SRU Shouldn't Leave PASSHE We think SRU should stay with the state system, even if they were given the option to leave. Page B-1
Friday, March 28, 2014 • Volume 97, Issue Number 19 • Slippery Rock University's Student Newspaper
the rocket
www.theonlinerocket.com
'Birthday Bash' gathers university community INSIDE THIS ISSUE
NEWS
Free FAFSA Aid From University The Pa. deadline for FAFSA is approaching. Students are able to get assistance from the financial aid office. Page A-3
OPINION
Time Capsule For SRU's 125th We asked our twitter followers what they think should go in the university's 125 anniversary time capsule. Page B-2
SPORTS
Men's Baseball Loses IUP Series The SRU men's baseball team dropped three of four games against the IUP Crimson Hawks over the weekend. Page C-1
Members of the Slippery Rock Community gather to celebrate the 125 anniversary of the university. See page D-1 for more details.
Senators propose bill to allow universities to leave PASSHE By Jonathan Janasik News Editor
CAMPUS LIFE
Holocaust: Hope Among Evil Stories of hope and goodness throughout the Holocaust were shared, highlighting those who helped the Jewish community. Page D-3
Seton Hill Defeats Women's LAX SRU was defeated in their first PSAC battle of the season by the Griffins of Seton Hill on Tuesday, 9-10. Page C-1
ALEX MOWREY/THE ROCKET
Senate Bill 1275, which would allow Pa. universities to separate themselves from the Pa. State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), was announced in a press conference in Harrisburg on March 11. Senator Robert Tomlinson, who proposed the bill, explained that there four requirements under the bill for schools to be able to leave the state system. The university must have over 7,000 students enrolled, have an unqualified audit option for three years, and must have the financial ability to pay the state system a depreciated value of the university’s property over the span of 30 years, and must also be able to continue to contribute the employer share of pensions. Schools that would separate from the system would not become private, but instead would be referred to as being “state-related” similar to the University of Pittsburgh or Temple University. “Why am I doing this now?” Tomlinson asked. “This has been talked about for years. Every time I run into a trustee from another school [we always talk about] how we have to improve things for PASSHE and we have to improve things for the system. I think that what has happened is that power has collected in Harrisburg, and power has been taken away from your local schools to run their institutions.” “I would like to try to put some of that [power] back, I’d like to put some of the money back and get some autonomy back in the local schools," Tomlinson said. Tomlinson explained the need for autonomy by telling a story
about how West Chester and Cheney Universities were planning on working together to make a branch campus in Philadelphia. After working with PASSHE and believing that progress on the new campus was being made, the campus was denied to Tomlinson’s surprise. While driving on the highway one day, Tomlinson passed a billboard that advertised PASSHE Center of Education in Philadelphia. “They liked our idea a lot, they just didn’t let us do it,” Tomlinson said. “But the system that was supposed to be helping our students and us was helping themselves. Now I’m competing with the people who are supporting me. So who’s supporting who, and who exists for who?” According to Senator Andy Dinniman, the bill is not only a state affair in Pa., but is predicted to be a national concern about the state of higher education. Last year the governor’s advisory commission of higher education reported that the current financial situation of the Pa. education system calls for change, Dinniman explained. There have also been fewer students graduating from Pa. high schools, which means that there could be students coming into state universities. He explained that there still hasn’t been a public forum about what to do. “This bill will force that discussion which has been too long delayed,” Dinniman said. Check next week’s issue of The Rocket for Part 2 of the “Parting From PASSHE” series, which will discuss how the Tomlinon-Dinniman Bill could affect Slippery Rock University if it is passed.
P.R.I.D.E. and C.O.S.T.U.M.E. candidates convey goals for SGA By Kevin Squires Assistant News Editor
The parties are set, the campaign is full swing, and Slippery Rock University students are now able to begin voting on who they want to represent them on the Student Government Association (SGA). Presidential candidates Katie Hill and Maria Montaro squared off in debate Monday night, representing their parties and describing their visions for Slippery Rock and SGA. The debate was moderated by the current SGA President, Buddy Clements. “Pride is contagious. People with pride have motivation, they take initiative and they achieve their goals,” Hill said in her opening statement on behalf of the P.R.I.D.E. party. She explained that P.R.I.D.E. stands for both Proudly Representing Individuals of Diverse Environments and Passionate about serving our school, Reaching out to all students and the community, Integrating new ideas, Determined to make a difference, and Empowering
students. Hill’s platform focused primarily on better ADA compliance, more extended hours for the library, the creation of convenient store and arcade in the Old University Union, Greek life housing and creating a more transparent SGA. Montaro, representing the C.O.S.T.U.M.E. party also emphasized better ADA compliance and included a late night study room, food venue in Building F (similar to Flatz in Watson Hall), and better sustainability efforts. Admitting it’s a very long acronym, Montaro said C.O.S.T.U.M.E. is short for Collaborating and Organizing Students to Transform our University and Maximize our Education. “If we do not provide the time and space for collaboration, it will not occur,” Montaro said. Clearly an important topic for both parties, ADA compliance was discussed on multiple occasions throughout the debate and ranged from special sections of the campus shuttle for seeingSEE BETTER, PAGE A-2
NEWS
A-2 7-DAY FORECAST FOR SLIPPERY ROCK FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
Mostly cloudy, showers; breezy
Rain
Some clouds, then sunshine
Warmer with sun and clouds
Chance of a shower
Clouds and sun
Cloudy with a little rain
52°
32°
45°
26°
49°
REAL FEAL TEMPERATURE
®
Fri.
Sat.
Sun. Mon.
Tue.
Wed. Thu.
CITY Akron Allentown Altoona Cleveland Erie Harrisburg Indiana Johnstown Philadelphia Pittsburgh Scranton State College Wheeling Williamsport Youngstown
Friday HI LO W 53 29 sh 53 42 r 55 34 r 50 29 sh 51 30 sh 56 41 r 56 35 r 53 32 r 57 43 sh 58 38 sh 51 34 r 56 36 r 58 36 sh 57 36 r 53 28 sh
Saturday HI LO W 41 22 r 50 35 r 45 29 r 39 24 sn 39 26 r 52 35 r 47 30 r 44 27 r 52 39 r 48 32 r 48 31 r 46 30 r 49 30 r 49 30 r 43 22 r
63°
43°
30°
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UV INDEX
Fri.
Sat.
Monday HI LO W 64 43 pc 58 37 pc 59 40 pc 63 44 c 56 42 c 61 41 pc 63 42 pc 57 42 pc 58 40 s 67 44 pc 60 40 pc 62 41 pc 67 46 pc 63 38 pc 63 45 pc
Sun. Mon.
Tuesday HI LO W 59 30 pc 59 34 pc 56 35 pc 55 31 c 54 29 c 60 40 pc 62 33 c 56 34 pc 60 38 pc 63 35 pc 57 35 pc 60 35 pc 62 36 pc 60 36 pc 57 29 c
37°
Sun
Tue.
Wed. Thu.
The higher the AccuWeather.com UV Index number, the greater the need for eye and skin protection. 0-2 Low; 3-5 Moderate; 6-7 High; 8-10 Very High; 11+ Extreme.
Sunday HI LO W 49 33 s 49 29 r 47 31 pc 46 35 s 41 34 s 52 32 r 49 31 pc 45 33 pc 50 37 r 53 33 s 47 29 r 50 32 pc 51 35 s 53 29 pc 47 30 s
52°
60°
NATIONAL FORECAST FOR THE WEEK TEMPERATURES
41°
Above Near Below Normal Normal Normal
IN THE SKY
™
The patented AccuWeather.com RealFeel Temperature is an exclusive index of effective temperature based on eight weather factors. Shown are the highest and lowest values for each day.
REGIONAL CITIES
31°
Wednesday HI LO W 54 40 c 55 39 pc 55 36 pc 49 38 c 45 33 pc 59 36 pc 54 37 pc 53 38 pc 57 40 pc 58 41 pc 55 34 pc 54 38 pc 59 43 pc 57 33 pc 53 37 c
Thursday HI LO W 61 46 r 54 37 c 56 36 c 58 48 r 53 45 r 58 41 c 60 45 r 57 40 r 59 42 c 63 48 r 51 36 c 56 40 c 64 48 r 55 38 c 61 42 r
Rise 7:11 a.m. 7:09 a.m. 7:07 a.m. 7:06 a.m. 7:04 a.m. 7:02 a.m. 7:01 a.m. Rise 5:42 a.m. 6:18 a.m. 6:53 a.m. 7:29 a.m. 8:06 a.m. 8:45 a.m. 9:28 a.m.
Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
Moon
Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
MOON PHASES
Set 7:41 p.m. 7:42 p.m. 7:43 p.m. 7:44 p.m. 7:45 p.m. 7:46 p.m. 7:47 p.m. Set 5:36 p.m. 6:46 p.m. 7:56 p.m. 9:04 p.m. 10:09 p.m. 11:11 p.m. none
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Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2014
March 28, 2014 PRECIPITATION
Above Near Below Normal Normal Normal
National Summary: A pair of weather systems will impact the Northwest Saturday and Sunday. Rain is likely across the Pacific Northwest southward into northern California, while snow will fall across the northern Sierra, Cascades and northern Rockies. A storm system will bring rain Saturday from the mid-Atlantic to the Southeast. Thunder and rain will move across the Southeast and into Florida. This system will move into New England Sunday and bring wind-driven rain across the region. Dry weather will follow a warming trend in the Plains and Midwest Saturday and Sunday. A dry weekend is in store for the Southwest. A storm system will move into the upper Midwest Monday and bring the threat for rain and possibly some heavy snow.
