LOOK INSIDE The Department of Theatre and Dance showcases the talents Pg. 8 of Cal U’s newest crop of aspiring actors and technicians.
PAGE 9 from left: Brenden Lesinski, David Miller, Sidney Popielarcheck, Kayla Grimm
OCTOBER 24, 2014
VOL 36, NO.8
Bringing Home the Trophy
Vulcans claim the ‘Coal Bowl’ title over I.U.P. in a 21-13 victory this past weekend at Adamson Stadium
Everyone has a say Cal U’s new shared governance policy is attempting to give every student and faculty member a say in how the school operates. Pg. 3
Fitness Phil Phil gives an insight on how much is too much when it comes to exercise. Figure out what type of fitness person you are and how much you should workout! Pg. 10
SnapChat Scandal The recent SnapChat leaks have many people worried if their privacy is actually private; however, responsibility can resolve this issue. Pg. 11
The champs are here! The women’s golf team had quite the successful season. Check out the team that won the PSAC championship. Pg. 15
PHOTO CREDIT: JOSH RICHARDSON
Cal U interim President Geraldine Jones, head football coach Mike Kellar, and senior linebacker Jeff Knox, Jr. hoist the ‘Coal Bowl’ trophy in celebration of the Vulcans’ 21-13 victory over IUP. The Vulcans will take on Clarion University and see if they can keep their winning streak alive. Cal tries to extend the streak to six straight games.
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Cal U adopts new shared governance policy University will include faculty, student opinions when making decisions BY STETSON PROVANCE NEWS EDITOR
Universities nationwide have implemented shared governance programs into their decision making process. At its core, shared governance is the principle that, before deciding on an important issue, university administrators should consider the opinions of the campus community. In June of 2013, Cal U dissolved its old shared governance program, called the Forum, and began the process of implementing a new system. According to California University of Pennsylvania’s website, the new shared governance program at Cal U will “give a voice to all constituent groups potentially affected by a decision…and consist of a task force that will constantly monitor the program with an eye towards continuous improvement.” According to Craig Smith, president of the faculty senate at Cal U and chair of the shared governance task force, a new direction in the shared governance program was both practical and necessary. “The current initiative is an effort to create a new system that works better than the old system, which failed to work effectively,” Smith said. Smith, who has been involved with shared governance initiatives dating back to the Forum, was asked by interim president Geraldine Jones to head the task force because of his past experiences in leadership positions. Smith was honored, and couldn’t refuse. “I accepted the president’s request to chair the task force because it is a privilege to serve the university,” he said. One of Smith’s first steps since taking over was to offer the university community a chance to voice their opinions on how to improve Cal U’s shared governance program. Although the deadline for submitting ideas was originally set for Oct. 17, Smith and his task force are still willing to listen to any ideas students and faculty may have. “Students can contact student government with ideas and others can write to me directly,” Smith said. At some point in the next few months, Smith, his task force, and student government will review feedback, and, if valid points or ideas concerning student governance have been presented, they will be included in a modified version of the shared governance proposal (the current proposal can be seen by the Cal U community by searching for “shared governance” in the search box on the homepage of calu.edu). The proposal will then be voted on by the university Council
of Trustees at their March 2015 meeting. According to Smith, the success of shared governance at Cal U will by and large depend on good communication between administrators, student government, and the student body. “The way it [shared governance] is designed to work is that any idea, initiative, recommendation, or proposal will be discussed among constituents effected by it before a final decision is reached,” Smith said. “One common example of how this will work successfully would be the following: let’s say the university wants to change a policy or procedure that could potentially effect students. In this case, it would be the job of the students through student government to voice their opinion on a proposal. Student government would then have discussions with either President Jones or more commonly an administrator who should attend student senate sessions like Vice President of Student Affairs Nancy Pinardi before a final decision is made.” But, even if participation levels in the shared governance initiative among members of the student body are high, Smith said it is important to note that just because students feel a certain way about a potential decision doesn’t always mean the university will base decisions on those feelings. “Ultimately, the university will have the final say in all decisions,” Smith said. However, according to Smith, that shouldn’t discourage students from voicing their opinions. “The value of shared governance lies in having a voice concerning decisions and knowing that, even if you opposed a decision, you still were able to have your voice heard,’ he said. “That should give final decisions greater legitimacy and ultimately yield better decisions.” Chrisitne Kindl, director of communications and public relations at Cal U, seconded Smith’s sentiments. “Our campus community includes commuter and resident students, full- and part-time faculty, staff members and managers…in other words people who approach issues from many different points of view,” Kindl said. “Regardless of the final decision made, university administrators appreciate hearing from all those groups as they weigh important decisions that affect us all.” To Kindl, the beauty of shared governance is that it gives the life blood of Cal U, its students, an opportunity to potentially shape university policy. “Students are the reason Cal U exists, so it’s only right they get the opportunity to offer input on important decisions affecting their university,” she said.
