The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, December 05, 1996, Image 1
South Carolina's #1 Student Newspaper
WEATHER (^Trr^TU^v. dlrKf^ bA WORLD WIDE CAROLINA
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Sunny I H I H H H H H H The Christmas season is here and it's time
High 56 ^ ^ Tint in ii J ^ to brush-up on those carols. Find out the
Low 38 , i; words to your favorite songs.
Serving USC since 1908 http://christmas.com/carols/
Library si
TRACY VREELAND Staff Writer t
t
Anyone who has been reading the ?
crime reports lately can see what appears
to be a crime wave on campus, especially t
in the Thomas Cooper Library. c
What is really happening is more of (
the crimes are being reported. It appears c
the statistics in years past have not been ?
accurate. j
Recently reported crimes include
everything from flashers and masturbators [
Senators t(
alternates
REGINNA GREEN Staff Writer
Despite the fact student senate had
only 16 members present last night and
failed to reach quorum, the four pieces
of legislation brought to the floor either
passed with a unanimous vote or were
accepted by acclamation. This included
one bill, one constitutional amendment
and two resolutions.
SBL (96) 036, a bill presented by Sen.
Heath Roberts, deleted Section 203.11
and 203.2 from the Legislative Codes
and all of Section 220.00 from the
Legislative Codes. These codes required
senators to file Constituency Reports
with the senate on a regular basis. <
The Ml reads, firmly believing student (
senators have a firm grasp on the issues <
that face the student population and (
having considered that the Constituency \
Report program has not been 1
implemented during this term . The
senate passed SBL (96) 036 by a vote of i
13-0. \
A constitutional amendment designed \
to end the current pattern of senate-seat vacation
during and after the spring (
semester was also accepted by a ]
unanimous vote of 16-0.
The amendment, presented by Sens.
Laurie Velotta, Gesla Maria Wilson,
Tom Hess and Heath Roberts, called for
a new process regarding the SG elections
held in the spring.
According to the bill, the two highest
vote-getters not elected to represent their
school or college, will be selected as first
and second alternates. In the event the
elected senator is unable to fully serve
as senator and the seat becomes vacant,
the first alternate will be tapped as a
replacement senator for the duration of
the term.
SG Treasurer Peter Siachos was
present at last night's meeting to assist
Sen. Susanne Newman in presenting
SBL (96) 039, a resolution designed to
add a SG link to the USC homepage and
give SG an e-mail account to be posted
on the site as a means of student input
and feedback.
According to Siachos, he will be writing
the program that will put SG on the
GAMECOC
Cece von Kolnitz talks about what to
get others, including the diamond
studded wonder bra.
EBBHHD
Do you drink large quantities of
alcohol on the week: nds? If so, you
may be a binge drinker.
Bowl bids will be offered after this
week. Sports talks about USC's
chances at getting a bowl bid.
SUUIH UAnULlIN
Columbia Hall will hold a Toga
Party to benefit the American Cancer <
Society Thursday at 8 p.m. A $1 (
donation will be collected at the door. ;
There will be t-shirts on sale. Music, (
food, and door prizes will be part of
the festivities. A speaker will talk
about volunteer opportunities for *
jT college students with the American '
I Cancer Society. <
1
iaff work;
0 theft of personal property. There have
>een assaults and harassment charges
is well as graffiti and vandalism.
The library staff" is now working with
he USC Police Department, the Office
>f Sexual Assault Awareness and the Office
of Crime Awareness to reduce
rime in the building. They have formed
1 committee to develop new crime
>revention strategies as well.
"We're hoping to use patron awareness
Amy Mason
KKJEX
USC athletics, especially loot
ball, enjoys large fan support.
But will it be enough to get the
Gamecocks a bowl bid. Find out
more in sports, page eight.
?happenings
The USC Sports Administration
31ub is sponsoring the Captain's
Choice Golf Tourney at noon,
Saturday, at the Indian River Golf
Club.
