UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2018
VOL. 110, NO. 24 ● SINCE 1908
Masculinity workshops suffer from low turn-out Hannah Dear @HANNAHCDEAR
Healthy masculinity workshops teaching about the roles of masculinity in society and relationships have been held throughout the spring semester. The workshops started on Jan. 31, but very few people have attended, sometimes including the instructor. First-year business student Logan Steffke was looking forward to the seminar — until he realized the workshop leader wasn’t there. “It’s a prett y cool seminar and I was assigned through my speech class to write a one to two page paper on a live presentation,” Steffke said. “This one seemed like I’d get the most useful information.” Wo r k s h o p s w e r e h e l d f o u r t i m e s throughout the semester. The very first work shop had a n i n st r uc tor a nd one participant. By the last workshop, the one Steff ke attend, there was one interested student and no instructor. “I walked in here at five,” he said. “I said ‘don’t even tell me right now’ I said ‘don’t even tell me this isn’t going to happen’ because I’m gonna have to email my teacher, and I don’t want to have to ask for like an extension on my assignment, but listen I came to the seminar ... I have stuff to do from 7:30 all night tonight.” Steff ke did not believe the topic of the workshop was the reasoning behind low attendance. Instead, he thought the event wasn’t promoted enough to students. “I think it’s about the general awareness of these seminars going on,” Steffke said. “I think it’s the fact that people aren’t on the day to day actively looking through the Carolina event calendar online to see what seminars they can go to.” Even w it hout at tend i ng work shops, students around campus have developed their own opinions about what healthy masculinity means in reference to themselves and society. “I would define healthy masculinity as not just the physical expression of strength but the actual strength of a man — of who he is,” said Joshua Helms, a fourth-year religious studies student. “Being confident in who he is as a person and how he represents himself as he goes into a room and being able to be that steady hand in knowing when to speak up for others and knowing also when to be quiet.” Dav id Flowers, a t hird-year English student, believes that men ineffectively fit their masculinity into society because they do not understand the privileges they have that the other half of the population do not. “I think it’s having the wherewithal and having the self-awareness to know placement in societ y and to be aware of one’s own privilege,” Flowers said. Many men on campus believe healthy masculinit y fits into societ y along with healthy femininity creating equal gender roles. They think healthy masculinity is not anti-feminism, but it also allows men to be proud of who they are. “I think it goes hand in hand ... with healthy femininity,” Helms said. “I think both roles have the equal things they can bring to the table, and there’s no one over the other.” Another aspect of healthy masculinity, recognized by students like first-year nursing st udent Lahsen Grich, is recog n izing members of t he LGBTQ com mu n it y. He emphasizes that men need to be more comfortable in who they are regardless of their sexual identity. “I guess it’s just being able to express yourself how you want and not caring what other people think,” Grich said. Healthy masculinity workshops are meant to instill these ideas in men to make them more comfortable in who they are while not detracting from the role of women in society. Future workshops that are similar could ensure that other male students at USC carry with them an understanding of what masculinity means. “It’s time that men are able to go back to what masculinity is. I think, nowadays we have a lot of boys, and they don’t understand what it means to be masculine,” Helms said. “We have a bunch of boys that never become men and not necessarily a fault of their own, but a fault of the society where society has failed them, where we as a nation has failed them, as universities we have failed them, in families we have failed them.”
Shreyas Saboo / THE DAILY GAMECOCK
Greek students try foods from various countries and cultures on Greene Street in celebration of Greek Week.