NATIONAL CITIES
Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday CITY HI LO W HI LO W HI LO W HI LO W HI LO W HI LO W HI LO W Atlanta 67 56 t 72 44 t 70 47 s 71 51 pc 74 53 s 74 55 pc 69 51 c Boston 53 40 sh 47 37 r 42 33 r 48 39 pc 52 41 pc 52 37 pc 49 38 pc Chicago 46 28 pc 42 28 pc 60 40 s 60 32 sh 45 29 pc 48 33 r 47 31 t Cincinnati 62 37 c 45 28 r 59 39 s 70 48 sh 62 40 pc 63 49 c 64 38 r Dallas 83 47 s 76 49 s 81 55 s 81 57 pc 80 63 pc 78 53 t 72 47 t Denver 59 31 pc 69 40 s 77 33 s 54 30 pc 62 28 pc 51 27 c 58 30 pc Detroit 47 28 pc 41 25 sn 50 34 s 60 43 c 52 29 c 44 32 c 55 39 r Houston 84 60 t 80 50 pc 77 52 s 79 59 pc 79 61 pc 82 66 t 75 53 t Indianapolis 53 33 c 45 31 pc 60 41 s 67 45 sh 56 42 pc 60 48 c 61 35 r Kansas City 51 32 sh 60 41 s 73 49 s 64 33 pc 58 43 pc 64 38 t 52 28 r Los Angeles 69 56 pc 71 56 pc 69 54 pc 68 52 pc 67 51 pc 69 54 pc 71 54 c Miami 82 75 pc 86 74 sh 86 71 pc 80 71 pc 80 72 pc 84 73 s 84 69 pc Nashville 72 51 r 62 38 t 63 42 s 73 53 pc 73 52 s 72 54 c 71 42 t New Orleans 79 64 t 77 56 pc 71 54 s 76 61 pc 77 64 pc 79 67 pc 78 63 t New York City 55 43 sh 51 40 r 47 38 r 55 40 pc 56 38 pc 60 42 pc 53 40 pc Orlando 80 67 t 83 66 t 81 60 s 77 60 pc 80 62 pc 83 63 s 85 62 pc Phoenix 79 60 s 85 64 s 84 58 s 84 60 pc 78 56 s 78 57 pc 84 56 s San Francisco 64 56 c 60 50 r 61 50 sh 58 49 r 60 48 c 62 48 pc 62 49 pc Seattle 56 43 r 57 42 sh 53 40 sh 56 41 sh 52 42 c 54 42 r 57 42 r Washington, DC 64 47 sh 57 42 r 52 40 r 62 46 pc 65 48 pc 62 46 s 67 45 c Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain, sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice.
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KARLEIGH SANTRY/THE ROCKET
Better ADA compliance shared vision by candidates Continued from Page A-1
eye dogs to heated sidewalks and everything in between. Hill’s platform examined heated sidewalks and more automatic doors for ADA compliance. “The CSIL does not have automatic doors which is really tough because that’s the place we want people to go to get involved and they can’t even access it without someone opening the door for them or us having to prop the doors open every day,” Blotter.................A-3 Sports...................C-1 Hill said. “[More heated sidewalks] would not only help with ADA Opinion...............B-1 Campus Life.............D-1 compliance but it would help all of Comics...................B-4 us to stay on our feet.” Montaro suggested bringing back some trays to Boozel Dining Hall, saying “we think that [trays at Boozel] should still be an option.” She explained that it is especially difficult for students with disabilities to transport their food Newsroom: 220 Eisenberg Building without trays and would like to bring back some trays to the dining (724) 738-4438 Slippery Rock hall. She also suggested sectioning Advertising: University off a portion of the Happy Bus for (724) 738-2643 Slippery Rock, PA seeing eye dogs and checking the status of the Braille in buildings. Fax: 16057 “The Braille is so worn down (724) 738-4896 that you can’t see it,” Montaro said. Email: Montaro mentioned looking to rocket.letters@sru.edu Edinboro University as a model for ADA compliance. “I think it would improve our enrollment rate. People who have 2012 Mark of Excellence First handicaps sometimes specifically Place Winner in Region 4 from the Society of Professional go to Edinboro because they are so Journalists. ADA compliant,” she said. Declining enrollment is the biggest issue facing the university in the coming years, according to Montaro. “Enrollment isn’t down because Slippery Rock isn’t a great university,” Montaro said.
INDEX
CONTACT US
She attributed to decreasing enrollment in local high schools. “A lot of people don’t know that Slippery Rock is the only PASSHE (Pa. State System of Higher Education) school with a nonprofit program and we never market it. I think we really need to work closely with Caitlin Bauer and Admissions to say all the great things that are going on at our university to market us,” she said. “I think its SGA’s responsibility because the enrollment is going to affect their budgeting to work with admissions and find out how to really market the university.” For Hill, the big challenge for the university is the budget. “I think that budgeting is going to be a very tough thing,” she said. “I think it’s an important thing that student government would be collaborating with the executives of Slippery Rock to really work together to kind of discuss how we can work together to reach goals so that we’re not in that debt in the coming years.” Within SGA, both candidates would make budgeting meetings mandatory for clubs and organizations. Hill mentioned also making the budgeting form accessible by all executive board members of an organization. Montaro described a collaborative effort for budgets and events between similar groups. “If we do not provide the time and space for collaboration, it will not occur,” she said, adding that she would like to have meetings for collaboration in addition to budgeting meetings. “I think by having that club and organization collaboration meeting we’re really fostering those relationships.”
Finally, the candidates described some of their ideas for new initiatives at Slippery Rock University. Montaro plans to examine off campus recycling and outsourcing student compost at dining halls as a fertilizer to make money while Hill spoke about returning an arcade to the Old University Union along with a convenient store for students. While around 35 students were present for the debate, more than the previous year according to Clements, he admitted feeling SGA was unprepared for election season in terms of making students aware of what was happening. “I feel that I as a president, as an election commissioner, really dropped the ball,” Clements said. “We tried something new and it was more social media stuff that kind of got the word out and more word of mouth. I hate to say it, but it did not work that well.” Part of the problem, according to Clements, is the SGA constitution. “It’s in our constitution to hold elections at this time of the year and we were so busy with other stuff going on so elections kind of came upon us very quickly,” he said. “If we could have had election week next week, we could have had a lot more prepared and ready, but we’ve just had so much with the issues of stipends, the restructuring and all that.” Clements said that the constitution is currently being looked at by the Parliamentarian to try to create a less restrictive timeline. Voting for next year’s SGA senate began Thursday and will run until Monday at 4:00 p.m. Ballots can be cast online using CompassLink.
March 28, 2014
NEWS
A-3
POLICE BLOTTER Campus March 17 - An ATM alarm was triggered in March 7 - Police made a welfare check March 16 - Police responded to a fire alarm set the Robert M. Smith Student Center. Debold individual at Building F. Contact was made with off from the R.O.C.K. Apartments. The alarm was was notified to check the machine as everything the individual and services were offered. No other reset and triggered by burnt food. seemed in order. action was taken. March 23 - Police and SRU ambulance services March 13 - Police made a welfare check at North March 17 - Caris Costantino, 19, was issued responded for a dizzy and fainted individual at Hall. Everything was reported as okay. drug charges for a previous violation. the Abersold Recreation Center. The individual refused transportation to the hospital. Compiled by Kevin Squires
ROCK NOTES Ask the President If you have any questions for President Cheryl J. Norton, let The Rocket know on Facebook, Twitter, or by email. Emails can be sent to rocket.news@sru.edu. Submit on social media with #AskNorton.
Planetarium Shows Planetarium shows focusing on astronomy and scientific topics will be shown weekly on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. in Vincent Science Center Planetarium. There is no cost for admission.
Vote in the SGA Elections Elections for next year's Student Government Association are now open. Ballots can be cast online using CompassLink. Voting will end Monday at 4 p.m.
SRU Potters Guild An open session for students, faculty and staff to will be hosted to show how to throw pottery and hand-build with clay. No experience is needed. The event is free and will be on Wednesday from 7-9 p.m.
SRU financial aid office offers help to file FAFSA By Haley Barnes Rocket Contributor
With the Pa. deadline for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form being May 1 and with tuition constantly increasing, Slippery Rock students have the right to know what their degree costs. According to Ginny Kopko, the interim director of Slippery Rock’s financial aid office, the average cost for an in-state student to attend Slippery Rock for four years is about $75,000 and tuition in itself makes up $36,000 of it. According to a tuition table on Slippery Rock’s website, the other part of the total cost comes from various different fees, such as the fee to use the Health Center and the Abersold Recreation Center. Kopko said the choice of housing and being an out of state student can affect the total cost as well. Kopko said that all students are encouraged to apply for scholarships to help pay for out of pocket expenses at Slippery Rock. An estimated 81 percent of Slippery Rock students receive financial aid, Kopko said, but there are requirements students must meet in order to qualify, which is why not all students receive financial aid. Kopko explained that students must complete the FASFA form each year, meet satisfactory academic progress, be enrolled in at least six credits, and complete verification requirements if selected by the Department of Education. Kopko said the financial aid office sends out e-mail reminders and post cards to students to file the FASFA each year, as about 88 percent of students apply each year. “We [financial aid office] are open 8:00 to 4:30 Monday to Friday for walk-ins,” Kopko said. “Students
are encouraged to make appointments with one of the Financial Aid Directors who can provide individualized financial aid counseling, if they have questions about their financial aid, options to meet costs, and any other financial aid related questions that they may have while attending SRU.” In addition to the services of the financial aid office, debt management workshops are also provided in FYRST Seminars, as well as FAFSA completion workshops, Kopko said. “MySRU is available twenty-four/seven for students to view their financial aid status, view their awards, review terms and conditions, and progress,” Kopko said. “Other valuable links are provided to students in the portal to the Pennsylvania State Grant Agency, Direct Loan site for completing the Entrance Counseling and Master Promissory Notes, etcetera.” There are several websites that can provide students with information about Slippery Rock, costs, enrollment, and average amount of loans borrowed by graduates, Kopko explained. Kopko said that some of these websites include www.collegeportraits.org/PA/SRU, bigfuture. collegeboard.org/college-search, and nces.ed.gov/ collegenavigator. Kopko emphasized that satisfactory grades are incentive to keep receiving financial aid, which is crucial with rising tuition. According to Slippery Rock policy for financial aid, students who have not completed at least two academic years must maintain a 1.5 GPA and students who have completed two academic years must maintain a 2.0 GPA in order to keep receiving financial aid. The policy also states that students must successfully complete 67 percent of the total cumulative attempted credits in order to keep receiving financial aid. The policy is viewable to students on Slippery Rock’s website.