The cost is $120 for a four man
?am or $35 per person. This includes
[bod, beverages and the awards
:eremony.
to bring down crime], head 01 Urcuiation
) elect
in spring
World Wide Web. He said the page would
ook much like the bulletin board outside
>f SG offices in the Russell House. In
iddition, Linda Yount of Student Affairs
vill be responsible for updating the page
veekly after it has been established.
Sens. Heath Roberts and Bryan
Vlenees sponsored a resolution, SBL (96)
)40, which suggests USC open bids for
ndividual dining locations, as opposed
,o offering the food service contract as
i whole, which is also the current situation
vith Marriott Dining Services, whose
:ontract expires in the very near future.
Believing that students want more
:hoices regarding on-campus dining
jptions, the resolution reads, and fully
iware that competition generally drives
lown prices and increases quality and
variety, the resolution passed the senate
}y acclamation.
In other business, last night's senate
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mdergraduate student government
tenures, as Sen. Pro Temp Bryan Menees
ind Sens. Heath Roberts, Tom Hess and
Johnathan Dickson will be graduating
December 16.
The following senators were not
present at the time of roll call last night:
RaNell Chaney
Jonathan Dickson
Craig Harrison
Derrick Felder
Zerell Hall
Ashley Jones
Michael Phillips
Kevin Swinton
Jennifer Balkcum
Kim Baxter
Tracy Smith
Ginger Welsh
Gita Chakrabarti
Nicole Anderson
Mike Moore
Matthew Richardson
Lisa Moody
Lori Moody
LaShawn Johnson
Richie Estes
Marcus Gardner
s to redu
in Thomas Cooper Tucker Taylor said.
"When people walk into a library they
feel an aura of safety. But the library
is like any other large public building.
People have to be aware of what's going
on around them."
Other plans include the continuation
of the library staff controlling the building
and staff training. The library staff will
also have to have identification; proof
they are part of the staff. They are trying
to increase tecnnology witn better audio
Taking a sea
1 ' w l SMI
^ iiin> l<H '
i wo U3(# STuaenxs, sopnomon
warmer weather to enjoy lunc
frequently take a break from j
week progresses, the weather
Prop 209's
COLLEGE PRESS EXCHANGE
SACRAMENTO, Calif?While many
Californians believed the fight over
affirmative action was to be won at the
ballot box, the final battle may ultimately
be in court.
A federal judge has blocked
enforcement of California's Proposition
209 that bans affirmative action, saying
there is a "strong possibility" that the
measure is unconstitutional.
On Election Day, 54 percent of
Californians voted in support of
Proposition 209, which, among other
things, stops college admissions offices
from considering an applicant's race or
gender.
Proposition 209's passage was hailed
na a mninr vipfrrrv Vw nnnnnpnte nnrl
sparked a string of protests on several
University of California campuses.
With the issue now in the courts, the
heated exchanges over the divisive
issue could be far from over.
U.S. District Judge Thelton E.
Henderson issued a temporary
restraining order Nov. 27 prohibiting
the state from implementing the
Amid differen
Staff Reports
Although Christmas, Chanukah and
Kwanzaa are very different celebrations,
they all share common themes, USC
Religious Studies professor Hal French
said. Each commemorates a significant
historical, spiritual or cultural event and
usually is celebrated with a gathering
of friends familv and communitv.
"Reflecting on and celebrating life's
successes and approaching the future
with hope through the love and support
of family and friends tend to be the focus
of holiday gatherings whatever the
celebration," French said.
Kwanzaa, an African-American
festival that celebrates African heritage,
was begun in the late 1960s as an
alternative to Christmas commercialism.
Observed Dec. 26 until Jan. 1, Kwanzaa,
which is Swahili for "first fruits of harvest,"
is a spiritual gathering of family and
community to promote unity and to
celebrate economic progress, said Alonzo
Johnson, a USC associate professor of
religious studies.
ce sexua
and video equipment. They also plan tx
work closely with the Police Department
"We plan to work closely with the
Library staff," USC Victim Witness
Coordinator Calvin Gallman said. "We
om olcn fnllnnrr fn T TniTrnnciftr 1ff1 nlooonc
cue cuou icuiuiig \aj umvcioiij iux tiaooec
and RAs about personal property anc
safety."
