USC fraternities protest crackdown (or, "We Shall Brovercome")

After "widespread" underage drinking and other alcohol-related issues plagued the University of South Carolina's fraternity rush week early this semester, USC officials shut down the bid process in order to maintain some appearance of authority over the Greek community. Fraternity oversight has always been a joke at USC (hell, last time it took overt displays of racism to warrant any kind of action), but the university's crackdown is the biggest effort to control the den of debauchery known as the Greek Village since I've been in Columbia.

“This is a cultural issue that has infected our community,” said Director of Student Services Anna Edwards, apparently referring to alcohol (though her statement could arguably also apply to the fraternities themselves).

Unsurprisingly, the bros flipped out. Fraternity leaders responded by calling USC's Office of Greek Life "inefficient, ineffective and in violation of university law," and demanded an audit of the office. It's enough to make Fox News proud, and the self-aggrandizing language asking university officials to "tone down their use of aggressive tactics and join us in a period of reflection" only added to this comedy of conceit.

Darla Moore's brilliant response to Haley's snub

When Gov. Nikki Haley unceremoniously dumped Darla Moore from the USC Board of Trustees and replaced the philanthropic businesswoman with a little-known donor to Haley's gubernatorial campaign, many denounced the governor's actions as a petty move motivated wholly by politics. After all, Moore has given $70 million to USC over the past 15 years, and helped transform USC's business school into a world-renowned institution. Moore's replacement, Thomas Cofield, is a small-time attorney whose appointment one high-profile member of the South Carolina legal community called a "joke."

Moore's rumored support for Democratic gubernatorial candidates only lends credence to the widely-shared opinion that Haley replaced Moore in order to remove an ideological rival from a position of power. Haley said she replaced Moore simply because she wanted a "fresh set of eyes" on the board, but the overtly political move certainly walks and quacks like a duck.