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1ST CAL U Monster bash! OCTOBER 30th LAZER TAG! UNDERGROUND CAFÉ OPEN MIC night! MONSTER BINGO OPTIONAL COSTUME CONTEST GREAT BINGO PRIZES! Shop DOLLARS Gift cards Apparel And so much more! Starts at 7pm with Lazer Tag 8pm Underground Café 10pm MONSTER BINGO Come for some OR come for all! ALL held in the Convocation Center Arena!
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Cal U students to go to court for Wood St. incident Charges against football player include terroristic threats, public drunkenness, inciting a riot BY STETSON PROVANCE NEWS EDITOR
California University of Pennsylvania football player Anthony McPoyle, 21, who was charged on Oct. 2 for his role in a disturbance outside a bar in California Borough, was ordered at a preliminary hearing on Oct. 20 to stand trial for the charges related to the incident. According to Washington County Magisterial District court documents, police escorted McPoyle out of the Wood St. Bar a little after 1 a.m. on Oct. 2 amid reports of his involvement in a bar fight. Once outside, police say McPoyle yelled profanities and racial slurs at responding officers. Authorities say a crowd of approximately 30 people gathered outside the bar and began yelling and chanting profanities at police officers. According to the criminal complaint, police claim McPoyle “caused the crowd to chant and yell” which prevented the police officer from “official action from her job.” McPoyle, who according to police documents was “extremely intoxicated” at the time of the incident, was asked by officers to walk toward the squad car with his hands behind his back. McPoyle reportedly refused, and, after seeing his friend Shawn Barr, 20, apprehended by police, got in the
Anthony McPoyle
Shawn Tevis Barr
face of California Borough police officer Kristie Mammarella. Barr, a Cal U student who was also believed to be involved in the bar fight, complied with police. After it became apparent McPoyle wasn’t going to follow suit without force, university police Officer Ryan Kempert attempted to stun McPoyle with a Taser gun. However, McPoyle shrugged off the stun and once again reportedly confronted Officer Mammarella. After one last attempt to place restraint on McPoyle failed, Officer Thomas McCarthy tased McPoyle in the buttock, causing him to fall to the ground. McPoyle was apprehended and transported to
the California police station. Upon arrival, police say McPoyle threatened to kill officer Kempert and his family. McPoyle also allegedly spit in the face of Lt. Colin Rockwell. Along with charges of inciting a riot, McPoyle was also charged with obstruction of justice, resisting arrest, public drunkenness, aggravated assault, making terroristic threats, and harassment. McPoyle is currently free from jail on $100,000 bond Barr, who was charged with using a false ID, disorderly conduct, public drunkenness, and underage drinking, is free on $50,000 bond. Barr waived his preliminary hearing for court after prosecutors withdrew riot charges. Magisterial District Judge Joshua Kanalis presided over McPoyle’s Oct. 20 preliminary hearing. A formal arraignment for McPoyle and Barr is scheduled for Dec. 30 in Washington County. Meanwhile, according to Chrisitne Kindl, director of communications and public relations at Cal U, the university will continue to monitor the situation throughout the legal process. Currently, both students are classified as being under review by the university’s disciplinary program. McPoyle, a resident of Dover, Delaware, was a defensive lineman on the Cal U football team and has been suspended from the program.
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Reel Q Film Festival reaches out to LGBT community Too many Cal U students miss out on this valuable opportunity BY SHAWN REESE
Not as many people came as initially expected. People dropped out; there was sickness; there was family emergency; there was not responding to e-mails, but some still went. On Friday, Oct. 17, the Rainbow Alliance sponsored a trip to Pittsburgh to attend one night of the Reel Q Pittsburgh LGBT Film Festival. They arranged for transportation and paid for students’ tickets. A few weeks earlier on Wednesday, Oct. 1, Jaime Tracktenberg, a representative of the Pittsburgh Lesbian and Gay Film Society (PLGFS), came to Cal U to give an advanced screening of some of the trailers for the movies it would be hosting. It was a fair turnout with maybe 15 students attending. Considering these numbers, the Rainbow Alliance hoped for a larger turnout; however, of these students, only three attended the screening this past Friday. Here at Cal, there seems to be this perpetual atmosphere of laziness. The film festival ran from Friday, Oct. 10 to Saturday, Oct. 18, which means if you did not get a chance to go, then you missed out for another year.
Screenings were held at the Harris Theater in Pittsburgh, and on the night that Cal students attended, two films were shown. The first was “Out in the Night”, directed by Blair Doroshwalther. This documentary follows the true account of four African-American lesbians that were wrongfully tried and given jail time after defending themselves against a street aggressor. The second film was a German film, “The Circle”, directed by Stefan Haupt. This docudrama tells the true-life story of a schoolteacher in Zurich in 1958 who gets involved in a gay organization and a magazine publisher that is forced to hide from the public to avoid discrimination and police persecution. Employing a rather unique structure, the film cuts back and forth between interviews with the film’s lead couple nowadays and dramatized versions of their lives from when they were younger, in this tense and discriminatory atmosphere. Here we are at a time when things are beginning to change. Same-sex marriage laws are changing daily, and LGBT issues are slowly becoming more and more recognized by the mainstream culture. Here we are being
given the possibility to assemble together and support this already too-often-maligned, discriminated-against, easily-pushed-aside culture, and Cal mustered up three souls to attend the event. Events like the Reel Q Film Festival are not just about entertainment, or even just about supporting indie filmmakers or local theaters, but it’s about supporting a community that will always need more allies in their continuous struggle for acceptance. You may have missed out on this film festival, but the Rainbow Alliance provides a great starting place for those interested in supporting the LGBT community and attending future events of this nature.
