UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2015
VOL. 116, NO. 98 • SINCE 1908
‘The Trojan Women’
Play tells story of endurance | Page 4
The results are in (again)
Kaufman elected president, Goble takes vice presidency Brandon Waltz @BRANDONWALTZ
45.68%
Election
Re s
ult
Kaufman Holt
54.32%
SEERESULTSPAGE3
Open source textbooks may mean lower costs Brandon Waltz @BRANDONWALTZ
Open source textbooks, free digital textbooks for professors to use in their courses, are one t h i ng st udent senators ca n agree on. St u d e nt B o d y P r e s id e nt Lindsay Richardson has looked into using OpenStax College as a provider. OpenStax is a nonprof it organizat ion t hat began as an initiative of Rice Un iver sit y t h at prov ide s college textbooks in subjects such as chemistry, economics, statistics and more. “O u r f ree te x tb o ok s a re developed and peer-reviewed by educators to ensure they a re readable, acc u r ate a nd meet the scope and sequence requirements of your course,” according to t he OpenSta x website. “Th rough ou r partnerships with companies and foundat ions committed to reducing costs for students, OpenStax College is working to improve access to higher education for all.” Richardson fi rst heard about schools u si ng open sou rce textbooks while at the SECU Collaborative Workshops at Texas A&M earlier this month. Richardson said she hopes more professors will consider open source textbooks as an
al i t n e d i s
s
The candidates waited in anticipation Wednesday night to find out the winners of the runoff elections — they were eager to know if they won, but they were also just excited for the wait to be over. “Last week I was conf ident , a nd it was a little too close for comfort,” vice presidential candidate Lee Goble said before the announcement. “I’m not going to say that I’m confident right now. I am just really looking forward to knowing.” Jonathan Holt, along with Brian Samples and Goble, arrived early to the Leadership and Service Center to wait patiently for the results to be announced, but at 7:27 p.m., Jonathan Kaufman was nowhere to be found. W h i s p e r e d r u m o r s o f K a u f m a n’s whereabouts could be heard throughout the room up until he arrived at 7:29 p.m., seconds before St udent G over n ment Elections Commissioner Danielle Padgett made the announcement.
Padgett started the results at 7:30 p.m. on the dot, announcing the winners of two other runoff elections: the senators for the College of Pharmacy, and the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management. The crowd sighed, and Padgett apologized for getting them excited by saying “runoff,” or as she called it, “the R-word.” Kaufman defeated Holt for student body president with 54.32 percent of the vote. Kaufman immediately called his parents to tell them about the results while he hugged his supporters. “I am humbled from the opportunity, honored, grateful,” he said, “moved beyond any real words.” Lee G oble defeated Br ia n Sa mples with 65.48 percent of the votes in the vice presidential runoff election. “He beat me by a fair margin,” Samples said to his campaign team upon hearing the results. And he immediately congratulated Goble on his victory and his campaign. “I’m very glad it’s over,” Goble said. “I’m relieved that it’s over and I’m so excited I cannot put it into words.” Both Goble and Kaufman said they’re
Pr e
Hannah Cleaveland / THE DAILY GAMECOCK
Page enjoys breakout softball season Will Helms @WHELMS21
Through the early stages of its 2015 season, the South Carolina softball team has depended on stellar pitching and solid hitting to succeed. The former was somewhat expected. The Gamecocks returned sophomore pitcher Nickie Blue and senior pitcher Julie Sarratt, both of whom established themselves as talented players. But South Carolina head coach Beverly Smith’s team has depended on a much improved third-year outfielder to anchor its offense.
File Photo
Student senators agreed open source textbooks could benefit USC. opt ion for t heir st udents to reduce their overall costs. “It would allow students to be able to use these resources at a free cost to them online. If they want a print copy they can also get a print copy, just at cost, wh ich is about 20 0 p ercent b elow t he nor m a l
textbook (price),” Richardson said. Three sociology professors already use open source tex tbook s. The st udent s in these classes do not have to pay any money for the textbook SEEBOOKSPAGE3
The Player That player is junior Alaynie Page, and she’s tearing up opposing pitchers. Through 15 games, Page is h it t ing a n aston ish ing .471 w it h si x homeruns and 22 RBIs. Page’s impressive start to her junior year comes after freshman and sophomore seasons in which she batted a modest .250 and .208, respectively. In those two seasons combined, Page hit a total of nine homeruns, just three more than she’s had through only 51 at-bats in 2015. W hat could have led to such an impressive improvement for t he Boiling Springs nat ive? Perhaps a change in the batting order has to do with it, but Smith said Page has improved her approach at the plate, as well. For the first time in Page’s career, Smith has her hitting leadoff, but both Page and Smith said a change in philosophy is responsible for Page’s newfound offensive prowess. SEESOFTBALLPAGE9
2
Thursday, February 26, 2015
About The Daily Gamecock Editor-in-Chief HANNAH JEFFREY Online Editor KATIE COLE Design Director BRITTANY WILT Special Sections Director KELLY VILLWOCK Copy Desk Chiefs DREW MUELLER MARY KATE GARMIRE EMILY READY Social Media Editor MATT MCBREEN Photo Editors KAMILA MELKO HANNAH CLEAVELAND News Editor LAUREN SHIRLEY Features Editor LOIS CARLISLE Arts & Culture Editor BELVIN OLASOV Opinion Editor BEN CRAWFORD Sports Editor BRENNAN DOHERTY
