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SG senator wants students represented at city, state level ■ Senate will vote today on bill to create liaison position By JASON REYNOLDS THE GAMECOCK USC students could have a new voice in city and state government if a bill is passed today in the Student Government Senate. Sen. Tommy Preston submitted a bill last week that would amend the executive codes to add a director of government and community relations to the SG President’s cabinet. SG President Zachery Scott said the new director would “help bridge the communication gap that has existed between USC students and those who represent us in South Carolina government.” Duties of the position would include providing research to keep SG up to date on local government issues. The director would attend both city and county council meetings and report back on issues that pertain to USC students to ensure that the president is prepared to meet with local and state officials. “This new position will allow the SG to have a better relationship with the community,” Preston said. “It is important for students to stay aware of what is going on in the Columbia area and know that we are a part of the decision-making body in this community. Ultimately, any decision made will affect the students.” Scott, who collaborated with Preston on the new bill, said it would help to build closer ties with local government and expedite the process of getting city approval for legislation that would benefit students. Preston says the new connection to local city governments would give an opportunity for students to discuss USC-related issues. “Community leaders will now know what issues are important to student residents in the Columbia area. And students will finally have an avenue for their concerns to be addressed at the local government level,” Preston said. The new director would meet and discuss student-related issues with community leaders. The proposed director of government and community relations would also be on hand in case the community leaders found it necessary to serve on advisory councils. Preston said that serving on the committees would open the forum for discussion between SG and local officials. Preston said involvement with these councils could help improve lighting on Wheat Street between the Blatt P.E. Center and South Quad. The city owns the roads on campus and any attempt at change has to start by appealing to the city council. Preston said issues relating to parking, taxes and safety could also be improved with the amendment. “It will definitely open the doors with our student and community and will show them that our students are concerned about issues that are being addressed at the local and state level,” Preston said. The second section of the proposed amendment would also strengthen ties between USC and state legislature. In addition to being involved in local government, duties of the new position would include serving a liaison to the S:C. State Student Association. The cabinet member would meet with state government officials by attending meetings by the SCSSA, an organization among S.C. colleges that meets to educate and encourage state legislators to increase funding for higher education. Scott said the proposed amendment as a whole would be a positive step for better representing students in the government at state and local levels. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecocknews@gwm.sc. edu RHA to attend convention ■ Delegation to lead round table talks on student housing issues By JACOB DAVIS STAFF WRITER Ten students and two advisers will represent USC at this weekend’s " South Atlantic Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls conference in Louisville, Ky. Major Southern schools will attend the conference, including Clemson and the University of North Carolina, as well as smaller schools such as Winthrop. Representatives will gather to share ideas and hear presentations from presenters about improving RHA programs. USC’s national communications coordinator, Emanuel Thomason, explained the purpose of the conference. “We’re coming together to share information and to teach other schools how we do things at USC, and of course we’re there to learn from the other schools as well,” said Thomason, a fourth-year political science student. RHA advisers Sean McGreevey and Christy Cooper will accompany Thomason, Brian Wayne, Adam Hark, Jonathan Ross, Steven Smith, Rodney Spain, Kishan Patel, Jesse Short, Lindsey Flowers and Chelsea Titi to the conference in Louisville. In addition to hearing presentations from other schools, the delegation will also be presenting at the conference. Patel and Spain will give a presentation titled “Taking Care of Business” about how to run RHA meetings effectively and smoothly. “We want to represent the school and make everyone proud,” said Spain, a third-year business management student. WRHA representative Brian Wayne will lead a round table discussion about introducing media into RHA, with a focus on taping and presenting RHA meetings. Wayne tapes RHA Senate meetings to be shown on the campus television network. RHA President Adam Hark will present a program on enhancing constituent services online and about how to set up Web sites. The RHA Web site, www.housing.sc.edu/rha, will soon have the picture, voting record and mini-biography of every RHA senator and executive. RHA adviser McGreevey will also be present as he offers two programs, one on leadership and outdoor training, and another about advising student leaders. This is the first conference of the year for the SAACURH, and the first conference attended by USC this semester. _ Comments on this story? E-mail gamecocknews@gwm.sc.edu ■ PARKING Continued from page 1 Preston said the idea was spurred by the complaints of several students about this inefficient ticketing system, and especially by one student who was surprised to find out from the city impound that he must pay more than $200 in parking fines before they would release his car. “We’re asking parking to be timely in notifying people of tickets,” Sen. Adam Piper said. The bill cites limited parking availability as the root of the problem, because it spurs students to park illegally or longer than a meter allows. It also states that a significant number of USC students receive multiple tickets, and once a student’s car is towed, he or she must pay the balance before it can be _ ,j. ■■ L' released. Preston said students would be more cautious about letting tickets go unpaid if VIP provided a record of their infractions. He added that the legislation is part of a larger movement. “A lot of legislators are trying to save students from paying so much money. With tuition increases and fees rising, this is just one way to reduce the burden on students,” he said. Student Government will be working with parking services in the next few weeks, but it is too early to tell when the proposed system will be in place, Preston said. He seemed optimistic about getting through the administrative side of this action, describing Parking Services as very open to student suggestions and willing to make changes. Comments on this story? E-mail ga7necockneivs@gwm.se. edu ■ CLUB RA Continued from page 1 2000. Columbia residents and passers through enjoyed the musical and comedic talents of up to three piano players Thursday through Saturday nights. Crocks, as the regulars called it, was the only dueling-pianos club in Columbia and was a great place to relax and enjoy the entertainment, they said. “I think people will miss it, because it is a different scene than everything else offered in'Columbia,” Klicka said. The club stayed busy for more than two years before sales started to slip, Klicka said. ’ “The amount of money coming in just wasn’t enough to keep our concept going,” Klicka said. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecocbiews@gumi.se. edu ■ WEB SITE Continued from page 1 “inform” politics, not to “take its place.” Deflem says he hopes to preserve the -integrity of sociology as an academic discipline and has made efforts to create awareness of his goal through his Web site, www.savesociology.-com, along with an Internet blog. Deflem has been published in the Chronicle Review. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecockneivs@gumt.se. edu Bring your spare change to The Gamecock offices in room 333 to beat the Clemson’s student newspaper in the Penny War. All proceeds go to A benefit the Adopt- # A-Family charity. A Vote for Cocky at www.capitalonebowl.com 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.vtcact.com and select "Coaches Comer!" 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