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Vulcan Hall showcases student artwork the attendees for the gallery. Olivia Burk, 20, senior and psycholStudents entered and exited Vulcan ogy major kept point at the selection Hall. Some people were dressed in forand pointing out mal attire while others were dressed different aspects of it. casually. Inside Vulcan Hall, pieces of “I like it because I still don’t underart were displayed on pedestals while stand how he made it. I even had it exother drawings and paintings hung plained to me. It shows how much time around the perimeter of the gallery. he put into it,” said Burk on her favorite The theme for this gallery was “Back piece of the night “Rainbow Trout” by to Drawing Board,” and it was held Oct. Forshey. 16 at 6 p.m. Set up in one of the corners of the Pizza, cookies, buffalo chicken dip and gallery was a keyboard where a Cal U tortilla chips were provided for snackstudent musician, Nick Barilla, a senior, ing, as well as refreshments. There was provided original music so the event also a station known as “Make-A-Butwas supplemented with background ton” at the event. There, students could sound to the chattering of venue gocreate custom pins for 75 cents with ers. the Associated Artists, or Art Club. Lauren Stacy, 19, an artist who had Photo by: Lauren Griffith Mackenzie Gregor, a senior and a two paintings at the gallery, appreciTrevor Forshey’s piece, “Rainbow Trout,” was a part of the “Back to the political science major, had a piece ated the environment that the gallery Drawing Board” exhibition in Vulcan Hall’s art gallery. The technique he displayed during the event. Her piece provided. used was woodburning, and this was the first piece that he experimented with titled “Brotherhood” was created by “It’s great; everyone gets together, the technique. Woodburning works like stippling: the harder you press, the using acrylic on canvas. She worked we eat, and look at everyone’s talent,” darker the dot. on the piece for three months, but her said Stacy. work was not on an everyday basis, Kyle Hilsey, senior, 21, creative writwhich is why it took so long for her to complete creating. The art gallery is a great place for stu- ing major admired the event in general and the dents to get their work out to the public, said works. it. “I asked everyone to sign, in TKE [one of the Gregor. “I always like coming to see these cool things, Another artist, Trevor Forshey, had three piec- especially when it’s Cal students. It’s always fraternities at California University of Pennsylvania], their signatures, and then I copied them es of work presented at the gallery. He had a really fun to see local artists, especially one’s into the background,” said Gregor on how she mosaic piece, a wood carving piece, and a char- you’re going to school with to see what they added some of the background details in her coal piece, which were featured separately from can do,” said Hilsey. “I never get to come into piece which featured different types of bottles each other. Forshey also spoke on why he de- this building to see what they’re working. So, cided to come to Cal U to study art. and cups. to be able to come in here and see how much “Cal is the only school that offered me the abil- they’ve done and to actually meet and talk to Gregor is also vice president of the Associated Artists and said the gallery provides a different ity to take graphic design as a major and then the artist is a lot of fun.” atmosphere for creative minds on campus. The minor in another art field in Pennsylvania,” said There were more than 40 different pieces of gallery is a place where students can showcase Forshey. art present at the gallery with various mediums According to Forshey, submission to the gal- from jewelry to painting, ceramics, wood worktheir artwork. The gallery is usually themed in some way. The event is free to attend and usu- lery is free; however, there is a deadline. The ing, and drawings. ally there is one occurring every Thursday at 6 information that needs provided is the name On Thursday, Oct. 23, a Halloween show for of the artist, their year, the style of the piece, Studio 224, a graphic media club on campus, in p.m. in Vulcan Hall, said Gregor. “I think it’s a good change for students to view a title for the piece if there is one, and whether conjunction with the Associated Artists, will be art that people in our community are making. the piece is for sale or not. hosting another event at the gallery in Vulcan There’s not many places around here where they Forshey will be participating in the Halloween Hall at 6 p.m. can receive this exposure to different stuff,” said show next week. His wood carving piece, which was of a fish Gregor. Gregor advises fellow artists to always keep leaping out of water, was the favorite of one of BY DEVEN BOURQUIN
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Internship Corner U.S. State Dept. offers “Pathways” paid internship program
The U.S. Department of State is the lead foreign affairs agency in the United States, and is stationed in over 270 locations throughout the world. The State Dept. hosts a program called Pathways, which is an opportunity for many students to gain insight on the inner workings of the federal government first hand. Pathways is a paid internship program that gives students a chance to work in places all over the Washington D.C. area, as well as in other areas throughout the country such as Minnesota and Texas. Pathways provides opportunities to work in areas like Interior Design, Engineering, Intelligence Research, Foreign Affairs, and many, many more. If this interests you, be sure to apply promptly since there are application submission cutoffs, which means after a certain number of applications have been sent in, they will not accept any more. The website to search for internships is www.usajobs.gov/studentsandgrads.
