THE DAILY ATHENAEUM
“Little good is accomplished without controversy, and no civic evil is ever defeated without publicity.”
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Tuesday October 8, 2013
Volume 126, Issue 37
www.THEDAONLINE.com
State of the University ADDRESS
‘BUILDING FOR OUR FUTURE’
New app helps disabled develop communication skills BY Ashley DeNardo WEB EDitor @amdenardo
Wythe Woods/THE DAILY ATHENAEUM
WVU President James P. Clements presents his annual State of the University address Monday.
Clements talks University’s commitment to students despite budget constraints City Editor @SummerRatcliff
grant mission of teaching, research and service. We must use our resources wisely, we must work together across boundaries and disciplines, and we must make our mark on the national and world stage.” During the last four years, Clements said enrollment grew by four percent to 32,595. He said he, along with every faculty member, firmly believes every single one of those students matter. A large portion of Cle-
ments’ address centered on the difficulties currently facing the U.S., issues that stem from the national debt and innovations crises. “As documented in numerous studies, we are facing an urgent national crisis,” he said. “Many would call it an innovation deficit, and it’s growing. The United States has fallen to 16th among developed countries for the percentage of young adults who hold a college degree.”
Clements pledged his commitment to ensuring the students of WVU receive quality academic experiences, no matter the challenges the University may encounter. Despite state budget cuts, Clements said WVU has maintained quality academic research and public service programs, while still managing to provide a positive overall student experience.
see UNIVERSITY on PAGE 2
BY Summer Ratcliff City Editor @SummerRatcliff
Dillon Tucker proud,” she said. Aside from being a WVU student and singer, Malone said her passions in life are hunting, pageantry and volunteering to help others in any way she can. Malone said she applied for Homecoming queen because she believes her Morgantown roots make her the
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Chelsea Malone
perfect representation for the University. “I deserve the crown because Homecoming queen is a leadership position,” she said. “Underclassmen are able to have someone to look up to, and I would love to be that role model.” When asked what one word best describes her,
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News: 1, 2 Opinion: 4 A&E: 3, 6 Sports: 7, 8, 10
staff writer @dailyathenaeum
An audience member at the State of the University questions WVU President James P. Clements about creating a more handicap accessible campus.
The DA will continue to feature two Homecoming candidates each day this week.
SUNNY
by jacob bojesson
Wythe Woods/THE DAILY ATHENAEUM
Spotlight: 2013 WVU Homecoming Court
Chelsea Malone is a senior finance student from Morgantown, W.Va. Malone said she chose to attend West Virginia University because she was born and raised in this city. “I’ve loved the Mountaineers ever since I can remember and knew there was no other school for me,” she said. “Being a Mountaineer means being free and blessed with a long-standing family tradition.” Malone won Mountaineer Idol in her sophomore year and said it was by far her favorite memory as a Mountaineer. “There was no greater feeling than getting on that stage and making all of my family and supporters
see APP on PAGE 2
Grad students give back, honor W.Va. coal miners
BY Summer Ratcliff
West Virginia University President, James P. Clements, delivered his fifth State of the University address Monday to the Faculty Assembly and community members at the Erickson Alumni Center. President Clements related the current state of the University and its progress over the course of the last year to the WVU solar decathlon team currently competing in a competition in California. The team is working to rebuild an environmentally friendly log home they originally built on the Evansdale Campus. “In some ways the solar decathlon project represents our state of the University in 2013,” Clements said. “Under very challenging circumstances we must work together to uphold and build upon our land
MyVoice Inc., the creators of the iPod application TalkRocket Go, is making life easier for students with speech disabilities across the globe. The College Life Pack, a new, free add-on to the TalkRocket Go app, was released Aug. 27. It was specifically developed by MyVoice and the University of Toronto Scarborough to highlight vocabulary common on college campuses. The main function of TalkRocket Go is text-tospeech and vocabulary packs that help disabled individuals of all ages develop their communication skills. The College Life Pack takes that idea a step further by introducing college-specific vocabulary and images related to the registrar’s office, disability services, questions or comments in lectures and other general aspects life on campus. “TalkRocket Go helps people with a diverse range of communication challenges,” said Alex Levy, CEO and lead designer at MyVoice. “Today, it’s used by people with autism, cerebral palsy and traumatic
brain injury. It has even been occasionally used by people with hearing challenges, particularly those who struggle to be understood because of how their hearing loss affects their speech. “For college students with disabilities, the (app) will give them easier access to vocabulary about courses, campus services and social life. This could make a difference for their academic and social success, which is so important given that students with disabilities are much less likely to finish college than others.” Elizabeth Campbell of Westover, W.Va., is the mother of a child with hearing loss who is aided only by hearing aids. “My son is very verbal and can be understood when he speaks, but that does not mean he is not missing out on opportunities,” Campbell said. “His disability gives him a disadvantage educationally and socially.” According to the 2011 U.S. census, students who have disabilities are twice as likely to dropout of from high school, while those who do graduate are half as likely to continue their
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Malone said, “blessed.” Dillon Tucker is a senior finance and communications student from Winfield, W.Va. Tucker said his number one passion in life is WVU
see COURT on PAGE 2
A group of online s p o r t s ma na g e m e nt graduate students at West Virginia University started their own charity to raise money and promote awareness about coal miners around the state. The graduate sports marketing class project is selling “Miners Matter” wristbands to people who want to show support for the coal mining profession. The class consists of students from across the country, many of whom had never set foot in West Virginia prior to their two-week conference. “We came on campus two weeks in July to get about four of our classes out of the way,” said Felecia Mulkey, a graduate student in the sports marketing class. “It was interesting, because we are from all over the country, and most of us did not do our undergraduate at WVU, so it was our first trip to Morgantown.” Their time in Morgantown was eye-opening to many of the students, and they quickly realized the importance of coal to the state. “We learned pretty quickly about America’s real source of energy and the coal mining profession when we were taken there,” Mulkey said. “We were told that we had to create a project, and it was going to go to charity. It was a no-brainer for us to go with anything that would benefit the miners and their families.” While in Morgantown,
the class learned 4,000 miners had been laid off in southern West Virginia as result of budget cuts. The group then contacted Friends of Coal, which put them in touch with Remember the Miners, the charity the proceeds will benefit. “It just seemed like it was just a point of pride with everyone in West Virginia; it’s such a way of life there,” Mulkey said. “I’m from Atlanta, and coal mining wasn’t something I realized was such a big part of what we do every day. I think we all felt immediately you become a Mountaineer when you get there. For me to get to campus and immediately identify with West Virginia, it was pretty quick you realize that everybody has their pride.” The wristband is designed to show supp or t for b oth the Mountaineers and the miners in West Virginia. “We have some local students in the program. Mining is such a big thing, and we decided to go that route, because we can use the science of sports because West Virginia doesn’t have professional teams, so everyone in West Virginia is really huge in college football,” said Brian Taylor, a student in the class. “We wanted to use that sports background for people to show their love.” Wristbands can be purchased for $2 at h t t p : / / m i n e r s m a t t e r. com, or at upcoming basketball and football games. danewsroom@mail.wvu.edu
COMMUNICATION IS KEY Find us on
Facebook ON THE INSIDE The flaws in President Clements State of the University address. OPINION PAGE 4
West Virginia head coach Dana Holgorsen said he and quarterback Clint Trickett need to improve communication issues to effectively lead the offense this season. SPORTS PAGE 7