Yellow Jacket 9.8.16

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INSID E: G RA DUATE P ROGRA MS UNDERGOING RE V ITILIZ ATION. S E E A2

SEPTEMBER 8, 2016 | VOL. 94 NO. 1 | EST. 1924

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For new Provost, coworkers make the job Thanksgiving break

Baer moves into permanent role after filling in as interim Provost By JACOB MEYER Sports Editor

Sitting on the bench in the shade outside of Miller Hall— her second office, she calls it—Provost Dana Baer sees two people she works with. The first is her secretary, Norma Harper, whom Baer said has been at the university for nearly 60 years and is an “institutional gem.” The second is Laura Cross, an assistant controller in the Business Office, who she jokes with for loving accounting. “You need to surround yourself with people who love the things you know nothing about,” Baer, a lawyer by trade, said. Dr. Dana Baer began her career as a partner in the law firm of Marriner & Crumrine, as well as a law clerk for the Court of Common Pleas of Washington County, Penn-

Baer sylvania. In 1998, Baer joined Waynesburg University full time as a professor of criminal justice administration. Baer said she acted as the program director for criminal justice, back when criminal justice was part of the business department. “When I began [in higher education], it wasn’t something that I wanted to be – an administrator,” Baer said. “It is more that I just want to help the university, and it’s just the case that I have the skillset to fit this role as provost.” Since then, she has served in numerous roles with the university. In administrative roles, Baer has previously served as dean of undergraduate studies, assistant provost for first-year studies

and, most recently, interim provost. In academic roles, Baer has also served as the chair of the Department of Criminal Justice Administration, as well as interim chair for the Departments of Business Administration and English and Foreign Languages. In late December, after Dr. Jacquelyn Core resigned as provost, President Douglas Lee approached Baer about serving as the interim provost. Baer was asked to wear another hat, and she felt that it was in God’s path for her, she said. She said with her history in law, and nearly 20 years experience in teaching, she has the skillset to be provost. “I love problem-solving,” Baer said. “With my history in law, and with teaching, I think problem-solving is very important for this position.” After Baer was named interim provost, the university assembled a search committee made up of four staff members and administrators and six professors at Waynesburg University. Richard Krause, chair of

the search committee and chairperson for the Department of Communication, said the purpose of the search committee was to be a “faculty-led process.” The committee started accepting applications in early January and officially hired Baer in late May. Krause said the applicant pool was “deep” and diverse, with people from all over the country sending in applications. The committee had a checklist of qualities they wanted out of a candidate, which included the support of the mission and stability, Krause said. “The mission was at the top of the list. It had to be somebody who was comfortable, and would not only be comfortable working in the environment of a Christian institution, but would have a vision to be able to expand what we do here and our vision and achieve our goals,” he said. “For me, stability was important. We wanted to bring somebody in who PROVOST >> A4

cut in half during Fall 2017 semester By MATTIE WINOWITCH Managing Editor

Although the 2016-2017 school year just began, conversations about future calendar changes have already arisen. In fact, according to University Provost Dr. Dana Baer, these conversations have been taking place since last year. Two calendar changes that are currently in the works could have potential impacts on the students and educational departments on campus. One change happening this school year is regarding Assessment Day 2017. Baer said that as far as Assessment Day is concerned, the university must start thinking more about whether or not we are assessing properly. “Anything that we’re doing in terms of calendars or changes that we’re making are all part of a bigger assessment,” said Baer. “The university is

assessed all the time. We are evaluating our effectiveness in many different areas.” Within the past few years, Assessment Day has been about more than assessing students. Activities within individual academic departments have come up. While some departments do incorporate more individualized assessments on Assessment Day, Baer confirmed that there are other departments that do not take advantage of the day to assess students. “There are events within individual departments that don’t have to happen on Assessment Day – you don’t have to have an entire day necessarily for that,” said Baer. “And that’s what we’re looking at – do we set aside an afternoon? What’s that going to look like?” Despite the misuse of Assessment Day, Baer said that CALENDAR >> A4

Waynesburg welcomes the Class of 2020

Photo courtesy of Colin Nelson

The Waynesburg University Class of 2020, the largest class in at least three years, began its time at Waynesburg Aug. 18 when orientation weekend kicked off. In addition to a myriad of activities to get to know each other and the university, the new students served at three different sites around Greene County.

Increase in applications leads to Class of 2020 makes their mark unusually large freshman class on three different service sites By JACOB MEYER Sports Editor

An increase in the number of incoming freshman this year, Director of Admissions Jacqueline Palko said, is due to a higher percentage of completed applications – not a change in admissions standards. Palko, who is in her second year at Waynesburg University, said the university received four percent more completed applications than

in previous years, which she believes led to an incoming class of 441 students. The applicant pool, approximately 2,060 students, consisted of any student who submitted the initial phase of the application, not including transcripts and test scores This year, the number of students in the applicant pool who completed their application increased by four percent, according to Palko.

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By BRENDAN KEANY Op-Ed Editor

In the early morning hours on Aug. 20, the Waynesburg University incoming freshman class and Bonner Scholars woke up to participate in the third annual day of service during orientation weekend. Unlike years past, this year’s class broke off to three separate service initiatives scattered around the Waynesburg community.

The first site was the Waynesburg Trail, located at the Greene County Airport. It is a five-mile trail that is open to the community and will actually serve as the home course for the West Greene High School cross-country team, as well as the Waynesburg University cross-country team in the future. The second site was at the Waynesburg Historical SoSERVICE >> A3

Freshmen begin Waynesburg career with orientation weekend By ANNIE MCGLAUGHLIN

News Convergence Editor

From Aug. 18-21, 441 new students were welcomed to Waynesburg University's campus with a series of orientation activities. To kick off the weekend, students were formally brought into the Waynesburg community during the Matriculation ceremony on Aug. 18. Matriculation is a ceremony that officially welcomes students into a

university or college. The next day, students met their Fiat Lux classes and profesors and were introduced to the Waynesburg University culture. They were then urged to head out to the Denny Hall parking lot for a boardwalk party full of games, food and other activities. Then, to show freshmen the service aspect of being a Waynesburg student, freshORIENTATION >> A4

THE LASTING EFFECTS OF 9/11, FIFTEEN YEARS LATER

OPEN HOUSE AT THE ALPACA FARM

Between significant federal legislation resulting from the terrorist attacks and the ongiong war on terror, Americans are likely to live the results of 9/11 for years to come.

Lippencott Alpaca Farm, the only local alpaca breeder, is offering an open house Sept. 24 and 25. In addition to a chance to pet alpacas, participants can learn all about the uses of alpaca fiber. See B1

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DETWILER RETURNS

POKEMON GO TAKES WAYNESBURG

Former football player Kurt Detwiler, after a devastating injury kept him home last year, is back on Waynesburg's campus to pursue his business degree and serve as a student assistant for the football team.

Students on campus and community members are roaming the town in attempts to catch 'em all with the popular Pokemon Go cell phone app.

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INSIDE Campus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . A1–A4 Region. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B1, B4 Editorial/Op-ed. . . . . . . . B2 News Digest. . . . . . . . . . B3 Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C1–C4 Arts & Life. . . . . . . . . . . . D1–D2 Entertainment . . . . . . . . D3–D4 Copyright © 2016 Waynesburg University 51 W. College St.Waynesburg, Pa. 15370


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