Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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THE GAMECOCK ♦ Monday, December 3, 2001 THE LEADER Policy should protect gays i USC’s faculty senate will decide today whether to support including sexual orientation in a policy that already prohibits discrimination based on race, gender, age, religion, national origin, disability and veteran status. The senate’s much-needed approval would echo the support of students last spring, but wouldn’t be the first time the faculty has broken this ground. It was eight years ago, almost to the day, that the faculty senate first supported adding sexual orientation to the school’s nondiscrimination policy. After more than a year of no A vote against the inclusion of gays and lesbians in the school’s nondiscrimination policy is just an endorsement of hate and bigotry. action by the trustees, President Palms asked the trustees to shelve the recommendation, citing a lack of support among the board. “If the resolution goes into effect,” law professor Eldon Wedlock told The State after the faculty’s original vote, “it’ll put the University of South Carolina in the mainstream of its peer institutions.” That statement has greater support now, with schools such as William & Mary, Harvard, Yale, Brown, MIT and even that “other” USC exhibiting support for gay and lesbian students and faculty. The often-spouted excuse of our conservative Southern locale is no excuse when schools such as the University of Georgia, the University of Mississippi and the University of North Carolina all include sexual orientation in their nondiscrimination policies. With all of these schools already on board, the faculty, and soon the board of trustees, should also recognize that a vote against the inclusion of gays and lesbians in the policy is just as much an endorsement of hate and bigotry as a vote of yes is an endorsement of compassion and understanding. Not supporting the change would send the message the school will not support abuse on the basis of sex, race, disability and veteran status, but that the abuse of a gay student is — understandable? No. We encourage both the faculty senate and the board of trustees to follow the lead of343 other colleges and universities, as well as the cities of Columbia and Charleston, and adopt sexual orientation into their nondiscrimination policies. GAMECOCK CORRECTIONS If you see an error in today’s paper, we want to know. Write us atgamecockviewpoints@hotmail.com. ABOUT THE GAMECOCK Martha Wright Editor in Chief Mary Hartney University Editor Ginny Thornton Asst. Univ. Editor Victoria Bennett The Mix Editor Justin Bajan Asst. The Mix Editor Chris Foy Sports Editor Preston Baines Asst. Sports Editor Elizabeth Swartz Online Editor Aaron Hark Photo Editor Andrew Rogers Asst. Photo Editor Greg Hambrick City Editor Alicia Balentine Asst. City Editor Brandon Larrabee Viewpoints Editor Rene Moffatt Political Cartoonist/ illustrator Candi Hauglum Graphic Artist Page Designers Mackenzie Clements Crystal Dukes, Katie Smith, David Stagg Copy Editors Crystal Boyles, Jaso I'armon, Jill Martin, Carolyn Rowe CONTACT INFORMATION Offices on third floor of the Russell House. Editor in Chief: gamecockeditor@hotmail.com University Desk: gamecockudesk@hotmail.com City Desk: gamecockcitydesk@hotmail.com Viewpoints: gamecockviewpoints@hotmail.com The Mix: gamecockmixeditor@hotmail.com Sports: gamecocksports@hotmail.com Online: www.dailygamecock.com Newsroom: 777-7726 TO PLACE AN AD The Gamecock 1400 Greene Street Columbia, S.C. 29208 Advertising: 777-3888 Classified: 777-1184 Fax: 777-6482 STUDENT MEDIA Erik Collins Faculty Adviser Ellen Parsons Director of Student Media Susan King Creative Director Carolyn Griffin Business Manager Sarah Scarborough Advertising Manager Sherry F. Holmes Classified Manager Creative Services Todd Hooks, Jennie Moore, Martin Salisbury, Beju Shah, Advertising Staff Betsy Baugh, Caryn Barowsky, . Amanda Ingram, Denise Levereaux, Jackie Rice, Stacey Todd Gamecock Community Affairs ' K^ren Yip ^ The Gamecock is the student newspaper of the University of South Carolina and is published Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the fall and spring semesters and nine times during the summer with the exception of university holidays and exam periods. Opinions expressed in The Gamecock are those of the editors or author and not those of the University of South Carolina. The Board of Student Publications and Communications is the publisher of The Gamecock. The Department of Student Media is the newspaper's parent organization. The Gamecock is supported in part by student activities fees. One free copy per reader. Additional fcopies may be purchased for one dollar each from the Department of Student Media. ' EVEN I \ SAW THE ] , Recession I \conmsy * * k|0^/MC6T[ L i LATASHA GIBBS/THE GAMECOCK I^COMOMIST^ Dear Santa: Here’s my Christmas list CHARLES PRASHAW CPRASHAW@YAHOO.COM Graduating, winning and parking top my wish list. Well, it’s December, finally, and the only thing I can think about is Christmas. Because I don’t feel like writing a column of social importance, here are a few things I would like to have for Christmas— think of it as a Christmas wish list. 1) Just once, I would like to have championship Gamecock team, be it football, basketball or baseball. Santa, if you’re out there, man, this simple wish could happen anytime before I graduate, if you don’t mind. Hell, I would be happy with a SEC football championship or a spot in the NCAA tournament. 