The Daily Gamecock: September 2025

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Back-to-school

Student Government treasurer’s office’s new funding distribution criteria due to smaller budget

USC system partners with other universities to found a

accredidation body.

Try to find all of the different details between two colorful fall-themed illustrations.

USC College of Nursing created an initiative that aims to give hope to disabled, aspiring nurses.

UNDERGRAD RESEARCH JOURNAL

Three USC students founded a journal to promote undergraduate research.

Students share experiences from a false active shooter alert on campus.

20 NFL CHECK-IN

Fifteen former Gamecocks work to make NFL rosters for their rookie season.

South

25

SUMMER BLOCKBUSTER

A review of some of summer’s hottest movies, including “KPop Demon Hunters” and “Weapons”.

27 CAROLINA FLIGHT CLUB

Carolina Flight Club members aim to create a community for all aviation enthusiasts.

Follow the lines to find out what genre of music the student is listening to.

Art Therapy Club aims to create a stress-free environment for students through creative activities.

35 COLUMBIA

MUSEUMS

Five museums to check out in Columbia for a fun and interesting learning experience.

Concerns about privacy and included features with USC’s deal with OpenAI.

A column about Williams-Brice Stadium prioritizing revenue over fan experience.

40 COMIC

A lighthearted comic about being “too old” to eat in the dining hall as an upperclassman.

A

The South Carolina

PHOTOS

Sebastian Godun & Nickolas Hill

As we head into another school year, you may need advice from some seasoned professionals. Don’t worry, we’re here to help — we’ve been around the block a few times.

Freshmen, college can be scary at first, but you are not alone. Whether you’re adjusting to dorm life or a new workload, you are experiencing a lot of changes, and that can be hard. Embracing these changes is what allows you to grow. It may take a while to find your people, but you will — and it will be worth the wait. Don’t be afraid to be weird; everyone is still figuring out who they are. It wasn’t until we stopped being scared of what other people thought that we were able to find our place at USC. Explore your interests, and get involved with clubs on campus, even if you’re not sure what you want to do. We both joined The Daily Gamecock unsure of where we would fit in, but we never could have imagined the impact it would have on our college experience. We never would have met so many of our friends, including each other, if we hadn’t put ourselves out there and joined. And one last thing: call your friends and family! They miss you.

Sophomores and juniors, it’s not too late to explore new things, and that includes changing your major. You won’t get the most out of college unless you’re doing something you actually enjoy. It’s easier to pay attention in class if you’re studying something you’re interested in. Joining new clubs isn’t just for freshmen. Say yes to everything (within reason). Opening yourself up to new opportunities, whether it’s joining a new club, meeting new people or going to new w you make the most of your time here. That being said, trying new things shouldn’t mean draining your bank account. Eating at home is not only good for your health, but for your wallet too. You might even find a passion for cooking in the process!

Seniors, soak in every last moment of your experience at USC. It can be easy to worry about what life will be like after graduation, but try your best to live in the moment. Take advantage of your time here, and seize every opportunity you can. We’ve never regretted trying something new, but we have regretted letting opportunities pass us by.

Now that we’ve thrown a slew of advice at you, here’s even more. Don’t stress over the little things. You won’t remember the time you tripped in the dining hall or slept through your quiz, but you will remember the inside jokes you shared with your roommate or publishing your first article for The Daily Gamecock. If you take one thing away from us, let it be this: go to class!

Stay awesome, Nat and Stella

Student Government proposes changes to funding distribution for student organizations in wake of smaller budget

CONNOR

BOGAN | STUDENT GOVERNMENT BEAT WRITER

The University of South Carolina’s Student Government aims to implement changes to funding distribution for the 2025-26 school year. The proposal for these changes, created by Student Body Treasurer Ashley Reynolds and her office, along with the student senate finance committee, come in the wake of a smaller budget for the 2025-26 school year.

Compared to last year’s budget of $340,000, which went exclusively to Student Government, this year’s budget will be split between Student Government and a new organization called the Student Organization Funding Assistance Board (SOFAB) for a combined total of approximately $305,000, according to Student Senate Finance Committee Chairman Jackson Matthews.

SOFAB is a brand-new board that will open up more opportunities for organizations to obtain funding, and Student Government will continue to do the same.

The main difference between SOFAB and Student Government funding is that SOFAB requests are either approved or denied by university faculty members, while Student Government requests are student-controlled, according to Matthews. They both serve the same purpose but are overseen by different entities.

About $185,000 will be going to Student Government, while $120,000 will be going to SOFAB, according to Student Life Director of Administration Matt Hinds. SOFAB’s funding is available to both graduate and undergraduate organizations, while Student Government funding is available exclusively to undergraduate organizations.

Any requested amount exceeding $1,500 for programs or $2,500 for conferences and tournaments will be subject to the new funding rubric, which is based on earning points for meeting certain criteria, according to the treasurer’s office.

NEW CRITERIA RUBRIC FOR FUNDING ALLOCATION

The four criteria categories for programs include physical location and student accessibility, number of expected attendees, learning outcomes met, cost effectiveness and collaboration, according to an outline provided by the student senate finance committee. By working with a university department or another undergraduate organization, programs can get points for the collaboration category.

For conferences and tournaments, the criteria include location and student accessibility, learning outcomes met, cost efficiency and number of attendees.

Depending on how these programs or conferences and tournaments fare regarding these criteria, they will receive one, two or three points for each category. The encompassing point total determines what percentage of funding is granted.

More than 13 points will grant eligibility for 100% of funding, 10 to 12 points will be eligible for 80% of funding, 7 to 9 points for 70% and 5 to 6 points for 50%.

Matthews said a major goal of these changes is to encourage the criteria listed as well as cost efficiency.

Following the criteria will allow the budget to benefit everyone at the university, as well as extend the budget itself, Matthews said.

A RESPONSE TO PAST BUDGET TRENDS

Along with the new split budget for this school year, these changes also come in response to the 2022-23 and 2023-24 school years, where the budget ran out months before the year ended.

According to charts provided by the student senate finance committee, last year’s budget saw an increase in funds, but now that the budget has been cut, they line up with those of 2022-23 and 2023-24.

Matthews said the budget during the 2021-22 school year did not run out

quickly, mainly because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the lack of events on campus. However, the following year saw the budget run out before the start of the second semester.

“But then you move into 2022 and 2023, and this money is just completely used up by the end of the first semester,” Matthews said. “It left organizations that like to have events in the spring out to dry.”

Last year’s budget did not run out until the final student senate meeting of the school year, but the budget was double that of previous years. A primary goal of this new system is to prevent the budget from depleting quickly when it is cut back to that of previous years.

NACE COMPETENCIES

USC follows the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Competencies structure as well, which is also considered when funding is requested. This is a funding requirement by the university.

For events to be considered for funding, organizers must include two to five sentences on why their event meets certain “competencies,” or characteristics. These seven competencies include critical thinking and problem solving, teamwork and collaboration, professionalism and work ethics, oral and written communication, career and selfdevelopment, leadership and technology.

“So if you can basically describe to the (student senate) finance committee, ‘How does your event have anything to do with teamwork and collaboration, career and self-development?’ Those are things that we consider as well,” Reynolds said.

In all budget requests, organizations will be required to identify these competencies, but this does not necessarily mean that funding is guaranteed. Even if budget request guidelines are followed, Student Government funding is left up to the student senate finance committee’s discretion.

PHOTO: MICHAEL BOCCHINO

student senate body gathering in Russell House on Feb. 26, 2025.

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USC, five university systems form new accreditation body. Some faculty have concerns about its politics

COLIN ELAM | NEWS WRITER

Over the summer, the University of South Carolina joined five other university systems to create a new accrediting body, the Commission for Public Higher Education (CPHE).

The State University System of Florida is leading the charge and kicking up $4 million for the new accreditor, which will take the form of a non-profit incorporated in Florida. Gov. Ron DeSantis said the new accreditor “will upend the monopoly of the woke accreditation cartels” in a June 26 press conference.

Chair Thad Westbrook of USC’s board of trustees was also at that conference. There, he said the new accreditor would better demonstrate the value of higher education to taxpayers.

“It is not our mission to be involved in culture wars or political activity,” Westbrook said at the conference. “It is our mission to focus on our students and student outcomes.”

Westbrook said CPHE will focus on public universities, as opposed to regional accreditors which serve every type of institution, and streamline the reaccreditation process. This new venture would reduce the “expansive” list of current standards down to something more aligned with the Higher Education Act, Westbrook said.

However, faculty members associated with the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) said the new accreditation body causes concern about academic freedom and the ability for outside forces to influence higher education.

Academic accreditors evaluate institutions based on their compliance to a list of standards the accreditor comes up with.

Accreditation started as a way to facilitate the transfer of credits

between institutions, said Allen Miller, a Carolina Distinguished Professor in the College of Arts and Sciences.

USC’s current accreditor is the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), which conducts a comprehensive review every 10 years.

The first campus in USC’s system to be up for reaccreditation will be USC Beaufort in 2029, and that is when the university will start discussing whether to switch accreditors to CPHE, Westbrook said. USC’s Columbia campus will go through reaccreditation in 2031.

Alongside the USC system, public university systems from Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas make up the founding members of CPHE.

While assisting in its creation, USC is not committed to selecting CPHE as its accreditor, Westbrook said. He added that the university will monitor the performance of an initial cohort of institutions who have selected to go through dual accreditation with both CPHE and their current accreditors as part of the “practice” that CPHE has to go through before approval.

“We’re not committed to anything at this point,” USC President Michael Amiridis said at a faculty assembly on Sept. 3. “We’re just watching what’s happening with CPHE, and we are also working with SACS.”

At that Sept. 3 general faculty meeting, Westbrook spoke about CPHE and took questions from faculty members.

THE RUSH TO BEAT THE END OF TRUMP’S PRESIDENCY

Conversations about starting a new accrediting body began over a year ago, according to Westbrook.

The new accreditor expects to receive federal recognition between December

2027 and June 2028, according to CPHE’s business plan. DeSantis stressed the importance of this timeline during

the press conference announcing the commission.

“We need these things approved and implemented during President Trump’s term of office,” DeSantis said. “If it doesn’t get approved and stick during that time, you can have a president come in next and potentially revoke it. And they could probably do that very quickly.”

Creating a new accreditation system is possible due to a few changes in federal regulations, according to the business plan.

