12.02.10 Yellow Jacket

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Vol. 88 No. 12

51 W. College St. Waynesburg, PA 15370

THREE YEARS IN A ROW

Language of love

Dept. of Nursing earns 100 percent NCLEX pass rate

By Kelsey Bradley Staff Writer

Photos courtesy of Sarah Spicuzza and Leeann Danley

For the last three years, Waynesburg University’s Department of Nursing program has had a 100 percent pass rate with their nurses taking the NCLEX. This year, Waynesburg University is the only baccalaureate program in Pennsylvania to achieve this honor.

There are a total of 84 nursing departments in the state of Pennsylvania.

“The entire faculty is proud of the graduates and their efforts in achieving the 100 percent pass rates,” said Mosser.

“The graduates were committed students who worked very hard in accomplishing their goals.”

The National Counsel Licensure Exam is an exam nursing students take at the end of their senior year to determine whether they receive See PASS on A3

(Above) Waynesburg students remove old cement in Guatemala during the weeklong trip. (Below) Sarah Markwardt interacts with Guatemalan children at the Centro Nutricional y Hogar de Ninos.

Students give back during service trips

Athletes participate in White Ribbon campaign

By Mitch Graham

By Jon Ledyard

Staff Writer Service learning is a staple in the fabric of Waynesburg University. It is a general education requirement for all Waynesburg students. The University offers partnerships with over 40 local and regional service partner agencies, according to the University website. Thirty-eight students gave part or all of their Thanksgiving break to lend a helping hand to someone in need.

Fourteen students trav-

eled to Patzun, Guatemala, to serve the Centro Nutricional y Hogar de Ninos from Saturday, Nov. 20 to Saturday, Nov. 27. According to a press release, the center is run by Franciscan nuns and is similar to an orphanage; however, the children cannot be adopted because the children have families.

Olivia Bakke, a sophomore at Waynesburg, said that it was challenging work. “We didn’t know

Assignments Editor Male athletes at Waynesburg University were given a unique opportunity this past Sunday in Alumni Hall to hear about how they can help end violence against women.

Members of most of the men’s sports teams were in attendance to hear Kable Dale, legal advocate, counselor and prevention educator for the local office of the Sexual Trauma Treatment and Recovery Services pro-

See STUDENTS on A3

gram, speak about abuse towards women, particularly of the sexual nature.

“Working in a rape crisis center, you see the causalities and you see people who have been raped and molested and it needs to be stopped,” said Dale.

“We as males need to try and stop these things from happening especially before it continues to escalate and someone ends up in the emergency ward.”

See ATHLETES on A2

Fireworks cap Light Up Night University Relations receives four awards for publications

By Melissa Bosley Staff Writer

The campus looked like “a Rockefeller Christmas card” Monday night during the University’s Light Up Night, according to Director of Student Activities Kelley Hardie.

Hardie said the event

is based off the Light Up Night that is held in Pittsburgh.

“My family always attended Light Up Night in Pittsburgh,” said Hardie.“I wanted to replicate it.”

Hardie has worked on making Waynesburg’s version of Light Up Night more like Pitts-

burgh’s.

“Before we didn’t have as many activities,” she said.

This year there was ice-skating, carriage rides, music from WCYJFM, s’mores, fireworks and ice sculpting, which was a new attraction.

By Sarah Bell Staff Writer

Waynesburg University’s Office of University Relations has been selected to receive four MarCom Awards from the See LIGHT on A4 Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals this year.

Waynesburg’s awards In an effort to further connect the print and include a Platinum online products, the Yellow Jacket has decided to Award, two Gold Awards link the two. and an Honorable MenMany smartphones have free apps available for tion. download that can read QR codes, which can be Bethany Doyle, direcseen to the left. tor of University RelaTo take advantage of this feature, download an tions, recognizes the app, and point the phone’s camera at the code. scope of this competition.

The code will link to the online edition at “This is the only comissuu.com. petition that University

“What is interesting about Waynesburg is that everyone has a story.”

Bethany Doyle

Jacket integrates print, online editions

Use your smartphone to scan the QR code to see this issue online.

Relations enters that is international,” Doyle said. “We were among 5,000 other submissions; the competition has a broad scope of people who do marketing and communication.”

According a press

release on the Waynesburg University website, University Relations won the Platinum Award for its “World Changer” advertisement in the Ads/Magazine Category.

See UNIVERSITY on A3

SPORTS

FEATURE

REGION

The men’s basketball team has already matched last season’s win total.

See Page C1

The University’s literary magazine will release its first fall issue at 8 p.m. on Dec. 2 at College Town Diner.

Waynesburg Prosperous and Beautiful will host the Holiday Open House on Dec. 3.

INSIDE Copyright © 2010 by Waynesburg University

Director of University Relations

Campus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A1-A4 Region . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B1, B4 Editorial/Op-Ed . . . . . . . . . . . . .B2, B3

Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C1-C4 Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D1-D2 Global . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D3-D4

See Page D1

See Page B1

YELLOW JACKET

Page A2

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Campus

Waynesburg considers uses for Wiley Armory Senate reflects on fall semester

By Stephanie Laing Editorial Assistant

After a month of completing the purchase on the Robert C. Wiley Armory, Waynesburg University has still not decided on the specifics of its uses.

At a press conference on Nov. 15, Waynesburg University President Timothy Thyreen mentioned possible options the University is considering.

These options include the relocation of the Student Health Center, relocation of the Information

Technology Department, and a wrestling room practice area on the armory’s main floor.

“Until the University’s architectural firm conducts a building study to know the soundness of the structure, no decisions on use can be determined,” said Barbara Duffield, executive assistant to the president.

Roy Barnhart, senior vice-president for finance and administration, is currently working with the University’s architects to determine the best uses for the armory.

The University

Administration will make the final decisions on the uses for the Robert C. Wiley Armory.

Ronald Headlee, head coach for the wrestling team, believes there is a need to place a new wrestling practice area on the main floor of the armory.

“We are currently wrestling in a room that is not big enough for us to have everyone on our team participating at the same time,” said Headlee.

“We currently have 26 wrestlers on our roster and we are concerned for

the safety of them as they all try to practice at the same time. We are very crammed for space.”

When Headlee knew the armory was going to become available, he approached Skip Noftzger, senior vice president for Institutional Planning, Research and Educational Services, to discuss the possibility of moving the wrestling practice room.

“A new facility will help us train our wrestlers the way that they should be trained to be national champions,” said Headlee.

Athletes make pledge Continued from A1 Dale’s talk came in correlation with to the White Ribbon Campaign, the largest effort in the world of men working to end violence against women according to their website, whiteribbon.ca.

The nationwide campaign began Nov. 25 and concludes Dec. 6.

Laura Wussick, a student at Waynesburg, organized the event as a volunteer for STTAR. “Kable talked to me and convinced me to organize and plan the event,” said Wussick.

“Initially I was very hesitant as I didn’t want to plan for events, but I realized a lot of people don’t know about these campaigns and its important to get the word out.”

Dale said that athletes are commonly addressed when it comes to sexual violence towards women, although that perception isn’t always accurate.

“People think that ath-

University earns awards Continued from A1 Sarah Markwardt, a junior biblical and ministry studies major, is featured on the advertisement.

According to Doyle, they select which students are portrayed on the ad by looking through photos that were taken of involved students. “When deciding who to put on the ad, we look through the photos to see which faces pop out,” Doyle said. “We then look to see what the student’s story is. What is interesting about Waynesburg is that everyone has a story.”

Markwardt believes the advertisement was well done because it captured characteristics of the University.

“The advertisement shows a picture of someone you see every day and it makes you think twice about them,” Markwardt said.

“I think when you volunteer you represent the University and seek new students. It proves that the University is important to you.”

Photo by Gregory Reinhart

Kable Dale speaks to male members of the University’s athletic programs Sunday.

After his talk, students signed a poster condemning violence against women. letes have everything and they have a lot of esteem around campus and are often what people think of when they think of the typical male stereotype,” said Dale.

“Because of this perception of physical male prowess, athletes are often thought to have a bad reputation when it comes to relationships with women, another perception which is not always justified.”

According to Dale, just because people may not hear about the prevalence

of sexual harassment on smaller campuses doesn’t mean it isn’t there.

“Larger campuses have a reputation and will get a lot of press when things go bad, while things often get buried on smaller campuses,” said Dale.

“The smaller communities at smaller schools often result in people being embarrassed to say something and are less likely to come forward and disclose information.”

Waynesburg head football coach and athletic

director Rick Shepas values the importance of talks like this and the opportunity that athletes have to take these things to heart.

“We are in the process of raising young men here,” said Shepas.

“As an issue of importance, its always a good thing if we can help contribute to a positive cause like this one. These guys are at an impressionable age and it’s a great opportunity to sit down and find out what the issues are.”

Waynesburg University’s magazine, The Lamp, won a Gold Award in the Writing/Magazine category for its Spring 2010 issue. Doyle served as editor of The Lamp, and Pamela Cunningham, assistant director of University relations, was associate editor.

Some of Waynesburg University’s students and staff contributed to the magazine as well. Cunningham feels that student involvement is an exciting aspect of the magazine.

“I feel very blessed to have a high caliber of student writers who assist with publications,” Cunningham said. “I was very proud that our work was

recognized as some of the best in the industry, but I was even more excited that our students could share in the experience.”

Waynesburg University’s 2008-2009 edition of the annual report, “Celebrating 160 Years of Purpose,” also received a Gold Award in the category of Annual Report/Educational Institution, according to the Waynesburg University website.

Doyle said that when designing the annual report they try to engage the reader and develop stories. The annual report is a report on the year and addresses topics such as who has given to the University as well as feature stories.

“We treat the annual report as another version of the magazine, even though it’s not,” Doyle said. “It is sort of a year in review piece with feature stories. It gets mailed to alumni, donors and affiliates.”

Waynesburg University also received an Honorable Mention Award for the “Testimonial Piece” in the category Brochure/Educational.

The piece was created as

“It will help us get guys to the next level that we believe is possible at Waynesburg University.”

The wrestling team currently shares locker room space with other sports for four weeks of the wrestling season.

According to Headlee, it will be beneficial for the wrestling team to have its own area.

“It is our goal to work with the University in taking our program to a higher level,” said Headlee.

“And we believe a new room will be a big step in the right direction.”

Wussick agrees that the importance of being informed on this topic can’t be overstated.

“It is important but not widely talked about because it can be a touchy subject,” said Wussick.

“Unfortunately it doesn’t hit home with a lot of people until it happens to someone close in their family.”

At the end of the session, the 60 athletes in attendance all signed a pledge poster, promising not to commit, condone or remain silent about violence against women.

This pledge is now on display in Stover Campus Center.

“It’s up to every guy to do something that’s going to change the way women are treated,” said Dale.

“We need to do serious introspection and start to ask ourselves what a real man is. Is it someone who is tough and stoic or someone who is kind, compassionate and loving? No organization or program is going to bring about this change, it needs to happen with each of us men individually.”

an introduction to Waynesburg University for high school students.

“We made six submissions and won four of them,” Doyle said. “I am proud of that ratio.”

By Gregory Reinhart Staff Writer Tuesday’s Student Senate meeting was the last one for the 2010 fall semester. Senate President Michael Quinn praised the executive staff and all the senators for their efforts.

“Though it was a rough start, things ran smoothly,” said Quinn.

As the semester progressed, the Executive Board ran according to Quinn’s expectations.

Dave Calvario, dean of students, hopes these efforts will continue in the spring semester.

“They have done a good job working with University officials,” said Calvario, who also hopes to see an increase in candidates for next year’s elections, causing a more competitive race. “[We want] a full slate of individuals running for multiple executive board positions,” said Calvario.

The competition would help bring more attention to Student Senate, thus involving more of the student body.

“All the proposals that have been brought forth have benefitted this campus,” said Brain Wehrle, executive vice president.

Executive board members could not say what major projects would occur for the upcoming semester. “[We are] open to ideas,” said Wehrle. “[We] have a couple [ideas], but nothing is set in stone.”

The discussion of going trayless will continue into next semester. When delivering an executive ward report, George didn’t discuss anything new.

Efforts for polling will carry over to next semester, picking back up when Student Senate meets on Jan. 18.

YELLOW JACKET

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Page A3

Campus

Students to spend Don’t forget birth of Jesus, chaplain says Christmas break serving globally

By Andrew Buda Staff Writer

By Alex Hinton Staff Writer As the holiday season is approaching, Waynesburg University students and staff members alike are getting ready to serve others.

Several students will participate in mission work during part of their Christmas break.

The three mission trips that will take place during the winter break will travel Greene County, Pa., Camden, N.J. and Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Dave Calvario, dean of students and director of the Center for Service Leadership, will lead the students going on the New Jersey mission trip.

“Camden is a depressed and challenged area in many ways of life,” Calvario said.

“It used to be a heavily

Students help others Continued from A1 exactly what to expect at first,” said Bakke. “We found out that we were laying concrete, but we had to pull the old concrete up first.”

Bakke said the hardest part was mixing the concrete by hand.

“There aren’t any cement trucks there to do the mixing for us,” she said. “It was hard work, but we got it all done.”

There are approximately 80 children at the Center; however half of the children were home with their families during the week.

