the chronicle volume 44 #4

ChronicleThe

at WVU Parkersburg

October 24, 2013 Volume #44 No. 4

Inside this Issue

Travel Abroad Page: 5

EAG Page: 3

Sports Page: 6

College Stress Test: 10

Captain Phillips Page: 11

by Hannah Duffield The verdict is in. At a WVU Parkersburg Board of Governor’s meeting a vote was cast to table Policy F-60, To-bacco and Smoke-free Campus, which would ban the use of all tobacco and smoking products including electronic smoking de-vices. The decision to table F-60 was made after a 30-day comment period that began Aug. 21 and lasted through Sept. 30, 2013. Faculty and students, smokers and non-smokers, took the op-portunity to inform the institution of their desires concerning Policy F-60. Many of the comments were informational and cordial, some were short and others were lengthy. Yet, they were of one voice. One student, Marc Harris, commented, “I would just like to take a moment to urge you to consider not passing this propos-al… I feel any alteration of that policy will only lead to conflict with smoking students, faculty, and visitors. Thank you for your time and consideration.” Regina Goodwin commented, “I would like to respectfully give my opinion on the proposed smoking ban. I think it would cause more problems than it is worth to take away our desig-nated smoking areas…” Student Government Asso-ciation Vice President of Finance Joshua Campbell commented, “While I agree that smoking should be banned campus-wide, I do believe that banning Elec-

tronic Smoking Devices would be a mistake… It is my belief as a non-smoker and the belief of many students, faculty and staff to not ban Electric Smoking De-vices.” “I think this policy takes our freedom a bit too far. I am a vet-eran who served for our freedom and each little policy, procedure, rule or law erodes away that freedom. Tobacco users moved outside to use tobacco products Jan. 1, 1990, 23 years ago. I'm not saying that was a bad idea, but enough is enough. I saw an article a few weeks ago and one of the colleges in the United States banned all meat products on campus. WHATS NEXT???,” said Director of Facilities Dave White. “I’m not proud to admit that I smoke, but I do for now, until I accomplish quitting! I would really appreciate it if you would please keep the designated smok-ing areas on WVUP campus...” said Jule Ann Tripler, a WVU Parkersburg—student. “I feel that this policy is in violation of my personal rights. I have absolutely no problem with smoking in designated areas, but to take those designated areas away from tax and tuition-paying adults is simply unfair. If this in fact becomes a policy, I will be forced to consider spending my tuitions funds at another school. If that requires me to relocate, I am willing to consider that,” said student Angela Sayre Profitt. After taking the faculty, staff and students’ comments into con-sideration, a vote was taken by

Smoking ban decision is on Holdthe board members at the Board of Governor’s meeting, October 9,2013, after a lengthy recess the verdict was declared that the Policy F-60 concerning Tobacco and Smoke-free Campus would be tabled until a later date.

Dr. Marie Gnage, WVU Park-ersburg president, said she would like to have more time to do an educational campaign before bringing the proposal back be-fore the board for a final decision on the policy.

The Chronicle at WVU Parkersburg October 24, 2013

by Jeremy Harrison The repercussions are yet to be seen. Implementation of the new mandatory advising policy could not have been timed any more poorly. When putting a policy such as this into place, an institution must weigh its options and inform/consult the faculty in a timely manner. Faculty and students alike will take the brunt of all the bumps in the road on this ill-planned decision. The quality of the advising will have a very large impact on retention. This is just one of many con-cerns on the issue. In my opinion, without quality advising, you might as well not have any advising at all. Students who are dissatisfied with their advising are far more likely to drop out. I don’t need the sta-tistics on that one. Google it. Another issue that raises red flags to me is the fact that some members of the faculty will be over-whelmed with the amount of students they have to advise. This, in turn, will also have an adverse effect on the quality of the advising. The more students an instructor has to advise, the less personal it becomes hindering the quality of the advising. In this scenario, the student is just another number. Not good. I am not sure, because I am not an instructor, but I would figure that this implementation will most likely put an extra workload on a lot of the faculty. The full- and part-time faculty at WVU Parkersburg are hard-working individuals and can handle just about anything you throw in front of them. On the other hand, I am certain that this is an extra load they would rather have seen coming for miles instead of feet. Personally, I feel that this advising policy should have been piloted first, to see all of the potential hic-cups and cracks in the pipeline, instead of just throwing it in the lion’s den. Experimentation before implementation! Interesting rally cry, don’t you think? With all that being said, I am in support of mandatory advising, especially for students with 30 credit hours or less and also for those who are on academic probation. Advising is an important part of higher education and plays a crucial role in keeping retention and graduation rates up. Advising has, in my opin-ion, many more advantages than disadvantages when implemented properly. I feel that mandatory advising at WVU Parkersburg is a big step forward and will play a crucial role in better retention and graduation rates. After all of the dust settles, I am confident that we will see a posi-tive outcome from this. It was just bad timing. Very bad timing. But what do I know, I am just a student whose future depends on these decisions.

IN HIS OPINION

Kurt KlettnerCounseling/Student Assistance Services

ChronicleThe

at WVU Parkersburg

News Editor: Jeremy HarrisonAsst. News Editor: Justina MorrisNews Reporting/Photography Staff: Kyle NicholsCora TiddShelby ThomasKathy McPeekElizabeth StovallDaniel JacksonJason RossCorrissa WilliamsThaddeus Randolph

Layout Editor: Corrissa WilliamsLayout Staff: Shelby ThomasJeremy Harrison Jessica ThompsonTessa McAteeMacie LynchHannah DuffieldCandice HoalcraftCarle StewartMegan Valentine

[email protected] find us on Facebook & Twitter

@wvupchronicle

Advisor: Torie Jackson

Megan NewlandAllison HilberKristiana HuntAustin WeifordJason RossKyle NicholsJustina MorrisCora TiddJason Walker

Carle StewartCandice HoalcraftHannah DuffieldTia GoodrichMegan ValentineAllison HilberMegan Newland

Volume 44Produced by students of WVU Parkersburg

Right Place. Wrong Time.

Wellness ~ Where Does Nicotine Fit In? Wellness is not the result of a single act, but rather a healthy lifestyle. Wellness is more than just taking care of your physical body, but also nurturing your emotional and mental health. With cigarettes and smoking in general re-ceiving a significant amount of attention at the present time, I am led to ask “What effect do you think the use of nicotine products has on one’s ability to maintain a healthy lifestyle?” Smoking, or the use of nicotine products regardless of form, can be an emotionally charged topic with a potential of being viewed by multiple perspectives. Regardless of whether you are for or against the use of nicotine products (smoking cigarettes, cigars, pipes or the use of snuff, rub, etc.), I ask that you take a moment to consider how viewing

this topic from a general wellness perspective may influence your thoughts on the matter. Wellness is the result of balance. Physical, emotional and mental health can be affected by a person’s use of nicotine and the act of smoking. “To smoke or not to smoke?” is a ques-tion that many of us face at some time in our life. The highlighted substance, though by no means the only chemical substance found in cigarettes and other tobacco products, is nicotine; a chemical that falls under the drug category of a stimulant. Like many stimulants, nicotine is highly addictive and may place the user in a position of being physically dependent upon continued use to avoid the discomfort of withdrawal. When choosing to engage in any controversial action we face a potential conflict; in this case the effect may be internal as well as external stress. For example, individuals may experi-

ence emotional conflict over a perceived need to defend their choice to smoke while simultane-ously wishing to quit, if for no other reason than to reduce a life stressor brought about by high blood pressure or financial pressures. Depending upon how one handles conflict and stress, the end

result may upset one’s desire for balance and thus have a negative impact on one’s overall health and wellness. When facing any significant situation that results in a personal conflict that detracts from your desire to maintain a healthy lifestyle, I ask that you consider the value in taking advantage of the support services offered on campus, to include the Student Counseling Center.