Intern Spotlight of the Week
Lacey Greeley, a gerontoloy major, is shown at her desk during her internship with Presbyterian SeniorCare.
Cal U Department of Theatre and Dance presents “Midsummer/Jersey” Michael Zandhuis is The second the sound designer fall-semester while Joshua Kovel presentation by is the assistant the Department lighting designer. of Theatre and Curtain time is 8 Dance showcases p.m. Oct. 30 and the talents of Cal 31, with shows U’s newest crop of at 2 p.m. and 8 aspiring actors and p.m. Nov. 1. All technicians. performances are First-year students in the Gerald and will appear Carolyn Blaney onstage and Theatre in Steele work behind the Hall. scenes to present Saleem Carpenter (Media, Pa.) and Markea Petty (Clairton, Pa.) are Cost is $12 for “Midsummer/ featured in Cal U’s Dept. of Theatre and Dance performance of “Midadults, seniors Jersey”, a highsummer/Jersey” and children. Cal octane retelling U students with of the familiar valid CalCards pay 50 cents, plus a $5 deposit that is Shakespearean tale, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, refunded at the show. set on the Jersey shore. For ticket information, or to charge tickets by Suitable for the whole family, the comedy follows phone, call the Steele Box Office at 724-938-5943. four young lovers, a vivacious crew of fairies and the staff of the local beauty salon as they play in the sand, sea and, of course, the boardwalk. Dr. Michael Slavin, professor in the Department WANTED: College or graduate school students are needed to work with elementary school children in an after school of Theatre and Dance, directs the play. Cal U program in the South Hills. undergraduate students Sara Martik and Claire Students must be able to work flexible hours and have their own transportation to and from the program. Pay ranges Prenderghast are handling the assistant director between $10 and $11 per hour. If interested, e-mail resumé or letter of interest to and stage manager duties, respectively. Classmates jhroberts66@comcast.net.
Tips for AFTER the Career Fair Follow any special instructions you received from a recruiter. This can include applying online at the company’s website. Use the business cards, from recruiters you met, to write thank you letters. Review all the information you collected. Develop a plan to follow-up with organizations that most interest you and stick to it. Practice your interviewing skills. Schedule a Mock Interview with the CPDC. Search job postings on Hire CAL YOU!
Check the CPDC website to see what organizations have scheduled on-campus interviews.
Learn how to expand your job search beyond campus recruiting. Schedule an appointment with your Career Advisor.
Career & Professional Development Center (CPDC) 230 Eberly Hall 724-938-4413 careers@calu.edu www.calu.edu/careers Office Hours: Mon. – 8 am to 6 pm Tues. – 8 am to 5 pm Wed. to Fri. – 8 am to 4 pm
Walk-in Hours Tues. – 11 am to 1 pm Wed. – 9 am to 3 pm Thurs. – 11 am to 1 pm
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Fitness Corner: How much gym time is too much? With Phil Tafone
As we hurry past the halfway point of the semester, this is probably a good time to address “duration” of fitness training. I’ve had the great experience of meeting assorted members of the student body, some in my fitness classes, some are students of the HSC-115 course for which I am the instructional assistant, and some have simply reached out in need of guidance. In all of the consultations I perform, an important question eventually comes up; how much time can you – or do you – spend in the gym? The answers typically range from 30 minutes to an hour and 30 minutes, with even distribution. So, how long should one spend in the gym? Much of it depends on your goal, your current ability, and obviously, your schedule. Of course there are government organizations like the President’s Council on Fitness and institutions like the American College of Sports Medicine who provide rudimentary framework such as “a half hour of exercise everyday” or “weight training twice a week”. These aren’t wrong, just vague. My other issue with these statements is that they are decades old. In the 1970’s, the slim cowboy actor Clint Eastwood was considered very fit, and in some ways, an action star. MLB players weighed 190 pounds. An adult male ate 1500 calories and held a 29-inch waist. Women could take 25% off of both numbers. Today, we live in an era of processed foods and processed data. Our food is laden with calories, but we want to look like Hollywood celebrities, CrossFit stars, and popular Instagrammers. So how do we do it? The physique you admire most probably comes from a balanced program of strength, cardio, and stretching – in order of greatest investment of time to least. However, you must read the next sentence, maybe twice, and absorb it; most photographed physiques have been conditioning for several years and now invest 10-12 hours per week to fitness. In that sentence there is a very small, but important word. Can you guess which one? Take a look again. The word is “now”. Nobody woke up one day and decided to spend two hours a day working out. If an unconditioned person could even get through a two hour workout, they’d be in bed all week, feeling as if a truck hit them. My point here is that fitness is progressive.
