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Observatory CONTINUED ROM PAGE 1 South Carolina” that the observa tory fell into disrepair in the years after the war, prompting one pro fessor to refer to the building as “an unsightly ruin” in a complaint to the Board of Trustees. The building was subsequent ly surrendered to students as a fraternity hall in 1884 and re mained so until 1897, when fra ternities were banned from Carolina, according to “The Faithful Index,” which was pub lished by the university during Founder’s Week in 1976. From 1900 to 1902, the Old Observatory housed the School of the Pedagogical Department and, after a brief interlude during which it served as a golf club storehouse, the building served as an office building before being converted into the U.S. Entomological Laboratory. The building is now empty and tagged as a historic landmark. Finally, in 1928, a new observa tory was constructed off Greene Street in honor of former presi dent William Melton. According to the observatory’s Web site, Melton died in 1926 after an un successful attempt to secure fund ing for the structure. A year later, Melton’s friend and USC alumnus Edwin Seibels gave the universi ty $15,000 to go toward the con struction of a new observatory. Professor Christina Lacey of the Physics and Astronomy Department often works with the Melton Observatory, which hous es a 16-inch telescope and is oper ational. “Currently, it does not con tribute to our research,” Lacey said. “However, it is used as a lab oratory experience for our under graduate students.” Lacey said that although the telescope is subject to ongoing im provements, it will not contribute to university research. “Columbia is a lousy place to put a telescope,” she said, citing humidity and light pollution as stargazing inhibitors. Despite these preventive con ditions, Lacey said the observato ry is still a valuable learning tool. “It’s a very useful telescope,” she said. “Our students very much enjoy looking through the tele scope and seeing objects that can not be seen with the naked eye.” Public viewing hours are held on most clear Monday nights from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. October to April, and from 9:30 to 11:30 p.m. May to September. Comments on this story?E-mail gamecockudesk@hotmail.com Patel CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 and sought authorization for a bill that would increase the student activity fee. Tyler Odom, a Liberal Arts College senator, said he does not think these actions are warranted. “I don’t think issuing the sub poena was the proper course of ac tion at all,” Odom said. “In re searching this, I found a resolu tion that, in my opinion, gave Patel full authorization to go to the Board of Trustees.” Odom says a resolution passed Feb. 26, 2001, gave former SG President Corey Ford the right to approach the Board about the is sue of raising the student-activi ty fee. Because Ford didn’t have time to act on this resolution, Odom said, that right passed on to Patel. “I found it highly ironic that J.D. said this wasn’t a media ploy, and then in Friday’s paper he an nounced that he was running for president,” Odom said. “I think he was taking advantage of the situ ation to get his name in the paper.” Shipman has repeatedly denied accusations that the subpoena was a media ploy. On Oct. 16, the Student Senate approved raising the fee. Oct. 17, the matter was brought before the Board of Trustees, which also ap proved the measure. Shipman said, “If we don’t ex amine this, then it raises a dan gerous question of whether or not one person can just raise the ac tivity fee.” ratei said the statements he made June 27 were part of a rou tine report to the Board of Trustees. “If you look at the minutes from that Board of Trustees meet ing, what I said was a part of the executive committee meeting re port,” Patel said. “I think the min utes are going to reveal that what J.D. and Adam are saying is com pletely incorrect.” Shipman said Patel told the Student Senate on Oct. 16 that the Board of Trustees had already ap proved the measure to increase the student-activity fee. “We are concerned about the fact that Mr. Patel lied when ques tioned about whether he had ap proached the Board of Trustees pri or to the meeting,” Shipman said. Patel said the entire issue is more about politics than about his conduct. “I stood up before the Senate last Wednesday and offered myself to answer any question, and they vot ed for me to leave. And right after they forced me to leave, they vot ed for me to be subpoenaed so I would return. The whole reason was so the word ‘subpoena’ would appear in the paper,” Patel said. Hark says the reason for the subpoena wasn’t political in na ture but that it serves to ensure that the senators have control of the questioning. “When subpoenaed, he has to directly answer our questions. By allowing him to deal with it in his report, he can selectively tell us whatever he wants to. It’s not that we do not want to hear him; we just want to hear him on our terms,” Hark said. “I think we really ought to know what went on,” said Amy Buchanan-Feinberg, an SG sena tor from the College of Science and Mathematics. “I don’t know that we did it in the right way, but I do think the subpoena was well thought out, and we need to know if there was a possible violation of the student body codes.” Both Patel and Hark expressed a desire to see these matters con cluded so SG can return to busi ness as usual. “Everybody thinks that Student Government is an isolat ed and worthless organization,” Patel said. “I ran to change that, but I can’t do that for the Senate. At every hearing, we have many issues that students want answers to. You can’t address those issues when the only thing you’re wor ried about is getting your name in the paper.” Comments on this story?E-mail gamecockudesk@hotmail.com PHOTO BY JOHNNY HAYNES/THE GAMECOCK The Melton Observatory on Greene Street serves as a laboratory for students and Is also open for public viewing. Iraq CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “I don’t think weapons in spections will turn up anything conclusive. I don’t think we’ll find any weapons, but I didn’t say that they’re not there,” he said. Dickson thinks the anti-war movement on campus is at a minimum. “Student support against the war is kind of minimal at USC. People who tend to lead these protests are kind of radical, and that tends to scare people off,” he said. But last night’s anti-war protest in front of the Thomas Cooper Library before and after Bush’s State of the Union ad dress is promised to be one of many at USC this year. Oppermann was a leader in the demonstration. Food Not Bombs is one group taking action and voicing opin ions. First-year history student Matt Smith and fourth-year English student Mariann Grantham are members of the group. • “I think that Bush has gotten himself into this thing where if he doesn’t attack he’ll look stupid. He’s worked himself into that little hole,” Smith said. Grantham said that war couldn’t be founded on “empty weapons casings, the first they’ve found in months.” The months ahead will only continue to raise controversy and concern, internationally and on campus, as the political plot thickens. . According to Oppermann: “It’s being handled too simply by saying ‘let’s just kill the bas tards.’ We’re ignoring the will of most of our allies, using war like rhetoric.” Students who disagree think action that will cost lives now will save more in the long run. “I think the president is try ing to be pro-active. A pre-emp tive military strike will prevent possible civilian casualties in the future,” first-year chemical engineering student Richard Crapps said. Comments on this story?E-mail gamecockudesk@hotmail.com LaDonna of Ashley's Alley a full service salon Licensed Esthetician ♦ Mail Technician Massage Therapist Spring Special: Waxing S $10.00 $40.0 offer expires 3/14/03 915 Lady Street, Suite 333 ♦ Columbia, SC 29201 Phone (803) 779-7561 x200 ♦ Cell (803)622-0601 Go Gamecocks! d<fper w' _ /•kocw.x.ms Based on campus-wide survey data collected from a random sample of USC students during the fall of 2001. Funded by a grant received from the U.S. Department of Education Safe & Drug-free Schools Program: The Prevention of High-risk Drinking and Violent Behavior Among College Students Project. 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