"We will patrol the area," Gallmar
said. "The University Police Departmen
and Law Enforcement and Safety are
willing to help [the library staff] wit!
t and eating
jr >
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9 Kyle Schaefer, left, and junior Ti
:h outdoors on the Russell House
getting inside the Grand Market Ph
is expected to remain sunny and n
fate could ]
measure, at least until a hearing is held.
Dec. 16.
"Courts must look beyond the plain
language of an enactment," Henderson
wrote. "The relevant question is whether,
in reality, the burden imposed by a law
necessarily falls on minorities and
women."
Henderson's ruling was applauded
by a coalition of groups, including the
American Civil Liberties Union and the
National Organization of Women, that
had sued to block enforcement of
Proposition 209.
In arguing their case, ACLU attorney
Edward Chen told the judge that
Proposition 209 "turns the glass ceiling
for women and minorities effectively
into an iron cage."
Lawvers for the state, however, had
argued that Proposition 209 actually
bans discrimination. The measure states:
"The state shall not discriminate against,
or grant preferential treatment to, any
individual or group on the basis of race,
sex, color, ethnicity or national origin
in the operation of public employment,
public education or public contracting."
Lees, holiday c
borne Amcan-Amencans celebrat
Kwanzaa and Christmas. There ar
many similarities to the Christian holida;
but Kwanzaa is not a religious holiday
rather, it is a creative holiday based o
the African harvest," Johnson said.
As with Christmas, gifts ar
exchanged during Kwanzaa, but emphas
is placed on handmade gifts instead <
store-bought ones, Johnson said. Candle
are also lit during the seven nights (
Kwanzaa, which is similar to a Chanuka
tradition, the holiday celebrated by Jew
in December.
After dinner, the family gather
around and lights a candle and ask
"habai gani," which is Swahili for "wh;
is the news?" At this time, the principl
of the day is discussed, said Walte
Jackson, director of multicultural studei
aliairs at UbL.
The seven principles of Kwanzaa ai
Umoja (unity), Kujuchagulia ( sel
determination), Ujima (collective wor
and responsibility), Ujamaa (cooperath
economics), Nia (purpose), Kuumh
(creativity) and Imani (faith), Jackso
*
il assault!
> whatever they need."
The library security team offers these
3 suggestions and information for library
5 users to protect themselves:
3 Be aware of your surroundings.
3 Watch your belongings at all
1 times to prevent theft.
Keep an eye out for suspicious
i behaviors and people,
t Report incidents or suspicious
3 behavior immediately. On each level
l next to the elevators there are red phones
i% ^ n. II "\
gsaL
r " - -41** J ^ JL?
" , . *
?2l^
NIKKI THORPE The Gamecock
ara Biudy took advantage of the
Patio. On warmer days, students
ace and migrate outdoors. As the
nild.
lie in court
Gov. Pete Wilson, a leading advocate
of Proposition 209, criticized Henderson's
decision, calling it "an affront to the
majority of California voters who passed
Proposition 209."
"The absurd consequences of this
ruling is that California can
constitutionally only prohibit
discrimination against some races but
cannot constitutionally prohibit
discrimination against all races," he
said.. "I am confident that the will of the
voters will ultimately prevail."
Last month, after Proposition 209's
passage, the University of California's
nine-camDus system changed its
admissions policy so that an applicant's
race and gender would no longer be
considered.
The court ruling comes just as the
university closes its application deadline
for fall 1997 undergraduate admissions.
For the time being, the UC's new
admission policy will stand, said UC
spokesperson Terry Lightfoot.
