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_ News _ Greene Street crime raises concerns bv Patrick Rathbun Staff Writer USG students are worried about the safety of the walk ing route from campus to Five Points via Greene Street. News of recent muggings, and the darkness of the area, are the main causes for concern, although the lack of suffi cient public transportation is also a concern. Director of Student Life Jerry Brewer said, “It’s defi nitely an area that needs attention with all that tree cover. Residents that live there and students who use the street need to make their feelings known.” A female USC student, who asked not to be identified, was recently mugged on Greene Street. She said, “I don’t feel safe on campus. Greene Street is very dangerous. It needs better lighting and better patrol. If someone is going to commit a crime, girls are the easier target. There should be a focus on better patrol.” Media arts sophomore Chip Boyes sees the Greene Street area as dangerous for males, also. “Lighting could help because people are more prone to walk, thereby reducing drinking and driving,” he said. “The more walkers there are, the less the danger.” Journalism sophomore Angela McCurry expressed her fear of the Greene Street route and the view that girls are not the only targets. “I do think it’s very dangerous, not just for girls, but for boys, as well,” she said. “I’ve heard stories about people stuck in bad situa tions, walking. Because of those things, it should be an alert to whoever’s in charge to do something as soon as possible.” McKenzie’s Pub’s Bartender/Manager Craig Jeffries shared a concern for the Greene Street area and the effect it could have on Five Points’ businesses. “P would be in favor of anything] that the city could do to make sure the Pave Points] area continues to pros per,” he said. “The general security of the area should be looked ar. It’s in the best interest of the city to focus on people that cause problems, instead of just college students, so hard. The trolleys don’t run long enough or have convenient enough stops for students going to Five Points, and the USC shuttles don’t take into consideration students wanti ng to go. to Five Points.” Village Idiot Manager Dustin Conley voiced similar concerns for Five Points businesses. ' “I could see how the dangers of Greene Street would affect business,” he said. “I’d encourage the city to improve or upgrade the lighting system [on Greene Street].” USC’s Director of Law Enforcement and Safety, Ernie Ellis, encouraged any improvement of the area, saying, “We favor and support anything that improves our service to the community, and lighting [of the area] would de crease the criminal element.” Lt. McGraw of District 4 of the Columbia Police De partment said several crimes in the area went unreported. “Wfe had a phone call from a young lady at USC citing 10 instances of muggings a week and a half ago,” he said. “But, based on reports... there are no concerns expressed, and no reports of incidents. If there’s a need, we’ll address it, but not at this particular juncture.” Lt. McGraw said he followed up and made inquiries regarding the reported muggings, but nothing came of it. According to Patricia Phaup of Sexual Assault Ser vices, the U.S. Justice Department said nine out of every 10 sexual assault crimes go unreported. Phaup advised students under the influence to follow certain procedures when walking in potentially dangerous areas. “Clearly when we are under the influence, the sixth sense is not in place. [Students should] use cab services, walkjn groups or call Alpha Phi Omega [escort services].” Power from page 1 The maintenance department could not be reached for comment. The department of Eneigy Services provides electricity for the entire USC campus. Stevenson said there are power ca bles unde [ground all over campus. “We distribute power from the col iseum to the Roost,” he said. “We are actually like a small power company,” Stevenson said, “and it [pow er failures] is something all power companies have to deal with from time to time. It-happens to companies like SCE&G all the time.” The department of Energy Services will submit on Thursday a plan to the Board of Trustees to upgrade the power cables and electrical switches on cam pus. USC’s Facilities Master Plan calls for the expenditure of an estimated $1.7 mil lion to replace most of the under ground cable and some transformers, as well as older electrical switches. The upgrade is needed, Stevenson said, because the current cables are get ting old. “The upgrade will make power out ages less frequent” Stevenson said. Safety from page 1 the call boxes are more for mental secu rity and less of a benefit to campus safe ty, USCPD Law Enforcement and Safe ty Director Ernie Ellis said he thinks there’s another reason USCPD hasn’t received many calls. “Students are afraid to use them,” he said. “Some students feel a catastro phe has to happen before using one [a call box]. If you are parked behind the Coli seum late at night, we’d much rather come to something like that [than not prevent a potential crime].” “It’s a service, as well as a use for emergency,” Ellis added. “I’ve not talked to a police officer yet who minds doing that [escorting a student