Greek Week brings multicultural cuisine Joseph Leonard @THEGAMECOCK
Hungry students lined Greene S t r e e t o n We d n e s d a y f o r a Multicultural Food Fest as part of USC’s Greek Week. Students went through a buffet-style line and were able to pick from Middle
Eastern, Asian and Hispanic food while learning more about Greek life’s impact on campus. The food was made by a mixture of soror it ies, f rater n it ies a nd other vendors who brought their own cultural food to the table for students. Syd ne y Ja ne s , a t h i rd-y e a r marketing and management student and organizer of the Multicultural Food Fe s t , e m p h a s i z e d the importance of bringing all t he Greek let ter organizations toget her. She sees events like Food Fest as a chance for Greek l i fe to e x pa nd it s reach on campus and connect across the four different Greek councils. “O u r t agl i ne i s
‘together we stand,” Janes said. “As a Greek community, we’re so much bigger than whatever council we’re part of ... This is an opportunity for us to show each other that we care about each other.” Natalia Osorio, a t hird-year chemistry student and president of t he Mu lt ic u lt u ra l Greek Council said it’s “very important” to experience different cultures a n d t h a t c o l l a b o r a t i n g w it h multicultural Greek organizations is a great way to do so. “You learn a lot of different things about the different organizations you work with,” Osorio said. “It’s really good to get to know them, ‘cause you learn more about them, you learn more about yourself and how you handle being around other people that are different from you.” Read more about Greek Week at www.dailygamecock.com
Shreyas Saboo / THE DAILY GAMECOCK
Outreach set on sexual assault awareness Meghan Crum @MEGCRUM24
Denim Day began 19 years ago in Italy when the Italian Supreme Court overturned a decision about a sexual assault case because the victim was wearing jeans. The jeans were tight, and the justices believed that the victim had to have helped the assaulter remove her jeans, suggesting that she gave consent. The next day, the women of the Italian Parliament went to work wearing jeans, protesting the decision. Now, Denim Day is an important part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and at USC it will be the closing event on April 25. Jennifer Taylor, program coordinator for bystander intervention, hopes to use the month to reach out to students and make them aware of the Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention & Prevention services in the Thomson Building — specifically the organization’s confidentiality. The events were tailored to students so that students do not have to speak up to participate, but can still interact with others and learn more about the issue. “I think the biggest thing, really, that we want from students is for them to just have conversations,” Taylor said. “We want this to be an opportunity to really kind of look at their own conceptions.” Third-year psychology student Regan Butler believes the campaign is crucial to the health and safety of students on campus. “A lthough that we don’t want to think that it’s happening on our campus, we know that it is,” Butler said. “I think it’s good to bring awareness.” With movements such as #MeToo and #TimesUp growing their influence on social media, Taylor wants to keep conversations surrounding sexual assault and consent alive on campus. “A lot of stuff that went unsaid in the past, those problems ... didn’t stop existing because people weren’t talking about them. They were still sort of just under the surface,” she said. Taylor values the feedback of students about the activities planned for the month, and hopes that students will participate, create relationships and teach each other
something, whether they are a survivor or a supporter. “We also really just want to make sure that students feel supported, and that they have the opportunity to also offer that support to one another,” Taylor said. “Students working on behalf of one another and working to support one another is very powerful.” On Wednesday, the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs held a table on Greene Street for an Anti-Street Harassment event. Students were able to write on a chalkboard different words of encouragement and words that had been called to them on the street. “I feel like street harassment is something that happens all the time, but nobody really talks about it,” said Tayler Simon, the organizer of the event and a graduate student in social work. Walk a Mile in their Shoes will take place on Thursday, and the Clothesline Project, where students will be able to decorate a shirt to recognize victims and hang it on a clothesline on Davis Field, will go on from April 16 through April 19.
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“The truth is, it is easy for it to take over everything in your life and you can’t just let that happen because there are other things in life that can be fleeting as well: Namely your time as a husband and a father.” — House Speaker Paul Ryan will not seek re-election
South Carolina to take control of another school district South Carolina schools superintendent Molly Spearman’s declared a “state of emergency” for the Williamsburg County school district on Wednesday, The State reports. The Palmetto State’s education department will take over the district, making the school system the second one to be taken over in the past year. Daily operations taken over include financial and hiring decisions. The department says that the district did not meet federal requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and it had to pay back more than $280,000 when it failed to use the funds for educating students with disabilities. — Compiled by T. Michael Boddie, news editor
The “let’s face it we all have those days where we drop our phones in the toilet (and yeah sometimes forget to take our birth control)” birth control. The Implant. Now FREE or low-cost. Stop by the USC Center for Health & Well-Being or visit whoopsproofsc.org.
This is the implant. A matchstick-sized method that fits discreetly in your arm. Many women say that it balances their hormones, improving both PMS and depression.
Fees for extra services requested or required are not covered by WhoopsProofSC. Valid only for students at participating colleges & universities in South Carolina thru 12/31/2018. Schedule an appointment to review your eligibility.
