THE DAILY ATHENAEUM
“Little good is accomplished without controversy, and no civic evil is ever defeated without publicity.”
da
Friday December 7, 2012
Volume 126, Issue 73
www.THEDAONLINE.com
WVU prepares for Dec. convocation By Shelby Toompas Staff wrITER
Sunday marks a major milestone in the lives of nearly 1,500 West Virginia University students: the December convocation ceremonies. While convocation is not a formal commencement, it serves to honor those students who have completed their degrees midyear. This year’s graduates and guests will have the opportunity to hear from WVU
President James P. Clements, the WVU Wind Symphony with faculty vocalist Hope Koehler and Alison Wilson, director of the Jon Michael Moore Trauma Center at Ruby Memorial Hospital. Wilson, chief of the Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery and Surgical Critical Care, said she is very honored to have the opportunity to speak at the convocation. “Even though this is my first time speaking at a grad-
uation, I think everyone in academics recognizes this as one of the greatest honors,” Wilson said. Wilson completed medical school, surgery residency and critical care fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. She has been at WVU for 10 years, overseeing patient care and developing treatment protocols for trauma and ill patients. She also focuses on training residents and students in surgery. Wilson said not only is the
opportunity an honor, but she also hopes to serve as a role model for the graduates. “I will be emphasizing opportunity, teamwork, perspective, hard work and a positive attitude at Sunday’s Convocation,” Wilson said. “Teamwork and a positive attitude will bring success in one’s career and their life.” Wilson currently leads a multidisciplinary team that cares for patients directly from the scene of injury until they are released from the hospital.
Under her leadership, the Trauma Center has maintained certification as an American College of Surgeons’ Level One Trauma Center. For many graduates, convocation is a time to begin working toward a career. Josh Redelman will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, and he is excited about the prospects for his future. “I chose psychology because I thought it was interesting and would provide
CELEBRATION OF UNITY
staff writer
Kristen Basham/THE DAILY ATHENAEUM
Annual Kwanzaa celebration promotes peace, purpose and prosperity By Caroline Peters Staff Writer
The words “ashay, ashay, ashay” echoed throughout the Mountainlair ballrooms Thursday evening. “Ashay” meaning, “Be with us,” invited ancestors to join the celebration. The West Virginia University Center for Black Culture & Research welcomed the WVU community to its annual Kwanzaa celebration. Mwatabu S. Okantah, assistant professor at Kent State University, served as a guest performer and speaker for the event. Okantah cleared up a common myth about Kwanzaa. “Kwanzaa is not a ‘Black Christmas’; If you celebrate Kwanzaa, you can still celebrate Christmas,” he said. Okantah said he looks forward to the unity the celebration brings about within the community. “As an artist, I look at myself as an ambassador. Some people come every year and enjoy the celebrations,” Okantah said. “Some people are new, and the opportunity to turn people on to this excites me, because culture brings people together.”
see KWANZAA on PAGE 2
associate city editor
Some people are appalled, others are supportive – either way, Mountaineer Mascot Jonathan Kimble won’t be taking his official rifle hunting anymore. Recently, videos of Kimble surfaced on the internet, sparking mixed reactions. The video shows Kimble and a freshly killed black bear, which was shot with the same rifle Kimble
by meghan bonomo Kristen Basham/THE DAILY ATHENAEUM
Travaz Clark, a freshman petroleum engineering student, lights a candle during the Kwanzaa celebration held in the Mountainlair ballroom on Thursday.
