Other initiatives include campus launch of student legal services
For Student Government officers, the beginning of the fall semester means one last chance to start delivering on initiatives promised in the spring. In past years, ideas such as Carolina Cab have taken off with success, while others, such as taking the CarolinaCard off campus, have fizzled out. The Daily Gamecock spoke with Student Body executive officers to find out what students can expect from SG in 2012-2013.
USC Bucket List — Over the summer, SG has been trying to create a social media buzz around their official list of 100 campus must-do’s before graduation, from kissing someone on the Horseshoe at full moon to high-fiving President Pastides. Student Body President Kenny Tracy praised the initiative, saying that it would encourage students to be involved in campus life and in the Columbia community, as well as reiterate longstanding Carolina traditions. He said the list already had a substantial following, but with a mere 727 likes on Facebook and 433 followers on Twitter, it seems SG has yet to impress the rest of the student body with the “bucket list.” Expect plenty of posters to be passed around on Greene Street this week.
RidePost — The Greenville-based ride sharing program, through which students can post and search for rides via Facebook, will officially launch on campus today. SG met with RidePost founders and USC alumni Marty Bauer, Blair Deckard, Nik Budisavljevic and Robert Pearce to get the program rolling as an alternative form of transportation on campus (and a solution to maxed-out parking spaces).
Student Legal Services — SG approved a $3 student activity fee increase in November to bring free legal advice to campus. According to the proposal, the $112,400 service would pay for an attorney and a paralegal to help students primarily with financial and lease agreements, although specific services would depend on the hired attorney’s expertise. Services would exclude representation in court, criminal litigation, drinking violations or cases involving traffic law. The service was approved in the Board of Trustees’ budget this June but has been off to a sluggish start as the university crawls through regulations at the state attorney general’s office to begin advertising the new position. While Student Government leaders never named an official starting date for the program, Student Body Vice President Chase Mizzell assured The Daily Gamecock the new program would be set by the end of the academic year.
2012 Presidential Election — While not directly related to campus, SG is hoping to infuse some excitement around November’s otherwise lackluster presidential election. A large voter registration drive will be held September 26, at which SG members hope to encourage more more out-of-state students to register to vote in Columbia. Cabinet members are working on organizing issue-specific debates and political dialogues. Congressional Advisory Board Chair Morgan DiSanto-Ranney confirmed that state senator and USC alumus C. Bradley Hutto, Rep. Trey Gowdy and renowned Spartanburg business owner Kim Daisy will be part of this fall’s speaker lineup before the election. The campaign season will conclude at USC with a swanky viewing party on election night with College Republicans and College Democrats in the Russell House Ballroom.