The DA 10-11-2011

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THE DAILY ATHENAEUM

“Little good is accomplished without controversy, and no civic evil is ever defeated without publicity.”

da

Tuesday October 11, 2011

Volume 125, Issue 37

www.THEDAONLINE.com

Clements aims for innovation, growth by lydia nuzum associate city editor

President James P. Clements addressed the goals and accomplishments of West Virginia University for its 150-year anniversary as a land-grant, public institution to faculty and students in his State of the University address Monday. “Our goals are clear,” Clements said. “The need to advance is urgent. Throughout our history, it has never been more important to develop practices and discoveries that will advance our state

and our innovation, education, diversity, global engagement and quality of life.” Clements said WVU, as a landgrant institution, is poised to advance its research and improve education in the fields of engineering, law, science and the arts, as well as to expand its efforts to improve the economy and quality of life in West Virginia. “This is a pivotal moment for our University, for West Virginia, for the land-grant system, for the nation and for the world,” Clements said. WVU was created through the

Morrill Act of 1862, which established large, public land-grant institutions for higher learning in the United States. The goal of the Morrill Act was to provide accessible education to the working class and provide practical education, Clements said, and WVU is redefining the traditional landgrant mission with a focus on technology and innovation. “Not since the era of the Morrill Act has the need for landgrant leadership been more urgent,” Clements said. “As we honor our heritage, WVU is ready to lead the country in redefining

land-grant innovation in the 21st century.” WVU is ranked second in the nation among public universities for the best places to conduct research. The University is planning to construct a new Agricultural Sciences building on the Evansdale Campus, a project estimated to cost $88 million, as well as to launch a School of Public Health, Clements said. Other projects in the WVU 2020 Strategic Plan for the Future include a new Student Wellness

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Matt Sunday/THE DAILY ATHENAEUM

President James P. Clements addresses faculty, staff and students at the State of the University address Monday afternoon.

Mountaineer hosts beard-growing contest

PRIDE WEEK

by brian aluise correspondent

sara wise/THE DAILY ATHENAEUM

Julia Hall, left, senior physics student, ‘marries’ Sara Middleton, right, senior exercise physiology student, in front of the Mountainlair Monday afternoon to kick off the WVU Queer Student Union’s Pride Week celebration.

WVU Queer Student Union hosts mock weddings to celebrate Gay Pride Week by lacey palmer correspondent

Mock same-sex marriages were held in the Free Speech Zone outside of the Mountainlair Monday as part of Gay Pride Week. The West Virginia University Queer Student Union sponsored the event to spread awareness of support for marriage equality. “The most important thing for us is to be ‘out.’ It’s not easy to be ‘out’ in West Virginia, so what we have to do is normalize the atmosphere,” said Sam Umbaugh, faculty outreach mackenzie mays/THE DAILY ATHENAEUM director for the QSU. Umbaugh said the mock marriages, and Gay Pride Two West Virginia University students exchange rings and vows during a ‘marriage ceremony’ outside of the Mountainlair Monday afternoon. The ‘weddings’ took place as part of the WVU Week as a whole, is a way for the lesbian, gay, bisexual Queer Student Union’s Pride Week.

see pride on PAGE 2

Professor’s study focuses on sleep patterns of new mothers by jessica lear staff writer

West Virginia University Associate Professor Hawley Montgomery-Downs is conducting research about the effect of sleep deprivation on new mothers. “We expect women to care for an infant and contribute to society, yet our public policies do not encourage safe, healthy families,” Montgomery-Downs said. Montgomery-Downs and a team of students have been working in the Department of

Psychology’s Sleep Research Lab to find out if sleep patterns of new mothers improve from when the child is a few weeks until they are two years old. This study follows an initial research project, which examined the sleep patterns of new mothers for 12 weeks right after their first child was born. “Our previous work shows that postpartum women’s sleep is sufficient in length, but highly fragmented or chopped into short bits,” MontgomeryDowns said. “To get the maximum benefits from sleep, it should be consolidated into

