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www.dailygamecock.com _MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2002 Since 1908 NAACP argues over court finalists BY KEVIN FELLNER THE GAMECOCK Arguing that this year’s Carolina Showcase finalists are nearly all white, the USC chapter of the NAACP has organized a pe tition against the process for se lecting USC’s Homecoming king and queen. The petition, which is expected to have more than 1,000 names by the end of the day, calls for a stu dent role in picking the winners. It argues that Carolina Productions, which organizes all Homecoming activities, fails to se lect the Homecoming king and queen democratically. Under the current system, a committee of nonstudent judges selects the winners based on ap plications from which the with concerns about the se applicants’names have lection process. She said been removed for objec- Sunday that she had not “We want as many but said plans to go people to be eligible for ahead with the court as possible,” ^^HEiSSHesr Homecoming Showcase said Jerome Bryant, pres- • - Wednesday’s celebra ident of USC’s chapter of the tion that will feature the National Association, for the Advancement of Colored People. Bryant plans to present the peti tion to the Homecoming Commission on Thursday. Sarah Grove, Homecoming commissioner, said the commis sion has been open to speaking with any student organization crowning of the king and queen - are firm. “I hope that this concern with Showcase also shows that there is great support and interest for it,” Grove said. She added that the committee is devoted to consis tently improving Homecoming events. Bryant said the NAACP is also concerned with Carolina Production’s state ment that the com petition is open to all students. He Bryant said only one of the 20 finalists is a nonwhite student. “Our concern is not just with racial aspects, but also how the court is selected as a whole,” Bryant said. He said he thinks more students who are not in volved with a fraternity or sorori ty should be encouraged to partic ipate, as well. Grove couldn’t discuss the race of any participants, but she said participants in the competition had to meet requirements, such as having a minimum 2.75 GPA and at least 60 credit hours, to be con sidered. Besides those require ments, she said, all students could be considered based on the merit of their application, which in cluded questions about involve ment in campus activities and two pergonal essay questions. Bryant said he would invite Grove and other committee mem bers to a meeting Thursday to dis cuss the merits of the petition and the NAACP’s concerns. Grove said she would accept the invitation and looks forward to the opportu nity to hear the group’s opinions. Bryant said the petition and meeting with the Homecoming Commission are aimed at making policy changes in future Homecoming events and are not intended to change the outcome of this year’s competition. Comments on this story?E-mail gamecockudesk@hotma il.com Delta Gamma makes a splash PHOTO BY AMANDA TRAUB/THE GAMECOCK At Delta Gamma’s annual Anchor Splash, Alex Pearlman of Chi Psi fraternity swims across the Blatt P.E. Center pool carrying a ball on a spoon. The event, for Delta Gamma’s national philanthropy, raised money for the Service for Slght/Ald to the Blind. USC looks for private support BY KEVIN FELLNER THE (iAMECOCK With impending state budget cuts, increasing tuition rates and expanding departmental needs, USC’s administration is looking to private support to finance as many of its initiatives as possible. Since the first day President Andrew Sorensen set foot on cam pus, he has made it clear that the university’s state funding will only decrease during the coming years. He has made it his goal to promote the university’s every quality in hopes that the private sector will think investing in USC’s initiatives is profitable for the university and the community. “In this situation, we can’t sit here and simply gnash our teeth, moan, cry.... But I think this is a challenge to clarify our vision, de velop a strategy for achieving that vision and pursue relentlessly the financial and intellectual capital to realize that vision,” Sorensen told faculty during a Sept. 4 meeting. Money raised in Bicentennial Campaign $500,000,000 - $450,000,000 $432,498,678 $400,000,000 ' $3S0’000000 $305,611,1X6 $300,000,000 $250,000,000 $200,000,000 $150,000,000 $100,000,000 $50,000,000 $0 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 Yur Mafias* 30 Sorensen plans to use his net working skills to inform as many