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www.dailygamecock.com FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10,2004 V°l Since 1908 IN THIS ISSUE ♦NEWS RHA debates voting power Members of the Residence Hall Association met for the organization's first official meeting Tuesday. Page 3 ♦VIEWPOINTS The beauty of a waiting room Curtis Chow makes his return to Viewpoints and voices why the waiting room is almost as good as what you’re waiting for — and don’t screw up the magazines. Page 5 I ♦THE MIX Throwback to the ’90s Take a trip back in time to the days of grunge rock and slap bracelets. Page 5 ♦ SPORTS Gamecocks face toughest test yet Previews of USC's showdown with UGA. Page 9 WEATHER ♦ TODAY I ♦ SAT. , LjJ Low 68 Low 65 FOR EXTENDED FORECAST, SEE PAGE 2. INDEX Comics and Crossword.8 Classifieds.11 Horoscopes..8 Letters to the Editor.5 Online Poll.5 Police Report.2 USC rejects joint-use baseball field ■ Sorensen proposes building USC-owned park at Colonial Center By JONATHAN HILLYARD THE GAMECOCK USC will build its own baseball stadium instead of a joint-use stadium with the city that would have also housed the Capital City Bombers, a single A minor league baseball team whose stadium is located on Assembly Street. The stadium will be on USC land next to the 18,000-seat Colonial Center. It will hold 6,500 for baseball games and up to 8,000 people for concerts. Columbia Mayor Bob Coble said he “would have loved to have seen a downtown joint-use stadium, but the funds simply weren’t there for the city to finance such a project.” While the stadium will not be shared among baseball programs, Sorensen’s proposal did leave an option open that would allow outdoor concerts and other such events to be held at the stadium, presenting an amphitheater type feel. The stadium will cost $10 million without an amphitheater and will be paid for by tax exempt athletic department revenue bonds. The price jumps to $12 million with the amphitheater, at which points additional funds would have to be provided by the city. A construction date has not been set. USC President Andrew Sorensen sent a recommendation to the USC Board of Trustees Thursday stating why the joint-use stadium was not in the best interest of the baseball program. Athletics Director Mike McGee said schedule issues would have ♦ Please see STADIUM, page 3 POSSIBLE SITES GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION 8Y DAVID STAGG/THE GAMECOCK Andrew Kittick, USC sports information director in charge of baseball, said officials are considering multiple sites around the Colonial Center for the new baseball stadium, including two parking lots off Greene Street, Police seek Blatt intruder ■ Two reports of peeping Tom spur investigation By MICHAEL LaFORGIA THE GAMECOCK While USC police are investigating several reports of a peeping Tom in the women’s locker room of the Blatt P.E. Center, Campus Recreation officials have posted no warnings and made no announcements about possible risks there. Employees working at the Blatt Thursday night said thejr supervisors have told them not to talk to anyone about the incidents, which have been occurring for nearly two weeks, according to USC police reports. Jerry Brewer, director of Student Life, said Campus Recreation officials might have issued that order to aid investigators. Herbert Camp, director of Campus Recreation, would not comment Thursday night. In an Aug. 25 report, USC Police Officer Marcus Denard took a statement from a woman claiming a bald man between the ages of 20 and 22 walked in on her while she was showering at the Blatt. Another victim, a geology doctoral student speaking under the condition of anonymity, said she opened her eyes after rinsing shampoo from her hair Tuesday morning to find a man peering at her over the shower curtain. An investigation into the incidents is ongoing, said Maj. Eric Grabski of the USCPD. Rumors circulated Wednesday afternoon that police had caught the ♦ Please see BLATT, page 4 PHOTO BY KATIE KIRKLAND/THE GAMECOCK The women’s locker room in the Blatt P.E. Center has been the scene of at least two peeping Tom incidents over the past two weeks. Campus Recreation officials have not posted any warnings. GRADUATE STUDENTS Sorensen answers tuition questions ■ USC president addresses students’ financial concerns By THOMAS CHANDLER THE GAMECOCK USC President Andrew Sorensen said any implications of a political motive behind reducing tuition supplements for graduate assistants in the College of Pharmacy were “preposterous.” Sorensen made the statement at a question and answer session for graduate students sponsored by the Graduate Student Association. Neither Sorensen nor Harris Pastides, vice president for research and the Division of Health Sciences, knew of the last minute decision to cut graduate assistants’ tuition supplement in half, a decision that was later reversed, according to Graduate Student Association President Kevin Simmonds. The graduate assistant tuition controversy was only one item discussed by the four person panel, made up of Provost Mark Becker and Graduate School Interim Dean Christine Ebert. Most questions dealt with USC budget cuts and the cost of health insurance for graduate students. Pastides cited donations by the Schools of Public Health and Education- to counter poor state subsidies and make a cheap, co payment plan possible. Sorensen emphasized that state appropriations are down $65 million since his initiation. The reduction in funds has spurred consolidation in several departments, such as the upcoming merger of the Colleges of Science and Mathematics and Liberal Arts, but has ♦ Please see Q&A, page 3 A new waiver system requires all use graduate students to have some form of health insurance. EMILY SAVEN/THE GAMECOCK USC requires health insurance By MARJORIE RIDDLE THE GAMECOCK For the first time in its history, USC is requiring graduate students to have some form of health insurance because of a new hard waiver system. The system calls for a graduate student to either purchase the University-provided healthcare plan or obtain and turn in a waiver from Student Health Services, proving comparable or ♦ Please see PHARMACY, page 3 fr? V Senate adopts hazing measure By JACOB DAVIS THE GAMECOCK The student senate unanimously passed a bill Wednesday encouraging student organizations to adhere to the Carolinian Creed and refrain from hazing. The bill, introduced by Senator Ryan Holt, was also supported by the Student Life Office, the Fraternity and Sorority councils, which have already discourage hazing. The bill points to the significant role student organizations play in enriching campus life and retaining students, and it encourages them to be guided by the Carolinian Creed. The Creed “encourages all students to respect the dignity of all persons and to demonstrate concern for others, their feelings and their need for conditions which support their work and development.” The bill broadly defines hazing as causing “mental anxiety, mental fatigue, and human degradation, or public embarrassment.” The Bill ended by condemning any student organizations that demean or degrade their members or prospective members, and called on every member of the university community to report misconduct to the Office of Student Life. There are dozens of student organizations on campus at USC, including sixteen recognized fraternities and eleven recognized sororities. The bill was passed at the request of the University administration. “A major University effort is being undertaken regarding hazing and other inappropriate behavior in student organizations this fall,” said Jerry Brewer, USC Director of Student Life. The senate resolution is a part of this effort, as was the passing of a similar resolution by the sorority and fraternity council several weeks ago. The bill authorizes Student Government President Zachery Scott to make a presentation to the Board of Trustees saying that student government is working with the office of Greek life to make sure, Scott said, that “the few instances of hazing that occur on campus are punished.” Student Government Vice President Yvonne Miller said she supported the bill. “I think the passing of SBL (04) 022 was a wonderful thing. It is announcing to the Carolinian community that Student Government is in no way supporting hazing or acts that could be interpreted that way. It gives me great pride to be a part of a body that recognizes the need to take a stand and remind students of the real reasons to get involved in student life. No student should be harmed or think that they have the ♦ Please see HAZING, page 4