There is a development scale that is seldom discussed. Here is my take on progressing fitness, based on my graduate studies in exercise science, and working as a trainer. Again, there is no scripted workout here. I’d be happy to make some recommendations if you wanted a workout plan. Beginners: Here are some simple rules I implement with those who have not worked out before, or have had longer than 6 weeks off. You must work out three days a week for three weeks, and add a fourth in the fourth week. If you are lifting any weights (which you should), perform two sets of each selected exercise for two weeks, and add a third in the third week. By the end of this phase, I like to see clients getting four workouts in per week, lasting 45 minutes each. Weekly time investment is approx. 3 hours. Intermediate: An intermediate trainee may workout four or five days weekly, and sessions should last an hour, if not 75 minutes. This may sound like a long time, but at this point the intermediate trainee has the ability to exceed 30 minutes of cardio. Their strength training will become more specific and likely be split into upper and lower body workouts on separate days, or even a workout based on push, pull, and leg days. More weight training may require more stretching and one hour sessions come quickly. Intermediate is a broad term with a large area left for interpretation. Most of us will be very satisfied to get here and stay put. That’s fine. Fitness is for you and no one else. Weekly effort = 4-6.5 hours. Advanced: Eventually, you may want to put in workouts that exceed 90 minutes daily, or partake in what is commonly called “two-a-days”, which is exactly what it sounds like; getting into the gym twice in one day. Of course frequency is just as important as duration. You should be working out five times per week before even bothering such a high work volume in a single session. Basically, doing an hour and half on Mondays and Fridays, and nothing else, does not count
as doing a half hour five times per week, and will probably be less productive, if not harm you. You wouldn’t run a marathon as a way of getting all of your cardio out of the way for the next month or two, would you? The thing to keep in mind as you approach ten hours of exercise per week, is that you will most likely find it unsustainable. Team sport athletes may train like this in the preseason before performing their months for several months. MMA fighters and competitive bodybuilders, two extremely different kinds of athletes, both tend to perform “two-a-days” starting 6-8 weeks before their event. Even as genetically gifted as they are, they ease up on their training (some stop entirely), once the event has passed. My recommendation for is to dabble at this level of fitness training, only with a specific goal in mind, reach the goal, and then with a sense of accomplishment, take a well-deserved break. I have seen exercise become addictive. It makes sense considering that there are hormonal changes and natural “highs” that come with them. Add in that many people exercise to replace other addictions, or to negate selfimage issues, and there is a great blue print for danger. Long term exercising for more than twelve hours weekly, or without a rest day in the week, can lead to nervous system damage, sleep disorders, immune system disorders, and even create an acidic pH in one’s body, setting the scene for infections, cancer, or chronic disease. Exercise is a physical stressor on the body, that, when introduced in small bouts, allow the body to adjust and strengthen. Think of working out like a vaccine for your muscles. Introduce a small challenge and your body says “Looks like we’ll be lifting this heavy stuff for a while, let’s burn some fat and make some muscle”, just as a micro-dose of a virus in vaccine form, allows the body to destroy it. Imagine if you got injected with a whole vile of mumps at once. You wouldn’t get immune, you’d get mumps! The best athletes and figure models around the world will all tell you that of your behavior outside of the gym will make or break your success in it. This means you are only as good as your diet, sleep, and ability to evade stress. Do too much too soon and you’re just going to be sore and hungry.
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TWITTER QUESTION OF THE WEEK @caltimes
In regard to the recent Snapchat leaks, do you think the app should be reserved for people 18+?
@DanBickerton @caltimes No, just be responsible with the pictures that you snapchat. #caluopinion
@jo2theanne @caltimes The question is how can we prevent them from using such apps? Some kids have a Facebook profile before they’re in middle school. #caluopinion
@DanMader @caltimes Keep your friends close and your snapchats to yourself. #caluopinion
#CALUOPINION
SnapChats are not temporary entertainment BY BROOKE SHUMAR
SnapChat, a self-involved app, is commonly used to send comical pictures of yourself, animals, people, or simply give an update on what is going on at a particular moment in time, or so we thought. SnapChat had recently humiliated Facebook when brushing off a $3 billion offer, and now are quickly regretting this decision. It only took 24 hours after the rejection of the plentiful offer for SnapChat to enter an enormous and vile sexting scandal amongst its younger users. In today’s society, sexuality is more widely accepted than it once was, but for a young teenager’s behavior to be condoned for acting out in a degrading way towards their character is absolutely vile and that should never be something that our society should be proud of. Young teens are not taught the difference between self-confidence versus being a hussy, and many young teens do not see that line and just run a marathon right through it. SnapChat gives many of its users the idea that they can get away with their risky behaviors with minimal harm and a boost in self confidence because of the 10 second time limit for the picture to be seen, but many adults
can see right through that naive plan and find all the flaws amongst the gullible yet impulsive minds of young teens. The innocence of young teens is stolen too often and too soon because the norms for society change so soon and so quickly for each era of teens. Many things that would not be condoned in the ‘90s would be commonly condoned now for the sake that time, styles, and acceptance amongst particular topics are more openly discussed and practiced. Montreal Police arrested 10 teenage boys on child porn charges for exchanging and flaunting pictures of teen girls ages 13 to 15 that were engaging in sexual poses or performing sexual acts. Allegedly, the boys coaxed these teenage girls into posing for the pictures and, just to be safe, send them to their SnapChat. Thinking that the pictures would magically disappear after the seconds that they had picked is incredibly naive with the advances in technology that have come about. To simply get around the scarce time limit that SnapChat users have, commonly, a screen shot is the quick fix to save a picture that is received. SnapChat, based on their privacy protection, has simply failed their users by displacing their trust in social situations, such as these, and
allowing these photos to be captured and essentially life ruining. SnapChat, without infringing on privacy, should establish a way to protect the users or simply have an age limit (18+), establishing a way that cannot become mangled. SnapChat should be held accountable for the frequent amount of sexting going on amongst their app and do what is morally right, rather than, what is going to save the app and the revenue.