2) Also, I would like USC to get a permanent dean for its journalism school. I think two years is just about enough time to find someone to be dean. Santa, could you please ask the journalism dean search committee to just go ahead and pick someone? At this point, I wouldn’t even care if it were Susan Aude Fisher as long as it was someone “permanent.” 3) Also, Santa, could you bring USC a new president? Hopefully, the new president will be able to actually pronounce the English language. 4) Santa, I would just like to graduate sometime before I’m 30 years old. I know it is probably my fault that I’m so slack, but come on now. This is a wish list and everything. 5) Santa, could I also have some new candidates for the next governor of South Carolina? Bob Peeler, Jim Miles, Charlie Condon and Mark Sanford — I know you don’t usually get into politics, but if any of those four became governor, I would have to transfer. Even though it would be interesting if that crazy bastard Condon became the next S.C. governor because we would be in the national news every other week. Condon is the kind of guy who would propose tough sentencing for jaywalkers while allowing abusive parents to be free on the street. And while I’m asking, can Jim Hodges drop dead? I’m a Democrat, but I don’t think I can vote for an education governor who is making it harder and harder for me to graduate without personal bankruptcy. 6) Santa, could you also stop irate graduate students from writing letters to the editor about my columns? You would think people would have better things to do than sit around and criticize me. Hey, it’s a joke. I’m not a serious writer—couldn’t you tell by the stupid topics I pick? If you want serious, read The Washington Post. I might have to start breaking my rule against answering e-mails. 7J While I’m on it, Santa, I would like to accept that WOST professor’s offer (an invitation that will run in Wednesday’s Viewpoints section) for Phil Watson and me to come to her class and get the third degree. It’s just like a woman to complain about stuff she doesn’t understand. Any time, Tootsie. 8) Santa, this one might be out of your hands, too, but could you make the first winner of the South Carolina lottery me? 9) Santa, could you make people stop complaining about Maurice Bessinger? Everyone knows Bessinger is an idiot, but he has the right to buy ads in a school newspaper. See how simple that is? I summed it up in one sentence. Stop writing columns and letters to the editor about this. 10) And finally, my last Christmas wish is for lots and lots of parking spaces at USC. IN YOUR OPINION Hartney letter was ‘insightful,’ ‘witty’ I would like to compliment Mr. Hartney on his splendid vocabulary and extremely biting wit. It’s clear that he should be writing for this newspaper, but we regular students probably couldn’t keep up with his repository of knowledge. Mr. Hartney, you are clearly the most outstanding jabberwocky on this campus. Who better to replace our esteemed Dr. Palms than a young man with nothing better to do than show off his knowledge of the English language in a thoroughly romping and pointless attack on a fellow student? Mr. Hartney is truly a credit to this university and will be the model for Homecoming kings for many years. Thank you for your insightful letter, and we hope to hear more from you in the future. FAIYAZ DOSSAJI FOURTH-YEAR STUDENT COLLERE OF LIBERAL ARTS Stop writing about Maurice Bessinger Every time I pick up The Gamecock, some writer, usually the same person, is complaining about Maurice Bessinger— about his beliefs, the ads in the school paper, etc. What makes America beautiful is the U.S. Constitution. At the heart of the First Amendment is the recognition of the fundamental importance of the free flow of ideas and opinions. The freedom to speak one’s mind is not only an aspect of individual liberty, but also is essential to the common quest for truth and the vitality of society as a whole. While people such as Maurice Bessinger and Lairy Flynt offend people, it is those fanatics that the Consitution is designed to protect. If it is their opinions that offend, that result is all the more reason for according their speech constitutional protection. There are no articles bashing me for being a Methodist, which might be offensive to some but is one of my constitutionally protected rights. If you don’t believe in the religion, don’t go to that