Assistant Photo Editor CODY SCOGGINS Assistant Design Director BIANCA CORREA Senior Designers GREY KLEIN RACHAEL MCGAHEE Assistant Arts & Culture Editors LAUREN GALIDA KYLIE TOKAR Assistant Opinion Editor BEN TURNER Assistant Sports Editors BRENNAN DOHERTY KELLI CALDWELL Copy Editors DEBBIE CLARK, CHELSEA MORRIS, KELLY ELLIOTT, MADELEINE VATH, SETH ISMAIL, RANA SOBEIH, KIRBY KNOWLTON, CAROLYN CULBERTSON Faculty Adviser DOUG FISHER
Woman embezzles more than $1 million A federal trial over embezzled funds began on Wednesday, The State reported. Benita Dinkins-Robinson, the director of a Lee County charter school, faces two counts of embezzlement, totaling upward of $1 million of federal funds. She siphoned the money into her own account through four different shell companies. The charter school qualified for Title I funding and received money from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Education for food and education purposes. Dinkins-Robinson was supposed to be using the money toward meals for the students, education and their general benefit. Dinkins-Robinson used the money to pay for vacations, shopping sprees and other purchases. — Madeleine Collins, Assistant News Editor
Health care member information hacked
Interim Student Media Director SARAH SCARBOROUGH Business Manager KRISTINE CAPPS Creative Director EDGAR SANTANA Production Manager DEGAN CHEEK Creative Services ASHLEY CROMPTON RANNAH DERRICK LINA LEGARE KODY KRATZER Student Advertising Manager AMBER GRANT Advertising Representatives DAVID CHEETHAM, MICHELE DRESSLER, DREW HART, IAN PEACOCK, ERIN O’CONNELL, HOLLY HEATON, JOSHUA DAVISON, COLE HALTOM, LOMAN HARLEY, MARYAM TEHRANIE, NICK VOGT
The personal information of former and current participants of a state health plan may have been stolen after the company was hacked, The State reported. Members of Blue Choice Health Plan HMO, a BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina that offers health plans to state employees, are said to be affected. Anthem, a company that helps South Carolina’s BlueCross process health care claims, was targeted by the hackers, who took the members’ names, birthdays, Social Security numbers, addresses, email addresses and employment information. The data breach affected BlueCross members in other states including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin. Affected customers will receive letters notifying them, and Anthem said the incident is still under investigation. — Madeleine Collins, Assistant News Editor
Vice Principal released on $100,000 bond after arrested for having sex with student
The Daily Gamecock is the editorially independent student newspaper of the University of South Carolina. It is published daily during the fall and spring semesters and nine times during the summer with the exception of university holidays and exam periods. Opinions expressed in The Daily Gamecock are those of editors or author and not those of the University of South Carolina. The Board of Student Publications and Communications is the publisher of The Daily Gamecock. The Department of Student Media is the newspaper’s parent organization. The Daily Gamecock is supported in part by student activity fees. One free copy per reader. Additional copies may be purchased for $1 each from the Department of Student Media.
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An assistant principle in Goose Creek, South Carolina was released on a $100,000 bond after he was charged with having sexual relationship with a student, The State reported. Paul Jette Herman, the 36-year-old assistant principal of Goose Creek High School, was arrested Tuesday and charged with sexual battery with a student without force or coercion. The girl’s mother discovered the relationship when she saw messages on her daughter’s phone, and her daughter told her about the relationship last weekend. Police said based on the text messages, the relationship had been going on since December. Herman was placed on administrative leave by the Berkeley County School District. — Madeleine Collins, Assistant News Editor
CORRECTIONS If you find an error in today’s edition of The Daily Gamecock, let us know about it. Email editor@ dailygamecock.com and we will print the correction in our next issue.
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Thursday, February 26, 2015
RESULTSPAGE1 looking forward to working with one another and eager to get started. Their first step? “We get to work,” Kaufman said “We’re the st udent voice for the administration — that’s our job. That’s why we’re elected.” The voting goal for the initial election was 5,000 votes, but the voter turnout was just over 3,000. The turnout for the runoff election was 7,365 votes. “T he t u r nout ca me out g reat and that’s exactly what we needed,”
Samples said. “The student body has officially spoken and they did it with passion.” St udent Bod y V ice Pre sident Donnie Iorio will begin transitioning Goble, Kaufman and Ian Shannon — who was elected in last week’s elect ions — into t heir posit ions Thursday. “It was a great election, great fight, great battle,” Student Body President Lindsay Richardson said. “I’m excited for the new team, and we’re ready to start the transition and ready to pass off the baton.”
Hannah Cleaveland / THE DAILY GAMECOCK
Candidates gathered in the Leadership and Service Center to hear the runoff results.
BOOKSPAGE1 and can access it online. “This is k ind of like a legacy project,” R ic h a rd s o n s a id . “ I d o n’t t h i n k t h i s i s something I’ll be able to see while I’m a student at t h e u n i v e r s it y. I do have rea l ly g reat hopes for the project,
e s p e c i a l l y w it h t h e support we got f rom t he ad m i n i s t r at io n , from the provost, even f rom some fac u lt y senate members about what g reat t h ings this could do for our student body.” R ichardson said the initiative has seen some support around
campus, including the library. “ We t h i n k i t ’s really going to longt er m ly (sic) d r ive down the cost of what o u r s t u d e nt s at t he Un iver sit y of Sout h Carolina are paying in textbooks,” Richardson said.
