The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, February 11, 2005, Image 1
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11,2005
Stomach
illness
strikes
campus
By TAYLOR SMITH
STAFF WRITER
The Thomson Student Health Center was
busy Thursday treating students afflicted with
a stomach virus that put some USC students
on IVs and others in local hospitals.
Bill Hill, director of the Thomson
Student Health Center, said the center
admitted between 40 and 60 with stomach
I problems.
“They were throwing up and of those,”
Hill said, “15 were given IVs at the health
center.”
Hill said several were then treated at local
hospitals because of excessive weakness and
vomiting. Lab results revealed that the ill
students had a virus rather than the bacterial
infection doctors first anticipated.
“We are certainly keeping an eye on it,”
Hill said. “We think it is viral, but the kids are
coming from all over campus and the lab
results were indicative of that.”
Paul Edwards, a second-year exercise
science student, had never visited the health
center until Thursday, when he was examined
for a stomach virus that began affecting him
the night before.
“It was awful. I was throwing up blood,”
Edwards said, “and it felt like someone had
♦ Please see VIRUS, page 3
Volunteers
to dance
for charity
By ELIZABETH AKRIGHT
THE GAMECOCK
Volunteers anticipate this year’s annual
Dance Marathon to benefit Palmetto Health
Children’s Hospital will be a success, with
more than 600 students already participating.
Dance Marathon is a student-run project
sponsored by the Children’s Miracle Network
and Greek Life. Children’s Miracle Network is
a nationwide organization of 170 hospitals for
children and organizes nonprofit events to
help fund medical costs for children in need.
Not only does Palmetto Health Children’s
Hospital benefit from the event, participants
do too, Josh Black, a fifth-year biology student
and program director, said.
“It is encouraging to work in an
organization that contributes to others’ well
being,” Black said.
Dance Marathon will be held from Friday,
Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. until Saturday, Feb. 19,
and will take place at the Strom Thurmond
Wellness & Fitness Center.
Many activities are scheduled, including
♦ Please see MARATHON, page 4
JON TURNER/THE GAMECOCK
Columbia Mayor Bob Coble fielded questions from audience members following his speech Wednesday in the Russell House.
Coble’s Commitment
Columbia mayor pledges to work with USC to reduce neighborhood crime rates
By JON TURNER
NEWS EDITOR
Columbia Mayor Bob Coble spoke to USC
Student Government representatives Wednesday
about campus-safety concerns and the
importance of fostering communication among
community leaders.
Representatives from the city of Columbia,
Columbia Police Department, USC
administration, USC Student Government, the
National Advocacy Center and local
neighborhood associations attended the meeting,
l held in the Russell House auditorium.
The special SG meeting was held in hopes of
finalizing a senate resolution initiated by SG
President Zachery Scott to hold a formal town
hall meeting on the subject of safety.
Coble praised the idea.
“I would endorse this resolution and say the
town meeting should happen as soon as possible,”
he said.
Coble said he had met with USC President
Andrew Sorensen and Campus Safety Director
Ernest Ellis, but “the one thing that has been
missing is students.”
He suggested not only that the proposed
town-hall meeting be held as soon as possible, but
a continuing series of meetings should be held on
a regular basis.
“I think crime is a very serious issue in
Columbia,” Coble said. “We’ve had three
teenagers murdered in our city, and that’s serious.”
Though he praised the Columbia Police
Department’s efforts to put robbers behind bars,
he focused on student awareness as a key to crime
prevention. Like it or not, he said, the first step to
cleaning up local neighborhoods is to follow the
city code.
“It can be right controversial, but I think
there’s nothing more important,” he said.
_ n»*—h l ^
JON TURNER/THE GAMECOCK
Coble speaks to student government members about the importance of a
combined effort between USC and the city to combat crime.
Coble said the city tries to target one
neighborhood at a time in its efforts to create a
safe and law-abiding community. He described
the lighting project at University Hill as a long
term possibility for other neighborhoods.
“The next area we look for is probably going
to be in the Waverly, Martin Luther King Park
area,” he said.
Coble also mentioned that he would like to see
Columbia’s mass transportation system working
more closely with USC’s shuttles.
John Stucker, University Hill Neighborhood
Association president, said he was glad Scott had
proposed the meeting.
“We’ve had meetings before, but we’ve never
had student cooperation on this level, and that’s
vital,” he said.
Scott said he had been considering the
possibility of a town-hall meeting for a long
time, but that the adoption of his resolution by
the SG Senate was just “the first step to a long
process.”
♦ Please see COBLE, page 3
Treasurer
hopefuls
air views
By TAYLOR SMITH
STAFF WRITER
Student Government treasurer candidates
debated issues Thursday night, reiterating
platforms in an attempt to communicate fiscal
responsibility.