ALEX MOWREY/THE ROCKET
OPINION
O
Our View
OPINION rocket.letters@sru.edu Volume 96, Number 19
220 Eisenberg Classroom Building Slippery Rock University Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania 16057 Phone: Fax: E-mail:
(724) 738-4438 (724) 738-4896 rocket.letters@sru.edu
EDITORIAL BOARD Catie Clark
Editor-in-Chief
Jon Janasik
News Editor
Rebecca Marcucci
Campus Life Editor
Kristin Karam
Sports Editor
Alex Mowrey
Photo Editor
Todd Hart
Web/Social Media Editor
Mary Leach
Copy Editor
Kevin Squires
Assistant News Editor
Stephanie Cheek
Assist. Campus Life Editor
Matthew Morgan
Assistant Sports Editor
Rebecca Dietrich
Assistant Photo Editor
LaRae Ferguson Mark Zeltner
Multimedia Reporter Faculty Adviser
ADVERTISING STAFF Karleigh Santry
Advertising Manager
ABOUT US The Rocket is published by the students of Slippery Rock University every Friday during the academic semester with the exception of holidays, exam periods and vacations. Total weekly circulation is 3,000. No material appearing in The Rocket may be reprinted without the written consent of the Editor-in-Chief. The first copy of The Rocket is provided free of charge. Additional copies may be purchased for 50 cents each. The Rocket receives approximately five percent of its funding from the SGA General Service fee paid each semester by students. All other income is provided through the sale of advertising. Advertising inquiries may be made by calling (724) 7382643 or by e-mailing rocket.ads@sru.edu.
CORRECTIONS If we make a substantial error, we want to correct it. If you believe an error has been made, call The Rocket newsroom at (724) 738-4438. If a correction is warranted it will be printed in the opinion section.
SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions to The Rocket are available. Subscriptions are $20 per academic semester and $35 for the full academic year. Inquiries should be directed to the Editor-in-Chief at the address listed here.
GRAPHIC BY REBECCA DIETRICH
SRU should not leave state system if option were to become available Recently, a bill that is aimed at allowing larger, financially stable universities in the state system to secede from the system was introduced in the Pa. Senate. Under the legislation, qualifying member universities of Pennsylvania’s State System for Higher Education (PASSHE) could leave the system and become a state related university like Penn State, Temple, University of Pittsburgh and Lincoln Universities. Of the schools in western Pennsylvania – California, Clarion, Edinboro, Indiana and Slippery Rock – only Clarion University would not qualify to split away. The bill, introduced by State Sens. Robert Tomlinson, R-Bucks, and Andrew Dinniman, D-Chester, is meant to address funding gaps in the state system and enrollment declines at its schools. We think that the bill would do more harm than good for the system, eventually leading
to higher tuition prices and weakening and/or dissolving faculty and staff unions. “There will be a natural proclivity to want to raise tuition and fees when that independence is there and you become a state related,” PASSHE Chancellor Frank Brogan said. Chancellor Brogan pointed out the state system schools like Slippery Rock currently charge about $7,000 a year, and the independent state schools like the University of Pittsburgh and Penn State are about $10,000 more. How can we, as students, possibly support something that will cost us more money, adding thousands of dollars to our already high debt load? The main area of support for the bill comes from West Chester University, a university 45 minutes outside of Philadelphia. One of the bill’s sponsors, Republican State Senator Tommy Tomlinson, is a West Chester trustee. According to Inside Higher Ed, the university’s foundation
In the Quad In the Quad is a segment in which random students, faculty and staff are asked for their opinions on a specific topic.
has even hired a PR firm to lobby for the bill. West Chester is the only university in the system that is steadily gaining students. Over the past decade, twelve of the 14 universities lost enrollment, including six that suffered double-digit percentage declines; another had only a 0.4 percent gain, according to Inside Higher Ed. The ‘divide and conquer’ plan that West Chester seems to be in favor of perhaps has not taken under consideration that state related schools, such as Pitt and Penn State, succeed in part due to the large amount of branch campuses they have as a financial support base – a base the PASSHE schools do not have to rely upon. The split from PASSHE would undoubtedly raise tuition for all students, when affordable education is the mission of the state system. With that in mind, we could not possibly support any institution leaving, especially Slippery Rock University.
This week’s question: Do you think SRU should leave the PASSHE state system if they could?
EDITORIAL POLICY The Rocket strives to present a diverse range of opinions that are both fair and accurate in its editorials and columns appearing on the Opinion pages. “Our View” is the opinion of the Editorial Board and is written by Rocket editorial board members. It reflects the majority opinion of The Rocket Editorial Board. “Our View” does not necessarily reflect the views of Slippery Rock University, its employees or its student body. Columns and cartoons are drafted by various individuals and only reflect the opinions of the columnists.
LETTERS POLICY The Rocket welcomes letters to the editor and guest columns, but does not guarantee their publication. The Rocket retains the right to edit or reject any material submitted. Submitted material becomes the property of The Rocket and cannot be returned. Anonymous submissions will not be published. Those who submit letters must identify themselves by name, year in school, major and/or group affiliation, if any. Please limit letters to a maximum of 400 words. Submit all material by noon Wednesday to: The Rocket, 220 ECB, Slippery Rock University, Slippery Rock, Pa. 16057. Or send it via e-mail to: rocket.letters@sru.edu.
Dr. Tom Flynn Communication Dept. Youngstown, Ohio “There are benefits and there are drawbacks to doing so. Change is always a scary thing. I think that SRU has a number of strengths that would allow it to thrive and survive outside of the PASSHE system, but I’m not sure I would want them to leave. It might endanger the mission to provide outstanding affordable education if we did leave.”
Dr. Frances Amatucci Business Department Sewickley, Pa. “Yes, I think it presents very exciting opportunities for growth and innovation.”
Dr. Cindy LaCom Women’s Studies/English Department California Bay Area “No, I think it would be a mistake because our union APSCUF does a lot work protecting our rights and benefits and without the 14 state system universities our union wouldn’t have as much power. Also, because we are part of a state system we are able to provide affordable education to people who may otherwise not be able to come to college.”
OPINION
March 28, 2014
QUESTION OF
B-2
Michelle @MichelleSFTS @TallGuyBill
THE WEEK
@SRURocket how about my failed hopes and dreams along with my 2 degrees from SRU.
The Rocket @SRURocket #Opinion Question of the Week: SRU is putting together a time capsule in honor of our 125th Anniversary. What do you think should go in it?
Bradley Windhorst™ @bradwindhorst @SRURocket @SRUPB @SRSGA @SRUgwsociety @SRUCSIL A picture of old main, a SRU rock stress-reliever, and a copy of our budget crisis. Kelsey Reese @KesleyLReese @SRURocket the three printers in the 2nd floor mini lab in ECB.
TWEET @SRURocket Need your voice to be heard? Want to be featured on The Rocket’s opinion pages? Tweet the @SRURocket and use #opinion for your chance to be featured weekly.
Dubz @sdubz @SRURocket Twilight... #opinion @parksandrecnbc
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The views expressed in the “Letters to the Editor” section are those of the writer(s) alone. The Rocket cannot verify all facts presented in a given letter, but if we are aware of an error or omission, we reserve the right to include an editorial note for accuracy’s sake.
Condom vending machines promote wellness to students Letter to the Editor, We are writing in response to “Instagram Pic of the Week”. The picture was of the condom vending machine found in the Bailey Library, provided by the Protection Connection. The comment below the picture stated “This condom vending machine needs to be in the library because……??” It is provided because we HOPE to meet the wellness needs of our students. The Protection Connection office is organized and run by HOPE Peer Educators. HOPE stands for Healthy Outreach through Peer Education, meaning peers educate students on campus about health and safety. We have provided the students with condom vending machines throughout the campus in order to give the students easy access to safer sex supplies at a reduced fee. The vending machines
can be found in the Health Center, the Women’s Center, the restrooms at Boozel Dining Hall, and yes, in the Bailey Library. The Student Health Advisory Board (SHAB) discussed where one of our vending machines should be placed and concluded that the library would be a good location. The library is a facility that all students have access to and may attend regularly. Our goal as Peer Educators is to make sure students are being safe on campus. Statistics have shown that the percentage of sexually transmitted infections (STI) has been on the rise on Slippery Rock’s campus. In a recent survey, it was found that 71 percent of the students here at Slippery Rock have reported having a sexual partner within the last 12 months (ACHA-NCHA survey, April 2013, 1,140 students participate). Of the students being tested for STI’s on campus, 12 percent have tested positive for
Chlamydia, and 2 percent have tested positive for Gonorrhea. According to the Center for Disease Control, approximately 19 million new infections occur each year and half of those infections occur in those ages 15-24. By the age of 24, 1 in 3 sexually active people will have contracted an STI. Providing reduced fee safer sex supplies to SRU students provides them with a choice. Students can choose not to have sex and for students who choose to have sex they have access to the only form of birth control that provides STI protection. Our HOPE is that providing safer sex supplies in a comfortable atmosphere, an easy access location and at a reduced fee for those who choose to have sex, gives them the means to practice safer sex. Sincerely, The HOPE Peer Educators
Spring semester speeding Students signing petitions to end by, students should take words will not evoke social change time to enjoy the moment
Casey Young Casey’s Corner, Consider This Casey Young is a sophomore Communication-Journalism major from Orchard Park, NY. After a mid-second-semester break, everyone is back into the hustle and bustle of classes and responsibilities. A one week break of fun and relaxation has been met with the return to Slippery Rock. Now the countdown to summer begins. It seems like we have no time at all until summer break becomes our next reality. With the last official day of the semester being May 10, there are only six weeks to get through. With all of the weekends that includes - start packing. With a shortened winter break, compared to the lengthy one last year, the school year ends in early May. I have not met one person on campus thus far to complain about the change. Even though students and
faculty have less time to relax in Jan., an extension of summer break is granted. I do not know about you, but basking in the glow of the sun an extra week sounds much better than freezing inside by the fire. I would much rather be in class during the cold months so I am not restlessly waiting to go outside and enjoy the nice weather in the warm ones. I am crossing my fingers that the schedule for the 2014-2015 school year will mirror that of this year and not the last. Some schools even end in late April, which does not sound like a bad idea for Slippery Rock. It seems ironic that those who are in college now are anxious for it to end, while those who are done wish they could slow down, go back, and relive that time. Everyone always comments on how college “flies by” and to enjoy it because it is the “best time of your life.” Maybe we should sit back and enjoy the ride. Second semester has been speeding along in a hurry, and summer is not too far off. With six weeks left we can all daydream about the warm summer months to come. However, maybe we should all try to slow down the whirlwind and enjoy the moment. Except for finals week, that we can skip.
