The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, January 24, 2001, Image 1
_Vol. 94, No. 45 Wednesday January 24, 2001_
ina Community since 1Q08
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Sf.0AlLYGAMBCOCK.COM U N IV ERSITY OF SOUTH C A R O LINA COLUMBIA, S.C.
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Palms orders freeze on hiring
■ President's action affects full-time,
state-sponsored positions; administrators
say threat of budget cuts was cause
by Brandon Larrabee
” The Gamecock
USG President John Palms has
ordered a freeze on the hiring of most
employees while the university waits to
find out how much money it will have
after the state finishes its budget
process.
Palms will meet with the faculty
Wednesday to discuss the freeze.
The move comes in response to Gov.
Jim Hodges’ plan to cut the university’s
budget by 15 percent as part of an effort
to avoid a $500 mil
lion budget shortfall
statewide.
“Dr. Palms said
it was the prudent
thing to do to try to
get a handle on the
situation,” USC
spokesman Russ P/\y^§
McKinney said.
He said the
university didn’t want to hire
employees only to have to “unhire them”
after the budget goes through.
“The safest thing to do is... a freeze
until we get a better picture as to what we
might be dealing with,” McKinney said.
The freeze applies to all full-time,
state-funded positions, according to
McKinney. That includes 384 empty slots
at the university’s eight regional
campuses as of Jan. 15, he said.
Those positions funded by grants, as
well as part-time positions, are exempt
from the freeze, McKinney said
The only exception to the freeze
would be if a department believed the po
sition was “mission critical.” The decision
on whether to fill that position would be
made by Palms.
“No one can be hired unless the
president okays it,” McKinney said.
He said such exceptions would
“conceivably” include the hiring of a dean
for the College of Journalism and Mass
Communications, but he stressed that “no
decision has been made.”
“I think Dr. Palms would probably
approach it on a case-by-case basis,”
McKinney said.
Faculty Senate Chair Caroline
Strobel said the move wasn’t unusual.
“This particular step is one that is very
often taken by other universities,” she
said.
Strobel said the move was necessary
because the university couldn’t depend
on state funding.
“[USC] can’tcount on funding from
year-to-year,” she said.
Freeze see page 2
y Part Two in a series
Lamentations
After joining the Columbia Church of Christ, Melissa Martin's life changed...
^ by Brandon Larrabee
The Gamecock
I
!
Melissa Marlin thought she had
found what she was looking '
for in a church when she was
baptized on Oct. 1 as a mem
ber of the Columbia Church of Christ.
It was her first year at USC, and she had
been praying for a church family for more
than a year.
I Icr mother was disturbed by the church,
but stayed silent after Melissa’s baptism.
“Then came the eye-opening part,”
Melissa said.
The rigid church standards required her
to participate, evening after evening, in re
ligious services, “discipling” and dates
f i limited to church members.
“Four evenings out of my seven-day
week were tied up with the Columbia
Church of Christ,” Melissa said. Each of
those evenings consumed three to four hours
of her time.
On Tuesdays, Melissa said, she would
have her weekly “discipling” time, where
she would meet with her “discipling part
ner.” Each member of the International
Church of Christ—except leader Kip McK
ean —has a partner, who is supposed to help
them grow in their faith. But Melissa’s part
ner was on “a different level,” she said,
and the two had trouble communicating.
“I couldn’t get another discipling part
ner because I was told she was chosen by
God to lead me,” Melissa said.
*’ Wednesdays were the church’s midweek
meetings. Members were expected to ar
rive 30 to 45 minutes before the services
actually began so they could talk to one an
other. For an introverted person like Melis
sa, it “was very unsettling,” she said.
But she didn’t have much choice.
“If you were tired or didn’t feel like it,
you were told to be ‘more giving,”’ Melis
sa said. Not talking to others in the church
was labeled “selfish” or “prideful.”
On Thursday, Melissa would attend a
Bible study. On Fridays, the various
groups of the church — such as campus
groups and teen groups — would meet.
f r On many of these evenings, Melissa
wouldn’t get home until 10:30 or 11 p.m.
She would then have to do her homework
— something that wasn’t easy for someone
who needs at least eight hours of sleep to
operate.
Church gee page 2
—" . .. .————i
Shuttle picks up
125 riders a night
by Rebecca Whitehead
The Gamecock
USC’s evening shuttle service may
not be picking up as many people as they
would like, but those involved remain
optimistic about the program.
“I’m really glad students are starting
to use it,” Student Government President
Jotaka Eaddy said. Eaddy pushed the
system as part of her “Contract with
Carolina” platform.
She said she feels that it’s now more
effective with darkness coming earlier.
“Due to the fact that there is high
crime, I think this is really helpful,” she
said.
Organizers set the goal at 300
passengers per night between two vans,
according to Director of Parking Services
Derrick Huggins. While they haven’t met
that goal, Huggins said he is happy with
the program so far.
“The system is going great,” he said.
Huggins estimated 125 riders take the
shuttle per night, and hopes for 200 to 225
riders by the end of the semester. Cold
weather could also increase the number
of riders.
“The only way we can continue to
provide safe transit is for them to use
it,” Huggins said. “We are wanting to
expand the system.”
Lindsey Wise, who drives a shuttle,
said she was picking up only four or five
passengers when the program began.
Bui she said the program is growing.
“We’ve been gelling around 150 per
night,” said Wise, a third-year student in
the College of Science and Mathematics.
“I think more advertising will help out.”
Huggins credits university
organizations for pushing departments
to advertise. He said he is happy with the
results so far.
Shuttle seepage!
Valerie Matchette/The Gamecock
According to Parking Services,
the evening shuttles pick up
about 125 people per night.
Organizers are hoping to raise
that number to 300 per evening.
Police arrest three
in Benedict death
by Charles Prashaw
The Gamecock
Columbia police have arrested three
men in connection with the Jan. 15
shooting death of a 20-year-old
Benedict College student.
Lucius Staten was arrested at about
6:30 a.m. Tuesday morning by
Columbia Police and Richland County
deputies at 7126 Zimalcresl Road, an
apartment in the St. Andrews area.
Also earlier Tuesday morning, police
arrested Dushun Staten, 21, also of New
York and Shakeem Wilson, 19, of Geor
gia for their possible involvement in the
murder.
The incident occurred about 9 p.m.
when the victim Phillip Lee Jr. was con
fronted by Staten and at least three other
people in front of an apartment at 2414
Haskell Ave.
After a brief verbal altercation, Lee
turned to leave and was shot once in the
back of the head. All of the suspects fled
the scene, and Lee was later transported
to Palmetto Richland Memorial Hospital,
where he was later pronounced dead as a
result of his injuries.
Subsequent investigation identified
Staten through eyewitness accounts and
other physical evidence. All of the
suspects have formally been charged with
murder, and a bond hearing will be
scheduled at a later date. Police are
continuing their investigation, and further
arrests are expected.
“We got them on eyewitness
descriptions and trace evidence that we
Attorney seepage*
Today
^ 55
32
Thursday
> 52
21
Preview of
men’s rematch
with Florida.
Friday
■w ,
“I’m not in to working
out. My philosophy: no
pain, no pain.”
— Carol Leifer
Are the police doing
a good job patrolling
the Five Points area?
Vote at www.dailygamecock.com.
Results will be published Friday.