THE DAILY ATHENAEUM
“Little good is accomplished without controversy, and no civic evil is ever defeated without publicity.”
da
Friday September 16, 2011
Volume 125, Issue 20
www.THEDAONLINE.com
Clash in College Park No. 18 West Virginia travels to Maryland Junior quarterback Geno Smith will lead West Virginia against rival Maryland in its first road game this weekend in College Park, Md. The Mountaineers have won their previous two games at Maryland’s Byrd Stadium, with their last being a 3114 win in 2007. READ MORE ON PAGE 8
West Virginia 2-0 (0-0)
Maryland 1-0 (1-0)
When: Saturday, Noon Where: Byrd Stadium (College Park, Md, 54,000) TV: ESPNU Radio: 103.3 FM Coverage: Check out The Daily Athenaeum’s Twitter (@dailyathenaeum) for in-game updates. Read Monday’s edition for a full recap.
Students design solar powered house by lydia nuzum
associate city editor
West Virginia University students have come together to create a new organization dedicated to building a sustainable, solar-powered house. The WVU Solar House is a student-run organization created to design and build an affordable home powered entirely by solar energy. Kenneth Hite, president of the organization, said the project’s main purpose is to provide
students an opportunity to expand their skills and learn more about solar energy. “We want this to be a student-led project,” Hite said. “We want this to be an experience for the students, not just the faculty.” Hite was inspired to start the project after learning about the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon, a competition in which collegiate teams are challenged to design, build and operate a solar-powered house that’s both energy-efficient and
cost-effective. The WVU team has drafted a proposal for the 2013 Decathlon, Hite said, but the team will construct a house regardless of their approval to compete. “Whether we get accepted into the competition or not, the project has taught me a lot,” Hite said. Brian Neff, executive vice president of the WVU Solar House, said the project has a $250,000 budget limit that will be put towards a 1000-squarefoot house powered entirely by
solar panels. The project is Universitywide, and students from the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design, the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Creative Arts have all contributed to the project. The team’s proposal is currently being reviewed and edited by the deans and faculty of the participating University departments.
“We’ve met with all the colleges in the University, and they’ve all participated in one way or another,” Neff said. Students participating can also take courses directly involved with the project, Neff said. The College of Engineering now offers a senior design class, as well as technical elective courses for students involved with the WVU Solar House. The design of the house is still confidential, for competition purposes.
But, Hite said the design reflects the Appalachian heritage of West Virginia. “It started as an interesting concept of designing a house with other students,” Neff said. “Now I’ve gotten so involved and become so passionate about this project.” Any University student interested in joining the WVU Solar House team can find more information at www.cemr.wvu. edu/solar. lydia.nuzum@mail.wvu.edu
University receives Sororities wrap up 2011 Rush Week interactive peerFit mobile application by lydia nuzum
Associate city editor
by mike atkins correspondent
The West Virginia University Department of Recreational Sports is aiming to make fitness mobile. A new interactive service called peerFit is dedicated to helping students locate group fitness classes in their area and choose the best program for them. The service allows students to create and save a workout plan, while filtering out the programs that don’t work for their schedules WVU is one of 18 universities in the country chosen to receive the program, said Ed Buckley, founder and president of peerFit. “WVU had one of the best outlooks for the plan. They were selected out of a number of big-name schools across the country,” Buckley said. “The staff there is top-notch, and this program is something that can be beneficial for people who already attend fitness classes or to anyone who is interested in starting.” Buckley said peerFit’s mis-
sion is to target the college audience by accommodating their daily routines with interactive technology. “People are more committed and motivated to do something when they are aware of what’s going on,” he said. “Up until now, the standard has been to put out a PDF file with the fitness class schedule on it. That format is no longer useful because students ages 18-20 are used to interactive features.” Matt Redinger, vice president of business development, said the program allows students to get a feel for the workout plans in the palm of their hands, without taking time out of their day. “It’s a great way for students to connect to their gym. Nowadays, everything is online and on phones and we encourage students to go to the site and see what it’s all about,” he said. “It only takes one time on the site to see the benefits and its convenience.” For more information, visit www.peerfit.com. danewsroom@mail.wvu.edu
This week was Rush Week for the Greek sororities of West Virginia University, and every Panhellenic sorority on campus was given the opportunity to showcase its best qualities for potential recruits. “You really get an opportunity to get an enhanced view of a sorority,” said Courtney Hooper, president of the WVU Panhellenic Council. Sunday night, 350 female students were given house tours, where every candidate was allowed to tour and visit each house, Hooper said. Monday and Tuesday were Philanthropy Days, and each sorority chapter focused on showcasing its fund-raising efforts. “The recruits learn a lot about philanthropy and sisterhood, and everything that is good about that chapter,” Hooper said. Wednesday was Skit and Slide Show Day, and each sorority performed a skit in front of recruits and presented a slide show of pictures from informal events. “It’s a chance for the girls to see the fun side of each chapter,” Hooper said. Thursday night was Preference Night, where each recruit is paired with a sorority through a mutual se-
Mallory Bracken/THE DAILY ATHENAEUM
Kappa Kappa Gamma pledges wait to hear their names from KKG sorority sisters, permitting them to enter the sorority’s house for the Wednesday evening Rush Week event. lection process. The Panhellenic Council uses a computer system to make selections, Hooper said, and both the sorority and the pledge must agree to each match. “It’s a really meaningful night for the recruits and for members of each chapter,”
63° / 48°
WINE & JAZZ
CHECK US OUT ON iWVU
INSIDE
The 18th annual Wine & Jazz Festival returns to Morgantown. A&E PAGE 9
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PARTLY CLOUDY
News: 1, 2, 3 Opinion: 4 A&E: 9, 12 Sports: 5, 8 Campus Calendar: 6 Puzzles: 6 Classifieds: 7
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ON THE INSIDE West Virginia inside receiver Devon Brown has fit in well in his first season at West Virginia after transferring from Wake Forest. ON PAGE 8
Hooper said. Erin Dailey, the vice president of public relations and programming for the Panhellenic Council, said the recruitment process and Rush Week this semester occurred two weeks earlier than in previous years because of the
scheduled date for homecoming weekend. The process, which would normally occur after the first five or six weeks of classes, was scheduled after the first three weeks. “Overall, I’m really happy
see rush on PAGE 2
PACK THE HOUSE West Virginia men’s soccer coach Marlon LeBlanc is hoping to fill Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium Friday night against Richmond. SPORTS PAGE 5