The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, September 21, 2005, Image 1
The University of South Carolina Wednesday, September 21, 2005 VoL 99, No. 19 • Since 1908
SENATORS
PROPOSE
REMOVING
DEVOTION
Q While SG usually opens
with prayer, some say
gesture too restrictive
Hnsten Highley
FOH THE GAMECOCK
Five Student Government senators
will introduce a bill to the senate
today calling for the removal of the
opening devotion that takes place
before every session.
“We believe that the devotion
(often in the form of a prayer to God,
with frequent references to Christ) is
not reflective of the student body as a
^^vhole, and detracts from the main
purpose of the senate — to talk about
the issues that affect the student body
as a whole,” said Nicole Modeen, a
third-year international studies
student.
Modeen, Devon Bain, Jonathon
Ross, Apryl Alexander and John
Rabon are co-sponsoring the
legislation.
The senate opens each session with
a devotion led by a chaplain,
appointed to the post by a high
ranking senate official.
Those introducing the bill claim
the devotion is meant to be a way to
^tbring everyone together and settle
^®Jown to work.
“The devotion has become more
and more one-sided. Christ is
mentioned many times, and every
one of the guest devotion leaders has
been of a Christian persuasion,”
Modeen said.
The bill’s future will be decided by
a voice vote rather than a roll-call
vote.
While the senate has not previously
debated the devotion, the executive
cabinet discussed the issue last year
and agreed the devotion would be
held a few minutes before the cabinet
session officially begins.
The senatorial debate is open to the
^^>ublic.
Comments on this story? E-mail
gamecocknews@gwm.sc.edu
Dorm builders
to seek student
input for design
When USC tears down
Towers, new residence
halls will cater to residents
Gina Uasselli
STAFF WHITER
Choosing a dorm can be a big
concern, and USC is trying to involve
students in the dorm-design process.
The new honors college, planned to
replace the Towers, will take into
account students’ desires.
“There has been some pre-planning
for the demolition of the Towers, said
Jim Sherry, director of Facilities
Management for Housing.
Sherry also said “the honors college
will be consistent (with the needs of the
students).”
Sherry said building a new dorm is
^not a light undertaking for the
university.
* Every building has been designed
with different thoughts represented by
the people affected. They sit down and
talk about their needs,” Sherry said.
Committees that discuss buildings’
needs are normally a combination of
professionals and laymen.
It is a “stake holders group, with
students and the design professionals,”
Sherry said.
DCSIGfl • 5
WEST QUAD
Nick Esares/"iW. GAMECOCK
West Quad, which opened last fall, includes light shelves over windows to reduce the heat of direct sunlight in rooms.
Carolina a leader among environment-minded institutions
illelissa Rhodes
FOR THE GAMECOCK
USC is leading colleges
and universities that are
committed to creating
environmentally friendly campuses
through pursuing sustainable
construction as well as Leadership
in Energy and Environmental
Design certification.
Issues of energy conservation and
protecting the environment are
commonly referred to as “going
green.”
Going green is a concept growing
worldwide.
In South Carolina, the race is on
between USC and its near rival,
Clemson University.
USC is ahead of the curve in
green building with 18 projects
going green or pursuing LEED
certification.
Clemson is following close
behind with 10 projects.
“Clemson is as committed to
green buildings as we are,” said
Michael Koman, environmental
protection manager of University
Housing. “We have the same
attitude about going in the green
direction.”
Clemson has signed a letter that
commits all new buildings to
6RRER • 4
LEED
Leadership in Energy and Evironmentsd Design
Criteria Point Scale
Sustainable Sites 14
Water Efficiency 5
Energy and Atmosphere , . 17
Materials and Resources 13
Indoor Environment Quality 15
Innovation and Design Process 5
LEED Certified: 26-32points
fc,, J1 - LEED Si/pefp3-3S points
have projects underway either building or
fit in the green building category
Clemson
Wes Sandhill Research & Education Center
School oi Advanced Materials Research Center
Law Greek Community on the Quad
Band Building Baruch Institute
Baseball Field Clemson Architechture Center
Honors College Civil/Textiles Facility
Gamma Phi Beta Sorority Core Campus Housing
Arnold 2 Research Bloc Academic Support Center
Biotech Research Bloc Graduate Engineering Center
Horizon Research Bloc Rowing Facility
Library Special Collections
LeConte Renovation
All Future Innovista Facilities
The heating, ventilation, cooling, refrigeration and fire suppression
systems are free of ozone-depleting substances
Water is preheated by a solar collection system
Electricity and hot water for the learning center are generated partly
by a five-kilowatt hydrogen fuel cell
The turf roof on the learning center not only cools the building by I
absorbing heat but also reduces rainwater runoff
Special light shelves in the windows reflect natural light off rooms'
ceilings to light them and reduce heat from direct sunlight
Graphic illustrations by Laura-Joyce Gough/THE GAMECOCK
INSIDE
Viewpoints
Brandt Boidy bemoans the state
of a society in which sex offend
ers run free; Steven Van Haren,
despite recent accidents, still
thinks people should walk rather
than drive.