PEACE!Kurt

Want to learn more about energy efficiency? Come join us on Dec. 7, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., in the College Activities Center for the Bright Ideas Energy Expo!

Our style: it’s very beautiful, the dresses are handmade.

~Noza Rakhmatova ”“

tary Michelle Hoff and Treasurer Logan Mace. Candace Vanden-broeke is also very involved with the group. The EAG put together several upcoming events. On Oct. 31 a joint meeting with the psychol-ogy club will be conducted in room 1317 at 11:00 a.m. Profes-sors Phil and Denise McClung will be speaking about PSYCH 410, WVU Parkersburg's unique Applied Environmental Psychol-ogy course.

The Chronicle at WVU ParkersburgOctober 24, 2013

International Student Finds Beauty in West Virginia

EAG is on the Lookout for new Members

MAC Breaks Down Cultural Barriers Among Students

by Corrissa Williams The Environmental Action Group (EAG) is on the hunt for potential environmental advo-cates at WVU Parkersburg. The mission statement of the EAG is “to promote awareness of environmental issues such as conservation and preservation, with a focus on educating the college community.” EAG first started in 2003 by former Professor Bill Douglas and a group of students who wished to inform people about environmental issues. Once Douglas retired, Jane King took over as the advisor for EAG. After King, the group remained inactive for a few years until more students began showing interest in reactivating the organization. This August, EAG was taken over by Profes-sor Rebecca Philips and is now an active group with 27 students currently signed up. Student leaders of EAG in-clude President Kodi Sells, Vice President Trina Cottrill, Secre-

On Nov. 6, Kelly Bragg of the West Virginia Division of Energy will be discussing alternative fu-els and ways of transportation. On Nov. 20, Hans Straight will be speaking about food agriculture issues. The times and locations have yet to be an-nounced for the Nov. 6 and Nov. 20 events. All of these events are free and open to the public, and students are encouraged to at-tend. Anyone who is interested in becoming a member of EAG, or anyone who has any concerns or information they would like to share about environmental issues, may contact Rebecca Phillips at [email protected]. Phillips is also avail-able in her office, room 1306. Students can also find more information about EAG on their facebook page, WVU Park-ersburg Environmental Action Group. Students are encouraged to like the page to receive news or upcoming events involving EAG.

by Thaddeus Randolph A group at WVU Parkersburg has made it their goal to educate others on the cultures of their classmates and eliminate pos-sible barriers among students. The Multicultural Aware-ness Coalition or MAC, was started by Foreign Language Professor Randy Oldaker. It fo-cuses on teaching students about other cultures within the United States. The group aims to bring students together who have an interest in other peoples cultures and want to learn more about them. The officers of the group are President Ash Buzzard, Vice President Micah Fleck and Fac-ulty Adviser Professor Randy Oldaker. Current goals for the club are to raise awareness about the group and to gain new members. “We are open for new members who share the love of different cultures and foreign languages,” Buzzard said. “We are looking for hard working students who will dedicate time to the organization.” MAC has worked with The

by Candice HoalcraftAs the famous quote says “Home is where your heart is.” Noza Rakhmatova, far from her home in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, found a home here in West Virginia to get an education. Located in south central Asia, Tajikistan originally detached from the USSR and is similar to Persian countries. Noza boldly left her home and came to the United States with her cousin, while her parents remain in Tajkistan. “Every day we Skype. I really miss them and last summer I went to my hometown to visit and hopefully this summer I will go as well,” Noza said. Although a wide variety of

cultures make up America, smaller countries like Tajikistan are not represented as much as the others. For example, clothing styles in their culture aren’t seen much around here. “We have traditional dresses we wear it’s a long dress. We wear it on our traditional holidays,” Noza explained. “Our style: it’s very beautiful, the dresses are handmade.” Aside from the fashions, the food in America differs with Tajikistan. Because we are considered the “melting pot,” several different ethnic cuisines are combined with an American flare to it. A difference can also be seen in regards to our crops. Within her hometown, Noza

explains that there is a large amount of fresh fruits. “The fruit [here] doesn’t taste very natural. In my hometown we have so many different fresh fruits.” According to the official West Virginia webpage, tourists come from all over the country to v iew the beaut i fu l and majestic mountains of Wild and Wonderful West Virginia. Noza had the same mentality when coming to this country. “West Virginia reminds me of my hometown because there’s so many trees and mountains. In my country, it’s about 93 percent mountains,” Noza said. Another aspect about West Virginia that was appealing to Noza was the concept of starting

out in a smaller town. She feels that it is better to start out in a place like the Mid-Ohio Valley then possibly transfer to a bigger university. Currently, Noza is working towards her Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting. “The reason why I chose accounting because it’s of high demand in my hometown

of accounting majors. Everybody needs accounting it’s one of the needed jobs so I can find jobs here and there,” Noza said. After graduation, she has hopes of opening her own company. Although students do spend most of their time focusing on homework and school work, it is necessary to take a break and do activities that are fun. Outside of the classroom, Noza enjoys what most college students enjoy. Activities like shopping, going to movies and hanging out with friends are among her favorite things to do. In addition, Noza is a dedicated reader. Some of her favorite reads are books by Nicholas Sparks and the beloved Harry Potter series.

Multicultural Festival in Park-ersburg and plans to host many upcoming events which will include guest speakers. Some of the events they will be hosting involve an international luncheon among the students and an inter-national fair with Jeffrey Byrd whose student development class will help plan the fair. The luncheon will include “members of MAC along with the foreign language students getting together during engage-ment hours to have a luncheon, each cooking a dish from the country they are studying.” Buzzard explained, This will be “a time to come together, talk, maybe recruit new members.” They also plan to hold a fund-raiser to raise money for tsunami victims in Japan. The group has been around since 2011 and hopes to gain many new members in the near future to help plan fundraisers and other activities that. Any students who are in-terested in joining can email [email protected] for more information.


