West Virginia University’s Board of Governors approved a new policy Friday (June 3) allowing the sale of alcoholic beverages at Milan Puskar Stadium this fall.
In approving the policy by a 10-5 vote, the Board also instructed the Department of Athletics to study and track results during the season and report on the implementation after the initial year.
In recommending the policy change, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Oliver Luck said it is part of an overall plan to improve game day operations and public safety, including no stadium re-entry after halftime (except for medically-related purposes) and adding designated smoking areas outside the concourse.
He stressed that there will be no tolerance for out-of-control fan behavior at the stadium and that staff will strictly enforce the policy of no alcohol being brought into the stadium.
As the policy is implemented, Luck said there will be strict enforcement of ID checks along with a limit on purchases. No alcohol points of sale will be allowed near the student sections and there will be no beer sales in the seating areas or after the mid-point of the third quarter.
The concessionaire, not the University, will hold the beer license, and all employees will be trained in responsible drinking management and intervention procedures, including implementation of a designated driver program, he said. He believes the changes will help keep more fans in the stands and improve the atmosphere.
WVU Police Chief Bob Roberts, along with former Morgantown Police Chief Phil Scott and current Chief Ed Preston, were present and spoke at the meeting. All agreed that stricter enforcement of the re-entry policy reduces the chance of patrons bringing alcohol into the stadium and/or returning from binge drinking. It also allows for more security elsewhere in and around the stadium. They also all support controlled beer sales.
Following the Board vote, Luck said, “I am pleased that our Board of Governors approved the new policy allowing for controlled sale of beer at Milan Puskar Stadium.
“By changing the re-entry procedure and smoking areas at the stadium along with today’s change in policy, I believe we have taken a step forward toward our goal of a safer, friendlier and more civil game day experience.
“We can now follow the path of many of our BIG EAST colleagues and control the sale of beer in our stadium. We have much planning to do with our public safety officials and security staff, but we will be ready to implement our plan for the 2011 football season.
Other Business
In an historic move, the board also approved a $938 million combined budget for WVU’s main and regional campuses, including more than $15 million in salary increases for faculty and staff.
It also approved a multi-year, $159.5 million capital projects budget in support of WVU’s strategic plan, which includes a new engineering research building, new agricultural sciences building and new physical activities and sport sciences facility, among others.
Tuition and fees were also increased 4.9 percent, among the lowest in the country. (For details, see related story.)
In other action, the board approved $2.273 million in new Research Trust Fund contributions for submission to the state for matching funds, bringing the total approved by the Board to $18.7 million.
The new funding, certified by the WVU Foundation, comes from 16 sources, said WVU Provost Michele Wheatly, who presented the following gifts and pledges for approval:
- Stuart M. & Joyce N. Robbins Distinguished Professorship in Epidemiology – $1,000,000
- David VanDorn Sutton Scholarship – $400,584
- Mike Ross Family Pediatric Diabetes Research Endowment – $400,000
- Gary & Lisa Christopher Graduate Fellowship – $125,000
- James & Betty Hall Scholarship – $100,000
- Morrissey-Ropp Scholarship – $74,631
- Robert & Stephany Ruffolo School of Pharmacy Graduate Fellowship – $50,000
- WVU Health System Evidence-Based Nursing Practice Research Endowment – $42,500
- Van Wyk Cancer Research Endowment – $25,000
- James P. Boland MD Dept. of Surgery Endowed Research Fund – $19,699
- Rita Radcliff-Deppe & Brian Deppe Fellowship Award – $15,000
- Raymond Brooks Vanscoy Cancer Research Endowment – $8,516
- Norma Mae Huggins Cancer Research Endowment – $7,725
- James A. Kent Endowment for Biomedical Engineering – $4,000
- Grace C. Clements Speech Pathology and Audiology Research Fund – $250
- Badzek Family Endowment for Nursing Research – $100
With this request, private and state dollars combined will bring WVU’s RTF total to more than $37.9 million in investments in key research areas.
The board also endorsed planning for a new School of Public Health, which was recently funded by the West Virginia Legislature with an initial appropriation of $1 million and an additional $1 million commitment over the next four years.
The School’s goal is to alleviate the health issues affecting West Virginians – obesity, heart disease, diabetes – by enhancing the state’s public health workforce and building a new generation of leaders who can affect health policy at the state, national and global levels, according to Chancellor for Health Sciences Christopher Colenda, MD/MPH.
In his report to the Board, President Jim Clements said he was pleased with the budget, especially base pay increases for faculty and staff while keeping tuition and fee increases at modest levels. “Our compensation must compete on a national level,” he said.
Looking ahead, he said fall enrollment looks strong, the strategic plan is moving forward, progress is being made on filling 100 new faculty lines and he looks forward to the launch of a comprehensive fund-raising campaign.
In other action, the Board:
- Approved naming the former Augusta on the Square housing facility Vandalia Hall Blue and Gold.
- Approved a resolution authorizing the application for $28.000 in Governor’s Community Participation Program funds for three worthwhile projects
- Approved nominees and alternates for county Extension committees
- Heard a report about Phase I of the University’s environmental and energy conservation efforts with Siemens resulting in more than $1.8 million in energy savings over two years and 17,644 tons of greenhouse gas reduction in 2011
- Was informed of two new graduate programs – a graduate certificate program in interactive technologies and serious gaming to fill a growing need in this industry for computer graphics, simulation systems and other techniques and tools and a post master’s certificate program for advanced practice nursing to be responsive to changing health care needs
It was also Board Chair Carolyn Long’s final meeting, and she thanked the Board, University leadership and WVU community, referring to her tenure as “life-changing.”
“Thank you for the honor and privilege of serving,” she said.
Long, former superintendent of schools in Braxton County and president of a family-owned company, Product Distributors, has served two terms as chair, beginning in 2008. She joined the board in January 2007, replacing the unexpired term of Mark Manchin, through June 30, 2010, and was reappointed to a second term ending June 30, 2014.
In recognition of her service, incoming BOG Chair Drew Payne read a resolution in her honor, and Clements called her “an incredible leader,” saying, “You have led with integrity, compassion, humility and with a Mountaineer spirit second to none.”
In addition to Payne, a Charleston businessman, elected officers are: Martinsburg businessman Jim Dailey, vice chair; and Charleston attorney Tom Flaherty, secretary-treasurer.
New faculty, staff and student representatives will also join the board in July, including Lesley Cottrell, faculty; Dixie Martinelli, staff; and Jason Bailey, student. They will be officially sworn in at the Sept. 9 meeting in Morgantown, replacing Nigel Clark, Jo Morrow and Chris Lewallen.
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