Vince Scalamogna Commentary Vince Scalamogna is a freshman journalism major from Seven Fields, Pa. Students signing the petition to end the words “retard” and “retarded” is an ineffective way of getting a point across. I don’t use that slang. I think other people that say it are feeble-minded and won’t change their language no matter how many signatures appear on that petition. First, let’s think about other more noteworthy things students at Slippery Rock could be signing. The first thing that comes to mind is that students should sign a petition that they promise to graduate from college. Imagine how many people lack a college education and put into mind how much better our world would be if everyone were college educated. Now that’s something I would sign. Something else I would sign would be a petition promising
that students will never drive drunk. Get all the drunk drivers off the road. Now there’s something I would rather see than have people stop using the words “retard” and “retarded.” See the banishing of those words won’t change anything. People will still use those words and in some instances it’s educational to use such language. Discussing mental retardation in a history class is one hundred percent appropriate as it has educational value and students can understand the troubles the mentally retarded have had to go through. Back to the other suggestions to better petitions, one petition could be that students sign in support of an end to racism. Who wants racism? I would sign a petition to outlaw racism. Racism isn’t gone. There is still a racial divide in this country, at least. If you don’t believe me, watch the news. Let’s take a look at something else problematic like drugs. Oh, some people just think it’s natural for teenagers or college students to engage in drug use. Your response should be, “What!?” Indeed, people do think drug use is natural and that it’s not harmful. See they are ignoring the facts. They are promoting the derelict parents in this world. They are also the same people that are saying, “All these
people are in jail for nonviolent crimes when they sell drugs.” You would be surprised- or not so much depending on who you are. There are celebrities that say there are too many people in jail for selling drugs. No matter who you are, when you sell drugs you deserve to be locked up for a while. Drugs are poison. They kill people. They enslave. They destroy what’s magnificent about humanity. So how’s about everyone sign a petition to promise never to do drugs? Does that sound like something more worthwhile? It should. It will make good people proud. The signing of that petition to end words is doing nothing. I have noticed no progress. Progress is not made when the message can exploited and torn to shreds such as right here and put emphasis on the “right here” part. This is public. You’re reading it. I don’t hesitate to say that a petition is doing nothing to end mental retardation or the disrespect the mentally retarded face. Now let’s figure out what all this is about. It’s about political correctness. Political correctness is an embarrassment to America. It does nothing. It keeps people back from stating an opinion just because someone else might be offended. Look, I get that slang is offensive. It’s simple. There are things we just shouldn’t say.
March 28, 2014
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C COMICS
Horoscopes By Nancy Black Tribune Content Agency (MCT)
COMICS Mr. Pasta Cat I‛m tired of always trying to live up to people‛s fickle expectations of who I should be. I‛m going to do something I should have done a long time ago.
By Jack Johnehsick I‛m launching myself into space.
Goodbye friends, I‛ll never forget the time we‛ve spent together. I‛m off to seek out new life and new civilizations. To boldly go where no cat has gone before!
And I think it's gonna be a long, long time ‘til touch down brings me round again to find I'm not the man they think I am at home Oh no, no, no, I'm a rocket man! Rocket man, burning out his fuse up here alone. And I think it's gonna be a long, long time ‘til touch down brings me round again to find I'm not the man they think I am at home Oh no, no, no, I'm a rocket man Rocket man, burning out his fuse up here alone. Mars ain't the kind of place to raise your kids. In fact it's cold as hell And there's no one there to raise them if you did and all this science, I don't understand It's just my job five days a week. A rocket man, a rocket man.*
Mr. Pasta Cat is a comic. It comes with commentary. * Sir Elton John is in no way affiliated with Mr. Pasta Cat. All rights to Mr. Pasta Cat belong to the Mr. Pasta Cat estate. The lyrics to “Rocket Man” by Sir Elton John are being used in an entirely satirical manner and should not be used for financial or sensual gain without the permission of the Sir Elton John.
What‛s he going to do? Launch himself into space?
How predictable.
I always knew he would never amount to much.
Today's Birthday (03/28/14). It's a banner year for artistic expression and creativity. Pour emotion and passion into your work, and your career grows in satisfaction and profit. Improve your home's beauty and functionality, for a springtime social flurry. After August, reign with compassion. Play with young people. The more fun the game, the greater reward. Hone in on what you love. To get the advantage, check the day's rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.
Best in Show
By Phil Juliano
Aries (March 21-April 19) -- Today is a 7 -- Your dreams feel prophetic today and tomorrow. There's a positive shift emotionally. Express compassion, and gain more than expected. Big changes become possible. Check out an interesting suggestion. Conserve resources. A friend shows you the way. Taurus (April 20-May 20) -- Today is a 6 -- Your team delivers the goods. Get creative, and the results go farther than imagined. Change it up some. Research new paradigms and opportunities. Look at a market farther out. Set lofty goals, and cheer them together. Gemini (May 21-June 20) -- Today is a 6 -- Make long-range plans, including a happy rise in status. Emotions could also arise over the next two days. Foster peace and release. It may take patience. Persuade a partner with a good fantasy. Your spirit gets moved.
Brewster Rockit: Space Guy
By Tim Rickard
Cancer (June 21-July 22) -- Today is a 7 -- An older dream could be possible, so take notes for future reference if you can't go now. Travel delights. A small investment produces high returns. A penny saved is a penny earned. Joy expands to fill the space. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Today is a 6 -- Organize your finances today and tomorrow. Grow your family's wealth. Learn a trick from someone you love. Research doubtful areas and get to the bottom. Reward yourself with some romantic rest and recreation. Play with your partner. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Today is a 7 -- Share dreams with your partners today and tomorrow. There's plenty of help available. Tease a family member into going along. A team effort gets much farther. Talk about long-term visions, and create ways to support each other. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) -- Today is an 8 -- You'll save by doing the work yourself. Loved ones believe you can succeed. A good teaching opportunity arises. Express your affection. A bit of mystery is good now. Gentle persuasion works better with others. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -- Today is a 7 -- Talk about long-term plans and dreams with family and friends. Include fun in the picture. Your best ideas come from home. You have plenty of support. Invite friends over to play. Invent a cool game. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -- Today is a 6 -- Gentle changes at home go over better than brusque ones. Plan a party at your house, and use that as excuse to fix up the place. Authorize improvements. Include candles. Write up something to say. Share a dream. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Today is a 7 -- You feel like you're emerging from a cocoon today and tomorrow. Reveal your secret. Talk about a dream. Confer with your team. Circumstances shift to open new avenues. Think about it from a long-term perspective. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -- Today is an 8 -- The next two days get quite profitable. Keep your objective in mind. Work now, and play in a few days. Add glamour. Bring it closer with a gift or phone call. Make a private presentation. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -- Today is an 8 -- A dream or vision could go farther than imagined. Talk about your passion. You're especially lovable for the next two days. New opportunities arise to make use of your talents. Adapt as the situation changes. (c)2013 bY NANCY BLACK DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Bliss
By Harry Bliss
March 28, 2014
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INSIDE SPORTS
Outdoor Track
Rock Tennis
The Slippery Rock men's and women's outdoor track teams jump into season with Shamrock Invitational over Spring Break.
Slippery Rock University women's tennis suffered a lopsided loss, 2-7, against the Mercyhurst Lakers Tuesday.
See Page C-2
See Page C-2
SPORTS
IUP takes weekend series from Rock By Ryan Barlow Rocket Contributor
PHOTO COURTESY OF SPORTS INFORMATION
Freshman infielder Ty Zimmerman squares up in the batters box during a game against the IUP Crimson Hawks. Zimmerman hit .333 in the IUP series.
PHOTO COURTESY OF SPORTS INFORMATION
Redshirt sophomore pitcher Jon Anderson delivers a pitch during a game during the team's Spring Break trip to Florida.