by Cora Tidd Medical minds join together in the new Surgical Technology Program. Surgical Technology is a new Associate of Applied Science program being offered at WVU-Parkersburg. The program is designed to prepare students to work under the supervision of a surgeon. The students learn how to effectively assist with invasive surgical pro-cedures. They are taught to make sure operating room conditions are safe to work in, that each piece of equipment functions cor-rectly and that the operation is performed under conditions that assure patient safety. “I see the program as a positive for students that are interested in Surgical Technology,” said Ruth Porter, the new instructional specialist for the Surgical Tech-nology program. Surgical technologists are pro-fessionals that are trained to work in a surgical atmosphere, which can be in ambulatory surgery units, inpatient operating rooms and sterile processing. They are medical professionals that can fill multiple roles in the operating

room. As an essential member of the surgical unit, surgical tech-nologists work alongside the surgeons, anesthesiologists, reg-istered nurses and other surgical personnel. They deliver patient care before, during and after the surgery. As part of the surgical tech program, students are able to de-velop valuable knowledge of the surgical environment, instrumen-tation, procedures and supplies that are needed for the safe care of the patient. Programs of study are com-bined with the latest technology to better educate the students. State-of-the-art campus and simulation labs are featured in the program facilities. They include high-performance, real-istic, wireless patient simulators and laparoscopic simulators (computer-generated model of anatomy that allows student in-teraction with virtual structures and models). Students are taught in “smart” classrooms that are equipped with audio/visual tools to en-hance lectures with media like videos, overhead displays, and

by Cora Tidd WVU-Parkersburg recently added a new faculty member to its roster. Ruth Porter is the new instructional specialist for the Surgical Technology program. Porter was brought up in Meigs County, Ohio. She spent several years working in various medical centers around the Ohio Valley before finding the right position in Parkersburg, W.Va. Porter grad-u a t e d f r o m Hocking Tech-nical College with a degree in medical as-sisting. Accord ing to Porter, med-ical assisting was the perfect major due to her vast interest in surgical application and love of the human body. Porter later began working at Ohio State University medical center in Columbus, OH. During this time Porter worked predomi-nantly with the human heart. Within this role Porter would soon discover her niche in the medical world. “The last 12 years of my career have been primarily hearts,” said Porter, “It's where my strong points in the medical area lie.” Soon after her time in the big city, Porter moved on to work at St. Joseph's Hospital in Parkers-burg, W.Va. During the course of her stay Porter was able to help start the heart program in the medical center. Porter now serves as the in-structional specialist for the Surgical Technology program at WVU-Parkersburg. Surgical Technology is a new

by Carlē Stewart “They say when you go to col-lege that you’re going to meet that one professor that kind of just changes your perspective on everything.” For new biology professor Mary Hetrick, this was Dr. Wright. “I had an excellent professor,” Hetrick said. Now she hopes to be that teacher for her students. While at Mississippi State University, Hetrick was a re-search associate, working with a degree in teaching developmental biology. At WVU-Parkersburg, Hetrick teaches as a microbiolo-gist. “We look at wastewater,” she explained. “The idea being that every major city has a waste-

While Hetrick hopes to make her class exciting for students, she explains that the material will be challenging because it con-sists of anatomy and physiology. Hetrick advises students in her class to read their book and go to her when questions arise. “Study as you go,” Hetrick also tells her students. She in-vites students with an interest in biology to take her class. That “one professor” students will have in college will “help you see what you want to do,” according to Hetrick. Hetrick had her “one profes-sor” and because Dr. Wright helped her to see what she want-ed to do, Hetrick can strive to be that professor for her students.

other technological capabilities. A real hands-on experience can also be acquired through the Surgical Technology program. According to Porter, students are in the surgical arena within the first year of study. They are in the field observing and work-ing with preceptors. Students are able to assist the surgeon during surgery and in some instances help suture. The medical experiences are allowed under faculty and men-tor supervision at Camden-Clark Medical Care facilities, Marietta Memorial Hospital, Selby Gen-eral Hospital, Thomas Memorial, Charleston Area Medical Center and other selected community agencies. Porter hopes to see some great professionals come out of the Surgical Technology program. She believes there are already some accomplished surgical technologists developing through this program. For more information on the Surgical Technology Program visit the WVU Parkersburg website or contact Ruth Porter in room 3301 or e-mail her at [email protected].

water treatment facility so we can use the wastewater to grow microorganisms that creates a lipid. We can extract that lipid and then we verify that lipid into biofuels.” Hetrick says her inspiration for teaching science was her college professor, and teaching is what she enjoys most about WVU-Parkersburg. “I’ve always been involved in science. My previous position was chemical engineering, but I like biology best,” said Hetrick. “I think the nice thing about biology is looking at how every-thing fits together. I think that is exciting when you learn how one concept and you see how it ties into something else.”

Associate of Applied Science degree program. It prepares students to work under the super-vision of a surgeon. Students are taught how to assist in invasive surgical procedures. Porter’s duty as the instruc-tional specialist is to ensure students develop an understand-ing of the surgical environment, instrumentation and procedures that are necessary to guarantee

safe care of the patient. When asked what she found most reward-ing about her j o b P o r t e r stated: “I like to see us instill in students the

surgical conscious, character and integrity that it takes to work in a surgical arena. The surgical program is capable of producing good professionals that will work well in the operating room.” Porter teaches her students in a “smart” classroom. The class-room is equipped with audio/visual tools to help further en-hance her lectures. Media such as videos, overhead displays, and other technological capabilities are provided. Over time Porter has worked in medical fields across the Ohio Valley. She wanted to have a career that valued her interest in the human body and found it in a smaller community. She applied for the instructional specialist po-sition at WVU Parkersburg and has now been here for two years. “I see some great professionals being produced in this program and am pleased to be a part of it,” Porter shared.

WVU Parkersburg Wel comes Ne w Bi ol og y Profess or

Surgical Technology Program Offered at WVU Parkersburg

Specialist to

Instruct The Surgical Technology Program

"I like to see us instill in students the surgical

conscious, character and integrity that it takes to work in a surgical arena."


by Mattia Goodrich TOUGH! That’s the word Tom Yencha used to sum up this semester’s sport’s season. While soccer is drawing to an end, vol-leyball and basketball are just starting up, so there is plenty of sports left to see. The soccer team has three more games before their season is over. With a record of 0-10-1 the Riverhawks are hoping to turn things around for the final games of the season. WVU Parkersburg soccer will finish the season with an away game at OSU Mansfield on Oct. 20 and two final homegames. The first home game will be against a club team from WVU on Nov. 2 at 1 p.m. on the Col-lege Field, which is located behind the college. The last and final game of the season will taking place against Kentucky Christian on Nov. 24 at 6 p.m. on Parkersburg High School’s field. Meanwhile, the Riverhawks volleyball team started out strong with a 2-0 record, sweeping their tri-match at WVU Parkersburg, but has since lost 5 straight games. With five games left to go on the schedule, the volleyball team is hoping to improve their record. The next game will be Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. against WV Wesleyan. Overall, tough schedules this season have let to struggles for the WVU Parkersburg’s sports club. The volleyball and soccer team will be looking for retali-ation in their final games of the season. Yencha encourages the college community to go out and support the Riverhawk athletic teams!

by Mattia Goodrich The Swiss Alps, Venice, Flor-ence, Nice, and even Paris is an option. You can go on a trip of a lifetime with anyone on March 14, 2014. WVU-Parkersburg is teaming up with LaSalle Uni-versity on the study aboard trip to Switzerland, Italy, and the French Riviera. Dr. Phil and Denise McClung are hosting the trip overseas next spring for anyone who wants to go. You say, “Can my sisters and friends go?” Of course, Dr. Phil McClung said, “Any mature

twelve year old could make the trip.” The McClungs are going to hold a meeting in the community to try and get more people to go. There are five people already going and twenty others consid-ering it seriously. Next, we all know a trip like this is expensive. Can you get financial help? Why, yes you can. The Lawrence-Berry Study-Abroad Scholarship is eligible for any second year and over full-time student with at least a 3.20 GPA. You must complete the study abroad program in

by Kyle Nichols Under 50 percent of the United States population has valid pass-ports, according to research by the Huffington Post. With this percentage, Fulbright is an inspi-ration to enhance that statistic. Fulbright is a scholarship program that awards students, scholars, teachers and profes-sionals the opportunity to travel abroad for advanced research and to teach in a variety of differ-ent areas. A part of the full-time faculty of WVU Parkersburg, Dr.