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4/10/18 3:51 PM
Thursday, April 12, 2018
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Thursday, April 12, 2018
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‘Sense and Sensibility’ hits stage, finds humor Ethan Lam/ THE DAILY GAMECOCK
Taylor Washington @TDG_ARTS
W h i le m a ny m a y h a ve the preconception that the literary works of Jane Austen are outdated, director Lindsay Rae-Taylor hopes to prove them wrong in her upcoming production of Austen’s classic novel “Sense and Sensibility.” Austen’s novel tel ls t he story of sisters Marianne and Elinor Dashwood, who are whisked away from a life of comfort and security into a world of financial uncertainty af ter t hei r fat her’s deat h lowers t heir social stat us. Th roughout t he play, t he sisters struggle to cope with their new living situation and their respective pursuits of love. “The play asks us how we respond to social pressure — do we follow all of the rules like Elinor or do we break all the rules, like Marianne,” Rae-Taylor said. “It speaks to our current “shaming” culture that we all experience through social media.” Adapted for t he st age
by Kate Hamill in 2014, Hamill’s version of Austen’s novel reimagines the tale of t he D a s hwo o d s i s t er s through a modern lens, while maintaining the pre-Victorian setting of the source material. “Sense and Sensibilit y” is one of several classic novels t hat Ha m i l l has adapted in order to fulfi ll t he need for female-driven stories in theater. This is Ta y lo r ’s , a secondy e a r M . F. A . directing candidate, third time d i rec t i ng at USC, but her first time direct ing at Dray ton Hall Theatre. W hile she admits that before this experience s he w a s u n f a m i l i a r w it h Austen’s work, she promises that Hamill’s adaptation will surprise people as “the show feel s ver y contemp or a r y,
despite its Austen backdrop.” “I think that people who don’t know Austen very well … are of t he opinion t hat it is sleepy and stuffy. Kate Hamill’s adaptat ion is t he opposite of that,” Taylor said. “She highlights the humor and t he love of t he stor y,
with a cinematic script that jumps from place to place at a gallop.” The show, which premieres on A pr i l 13, h a s b een i n rehearsal since February, and Taylor describes the process as “ensemble storytelling at its
best.” For much of the cast and crew, Hamill’s cinematic approach to the story is very fast-paced and presents one of t he biggest cha l lenges of all: keeping up wit h it. T h roughout t he ent i ret y of the show, the cast of 15 actors remain onstage where t he y complete complex scene t r a n s it io n s i n order to create a “c i r c u s - l i k e experience.” “They ref lect the major theme o f t h e s t o r y, wh ic h i s love. Our team is comprised of positive, willing artists who have committed fully to this project … They continually brought energy and ideas to the rehearsal room, which makes the piece beautifully collaborative,” Taylor said. Libby Hawkins, a secondyear M.F.A acting candidate, plays the lead role of Elinor Dashwood, the elder sister
to Marianne and the more reserved of the two. Although Hawk ins f inds t he task of leading the play to be very demanding, she believes that t he ex per ience has “been really good for [her].” “I t hink t he biggest challenge about playing Elinor is ba la nc i ng her demu re, stoic, sensible exterior with her warm, passionate, feeling interior. I want the audience to love her as much as I do, so fi nding that balance of sense and feeling is important.” Hawkins said. Kimberly Braun, a secondyear M.F.A acting candidate, pl ay s E l i nor ’s e c c e nt r ic , you nger sister M a r ia n ne who Braun describes as the character who “g rows t he most during the play.” “ I ’d l i k e t o t h i n k I ’m M a r ia n ne at t he end of the play, with a little more e x p e r ie n c e a nd b a l a n c e . She gives me energy and is one of t he most f u n roles I’ve played — she demands SEESENSEPAGE5
Music, film unite at Indie Grits Emily Chavez @EMCHAVEZ
The annual Indie Grits festival is frequently hyped for its eclectic, socially-poignant film screenings, but an integral part of this year’s festival will be the music scene. In collaboration with the community-driven event Love, Peace & Hip-Hop, Indie Grits will celebrate the opening night of the festival at Tapp’s Arts Center, where there will be three stages of music feat uring rock, hip-hop and
electronic performers. This kick-off event — “Love, Grits & Hip Hop”— is bringing bands from around the Southeast, including groups from Columbia, Atlanta and Chapel Hill. One such performer is Danny Martin of 2 Slices, a Charleston-based dance-pop band that has performed in Columbia previously. Martin grew up in Irmo and is excited to bring his group to Soda City, where they will play new songs for fans. But Martin is also looking forward to see other musicians perform that he is personally a fan of.
“Niecy Blues is incredible. That’s what I’m looking forward to,” Martin said. Niecy Blues, who will also be at Thursday’s event, formerly pursued musical theater before realizing she wanted to record her own music. Now a singer-songwriter based out of Columbia, Blues has zeroed in on developing a personal sound. “I didn’t really start recording and making my own music available until ... three and a half years SEEGRITSPAGE5
INDIE GRITS DATES TO KNOW THURSDAY 4/12 Two Cities Art Opening, Thurs. April 12, 5 to 9 p.m. Two Cities Performance and Screening, Thurs. April 12 , 7 to 8:30 p.m. The Eau Claire Story Museum, Thurs. April 12, 5 to 9 p.m. Love, Grits, and Hip Hop, Thurs. April 12, 7 p.m. to 1 a.m.