The first cited change came during Trump’s first term, when the Department of Education updated the requirements

for new accreditors to be recognized. According to department documents, the changes ended the geographical requirements for accreditors’ “scope of recognition” and reduced the “the time and complexity associated with approving an accreditor’s application for initial or renewal of recognition.”

In 2024, the federal Office of Postsecondary Education

paused the approval of new accreditors.

Upon Trump’s return to office, he signed an executive order in April, which directed the Secretary of Education to resume recognizing new accreditors and to streamline the process through which universities change accreditation agencies.

A week after the order was signed, Deputy Under Secretary James Bergeron of the Office

of Postsecondary Education published a letter stating that “robust or onerous” reviews of applications for new accreditors are not required by law. The Department of Education would therefore expedite the review of new applications, according to the letter.

“This opportunity through the executive order to create a new accrediting body was something that we all decided would be a good opportunity for us to right-size accreditation, to get it in alignment with our institutions, rather than accreditors that are kind

AAUP. Randazzo first learned about the university’s plans through a newspaper, he said.

“There was no discussion among the faculty,” Randazzo said. “I’m a member of the faculty senate as well as the AAUP. There was no discussion in either of those groups that this was even being considered.”

Mark Minett, an associate professor in the College of Arts and Sciences and the outgoing president of the Columbia campus’ AAUP chapter, also learned

of a one-size-fits-all,” Westbrook said.

The commission will have a board of directors with representatives from each of its founding institutions. USC is sending Rose Newton, vice chair of the board of trustees, to serve on this board, Westbrook said. The university has also sent Cameron Howell, the board of trustees’ secretary, to work on CPHE’s staff, Westbrook added. Besides filling these positions, USC has not been requested to do anything else, he said.

This board has the ability to appoint additional members, including both representatives from additional university systems and people not associated with these systems “who possess content and policy expertise,” the business plan reads. At the faculty assembly, Westbrook said CPHE would have a ratio of one independent director to two directors who are members of a participating institution.

ADMINISTRATORS AND FACULTY MEET

Kirk Randazzo is a political science professor, faculty senate member and official within the state chapter of the

about the new accreditor through the press, he said.

“A reporter for the Post and Courier called me and asked me for my thoughts about it and said, ‘You’ve probably seen the article in Inside Higher Ed,’” Minett said. “And I said, ‘No, I’m leading a healthy summertime life.’ … We often get these kinds of summer surprises.”

A request for comment on CPHE’s draft of proposed standards, dated for Aug. 19, was sent to USC faculty. Faculty were directed to send their thoughts to a CPHE email address by Sept. 16.

is unclear who will be reading this feedback, Minett said.

On Sept. 3, Westbrook came to a general faculty for roughly an hour and took questions from faculty on the upcoming accreditor.

Distinguished Professor Emerita Susi Long of the College of Education told Westbrook she wanted reassurance that academic freedoms are protected amidst national trends around topics such as DEI in higher education.

“If we don’t know how it’s going to be in five years time, what we do during those five years impacts what it would be like,” Long said to Amiridis and Westbrook. “So we really need your support to ensure thatwe aren’t censored, thatwe aren’t denied access to promotion because somebody says, ‘Oh look at all the DEI work on that person’s publications.’”

Miller asked Westbrook whether having the State University System of Florida’s board of governors as the sole “body corporate,” as described in the business plan, would make USC answerable to Florida’s government. Westbrook replied that the structure of CPHE puts its administration in the hands of its board of directors, which has representatives from each of the member institutions. If Florida truly had control over the accreditor, Westbrook believes it would not likely receive federal approval, he added. CPHE’s business plan states that the board of directors will handle the “administration and oversight” of CPHE.

Another professor brought up trends in higher education in Florida, such as the elimination of certain programs and the denying of tenure for faculty that are seen

DESIGN: RANSLEIGH BALDAS

as incompatible with Florida’s vision for universities. Westbrook replied that Florida’s university system will only have one seat on the board like the rest of the founding systems. He also said South Carolina is not seeing the same kinds of political changes.

“I can certainly understand your concern, but those are things that are not happening in South Carolina,” Westbrook said.

NPR reported that a Florida bill passed in 2023 banned public universities from spending moneyon Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs and mandated that general education courses do not include identity politics. A bill targeting DEI programs in higher education in South Carolina was introduced in February this year, but it has not been passed yet.

ACADEMIC FREEDOM AND OUTSIDE INFLUENCE

DeSantis’ comments about the agency combating “wokeness” worries Randazzo, since the definition of “woke” is ambiguous, he said.

“My overall concern is that institutions of higher ed are supposed to be apolitical, and I say that as someone that teaches political science,” Randazzo said.

“There’s not supposed to be any influence from politicians, from government. Even though we are a state agency, there’s supposed to be academic freedom and shared governance among faculty.”

Minett said a key difference between the standards of CPHE and SACSCOC is the absence of a requirement for governing boards to protect the institution from outside influences.

“Whether you like the party in power or not, you probably don’t want whoever won the last election to feel like they now own the University of South Carolina, right?” Minett said.

“This essentially clears the way for that.”

Westbrook said the new accreditor would not limit what faculty could teach.

“The accrediting body is intended to be less intrusive,” Westbrook said. “It’s not meant to infringe on academic freedom. In fact, it’s very much focused on protecting academic freedom.”

At the faculty assembly, Westbrook said he hopes CPHE will stay clear of politics in its operations.

“I would hope that there’s nothing political related to CPHE, as far as they are handling their business,” Westbrook said. “I know the rhetoric … but I’m saying for CPHE, I hope that when

they conduct their business, there’s nothing political related to it, because if there is, then that’s a problem for higher education.”

Minett said he is also concerned about the independence of the new accreditor. Unlike SACSCOC, CPHE only has six institutions on its board.

“You’ve got to have safeguards against people telling you everything is great, who have vested interest in you believing everything is great,” Minett said. “It can’t work like that. It doesn’t make any sense, and it goes against the principles of accreditation.”

If the independence and legitimacy of a university’s accreditor is compromised, the value of a degree from that institution plummets, Randazzo said. While certain requirements from SACSOC might feel unnecessary, Randazzo said he has never questioned the accreditor’s legitimacy, and it has never mandated certain topics to be taught or avoided in classes, he added. “It’s not clear what needs to be fixed,” Randazzo said. “It’s not clear what Chair Westbrook means bythat.And untilwe have a better sense of how we got to this place, it’s not clear how we move forward.”

After the assembly, Minett said he was happy that Westbrook came to answer

questions and that Westbrook encouraged more collaboration with faculty. Minett was also glad to learn that USC is not completely committed to CPHE and has its options open, he said. Minett said he still has concerns about academic freedom and the legitimacy of the new accreditor.

“I hope that faculty were able to make an impression on Chair Westbrook and those who might be thinking about whether we’re gonna stick with the CPHE or not,” Minett said.

“The risk is tremendous and far outweighs, I think, any reward in terms of streamlined accreditation process.”

Miller also appreciated that Westbrook took questions for as long as he did, and he was happy that Westbrook and Amiridis indicated their support for academic freedom, he said.

However, Miller said he is still concerned about the vagueness of the drafted standards for CPHE, and he felt many of Westbrook’s answers were non-specific.

“A lot of it was like, ‘Well, we need your feedback,’” Miller said. “Well, that’s good, but it doesn’t really tell us much about what’s going to happen.”

PHOTO: AUGUSTA LEWIS

A large turnout of faculty listens attentively to Board of Trustees, Chair Westbrook, and University President Amiridis speak on the University’s new accreditation.

HART

ILLUSTRATIONS: GRACE DE PEN A

Answer key: spots on rooster, red feathers on rooster, freckles and blush on yellow hen, lines on yarn blanket, purple top on pumpkin

frown on pumpkin

triangle eyes on pumpkin

thick feet on white hen,

purple eyes on white hen, longer comb on brown hen, pink nails on brown hen’s feet, mouse in left middle corner, extra dirt on ground

USC College of Nursing aims to give hope, confidence to disabled, aspiring nurses through new initiative

CJ Leathers | Arts & Culture Editor

The USC College of Nursing is aiming to provide guidance, educate and show aspiring, disabled nursing students that they have the same opportunity to be who they want to be.

MUSC alumna Dr. Susan Newman is leading a nursing initiative to allow for more education and opportunities for students with disabilities, according to a USC press release. The initiative is backed by The Duke Endowment and is partnered with collaborators Able SC, the Lexington Medical Center and the National Organization of Nurses with Disabilities. Because of the connection people form when they share a disability or experience, the project seeks to diversify the nursing population both within the state and nationally. The organizations behind the project want to embrace nursing impairments rather than cure or ignore them.

“I have watched my daughter, for instance, who lives with a disability, get care in an ER from someone with the same disability she has, and it is amazing,” Halloran said. “No provider has ever said, ‘Listen, I know what you’re going through, because I too go through it,’ so there’s a big advantage.”

Able SC Vice President and Chief Public Relations Officer Mary Alex Kopp said Able SC CEO Kimberly Tissot shared a similar experience with a nurse.

Tissot said she had a caring nurse who had gone through something similar in the past who gave her comfort that was needed in the moment.

“You can only imagine the survey when you’re filling it back out to tell the hospital staff how appreciative you are of them,” Kopp said. “Because that connection is so important.”

Director of Public Health and Disability Integration at Able SC Mandy Halloran said she experienced the connection, as her daughter and the nurse who cared for her both have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.

Over the course of a week, the College

skills, allow them to sit in the College of Nursing Center for Simulation and Experimental Learning and visit nursing units that have collaborated with the university, such as Prisma Health and the Lexington Medical Center.

Newman said funders at Duke Endowment are helping to present video biographies of others to show the students, giving students a glimpse of what their futures can look like and proving it’s possible.

“There can be very effective nurses, but there are these barriers we automatically think of. ‘You’re in a wheelchair, you never could take care of a patient.’ ... There are ways to do it,” Newman said.

Her inspiration for the initiative comes from Andrea Dalzell, as she was diagnosed with transverse myelitis and was permanently disabled by the age of 12. She is the first registered nurse in a wheelchair in the state of New York after 76 job interviews, continuing now as a keynote speaker at national conferences, sharing her story with

Meanwhile, collaborators such as Able SC are working to recruit students for next summer’s first class, making sure not to hesitate on youth that may not be given the benefit of the doubt in everyday life.