Sy Sarkarat was granted this op-portunity and taught at a foreign university in his field. Sarkarat began filling out the Fulbright application in 2007. The Institute of International Education accepted his applica-tion, and he chose a country from the former Soviet Republic as the country of his interest. Sarkarat said that he is thankful that he had “...the opportunity to serve.” Arriving in his country of choice in 2008, Sarkarat began teaching at the Azerbaijan State

Economic University in Baku, Azerbaijan. “When I was at Baku, I met several United States Fulbright students and faculty,” he said. This is not abnormal since Fulbright operates in over 155 countries around the world. R o u g h l y 1 , 0 0 0 A m e r i -can scholars travel to other universitites on the Fulbright scholarship with the goal of cre-ating a link between the United States and other countries as well as instilling foreign education values into local universities.

Sarkarat's choice for where he wanted to teach was not random or cliché. “I have background in Azerbaijan,” he said. “It was nice to speak the local language.” Sarkarat also was pleased with being able to teach his field, eco-nomics, to foreign students and share in their learning experi-ences. If students or faculty are inter-ested, Sarkarat explained that he would “...be more than happy to help them out on their interests in a Fulbright scholarship.”

by Mattia Goodrich The Swiss Alps, Venice, Flor-ence, Nice, and even Paris is an option. Students can go on a trip of a lifetime on March 14, 2014. WVU Parkersburg is teaming up with LaSalle University on a study abroad trip to Switzerland, Italy, and the French Riviera. Phil and Denise McClung are hosting the trip overseas next spring for anyone who wants to go. Students might ask, “Can my sisters and friends go?” Of course, McClung said, “Any ma-ture twelve year old could make

the trip.” The McClungs are hosting a meeting in the community to interest additional people to go. Five people have already com-mitted to the trip and roughly twenty others are seriously con-

sidering. Next, we all know a trip like this is expensive. Can students get financial help? Why, yes they can. The Lawrence-Berry Study-Abroad Scholarship is eligible for any second year, full-time student with at least a 3.20 GPA. Students must complete the study abroad program in order to get the full financial assistance. For more information or an application, contact the Founda-tion at (304) 424-8340 or stop by room 1107. Also, students can get $100 off the price of the trip

if they sign up before Oct. 31. As well as financial assistance, students can get college credit for attending the 11-day trip. The McClungs will be offering college credits in the areas of Psychology and Sociology for students who would like that option. Psychology 397 and Sociology 350 are the courses available for study. To get additional information, contact [email protected]. More information can also be found at www.efcollegestudy-tours.com/1442114RN .

Students Offered a Rare Opportunity

Professor Reflects Fulbright Scholar Experience

Riverhawks Hoping

for Turn-Around

by Candice Hoalcraft Haunted houses , lunat ic asylums and witch covens. What do these horrifying things all have in common? All of them are the center for the popular show “American Horror Story: Coven” which airs on FX. To set it apart from the typical TV series, each season is set up to be a miniseries which has a different plot line but the same actors. Beginning its third season, “Amer ican Hor ro r S to ry” tells the story of a group of witches. However, they aren't the stereotypical “Hocus Pocus” type. Their bloodline traces back to the 1800s and also during the events of the Salem Witch Trials. Zoe, the main character, finds herself in a boarding school for girls just like her. That is, girls with special abilities and in most cases, dangerous ones. Early in her stay, she finds out that the world she participates in is more dangerous than what she knew possible. Although it is too early to determine the overall plot of the show, the first two episodes provide a promising season of terror. A main characteristic of the show is the way it transitions


by Elizabeth Stovall Students are in luck. WVU Parkersburg wants to help out by bring-ing employers to students. Wednesday Oct. 30 WVU Parkersburg will hold a career fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the multipurpose room. The career fair offers students a chance to get their resumes’ seen by numerous employers in the area. Many different industries will be represented at the fair: Auto-motive, Accounting Services,to Education, Government and Law Enforcement. The career fair will begin at 10 a.m. and pizza will be provided. Students should arrive at the fair with resumes in hand and dressed in business attire, ready to interview. Also a good idea for students is to research any of the employers in attendance that are of interest to them. Being prepared with questions ready for employers is recommended as well. Career Services will also be holding a workshop, “Making the Most of a Career Fair” on Monday Oct. 28 at 11:30 a.m. in Room 1207. This workshop is to help students put their best foot forward at the Oct. 30 career fair.

by Daniel Jackson The solar panel installation for the Jackson County Center has been delayed. According to the director of the JCC John Gorrell, the delay is due to several leaks found in the roof at the JCC. Because the panels cannot be attached until the roof is fixed, the installation will be postponed for the time being. Gary Thompson, Instructor and coordinator for the energy project, says the installation of solar panels is part of a ex-perimental project, as well as a possible stepping-stone for future projects at the main campus in Parkersburg. Depending on re-search grants and other funding,

these may include WVU Parkers-burg’s own solar panel arrays and possible solar powered charging stations for electric cars. The project will eventually al-low students to track the usage of electricity at the JCC from both campus’s by using a tool on WVU Parkersburg's website. The website tool will track how much electricity the JCC generates on an hourly basis as well as how much power it uses and exports back onto the local power grid. Exporting the excess electricity to the power grid would be ben-eficial for the surrounding town of Ripley. The JCC campus would gener-ate excess power during all hours

AutozoneBroughton Foods/Dean Foods Inc.

Buffington Tax Services, LLCCamden Clark Medical Center

Clear ChannelConstellium

Dunkin DonutsEldercare Health & Rehabilitation

Extras Support StaffingFastenal Co.

Heavenly In Home Care, LLCJan Dils, Attorneys at LawLemongrass Spa Products

LowesManpowerMary Kay

Memorial Health SystemsMiller Communications, Inc.

Modern Woodmen of AmericaNorth Central Regional Jail

Northwestern MutualOld Navy

Pickering AssociatesPressley Ridge

Professional Services of America Prudential Financial

of the day and all year round, whether or not the campus is ac-tually open or in operation. The original target date for the completion of the repairs was Oct. 15, but the roof of the JCC has not yet undergone the necessary repairs to allow the installation to take place. The delay has become a big-ger setback due to the onset of the fall season. The weather has changed and has begun produc-ing a lot more rain and moisture, preventing the contractors from completing the project. John Gorrell says this may delay the project until spring, where the weather will be more favorable for the installation to take place.

Leaks Delay Solar Panel Installation

from the past to present day. The beginning of this season starts out in the 1800s and as the story progresses, it flashes back to that time period which adds more interest to the plot. Because it takes place in New Orleans, it gives a sense of that stereotypical “voodoo” and ancient legends of the town which is the perfect setting for witches to master their powers. The show’s title communicates the obvious; it’s expected that the show will have a pretty good amount of scary or “dark” material. However, there becomes a time that reaches the limit. Horror writers and producers feel the need to add outlandish, bizarre, and somewhat disturbing material. A l t h o u g h , d o i n g s o i s not necessarily a bad thing, e v e r y t h i n g i s b e t t e r i n moderation and in this case, there is none. Combining sexuality, gore and violence, American Horror Story has it all, but it’s way too much. A perfect example is one of the main characters. Delphine LaLaurie, played by Cathy Bates, is a character who lives in the 19th century. Naturally, she was a slave-owner, but in the worst way possible.

