Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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W+dn?day, Octobor 9,1996 Serving USC S Stephanie Sonnenfeld Chris Dixon, Vie> EdHortal Angie Campbell, Martha Hotop, Achim Adam Snyder, Jennifer Stanley, Sara Svedl O P I N Hispanic cultui for students to Here we are right in the middle of Hispanic history Students sh ws^k~ Hispanic Hu There are a t0 /^rw lot of events Hispanic planned ^ throughout the week that include informational meetings, seminars and presentations. That's great, a lot of you are probably saying. It's good the U./omamia nliirJ/mfo a? AQmmio rtrA Ilispoiut OtUUtlllO VII VCUIl^UO get a chance to bond together. Wejl, that's not exactly the point of all these events. It's basically for non-Hispanic students to learn about Hispanic culture. Hispanic students are one of the many different minority groups that are represented on this campus. And sometimes people are lost on how important these groups are to a university campus. Yeah, it's great to have a diverse campus with people from all different cultures, but there is really no value to having all these different kinds of people on campus if we don't learn from them. Most of us have grown up with a pretty narrow view of what life is. At USC, we have the chance not only to say we Hve in a diverse community, but we are part of a diverse community. Here we have the chance to really learn about other cultures, Financial aid f much needed i When Congress passed the HHiiMHi fiscal 1997 budget, student Increasing financial aid aid progr programs were necessity t( increased by $1.3 for rising c< billion to $7.56 J billion. The new budget increased funding for the federal work- study program to $830 million, an increase of $213 million. It increased funding for the Pell Grant program by about $1 billion, which will increase the maximum grant a student can receive by $230; it also increased the Perkins Loan program by an a n $04. / Iiumuii. After Congress threatened to cut student financial aid programs six months ago, this move is a pleasant surprise. TTiankfully, our representatives in Congress realized the UgJortS Stephanie | Angie Sonnenfeld Campbell Editor in Chief j Lisa Chris Dixon Noworatzky Viewpoints M.or Sara Svedberg Martha Hot op Copy Desk Adam Snyder Robert Walton News Editors Photo Editor Jennifer Stanley Brian Rish Feitures Editor Graphics Editor Adiim Hunt Jason Jeffers Sports Editor Daniel Brown Cece von Kolnitz cartoonists Special Projects I 1 Tbe Gamecock is the student newspaper of the University of South Carolina and is published Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the fall and spring semesters, with the exception of university holidays and exam periods. Opinions expressed in Tbe Gamecock are those of the editors or author and not those of tbe University of South Carolina. The Board of Student Publications and Communications is tbe publisher of The Gamecock. The Department of Student Media is its parent organization. 1 art ince 1908 , Editor in Chief vpoints Editor Board Hunt, Lisa Noworatzky, Brian Rish, xrg, Cece von Kolnitz, Robert Walton, ION | e important experience mtmmmmjjm] abouttheir history and customs. Not just >ould use what a tortilla is Uory Week or how to dance about macarena. culture Talk t0 a cuuure. student with a different ethnic background than your own, take some culture classes in your foreign language. Go to many of the meetings these groups have on campus every week - most of them welcome all kinds of students. So much can be learned from just talking to people and interacting with them. Thafs the real definition of diversity on campus. It's people learning about their differences and similarities, because for many of us, this is one of the only times in our lives we live in a community this diverse. So, Hispanic students on this campus should be commended for taking a step forward and trying to educate the rest of the student body about their culture. Other groups on campus should take a cue from them and go out and try to inform the campus about their culture. This needs to be done. Carolina students aren't exactly the most outward thinking in the world, and sometimes they need a little push to get them to learn things that are a little foreign to them. irogramsget funding hike mothm importance of UliUIH education. Financial aid financial programs assure ams is a low and middle ) help pay income students allege costs. have the opportunity to get an education so they can make something out of their lives, as well as to continue the learning process. Education is a necessity in the '90s because it's difficult to get a good job without one. Increased funding for financial 1 111 L_1 4...J aid programs Will iieip stuueuts pay the ever-increasing costs of higher education. Increasing financial aid funding is an investment worth making. With financial aid, people can afford higher education, which will increase their chances of getting a decent job so they won't have to accept government aid. s: 777-7726 ertising: 777-1184 777-6482 Keith Boudreaiu ?WMIMHIU Rob Gioielli Director of Studeu Media Asst. Yicwpumw i_ijtura rvay Dipka Bhambhani