PHOTO CREDIT: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
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Assisted suicide: the right to choose to die with dignity BY TAYLOR BROWN, OPINION/LIFESTYLES EDITOR
We are all dying. Not to be morbid, but that is the truth. Many argue that how and when we die is not something that people typically have a choice in, but I would argue that it is. Although suicide still carries a heavy shame from our society, assisted suicide, or euthanasia, is held in an even higher disregard. Whether we recognize it or not, dying is a choice that we are able to make though residents in 45 states, legally, do not have this option. In many parts of the world, suicide is considered a crime. Although there are not legal actions that can be taken against people who decide to end their own lives, for decades there have been issues dealing with assisted suicide, euthanasia and mercy killing. Though suicide is something that is still highly stigmatized and discouraged in our country, there are many elements that dig deeper into the psychology of ending a life that many people, including myself, do not fully understand. Suicide is a personal decision, a choice that people make when they find themselves in a low place that they cannot seem to get out of. Statistics will show that many people who have attempted suicide, but have not succeeded, regret their decision. For those people who survive despite trying to kill themselves, they would be considered lucky. Suicide is often triggered by a single event and implemented without practical consideration of the consequences of a person’s actions, but what happens when it is not a rash decision or when someone does not have a promising future ahead of himself or herself? What happens when someone is terminally diagnosed with a disease that will slowly take away the life that they value so much? Laws implementing regulations for assisted suicide were first put into place in 1997 in Oregon. The Death with Dignity Act allows a mentally sound adult to choose when they will die with a doctor’s assistance, providing they have less than six months to live and are mentally sound. Laws similar to those passed in Oregon have also been implemented in Washington in 2008 and also
Vermont in 2013 and have had a great amount of success. In Oregon, of the 1,100 prescriptions CREDIT: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS prescribed Current map of U.S. states that allow physician assisted suicide. to patients, only 750 have chosen to end their life. For those 750, an option was all that they needed. Most people choosing to take advantage of these laws are dying of cancer or another terminal illness that would strip them of the every day activities and abilities that healthy people take for granted; the small things that make life enjoyable. So why have more states not adopted laws similar to those passed in Oregon? Well, death is scary and life is sacred. Carpe Diem, right? Well, what if your days are guaranteed to be painful? How do you live every day to its fullest if you are unable to get out of bed or feed yourself? What kind of life is that? I am not religious. Although I was raised as a Methodist, I have come to the realization that I do not believe in the Christian perception of God. Not to say that I follow a different faith, but I have become indifferent and in some instances intimated that there is something so much bigger than myself; however, I am not the majority. Most people identify with some type of religion because life is easier when you have faith in something bigger than yourself. Religion and its significance in our society is a large reason as to why these bills have not been passed in more states. The belief that God is an all-knowing being and should be the person who decides when you die is crippling legal advancements concerning euthanasia or assisted suicide. Separation of church and state simply does not exist and our legal system is proof of that. Personal choices that become legal matters are too often pushed aside because the majority of citizens in our country define themselves and their lives based on religious ideals, and until this changes, people like me and others who are wishing to
think for themselves and their bodies will have no choice but to take a back seat to the majority and spend more time waiting for change. I am not dismissing religion as a whole, or those who believe in something, whatever it may be, but dying with dignity is something that every person should be entitled to. Brittany Maynard is the most recent example of this, and since her declaration to end her own life on Nov. 1, has become a household name. Maynard, originally from San Francisco relocated to Oregon to take advantage of their Death with Dignity Act after being diagnosed with stage 4-brain cancer. She has chosen to die on her own terms, instead of letting her disease control how she will leave this world. In order to make this choice, Maynard along with her family had to relocate to Oregon, which is a costly lifestyle change. People who do not live in one of the few states that offer ways of assisted suicide may not have the means to pick up and leave everything behind to take advantage of what should be an option to any terminally ill patient. Currently there are bills in consideration that would make this an option in other locations throughout the U.S. including Connecticut, Hawaii, Kansas, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Though more consideration has been given in support of medically assisted death in recent years, we are nowhere near where we need to be. There are still far to many people in this country suffering from diseases such as cancer, MS, Alzheimer’s and countless other terminal illnesses that they are being forced to live with because the option to die if and when they want to, is not up to them, when it should be. Supposedly, our body is our temple. Unfortunately, in some instances we do not have a choice in what happens to it. No one chooses to be sick; illness is something that we are just supposed to live with. To work with the hand that we were dealt, but what if we can make the hand play just slightly better in our favor? I’m not sure why people wouldn’t want to support that, allowing people to live a life without suffering. It’s your body, your life, your death, and ultimately should be your choice.