T h e Sl ipp e r y R o ck baseball team defeated Indiana University of Pa. on Sunday afternoon to conclude a four game series in which Slippery Rock lost three games. Head coach Jeff Messer was displeased with the team’s play but is still very optimistic about his team in the long run. “IUP played pretty, but I think we are a better team,” Messer said. “We didn’t prove it this weekend, but the good thing is that we still have 24 more conference games and we’re only two games out of first place.” Games one and two were both played at Slippery Rock’s Jack Critchfield Park on Saturday, where Indiana won both games by the scores of 1-4, and 1-3. The Rock then traveled to IUP to finish off the series, losing game three 1-3 before winning game four 9-4. Junior Garret Peterson was on the mound to start game one for Slippery Rock. Peterson lasted six innings, allowing three runs on three hits, walking three and striking out three. Freshman James Divosevic came in to pitch in the top of the seventh, giving up one run on two hits, and striking out one. Peterson was credited with the loss, and his record now stands at 2-1. T h e Sl ipp e r y R o ck offense was able to out hit Indiana with seven hits to their five, but were unable to put many runs on the board. The Rock’s only run came in the third inning when junior Adam Urbania hit an RBI single to right field, scoring senior G r a e m e Z ap ar z y n s k i . Senior Will Kengor and
redshirt sophomore Kyle Vozar each had two hits in the game as well. Junior Anton Constantino started the game at pitcher in game two. Constantino threw a strong five and one thirds innings, allowing just one run on five hits, walking three and striking out two. Senior John Kovalik entered the game in the middle of the sixth, and remained on the mound for the remainder of the game. Kovalik allowed two runs on two hits, and struck out one batter. The Rock’s offense was held scoreless until the seventh and final inning of game two. Sophomore Jordan Faretta forced in Slippery Rock’s lone run with and RBI single, scoring Urbania. Faretta tallied two hits in game two, while senior Brandon Myers added one more to the Rock’s total of three hits. Slippery Rock’s offense was once again unable to get going in game three on Sunday afternoon. Slippery Rock was once again held to three total hits. Freshman Ty Zimmerman hit an RBI single in the fourth inning, scoring Faretta for the Rock’s only run of the game. Senior Jake Weibley and Urbania each tallied one hit for Slippery Rock. Junior Kyle Schneider pitched the entire game for Slippery Rock in game three. Schneider allowed three runs on ten hits, struck out three, and did not allow any walks. The Rock’s offense came out swinging in game four, led by redshirt freshman Logan Brown who went 5-5 in the game. Brown began his hot streak in the first inning with an RBI single, scoring sophomore Alex Bell. In his next atbat, Brown doubled to
left-center, once again bringing Bell across the plate. Kengor hit an RBI single in the fourth, scoring Zimmerman. Zimmerman was credited with an RBI after he drew a walk with the bases loaded in the fifth, scoring Brown from third. Logan Brown was again came through with runners on base in the sixth with an RBI single scoring Kengor. Two batters later, Faretta came through with another RBI single scoring Bell. Brown then came up again in the seventh, smacking another RBI double. Vozar then followed with a two RBI single, scoring both Brown and Urbania. “I just went up there trying to be aggressive, and I got some good pitches to hit,” Brown said. “It felt good to finally start hitting the ball well, and it also felt good to come through at the right time.” Redshirt sophomore Jon Anderson started game four for Slippery Rock. He lasted four and one third innings, allowing two runs on three hits, but walking eight and striking out one. Senior Ryan Oglesby replaced Anderson in the fifth, throwing for one and two thirds innings, allowing no runs on one hit, walking one and striking out two. Kovalik then entered the game in the seventh to close out the victory, but did allow two runs on two hits. Slippery Rock will play a four game series starting on Friday with California University of Pennsylvania. Games one and two will be played at California, but games three and four will be played at Slippery Rock’s Jack Critchfield Park on Saturday at 1 and 3 p.m. Slippery Rock will also host Clarion University for a doubleheader on Tuesday, April 1.
LAX offense stifled by Griffins NFL being driven by greed By Matthew Morgan Assistant Sports Editor
The Slippery Rock University women’s lacrosse team (3-3, 0-1 PSAC) fell to the Griffins of Seton Hill (62, 1-2 PSAC) in the Green and White’s first PSAC competition of the season. The Griffins won the match by a score of 10-9 on home turf. “What’s killing us is our turnovers,” SRU head coach Emily Hopkins said. “Their (Seton Hill’s) goalies only had three saves all game. We need to protect the ball and take advantage of the opportunities we get.” The loss to Seton hill by
a one-goal margin is the second in a row for Slippery Rock. SRU fell to Shepherd University in overtime on Saturday 16-17. “These close games all depend on our level of intensity, which has been lacking,” freshman attacker Chynna Chan said. The nine goals scored in the game by SRU is the lowest thus far this season. The teams played rather evenly throughout the game aside from a 3-0 Seton Hill run put together in either half. The first run handed the Griffin’s a 5-2 lead in the first half, the second coming after halftime and put Seton Hill to a 9-6 lead. Slippery Rock trailed 10-7 with 14:39 remaining in the
game. SRU scored two goals during the rest of the game, falling one goal short of overtime, 10-10. Junior Paige Costantino led SRU with five points from three goals and two assists. Sophomore Erin Wilcox added three goals for the Rock and sophomore Kaitlyn Callaghan added two goals. Sophomore Hannah Houde had 15 saves for SRU while allowing ten goals. Sophomore Emily Fagan led Seton Hill with three goals and two assists. Junior Emma Simmers added four goals for the Griffins and was the leading scorer of the game. The game SEE ROCK, PAGE C-2
Steven Bartley "View from the Cheap Seats" Steven Bartley is a senior journalism major and a regular contributor to The Rocket.
Mark Cuban was quoted last week as saying that in 10 years greed will kill the NFL. The fact that a billionaire said that to another billionaire is troubling. Cuban is one of the most outspoken figures in the industry. He’s the owner of the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA and has shown multiple interests in buying a baseball team. Cuban was not wrong with his statements, but I question
whether it will be solely greed that kills the NFL. The NFL, realistically, will never die. The franchises are extremely marketable and the players are becoming known without their helmets on, increasing their marketing value. The most successful franchises are competing year after year for championships and making SEE EXECUTIVE, PAGE C-3
SPORTS
C-2
March 28, 2014
Rock prepares for Rams Women focus on outdoor title By Kristin Karam Sports Editor
REBECCA DIETRICH/THE ROCKET
Sophomore attacker Anna-Marie Warrington looks to make a move to the goal against the West Virginia Wesleyan Bobcats on Mar. 5.
Continued from Page C 1
ended with the Griffins more than doubling the amount of Slippery Rock’s attempted shots, 39-17. “In order for us to make a strong push towards playoffs, we need to believe in ourselves,” freshman Chynna Chan said. “We have the skill and speed, we are fully capable of taking the PSACS by storm, we just need to be confident in our abilities to get us there.” Chan places fifth on the team thus far this season in points as a freshman. “My coaches and teammates push me to work hard and get better everyday, and that is all I can ask for,” Chan said. Slippery Rock’s next game comes Friday afternoon when they visit West Chester University for a 3 p.m. game. “We are trying to make some adjustments. The games we have lost, we made mistakes,” Hopkins said. “Too many turnovers, not enough shots. We are studying their film and seeing where they are at." The West Chester Rams are ranked 10th in the nation, the second nationally ranked team that SRU has played this season.
After winning the indoor PSAC Championship less than three weeks ago, the Slippery Rock women’s outdoor track and field team began the road to the outdoor championship with 23 PSAC qualifying marks at the Shamrock Invitational at Myrtle Beach. “Winning the indoor PSAC is an indicator that our women can do very well at the outdoor PSAC,” head coach John Papa said. “The other PSAC teams will be gunning for us, so we need to do our best.” During his time with the program, Papa has coached his teams to PSAC Championships in the indoor and outdoor events during the same year. The women’s team dominated the championships from 2007-2009, winning each championship over the three years. Papa hopes to see this team accomplish the same feat. “Our goal is to win this outdoor PSAC meet as well,” Papa said. “It’s a big challenge to get everyone at their best for a championship performance like the one we had at the indoor PSAC, but I think the athletes and coaches will be ready.” The Shamrock Invitational gave the athletes the opportunity to train and compete in their events away from the harsh weather in Pa. “The poor weather will have an impact on our training,” Papa said. “We will have to
adapt and adjust to get in the training that we feel the athletes need.” Sophomore Sam Taylor took advantage of the warmer temperatures in Myrtle Beach and hit the NCAA provisional standard in the javelin for the second week in a row. Taylor threw for 42.68 meters and finished fourth. “My goals are to keep working to help my team succeed in hopefully taking home the outdoor title,” Taylor said. “For nationals, I want to come home an Academic and Athletic All-American.” Taylor’s marks have already guaranteed her a spot in the national championship. Junior Janine Powis placed seventh in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:14.57. The 4x100-meter relay team of freshman Julie Galante, sophomore Emily Moroco, junior Katelyn Wetzel and sophomore Jasmine Bailey ran a time of 47.34 seconds and finished seventh. Sophomore Breana Northcott qualified in the hammer, discus and shot put events at the invitational. She threw 40.33 meters in the hammer, 39.42 in the discus and 11.90 meters in the shot put. “I think the team is more motivated than ever for the outdoor conference meet,” Taylor said. “We know we have to work hard to produce the times, distances and heights necessary to win the outdoor title.”
Sophomore Mariah Burns qualified in the triple jump with a mark of 11.38 meters while sophomore Ashley West qualified in the high jump with a clearance of 1.60 meters. In the pole vault, sophomore Michaela Kasik qualified with a 3.20 meter clearance. Throughout the heptathlon event, freshman Sabrina Anderson, freshman Caryl Evans, sophomore Kelly Beyer and senior Tara Catone reached PSAC marks. Anderson qualified during the high jump with a clearance of 1.67 meters and also during the 100-meter hurdles at 15.73 seconds. Evans qualified during the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 15.86 seconds. Beyer qualified in the high jump with a clearance of 1.58 meters and Catone qualified in the javelin at 38.69 meters. Catone led the heptathlon athletes with a 13th place finish at 3,857 points. Sophomore London Parris finished ninth in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 15.20 seconds. Junior Angelica Bagwell and freshman Kaylee Haberkam hit PSAC marks in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with times of 11:34.14 (Bagwell) and 11:55.07 (Haberkam). SRU will look to qualify more athletes for the PSAC Championships and take advantage of the warmer weather this weekend when they compete in the Raleigh Relays at North Carolina State.