FRIDAY 4/13
SATURDAY 4/14 Kindie Grits Extravaganza, Sat. April 14, 10 a.m to 5 p.m World Famous Hip Hop Family Day, Sat. April 14, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Puppet Slam, Sat. April 14, 6 pm. and 9 p.m. Saturday Night Music, Sat. April 14 9 p.m. to 1 a.m
SUNDAY 4/15 Sunday Dinner, Sunday April 15, 1 to 5 p.m.
Friday Night Music, Fri. April 13, 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. The Weekly Revue’s Church of Karaoke, Fri. April 13, 9 p.m.
For additional information and details, see http:// indiegrits.org/festival/.
Thursday, April 12, 2018
FROMSENSEPAGE4 concentrated presence and playfulness,” Braun said. Like Hawkins, Braun agrees that Taylor has been a ver y i nv it i ng presence on set and was someone she enjoyed work i ng w it h. Brau n a lso pra ised some of Taylor’s techniques and decisions in putting the show together. “She had elevated the
corset-bound f lower y language to a dynamic timeless story of falling in love and sisterhood.” With just a few weeks u nt i l open i ng n ight , Tay lor b el ie ve s t h at the focus on love and sisterhood in “Sense and Sensibility” makes it the perfect show to welcome bot h spring and a changing at mosphere within our culture. “ We recog n ize t he relationships bet ween t he characters and
FROMGRITSPAGE4 ago,” Niecy said. “Ever since then it’s just been like a number one focus for me.” Like many independent artists, Blues’ music does not lend itself to a label in one specific genre. “It’s always so hard to classif y myself,” said Blues. “I g uess you could just say maybe, I don’t know, alternat ive ... but t here’s always going to be that R&B and hip hop background there.” While music is her main love, her appearance at “Love, Grits, & Hip Hop” incorporates another interest of hers. “I love Indie Grits,” Blues said.
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empathize with them, almost forgetting the pre-Victorian setting. Hamill’s adaptation is a major part of what makes it relevant today,” Taylor said. “Her mission of writing plays to provide more opportunities for women feels on par with the women’s marches— women rising up and taking control of their destiny by demanding change.”
“I’m really excited about being able to be a part of it because I have a huge passion for fi lm. That’s another t h i n g t h at I w a nt t o d i ve i nt o eventually.” Blues will be performing wit h psychedelic rock band ET Anderson. While she won’t reveal exactly what she had planned for Thursday, there will be a surprise at her performance. “I won’t say exactly what it is … but we are at a film festival so I’ll just say that,” she said. “It’s gonna be fun.” “Love, Grits, & Hip Hop” will take place on Thursday, April 12 from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Tickets are available online or at the door and grant admission to all three stages.
Courtesy of Dries Vandenberg
Gramatik April 18
Corey Smith April 27
Nevermind— Nirvana Tribute May 4
Jump, Little Children September 22
Thursday, April 12, 2018
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SC should prioritize funding for education Rep. Ralph Norman lowers gun debate with intimidation With the debate surrounding the Second Amendment sparking across the nation, you would be hard-pressed to find someone without an opinion on the matter. Recent events, such as the Parkland school shooting, have caused gun policies to once again enter the public discourse, fueled by Manny the mass media coverage. At such a Mata delicate time in the discussion, it is First-year political science and mass important for those in the spotlight who support the Second Amendment communications student to stand firm and competent in their views. They must learn to fight in support of their beliefs while not giving opponents any openings to undermine them. South Carolina’s Rep. Ralph Norman, however, failed to effectively illustrate his opinion last week. While hosting an event at a diner in Rock Hill, South Carolina, Norman was confronted by a pro-gun control advocacy group, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. During the meeting, Norman drew his weapon and laid it on the table in order to prove a point concerning gun safety. According to reports, Norman, who has a concealed carry permit, informed the attendants at the event that the gun was in fact loaded, though pointed away from all individuals. Although the dialogue continued, with Norman holstering his weapon after a few minutes, some attendants stated they felt unsafe, the opposite of the point he attempted to illustrate. As a supporter of gun rights, I can frankly say
Norman went about reinforcing his point in an irresponsible and unreasonable manner. It was incredibly ill-advised to draw a weapon in such a public context while engaging in dialogue with members opposed to such rights. While Norman was within his legal rights to carry such a weapon, pulling it out and displaying it was foolish and contradictory to proper etiquette. He had no valid reasons to do so, as no danger was present. Drawing his weapon for the sole purpose of highlighting his stance that guns are only dangerous when they are in the hands of criminals was inadequate and senseless reasoning. His actions were those of one who seemed in pursuit of intimidation and control. Though he supports gun rights, his stunt did nothing to help the cause and instead provided ammunition against himself for those who oppose him. Though he has justifiably received backlash from his actions, Norman stated that he still intends to repeat the gesture in future meetings to continue to fortify his stance. Norman even went as far as declaring he had no intention to become a “Gabby Giffords,” a reference to the Arizona congresswoman who was shot in 2011 during a public appearance. Such comments after his asinine actions are distasteful and unwarranted given the situation. Instead of accepting responsibility, he opted for unsavory justification involving an incident that does not aid his cause. It is one thing to practice one’s constitutional rights, but it is anot her to u nderm ine t he importance of those rights in pursuit of shortsighted goals to express a point.
