University of South Carolina Libraries
www.dailygamecock.com WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14,2004 Since 19 Renowned physicist to lead USC’s nanocentei BY KEVIN FELLNER U^TIIK HAMMOCK One of the nation’s top nan otechnology experts is expected to join USC’s faculty this summer as the result of the state’s $30 million endowed chairpersons program. Physics professor Richard Webb of the University of Maryland has won international acclaim for his quantum electron ics research with IBM and super conductivity research in Maryland, and will become USC’s second member of the National Academy of Sciences, a presti gious honor for researchers. USC President Andrew Sorensen has compared Webb to Nobel Prize winning physicists. Webb said his reason for ac cepting a position at USC was to work at a university with a more advanced and reliable infrastruc ture than Maryland. “I have suffered measurably from infrastructure problems,” he said. “Maryland cannot keep on the lights. The power goes down regularly in times of experimen tation.” USC is planning additional ren ovations to the recently updated Sumwalt Budding to prepare for the heavy machinery Webh needs for his experiments. The nanoscience program received $4 midion in state lottery funds last June and will have that money matched with private donations to provide the program with an en dowment. Harris Pastides, vice president for research and health sciences, said attracting Webb to USC is the type of achievement the endowed chairpersons program was de signed for. “It’s a huge undertaking, real ly,” he said. “When one looks at the resources it takes to get a sci entist of his reputation to come here, you understand what this means for the university.” Pastides said Sorensen and oth er USC researchers were espe cially interested in attracting Webb, because the university was already focused on building ex pertise in nanotechnology. “The president and I were per sonally involved in a way that we’re not normally used to,” Pastides said, adding that he and Sorensen made trips to Maryland to meet Webb last year. Nanotechnology is the science of building electronic circuits and devices from single atoms and molecules. Webb said measuring behavi at the atomic level requires pi cise and intricate-instrtimentath that he hasn’t been able to acce at Maryland. “I’ve had a series of probably different types of problems he associated with lab structure, ai I’m just fed up with it,” he said. Webb is also looking forward collaborations with other USC i ♦ WEBB, SEE PAGE 4 Students explore •civil rights locations BY Z’ANNE COVELL THEflAMBfiOCK The history of the civil rights movement recently came to life for 40 USC students, faculty members and staff who participated in the university’s fourth annual Civil Rights Tour. The tour was sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs, the African-American Studies Program and the USC chapter of the NAACP. According to Michael Goodwin, B co-coordinator of the four-day trip, the group toured important civil rights museums and historical sites “The tour introduces you to what actually happened,” Goodwin said. “Movies and books are impersonal, but this tour brings you face to face with histo ry and the time period, because we visit places with the most promi nence and significance to the civil rights movement.” The USC tourists traveled to Birmingham, Montgomery and Selma, Ala., as well as to Memphis, Tenn. The tour’s itinerary included visiting the National Civil Rights Museum, the National Voting Rights ^ Museum and the Rosa Parks Library and Museum. Takela Funderburk, a second year chemistry student, said vis iting The Lorraine Motel in Memphis was her favorite part of the tour. “It was very moving to stand in the same room Martin Luther King had stood in,” Funderburk said. Second-year music education student Kai Revels said her moth er’s experience during the 1963 march on Washington influenced her decision to go on the tour. “It was more of a primary source than a secondary source, because the tour guides were peo ^kple who were involved in the ^ movement,” Revels said. “It was more touching and meaningful to hear the stories from them.” The firsthand accounts also challenged tourists’ conceptions about the civil rights movement and shed light on some unfamil iar topics. “You always hear about civil rights, but seeing it goes a lot deep er than just Martin Luther King and the ‘I have a dream’ speech,” fourth-year finance student Ali Crabb said. “I really learned so much about the specifics.” The diversity of those who sup ported the civil rights movement ♦ TOUR, SEE PAGE 4 New.Law.School.Dean PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE GAMECOCK School of Law Dean Burnele Powell shakes hands with USC President Andrew Sorensen. Laying down the Law Powell aims to expand excellence of program BY KEVIN FELLNER THE GAMECOCK Still adjusting during his first week on the job, USC School of Law Dean Burnele Powell said he accepted the position be cause he wanted the opportunity to lead a law school at a state’s flagship university. Named as replacement for interim Dean Frank Mood, who has been serving since May, Powell comes to USC after serving as a professor and dean at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Law School since 1995. “He’s qualified to be the dean of the law school, and he has been dean of a law school,” USC President Andrew Sorensen said about Powell. “He’s a widely recognized scholar.” Powell served a three-year dean appointment at UMKC and will retain his tenured status at USC. "Being an academic dean gave me the opportunity to gain perspective more than anything else,” he said. He has long-term plans to teach at the law school but says right now his primary focus is on his responsibilities as dean. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School with a master’s from Harvard Law School, Powell spent 19 years on the faculty at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill School of Law. Powell predicts large public universities in the Southeast will lead some of the next major ad vancements in higher education. “We are in the process of reemerging, and that’s a good thing,” he said. Powell enters USC at a time when Sorensen and other administrators are pushing for ways to fund a proposed relocation of the law school to a new fa cility at the corner of Senate and Pickens streets. Powell said he won’t waste any time initiating fund raising efforts. “Legal education has changed dramatically in the last 30 years, and the building that we built 30 years ago is not the facility that is required to help us to go forward in the 21st century.” The law school facility was completed in 1973. “I think the most important step in the next few months will be to make contact with all of our friends and supporters, all who believe in the majesty of the law, the dignity of the profession, the glorious mission of education, and as we come to gether, the plans will unfold,” Powell said. Powell also must face the challenge of possibly dealing with academic and professional competi tion with a private law school scheduled to open in Charleston this fall. John Benfield, dean of admis sions for USC’s law school, has already left to ac cept a position at the new school, designed to be a private alternative to USC with a lower admission standard. Members of the USC Board of Trustees briefly discussed at two meetings late last year the possibility of increasing admissions requirements after two consecutive years of increased average GPA and LSAT scores. “I told Dean Powell that I expect him to lead the law school into the top 50 law schools in the coun try,” Sorensen said. U.S. News & World Report ranked USC’s law school in a tie for 78th last year. Powell said he would look at the possibility for in ♦ POWELL, SEE PAGE 4 SG presidents take new roles BY JUSTIN CHAPPELL THE HAMEGOCK When USC Student Government presidential cam paigns kick off and a new group of student representatives are ushered into office, past SG pres idents often fall out of the local limelight. But where do they land? In 2000-2001, the USC student body elected Jotaka Eaddy, the Following Eaddy was Cor Ford, who served in office frc 2001 to 2002. Ford said he left U! initially planning to go to k schoof . Since graduation, Ford h been living in Columbia ai working for the firm of Nelsc Mullins, Riley & Scarboroug L.L.P., as a project assistant. C as Ford put it, “Low man on t totem pole.” While working for the k nisi uiaun male SG presi dent. Afterther term ended in May 2001, Eaddy left USC with a double ] major in polit- j ical science I and criminal instirp Ill 111, 1' U1 u tt eluded that would rath pursue a bu: ness career. “Law is mo restrictive th business,” Fo said. “It doesi allow for In He Eaddy, who was on vacation and unavailable for comment, lives in Washington, D.C., and serves as the coordinator of the national youth organizing pro ject for the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. Presently serving as the coor dinator of the national youth or ganizing project for NCADP, Eaddy has spent the last eight years in the anti-death penalty movement, according to the or ganization’s Web site, NCADP.org. visionary.” Ford said he is applying to t University of Florida’s MBA pi gram and intends to begin August. He is also completi: the Air Force Reserve applk tion process. About the last year-and-a-h since graduation, Ford said, “I been a different experience th. at Carolina and a great proce knowing what I want to do nov Since leaving USC, Ford h ♦ PRESIDENTS, SEE PAGE 4 Morris indicted by grand jury BY PAMELA HAMILTON THE ASSOCIATED PRESS COLUMBIA — Carolina Investors Chairman Earle Morris was indicted Tuesday by the state grand jury on 24 counts of securities fraud, the state at torney general said. Morris, a former South Carolina lieutenant governor and state comptroller general, lied to investors and used his reputation and name-recogni tion to secure their trust, the in dictment said. “The state intends to prove that Mr. Morris knowingly and willfully participated in a large scale securities fraud scheme,” Attorney General Henry McMaster said. About 8,000 South Carolinians lost $275 million when HomeGold, the parent company of Carolina Investors, filed for bankruptcy protection in March. Morris' attorney, Joel Collins —■* of Columbia, said Tuesday 1 hadn't spoken with his die since the indictment was a nounced but the idea that Mon participated in a scheme to c fraud South Carolinians “is i consistent with his life of de< cated service to the citizens this state.” “He is devastated by this tu of events,” Collins said. “He proud of his reputation — h good name — and is committ to doing everything he can preserve it.” Morris, 75, served for 22 yea as comptroller general and fo years as lieutenant govern from 1971-75. He also spent years in the state Senate ai four in the House. Morris is the second Carolii Investors official to be indictf Former President Larry Owe was indicted on 23 counts fraud in November. ♦ INDICTMENT, SEE PAGE 4 ♦ ORPHAN MUSIC A USC film will be entered the National Film Registry. FOR MORE SEE PAGE 3 ♦ LAW SCHOOL AWARDED USC’s Pro Bono Program wins the Commission on Higher Learning’s Service Learning award. FOR MORE SEE PAGE 3 ♦MANHATTAN MARKER Allyson Bird says we need a 9-11 memorial now. FOR MORE SEE PAGE 7 ♦ THE FINAL FRONTIER Why the new space program may be too much. FOR MORE SEE PAGE 7 ♦ LORD OF ALL Guest speaker Michael Dount talks up "Lord of the Rings” writer J.R.R. Tolkien. FOR MORE SEE PAGE 8 nHMBHHMINMI ♦ LOVE IS HELL Ryan Adams’ latest releases resonate with heartbreak. FOR MORE SEE PAGE 9 ♦ GETTING DEFENSIVE Holtz hires Minterto be new defensive coordinator. FOR MORE SEE PAGE 11 ♦ EYE OF THE TIGER Men’s basketball looks to snap losing streak to Auburn. FOR MORE SEE PAGE 11 Index Comics and Crossword_ 10 Classifieds__ 13 Horoscopes10 Letters to the Editor__7 Online Poll _ 7 Police Report 2 Entertainment News _ 2 USC Calender 2 Weather TODAY High 61 Low 42 Sunny and c^ar, winds 5-10 mph THURSDAY High 60 Low 29 Winds about 19 mph, Warm I / online at: ww.dailygamecock.co The Gamecock ts prmted ( recycled paper. wmmmmm