Women's tennis served Men's track qualifies 21 first PSAC loss of season at Shamrock Invitational By Brittany Fagan Rocket Contributor
The Slippery Rock women’s tennis team began their Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference play Tuesday with a 2-7 loss to Mercyhurst University. The team traveled to the Pennbriar Athletic Club in Erie where the Lakers improved their record to 10-3, while the Rock watched their season record fall 7-8. Mercyhurst was coming off of a six match winning streak, where they sealed the seventh win against Slippery Rock. Jerome Simon, head coach of both men’s and women’s tennis at Mercyhurst University, also led the team to a win against SRU last year with a score of 5-4. The ladies also made their way to the PSAC Championships in their 2013 season. The Lakers are currently fifth on the Atlantic Region rankings, while Slippery Rock’s Matthew Meredith guides his team in sixth place. The Rock played three doubles teams and six singles teams at Tuesday’s match. Senior Nikolina Grbac was teamed with senior Sarah Joumond for the first doubles team and senior Lauren Coggins and freshman Stephanie Fortier made up the second team. Sophomore Courtney Gallagher and
freshman Kylee Woodman made up the final doubles team. Gallagher and Woodman were the only doubles team for the Rock to win a set with a score of 8-3. “The third doubles team played strong against Mercyhurst and really took care of business,” head coach Matt Meredith said. The ladies were also pleased with their performance Tuesday night, compared to their last win against Millersville. “We knew that we couldn't take Mercyhurst lightly,” Gallagher said. “The Millersville match got us really pumped up for the rest of our PSAC matches for the remainder of the season.” All six girls played in the singles matches as well. Nikolina Grbac was the only scorer in the singles match with scores of 6-3 and 6-0. “Nikolina has been playing good tennis this season,” Meredith said. “She has been very competitive in every match.” The team plans to be more productive in their upcoming PSAC matches. “I’d really like to see more points scored in our doubles,” Meredith said. “I know that we are more than capable of doing this as well as stepping up our game.” Gallagher agrees that the team must focus on their doubles next match.
“We just have to play our individual game," Gallagher said. "Sometimes players tend to play the way their opponents play and then they end up beating themselves instead of beating their opponent. If we just keep working hard in doubles and playing our game in matches, we'll be successful in our next two matches.” According to the Atlantic Region rankings, Grbac has been ranked fourth overall in her singles matches this season in the entire region. In addition to this achievement, Grbac has also made her mark on the Atlantic Region doubles team ranking, where her and Joumond rank seventh. Joining her teammates in their successes is Coggins, who is completing her final season here at Slippery Rock this spring. Coggins has accumulated a career record of 105-58 over four seasons on the team. She is currently ninth on the AllTime Wins List of Slippery Rock University where she is six wins shy of matching the number one player Dunja Drmac, a 2012 Slippery Rock graduate. With five spring break matches and one PSAC match behind them, the ladies look to improve their season record at their upcoming duals against both Clarion and IUP. The Green and White will face division rival Clarion on Sunday.
By Christian Stangroom Rocket Contributor
The Slippery Rock men's outdoor track and field team reached 21 PSAC qualifying standards and one NCAA mark at the Shamrock Invitational at Myrtle Beach last weekend. Redshir t f reshman Ty ler Kachelries recorded the only NCAA mark for SRU with a 61.58 meter throw in the javelin. Kachelries placed sixth in the event. “Ty is a dedicated worker and a student of throwing the javelin," head coach John Papa said. "We feel that he can be a consistent top performer in the PSAC, and compete at the Division II national level. He’s redshirted because he was having some elbow problems.” Kachelries was followed by sophomore Max Knight, who placed 11th in the event with a throw of 56.59 meters. Knight just missed the NCAA provisional mark. Sophomore David Reinhardt placed sixth in the discus with a throw of 45.75 meters in the discus event. Reinhardt also had a 13.62 meter throw in the shot put, and reached the conference mark with a hammer throw toss of 48.58 meters. He was the best-placed rock thrower in three events of the Shamrock Invitational. Senior Billy Martin and junior Nick Turk also reached the PSAC standard in the hammer throw with tosses of 47.61 meters (Martin) and 44.17 meters (Turk). Freshman Jordan Pacheco led SRU pole vaulters with a seventh place finish at a clearance of 4.60 meters.
Sophomore Cody Colagrande and senior John Piserchio both had clearances of 4.45 meters. “Shamrock was a weird meet for me, especially because I really haven’t had a rest since nationals," Pacheco said. "I didn’t feel all that good coming in.” Senior Victor Santoyo also had a seventh place finish in the high jump with a clearance of 1.90 meters. Junior Hunter Williams placed seventh in the 400 meter dash with his fastest time of the season. He ran a time of 48.52 seconds and proceeded to run a time of 22.06 seconds in the 200 meter dash. Wiliams almost reached another season best time in the 200 meter dash. Freshman Brandon Vanderbrook followed Williams in the 200 meter dash with a 22.70 second dash. The best finish of the Invitational came from senior Michael Beegle in the 5,000 meter run. Beegle placed 5th with an impressive time of 15:22.21. The final top-ten finishes came from junior Tyler Melius and sophomore Nate Zigler. Melius placed 9th in the 800 meter run with a time of 1:55.98, and Zigler scored 5,711 points in the decathlon. Senior Andrew Greenslade almost had a top-ten finish in the decathlon with a score of 5,579 points to land him in 11th. The final PSAC standards reached at the Shamrock Invitational came from senior Trevor Foley with a time of 55.33 seconds, and senior Nathaniel Helferrich with a dash of 55.65 seconds in the 400 meter dash. Slippery Rock men’s track will travel to the Carolinas with a trip to the Raleigh Relays at North Carolina State this weekend.
SPORTS
March 28, 2014
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Executive decisions hurting NFL entertainment value
GRAPHIC BY KARLEIGH SANTRY
Continued from Page C 1
impacts off the field as well. The Seattle Seahawks broke the barrier this year with their Super Bowl win, but again we saw one of the Manning brothers right there in the race. Right now football is like baseball, we see the same teams competing year after year, not really a fault of any team or league but its redundant at times. Same teams winning and same teams losing, that does not create new fans. Again nobody’s fault just a fact of time. The NFL used to be very tough, inyour-face football, and quite frankly that is how it should be. Right now the game seems to be in some sort of transition period and I am not sure if that is for the better.
Every year the league is changing up the rules, making the game less entertaining. I hate to compare it to professional wrestling, but is the NFL trying to become PG like WWE? For instance, in wrestling there is no more blood. Most the 80’s and 90’s matches had blood in it. Now you will never see a piece of blood, because they are trying to appeal to a bigger audience and younger crowd. I know were talking real and fake here, but the game has gotten far away from the in-your-face style. For instance kicking off on the 35yard line is and was, in my opinion, a terrible idea. Kickoffs used to be fun and exciting. Fans would never know if their favorite player was going to run a touchdown back or not. Now touchbacks are happening nearly
every time the kicker kicks off. Why would the NFL want to make the games less exciting? Seems they took a few steps back on that one. Slowly but surely they are also getting rid of celebrations in the end zone. I don’t know about most of the readers, but celebrations are very entertaining. Excessive celebrations are what scoring touchdowns is all about. People getting excited for success, doesn’t seem too bad. The NFL is now getting rid of slamming the ball through the uprights, again why? I have to wonder if it all comes down to endorsements. Big companies don’t want to sp onsor non-family f riendly atmospheres. If you see someone pulling out a
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WHY NOT ENROLL IN ONE OF THESE SRU ONLINE LIBERAL STUDIES COURSES THIS SUMMER? • Earn credits and/or raise your SRU GPA to maintain your academic progress for financial aid. • Take courses before tuition rates increase in the fall. • No room and board fees. • Online courses may be taken from your home allowing you to keep your summer job.
SUMMER 2014 ONLINE LIBERAL STUDIES COURSES* PRE-SESSION MAY 14 – MAY 30
Intro to Chemistry – CHEM 104 Public Speaking – COMM 200 Intercultural Communication – COMM 217 Mass Media and Society – COMM 362 College Writing – ENGL 102 Interpreting Literature – ENGL 210 World Literature – ENGL 263 Sel Top: Trickster Mythology – ENGL 298 Discover Geography – GES 100 International Health – HLTH 311 Wellness through Movement – PE342 Concepts of Science w/Lab – PHYS 101 American National Gov’t – POLS 101 The Political Film – POLS 333 Personal Financial Planning – PROF 100
SUMMER SESSION I JUNE 2 – JUNE 27 A member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education
marker and signing a football like Terrell Owens did a couple years ago people tend to back off. Why would I want to sponsor someone that has that kind attitude or reputation? I am not calling Owens a thug, but creates a lot of controversy. The NFL is trying to stay in the family atmosphere. There are so many things that are wrong with football and Roger Goodell is a big piece of the puzzle. He has seen two lockouts, one with the referees and one with the players. Both the players and the refs were looking for a bigger piece of the billion-dollar league and he did not want any part of it. Again, the NFL will never die in my mind. There will always be people wanting to attend games and buying the merchandise, but if they do die it will be self-inflicted.