church. On the same note, if you don’t agree with the man’s beliefs, don’t go to his restaurant and don’t buy his barbecue sauce. That is everyone’s individual right, just like it is his and every other American’s protected right to speak his mind. So, for God’s sake, quit complaining and attacking someone for exercising his constitutionally protected right to free speech. SCOTT KELLY SECOND-YEAR DOCTORAL STUDENT MOORE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS - uoU transportation, parking are horrible I would like to voice a few concerns about problems occurring in the USC parking and transportation system. First, how long does it take to fix the security arm at the entrances of Bull Street Garage? It’s getting to the point that I’d rather park in Blossom Street Garage. If every car in there generates $160 a semester for the university, the least it could do is get things fixed promptly. The arms somehow get broken every week or so, and when they do, it takes several weeks for them to be repaired. They block off the entrances, and it creates havoc when cars have to turn around in small areas inside the garage and going into the garage. Second, although the shuttle system is a big help for those of us who live in the Quads, the number of buses on the routes is messed up. The blue route, for example, has four stops and one bus. The yellow route has three stops and two buses. According to one of the drivers, it takes 16 minutes for a full trip for the blue and seven for the yellow. I have stood outside the Nursing Building for 20 minutes waiting for the blue bus, when multiple yellow buses come by and have only three riders get on. People have to get to the Coliseum in less than 15 minutes, and it is infuriating to wait so long. The only other option is to run across campus to avoid being late. Then you get to class all sweaty and nasty. These issues, coupled with the huge dent somebody put in my car, have forced me to join the letters to the editor banter. ANDREW FESTA THIRD-YEAR STUDENT COLLUDE OF JOURNALISM AND MASS COMMUNICATIONS' Faculty not working for love of money In Mr. Mike Buchanan’s recent (Nov. 16) rant, he made several statements based on clear misconceptions. I would like to address some ofhis ideas. Mr. Buchanan stated: “Did I read somewhere that 65 percent of the professors at USC make at least $100,000 per year? That is not up to be disputed; that is fine, whatever, but has anyone ever thought of having the professors donate a portion of their paycheck to some sort of fund?” Even a casual search of USC’s Web site (www.sc.edu, select University Facts, then peruse the Faculty Data section) indicates that Mr. Buchanan is grossly in error. The average salary per academic year for full-time USC 4 faculty is $65,200. This figure is biased; the faculty is dominated by the 475 lull professors—a rank that requires a doctoral degree and about 10 or more years’ experience as a faculty member. The average salary of the 338 associate professors (tenured faculty with six or more years’ experience) is $60,567, and the average salary of the 224 assistant professors (who usually have a doctoral degree and one to six years’ experience) is $50,290. As a relatively new assistant professor, my salary is toward the low end of the faculty Scale. Many of the faculty could make significantly more in the private sector. We choose to work in a university setting because we love to teach, conduct research and work in a stimulating atmosphere. In this time of fiscal crisis, mandatory “donations” would push the best and brightest faculty to abandon education when they are the most needed. Finally, allow me to dispel several myths regarding perks given to faculty. We do not get free parking—I pay for parking just like each student does. We do not get free tickets to sports events—we pay the same rate as alumni and other nonstudent fans. Professors attend school for many years to earn our degrees (usually five to nine years post undergraduate). We work at this university, not for the money, but in the pursuit of excellence in teaching and research. I would encourage Mr. Buchanan and others to employ greater care in developing the foundation for their opinions. 1 would also encourage The Gamecock to publish only those viewpoints that demonstrate at least marginal forethought. WILL PELFREY ASSISTANT PROFESSOR COLLEGE OK CniMINALJl'STICK submission Policy Letters to the Editor or guest columns are welcome from the Carolina community. Letters should be 250-300 words. Guest columns should be about 600 words. Both must jnclude name, phone number, professional title or year and major, if a student. Deliver handwritten submissions to Russell House room 333, or send e-mail to gamecockviewpoints@hotmail.com. The Gamecock reserves the right to edit for libel, style and space. Anonymous letters will not be published. Photos are required for guest columnists and can be provided by the submitter. Call 777-7726 for more information.