The DA 08-18-2015

Page 1

FallFest/Welcome Week 2015 SEE A&E PAGE 9

THE DAILY ATHENAEUM

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

da

Tuesday August 18, 2015

www.THEDAONLINE.com

Volume 128, Issue 1

University Ave. closed until Sept.

City blames utility relocations for construction delays By jake jarvis city editor @newsroomjake

A section of University Avenue that connects the Evansdale Campus to the Downtown Campus wasn’t open by the time thousands of students returned to West Virginia University in the fall. The city, in a Wednesday press release, said “weather delays and utility relocations” kept the proj-

ect from being completed by move-in weekend. Crews blocked off University Avenue from Overhill Street to Fourth Street to try and lower the steep incline where University Avenue meets Third Street. “If you remember, it rained 20-some days in June,” said Damien Davis, Morgantown’s public works director. “That limited us to how much we could do.” But the contract wasn’t

awarded to a construction crew until June 24, Davis later said, and the road wasn’t blocked off for major work until July 6. “I guess the rain in June really didn’t have an effect on this project,” Davis said. “We had other projects in June that got delayed because of the rain.” One of those projects was replacing City Hall and the fire station’s roof. Although the city’s release points to Aug. 14 as the project’s original completion date, Davis said the contract says “substantial completion” of the project should be finished by

Aug. 24. Then, the project should be completely finished in 30 days. “It’s not really delayed because we haven’t got to our Aug. 24 deadline,” Davis said. “We always had the goal to open up University Avenue come August when students move in, but with utility work, we have not had the time to get as much work done on the road as we’d like to.” Once utility lines are replaced, which Davis said should be sometime next week, crews will be-

see delays on PAGE 2

Askar Salikhov/THE DAILY ATHENAEUM

Construction workers excavate dirt and rocks for the new road project on University Avenue

WVU tuition increases by nearly 10 percent for in-state students

MOVE-IN WEEKEND

by caity coyne

associate city editor @caitycoyne

Adam Powell helps incoming freshman Colin Namnoun carry stuff into his new dorm.

Over summer, West Virginia University’s tuition increased by almost 10 percent for in-state students and almost 5 percent for out-of-state students. West Virginia’s Higher Education Policy Commission approved the tuition increase in a 5-2 vote in June after hearing claims from WVU personnel to justify the raise for students’ well-being. The increase, which will be $672 for in-state students annually and $1,010 for out-of-state students, will go toward funding student-centered programs at the University as well as giving back to students directly. Administrators will invest $3 million into financial aid and will be awarded on a needs basis, while another portion will be reserved for an incentive program that will award $750 to students who earn their degrees in four years. “This increase represents an investment in our students’ success,” said WVU President E. Gordon Gee earlier this summer. “Through the programs and initiatives we are developing, West Virginia University will continue to provide an outstanding education while improv-

Garrett Yurisko/THE DAILY ATHENAEUM

Hot Shots help students move in to dorms, welcome freshmen to Morgantown by alexis randolph

bors and meeting all of the new people. “It’s been kind of hectic (and) really hot, but it has been fun seeing people around, though. Even seeing excited parents,” Powell said. Some Hot Shots, like Chaz Owens, liked being a Hot Shot so much they come back to help each year. “I volunteer to help promote my student organization,” Owens, a junior chemical engineering student, said. “I helped move people in last year at a different dorm. I just wanted to help people move in again; it can be pretty hectic.” Members of Owens’ student organization, CRU, volunteered as Hot Shots at Honors Hall last fall. He said each year, freshmen overestimate how much stuff they need to bring to college.

web editor @dailyathenaeum

As nearly 5,000 new freshmen poured into Morgantown, a group of volunteers made the transition a little bit easier. Some of these volunteers—the Hot Shots—were students who helped carry boxes up stairs and around corners. But their job didn’t stop there. Since most of the Hot Shots are upperclassmen who still live in residence halls, they’re some of the first new faces freshmen saw. Adam Powell, a sophomore computer science student, said he volunteered for the pizza. “That sounded good to me,” he said. Powell was also able to move in earlier that day. He said the day was busy, but he enjoyed helping his new neigh-

see dorms on PAGE 2

ing graduation and retention rates.” Gee explained at the June meeting that he will hire a dean of completion to oversee a new program structured to increase four-year graduation and broader retention rates at the University. While WVU has the highest tuition of all fouryear public universities in the state for both residents and non residents, according to the HEPC, all of the institutions increased their tuitions for the 2015-16 academic year. Each of the state’s public institutions also faced a 1.4 percent decline in state and tax support for the 2016 fiscal year. Although tuition increases seem to be a heated topic as of late, nationally the rate of tuition increases has been steadily declining. Tuition increases for public four-year universities have dropped by decade from 4.4 percent to 3.5 percent between 198485 and 2014-15, according to The College Board’s Annual Survey of Colleges. In perspective, college enrollment across the nation has risen 138 percent in the last 40 years, the Institute of Educational Sciences found.

see tuition on PAGE 2

Shimer resigns, Board confirms Sabatino as replacement by caity coyne

associate city editor @caitycoyne

Samantha Shimer resigned from her position on the Student Government Association’s Board of Governors. Members of the Board confirmed Elizabeth Sabatino in a special meeting to the Board Thursday night. Shimer resigned from her position on Aug. 2 after taking the month of July

to think over her decision. Both Student Body President George Capel and Vice President Ashley Morgan refused to comment on Shimer’s resignation. “She asked for us not to comment, so, respecting her wishes, we’re going to stick with it,” Capel said. However, when Shimer was asked if such a request was made, she responded, “No. Not at all.” Shimer, a junior, started

84° /68°

MAN OF THE YEAR

INSIDE

Schoolboy Q performs at 21st FallFest A&E PAGE 9

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS

News: 1, 2, 8, 13 Opinion: 3 A&E: 9, 10, 11 Sports: 5, 6, 7 Campus Calendar: 12 Puzzles: 12 Classifieds: 15

questioning her involvement in SGA after now former-Governor Amanda Hutchison resigned in April. The BOG didn’t confirm Samuel Richardson, the next highest vote-getter, to fill her space. Instead, the BOG confirmed Elizabeth Sabatino, who received fewer votes than Richardson. The Judicial Board overturned the Board’s decision in April after it ruled that

Richardson had been denied his rights of due process. Capel said the events that transpired in April presented “very unique circumstances,” and the Judicial Board’s decision clarified the procedure SGA is supposed to be following for successions in the Board of Governors. “This time it will be very straightforward,” Capel said prior to Sabatino’s confirmation. “We took (the Judicial

Board’s) advice and consent, and that’s what we’re doing here tonight.” Shimer first started considering resigning after speaking with Capel at the end of June. After taking July to deliberate, Shimer officially resigned on Aug. 2 and sent an email out to the organization informing them of her decision. “I resigned because I wasn’t very happy,” Shimer

THE DA’s 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 Classifieds 304-293-4141 or DA-Classifieds@mail.wvu.edu Fax 304-293-6857

FRIENDS AND FOOD Editorial: Thriving at WVU outside of party culture OPINION PAGE 3

said. “I enjoyed (SGA), but I guess what I wanted out of the organization I didn’t see myself getting out of (it) this year.” Despite her distancing herself from the organization, Shimer said she still has hope for SGA’s future. “I wasn’t happy because my feelings toward the organization had changed,” Shimer said. “I have a lot of

see sga on PAGE 2

BAHAMAS BLOWOUT Men’s basketball runs riot in Caribbean exhibition SPORTS PAGE 5


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.