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Thursday, February 26, 2015
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‘The Trojan Women’ immersive, brutal production
Want to go? 8 p.m. Feb. 26 — March 1 Tickets: $5 at the door Lab Theatre 1400 Wheat Street Limited seating Caleb Franklin / THE DAILY GAMECOCK
Director Kelsea Woods put what she learned in a London immersive theater company to work in “The Trojan Women,” including the audience in a physical, emotional play.
Lauren Galida @TDG_ARTS
“ T h e Tr o j a n Wo m e n” i s a n immersive, gruesome representation of the aftermath of the Trojan War, of the atrocities women faced in 540 B.C., and what they still face. “It’s so timeless and important,” said third-year English and theatre st udent Jam ie Boller, who plays Hecuba in t he product ion. “We think we’re so much more advanced t ha n A ncient Greece, but t hese atrocities are still happening and will still happen.” This ageless Greek tragedy by playwright Euripides and translated by Nicholas Rudall tells the tale of
one miserable event piled on top of the next and how the human soul internally and out wardly grieves when hope seems almost obsolete. A u d ie n c e m e m b e r s f ol lo w t h e unraveling of the women of Troy after their city has been destroyed, members of their family have been brutally slaughtered (and they’ve been given the explicit details), and they don’t know what lies ahead. Wa r c a n c r ipple t he spi r it i n multiple different forms — Hecuba is petrif ied by t he news t hat she w ill be sold as a slave to Greek General Odysseus, while her cursed daughter Cassandra, who has been driven mad, is ghastly ecstatic about becoming General Agamemnon’s
concubine having forseen her own death soon after. “Some themes are the resilience of the human spirit, how human beings manage grief, how it manifests itself, how we survive in the face of war and great tragedy and violence,” Boller said. “I think these women have such a strength.” At the play’s opening, audience memb er s a re seat ed i n a ro om behind the stage where they listen to Athena and Poseidon discussing how to reprimand the Greek armies as a watchman paces back and forth keeping an eye on t he audience, making audiences members feel like prisoners as well. Event ually, audience members
Burt is ‘Back’-arach at USC
Courtesy of Burt Bacharach
Bacharach, writer of over 60 top-40 hits, will hold a Q&A and short performance.
Belvin Olasov @BELVINOLASOV
Singer-song w riter Burt Bacharach, best known for composing h i t s l i k e “ W h a t ’s New Pussycat?” and “ W h a t T h e Wo r l d Needs Now Is Love”
is com i ng to USC Friday at 3 p.m. for a free conversation with st udent s. The event w i l l b e held i n t he W.W. Hootie Johnson Per f or m a nc e H a l l at t he Da rla Moore School of Business. A s s i s t a n t
professor i n spor t a nd enter t a i n ment management st udent Armen Shaomian will moderate as part of his SPTE 202 class, but d u e t o B a c h a r a c h’s fame and legacy, it’s open to all students. Part of t he talk will
be geared toward the class, but t here w ill a l so b e a Q& A a nd small performance at the end. “ I t h i n k t h e y ’r e going to learn not just about t he entertainment business but also how it’s changed, how it’s been a nd where it ’s going,” Shaomian said. T he c onver s at ion and performance was facilitated by Bacha r ac h’s con nec t ion to USC through his daughter, f i r st-yea r publ ic health student Raleigh B a c h a r a c h . He h a s performances set for Nort h Carolina and offered to come speak at USC while he was in the area. Bacharach, 86, has enjoyed a long career, ranging from one of his f irst Billboard Top 40 hits “Magic Moments” in 1958 to “Love Power” in 1987. He has won si x Gra m m ies a nd written over 60 U.S. Top 40 hits. He has a lso done ex ten sive movie work, winning three Academy Awards and sett ing t he tone for t he Bond f i l m s’ soundtracks by scoring t he 1967 ver sion of “Casino Royale.” “I don’t think there’s a single st udent who has not heard his music — t h e y j u s t d o n’t realize it,” Shaomian said.
fi le out to their seats where the cast is sleeping inches away sleeping or foldi ng bla n ket s i n complete desolation. The audience is thrown i nt o t he c e nt e r of t he a c t io n , knocking down the barrier between actor and audience member and allowing the play’s grief to be felt more viscerally. Director and fourth-year theatre student Kelsea Woods had looked to ex plore a nd i mplement t h is immersive st yle of t heat re since her sophomore year. Last summer, Woods took a few work shops in London with an immersive theatre company — now, she’s t r y ing to SEETROJANPAGE5
DeWitt on drumming with Hootie, Blue Dogs Kasey Meredith @K_SEEEE
Most bands have one drummer but not all drummers have one band. Such is the case of Parker DeWitt, a contracting drummer and feature in such notable bands as Hootie and the Blowfish and The Revivalists. Hoot ie isn’t DeW it t ’s on ly t ie to Sout h Carolina. Born and raised in Florence, South Carolina, he said the South has shaped him when it comes to music. He’s also very fond of Athens, Georgia, where his favorite band since he was 12 years old, Widespread Panic, was born. Now, DeWitt is busy touring with the Blue Dog s, who w i l l be play i ng at Mu sic Fa r m Columbia this Saturday at 8 p.m. DeWitt’s father introduced him to what he calls “cool older bands” like Steely Dan and the BeeGees. DeWitt said it was “real fortunate for me to get into music at a young age,” even if he didn’t “realize it at the time.” DeWitt fi rst started playing in various garage ba nds i n h igh school t hat m a i n ly covered Widespread Panic and Phish. They would play at birthday parties before getting their big break at the Midnight Rooster in Hartsville, South Carolina where DeWitt didn’t even use a drum kit. “I actually played the congas,” he said. DeWitt’s style has blended and evolved over the years — it was initially bluegrass and then into jam bands, but DeWitt more recently has been delving into genres like Caribbean, funk and jazz. In high school and at the beginning of his college career, DeWitt began touring with Machine Funk, one of the most well-known Widespread SEEDEWITTPAGE5
Thursday, February 26, 2015
DEWITTPAGE4
Courtesy of Stephanie Smith
DeWitt works with a wide range of bands as a contracting drummer, leading him to different genres.