Intro to Chemistry I – CHEM 104 Communication Concepts – COMM 110 Public Speaking – COMM 200 Computer Concepts – CPSC 110 Productivity Software – CPSC 210 Intro to Criminology – CRIM 110 Crime, Justice & Society – CRIM 333 Principles of Macroeconomics – ECON 201 Principles of Microeconomics – ECON202 College Writing – ENGL 102 Interpreting Literature – ENGL 210 Film Analysis – ENGL 214 Sel Top: Apocalyptic Literature – ENGL 298 Physical Geology – EGEO 101 Oceanography – EGEO 131 World Regional Geography – GES 105
Environ Problems – GES 135 U.S. and Canada – GES 202 International Health – HLTH 311 Human Sexuality – HLTH316 U.S. History Since 1920 – HIST 203 Medical/Hlth Care Ethics – PHIL 325 Business Ethics – PHIL 326 Personal Financial Planning – PROF 100 Race and Ethnic Diversity – PROF 106 Cult Area Studies – Samurai Film – PROF 310 Stats for Social Sciences – PROF 317 Fraud – PROF351 Law and Ethics in Workplace – PROF 352 Developmental Psychology – PSYC 344 Intro to Safety – SAFE 118 Human Diversity – SOWK 105 Intro to Theatre – THEA 141
SUMMER SESSION II JUNE 30 – JULY 28
Beginning Algebra – ACSD 110 Intro to Chemistry I- CHEM 104 Interpreting Literature – ENGL 210 Sel Top: Graphic Novel – ENGL 298 Environmental Geology – EGEO 100 Physical Geology – EGEO 101 Discover Geography – GES 100 United States 1815-1920 – HIST 202 Business Ethics – PHIL 326 Race and Ethnic Diversity – PROF 106 Fraud – PROF 351 Issues in Asia: Wmn in Asian Soc – PROF 360 Human Diversity – SOWK105 Frederick Douglass: Soc & Just Eq – SOWK 230 *Subject to change
THE COMPLETE SUMMER CLASS SCHEDULE IS NOW AVAILABLE AT: WWW.SRU.EDU/MCS OR #8027 2-2014
Students should check their MySRU accounts for registration information and assigned registration dates and times.
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March 28, 2014
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CAMPUS LIFE
INSIDE CAMPUS LIFE Remembering fashion designers
Need for Speed laps Fast and Furious
ROCK'n Fashion's Katie Ellis pays tribute to fashion industry greats who have passed: Alexander McQueen, Gianni Versace and L'Wren Scott.
Need for Speed may appear similar to the Fast and Furious movie franchise, but fasten your seatbelts. You're in for the ride of your life.
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SRU Celebrates its 125th birthday, Green and White Society prepares the party By Jenna Rindy Assistant Campus Life Editor
A campus wide birthday bash was held to celebrate SRU's 125th anniversary. If students and faculty were observing the happenings on campus this Wednesday, they may have noticed the plethora of green and white balloons around the Smith Student Center. Some may have even ventured inside, to discover the greatest part of all birthdays: free food. This Birthday Bash was held for none other than Slippery Rock University. It turned 125 years young this week. The Green and White Society president, and special education and early childhood education major Katie Hill helped run the Birthday Bash. Some of the companies and organizations she and her fellow G&W members collaborated with for this event included The Grove apartment complex, SGA, and the Association of Residence Hall Students (ARHS). AVI provided the food, which included soft pretzels, cupcakes, and cake. Criminology major Kelsi Dobran, 21, is an ambassador for the Green and White Society. She explained that SRU’s president, Dr. Cheryl Norton, and Dr. Robert Watson would both be giving small speeches at the Bash. Dr. Norton became the university’s first female president, after taking the position in 2012. Dr. Watson is the interim vice president for student affairs, and is a descendant of one of SRU’s very first founders. He also happens to be the author of "Slippery Rock University: The Legend Behind the Name." Earlier on that morning was the Founder’s Day
and Patterson. Beginning with just 168 students and three buildings, SRU’s campus has grown to accommodate almost 9,000 students. About 20 families, who all collaborated to purchase 197.75 shares of stock, did the work. Over time, Main Street added another road off of it, one we know today as Morrow Way. The first dorms built, North and South (now Rhoads) Hall, had carpets and bedding hand-sewn by the local women. At the Birthday Bash for SRU, Watson spoke about the preparation of the day. “I want to give full credit to the students” he said. “The Green and White Society put together the whole event. I simply pulled strings when necessary, and helped them out whenever they needed me.” It was also made known that everyone attending was to wear green and white, to honor our university’s colors. A picture taken on the first floor of the Smith ALEX MOWREY/THE ROCKET Center displayed everyone’s President Norton, faculty, staff, and students all pose for a picture at the 125th eagerness to participate in Birthday Party in the Smith Student Center on March 26, 2014. There were multiple wearing green and white. The amount of effort put events on campus along with the birthday party to celebrate the anniversary. into the ceremonies and events on Wednesday was the possibility of creating a higher education extremely apparent, from the decorations on opportunity for their children. The names of a sign outside the Smith Center, to the giant, these families are now names we recognize near elaborate tray of 125 cupcakes. SRU students of all and around campus today, such as Kiester, Miller, different organizations came together to provide Ceremony, held in the Alumni House. Dr. Watson spoke on the history of Slippery Rock University and how it was founded in 1887. According to Watson, the foundations of the university began when citizens gathered to discuss
History of SRU as a normal school is presented for 125th By Katie Ellis Campus Life Contributor
In celebration of SRU’s 125th anniversary, the President’s Commission on the Status of Women hosted the nation’s foremost expert on the history of higher education on Tuesday night, to discuss the country’s earliest Normal Schools. Normal schools developed as the earliest means by which women were able to attend school to get an education. These institutions established classroom standards, or “norms”, for how teachers should educate and what students should be taught. Also sponsored by the Women’s Studies Program, the Women’s Center, College of Education, and the history department, the event fittingly took place during not one, but two celebrations, as March is Women’s History Month. A reception was held for esteemed speaker Dr. Chris Ogren, by the night’s sponsors and was attended by a select group of students and faculty members, including Dr. Cindy LaCom, who was instrumental in organizing the event. LaCom, who works as a professor in the English department, and is a member of the President’s Commission, collaborated with her committee members to find a speaker that would tie together gender issues and education in a way that would highlight the university’s history. “Many normal schools developed into colleges and universities, and Slippery Rock is one of them,” said LaCom. “It seems appropriate because it’s our 125th anniversary, and Women’s History Month, for Chris to come here to speak.” History, gender, and education are treated as separate and distinct issues that can’t be understood without examining their historical context, according to LaCom. “Normal schools gave women the opportunity to be salary earners and to be independent,” LaCom said. “We still live in a world where education is dominated by women, and each of these issues ties together.”
Dr. Nicole Hahna, an assistant professor in the music department, attended the reception for Ogren, and was eager to hear her lecture on her research regarding women and education. As a member of the President’s Commission with LaCom, having the nation’s expert on Normal Schools speak at SRU seemed like a perfect fit. “I’m interested in hearing how women’s roles have changed in the history of education,” Hahna said. “It’s neat to think that Slippery Rock now has its first woman president in its 125 year history.” Finally, time came to hear Ogren speak as guests gathered in the Smith Student Center Ballroom as she lectured on her book, “The American State Normal School", and the issues encompassing these early institutions including perceptions and prestige. The women that attended normal schools at the time of their inception often came from underprivileged backgrounds, as many were the daughters of farmers. A number of the women enrolled in these schools were also “nontraditional students” that were already teaching, but had later decided to get an education. Being able to use telephones, pianos, and indoor plumbing exposed them to the middle-class life, which they were not accustomed to. “Historians have often sold short normal schools,” Ogren said. “Towns would also go so far as to bury their history. I’m happy to see that Slippery Rock hasn’t buried its history as a normal school.” These institutions had low prestige, and the women attending them were being trained for a low status position in society, according to Ogren. Today, status and prestige still impact how teachers are viewed in society. In spite of what was said about normal schools, these women worked hard and wanted to expand their horizons beyond education to learn about culture. Literary societies were established and institutions like Slippery Rock held lectures in the early 1890s, in order to give these women more opportunities. Many of these schools also began to offer liberal arts classes, in addition to subjects like
ALEX MOWREY/THE ROCKET Dr. Chris Ogren presents the historical importance of normal schools, and noted that while many other universities are trying to hide the fact that they were once normal schools, Slippery Rock has embraced its past as a normal school.
Astronomy and Zoology, to further their students’ learning. “Women dissected animals and gathered their own specimen even though it wasn’t considered proper,” Ogren said. “This marked the demand for a higher degree in culture as well.” Normal schools gave women opportunities and financial independence over the course of their history, and are continuing to do so today, now as colleges and universities, a prime example being SRU.
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March 28, 2014
Fashion designers are remembered after their deaths
Katie Ellis "ROCK'n Fashion" Katie Ellis is a junior journalism major and a regular contributor to The Rocket.