“I hear repeatedly about how many times nurses with disabilities have to interview before they get a job, so there’s a lot of hesitance from the healthcare system side and even nursing education side about the potential for people with disabilities to be successful at nursing, so we’re trying to change that,” Newman said.

Newman said another obstacle the state of South Carolina upholds are technical standards for nurses, often involving physical limitations, such as being able to stand on your feet for 12 hours each day, seeing and moving independently.

“Sometimes that’s the first thing a potential student may see on a website,” Newman said. “And if they’re reading those, they’re like, ‘I can never do this,’ (because) they have a disability, so we’re trying to change that language.”

Kopp said Able SC is working towards recruiting for the summer program, but also for the resources to be able to accommodate for them, as she’s seen a certified nursing assistant with a disability work for over 15 years with proper accommodations, supporting their work.

“I’m really excited about how this program is not only going to back up those individuals who have already been doing it, but really encourage more folks to see that there is potential for them in this field,” Kopp said.

Through all barriers, however, Halloran said there is a community that is created through having a disability, and she wants this program to truly embrace individuals with disabilities, instead of quickly looking to cure them as if they are issues.

“There’s nothing to be ashamed about. In fact, you are welcome in this community with us,” Halloran said. “Let us show you how proud we are and how we thrive.”

The first class for this initiative will be launched in the summer 2026.

Illustration: Abby Short

Students create journal to promote undergraduate research

KELLY GRADY | ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Three South Carolina Honors College students have created a new research journal for undergraduate researchers at USC.

The Caroliniana Undergraduate Research Journal (CURJ) aims to promote interdisciplinary undergraduate research from USC students, said Khufu Holly, a third-year biomedical engineering student and CURJ co-editor-in-chief.

“We want to be able to target all different types of students, and (CURJ) is fully for students at the University of South Carolina,” Holly said.

Holly conceived the initial idea for the journal after they were encouraged by English professor Jennifer Blevins to expand and publish their research from a social advocacy and ethical life class.

“(Blevins) really encouraged me to further flesh out my project for that class and better understand the intricacies of the issue I was studying. That way I could eventually publish my work,” Holly said.

Holly reached out to other USC students involved in research to form a panel of editors for the journal, including third-year neuroscience student Megha Badiger, who now serves as coeditor-in-chief.

“(Holly) wanted to start this journal with me because we’re both very involved in research, and we have our own respective colleges that we’re involved in, and we just thought it was a great idea to try and come together,” Badiger said.

Second-year biochemistry student Shrihan Ganesh Babu, who serves as the CURJ managing editor, got involved in research his first year and was later approached by Holly to join CURJ. Ganesh Babu did independent research prior to starting college, he said.

The journal is led by Holly, Badiger and Ganesh Babu, who supervise a team of section editors and review committees. Submissions to each section of the journal — STEM, social science, humanities and interdisciplinary — will be reviewed by a committee of about six people and collectively by the board.

Holly said the committees will collaborate with their editors to decide which articles to publish based on how they feel the article will fit into the journal.

The review committees will review submissions using a double-blind review

process to ensure credibility, Holly said. The committees will also consult professors about the articles they choose to publish in order to ensure that the submissions are consistent with the standards of their respective fields.

Badiger said CURJ hopes to help undergrads, both those submitting research and those on review committees, gain experience that will help them later in life.

“We’re really hoping for our undergrad students to be able to gain professional development through this. The review committees (are) able to gain experience within the publishing process,” Badiger said. “As for the authors that are publishing through us, they’re able to

receive these critiques ... as well as be able to (get their work published). And that’s super important for grad school and for job applications down the line.”

CURJ is working in collaboration with University Libraries and the South Carolina Honors College. Holly said the partnership with University Libraries started because the team wanted to name the journal after the Caroliniana Library, which is the oldest free-standing academic library in the country.

“Since it is the first free-standing library, and since it has that research history, and currently it has a bunch of resources for students to do research and do humanities research, we thought it would be a great way to not only promote the

library, but also to tie in USC’s history with our journal,” Holly said.

Holly said their ultimate goal for the journal is to ensure it continues for future students so they would have a dedicated publication for their research.

Badiger said the journal aims to publish once a semester and will primarily publish online.

The Caroliniana Undergraduate Research Journal is accepting submissions and holding a cover art design contest until Oct. 10. Undergraduate USC students can submit their research or cover designs via the journal’s Instagram page.

PHOTO: MADISON MCCARRIN

FILE — The outside of the South Caroliniana Library on the Horseshoe on Nov. 11, 2024. The South Caroliniana Library has served as the university’s library for over 100 years and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

‘Everyone was texting their parents, saying that they love them’:

Students share experiences from false active shooter alert

Colin Elam | News Editor

FCJ LEATHERS | Arts & culture Editor Kelly Grady | Assistant News Editor

irst-year public relations student Ashley Wall was in Thomas Cooper Library when reports of an active shooter on campus were issued.

“I was with my three friends, but it still felt like it was every man for themself, which is understandable because it’s scary, but people were pushing each other and falling,” Wall said. “I felt like there was a lack of community and lack of togetherness in that moment, but it is saddening.”

There were two separate calls made to USCPD on Aug. 24 reporting there was an active shooter at the Thomas Cooper Library at 6:30 p.m. and 6:32

— A police officer walks past several scattered items after students left in a hurry during an active shooter alert at Thomas Cooper Library on Aug. 24, 2025. Some students received minor injuries in the process of evacuating.

Quad resident Kelly O’Toole, who was at Women’s Quad at the time, said she made sure students outside knew they needed to take shelter.

“My number one priority at that point was other people,” O’Toole said. “It

Several Columbia Police Department officers walk down the intersection of Sumter and Greene St. during an active shooter alert on Sumter and Greene Street on Aug. 24, 2025.

PHOTO: Jack Bradshaw

FILE

PHOTO: CJ LEATHERS

wasn’t, ‘What do I do in this situation?’ It was more like, ‘There are freshmen who may not be getting the Carolina Alert.’”

O’Toole sheltered in place in a secondfloor public bathroom in the McClintock wing of Women’s Quad with five other students, three of whom were working at the Thomas Cooper Starbucks when they evacuated.

“Everyone had a very different mood. There were people who were hysterical, rightfully so, and there were people who, like me, were struggling to process it at first,” O’Toole said. “It was very apparent how easily people can come together in those types of situations. We were all supporting each other as far as relaying information, making sure we got the alerts, calming each other down (and) telling ourselves and each other that we were going to get through it.”

we felt,” Powers said. “It kind of feels a little bit invalidating to all of our feelings because all of us thought that we were possibly going to die. Everyone was texting their parents, saying that they love them and everything.”

From Russell House

A Russell House dining employee who was present during the event spoke to The Daily Gamecock on the condition of remaining anonymous.

The employee, who was on the first floor at the time, said he was not informed of the active shooter report via the Carolina Alert system, as many students and faculty were. He described learning of the situation after being crowded by a group of students trying to push their way into a

A Richland County ambulance sits parked on Sumter St. during an active shooter alert on the USC campus on Aug. 24, 2025. At least two students were treated for minor injuries sustained during evacuation according to officials.

Shooter or not, the day’s events left Powers shaken and unsure if she would ever return to the library, she said. She added that she felt the university could have done more for students in the wake of the scare, such as making Monday a mental health day with optional classes.

“Even if there wasn’t a shooter, I feel like they should do something about everyone in the library and how scared

all in that one little, small hallway,” he said. When police arrived on the second floor, all students and dining hall employees were escorted out of Russell House toward Greene Street, the employee said.

“I didn’t know it was the cops at first, though, but I just saw an M16 … and I was like, ‘Oh, ok, maybe (the shooter is) here.’ But then I saw the body armor and everything, and then that’s when we saw those (were) the

Despite USCPD later declaring the report false, it was hard to process what the situation could have been, O’Toole said.

“With what I’m studying, it is very normal for me to envision situations like that,” O’Toole said. “But I do not think it’s ever really possible to be prepared for a situation like that on an emotional level.

“It was very apparent how easily people can come together in those types of situations.”

A group of students hold their hands up while walking away from Russell House during an active shooter alert at Thomas Cooper Library on Aug. 24, 2025. Officials later said there was no evidence of a shooter.

PHOTO: Jack Bradshaw

PHOTO: Jack Bradshaw

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South Carolina football answers defensive questions, while ‘Beamer Ball’ makes difference against Virginia Tech

BRENDAN DOUGHERTY | SPORTS EDITOR

The No. 13 South Carolina football team got the job done in the fourth quarter against Virginia Tech on Sunday night, but the Gamecocks did not look the part of a nationally ranked team for the first three quarters of the game.

Offensively, the Gamecocks played through eight drives in the first three quarters. Those drives resulted in a touchdown, a field goal, five punts and a safety. South Carolina was 3-9 (33%) on third down in that time span, redshirt sophomore quarterback LaNorris Sellers had been sacked four times already and the Gamecocks committed seven penalties as a team, giving up 46 yards.

Despite the offensive frustrations, South Carolina never once trailed on Sunday night against the Hokies. The South Carolina defense allowed 336 total yards of offense, but only 9 points not including the safety.

Head coach Shane Beamer commended his defense for its effort on Sunday night, especially with so many new faces coming together and battling adversity, including the loss of junior defensive back Judge Collier early in the game.

“I was proud of them. They battled,” Beamer said. “Obviously losing Judge was a tough loss so early in the game, but we have depth. I’ve been saying it all along, that particularly at linebacker and defensive back, we have more depth than we had last year.”

The Gamecocks defense was backed into the RedZone multiple times but still didn’t allow a score. The second drive of the game for the Hokies included a pair of big completions, and Virginia Tech drove 70 yards in just 2:18. It looked like the Hokies had momentum, but then the pressure came. Redshirt senior Kyron Drones threw a pair of incomplete passes, and while being chased by the pass rush on 3rd & 10, lofted a ball into the hands of sophomore linebacker Fred “JayR” Johnson.

Later in the first quarter, the Hokies drove 59 yards in 2:32. Graduate wide receiver Donovan Greene broke free into

Redshirt sophomore defensive back Vicari Swain runs the ball toward the end zone on a punt return from Virginia Tech on Aug. 31, 2025, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Swain scored a touchdown on the 80-yard punt return.

open field, and a late hit by redshirt junior Peyton Williams led to another RedZone chance for the Hokies. On first down, the Gamecocks stopped the run for a short gain, and consecutive incompletions suddenly had the Hokies in fourth down, kicking a field goal.

