THE DAILY ATHENAEUM
“Little good is accomplished without controversy, and no civic evil is ever defeated without publicity.”
da
Monday February 1, 2016
Merow, McIntyre likely to run unopposed
Volume 128, Issue 83
www.THEDAONLINE.com
IN WITH THE NEW
Groups on campus Students and faculty attend celebratory grand opening of Evansdale Crossing embrace black history month by madeleine hall
by jake jarvis
staff writer @dailyathenaeum
staff writer @newsroomjake
This time last year, 54 students from three tickets buzzed around campus for a chance to be part of the West Virginia University Student Government Association. They yelled, they waved and they stood for hours in a snow storm. SGA election officials project an entirely different race this year. Only one ticket picked up the required packet of information to start collecting signatures to officially get on the ballot. For now, it seems Julie Merow and Mac McIntyre will run unopposed in the race for student body president and vice president respectively. Emma Harrison, the SGA elections chair isn’t planning any last ditch efforts to attract potential candidates. “We really try to focus on social media, trying to tweet about the dates and then just word of mouth, really,” Harrison said. “It usually ends up being the same people in the same circles… That’s probably a weak point.” Potential candidates can still pick up information packets in the Student Engagement and Leadership office next to the Career Services Center in the Mountainlair. To get on the ballot as member of the BOG and as an athletic councilor, students need to collect 500 signatures; to get on the ballot for student body president and vice president takes 1,000 signatures. Even if Merow’s ticket is unopposed, there will still be a vote on March 1-2 considering one person is running independently for a seat on the Board of Governors and a constitutional amendment needs voted on. “We’ll still definitely have a big presence and be out there (campaigning) from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day,” Merow said. “It might be that not as many students will hear about the election since there won’t be as many people, but Mac and I have said we still want to run it like we’re running against another ticket or two.” Harrison thinks there could be a waning interest in participating in SGA among the student body, or the lack of interest could be because students just don’t know about the upcoming election. Merow and McIntyre both received the highest number of votes to sit on the BOG. “A lot of people have said to me they don’t really see why someone would want to put all their time and energy into a campaign if they don’t really have that great of a chance
see sga on PAGE 2
Students show off the various technology the Reed College of Media uses in its classes.
by caity coyne city editor @caitycoyne
Months of anticipation ended Friday when the Evansdale Crossing building officially opened its doors to the public with a celebratory grand opening. The building, which was partially opened in November, connects the Evansdale Campus and offers several amenities for students housed on Evansdale that didn’t exist before, including student services, classrooms, a Barnes and Noble and a range of new restaurants. “I really wish this was here as a freshman, it would have been so cool,” said Cameron Bostic, a journalism student. On the first floor of the building, restaurants from the Crossing Market Place, including Collo Rosso Pizza, Taziki’s, Little Donkey and Hugh Baby’s, offered free food samples to guests. “As a student who has been here for four years, the food options on this campus have drastically im-
51°/32°
FEAST YOURSELF
INSIDE
Annual chili cook-off returns A&E PAGE 4
A.M. SHOWERS
News: 1, 2 Opinion: 3 A&E: 4, 5 Sports: 7, 8, 10 Campus Calendar: 6 Puzzles: 6 Classifieds: 9
proved with this building,” Bostic said. The grand opening gave students the opportunity to explore the entire Evansdale Crossing and ask any questions they may have about how things work. “It’s a great student area to come to, it is a hub,” said George Yanchak, director of the Mountaineer Hub. “It’s a place for students to come and to learn and interact.” The Mountaineer Hub combined student services that used to be offered in different areas downtown to one central office on the second floor of the Crossing. The Hub offers students the convenience of one-stop problem solving, Yanchak said, and at Friday’s event, there were specialists from the Office of Student Accounts, the Office of the University Registrar and the Office of Financial Aid present to help students with any questions regarding the FAFSA, student employment and scheduling, among other things. “They may come in with other questions, and we’ll
Kristen Uppercue/THE DAILY ATHENAEUM
ASKAR SALIKHOV/THE DAILY ATHENAEUM
Hannah Toney tries out the HooToo 3D Virtual Reality Glasses, which were available for a demo at Evansdale Crossing’s grand opening. help them find the answers, “Students have been surwe’re not going to try and prised about what’s all in send them away,” Yanchak here,” Bostic, a student amsaid. “We’re going to help bassador for the Reed Colfind them the answers they lege, said, “especially the need and service them augmented reality and the right here the best we can.” cool tech they didn’t know The Reed College of Me- was here,” dia also hosted an open In addition to highlighthouse event for its Media ing new initiatives, the Reed Innovation Center, inviting College invited those in atthe public to experiment tendance to share some of with new technology, such their deepest desires with as 360-degree cameras, and #WhatWouldYouDoIfYoucheck out work stations WerentAfraid. Guests were that focused on alternative encouraged to fill out a storytelling techniques, like virtual reality. see crossing on PAGE 2
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THE PINK TAX Gender-based price differences are unnecessary OPINION PAGE 3
This month, West Virginia University’s Center for Black Culture and Research, WVU’s NAACP and other groups on campus will commemorate the accomplishments of African Americans who forged the ground for a civil rights movement that continues today. “It’s going to be great,” said Jihad Dixon, student president of WVU’s chapter of the NAACP. “Black History Month is about emphasizing our culture and what our ancestors have done.” The Center for Black Culture and Research will hold a “Conversation with Cops” at 7 p.m. on Thursday in the Shenandoah Room in the Mountainlair. The event is cosponsored by the Office of Multicultural Programs. “There’s a divide between law enforcement and the younger generation,” said Eric Jordan of the Center for Black Culture and Research. “Not talking to each other isn’t helping.” “Conversation with Cops” invites students and the community to build trust by having frank discussions with local and state law enforcement. “People of color need to build further relationships with law enforcement,” Dixon said. “There’s a stigma between the black community and police officers. In Morgantown, luckily, (law enforcement) supports us in everything we do.” Morgantown law enforcement, led by Police Chief Bob Roberts, has formed a solid relationship with the NAACP at WVU, recently coming out to support the solidarity demonstration with the University of Missouri. “Nationwide, there’s this stereotype that we’re supposed to fear cops,” Dixon said. “But they’re public servants just like a teacher or a mayor. They should be engaged with the public.” The Center for Black Culture and Research is sponsoring a music showcase at 7 p.m. on Feb. 10 in the Gluck Theatre, featuring nationally known rap artist Chris Allen and Mountaineer Idol winner Derrick Ward. “I love giving young artists an outlet to perform,” Jordan said. “You can’t grow without performing.” The event will feature R&B, soul, hip-hop and rap music. “It’s good to see that our young African American people are doing in a predominantly white state,” Dixon said. Other events for Black History Month include a program at 7 p.m. on Feb. 15 in the Mountainlair ballrooms featuring former NBA
see history on PAGE 2
GATOR BITE WVU looks lost in loss at Florida SPORTS PAGE 7