An SG treasurer is expected to keep record
of all SG finance committee meetings,
spearhead funding and make executive-level
financial decisions for the organization.
The platforms are diverse and work
experience is varied, but each candidate claims
to be qualified for the job.
Anna Fox
After serving on the SG minority affairs
council for two years, third-year political
science student Anna Fox cites her experience
as' the tool to separate herself from her
opponents.
“I think that what me makes me different is
leadership in the school,” Fox said. “And it is
not only from that experience in SG that
makes me a better candidate to serve the
student body.”
Fox said one issue with which she plans to
deal is fiscal responsibility among students.
“We have a shrinking budget and growing
student body, so obviously there is a shortage
of funds,” Fox said. “Part of my responsibility
is to teach students financial skills.”
Fox said fund distribution demands a
method, and she would fully support any new
SG legislation that would create such a
method.
Jenna Cook
Third-year biology student Jenna Cook
said while many sources of funding exist at
USC, she would look off-campus for more
funding opportunities.
“I am looking outside the university for co
sponsorships,” Cook said. “If organizations
need things like food, then there are places in
Five Points that would provide that.”
Cook said if she were a constituent, she
would have trouble communicating with the
other treasurer candidates.
“I don’t feel like I could sit down with the
other candidates,” Cook said. “I think I am
more of a people person.”
Although her primary plank is bolstering
funding of first-year student organizations,
Cook said she wants to hold monthly
meetings with treasurers from student
organizations.
“I want these organizations to see me so I
can see what is going on,” Cook said. “To
have personal relationships with these
I students, I can pur a face on them and know
what they need.”
Although Cook was only able to start
serving in SG this fall, she said her experience
in other areas is noteworthy.
“I have been in senate since this fall, and
although I haven’t put any big legislation
through like Tommy Preston, I didn’t want to
push anything through that wouldn’t pass or
[ help students.”
Victoria Moore
With an urge to help student
organizations, second-year elementary
♦ Please see HOPEFULS, page 4
PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE GAMECOCK
USC evolutionary biologist Timothy Mousseau found genetic abnormalities in barn
swallows exposed to radiation following the nuclear disaster in Chernobyl.
USC scientist gauges Chernobyl aftermath
By RYAN JAMES
THE GAMECOCK
USC evolutionary biologist Timothy
Mousseau has found genetic deficiencies in birds
exposed to nuclear radiation that may have
important implications for humans.
Mousseau studied barn swallows affected by
the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986.
Mousseau, who received a $40,000 grant from
USC’s School of Environment to study the
ecological consequences of the radioactive event,
said there might be serious consequences for
humans affected by the disaster.
“There have been relatively few studies on the
long-term effects of low levels of radiation. This
will provide some interesting opportunities to
study evolutionary biology,” he said.
Mousseau said birds are convenient subjects of
study and are excellent for making drawing
comparisons with humans.
“Birds are a good model for humans. They
are a vertebrate and have similar biological and
physiological structures,” Mousseau said. “Birds
are easy to see and relatively large. You can put
out nest boxes for them. They also have
relatively short life spans. There have been 18
generations (of barn swallows) since the
disaster.”
Effects of the radiation included small patches
of albinism, which are thought to affect mating
rituals dependent on physical appearance.
Mousseau and his colleague, Anders Moller,
conducted the study during a five-year period in
Ukraine, observing the birds’ nesting habits.
Barn Swallows are philopatric, meaning <hey
return to their nest year after year. Scientists
generally assume that if they do not return to
their nests, they have died.
Mousseau and Mollers were able to track the
birds’ reproductive and survival rates through
continual observation of nesting and tests taken
from blood and eggs. These tests showed high
levels of antioxidants, which cause deformities in
sperm.
Mousseau said the research represents a
relatively new area of study for him. He added
that he sees the research as an original
opportunity to study the effects of radioactive
material on living things.
Mousseau’s study was funded in pan by
contributions from the National Science
Foundation, the National Geographic Society
and the Samuel Freeman Charity Trust.
Comments on this story? E-mail
gamecocknews@gwm.sc. edit
IN THIS ISSUE
♦ VIEWPOINTS
Catch a flick
The Mix now has movie
listings for local theaters.
Check out the hot new movies
for this weekend like ‘Hitch’
starring Will Smith.
Page 6 )
♦ SPORTS
Playing the
field
The Gamecock Sports
staff breaks down the
baseball team’s position
players for the 2005
season.
Page St
WEATHER
♦ TODAY ♦SAT.
High 5 3 | High 6 l
Low 2 9 Low 3 4
FOR EXTENDED FORECAST, SEE PAGE 2.
INDEX
Comics & Crossword..5
Classifieds.12
Horoscopes..8
Letters to the Editor..5
Online Poll..5
Police Report....2