SEMESTER IN
REVIEW FALL 2016
2
Contents
Letter from the Editor Hoechella targets slut-shaming
Clear weather, large turnout makes Soda City Comic Con Successful
Sorority Council proposals spark controversy SG announces new discount deal with Uber South Carolina football changes culture with win over Tennessee
College of Arts and Sciences faces lack of savings
dailygamecock.com INFORMATION Offices located on the third floor of Russell House EDITOR editor@dailygamecock.com NEWS news@dailygamecock.com OPINION opinion@dailygamecock.com Newsroom: 777-7726
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Editor-in-Chief KAMILA MELKO Managing Editors LARISSA JOHNSON ADAM ORFINGER Design Director LOGAN ZAHNER Special Sections Director GREER SCHNEIDER Senior Designer STEPHANIE ORR Copy Desk Chiefs DEBBIE CLARK MICAELA WENDELL Assistant Copy Desk Chief ERIN METCALF Online Editor GABBY HILARIO
Letter from the Editor
Courtesy of Jessica Blahut
Column: Don’t shame women for menstruation Drennan, McCaskill set records in historic 21-win season CofC students seek shelter from hurricane Cockstock brings hip-hop vibes to Homecoming Gamecocks earn bowl eligibility in win over WCU Column: Favor need-based over merit-based scholarships Men’s basketball off to hot start with strong non-conference wins
Photo Editor ADAM COLLINS Assistant Photo Editors VICTORIA RICHMAN YANGXING DING News Editors MARY RAMSEY T. MICHAEL BODDIE Arts & Culture Editors DARBY HALLMAN OLIVIA RESZCZYNSKI HAILEY COVELL Opinion Editors LINDEN ATELSEK GRIFFIN HOBSON Sports Editor BOBBY BALBONI Assistant Sports Editor
This is it. The final print publication with yours truly as the name under editor-inchief. In this semester in review, you will find the highlights of the semester. I cannot promise they are all feel good stories but I can promise that the staff worked hard on each one in order to efficiently deliver the facts to your attention. We went from four papers a week to bi-weekly and continued daily online content. For those who supported us through picking up a paper and reading online, thank you. For those who were disappointed on the decrease of crosswords puzzles, sudokus and horoscopes, I apologize. It was definitely an adjustment. Turning the
ABE DANAHER Media Manager CHRISTINE CHILDRESS Designers MARIELA RODRIGUEZ, MAGGIE NEAL, MELANEY MOTTSEY, ALEX CONE Copy Editors ANDREW CROSSAN JOY BRANTON MADDIE COMPTON ATHENA MAROUSIS Senior Writers DREW MUELLER, BRITTANY FRANCESCHINA, SARAH STONE Faculty Advisor DOUG FISHER Student Media Director SARAH SCARBOROUGH
mindset from print heavy to online heavy takes time especially when that's all I have known in the three and a half years I have been at The Daily Gamecock. I still refuse to believe print is dead. The staff I worked with was the one to have by my side to make the transition. We learned a lot. The resources, opportunities and obstacles that arose challenged all of us. Despite it all, they held their heads high and kept going. Our foundation is stronger and they will be the ones to carry on the paper. They will tweak what did not work so it will in the future. Despite the exhausting semester, we got through it and I am so proud. I had plans. For the paper,
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Business Manager KRISTINE CAPPS Creative Director EDGAR SANTANA Production Manager DEGAN CHEEK Social Media Manager SYDNEY PATTERSON Creative Services WANDA FELSENHARDT, ELIZABETH JENNINGS, CHARLOTTE PRICE Student Advertising Manager LOWMAN HARLEY Advertising Representatives ALEX BATEMAN, AMANDA GRANT, KAITLIN NIEMAN, ANDREW SNIGHT, DREW THIEL, PERRY WEST
for the staff, for me. Here I am though, staying up to write this letter, feeling that I did not accomplish even half of what I set out to do. That to do list keeps growing faster than what can be crossed off. And I guess that's how life takes hold. You can plan and plan again but sometimes the curve balls keep coming and there will be ones that you will miss or knock you down. And that's okay. Life keeps going. Just like this paper. The Daily Gamecock will not be going anywhere time soon. The staff will be doing some light hibernating (we can never truly stop working) over break and will be back in full swing when spring begins. So be on the look out online. — Editor-in-Chief Kamila Melko
Briefing “We’re world champions. The Chicago Cubs are world champions. Let that sink in.”
