MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia University’s administrators have called for a cultural change on campus led by the student body for more than a year.
George Capel, the 2015-2016 WVU student body president, said there have been great strides toward improvement.
“We’ve been trying to band together, student organization wide, Greeks included in that, in trying to reach out to the community,” Capel explained. “We think it’s really important that these student groups come together obviously for the betterment of Morgantown.”
The previous academic year included riots, expulsions for bad behavior, arrests, a student’s death and, at one point, the suspension of Greek life at WVU.
Before classes resumed in August, an initial measure postponed the start of Rush Week for fraternities and sororities to the sixth week of the semester.
“It’s important to focus on academics first before we focus on all the other things. Once we get here, it’s good to just unwind and settle in especially for the freshmen here before they get going on campus,” said Capel.
In October, WVU announced the hiring of Dr. Roy W. Baker, associate dean of students and director of Greek Life, following a nationwide search to fill the newly created position.
Around the same time, President E. Gordon Gee announced Project 168. Most students carry a class load of 18 hours or less each semester. According to Capel, there’s time to get involved in positive activities.
“So, we’re trying to think of all the things we can do to basically fill that free time and help them have a better student experience while they’re here on campus.”
By 2018, WVU wants students to accumulate one million hours of community service while challenging West Virginians to match the same goal.
The week prior to classes beginning in August, students racked up hours in the Million Hour Match by picking up litter, washing windows and volunteering across Monongalia County.
“They have honestly been utilizing those programs we’ve been setting up for community service,” Capel proclaimed. “It’s good to see students engaging in that, volunteering to give back.”
Ideas slated for spring 2016 continue with a community service theme.
“One of those is a Greek Life service project. Another one of those is a canned construction food drive. We’re going to have the arts department come and create can sculptures using the cans that students bring in throughout the spring semester,” Capel noted.
An announcement is also pending that Capel said includes a service initiative that will have an impact throughout the entire Big XII conference.