The temporary restraining order,
which names the governor and Attorney
ACTION page 2
elebrations sha
e said.
e While Christmas is a major religiou
y, holiday for Christians, Chanukah, b;
f, comparison, is less important for Jews
n Chanukah is the Hebrew word fo
"rededication" and commemorate
e renewed services in the temple a
is Jerusalem, which had been desecrate
)f by Antiochus IV but was restored unde
!S the leadership of Judas Maccabaeus f
if 165 B.C. This year, the eight-day holida
h will be celebrated from Dec. 6-13.
rs The Jewish holiday also is known a
the "Feast of Lights." According to legenc
s a miracle occurred when a tiny vial c
:s oil kept candles burning for eight day
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it aitui uic i cucuiv^auun ui uxt i^/ixipiv. j
le is customary for Jews to light a candl
;r every night during the eight-da
it celebration and to exchange gifts
chairman of the religious departmer
e at USC, Carl Lewis said.
f- For Jewish families, Chanukah i
k more of a home celebration.
ti r<u i,?
liieic men t cxiiy apcviai ^liaiiuiva
ia services at the temples and it is nc
in required that people of the Jewish fait
s, crimes
connected to library security. Be sure
! to identify the behavior and give a
description of the person.
The levels 1, 2, 3, 5 and
Mezzanine have no staff after 5 p.m.
I Study with friends, in populated
areas or where staffers are close by; try
i to avoid secluded areas.
"The main thing is to make sure
i people are aware," Taylor said. "People
I have to be careful."
Graduation
Gala starts
tradition
ADAM SNYDER News Editor
The University of South Carolina
Division of Student Affairs is trying to
establish a new tradition for seniors.
The Graduation Gala will be held
Dec. 15 from 7 p.m. to midnight on the
concourse level of the Carolina Coliseum.
The "university sponsored party" is
designed as a "social gathering" to wrapup
the year.
"We started the Gala for the first
time last May. There isn't any other
culminating activity other than
commencement for seniors," Graduate
Assistant for fundraising and development
Jeff Colburn said.
USC Dec. graduates, their families
and their friends are invited to attend
the event.
Tickets are $19.96 per person and
all proceeds benefit the Student
Endowment Fund, as a Gift from the
Class of 1996.
Registration officially ended yesterday,
but Colburn said registrants will be
accepted through next week.
"We are hoping students look forward
to coming. It is difficult because we are
j j I'M x 1 1_
catering to a anierent crowa eacn
semester. That provides some problems
with publicity," Colburn said.
Last semester, the Gala attracted
300 people. Colburn is hoping to attract
about the same number of people this
semester, but the numbers are "a little
low."
Only about 100 people have signed
up thus far.
"In a large university, it takes a lot
of time and initiative to get events like
this off the ground. We tried to make a
few phone calls before Thanksgiving to
remind seniors and their families,"
Colburn said.
He said that the program is not at
the point of being free of charge.
Some corporate sponsors such as the
University Bookstore, Carolina Collegiate
Federal Credit Union and Air South
have contributed to the event along with
a handful of student organizations.
A DJ will be on hand for music and
dancing, food and drink will be served
and prizes will be awarded.
"I want a handful of juniors and first
semester seniors at this gala to build up
the tradition," Colburn said.
re similar traits
suspend work," Evans said. "In America,
s the observance of Chanukah has taken
y on may of the trappings of Christmas.
i. In this culture, so much emphasis is
r placed on gift-giving during December,
s While Jewish families in America
t exchange gifts, it was not a part of the
d original Chanukah celebrations. But
r wherever Jewish life is being practiced
n in the midst of Christianity, gift giving
y has become a tradition," he said.
Evans says it's good for Americans
s to look at one another's holiday. "It's also
1, good to go beyond the cultural observances
)f and get to know the history of the
s holidays," he said.
[t "Without the historical perspective,
e the holidays can take on a secular factor,
y In the case of Christmas, for example,
3, it has become commercialized. But in
it Christianity, it celebrated the birth to
nntivitv nf thp Christ rhild a vprv
is significant tenant of the Christian faith.
Without the constant reminder of the
h historical perspective, it is very east for
>t the observances to become detached from
h their religious roots," Evans said.