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sssxsssssr_FRIDAY, march 26,2004_ VolSm Sir, say cheese, sir PHOTO BY MORGAN FORD/THE GAMECOCK The Navy ROTC took pictures for Its yearbook in front of Barnwell College on Thursday’s bright and sunny afternoon. Students discuss death penalty % BY MARIA CHARLES THE (IAMBCOCK Last week’s execution of David Clayton Hill, a Georgetown man convicted of murdering Georgetown’s assistant police chief Spencer Guerry, is bringing to light the debate over the moral ity of capital punishment. Hill was executed at Broad River Correctional Institution on Friday. It was the 29th execution in the state since 1976 but will not be the last to occur this year. On the same day as Hill’s execution, the state courts announced an April 16 execution date for Jerry Bridwell McWee, a former Augusta police officer, who was convicted for the 1991 murder of an Aiken convenience store clerk. Before Hill’s death by lethal in jection, the defense argued the method by which S.C. adminis ters lethal injection is cruel and inhumane. The inmate receives a sedative followed by two other drugs, one that paralyzes muscles and can stop breathing and the other, potassium chloride, which stops the heart. Citing evidence from autop sies, the defense for Hill said about half of the prisoners exe cuted by lethal injection in the past 10 years did not receive enough sedative. Therefore, the inmate is still conscious while the second drug inhibits the muscles. In effect, the prisoner suffocates, which the defense argued was a cruel way to die. The state attor ney general’s office disputed this claim with a statement from the state toxicologist who said levels of sedative in the blood can be al tered during the time it takes the inmate to die. South Carolina started using lethal injection in 1995. The controversy surrounding Hill’s death, and the impending execution of Me Wee has some up in arms over the death penalty. USC Political Science professor Tom Durkin taught a section of Controversies in American Politics that focused on capital punishment. According to Durkin, the argument Hill’s lawyers used is extremely popu lar. “It is seen as a way to slow down the process to where the process looks increasingly ludi crous,” he said. But should the process exist at ♦ EXECUTION, SEE PAGE 2 Group wants to help student governments PHOTO BY MICHAEL LAFORGIA/THE GAMECOCK USC President Andrew Sorensen speaks at the Student Government Induction ceremony at Rutledge Chapel March 17. BY ASHLEE RICKARD TilK CAMECOCK The American Student Government Association was or ganized this winter for the pur pose of assisting student gov ernments at universities and col leges from across the country. ASGA has 100 founding mem bers representing 30 different states. The professional association is a networking resource for stu dent governments and allows leaders to access a database of other student governments from around the nation. Their Web site also provides resources such as links and articles helpful to student government officials. Oxendine Publishing, the publishers behind the popular magazine “Student Leader,” started ASGA to “help student governments grow, improve and connect.” “ASGA is all about student governments — period. Simply put, ASGA is the most incredi ble resource for student govern ment leaders ever created,” said Brian Oxendine, founder of ASGA and editor in chief of “Student Leader.” Oxendine asserted that stu dent governments are most ef fective when networked with other student governments. By being knowledgeable of the workings student governments all over the nation, each can ♦ RESOURCE, SEE PAGE 2 Wellness office to sponsor body image programs MARJORIE I. RIDDLE SPECIAL TO THE HAM ECOCK USC students can get help with frustrating diets and overall health issues this week at the Strom Thurmond Wellness & Fitness Center as part of Body Image Awareness Week. Beginning Monday, the Campus Wellness Office will sponsor programs on health top ics including eating disorders, stress relievers and nutrition in formation. According to Wellness office of ficials, one major problem for col lege students is lack of calcium, an important part of a healthy diet, can lead to osteoporosis. The recommended daily intake of cal cium for a college-age woman is 1000 mg a day. A measurement of bone density can show warnings of osteoporosis. The Wellness office is offering bone density screenings for $10 on Monday in Russell House 205 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. “It’s