The defense had another late stand in the fourth quarter while the Hokies were in the midst of a 4:31 long drive. Virginia Tech tried to continue chipping away, and got a break when Drones found junior wide receiver Isaiah Spencer deep oneon-one for the difficult catch. Well inside

field goal territory, the Gamecocks was able to stop consecutive runs from Drones and hold the Hokies to another field goal.

With so many questions about the defense going into the season after losing so much talent to the NFL and graduation, the Gamecock defense made a statement that it could perform in the same stride as last year’s unit.

“I feel like with them saying that we lost a lot of players and just questioning what we had on defense, I feel like they found out today for sure,” Johnson said. “Yeah, it’s not the old team.”

Despite the defense picking up the offense’s slack for much of the game, the offense was still looking for something to give the game some energy. Luckily, with the history of South Carolina, Virginia Tech and the Beamer family, there was always a chance for some “Beamer Ball” to pull the Gamecocks ahead.

“Beamer Ball” was a phrase originally used to describe Frank Beamer’s teams at Virginia Tech and has since carried to his son Shane’s teams at South Carolina. The phrase is used to describe elite special teams play, as the father-son duo both pride themselves on the importance of special teams.

In this game, “Beamer Ball” came in the form of redshirt sophomore defensive back Vicari Swain, who took a punt 80 yards to the end zone to give the Gamecocks, and the stadium, much needed life. The return wouldn’t have happened if Beamer had decided to decline the penalty, because South Carolina was getting the ball anyway. Beamer decided to have Virginia Tech punt again, liking the matchup.

“We really felt like we had an advantage on when they punt the football with our people out there,” Beamer said.

Swain said he was surprised Beamer opted to kick again, but he had trust in his coach and his teammates.

“I was kind of surprised when he wanted to re-kick, but when I (saw) they were back up, the ball was going to be kicked deep,” Swain said. “I trusted my guys up front to make the blocks. So, (I) just made it happen.”

This trust between Beamer and the team is what put the Gamecocks ahead, and it was fitting that it was a special teams score that helped South Carolina get momentum and get the job done. Beamer said it was a neat moment with his father and the rest of his family in the stadium.

“If you could have scripted it, you would have scripted it like that,” Beamer said. “To score on special teams was pretty special without a doubt, especially playing Virginia Tech and with them being here.”

PHOTO: SEBASTIAN GODUN

Preview: South Carolina volleyball looks for growth, success under new staff in 2025 season

GENEVIEVE NAVARE | SPORTS WRITER

After building momentum with an NCAA bid in the 2024 season, South Carolina volleyball is preparing for a new era in program history. The Gamecocks steps into the 2025 season under firstyear head coach Sarah Rumely Noble following a successful coaching career at Appalachian State.

A two-time All-American setter during her playing days at Kentucky, Rumely Noble brings fresh leadership and a spirited vision to the program. Her arrival marks a new chapter as the program works to rebound in the competitive Southeastern Conference (SEC).

“There’s a lot of new, there’s a lot of excitement, and we’re really working to set

the tone, set the standard at a really high level,” Rumely Noble said.

South Carolina concluded the 2024 season with a 16-12 record (7-9 SEC) and was projected 12th in the conference in a preseason media poll. Rumely Noble said the task is clear: she needs to set the foundation for what the program is going to be about.

“My number one priority is that the foundation that the program is resting on is on a firm foundation, and that’s not wavering,” Rumely Noble said.

South Carolina adds 10 newcomers to the program, including transfers junior outside hitter Nia Hall (Cleveland State), sophomore right side hitter Elise Marchal (Appalachian

State), senior middle hitter Emily Beeker (Tennessee), junior outside hitter Phoebe Reyes (Barton Community College) and junior right side hitter Laiya Ebo (Butler).

The freshman class features outside hitter Victoria Hill, middle hitter Sydney Davis, right side hitter Lina Merz, defensive specialist/libero Anne Bradley Bing setter Kaia Pixler and middle hitter Claire Payne.

Ebo, a 6-foot-1 right side hitter from Washington, D.C., joins the Gamecocks after two seasons at Butler University. In 2024, she played in 29 matches, totaling 154 kills over 85 sets, and achieved a career-high .615 hitting percentage in a match against Bellarmine.

“My main thing is playing with confidence any opportunity I get,” Ebo said, “Taking that to the fullest extent and being able to showcase myself and my team’s talents and prove people wrong in a sense.”

The Gamecocks also has eight returning players this season, with key returners including sophomore defensive specialist/ libero Victoria Harris and senior setter Sarah Jordan.

Jordan led the Gamecocks’ offense last season with over 900 assists and an average of 9.91 per set. She surpassed 2,000 career assists and set a program rally-scoring era record with 66 assists in a single match at LSU. Jordan recorded 10 double-doubles and guided the Gamecocks to high hitting percentages in key victories. She also earned CSC Academic All-District honors in 2023 and 2024.

Harris had an impressive debut season in 2024, recording over 400 digs with an average 4.04 per set. She earned SEC AllFreshman honors and SEC Freshman of the Week recognition, highlighted by standout performances of 23 digs at Duke and 27 digs at LSU. Her defensive play helped reduce the Gamecocks’ service reception errors, boosting overall offensive efficiency.

“Our overarching goal is to do something that has never been done here before,” Harris said. “Just hitting a lot of major milestones ... We focus on it really big like winning every single day in practice.”

The Gamecocks’ goals go beyond wins and losses. Rumely Noble, her players and her staff are focused on laying the groundwork with a renewed focus on growth in Columbia. With a mix of strong veteran players and fresh talent, South Carolina is aiming to exceed expectations and move up in the SEC standings.

“I like a prove-other-people-wrong moment,” Jordan said. “I love an underdog moment, and I think we have the opportunity to have a good comeback.”

PHOTO: JACK BRADSHAW

— Sophomore defensive specialist Elizabeth McElveen prepares to receive an incoming serve. McElveen has made 79 digs since the start of the season.

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NFL check-in: Several former Gamecocks look to make noise in NFL with season around corner

BRENDAN DOUGHERTY | SPORTS EDITOR

While the South Carolina football team kicked off its season with a win against Virginia Tech on Aug. 31, there are several former Gamecocks who are looking to make their mark this season in the National Football League.

The NFL is now in full swing with the regular season off to a chaotic start after the Eagles’ win over the Cowboys. Of the 40 Gamecocks playing in training camp, 15 of them are rookies who played during the 2024-25 season. The NFL roster size cuts down to 53 players on Aug. 26, with many of those South Carolina alumni fighting to make their respective teams.

There isn’t a team with more of a South Carolina concentration than the Carolina Panthers, which has five former players suiting up. Three of those former Gamecocks are set to start, including cornerback Jaycee Horn, wide receiver Xavier Legette and linebacker DJ Wonnum. Running back Rico Dowdle is in the mix to get a handful of touches in the backfield, while linebacker Bam Martin-Scott is fighting to make the final roster. Martin-Scott has logged four solo tackles in two games for the Panthers in the preseason.

Staying in the NFC South division, the New Orleans Saints have three Gamecocks on the roster, including offensive lineman Torricelli Simpkins III and punter Kai Kroeger, who are both rookies. Simpkins is a safe bet to make the team after a stronger preseason up to this point after going viral on Aug. 10 for blocking a pair of defensive lineman protecting his quarterback, former Gamecock Spencer Rattler.

Kroeger seems to be in a battle with fellow Saints punter James Burnip to make the roster. Jeff Nowak of WWL Radio Sports described the punter battle as “50/50” after the first preseason game.

The Los Angeles Chargers have three rookies from South Carolina playing in the preseason in wide receiver Dalevon Campbell, edge Kyle Kennard and running back Raheim Sanders. It would be a surprise if Kennard missed the

roster after being drafted in the fourth round, but Campbell and Sanders are both in limbo.

Michael Peterson of Yahoo Sports reported that Sanders is in a battle with running back Kimani Vidal to make the roster. Campbell was not mentioned in Peterson’s story, while ESPN ranks Campbell as the 12th wide receiver on the official depth chart, which would be far from the cut.

There are a handful rookies from South Carolina similar to Kennard who are safe bets to make the NFL roster based on draft results alone. That list includes Seattle Seahawks second round safety Nick Emmanwori, Buffalo Bills second round defensive tackle TJ Sanders, Cincinnati Bengals second round linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr., Kennard and Las Vegas Raiders fourth round defensive tackle Tonka Hemingway.

Tight end Joshua Simon is playing preseason football for the Atlanta Falcons after leading the Gamecocks with 519 receiving yards this past season. Simon caught just two passes for nine yards for

Atlanta in the preseason and is currently projected to miss the final roster, according to Falcons Senior Reporter Tori McElhaney.

Moving north, cornerback O’Donnell Fortune is on the outside looking in for a spot on the New York Giants’ roster. In January, Fortune did his best to boost his stock as a prospect after scoring a 60-yard pick six in the 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl, earning Defensive MVP of the game. He is slotted as the fourth left outside cornerback on the Giants’ depth chart, putting him in a difficult spot to make the roster with roster cuts less than a week away.

In Miami, defensive lineman Alex Huntley is listed as the third right defensive end on the depth chart, which is also toeing the line of making the team. Alain Poupart of Sports Illustrated projects the Dolphins to cut Huntley, keeping six defensive tackles. Poupart described keeping more defensive lineman as “a luxury the team probably can’t afford.”

Wide receiver Gage Larvadain has made a case for himself to make the Cleveland

Browns’ roster. Larvadain had five catches for 66 yards in the preseason with Cleveland and saw first-team reps in training camp before the games began.

The last former Gamecock rookie is offensive lineman Vershon Lee, suiting up for the Minnesota Vikings. Lee is listed as the fourth left tackle on the official depth chart, which hurts his chances to make the roster.

While many of those rookies might be in limbo ahead of final roster cuts, each NFL team can keep up to 17 players on their respective practice squads where a player can get claimed by any team at any point in the season.

Rookies aside, there are several former Gamecocks that can expect to suit up in the starting lineup to begin the NFL season, including Washington Commanders wide receiver Deebo Samuel, Seattle Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV and Green Bay Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon.

