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SENATE NEWS: Legislation update from March 5th, 2003: • Sen. Shipman proposed a resolution for the reapportionment, which did not pass. • Sen. Odom brought forth SBL(03)Q46 and 047 as a slate concerning the Carolina Center and block seating. • SBL(03)046 was amended by Sen. Tomlin. Both resolutions, including the amendment, passed. • Sen. Cunningham brought forth SBL(03)048. Sen. Scott proposed 2 amendments, which passed along with the resolution. • Sen. Havird brought forth SBL(03)049. The motion was made to go into a period of debate, but did not pass. The rules were suspended to allow Parliamentarian Harry Bohli to speak on the subject. The rules were reinstated and the resolution passed. • Sen. Norton and Connelly brought forth an emergency resolution, SBL(03)050 concerning the HOPE scholarship. This resolution passed. Committee Reports Academics- no report Athletics- Sunday’s Basketball game is Senior Day. Come support the seniors. Finance- no report Judiciary- no report Minority Affairs- attended the NAACP meeting and discussed their concerns of discrimination of pay among staff members. Powers & Responsibilities- no report Rules- placed SBL(03)048 & 049 on the docket. Sen Cordova also discussed possible budget cuts in October, which were previously discussed by Dr. Sorensen. Student Services- no report Executive Report President Patel expressed his position on the reapportionment of the senate, relaying that he feels it should take effect for this election, but either way something needs to be done. Vice President Dreiling reminded the Senators that it is their duty to uphold the Constitution for the organizations they are a part of. CABINET NEWS: Thanks to Freshman Council for painting the Cocky on the wall across from the mailboxes in the Russell House! Interfaith Council Chair, Rachel Rosansky would like to announce: "■Ay. - That the Interfaith Council is planning another Panel event, similar to this past one, for the end of April. The date should be April 23rd, at 7:00 pm, and the topic will relate to Science and Religion: Are They Compatible? Announcements from Elections Commissioner, Brooke Vickery: • The General Election will be held March 31st-April 1st. • Inauguration will be held on April 16th at 3:00pm in Rutledge Chapel. **If you would like to have a speaker attend a meeting of your organization for more information or to answer questions, please email Brooke Vickery at vickery @ gwm.sc.edu. Announcements from Kaite McClendon, Director of Safety: • Wednesday, March 26th is Mind Body Spirit and Wellness Day. Clothesline T-shirt painting will be available on Greene Street. • Friday, March 28th a Critical Mass bike ride will begin at 5:30 pm on the Horseshoe. • Saturday, March 29th there will be a Dance in the Womens’ quad from 9:00pm 12:30pm tentatively. The event is sponsored by RHA and all proceeds benefit domestic violence prevention. • Monday, March 31st and April 1 st -Clothesline Grand Display on Greene Street. Chief of Staff, Jessica Steadman, would like to remind the Student Body that the new University Committee applications are available in the Student Government Office or online at www.sg.sc.edu. These positions are for the Fall and Spring semester of the next academic year. The committees are a great way to get involved on campus and a unique way to voice your opinion over important university policy such as safety, parking, and disability affairs or have input in various awards, the Horseshoe, and Orientation. Applications are due April 4 at 4:00 p.m. in the Student Government Office in the basement of the Russell House. Contact Jessica with any questions at steadman@gwm.sc.edu. Want to Iina out more aooui wnai s gumg uu m oiuuem uuvcmmcm: Please visit us at www.sg.sc.edu! Student Government exists to act as a liaison between the students and the administration of the University of South Carolina. 1^1—. Palestinian parliament moves toward U.S.-sought reforms BY PAISLEY DODDS THE ASSOCIATED PRESS JERUSALEM — The Palestinian parliament created the post of prime minister Tuesday, taking a major step toward U.S.-sought re forms and rebuffing Yasser Arafat’s attempts to retain a say in forming the next Cabinet. In the West Bank, Israeli forces killed two top Hamas fugitives ac cused in a string of shootings and bombings that killed dozens of Israelis. In a separate incident, an 11-year-old boy attending a Gaza United States and Israel. Last week, the 88-member par liament gave preliminary ap proval to legislation defining the new post. The prime minister was given the right to appoint, super vise and fire Cabinet ministers — tasks once the sole preserve of Arafat. Arafat had sought three amend ments to the Palestinian basic law, including a demand that would have given him final say in ap proving a Cabinet. The wording was vague, but legislators suspi cious of his intentions feared the IaaaUaIa ntAA L UUC1 C*i ** shot and criti cally injured. The gun bat tles came as Palestinian leg islators cast “It’s the beginning of a transition.” HANAN ASHRAWI PALESTINIAN LEGISLATOR another way to weaken the prime minis ter’s powers sig nificantly. On Monday, their ballots in a watershed vote that signaled a further weakening of Arafat’s influence — a process that began about a year ago amid growing dissatisfaction among Palestinians with his leadership. “It’s the beginning of a transi tion — it is certainly a turning point and a qualitative shift in the political culture,” said legislator Hanan Ashrawi. “Now we have power-sharing that is clearly spelled out.” Arafat has been wrangling with the increasingly assertive parlia ment over giving some of his sweeping powers to a prime min ister but reluctantly agreed to cre ate the new position under inter national pressure. Even with the reforms, however, Arafat win re tain control over security forces and peace talks with Israel. President Bush said last week that installing a credible Palestinian prime minister with real powers is a prerequisite for unveiling a U.S.