Oeative Director Jessica Nash J-T. Wagenheim Asst. Features Art Director Bryan Johnston Mark Hopkins Dwayne Graduate Assistant McLemore Marilyn Edward Asst. Sports Taylor Nikki Thorpe Marketing Director Asst. Photo Erik Collins Ben Muldrow Acuity Advisor Asst. Graphics The Gamecock will try to print all letters receive' Letters should be 200-250 words and must include fu name, professional title or year and major it a stuaer Letters must be personally delivered by the author The Gamecock newsroom in Russell House room 333. The Gamecock reserves the right to edit all letters f style, possible libel or space limitations. Names will n be withheld under any circumstances. VIEWP fH] W&L ffif m I asssress? "It comes and go President! John Frick This past Sunday night gave us yet another installment of a great election year tradition: the obligatory Presidential Debates. And like those of past election years, what took place can be characterized as the same old business as usual, over-rehearsed drivel that we always get. The sad thing about it is that ifs exactly what we asked for. Typically, debates involve arguments. This debate was no exception, but unlike most debates, the arguments took place before the debate even began. rT1V-?/-u3?k oYvrnmonta trknlr KotwPATl X I1U7V UlgUUiVllU) WVIl |/XMW MVVK w** the two candidates camps and their focus was on exactly what form this "debate" would assume. Would we have an open forum, with candidates fearlessly taking questions from the audience ("Are those briefs or boxers, Mr. President?"), or would we have a panel of journalists grilling the candidates? Would they pull questions from a hat or would they perhaps toss darts at an issue board while wearing a blindfold? Only time and fierce bickering would tell. How about the time? Some suggested Athletes inte To the editor I would like to respond to the October 2 "In Our Opinion" article, "Athletes should be included with Carolina Community." As a student athlete, I appreciate the explanation that the athletics department is a self-sustaining organization, and students' tuitions are not responsible for supporting University athletics. However, to state that the Carolina community is not whole because of the separation of athlefes and nonathletes is inaccurate. Student athletes don't ^just happen to take classes here." Simply because a student is also an athlete does not mean that he or she is not an active member in University organizations outside of athletics. Athletes are limited by time to participate in many of the organizations because of competitions and practice, s but it doesn't deter many student athletes from trying to be involved in campus activities. Student athletes consider themselves not only members of the Carolina community, but also representatives. I Athletes carry the same responsibility s of representing USC in a positive manner ii as other University organizations that to travel to various schools and communities. a That is what makes attending a large, 01 diverse university great. Every student OENTJ HEiHBBBZZZ [yp m ; Wc TL> m ^ OF es in cycles and can be tr< Dr. Rich Lashley, Counseling and Hum al debate \ and hour, while others suggested an hour and a half. Why such a short time period for us to learn about the two people who are vying for leadership of the free world? It seems we, the American public, have made it clear that we don't have time for too much of this nonsense. Hence, it was settled. Another round of soundbite warfare. The dominant media gives it to us, and we just can't wean ourselves off. We're addicted to soundbites and hence that is exactly what we are thrown. Low on substance, high on flash; a product like fast food for the mind. Are we supposed to be making up All* rr? i r? ric nr? fVmoa tnflfltrirul UU1 JUJlilXUO AJtlfcPV/vl \JXA i/iivuv vuvuti xvmi events? There isn't a daily soap opera in the world that is as much rehearsed and planned as these debates. Every response is mapped out, every one liner worried over like it may be the one thing that the people will hear and react to. A necessary evil, they say, because of the way the media works. But an evil, necessary or not, is still an evil, and we will pay the price. It has the same effect as a lying politician. It hampers true democracy, a system which is predicated upon fully informed choices, by limiting what the gral membei can be involved in the Carolina Community in numerous ways. It doesn't matter whether a person lives north or "south of Whaley Street," or is an athlete, a sorority or fraternity member, or a member of Student Government, we are all included within the Carolina community together. Chaiiene Miller Journalism Senior Student Government has no real power at USC To the editor, Firmly believing that studenl government is an oxymoron, it is with no surprise I read the "wisdom" espousec by Student Government Senator Bryar Menees in a recent issue of The Gamecock Senator Menees seems to think that th< 1 1 ~C i. -i.., J level ui respect stuueins nave iunan SG is directly related to the number o "goodies" they do or do not have In short the more perks they possess, the mor< respect we should shower them