Bakke had the opportunity to spend time with three children: Lorena and Angela, both 11, and Hugo, 8.

See WINTER on A4

As Christmas season was ushered in by Black Friday, Waynesburg Chaplain Tom Ribar shared a special message this week focusing on the beginning of advent. “Advent is a time of longing and of preparation,” said Ribar.

“It is a time to anticipate Jesus’ coming.”

The songs sung by the congregation were both songs of worship and songs that celebrated the holiday season. The brass ensembles also presented many songs that set the stage for a service celebrating the beginning of the Christmas season.

“But what is Christmas really about?” asked Ribar. “What would Jesus really think about this season which is meant to celebrate his coming being started each year by a day called Black Friday?”

Ribar pointed out that the story of Jesus’ birth is a familiar story for many but questioned if the importance was really in

“I couldn’t understand their Spanish, but the language barrier didn’t matter,” said Bakke. “I was able to communicate through the little Spanish I knew, but body language was the most effective form of communicating with them.”

The experience was an eye opening experience, she said.

“I had never been to a Third World country before, and it was much different seeing it rather than hearing about it,” she said Bakke is grateful for working toilets, showers, shoes and clean clothes after experiencing life in Guatemala.

Eighteen other students stayed in Greene County for part of their Thanksgiving break to work with Greene County Habitat for Humanity from Friday, Nov. 19 to Tuesday, Nov. 23.

Kimber Blair, a freshman majoring in interactive design walked away from her experience with a new sense of thankfulness.

“Although this mission trip was not anything too different than what I was used to, it was a real eye opener,” said Blair. “I never realized how much work and attention to detail is required in building a house.”

Blair worked at the Habitat for Humanity warehouse located at 393 Jefferson Road in Waynesburg and at the site in West Waynesburg.

While at the warehouse, she helped put walls together. At the site, she painted different rooms in the house, helped put together a wheelchair ramp and put up fencing.

Andrew Zahn, freshman chemistry major, also was involved with

industrialized city, but blue collar jobs have left, and nothing has come to replace them.”

In the city of Camden, 36 percent of families are living below the poverty level as well as 38.6 percent of individuals, he said.

These numbers are very high in comparison with the averages of the whole state of New Jersey, which is 6.3 percent of families below poverty level and 8.7 percent of individuals below poverty level.

Calvario and the student group will be working with UrbanPromise, a Christian-based organization.

Their main focus is their private school, grades K-8, but they also work to get high school

Photo by Andrew Buda

University Chaplain Tom Ribar spoke at Chapel Tuesday about the meaning of Christmas. the details of a pretty story.

“How many wise men were there?” asked Ribar.

“How did Mary get to Bethlehem? Would Joseph really put his pregnant wife on a donkey for a journey that long? We don’t know.”

Ribar emphasized that the importance in this piece of history is not

the project.

“I thought I knew what to expect going into the project, but working with the owners brought a new perspective I hadn’t realized before,” said Zahn. “I didn’t realize how much we take things for granted.”

Zahn felt a connection with God through working and spending time with everyone as they accomplished their goals.

Five students traveled to Philippi, W.Va. from Friday, Nov. 19 to Wednesday, Nov. 24.

Jessica Malingowski, a junior forensic accounting major, said her life was changed after her experiences.

“I was touched spiritually when we went to their church, called People’s Chapel,” said Malingowski. “I enjoyed their service because it was about giving thanks and the church was full of people praising God and sharing stories of the love he has shown them throughout their lives.”

It really touched Malingowski to see how they have so little yet still love God and feel that he has given them so much to be thankful for.

“Attending that service and going this trip makes me realize how much more I need to thank God for what he has provided for me in my life,” said Malingowski.

The group completed a variety of tasks throughout the week.

On Saturday, the crew from Waynesburg helped a resident clean his yard and basement.

They also fixed leaky pipes and painted the basement. While on Sunday, they worked at a greenhouse and helped put it together.

The last three days the spent splitting logs for two people to heat their house in the winter, cutting 10 truckloads in total.

recreating a nice, fictional, familiar story, but in anticipating Jesus.

“Christmas is about preparing a people ready for Jesus’s return,” said Ribar.

Many people in the Bible were called by God out of their familiar, everyday life and into great opportunities.

Zachariah was one of

Pass rate 100 percent Continued from A1 their nursing licenses or not.

It is one of the hardest exams a nurse will ever have to take, according to Department of Nursing Chair Nancy Mosser.

This exam is a national exam, only administered by individual states.

“The test consists of 265 questions that are administered over a sixhour time frame,” said Mosser.

“Candidates may take as few as 75 questions or all 265, since the test is computer-adaptive.”

These tests are not cheap, however. Exams cost approximately $200 each time nursing students take the exam.

Students like Alix Smith, junior nursing student, are getting ready to start studying for the NCLEX, which she also uses to help her study for her Med Surg exams.

Smith has a book to aid in studying for the exam but feels that most of her knowledge comes from the University’s nursing program. Before coming to Waynesburg, Smith was well aware of the 100% pass rate in the Nursing Program. This was one of her main reasons for coming here.

“Their tests are harder than the actual NCLEX is, so I’ve heard,” said Smith. “By the time you have to take it, you are well prepared.”

Smith feels that she is “very well prepared,” not for just the NCLEX, but for work in the nursing field in general. She speaks very highly of the department.

“It’s not for everyone,” said Smith.

“It’s really challenging and you can’t just float

those people. Zachariah was a priest, and was chosen to give special offering in the temple. He was visited by an angel who told him his prayers for a child had been answered.

“Zachariah’s response was the same as our’s would be,” said Ribar. “If anyone of us had an elderly wife who had been barren for many years we too would ask: How could this happen?” As a result of Zachariah’s disbelief he was struck mute until the day of his sons birth.

“It was left to Elizabeth to testify to God’s work,” said Ribar. “She prepared for God’s work and so did her son John. John the Baptist spent his life preparing the way for Jesus.”

Ribar believes holiday traditions like decorating a Christmas tree or watching the seasonal Christmas movies can be a good part of life, however he takes caution when celebrating. “We have to be careful that we don’t miss the real importance of Christmas: anticipating and preparing for Jesus.”

your way through it.”

Sophomore nursing student Holly Hargest is experiencing everything for the first time as this is her first year in the program.

“It challenges the mind and enriches the brain with knowledge we will be able to use for the rest of our careers,” said Hargest.

At Waynesburg University, nursing students get hands-on experience in many ways.

When their sophomore year begins, they start clinical experiences after much preparation time in the simulation lab.

As Mosser describes it, this allows them to feel more comfortable, and have more confidence if they practiced certain situations in the Sim Lab beforehand.

Students also learn content in the classroom and can apply their own knowledge in the clinical settings.

These settings require critical thinking skills that students achieve over their three years in the department.

Students are exposed to many different situations in clinicals that prepare them for their future careers in the nursing field, according to Mosser.

For many nursing students, this is a huge appeal.

“I do think the pass rate draws students to the University,” said Mosser. “Students want to be successful following graduation as they have spent a lot of time preparing to be registered nurses, but they are unable to practice until the NCLEX is passed. If students can pass on the first attempt, they are able to proceed with their careers and not be continually concerned with passing a test. They can get on with their professional lives.”

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Thursday, December 2, 2010

Campus

University learns Stover Scholarship funding to increase

By Sierra Shafer Op/Ed Editor The Stover Center for Constitutional Studies and Moral Leadership is increasing the amount of funding for their scholarship next week. Each year five incoming freshmen with grade point averages of 3.3 or higher and who demonstrate involvement in co-curricular and community activities are awarded the Stover Scholarship of $5,000 per year.

Money is also awarded to offset the cost of conferences and the completion of an internship.

“Increasing the size of the scholarship will allow us to do three things,” said President Timothy R. Thyreen. “Each student will receive an increased scholarship and this will also allow us to hire a visiting director. This will also mean that the requirements for the scholarship will increase.”

According to the president, the assumption is that these changes will be retroactive; affecting those students who are already Stover Scholars.

Currently, Stover Scholars are required to complete the courses U.S. Constitution Values and Principles as well as Fundamentals of Moral Leadership.

They also work closely with Constitution Day, high school civics conferences and organized debates.

These students demonstrate strong leadership skills as well as career goals focusing on Constitution studies.

Having the opportunity to hire a visiting director will provide more permanent leadership for the students involved and it is hoped that even more activities will be planned.

“I think this program is excellent,” said President Thyreen, “and it is exclusive to our University. It gives students an understanding of our Constitution, which is helpful, but also brings focus to ethics – and not just for the students who receive the scholarship, but everyone at the University.”

The president also spoke about plans to continue to build up the Stover Scholar program, though he is confident that this increase in funding is the right move for the time.

“This where we want it to be,” he said. “We would like it to be about 20 students and eventually open [the scholarship] up to our graduate students as we continue to evaluate the freshmen coming in.”

Currently only five awards are given each year to incoming, first-semester freshmen.

The Stover Center for Constitutional Studies and Moral Leadership was founded in 2007 by W. Robert Stover, an alum of Waynesburg University.

The intention of the Center is to prepare future lawyers, politicians and social leaders to create positive changes based on a moral and versatile understanding of the Constitution.

All of the funding for the Stover Scholarship comes from this private foundation.

Winter trips scheduled Continued from A3 students to go to college or trade schools after graduation.

The Waynesburg students will be working as teachers’ assistants.

UrbanPromise focuses on education in Camden because the current statistics show that only 58.3 percent of the population are high school graduates or higher and only 5.9 percent have a bachelor’s degree or higher.

“I hope ultimately that [the students] learn ‘my college education is not just to benefit me but my society. “What is my vocation? What can I do to be civically engaged and civically responsible?” said Calvario.

He hopes that Waynesburg University students will find out if mission work may be their calling, in a spiritual sense.

University Chaplain Tom Ribar will be leading the trip to Montego Bay, Jamaica.

They will be working with Mustard Seed Communities, a Christian organization for special needs children that have been abandoned.

The group will deal with children and some adults that are disabled physically, or emotionally challenged.

Kelley Hardie, assistant director of student activities and husband Chris Hardie, and head men and women’s Cross Country coach and lecturer of philosophy lead the Greene County trip.

Greene County Immersion is a new trip this year and will include service work with many different organizations including Corner Cupboard Food Bank, St. Ann’s Good Neighbor Soup Kitchen, Salvation Army’s Kettle Campaign, Kid’s Café and Ten Thousand Villages.

“We serve a variety of individuals both domestically and internationally,” Kelley Hardie said. “This trip focuses on our neighbors in Greene County,” Kelley Hardie said. “I am looking forward to serving our neighbors in need during the holiday season.”

Light Up Night held Continued from A1 Hardie hopes that students enjoyed themselves, but she had a goal for this event.

“I ultimately hope that students are in the holiday spirit,” said Hardie.

The number of students who came out for this event was due in part to all the work that went into getting the word out, she said.

“I think it was well advertised,” said Hardie.

“It is usually extremely well attended.”

The festivities were intended to help students relax while finishing up homework and preparing for their finals.

“It is a nice break from homework and studying for finals,” said Hardie.

Musical entertainment included a barbershop quartet, which sang holiday songs, such as “Angels We Have Heard on High.”

Between musical performances, Senior Vice President for Institutional Planning, Research and Educational Services Skip Noftzger and University President Timothy Thyreen spoke.

“There is more to Christmas than lights; it has to do with the birth of Christ,” said Thyreen, who also urged students to finish the semester strong.

After the president’s address, there were fireworks behind the Stover

Photo by Gregory Reinhart

Richard Bubin, an ice sculptor, was also on campus to carve a reindeer from ice during Monday’s Light Up Night. Bubin also carved candy canes and halos.

Campus Center.

The evening ended with Ice Sculptor Richard Bubin carving Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer for the students near the Benedum Dining Hall.

“I have been doing this for 28 years,” said Bubin, who always wanted to be an artist.

“I started out coloring on my parent’s wall,” Bubin said. “I used to carve and draw things like dragons and motorcycles.”

Bubin has made himself a big name in the world of ice sculpting.

“I was a member of the Winter Olympic Ice Carving team,” said

Bubin. “In 2002, I set the world record for fastest ice carver on the planet.”

Bubin carved Rudolph along with ice halos, bracelets and candy canes that he handed out to the spectators.

“Anything can be made out of ice,” said Bubin.

Columnist Sierra Shafer lived without mirrors or clocks for a week on a mission trip to Guatemala and came back with a new attitude.

Read more on B2

Thursday, December 2, 2010

MARCELLUS SHALE

Pittsburgh ban will not affect Greene County

By Amanda Wishner Staff Writer

Photo by Denise Chadwick

Holiday revelers were charged $2 for carriage rides by Fred and Jessica Kiger during last year’s Holiday Open House.

Stores to stay open later for open house

By Kaitlin Edwards Managing Editor “It’s the most wonderful time of the year…”

Waynesburg Prosperous and Beautiful is hosting the annual Holiday Open House.

The event will be held from 5-9 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 3.

“The main purpose of the event is get people

from the community and outside the community interested in the unique retail atmosphere of Waynesburg,” said Karen Calvert, owner of Our Glass Creations and the committee chairperson for the board organizing the Holiday Open House.

“During this event, we really start our holiday retail sales and draw as

much attention as possible to the retailers.”

