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Editorial: Your letters can help save USC-Union
19 months ago | 1512 views | 3 3 comments | 12 12 recommendations | email to a friend | print
What can you do to help keep USC-Union open?

Write a letter — or two —or even 200.

Gov. Mark Sanford’s proposed budget includes plans to close USC-Union, along with USC-Lancaster and USC-Salkehatchie to help reduce state expenses. He suggested that students who attend these branches drive to other USC campuses.

The impact these campuses have on their communities goes far beyond the funding each receives from the state. For example, USC-Union also has a branch in Laurens County and serves other surrounding communities. The Lancaster and Salkehatchie branches have similar impacts on their communities.

USC-Union Dean Dr. Hugh Rowland says it is critical for lawmakers in Columbia to know just what role the university plans in the lives of people in Union County and surrounding counties.

“Without educational opportunities, many of our people simply will not be able to drive 30 to 50 miles to go to college,” he says. “Ten to 20 years from now the economy of Union and other rural counties will be worse than it is now iof the university closes.”

If you have trouble putting your thoughts into words, the university has a template that makes it easier to begin a letter. Call the university at 427-8728.

The letters should be concise and to the point, but also should come straight from the heart about the importance of the university to the writer or to a family, according to State Rep. Mike Anthony, who suggested the letter writing campaign.

Here are the names and addresses of our state legislative delegation:

• State Sen. Creighton Coleman, P.O. Box 142, Columbia, S.C. 29202 (CBC@scsenate.org)

• State Sen. Harvey Peeler, 213 Gressette Building, Columbia, S.C. 29202 (med@scsenate.org)

• State Sen. Shane Martin, P.O. Box 142, 501 Gressette Building, Columbia, S.C. 29202 (ShaneMartin@scsenate.org)

• State Rep. Mike Anthony, 414-B Blatt Office Building, P.O. Box 11867, Columbia, S.C. 29211 (coachmikeanthony@yahoo.com)

• Gov. Mark Sanford, P.O. Box 12257, Columbia, S.C. 29211 (mark@sc.gov)

Let’s show our lawmakers that we want to keep our university.
comments (3)
« deniseh9731 wrote on Friday, Feb 27 at 12:31 AM »
I think it ludicrous that the there are plans to completely shut down a branch of higher education while, not too far from this location......somehow apparently there are people who have enough money to build a monument to themselves in the form of an elaborate credit union building, which is currently being constructed in Lancaster as I type this comment. Excuse me, but who ARE these people with cash to build while an educational facility gets closed down? Furthermore, exactly what people will have any money to withdraw? Apparently, these people know something we don't.
« mountainmadam wrote on Tuesday, Feb 10 at 12:37 PM »
When are we going to stop blaming "others" for the way we screw up our lives....we as individuals are responsible for the choices we make that cause success or failure....."RESPONSIBILITY" seems to be a word that is no longer used in our society.... Today, our "it's all about me" mentality keeps us from seeing what is happening in our country and the consequences that loom on the horizen.....it's not a democrat vs. republican problem, it's an "American" problem......

I know that society has to take care of the elderly, the infirm and children....and I don't mind that at all.....I do have a problem with taking care of substance abusers and people who think they were put here on earth to draw a "taxpayer" check every month......and can be totally irresponsible with "NO" consequences.....

What will happen to our country when the people that do work and pay taxes decide "why should I work either?" I think I'll just quit and let the (government/taxpayers) send me a check....Who will pay then?????

As for USC-U....Of course I hope they don't close it.....but the Governor of our state as well as all governors have to think of the "state" as a whole. I don't guess anyone wants to give up anything if it takes away from there district.....Soooo, what do we do??
« Browneyes2U wrote on Thursday, Feb 05 at 08:57 PM »
You know,we know that the desires of the people are not considered by the Governor.I have rattled the gates of the State House and the response I got was some Secretary asking me why the Special Need Children I defended in Sanford's cut meant so much. Ithink the most vulnerable of our state has been targeted for many cuts.If Union is not the most vulnerable along with the other counties

targeted then you tell me where they are.This and oother small counties have supplied an education for many people who would not have been able to get extended education.If we do not educate the special need children,they will not beable to do the things necessary to live without being institutionalised when their immediate family is no longer around.The medicaid is not much but it does allow children without insurance to see someone.The Republicans ideaology is "if you can't afford it you don't needit and if I have to share my wealth with the less fortunate,they have to do without. Some of our charitable religious facilities say" if that woman can smoke,she don't need food stamps for her children,healthcare for the kids she should not have had in the first place and we can stop these children from having childre by taking away all the "social help" through these great laws we have. Obama wants to change the rediculous Bush concept but if you read the state news paper today you will see that

no matter what your need is Sanford and DeMint is

out there trying to strike it down and telling Washington"SC don't need your money"It is not Washington's money,it is the people's tax dollar that is being spent to bailout the market and the banks.It is the bailout of the Republican disaster

for our nation.
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