THE DAILY ATHENAEUM
“Little good is accomplished without controversy, and no civic evil is ever defeated without publicity.”
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Monday August 22, 2011
VOLUME 125, ISSUE 2
www.THEDAONLINE.com
Univ. ready for thousands at Fall Fest By John terry managing editor
Thousands of West Virginia University students will flock to the Mountainlair plaza tonight for the 16th annual FallFest. University spokeswoman Becky Lofstead said more than 20,000 students and guests are expected to attend. “We really have had a safe event for students and their guests,” Lofstead said. “I think
the whole premise around it is that people can come back and see their friends.” Lofstead said despite having the large volume of students in a confined area, there haven’t been many problem in years past. “We’ve been pleased with it and hope it continues,” she said. “We have close to a couple dozen University Police officers that patrol the area to make sure the students are safe and having a good time.”
FALL FEST 2011 EVENT RESTRICTIONS
University Police Chief Bob Roberts said FallFest doesn’t create any more issues than a normal night in Morgantown. “We’ve had minor issues, but nothing major,” Roberts
Family travels to Australia to honor student by mackenzie mays city editor
No bottles or cans No pets No backpacks or bags No umbrellas
No professional cameras No coolers or hard containers No video and audio recording No one under 17 admitted
said. “We’ve been working FallFest for 15 years. We’ve been accustomed to working in that environment.” Roberts said that the visible presence of his officers
and the Morgantown Police acts as a deterrent for inappropriate behavior. “Some people will misbehave, and we will have to deal with those people, but most people are respectable and responsible,” Roberts said. Alcohol-related incidents occur, but students are usually just issued citations, Lofstead said. “We want to make sure the students get home safely whether it be on-campus or
off-campus,” she said. The University partners with the City of Morgantown to make sure the city is prepared for the number of students. Lofstead said Morgantown Police will patrol outlying areas such as Sunnyside. “We’ve managed to have a very successful relationship,” she said. The University also hires
see preparation on PAGE 2
FRESHMAN FRENZY
MEMORIAL DETAILS Open to the Public
When West Virginia University student Emily Spickler died Aug. 15 while studying abroad in Australia, friends from all over the country reached out to her family. Jill Spickler, Emily’s mother, said the overflow of condolences only confirms her daughter’s impact on the people she’s met. “There aren’t enough words. She was so beautiful, inside and out. She was talented – a writer, a dancer, a model. She was confident and poised. In short, she was an angel on earth,” Jill said. “Condolences, thoughts, prayers and kind words have poured in from all over the U.S. and Australia.” Emily was found dead in her dorm room while on an exchange program at the University of Southern Queensland in Toowoomba, Australia on Monday, Aug. 15. Officials say she died of natural causes.
When: Aug. 27 at 11 a.m. Where: Covenant Church 7485 Shepherdstown Pike Shepherdstown WV, 25443 She would’ve celebrated her 20th birthday Aug. 18, just three days after her death. Southern Queensland flew Jill, along with Emily’s father and brother, to the university for a ceremony in her honor. Students presented a slide show at the ceremony and gave Emily’s family a scrapbook of photographs taken during her short time there. “Our experience in Australia has been nothing short of wonderful, other than the obviously heartbreaking task of having to be here at all,” Jill said. “She fell in love with this place and said she thought she
see spickler on PAGE 2
Clements remembers his first day of college
Erin Fitzwilliams/THE DAILY ATHENAEUM
A West Virginia University Boreman Hall hotshot helps a student move in to the dorms on Friday.
Thousands of new students moved into the dorms Friday by erin fitzwilliams editor-in-chief
West Virginia University students flooded into Morgantown over the weekend. Some were coming home “to the place they belong,” while others were moving in for the first time. The Downtown and Evansdale campuses were crowded with parents moving their freshmen into the dorms. Family caravans included siblings, pets and relatives, while others were left to move in. The lawns and sidewalks around the dorms were littered with organized piles of students’ belongings while they waited for the carts and room keys so they could move into Erin Fitzwilliams/THE DAILY ATHENAEUM
Parents wait with their West Virginia University student’s belongings outside of Bennett Tower.
file photo
West Virginia University President James P. Clements addresses students at the University Welcome in 2008. It was Clements first year at West Virginia, as well.
By Charles young Associate City editor
The first day of college is an exciting and unforgettable time in anyone’s life. From finding new buildings to making new friends, the first day on campus is filled with experiences that can have an impact on the rest of a student’s college career. West Virginia University President James P. Clements said he vividly remembers his first day of college and how it inspired him to devote his life to education. Clements, who attended University of Maryland, Baltimore County, recalled
walking into his first class, a 9 a.m. U.S. history course, feeling overwhelmed by the power of high education. “It was incredible for me because it was like a lighbulb went off in my head,” he said. “Before the professor said a word, I had this feeling that I wanted to be a college professor.” Upon realizing his passion for teaching at the age of 18, Clements said he began working to making his dreams a reality. “I began working toward become a college professor,” Clements said. “It’s the
see CLEMENTS on PAGE 2
76° / 52°
FALL FEST LINEUP
INSIDE
3 Doors Down, Mac Miller to take the Fall Fest stage tonight. A&E PAGE 31
MOSTLY SUNNY
News: 1-3, 7-8, 11-20 Opinion: 4, 5, 6 A&E: 31-37 Sports: 21-30 Campus Calendar: 9 Puzzles: 9, 10 Classifieds: 38, 39
see move-in on PAGE 2
WVU libraries receive grant to digitize newspapers BY Jessica Lear Staff Writer
The National Endowment for the Humanities has awarded the West Virginia University Libraries with a $266,000 grant to help digitize West Virginia newspapers written between 1836 and 1922. “This grant both continues and rewards the leading role that the WVU Libraries have historically played in preserving West Virginia newspapers of the 18th through 20th centuries,” said John Cuthbert, director and curator of the West Virginia and Regional History Collection of the WVU Libraries.
The NEH and the Library of Congress have recently begun the National and Digital Newspaper Program, which urges states to make historical newspapers available online for the public. “By reading an old newspaper, one can get a feel for the times in which the paper was written and attitudes of the people of the age on literally every topic,” Cuthbert said. Previously, these newspapers were available on microfilm only and were cataloged by date, making it difficult to find a specific newspaper if the exact date was not known. “A problem with using old newspapers is that they do
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CHECK IT OUT ONLINE Check out a recap of the No. 13 West Virginia women’s soccer team’s 3-0 win against Purdue Sunday afternoon at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
not have an index; finding every reference made would take perhaps years of looking. If the papers were available in a digital searchable database, one could find references instantly,” Cuthbert said. Moving these newspapers from microfilm to the Internet will be a big help to researchers looking for sources. “Newspapers have been published in West Virginia since 1790, and they are significant resources for many kinds of research,” said Harold Forbes, associate curator of West Virginia and Regional History Collection of the WVU libraries. The digitizing is not only ex-
pected to help researchers and students in West Virginia, but throughout the United States. “A student at WVU, or anyone anywhere in world who has access to the Internet, will be able to search for subjects and instantly view newspapers articles,” Cuthbert said. The NEH and the Library of Congress have issued similar grants all over the country with a goal to compile a database with historical newspapers from all 50 states. “Many researchers need access to old newspapers, and current technologies allow
see NEWSPAPERs on PAGE 2
LUCK TALKS BEER West Virginia Athletic Director Oliver Luck released the details of the beer sales that will take place at football games this fall. SPORTS PAGE 21