She takes her slaves and tortures them, using their blood to brush on her skin because she believes it makes her skin look younger. This is just one of many unsettling events of the show. Although those type of scenes can be difficult to watch, it’s almost like a train-wreck. It works because all of those horrific events have a purpose and a reason that serves the plot. In order for a show like this to work, there need to be excellent actors who can portray the sometimes psychotic nature of these characters. The actors are the same each season for a reason. They are all perfect in their roles. The person who stands out the most is Emmy nominated Jessica Lange. Through her role as Sister Jude in American Horror Story: Asylum, Lange shows her talent and versatilities as an actor. She is perfect for playing the passionate yet deranged character. T h i s s h o w i s t h e i d e a l combination of both horror and a well developed plot. Season one is available on Netflix and season two is now available on DVD. The show airs on Wednesday nights at 10.

Horror Show Continues to Frighten Career Fair Offers Students Job Opportunities...

For any questions about the Career Fair or any Career Services questions, Contact:Jennifer Randolph

Coordinator of Career Services and Cooperative Education304-424-8000 ext. 467

[email protected]

~ Attending Employers ~Results Radio

Rite Aid PharmacySpeedway LLC

Thirty OneThomas Memorial Hospital

United BankUnited States Army

Westbrook Health Services, Inc.West Virginia Army National

GuardWest Virginia Department Health

and Human ResourcesWest Virginia Division

of CorrectionsWest Virginia Division

of PersonnelWest Virginia State PoliceWest Virginia University

at Parkersburg

Grad Schools:West Virginia University

Marshall University

Resource Agencies:Workforce WV

Military One Stop


by Candice Hoalcraft Students all strive for the sweet days at the end of the week that bring forth a sense of freedom and a blissful break from the stressful school days. However, a bizarro world exists that involves attending class on the weekends instead of weekdays. In order to oblige a wider range of schedules, WVU Parkersburg will offer what can be described as ’weekend college.’ Instead of the typical “spring” or “fall” semesters, students now have the option of attending their classes in cycles in order

to receive an Associate’s degree in Applied Science Business Administration with an emphasis in General Business. Rather than spending two years in classes for this degree, it can be achieved in one year. This new major will be offered starting in mid-January. In order to get a two year degree in such a short period of time, the material will be presented in higher doses. Steve Morgan, the Division Chair for Business and Economics, explained, “A student is going to have the opportunity to get a two year degree in an accelerated

form. They are going to take the 60 hours that are required, but do it in a one-year time period.” The course will be divided into four ten-week cycles with a two-week break in between. The approaching cycles will begin mid-January and lasts through the beginning of December. To receive that high amount of schooling, it’s crucial to have a set schedule. Each student will be scheduled for five classes that equal to 15 credit hours. One class is going to be completely online and the other four involve attending class one weekend out

of every month. “It’s really going to be a blended program,” Morgan said. A schedule was put together for the weekend classes. This includes extensive four hour mandatory sessions. Because this program is so intensive, some requirements need to be met in order to participate. “It’s going to be a non-traditional format so we would be looking for an older student,” Morgan said. “Probably a student who has had at least five years work experience.” Although the admission is

not different from the regular admission process, the placement test is more crucial in this case. The students accepted will not require any pre-requisite courses due to the fact that for example the first math class will be intermediate algebra. For those reasons, according to Morgan, this program is not for everyone. It is mostly geared towards older students who have strict work schedules or for parents. It requires dedication and focus. Anyone with questions can contact the Division Office with any questions.

by Kathy McPeek Since just before midterms the Student Success Center experi-enced an influx in traffic. This increase, according to Program Coordinator Janice Mc-Cue, often occurs as students realize they may need assistance obtaining the grades they want in particular classes. The message the Student Suc-cess Center shares is students are welcome to start sessions any time. “It’s never too late to start. Come down to the Student Success Center and stay with it,”states Micah J. Fleck, an English, Japanese and music ap-preciation tutor. Fleck agreed that since mid-terms he has stayed steady working with stu-dents. Tutoring is something Fleck enjoys, but not what he expected to be doing. Fleck is a non-traditional stu-dent who was home schooled until high school. Once he entered public high school, he quickly became a high school

drop out. “My first day of high school was my last day of school,” Fleck described, claiming that his lack of the needed social skills made him uncomfortable. Eventually, he did pursue and receive his GED. He is surprised that now he is a tutor. Yet, he believes that one-on-one learning and teaching experience of his home schooling days makes him a better tutor. He takes the approach that everyone has a different way of learning and he tries to adapt to the student’s individual style to help them learn and comprehend. Fleck, a junior at WVU Park-

ersburg, plans to eventually transfer to a larger university to receive a bachelor’s degree in history and religious studies. His long term goal is to obtain a Ph.D. in anthropology. He will probably always be helping others learn, yet he and his wife agree that when they have children they will likely not home school — just because of the social aspect. Tutor Kayla Copen has a very active social calendar. She is engaged both on campus and in the community. She greatly en-joys the time she spends helping others learn when at the Student Success Center. Copen, a senior scheduled to graduate in May, tutors in sociology and psychology. She decided to become a tutor when she realized she was spending a lot of time at the Student Success Center because her boyfriend Brandon Cooper also works there as a tutor. While sitting there and watching students help one another learn, she came to the realization that she, too, could

use her knowledge to assist other students. Her tutoring style tries to bring the lessons to a personal level by using examples. When not tutoring on campus, Copen is very active as the stu-dent services director with the Student Government Association. She also is a member of Cha Al-pha Kappa, the Psychology Club, and Phi Theta Kappa. Outside of college, her hobbies include various church activities

and direct sales with Paparazzi $5 jewelry sales. Copen be l ieves s tudents should elicit help from the Stu-dent Success Center and its vast array of tutors. “Don’t be afraid! There is no negative stigma to ask for help. It takes a strong person to ask for help,” Copen encourages. The Student Success Center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is located in Room 0404.

Micah Fleck

Kayla Copen (right) tutors student.

Student Success Center Open and Ready to Help

Upcoming “Weekend College” Plan Will Fit Varied Schedules


by Hannah Duffield Concerns and promises A Barnes and Noble Book-store representative met with WVU Parkersburg facul ty members to discuss concerns surrounding the college book-store recently. Chris Peterson, regional di-rector of stores at Barnes and Noble college book stores, lis-tened to and addressed concerns presented by WVU Parkersburg faculty members on behalf of the instructors and students. One faculty member stated concerns about the cost of text-books and supplies for students and the fact that textbooks can be purchased elsewhere for less cost than the bookstore. The member also wondered why the bookstore did not provide more comparable pricing. Peterson implied that the textbook prices were necessary because of all the overhead that the store has to cover, as an indi-vidual store and as a corporation. Anthony Underwood, vice president of student services, declared that the bookstore is acting as a monopoly to the stu-dents who rely on financial aid to purchase their books and sup-plies.