TROJANPAGE4 translate what she learned into “The Trojan Women.� “It’s something different. There’s excitement,
Pa n ic t r ibute ba nds i n t he country. From there, DeWitt got an unorthodox big break. “ I d o n’t k n o w i f y o u’r e fa m i l ia r w it h t he Speed Channel, but they were holding t h is event ca l led ‘Ba nds of Nascar’ where we played on the racetracks and toured around,â€? he said. “Still gets me work today.â€? Shortly thereafter, he went back to school in 2013 in New York City, where he received a degree in music and a teaching cert if icate at t he Collect ive School of Music. D eW it t t h e n s t a r t e d working with the Blue Dogs, an A mericana band from his hometown, Florence. “They hit me up ‌ and I’ve been recording with them for
there’s danger, there’s a community of people coming together despite their world falling down around them, and it’s really a testament of what it is like to go through anything and to know what it feels like to be part of a great community,�
5
the past year in Charleston,� he said. Of course, being a cont ract i ng musicia n is t h r i l l i ng a nd exc it i ng, but there are some cons to working as an individual artist, DeWitt said. You aren’t tied down to any group in particular, but you can’t choose what you want to play and you have to learn music on the fly — literally. “Somet i me s you have to learn it on the plane ride flying in,� he said. DeW it t ha s worked w it h many bands, and there are still some percussionists he would still love to collaborate with, like James McMurtr y — he would “love to just sit down and work with him in songwriting� — and Jason Isbell.
Woods said. “Really, it’s a celebration about being human.� For cast members a nd t he director alike, communicating the travesties and war crimes com m it ted ag a i nst women were ex t remely important to the creative process. The cast tried to replicate the specific emotion of being “left� and not knowing what to expect next. The cast and crew also looked to women in today’s Syria as current models of affected women to discuss the physical and emotional trauma rape brings. They came up with real world situations and analyzed what could actually happen to them in these given circumstances. “This play is all about the enemy — this play is all about the Trojans who were the enemy at the time, so think about the people who are supposedly our enemies in war,� Boller said. “Remember that they’re humans and innocent people are going to suffer from your political agenda.�
CHECKER YELL W CAB “NO CASH? NO PROBLEM!� SEE US ON SALUDA ST. IN FIVE POINTS FOR A FREE RIDE! We now take VISA, Master Card & American Express! Caleb Franklin / THE DAILY GAMECOCK
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“The Trojan Women� focuses on the resiliency of women undergoing extreme trauma and the ravages of war.
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This is a response to an opinion column that was written by Ben Crawford, published on Feb. 25, 2015, entitled “Mother Teresa undeserving of mother title.” I am responding to your claim Mother — excuse me — Blessed Teresa of Calcutta (now Kolkata) is not worthy of her title. Before I begin, do you know how someone earns the title of “Blessed”? Essentially, someone has to be extremely good and uphold the teachings of Jesus Christ; it is a step below a saint. The fi rst thing you attack is the Home for the Dying that was set up in India. Let’s be clear that India is not known for its fi rst class health care; people die in the streets every single day from diseases and other infl ictions. Missionaries like Blessed Teresa go to countries like India to try to help, and that’s what she did. Could she heal everyone who walked through the doors? No, just because she was Catholic doesn’t mean she could heal everyone. “The Home did not claim to offer primary medical care, but was a refuge for the dying, with nowhere else to go,” argued the The New York Review of Books. I am also a little troubled about your f irst source, the blogger who claims to have experienced these “horrors.” I read the same article you read, and the guy is a “Wandering Nomad,” meaning he is not accustomed to life in India and was not prepared for everything. Again, the house is not a hospital, not everyone there is a trained doctor, and some people are too sick and are going to die. You also at t ack her bel iefs on bir t h control, abortion and divorce. Well, here is something that may be surprising: Blessed Teresa was an old school Catholic, meaning Catholics back in her day did not believe in birth control or divorce and, you guessed it, abortion. Many Catholics still believe this today, and here is why: Jesus talked about how life was a gift from God and to deny it is a mortal sin, which is why most Catholics do not use birth control or have abortions. Christ also says bluntly that there is no divorce. Blessed Teresa wasn’t concerned about what was right in a political or social stance, but what was right in the eyes of God, for that is who she dedicated her life to and to live as Christ did. Not everyone’s perfect, not even saints or the Blessed, but they do way more good than bad, which is how they obtain those titles. Nitpicking isn’t journalism — it’s slander. —Derrick Chariker, fourth-year English student
LGBT work discrimination persists In a matter of months, the U.S. Supreme Court may make samesex marriages legal in every state. But as socia l conser vat ives lose ground in courts, their redstate legislatures and governor’s ma nsions are i ncreasi ngly crack ing dow n on t he LGBT communit y in ever y way they legally can. Sam Brownback, the governor of Kansas, recently rescinded an executive order that prevented state employees from being fi red for their sexual orientation or gender identity. A rkansas went a step f urt her and banned any local government in t he state from protecting LGBT citizens from discrimination in the workplace. Florida is considering a bill that would formally def ine gender as binar y and, in t he process, dramatically set back transgender protections within the state by denying the existence of anything needing protection. A n d l e t ’s n o t f o r g e t t h e Arizona bill that nearly passed last year that would have allowed businesses to deny ser vices to gays. While the recent crackdowns a r e p e t t y at t e mp t s t o b u l l y citizens for political reasons, the bigger issue is that most red states don’t even have any protections to
