Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Vol. 93, No. 68 Mond February 28, 2000_ ina Community since 1Q08 www.gambcock.sc.edu UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH Carolina Columbia, S.C. iS | ti <- , ,, , , / / ' , / % _ > >. * USC PD planning more safely measures • Plans for new cameras made before hanging death by Brandon Larrabee Associate News Editor The director oflaw enforcement and safety at the University of South Carolina says there are no plans to change the schedule for reviews of secu rity in the university’s parking garages after a 27 year-old Columbia man was found dead in the Sen ate Street Garage. Jason Hardwicke, who did not attend the university, was found hanging in a stairwell in the garage Febt 12. According to Ernie Ellis, director of law en forcement and safety at USC, the university is look ing into new security measures in the purging garages before Hardwicke’s death. “We constantly monitor those issues,” Ellis said. However, he said Hardwicke’s death has not had any affect on those reviews. “It hasn’t had an impact,” Ellis said. “They were ongoing before that [the death] occurred.” Ellis said he didn’t know how often crimes oc curred in university garages, but he said they were not out of the ordinary. “There are... vandalism and larcenies and those types of things, just like you’re going to have at any kind of parking facility in the United States,” Ellis said. According to Ellis, specific security mea sures the university is looking into include increasing the number of video cameras in the university garages, though he would not say when that might occur. “I can’t give you any timetable on that,” he said. Ellis said there are currently cameras in the Blossom Street Garage and at “a couple of loca tions” in the Bull Street Garage. He said he thought those cameras in the Bull Street Garage were near the change machines. Ellis also said USC police of ficers attempt to patrol the garages routinely. How ever, he said he couldn’t provide specific infor mation on how often those patrols take place, since the amount of activity on a given night detemiines how much time officers are able to spend on rou tine patrols. “We’re responsible for the entire university,” Ellis said. “We can’t say that [an offi cer] will go through there [the parking garage] every 15 minutes,” Ellis said. “That’s un realistic.” tie also said student and taculty could help USCPD fight crime in the parking garages. “As in any effective program ... we need the help of the people that are out there,” Ellis said. “It’s a well-known fact that, obviously, police of ficers can’t be everywhere all the lime.” Richland County Coroner Frank Barron said i ve omuany iuieu ms ueaui a iuiciue, Dar ron said. He said Hardwicke died from strangulation. The man hanged himself using the shoestring from his left shoe, according to Barron. Ellis told The Gamecock on Feb. 14 that he believed a student had found Hardwicke’s body. ‘We can’t say that [an officer] will go through there [the parking garage] every 15 minutes. That's unre alistic.’ Ernie Ellis Director of Law Enforcement and Safety ■ Hardwicke’s death had been ruled a suicide. Forum discusses racial profiling Associated Press Clemson — Police met with motorists to exchange ideas about racial profiling in South Carolina at a forum held at Clem son University on Saturday. Melvin Robinson said when lie’s pulled over, he sits still, worried that any move or misunderstood word and the fact that he’s black could get him hurt or killed. “The reality is, as an African-Amer ican male in South Carolina, you’re scared when you get pulled over,” the 24-year old Clemson graduate student said. He was speaking at a forum called “Driving While Black,” sponsored by the school’s Black Graduate Student Asso ciation. Several police officers said the fear of the unknown also gives them worries dur ing traffic stops. They said casual, respectful conversation can help them and drivers attain their common goal — leaving the scene alive. “Driving While Black” is a phrase coined by some black youth to describe the practice of police pulling over mi norities driving newer can or frequent ing predominantly while neighbor hoods. Theo Mitchell, a Greenville attorney who said he has represented clients who were victims of police brutality, said pro filing exists in the Upstate. But he said it’s not always along racial lines. Mitchell said black youths should know die laws’ fundamentals so lliey don’t gel fmstraled and act irrationally if slopped. Robinson was one of several who said they fell they had been stopped only be cause they were black. Clemson's BGSA said it hasn’t re ceived complaints of racial profiling in the Upstate. Shalanda Webb, a Clemson graduate student, said that in the time between be ing pulled over and an officer approach ing her car, she’s thinking about every thi •; except presenting her license and registration. “I’m thinking, ‘Ant I going to get a ticket? Am I going to be racially dis criminated against?”' Webb said. “I’m stressed by the lime he gets to the car.” She said the stress leads to fear. Capl. Jimmy Dixon of the Clemson City Police Department and Officer J.D. Gowan of the Clemson University Pub lic Safety Department said officers are aware of what motorists are going through. But they both thought drivers should un pROFILINQ SEE PAGE 2 1 [ Dance event raises over $66,000 Amt Gouioing Photo Editor Mark Goddard, center, tries to keep morale up during the all-night Dance Marathon. The marathon Is a national fundraiser for the Children’s Hospital Palmetto Richland. See related story on page 6. Mother of two wins marathon by Bert Rosenthal Associated Press Christine Clark, a 37-year-old pathol ogist and mother of two from Alaska, be came the second straight little-known run ner to win the U.S. Olympic Women’s Marathon Trials, held Saturday in Co lumbia. Following the lead of Jenny Spangler in 1996, Clark took command at the 20 mile mark, passing Anne Marie Lauck, who had led from mile three, and finished in two hours, 33 minutes, 30 seconds, the