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  • Western Carolina University
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  • HL_WesternCarolinian_2010-05-31_Vol76_No06_02

May 31, 2010 WESTERN CAROLINIAN Page 2 NEWS Energy Stars reputation i in danger Western Carolina to _ offer new international studies program in fall Jay Strong | WC Intern In 1992 under the Clin-' ton Administration, a new program was introduced into the Department of Energy. Under supervision of the Environmental Protection Agency, the new program was called Energy Star. En- ergy Star rated products are supposed to be 20-30% more energy efficient than most models on the market. Energy Star certifies prod- ucts ranging from light bulbs, refrigerators, and washing machines to flat screen tele- visions and laptops. Many people who are in the market to buy new household appli- ances and products believe that they should search for products with Energy Star certification. While many Energy Star rated products are more expensive than their less energy-efficient coun- terparts, many consumers . believe it is a worthy invest- ment, as they are not only buying eco-friendly prod- ucts, but the products will help pay for themselves in the long-run through reduced _ electricity bills. . However, in March, a report was published that seriously questioned the in- tegrity of Energy Stars repu- tation. In June 2009 a panel of Congressional auditors working under the Govern- ment Accountability Office (GAO) began preparing a document that requested Energy Star certification for fake products that the audi- tors falsely advertised as be- listof2: fabricated data, was submit- ted to the offices of Energy Star. 15 out of the 20 prod- ucts were approved for Ener-. gy Star certification, includ- ing energy efficient. The. 20 fake products, with ing the Energy Star label did ing a gasoline powered alarm clock and an air filter that in reality was just a space heat- er with a feather duster at- tached to the backside. Only two of the products were re- jected, and three received no response. The 15 fraudulent products that were accepted were not even questioned or investigated by the offices of Energy Star. The GAO con- cluded that the Energy Star rating is vulnerable to fraud and abuse. A separate audit per- formed.b th eect not meet the requisite Energy Star efficiency specifica- tions, So what He this mean for the average consumer?- Should we lose faith in the Energy Star certification? According to the web- site of the U.S. Govern- ment Accountability Office, Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency officials agreed that the (Energy Star) program is currently based on. self certifications by manufactur- ers. However, officials stated there are after-market tests and self-policing that ensure standards are aguenwar and av vailable to the public. What this report has re- vealed is that Energy Star doesnt have a systematic ap- proach to certifying products fraud.com. and its easy for any compa- ny to potentially defraud cus- tomers by claiming to have | Energy Star certification. | Energy Star simply does not. do enough laboratory testing and their certification pro- cess is too automated. How- | ever, after the GAO report. was published, Energy Star has responded and promised to strengthen its inspection process, and both agencies | (DOE and the EPA) are now | developing a system to test | all products that earn the En- } $ H to the repone! please visi www.ehergystar.gov, www. | gao.gov/products/GAO-10- | 470, and www.energystar-_ | From Staff Reports Western Carolina Univer- sity will begin offering a new bachelor of arts degree in international studies this fall following official approval of _ the program by the Universi- _ ty of North Carolina Board of Governors earlier this spring. The new program is being developed as a coordinate major that will draw from existing internationally fo- cused courses: t. ight across _ the curriculum at WCU while requiring participating stu- _ dents to major in a second program of study, said Wen- dy Ford, dean of the College _ of Arts and Sciences. This means that while _ students are learning about international) politics, world cultures, languages and glo- balization, they also will be studying business, commu- nication, history, art or any other discipline offered at Western Carolina, Ford said. The result will be unique _ programs that better prepare students for a variety of ca- _ reer fields with a global per- spective. A 30-hour program, the international studies major was designed to support a primary recommendation of the UNC Tomorrow com- mission, which developed a 20-year strategic plan that addresses North Carolinas needs and how its public uni- _yersities can help meet those eeds. The recommendations: .cultures/? Ford said. Gradu- i. included preparing the states,.. residents to compete in the global economy of the 21st century, The international studies | program clearly reflects our commitment to enhancing global readiness as a major UNC Tomorrow initiative, said Niall Michelsen, .as- sociate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences who is overseeing the new program. UNC Tomorrow calls upon us to increase student profi- ciency in foreign languages and to expand students glob- al and cultural awareness so that they understand diverse cultures and appreciate the commonality of human kets lems. The program also fits with WCUs focus on synthesis the ability to integrate knowl- edge from different academic areas, and to see connections between what students do in the classroom and their ex- tracurricular activities, said Michelsen. The international studies. program will contain four componentsan introduc- tion, language courses, core courses and electives. Stu- dents will study at least one foreign language through the intermediate level. The core of study will be divided into three categories-politics, culture- and globalization. The curriculum includes a study abroad option. The program is designed so that students who choose this coordinate major will gain a multi-faceted grasp of globalization, of emerging and enduring political issues, and an appreciation of global ates of the program should be ready for employment -. opportunities available in an increasingly diverse, interre- lated global economy. Ron Rash wins second O. Henry Prize for fiction with short story Doug Pope | Staff Writer Whether he is addressing a writing workshop of ten students or an auditorium of two hundred people, it is the voice that first draws the listener inthat soft Appala- chian lilt that seems to weave through the words like a silk thread, capturing rhythm and cadence. Somehow the words themselves are imbued with a lyrical quality that is appar- ent on the page, but nonethe- less still astonishing to hear. Ron Rash, the John and Dorothy Parris Distinguished Professor of Appalachian Cultural Studies at Western Carolina University, has just won the O. Henry Prize