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AUGUST
S E M E ST E R I N R E V I E W FA L L 2 0 1 6
Hoechella targets slut-shaming
Olivia Reszczynski @TDG_ARTS
The first ever Hoechella, a two-day music and community event aimed to increase awareness and peacefully protest women’s issues, was held at New Brookland Tavern on Aug. 26 and 27. Singers and groups such as Glittoris, Debbie and the Skanks, She Returns
SEEMUSICPAGE6 Adam Collins / THE DAILY GAMECOCK
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MUSICPAGE5 from War, Del Sur and Paisley Marie were performing on New B r o o k l a n d Ta v e r n ’s stage throughout the two-day event. The event was praised for its transparent attitude toward sexuality, rape, body shaming and legislation regarding body autonomy. Although many women were present, representatives of all genders and sexualities were at Hoechella. Support for the issues Hoechella advocated came from countless individuals, regardless of age, sexuality or race. “ Wo m e n ’s i s s u e s
aren’t just women’s issues; they’re e v e r y o n e ’s i s s u e s , ” fourth-year public health student Megan Plassmeyer said. “We can all take a role in improving our community and the lives of people around us.” Hoechella strives to expand USC students’ awareness of the issues surrounding the community and larger worldview. “As we’re moving forward as adults, we need to learn not only about what’s kind of in our small little community but the problems outside of our own little box,” Plassmeyer said.
Hoechella, the first of its kind in Columbia, is a development for the community and issues regarding sexuality, rape culture and body shaming. “I think it means that we’re progressing, that we’re moving forward,” Plassmeyer said. “Instead of thinking we’re not part of this issue and that we can’t be part of the solution. It’s us stepping forward and saying that we’re part of the solution, we can make a difference and we can fund programs that are making a difference in our community.”
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Clear weather, large turnout makes Soda City Comic Con successful
Joseph Perkinson / THE DAILY GAMECOCK
Exhibitors display posters, action figures, pins, art and other geeky collectibles in the showroom inside the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. Darby Hallman
@DARBYHALLMAN1
Soda City Comic Con opened its doors in August of this year to all who wanted to celebrate nerd culture and entertainment with cosplayers, special guests and lots of merchandise. The previous year’s event took a hit in attendance because of the devastating flooding that hit the state, but this year the weather held up and the event was a success. From wall to wall, the Columbia Metropolitan Convention
Center was filled with eager fans, vendors, intricate costumes and some famous artists. One of vendors on the convention floor was Tom Raupp, who was selling an assortment of comics and collectibles. What Raupp likes about conventions like Soda City Comic Con is the interactions he gets to have with fans and collectors. “The cool thing is meeting newer collectors and getting new customers and just talking and interacting with everybody and also seeing everybody
that gets dressed up in cosplay and see the different outfits,” Raupp said. One of the most well-known guests at the con was animator Tom Cook, who held a panel where he told the story of his career in cartoon animation and spoke about how the technology and the industry has changed and evolved over time. “We had to use this thing called a pencil and write on something called paper,” Cook said during his panel. “It was a weird time.” Cook spoke about his rise in the
animation industry from working as a bus driver to eventually having the opportunity to work alongside industry greats like comic book artist Jack Kirby. Elsewhere in the convention center, gamers competed in intense rounds of games like “Super Smash Bros.,” “Street Fighter V” and “Mortal Kombat X,” many of which ended in shouting and demands for rematches. Earlier this year, the second Soda City Comic Con gave many in Columbia the chance to celebrate their passions with like-minded people.
