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www.dailygamecock.com MONDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2002 ---— Fixing science building could cost $100,000 BY WENDY JEFFCOAT Tin; (iamk<:oi;k According to USC’s architect, the wait is almost over for the ge olog}' department, which has been — holding on for more than six W months for funds to reinforce the structure of the Earth and Water Sciences building. “As of Monday, they’re not go ing to be waiting on the money,” Charlie Jeffcoat, director of Facilities Planning and Construction, said Friday. “The money will be there next week.” The Geological Sciences Department has been waiting since February for $9,000 to finish fireproofing a steel beam installed to reinforce the fourth floor of the west end of the EWS building and to close up holes, left by construc tion, in the walls of laboratories and classrooms. Structural support became an issue when a new faculty member I requested some laboratory reno vations on the fourth floor of the building. The renovations in cluded using lead bricks that were so heavy, Jeffcoat said he couldn’t pick one up. When Facilities checked the floor-load design, it found that the floor would not sup port the new bricks, so the steel beam was installed. Jeffcoat said the building is weak according to today’s codes, though it was designed according to code when it was built in the 1960s. Now, buildings have to be re inforced to protect against earth quakes and other natural disasters. “We will formally notify the de partment that they should not make any changes to the floor loads of this building without con sulting us first,” Jeffcoat said. He said that, since the begin ning of the project, Facilities lias had a few delays, some caused by insufficient funds. Jeffcoat said the project’s overall cost is esti mated at more than $100,000. The beam reaches from the basement to the fourth floor. The exposed beam and the holes in the walls have raised con cerns about security and safety among those who work in the building. Feelings of frustration have risen among faculty and stu dents because of the delays. “You can look into people’s re search areas,’’ said Heather Aceves, a laboratory technician in the ge ology department. “It’s October, and we still have these holes in all the walls through the lab.” Aceves said there have been several problems with the EWS building in the past, including floods from busted waterlines and power outages. “If the building is not safe, then why are so many people working in the building?” Aceves said. “I ♦ CONSTRUCTION, SEE PAGE 4 A beam stands exposed in the Earth and Water Sciences building. The geology department has been waiting for money to complete repairs on the building since February. PHOTO BY CANDI HAUGLUM/THE GAMECOCK Housing to fight mold problems South Tower residents might soon see relief BY HOLLY BOUNDS THE RAMECOCK University Housing is trying to alleviate South Tower’s mold problem, which the department blames on high humidity caused by air-conditioning malfunc tions, that has contributed to stu dent health problems. In September, Housing began receiving complaints from South Tower residents about an un usual amount of mold found in their rooms, according to Housing Director Gene Luna. “I felt like I was constantly sick due to the mold,” said Allyson Hudgins, a third-year public relations student who lives in South Tower. Hudgins’ room had to be cleaned twice be fore she began to feel better * After an investigation, Housing finally found some an swers. In a Sept. 30 letter to the parents of South Tower resi dents, Luna said two malfunc tions in the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system in South Tower have caused hu midity to rise in the building. The first malfunction was with the pumps that take chilled water around the building and the fan coil units, which circu late cold air. Luna said the fan coil units failed in each room and had to be repaired or re placed. The second malfunction was with the ventilation motors, which also had to be replaced. Luna said that humidity ide ally should be less than 50 per cent, but in this case, Housing’s aim is less than 60 percent. Luna said that, because of the Southeast’s hot. humid climate, mold will persist in this area. Luna thinks things are set ♦ MOLD, SEE PAGE 2 Groups discuss court choices NAACP voices concerns about selection process for Showcase * BY KATHERINE HALLORAN ^ THE GAMECOCK Members of the Homecoming Commission and the USC chap ter of the NAACP agreed that Thursday’s meeting to discuss changes in the selection process for Homecoming king and queen was productive. Members of USC’s chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People met with Homecoming Commissioner Sarah Grove and Student Government President Ankit Patel, who is also a mem ber of the NAACP. Patel invited members to meet Sunday to dis cuss and organize ideas to bring to the Student Senate floor on W Wednesday. NAACP member Kaleta Brown, a fourth-year marketing and management student, said the NAACP did not intend to at tack the Homecoming Committee or the Student Senate but that it did want to attack the process of Homecoming selec tion. USC’s NAACP president, Jerome Bryant, said the meeting was “what we wanted.” “Hopefully, we’ll see results and move on to other issues,” he said. Grove agreed that the meeting was a step in the right direction Bfyant and said now is the time to begin modifying the current system to adhere with USC’s growing di versity. “There were a lot of good ideas from NAACP members that I was happy to hear,” she said. One of the main suggestions NAACP members stressed was modifying the judging system for Showcase, the event during Homecoming week in which the king and queen are chosen. Some members think students should vote democratically for a king and queen, while others think there should be a formal nomination from students to choose the judges. Brown suggested that stu dents be incorporated in the pro cess of formally nominating a king or queen, and then contes tants could continue through the three-step process with the judges making the final decision at Showcase. “I think it’s fine the way it is; ♦ JUDGING, SEE PAGE 2 Index Comics and Crossword 9 Classifieds 12 Horoscopes_9 Letters to the Editor 6 Online Poll _ 6 Police Report 5 Weather TODAY TOMORROW <53 High 71 Low 55 Inside • ♦ THE MIX A new book describes the wild college life through the tales of a recent college graduate. Page 7 ♦THE MIX Anthony Hopkins returns as Hannibal in “Red Dragon,” the prequel to “Silence of the Lambs” and “Hannibal.” Page 8 ♦ SPORTS Clemson extends its winning streak over USC to eight games in men’s soccer. Page 10 School spirit shines for Homecoming PHOTO BY JASON STEELMAN/THE GAMECOCK PHOTO BY JOHNNY HAYNES/THE GAMECOCK PHOTO BY TRISHA SHADWELL/THE GAMECOCK The Homecoming competition continued throughout last week, and the winners were announced at the football game against Mississippi State on Saturday. Top left: Casey Lemond of Delta Tau Delta performed Friday night in Cockfest, along with members of the Alpha Delta Pi sorority. The two organizations won Cockfest. Top right: The Mississippi State Bulldog falls to his knees, crushed, when he realizes the Gamecocks will win Saturday’s game. Above: Members of PI Kappa Phi and Chi Omega carry their letters down Greene Street in the Homecoming Parade on Friday. The pair of organizations won the overall competition. Bush chief of staff honored at USC BY JESSICA CLANTON THE GAMECOCK White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card was one of three USC alumni honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award Friday night at the annual Homecoming alumni award win ner’s dinner at the Sheraton Hotel in Columbia. Also receiving the award were U.S. Army Adjutant Gen. Kathryn Frost of Arlington, Texas, and Texas Supreme Court Justice Harriet S. O’Neill of Austin. “I didn’t think I would ever be a distinguished alumni because I was not a distinguished student,” Card said. “But I credit USC for giving me the confidence to go for ward.” Card received a bachelor’s de gree in civil engineering from 1 USC in 1971 and has maintained a close relationship with the school ever since. “I still follow the university’s sports and academics,” he said. “I was rooting for the (USC) baseball team in the nationals last year when President Bush was rooting for Texas. I have paid attention to women’s track, the soccer teams and most of the other sports.” Card has also been following USC’s reorganization with the ar rival of new President Andrew Sorensen and the merging of col leges such as the College of Journalism and Mass Communications with the College of Library and Information Science. “I still keep in touch with many of my professors and advisers in ♦ CARD, SEE PAGE 4