condemned Gov. Brownback’s actions, a Republican governor vetoed t he A r iz ona bi l l, a nd some prom i nent Republ ica ns (including John McCain) voted for ENDA in the Senate. Half of likely Republican primary voters hold neutral or worse views of a hypothetical candidate against gay marriage. But at the same time, none of their major 2016 presidential candidates — not even the relatively libertarian Rand Paul — publicly support gay marriage. T he l i kel i hood of ac t u a l ly being fi red for being gay is also uncertain. Most major businesses wou ld shudder at t he r isk of cont roversy and boycotts and are even displaying an increasing willingness to show gay couples in high-profi le ad campaigns. A few, such as Hobby Lobby and Ch ick-f i l-A , have decided to turn social conservatism into a marketing strategy, but for the most part, formal employment discrimination would be limited to small businesses and the most tea- d renched loc a l a nd st ate governments. Even so, that’s enough to make any v ictor y in t he court room bittersweet. — First-year economics student Griffi n Hobson
rescind. When the Employment No n - D i s c r i m i n at io n A c t , a S e n at e bi l l t h at wou ld h ave banned discrimination based on orientation or gender identit y, w a s k i l le d i n t h e Ho u s e o f Representatives, a majorit y of states in the country did not have t he protect ions EN DA would have imposed. Basically, t he best scenario for LGBT citizens living in red states is that, one day soon, they will be able to be married — and t hen t hey cou ld im med iately be fi red for it. To make matters worse, a not-insignificant swath of the broader LGBT community doesn’t necessarily benefit from same-sex marriage but is hurt by legal discrimination. So the “victory” is particularly hollow. T he problem is t hat t he Supreme Court really can’t invent a law that would prevent this. Congress could, but w it h t he House as gerrymandered in favor of Republicans as it is, Democrats won’t be able to retake it until at least the next census. Even if ever y t h i ng goe s per fec t ly for Democ rat s, a nondiscrimination bill is still at least eight years away unless the Republicans begin to cave on the issue. It’s u nclear how likely t hat is. Some Republ ica ns have
LETTER TO THE EDITOR REQUIREMENTS
Letter From the Editor On Wednesday night, a variation of Jonathan Kaufman’s campaign site URL started circulating on Twitter because it forwarded to a pornography w e b s i t e . We w e r e m a d e aware of the situation and, as you’ll notice, did not report on it. T hat’s becau se T he Daily Gamecock’s managing editor, who has since been removed from our staff, was responsible. There was no discussion as to whet her or not t hese actions were anywhere close to acceptable. The decision to remove this editor came immediately after I became aware of the situation. The Daily Gamecock will not employ anyone who breaches ethical codes; those names do not belong on our masthead.
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We don’t take situations like this lightly at The Daily Gamecock — we adhere to the ethical codes set forth by the Society of Professional Journalists, as well as our own set of rules and policies to ensure every step in our journalistic process is sound. We hold all members of our staff to the same standards, regardless of title or ability, and make a point to stay on the reporting side of the story. To o m a ny jou r n a l i st s h ave found themselves in the news for becoming the stories themselves, a nd we h ave no i nt e nt ion of joining them there. We regret that this came from someone who was once a member of our staff, and we expect better. — Hannah Jeffrey, Editor-in-Chief
“The Daily Gamecock will not employ anyone who breaches ethical codes.”
HANNAH JEFFREY
EMILY READY
HANNAH CLEAVELAND
BELVIN OLASOV
Editor-in-Chief
Copy Desk Chief
Photo Editor
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BIANCA CORREA
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BRENNAN DOHERTY
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Long race (finally) ends well ISSUE Campaigns and elections for SG president and vice president took what felt like forever. OUR STANCE Though the runoff election increased voter participation, we’re glad it’s finished. We congratulate Jonathan Kaufman and Lee Goble on t heir elect ions as student body president and vice president. T hough we endor sed Jonat ha n
Holt, Kaufman’s runoff opponent, we believe Kaufman’s experience in Student Government will serve the student body well. Both candidates ran professional, organized campaigns that focused on the issues at hand. The candidates’ seriousness of purpose, use of social media and public advocacy helped contribute to a turnout that shattered expectations. (Over 7,000 votes in a runoff? SG didn’t hit the 5,000-vote goal in the fi rst round, but maybe second time’s the charm.) The extremely close election didn’t hurt either. A s for t he V P race, we are glad the soap opera is over. The drama of
“We must confess our pleasure at this campaign’s end.” election violations, a bevy of write-in candidates from left field and the raw emotions made for a long election season for all of us. Although we endorsed Goble, we
must ack nowledge Brian Samples’ effort, commitment to his campaign and advocacy on the Greene Street gate issue. Whatever the stance of the students, having a tangible issue like the gates defi nitely led to this election being talked about and relevant. This year’s race had some high points for SG and the student body overall, but we must confess our pleasure at this campaign’s end. Now, rather than focusing on the horse race, SG can get back to business. We can write about something else. And the student body can focus their passions on another issue — why Mother Nature continues to deny our pleas for snow.