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SEPTEMBER S E M E S T E R I N R E V I E W FA L L 2 0 1 6
Sorority Council proposals spark controversy
File Photo: Courtney Price / THE DAILY GAMECOCK
Mike Woodel
@GETHISDOGONETOO
USC Sorority Council kicked off National Hazing Prevention Week in memorable fashion, unanimously passing new safety guidelines for Greek functions. By a 15-0 margin, sorority chapter leaders elected to ratify the previous week’s proposal,
which was circulated to individual chapters for consideration throughout the week of Sept. 11. The new rules include a ban on hard liquor and a half-hour sober period prior to Councilsanctioned social events. Two amendments to the original proposal were approved as well. The first amendment permits sororities to hold
events in Five Points as long as extra security is provided. The original proposal strictly prohibits events in Five Points. The second amendment clarifies the original sober period clause. Chapters could serve food
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SG announces new discount deal with Uber Sarah Dnistrian
@THEGAMECOCK
Sarah Dnistrian / THE DAILY GAMECOCK
USC Student Body President Michael Parks announced a big move by Student Government: partnering with transportation company Uber to benefit students. To help students get home safely from Five Points late at night, the partnership deal shaved off 25 percent of the
cost of an Uber Safe Ride. Students simply had to register for an Uber account using their USC student email and request service with the code “USCSAFE16.” The program was piloted from Sept. 8 through Oct. 1. “I think the impact can be enormous. I really think that a lot of our students are
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SOCOPAGE9 at their house prior to functions or at the event venue before alcohol is served, rather than having to do both. Sorority Council members quickly approved the amendments after chapter presidents expressed
UBERPAGE11 paying for their own Ubers already,” Parks had said. “It’s 2016; it’s time for us to adapt to the changes going on technologically in our world. So I see this is as something that can only grow further and further for our students.” The USC Safe Ride offer stood on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, replacing the Carolina Cab program that offered free rides to
concern that budgetary constraints could cause them to hold fewer functions in 2016-17 if venue changes became mandatory. Five Points venues, they noted, are cheaper to rent than those in the Vista and all but eliminate the price of transportation.
Gamecocks, stay safe on campus!
campus from the Five Points area. Other ride services such as Walk Home Cocky and Gotcha rides were and are still available to students. Parks hopes to extend the contract with the company, keeping the student body’s safety in mind. “I think it is very clear to say that the safety of our students late night in Columbia, South Carolina is a priority for your Student Government,” he said.
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OCTOBER
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S E M E ST E R I N R E V I E W FA L L 2 0 1 6
Anna Walker / THE DAILY GAMECOCK
South Carolina football changes culture with win over Tennessee Bobby Balboni
@ROB_BALBONI1
S i n c e S t e v e S p u r r i e r ’s resignation in October of 2015, the South Carolina football program has struggled to move on from the most successful era in the program’s history. That changed with South C a r o l i n a ’s u p s e t v i c t o r y o v e r Te n n e s s e e o n O c t . 29. Will Muschamp earned his first signature win at South Carolina, beating a ranked opponent for the first time since taking over in Columbia. “What a great win for
our football team and our program,” Muschamp said. “Our fan base was amazing, and it was an electric atmosphere.” Maybe it was the 7:20 p.m. start. Maybe it was the hope of discovering the program’s quarterback of the future in freshman Jake Bentley. But leading up to kickoff, the energy was different at Williams-Brice Stadium than anything felt in the last calendar year. “The atmosphere of the game was so dynamic, the students really came together to support the team,” second-
year business student Kevin O’Brien said. “My pride as a student at Carolina has never been higher.” “When the clock hit two minutes and we were pushing down the stands, I thought: ‘This is real. This is happening,’” fourth-year history student Johnny Ingalls said. “Then people started talking about rushing the fi eld and the adrenaline and excitement were too much.” No longer mourning t h e l o s s o f S p u r r i e r, South Carolina football is christening the era of Coach Boom.
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College faces lack of savings Larissa Johnson @LALARISSAJ
College of Arts and Sciences Dean Lacy Ford was brought in this July with the largest college in the university facing an unfamiliar challenge: a complete lack of carryforward funds projected into the next fiscal year. As recently as 2011, the college had $28.7 million in the carryforward fund. “When I came in … that money had been spent,” Ford said. The college had routinely been operating with a spending deficit and pulling from the fund to cover the shortfall. Now, Ford has to balance the budget by whatever means necessary, and he is being told to do it without financial assistance from the university. The implications are severe for the university’s ability to hire new faculty — at least during this fiscal year. While there isn’t a complete moratorium on hiring, the lack of
WHAT GOT CUT?
