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IN THE GAMECOCK ONUHE: Guide to local movie theaters, httptfwww.gamecock.sc.edu/mapped_out/ WEATHER fattL fill - JUDEX s^i ?|f P^m^wr'nHb IS J ^ ^ FRIDAY ftK-YjP' 1 III Wf | III |^ JH COMICS ssBS Y^/CJI I IWUvIV ,JgHsports 8 Low40 |^kll_j m W ^ CLASSIFIEDS 10 Serving USC since 1908 ' ~ Swinging at a tiger PAGE 8 Campus ANGE CAMPBELL Staff Writer CECE VON KLONITZ News Editor The issue of whether or not to impose tighter restrictions on guns was the focus Wednesday night in a debate sponsored by Young Democrats and College Republicans. Some speakers for Young Democrats said they weren't against owning guns for protection but wanted to see eontrols to ensure the safety of individuals. They argued that most people who own guns never have to use them for protection. Speakers for the College Republicans said the constitutional right to bear arms without infringement should be upheld because it allows for Higher e( financial; focus of i TEDDY ELQARCO Staff Writer The Student Government Senate met yesterday and discussed a resolution that the "Governor and the state legislature commit to increasing higher education in South Carolina." Sen. Kimberly Baxter presented the resolution, and there was immediate opposition. "Although the motivation (of the resolution) is good, it is destructive and counterproductive toward the end," Sen. Graham King argued. "As the funds increase, the tuition will also increase. It's economics. Ifs simple ty nil am o, vuv vji a puuiit iciawuno firm and host of the radio show "The Right Side," appropriately stood at the right. And the battle was on. Juan Williams explained the origin of affirmative action in the Civil Rights movement.5It arose out of the need to give qualified minorities access to education and employment they didn't have before. Armstrong Williams said American society has outgrown the need for racebased considerations and needs to move toward completely merit-based considerations. The federal court's recent rulings jibe with Armstrong Williams. 'For example, a lawsuit was filed business." However, other senators supported the resolution. "If you look af(the schools of) Georgia, which get lots of money for higher education, their tuitions did not increase," Sen. Darcie Shively said. "Last year, S.C. Legislature did not take students seriously for higher education funding and mocked us. Also, faculty members left (this university), because they felt that South Carolina did not support higher education." Sen. Curtis Brown disagreed and asked, "How one can compare South Carolina with other states that have a different tax and revenue base?" He said USC must first cut spending and "end some of the waste before we ask for more (money)." SG Vice President Jamel Franklin said, "cuts will be nowhere near what will be necessary to generate funds for Discussion over affirm; JASON MASAP Staff Writer Affirmative action has been a hot topic in the past few months, while its foundations have been pounded in the federal courts. Carolina Productions sponsored a debate with Juan Williams and Armstrong Williams hashing out the complicated issues. Juan Williams, a political analyst for the Washington Post who has appeared on CNN's Crossfire, stood to the left of the stage. Armstrong Willi oma 17 rtf n niiUli a i*a1 nfl ana ; debates individual protection. "Today we face an invasion from within, a society in which criminals are our adversaries," College Republican speaker John Frick said. "If we ban guns, then we give criminals the upper hand." Economics/history senior Vernon Davenport said, "Our Founding Fathers included a right to bear arms in our constitution as a sateguard against tyranny. What they intended was for private citizens to provide a check against the rise of some dreadful leader in our government." Those speaking on the side of College Republicans said the National Rifle Association does a good job of promoting arms safety withbut government iucation, sensibility resolution higher education." After some debate, the resolution was sent to the Finance Committee for revision. The Finance Committee later endorsed the resolution with the motion of including a clause stating the university's responsibility to be financially sensible. "Increasing funding for higher education is vitally important," SG Treasurer Peter Siachos said, "but at the same token, the university must be fiscally responsible and make an attempt to cut unnecessary spending." King suggested further research. "We don't want to present this halfcocked We may have to wait until next session." Franklin said this resolution is a "realistic goal" and that it is a "kickofl" to start lobbying towards the legislature. Sen. Derrick Felder, a member of the Finance Committee, agreed with Franklin and said, "We shouldn't wait ? we should get the ball rolling." "More funding for higher education is not going to hurt," Franklin said. "Tuition goes up every year. If the university doesn't get the money from the legislature, the university will get it from us. I certainly did not expect this much discussion from Student Senate." In other news, Student Senate passed a resolution endorsing a discount card for the student body. The senate, also congratulated President Wright for his efforts in establishing the offcampus discount card. continues ^ 4-1 ^ _ Alive Action by a white applicant at the University of Texas. She was not accepted in the school, though she had higher academic standing than some African-American and Hispanic students who were admitted. The U.S. 5th Circuit Court ruled it was racial discrimination and ordered the school to admit her and pay damages. In the 4th Circuit, which includes South Carolina, a University of Maryland race-based scholarship was ruled illegal. "Courts have less and less legal basis for having any type affirmativeaction programs," Juan Williams said. Conservative legal activists say they want these lower court rulings to pave the way for a like-minded precedent in the Supreme Court, which could do away with race-based considerations nationwide. In anticipation of that Supreme Court ruling, affirmative action is moving away irom programs witn racebased considerations and structuring class-based programs instead, said Julia WeDs of the S.C. Higher Education Commission. Armstrong Williams agrees these programs are more equitable and less ACTION page 10 ; gun con assistance, citing the "Eddie the Eagle" campaign as an example. el "If everyone took the safety fe precautions that the NRA does, I would g< have no problem," said Ray Krolewicz, who argued for gun control. "But the q simple ego-satisfying issue of owning a gun is what needs to be controlled." Krolewicz, a Ph.d. candidate in ^ reading education and a teacher for Richland District 1. said students have ^ left his classroom and been confronted with guns in every way. ir "I've had students leave my class ^ and kill, get killed or kill themselves," Krolewicz said. P( Victor Konstant, an English major, ti told a similar story about the effect of is guns on young people. r i . .. . ?