6
The Mix
Don’t fall into the red
Consult some advice
to stay out of credit card debt.
7
(Video) game time
In this world, USC has already
drubbed Georgia and Alabama.
10
Williams
to address
extra funds
» •
Surplus budget among
topics ofSGpresident’s
student body speech
Sydney Smith
FOR THE GAMECOCK
Student Government President
Justin Williams will give his State of
the Student Body Address on
Thursday in the recently renovated
student senate chambers in Russell
House room 322/326.
The meeting is open USC students
and faculty and staff members.
USC President Andrew Sorensen
and his wife ire expect to attend, as
well as Vice President for Student
Affairs Dennis Pruitt and “the cream
of the crop as far as faculty, staff and
students,” said Williams, a fourth
year public relations student.
The address will include
suggestions for how the Department
of Student Life should spend a
$230,000 budget surplus. The
surplus resulted from conservative
planning foj: the year’s activities.
Student Life Director Jerry Brewer
said Student Life planned for about
3,450 freshmen to be enrolled this
year when deciding to charge a $66
activity fee per semester for full-time
students. When 3,700 freshmen
enrolled, Student Life was left with a
surplus.
Brewer said that because the
surplus came from fees paid by
students, Student Life gave the
deciding vote in the money’s use to
SG as a representative student group.
Student Body Treasurer Tommy
Preston, a third-year political science
student, said SG’s suggestions will be
geared toward capital projects
designed to improve the university
and university facilities, as opposed to
individual programs or organizations.
Because SG doesn’t want to • give
the money to one organization
without guaranteeing the availability
of the same money to other
organizations, the only choice is to
use the money toward capital
projects, Preston said.
The last time Student Life had a
budget surplus was 2003-2004,
Preston said.
“They used the money on more
call-boxes on campus, signs and
SURPLUS • 5
Engineers race to patch New Orleans levees as Rita approaches
Michael Rubinkam
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW ORLEANS — The Army
Corps of Engineers raced to patch
New Orleans’ fractured levee system
Tuesday and residents were forced to
decide yet again whether to stay or go
as a new, rapidly strengthening
hurricane threatened to flood the city
anew.
“First it was come back, then it was
go,” said Karen Torre, who returned to
her uptown home Tuesday to haul away
debris and clean rotted food from her
refrigerator before leaving again. “We’re
just trying to do what they tell us and
get a few things done in between.”
The new threat is Hurricane Rita,
which strengthened into a 105-mph
Category 2 storm as it barreled past
the Florida Keys into the Gulf of
Mexico.
Forecasters said the storm could
strengthen to a 131-mph-plus
Category 4 and hit Texas by the end of
the week. But a slight turn to the right
was possible, and engineers warned
that even a glancing blow to New
Orleans and as little as three inches of
rain could swamp the city’s levees.
“The protection is very tenuous at
best,” said Dave Wurtzel, the Army
Corps official responsible for repairing
www. daily game cock, com
■r ■
jg|L m
Jim Tiller / Daytona Beach News-Journal
An amended sign posted on the Daytona Beach Pier reflects feelings of this
year’s hurricane season on Tuesday in Florida.
the 17th Street Canal levee, whose huge
breach during Katrina caused the worst
of the floods that wrecked the city.
Mayor Ray Nagin and Louisiana
Gov. Kathleen Blanco strongly urged
people along the Louisiana coast to be
prepared to get out. The federal
governments top official in the ^ity,
Coast Guard Vice Adm. Thad Allen,
said the preparations in and around
New Orleans included 500 buses for
evacuation, and enough water and
military meals for 500,000 people.
“We are praying that the hurricane
dissipates or that it weakens,” said
Blanco, who declared a state of
emergency. “This state can barely
stand what happened to it.”
In anticipation of another hurricane,
the Corps drove a massive metal barrier
across the 17th Street Canal bed to
prevent a storm surge from Lake
STQRmS • s