like a foot bath,” said Mary Ellen Ramos, Campus Wellness graduate assistant. “You put your foot on this bath, and they send an electric shock through your heel, and they’ll get your reading.” Those with low readings can see a doctor for a full bone density scan. In addition, a Mind, Body, and Spirit Fair will take place on Greene Street from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday. In an effort to solicit blood do nations, Greek Life will work with Campus Wellness on a Blood ► IMAGE, SEE PAGE 2 Group asks lawmakers for funding BY GREG WEBSTER TIIKCAMECOCK More than 100 USC alumni, stu dents and friends of the university made their way to the capitol Wednesday to convince lawmak ers to give higher education more money. As the group marched past the 200-year-old oaks on the State House lawn and onto the marble floored lobby of the state legisla ture they continued to echo the importance of funding higher ed ucation, especially for USC. Among those presenting ideas to lawmakers was Marsha Cole, executive director of the newly es tablished Carolina Action Network. “We are hoping that the alumni can serve as a bridge between our elected officials and the expertise that we have at the university,” she said. “Who better than the ed ucated people of the state of South Carolina to be talking about what ought to be happening with their government?” Standing in the State House lob by, the group was met by numer ous state senators and represen tatives, including Rep. Joel Lourie, D-Columbia. “I think it’s exciting and very important that the USC alumni family come to the State House to advocate for the university,” he said. “When you look out here you see.people from every county of South Carolina in every profes sion and that the legislators make a connection and see that they are a large influential group that is here on behalf of the university.” A USC graduate, Lourie ex pressed the importance of funding higher education. “We’ve got difficult budget times, and decisions have to be made ... but even in tough eco nomic times, education is some thing that can’t be sacrificed,” he said. The network’s lobbyist, Shirley Mills, expressed her satisfaction with the influence of the event and ♦ LOBBYING, SEE PAGE 2 PHOTO BY BOND NICKLES/USC MEDIA RELATIONS Alumni Director Marsha Cole gives an interview during the Carolina Action Network rally at the State House. BY MICHAEL LAFORGIA Til K (lAMKOOCK Timothy Kearns, who was charged with kidnapping and sex ual assault after an incident on campus last April, pled guilty in Richland County Court last week and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. The court ordered Kearns to reg ister with the S.C. Sexual Offender Registry upon his release. The USC Police Department is sued a safety alert in October to no tify students that someone match ing Kearns’ description had been spotted on or near campus, and the chance of meeting the 6-foot-4,250 pound man on a campus street had several students worried. According to USCPD Director Ernie Ellis, instances of aggravat ed assault at USC are rare. USCPD originally arrested Kearns for assault after receiving a call from a passing student. Ellis said community involvement plays a big part in keeping the campus safe. “This case came to fruition because of the communi ty’s support,” he said. Ellis said students helped police foil an escaping criminal in a re cent burglary case. “A safe community is that way because of community involve ment,” he said. According to the sex offender registry, there are 310 sex offend ers, 303 men and 7 women, living in the Columbia area. Crimes that land offenders in the registry range from indecent exposure to criminal sexual conduct with a minor. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecocknews@gwm.sc.edu 1 *1 .Irtside .. ‘RUfffTOlGWOMAN Women in law Bnsor-Sk mn/walk. FOR MORE SEE AGE 2 & * SOUP David Stagg r lAmre's otHUWn with acronyms. FOR MORE SEE PAGE 4 ♦ STAMPEDE E-mail stamps would be a bad idea. FOR MORE SEE PAGE 4 ♦ GOING PEACES Use the Internet to plot your next road trip. FOR MORE SEE PAGE 5 ♦ THE RAZOR’S EDGE Baseball team set to take on the Arkansas Razorbacks. FOR MORE SEE PAGE 8 ♦ FENG SHUI Football team arrages itself in new roles. FOR MORE SEE PAGE 8 i—irn iwiiimiii irn Index Comics and Crossword 7 Online Poll 4 Classified__ 10 Police Report 2 Horoscopes 7 Entertainment News 2 Letters to the Editor 4 USC Calendar 2 The Gamecock (s printed on recycled paper. Visit us online at: www.dailygamecock.com