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Vol. 93, No. 14 Fl*lCtcl September 10, 1999_ Serving the Carolina Community since 1Q08 www.gamecock.sc.edu UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA Columbia, S.C. » Scientific Progress USC biological research yields advancements fc by Kelly Haggerty Staff Writer A USC professor has made a break through in cancer research. Vicki Vance has made a scientific breakthrough while studying plant viral diseases. She has created a way that could hypothetically allow tobacco plants to produce anti-cancer drugs. For years, scientists have been genet ically engineering plants to produce sub stances of medical importance in plants. Their experiments, however, revealed that too little of the substances could be made to have an effect. Vance found that a gene product of a potyvirus called Pl/HC-Pro, when introduced into plants, would not limit the amount of substance produced. “It is so exciting because it is inter esting to me. I can hardly sleep because my mind works on it all the time,” Vance said. When other scientists introduced genes to plants, their antiviral defense mecha nism inhibited the genes from perform ing. This is called gene silencing, and the Pl/HC-Pro actually reverses the silenc ing process. More than a month ago, Vance had a patent issued for the use of Pl/HC-Pro, which she called a “booster sequence.” She has been the first in her field to do so. Graduate student Radha Anandalak shmi co-wrote a paper on the research with Vance. “It is very exciting because we had the first paper on the viral sup pressor of gene silencing in plants. We are kind of in competition with other labs now, so it’s fun,” Anandalakshmi said. Graduate student Allison Mallory said, “I think it’s amazing. I’m really glad to be working in this lab right now because it’s cutting edge.” Biology junior Bryan Mathis is work ing for the first time in lab. He said, “To Biology see page 2 ~]Two cars collided at the intersection of Sumter and Pendleton streets. oEAN r\ AYFORD PHOTO EDITOR The last car is removed from a four-car accident that occurred Thursday afternoon at Sumter and Pendleton streets. Police officers were there to help direct the traffic at the busy intersection. An ambulance escorted an unknown amount of victims to a local hospital. « SG resolves to investigate online voting by Brandon Larrabee Staff Writer Student Senate rn I-===g:—‘--1 I._ A resolution supporting an investigation into online voting for Student Government became the first bill to pass the student senate this semes ter. The resolution, which passed unanimously at the senate meeting Wednesday, was sponsored by Sens. Adam Dawkins and Patrick Gearman. According to the resolution, “the Student Senate of the University of South Carolina does hereby offer its full support to the Elections Com mission and to the Computer Services Division in their investigation of the designing of an online vot ing system to be implemented in future student gov ernment elections.” The bill does not support hav ing an online voting system, just the investigation into one. The bill’s sponsors said the bill woukl make vot ing for Student Government easier. Dawkins and Gearman’s resolution remains the only bill passed by student senate so far this se mester. Wednesday’s meeting was the group’s third. However, Dawkins and Gearman, who co-chair the Judiciary Committee, say the number of bills passed so far is not unusual. Most bills must pass the Judiciary Committee before being voted on by the full senate. “This is actually the norm,” Dawkins said. He said there are two resolutions in the Judiciary Com mittee, and the committee itself might draft some legislation in the near future. “1 would say, right now, we’re [at] our average,” Gearman said. “It will pick up.” Dawkins agreed that more bills would come lat er this semester. “I know that there are ideas floating around everywhere,” he said. Both senators also agreed that the numbers of bills would increase after the senate’s retreat Sun day. “At the actual retreat is where they are formally taught to write a bill,” Dawkins said. He said “a tremendous amount of brainstorming” takes place at the retreat. Gearman said many of the new senators on last year’s retreat were surprised to learn that sen ators not on the Judiciary Committee could write bills. Dawkins said he thought student senate would pass many effective bills this year. “I think that, definitely, you’re going to see a lot of very effective'changes coming out of the sen ate this year,” he said. In other action Wednesday, the senate unani mously approved Student Body President Malik Husser’s nominations for the student members of the university committees. They include Julie Fridell and James Potts for Academic Responsibility, Tony Holcak for Registration and Amanda Veldman for Student Scholarship and Financial Aid. Senate absences Wednesday included Sens. Regi nald Cooper and Erin Shakelford. ‘I think that, definitely, you're going to see a lot of very effective changes coming out of the senate this year.’ Adam Dawkins Judiciary Committee co-chairman New registrar vows to improve communication i---: Jess Matthews The Gamecock Located on Greene Street, the registrar's office is on the third floor of Petigru. This entrance is accessible from the Horseshoe. by Philip Burt Senior Writer Barbara Blaney has been named USC’s new registrar, and one of her goals is improve communication at USC. USC had been searching for a reg istrar since February. Blaney, whose ap pointment was effective August 16, is not a new face at USC. “It’s not a new home for me, but it is a new role,” she said. Blaney has served as associate reg istrar at USC since 1990 and as director of registration from 1977-82. During the interim, she was university registrar for the University of North Carolina in Char lotte. She was one of four candidates in a search by the Registrar Service Com mittee. Dr. Jerome D. Odom, USC provost and executive vice president of academic affairs said he met with the search committee and listened to their recommendations. “We did a national search and had four candidates, and Barbara was an ex cellent choice.” The primary responsibility of the registrar’s office is to keep track of every student’s academic record on electron ic transcripts. ‘That is the heart of what the reg istrar does,” Blaney said. Other responsibilities involve sched uling classes, assigning classrooms for classes, providing registration for stu dents to get into classes, making class rolls, making sure professors record grades, helping with graduation and milk ing sure degrees are posted. The registrar makes sure the records on the transcript are “accurate and safe,” Blaney said. “We are responsible for keeping and maintaining its integrity.” For graduate students, research-type projects are put onto the transcript. The sis and dissertation titles are also placed on the record. Many people request their transcripts for jobs or for further study per year. However, once in awhile people do call and claim they’ve gone to USC, but really haven’t. The registrar can verify that some one went here or is going here, unless it is told not to. It can also justify things in the student directory, but not other in formation. The registrar is a service organiza tion, and one of its primary goals is to achieve a forum for communication that • is user-friendly. One of the ways it does this is by working with other units such as the computer center, financial aid, admissions, graduate school, hous ing and academic affairs. “I really want to collaborate with other managers to enhance service,” Blaney said. The registrar works closely with Registrar see page 2 Program to teach leadership qualities by Alex Watson Staff Writer USC’s Emerging Leaders program will be exploring the attributes of a true leader and giving students the opportu nity to become leaders themselves Tues day through Nov. 17. The 12-week program, which is open to all freshmen, is designed to help stu dents gain the skills and confidence nec essary to become a student leader. Cindy Benton, director of leadership and community service programs, said freshmen will not only leam more about themselves, but will also leam more about the university. “Emerging Leaders gives new stu dents the opportunity to make an impact at the University of South Carolina. This program gives them the skills and the tools to be effective leaders during their tenure at the university,” Benton said. i ne emerging Leauers program is de signed to help students find their niche, accomplish their goals and most impor tantly, make a difference while attending USC Benton said. Omni Porter, a former participant of the Emeiging Leaders program, said the program helped to build her leadership skills and gave her the initiative to get more involved in other organizations while attending USC. “The Emeiging Leaders program is definitely a confidence booster,” Porter said. Porter is now an Emeiging Leader mentor who is active in hall government, the Drug Prevention program and vari ous other organizations. Benton said the program will defi nitely benefit students in the long run. Not only will they learn the characteris tics of a fundamental leader, she said, but Leaders see page 2 Weather Inside Datebook Online Poll Today 88 67 Saturday 87 57 Sports ^ previews j use vs. * UGA. | Page 10 Saturday • Rosli Hashanah • Carolina Caravan to Athens, Ga. • USC at Georgia, 1 p.nt. • Round T;ible Gaming Society, noon to 11:45 p.m., RH • USC D;uice Company auditions, 2 to 4 p.nt., Blau 114 A £ Sunday • Intramural Tug-of War begins •Garnet Circle, 8:30 p.m. How will the Gamecocks do this season? Go to www.gamecock.sc.edu to vote in this weed's poll.