Most of the stores in the business district of Waynesburg will remain open until at least 7 p.m. as well as several of the stores will also offer snacks and light refreshments such as hot chocolate and cookies to visitors.

Other foods, such as hot dogs, will be avail-

able to be purchased along the street.

In addition to the local stores staying open later, other activities will be taking place throughout the streets of Waynesburg.

Live musicians will perform selections on the sidewalks along High Street including See HOLIDAY on B4

Phase one of Streetscape comes to close, plans for next phases delayed until 2013

By Kyle Edwards Region Editor Phase one of the Streetscape project is winding down. The project, which has shut down one side of High Street for the past few months, was part of a combined effort by the Waynesburg Borough and Prosperous and Beautiful to make the street more aesthetically pleasing. Borough Manager Bruce Wermlinger

explained that the project was funded by the government.

“Here’s what you have to remember with all these projects: Most of them are federally funded,” Wermlinger said.

“We submit requests to the state and federal governments for projects, and the projects we do all depend on what the state or federal government agrees to fund.”

Wermlinger explained

that the project started poles and replaced them near the beginning of with streetlights and April and ended toward trees.” early November.

Wermilinger went on “The total amount of to explain that the rest of funding that was provid- streetscape will take ed by the federal govern- place in two phases. ment was $1.5 million,” “We will be doing he said. “During this working on the part of first phase, the gutters High Street that lies to were taken care of, the the West of Washington inlet boxes [for storm street,” he said. “And water runoff] were re- phase three will be modeled and improved, working on the other the sidewalks and curbs half of Washington street were repaired and we removed the utility See STREETSCAPE on B4

Pittsburgh became the first city to pass a citywide ban on Marcellus Shale drilling.

City council members unanimously approved the ban with a vote of 9-0 on Nov 16.

According to the new ordinance, the drilling poses a “significant threat to the health, safety and welfare of residents and neighborhoods within the city.”

“When this industry comes in and drills a well, we really don’t know everything there is about the technology and what’s going on right now, especially when they are fracking the well and what that is doing possibly to our creeks, streams and envi-

ronment,” Greene County Commissioner and board chairman Pam Snyder in a press conference held at the University. “We have to make sure that the industry is living up to its responsibilities.”

Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is a controversial drilling technique used by natural gas drillers and has been attributed as the cause for alarm that triggered Pittsburgh‘s ban. This technique uses a chemical mixture to create or enlarge fractures in the rock in order to more easily access the oil and gas.

Hydraulic fracturing is not regulated by the federal government and is exempt from the 2005 See COUNTY on B4

County announces lower property taxes As the county continues to pay down its debt, County Commissioners announced today that they will lower property taxes next year.

The new millage rate for 2011 will be 7.535 mills, a decrease of 0.105 mills from the 2010 rate, which represented the first tax increase in six years.

The 2011 preliminary general fund budget of $15 million was released today and is expected to be adopted at the commissioners’ Dec. 16 meeting.

“We are making significant progress on paying off the county’s debt, and as a result, we were

able to lower the debt millage by 13 percent,” said Commissioner Pam Snyder, chair of the Board of Commissioners.

The 2011 millage rate of 7.535 mills represents a rate of 6.77 mills for the general fund, 0.695 mills for county debt and 0.07 mills for the Greene County Library System.

The 2011 budget is balanced, the second time in as many years since 2007 that reserve funds have not been utilized to balance the budget. The total proposed Greene County operating budget for 2011 is $26.2 million.

University, United Way team up to provide photos for families

By Lauren Rearick Staff Writer Holiday greetings will soon be shared as families send their well wishes in Christmas cards. But, some local families can’t afford to send greetings. One local event is hoping to change that.

Waynesburg Help Portrait is holding their event Sunday, Dec. 5 from noon to 6 p.m. in the Stover Campus Center at Waynesburg University. The focus of the event is not about taking pictures, but giving them away.

Based from a global organization, Help Portrait, this particular event is catered

specifically for the Waynesburg area.

“The event is meant to help not only outof-work families, but underprivileged, military families overseas, families of vets and vets,” Chris Clutter, event director said.

The Waynesburg Help Portrait provides professional photography to those who normally couldn’t afford it.

Participants will leave with a 5x7 print and have the opportunity to print additional copies of their photo.

“Anyone can participate,” Clutter said.

“They’ll be given a release where they can reprint the photos anywhere they want.”

Although the event

Infographic by Cori Schipani

is open to anyone, a scheduled time with the Greene County United Way in Waynesburg is required.

Near the December 4 date, Help Portrait organizations around the globe will be holding the day of giving.

Initially founded by celebrity photographer, Jeremy Cowart, numerous other Help Portrait organizations have been started.

Clutter, a local resident, wanted to see a branch of the organization begin in Waynes-

burg.

“It’s a global movement,” Clutter said. “I live near Waynesburg and wanted to get involved.”

Being a professional photographer isn’t required in order to volunteer for the day.

“Anyone can volunteer,” Clutter said.

“The best way to volunteer is to visit the site and fill out a volunteer form.”

Positions that could be fulfilled include photographers, videographers, greeters and more.

“Photographers can come out and volunteer,” Clutter said.

“Next year, we’re hoping to expand a lot and include hair and makeup.”

Greene County United Way is partnering with the organization, enabling sponsors of the event the ability to make tax deductible donations.

Donations are offsetting the cost of printing, so families are able to leave that day with their photograph.

Local businesses and organizations can still lend a helping hand before the event.

“We’re still looking for donations from local businesses,” Clutter said.

For more information on the event contact Clutter at 724249-6301 or visit the Waynesburg Help Portrait website at wbghelpportrait.org/.

YELLOW JACKET

Page B2

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Editorial

Staying sane Find ways to release stress during finals In the final few days of the semester, a mad scramble erupts to finish last-minute assignments. The weekend will (hopefully) be spent studying for finals and putting the finishing touches on final projects. However, before students buckle down too much, take a break to participate in one of several weekend activities.

The Muse and Stone will launch its first fall edition this Thursday. On Dec. 2, students and aynesburg community members will gather from 8 to 10 p.m. at College Town Diner for the launch party. Take a couple hours away from writing papers to support the University’s literary magazine.

The next day, Waynesburg is hosting an open house in the downtown area from 5 to 9 p.m.

Stop by to hear Christmas carolers and bell choirs sing in the streets. Enjoy hot chocolate and roasted nuts while browsing the stores, which will be open later than normal for the open house event. Horse and carriage rides will be available for students to ride through the streets, further setting the mood.

So take a short break from studying to enjoy some of the unique experiences that Waynesburg has to offer.

After all, everyone needs a break once and while. Give your mind a rest.

You won’t regret it.

Student aid Federal student-aid strengthened The Obama administration rules promise to strengthen federal student-aid programs as well as protect students from the aggressive and deceptive recruiting practices that are the norm at many career colleges.

A version of the truth in advertising ethos will require schools to disclose the effectiveness of their career college and training programs and their graduation and job-placement rates.

For-profit education institutions have been loath to put out that kind of information.

Here’s why. For an education sector that has grown tenfold in the last decade, lax oversight has fostered a system of high tuition costs and low graduation rates.

A scathing report by the influential think tank Education Trust offers a list of examples.

Only 22 percent of students in for-profit colleges’ four-year programs earn degrees within six years.

Contrast that with a 55 percent six-year graduation rate at public colleges and a 65 percent rate at private nonprofit schools.

Schools must also do a better job ensuring that only students that qualify receive financial aid.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office, ordered by Congress to conduct a sting, found students at for-profit colleges being encouraged to falsify their financial aid forms.

Regulations will address some of the abuses but federal scrutiny should continue.

As more students pursue postsecondary education, a strong and fair educational structure is critical.

I’ll shower when I get around to it I didn’t eat any turkey this Thanksgiving. And it wasn’t because my parents are vegetarians. I didn’t eat any mashed potatoes or stuffing or gravy either.

Last Thursday night, I sat around a plastic card table with 15 people I was kind of familiar with and ate a Hamburger Helper version of lasagna and homemade tortillas.

Oh yeah, and I was in Guatemala.

It’s funny when you realize that the United States isn’t the whole world and that our holidays aren’t celebrated

SIERRA SHAFER Columnist

worldwide.

Of course you already knew that, but being out of the country on a very “American” holiday is a thought-provoking experience.

Spending my Thanksgiving break at the El Centro de Nutricion y Hogar de los Ninos in Patzun, Guatemala, was exhausting.

But it was also one of the most rewarding weeks of my college

Christmas should unite believers Last week, the American Atheists erected a controversial billboard on the New Jersey side of the Lincoln tunnel in New York City. The billboard reads, “You know it’s a myth. This season, celebrate reason.”

For that, they should be commended.

But don’t shoot me yet.

In an interview with Megyn

experience. It very much affected me. Yet here I am, back in Buhl Hall, almost like it never happened.

Almost.

I have spent several months traveling in Latin and South America in the past, but each trip has added to my understanding and adoration of a culture that is all about family and faith, tradition, survival and natural beauty.

While this was my shortest trip south of the border, I feel that my time in Guatemala has had the greatest impact for two reasons.

KYLE EDWARDS Columnist

Kelly of Fox News, David Silverman, president of American Atheists, said the motivation behind the billboard was to address those atheists who don’t live out their beliefs, or lack thereof.

They want to attack the myth that Christianity owns the solstice season and to raise the awareness of the organization and movement.

In essence, they want to

Clocks and mirrors.

Guatemala is lacking both.

And it was heaven. I live in a world that is driven by deadlines and time.

I am constantly aware of what time it is and what needs to be done at that time.

I schedule everything from the moment I wake up until the way-too-late time I go to bed, and I make to-do lists about to-do lists.

Not in Guatemala.

I didn’t wear a watch and I never saw a clock.

See ESCAPE on B3

encourage their followers to be more vocal.

I think they’re onto something.

The Christmas season is my favorite time of year. For me, there is nothing quite like the feeling of gathering around the tree on Christmas morning, wrapped in our robes and slippers, sipping on hot cocoa and sharing the spirit of the season with our family.

For me, Christmas has always been about sacrifice; the giving of my good fortune and faith to those who need it, just as Christ sacrificed everything for the sake of See DIFFERENCES on B3

Balance studying and sleep during finals

If you’re looking for me this weekend, I won’t be hard to find.

Just find my dorm room.

You’ll find me there, probably lying on my bed.

I’ll be the one with my nose in a book, studying. Maybe. (I should be studying, but I’ll probably be complaining about all the studying I have to do.

Productive, right?)

After all, it’s the weekend before finals week.

The following editorial appeared in the Seattle Times on Monday, Nov. 29 While regular classes

RACHEL BROWN Columnist

don’t meet, the evil little monsters called finals still exist and require a lot of attention.

I have four tests in two days. Granted, I only have 13 credits this semester, so my finals workload is lighter than it has been in past years.

But one is a cumulative final; one is a normal test. Another one is

an essay test.

And I’m not exactly sure about the contents of the last one.

I have one on chemistry (and by now, you’ve heard the tales of woe the Jacket staff and our chemistry experiences).

I have one about teaching writing and one about communication theories. Then there’s that other one.

The content isn’t related, meaning I have just a few days to reacquaint myself with 15 weeks of classes.

Times four.

Studying for these tests is not as simple as memorizing and regurgitating information on the tests. Finals require you to learn a lot of information in a short amount of time.

And, yes, people (with professors and parents being the most likely culprits) will say you should have learned all of that stuff during the semester.

I did.

But then time passed.

See SLEEP on B3

Thursday, December 2, 2010

YELLOW JACKET

Page B3

Op-Ed

Pope Benedict sparks discussion on condoms

Escape to Guatemala Continued from B2 On occasion I would check in with someone else to find out what time it was, but for a majority of the trip, time played no part.

Rarely looked in a mirror either.

Which was probably a good thing considering I only showered twice all week.

Hold the judgment until after I tell you that hot water was hit or miss, and the electrical wires were running outside the pipes.

We’re weren’t exactly

Differences don’t matter Continued from B2 our sins. That’s what Christmas is all about, right?

Why aren’t we doing anything about it?

Online retail spending in the first 26 days of November increased 13 percent from last year, according to comScore.

Shoppers also spent $10.66 billion on Black Friday this year.

Sure, not everyone shopping claimed to be a Christian, but some of them had to be. If we’re willing to spend that much money on ourselves, why haven’t we spent that much on the true meaning of

Sleep makes a difference Continued from B2 Now, I have to learn it again.

With four tests crammed into two days, I have no choice but to cram for the tests myself.

Just try to remember as much information about each subject for that final and then hit the mental “delete” button as soon as I leave the classroom to prepare for the next one.

Rinse. Lather. Repeat.

Yet, researchers are

staying at the Ritz.

But it was better than that, really.

Getting to throw caution to the wind and be sweaty and dirty and muddy for a week straight without a care in the world from myself or anyone watching was nothing short of liberating.

No deadlines, no 45 minutes morning primp routine. Just me, our team, 50 or so Spanishspeaking Guatemalan children and a lot of tortillas.

And now it’s over. It’s back to school, back to work, back to the showering, back to English, back to consumerism.

It went so fast; it’s like it never happened.

Hardly.

