University of South Carolina Libraries
Grant to help ‘bridge the gap’ for third-year transfer students By TAYLOR SMITH THE GAMECOCK The U.S. Education Department on Monday awarded the USC College of Education $4.7 million to help bridge the academic gap between transfer third-year education students and their non-.transfer counterparts. Therese Kuhs, a professor in the USC College of Education, said because many students are coming from two year technical schools to USC, they are not getting the prerequisites needed to graduate in two years. “Our mission is to establish that these students will have a future,” Kuhs said. The Education Department awarded the grant to USC to create programs at other Midlands institutions to help better prepare education students when transferring to a four-year school, like USC. “Right now, freshmen and sophomores are taking classes that are I comparable to what these students will be taking in the program,” Kuhs said. According to Kuhs, the reason USC received this grant was because the school handled the last grant from the same entity — the Education Department’s Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants program — very well. “The reality of (the grant process) is that they look at the quality personnel you are putting into the project... and because the university has got plenty of quality faculty, it makes the job easier,” Kuhs said. Kuhs said that because the previous grant was expiring, she began work on the grant this spring, and it was proposed in June. “They really only have one criteria for awarding these grants,” Kuhs said. “And that is that the entity has to prove that they can carry out the project they want to do.” The grant is also working to build education partnerships with other schools in the state. After the first year of the program, which will work primarily with Furman University, Winthrop University and Benedict College, the program will expand to the Charleston area with the College of Charleston, Trident Technical College and Charleston County public schools. “By having everyone get involved in this, it gives them a chance to direct their career goals,” Kuhs said. Kuhs said the grant’s purpose is to increase the number of teachers being produced in this state, and that the grant and subsequent program are essential to that cause. “It is incredibly important because as it is, there isn’t many people in the teaching profession,” said Erin Reeve, a first-year education graduate student. “And anything to encourage people to enter into it is great.” Kuhs said she expects the program to take a year to get started. Comments on this story? E-mail ga?necocknezvs@gwm.sc. edn -1 PATRIOT ACT ( NICK ESARES/THE GAMECOCK Chip Duncan, director of “The Cost of Freedom," a documentary on the Patriot Act, screened the movie Tuesday night in the Russell House Theater. A panel of USC professors discussed the film. Students view film documenting effects of antiterrorism legislation By JON TURNER THE GAMECOCK More than 100 people turned out Tuesday night to see a film and panel discussion in the Russell House Theater on the USA Patriot Act. The event, sponsored by the media arts department and part of a visiting filmmakers series, featured the film “The Cost of Freedom,” directed by Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker Chip Duncan. The film documented the effects of the Patriot Act and contrasted left wing and right-wing views in an attempt to present an unbiased perspective, Duncan said. “For better or for worse, we sit around our office and fight about this crap,” he said, pointing out that critics on both sides of the issue had accused his film of bias. The showing was free and open to the public. Duncan said the film has a clear message for students. “The most important thing is for I students to study the act and look at the way it impacts their own civil liberties,” he said'. The subsequent panel discussion included USC law school, history and political science professors. Political science professor David Whiteman mediated. Congress passed the USA Patriot Act 45 days after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Panel members discussed the films historical implications as well as the war on terror, sharply criticizing certain provisions of the act while defending others. “We talk about this tendency to rally around our leaders, it’s not to protect civil liberties, it’s not to fight communism,” political science professor Betty Glad said, referring to the way President Bush had seked the reins of the government, later adding, “I think it’s important to look at our international relations and the sort of lawlessness we’re perpetrating.” The Patriot Act, which is longer than 350 pages, gave law enforcement officials greater leeway in tracking suspected criminals across state boundaries. A New York federal judge recently ruled a minor provision of the act unconstitutional. Although conceding that war typically meant the sacrifice of civil liberties, panel members the definition of the fight against terrorists as a “war.” Don Wedlock, law professor and discussion panelist, pointed out the dissimilarities with other historical conflicts. In every war this century, he said, there have been drafts and rationing. “The only sacrifice we’re being asked for these days is our civil liberties,” he said. “I take issue with the description of this as a war. This is neither a war nor the other thing people call it, a crime.” Another Duncan documentary, “In A Just World,” will be shown at 8 p.m. in Gambrell Hall room 153, and addresses the history of contraceptives and abortion. “The Cost of Freedom” will broadcast on PBS later this month. Comments on this story ? E-mail gamecockneirMguxm.se. edn -1 Grca,GAMECOCK Tailgate pa,ties *Substa nce-free event, free refreshments and Entertainment. Must have valid USC Student ID. 10/9 vs. MISSISSIPPI 10/30 vs. TENNESSEE 11/6 vs. ARKANSAS m. f West Wing vvww.sa.sc.edu/adp use STViOOj*8 11 WM jSB( SH \ \?r- moio Off \ \ Gtf » 0B G»»*coC* ^ \ \ **** \ \ "8A7 St *ndr \ 2909 «** SP^9^' " Gamecocks Connection! Your source for Gamecocks news alerts right on your wireless phone! Get up-to-the-minute news about the Gamecocks, from the Gamecocks, on your wireless phone. Log on to www.vtext.com and select "Coaches Comer!" I-1 Subject to Customer Agreement and Calling Plan. $35 activation fee may apply. $175 early termination fee applies. Requires credit approval. Subject to taxes, charges and other restrictions. See verizonwireless.com/bestnetwork for network claim details. Digital phone required. Verizon Wireless post pay customers charged 2i per message received and 10? per message sent. Verizon ^Wireless prepay customers charged 51 for messageweceived and sent. Network not available in all area?. ©2004 Verizon Wireless