PHOTO: JAZZY RHODES

South Carolina students give thoughts on increased athletic fee

WILL MILLER | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

As students and parents looked over their tuition bills this summer, they saw the usual items one would expect to pay for in college: housing fees, the cost for classes and the option to add things such as a parking pass or meal plans.

An area that many students, including third-year finance student Jaime Letofsky, took notice of was the increased athletic fee. The fee surprised Letofsky, who then called the bursar’s office to have the updated fee explained to her.

Letofsky was not the only student on campus who felt confused as to what their money was going to, with several other students that The Daily Gamecock interviewed also not knowing what the fee was or that it even existed.

UNDERSTANDING THE ATHLETIC FEE

The University of South Carolina increased its mandatory athletic fee to $150 per semester — $300 per academic year — which all students are required to pay. South Carolina had previously introduced an athletic fee back in 2007 of $52 per semester, but this price increased over the summer.

The money will go to enhancing the student experience at all home venues for Gamecock athletics, according to Executive Associate Athletic Director Charles Bloom.

“We’re going to work at enhancements for students at games,” Bloom said. “Looking at facility upgrades, and we’re just trying to make the student fan experience as good and meaningful as possible.”

The athletic fee will also go to other services such as continued student access to athletics events, ticket lotteries and increased programming operating costs, according to Associate Vice President for University Communications Jeff Stensland. Several ways the athletic department plans to improve the student experience for football games is by having discounted waters in the second half for students in the lower level or food combos for students at a cheaper price, something that the upper section would receive.

Bloom said the funds raised by the fee will not be used for the newly announced renovations to Williams-Brice Stadium, coaching contracts or anything related to NIL.

The University of South Carolina was not the first school to introduce an athletic fee. Other Southeastern Conference (SEC) schools, such as Georgia, began charging $53 per semester in the spring 2025 semester, and Florida began charging $38 per semester as of the 2025-26 academic year.

Clemson also recently introduced its own athletic fee in 2024 of $150 per semester. Similar to South Carolina’s fee, it is aimed at maintaining the upkeep of athletic facilities used by students and student-athletes. It also does not go to NIL or student-athlete revenue sharing.

Up until 2007, South Carolina did not require students to pay an athletic fee, but now, due to the increased demand for college athletics, the fee has gone up, Bloom said.

“It’s important to note that we were not charging student fees for many years,” Bloom said. “And the cost of intercollegiate athletics is increasing. The operating costs are getting higher and (so are) the demands on the product.”

However, Bloom said that just because there has been a rise in interest in what is happening on the field, doesn’t mean the people in the stands shouldn’t benefit either.

Bloom wants to continue to try and put students first, even with growing interest in the product on the field.

“It helps to put a quality product on the field (or) on the courts,” Bloom said. “But also to have a quality product for our fans and the students. So, it’s important to have that game-day atmosphere that attracts people to come to our games.”

Bloom said the athletic department understands how expensive it can be to go to college and get a quality education, and that a goal of the athletic department is to make sure students get the most out of what they are paying for.

“Student fees aren’t taken lightly,” Bloom said. “We’re definitely aware how much it costs to go to school and how much it costs to get a quality experience ... We just want to make sure that you’re getting — you’re getting a value.”

Another goal of the athletic department is to create a meaningful experience for not only students but student athletes as well, and a way to accomplish this is to have students come out to all home sporting events, Bloom said.

“We in the athletic department look at one of the major goals that we have is to make meaningful experiences for our student athletes,” Bloom said. “And when you can look into the crowd as a student athlete and see a big crowd and a lot of students, that’s impactful.”

STUDENTS WEIGH IN

The Daily Gamecock interviewed 48 students to find out their opinions on the rise in the athletic fees. Twenty-six believed that the fees were not needed, and 13 thought it was fair that the fees went up over the summer. The remaining nine students either had mixed feelings or didn’t answer the question.

Many students needed additional context as to what the fee was or had no idea that the fee was even on their tuition bill when first asked about the increase in athletic fees.

The fee had students such as firstyear computer science student Thomas Sitnik and his mother wondering what the fee was when paying his tuition bill for the year.

First-year exercise science student Chloe May said she was surprised that the fee went up over the summer despite the increase in student enrollment.

“I think it’s kind of surprising that it increased, especially since the amount of people who’ve gotten accepted into the school has increased,” May said. “You would think that the prices are going down, but they’re actually going up, so I guess that doesn’t really make sense.”

First-year biology student Shirley Chapman said the university should have

been more transparent about where the money was going to avoid confusion.

Some students, such as first-year English student Gabby Goding said the fees are fair since they are benefiting the people who are paying them. Goding also mentioned how the university’s athletics played a role in her college decision process

“I mean, if it’s going back to benefit the students, I feel like that’s a fair increase since it’s going right back into the student experience that you’re getting out of the school,” Goding said.

Third-year accounting student Joshua Cancro, third-year exercise science student Caroline Orr and second-year interdisciplinary studies student Rithi Ramamurthy all said they believe there are other aspects of campus that would have benefited from $300 more than the athletic department.

Cancro said the funds could be used to help student-led organizations, such as club sports, as he is a member of the club rugby team. Cancro also said that fan and student-led events are what make the game day environment unique.

“The bigger game experience, especially at South Carolina, it’s the tailgates that are ran by students or fraternities or sororities,” Cancro said.

“A lot of the stuff the school already does is fine. I don’t really see any need to improve it.”

The School of Visual Art and Design is another part of the university that both Orr and Ramamurthy said could

benefit from the $300 more than the athletic department.

“It would be really nice just to see some of the arts programs get the same level of

Emily Daniel said an opt-out feature would work well for students who aren’t interested sports.

First-year theatre student Scout

go here in the first place,” Varvel said. “Even with tons of scholarships, I still had to pay $15,000 a year, so I think it’s kind of an unnecessary fee that we

PHOTO: AUGUSTA LEWIS

University of South Carolina Volleyball plays Campbell on Saturday, August 30th. Cocky hypes up fans, giving high-fives during warm-ups.

Blockbusters, breakouts: Reviewing summer’s biggest films

JACK BRADSHAW | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

This past summer delivered one of the most unpredictable movie seasons in recent memory. From long-awaited superhero reboots and emotional animated journeys, to genre-bending surprises and franchise farewells, the blockbusters ran the full cinematic spectrum. Some films soared with style, heart and innovation, while others stumbled under the weight of nostalgia or narrative misfires.

Whether you came for the high-flying action, heartfelt reunions or just the popcorn, here’s how this summer’s biggest releases stacked up.

JURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH

The Jurassic Park franchise has leaned on nostalgia for years, and “Jurassic World: Rebirth” continues that trend with mixed results. Director Gareth Edwards brings scale and atmosphere, his camera lingering on towering dinosaurs with awe reminiscent of Steven Spielberg’s original. When the film leans into creature-feature thrills, the tension sparks. Chase scenes pulse with energy, and the visual effects are among the franchise’s best.

However, the story is safe and uninspired. Human characters are thin archetypes, and the script rehashes old beats of corporate villains, nature’s inevitable triumph, and recycled callbacks to the original film. Edwards knows how to shoot dinosaurs but has little new to say with them. The result is fleeting entertainment, more late-night snack than cinematic feast.

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - THE FINAL RECKONING

After nearly 30 years of rooftop runs, jet leaps and daring dives, Tom Cruise gives Ethan Hunt one last mission in “Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning.” The result is a film that both indulges in the series’ greatest hits and wrestles with how to end an action saga defined by escalation. Director Christopher McQuarrie stages each chase, brawl and explosionwith operatic precision. The set pieces are dizzying, the fights tightly choreographed, and at least one stunt feels engineered to terrify Cruise’s insurers. The stakes keep escalating, and Cruise’s commitment to practical stunt work remains unrivaled in contemporary action cinema.

But the film can’t escape structural flaws. Its first half buckles under callbacks and melodrama, at times feeling like a farewell tour more than a fresh story. Still, the finale lands with epic suspense, a stylish, pulsepounding closing anchored by the last great movie star doing what no one else dares.

THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS

Set in an alternate universe, “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” is a refreshing, selfcontained reboot steeped in 1960s retrofuturism. Director Matt Shakman embraces sleek design and a brassy Michael Giacchino score that evoke wonder and heroism.

Vanessa Kirby’s Sue Storm is the standout, balancing leadership and maternal drive. Pedro Pascal’s Reed Richards mixes gravitas with vulnerability, Joseph Quinn brings fiery spark as Johnny Storm and Ebon Moss-Bachrach lends Ben Grimm gruff strength. Ralph Ineson’s Galactus looms as a towering, elemental villain.

The family dynamic anchors the film, with action scenes limited but character work rich. Stylish, heartfelt and accessible, it thrives on emotional storytelling rather than franchise connections.

SUPERMAN

James Gunn’s “Superman” is the bold franchise launch DC has long needed. Gunn’s Superman shines both as an icon of heroism and as a deeply human character, grappling with fears, doubts and moral dilemmas.

David Corenswet balances Clark’s humility with Superman’s charisma and conviction. Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane is sharp, witty and compassionate, creating crackling chemistry with Corenswet that anchors the film. Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor is a terrifying villain, magnetic in his weaponized intellect.

Visually, the movie soars, blending golden-age nostalgia with modern spectacle. Gunn balances cosmic grandeur with small moments that remind you why Superman endures. While worldbuilding sometimes swells beyond the central story, Gunn always returns to Superman’s compassion and optimism. Thrilling yet earnest, it feels like taking flight for the first time: hopeful, exhilarating and unforgettable.

K-POP DEMON HUNTERS

Few animated films this decade match the energy of “K-Pop Demon Hunters.” Produced by Sony Pictures Animation, it bursts with rhythm, neon glow and visual imagination. Every frame feels alive, from Seoul’s streets to surreal demon realms.

The premise of a girl group moonlighting as demon hunters could have been a gimmick, but the film treats it with sincerity, weaving mythology into the emotional lives of its characters. Action sequences play like music videos, blending martial arts with beats in an audiovisual ballet.

Beyond spectacle, the story explores selfacceptance, solidarity and confronting inner demons. The emotional core is the romance between Rumi, the group’s lead singer with a secret, played by Arden Cho, and Jinu, a rival idol/demon with a tragic past, played by Ahn Hyo-seop. Their relationship adds tenderness and complexity rare in animation.