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10% OPERATING
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Graphic by Stephanie Orr
funding for startup packages that are always provided to new faculty greatly restricts the ability to attract new faculty. Previously, temporary faculty were paid for by their respective departments. Now, Ford says, the college will be running the hiring of temporary faculty. He is predicting up to half a million in savings from this action due to potential increased efficiency. One of the other actions was a blanket 10 percent operating cost cut across all 19 departments. While no one can predict exactly how the changes will play out, both administrators and faculty were focused on making sure none of the
changes impact students — even if there are disagreements over the process. Ford is confident the changes will be beneficial for the university in the long run. Each department has submitted their budget requests for the next fiscal year, but nothing will be finalized until summer of 2017, pending approval from the Provost’s Office, the Board of Trustees and the state legislature. “I hope [next year] we’ll be talking about the books that our faculty has published and the big grants they have gotten,” Ford said. “And I hope they’ll be saying we’re financially well-managed and that if we have a problem, we’re addressing it.”
Drew Mueller
@TDG_SPORTS
South Carolina’s women’s soccer made their way through the ranks, reaching an all-time high No. 2 ranking on the season. Along the way, head coach Shelley Smith’s team had a record of a season. For starters, senior Chelsea Drennan came into the season only four assists behind the top Gamecock of all time. She surpasses that midway through October when she had her 34th assist against
Olivia Harris
Third-year biology student
No. 11 Arkansas. She ended the season with 11 total assists and her career with 40. Junior Savannah McCaskill destroyed the single-season points record. Previously, the record was 34 points. McCaskill had 17 goals and 11 assists, which total up to 45 points. Those 17 goals were a record of their own, three more than Jennie Ondo had in 1999. Coach Smith hit a milestone of her own. In a first round
Driving back from fall break with her parents’ car loaded up with winter clothes, a friend of mine stashed a box of tampons behind her headrest in the back seat for safekeeping. She didn’t want the box to get crushed, needed them in an easy-to-reach location and thought the back window of the car was a perfectly suitable place. However, when her stepfather got out of the car to pump gas and caught sight of them, he became incredibly upset. He said that “no guy wants to see that,” and it was “disgusting to advertise that sort of thing.” He seemed completely panicked that this cardboard box filled with small cotton cloths was out where a poor, unsuspecting man might be subjected to viewing it. So what is it about feminine hygiene products that is so incredibly terrifying to men? It starts with the over-sexualization of women’s bodies. Women’s bodies are so sexualized in today’s culture that preteens aren’t allowed to wear tank tops in middle school, and this is just accepted as rote — that boys cannot be held responsible for their actions or their own education if girls are distracting them by flashing some sensual upper arm. “Look what she was wearing” is a common defense for rapists, because showing cleavage is apparently an invitation to be raped. Women’s bodies are so over-sexualized that men have a hard time understanding that things like vaginas and breasts might have purposes other than their enjoyment. And when these vaginas and breasts are doing things other than providing men with pleasure, such as bleeding or birthing
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Drennan, McCaskill set records in historic 21-win season
Kamila Melko / THE DAILY GAMECOCK
Don’t shame women for menstruation
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DRENNANPAGE14 win in the NCAA Tournament, she notched her 200th win at the helm at South Carolina in her 16 years here. As a program, South Carolina had 21 wins, including five against ranked programs, both of which were records. The team didn’t lose a game all season, until Florida beat them in the SEC championship. After receiving a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, the Gamecocks reached their second Elite Eight in their history, only to lose to UNC by a single goal.