Page 13 Oct. 24, 2014
Cal U women’s golf team captures title at PSAC Championships BY MATT KIFER Sports Information
The Vulcans posted the lowest score in the final round of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championships at the Hershey Country Club on Sunday to claim their fifth league title in seven years. The California University of Pennsylvania women’s golf team shot a 32-over 316 in the final round after entering play in second place. The Vulcans finished the event with a 65-over 633 (317-316) to claim the conference title by nine strokes. Kutztown placed second in the team standings with a 74-over 642 (314-328) after leading the event by three strokes following the opening round. Defending-league champion Gannon remained in third place on Sunday with an 83-over 651 (320331). Sophomore Carla Maestre (Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela/Colegio Ibero Americano) posted an eightover 79 in the second round to finish the event tied for second overall with a 15-over 157 (78-79) Last spring, she qualified for the NCAA National Championships as an individual and was tabbed the PSAC Golfer and Freshman of the Year. Junior Cara Vanderham (Innisfail, Alberta/Innisfail) and freshman Cai Yan Ho (Selangor, Malaysia/ Smk Bukit Rahman Putra) both carded a team-best score of six-over 77 on Sunday. Vanderham vaulted into a tie for fourth place on the leader board with
a 16-over 158 (81-77), while Ho finished one stroke back at 17-over 159 (82-77) and in a tie for sixth overall. Sophomore Rachel Lim (Singapore/Singapore Sports) and redshirt freshman Stephanie Perkins (Knysna, South Africa/Oakhill) both shot a 12-over
83 in the second round. Lim finished eighth overall with a 19-over 161 (78-83) and Perkins posted a 21over 163 (80-83) to tie for ninth place. The PSAC Championships marked the final event of the fall season for the Vulcans.
CalTimes NFL Picks of the Week
Geo Muzika
STETSON PROVANCE
JOSE NEGRON
Lions over Falcons Eagles over Cardinals Lions over Falcons Eagles over Cardinals Lions over Falcons Eagles over Cardinals Ravens over Bengals Raiders over Browns Bengals over Ravens Raiders over Browns Bengals over Ravens Browns over Raiders Seahawks over Panthers Steelers over Colts Seahwaks over Panthers Colts over Steelers Panthers over Seahawks Colts over Steelers Patriots over Bears Packers over Saints Patriots over Bears Saints over Packers Patriots over Bears Packers over Saints Texans over Titans Cowboys over Redskins Texans over Titans Cowboys over Redskins Titans over Texans Cowboys over Redskins Dolphins over Jaguars Chiefs over Rams Dolphins at Jaguars Chiefs over Rams Jaguars over Dolphins Rams over Chiefs Vikings over Bucs Bucs over Vikings Vikings over Bucks
Page 14 Oct. 24, 2014
Vulcans punter Cerett looks to continue stellar senior campaign BY MATT HAGY Staff Writer
At California Vulcan football games, many cheers travel around the home stands. From the standard “Let’s go Vulcans,” to the favorite “Cal who, Cal U,” chant, these cheers pump up the home faithful and the players as well. One in particular however, stands above the rest as it focuses on one player on the Vulcans squad. When senior punter, Andrew Cerett takes the field cheers of “Das Boot!” are called out in the stands. The saying represents the massive leg that Cerett has that can boom any football down the field and pin the opposing team back in their own territory. That big leg of Cerett has established him as one of the top punters in all of Division II and the best in the PSAC. “I pride myself in being a bigger and stronger guy to lift these punts at top distance in spots where we are backed deep in our own territory on offense,” Cerett said. “I go out early before practice when I can and I will normally stay after practice for more punting and also working on kickoffs as well to make my results even more desirable.” Cerett did not begin his collegiate career at Cal U. After being a three year-starter at Huntingdon high school in central Pennsylvania, Cerett enrolled at Temple University where he was redshirted in 2010 and transferred to Penn State the following year. Cerett then transferred again to Cal U in the fall of 2012 where he immediately gained the starting punter job. “It is always scary at first not knowing any of the players or the area itself for that matter,” Cerett said. “You do not play in front of crowds up to 100,000 like at some division I schools but that competitiveness is still there at the division II level and I knew when looking at schools that Cal has a great football program and I felt it could still get me to where I wanted to be in life.” In Cerett’s first season as a Vulcan, he led the PSAC and finished 16th in division II in punting average with a mark of 42.1 and garnered All-PSAC West first-team honors, including being named Daktronics and Don
Hansen first-team all-region. The aspect that stood out for Cerett was the strength of his length as he ripped five punts of 50 plus yards with a best of 65 yards as only a sophomore. “Football is really a game of battling for field position,” said Kellar. “He’s a guy who, even when you are backed up or deep in your own territory, that can change the field position around and he’s one of the best defensive players we have because of that.” The following season Cerett built off his impressive debut season at Cal by raising his season average to 43.1, which was sixth best in the country and included more All-PSAC and Don Hansen honors. Cerett also set his personal best with a 79 yard punt in Indiana last season, which also held as the longest punt in division II for the 2013 season. As Cerett entered his final season as a Vulcan this year, the expectations were loftier for the Vulcans punter but he has lived up to the expectations thus far as he currently maintains a 43.1 punting average through seven games which is currently good for second place in the PSAC, only behind East Stroudsburg’s Jordan Bair. Cerett has become one of the big reasons why the Vulcans currently sit alone at the top of the PSAC west.