Restrict fast food industry marketing like cigarettes If you’ve watched Mad Men, or have hea rd about it passing, then you k now t hat fol k s used to smoke while doing everything back in Johnathon the day. Smoking Fuerte wh i le work i ng, First-year smok ing wh ile advertising sexually harassing student their secretaries, even smoking while pregnant. And you know it was ad men who pushed smoking into the cultural forefront. But when was the last time you’ve actually seen an ad for cigarettes? Long gone are the days of Don Draper types scoring deals with Holly wood to put cigarettes in the mouths of the biggest stars. Nowadays, smoking is a red flag the same way wearing JNCO jeans is. Those cringey “Truth” ads worked. In tandem with better public understanding of t he harms of tobacco and a lengthy list of legal actions taken by the federal government against the tobacco industries marketing tactics, lung cancer is no longer the killer it once was. But we’re mortal, and people have to die somehow; and that new reaper is obesity. In the U.S. alone, the fast food industry is ne a rl y wor t h t wo -hu nd re d billion dollars. According the RWJ Foundation, McDonald’s spent “2.7 t imes as much to advertise its products as all fruit, vegetable, bottled water, and milk advertisers combined” in 2012. The gover n ment clamped down hard on tobacco companies after word got out that their product was slowly killing us. Does the name Joe Camel even
ring a bell? He used to be a mascot heavy weight. Joe Camel wore a sweet leather jacket and drove a cherry-red corvette. He was right up there with Tony the Tiger and Trix the Rabbit. And just like them, his job was to advertise to children. The federal government had to step in following the surgeon g e ne r a l’s r e p or t , t h at y e s , tobacco will kill you. The Master Settlement Agreement was signed and tobacco companies were banned from advertising using billboards, on public transit, with cartoons and to children. Before that tobacco ads were already banned from airing on television and radio. Then in 2009 the FDA allowed states to place further restrictions on tobacco marketing as they saw fit. There’s a reason you’ve never seen a cigarette ad. W hy t he big focus on combating the tobacco industry’s messaging? There is evidence that tobacco companies specifically advertise to minors, low-income groups and minorities. And there is evidence that those advertisements are effective. That’s why there has been so much focus on combating t h i s m e s s a g i n g. L i k e w i s e , there is evidence that fast food companies specifically advertise to minors, low-income groups and minorities, all groups with a disproportionately high rate of obesity. When Quebec banned fast food ads targeted to children, it saw a decrease in childhood obesity. The First Amendment is not absolute. You’re probably familiar with the oft-cited example of not being able to shout fire in a crowded theater. Commercial speech is heav ily reg ulated; advertisers are not allowed to
straight-up lie to consumers, and there’s everything tobacco companies aren’t allowed to do. There isn’t much in the way of the federal government regulating fast food the same way they do tobacco. A l l of t he s a me s or t s of arguments made when we debated what to do with cigarettes pop up again when discussing fast food marketing. The phrase “personal responsibilit y ” get s t h row n around a lot. Children tend to lack self-control. And if a cartoon can teach a child to share, then a cartoon can teach a child to want french fries. You might say, “then parents should step in to control their kids, not the government.” If you’re concer ned when t he government tells you what to do, you should also be concerned when g ia nt mu lt i nat iona l companies with billion-dollar marketing budgets and an army of psychologists tells you what to you. Or maybe we should expect companies to practice personal responsibility and not partake in predatory practices. A nd if t hey ca n’t cont rol themselves, then we need an adult to step in and pass laws to control their behavior.
