THE STORY TO REMEMBER
A year of controversy
It is perhaps one of the darkest points in West Virginia University's history.
In the final weeks of 2007, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette revealed through interviews and data collected from the University that a student had received a degree without necessary credits.
That student – Heather Bresch, daughter of West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin and chief operating officer of Mylan Pharmaceuticals, one of the University's biggest benefactors.
In their initial investigation, The Post-Gazette was told by those in the admissions and records department that Bresch, who received her degree in 1998, had not received her executive masters in business administration.
The paper was later told that Bresch had earned the degree and blamed the disagreement on slow transfers of paper data to computer records in the College of Business and Economics.
It was later found in an investigation that University administrators had "cherry picked" information and pulled courses "from thin air" to complete the degree.
It had been claimed that credit hours were waived due to work she was doing for Mylan in California at the time.
Provost Gerald Lang and the Dean of the College of Business and Economics R. Stephen Sears received harsh treatment from the report because of their actions in and after an Oct. 15 meeting where officials decided to grant Bresch a degree.
Four days after the panel's report, Lang resigned his position as Provost after three decades at the University.
Sears also resigned his position as dean of the business college.
Other officials involved were either reassigned positions or left the University.
President Michael S. Garrison, Bresch's friend and former business associate, was cleared of any wrongdoing by an emergency Board of Governors meeting.
Despite this and after mounting criticisms from faculty and staff, Garrison resigned Sept. 1, after announcing his decision June 6.
C. Peter Magrath was appointed interim president July 8.
Magrath, a nationally recognized administrator and expert on college administration, served as president of three universities and serves as a senior adviser to The College Board.
In a press conference of his appointment, Magrath said he would "leave WVU filled with great confidence about itself and its future," Magrath said.
Magrath was instrumental in helping establish the position of registrar, based on the reccomendations made by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers.
The group found 27 students in the College of Business and Economics, and 261 additional undergraduate degrees either fell short of credits or had other discrepancies.
TOP STORIES
Barack Obama elected first black president
The United States elected its first black president in November, as Americans called for "change" and "hope" in their government.
Throughout his campaign, President Barack Obama was characterized as an eloquent politician with new ideas.
Obama first caught the eye of the Democratic party in 2004 when giving a keynote speech in the unsuccessful presidential bid of Sen. John Kerry.
Obama wasn't without competition within his own party, however. Former first lady and New York Sen. Hillary Clinton entered the candidacy, with many calling for her to become the nation's first female president.
However, after losing countless primaries Clinton gave way to Obama's mounting support.
The Republicans weren't without their starpower, either. After fending off challengers such as Gov. Mitt Romney, Sen. Fred Thompson and Gov. Mike Huckabee, Sen. John McCain emerged as the Republican's top pick.
McCain, a veteran of Vietnam and former prisoner of war, was championed over Obama for his military experience.
Obama chose foot-in-mouth Sen. Joe Biden as his vice presidential candidate. McCain chose unknown Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.
Both elicited surprised responses from within their parties.
Biden was criticized as being a loose cannon while Palin was given the same criticisms as Obama – he was inexperienced and unable for the presidency (should anything happen to McCain).
On election night, however, support turned out for Obama, with 365 electoral votes to McCain's 173.
Despite a bitter political challenge, McCain said in his concession speech the "American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly," urging unity behind the new president.
West Virginia heads to the Fiesta Bowl
After the departure of West Virginia University head football coach Rich Rodriguez to Michigan, the Mountaineers had the task of facing Oklahoma in the 2008 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.
Interim head coach Bill Stewart motivated his team with a memorable pre-game speech, which led to a 48-28 victory over the third-ranked Sooners, which were considered to be the best football team playing at the time.
The team took note of the 84 percent of America that said Oklahoma would win the game.
After the game, players held up a sign saying, "84 percent wrong." It was the second BCS bowl victory in three years for the Mountaineers.
Following the game, star quarterback Pat White said Stewart deserved the head coaching job.
The day after the game, even before the team departed for Morgantown again, Stewart was named the head coach of the team.
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- $114m "Bolt"
Top 5 Songs (Billboard)
- Flo Rida – "Low"
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- Lil Wayne - "Lollipop"
- Timbaland – "Apologize"
BY THE NUMBERS
$3.27 per gallon of unleaded gasoline
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