The soundtrack is phenomenal, feeling like a true love letter to the K-pop genre with its high octane tempo and euphoric songs. Original, stylish and heartfelt, “K-Pop Demon Hunters” feels like the beginning of a vibrant new world.

WEAPONS

Zach Cregger’s “Weapons” is a bold, unnerving horror triumph. Seventeen children vanish overnight, and from its first frame, the film grips with dread, blending terror with razor-edged dark humor.

At the core is Julia Garner as Justine, a teacher vilified by her community. Her empathetic performance contrasts Josh Brolin’s raw intensity as a grieving father and Austin Abrams’ darkly funny turn as a drug addict who uncovers a terrible secret.

Scares hit hard, staged with precision and backed by a chilling Holladay Brothers score. Cregger weaves in allegories of school shootings, groupthink and weaponized grief without slowing the film’s momentum.

Told through shifting perspectives, the story builds tension until an explosive finale. Bold, chilling and purposefully unsettling, “Weapons” cements Cregger as one of horror’s most daring voices. With fall bringing a wave of prestige dramas and winter promising another round of franchise heavy-hitters, the lessons of this summer are clear: audiences are eager for risks, and the films that resonated most weren’t the safest bets, but the boldest swings.

PHOTO: JACK BRADSHAW

A photographic featuring Scarlett Johansson in Jurassic World: Rebirth, David Corenswet in Superman, and Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning.

Carolina Flight Club members share passion for aviation, experiences

MILES SHEA | ASSISTANT ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

Ever wondered what it’s like to fly a plane? For third-year aerospace engineering student Will Edwards, it reminded him of a much more typical experience.

“Liberating,” Edwards said. “Sort of like when you’re a teenager and get to drive yourself for the first time.”

Edwards serves as vice president of the Carolina Flight Club. The club hosts weekly meetings, connects members with local mentors, watches movies like “Top Gun” and travels to places like military bases and airshows.

From aspiring military pilots like Edwards, to engineers, air traffic controllers, flight attendants and those who are simply enthusiasts, the aviation-focused club has a wide range of members.

“A lot of them join first just to see, ‘Hey, is this something I’m interested in?’” Edwards said. “There’s definitely a lot of diversity.”

Kaitlyn Williams, a fourth-year aerospace engineering student, serves as the club’s president, managing recruiting and a wide array of partnerships. Her passion for aviation and engineering was sparked by trips to the Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio. “I went there all the time as a kid, which really piqued my interest,” Williams said. “The flight club has definitely helped me fall in love with aircraft even more than I thought was possible.” Williams maintains the club’s affiliation with the Experimental Aircraft Association, a global organization of aviation enthusiasts. She is now working to secure member discounts with local pilot schools and a free ground school class.

Third-year public relations student and Flight Club Outreach Officer Caroline Seawell works to advertise the club and find opportunities for members, such as organizing a private tour of the Columbia Metropolitan Airport’s air traffic control tower and a trip to McEntire Joint National Guard Base. “We were able to sit in the cockpits of real Apache fighter helicopters,” Seawell said. “These are the opportunities that I don’t even know how people could get access to without this club, so that’s something I’m really proud of.”

In addition to those duties, Seawell also manages the club’s Instagram. She wanted content from up in the sky.

After connecting with a local pilot through the club, Seawell had the opportunity to film from the cockpit. For her, flight is an addictive experience.

“It’s hard not to romanticize,” Seawell said. “Anybody who is an aviator, once they’re up in the sky, I think they all can relate over this one feeling of freedom.”

Third-year biomedical engineering doctoral student Michael Kaven joined the club last spring. A licensed pilot, he will soon begin his role as Flight Simulator Officer for the club. Kaven will help members log training hours without the logistics and expenses of a real aircraft, in addition to their regular flight training.

Like Edwards, Kaven compared flying for the first time to driving a car, just a bit more complicated.

“I wouldn’t want to estimate and say, 10-fold more, but there are just many more instruments,” Kaven said. “It is a busy task and it’s an exciting task.”

Kaven leaned towards a classic when picking a personal favorite aircraft, the Cessna 150. Known for its affordability and accessibility, he said the small plane offers a different experience from

commercial flight. “In a Cessna 150, depending on the conditions, you might be able to go 50 miles per hour without stalling, slower than most cars on the highway,” Kaven said. “The feeling that you get when you’re flying at 3,000 feet in the air and you’re only going 50 miles per hour, it’s not one that is mimicked by jets.” The club is advised by retired nursing professor Patrick Hickey, who’s advising Edwards in undergraduate research, and Wout De Backer, an aerospace engineering professor that Williams has worked for.

Though he’s retired, Hickey is still an active part of the USC community. He has taught a class post-retirement and advised Edwards in undergraduate research along with helping bring back the Flight Club after several decades of inactivity. Hickey said his primary role is to serve as a liaison between club members and the local aviation community, helping them develop the same passion and skills that drive his love of aviation. An experienced pilot who’s also scaled Everest, he said he’s deathly afraid of heights.

“Normally, students don’t know I’m afraid of heights until we’re flying,” Hickey said. “Students will say hey, Dr. Hickey, there’s the Capstone building, check it out. And I’ll say well, I can’t

look.” Because of the fear, Hickey favors low-wing aircraft that obscure his view of the ground. He started Capstone’s Personal Challenge program, which he said encourages students to do things outside of their comfort zone, whether it’s climbing the rock wall at Strom Thurmond Wellness and Fitness Center, flying a plane or skydiving, which he also enjoys. Edwards said the club leadership team’s main goal is securing more and more opportunities to learn about and experience aviation.

“We’re trying to get students to network and find different ways where they can make aviation work with them,” Edwards said. “It’s trying to find opportunities for most people, hopefully inexpensive opportunities, to go fly.”

Williams stressed that the club is open to any student with an interest in aviation, regardless of major.

”Anyone and everyone who loves the sky,” Williams said. “There’s no major requirement for us.”

Regular meetings are expected to take place on Tuesdays at 6 p.m, with a location to be announced. Membership is free and more information is available on its Instagram.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JACE HIERS

Members of the Carolina Flight Club pose for a group photo in front of a fighter jet at the Air Dot Show Atlanta on Oct. 26, 2024 in Peachtree City, Georgia.

The South Carolina State Fair: A perennial student pastime

MILES SHEA | ASSISTANT ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

Whether you’re coming for the dozens of rides, carnival games, eye-catching exhibits, often-deep-fried food offerings or just looking for something to do after an early football game, the South Carolina State Fair has stood as a beloved fall Columbia staple for generations.

As much as its surroundings have evolved during its 156-year history, USC theater alumna Amy Swick said the fair itself hasn’t changed much.

“It’s still the same. You go and it’s like, you’ve got the ride section, you have the exhibits, you’ve got the animals, honestly, there’s still some of the same vendors that go,” Swick said.

To Ellie Carrigan, an alumna and second-year public administration master’s student, the state fair during her freshman year was extra meaningful, even with COVID-19 restrictions that rendered the fair drive-through only.

“All five of us piled into my friend’s car, and we made the trek from Green Quad to the fairgrounds,” Carrigan said. “Those girls ended up being my roommates for the next three years of college.”

A 9-ACRE TIME CAPSULE

Nancy Smith, the fair’s general manager, is in the midst of her 41st year as part of the organization. Having started at the fair working part-time in the home and craft department, Smith climbed the ranks to become manager in 2018.

“When you talk to anyone about the fair, the first word that comes to their mind is tradition,” Smith said. “That aspect of the fair really should never change.”

The fair’s guest services superintendent Howard Still has made a tradition of taking two weeks off from his regular job each year to work at the fair. For Still, each time feels like a reunion.

“It’s kind of like a family,” Still said. “You become a tight-knit group, and you look forward to seeing your friends or family once a year. Some years, we have a Christmas dinner.”

Running the lost and found for years, Still has seen quite a few

misplaced items. Most were expected, such as many shattered cellphones, but others definitely not.

“A lady had called that her husband had lost his false teeth,” Still said. “We had one, so she came out, picked it up and left. About 20 minutes later, she came back and handed it to us and said it didn’t fit.”

FUN AND GAMES

With over 60 rides now operating during the state fair, there are many to choose from when thinking of a favorite; despite that, both Swick and second-year exercise science student Kierstyn Long quickly came to the same decision: the Ferris wheel.

Many of the fair’s most popular activities aren’t rides. Other attractions include a petting zoo, racing ducks, racing pigs and carnival games.

Much like her ride choice, Long cited a classic favorite when it came to food and drink: lemonade. She was less fond of the fair’s more creative food choices, such as the donut burger.

“I wouldn’t,” Long said. “But I would recommend, if you love trying crazy foods, to try it.”

Wesley Peel, who graduated from USC in 1990, then came back for law school two years later, split his time at the fair between pure fun and business, working concessions as a student. “Some of our poor friends from Clemson would come down to enjoy the big city and go to the fair,” Peel said. “We’d work there all night, get paid pretty well for the stretch and get to see all the action.”

Peel recalled a story of those friends having a little too much fun.

“Some of those guys from Clemson came down and went down there late at night and jumped the fence,” Peel said. “They got chased out of the fair.We enjoyed laughing at them. I guess they couldn’t take the big city lights. Get out of Clemson and can’t behave themselves.”

CAROLINA VS CLEMSON ... DURING THE FAIR?

The annual football rivalry game between USC and its rural, younger sibling was once a central feature of the state fair. As University Archivist Elizabeth West explained, in 1896, the fairgrounds were

“You had the fairgrounds that had stands and a field available for them to play on with a lot of crowd,” West said. “They played that first game at the state fair, and it became a tradition after that. Clemson would always come to Columbia.”

The game became known as “Big Thursday,” which West said was practically a state holiday. West said, in general, the fair of that era had much more pageantry around it, with a parade, ball and special train tickets for the game.

