MTV Stars Visit Campus
Sexual innuendos highlight the comedic performances of Carly Aquilino and Chris Distefano. Page D-1
Friday, February 7, 2014 • Volume 97, Issue Number 14 • Slippery Rock University's Student Newspaper
the rocket
www.theonlinerocket.com
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
NEWS
Clubs' Budgets Need Discussed Mandatory one-on-one meetings must be scheduled with SGA or a decrease will be seen in budgets. Page A-2
OPINION
Valentine's Day Activity Ideas Opinion columnist Hannah McLaughlin lists creative ideas for singles on Valentine's Day. Page B-1
SPORTS
No. 3 Gannon Trounces Rock The Slippery Rock women's basketball time recorded their fourth straight loss against the Golden Knights Wednesday. Page C-1
CAMPUS LIFE
Channel Surfing? With Controversy Duck Dynasty and the Bachelor have been in the media for good and bad reasons. Are they still worth watching? Page D-3
KARLEIGH SANTRY/THE ROCKET
A recently published survey on rehabs.com placed Slippery Rock University seventh for on-campus alcohol arrests in 2011. The results from 2012 show a decrease in arrests from 214 to 130 students and suggest a drop in ranking for SRU down to 16th. Information provided by the Office of Post-Secondary Education database.
SRU ranked seventh in on-campus alcohol arrests By Haley Barnes Rocket Contributor
Slippery Rock University ranked seventh for on-campus alcohol arrests in a listing of the top 50 colleges in the country in 2011, according to a recently published survey led by Jon Millard of rehabs. com. According to Millard, Rehabs. com is a company that seeks to bring alcohol and drug related problems and abuse across the country to the attention of the public. He said they aim to help abusers find the treatment they need. Shippensburg, Bloomsberg, and West Chester, three other schools in the Pennsylvania Association of State Schools and Higher Education, were also ranked in
PASSHE to receive flat state funding By Jonathan Janasik News Editor
Men's Basketball Suffers Late Loss The Gannon Golden Knights took a seven-point lead late in the game to create an unrecoverable lead over SRU. Page C-1
the top 10 and ranked above SRU for on-campus alcohol arrests, according to the survey. Millard said this study is conducted to sort out colleges with severe drug and alcohol problems. He said the hope is that the results will add to the debating of drug and alcohol problems on college campuses and the results will be used as the evidence to this debate. The data was obtained using crime reports to a database managed by the Office of PostSecondary Education for schools with more than 5,000 students enrolled to ensure that the results were not skewed in the direction of colleges with low student population. “The results are a reflection of on-campus crime activity that
Pa. Governor Tom Corbett proposed flat funding in 2014-15 state appropriations to the PA. State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) for the third year in a row on Tuesday. “Inflation is occurring, energy costs are going up, labor costs are going up,” said President of the SRU chapter of the Association of Pa. Stat College and University Faculties (APSCUF), Dr. Patrick Burkhart. “So flat funding actually diminishes the amount of money you have available to purchase products, so it erodes the financial basis upon which you can support the institution.” “I understand currently because we took a cut in appropriations and then have been followed for several sequential years by flat funding that we’re actually being funded at amounts equal to about a decade ago. Not only have costs increased, but the size of the student body has increased so the per capita share is also down.” “Flat funding hurts you in a couple of different ways and it clearly reflects a diminution in the commitment to public education.” SRU Vice President of Finances Molly Mercer stated that PASSHE was disappointed by the governor’s decision, because they requested a 4 percent increase in appropriations. “We really were hopeful,” explained Mercer. “We weren’t asking for substantial increases, PASSHE was realistic with what
their requests were, kind of recognizing the challenges that the commonwealth is facing. So, essentially we were asking for a cost of living adjustment along with support for retooling our programs. We felt those were reasonable requests so it was disappointing that we’re looking at level funding again." Despite the lack of funding increase to PASSHE, Corbett stated that he is adamant about backing Pa.’s education system. “Education is the largest single item in my budget,” Corbett said during his speech Tuesday. “The increase I propose would bring direct state support of public education to $10.1 billion, more than 40 percent of state spending.” Although a lot of funding is going towards various parts of public K-12 schools, he also stated that he was planning a new scholarship program for students who need assistance paying for higher education. “We all know post-secondary degrees are costly and sometimes out of reach as students and their families worry about debt,” Corbett said “With this budget, we will launch the Ready to Succeed Scholarship program, which will provide an additional $25 million for middle income students who want to earn a two- or fouryear degree.” According to PASSHE Media Relations Manager Kenn Marshall, the budget has not yet been finalized. Before it is, the House Appropriations committee, and the Senate Appropriations committee will discuss it in two separate public hearings on Feb. 20.
took place in the past,” Millard said. “It's therefore quite possible that things could swing in the other direction for SRU and may have already done so in the last year. Time will tell.” The recently released 2012 results, according to the Office of Post-Secondar y Education database, indicate a drop in rank to the 16th highest in on-campus alcohol arrests for SRU, eight spots lower than the seventh spot reported in the survey from the 2011 data. Miller explained that the study stands to reason that almost all U.S. college campuses will have drug and alcohol issues and it is important to remember that a SEE ALCOHOL, PAGE A-3
'Flaunt Your Fleece' aims to conserve university's energy By Rebecca Marcucci Campus Life Editor
With the recent budget cuts at SRU, many seem to wonder what types of funding will be cut first. While there are many economic pay offs attempting to be made, one of the most beneficial, the university estimates, will be lowering their energy costs. SRU is calling this movement ‘Flaunt Your Fleece Fridays.' In an effort to reduce the university’s overall cost in heating the campus during the frigid, winter months, SRU is encouraging students and faculty to bundle up on Fridays. A self-proclaimed “sustainaic” and environmental science professor at SRU, Dr. Patrick Burkhart said he always has a few choice words for students concerning their green initiatives. Burkhart lectures students in his classes about conserving the environment, but he agrees students and faculty members alike can benefit from reducing their carbon footprint with a few simple steps. ‘Flaunt Your Fleece Fridays’ is a good start, Burkhart said “I’d rather people at the university turn off the lights and heat instead of firing people,” Burkhart said. While Burkhart explained SRU has cut the cost of energy consumption by 45 percent last year, he still believes there is more the university can do. Burkhart also explained the implications that come with paying for utilities, such as heating bills, and advice for cutting those bills in half. “Just lower the thermostat and put on a sweater,” Burkhart said. “It’s the right thing to do. Don’t be like my daughters running around in gym shorts in the SEE LOWERED, PAGE A-2