In order to fulfill our commitment to prioritizing mental health, The Daily Gamecock will not be producing content for the rest of the week. Our well-being as people matters more than the news.
It is not our responsibility to act as a public relations team for the university, but to share information that is factual and relevant to students. Because we care about this university, we will always aim to hold it accountable.
After plenty of groaning and complaining from Gamecock fans, the Intercollegiate Athletics Committee has finally approved the construction of a brand new video screen for Williams-Brice Stadium. With the current board clocking in at 20 feet high by 29 feet long, the upgrade to 36 feet high by 124 feet long would move USC from 10th in the SEC (out of 12 schools) to third. The new video board will cost the University $6.5 million, a hefty price by anyone’s standards. But the addition of 3,884 square feet to the current, mediocre screen will undoubtably lead to higher ticket sales and happier (read: returning) patrons. Not to mention the current screen was such a problem for fans that $5.2 million has already been donated to improve the system.
In the never-ending quest for an improved public image, USC is going to spend an additional $600,000 a year to polish its image. The effort to boost communications will create six new staff positions, including an associate vice president for media relations “designed to build and foster relationships with national news outlets while increasing USC’s focus on blogging and social media.” The university is also working on redesigning its website, as well as creating new television commercials and a more unified logo and image.