The DA 10-30-2014

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THE DAILY ATHENAEUM

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

Thursday October 30, 2014

Housing

da

Volume 127, Issue 52

www.THEDAONLINE.com

University Place not finished by jennifer skinner staff writer @dailyathenaeum

A

modern, independent and on-campus apartment complex, University Place has attracted hundreds of West Virginia University students who want to live in the new, convenient housing community. However, the complex that was supposed to be available for occupancy in August still has yet to open. University Place’s website states that the building’s testing, furniture move-in and final requirements such as cleaning and landscaping are all running behind. For the students who were told they would be able to move in this fall, University Place offered alternative and temporary housing accommodations, but some students remained disappointed. “This whole experience has been rather frustrating to say the least,” said Ryan Spence, a sophomore mathematics student. He signed his University Place lease in January of this year and planned to live there from August to the end of the school year. “Things didn’t exactly work out that way,” he said. About three weeks before move-in day, Spence and his three planned roommates received an email from University Place saying the complex would not be completed in time. The email suggested three choices on where to live until it was finished. “I was beyond flustered. It was ridiculous that they had been building it up and saying it would be done before move-in day, and suddenly they say we had to live somewhere else,” Spence said. Spence moved into the Medical Center Apartments, which he said are nice single apartments, but they are out

SGA discusses ‘Respectful Mountaineers’ by alyssa lazar staff writer @dailyathenaeum

View of University Place in construction from Grant Avenue. of the way of his downtown upset when he received the classes. He has not been in- same email Spence received formed of when he will be over the summer. able to move into Univer“I thought that living for sity Place. next year was one thing “It may not happen this I wouldn’t have to worry whole year because we about,” Bender said. He aren’t getting updates on also moved into the medithe construction’s progress cal apartments when his livanymore. I appreciate them ing arrangement plans fell giving us somewhere to live through. in the meantime, but I am “I just hope that the still a bit disappointed they money and time I’ve spent couldn’t fulfill their promise on this place is worth it,” he of finishing the apartment,” said. Spence said. “I think this exAfter the building was evperience puts a bad taste in idently unprepared for resmy mouth about University idents in August, University Place, which greatly hinders Place stated on its webtheir chances of me living site that it would be ready there again next year, but I to open by the middle of won’t make a final call un- the fall semester. As of late til I see whether this whole October, University Place has not published any rewait is worth it.” Nathan Bender, a soph- cent updates or publicly reomore psychology student, sponded to questions resigned his University Place garding the opening date. lease last year, planned to “In the future, they live there his entire soph- should focus on avoiding omore year and was rather these problems completely

Kenneth Redillas/THE DAILY ATHENAEUM

Kenneth Redillas/THE DAILY ATHENAEUM

Construction workers prepare to do hard labor work for the basement of University Place near Grant Avenue. by not rushing building Bender said. University Place was projects so they can make money. Also, look more contacted and declined to carefully into who is con- comment. tracting and building these danewsroom@mail.wvu.edu projects for the University,”

Wednesday’s weekly Student Government Association meeting discussed numerous ways of being a “Respectful Mountaineer,” one of which included behavior over this coming weekend involving College GameDay and the football game against Texas Christian University’s Horned Frogs Saturday. Andrew Sutherland and Ashley Morgan, two athletic counselors for SGA, have worked alongside West Virginia University Athletics to bring a positive atmosphere to athletic events at WVU. “I would highly encourage our students to be respectful Mountaineers during this game,” Sutherland said. “Chris Hickey and Deonna Gandy are doing an amazing job with the campaign, promoting what it really means to be a Mountaineer, being true and honorable to your University and our state during this game.” The Respectful Mountaineer campaign involves using the hashtag #RespectfulMountaineer over social media to inspire positivity among the WVU community. “I think there are extra precautions being taken, but we are also trying to maintain a positive environment. We don’t want to have a negative environment that encourages students to talk about couch burning, which provides the stereotype,” Morgan said. WVU Athletics is working with College GameDay to limit what is said about

see SGA on PAGE 2

Nick Gasemy’s beard beats all Primanti Bros. now

available across nation by Laura Haight & Rachel McBride staff writer @dailyathenaeum

Shannon McKenna/THE DAILY ATHENAEUM

Contestant Brian Bills talks with the Mountaineer, Michael Garcia, during the judging portion of the Beard Growing Contest.

by kendall snee staff writer @dailyathenaeum

Imagine walking into the Moutainlair and being surrounded by a maze of hair. Dark beards, light beards, curly beards and straight beards, but most importantly beards belonging to proud Mountaineers. On Wednesday, one of the most unique Mountaineer Week events - the beard growing contest finale - was held in the Moutainlair. A tradition that has been continued since 1949, the beard-growing contest pays tribute to the University’s rich Appalachian heritage.