with If such light weight logic were true then the U.S. Congress, with it: unfathomable number 01 perKs, wouii 1 be the most respected collection of mei and women in the nation. Well, they ar 1 y c q MK.IW : icm* iwe- a i jiAatcwNCt is&CL V '* p Ifeaik, 1 ?ated with psychotherapy ai ian Development Center, on depression vas not a r people know about each candidate and his reasons behind his stances on issues. A professor of mine rightly pointed out iii class the other day that there was actually no debate in the "debate" of Sunday night. The truth of the matter is that a debate would actually give a lot of insight into these men and their positions. It would require each candidate to explain the reasoning behind the position and would emphasize the differences in each man's approach. This emphasis on difference was something we referred to as "clash" in high school debate. It involved acknowledging that there were two sides to the argument, and that each person upheld only one of them. A real debate would clearly differentiate between the politician who was taking a stand and the one who was trying to be everything to everybody. A real debate would also make each candidate tell us exactly what was good about his position and exactly what was wrong with his opponents. It would eliminate much of the double talk associated with these kinds of events and when there was double talk, it would stand out as the intellectual cop out it really is. A real debate would also tend to focus rs of Carolina not, and neither will SG senators be any more respected. On a personal note, I will have utter scorn and contempt for them should they receive the perks they so covet. These . are much stronger emotions than the general amusement I presently feel towards them. llie lcuiatjr ui oenatui ifxciieco uiwxj lies in the fact that he does not really understand from whence respect comes. Respect in the world of government comes directly from power. Generally speaking 1 people either fear or respect power. If you don't have power in the governmental milieu, then you are irrelevant. It is this category, unfortunately for Senator Menees, where SG falls in the minds of most students. ' Almost every student here at USC j realizes after a fashion that the only real ( power here, for better or for worse, is the Administration. Oh sure, if I wanted to | see about getting a bush planted in front j of the Russell House, I might contact SG f about getting it done. When it comes to real issues, however, such as constant I tuition increases, the lack of parking, price gouging at the bookstore and ensuring that the recently imposed g technology fee actually goes toward that ^ goal, SG can do little, if anything. Every time there is an election for e SG, those vying for slots echo the 3_ Wa! id medications." eal debate the candidates on one particular issue at a time. A key to structured debating is specificity of topic. It would promote much greater depth in the reasoning and explanation of each topic, creating a more fully informed and fully understanding electorate. A real debate would be a great service to the people of this nation by bringing much of what they dont like about politics and politicians out of the equation. Let me be the first to make a bold proposal. Let me propose a series of issue specific debates (ie: one on economic policy, one on foreign policy, etc.). Debates with no moderator, only a timekeeper to enforce time limits. Let . them be debates which start with each candidate presenting their case with due logical and empirical evidence for their positions. Let them cross examine each other for a short period about their respective cases. Let them each rebut the others arguments with arguments of their own. Then, no longer would we have to make our political decisions based on a series of one liners and theatrics. Only then could we as a populace be confident in our ability to choose sides based on what would truly be good for our country. i community previously mentioned themes, then upon assuming office, fail at them quietly or occasionally slip up and acknowledge publicly that the administration was against the idea (i.e. the idea is killed). This leads to the inescapable conclusion that the Administration has the real power and SG simply does not. Thus, one might argue that SG serves no real purpose except perhaps showing Political Science majors how "bad" government can fundi oa Now I am sure that the SG will vigorously attack these charges, but that is what all bureaucracies do when they aren't spending your money, isn't it? When I first read the article, I was really angry at the sheer gall and arrogance of the proposal and ifs sponsors. Since then I have had time to reflect, and upon doing so, came to the conclusion that most likely it was due more to the to the icrnorance of of the members of Student Government about their own position in the order of things, rather than a crude attempt at a power-grab for the crumbs off the Administration's table. Maybe the truth is too hard for them to bear, but in any case, this proposal should be swept up and thrown away like the trash it is. Dev Brown Computer Science Senior