The arrangement’s demise came in 1959, forced by two key factors, the first of which was Clemson’s

“Clemson was eager to gain the experienced economic benefits of having such a big game played in Clemson,” West said. “So they negotiated the end of

As for the second reason, with October game days already causing traffic and parking issues for both fair-goers and football fans, West said the Carolina-Clemson game, which brought almost 80,000 fans to Columbia in 2023, would cause a nightmare-level

Third-year political science student Emmie Coler said that, while the idea of Carolina playing Clemson during the fair was exciting on the surface, the traffic problem and the increased value of having both as popular, separate events outweighs

“It brings two separate groups of tourists to Columbia, so I don’t know that there would be a giant economic benefit of having them both at the same time,” Coler said. “It kind of seems like having them separately is a good way to have two different tourist events going on in Columbia that benefit

Still said agricultural and baking exhibits and competitions are a point of pride for

the fair, showcasing a key aspect of South Carolina’s economic history. “We have the horse show and different horses during the week. Down there, we have beef cattle, dairy cattle , they do cow milking, they do goat milking,” Still said. “You get a broad spectrum of the agricultural base.”

Still also singled out the fair’s several baking competitions, which feature some competitors that have been coming back for 40 years, and said they offer an

authentic, quality taste of South Carolinian cuisine for both locals and newcomers. “Their biscuits are the best, or their pie is the best. It’s just competition,” Still said. “For an out-of-state student, you would just get a broad overview of what the whole state of South Carolina is about.”

In addition to the baked and home goods sections, Swick enjoys the fair’s large art galleries.

“We both love the art,” Swick said. “My husband submitted for the art show at one point, and one of his pictures was featured in it.”

Swick said, in the age of artificial intelligence, it’s critical that fair

“By making things more accessible and more affordable, I think the student population could definitely help continue the legacy of the fair.”

General admission tickets to the fair are $20. $5 tickets will be offered to students after showing their student IDs on Monday, Oct. 13.

LASTING MEMORIES

operators ensure the pieces on display truly represent South Carolina and its many artists.

FUTURE OF THE FAIR(GROUNDS)

With occasional talk of the fair being relocated and the land redeveloped by an outside party, such as rumors swirling around a potential USC takeover in 2022, Still was resolute in keeping it where it is, but said the organization is working to find ways to make the property more sustainable and useful year-round.

Long felt the fair’s location should be maintained for the sake of both the city and the USC student body. “It’s right in the

heart of South Carolina, right in the capital,” Long said. “They can attract a lot of the students.”

Peel said he saw the appeal of a larger site father from downtown Columbia that could help South Carolina match the size of comparable state fairs.

“I’d like to see them move to a larger venue,” Peel said. “They’re kind of constrained by space. A lot of state fairs are much larger, and our state fair can’t really grow.”

Coler also said the prices of the fair can discourage students from attending, hoping that it becomes more affordable in the future.

Whether they attended in 1990 like Swick or 2020 like Carrigan, USC students and alumni have a remarkably similar impression of the fair.

“I don’t see much of a difference,” Swick said. “I think it holds memories for you at whatever point of your life you’re in.”

Carrigan said no student should pass up the opportunity to make the fair a part of their college experience.

“If you get the opportunity to go, definitely say yes,” Carrigan said. “Get out of your comfort zone, meet some new friends, try some new food and enjoy the rides.”

Tickets for the South Carolina State Fair will go on sale Sept. 9. The fair will run from Oct. 8 to Oct. 19.

PHOTO: GRACE DE PEN A

PHOTO: ABBY REAMER FILE — A ferris wheel and various fair stands pictured at night at the 2024 South Carolina State Fair.

A black-and-white film photo with a ferris wheel in the middle; in the bottom left, a lit up ride sign reads “Zipper”

Music Maze

USC Art therapy club provides therapeutic scene for students

CJ LEATHERS | ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

Every other Wednesday evening, students across campus come together and allow their creative spirits to thrive, all while relaxing with like-minded people, topped off with calm, soothing music playing in the background. This is all through the Art Therapy Club.

The Art Therapy Club is made to be an environment for members to unwind through their art while also socializing with like-minded peers, investing time into new projects to stimulate students’ minds.

Former Club President and USC alumna Lauren Puttock said the Art Therapy Club was revitalized in 2022 after its founding seniors graduated.

“It’s such a huge school. How is there only one art club, and now it’s gone?” Puttock said.

The graduates allowed her to restart the club as president, where she began to provide a space for members to get their minds and bodies away from school.

“I know that it could be really good for mood regulation or even just working out anxieties,” Puttock said. “Just to work on a project and feel good about it when you’re done, and then you can laugh with friends, meet new people, just overall, a very positive atmosphere.”

An article from NPR stated that creating art can lead to decreased cortisol levels, which makes it easier to deal with stress. Furthermore, making art creates more positive thoughts and allows for a deeper level of focus.

Current Club President and fourth-year biology student Isabella Newmoyer said each week, the club aims to do a different activity to keep members interested and wanting to come back, such as painting on canvases, working with clay, rock painting and more.

Newmoyer originally joined the club to continue her art, as her class schedule didn’t allow for any art courses. Through the projects they’ve worked on, she said she and other members would often become hyper-focused on what they were doing, relieving stress in the process.

“It’s so easy to get lost in the art project that you’re doing and focus on that,” Newmoyer said. “It’s almost like all of your other stresses and worries and everything else in your life gets put on the back burner for just a little bit.”

She also said the club brings social growth to members regardless of their majors, easily bringing people together.

“As time has gone on, I’ve just seen so many people say a small comment like, ‘Oh that looks so good,’ or ‘I love what you’re doing,’ something as small as that was able to start up a conversation, and then they ended up sitting together,” Newmoyer said. “And then progressively, they get more

incorporated into the club, and they start talking and meeting with more people.”

Fourth-year psychology student Amani Eagles said she enjoys the calming atmosphere provided with Art Therapy Club, bringing her excitement for each meeting. She works alongside Newmoyer, bouncing ideas off one another to improve the club.

“I think spending an hour out of your busy schedule, busy day, to just work on something that isn’t really that serious, just something you can take your mind off of the daily stress that you can incur as a student, especially as a junior or senior,” Eagles said. “I think it’s just a good way to not really think about it and do something for fun.”

Newmoyer said she wants to find like-minded people to provide these experiences for current and incoming students in the coming years, as she is in her senior year.

“Definitely even once I leave, I hope that I’m leaving the club as something that people are still looking forward to next year,” Newmoyer said. “And I hope that there’s going to be new officers and a new president and vice president who are just as excited about the club as I am.”

The Art Therapy Club meets every other Wednesday from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. More information and details about the club can be found on Garnet Gate.

ILLUSTRATION: MEGAN GOURLEY

6 tailgate essentials for a perfect pregame experience

Long before the scoreboard lights up, the real action begins in the parking lot. Tailgating is more than a pre-game tradition, it is a social custom that combines food, excitement and companionship in equal parts.

A memorable tailgate, like any great game, combines planning, sometimes-unexpected needs and a touch of style.

FUELING UP BEFORE THE GAME

A good tailgate meal strikes a balance between reliable and convenient. Burgers, sliders, wings and hot dogs are classics for a reason. They are easy to make, filling and good for fueling up before entering the stadium.

Hydration and celebration go hand in hand. Stocking a cooler with anything from cans of soda to electrolyte-infused water, and keeping it well-iced will help keep food and drinks fresh throughout the day.

for refilling drinks or quick cool-downs. When it melts, even a cooler ice can serve as a beverage and keep things cool for hours.

SOFT SUPPORT

The best tailgate meals need few utensils, have strong flavors and taste even better when eaten from a paper plate while standing near a smokey grill.

BEATING THE HEAT

Tailgating usually involves facing the weather, which can include humidity for early-season games, especially in the South. To keep everyone comfortable and cool, pop-up tents, umbrellas and a well-positioned SUV door can make a huge difference.

Fans and misting devices that run on batteries can seem like unnecessary items, but they will be the most sought-after things once the sun is shining bright. Personal cooling neck covers or cooled towels are great alternatives for a more natural solution. It can be helpful to have an icebox set up specifically

Seating arrangements can make or break a tailgate’s flow. Lawn chairs with cup holders, waterproof cushions and breathable fabric keep people comfortable while not taking up too much space. A heavy-duty picnic blanket or outdoor rug can anchor the area and provide extra room for people to sit down, especially when seating is limited. A coordinated color scheme or little decorative touches, such as themed tablecloths or team-colored dishes, can turn the most basic arrangement into something festive.

PARTY BEFORE KICKOFF

There are fun activities and different kinds of entertainment at good tailgates. The spirit is quickly created with a wireless speaker and a well-chosen playlist.

Traditional lawn games, including ladder toss or cornhole, bring entertainment and a way to interact with people who might not be immediately interested in the game. This helps maintain a lively and open atmosphere that is simple to set up for people of all ages.

While tailgating before a home game or an early kickoff, streaming pregame coverage on a tablet or portable screen can be a way to add to the fun. With a Wi-Fi hotspot and some creativity, anyone can transform the lot area into a pop-up sports lounge.

SAVING THE DAY

In addition to the basics of a grill kit, extra fuel and a trustworthy lighter, keep in mind the need for a thermometer for food and a bottle opener.

The key to tailgating is flexibility. Bungee cords can be used to bundle equipment for car travel or to secure a tent flap. Flags, coolers and wardrobe malfunctions can be fixed with zip ties or duct tape. Experienced tailgaters prepare for its aftermath as

well. A sanitation station with items such as soap or hand sanitizer, trash bags and disinfectant wipes keeps the area tidy and guests comfortable.

SHOWING TEAM SPIRIT

Tailgating is as much about the community as it is about the sport, and there is no better way to show support for the team than by dressing fashionably. Adding customized sunglasses, face paint or beads completes the look, even though the team’s clothing, hats and jerseys are just as important.

In addition to marking the lot in a mass of fans, a portable flag, banner or a huge tent provides everyone involved with a center point so no one gets lost. Coordinated outfits or homemade signs and posters can create moments that are valuable for taking pictures and bringing energy that travels across the stadium.

With the right equipment, clever planning and good company, fans can have more than enough fun at the tailgate lots to enjoy before a game.

PAYTON HAMRICK | ARTS & CULTURE BEAT WRITER

Two people standing near a grill with drinks in their hands, by another person sitting in the back of a pickup truck in a parking lot with fall trees in the background

ILLUSTRATION: MEGAN GOURLEY

ILLUSTRATIONS: GRACE DE PEN A

Column: USC paid $1.5 million for a tool that can spy on students

JC VAUGHT | Assistant Opinion Editor

The university paid $1.5 million for a “first in the state” campuswide ChatGPT license in June. The catch though? The version delivered to students is intentionally featurecrippled and, by almost every objective benchmark, less useful than the free public edition. In effect, the university paid a premium to downgrade our educational technology.