Sure, I knew it would end, but now that I’m back to the daily grind, I’m struggling with just how affected I am going to let myself be by what I experienced last week in Guatemala.

I can already tell you I’m back to scheduling and showering. I have to be. That’s what we do here.

Right or wrong, it’s how it works for us.

But what I think I can keep with me even as I go back to using clocks and mirrors is an understanding of what pieces of my day are actually important and also less of a need to make everything an urgent emergency.

While I don’t think my professors would accept my Guatemalan immersion as an excuse for flexible deadlines or reason to start class “when we get around to it,” but I can keep that attitude in back pocket.

Life is about hard work and finishing the projects you start, but it’s not about deadlines.

And out of respect for my roommates and in hopes of scoring some hot holiday dates, I’ll probably stick to showering.

But while I’m standing there wasting hot water and time, and not worrying where my next meal will come from, I’ll try and work on a little inner beauty too.

Christmas?

Last year, atheists in Britain launched a bus advertising campaign proclaiming that there is no God. The campaign generated headlines worldwide, earning the group the attention that they wanted.

Now, with one billboard, American Atheists have done the exact same thing.

And what’s the Christian response?

Sure, we get offended. For a few seconds.

But then what?

We might log onto Facebook and complain.

But that’s it.

The truth is, the Christian religion is so divided amongst its various denominations that we are unable to properly respond.

Churches, even denominations, might create a billboard announcing the true meaning of Christmas, but no one talks about it. At least not yet.

The time has come for the Christian religion to provide a united front against its attackers.

Instead of each denomination going its own way about discrediting this affront to our religion, we need to band together as one, and hit back with all the strength that we can muster.

Why don’t we have an ad campaign making headlines?

We should not have allowed atheism to reach the 50 million that Silverman claims that it has today.

Matthew 12:25

states that “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.”

I could not have said it any better myself.

Forget denominations.

Forget the Catholic/Protestant divide.

If we believe that Jesus died for our sins, that’s all the matters.

If we as Christians do not band together to fight this affront to our beliefs, as one then I fear that Atheism and groups like American Atheists will only continue to gather in strength.

Christians can’t let trivial details get in the way of crucial decisions.

saying that this method isn’t healthy. And it certainly isn’t practical.

According to Robert Stickgold, a researcher at Harvard Medical School, people who deprive themselves of sleep (perhaps to cram for an upcoming final or four) will not see any improvement in their test scores.

Rather, they will perform worse than if they took the test on a full night of sleep.

As in at least six hours.

Not two. Not five.

Six. During this time, Stickgold said, our

brains spring into action.

They begin to consolidate all we learned during the day and move it into long-term memory.

As we sleep, our brains continue to work.

They analyze what we learned and try to make sense of the details.

If you ever have woken up and suddenly understood something you didn’t understand last night, that’s your brain at work.

If you dreamed about an upcoming test, blame your brain.

I’ve taken entire math tests in my dreams.

Those certainly weren’t

the most pleasant dreams, but it’s nice to know my brain is hard at work even while I sleep.

Now, if only my brain could figure out the actual questions on the test, then I’d be golden.

Nevertheless, as the semester quickly comes to an end, be sure to use your brain.

Don’t wait until the last minute to study, and don’t spend all your time complaining about how you hate studying.

Study for an hour, and then take a 10-minute break. Go for a walk.

Watch TV. Check Facebook.

The international controversy generated by leaks from German journalist Peter Seewald’s book-length interview with Pope Benedict XVI officially issued last week as “Light of the World” may be a publicist’s dream, but what does it really signify?

Benedict’s thoughts on the morality of condom usage don’t go nearly as far as those of us who feel that the Roman Catholic Church’s absolute prohibition of artificial contraception is a moral disaster would like, but they push church doctrine a good bit further than the traditionalists want to acknowledge.

Here’s the pope’s controversial remark, which came in response to a question about the use of condoms to prevent the spread of AIDS in Africa: “There may be a basis in the case of some individuals, as perhaps when a male prostitute uses a condom, where this can be a first step in the direction of a moralization, a first assumption of responsibility, on the way toward recovering an awareness that not everything is allowed and that one cannot do whatever one wants.”

If you’re having difficulty parsing that, there’s no need to adjust your set. To understand what’s being said, it’s important to remember that Benedict is the most rigorously trained and sophisticated theologian to occupy the throne of Peter in many centuries. It’s also important to recall that intention is crucial when it comes to assessing the quality of an individual act.

Theology may be the “queen of the sciences,” but unlike physical science, it does not proceed by experimental proofs.

All the back and forth over translations, including whether he meant to make a point that applied only to gay sex, is irrelevant, particularly because he subsequently said through his Vatican spokesman that his point also applied equally to female and transsexual prostitutes.

That point does not involve the permissibility of condom use per se; rather, the pontiff is arguing that if an HIV-positive person put on a condom so as not to infect a partner, the act could indicate the first moral stirrings of a desire to behave more responsibly.

The reason this remark went off like a bomb among Catholics is that, for years, Catholic bishops, theologians and health-care workers fighting subSaharan Africa’s AIDS epidemic have urged such a view and received either stony silence or condemnation from Rome. In his remark, Benedict at the very least reopened the door to a discussion.

That’s obvious if you look at the actual question from Seewald that evoked the thought problem: “On the occasion of your trip to Africa in March 2009, the Vatican’s policy on AIDS once again became the target of media criticism.

In Africa you stated that the church’s traditional teaching has proven to be the only sure way to stop the spread of HIV. Critics, including critics from the church’s own ranks, object that it is madness to forbid a high-risk population to use condoms.”

Some clerics and Catholic health workers long have argued that telling HIV-infected patients, particularly those married to an uninfected partner, not to use condoms essentially turns normal conjugal relations into a suicide pact. These advocates may find new encouragement in Benedict’s musings.

But for those who believe that Pope Paul VI’s 1968 reaffirmation of the church’s condemnation of artificial contraception, including condoms, began a process of estrangement that fundamentally alienated millions of Catholics from the church, there’s really nothing new in Benedict’s remarks.

Elsewhere in the interview, the pope explicitly endorsed Paul VI’s encyclical on the question, Humanae Vitae, and calls Paul’s stance “prophetic.”

As this pope sees it, “The basic lines of Humanae Vitae are still correct.”

This editorial was written by Tim Rutten and originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.

Have a pillow fight.

Do something fun.

Then get at least six hours of sleep each night to be fully prepared for

finals the next day.

Just relax. You’ll do fine.

Then take a nap.

Sweet dreams.

YELLOW JACKET

Page B4

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Region

Drilling boom causes dearth of housing, county to build approximately 50 units

Open House planned

By Natalie Bruzda

we are glad to participate in the event.”

All proceeds from the silent auction will benefit the Waynesburg Prosperous and Beautiful projects.

In addition to the musicians, silent auction and food, horsedrawn wagon rides will also be available.

The wagons will be drawn by Belgium horses owned by Fred and Jessica Kiger and will cost $2 per person.

Santa Claus will also join the festivites during the night.

A few businesses will also host organizations outside of the Waynesburg downtown area for the event, such as the Greene County Tourism Agency who is partnering with the Lippencott Alpacas.

“We will be one of a few businesses who will be hosting an outside person, and we are working with the Lippencott Alpaca group and I think it’s a great opportunity,” said Menhart.

“I think it is a great opportunity to get people outside the community interested in the event.”

Some sponsors of this event include Dale Property Penn Services and several local businesses.

Other local events taking place this weekend include the annual Christmas parade, which will be held on High Street in downtown Waynesburg starting at 2 p.m. on Dec. 4.

“We hope everyone will walk the streets and enjoy everything the Holiday Open House has to offer,” said Calvert.

“With growth and prosperity and new industry comes challenges and some of those challenges are most particularly the environment,” said Snyder.

“I, as an elected official, want to ensure that anything we do and any steps we take to embrace this industry are leaving the environment safe for you and future generations.”

Social Media Manager Deep changes are taking place in Greene County, according to County Commissioner Pam Snyder.

At a Nov. 15 press conference held at Waynesburg University, Snyder said that those changes are particularly involving Marcellus Shale. Currently, the county is facing a housing crisis. According to Snyder, it’s a crisis the county has faced for the last couple of years.

“There are not enough houses to provide right now for the [Marcellus Shale] industry that has

Marshall isn’t optimistic about the first phase being finished up any time soon.

“The electric still isn’t finished for the first phase,” Marshall

said. “The power company seems to want to finish everything at their own pace.”

Marshall hopes that the first phase will finally be completed by

the end of spring of next year.

“We’re just going to have to wait until March 1 to finish up the first phase,” he said.

the Presbyterian Bell Choir who will perform on the courthouse steps.

Other groups to perform include the Waynesburg University saxophone ensemble and the Waynesburg University barbershop quartet and flute choir.

“We are having a lot of groups perform at the Open House,” said Dr. Ronda DePriest, director of the music program at Waynesburg University.

“They have been working hard, and it should be good.”

One of the biggest events of the night includes a silent auction.

Hundreds of donated items from several downtown Waynesburg stores are available for bid.

These items include, but are not limited to, clothing, artwork and jewelry. Some participating locations include the Ten Thousand Villages shop, the Greene County Tourism office, the Waynesburg Chamber of Commerce and the First Federal Savings and Loan of Greene County.

Bidding for these items began on Nov. 22 and will last until 7 p.m. on Dec. 3.

“This year we are hosting two items including a teddy bear made of alpaca fur,” said Liz Menhart, tourism director for the Greene County Tourism Agency.

“It’s a good cause and

whether or not the economic benefits of Marcellus Shale drilling outweigh the environmental concerns.

“At a time when the natural gas industry is generating jobs and prosperity for tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians, it’s unfortunate that the council continues to maintain a shortsighted view regarding responsible shale gas development and its overwhelmingly positive economic, environmental and energy security benefits,” said Kathryn Klaber, president and executive director of the Marcellus Shale Coalition in a statement.

Pittsburgh and southwestern Pennsylvania sit atop a large formation of gas-rich Marcellus Shale that offers the potential for a cleaner form of heating. More than 2,000 wells have been drilled in Pennsyl-

vania in the last three years, and the numbers continue to grow.

With the rapid increase in drilling sites comes an influx of jobs in southwestern Pennsylvania.

An assessment conducted by the Marcellus Shale Education and Training Center estimated that more than 420 people are necessary to operate one Marcellus

Shale well.

A Penn State University study suggests that the number of jobs created in Beaver, Fayette, Greene, Washington and Westmoreland counties will climb to 11,000 by 2014.

“We (Greene County) are probably one of three counties that they are calling a true hot spot for this kind of gas drilling,” said Snyder.

“Our

unemployment rate has stayed below the state and national level. The Marcellus Shale industry is continuing to provide jobs and an economic boom to our region.”

Greene County is home to an estimated 100 drilling sites as well as CNX Gas Corporation’s first horizontal, record-breaking well in late 2008.

moved in because there’s a lot of jobs with this industry, and they need people who already know how to do this job,” Snyder said.

“They’re bringing them with them from Texas and Oklahoma or whatever county they come from. It’s hard for them to find a place to live in Greene County. Every place has been rented, booked, bought, and we need all available housing.”

Marcellus Shale is not the sole contributor to the housing crisis.

New families need homes built in order to become first-time home buyers, and senior citi-

zens would like to move out of their big houses and into nice senior homes, she said.

However, despite the housing challenges, Snyder said that the county is finally advancing.

“We are trying to meet those challenges on the housing shortages in Greene County, but I think we’re making progress,” Snyder said.

“We have a long, long way to go but we are making progress.”

Several housing developers came in, and the county began a housing task force a couple of years ago. According to Snyder, the group met quite a few times over

the course of a year to 18 months and began the process of getting the redevelopment authority back in place.

The county reenergized the redevelopment authority and renamed board members because, through an authority like that, the county can acquire related property and be able to develop them. At the press conference, Snyder appeared very optimistic.

“We’ve recently had a developer come in and they are acquiring an auction on a piece of property, and I’m hoping we’re going to see about 50 houses built very soon,” she said.

Streetscape nearly finished Continued from B1

from the courthouse, South.”

Larry Marshall, main street manager for Waynesburg Prosperous and Beautiful, said that plans to begin the next phase of the project are moving at a slow pace.

“I can’t see anything starting for another two years,” Marshall said.

“It should take about six months to finish the second phase, once it starts, and hopefully the third and final phase won’t take longer than that.”

County unaffected Continued from B1 Energy Pollution Act, making it somewhat difficult to monitor.

Critics of Marcellus Shale drilling are concerned with its safety and more specifically its possible contamination of air and drinking water, although a 2004 study by the Environmental Protection Agency stated that the sand slurry used in fracking posed no environmental threat.

In the wake of Pittsburgh’s ban and statewide controversy, the Environmental Protection Agency continues to reinvestigate the potential hazards of fracking.

The primary question posed by state officials is

Continued from B1

Photo by Amanda Rice

The Streetscape project, which took place over the past few months, is drawing to a close.

Seventeen Jacket athletes were recently named All-PAC in their respective sports.