people as he can of USC’s vision and its need for financial support. He promotes both community and fi nancial involvement in the univer sity through his state tour, nick named the “bow tie” bus tour for his signature neckwear. “My daddy was a Presbyterian minister, and our family survived on how the offering plate was filled on Sunday,” Sorensen said. “I have absolutely no embarrass ment about passing the offer ing plate around, even if there’s only one person in church.” How to contribute People can donate money to USC in many ways. The sim plest is to give cash to the an nual fund. For the fund, paid student callers in USC’s Development Office solicit do nations year-round from uni versity alumni and friends. “The better the university markets itself, the easier our job is,” said Senior Director of Development Cantey Heath, who manages private fund raising based on the adminis tration’s needs. Other donations can be made through bequest - mon ey left to the university in someone’s will - or from foun dations, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, that provide money for educa tional interests, such as build ings and faculty salaries. This type ofgiving, called planned giving, usually comprises a much smaller portion of over all giving than cash donations, but planned giving donations tend to be larger. “Sometimes people will call, and that’s nice, because that is an easy way of doing it. They’ll call and they’ll say, ‘When I was in school, I got a scholarship and always said, if I were in the position to do the same, I want ed to,’ ” said Harriet Wunder, director of planned giving. Typically, private donations are restricted, meaning the donor requests them to be used for something specific, such as scholarships or chairs. Property and equipment can also be donated as a form of capital. Large donations are typi cally used to set up an en dowment, which is a sum of money that is invested; only interest earned off that in vestment is spent. The university sometimes offers incentives for large do nations. When alumna Darla Moore gave $25 million to the ♦ DEVELOPMENT, SEE P^GE 3 Homecoming isn’t just Greek BY BLAKE CLANCY THE (JAMECOC.K Despite the Greek dominance of Homecoming competitions, this year’s Homecoming Commission is working to in volve a wider variety of student organizations. “Our main goal is to get as many students and organizations involved as possible,” said Sarah Grove, a fourth-year business management student and this year’s Homecoming commission er. Greek organizations carry “Our main goal is to get as many students and organizations involved as possible.” SARAH GROVE HOMECOMING COMMISSIONER much of the Homecoming spot light. Of the 16 groups in the Spurs and Struts dance competi tion, all organizations are Greek. The four finalists for Cockfest, a pep rally at Williams-Brice Stadium the night before the ♦ HOMECOMING, SEE PAGE 2 HEALTH GRANT PHOTO BY DAVID STAGG/THE GAMECOCK The Norman J. Arnold School of Public Health was given a $2 million federal grant last Wednesday toward a new building. Health School is granted $2 million Money will help build facility; convert offices into classrooms BY WENDY JEFFCOAT THE GAMECOCK USC has been awarded a $2 mil lion federal grant to help construct a new building for the Norman J. Arnold School of Public Health, U.S. Sen. Fritz Hollings an nounced last Wednesday. Cheryl Addy, interim associate dean of the School of Public Health, said the grant woidd help with the construction of a five-sto ry, 88,000-square-foot building at College and Assembly streets. It would also help convert the Carolina Plaza on Assembly Street into office and classroom space for the school. The Board of Trustees would retain its space on the second floor, but otherwise, only the School of Public Health would oc cupy the Carolina Plaza. “We have been working toward this project for a number of years and are excited to see progress to ward making the building a reali ty,” Addy said. According to a news release, the grant is part of a fiscal year 2002 ap ♦ GRANT, SEE PAGE 2 1 Index Comics and Crossword 6 Classifieds 8 Horoscopes_ 6 Letters to the Editor 4 Online Poll 4 Police Report 2 Weather TODAY High 82 Low 66 TOMORROW High 83 Low 69 _1 Inside ♦ VIEWPOINTS Catherine Baab shares how to redeem the country from television and Starbucks. Page 4 ♦ THE MIX Columbia’s first Latin American Rim Festival comes to the Nickelodeon. Page5 ♦THE MIX Rhett Miller releases an emotional sophomore album. Page 5 ♦ SPORTS USC runs its record to 3-2 with its win over Vanderbilt on Saturday. Page 7 —i_