University Spokesman Collyn Taylor confirmed in a statement that students will have access to ChatGPT 5. That’s currently the default for the education model. Students will also have access to the GPT4o model, according to Taylor.

When a student logs onto USC’s ChatGPT, they will see that USC’s version has had all of its useful features

seemingly removed. No more reasoning models, image generation, custom/ tailored GPTs or advanced data analysis functions for you.

In contrast, the public free version of ChatGPT offers Deep Research, Code Interpreter, Image Generator and a multitude of other features that have been disabled in USC’s paid version.

However, the most concerning feature is the fact that all education-and-enterprisegrade ChatGPT accounts allow for system administrators to view user interactions with the chatbot, according to OpenAI itself.

According to a statement from Taylor, “USC won’t monitor specific queries people put into ChatGPT.” Despite this, the technical capability for such monitoring

exists and can be utilized — the question is in what scenarios the university plans to use this capability.

This is all the more concerning given that the university has not developed privacy guidelines regarding AI usage within the university.

In an era of heightened awareness regarding digital privacy, the deployment of a platform that can be monitored without a publicly-accessible clear AI policy is a huge overstep. This arrangement would have students use a system that can be surveilled for academic and personal inquiries, without transparent guidelines defining the scope and purpose of such monitoring.

The decision is further complicated by the university’s existing technological ecosystem. As an institution that

Microsoft platforms, a more logical and powerful solution, Microsoft Copilot, was seemingly overlooked.

According to a statement from Taylor, “USC is still partnering with Microsoft Copilot to give students, faculty and staff the ability to purchase those licenses. ChatGPT Edu, however, is provided at no cost to students.”

The Division of Information Technology’s steering committee ran a comprehensive pilot program on Microsoft CoPilot, resulting in positive results.

The report concluded that Copilot was a “secure solution for improving productivity” and explicitly recommended that university units evaluate investing in licenses.

In a meeting on May 6, 2025, Vice President for Information Technology and CIO Brice Bible revealed that a Microsoft Copilot pilot program tripled storage use. Upgrading the university’s onpremises storage, which is already “at max capacity and out of date,” would cost an additional $300,000 per year.

This shows that the university is willing to spend $1.5 million per year on a less functional, non-integrated and privacy-compromised alternative to avoid addressing its bigger underlying issue — seemingly underfunded digital technologies.

The decision to adopt AI, though wellintentioned, was poorly executed. The final implementation not only fails to solve the underlying issues, but it also gives students a worse version of AI than what’s freely available and offers no real solution to the privacy problem.

This is a slap in the face. The university looked at a superior, well-studied solution and chose instead to squander a fortune on this Trojan horse — a system seemingly designed to compromise student privacy while delivering inferior results.

Why? Seemingly not for any discernible educational benefit but to win a meaningless PR race. Our money was wasted and gave us a useless tool. To me, it seems someone at the top has made it clear: their ego is worth more than our education.

Illustration:

Abby Short

Column: Williams-Brice Stadium just became a billboard

Driving into Columbia on a homegame Saturday, the city bleeds a familiar garnet and black, but there is an inescapable new color on the field: the garish yellow of a corporate logo, which truly defines the future of Gamecock football. The porch flags and parking lot tents still create the illusion of a shared religion, but inside Williams-Brice, Gamecock athletics is making a new covenant. It is choosing to prioritize revenue over fan experience. Now, you walk into Williams-Brice, and the sanctuary has been sold for ad space. Your eye just snaps to the two bright rectangles at the 25-yard lines, which clash against the turf like caution paint. Students point from the rail; an older fan in a sun-faded visor shakes his head. The Gamecocks has a color palette, and this just isn’t it. Maybe if the LSU Tigers was to add this to its field, it would match, but not the Gamecocks.

What makes Williams-Brice feel like Williams-Brice isn’t the concrete bowl — it’s the soundtrack, the symbols and the atmosphere. The team still storms out to “2001,” a ritual the school just formalized with the Tommy Suggs 2001 Gamecock Football Entrance, and the crowd’s towelwhipping Sandstorm eruptions have become part of the building’s identity. For years, the palmetto tree marks at the 25-yard lines nodded to the state flag.

THE CHANGE

In August, Gamecock athletics announced a new partnership with Blanchard CAT, the locally owned heavyequipment company with a long, alumniled history with the university. The trade is simple and loud: the palmetto trees that once marked the 25-yard lines have given way to corporate logos on both 25-yard lines this fall. It’s a jarring departure, looking more like a caution sign at a construction site than a piece of home field.

This new look is where the change really matters. On Aug. 11, in a post on the university’s athletic website, Athletics Director Jeremiah Donati said

the Blanchard CAT and Blanchard Rental logos will sit on both 25-yard lines starting in 2025 under a fiveyear extension. Donati noted that the palmetto trees will still be part of the field design moving forward, but when and where these logos will be placed has not yet been disclosed.

But why did South Carolina decide now was the time to change? Because the economics of college sports flipped. Beginning this year, power conference departments can share up to $20.5 million annually with athletes, inside the cap, on top of third-party NIL. In an August interview with Sports Business Journal, Donati said the athletics department plans to fund to the max, which means new, recurring revenue streams matter more than ever.

The financial pressure to compete is a sentiment echoed by many fans. On Aug. 11, after the post from the university, fans swarmed Reddit to make their opinions heard. On the Reddit forum r/Gamecocks, one fan bluntly stated, “You want to compete with the bigs, you better bring that big money to the living room of recruits.”

Another user took an aesthetic compromise and was alright with logos on the field, but requested that it match Gamecock colors, “I have no problem with it honestly, I think they should be required to paint the logo in white or garnet and black only.” The unfortunate truth is that while the aesthetic change may be unpopular, the financial benefits are necessary to attract top talent and remain competitive.

The field logos are a bridge to a much bigger checkbook item: a $350 million Williams-Brice revamp slated to break ground after the 2025 season with target completion before fall 2027. Trustees and state bodies have now cleared the key approvals, including the athletic facilities’ revenue bonds to finance it. Phase I work centers on the north, east and west sides, maximizing premium seating while upgrading concourses, restrooms and the student section.

On the premium side, the University of South Carolina’s own project page and local reporting outline the plan to jump from an SEC-low suite count to 43 total new suites in Phase I, plus new clubs. Separate early modeling published in fall 2024 suggested that expanding to roughly 65 suites could yield $7 million to $10 million per year in incremental revenue, which explains why suites and sponsors are the financial headline.

WHO IS THIS FUTURE FOR?

The question of who this future is for seems to have a simple answer: premium patrons. Simple, right? Well, for them, the sales pitch is straightforward: climate control, short lines and hospitality that feels more NFL than SEC Saturday.

But, for general fans, the recent additions tilt more toward so-called quality-of-life improvements. Williams-Brice now has some smaller touches, such as flow tweaks and concessions moves, that supposedly make long days easier. There are also some student-facing upgrades in the renovation, including a new air-conditioned club space and more restrooms on the north end of the stadium.

To really put these changes into context for the regular game-goer, though, in 2025, South Carolina ranked seventh in the nation for most expensive college football game days. The cost was an estimated $277 for two fans, which includes tickets, two beers, two sodas, two hot dogs and parking. That ranking, compiled by Sports Illustrated, puts South Carolina right behind Georgia and ahead of Texas A&M, two other large SEC schools.

So, who’s this better future for? While every fan may get a slightly better concourse, the project’s financial architecture makes it clear: the most significant investments are aimed at the wallets of elite patrons, not the experience of the average season ticket holder.

THE RECRUITING ARGUMENT

Ask any recruiter, and they’ll tell you the same thing: facilities are a key part of the pitch. As head coach Shane Beamer put it, the planned upgrades will

too. That’s the logic of the 2025-27 reimagination: expand premium inventory and modernize player and fan spaces. While the direct link between

of discussion among sports analysts, coaches still believe the visit experience matters, and the market is spending accordingly.

THE TRADITION TRADE-OFF

Ads used to live on the ribbons and boards, but this year,

The NCAA now allows up to three on-field corporate marks during regular-season games. South Carolina’s choice is the most visible example of that new permission: a bold, undeniable compromise, tradition for capital.

But at the moment, the changes don’t seem to provide many tangible changes for paying fans today. As one commenter on Reddit put it:

“On one hand, I get it. Gotta raise revenue however you can. But I could stomach on-field brand logos a lot easier if it meant fewer TV commercials.”

That’s not anger so much as resignation; a love letter to the old look, written in the new economy’s font. The on-field logos are the most visible symptom of this shift, but the premium-focused renovations reveal the full strategy. By prioritizing luxury suites over general affordability and replacing understated state symbols with corporate branding, a clear choice has

It is trading a measure of its communal soul for a competitive edge in the financial arms race. For the fan in a sun-faded visor, the question is no longer just about the clashing yellow on the field but whether the authentic WilliamsBrice they’ve always known is being renovated out of existence one premium seat at a time.

ILLUSTRATION: MEGAN GOURLEY

WHERE GAMECOCKS FIND THEIR ROOST

UofSC students post for free when using their UofSC email address.

Don’t be Cocky Crossing the street

DID YOU KNOW ...

From 2017 to 2024, there were 111 collisions involving pedestrians on campus. This resulted in 122 injuries and 5 fatalities.

The main causes of the fatal collisions were pedestrian errors, where 4 out of 5 fatalities were due to improper crossing and being illegally in the roadway. All fatalities occurred between 6 p.m. and 3 a.m.

WALKING DEFENSIVELY: THE BEST SAFETY STRATEGY WHILE WALKING

This means evaluating risks, especially from vehicles, and taking steps to reduce the chance of injury while responding to potential dangers. Walking defensively means:

• Trust yourself, not the driver

• Put the phone down

• Remove headphones

• Look both ways, then look again

• Cross at crosswalks

• Make eye contact with drivers

• Wear bright clothing at night

• Carry a flashlight

There are no do-overs

HELPFUL TIPS

• Follow the warnings of “HIGH TRAFFIC ALERT” signs on campus

• Download the USC campus safety app to connect with USCPD and receive information during emergencies

• Request rides on demand on the TransLōc mobile app

SC Department of Public Safety pedestrian safety and laws: scdps.sc.gov/pedestriansafety LEARN MORE AND DOWNLOAD THE APP