Read more on C3 and C4

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Playoffs Wrestlers go 1-1-1 in competitive quad match with all traditions intact

By Steve Hullings Staff Writer

Sophomore Alex Crown (125 pounds) had a stellar performance at the Waynesburg wrestling team’s Nov. 20 quad match at York by going 30 on the day. He defeated Andrew Rentzel of Messiah College 5-3, had a 17-2 technical fall in the match Sports against Lake Erie College Editor and concluded his day by defeating Jerrid Hartman of York College 4-2.

‘Tis the season.

“A lot of people will With championship Saturday two days away have high expectations of and bowl games fast approaching, the endless debate over a playoff system in major college football is heating up once again.

This past weekend, I found myself rooting against Auburn and Oregon only because I wanted to see Boise State have a By Steven Iser crack at the national title. Staff Writer Don’t get me wrong; I Ohio University Eastwould love to watch the Auburn and Oregon ern Campus was unable offenses run up and down to break the visiting Waythe same field. I’d just nesburg women’s basketthink less of the matchup ball team’s win streak if other deserving, unde- over Thanksgiving break.

The Yellow Jackets feated teams didn’t have a fair shot at hoisting the defeated the host Lady crystal, whether they’re Panthers 77-65 to push from a BCS conference or their streak to four games to open the season. not.

Waynesburg did get Two shocking field goal shanks later, Boise State is into some early foul trouout of the picture. Howev- ble, causing them to sit a er, there’s no reason TCU few of their marquee playdoesn’t deserve an equal ers more than usual. “[Sophomore] Paige opportunity.

So, with that said, Pearce and [junior] Hanhere’s my solution to nah Hunter got into some major college football’s foul trouble in the first never-ending postseason half,” head coach Sam Jones said. “We did what problem.

The system I’m propos- we had to do without them to survive.” ing is a 10-team playoff.

The Jackets controlled Each champion from the six major conferences the tempo early and automatically qualifies to jumped out to a 13-point play in one of the four BCS lead with 9:34 left in the first half, but Ohio Unibowls already in place.

These four bowl games versity Eastern would – the Fiesta, Rose, Sugar fight back.

With 5:22 remaining, and Orange – will take place right around the Ohio University Eastern times when they always cut Waynesburg’s lead in have. Also, the Rose Bowl half.

“We need to be more will feature the PAC-10 and Big Ten Conference consistent,“ Jones said.

“We need to shoot better champs.

All this is done to main- and turnover the ball tain the tradition and less.” pageantry that’s become such an integral part of college football.

Moreover, the wealth of other bowls – such as the Cotton, Peach and Holiday – will continue to be By Aaron Thompson held in the time period Assistant Sports Editor leading up to those national quarterfinals.

It has been just a little The twist, here, is how more than two weeks that slew of other bowl since Waynesburg head games will begin. coach Rick Shepas walked Sure, we could continue off the field wondering to start the bowl season off what could have been as with the San Diego Coun- the Yellow Jackets ty Credit Union Poinsettia dropped their final game Bowl. Or, we could get of the 2010 football seathose contests underway son. with something worthThe loss meant the while.

Jackets finished 4-3 in the Why not have the next Presidents’ Athletic Conbest four teams, besides ference and 6-4 overall. the major conference The season was champs, battle for the undoubtedly a season of what ifs and at times See PLAYOFFS on C3 missed opportunities for

Dave Floyd

me now,” said Crown, who was named last week’s Waynesburg Athlete of the Week for his efforts. “I’ll have to live up to them. It’s also a confidence booster to do well against good teams.”

Crown doesn’t mind how or if this will affect his reputation nationally, saying that rankings are just a number, and what one does in the end means the most.

His efforts assisted the Yellow Jackets, now ranked 28th in the nation, in going 1-1-1 at the event.

The Jackets lost to Messiah 22-15, scored a 21-18 victory over Division II Lake Erie and battled to an 18-18 tie with host York, in that order.

“We had to gamble a little bit more than we normally have to,” said head coach Ron Headlee.

Freshman Luke Lohr (149 pounds) also went 3-0 on the day by defeating Logan Putnam of Messiah in a 4-3 decision, Josh Etzel of Lake Erie in a 121 decision and Chris See WRESTLERS on C2

Photo by Dawn Yates

Freshman 149-pounder Luke Lohr went 3-0 in the Jackets’ recent quad match at York.

Jacket hoopsters off to hot start in 2010-11 Women’s team begins season 4-0 Men match last season’s win total with blowout victory on road at Oberlin

By Emilee Wagner Staff Writer

File Photo

Junior Morgan Hoone led the Jackets with a game-high 20 points against Ohio Eastern.

The Jackets were able to extend their lead to double digits before the buzzer sounded, ending the first half of action.

A lay-up by Waynesburg junior Morgan Hoone put the Jackets up 45-29 with 14:22 remaining in the game. The Jackets led by as many as 24 points in the second half before a late spark put Ohio University Eastern down only 10.

Only the starters for Ohio University Eastern saw double-digit minutes played, whereas nine Jackets recorded 12 minutes or more.

“I think we were better conditioned then them,” Hunter, a captain, said.

“We ran and ran, and in the second half [they] were winded.”

The Jackets maintained See JACKETS on C2

In just three games this season, the Waynesburg men’s hoopsters have as many wins as they did all of last season.

The Yellow Jackets defeated Oberlin College on Monday night 89-70.

They wasted no time in the first half, jumping out to a 25-point advantage at halftime.

“We executed our defensive system really well in the first half and shot the ball great,” senior guard Steven Iser said.

“We turned the ball over too much in the second half, which allowed them to make a few runs, but some big shots and discipline kept our lead out of reach.”

Iser and junior guard Larry Alexander both scored a team-high 11 points, while junior forward Lou Galante added 10 points of his own.

In other action before Thanksgiving break, the Jackets started their season off in thrilling fashion.

Two games. Three over-

times. One hard fought win and one hard fought loss.

On Nov. 19 and Nov. 20, the men traveled to La Roche to take a part in the Crons Classic.

On Friday, the Jackets defeated Penn State Beaver by one point, a 9493 victory in double overtime.

Iser led the Jackets with a team-high 18 points.

Senior guard Erik Noone and junior forward James Allenby also reached double digits in scoring, each tallying 13 points. Sophomore forward Aaron Cromwell had a teamhigh 11 rebounds, while Allenby also had nine boards.

After their battle against the Nittany Lions, the men took on a quick and athletic La Roche team the very next night.

The Jackets gave all they had but ended up falling in overtime 65-60.

Sophomore center Kurt Bonnet came off the bench to lead the team in scoring with nine points.

See JACKET on C2

Shepas reflects on 2010 season, moves forward the sixth-year head coach.

Waynesburg’s four losses came by a combined 15 points; the Jackets lost to Wilkes (3), Bethany (7) and finished up the campaign with crushing defeats in the final two contests against Thomas More (4) and Washington & Jefferson (1).

“There are so many ways to describe the way the season went,” Shepas said. “I had a great time working with these guys.

The older players showed leadership, and we had some freshmen step in and make an impact on the team.”

Waynesburg had a chance to qualify for the postseason with a strong finish to the season but dropped the final two games to the three-time reigning PAC champion Saints and then to the rival Presidents. With the losses went the chance to win the conference or gain an ECAC bowl berth.

Shepas said it is hard to tell how long those two losses may stick with the Jackets.

“For the senior players this will probably stick with them for the rest of their lives,” Shepas said.

“As a head coach when

you get a chance to look at the film, it never looks as good or bad as you thought you played.”

Shepas said for the younger players they have a chance to take the close losses and learn from them.

“I am pretty proud of the way our young guys handled things,” Shepas said.

“We can File Photo

speak to a number of performances. A ton of bright spots to look forward to.”

Something that should give the Jackets a boost next season is the fact that they return 10 of 11 starters on the defensive side of the ball. The defense is expected to be led See SHEPAS on C3

YELLOW JACKET

Page C2

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Sports

Jackets show improvement in 2010 Strength coach adds record boards to weight room

By Nicole Forte Staff Writer Head women’s cross country coach Chris Hardie led his team to a much improved 2010 season and is ready to do the same in 2011.

“As a coaching staff we were very happy with this season,” said Hardie.

“The key for this team is to continue to improve going into the 2011 season.”

The Waynesburg women’s cross country team placed third in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference this season, two spots higher than a year ago. The team also moved up in the ranking at regionals, finishing 28th out of 42 teams after finishing 36th in a 44-team field in 2009.

“We [the coaching staff] expected the team to be better than last year,” said Hardie. “Our region is the biggest in all of Division III. For us to be close to the top 25 is a solid performance, but we do expect better things next season.”

According to Hardie, much of the improvement can be attributed to the experience the team had coming into this season. Along with the many returners, some freshman talent gave the Yellow

Wrestlers win, lose, tie Continued from C1 Gugliotti of York in an 8-2 decision.

An ill and injured senior Nick Garber (141 pounds) was ranked eighth in the National Wrestling Coaching Association individual rankings and undefeated going into the match. He suffered his first loss of the season by losing to Ty Kanouff of Messiah in an 11-4 decision.

“I didn’t have a very good match,” said Garber.

“I haven’t been wrestling well all season, and I’m

Jackets start season 4-0 Continued from C1 their double-digit lead the rest of the game en route to the 12-point victory and a 4-0 record to start the season.

“We shot the ball well in the second half,” Jones said. “We had consistent runs throughout the game.”

Waynesburg outrebounded Ohio University Eastern by a margin of 17.

Junior Morgan Hoone led the way for Waynesburg with a game-high 20 points and three steals.

“We made shots when needed to,“ Hoone said.

“We had some lapses, but we did what we had to do to win.

Sophomore guard Brittany Spencer recorded her first double-double of the

By Katie Rihn Staff Writer

File Photo

Junior captain Michelle Naymick (left) and freshman Bre Paul (right) run in this year’s Waynesburg Invitational. Both runners return for the Jackets next season.

Jackets an additional edge.

Bre Paul came out as a freshman and had tremendous success. Claiming two Waynesburg Athlete of the Week awards and a second team All-PAC nod, the Irwin, Pa., native built a solid foundation to build upon.

“I was really surprised that I was able to achieve those things as a freshman,” said Paul. “I have been blessed with a talent, and I’m just trying to use

it to glorify God in any way that I can. Winning awards is just the icing on the cake.”

Hardie had nothing but praise for the freshman standout.

“Bre’s success is a result of her character,” said Hardie. “Bre is an overachiever, probably more than anyone else I have coached in my 15 years around this sport.

She put the time and energy into her summer train-

ing, and it showed.”

The Waynesburg women do have at least one aspect they would like to improve upon for next year.

“I’m hoping we can close the gap between our first and fifth runners,” said junior captain Michelle Naymick. “A smaller gap time will definitely help us finish higher in races.”

not sure why. I haven’t been wrestling my aggressive style. It’s something I need to change quickly, or I’ll be losing more matches that I shouldn’t be losing.

“I need to have a really solid and hard working week of practice,” Garber added. “I need to get my mind more focused on my style and get back to what I’m good at this week.”

Freshman Colton Blumer wrestled at the 141-pound spot in place of Garber for the following two matches, losing both, one by fall and the other by decision.

Junior Jared Roberts (184 pounds) went 2-1 on the day, nearly defeating nationally ranked Alex

Martocello of York in a 31 decision.

Junior Alex Evanoff (165 pounds) also went 21 on the day Freshman heavyweight Josh Mihalik went into his match with Lake Erie’s Alex Palmer knowing his team was down by three points.

Mihalik, however, scored a pin fall over Palmer, clinching the victory for Waynesburg.

“My mindset going into the match was good,” said Mihalik. “I was focused on what I needed to do and went out on the mat ready to wrestle.”

Freshman Levi Hosselrode (133 pounds), junior Jon Sanko (174 pounds), sophomore heavyweight

Marty Kisla and freshman Sam Lombardo (157 pounds) all picked up a win at the event.

“Unlike the past, we’re sending a good, quality kid out at every weight class right now,” said Headlee. “Our depth is a lot better than what it has been.”

The Jackets return to action Saturday when they travel to Ada, Ohio, for the Ohio Northern Tournament. Thirteen other teams will also be participating in the tournament.

“We’re at the point in the season to where we can contest with them,” said Headlee.

“Even the really good competition.”

season with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Senior captain Elisha Jones just missed out on her fourth straight double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds.

Pearce rounded out the Jackets’ double-digit scorers with 10 points.

Coach Jones went on to say that Hoone and Spencer played their best games of the season so far.

Savannah Burke led Ohio University Eastern with 16 points.

“It feels really good to be 4-0,” Spencer said. “It shows how our hard work in the gym has paid off.”

The team tried to keep its win streak alive against Chatham University on Wednesday in their Presidents’ Athletic Conference opener. Results were unavailable at press time.

Waynesburg is back in action Saturday in another league game at Bethany.

Tip off is set for 6 p.m.

Jacket men beat Oberlin Continued from C1 Cromwell added seven points of his own and pulled down a team-high seven rebounds.

“Overall, I believe that we are moving in the right direction. Both games, we really persevered through the ebbs and flows of tight games,” head coach Mark Christner said. “I was pleased with our progress defensively from our final scrimmage [until now].

We are still a work in progress, but I believe these games gave our guys some confidence.”

Senior guard Erik Noone has seen his last season at Waynesburg start off in a very positive way.

“I think the first two games went really well for

See TOP on C4

In the offseason most athletic teams on campus find themselves working on improving their physical abilities.

