Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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r ■ w _Vol. 94, No. 77 Wednesday APRIL 18, 2001 _. e Carolina Community since 1Q08 www.dailygamecock.com University of South Carolina ' Columbia, s.c. Details emerge inRH brawl by Brandon Larrabee The Gamecock A crime report from USCPD sheds more light on the fight that broke out among at least three fraternities Thursday night. The report, filed by officer Donald Friels, added details to the crime that weren’t apparent in accounts available immediately after the incident. One thing the report makes clear is that, according to police, at least three fraternities were involved in the fight. Friels responded to a call for an altercation between Alpha Phi Alpha and Omega Psi Phi. It was wither stated that Kappa Alplia Psi were also involved in the altercation,” the report says. ^ The event was eventually shut down. According to witnesses, the fight occurred at Alpha Phi Alpha’s coming out ceremony for newly initiated brothers. According to the report, the dispatch time for the incident was 8:40 p.m. Friels arrived on die scene at 8:42 p.m. and didn’t leave until 9:40 p.m. The report is accompanied by a page, filed by reporting officer K. A. Colefield, listing four victims of the crime. One of the injured was Erin Johnson. According to the report, Johnson “sustained injury to the neck and back of head (caused) by a flying chair and also sustained injury to (the) left side of face when unknown persons struck her.” Johnson was transported to the Palmetto Richland Memorial emergency room. ^ Another listed victim was Christoplier Brawl seepages Trolley ridership low ■ Trolley workers hope to increase riders around USC by Eugene Rodillo The Gamecock Columbia’s trolleys— this city’s version of San Francisco’s famous system — have been in service for about three years with day and night routes, but haven’t been nearly as successful. According to John Spade, a spokesman for the trolley system, five trolleys make the rounds during the day. Two of these circle the University of South Carolina and then make their way to Five Points from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The remaining three trolleys are on the “Main Street route,” which goes from Main Street to the Vista. For the night runs, there are three trolleys used on two routes that run from 5:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Two trolleys follow the route going from Devine Street, Five Points and the university to Main Street and the Columbia’s trolley system features routes Ihrough Five Points and the Congaree Vista. While ridership has been low, officials are hopeful Interest will increase with the arrival of the new arena and conference center. Vista. The second route has one trolley and goes from the National Advocacy Center to Main Street and the Vista, but die night route operates only Sunday through Thursday. One of the main reasons for this schedule has to do with the National Advocacy Center, which isn’t open Fridays. Though die trolleys are in dieir diird year of use, Spade says die route dirough the university is relatively new. “The daytime route around the university and Five Points only started in November,” Spade said, “and that is basically in a trial stage right now.” According to statistics from March, Spade said the evening route brought in 1,739 passengers. While the idea of having trolleys in the city might seem appealing, Spade said the amount of patronage has been lower tlian expected. “The Five Points route is a little disappointing right now, and we would like to see more ridership,” Spade said. “We’re not where we want to be, but we’re seeing increases every month.” Two primary reasons for having the trolleys are to alleviate Columbia’s traffic problems and to ease demand for limited parking. As for the cost to run a fixed route, the price was slightly more than $20,000. “Last month, the fixed routes cost approximately $22,400, and that’s a pretty representative month,” Spade said. Even though people aren’t using the trolleys as often as was anticipated, Spade said he is still hopeful that the trolleys will prove their worth in the future. “We see increased opportunities as the arena and conference center are completed,” Spade said. Spade said they are still working on ways to increase the number of trolley riders around and within the USC campus. “As I said, we’re a little disappointed in that, and we’re looking at ways to optimize that, and we’re working with the university on that,” Spade said. . The city/slate desk can be reached at gamecockcitydesk@hotmail.com USC Honors College students receive prestigious scholarships by Cristy Infinger The Gamecock Five students from the USC Honors College have recently been awarded three different types of prestigious scholarships. ^ Erin Flickinger, Brandon Fomwall and Ricky Shall were each named Barry M. Goldwater scholars. The recipients of this award receive $7,500 per year for either one or two years. The award is only available to rising sophomores and juniors and recognizes outstanding achievement in the area of math, science or engineering research. “When I applied for the Goldwater Scholarship, I knew that I was aiming high,” College of Science and Mathematics junior Erin Flickinger said. Flickinger recently presented a paper on her work involving research with the National Science Foundation Research ^■Experience to the American Mathematical Society and the Mathematics Association of America Joint National Math Conference. Flickinger is involved in other campus activities, including serving on the board of directors of Home Works of South Carolina, serving as president of Students for Life and being a peer coordinator at Preston Residential College. Also a recipient of the Goldwater scholarship award, Brandon Fomwalt, a junior with a double major in the College of Science and Mathematics, is conducting research with others in the departments of biological sciences and geological sciences on marsh ecology and