THE DAILY ATHENAEUM
“Little good is accomplished without controversy, and no civic evil is ever defeated without publicity.”
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Wednesday September 22, 2010
VOLUME 124, ISSUE 23
www.THEDAONLINE.com
WVU to restructure University 101 by jessica leppar correspondent
Faculty members in Academic Affairs and Student Affairs are working together to revamp the current University 101 program at West Virginia University. The University is reconstructing the University 101 program in an effort to help raise student retention and graduation rates, said Ken Gray, vice president for Stu-
dent Affairs. Although still in the initial stages, the program was officially moved from Student Affairs to Academic Affairs Sept. 1, said Michele Wheatly, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, at last week’s Faculty Senate meeting. During President James P. Clements’ State of the University Address last October, he asked Academic Affairs and Student Affairs members to evaluate their department’s
structure to accomplish this goal, Gray said. “Once we began researching ways to move toward the goal, Provost Wheatly and I realized that University 101 was in Student Affairs, although it was actually more of an academic program,” he said. “This change to University 101 is important to help students be successful right away.” The move still requires Student Affairs and Academic Affairs to work together, Gray
said. “Faculty leaders and hall coordinators still remain in Student Affairs, so this will involve a partnership between Student Affairs and Academic Affairs to help students succeed,” he said. The teaching methods and material changes that will take place within the program will be addressed in the coming months, said Elizabeth Dooley, associate provost for Undergraduate Academic Affairs.
“The current process is still premature right now,” Dooley said. “We still need to discuss further details with faculty members before releasing specific information.” All members involved in reconfiguring the University 101 program are hoping to make progress by the beginning of the spring semester, at which time more details will be released, she said. University 101 is a required course for incoming freshmen
and new transfer students at WVU to help assist them in adjusting to college life and classes, Wheatly said. The program began in the late 1990s as Orientation I, a recommended course and was approved as a graduation requirement in 2002 by Faculty Senate, Becky Lofstead, assistant vice president for University Communications at WVU, said in an e-mail. danewsroom@mail.wvu.edu
Univ. signs EPA sustainability partnership
Fit and healthy
by samantha cossick associate city editor
West Virginia University became the eighth organization in the state to join the Environmental Protection Agency’s Sustainability Partnership Program. University President James P. Clements and EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Shawn Garvin signed the agreement on Tuesday. “This plan will help us minimize negative environmental impacts and achieve cost savings by cutting down on the energy we use and the waste that we generate,” Clements said. “We are very proud to join this partnership.” Through the partnership,
WVU will receive support and advice in developing a comprehensive “green” plan, Garvin said. “As a partner, EPA will contribute technical support and tools to help you succeed and we will hold your success up as a model for other organizations to follow,” Garvin said. The EPA will help WVU in recycling, reducing waste, water conservation and materials management, he said. “A sustainable partnership is another way of going green,” Garvin said. The University expects to spend $50 million in energy saving updates on all of its campuses by 2016 and also
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Chelsi Baker/THE DAILY ATHENAEUM
ROTC and Stansbury Fitness Center members Reid George, right, and Jonathan Regets, left, lift weights at the Stansbury Fitness Center Tuesday afternoon.
Stansbury Fitness Center offers free personal trainers, health screenings by Melissa Candolfi STAFF WRITER
Chelsi Baker/THE DAILY ATHENAEUM
Jane Koch stretches on a medicine ball at the Stansbury Fitness Center Tuesday.