Nationwide, teachers are protesting low pay a nd budget i mpac t s t h at gover n ment f u nding have on bot h teacher s a nd st udent s. St ate s l i ke Oklahoma and Arizona have teachers’ u n ions st r ik i ng a nd protest i ng on statehouse grounds. Many teachers are using the nine-day strike last month in Laurryn West Virginia as a positive example. Thomas Teachers in West Virginia benefited First-year from a 5 percent pay increase after their journalism protests. The trend is spreading around student the country, and many people in South Carolina should be wondering whether our teachers will be the next to get fed up. Teachers in South Carolina get paid on average $48,375 per year, which is only 86 percent of the national average and puts South Carolina teachers in the 45th spot for worst states for teachers. USC has more than 2,000 students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate schools for education that could face the harsh realities of teaching while being underpaid and in schools that are under-equipped. In this way, it is important for students to understand state allocations of funds for education compared to other areas of funding. The federal budget allotted $68.2 billion for education in 2017, a $67.1 million decrease from the amount allotted the year before in 2016. Under Trump’s education department’s plan, there will be more focus and spending on giving students the choice of which public or private schools they want to go to rather than having to stay in their school zones. The plan also gives more support to charter schools and private schools that take students from low- performing public schools. The budget maintains past numbers for public schools in areas of poverty. In South Carolina last month, a spending bill was passed in the House that approved a raise for South Carolina teachers that would make the minimum salary rise from $30,000 per year to $32,000 per year. The raise for teachers was prioritized over more money per student and over allocations to higher education funding that was requested. USC was one of the colleges requesting money, putting in a request of $50 million to help build a new medical campus. Five million dollars was approved and less was approved for other schools like USC Beaufort. All of this is to say that consideration for teachers should be the focus of education spending, especially in South Carolina. With low pay, comes low work ethic for some. Teaching is the most important job there is, and when students with a passion for kids or teaching realize that they will be living paycheck to paycheck as a teacher, many are discouraged and choose to forgo the profession. According to the Economic Policy Institute, one person living in Columbia would have to earn at least $35,837 per year as a living wage to achieve an adequate standard of living. Even with the 2 percent raise for South Carolina teachers, some will be making less than that and this number does not account for teachers with families to support. When thinking of the future of America, I believe our focus should be on raising upcoming generations with adequate education to increase the intelligence of our voters and future leaders. This would include making teaching a noble profession again, where teachers are adequately paid to match the level of dedication and skill needed to inf luence youths. With a higher pay grade, it is inevitable that the qualit y of teachers would rise, even in areas of poverty. How can we go forward and impact the salaries of teachers at this point? For starters, it is important to follow the state and federal spending to know what to petition for. Next, when matters become more dire, protests obviously have some impact, like in the cases for West Virginia teachers. Lastly, the levels of importance for specific education allocations is important to pay attention to. For example, I would focus spending more for teachers’ salaries and per student budgets in areas of higher poverty rather than higher education, private and charter school funding. Looking around at USC, I could not think of something worth spending $50 million on, when spending one million on a school in the infamous Corridor of Shame would have inf initely more impact.
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necessary changes or provides reputable sources for any facts in question. Letters are edited for clarity, style and grammar. Email submissions to opinion@dailygamecock.com or mail them to The Daily Gamecock 1400 Greene Street Columbia, SC 29225
Thursday, April 12, 2108
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HOROSCOPES
Aries
Slow down, and c o n s ide r y ou r lo n g t er m s t r at eg y. K e ep advancing with regular, small steps. Persistence and determination can realize a dream. Follow your heart.
Taurus
Drea m a d rea m of love. Talk about it with people you respect and admire. You’re making a good impression. Have fun together. Teamwork flowers.
Gemini
Continue doing the homework to prepare for a test. A professional dream appears within reach. A long-desired g o a l i s r ip e f o r t h e plucking.
Cancer
Visualize the perfect trip. Prepare for upcoming travels and st ud ies. Lea r n about y o u r d e s t i n at i o n t o begin your discover y. Find a sweet deal.
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PHD • JORGE CHAM
Leo
Discuss f inancial details w it h your partner. Together, you can get much farther. Collaborate for shared benefit. Manage invoices, payments and purchases.
Virgo
Creative collaboration can f lower and bloom. Brainstorm and visualize br i l l ia nt ideas a nd s ol u t io n s w it h y o u r par t ner. Use ar t ist r y and passion for beautiful results.
Libra
Your workload could seem intense. Prioritize and delegate what you can. Don’t drop out selfcare. Eat and rest well to support your physical output.
Scorpio
Someone nearby sure looks good. Dreams and fantasies no longer seem so crazy; follow the ones t hat feed you r heart. Prioritize love, passion and compassion.
Sagittarius
A renovation you’ve lon g d r e a me d ab out can come together. Get your family on board. Beaut if y you r home. Fill it with flowers and music.
Capricorn
Express your feelings in your words, art, music and poetry. Creativity bubbles. Con nect, collaborate and share w h at y o u’r e c o m i n g up with. Develop your imaginative ideas.
TDG
Aquarius
Fol low a luc r at i ve hunch. Put your love i nto you r work , a nd prof it . A plu m a s sig n ment beckon s. Expenses could also be high. Go for balance.