to a destination].” Of the 95 no-show callers, some of them have been caught crying wolf. Richard Conant, chairman of USC’s faculty senate Safety Committee, said, “I went out on a call one night, and we re sponded in 30 seconds. Of course, no one was there.” Ellis said, “To use the call boxes as a prank is a dangerous circumstance. This individual endangers the officer, so the discovery of any act of a prank can and will put the student up to the law crimi nally. They will be brought to the USC Judiciary Board as well as the state mag istrate.” Garbade said, “We [the USCPD] don’t like to go outside the campus area, but if Columbia [police] want us to, we could, technically. Wfe are in a unique position here at the university, being a city with in a city, but we really just look to pro tect our students here the best we can.” Garbade understands this problem and said that the call boxes are accessible and accurate, but they are useless if the stu dent is not willing to use one for help, even if it means just trusting his or her “gut instinct.” “Yeah, maybe I would use a call box, but I seldom think about that. 1 don’t re ally know how to use one. And what if I’m not close to one when I’m in trou ble?” said Hui Cao, a 2nd-year graduate student. Garbade said, “At the most, it should take a student 10 to 15 seconds to run to one [a call box]. The call is then put oof over the radio, and the microphone can pick up a good 50 to 60 feet. Wfe’ll hear what’s going on, and by the time the call is picked up, someone’s already on then way, regardless of what we can hear in the background.” “Wfe do not feel the blue lights [call boxes] are very effective only in the night, but in the day, as well,” Garbade said. Calvin Gallman, Victim-Witness Co Call Boxes see page 4 Bicentennial from page 1 “Each college... has a development officer, and they focus on the alumni and friends of that college,” he said. Phlegar said it costs the university about 5 cents to raise a dollar. “We’re very proud of that,” he said, noting that the national average is 16 cents for every dollar. However, the univeisity doesn’t spend all the money it takes in, according to Jer ry Brewer, (Erector of Student Life. The money usually isn’t spent im mediately, and some of it may never be spent. The money that isn’t spent is in vested, and the income from that mon ey is spent. For example, with an endowment, the university never spends the original donation, but only the income from the investment’s return. Some donations are given on the con dition the university will never spend the principal. Brewer said the money has support ed many projects, such as the Strom Thur mond Fitness and Wellness Center and the Dobson Community Service Intern ship Program. The internship program will begin in spring 2000. Under the internship program, the university will sponsor students who want to do a semester or more of community service. Brewer said the program received $1 million, though it wasn’t immedi ately clear how many students would ben efit from the program. “That one is still being developed and evolved,” he said. Brewer said the funds would also have an effect on the university’s Master Plan. “It certainly moves it along a lot quicker,” he said. Snyder said the funds would also help the school’s drive to enter the American Association of Universities, since they go toward scholarships, academic pro gram enhancement and faculty enhance ment. “All three of these are key elements toward AAU status,” he said. The campaign may have also helped in the university progress in U.S. News and World Report, Snyder said. The university climbed from a third tier school last year to a second tier school • this year in the magazine’s annual rank ing of public and private schools across the nation. It shows that people have confidence in what the university is doing, he said. Phlegar said he hoped the university would continue to raise funds at the S50 million and above level. “The needs are certain ly there,” he said. “They’re very great.” Mandatory Renewal & Treasurer's Workshops All registered student organizations must be represented by the President, or designated executive officer, at a Renewal & Treasurer's Workshop to continue to be recognized as a registered student organization at the University of South Csiro\\r\Si (even if you do NOT receive student activity funds). All Treasurers of organizations that receive, or are planning to receive student activity funds during the 1999-2OOO school year, must also attend a Workshop. Renewal & Treasurer1© Workshops will be held on the following dates: Thursday, September 9 vlonday, September 13 vlonday, September 13 vlonday, September 13 'uesday, September 14 Vednesday, September 15 3:30-5 pm 3:30-5 pm 5- 5:30 pm 6- 7:30 pm 3:30-5 pm 3:30-5 pm Russell House 322/326 Russell House Ballroom C Russell House 322/326 (for GREEK5 only) R. H. Ballroom C (for 5P0RT5 CLUB5 only) Russell House 322/326 Russell House 322/326 An Executive Officer must attend a workshop and submit a registration form by Priday, September l /, For more information about Renewal/Registration, contact the Campus Activities Center at 777-5730. Any questions concerning funding should be directed to Student Government at 777-2654. _ . -I r—-1 ____