72° / 58°

JOE BUCK YOURSELF

INSIDE

Joe Buck Yourself brings southern rock to 123 tonight. A&E PAGE 6

SHOWERS

News: 1, 2 Opinion: 4 A&E: 3, 6 Sports: 7, 8, 10 Campus Calendar: 5 Puzzles: 5 Classifieds: 9

one continuous period.” This study proved that brand new mothers get an average of 7.2 hours of interrupted sleep over about 10.5 hours. While this may seem like a sufficient amount of sleep, the study showed new mothers are not having proper sleep cycles. “Each cycle is 70 to 110 minutes long,” MontgomeryDowns said. “If you don’t get all of the stages, you miss out on their health and cognitive benefits.” This initial study proved that new mothers get an inadequate night’s sleep, which decreases

daily function. “Sleep is not like a book, you can’t wake up and then go back to sleep and start up where you left off,” Montgomery-Downs said. “When we are awakened at night, we have to start the sleep cycle over again.” The group’s new study is trying to figure out if the sleep cycles of new mothers improves as children get older. The goal is to see when and if the mothers’ sleep cycles improves and how these sleep patterns affect their daily

see sleep on PAGE 2

THE DA IS HIRING WRITERS Inquire about paid positions at The Daily Athenaeum at DA-editor@mail.wvu.edu or pick up an application at our office at 284 Prospect St.

CONTACT US Newsroom 304-293-5092 or DAnewsroom@mail.wvu.edu Advertising 304-293-4141 or DA-Ads@mail.wvu.edu Fax 304-293-6857

ON THE INSIDE West Virginia head football coach Dana Holgorsen discussed Monday what his team would be doing during the bye week. ON PAGE 10

Mountaineer Mascot Brock Burwell is asking students, “Are you scruff enough?” The West Virginia University annual beard-growing competition begins with a group shave Wednesday in the Mountainlair. No preregistration is required for the event. From there, contestants will have nearly a month to grow their finest beards in anticipation of Mountaineer Week, a celebration of Appalachian culture. “When you think about someone with a beard, you think of a guy that’s strong, healthy and hardy,” Burwell said. “It’s no coincidence that those traits can also be found within the people of West Virginia.” This week-long ode to the state of West Virginia was first conceived in 1947 as an effort to arouse more school spirit, and the first beard-growing competition was held in 1949. Burwell said the event’s main goal is to get Mountaineers together for a friendly competition of who’s got the most spirit. “For the most part, people have an idea of how fast their beard will grow, so it’ll be pretty competitive on Wednesday,”

Burwell said. “You can expect a little bit of trash talk, but that’s what makes it more exciting.” A beard enthusiast himself, Burwell has some advice for fellow beard growers hoping to win the competition. “I’m assuming everyone who’s competing is a man. So, I’d recommend doing manly things,” Burwell said. “Watch football, eat some chicken wings and go hunting – basically anything that’ll get your testosterone pumping. “ Taylor Richmond, chair of the event, said it’s a way for outof-state students to experience a piece of Appalachian culture. “Our student population is almost split 50/50 between instate and out-of-state students,” Richmond said. “So, I think it’s a great opportunity for not only in-state students to celebrate their heritage and their culture, but it’s also a way for outof-state students to learn about all the great aspects of Appalachian culture too.“ Richmond said the judges score the beards according to a variety of categories, including creativity. “A few years ago, people etched the Flying WV into their beards. Ingenuity like that can definitely sway the judges in

see beArD on PAGE 2

College of Law introduces First Amendment series by bryan bumgardner staff writer

The West Virginia University College of Law hosted its first annual C. Edwin Baker Lecture for Liberty, Equality and Democracy Monday. The collected works of the late C. Edwin Baker, a renowned attorney and First Amendment scholar, were recently donated to the University, and the event was established to preserve his legacy. A panel of officials focused on topics such as free speech, democracy and civil rights. “This lecture represents the legacy of one of the most important constitutional law scholars of the 20th Century,” said Anne M. Lofaso, a professor of labor law at WVU. “We are honored to be asked to provide a home for this significant body of work preserving professor Baker’s legacy for current and future legal scholars. This endowment helps keep Ed alive.” Lofaso, who studied under Baker and became his good friend, said she wanted WVU students to have the same opportunities she did as a

student. “I wanted Ed’s archives here so I could ensure the special kinds of conversations Ed and I had might be available to future scholars who care about liberty, democracy and social justice,” Lofaso said. Speakers also included Vincent Blasi, a professor of civil liberties at Columbia Law School and James Weinstein, an attorney and professor of constitutional law at Arizona State University. Throughout his lifetime, Baker wrote dozens of published works that tackled topics like free speech, gay rights and media literacy. “Baker asked the tough questions and brought real passion and commitment,” Blasi said. “Not because he was creative, but because it’s what his thought led him to be.” Documents of Baker’s, from high school assignments to original transcripts of his books, were donated to the George R. Farmer Jr. Law Library by his family. danewsroom@mail.wvu.edu

DEFENSIVE PRESSURE The West Virginia defense was able to get sustained pressure on the quarterback this past weekend against Connecticut. SPORTS PAGE 7


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