for fictionagain. Rash is the recipient of the 2010 O. Hen- ry Prize for his short story Into the Gorge, which orig- inally appeared in The South- em Review and was included in his latest short story col- lection, Burning Bright. The story was also featured in the 2009 Best American Short Stories anthology. His first win of the presti- gious award in fiction was in 2005 for Speckled Trout, a short story that originally appeared in The Kenyon Review, and became. the ba- sis for his later novel The World Made Straight. The O. Henry is considered by many to be the nations most prestigious award for short fiction. Past winners include Ron Rash Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Woody Allen, Al- ice Walker, J.D. Salinger, and Stephen King. Serena, his latest novel and bestSeller, has garnered criti- cal. acclaim and has earned him national recognition as a major, contemporary Ameri- can writer. Serena is the story of the wife of a North Caro- lina timber baron during the. Great Depression. The novel was widely well received, and the New York Times has praised the elegantly fine- tuned voice of this Appala- chian poet and storyteller. : Discussion is underway for Serena being adapted into'a screenplay to be directed by Darren Aronofsky and. star- ring Angelina Jolie. Rash has published four novels, four collections of short stories, three collec- tions of poetry, and a chil- Photo by Mark Haskett _ quirements to receive their _ degrees. drens book. In addition to the O, Henry Prizes, he has twice been a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner award and has received Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2008 in the fic- tion category, the Southern Book Critics Circle Award, and the Sir Walter Raleigh Those graduates were sched- uled to take part in WCUs - regular fall commencement _ last December, but that event _-was canceled due to a snow- : _ storm that struck the region. very much loves teaching and Fiction Award, among nu- merous others. Critical success has not changed Rash. He is still the sofi-spoken professor who writing. He works hard and makes time for his students. In all of his classes, Rash tells his students the same thing: writerhas to have humil- ity. For the aspiring writers at Western Carolina Univer- sity, Ron Rash is a wonder- from him to come. ~WCUs Graduate School holds commencement From Staff Reports A Western Carolina Uni-- versity faculty member rec- ognized as one of the Uni- versity of North Carolina systems best teachers de- livered the primary address Friday (May 7) as WCU held commencement exercises to honor the accomplishments | of current and former gradu- | ate students. About 270 students cur- rently enrolled in WCUs | Graduate School were eli- _ gible to participate in the | ceremony at Ramsey Re- _ gional Activity Center. Those students recently have been completing academic _ re- The current students were joined in being honored by _ approximately 230 individu- als who completed degree _ requirements Jast summer or fail, and who already have been conferred degrees. In his address, Gibbs _ Knotts, associate professor of | political science and public | affairs, told the Ramsey Cen- : _ ter audience, We have a lot A writera really good. to celebrate this evening. The _ people affiliated with this in- _ stitution students, alumni; faculty, staff and administra- th tors have a lot to celebrate. ful example of this and we all expect more great things _ Knotts said the reasons for celebrating include world- renowned faculty at all stages of their careers and out- standing academic programs. But most importantly, you as graduates have a lot to cel- ebrate, Knotts said to those dressed in.caps and gowns. You should be. commended for all of your hard work, per- severance and dedication. For some of the graduates, commencement represents the culmination of many con- tinuous years of attending school, beginning with pre- school, while others enrolled in graduate studies after de- ciding to switch careers in mid-life, Knotts said. When I think about what makes Western Carolinas graduate programs so. spe- cial, it is this mix of peo- ple, Knotts said. Different people, from different back- grounds, at different stages of their careers, all focused on the common goals of per- sonal and professional en- richment. Each one of you has a story to be proud of. Each one of you is here because of your hard work and the sup- port of family and friends, he said. Knotts. recently = was named a recipient of the UNC systems highest teaching honor, the Board of Gover- nors Award for Excellence in Teaching. One award is given annually to a faculty member on each UNC campus to rec- ognize superior teaching. In his charge to the gradu- ating students and former students, WCU Chancel- for John W. Bardo spoke about the economic upheaval that is prevalent around the world, As you leave WCU with your advanced degrees, youre going to be in a world secing major change, he said, It isnt going to slow down, but you have the back- ground and skills to make a different in your community, in your state and in your na~ tion. You can help lead in finding a better way to edu- cate our children, create new and innovative ways to pre- serve our environment, cre- ate new cures for illnesses, solve energy problems and create new jobs and prod- ucts, and you can take active roles in our communities and. government, he said. I ask you to truly use the education you've gained here not just to. make a living, but to make a difference, We're proud of what you have accomplished here, and those of us who remain in Cullowhee will follow your development with admira- tion, Bardo said. Congratu- lations and all the best on a job well done. The graduate students who have been completing their degrees this spring se- mester are part of the largest . graduating class in WCUs history. With a spring under- graduate class of about 1,000 students, about 1,270. the total spring. class is expected to number

The Western Carolinian is Western Carolina University's student-run newspaper. The paper was published as the Cullowhee Yodel from 1924 to 1931 before changing its name to The Western Carolinian in 1933.

• Creator
  • Western Carolina University
• Format
  • Publications (documents)
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  • Text
• Date
  • Date original: 2010-05-03
• Extent
  • Dimension: 22.75" x 12.5"
  • Pages: 12
• Subject - Topic
  • College student newspapers and periodicals
  • Cullowhee (N.C.) -- Newspapers
  • Universities and colleges -- North Carolina -- Cullowhee -- Newspapers
  • Western Carolina University -- Periodicals
• Location
  • Jackson County (N.C.)
  • Cullowhee (N.C.)
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Source Collection
  • WCU Students Newspapers Collection
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  • HL_WesternCarolinian_2010-05-31_Vol76_No06
• Repository
  • Western Carolina University Hunter Library