This year’s winner, Nick Gasemy’s beard, not only impressed the judges but also the Mountaineer Mascot Michael Garcia. “It was an impressive beard,” Garcia said. “It was dark but you could tell he had cleaned it up before the event. It was a very well kept beard.” The contest’s dynamics make it so everyone has a fair chance at winning. “The beard contest is really interesting because a month ago everyone started from scratch,” Garcia said. Three weeks ago, contestants shaved their face in the Mountainlair in order to level the playing field.

52° / 34°

NEW EATS

INSIDE

Tortoni’s opens on High Street A&E PAGE 6

PARTLY CLOUDY

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

“I enjoy hosting the event because it gets everyone excited for the upcoming game,” Garcia said. “Not only that, it’s a great tradition.” Garcia went on to congratulate the various candidates who had tried their luck at beard growing by hanging out with them after the contest on the Mountainlair Green with the rest of the student body awaiting College GameDay. “The beards are judged on overall quality,” said Brady Nolan, the coordinator of the beard-growing contest. “I remember the contests from back in the ‘80s.” Nolan went on to further

explain the competition. “The panel consists of six judges,” Nolan said. “The judges then score the contestant on a 1-10.” When one thinks of the iconic Mountaineer, it is certain in the description there will be a big bushy beard on his face, unless the Mountaineer is a girl. Nolan said the contest recognizes the Appalachian tradition of manly-men sporting their facial hair, and is both a fun way to excite the students about Mountaineer Week and what it means to embody the Mountaineer spirit. danewsroom@mail.wvu.edu

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Primanti Bros. products are now available for customers all across the nation. Primanti Bros. has joined Goldbely.com to make their sandwich packs available for customers all across the United States. The idea is to incorporate all of the ingredients that make the original Primanti Bros. sandwich into one product that can then be shipped to customers anywhere in the U.S. The company is home to Pittsburgh, Pa., and their products continue to be a favorite among food lovers near and far. The packages, which are called “Sandwich Party Packs,” include fresh Italian bread, fries, a choice of pastrami or capicola lunch meat, tomatoes, coleslaw, Red Devil’s sauce and a Primanti Bros. T-shirt. The cost of each package is $109. So far, the company has sold out four shipping dates for the “Sandwich Party Packs.” Further success could lead to the sandwich packages becoming a permanent inventory item for the company. When asked how the idea of shipping their sandwiches came to be, Lila Prezioso, marketing director for Primanti Bros., emphasized the im-

portance of bringing a part of Pittsburgh to other cities across the US, including Morgantown. “We want our products available in a wider circle. (The package) is for people who really enjoy regional foods,” Prezioso said. Prezioso also said how the unique recipe for the Primanti Bros. sandwich is the solid foundation for the company’s success. It is what keeps the customers coming back, and it now is the sole reason for the sold out shipping dates of the company’s new item. “It is a unique but simple formula,” Prezioso said. Jon Fehrens, a senior television journalism student, eats at Primanti Bros. at least twice a month. As a Virginia native, he said he would take advantage of the idea when he goes home for breaks if it wasn’t so expensive. “109 dollars is a lot of money for a sandwich,” Fehrens said. “Driving to Pennsylvania to get one is probably a better deal.” For more information on Primanti Bros., their products, or how to order a “Sandwich Party Pack,” visit Morgantown’s local Primanti Bros. at the Suncrest Towne Center. Information can also be found on the company’s website, https://primantibros.com danewsroom@mail.wvu.edu

SENIOR NIGHT Women’s soccer recognizes seniors at Dick Dlesk Stadium SPORTS PAGE 7


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