MENSTRUATIONPAGE14 and feeding babies, then they’re considered disgusting — like that is something that shouldn’t be talked about, that should be handled quietly by other women, so as to not disgust the realms of men. I’m sure anyone who has followed this year’s debates will r e m e m b e r D o n a l d Tr u m p ’s comment on moderator Megyn Kelly, blaming her reaction to his behavior as a symptom of her period. It seemed to me that Trump was trying to bounce back from being managed by a woman by attacking the one thing all born-women have in common. This tells me that men, like Trump, want women to be ashamed of menstruating not just because it’s not sexy, but because it’s one of the most womanly things to do. This side of sexual shaming is a social tool used by society to keep women just a
step below men. But don’t worry, there are economic tools, too. Most states exempt certain necessity items from sales tax. These necessities include groceries, food stamp purchases, medical supplies and, in some states, even clothes. Shockingly not on the list: tampons and pads. Not only are all women paying sales tax of the products used to manage this unavoidable and biological phenomenon, but they also pay a separate luxury tax on top of it. Because having our bodies cramp up and shed out an organ lining of blood and mucus is a luxury that we are fortunate enough to experience. And pay extra for. People with diabetes who have to take insulin every day aren’t taxed on their medication, so why is it that people who bleed out of their vaginas every month have two taxes to pay? I suppose it’s because the gender wage gap isn’t quite wide enough. It is a scientific fact that
approximately 50 percent of the world’s population bleeds regularly out of their vaginas. It is an unavoidable fact of life. About 50 percent of the population has brown eyes, and that’s not something that is considered gross, shameful or disgusting. Is the reminder that women’s bodies do more than just service men too much for their fragile masculinity to handle? Is being a woman really so bad that we shouldn’t even acknowledge female health concerns? Is menstruating a luxury that women shouldn’t gloat about? There is no reason for a man to see a tampon, clean and unused in a woman’s purse, and panic. He won’t catch period cramps. He won’t spontaneously start lactating. There’s nothing wrong with menstruating. There’s nothing wrong with being a woman. And there’s nothing disgusting or shameful about either.
INTRODUCING...
THE 2017 CAROLINA PRODUCTIONS EXECUTIVE BOARD PRESIDENT KEIFER NEGRI VP OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS HUNTER HARVEY VP OF DIVERSITY & OUTREACH JENINE DUNN CINEMATIC ARTS HANNAH GOELDI COMEDIC EVENTS JESSIE ARY CONCERTS SAM ESCE MARKETING REBECCA MARQUEZ SPECIAL EVENTS PETE MCMAHON Have feedback on this semester’s events?
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CofC students seek shelter from hurricane
Yangxing Ding / THE DAILY GAMECOCK
Yangxing Ding / THE DAILY GAMECOCK
“And then Tuesday... all hell broke loose.” Larissa Johnson / THE DAILY GAMECOCK
T. Michael Boddie and Larissa Johnson @THEGAMECOCK
Almost exactly on the first anniversary of the historic South Carolina flooding, Hurricane Matthew made its way along the Southeastern seaboard. Classes were canceled from Wednesday until Friday, when the hurricane was expected to hit. As the campus emptied of USC students, its residence halls opened for those seeking refuge. Students from the College of Charleston waited hours the morning of Wednesday, Oct. 5, before getting on to a bus. The trip that normally takes two hours took them almost four.
They came single-file off the bus, most with a duffel bag or two. Some carried bulging trash bags. They were led into the Russell House Ballroom as a staging ground and gathered around the edges of the room with small piles of possessions, awaiting direction. Bree Lewis, Laura Cergol, Ashley De Peri, Mary Watkins and Annika Liger stood in a circle. All seniors, they’ve been friends since freshman year. The past 24 hours had been a rush. “Monday, all of our professors were like, ‘Class might be canceled Friday,” Watkins said. “And then Tuesday ... all hell broke loose.” A university employee herded
Larissa Johnson / THE DAILY GAMECOCK
evacuees in groups of 15 to be taken for room assignments. The friends made tired small talk for a few minutes until the call came for the next group, and then they were led to the main University Housing office at the Patterson residence hall. Students waited patiently to check in surrounded by suitcases and pillows. They knew nothing of what residence hall they would go to or with whom they’d be staying. Three of the senior friends were assigned to stay in Patterson. Then De Peri walked up — she’d gotten Sims. They had to split up. Some evacuees occupied vacant
rooms, while others were paired with resident mentors who don’t have roommates. Liger said that she, Watkins and Lewis stayed with RMs. After depositing their bags into their assigned rooms, the College of Charleston students congregated at Russell House for dinner. Lewis sat with Watkins and Liger on a bench outside Russell, waiting for Cergol and De Peri to join them. In the wake of troubling weather and uncertainty, the students calmly absorbed the change of scenery. “It’s better than sitting in a hurricane,” Watkins said.