In the weight room at Waynesburg, athletes have the chance to work and train with top-notch equipment and train under the direction of strength and conditioning coach Tanner Kolb.

Kolb has implemented something new in the weight room this semester, record boards for all the various sports.

“The record board was started at the beginning of this semester,” said Kolb. “It’s a way to add a little bit of incentive to the program. Everyone likes to see how they compare to other people “For example if one person squats 225 pounds and another person is testing and they do 220 pounds, they might be a little more apt to try a bit harder to reach that goal.”

According to Kolb, most programs keep records, so it adds depth to the Waynesburg program. Because this idea is so new, the records have changed hands quite often.

The record boards split up into different sports and different categories.

Football, wrestling and track and field have their own separate boards.

All other sports are sorted into men’s athletics and women’s athletics.

“Football and wrestling have their own because they have additional tests that no other sports have,” said Kolb. “The other thing is most other male athletes would not be able to make it onto the football testing board. It’s just traditionally a sport that focuses more on the weight room than other sports. Track and field is a sport for males and females, so I just keep them together, and they have a high number of athletes on their roster.”

The men’s athletics and women’s athletics boards are broken up into three categories, squat, bench and clean.

A couple of members of the women’s volleyball team, juniors Lauren Wagner and Jordan Barton, find themselves either at the top or very near the top of that list on the women’s side.

Wagner is ranked fourth on the board for squats, tied for first in bench and tied for second in clean.

“I love the challenge of being so small and trying to keep up with the stronger girls,” said Wagner.

“Seeing that I can keep up and even out-lift some of them is a small reassurance that I am doing my job well.”

Barton currently holds either sole possession or shared possession of first place in all three categories.

She squats 225 pounds, is tied for first in benching with 105 pounds and has gotten up to 120 pounds on her clean.

“I am making sure I am doing everything I can do to continue to get stronger and more powerful for my senior year of volleyball,” said Barton. “If we continue to lift the right way, by getting stronger and being able to do more weight with the same amount of reps, then everyone will get stronger.”

According to Kolb, the records that students put up will stand until they graduate or until the record is broken.

“Overall, I believe that we are moving in the right direction. We are still a work in progress, but I believe these games gave our guys some confidence.”

Mark Christner Head men’s basketball coach

us. It’s crazy that we went into three overtimes in two games, but maybe that will help us later in the season if we do get into another overtime situation,” he said.

“I think we played well, and we played as a team. We shot the ball well which helped a lot, but we have a lot of people that can score and help others get open and make plays.”

Christner mentioned

two particular aspects of their game that the Jackets could improve on after their first few contests.

“It’s about limiting our turnovers and rebounding,” he said. “We turned it over too much in the first two games, and that will get better as we slow down a bit and see things more clearly.

“Rebounding was good on Friday, not good in the second half on Saturday, and that probably cost us

the game. La Roche had eight offensive rebounds in the second half.”

Christner also pointed out positive things about his new team.

“I think we have balance. We demonstrated on Saturday that we can score it in the post a bit, and on Friday we made 10 three-pointers,” he said.

“We are going to get more efficient and keep learning, and we’ll be ready for a big week after Thanksgiving.”

The Jackets looked to pick up their third win of the young season and surpass last season’s win total in just four games when they hosted Hilbert College Wednesday.

Results were unavailable at press time.

Waynesburg opens up Presidents’ Athletic Conference play Saturday when they travel to Bethany. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

YELLOW JACKET

Page C3

Sports

Eleven Jacket football players named all-conference

By Tim Chilcote Staff Writer As the football season is ending, many athletes are starting their offseason workouts or even joining another team for a different sport. But before that, 11 Waynesburg University football players were named to the Presidents’ Athletic Conference all-conference team.

Five of these players were named first-teamers.

The five first team AllPAC players are junior defensive back Sean Hunt, junior defensive lineman Darryl Moore Jr., sophomore defensive back Bryan Gary, sophomore tight end Adam Moses and junior offensive lineman Nick Hanley.

Hunt finished the year with eight interceptions, which ranked in the top

Photos by Dave Miller, ADM Photography

Juniors Sean Hunt (above) and Nick Hanley (right) were two of the Jackets’ five first-team All-PAC selections.

10 for Division III football and at the top of the PAC. He also recorded one sack and two tackles for loss and returned one of his picks for a touchdown.

Moore made a habit of getting stops in the backfield. He ended the season

with 17 tackles for loss, which racked up 66 yards lost for the opposing teams. He also recorded seven sacks on the year.

Gary led the team with 69 total tackles. He also had the game-winning field goal block against

Westminster. He had three interceptions returned for touchdowns.

Moses led the team in receptions with 37 catches. He racked up 431 yards receiving, with seven touchdowns on the year.

Hanley helped lead the

Jackets rushing attack to 1,290 yards. The whole offensive front for the Jackets only allowed 14 sacks on the year.

Waynesburg had two All-PAC second-team selections. They were senior offensive lineman

Melvin Warrick and sophomore kicker Jon Storck.

Warrick, like Hanley, helped lead the Jackets rushing attack and helped to only allow 14 sacks on the season.

Storck made eight of 11 kicks with a long of 35 yards. He was also 40-42 on extra points. He racked up 64 points for the Jackets.

Ending the Jackets postseason accolades are four All-PAC honorable mention selections. They include senior quarterback Brad Dawson, sophomore defensive lineman Matt Krause, junior safety Ryan Williams and senior kick returner Troy Grove.

Only three players out of these 11 were seniors, so the Jackets will have a lot of talent coming back next season. They will look to build off that and continue to improve.

TCU accepts invitation to join Big East Conference in 2012

By Ben Carpenter Staff Writer In the past few years, thanks to numerous undefeated seasons by non-BCS schools such as Boise State, momentum has been building for another major college football conference to gain an automatic bid to a BCS game. Texas Christian University has been among those schools in the last decade that have helped produce some of the push for this automatic bid.

But now, in just a few short years, TCU will not have to worry about that.

It was announced Mon-

Shepas looks back, ahead Continued from C1 by a trio of first-team AllPAC performers from this past season. Junior defensive back Sean Hunt, junior defensive lineman Darryl Moore Jr. and sophomore safety Bryan Gary all made significant contributions in 2010.

“The players recognize the opportunity they had,” Shepas said. “I would be surprised if they didn’t do a better job to get ready for next season.

Going toe-to-toe with Thomas More. They know they have to play every snap. We can’t afford to miss our opportunity.”

Shepas also talked about the group of seniors who recently saw their collegiate careers come to an end. “[I give credit] to any DIII athlete who sticks it out for four years,” Shepas said. “That has to matter for something.”

Shepas referenced senior quarterback Brad Dawson as being a difference maker for his contributions the last three seasons.

“Dawson will leave Waynesburg University as one of the top passers in

day that TCU will join the Big East Conference in all sports effective July 1, 2012.

“Having BCS automatic-qualifying status was a priority for our football program and a great reward for the success we’ve had the last decade,” TCU athletic director Chris Del Conte said in a statement on the Big East’s website.

TCU will be become the Big East’s ninth football team, with the conference having extended an invitation to Villanova to become the tenth. Villanova already competes in the Big East in other sports, including men’s

school history,” Shepas said. “His play gives us the opportunity to recruit the quarterback position at a high level.”

The Jackets are now looking to finalize their schedule for next season by filling one opening.

Shepas hopes to have that opponent announced

by Jan. 1, 2011. Shepas mentioned Christopher Newport, Gallaudet University and Ithaca College as teams they have been in contact with for a possible matchup next season.

The players will now start with the strength program starting over break and build toward spring practice, preparing for next season in a very balanced PAC. “We have a very balanced conference,” Shepas said. “Saint Vincent had a huge boost. Recruiting in the Pittsburgh area is a daunting task. Recruiting is helped by the amount of academic programs the University offers.”

Shepas said this year’s group was one of the more committed he has been involved with.

“This was my best year at Waynesburg for guys sticking with the program for the entire year,” Shepas said. “From the start to finish we have made only 10 players leave the program. This is a good group of character kids.”

basketball.

The Horned Frogs compete in 20 sports overall and have been very successful while competing in the Mountain West, their current conference.

The football team is currently ranked third in the nation and finished the regular season with a perfect 12-0 record.

The Horned Frog baseball team competed in the 2010 College World Series, and the women’s basketball team was the regular season conference champion. Additionally, the men and women’s tennis teams were conference tournament champions, the men’s swim-

ming team captured a regular season league crown and the women’s volleyball team participated in the NCAA Championship.

TCU student-athletes have also been extremely successful in the classroom, with 53 percent having GPAs of over 3.0 for the last spring semester.

“Our membership is genuinely excited to add an institution of the caliber of TCU to our Conference,” said Big East Conference Commissioner John Marinatto in a statement on the league’s website. “Located in one of the top-five media mar-

kets in the country, TCU also enables the Big East to extend its media footprint, which already encompasses more than a quarter of the country.”

With its recent success and the struggles of current Big East football teams, many look for TCU to compete, if not dominate, the conference upon its arrival.

Pitt men’s basketball coach Jamie Dixon, a TCU alumnus, was the one who initiated all contact between the conference and his alma mater.

While with Del Conte during homecoming weekend, the two discussed that the Big East

would be needing another football member. After testing the school’s interest in the idea, Dixon approached Marinatto about the Horned Frogs’ desire to join. It became a no-brainer for both parties after TCU rose to the top of the BCS standings and Big East teams struggled mightily.

The move looks to be good for all involved and will be financially beneficial for both the school and the conference. The Big East already has schools in nine of the nation’s 35 largest media markets and will be adding Dallas/Fort Worth, which is the fifth largest.

Infographic by Matt Giardina

Playoffs that work Continued from C1 right to play in one of the four biggest bowls by competing in two play-in games. Those teams could be from the six major conferences, or they could be from smaller conferences, like the WAC or Mountain West. This gives the Boise States and TCUs of the world a shot at college football’s biggest prize.

There will always be teams left out of that top

four who say they should be in. But let’s face it; if they’re not good enough to be in the top 10 or close to it, should they really have the opportunity to play for the national title?

I certainly don’t think so.

Because as you start involving more and more teams, the value of the regular season continues to diminish, something critics point to as a negative of a playoff system.

So back to the bracket, there will be the two games to kick off the bowl season, and the winners will advance to the national quarterfinals (the

Fiesta, Rose, Sugar and Orange Bowls). Then, whoever comes out on top in those quarterfinal matchups will move onto the semifinals the next weekend. And finally, of course, the two winners of the semifinal games will have the opportunity to vie for the national championship.

The start times of the semifinals and final would not interfere with the NFL playoffs. Plus, the national championship game would fall on a day that would extend the season just one extra week for the student-ath-

letes involved. And remember, it’d be one week longer for only two teams.

All that further nullifies the arguments of those who oppose a playoff system.

So will a playoff system such as this ever be implemented?

Maybe someday, but certainly not anytime soon.

Until then, the debate will continue to rage on, and this time of year, it’s more prominent than ever.

After all, ‘tis the season.

YELLOW JACKET

Page C4

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Sports

Four Jackets lauded as PAC all-stars Men’s soccer duo honored by league

By Matt Miller Staff Writer

Juniors Courtney Ebersole and Katrina Kelly were named first-team allconference in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference for their performances on the field in the 2010 season.

“We’re excited that they got recognized,” head coach Sean McCarthy said. “Obviously, for Katrina and Courtney to be on the first team, that’s an excellent accomplishment.”

Ebersole led Waynesburg’s offense as she racked up 12 goals and 27 points. She finished the season ranked fifth in the PAC in each category as well.

“I was really happy because I’ve never gotten first-team before” Ebersole said. “I’ve gotten second-team the first two years, so to get first team I was quite surprised.”

Kelly was the backbone of the Jacket defense as she started a majority of the games in goal. In 17 games she had a 0.97 goals against average, a .871 save percentage and 115 saves (which averaged out to 6.76 saves per game).

Kelly also finished the season with a career-high five shutouts.

“I was extremely honored and excited,” Kelly said.

“This was my first

Top runners returning Continued from C2 Looking to the 2011 season, the Jackets will lose two pieces of their puzzle to graduation in Sarah Beth Rood and

By David Franczak Staff Writer

Photos by Dave Miller, ADM Photography

Juniors Katrina Kelly (above) and Courtney Ebersole (right) were tabbed as All-PAC first-team selections. award like that, and I was really in awe. I couldn’t believe it.”

“I was really happy to hear that Katrina got it because she really deserves it,” Ebersole said.

Ebersole and Kelly are the first Jackets since 2007 to be selected to the PAC’s first team.

“I nominated Courtney for player of the year in the conference and Katrina for goalie of the year in the conference,” said McCarthy. “In my eyes they were not only good for us, but they were in the top 11 players in the conference, and that’s exactly what the other coaches in the conference saw.”

Waynesburg also had a couple players garner honorable mention.

Senior midfielder

Danielle Danhires battled through injury this year to record five goals and 10 points, which both ranked second on the team.

“I was extremely excited for Courtney and Danielle,” Kelly said.

“They worked really hard and deserved the awards.”

Freshman defender Victoria Shepherd was rewarded as she was a piece of a Waynesburg defense that finished third in the PAC in goals allowed (19) and fourth in goals against average (0.98).

