University of South Carolina Libraries
Club promotion raises moral questions by John Huiett Assistant News Editor A promotion by an adult enter tainment club at the Sept. 19 USC-East Carolina football game has led some campus religious leaders and studenrs to question how appropiate such pro motions at USC events are. Platinum Plus, an adult enter tainment club located on Jacob Road, offered free admission the night of the game to customers with football ticket stubs. The promotion was ad vertised with a fly-by banner above the stadium, prompting some to question the morality of using airspace above Williams-Brice Stadium to promote an adult business at a USC-associated event. Campus Methodist Chaplain Tom Will, of R\LM Ministry, called into question the integrity of allowing an adult business to advertise at USC events. “I think establishments which cheapen the dignity of women, and men for that matter, may be some peo ple's idea of entertainment, but they are degrading...” Will said. “If an ac tivity degrades people it is certainly questionable.” Wall said such promotions might not be in alignment with the Carolin ian Creed, a code of ethics mission statement for USC “[The creed] is about respecting people’s human dignity, and activities like this cheapen people,” MM said. Hotel, restaurant and tourism sophomore.Jordan Thaxton agreed with Wdl. Although Thaxton sees nothing wrong with an adult business trying to attract more customers, he said such promotions should not be affiliated with USC. “I think it was degrading for [Plat inum Plus] to use the Carolina ticket stub because it’s representative of the Carolina name,” Thaxton said. But assistant athletic director Ker ry Tharp said USC had no knowledge of the promotion and farmed no com mercial alliance with Platinum Plus. “Wfe have absolutely nothing to do with any kind of giveaways like that,” Tharp said. "We have no control over what some entity may want to so licit with ticket stubs.” Michael Robinson, director of pro motions and public relations at Ken Wood Enterprises, the firm hired by Platinum Plus to do the promotion, confirmed Tharp’s assertion. “Wb weren’t woridng with anyone in the university,’’ Robinson said. “We just came up with the idea.” Robinson said for the past 12 years he has-used fly-by promotions in mar kets all over the United States. Not on ly are promotions for adult business es in die airspace above Wdliams-Brice Stadium out of USC’s control, but Robinson said there are no laws regu lating who can or can’t advertise in the air Herbert Boyd, owner of Sky Signs, the Myrtle Beach-based company hired to fly the banner, agreed Boyd said Sky Signs isn’t concerned with regulations or the content of advertisements. “Wb leave that up to the promot ers,” Boyd said. Robinson emphasized that the pro motion was done only during tailgate parties before the game. But according to information systems sophomore Danny Cooper, the banner was flown during the game. “I saw it, and it wasn’t too tasteful on their part,” Cooper said Platinum Plus booths were set up in the tailgating areas near the stadi um, where some of the club’s dancers gave away barbecue and admission pass es for the night But Robinson said that it was all done in good taste and that the club's motive wasn’t to oflend any one. “Everybody out there has families and children,” Robinson said “Wfe do not promote drugs, and we do not pro mote prostitution.” He defended the promotion by say ing those who criticize it have mis understood the motives behind it. “We’re not asking people to walk through the club to get to church,” Robinson said. Robinson said the promotion was only a modest success, with Platinum Plus and Ken Wood Enterprises re couping only a fraction of the thou sands of dollars spent. But according to Robinson, 380 customers entered the club with either a ticket stub or a free pass from the promotion, and a to tal of 490 more patrons attended the club than the previous weekend Robin son said this suggests that many peo ple don’t find the promotion objec tionable. Business sophomore and New York native Pat FitzGerald sees nothing wrong with adult businesses running promotions at USC events. FitzGer ald said criticizing such a promotion is a product of Southern culture and not a comment on morality. “That kind of stuff doesn’t really phase me,” FitzGerald said. “More peo ple are concerned about that {in the South]... People are just upset because they don’t want a business like {Plat inum Plus] associated with something they hold dear... But just like any oth er business, they can fly a banner.” Brian Lowery, a computer science freshman, said he can see the potential controversy, but said the club was just practicing good business. “I think it could be made into a big deal” Lowery said. “But it’s a busi ness. If I was the owner I would do the same thirg.” t Crime from page ] • Don’t routinely cany large sums o cash. • Be alert when approached by ; stranger. • Stay calm and don’t show nervous ness or panic if attacked. • Focus on escape; fighting back car be risky. • Get a good description of the at lacker. • Locate a safe area in the event of ar encounter. • Call the police immediately after the attack. Dial 911, or use the nearest cal box. Resident Advisers are notifying stu dents of the crime in the hopes that in creased awareness will prevent other crime! on campus. “We are doing our best to notify stu dents to use caution,” Snyder said. Increasing awareness of crime on cam pus isn’t the only measure the university is implementing to curb crime. Snyde; said more police officers will be patrolling campus. Students are urged to call USC police if they witness a crime or notice anything suspicious. USC police can be reached at 777 9111 in emergencies, or 777-4215 in non emergencies. This year, USC is trying a different ap proach to crime prevention, Snyder said After a crime is committed, USC student will be notified and reminded of safety precautions. * The suspect: A black male, 5-feet-9-inches and 300 pounds, with little or no hair. The crime occurred at the 700 block of Bull Street. To report a crime: Phone the USC Police Depart ment at 7774215. 1 . ..:.^. •« Amendment allows SG to collect special projects excess by Brandon Larrabee Staff Writer A bill authorizing the student senate Finance Committee to claim unused special projects fund ing to create a special “Senate Projects Account” was passed by the student senate Wednesday. The bill allows the Finance Committee to re claim the funds, which can be used to fund specific events tfiat do not advocate a certain religious or po litical belief. According to supporters of the bill, it doesn’t give senate any new powers. “This isn’t any kind of power [that] we didn’t already have; we just want to put it into code,” said Timothy Clardy, the former Finance Commit ■ tee chairman who helped write the bill. Because the funds can be spent only on specif ic events, they can’t be carried over from year to year. “If it’s not spent the way we allocated it, then it’s just sitting in the account,” Clardy said. The funds would go toward projects sponsored by Student Government. The unused funding is a new situation, accord ing to Clardy, because special projects was only re cently created. “This is the first year this has happened,” he said, referring to the leftover funds. But Clardy warned senators that the money, about $6,000 this year, might not always be avail able because organizations could spend all their fund ing in the future. “Don’t depend on this money every year to be there for Student Government projects,” he said. The senate also unanimously approved the Pow ers and Responsibilities Committee’s nominees for four unfilled seats: •Sheena Ellis and Stephanie Smalls were accepted to seats for the College of Nursing. •Patti Ramey was appointed for education. •Eric Neely was appointed for Science and Mathe matics. The senate also passed a bill that would clear up ambiguities about whether senators can also serve on university committees. Currently, the committees could be mistaken Student Senate for a part of the executive branch of SG, according to Sen. Patrick Gearman, who co-sponsored the bill. Senators cannot serve in the executive branch. Absences from Wednesday’s meeting included Michelle Smith and Aesha Harrison. TUMI USC JAGUARS! I Break tke Clicker Curse New! Meet the USC Jaguars of 1899. Bring back USC’s first mascot, Tell your friends to think Jaguars & watch us beat Ole Miss!