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The University of South Carolina Monday, January 9, 2006 Vol. 99, No. 48 ♦ Since 1908 Justin Chapura / THE GAMECOCK Film studies and art history student David Burch, 22, discusses his experience shooting documentary footage in Iraq. Burch travelled to Kurdistan, an autonomous region in northern Iraq, just before his graduation date. Skipping graduation, student heads to Iraq 1 2005 USC graduate forgoes final ceremony for 3-week documentary shoot in Kurdistan Jess Dauts STAFF WRITER On the day of his graduation, film studies and art history student David Burch wasn’t even in the country. Instead of crossing a stage, Burch had crossed borders and was working alongside a freelance journalist in Erbil, Iraq. “Obviously it was a good experience,” Burch said. “It was exciting, and something most people don’t get to do. | And a more crass reason is that it will make my application to grad school stand out.” In Iraq from Dec. 9 to Dec. 30, Burch joined freelance journalist David Axe, whose work has appeared on Salon, com and in the Village Voice, shooting pictures and video in Erbil, one of the two capitals of Kurdistan. Kurdistan is a northern region of Iraq that has been the site of much controversy. The Kurdish people, once violently oppressed by Saddam Hussein, have recently gained a disproportionate amount of power in Iraq’s recent elections, the December installment of which Burch was on location to observe. As a USC student, Burch had experience shooting documentaries in college, making him an ideal candidate to accompany Axe. But before deciding to go to Iraq, he wrestled with fears of being shot. After finally securing a visa into Iraq from their London consulate (Burch and Axe had to lie about their destination to gain entry into the country) and traveling to Erbil via Germany, Burch and Axe showed up at the airport with no translator to be found. Behind them, the airport was shutting down until next week’s flight from Germany arrived, and it was only the kindness of a Kurdish-German reporter that got them a cab ride to their hotel. Instead of researching the country, Burch decided to learn their customs and culture through experience. While he says this process of learning was “what made getting up in the morning exciting,” it made for an interesting first day. After discovering their cell phone wouldn’t work in Kurdistan, Burch and Axe went to a downtown open air market to buy a new one and bartered the price to about $250 — all without either party speaking the same language. “We had no idea what was going on. It felt like the worst-case scenario,” Burch said. “Everything was so much more than I expected, but it was so much that it was amusing. I couldn’t be scared.” IRAQ • 6 WHILE YOU WERE OUT After classes ended, world continued to revolve J. Pat Carter / The Associated Press Farris Hassan, 16, sits in the back seat of a car that ^ picked him up at the Miami International Airport Sun day, Jan. 1, giving the thumbs up after arriving back in Florida after taking a journey to Iraq. Highlights included student trips to Iraq, wire taps, Wal-Mart Jachie Alexander ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR While campus was empty of its usual activity over winter break, the world continued following the war, domestic spying, and Britney and Kevin. Here are just a few things you might have missed while eating Christmas dinner: After spending a unit covering immersion journalism, Florida teen Farris Hassan decided to take his lesson to the next level as he skipped school Dec. 11, 2005, and flew to Kuwait. Hassan’s original plan was to witness the first democratic election in Iraq but was waylaid because of border crossings. Using only an Arabic book of phrases, he finally made it to Baghdad. Hassan returned home Dec. 29 and is now facing disciplinary procedures from his parents and high school. RCCflP • 10 Fraternity suspended for ‘incident’ at McBryde Eight Omega Psi Phi members accused of break-in at Alpha Phi Alpha lounge Jess Davis STAFF WRITER Omega Psi Phi Fraternity has been temporarily suspended from campus after an Oct. 22 incident involving an attack on the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity hall, but construction on their house in the Greek Village will continue. The incident involved several members of Omega Psi Phi along with several non-Greek USC students breaking in to the Alpha Phi Alpha lounge in McBryde, where they taunted and attacked residents and caused $2,300 in damage, according to warrants and Omega Psi Phi member Terrell Howard, a third-year physical education student. Police reports say eight USC students were charged with various counts of burglary, malicious injury to property and lynching but remain on campus. Howard said that after the December hearings, the students’ punishment was community service and they were placed on probation. The status of the fraternity is still under consideration, but a decision will be made soon, Director of Student Life Jerry Brewer said.- Brewer, who was also speaking on behalf of Vice President of Student Affairs Dennis Pruitt, said the administration was waiting on the results of the police investigation and the solicitor’s office. Those results were finalized in late December, and Brewer said the university “will be proceeding with our actions when everyone is suspension • u Choate named new VP for Advancement Gina Uasselli STAFF WRITER Choate, president and chief executive officer of the Minnesota Medical Foundation, will be the new Vice President of University Advancement. Michelle DeRussy Dodenhoff will continue to be the interim vice president until Choate officially takes the position March 1 after gaining formal approval by the university’s Board of Trustees. Choate will be responsible for USC’s fundraising efforts and advancement units, including the offices of communications, development, government relations, special events and the Alumni Association. Choate has massive experience in fundraising. Since joining the Minnesota Medical Foundation in 1996, Choate oversaw fundraising efforts totaling nearly $800 million for health-related research, education and service at the University of Minnesota. This past year the Minnesota Medical Foundation ended the year with a $78,325,003 donation total. This was the highest UP • 6 Strom Wellness Center receives magazine award Jachie Alexander ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR There was a feeling of due comeuppance for the Strom Thurmond Fitness & Wellness Center as the three-year-old gymnasium was presented one of Athletic Business Magazine’s 2005 Facility of Merit awards at a ceremony in December. The center was one of only six facilities to receive the award and the only one located in the Southeast. Desk assistant Anne Davidson, a fourth-year advertising student, said the award is good for USC’s reputation. “It’s very exciting,” Davidson said. “Many schools that are a lot bigger don’t have facilities as nice as ours.” mm • 4 Viewpoints Joseph Reese confronts keeping New Year’s resolutions; Tim McManilS thinks gangsta rap would improve politicians’ images. ^ The Mix Jam packed Carolina Productions has loaded the first weeks of the spring semester with lots of ftp events. Sports Nightmare The Gamecock Sports staff recaps Carolina’s loss to Missouri in the Independence Bowl. INDEX Comics & Crossword..... 14 Classifieds.17 Horoscopes.14 Letters to the Editor..11 Police Report..2