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NOVEMBER S E M E S T E R I N R E V I E W FA L L 2 0 1 6
Cockstock brings hip-hop vibes to Homecoming Shayla Nidever
@SHAYLA_NIDEVER
A new event called Cockstock was unveiled during Homecoming week this year. Part of “Falling for Carolina,” the concert was held on the Strom fields Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. and featured Cockapella, The Carolina Girls and hip-hop duo Rae Sremmund. Wi t h o v e r 8 , 2 0 0 students in attendance, some waited almost two hours to be let into the gates. The turnout of the newest homecoming event surpassed the student organizations’ expectations — they’d been expecting only 5,000. Some students were even turned away because security was only staffed for 7,000. Miranda Fitzgerald, a third-year hospitality student, was upset about the lines. Having waited more than an hour, Fitzgerald was a die-hard fan just waiting to get inside
to see her “Rae Rae.” The much awaited duo sang many of the popular songs from their newest album, including “No Flex Zone,” “No Type,” “My X” and “Black Beatles.” Parks delivered on his campaign promise, working with Carolina Productions and the UofSC Homecoming committee to make the event happen. The group signed Rae Sremmund in the beginning of the summer before the new album dropped, which worked out better than Parks expected. “They’re young, they’re energetic, they’ve got a hot new album,” Parks said. The planning for the event started in May, and once they decided to make it a part of Homecoming week, the basis for the event shifted to focus on bringing together the Carolina community
SEEVIBESPAGE23 Logan Zahner / THE DAILY GAMECOCK
Rae Sremmund was one of the many performers at the Cockstock event, which was the finale of Homecoming week for students.
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Favor need-based over merit-based scholarships Andy Wilson
Secondyear English student
Lauren Simmons / THE DAILY GAMECOCK
Freshman quarterback Jake Bentley had 34 rushing yards in the win over WCU.
Gamecocks earn bowl eligibility in win over WCU Sarah Stone
@SARAHCHA_SAUCE_
South Carolina became bowl-eligible with its 44-31 win over Western Carolina, making the Gamecocks’ last home game one of the most significant of the season. The win also changed h o w M u s c h a m p ’s f i r s t season as head coach will be perceived. Following their win over Vanderbilt, the Gamecocks struggled with the first half of the season. South Carolina lost all but one of its next fi ve games, only narrowly beating an ECU team that ended its regular season 3-9. With their
sixth win over WCU, the Gamecocks won twice as many games as they did in 2015. The performance b y S o u t h C a r o l i n a ’s underclassmen on offense affected the outlook on the future of the program. Freshman running back Rico Dowdle rushed for 226 yards, which marked the most rushing yards in a game since Marcus Lattimore rushed for 246 yards against Navy in 2013. Three of the top four receivers of the game were underclassmen, and freshman Jake Bentley started at quarterback. Underclassmen were
also responsible for all four of the Gamecocks’ touchdowns. “You know, it’s incredible to look at guys that were in high school last year and that are competing at a high level,” senior offensive lineman Mason Zandi said. “And I owe them so much for making this season possible, for not quitting, because it would’ve been easy, but to step up, handle situations maturely and make plays when we needed them to make plays.” South Carolina ended its season with a 56-7 loss to Clemson.
That all is not well in the current state of higher education is an inarguable fact. Some of the most obvious evidence for this is that the cost of tuition skyrocketing while a third of college professors are only part-time and, according to the American Community Survey, “31 percent of parttime faculty are living near or below the federal poverty line.” Colleges are extracting more money than ever from students and paying less of it than ever to faculty. I could write an entire article on the disproportionate expansion of administrative positions, but in this one I want to draw attention to a phenomenon that seems to be widely accepted but actually has negative effects. The phenomenon I am referring to is the shift in financial aid from need-based toward merit-based financial. As a staunch republican, I admit that I find the concept of meritocracy that seems to underlie this trend appealing. America should be a place where people are rewarded for excellence, not mediocrity, right? But as I researched the phenomenon, I found that
merit-based aid actually works against the meritocratic ethic of America by making it more difficult for lower-income students to climb the social ladder. Lower socioeconomic status is correlated with lower academic performance. So between two people with identical abilities, the one born into a wealthier household is likely to be more successful academically. If aid is meritbased rather than need-based, the benefit would go to the more academically successful of these two persons, who is more likely to be the richer one. Merit-based aid thus makes college cheaper for people who can already afford it while making it less attainable for those who could not afford it without significant aid. It’s helping more middle and upper class than working class students. Getting a college degree still plays an important part in lifting people out of poverty. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for people with a bachelor’s degree is 2.8 percent, compared to 5.4 percent with only a high school diploma. The median weekly earnings for the same groups are $1,137 and $678, respectively. So by making it more difficult for a poor student than a middle class or wealthy student of the same academic ability to attend college, the current state
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Men’s basketball off to hot start with strong non-conference wins Adam Orfinger @AORFINGER
Kamila Melko / THE DAILY GAMECOCK
MERITPAGE22 of affairs in higher education actually discourages upward mobility. A combination of factors is driving higher education’s shift toward meritbased rather than need-based financial aid. The first is that universities are buying into a rating arms race, trying to ascend the college rankings to become ever more attractive to elite students who will one day be elite donors, but in the process they have lost their soul, the heart of what higher education is. Contrary to what the administrators driving these trends may think, universities are not corporations devoted to continual growth in size and wealth. Rather, they are places of learning that enrich the lives and improve the circumstances of students. A college’s rank on the list should
VIBESPAGE20 that always bring human beings together — food and music,” Parks said. “So that was a big point of everything that’s going on tonight.
