Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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The University of South Carolina Thursday, April 13, 2006 Vol. 99, No. 86 • Since 1908 Senate passes graduate funding bill Ross postpones minority legislation Jess Davis STAFF WRITER The Student Government Senate passed a bill Wednesday requiring graduate student organizations to provide access to undergraduates if they receive undergraduate funds, debated and effectively killed a bill that would require minority students on every Senate committee, and passed two resolutions supporting the Thomas Cooper Library. In a 20-to-5 vote with at least five abstentions, finance codes were changed, mandating that undergraduate funds can only be given to organizations that provide access to undergraduate students. Finance Committee Chairman Scott Spivey, who sponsored the bill, said his intent was not to take funding away from graduate organizations, but to ensure that undergraduates are allowed to participate in events paid for with their money. The Minority Affairs Committee, led by third year fashion merchandising student Melise Cook, introduced a bill that would require one minority student and at least one but not more than two non undergraduate students on each committee. The Finance Committee is the only committee with membership requirements. The Minority Affairs Committee’s amendment to the codes also said, “In the event that there are not enough minority and non undergraduate members, they shall be given their first preference in committee assignment by the student body vice president.” This language raised questions from many senators, on details ranging from why minority students would get their first • . preference to why a minority student should be forced to serve on a committee they didn’t want to serve on. Cook said she would strike the “first preference” language, but seemed flustered by the barrage of questions she faced. Second-year political science student Jonathan Ross also introduced two scimtc • 6 STUDENT TRAIN B HOPPING GROWING IN COLA Riders cite thrill, convenience Rshleigh Orthen and Katie Boucher THE GAMECOCK In the railroad-infested • hills of Columbia, people are jumping trains. “When you go near intersections, you have to duck down and stay low to the train so people don’t see you,” said Jonathan Atkins, second-year mechanical on/rinaarirtn- rtn D-_ D According to the Freight Train Riders of North America (FRTA), train hopping is illegal and risky, but is seemingly popular among youngsters. When asked why he jumped a train, Atkins •said he wanted to be like a cowboy. “I wanted to be like a cowboy in the old Western movies,” Atkins said. “They appear to be really dynamic, but once you do it, it really isn’t a big deal.” Some students, such as Michael Pfeffer, a second-year sports and entertainment management student, used the train to get to his dorm last year. “It wasn’t my idea,” Pfeffer said. “My friend and Tflll • 6 m Wm W ■ wBwmfflmKKKKKKtKEw Katy Blalock / THE GAMECOCK MTV News correspondent Gideon Yago speaks to students Wednesday night in the Russell House Ballroom. Yago s News MTV correspondent talks about music channel, Sept. 11 Gina Uasselli STAFF WRITER MTV News correspondent Gideon Yago spoke Wednesday night in the Russell House Ballroom in one of Carolina Productions’ last events of the year. Kaitlyn Pruitt, a first-year psychology student and CP’s Ideas and Issues commissioner, said Yago was brought as “a way to talk about things without people getting really angry because it’s someone they’ve seen on TV.” He planned to speak mainly about “how the company works and why I do what I do,” Yago said. Opening with a extended potato chip analogy, Yago described how MTV works and what it actually does. “We’re not unlike your average bag of potato chips, 20 percent to 30 percent air. What you’re paying for is the packaging,” Yago said. He described how companies are no longer selling product, but rather the lifestyle people associate with the product. He used the new Apple marketing campaign, “Think Different,” as an example of this. “People can sell you a lifestyle, a representation of who you want to VHGQ • q Volleyball fundraiser to assist Sistercare llicole Coluiell THE GAMECOCK Members of the Greek community came together Wednesday afternoon at the Strom Thurmond Wellness and Fitness Center to support the organization Sistercare by playing volleyball. Alpha Chi Omega’s annual Volleyball Brawl is their individual chapter’s philanthropy to support Sistercare. “ \ l „ kr^k; v -1 philanthropy is Domestic Violence Awareness, and this is how we at Carolina contribute,” said Anne Marie Houser, president of Alpha Chi Omega and a third-year management student. Alpha Chi has been affiliated with Sistercare for five years. Sistercare is a South Carolina based organization to support and provide shelter for battered women. Sistercare reports that nearly one third of women report being abused by a husband or boyfriend at some point in their lifetime. This staggering statistic, about a crime so prevalent in South Carolina, is quite a contributor to the passion the women of Alpha Chi have for this cause. “It costs $32 a day for a UOLLEVBRLL • >1 Meg Gaillard / THE GAMECOCK flfc5econd-year english student Jolie Hale “comes out of ^the closet” during Wednesday's Homophobia Awareness carnival on Greene Street. The event sponsored by the Bisexual Gay Lesbian Straight Alliance. Greene Street carnival targets homophobia Awareness event featured DayGlo closet, SafeZone ally information, ‘Wall of Hate Joshua Rabon ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR A carnival featuring Popsicles, SafeZone ally information and a DayGlo closet was held on Greene Street on Wednesday as part of Homophobia Awareness Week. Hannah Dykes, a second year women’s studies student, said she came to the carnival to support the fight against homophobia. “I have a lot of friends who are gay, lesbian or bisexual and liberal friends who support those people,” Dykes said. “At a southern school, there is a lot of homophobia and I was glad to see a lot of people out here, and I wanted to be a part of it.” Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Straight Alliance Vice President Brian Breitenstein said the carnival was a success. “It’s gone really well,” said Breitenstein, a fourth-year public relations student. “People are really receptive of the stickers, and some tours have come through while we have been here. We actually had a whole family come up and take stickers.” The stickers were black and had “Gay? Fine by me” printed on them. Ted Lewis, the graduate assistant in charge of SafeZone, disagreed with criticism that the stickers were pretentious or ineffective. “The idea is that students will wear those stickers around and people will eventually ask ‘well, are you gay?’” Lewis said. “Then CRRniURL • 1 Viewpoints Valene Sims slams obscene chalk art on sidewalks; Brindy McNair tells students with ‘senioritis’ to shape up, q&it whining andpnish. The Mix Sing it One USC student is taking his dreams of singing stardom and putting out a CD sometime in 2007. Sports Tigers claw Clemson baseball topped USC10-5 Wednesday night to take the season series 3-1. Index Comics & Crossword.... 11 Classifieds.14 Horoscopes.11 Opinion.8 Police Report..2