fastest time of her career. * But in winning in the slowest time ever at the trials, Clark failed to meet the A standard for this year's Sydney Games, and she will be the only U.S. representa tive in the Olympic Women’s Marathon. In the past, the United States had sent three women marathoners to each game since the event was introduced into the Olympics in 1984, when Joan Benoit Samuelsom was the gold medalist. Prior to Saturday, only two Ameri cans had met the Olympic A standard - Libbie Hickman and Kristy Johnston - but since Clark’s winning time was so slow in the 80-degree heat and humidity, that shut out the other two from Sydney. Johnston wound up second and Lauck third, with Hickman far back. After cross ing the finish line, Lauck collapsed and needed medical assistance^ Clark had finished 72nd in the ‘96 tri als, and her best previous marathon time was 2:40:38 at the Twin Cities Marathon in October. She also was third at'the 1999 USA marathon championships winner of the 1995 Seattle Marathon and a three time winner of the Mayor’s Midnight Sun Marathon in Alaska. Before Hickman stepped to the start ing line, she had the confident air of a fa vorite and the gnawing feeling of past dis appointment. Four years ago, Hickman ran in the 5,000-meter trials and finished fourth, fail ing to make the team by only .86 seconds. That was such a devastating blow, it made her want to leave track and field. Hickman was dominant going into the • marathon trials. In the field of 170 starters, she had the fastest qualifying time - 2:28:34 - while finishing sixth in the Chicago Marathon in October. That was the only sub-2:30 time by an American since 1997, and it earned her bib No. 1 for the trials. The 35-year-old Hickman didn’t think the pressure of being the favorite would rattle her, but she was far back. “I think I’m mature enough in my ca reer and I’m ready and healthy to race,” she had said. “The only favorite who won was Joanie [Joan Benoit Samuelson in 1984], “But I think I can handle the pressure. When you’re confident with your train ing, that helps,” . Trials see page 2 Student apathy still a concern after increased turnout by Patrick Rathbun Assistant News Editor Although the recent Student Gov ernment elections saw the best voter turnout to date, with more than 10 per cent of the student body participating, there is still room for improvement, ac cording to many of those involved. Elections Commissioner and mar keting senior Emily LeMaster said she believes indifference is a problem at USC. “I think apathy is a problem,” she said. “If you think about the shear num bers, it tells us [apathy] exists. We just beat the 10 percent mark - that’s great, but there are some schools that get 30 to 40 percent.” By moving online, SG increased vot ing by 32 percent, up to nearly 3,000, ac cording to LeMaster. LeMaster said she thought online vot ing would increase in the future, when word of its accessibility spreads. "As [online voting] becomes more prevalent, people will realize how easy « it is,” she said. “People will get more in volved [when] they realize how easy it is.” LeMaster said SG could only run so many advertisements to interest the stu dent body. “There are only so many ads we can run in The Gamecock and on the RHA channel,” she said. "It’s hard to think of new creative ways. Maybe SG has not thought of the one great thing [to inter est students].” LeMaster said the root of students’ apathy might lie in a lack of school spirit at USC. “School spirit reaches to all branch es,” LeMaster said. LeMaster provided future consider ations that would decrease apathy at USC, including setting up easels and signs at voting locations and posting candidates’ platforms online at USC’s VIP Web site. LeMaster said the Web site will pro vide many possibilities forSG to expand in the future. “The opportunity for SG expansion is provided by the Web site,” she said. “I’m sure we’ll expand on that Web site.” SG Vice-president elect and politi cal science sophomore Corey Ford also said apathy was a problem at USC and the lack of social issues was the cause. “There’s not a burning cause out there,” he said. “There’s much of a so cial transformation.” Ford said there's a difference between getting involved at USC and getting in volved in the USC “community.” Ford also said that having an 0-11 football team and a basketball team with a losing record doesn’t have a positive effect on students’ pride. Ford said SG has a responsibility to reach out to the student body and pro mote activities on campus, in order to combat indifference. “Student Government has to be more visible,” Ford said. “We have to allow ac cess to us.” Ford said SG must go to the student body and campus organizations to find out their concerns, instead of students coming to them. Ford said it takes a special person to increase interest in the student body. “Ultimately, it comes down to [whether] students see something dif ferent in a candidate.” Ford added that he thinks SG Presi oeni-eieci, unenu arts junior Jotaka Eaddy, is “without a doubt” that special candidate. Eaddy said she believed apathy is “clearly evident” on the USC campus, be cause of several rea sons. “[USC] is a laige university,” she said. “It’s hard to reach every student.” Eaddy also said she thought a lot of students are “disillusioned,” “out of touch” or “just want to go to class.” She also mentioned that non-lraditional students are “forgotten” or “distanced” from the university, hut said she has high hopes for the future. “I’m hopeful we’ll have a turn Apathy see page 2 r;.,: . : - Weather Inside Datebook Online Poll Toeay 69 41 Tuesday 69 45 USC defeats UGA 82-66 on Senior Day Page 8 Monday • The Gamecock, 4 p.m., RH 333 • Fraternity Council, 4 p.m., RH 322/326 • Sorority Council, 5 p.m., RH 322/326 • CP, 3:30 p.m. • Midpoint in semester Tuesday • AAAS, 6 p.m., RH The ater • S.C. Student Legisla ture, 9 p.m. • RHA, 7 p.m., RH 307 • Spring Board, 5:30 p.m. • FOCUS, 8 p.m, Shun ^ don Baptist Church Do you feel safe on campus? Vote at www.gamccock.sc.edu. Results will be published Friday.