MORGANTOWN — WVU’s fall semester began on Wednesday, and The Dominion Post talked with Dean of Students Corey Farris on Friday about how the first few days have gone.
“We seemed to see a lot of students smiling,” he said. “They’re asking lots of questions. I think we’re off to a great start.”
Campus Carry officially took effect July 1, but with the full student body now back, the effects of WVU’s extensive preparations will be seen.
At a June 27 preview of how WVU was preparing to carry out the requirements of the Campus Self Defense Act, Farris offered a look at the weapon storage lockers in Brooke Tower. At the time, Farris said there had been four locker requests for the Morgantown Campus, one at Beckley and none at Keyser.
He updated that on Friday. Two Morgantown students requested lockers; two others backed out. There were two locker requests at WVU Tech in Beckley and four at Potomac State in Keyser.
As far as effects across campus, he said, “So far, it’s been a non-issue. … I’ve not heard any reports of anything happening or unusual questions or circumstances that weren’t anticipated.”
The Campus Self Defense Act requires WVU to provide a secure location for the storage of a pistol or revolver in at least two on-campus residence halls on the Morgantown Campus and at least one at the Beckley and Keyser campuses. The Morgantown lockers are in Brooke on the Evansdale Campus and Summit Hall Room 107 on the Downtown Campus. Brooke Tower’s secure room contains 60 lockers.
Before classes began, first-year students came to Milan Puskar Stadium on Monday for Monday Night Lights. It opened with a tailgate. Then, inside, the Mountaineer and the cheerleaders taught the students some cheers and WVU traditions, the marching band performed, and they all posed for a class photo.
“That went very well,” he said.
On Tuesday, about 10,000 students attended the FallFest concert. “Again, a great success,” he said.
Everyone is looking forward to the first home football game, against Penn State, on Aug. 31, he said. “It’s just been a great start of the year. Students are engaged.”
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