Along with students with financial aid, faculty from the nursing department addressed the fact that nursing students are required to buy specific book bundles that they cannot get anywhere else, made by the publisher and sent directly to the campus bookstore. Many times the bookstore is short these particular bun-dles, which puts the nursing students in a bind when classes are already underway and the bookstore has to reorder, then it takes the publisher three weeks to send more book bundles. Other similar concerns were presented regarding the overall lack of books in stock when school begins each semester, and the lack of material to meet stu-dent demand. Also, the fact was stated that instructor’s textbook orders are annually changed by the book-store without consent so when school starts only a percentage of the text needed are in stock. In reply Peterson stated that Barnes and Noble change the instructors’ orders based on sta-tistics with multiple variables to conclude how many books to ac-tually order. They do this because the bookstore gets charged to

send books back to the publisher after a certain date. The Bookstore intentionally order fewer books than faculty ordered, but Peterson promised that if the instructors are adamant about it, then he will order the exact amount they order —if the institution was willing to spend the return fee for the remaining books at the end of the semester. Some members voiced that they were concerned that stu-dents are not being made aware of all the textbook options available in the store and store policies. Peterson made promises that the bookstore would do a better job advertising, and that books are offered in three forms, these may vary by book but usually they offer: a traditional textbook for sale, a textbook for rent, and in the form of ebook also known as NookStudy. Prices for each option available are listed below each book in the bookstore. Although some students have been told using multiple money forms on the same purchase at the same register is prohibited, the truth is the student can, if they so choose. For example, if a student is go-ing to buy a $180 textbook and

they want to pay for $100 of it with their financial aid, $40 in cash and $40 with a debit card, is allowed contrary to what many students have been told. Another issue brought to Pe-terson’s attention, concerned the large lines at the cash registers during the peak seasons, mainly when students are buying and selling textbooks, and not all the cash registers are open and the length of the lines and that many of the faculty members have never seen all three cash registers open simultaneously. Tyler Ohrn, president of WVU Parkersburg’s student govern-ment association, commented that he has witnessed lines of stu-dents at the bookstore waiting to make their purchases during the rush seasons stretching from the bookstore to the student lounge. Peterson made promises that he would talk to the managers and workers in the bookstore and figure out why all three cash reg-isters were not open during the early semester rush and promised that if another cash register need-ed to be brought in, he would do so. The faculty present stated be-fore the close of the meeting on Oct. 9 that their utmost concern

by Shelby Thomas Break out those bowling balls and costumes for Laser Bowling at Emerson Lanes. WVU Parkersburg Student E n g a g e m e n t A c t i v i t i e s i s inviting students, faculty and staff to Emerson Lanes for laser bowling. The admission will be $2. This event will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 30 from 9 p.m. to midnight, at Emerson Lanes 1501 36th St. “There is usually a huge crowd! I actually have a lot of fun working it but hopefully I can just attend it this year. Should be fun,” said Bethany

is that they desired that students and faculty alike always be treat-ed with good customer service and that students are served by being able to get what they need without being charged exurbanite prices. Interesting tidbits about Barnes and Noble:

• Price Match Plus is offered at Barnes and Noble. • Price Match Plus only works with prices offered in Bricks and Mortar bookstores, not online companies. • ETextbooks and NOOKstudy cannot be read on a Nook device, but can be read on a PC or Tab-let.• FacultyEnlight allows faculty to more easily place textbook or-ders and track their orders.• Ebooks are usual ly 40% cheaper than traditional text-books.• Options and prices are avail-able in the book store on the tag below the book.• Departments get 20% off of supplies.• www.wvup.bncol lege .com provides students with access to what books are required for their particular classes by using the Find Your Textbooks link.

Yencha, a former student at WVU Parkersburg and employee at Emerson Lanes. A costume contest will also be one of the festivities with prizes for the winners. A $25 prize will be awarded for the best costume. Invite family and friends, and have a ghoulish time. “It is a blast. It is always a successful event. Everyone dresses up and we have prizes, and we always have a great crowd,” said Jorge Meneses, president of SEA. The SEA has been giving students the oppurtiunity to bowl at a cheaper price, since the SEA found out about the $30 lane

deal. The deal includes a lane for six people, pizza and a drink. Students will only pay $2 for the game but they will have to rent their own shoes. This is Meneses’s fourth year attending the event. The first year he dressed up as,“Andy Riddick,” the second year as “Mario,” the third year as a “Pirate” and this year he is dressing up as the “The Joker.” Students can invite their family and friends to the event. All students are ecouraged to attend. For more information contact Tom Yencha at (304) 424-8309 or email Tom.Yencha@wvup.

edu.

Barnes and Noble Looking for Improvement

B r e a k O u t T h o s e B o w l i n g B a l l s


by Hannah Duffield Help is on the way. Dr. Bob Westbrook a retention specialist at WVU Parkersburg does not take his job lightly. Westbrook wears many different hats, but his main objective is to help those around him succeed. As a retention specialist, Westbrook deals with an array of issues, “My primary goal is to help students be successful and with that goal I approach it from every single person in this building, and the Jackson County Center, and anybody who comes to visit is involved with reten-tion, including everybody from the president all the way down to the grounds crew.” Speaking at meetings to fac-ulty, administration and students is part of his job description. During these times Westbrook likes to remind everybody that he is there to help. Sometimes, Westbrook said, help comes in the form of a smile, or a friendly “good morn-ing, how are you?” Opposed to an awkward glance or frown, little things like a smile can make a huge difference in terms of the retention effort. Westbrook mentioned that academic counseling is one of his main avenues of service. A lot of students come in who have various issues, stated West-brook. They are struggling with academic trouble one way or the other —whether their grades are not satisfactory or they picked up the wrong course through regis-tration. He works with them and helps them find ways to solve their problems. After seeing close to a couple hundred students a semester, Westbrook states that many times students will be talking with him concerning academic counsel-ing, and they start revealing significant personal issues (i.e. domestic violence, marital issues, etc.). He refers them to Kurt Klettner, director of the student counseling center, who is quali-fied to discuss those issues with students. “Every now and then I will

come across issues where a person might be suicidal or somehow indicating potential harm for somebody else,” stated Westbrook, noting when that happens they to, are immediately referred to Klettner. Westbrook also gives many presentations, these range from basic student success strategies to how to: study, take notes, go to class, take exams, recognize and manage stress and anything that involves helping a student become successful. The presentations that West-brooks present on campus are usually in the first half of the se-mester before classes have gotten under way very far. Westbrook is a cognitive psychologist so he shares not only research from the retention aspect, “but also from the cogni-tive psych perspective which looks at the learning and memory processes,” Westbrook stated. “There are strategies that you can actually learn to take exams and maybe not know the information very well, but still do okay on the exam.” Part of helping a student become successful is being a referral, when Westbrook learns that a student has a particular deficiency in a certain area, he will refer them to the institution’s tutoring service, the Student Suc-cess Center. Westbrook is also a part of the early intervention systems, early alert. Any faculty member who recognizes a problem in their class, stated Westbrook, for example a student might not be performing well academi-cally or behavioral problems (i.e. disruptive behavior or nonat-tendance) or the instructor may recognize that a student comes in everyday with signs of turmoil, they are able to submit an early alert which Westbrook receives electronically he then sets up an appointment to meet with that student and find out how he might be able to help them. Another type of early interven-tion that Westbrook mentioned happened recently which is the

mid-term grades. This is the first semester that instructors have reported all grades, stated West-brook. “I think it’s critical for stu-dents to know where they stand in class,” declared Westbrook. Many times when talking with students Westbrook will ask how their semester is going and they will respond, “I don’t know, I haven’t had anything graded yet.”