> m - P 1^ i Jin\ Music professor Reginald Bali Bains presented a concert W< Awards rec? MARTHA HOTOP News Editor Graduate students on campus were recognized for their efforts and accomplishments yesterday during the first-ever USC Graduate Student Day. "This is an occasion to praise the ' students and say 'good job' for their work," said Jan Love, graduate director for international studies. USC Graduate Student Day gave graduate students an opportunity to make presentations about their work and get to know other graduates. The day also recognized the significant role 1 graduates play on campus as one-third 1 of the student body. Carol Garrison, associate provost and dean of the Graduate School, offered the welcoming remarks. She ] noted that the 9,360 graduates at USC i are involved in all sectors of the campus. In her address, Garrison said USCs , Graduate Day recognizes those who , help make USC the school it is; these students also help USC receive its national rankings. ?Tisr< ^an uuaai ui a iiuuiuci ui ( trol, coi "I believe all guns should be iminated," Konstant said. "I do not sar my army, and I do not fear my Dvernment, but I do fear guns." Konstant's mother is a teacher in etroit, Mich., where she has seen her ;uaents snot ana Kinea. "You must wonder about a society lat produces weapons of death in such iiantity," he said. In response to speakers citing icidents of children killed by guns, rick said, "The government-imposed an on assault weapons or a waiting eriod is not going to affect how well ained someone who is a gun-ow~ner going to be." 11 u 1 MB V is sets the preferences on his c hbT~ ??H^ * DAN CHESNEY The Gam Mlnosday night on computor mui jgnize gra< national rankings ? internationa business, psychology, and advertisinj and marketing," Garrison said. "Wi celebrate these (awards), but the stor does not stop there." During the day, several student! gave presentations in their areas o study; many were directly tied to thei: dissertations. Presentations were mad* to other graduate students, faculty members and judges. "Graduate students type paperi that are more in-depth, and by allowing them to share, it provides anothei outlet for research," graduate studen Corinne Schmehl. The students' work focused on s variety of topics. Some of the student! involved used the presentation ai practice for later business and researcl related conferences. The day's events allowed graduati students to meet students from othe departments. Mahesh Murth, a Ph.D. student 3aid graduate students often only sta] within "the four walls of theii department" Duftngthe day, Murtl ncealmen T T House approves c C?C? VON KLONTTZ News Editor In response to a bill that would give people without criminal records the right to carry concealed weapons, Faculty Senate adopted a resolution asking the General Assembly to exempt college campuses from these provisions. Astronomy professor John Safko said, The feeling was that we thought the status quo (of not allowing concealed weapons on campus) was working really well." The S.C. Senate Judiciary ~ ^^ ^ .: j omputer during his demonstration aboui 1 Mat I ecock bIc. iuate work 1 had the opportunity to learn about 1 what goes on in other graduate 2 departments on campus. f Learning about others' work and seeing how one's own work ties in with 3 other projects was the focus of President f Palms' keynote address. r Palms discussed the difference 2 between life and the life of the mind; V the life of the mind represents an individual's intellectual studies. He 3 said graduate students, himself I included, often become too focused on r the life of the mind. t "You lose perspective as you narrow your field down," Palms said. "There i is more to life than the life of the mind s and the commanding of facta " 3 Citing support from business 1 leaders, Palms said a narrow job focus can make it difficult for people to come i and work together, these individuals r forget how their specialization fits into the whole picture of the job. , "The problems facing society are / caused partially by over-specialization r and the inability of people to come i together," Palms &id. tissues :oncealment bill Committee decided in al2-5 vote Tuesday to send the bill, which has already won House approval, to the Senate floor. An effort to allow colleges to keep concealed weapons off their campuses failed with a 9-9 split, the closest vote of the day. An existing law bans weapons from classroooms and college buildings. Sen. Ed Saleeby, D-Hartsville, told the Associated Press, Tm willing to vote for a reasonable bill, but Lord have mercy, lefs have some BILL page 10 ^ i || DAN CHESNEY The Gamecock t computer-written music. :ing iusic Brown dies 1 in crash in Croatia ASSOCIATED PRESS VELJIDOL, Croatia ?Scrambling over rocky cliffs, peering with flashlights through sheets of rain, rescuers Wednesday night reached the wreckage of the plane carrvincr U.S. Commerce Secretary Ron Brown and 32 others. At least five people died. "He was a very active spokesperson for American intersts, and it is a terrible event to lose somebody who has been so effective," said William Folks, director of the Center for International Business Education and Research at USC. "In general, he was a very effective secretary.... I think (President) Clinton will miss him. This is clearly a major tragedy," Folks said. Reporters at the scene could see the plane resting on its belly on the top of a small hill in this coastal Adriatic village, 1 CRASH page 3