Last year's South Carolina men's basketball team got out to a hot start, opening the season 15-0 by mid-January. The team stumbled a bit down the stretch, but the reason the Gamecocks missed the NCAA Tournament was because of a weak non-conference schedule. This year, that won't be the case. In back-to-back games, South Carolina knocked off No. 25 Michigan and No. 17 Syracuse on its way to a 6-0
start, winning both games by double digits. Sindarius Thornwell was named SEC Player of the Week for his role in the upset victories, averaging 18.5 points, eight rebounds and four assists in the two games. The Gamecock defense was the highlight of both games, receiving praise from Michigan head coach John Beilein and Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim. The Wolverines scored just 46 points in Colonial Life Arena, 30 points below their lowest output in
their first four games. The Orange managed just 50 points against South Carolina, well below their average of 86.25 coming into the game. The two powerhouse programs were the strongest opponents on the Gamecocks' non-conference schedule, as they won't play another ranked team until conference play. The schedule sets up favorably for South Carolina to stay ranked with another season-opening winning streak.
not be as important as the effort it is making to offer an education to people who want to get one but have financial obstacles. But it’s not just universities themselves that are driving these harmful trends in higher education. State governments have certainly contributed to the preference for meritbased over need-based scholarships, and in shameless fashion. According to educational scholars Beth Akers and Matthew Chingos, “before 2008, states provided roughly $9,000 per student for higher education. Today, that number has fallen to around $7,000, the lowest level in thirty years,” an article in the New York Review of Books reported last month. But the steep decline in aid isn’t even the worst thing states are doing to education. In South Carolina, the Palmetto Fellows, Life, and Hope scholarships
— all considered merit-based financial aid — are funded by the lottery, which studies have shown is played disproportionately by low-income people. Because being low-income is correlated with lower academic performance and thus less chance of attaining one of the merit-based scholarships the lottery funds, what we’re basically seeing is the poor paying to subsidize the college education of the middle and upper class. This is outrageous. Not only is our state and its universities allocating the resources that should be used for the common good in a way that benefits the already well-off, but the poor are paying directly for education subsidies that go predominantly to richer students. I don’t care whether you think our nation’s institutions should be actively promoting income equality; we should all be able to agree that at
the very least they shouldn’t be working against it. I write this article from the perspective of a doctor’s kid with an educational savings plan my parents have been paying into for years. Nevertheless, 79 percent of my college expenses for next semester are paid for by state and university financial aid. The system definitely benefits people like me, but at the cost of making college less attainable for those who need it most. Academically gifted people already have a lot going for them in life. Making college cheaper for them is not as important as making it cheaper for those coming from lowincome backgrounds. Thus, for a truly meritocratic society in which your abilities and effort, not your birth, determine your future, we need to return to primarily need-based, not merit-based financial aid.
I see the fact that USC is such a huge, diverse student body, that, other than football games, there’s not really one event that brings everybody together to one place to do one thing at the same time.”
Although many were excited about Rae Sremmund, community was a large portion of why people attended Cockstock. The duo was received with loud cheers and an energetic crowd,
entertaining the crowd with lights, high-energy songs, a few pineapples and ending their performance with fireworks.
Photos by: Lauren Simmons, Adam Collins, Kamila Melko, Victoria Richman, Madison MacDonald, Yangxing Ding , Daniel Hou, Anna Walker