takes to official appearances as the Mountaineer Mascot – such as football and basketball games. Kimble broke no laws in hunting with the rifle – officially, there are no University codes preventing him. However, he has chosen to keep his Mountaineer rifle for appearances only. “I know other Mountaineers have gone hunting with it – to kill deer and stuff, but it’s probably just better to keep it to appear-
53° / 51°
LEFT FOR GUNS
INSIDE
A self-proclaimed liberal argues for the right to bear arms. OPINION PAGE 4
RAIN
News: 1, 2 Opinion: 4 A&E: 9, 10 Sports: 3, 6, 7 Campus Calendar: 5 Puzzles: 5 Classifieds: 11
Preparing for finals can be stressful, so WELLWVU: The Students’ Center of Health, held its second chillWELL event yesterday to help students de-stress, relax and keep their minds clear before next week. Hearts of Gold partnered with WELLWVU to allow students the opportunity to pet service dogs during the event. Students played with finger paint, molded play dough, brewed tea and focused on finding a mantra to help them get through the difficult week ahead. Jordan McCann, an exercise physiology student and student educator for WELLWVU, explained the purpose and benefits of chillWELL. “We are doing chillWELL during dead week just because that is when people start getting stressed out for finals, so it’s just to take a moment to chill out,” he said. “We asked the Hearts of Gold service dog class to come and bring the dogs; it’s been a big hit – people are always stopping by to play with them.” WELLWVU has been promoting chillWELL, because time management tends to break down as students feel
more stress, he said. “We are here to help promote (students to) do what’s important. Students can get so overwhelmed with their schoolwork, but they need to take a few minutes out of their day to think of positive things, take a deep breath, relax and remember it will be OK,” McCann said. Brooke Nickelson is an animal and nutritional sciences student at WVU and teaching assistant for Hearts of Gold. “For WELLWVU, we provide puppy petting as part of the WVU chillWELL. We did it as a favor for WELLWVU. We usually do presentations on our dogs and what we do for organizations,” she said. “But as a generosity to WVU and for finals week, we decided to come out and have students pet the dogs.” Nickelson said WELLWVU asked Hearts of Gold to bring the dogs as another relaxation technique because playing with dogs can release endorphins in your body, which make you feel happy. Angela Sparachane, preelementary education student at WVU, expressed her appreciation for the chillWELL event. “I’ve definitely been really stressed because I have
see chill on PAGE 2
WVU Ceramics Department hosts annual sale
Kimble to no longer hunt with WVU rifle by bryan bumgardner
see grad on PAGE 2
ChillWELL works to ease finals stress by ashley tennant
Poet Mwatabu Okantah talks at a Kwanzaa celebration held in the Mountainlair on Thursday.
me an excellent background for my future career,” Redelman said. Redelman was in the WVU psychology club for one semester and was a member of Psi Chi, the international honors organization for psychology that focused toward Ph.D. and research programs. “I think the classes I took here at WVU were an important aspect in letting me know I was in the right
ances,” he said. Reactions from students or others are varied. Some support Kimble in his participation in a “West Virginia tradition,” while others express concern about the hunting methods used, the age of the bear or hunting altogether. Kimble, an avid hunter, regularly goes hunting for deer, turkey, squirrel and most recently, bear. “I’ve been hunting all my life. It’s part of the culture of West Virginia – liv-
ing off the land,” he said. “People can find offense to certain things in that, though.” Because he has appearances virtually every day of the week, Kimble keeps the official rifle with him. “It’s part of the persona of the Mountaineer, but he broke no rules,” said University representative John Bolt. Bolt said Kimble made the decision after a
see mascot on PAGE 2
GAMEDAY GALLERY Check out additional photos from The Capital Classic on The Daily Athenaeum’s Facebook page.
CONTACT US Newsroom 304-293-5092 or DAnewsroom@mail.wvu.edu Advertising 304-293-4141 or DA-Ads@mail.wvu.edu Classifieds 304-293-4141 or DA-Classifieds@mail.wvu.edu Fax 304-293-6857
ON THE INSIDE The No. 23 women’s basketball team looks to avenge last season’s 56-48 loss to St. Bonaventure in a rematch at the Coliseum Saturday. SPORTS PAGE 6
correspondent
It’s time again for the WVU Ceramics Department’s Annual Fall Ceramics Sale. Featuring pottery made in WVU classes, the sale will be held in the Douglas O. Blaney Lobby at the front entrance of the Creative Arts Center Friday from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. “The WVU Ceramics Department holds two ceramics sales each year. The majority of the work is produced by the ART 341 Ceramic Production Methods class at our Bakersridge facilities,” said Assistant Professor Robert Moore from WVU’s School of Art and Design College of Creative Arts. The students are given the opportunity to showcase their hard work while raising funds to benefit the program.
“Proceeds from the sale go to help support our production studio, student scholarships, student field trips, ceramic materials and new ceramic equipment,” Moore said. Customers will be able to find unique handmade pieces of pottery suitable as gifts or holiday decorations. And students do all of the work. “Students produce the work from start to finish, starting with mixing and pugging clay, forming pieces, glazing pieces and selling the work,” Moore said. “Along with the work produced from the production studio, there is a large selection of personal work that has been made by students and faculty.” The art students are learning about the
see ceramics on PAGE 2
HOKIES COME TO TOWN One of West Virginia’s oldest and most bitter rivals returns to Morgantown Saturday for a nonconference hoops matchup. SPORTS PAGE 3