“We are a very tight group this season definitely more so than previous seasons,” Cerett said. “Our teammates are getting along great and it is a huge reason why we have been successful this season because everyone is focused on winning the PSAC and going deep into the playoffs.” After this season, Cerett will look at making it as a punter in the NFL. With his impressive leg and numbers, various NFL scouts have had their eyes on Cerett for the past couple of seasons. “What drives me to make the NFL is my family,” Cerett said. “I have a 15 month old daughter that I want to give the world to and also supporting my parents as well. I want to prove all the people who doubted me wrong and being able to say I made it and show people that it is not impossible to make the NFL.” As the Vulcans drive to win the PSAC, Cerett will look to finish his Vulcans career with top numbers and help his team play long into the fall. And for anyone that hears “Das Boot” again belted in Adamson Stadium, they will now know that number 30 is on the field for the Vulcans.
When senior punter Andrew Cerett takes the field, cheers of “Das Boot!” are called out in the stands.... That big leg of Cerett has established him as one of the top punters in all of Division II and the best in the PSAC.
Page 15 Oct. 24, 2014
Vulcans win sixth annual Coal Bowl game against Rival Crimson Hawks BY JOSE NEGRON sports editor
The Annual Coal Bowl game between the California University of Pennsylvania Vulcans and Indiana University of Pennsylvania Crimson Hawks is one of the most highly anticipated games on Cal U’s schedule each year. Coming off of a huge win against Slippery Rock University on Homecoming, the Vulcans weren’t finished taking down a big time rival, as they defeated IUP 21-13, winning their fifth of six all time meetings of the Coal Bowl. With the victory, the Vulcans move to 6-1 overall this season and take control of the PSAC West lead with a 5-1 divisional record. The Vulcans have come alive in the last few weeks. Since losing to Bloomsburg in a tough overtime game in week two, the Vulcans have won five games in a row, with two consecutive wins against two key conference powerhouses. “We knew we had a good team, we knew we had
them at home and we never one time doubted that we couldn’t win those ball games,” said head coach Mike Kellar. “To go out and play our best football against Slippery Rock and win the way we did was very satisfying and then to come out against IUP and beat them having not played our best football was very exciting because that basically tells us that we’ve got the better football team.” The background of the Coal Bowl game, which was started in 2009, is credited to Bob and Barry Lippencott. Two brothers who attended Cal U and IUP respectfully in the 1960’s. Both brothers established football scholarships at their alma maters and a Coal Pail trophy was donated to be presented to the winner of the game each year, something that only makes the friendly rivalry between the two teams that much stronger and winning that much sweeter. “It’s a cool thing that the Lippencott brothers have brought,” said Kellar. “I like when that Coal Bowl trophy
is sitting on my desk. We’re mirror programs and we’re very similar. We beat them this past Saturday and any given Saturday the ball can bounce the other way, but right now we’ve got that trophy on our desk and we are happy about it.” Though the expectations may seem to be a little higher for the 2014 Cal U Vulcans football team, the goals still remain the same despite beating two of the top teams in the PSAC in back to back weeks. “Our goal coming into this season was first and foremost to win the PSAC West and make it to the state game,” said Kellar. “That is in front of us still. We really set short term goals, our first goal is upon us and is within our grasp, but it’s not over with. We have to continue to fight and work toward it.” The Vulcans return to action, looking to win their sixth consecutive game as they take on Clarion University on the road tomorrow with kick off set for 1 PM.
Photo Credit: Sports Info.
The Vulcans claimed sole possession of first place in the PSAC West after defeating the IUP Crimson Hawks in the sixth annual Coal Bowl, 21-13.
Page 16 Oct. 24, 2014
Cal Times Athlete Spotlight Abel Robinault
Class: Senior Major: Professional Golf Management Hometown: Garland, Pa. High School: Youngsville High School In three years at California University of Pennsylvania, senior Abel Robinault has always been associated with success in both cross country and track and field. In cross country, Robinault has competed at the NCAA Atlantic Regional each of his last two seasons and finished second on the team in all five races last season. He placed 30th overall in last year’s NCAA Atlantic Regional and finished 18th overall at the PSAC Championships. Robinault is a three time individual qualifier for the PIAA Cross Country Championships. While running cross country at Youngsville High School, Robinault was a four year letter winner and was named to the first team all-district, while also having success in golf and track and field.
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