-backed “road map” to Palestinian statehood. Before Tuesday’s session, Arafat dropped a demand to retain a say over appointing Cabinet ministers. Arafat now has to sign the legislation and will likely of fer the job to the number two lead er in the PLO, Mahmoud Abbas. Abbas, a moderate who has spo ken out against the armed upris ing against Israel, also is the prime minister favored by the parliament rejected Arafat s de mand by a preliminary vote of 49 22. Later, Arafat convened legis lators from his Fatah movement, who have a majority in parlia ment, in hopes of persuading them to support his request. The legislators refused, howev er, and Arafat was forced to drop his demand, Ibrahim Abu Naja, a Fatah legislator who participated in the meeting, said Tuesday. “He (Arafat) decided to give up his demand to participate in the forming of the government,” said Abu Naja. Arafat is free to offer advice to the prime minister, but will not be able to impose his wishes, Abu Naja said. Secretary of State Colin Powell said he was impressed by the Palestinian parliament’s decision, which countered Arafat’s desire to make the post “something of a creature of him rather than the legislative body.” “I think it is starting to become clear that they wish the prime minister to have authority,” Powell said. But, Powell said, “it seems that President Arafat will still retain authority over security and other matters, and we will have to see now whether the prime minister has the kind of authority that we can view as authority to start mov ing the Palestinian people into a more positive direction.” Divisions in Arafat’s own gov ernment and party have been de veloping for some time. One of his most outspoken crit ics, Palestinian legislator Husam Khader, was detained by Israeli troops near the West Bank town of Nablus on Sunday, the army said. Khader, a critic of Palestinian corruption, was ex pected to vote against Arafat’s pro posed amendments. Last year, he called Palestinian Cabinet ministers a “bunch of thieves.” It was unclear why the army detained Khader. In the West Bank village of Baka al-Hatab, meanwhile, Israeli soldiers hunting for militants shot and killed Nasser Asida, 27, a top commander of Hamas’ Qassam Brigade, the army said. Asida was hiding in a cave when a gun bat tle broke out, witnesses said. He was on Israel’s most-wanted list for allegedly masterminding at tacks on Jewish settlements, the army said. In a separate incident Tuesday, Israeli troops killed Hamas lead ci nu ruiau, t* i , ui «. » uiagc uccu Bethlehem. One soldier was also killed and another injured in the gun battle. Alian was accused of planning at least three attacks on Israelis in the last four months, including one in Haifa on March 5 that killed 16 Israelis and one American, the army said. He was held in Israeli jails between 1994 and 1999. In Gaza, an 11-year-old boy was critically injured at a funeral when mourners began shooting into the air, as is customary, and Israeli troops opened fire. The shooting occurred near the Israeli settlement of Neve Dekalim in Khan Yunis. Also in Gaza, Israeli troops fired tear gas at about 300 activists from the Palestinian-backed International Solidarity Movement and Palestinian non governmental organizations that were honoring an American wom an killed Sunday by an Israeli bulldozer. Rachel Corrie, 23, from Olympia, Wash., was trying to block the bulldozer from demol ishing a building in a refugee camp when she was killed. Take a Practice Test & find out! Take a full-length Mock MCAT, GMAT, GRE, > LSAT or DAT proctored like the real thing! You'll receive individual feedback and get strategies to help you pass the real exam. University of South Carolina Cost is $5. All proceeds go to Golden Key. Saturday March 22nd, 2003 10am Humanities classroom Building I MCAT-301 LSAT-302 GMAT-303 GRE-305 DAT-316 Call toaay 10 register! 1 -soo-kap-test IjfTTWiTyp kaptest.com "Test names are registered trademarks of their resDective owners. USC May Graduates w -9L-— — .—i SAVE MORE THAN $30.00 over bookstore prices “jHv Order Grad Pac now and get free cap, gown, and tassel, Tp free gamecock tassel, free senior glass mug (while they last) Only from BALFOUR 1609 Blossom Street Columbia, SC (near the comer of Pickens and Blosssom) i! BASIC GRAD PAC-$63-50 includes 25 personalized announcements w/matching envelopes, 25 thank-you notes, 25 gold foil envelope seals, 60 return address labels & cap, gown, and tassel Store Hours: M-F 8:30-4:30 Phone orders with Visa/MC 254-5330 or 1-800-526-0290 order online: www.mygraduationsupplies.com Masters and Doctors specials also available