Thursday, February 26, 2015
EMPLOYMENT
EMPLOYMENT
EMPLOYMENT
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Now Hiring & Training Swim Instructors Pay starts @ $10.25 per hour. Free Training and Certification. Email your current availability or class schedule and any qualifications you may have to Jim Reiser at jreiser@swimprofessor.com
Experienced Personal Health and Fitness Trainers needed Pt and Ft hours available. Gym is 1 mile from campus. Contact Anne Marie for details 803.799.9455. Email mfulmer44@aol.com
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boots & bows 2/26/15
ACROSS 1 Medical amts. 4 Be accountable (for) 10 Remove, as coupons 14 Ernst collaborator 15 Electronic music genre 16 Spherical opening? 17 Titanic compartment on the lowest level 19 “All __”: 1931 tune 20 Height: Pref. 21 Lord’s Prayer opener 22 Arterial trunk 24 __ León: Monterrey’s state 26 Setup of a sort 29 Okay 31 Okay 32 Project, with “out” 33 Mediterranean capital 36 Farm female 37 Drive-in offering, and what 17-, 26-, 50- or 60Across has, in more ways than one 41 1% of a cool mil 42 Lethargic 43 Stein filler 44 Poet’s contraction 46 Discography entries 50 Country kitchen design option 54 Wash softly against 55 Words after “What a coincidence!” 56 Muppet friend of Elmo 58 Poet’s preposition 59 Italian carmaker 60 Verify 63 “Poppycock!” 64 Find, as a frequency 65 Whopper, e.g. 66 Very dark 67 It has its ups and downs 68 Family guy
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Aries
Leo
M o v e q u i c k l y. G e t t e c h n ic a l a s s i s t a nc e if nece ssa r y. Re v iew your notes and f ill in the blanks. Disciplined act ion sends your communications farther. Help comes f rom far away. Acknowledge your supporters.
En list imag inat ive partners. Together, you ca n ach ieve a maz i ng things. Organize a work crew or committee, and magnif y your efforts. It’s get t i ng easier to advance. Many hands make light work.
Taurus
I n s pi r at ion h it s you at work . Unex pec ted benefit is available. A ca reer oppor t u n it y requires physical and immediate action. Get out and go for it. Make a connection through a relative. Be willing to try something different.
It ’s ea sier to ac t for idealistic causes, although the pay’s good too. Circ u msta nces cause an emotional shift. A p p e a r a nc e s c a n b e deceiving. You’re on top of the world.
Gemini
Virgo
Libra
A surprising personal revelat ion cha nges you r opt ions. New conf idence i nspi res your work. Friends offer good advice. Postpone a fantasy trip, and handle pr ac t ic a l m at t er s . A d rea m seem s w it h i n reach.
Wa l k o r r i d e y o u r bike. Physically propel yourself where you need to go, and exercise while saving money. Discover your surrou ndings newly. Put some sweat into your adventure for unexpected benefit.
Cancer
Scorpio
D e l e g a t e t o perfectionists while you fi nd a moment of peace. Review the plans and discover new strategies. D o n’t b e t o n a f a r fetched scheme, unless you’re sure it’ll work. You’ll get farther with help.
It’s an exquisite moment t o t a k e a c t io n o n a f inancial matter. You can grow your assets by mak ing smart choices now. Repair something that’s costing you. You get farther with support from a partner.
Sagittarius
Work together with a partner and tackle a big job. Invite others or hire help for heav y lifting. Disciplined act ion brings unexpected r e s u l t s . Te a m w o r k pays off. An old dream beckons.
Capricorn Work could get physical today. Get the family to help. H ire t r usted assistance if necessary. Redirect your personal ef for t s. Share you r vision with a loved one. Be assertive, not hasty. Show that you’re willing to sweat.
Aquarius T h e c o m p e t i t i o n’s getting especially fun. Keep in action. Tweak a nd t u ne a s you go. Put your heart into the game, with your energy and fire. Dreams come t r ue by su r prise. A windfall showers down.
Pisces Renew a family t r a d it i o n . Yo u h a v e suppor t f rom loved ones. Set realistic goals toget her. A dead l i ne looms. G et t he tools you need. Let a dream f l avor you r c re at i ve efforts. Reap unexpected benefit.
