dailygamecock.com UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
VOL. 108, NO. 30 ● SINCE 1908
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2016
SG reflects on semester Brittany Franceschina @BRITTAFRAN
We s at d ow n w it h St udent Bod y P r e s id e nt M i c h a e l Parks to review what Student Government has done during the fall semester, and hear ab out w h at he h a s planned for the spring. Cockstock The Carolina com mu n it y-based concert fest ival was t he ma i n i n it iat ive of St udent Body P r e s id e nt M i c h a e l Parks. Student G o v e r n m e n t partnered with Carolina Productions and the Homecoming committee to plan the event that brought in over 8,000 st udents on Strom Thurmond Field a nd f e at u re d p opu l a r a r t i s t R ae Sremmurd. Parks said t he at tenda nce was far g reater t ha n he expected, and Student Government hopes to lay the groundwork for the event to become an annual tradition that will grow to include more of the Columbia community. “At a school this big, you can’t have enough community events like
Adam Collins / THE DAILY GAMECOCK
IRIS sets sights on more diversity Mike Woodel @GETHISDONGONETOO
Madison MacDonald / THE DAILY GAMECOCK
Cockstock was one of Michael Park’s central campaign promises. that,” Parks said. “The crowd is diverse in nature and ever yone just enjoys what it means to be a student,” Parks said. It’s On Us Pa rk s sa id t hat hundreds of students participated and signed t h e p le d g e d u r i n g t he Week of Act ion held in October. The i n it iat ive i n for med st udent s ab out t he national campaign to end sexual assault on college campuses and u ndersta nd what to do in those t ypes of situations.
Spurs and Struts W h e n t h e H o m e c o m i n g committee made the decision this summer to not include Spurs a nd St r ut s a nd t he step show f rom t he week’s lineup, Student Government stepped in. The NPHC communit y planned t he s t e p s how a nd st udent government col laborated w it h Dance Marathon and Fraternity Council to make the annual event a reality. The response was positive, and over one thousand students
at tended Spu rs a nd Struts held on Greene Street. Uber discount As the university’s contract with Carolina Cab came to an end last spring, St udent Government worked to come up with a new, late-night, affordable student transportation system using an Uber discount code. They held a four-week trial period where students registered with their st udent em a i ls a nd Uber accounts to see SEESGPAGE2
Sac red doc u ment s have been a f ixt ure of American inaugurations, big and small, for generat ions. Sout h Ca rol i n a G ov. N i k k i Ha ley was s wor n i n w it h her ha nd on t he Bible, Rep. Keit h El l ison of M i n nesot a o n t he Q u r ’a n , a nd Rep. Ky r sten Si nema of Arizona on the U.S. Constitution. So it was only appropriate t hat when Jared Neeley was sworn in as president of Individuals Respecting Identities and Sexualities he did so with his hand on a copy of Lady Gaga’s “Joanne.” Five new IRIS board members took the oath of
office with the bisexual pop star’s latest album Tue sd ay n ight at t he Russell House Theater. T he s o c i a l a d v o c a c y organization converged for the ceremony as its fi nal meeting of the fall semester. The group came into being as t he Bisex ual, Gay, Lesbian, Straight A l l ia nce at USC i n 19 8 3. S i n c e t h e n , members have sought to maintain awareness and open discussion of social issues facing the L G B T Q c o m m u n it y a mong USC st udent s and faculty alike. O utgoi ng president K a it l i n Mc C l a m ro c k holds the utmost fa it h i n I R IS’ new administration. She said SEEIRISPAGE2
Scott, Gowdy named to Trump transition team
Courtesy of Tribune News Service
Riverbanks Zoo is home to multiple species of gorillas.
Riverbanks expecting first baby gorilla Columbia’s Riverbanks Zoo will welcome a new addition this spring. The zoo announced this week that Macy, a 10-year-old western lowland gorilla, is expecting. She’s due in May, and this is her first pregnancy. Her offspring will be the fi rst gorilla born at
Riverbanks. Zoo officials recognize that first-time gorilla mothers face many risks in pregnancy and childbirth but are “cautiously optimistic” about the pregnancy. Macy has been at Riverbanks since 2015.
– Compiled by Mary Ramsey
DATES TO KNOW:
December Courtesy of Shutterstock
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USCPD Toys for Tots Donation Drive 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. outside Colonial Life Arena
Campus Chirstmas Tree Lighting 6 p.m. on the Horseshoe
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Scott and Gowdy have been close allies throughout their time together in Congress.
Last day to use Beyond the Classroom funds 5 p.m. in Sumwalt College Room 102 USCPD Toys for Tots Donation Drive 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. outside Colonial Life Arena
Reading Day
File photo: Luke Yengo / THE DAILY GAMECOCK
Mary Ramsey @MCOLLEEN1996
A pa i r of prom i nent South Carolina Republicans are jumping on boa rd t he Dona ld Trump transition team. Sen. Ti m S c ot t w i l l serve as one of seven vice chairs of the transition, and Rep. Trey Gowdy was chosen for the transition’s executive committee. T he m o v e w i l l g i v e both men sway in helping t o s h a p e t h e Tr u m p administration, especially w he n it c o m e s t o t he
transition’s work to staff the West Wing. Scott and Gowdy are also rumored to be interested in running for governor and lieutenant governor of t he Pa l met t o St at e come 2018. Scott called Gowdy his “best friend in Congress” and said his decision on whether to run will be driven by “God, my family, and Trey Gowdy” in a recent interview with The Post and Courier. On t he ot her side of the aisle, South Carolina Democratic Part y chair Ja ime Ha r r ison is st il l
making headlines in his r u n for cha ir person of the Democratic National Committee. Harrison picked up a big -t i me e ndor s e me nt from his former boss and fellow South Carolinian Rep. Ja mes Clybu r n, a true power player in the Democratic Party. He also announced a new campaign initiative to create a vice chairmanship designated for someone under the age of 35 as part of his broader push to bring a younger voice to party leadership.