
was the only figure mentioned
Simpson said he personally favors a national moratorium on out-of-state tuition
fees He brought the subject before the board for further study before the November <
repents' meeting
QUESTIONS OF QUALIFICATIONS
Hancock, Neal hassle over SAC
By JOEL BURKE
Staff writer
Student Government President Rob
Hancock has decided to stop reimbursing
Vice President Nancy Neal for her
monthly visits to Student Advisory
Council (SAC) meetings as the student
representative on the educational com
mittee of the Board of Regents
Hancock said the reason for this was
Neal’s inability to perform her job
correctly and her waste of executive
board money
"Nancy has spent more money than
anyone ever has in her position on the
executive hoard," he added "For
example, she has a habit of getting a
private room, as opposed to rooming with
a SAC member from another college "
SAC is a Georgia-wide organization of
University System student government
presidents who elect three representa
tives who meet w ith the Board of Regents
in three different committees Neal is
SAC's education committee representa
live.
HANCOCK SAI1) other evidence of
Neal’s incompetence was her behavior
during last year's nominations for SAC
representation on the buildings and
grounds committee of the Board of
Regents, Hancock said "After being
nominated. I was asked to leave while a
discussion followed During this discus
sion Nancy got up and said derogatory
things about me She also voted against
me. which I feel was not in the best
interest of the University.' Hancock said
He said his position on the building and
grounds committee would enable him to
push for a new student center at the
University.
Neal claimed Hancock has no power to
stop the reimbursement for her traveling
expenses We have philosophical differ
ences The executive budget is open for
all members of the executive branch to
use as they see fit.' Hancock said he did
have the authority to stop the
reimbursements, being president "It is
in the by-laws." he asserted
Both officials met Tuesday with
Student Activities Director William
Powell to clear up the difference. "They
decided to go to the judicial branch for
an answer," Powell said I think this is
the best course of action I don’t have the
power of knowledge to decide this case
The Student Judiciary will decide
whether the president has sole right to
determine where funds go or if all
members of the executive board can
decide." he said
NEAL SAID, "Rob just doesn't agree
with my views I don't think he was
qualified for the SAC committee position
so 1 voted against him He is trying to get
rid of me on personal reasons "
Hancock said the reimbursement
problem is part of a bigger problem.
Neal's inability to do her job." She has a
negative attitude about everything." he
said "She never informs me of what
happens at the SAC meetings "
"I don't think she is qualified for her
position." he said Hancock denied his
disagreements with Neal were for
Fierce struggle
When Wonder Woman tangles with Dionysus, only Aesop s I-ox can referee the
bout These characters and more will appear on the Fine Arts stage tomorrow
when the Acme Dance Company performs at 7:30 p m For more on the show, see
P »
personal gain. "I don't want the SAC
committee position anyway," he said
Both Hancock and Neal will be getting
in touch with Chief Justice Jeff Lanier of
the Judicial Council this week to decide
on the procedures to clear up the
conflict.
Director Powell said he felt the two
officers were handling the problem with
maturity "This is an example of good
leadership." he added Both students will
abide by the judicial council's decision.
Powell said.
Hancock said he offered to clear up the
conflict withm the executive bom hut
Neal did not like the suggestion, fearing
an unfair outcome "I feel tin** is ,m
internal conflict of the executive board
tiia* should be handled by us but this
(.going to the judiciary) is what Nancy
wants to do." he said
City amends
its merit system
By TOM BARTON
City editor
The Athens Mayor and Council
approved an amended version of the city
merit system and took action concerning
a parking problem near a Lumpkin
fraternity house at last night’s meeting
The council acted on the dismissal
"section of the merit system, which had
been invalidated by federal district court
Judge Wilbur Owens on Sept 22 for being
"vague "
"Since then, the city has been without
any means of dismissing employes
without being in contempt of court."
according to City Personnel Director Bob
Leyda
The City Personnel Board approved an
amended version of the dismissal section
Davison
returns
University President Fred C. Davison
is recovering from his recent surgery and
has been doing light work at his office
this week during the morning hours,
according to Director of Public Relations
Barry Wood
Davison is not yet keeping an
appointment schedule. Wood said, but he
is well ahead of the recovery schedule his
doctors predicted
on Sept 28 The new version used both
the Albany city merit system and the
Model Personnel Ordinance from the
North Carolina Institute of Government
as models. Ley da said
The judge was not specific in pointing
out the faults of the old dismissal section.
Leyda said but the board changed a few
items in the code, such as political
activity and conflict of interest, because
they were not clear
"The old version has been changed
somewhat, but in the end. it serves the
same purpose." he added
Near the end of the meeting. Second
Ward Councilman Bob Carson spoke of a
parking problem near the Kappa Psi
fraternity house. 1880 S Lumpkin, at
Westview Dr
Cars parked near the house make it
difficult for fire trucks to maneuver
through the area. Carson said, which
creates a dangerous situation "because
of this season" when fires are more
frequent
"Last year, 1 made two visits to the
house, and asked them to park in an
orderly fashion." Carson said
He added that they complied with his
second request, but that recently, the
problem has reappeared and it is
sometimes difficult for traffic to get
through the area
"Unfortunately, they have guests,
which are as much potential problems as
members." Carson said
The council then passed a motion to
have yellow lines painted on the curb. 114
feet in a westerly direction on Lumpkin
on the south side
Loans to students
By Til ARON GIDDKN8
Quick cash is usually slow in coming,
and it s practically impossible for
University students to get some from
loan companies in Athens
A steady source of income and an
established local residency of at least a
year are the minimum requirements to
receive a loan from most companies in
the city. Undergraduate students gener
ally fail to meet either one
Freshmen and sophomores are regar
ded as particularly high defaultment
risks "A freshman or sophomore could
come in for a short term loan to buy a
stereo, pack up at the end of the quarter
and not come back to Athens." according
to Lamar Lance, of Commercial Credit
Personal Loans
"We generally only loan to graduate
studeqts. or those with working wives, or
those attending on the GI bill, or those
with full time jobs," Lance said
Most of the smaller loan companies
profiled ineir customers as heads of
working class families who are personal
acquiantances "Students need quick
cash, which we don't handle." said one
manager
Graduate students are the bulk of the
student customers, making up about 10
per cent of the entire business of smaller
companies One company sees the
average student loan applicant as a grad
vudent. not MU M «Ml •
fulltime job or federal grant as income
Grad students generally apply for a
short term loan of Jess than $500. to
either pay off debts, or to make a major
appliance purchase such as a stereo
Graduates were frequently cited for early
repayment of their loans
Most loan companies said they referred
students who could not meet their
requirements to local banks leoans are
generally handled in local banks in the
form of issuing credit cards to qualified
student applicants Money can then be
borrowed on the card
Photo by LAURA GLOVER
Patiently waiting
T, "‘ lin. in the Bulldog Room sometimes seem endless More than one studenl has
been heaid to complain about the lengthy wait before he can order his Roast Beef
Bubbly This student, though apparently decided to pass the lime bv getting a cup
of water
OPIDS conducts survey
The Office to Promote the Indepen
dence of Disabled Studentv OPIDS is
currently conducting a campaign to
determine whether handicapped students
have problems with the University
graduation requirements or academic
procedures
The conflicts may arise from physical
sensory, or speaking disabilities, accord
mg to Jay Brill, director of OPIDS Th,
study is being dune as part of the
l niversity's effort to comply with Sectior
504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
hard to come by