Check out the body issue of the
Weekender On stands tomorrow DOWN 1 Poolside structure 2 Springtime bloomer 3 Tapering tops 4 Wore (away) 5 Fiery emperor? 6 Clean with effort 7 Fingerprint ridge 8 Ambient music pioneer Brian 9 Parmesan alternative 10 Aminor, for one 11 Didn’t quite close 12 Childish 13 Slapstick prop 18 Film Volkswagen with “53” painted on it 23 Singular 25 Mark on an otherwise perfect record? 27 Place in the earth 28 Hot time in France 30 Dawn-dusk link 34 Like the ’80s look, now 35 Tabloid subj. 36 Spa treatment 37 Aspect of paranoia
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38 Person in the know 39 Therapists’ org. 40 Cultivate 41 Smidge 44 Unit of resistance 45 Official orders 47 Defended, as family honor 48 Brady Bunch girl 49 Fed the fire 51 Cartoonist Guisewite or her title character
52 Depleted layer 53 Blooms for lovers 57 “¿Cómo __?” 59 Justice Dept. division 61 Wish one hadn’t 62 Udder woman?
1 2 3 4
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or download our app!
9
Thursday, February 26, 2015
FROMTENNIS10
Courtesy of South Carolina Media Relations
South Carolina junior outfielder Alaynie Page is hitting .471 with six home runs and 22 RBIs through 15 games in the 2015 season. FROMSOFTBALL1 “It’s all mental,” Page said. “Just staying aggressive at the plate and jumping on pitches I can hit.” From her va nt age poi nt , Smith said she has also seen Page become more aggressive with the bat in hand. “She’s staying aggressive,” Smith said. “Obviously, it’s working.” Page’s jou r ne y to Sout h Carolina started years ago in high school. A highly touted prospect from Boiling Springs High School, Page or ig i na l ly committed to the Gamecocks when for mer head coach Joyce Compton was st ill in charge. But when Compton an nou nced her ret irement, Page was unsure of whether committing to South Carolina was the right move. Smith was then hired July 15, 2010. She wanted to get started immediately, so she began looking at perspective recruits and called Page fi rst. S o o n a f t e r, P a g e k n e w s h e’d r e m a i n t r u e t o h e r
commitment. “ It w a s a f t er a g a me i n Texas,” Page said. “She came down to watch me play and I talked to her on the phone after that game and I k new
could be accomplished. Currently, Page is second in the SEC in home runs, third in total bases, fourth in hits and fifth in slugging percentage.
By the numbers: Alaynie Page Batting average: .471 Home runs: 6 RBIs: 22 Hits: 24 t hat I wanted to spend my college career with this coach.” “It was a good phone call,” Page added. As far as what she wants to achieve goes, Page said her priorities are centered around h e r o w n a n d h e r t e a m’s success. Page’s goal is be the player she knows she can be, but she also wants to show that it’s time for Gamecock softball to compete on a national level. If Page can continue to play the way she is now, those goals
On-base percentage: .542 Slugging percentage: .922 Total bases: 47
someone I can say will be a best friend forever.” Smith described Page’s off-thefield demeanor as very similar to what people see on the field. “She’s high energy,” Smith said. “She’s fun, she’s entertaining, and I think her personality is the same on the field and off the field.” What’s Next?
Alaynie Page: The Person Those close to Page k now she doesn’t stand just for her accomplishments on the field — her personality off the field turns heads, as well. The way Page handles herself has earned her the respect of her teammates and coaches. “ S h e ’ s l o u d ,” r e d s h i r t sophomore inf ielder Lauren M a s t e r s s a i d . “ S h e’s v e r y outgoing. We’ve gotten really close this past year, and she’s
Page, a sports and enter t a i n ment ma nagement student, hopes to one day work for ESPN. For now, however, she’s just focused on her next game. South Carolina has five home games in the next four days, beginning with a matchup with Western Carolina Thursday. Page began this season on a 14 -game hitt ing st reak t hat came to an end Sunday against Nort hwestern. She looks to bounce back and continue her breakout season. “She’s wort h t he price of admission,” Smith said. “Come out and watch this girl play.”
“It means a lot in t he fact t hat t hese are the first games of SEC play, and I feel that everybody wants to come out a nd win,” Goffi said. “We need to compete well and be smart on the court. Florida is the team t hat we need to watch out for, but I think if we make sma r t dec isions, I t h i n k we ca n play with them.” Essentially, if the Gamecocks can fill in gaps in their rotation, G of f i said, t hey ’ll have a good weekend. “Plain and simple, we have to get a good rotation going,” Goff i said. “We’ve had holes in positions o ne , t wo a nd s i x . We’ve been amazing in doubles and a maz i ng i n t h ree, fou r a nd f ive, but we got to get those three positions up to speed.” Kyle Koch, a senior for the Gamecocks, k now s t he s e SE C opp onent s a l l too well. After posting a 17-7 singles record and a 17-4 doubles record on the season, he’s looks forward to this weekend and said his fellow teammates feel the exact same way. “The start of SEC season is ver y important to us,” Koch sa id. “Obviously, we want to get the wins, get a good spot in t he standings. Auburn has backed down to us the past few years, and we’ve got to keep doi ng what we do against them.”