Away from the glamorous, colorful world of fashion lies a dark side filled with tragic moments that rarely take center stage. Three of fashion’s brightest designers over the course of the last 20 years, Gianni Versace, Alexander McQueen, and L’Wren Scott, all died while helming revered fashion houses during the height of their careers. In 1978, Gianni Versace established his luxury brand, and released his first collection at a presentation held in Milan. After the unprecedented success of his first line, he enlisted his sister Donatella to oversee the company’s first advertising campaign done in partnership with photographer Richard Avedon the following year. Credited with starting the supermodel movement in the 1990s, he enlisted the world’s top models to walk the runway for his fall show in 1991, a trend that still continues today. Six years later after the Versace label was catapulted into the spotlight as a celebrity favorite, thanks to the “safety-pin dress”, Gianni was murdered by a serial killer outside of his Miami Beach home in July 1997. Today, Donatella presides over the Versace brand as its artistic director, and their brother Santo serves as chairman and CEO. The Versace brand was able to survive a terrible loss to become one of the world’s most iconic high-end retailers, boasting numerous spin-off
PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS Fashion designers such as Gianni Versace may have passed on, but their style legacies live on through the continued sales of their clothing and accessories.
lines including the epitome of glamour, Atelier Versace. Rebel was a word often used to describe the late Alexander McQueen, who was no stranger to pushing the limits of fashion. He started his label in 1992, and for decades kept people on the edge of their seats, waiting to see what the theme of his collections would be. Often times his runway shows were marked by controversy because of their subject matter, most notably his fall 1995 collection that revolved around the brutal fighting between the Scottish and the English. While his looks were often dark, the theme of empowering women was a constant element in every show he ever held, and in every garment he designed. Controversy aside, McQueen was
a visionary whose skills were recognized by the British Fashion Council, who awarded him the title of “Designer of the Year” four times. Although his life was filled with success and love from the fashion community, he committed suicide in February 2010. Sarah Burton was named creative director of Alexander McQueen following his death, and has worked to continue his legacy, but from a fresher, more optimistic viewpoint. Burton was catapulted to worldwide fame after she created Kate Middleton’s wedding dress in 2011, lifting the brand up and into a positive light after the hard times following McQueen’s untimely death. Four years into the Burton-era, business is booming thanks to her impeccable eye for design and respect for her mentor. Fashion’s most recent tragedy occurred on March 17 after designer L’Wren Scott committed suicide in her New York apartment. The former model led a glamorous life after she left the catwalk behind to work as a stylist on a number of ad campaigns, and as an advisor to Nicole Kidman. Her training as a stylist gave her the foundation to start her own label to create pieces for her celebrity clientele. She understood how to design pieces for a woman’s body, which is something that was highly appreciated by the women of Hollywood, who often wore her designs to premieres and awards shows. Her company suffered from debt, although her longtime love Mick Jagger helped to fund her brand in years past. At the time of her death, speculation ran wild that she was planning to announce the closure of her label in a matter of days. She leaves behind a label that was just six years-old, and a legacy of dresses that made women feel beautiful and celebrated. After new leaders were appointed to take the helm at Versace and Alexander McQueen following the passing of their founders, each of these labels has been able to forge ahead into new eras of prosperity. With Scott’s passing just over a week ago, only time will tell whether or not her label can survive her death, and turn a tragic situation into one of triumph.
Fast and Furious leaves Need for Speed in the dust, but still wor th a watch
Jimmy Graner "Jimmy G's Rock Reviews"
4 Stars Jimmy Graner is a junior journalism major and film and media studies minor and a regular contributor to The Rocket.
In 1 9 9 4 , Pi on e e r Productions as well as Electronic Arts developed a game called Road and Track Presents: The Need for Speed. The premise of the game involved cars racing against each other in attempts to finish first. Since that time, developers have released 19 titles, each one bigger and better than its predecessor. Exactly 20 years later, the game everyone has grown to love has moved from the game system to the big screen. But will watching be just as good as playing? Need for Speed, directed by Scott Waugh, follows a former race car driver by the name of Tobey Marshall (Aaron Paul), who along with a few close personal friends, races and tunes cars while trying to make ends meet. After winning a race one night, he finds out that a former rival of his, Dino Brewster (Dominic
PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS (From left) Tobey Marshall (Aaron Paul) faces rival Dino Brewster (Dominic Cooper) in the high-speed adventure film Need for Speed directed by Scott Waugh. The movie is similar to the Fast Furious movies, but focuses more on the art of driving.
Cooper) has come to town looking for him and his crew to help finish a Shelby Mustang that Carroll Shelby had started working on before his death. If agreed, Tobey as well as his crew would get 25 percent of the profit made by the finished product. After everything is set and completed, Dino decides to make a wager with Tobey for his cut. So the two of them as well as Tobey’s partner Little Pete, race across the interstate, winner taking all. Afraid of losing, Dino lightly taps Little Pete’s car sending it spiraling in the air off a bridge as it bursts into
flames. Tobey stops and drives back to bare-witness to the madness. When police show up, Dino is nowhere to be found, and Tobey is charged with involuntary manslaughter. After serving two years in jail, Tobey is released, and must now retaliate in the race of all races for millions of dollars as well as avenging the death of his beloved partner. From start to finish, the film is an all out rush. The idea of getting behind a wheel and breaking all the rules is something we all think about. Of course none of us actually do it.
The overall thought process is mind-boggling. We want to feel as if we are sitting in that exact driver seat. The camera is placed so well in every shot, it’s almost as if we are watching an episode of Cops, even if the person behind the wheel is considered a non-criminal. Flying through the air, driving alongside a mountain and even being carried by a military helicopter is all the adrenaline anyone would need. That and maybe a sexy goddess behind the wheel, but let’s not spoil everything. But like every racing
film, not a lot happens. We understand that the premise is to run from the cops and beat whoever is in front you. The problem is, we need to have something that breaks us from the constant pace. Although this movie may be an exception, because it is solely based on racing, we like a spread of ideas that progress the storyline to its conclusion. The Fast and Furious franchise beats them by a mile here, but Need for Speed is more about the art of driving. Seeing a popular game come to life beats the actual playing any day.
March 28, 2014
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Accounts of hope told during the Jewish Holocaust By Stephanie Cheek Assistant Campus Life Editor
When students hear the word Holocaust, thoughts of death, Hitler, concentration camps, gas chambers, and the Jewish community at the time fill their heads. Dr. Paul R. Bartrop, Professor of History at the Florida Gulf Coast University, devoted time to focus on the evil seen during Holocaust, but also the accounts of hope that can be seen throughout the genocide. “The work in which I engage is all too often marked by the most awful manifestations of human behavior. This is why I like to search out cases that might lift me out of the horror,” Bartrop stated about his area of study. According to Bartrop, audiences in today’s generations hear a lot of Nazi evil, but not enough of those who helped people survive the evil. They should be the role models for today’s youth about how to act. “There is always a way out of a dead end situation, and people did try and were sometimes successful in escaping,” Bartrop explained. During his presentation, Bartrop gave some examples of people who went out of their way and put their own life in danger to help Jewish people during this time of crisis. “The main forms of help extended by the Righteous among the Nations during the Holocaust fitted into one of four main categories: hiding Jews in the rescuer’s home, or on their property; providing false papers and false identities; smuggling and assisting Jews to escape; and, through various means, rescuing Jewish children,” Bartrop said proving that any act from the smallest to the largest can make a difference to help save people. “The Holocaust was a time when living space, food, sanitation facilities, and medicine were at a premium, and those who hid Jews from the Nazis risked their own lives as well as those of their families,” Bartrop stated. According to Bartrop, families or individuals who were found guilty of helping people survive they were executed either on the spot or at a later time to be seen as examples to others. He further said that he is surprised that with all the risks that there still was a large number of people who but their own lives and their family’s lives in danger to help and make a difference. One example that Bartrop shared took place in Denmark, right before the round up of the Jewish population by the Nazis. “In Denmark, when the round-up and arrest of all of Denmark’s 7,800 Jews was ordered for Oct. 1, 1943, only a very few could be found. The whole community had been tipped off two days before by a German
diplomat, Georg Ferdinand Duckwitz,” Bartrop said retelling the account that showed hope. The Jewish people from Denmark were put into safe homes and they were also brought to the countryside until the non-Jewish community was able to secure safe passage for as many people as possible, according to Bartrop. During the time of the Holocaust not one deed was considered more righteous than another, according to Bartrop. Every person who put their lives on the line to help people wanted to make a difference and help instead of continue with the death REBECCA DIETRICH/THE ROCKET and the extermination. Another example Bartrop Dr. Paul Bartrop from the Florida Gulf Coast University speaks to the Slippery Rock spoke of was an older woman, community for the Annual Holocaust Rememberance Program. This year he spoke about whose name is unknown, accounts of hope and good deeds that saved people during the Jewish Holocaust. who not only saved the lives They spent most, if not all of their time, in the of many Jewish people, but also their books and artifacts bathroom, except when the possibilities of the Nazis to preserve their culture. “There can be no greater act of righteousness than the coming into town and into homes, they would spend saving of an innocent human life in danger, but what days and sometimes even weeks in a small cupboard, can we say about other acts of selfless courage that see according to Bartrop who recalled the account. “They survived the war, and they had an amazing people put themselves in danger to save the cultural, religious or other artifacts of another people’s entire sense of hope that they would get through,” Bartrop said. identity?” Bartrop said. The neighbors, according to Bartrop, got no reward During the Holocaust, the Nazis wanted to eliminate an entire culture not just the humans. They wanted for helping the small Jewish family get through the war the religion, the culture, the citizens, and their entire years, not even money for their upkeep. “That’s amazing to me,” Bartrop said, sitting back in ideology to disappear, according to Bartrop. “Nazis did not kill Jews for game, especially since his chair after finishing telling the account. These are just a few of the many accounts of hope and the Jews did not have a country or wealth. They were killed simply on the basis of ideology and based on the good that occurred during the Holocaust, but what we thesis of pure thought,” Bartrop said when explaining forget or do not know is that the Holocaust was not the only genocide to occur, explained Bartrop. the reasoning behind the genocide. There have been examples of hope in countries such During his research, Bartrop expressed that every account left him in shock and surprise but one example as Rwanda, Bosnia, Armenia, and many others who had that struck him was of a boy from Czechoslovakia to suffer through genocides, and today genocides are still seen as a solution to numerous problems in other named Tomi. “Tomi and his mom were hidden by their neighbor’s countries and cultures, explained Bartrop. “I’m less likely to say, “never again” but I would like family and lived out the war years in the only available to say, “don’t forget.” Bartrop stated. space in the house, a bathroom,” Bartrop said.
March 28, 2014
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