The thing about midterm grades, said Westbrook, is it will help people get on board with early assessments. He believes intervention has to happen fairly early in the semester. “Much later than that there is not much mathematically I can do to help a student,” said Westbrook con-cerning attendance and grades. Westbrook has also done much research on predictive analytics since fall 2012. In the area of student retention, many variables exist to determine if a student is successful. These range from gender, age, distance from campus, socioeconomic status, financial status and class attendance. Through the predictive analyt-ics, the institution found that students who do not show up for class until after the first day of class, only 10% of those students survive the semester. Because if the cannot get started on time they are most likely not going to follow through with it very effec-tively. Predictive analytics led to a re-search paper that Westbrook and

Dr. Rhonda Tracy, senior vice president of academic affairs, compiled and presented in San Francisco, Calif., at the national meeting of the American Educa-tional Research Association. We s t b r o o k a n d Tr a c y ’s r e s e a r c h p a p e r w o n t h e distinguished award, and a lot of people became interested in the types of research they were do-ing. Since that time Westbrook has presented their work at two other major state conferences. “I absolutely love what I do, because number one, I love working with students, I enjoy teaching in the class room, but I also love working with them to help resolve problems,” stated Westbrook “I see this position as sort of putting a puzzle together. How do we get bits and pieces together so that this student be-comes a success at the end?” The downside of the job is knowing some students have dug themselves into a corner and not much can be done to get them out. An instance that summarizes of how Westbrook feels about seeing students become success-ful is: at an institution where Westbrook previously taught, he met a student who confided that they had tried to commit suicide the night before. Westbrook was able to take the student and get help with a psychologist off premises. For the next seven years on the anniversary of that date the student sent him a thank you note for his assistance in get-ting them help. “If I’m never successful at anything else…that’s more than just saving a student academi-cally, that is saving a person. I think that, more than anything, summarizes the potential of what this position and all the positions here at the institution could be doing to help people.” Westbrook can be contacted by e-mail at [email protected] or calling 304-424-8371

Never Fear Wes tbro ok i s Here by Hannah Duffield The stress factor. Dr. Bob Westbrook, retention specialist at WVU Parkersburg, utilizes a non-scientific stress test developed by Thomas Yar-nell, a clinical psychologist. “The thing I like about this is its short and sweet it has a number of different types of physiological and behavioral variables that correlate with stress, anything from unusual heart rate to feeling unrest, to changes in sleep patterns, to changes in mood… and things like that,” explained Westbrook although “I don’t normally diag-nose stress, I see a huge amount of it.” Westbrook has administered the test to five or six classes at WVU Parkersburg as an infor-mal look to see how rampant stress is within the institution. “If I had a class of 25 students may-be three would not be stressed, that’s scary,” stated Westbrook. Statistics show that the United States is one of the most stressed countries in the world, explained Westbrook and there are a lot of reasons for that. “I’m not surprised at the re-sults; however I do find them alarming,” stated Westbrook students are not the only ones stressed. Westbrook explained that he would not be surprised if faculty and staff took the test if they came out with some of the top results, “not because we are a stressed institution but be-cause right now things are just stressed,” stated Westbrook. “We need to do something about that because all sorts of health issues can crop up if you don’t get stress under control," stated Westbrook. Informal things can be done to help people experience less stress, stated Westbrook. For example, the institution could have more institutionally organized events that students, faculty, and staff can attend that are not rigorous, formal, or even academic. So,basically—he's saying the campus community should HAVE more FUN!

S t re s s M e s s


by Carlē Stewart It is said that diamonds are a girl’s best friend. For new faculty member Valerie Keinath, this may not be entirely true. Keinath’s best friends are not diamonds, they are rocks. Kein-ath came to WVU Parkersburg to teach geology and physical science. Driving roughly four hours, she is highly dedicated to her job. Keinath reveals she has always loved teaching and science. “I love science, that’s what made me want to teach it. I’m fasci-nated by it, there’s always new things to learn about it.” Before joining the staff at WVU Parkersburg, Keinath taught environmental science and geology classes. She also worked in the environmental field. Keinath finds her lab to be what she enjoys most about

so far. “I’ve got some awesome mineral and fossil specimens,” she said. Keinath explains that students in her classes will learn about minerals and rocks and the scientific method. She plans to make her classes both exciting and challenging for her students. Keinath says she likes to think outside the box and find ways to keep the attention of her stu-dents. While no requirements are needed for taking her classes, Keinath tells students to “Come prepared. Come to class prepared and come with an open mind”. By taking her classes, Keinath says students will have a positive experience gaining new scientific knowledge. Rocks are everywhere but few people would think of them to be such an inspiration. “I love

by Megan Valentine She has a Southern charm. Tracy Wooten loves to talk about her family, but she isn’t as keen about sharing her story. It is part of her humble nature — the same attribute that draws stu-dents to her classrooms. For the past few years Wooten was part-time faculty but as of last year, she joined the full time faculty at WVU Parkersburg. She is an instructor in the Business/Economics’ division at WVU Parkersburg. Her special-ties are in Human Resources and Business Management. One of her greatest passions, teaching, brought her to this campus. Wooten’s credentials include a bachelor's degree from Fulkner University and an MBA from South University. One thing she has not yet made public is that she is currently pursuing

her Ph.D. with a specialization in Human Resources at Capella University. Wooten claimed her biggest accomplishment was, “Earning my MBA with my fam-ily who has played a huge part in my journey.” Member's of the commu-nity college who do not know Tracy she is very practical in the classroom. She takes the mate-rial directly from the book which conveys the material as real life scenarios. That is Wooten inside the classroom. She also allows stu-dents to learn a little more about her outside the classroom from a series of fun questions. Wooten admits that one thing she would change is the amount of personal time she allows for herself. When asked one thing she has never been able to do she replied "I have never been able

to snap her fingers with her right hand or whistle." She would give anything to meet Mathew Maconaha, Peyton Manning and the author of some of her favorite books, James Pat-terson. Meeting Peyton Manning is only a bonus for her since she has had the pleasure of meeting his father Archie Manning. Wooten travels to Gatlinburg Tenn. for some much need "R and R." Wooten claimed spend-ing the days window shopping in the old time stores and taking in all the beautiful scenery is won-derful “R and R.” In all she does — whether in the classroom, enjoying personal time or even traveling with her family, Wooten follows the motto she set for herself from a quote by Steve Prefontaine: “To give anything less then your best is to sacrifice the gift.”