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Thursday, February 26, 2015
10
One last time E DA ILY GA MECO Jeffrey Davis / TH
South Carolina w
ill hono
Welch (left), El r seniors Aleighsa
Brennan Doherty @BRENNAN_DOHERTY
W hen t he f i na l buzzer sounded and No. 2 Sout h Ca rol i na defeated No. 6 Tennessee, the magnitude and importance of the win for the Gamecocks was clearly evident by the way teammates embraced and congratulated each other on the court. It’s safe to say head coach Dawn Staley’s team enjoyed beating the Lady Vols for just the third time ever. Note t he past tense: ‘enjoyed.’ As sweet as Monday night’s win was for South Carolina (26-1, 14-0 SEC), rules are r ules, and Staley has one regarding wins: enjoy them for 24 hours and move on. Wit h a talented No. 11 Mississippi State team (25-4, 10-4 SEC) coming into town Thursday for the Gamecocks’ senior night, South Carolina can’t afford to live in the past, even though the win over Tennessee was arguably its biggest of the season. “ It ’s t he t y p e of g a me where you want to enjoy it,
em Ibiam (center)
but you a lso want to talk about Mississippi State, because we have them on Thursday,” Staley said Monday night. “If we don’t win that game, that nullifies this win.” W it h on ly t wo reg u lar season games rema i n i ng, South Carolina still has a lot of work it wants to get done before the SEC tournament begins next week in North Little Rock, Arkansas. A win against Mississippi State or No. 13 Kentuck y next Sunday would clinch t he No. 1 seed i n t he SEC tou r na ment for t he G a mecock s a nd w i n n i ng bot h g a mes wou ld g ive t hem t he f irst undefeated conference season in program history. Staley’s been pleased with the way South Carolina has played to this point in the season, but she and her staff continuously remind their players t hat t he job isn’t anywhere near finished. “We talked about that to our players,” Staley said. “You did what you were supposed to do up to this point, let’s not let up.” Thursday night’s matchup
and Olivia Ga
or night agains ines (right) on seni
“You did what you were supposed to do up to this point, let’s not let up.” — Dawn Staley
t Mississippi Stat
against Mississippi State will be the last regular season game at Colonial Life Arena for senior forward Aleighsa Welch, senior center Elem I bi a m a nd s e n ior g u a rd Olivia Gaines. Gaines, a transfer from Lou isbu rg Col lege, is i n her second season with the Gamecock program, while Ibiam and Welch have seen the transformation of South Carolina take place from the beginning of their college careers. W hen t he pa i r a r r ived on campus in 2011, South Carolina hadn’t made t he NCA A tournament in nine seasons, but the two players h a v e s i nc e b e e n a r ou nd for 105 wins, three NCA A tou r nament appeara nces, an SEC reg u lar season championship and two of the program’s wins over the Lady Vols. Welch and Ibiam combined for 31 points and 22 rebounds in South Carolina’s latest win against Tennessee. “Tonight was a game in which ‘Leighsa and Elem really put us on their backs and willed us to a win,” Staley said. S t i l l , i f t h e r e ’s a n y
CK
e on Thursday.
SEC team t hat could possibly spoil South Carolina’s upcoming senior night, it might be the visiting Bulldogs. Mississippi State has won seven of its last nine games and fi nds itself in third place in the SEC standings. While the Bulldogs haven’t made the NCAA tournament since 2010, head coach Vic Shaefer’s team will return soon enough, thanks to its stellar season to this point. Mississippi State has three wins over Top 25 teams and averages 75.9 points per game, 22nd best in the country. Freshman forward Victoria Vivians leads the Bulldogs with 14.9 points per game. As impressive as Mississippi State’s season has been, it’ll be going up against a South Carolina team t hat is 6 -1 against Top 25 opponents this season and the Gamecocks feel t hat t hey have much more to prove. “It’s been a great ride, as far as the things that we’ve been able to accomplish and k nowing that it’s not over yet,” Welch said. After they face Mississippi State, the Gamecocks will travel to play Kentucky in the regular season finale Sunday.
Both tennis teams begin SEC play Parks Beson @TDG_SPORTS
The nonconference portion of the schedule over, a nd women’s ten n is head coach Kevin Epley said he’s expecting big things from the women’s team Friday and Sunday during their home matchups against Auburn and Alabama. T he G a me co c k s (7-2), who have won t hei r la st three matches, are looking to ma ke some headway during the first matches of conference play when they host the Tigers (10-2) and the Crimson Tide (8-1). “W hat we need to work on this year is being more focused, both physically and mentally,” Epley said. “We have girls out here that want to win, and it’s hard when you are going up against some of the top players in the nation. There is a hierarchy. We need to put away emotions of third set situations and just win them.” Epley, now in his t hird season as the South Carolina he ad c o ac h , k now s how important t hese nex t
Jessica Wood / THE DAILY GAMECOCK
South Carolina senior Kyle Koch has a 17-7 singles record this season for the Gamecocks. t wo m atche s a re for t he Gamecocks. In the past, South Carolina has held tough wit h bot h Auburn and A labama, but
hasn’t been able to fi nish off matches well. “All three seasons that I have been here, we have held our own until the third
set,” Epley said. “They are both highly ranked in the conference with a very high skill level. Coming out of this weekend with two wins would
be a big accomplishment for us and where we stand in the SEC.” One player who is ready to win is sophomore Caroline Dailey. Dailey came onto the courts as a Gamecock last year and has since been on Epley’s radar. Epley said she has made a vast improvement i n he r s i n g le s r o t at io n , posting a record of 17-9 for the season. “She has really improved and held her own this year, moving from a six or f ive posit ion to a t wo i n t he rotation,” Epley said. “We have a really you ng team who really wants to win. I am really looking forward to this weekend.” On the other side of the court, the Gamecock men’s tennis team (8-5) has their work cut out for them as they face both Auburn and Florida in this week’s SEC play. S o u t h C a r ol i n a m e n’s tennis head coach Josh Goffi said he believes it’s crucial that the Gamecocks start off conference play on a high note. SEETENNISPAGE9