@thegamecock
Pisces
Yo u ’r e g e t t i n g st ronger. A per sona l dream appears available. Go for it! Make your move. Ask for what you want, and get it. Your angels are with you.
DON’T MISS THE DAILY GAMECOCK’S
YEAR IN REVIEW 2018 SPECIAL EDITION
ON NEWSSTANDS APRIL 30 4/12/18
1 2 3 4
Solutions to today’s puzzle
© 2018 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved.
Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis
ACROSS 1 Jay-Z output 6 Reach great heights 10 Attempt 14 White house? 15 Fair 16 Bear in the heavens 17 Carnivores 19 Invite abbr. 20 Job application fig. 21 Hang around 22 “National Velvet” sister 24 Appliance needed for a hot bath 26 Got the ball rolling? 30 Smooth-talking 31 “60 Minutes” regular 32 Improvised jazz part 34 Element Prometheus stole from Olympus 38 Latvia and Lithuania, once 41 Harbinger of spring 42 “Beetle Bailey” dog 43 1990s-2000s skating champ Slutskaya 'DYHQSRUW·V place 46 1974 hit with Spanish lyrics 47 2015 NFL controversy involving air pressure ,WDO\·V BB &RDVW 53 Like arf and meow 54 Hallucinogenic letters 57 “Pleeease?” 58 It consists of a couple of couples ... and, when divided differently, a hint to something hidden in 17-, 24-, 38- and 47-Across
4/12/2018
61 Writer Shere 62 Avant-garde 63 Font flourish 64 “Regrettably ... “ 65 Grasps 66 Like horror films DOWN :KDW ´QRWKLQ· EXW QHWµ VKRWV GRQ·W touch 2 Periods 3 Not leave things to chance 4 Foldable bed 5 Succeeds 6 Tuned to 7 Daisy variety 8 Car ad abbr. 9 Botanical source of vitamin C &RPPXWHU·V FRVW 11 “Have a taste” 12 In harmony 13 Kiddie lit elephant 18 Somewhat BB 7DFR 25 Lover of Shakespeare? 26 Sibilant “Yo!” 27 Its motto is “Industry” 28 “Cheerio!” 29 Jittery condition &XUULFXOXP BB résumé
33 Brief writer, briefly 35 Words before and after “what” 36 Dollars for quarters 37 Biblical twin 39 Good times for beachcombing 40 Indefatigable 45 Lummox 46 Lat. shortener 47 Russian country house 48 Online message 49 Crush rival 50 Overcharge but good 51 Chain known for roast beef
$FWUHVV BB )O\QQ Boyle 55 Show signs of life 56 Stand up to 59 Laudatory poem 60 Usual Hanukkah mo.
Thursday, April 12, 2018
8
Solo senior: Ace on and off the court Shelby Beckler @SBECKLER13
For senior Hadley Berg, the passion of tennis has been instilled in her every since she can remember. Berg cannot remember a time where she was not playing the sport, and she credits her time spent with her mom and former coach, Lisa Berg, to where she is now with her career at South Carolina. Despite learning at a young age from her mother, she still had a lot of room to grow when she came to South Carolina. “I came in here as a freshman pretty young, and I defi nitely had a lot to learn,” Berg said. “I kind of needed to get my butt kicked a little bit in the fi rst couple of years. I think Kevin [Epley] defi nitely taught me prett y quick ly how to grow up and become more independent as a person.” Since her freshman year as a Gamecock, Hadley has been able to advance her skills and, as of March 6, 2018, holds the highest career ranking of 29 and currently tied with Natasa Vuckovic for fi fth in career singles wins. The amount of growth and determination that this senior has is unmatchable. “I think it’s cool ‘cause I got to see the people in front of me grow so much over their years, and kind of the people below me too, and so I think learning a lot f rom t he coaches about ow nersh ip and accountability,” Berg said. “You kind of take away confidence from the sport and from everything that you have learned over the four years that you can kind of carry out outside of a tennis world.” The leadership role that Berg has had to take on this year has helped shape her teammates mental and physical abilities. It is her responsibility to come out to the court ready to accept her failures and lead by example both on and off the court. “A big thing that we talked about was the purpose of why we are doing what we are doing,” Berg said. “It’s kind of like we are playing for something bigger so that is something that I definitely tap into in my matches ... you are playing for your teammates and we have bigger goals and to play our best tennis by tournament time in NCAA.” Being the only senior on the team, she has looked
for inspirat at ion f rom for mer teammate Bridget Folland and used her former ormer leadership to build on this his year’s team. Berg finds strength ngth from her team collectively ly and her coaches, especially assistant coach Jeff Nevolo’s ability bility to push herself as she paves the upcoming he way for up u coming Gamecocks. s. “ J e f f as well has been k i nd of w it h m e t h r ou g h it a l l and kind of has taught me to take each day by day and not catastrophize things or make it too serious and I think helps me k i nd of do well these past four years and stay positive thee whole time,” Berg said. From her er direct ion as t he only senior, she has been able to see the goals of her er team come to life and reach their full potential this season. n. Berg recalls the road win against Georgia as a time where her team collectivelyy came together to be assertive ive and dominate in order to o see the results t hat t hey had prev iou sly prepared for. or. Berg can n see t he grow t h that her team eam has been able to achieve during this historic season, butt the same can be said d about her from the rest of the t e a m . Ne volo s a id the growth h that she’s had during g her time her ha s helped elped t he Gamecocks reach this