water flow. Former SG Treasurer Ricky Shalt, a junior in the College of Engineering, also received the Goldwater scholarship award for his research on imprinted polymers with the department of chemistry and biochemistry’s professor Dr. Ken Shimizu. Shah has co-authored a paper on his research, funded by the South Carolina Honors College Research Fellowship Program, which has recently been accepted for publication. “Having the opportunity to conduct research at USC hits meant a lot to me. Winning the Goldwater Scholarship reflects the quality of research and education at USC,” Shall said. Two other scholarship awards have been distributed to Honors College students. The Morris K. Udall Scholarship was awarded to College of Engineering junior Shawn Loew, and the National Honors College scholarships Goldwater Scholarship Erin Flickinger Brandon Fornwalt Ricky Shah Udall Scholarship Shawn Loew NSF Award David Butts Science Foundation Graduate Researcli Fellowship was awarded to College of Engineering senior David Butts. The Morris K. Udall Scholarship is available only to sophomores and juniors interested in environmental public policy issues. Loew plans to use tliis award of $5,000 to research efficient filtration systems for sewer overflow, as well as storm water runoff management. Scholarships seepages USC criminal justice professor pioneers racial profiling study ■ Findings should set model for police around the nation by Christoph Schulz The Gamecock A USC professor is heading a study on racial profiling for the Miami-Dade County Police Department. Geoffrey Alpert, a professor in USC’s criminal justice department, is tlie director of the three-year-long study, comprised of eight experts from seven universities. “Each has a specialty, and each has an expertise that he brings to the table,” Alpert said. “We have a team of people doing tliis as well as we can.” According to a university press release, racial profiling is “the practice of detaining a person based on race.” It has become a serious problem both nationwide and worldwide, Alpert said. “This study will be the most extensive of its kind. According to Alpert, only one study on racial profiling in a metropolitan area has been completed so far. Mike Smith, a professor at Virginia Commonwealth University who led that study, is a member of Alpert’s team. Information gathered in the study will help create a methodology for other •departments to follow. “The results will be specifically about Dade County, but the way we go about it should set up a model for the rest of the country,” Alpert said. Alpert said the Dade County Commission contacted him because it was concerned the police department might be doing something improper. Alpert wrote a proposal for the study, which was accepted. The Dade County municipal government allocated the money to do the study. The study will keep track of who speeds and who violates the controlled Alpert see page 3 Incubator recipients selected ■ Eaddy releases names of those who will get resources to start new businesses by Brandon Larrabee The Gamecock Five groups of USC students have been chosen to receive ,000 in start up money from the Student Incubator Center and other university resources to begin work on their companies as part of the incubator project. Former Student Government President Jotaka Eaddy released the names of the five companies to The Gamecock on Tuesday. I hey include: ■ Jeff Bolen’s GAMEHITCH, a company based on the design of a device used to retrieve and lift heavy game for “field dressing” ■ G.L.U.E. magazine, an online magazine designed for females aged 15 27, run by Thelisba Casey and Kamille Bostick ■ justinsane design, an Internet design group that will involve clients in the design process, with partners Justin Shearer, Jose DeCecco, Leslie Johnson and Andre Davis ■ Booksmarts, a fee-based “trade facilitating” network for buying and selling textbooks, from Peter Vense, Sunny W.ird and Martin Slapnik ■ Ediningfinder.com, Weixiong Zhong, Hui Vhou and Peter Manchen’s “one-stop dining shop,” where consumers can find information about restaurants, recipes, coupons and diet information “We’re excited about these companies,” Eaddy said. “Personally, I think they’re all great companies.” USC Vice President for Research William Harris, who approached Eaddy with the idea this past semester, said he was happy with how the incubator project has gone so far. “1 am very, very pleased and just impressed with how seriously the students have taken this thing,” Harris said. “I’m excited by the energy they bring to this whole activity.” The newest stage in the process reflects that, Harris said. “I think it means that the students have done a very professional job,” he said. However, there was still an element of uncertainty in the students’ businesses, just as in the real business world, he said. “I don’t know how these companies are going to develop,” Harris said. Incubator Director Joel Stevenson said the companies that had been selected were strong companies, but he was even more enthusiastic about the students. “I’m not so much excited about their ideas as I am about their passion,” he said. As an example, Stevenson noted that the student entrepreneurs had less than a month to come up with their presentations, which he said were well done. “The presentations that were made were first class,” he said. He said that included the students who weren’t named as recipients of the grant. “This was not an easy decision,” Stevenson said. Like Harris, Stevenson said the future of the businesses wasn’t certain. “It’s hard to predict whether or not you’re going to have successes,” Stevenson said. But he said an overwhelming majority Incubator see page 2 I_ Today 62 40 HURSDAY 69 44 Coming Up A profile of USC track star Otukile Lekote FfRIDAY Quote of the Day “In the book of life’s questions, the answers are not in the back.” — Charles Schulz Online Poll Should the fraternities involved in Thursday’s fight be disciplined? Vote at www.dailygiunecock.com. Results will be published Friday.