Business/Economics Teacher Joins Full-Time Faculty

by Megan Valentine If one asks him, Allan Newhart admits, “I am the oldest antique around.” Newhart is a professor of math-ematics at WVU Parkersburg. He has taught mathematics at this college for 45 years. Oh my, does he have stories to tell from that span of time. As he sat down to drink his coffee that he brings to the col-lege with him every day in his trademark green thermos, he displayed a warm and welcoming smile as he shared some of those memorable moments. He’s experienced turbulent times at the college with admin-istrations that simply didn’t seem to have the best interest of fac-ulty, staff, and students at heart. He’s experienced times when teaching and learning just flour-ished at WVU Parkersburg. And, he has also witnessed some unforgettable moments. He described one incident that simply surprised him. He walked into a classroom. Some faces were familiar, but one just seemed out of place. She could have been described as an attractive young woman, min-gling with a male student while waiting for class. The students all sat down and the lecture began by Newhart. Suddenly, the young woman an-nounces that it is National Drag Week. So, she did look out of place as she was a male student celebrating the holiday — and with style to boot. It might have been one of the most awkward encounters of Ne-

whart’s lengthy career. Normally, his classroom is focused on numbers. Newhart’s specialty is in differential geom-etry. His credentials include a mas-ter’s degree in elementary and secondary math and physics from Bluffton University in Ohio. He spent five years teaching in public school before starting his tenure at WVU Parkersburg. Newhart also was privileged to receive a National Science Foun-dation grant from University of Hawaii and Rutgers the State University of New Jersey. Yet, his greatest accomplish-ment in life is simply making it thus far. He said he also believes he is the lowest paid professor at any institution in West Virginia or nearby states considering his years of service. Still, Newhart loves teaching. His passion of teaching de-rives from students’ enthusiasm to learn. When students come to class eager to learn, that makes his day. He wants students to have the best opportunities at success. Newhart believes that improvements could be made at WVU Parkersburg to aid students for success outside of college. He proposes that the college begin a placement service for students and former alumni to find jobs in their fields of study.Newhart believes students can make a difference in society if they are provided the knowledge, skills, and improved work ethic that will help them reach full potential.

New Instructor Lovesrocks,” Keinath explains, “I love the environment. I’m big on en-vironmental issues which all ties into the earth.” Keinath’s passion for earth science, and her dedication to her job have brought her suc-cess and happiness in life. With such dedication and her passion for teaching, Keinath is greatly welcomed to be a part of WVU Parkersburg.

Rocks and Teaching

Math Professor Shares College Story

Keinath with some of her rocks.


by Kyle Nichols The captain always goes down with his ship is a commonly known phrase. This captain, though, will not go down without a fight. In the movie “Captain Phil-lips,” Somali Pirates follow and commandeer a United States cargo ship with the intent on hijacking it for ransom. As the captain of the ship, Phillips, feigns compliance with the hos-tiles, he consistently undermines their efforts using his experience and calm demeanor. Still, after he and his ship-mates manage to force the pirates from the ship, Captain Phillips is taken in one of the deployable life boats. Stuck in a cramped vessel filled with jumpy pirates, the captain must use every re-source he has until the United States Navy saves him from the gun constantly pointed to his head. On first basis, this movie is definitely not for everyone. Viewers who are looking for overdone ridiculous gun fights and crazy explosions of special effects will most likely find this movie a bore. It is based off of true events (even if they are un-der current scrutiny), and most of the shots are devoid of any flour-

ishes. The real life aspect is what makes this movie sound and captivating. The majority of the Somali pirates are not the average shoot-first-logic-later characters as most villains are portrayed. The supposed captain of these pirates is the most be-lievable of them all. He does not need the money as most would expect; he just wants it. One flaw of the movie is the portrayal of the captain’s fellow crew mates. Only one of them seems to actually care about his job or have any sense when it comes to this sudden pirate threat. The others constantly make remarks about how they “didn’t sign up for this.” They also are shown in one case as slacking off on the job while sucking down coffee. It should be noted that the legitimacy of this real life tale is under question. Crew mates of the ship have come forward and told their side of the story. In their account, Phillips ignored several warnings about pirate at-tacks in that area, and he did not follow basic protocol that every ship today now employs. Phillips was many notches below a hero. This may not be a colossal deal when it comes to

by Shelby Thomas The “Tiger’s Curse” written by Colleen Houck, is the begin-ning book of a thrilling series about tigers, curses, love and adventure. Kelsey Hayes is a recent high school graduate who is applying for small jobs to pay for college. She finds herself at a circus but did not plan discovering the truth of a three hundred year old curse. Kelsey has the job of ticket sales, cleaning and caring for the animals when she meets Ren, a beautiful white tiger with the brightest blue eyes. When she soon learns the secret of this beautiful creature she is thrown into a world she never imagined existed. A quote from the author “Fall-ing for him would be like cliff diving. It would be either the most exhilarating thing that ever happened to me or the stupidest mistake I’d ever make.” ― Col-leen Houck With its humor and thrill “Tiger’s Curse” will keep read-ers on edge throughout the entire book. Another thing that

makes this book so great is that children can read the book also. Characters are very conservative and only mild violence ocurs throughout the book. “I found myself cheering, squealing, and biting my nails-all within a few pages. In short, Tiger’s Curse is magical,” said Becca Fitzpatrick author of Hush, Hush. Colleen Houck was born on Oct. 3 1969 in Tucson, AZ. She currently lives in Salem, Oregon with her husband and her giant stuffed tiger. She has been a life-long reader of action, adventure, romance and science fiction. “Tiger’s Curse” has received ample praise from readers all across the country. This book is the first book written by Houck, who also self -published the book as an e-book. Houck also is a sign language interperter. “Tiger’s Curse” is only the be-ginning of a long tale of love and adventure. The story continues with “Tiger’s Quest,” “Tiger’s Voyage,” and “Tiger’s Destiny.” Set the mind free and let it explore the world of tigers and love.

a film, but since it boasts about being based on true events, it should be considered. “Captain Phillips” is overall an enthralling movie that provides suspense in concrete realistic ways. The supposed true story aspect of it may be questionable, but that does not take away from the suspenseful experience. This movie will interest those looking for a believable story without the Hollywood drama.

Reader Finds

Magic in

Tiger's CurseCAPTAIN PHILLIPSCAPTIVATES AUDIENCES WITHOUT THE

HOLLYWOOD DRAMA

" 'CAPTAIN PHILLIPS'

IS AN OVERALL ENTHRALLING MOVIE THAT PROVIDES SUSPENSE IN CONCRETE REALISTIC WAYS."


David Veon“To go to a party, and take my kids trick-or-treating.”

Samantha Belt “I’m taking my cousins out trick-or-treating since I don’t have any children.”

Sierra Clapper“I have to work on Halloween so I have no other plans.”

Caleigh Holliday“Our church his having an event called the church-and-treat for little kids and I will be helping with that.”

Student Q & A:

Jerry Abston“I will be going to Halloween Haunt at Cedar Point. It’s awe-some!

What are your plans for Halloween?

According to WVU Parkersburg Director of Facilities Dave White, the college does not own and does not plan to own the location. - From the October 18, 2012, issue of The Chronicle in regards to the Go-Mart property.

Or so he was told...Yet, in an article appearing in The Parkersburg News & Sentinel on Oct. 18, 2013, — one year later — the college spokesperson confirmed that the West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College approved the purchase of the Go-Mart property along W.Va. Route 47. The sale, reportedly, is not yet finalized. According to White, the site is being sold to the college for $27,000 and it appraises for $460,000.

the chronicle volume 44 #4

Documents

smoking students

smoking products

smoking ban decision

proposed smoking ban

table policy f

little policy

electronic smoking devices

electric smoking devices