The DA 04-18-2016

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THE DAILY ATHENAEUM

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

da

Monday April 18, 2016

Volume 128, Issue 132

www.THEDAONLINE.com

BOG talks about potential budget cuts by corey mcdonald staff writer @coreymacc

Legislative stagnation in Charleston, as well as other economic factors, is raising questions about how West Virginia University will cope with the estimated $270 million budget shortfall for the 2017 fiscal year and about how to maintain the faculty necessary to sustain the University’s new accolade as an R1 research institute. The WVU Board of Governors, during its meeting on Friday, was given a legislative update from Rob Alsop, WVU’s vice president for le-

gal and governmental affairs and entrepreneurial engagement, about the status of the current budget and other happenings from the state legislature. “So we still don’t have a budget, as everyone knows,” Alsop said. “Representatives from the governor’s office, as well as the house and the senate, still continue in daily negotiations over the budget.” Particularly troublesome regarding the budget is the impending the deadline, with the end of fiscal year steadily approaching on June 30. In addition, Alsop said, the budget is usually

football

available by this time of year, and as the legislators run out of time, conversations about the budget grow “more challenging and more intense.” Last year, higher education in the state suffered a 4 percent budget cut; this year, there has been some speculation that an additional cut will be necessary to address West Virginia’s financial troubles. Some of the received proposals have higher education cut by 10 percent, Alsop said. Alsop pointed out that WVU is one of the strongest assets for the state, and because of this, the University will work through tax cuts as

they come. “Now is the time to invest in your strengths. West Virginia University is a strength for this state,” Alsop said. “You cut us, we become more efficient.” Also during the meeting, faculty representatives gave their annual report to the board of governors. WVU is now in the R1 category for research which comes with some new competition from other peer institutions in regards to attracting and maintaining faculty. WVU is in two peer groups—the Higher Education Policy Commission and another among other Big 12

universities. Comparatively, the majority of these peer institutions are also R1. Members of the Board were presented with data detailing WVU’s salaries as a percent of the national R1 averages, illustrating that WVU—while it had maintained and increased salaries during the recession— is now seeing its average decrease. “As the other states came out of the recession and started raising their salaries, the state of West Virginia was in the depths of it, and no one anticipated the bottom falling out of the coal market. We all know that

OUT OF THE DARKNESS

Lambert handed suspension, Students raise funds for suicide research, awareness with inaugural walk Molina ready to start

wvusports.com

By Chris Jackson

Associate Sports Editor @CJacksonWVU

WVU kicker Josh Lambert was already suspended by the team for spring practice, but his time away from the field has been extended. The Big 12 handed Lambert a three-game suspension to begin the 2016 season for violating unspecified Big 12 eligibility rules, according to Bruce Feldman of CBS. Lambert’s suspension was originally expected to be longer, sources told Mike Casazza of the Charleston Gazette-Mail. But WVU appealed the longer suspension – with the original duration unknown - trimming it down to only the first three nonconference games of next season. “It just got knocked down to three games,” said WVU head coach Dana Holgorsen. “We are happy that he is going to be a part of the team.” Redshirt junior kicker Mike Molina will be his replacement, playing in five games since 2014 as the backup to Lambert. He appeared in five games last season, averaging 63.6 yards per kickoff. Molina’s prepared to take over Lambert’s duties while he’s suspended, impressing the coaching staff as the team’s starting kicker throughout the spring. “Mike (Molina) has been great all spring,” said WVU assistant coach Mark Scott. “He is kicking close to 80 percent, and that is about 10-12 field goals a day. He has received a ton of reps, so we just have to continue to work on his fundamentals and consistency.” Lambert was a Lou Groza Award Finalist in 2014, given annually to college football’s top kicker. He set an NCAA record for most field goals

see LAMBERT on PAGE 2

Askar Salikhov/THE DAILY ATHENAEUM

Phil King visits Morgantown to raise awareness for suicide prevention by participating in the Out of the Darkness Walk.

by rachel mcbride staff writer @rachelgmcb

Someone dies from suicide in the United States every 13 minutes, and suicide claims more than 39,500 lives annually, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. It is estimated that a suicide attempt is made every minute, with nearly one million people attempting suicide annually. Suicide is also the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. among adults and the second leading cause of death among teens and young adults, making college-aged students particularly susceptible to the epidemic, statistically. On Friday evening, the West Virginia University chapter of the AFSP hosted its first-ever Out of the Darkness Walk at WVU to honor loved ones and potentially save lives while raising money and awareness for suicide. About 230 participants raised more than $3,000, 80 percent of which will stay within West Virginia to support suicide prevention within state lines. Tristin Toman, coordinator for the event, said suicide is something that has affected everyone in some way or another, and spring time has an increased rate for suicides compared to other seasons of the year, according to the Center for Disease Control. While data from the late 1800s suggests this spring peak has existed for decades, scientists are still unsure of the causes for the increase in suicides. Suicide prevention is an issue close to Toman’s heart, as she lost her uncle to suicide. After his passing Toman lobbied with other members of her family to make state legislators pass Jamie’s Law, which requires school systems to have detailed suicide awareness and prevention programs.