“I think it was awesome for Victoria because she is still young and has a lot of time left,” Kelly said. “Having her in front of me this year was a great asset to the team and helped keep our defense strong.”

“It was great to see Danielle and Victoria get honorable mention,” Ebersole said.

“Defense doesn’t tend to be recognized as much, so it was nice to see the defense and midfield included, too.”

The four all-conference players are the most from Waynesburg since the 2004 season.

“Having four players in the top 30 of a 10-team conference it is a huge achievement for our team, and we’re really excited that we are getting recognized for the achievements that we had over the season,” McCarthy said.

“Hopefully in years to come it will be a lot more than four and a lot more than two on the firstteam.”

Heather Flower. Both seniors on the 2010 squad will be missed.

“We [the team] lose two quality individuals in Sarah Beth and Heather,” said Hardie. “The key with recruiting is to find the best quality of character that we can find.”

With the loss of just two seniors, the team will

have a lot to look forward to going into next season.

“I want to further improve my times next season and move up in the conference standings as a team,” said Naymick. “It will be my senior year, so I want to have my best season next year.”

Not only will the Jackets have their talent back

for 2011, but they’ll have their camaraderie as well.

“The strength of this team had been the closeness,” said Hardie. “I expect that will continue next season. Close teams are hard to find.

“What we have is something special and something we need to carry into 2011.”

Being named to an allconference team is a great accolade at any level of sports.

Two Waynesburg men’s soccer players are fortunate enough to have received this honor for the second time in their collegiate careers.

Juniors Erick Burke and Dave Floyd were both named by the Presidents’ Athletic Conference as members of the All-PAC team.

Burke was named to the second-team as a forward after placing third in the conference in total points (24) and tied for second in goals (11).

“I was disappointed by the selection,” said head coach Sean McCarthy. “I thought he should have been first team with the many contributions Erick made statistically and to the team.”

“Honestly I do not know what more I would have had to do to be named to the first team,” said Burke. “I was tied for second in goals in the PAC and third in points while being listed as a midfielder.”

Throughout the season, McCarthy placed Burke in other positions, most notably as a forward. “[Burke] is great for the team,” said McCarthy.

“He is a total team guy.

He plugged holes when we needed them.”

Burke was one goal away from tying the record for most goals scored in one season by a Waynesburg men’s soccer player.

The PAC honored Burke earlier this season as the offensive player of

the week for the week of Sept. 20. He is the only Jacket men’s soccer player to Burke be named player of the week this season.

During that week, he netted his first hat trick.

In 2008, Burke was an honorable mention selection as he netted four goals and two assists as a freshman.

Burke’s longtime teammate, Floyd, was also named to this year’s AllPAC squad. Floyd was tabbed as an honorable mention selection for the second straight year.

“I was a little disappointed this year,” the junior defender said. “I [started every] conference game [this year but received the same honor as I did last year].”

Last season, Floyd was plagued with an ankle injury that sidelined him for almost half of the season.

This year was a different story. Floyd was healthy all season long.

“Dave is what we want as a player. He does what he is told and doesn’t complain,” McCarthy said about one of his captains.

McCarthy also mentioned that the team designs a lot of set pieces around Floyd, trying to get him in the scoring column.

Floyd took 25 shots on goal this season and did earn an assist.

“Personally, I use this as motivation. I want to get better individually and also as a team,” said Floyd.

The U.S. is considering criminal action against WikiLeaks.

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Thursday, December 2, 2010

Faculty, staff talent show raises funds for mission trips, pancreatic cancer

By Sarah Bell Staff Writer On Nov. 30, the Waynesburg University faculty and staff talent show allowed the performers to compete for all the marbles – literally.

The event was organized by the fiat lux classes of Frank Pazzynski and Pam Cunningham.

The talent show was presented in the memory of Ken Moore, former Waynesburg University Board of Trustees Chair and the father of 2010 graduate Catherine Moore.

When all of the acts finished, the winners were announced.

Chris Hardie, head men’s and women’s cross country coach took first place. He sang “I’m already there,” by Lonestar and was assisted by freshman communication major Aaron Anderson.

Hardie was followed in second place by the “Faculty Band,” which consisted of Amy Randolph, Martin Cockroft, Kim Cockroft, Jacob Richie, Frank Pazzynski and Noah Haiduc-Dale.

Third place went to Ronda and Jim DePriest,

Photo by Amanda Rice

From left to right, Amy Randolph, Kim Cockroft and Noah Haiduc-Dale performed as part of the “Faculty Band” during the Faculty and Staff Talent Show. and fourth place went to Amy Randolph, Kim

Cockroft and Boehmer.

Crystal

Moore recently lost the battle against pancreatic

cancer. Pazzynski, associate professor of Education, found it important for his class to be involved in this event.

“It is obviously a fundraiser, but now it is more important because it’s a memorial to Moore,” Pazzynski said.

“It is important for students to be involved in something so significant.”

Each student gave a donation for admission into the event. All of the proceeds will be split between the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic See SHOW on D2

First fall issue of Muse & Stone to be released today

Let it

Snow

By Carrie Maier Staff Writer To honor the release of their first fall issue, Muse & Stone, Waynesburg University’s literary magazine, will host a Launch Party on Thursday from 8 – 10 p.m. at the College Town Diner. The event will feature an open mic night and light refreshments.

“This is our first ever Fall Muse & Stone, as we

typically only have one issue released in the spring,” said Submissions Correspondent Alison Bigler. “This year we are having both a fall and spring issue.”

Muse & Stone is made up of poems, fiction and creative nonfiction works by students as well as submissions from people throughout the world.

Assistant professor of CreSee FIRST on D2

Ensemble to play after Open House

By Eric Bost Staff Writer

case.

“I will have to do a student exhibit my senior year, all art majors have to do one,” said art education major Krysta Stanko.

Stanko will be one of the last students to graduate from Waynesburg with a K-12 option on her degree. She is also a part of the work study program with the Department of Fine Arts and makes all the glazes for the pottery.

“I make all the glazes

Waynesburg University will present TubaChristmas in the Goodwin Performing Arts Center at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.

The event will be about an hour long and will feature 15-20 Christmas carols that will be performed twice.

The cost is free, and the public is invited to attend.

Tuba Christmas is played throughout the world and was created in 1974 in memory of artist/teacher William J. Bell. It is meant to “recognize musical heritage and honor all great artists and teachers whose legacy has given us high performance standards, well structured pedagogy, professional integrity, personal values and a camaraderie envied by all other instrumentalists.”

Director of the Music Program Ronda DePriest, also the conductor of the event, hopes the crowd from the downtown Waynesburg Holiday Open House comes to join in on the festivities.

“Downtown Waynesburg is opening all shops on Dec. 3, and then they are going to hopefully bring all that crowd over to us in the Goodwin Performing Arts Center,” said DePriest. “We’re going to have hot chocolate and sugar cookies and just play and sing some carols.”

People from all age groups are able to play in this event.

“It’s students, adults; there will be young kids playing,” DePriest said. “Last year, we had some music educators from as far east as Uniontown and Johnstown.”

This is the University’s third time holding this event, and every year it seems to keep growing.

“It’s pretty amazing because we started with four players the first year, and three years in we’re over 20,”

See EXHIBIT on D2

See ENSEMBLE on D2

Photo by Rachel Brown

After a rainy Tuesday that caused heavy flooding, snow flurries blanketed the area with a light dusting of snow.

Approximately 100 pieces of artwork showcased at student fall art exhibition

By Brandon Reed Staff Writer The Department of Fine Arts has been showcasing the talents of students during Thanksgiving break.

The student fall art exhibition has been on display since Nov. 15 and will continue through this Friday, Dec. 3. The exhibition is displayed in the Benedum Fine Arts Gallery from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday or via an appoint-

ment. Approximately 100 pieces are showcased.

Among these pieces are ceramics, sculptures, prints, drawings, mixed media designs, batik, painting, metals and jewelry. The metals and jewelry class is new this semester, and it is the first time this type of piece has been displayed in the exhibition.

Department of Fine Arts Chair, Susan Phillips explained how the pieces were selected.

“Each of the four art

instructors held back some of the best solutions for each assignment,” Phillips said.

“Then we make a decision on which ones to put in the gallery.”

Phillips said that faculty would like to show everyone’s work, but due to space restrictions, that is not a possibility.

There is an option for students to make money by selling their art that is on display, but most art majors are saving their work for their own show-

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Thursday, December 2, 2010

Feature

Guest clinicians announced for Conducting Symposium

By Frank Pantely Staff Writer Waynesburg University will host their fifth annual conducting symposium on Jan. 21 and 22 in the Goodwin Performing Arts Center.

It will host two well known clinicians, Dr. Jack Stamp and Dr. Linda R. Moorhouse.

“The Waynesburg Symphonic Band is set up as a clinic band to provide a lab group for conductors to come in and conduct a few pieces with the band,” said Ronda DePriest, director of Music Program. “Then the two clinicians will

provide feedback for the conductors.”

High school music directors come from all over the country to participate in the symposium.

Dr. Jack Stamp is the Director of Band Studies at Indiana University of Pennsylvania where he conducts the wind ensemble and teaches courses in graduate conducting.

Stamp received his Bachelor of Science in Music Education degree from IUP. He also received his master’s in Percussion Performance from East Carolina University, as well as a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in

Conducting from Michigan State University.

Stamp is active as a guest conductor, clinician, adjudicator, and composer throughout North America and Great Britain.

His compositions have been commissioned and performed by leading military and university bands across the United States.

He is also the founder and conductor of the Keystone Winds, an ensemble dedicated to the performance of American band music.

Dr. Linda R. Moorhouse received a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the Universi-

ty of Florida.

She received her Master of Music Education degree from Louisiana State University.

Finally, she went on to receive her Doctor of Musical Arts in Instrumental Conducting degree from the University of Washington.

“She is the first female clinician that will be attending our symposium,” said DePriest.

Moorhouse recently joined the University of Illinois in the fall of 2010 as the Visiting Associate Professor of Music.

Preceding the move to the University of Illinois, she conducted the LSU

Symphonic Winds and was co-director of the LSU Tiger Marching Band, where she served as the primary instructor.

She also oversaw administrative activities in addition to drill and show design.

In addition, Moorhouse taught courses in undergraduate conducting, and she administered the LSU Summer Music Camps.

The LSU Tiger Band has been recognized nationally in the last ten years.

In 2002, the LSU Tiger Band received the Sudler Trophy for a distinguished history of marching and musical excellence.

Exhibit on display Continued from D1 and clay and get paid for all my work within the department,” said Stanko.

Krysta has a print from print making class and a facade of the front of a building on display.

Ashlee Ritz, an exercise science major, had a candy dish and a vase in the gallery.

These were solutions for the multiple pinch pot and soft slab assignments.

In 2008, the Tiger Band won the Battle of the Bands, a college marching band contest sponsored by ESPN, Paramount Pictures and Lucasfilm.

In the fall of 2009, the LSU Tiger Band was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.

The symposium also provides four lecture sessions that cover every aspect music education world.

“It’s really a great learning experience for everybody,” said DePriest. “For the directors to come in and speak with other clinicians is a great experience.”

Sasheen Blaker, a graphic design major with a fine arts minor, said.

“It is a good way to show what the students do in the department.”

Blaker has multiple pieces in the art gallery, including a pterodactyl coming out of an egg, a box with a lid and a selfportrait, among other pieces.

Blaker said that she believes this is a great way for students to show their involvement and their accomplishments within their individual major departments.

Photo by Amanda Rice

Fall flight Daniel Czajkowski and Shawn Wharrey participated in the annual Turkey Trot race held on Thursday, Nov. 25.

Ensemble to perform Continued from D1

Show raises money Continued from D1 Cancer Research and the Waynesburg University Mission Trip Scholarship fund. Stacy Weaver, freshman English and Political Science major, said the amount of awareness the event raised was important.

“Students should be involved in events like this because we are fighting cancer as a communi-

First issue released Continued from D1 ative Writing Martin Cockroft serves as the journal’s faculty adviser.

“We are working toward becoming more selective in our magazine, and so we are only publishing the best of the best submissions that we receive,” said Bigler.

At the Launch Party, the magazine will be available to students who will also have the opportunity to participate in an open mic night in which musicians, poets or anyone with a creative work can share with the audience.

ty,” Weaver said. “It’s not just a private battle.”

The event was held in November because it is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness month.

Lanny Frattare, assistant professor of Communication, hosted the show.

“Mr. Moore has touched the people [in the Waynesburg community] in so many ways,” Frattere said before the event began. The talent show ranged from eight acts with a variety of different performers. The performances consisted of music, poetry and a jewelry

exhibit. When each of the acts had finished their performance, students were selected in groups to vote for the performance they enjoyed the most. Before voting, each student was given a marble to put into the bag with the name of the faculty or staff member they would be voting for. Students could also “buy a vote” for a dollar per extra marble. There were also raffle tickets being sold in the lobby to raise additional money.

During the voting process, the students who remained in the auditori-

um were entertained by 2010 Waynesburg Idol winner, Kirstin Repco, freshman biblical and ministry studies major Danielle Wise and the 2010 Dancing with the Staff winners Kaitlin Karan and Steve Bauthier.