While the Morgantown community welcomes the first day of fall and the approaching colder temperatures, the Stansbury Fitness Center offers an indoor workout area to avoid the weather. West Virginia University’s fitness center offers participants a chance to get personal trainers, health screenings, fitness assessments and group exercises, for a small fee. “Every semester we have 20 personal trainer interns (who) are doing their practical here,” said Nancy Naternicola, manager at Stansbury Fitness Center. The trainers are well educated, professional with their jobs and offer health screenings, fitness assessments and work out a program accord-
ing to a person’s schedule and goals, she said. “They know their stuff and they are practicing here,” Naternicola said. “It’s a win–win situation, the client gets the personal attention and the student gets the practice.” The program is good for people who need a little extra help, said Mary Wolk, Lifetime Activities director at the fitness center. “If you are not familiar with the equipment, we can get you started with a program,” she said. Since the fitness center is smaller than the Student Recreation Center, it’s a good atmosphere for people who want to work out in peace, Wolk said. “It is much less intimidating than a larger weight room might be,” she said. “It is quieter and some people might prefer that
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College Republicans reforming organization BY SARAH O’ROURKE CORRESPONDENT
The College Republicans student organization at West Virginia University has restarted this week under new leadership. Last year, the group failed to submit the proper paperwork with the Office of Student Organizations to remain a group, said Josh Snyder, president of the College Republicans and Student Government Association governor. Under his leadership, the group has plans to be more active this year, Snyder said. “It’s an exciting time to be
a Republican,” he said. “This organization gives college students a way to contribute and share their ideals to likeminded individuals around campus.” Snyder said he is not sure why the College Republicans failed to submit the proper paperwork or why they failed to become active at the beginning of this school year. “When Daniel Brummage and I read in the Daily Athenaeum that the College Republicans did not have a presence on campus, we recognized the damage this would have to the Republican Party and democracy, so we took action,” he
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PLAYTIME
INSIDE
A new video game cafe opens in Morgantown this week. A&E PAGE 9
P.M. T-STORMS
News: 1, 2, 3 Opinion: 4 Sports: 5, 7, 8 A&E: 9, 10, 12 Campus Calendar: 6 Puzzles: 6 Classifieds: 11
said. Snyder said the College Republicans plan to network with other conservative-conscious students across the nation. The group aims to represent conservative ideals on WVU’s campus, he added. “We want to establish a presence on campus and assist Republican candidates within West Virginia to get elected in November,” Snyder said. To avoid having the College Republicans become inactive on campus again, Snyder said the group plans to keep the College Republicans active by holding multiple social events all throughout the year, not
just during election season. “We are emplacing young leadership into positions to continue the club for future years,” he said. “We will also be creating a book of the clubs minutes, contacts and procedures that will be passed directly at the time of new officer elections.” Debates between the Young Democrats and College Republicans and lobbying the West Virginia state legislature are planned, he said. “Debate is the basis for democracy. If only one party exists and only one set of voices
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INSIDE TODAY’S EDITION Check out what West Virginia football player has been the biggest surprise in 2010 in this week’s Questionable Calls. SPORTS PAGE 8
Chelsi Baker/THE DAILY ATHENAEUM
Regional Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency Shawn Garvin, right, and WVU President James Clements, left, hold up a certificate of enrollment in a sustainability partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency presented to the University Tuesday morning at Stewart Hall.
City Council appoints interim city manager by Erin Fitzwilliams Staff writer
Morgantown City Council appointed an interim city manager to serve the role until a new person is elected by council. Jeff Mikorski, who has served 10 years as assistant city manager, was unanimously appointed at Tuesday’s meeting. Mikorski will take over for Dan Boroff, who is retiring after 18 years as Morgantown’s city manager. Boroff officially retires Oct. 1 when Mikorski will begin his interim period. The Counselors have been working for several weeks to begin the search for a new city manager. They have contracted with a search firm that will select candidates for the position, said Morgantown Mayor Bill Byrne. The council will then select a new city manager from that pool of candidates, he said.
His jobs will include maintaining the city as well as dealing with events and emergencies that may arise, while the council looks to hire a new city manager, he said. “It’s a great opportunity. I look forward to working with the council during this interim process,” Mikorski said. “I want to maintain the performance as it has been in the past until a new city manager is hired.” Tuesday night was Boroff’s last City Council meeting as the city manager. Byrne publicly honored and thanked him for his service and presented him with a plaque. “The most important thing is continuing the attitude, and working together is the real key,” Boroff said. “It’s a very important part to the city.” His retirement is a clean slate and he is “curious” to see what happens next, Boroff said.
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INTO ENEMY TERRITORY The West Virginia football team will play in one of the toughest venues in the country when it travels to LSU. SPORTS PAGE 5