81°/54°

LISTEN A$AP

INSIDE

A$AP Ferg drops new album A&E PAGE 4

SUNNY

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

Askar Salikhov/THE DAILY ATHENAEUM

Daniel Brewster shares a story about a West Virginia University student who committed suicide during his tenure as a professor. “We are starting to become sources available to those suffering more aware,” Toman said. “The from depression and with the knowlmore aware we are, the more peo- edge that depression can take many ple will feel OK to talk about men- forms and affect different types of people in various ways. tal illnesses.” Allison Toothman, a participant “It’s time to take the subject out of in the Out of the Darkness walk, said the darkness and to end the stigma the event was integral to address- associated with it,” Byrd said. “There ing common misconceptions many is a safe way to talk about (suicide prevention), and talking about this hold about mental illness. “I feel too many people shove saves lives.” mental illness to the side, or society The event took place at the WVU has this expectation that only teen- Student Rec Center soccer fields. agers commit suicide,” Toothman Participants walked approximately said. “It is important to address that 2-3 miles during the event around both men and women of all ages suf- the field’s track. fer from crippling depression.” AFSP funds research aimed at imToothman walked in memory of proving our understanding of suia child who lost her parent to sui- cide and ways to prevent it, as well cide. Her own father committed sui- as educational programs to incide in 2012. crease awareness about preven“I think I am doing this because tion, warning signs and the psyI’m still struggling to understand my chiatric illnesses that can lead to life after my father’s death,” Tooth- suicide. man said. For more information on AFSP, Matthew Byrd, co-coordinator visit http://afsp.donordrive.com/. for the event, said he hopes particdanewsroom@mail.wvu.edu ipants walked away aware of the re-

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PUBLIC BREASTFEEDING Women are allowed by law to breastfeed publicly and should not be condemned by society OPINION PAGE 3

king coal is in the intensive care unit, if not hospice,” said Robert Griffith, member of the board and associate professor for the WVU School of Pharmacy. “It’s a serious problem—how are we going to maintain our competition with other R1 institutions to recruit and maintain faculty if we’re still being backed down?” WVU’s 10 percent tuition increase last year was made in part to raise faculty and staff salaries by 3 percent, Griffith said. Even still, current numbers do not match the percentage raise in sal-

see BOG on PAGE 2

ap

In new book, coal miners tell stories in their own words BECKLEY, W.Va. (AP)— For decades, coal communities bustling with miners and their families filled the landscape of southern West Virginia. As the years have gone by, the industry has changed — machines replaced men, strikes, layoffs, closures, environmental and safety concerns hit hard — and today many of those communities exist in name only. But the feelings and emotions, the details of living day-to-day as a miner, wife or even a widow, have been preserved in “Voices From the Appalachian Coalfields.” The book, a collaboration between the late Mike Yarrow and his wife Ruth, features free verse transcriptions of many of the interviews the couple conducted from 1977 to 1986. Ruth said Mike was studying sociology of work at the time and his brother Doug, a photographer, whose mining photos are featured in the book, told him he would find southern West Virginia an interesting place for his studies. “Doug was living in Beckley and he said this is where people were striking for decent working conditions,” Ruth recalled. Mike visited West Virginia many times over the next several years and Ruth said the entire family eventually relocated to Beckley for a year. She participated in much of the project, and would often speak with a wife while Mike interviewed a husband. Initial interviews, Ruth said, were conducted with people Doug had already formed relationships with. But at the conclusion of each, a new bond and trust was formed and additional sources were found through recommendation. “That was quite amazing,” she recalled. “It was by word-of-mouth. They would say somebody up the next hollow had some good stories to tell and you ought to go talk to them.” No real interview plan was set going in for each sitdown. Ruth said that was never required. Instead of questions, she and Mike went in with open minds and alert ears. “I think what we learned was that we didn’t really need to ask a lot,” she said. “We’d ask, ‘what you do ev-

see COAL on PAGE 2

HOME HEROICS WVU escapes K-State sweep with late comeback SPORTS PAGE 8


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