Pazzynski finds it important to raise money for pancreatic cancer; he said it has affected his life personally.

“My father passed away from pancreatic cancer at a young age,” Pazzynski said. “I have a personal investment [in this event].”

“We’re also having the party at a location we’ve never used before, so this is a lot different from what we’ve done in the past,” said executive editor Sarah Rizzi.

This is Rizzi’s first year as editor, and she said she

hopes all her and the rest of the staff’s hard work will lead to another great issue of Muse & Stone.

Bigler said her job as Submissions Correspondent means that she has to help write acceptance and rejection letters to

those that submit to the magazine. “We hope to have a large crowd,” Bigler said. “This is the first time that we’ve had one of our events at the College Town Diner, so that’s something to look forward to.”

said DePriest. “We’re hoping this becomes bigger and bigger until the GPAC can’t hold us all.”

The 20 players do not get any practice time

though.

“The players only have two hours of practice from 5 to 7 p.m., then a 30minute break, then they do the concert,” said DePriest. “They will have never played together.

They are registering and ordering their carol books so they will have practiced a little on their own, hopefully.”

Thursday, December 2, 2010

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Global News

U.S. considers criminal action against WikiLeaks

By Jonathan S. Landay McClatchy Newspapers WASHINGTON — The Obama administration moved Monday to contain potential damage to U.S. national security from the WikiLeaks release of tens of thousands of sensitive U.S. diplomatic documents and said it might take criminal action against the whistle-blowing website.

The White House directed a governmentwide review of guidelines for handling classified information, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton ordered tighter safeguards for U.S. diplomatic communications. Meanwhile, the CIA was assessing the harm done to U.S. intelligence operations.

“This is a serious violation of the law,” White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said. “This is a serious threat to individuals that both carry out and assist our foreign policy.”

Attorney General Eric Holder said there was “an active, ongoing criminal investigation,” and he indicated that foreigners associated with WikiLeaks, including its Australian founder, Julian Assange, could be targeted. “Let me be very clear.

It’s not saber-rattling. To the extent that we can find anybody who was involved in the breaking of American law . . . they will be held responsible.

They will be held accountable,” Holder said.

“To the extent that there are gaps in our laws, we

will move to close those gaps, which is not to say that anybody at this point, because of their citizenship or residence, is not a target or a subject of an investigation that is ongoing.”

Clinton said the release of the cables was “not just an attack on America’s foreign policy interests. It is an attack on the international community, the alliances and partnerships, the conversations and negotiations that safeguard global security and advance economic prosperity.” At the same time, senior administration officials began moderating their assessment of the harm done by the leaked documents, the first batch of which was released Sunday. While lives could be at risk and ties with some countries hurt, they said, relationships with key governments will weather the fallout.

“I am confident that the partnerships that the Obama administration has worked so hard to build will withstand this challenge,” Clinton said.

She took pains at a news conference not to confirm the authenticity of the materials, calling them “alleged cables.”

The online whistleblowing site, which publishes restricted government documents and other materials, is alleged to have received the cables from a U.S. Army intelligence analyst with access to a Pentagon-run computer system that carries defense and diplomatic documents classified up to secret.

NEWS IN BRIEF

3

1 Bosnian women put pressure on Jolie’s film

Mossad appoints former spy as new leader

SARAJEVO – Bosnian war victims maintained pressure on Hollywood star Angelina Jolie, whose directing debut has stirred a huge controversy in the war-torn country.

The film she is currently making has outraged Bosnian Muslims because it reportedly tells a story of love between a Muslim women and a Serb soldier who raped her.

The 1992-95 war in Bosnia pitted the Belgrade-backed Serbs against Muslims and Croats.

The conflict was marked by atrocities, including the organized rape of women.

Rape victims say the idea of a rape victim falling in love with a rapist is preposterous.

The shooting has now been completed but no date has been set for the release of the still untitled film.

JERUSALEM – Israel on Monday named a veteran spy to head Mossad, a sign that the country’s main espionage agency will continue to be active and aggressive and that Iran will remain at the top of the Israeli foreign policy agenda.

Tamir Pardo is to succeed current director Meir Dagan at the end of the year pending approval by a panel of judges. In his eight years in office, Dagan is said to have revolutionized the Mossad, put top priority on Iran and pressed for expanded operations overseas. His name appears in several of the cables divulged by the WikiLeaks website Sunday, in which he warns U.S. officials of Iran’s nuclear weapons program.

2 Afghan in police uniform kills 6 U.S. soldiers KABUL, Afghanistan – A man dressed in an Afghan border police uniform turned his weapon on American troops in eastern Afghanistan on Monday, killing six soldiers before being killed in a gun battle.

The incident appears to be one of the worst in a string of attacks in which members of Afghan security forces have turned against the international troops with whom they’re supposed to be partnered.

All six service members killed were Americans.

The incident took place in Nangarhar province, in the remote district of Pachir Agam, Afghan and U.S. officials said.

On Saturday, at least 10 police officers were killed in Paktika province in southeastern Afghanistan when two suicide bombers dressed in police uniforms blew themselves up in the province’s police headquarters.

Earlier this month, a soldier from the U.S.trained Afghan army was reported to have shot two American soldiers in southern Helmand province.

4 Drug shown to sharply decrease risk of HIV LOS ANGELES – Researchers have shown that taking a single daily pill containing two HIV drugs can reduce risk of contracting the virus by an average of 44 percent.

The study involved nearly 2,500 high-risk gay men, but experts hope will apply to others.

The findings come only a few months after an African study showed that a microbicidal gel can help protect women from contracting the virus and a little more than a year after a vaccine trial suggested that it may eventually be possible to raise antibodies against the virus.

5 Job offers decrease for minorities in Tokyo TOKYO – The number of job offers from Japanese hospitals and nursing care facilities willing to accept Indonesians and Filipinos as potential nurses and nursing care workers next fiscal year stands at 177, only about half the number of such offers for this fiscal year, it was learned Saturday.

To continue working in Japan past a certain time, they are required to pass Japan’s national qualifying examinations.

Both Indonesia and the Philippines want Japan to accept as many nurses and nursing care workers as possible.

Colleges pressed to give credit for work experience to adults

By Jon Marcus The Hechinger Report SEATTLE — Laid off at the start of the recession as the marketing director for a regional homebuilder, Leah Schedin quickly realized she lacked something essential for a new job: a university degree.

Schedin had completed courses here and there at a community college, but never enough for a bachelor’s degree. Without one, she found, her 18 years of experience didn’t matter.

“These days, you’re applying online, and you’re filtered out as soon as you get to the question about whether you have a degree,” said the 46-yearold, who’s married and has a teenage daughter.

So Schedin put her talents to work finding a university where she could get academic credit for her work experience. She found one: City University of Seattle, a private, nonprofit institution that’s at the vanguard of a movement catering to the growing numbers of adult learners and military veterans who are changing

Photo by Kevin P. Casey/MCT

One hundred institutions in 30 states have agreed to accept credit certified by the system where job experience can be transfered into academic credit way including CityU in Seattle, Washington. careers in the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. At the end of next semester, she’ll head back into the churning job market with a four-year degree in marketing after just 18 months.

Universities and colleges are being pressed to increase graduation rates

and speed up the time it takes for students to complete degrees by awarding college credit for their life and work experience. A national campaign that starts Friday will promote the sometimes-derided practice with a program to help adults prepare online portfolios of their job experience that independ-

ent faculty will evaluate for academic credit.

One hundred institutions in 30 states are on board. Top higher-education associations back the coalition, and major foundations are bankrolling it.

It hopes to reach tens of thousands of people within five years.

While no one tracks

the number of credits awarded in this way, Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges, a consortium whose members offer academic credit for military experience, reports that 45,892 students earned 805,473 credits last year for their military training and experience. For those military students who are

pursuing four-year degrees, that’s an average of about 22 semester credits each out of the 120 to 180 credits that usually are needed. Some universities offer institutional or standardized tests, while others that accept workexperience credits require students to take, and pay for, courses in which they put together autobiographical portfolios for faculty review.

Schedin found the process “ridiculously hard.” She prepared a 250page portfolio to apply for credits, and ended up receiving the maximum 45 toward the 180 she needed for a degree.

Her classmate Mark Ball, who also lost his job when the economy crashed, was awarded 25 credits for 22 years as a restaurant manager and music producer. He’ll finish his four-year bachelor’s degree next semester after only 18 months.

“It’s like the game of Life,” said Ball, 41, sitting in an empty classroom in the Seattle suburb of Bellevue. “Except I started life first and went to school second.”

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Thursday, December 2, 2010

Global News

Expectations high on Black Friday Three teenagers found after 50 days drifting in Pacific

By Rex Crum MarketWatch SAN FRANCISCO — Investors will come back Monday from a week shortened by the Thanksgiving Day holiday in the United States, with shoppers’ efforts over the Black Friday weekend likely to set the pace for how the market performs during the end of November and early December.

The kickoff of holiday shopping is seen as crucial for many merchants, especially those looking to turn business positive for the year. The season kicks into full force following a week in which the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1 percent and the Nasdaq Composite Index rose less than that.

“Expectations are high going into the holidayshopping season,” according to Sean Kraus, chief investment officer with Citizens Trust, in Pasadena, Calif., adding that retailers such as Toys R Us, Target Corp. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. already have been discounting toys and other goods much earlier to increase traffic.

Kraus said retailers, both traditional and online, could tap into

By David Barber

“

Photo by Shawn Rocco/Raleigh News & Observer/MCT

Early bird shoppers are looking for the best bargains crowd the Belk store at Streets of Southpoint in Durham, N.C., at 4:20 a.m., Friday, Nov. 26. some pent-up demand by consumers who have kept their jobs during the ongoing economic malaise.

“So-called ‘doorbusters’ will also be present on the Web for some retailers, so this could spur even more traffic than usual,” he added.

Dan Genter, chief executive and chief investment officer of RNC Genter Capital Management in Los Angeles, said that leading up to the big shopping weekend, some of the latest economic data suggest the economy could be improving, and that customers might feel

British students protest tuition hikes, funding cuts

By Anna Tomforde dpa LONDON — British universities erupted in angry student protests Wednesday at funding cuts and higher tuition fees planned by the Conservative-led government.

The focus of the nationwide protests was in London, where an overwhelmingly peaceful march by thousands of students was punctuated by isolated violent incidents.

Police were out in force in the capital as reserves were called in to stop demonstrators in the government quarter from reaching Parliament Square, which is flanked by the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey and Big Ben. Scotland Yard said two police officers and six protesters were injured in the confrontations. At least 15 people were arrested.

A handful of demonstrators attacked and tried to overturn an empty police van on Whitehall, outside the government seat of Downing Street, climbing on to the vehicle’s roof, smashing its windows and lighting fires around it.

Police blocked in several hundred demonstrators they believed were behind the violence for several hours, while the bulk of the peaceful protestors eventually dispersed.

The police were clearly determined to prevent a

Tai Fredricsen, said, “They were in reasonably good spirits for how long WELLINGTON, New they’d been adrift - for two Zealand — Three teenage approximately boys have been rescued months.

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The Stuff news website ful searches by the New said the only food they Zealand air force.

A memorial service had was one seagull that was held for them. they managed to catch They were rescued and eat raw.

Wednesday by a New The ship, which is on Zealand tuna boat, San its way back to New Nikunau, which spotted Zealand, is expected to them northeast of Fiji, leave the boys at the Fiji Radio New Zealand Inter- capital, Suva, on Friday, where they will be national reported.

The ship’s first mate, checked at a hospital.

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repeat of violent student demonstrations in the capital on Nov. 10, when students stormed the headquarters of the ruling Conservative Party at Millbank, located by the Thames.

Police appeared ill-prepared for that attack. But as Wednesday’s countrywide demonstrations showed, the anger aroused by the government spending cuts, and the proposed rise in fees from 2012, is unlikely to die down.

“People obviously have a right to engage in lawful and peaceful protest, but there is no place for violence and intimidation,” Prime Minister David Cameron said Wednesday.

There were smaller demonstrations and lecture walk-outs at other major universities, including Cambridge, Bristol, Manchester and Liverpool.

In Bristol, police officers were called in to escort dancers out of a ballet studio after the student union building was besieged by some 2,000 protestors.

Student anger in Britain has been fuelled by government plans to cut university funding and raise tuition fees to more than $14,000 a year-- from about $5,046.

The anger is directed in particular at Nick Clegg, the Liberal leader, who pledged before the May general election that his party would “never” agree to a rise in tuition fees.

a little better about opening their wallets for some holiday deals.

On Wednesday, the Reuters/University of Michigan consumer-sentiment index for November rose to 71.6, from 67.7 in October. While the gauge is still below its levels from the first half of the year, the gain brought it to its highest point since June.

“The fact of the matter is that from a sentiment standpoint, coming out of Black Friday, is that people feel a little better about the economy,” commented Genter. “But

the real confirmation will be if people pull out their wallets.”

Some signs emerged indicating that consumers were doing just that. On Wednesday, data from comScore Inc. forecast online spending of $32.4 billion during this year’s holiday-shopping season, an 11 percent rise from the same period a year ago.

The research firm also said consumers spent $9 billion online in the first 21 days of November, up 13 percent over the first three weeks in November 2009.

”