success. “I t hink Hadley’s a great example of what having a great attitude everyday can do for your career as a player and as a leader,” Nevolo said. “I think that she always had the mindset of just getting a little bit better each day and an nd she has built up a lot of credibility from her teammates for having such a good attitude day in and day out at practice.” Berg now prepares for her fi nal two regular sseason se ason matches at Carolina Tennis Center this week before the SEC Tournament i ns. She w ill be recog n ized t h is beg ins. Saturday against Kentucky beginning at 1 p.m. for all her accomplishments and leadership that she has brought to this South Carolina team. But for Berg, the real recognition is what her team and coaches did for her over these past four years. “Just to thank the coaches, the staff and the school for all of the opportunities that I have gotten ‘cause I k now t hat I wou ld not be the person I am today without them ... definitely really appreciative of that,” Berg said.
Hadley Berg 22-6 (6-3 SEC)
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Joe McLean
@JOEMCLEAN97
Spring practice is over and South Carolina’s season opener against Coastal Carolina is still over four months away. Even with the long offseason ahead for the Gamecocks and 129 other schools, ESPN released its first Football Power Index (FPI) rankings for the 2018 football season. According to ESPN, the FPI is a way to measure team strength to predict a team’s performance going forward for the season. This system uses results from 10,000 computer simulations to predict how all Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams will perform. In the latest results, the FPI predicts that South Carolina will finish the season with 7.2 wins and 4.8 losses. This comes as a surprise to many Gamecock fans, especially after South Carolina exceeded expectations in 2017 with a 9-4 record and an Outback Bowl victory on Jan. 1. In addition, the tempo that was put on display during the team’s spring game makes this early prediction even more surprising. After watching the spring game, it was easy to see how much more offensive firepower this team is capable of. Head coach Will Muschamp and starting quarterback Jake Bentley noticed this change after
the spring game on March 31. “Very pleased with how our guys have received [the offense],” Muschamp said after the spring game. “It’s been good for our entire organization … I thought we dictated the tempo well.” Bentley, who is coming off a season where he threw for 2,794 yards with 18 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, will be playing under new offensive coordinator Bryan McClendon. With McClendon on staff, the offense will have a more up-tempo game. “I think we did a lot of good things,” Bentley said after the spring game. “The tempo … is a big advantage that we have.” It is also worth mentioning that Deebo Samuel, who suffered a knee injury against Kentucky last season, did not play in the spring game. He was explosive in all three of the games he played in last year, highlighted by kickoff returns against N.C. State and Missouri. On the defensive side of the ball, seven defensive players from last year have graduated, meaning that there is some youth on that side of the ball. However, there are players such as Bryson AllenWilliams that are returning this season. Paired with the defensive staff and Muschamp’s history of developing defensive players, the losses are still not enough to justify only seven wins.
The schedule also sets up well for the Gamecocks, especially when compared to previous years. The Gamecocks, as they do every year, play the six other teams in the SEC East. They also have Ole Miss and Texas A&M from the SEC West, while drawing Coastal Carolina, Marshall and Clemson in the nonconference matchups. Georgia and Clemson, who both were in the College Football Playoff last season, present obvious challenges. However, the other 10 teams are beatable with the talent that the Gamecocks now have. Florida, Tennessee, Ole Miss and Texas A&M are all in the midst of coaching changes, making those teams less daunting than they once were. With the players that are returning, the new style of play that the team has shown and a more favorable schedule, there are a lot of reasons to think that the Gamecocks can build off of last year’s success. While it might be premature for South Carolina to be seen as a College Football Playoff team, there is no reason for fans to believe that this year’s team will win less games than it did in 2017. With the current roster and schedule, another nine win season and a New Year’s Day bowl game is much more realistic than a seven win season like ESPN’s FPI suggests.