The Daily Gamecock 10/10/13

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dailygamecock.com UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA

VOL. 113, NO. 35 • SINCE 1908

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2013

RAMIREZ TWIRLS TO TOP Fourth-year wins annual USC’s Got Talent competition

DG

Video available online

Thad Moore

TMOORE@DAILYGAMECOCK.COM

A few minutes before competing against each other, a group of performers circled a piano in a backstage Russell House hallway and belted out Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’.” Catherine Ramirez stood chatting a few feet away, waiting for Carolina Productions’ USC’s Got Talent finale to begin. “I’m not musically inclined, so I can’t contribute to this atmosphere over here,” the fourth-year broadcast journalism student said. “I feel bad, but I can’t sing.” But out of a 10-act field rife with musical performances, Ramirez, a feature twirler in the marching band, came out on top. Her performance saw raucous cheering at Wednesday’s well-attended event — when she came on stage, when she broke out glow-in-

the-dark batons and when she was announced winner. Watching Ramirez juggle batons, roll them around her neck and jump across the stage to Avicii’s “Wake Me Up” inspired men’s basketball coach Frank Martin, one of three judges, to reference “Dancing with the Stars.” He suggested that even notoriously tough judge Len Goodman would have given her a 10. “As a coach, I understand how many hours you have to put in to be good at your trade,” Martin said. “I can only imagine how many hours you’ve practiced to be as good as you are.” Ramirez said that she has been twirling “forever” — since she was 2 years old, she guesses. She picked it up from her mother, who runs a twirling program. For Wednesday night’s performance, Ramirez said she’d only hoped to have fun and make the TALENT • 3

Andy Levine / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Fourth-year broadcast journalism student and Carolina Band feature twirler Catherine Ramirez won USC’s Got Talent Wednesday night.

SG introduces legislation Rate My Landlord, Carolina Closet read for first time as resolutions Amanda Coyne

ACOYNE@DAILYGAMECOCK.COM

Casey Roy / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Law professor Robert Bockman speaks about his passions — reading, writing and running — at the Carolina Scholars Association’s “Last Lecture” series.

Adjunct law professor delivers ‘Last Lecture’ Bockman shares love, risks of running, reading, writing Hannah Richardson

NEWS@DAILYGAMECOCK.COM

INSIDE

Law Professor Robert Bockman spoke about the risk, c h a l len g e a nd l ib er at ion of reading, writing and running at his “last lecture” Wednesday night. B o c k m a n i s t h e l at e s t o f many professors to speak in the Carolina Scholars Association’s “Last Lect ure” series, which prompts professors to speak as if it was their last time to address a group of students. Bock ma n, who has ea r ned d e g r e e s f r o m Va n d e r b i l t Universit y and the Universit y of Georgia, has been an adjunct professor at USC for 18 years. A lawyer by trade, he still practices

Video available online

DG

law and has for the past 35 years. Bockman begins each of his classes by ask ing, “W ho was born this day?” and by passing out cartoons to be discussed in class. He began his lecture the same way. The cartoons related to his le c t u re a nd he p er io d ic a l l y brought them up as he talked about h is pa s sion s: read i ng, writing and running. “Real reading challenges the reader to preform courageous acts,” Bockman said. “The reader must have the willingness to face a life-altering experience.” Bock ma n sa id read i ng is a liberating experience that can expand one’s knowledge. In writing, Bockman said there are dangers of being exposed and a risk of being wrong, but the LECTURE • 3

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Resolutions concerning Carolina Closet and Rate My Landlord were introduced at Wednesday’s student senate meeting. A resolution was also introduced to explore new options for student parking. Carolina Closet, which would be operated in conjunction with business fraternity Alpha Kappa Psi, is designed to b e a re sou rce for low-i ncome students to borrow professional attire free of cost for inter views and job oppor t u n it ies. R ate My La ndlord would serve as a database of reviews of management for popular off-campus apartment complexes and landlords in popular neighborhoods. Student senators who live off-campus took preliminary surveys about their housing situations after their meeting. These surveys will undergo further tweaking if the resolution is passed, and President Pro Tempore Lindsay Richardson said her goal is to get “at least 500 people” to take the first round of initial surveys in order to ensure a strong sample size. The survey would be released in November, Richardson said. Student Government is currently exploring options for space to house Carolina Closet, R ichardson said. They are also looking to partner with local businesses who could donate business clothes. Student senate also hopes to explore what could be done to fi x the persistent problem of insufficient parking spaces, Richardson said. They will be working w it h Pa rk i ng Ser v ice s a nd Delt a Sigma Pi, another business fraternity. The resolution put forth a “research initiative” that could lead to further action in the future. Open positions Two weeks after fi lling the student senate, three seats are empty.

MIX

SPORTS

VIEWPOINTS

Country trio The Band Perry performed on the first night of the State Fair Wednesday.

South Carolina volleyball will play Georgia and No. 19 Kentucky at home this weekend.

Editorial Board: SG‘s future is bright with its unprecedented progress and proactive youth.

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Sen. Jules Greer, a fourth-year public health student , resigned Wednesday night after two other senators resigned before last week’s senate meet ing. Greer said her obligations as a senior didn’t allow her to give herself fully to the position and reluctantly stepped down. Greer was elected to her first and only senate term in a r unof f af ter being written in during the March senate elections. “Sen. Greer was a great member of our family, and we are sad to see her go,” said Student Body Vice President Ryan Bailey. Greer’s seat in the Arnold School of Public Health’s delegation is now open, along with one each in the delegations from the College of Education and t he C ol le g e of E n g i ne er i n g a nd Computing. Two seats on t he Const it ut ional Council are also vacant due to two justices’ graduation this past May. Associate Justice Emory Roberts said Student Body President Chase Mizzell is in the process of formulating an application for the position. Justices serve from their date of appointment until their graduation. Allocations and codes Senate Finance Committee Chair A sh ley Fa r r i nt roduced a rev ised version of her committee’s overhaul of SG’s fi nance codes Wednesday night, say ing m inimal changes had been made. The codes, if passed, will go into effect at the beginning of the 20142015 school year and fiscal year, in order to create the least difficulty for new senators’ next term. The finance committee is also in the throes of st udent organization a l lo c at ion s , w it h more t h a n 130 organizations requesting a total of more than $320,000. Senate only has about $180,000 to give. “It will be a challenge to get it done, but we can do it,” Farr said. SENATE • 3

WEATHER Thursday

Friday

High 81° Low 57°

High 83° Low 60°


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