The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, January 09, 2006, Image 1
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