Big House Battle Takes SRU to Michigan Rock football traveled to Michigan Stadium to face off against the Mercyhurst Lakers in an attempt at winning the Big House Battle. Pages D-2 - D-3
Friday October 24, 2014 • Volume 98, Issue Number 8 • Slippery Rock University's Student Newspaper
the rocket
www.theonlinerocket.com
SRU's 'Ebola Task Force' prepares for the virus
PHOTO COURTESY OF CDC.GOV
Ebola hemorrhagic fever entered the United States on Oct. 10 when a healthcare worker in Texas caught the virus after caring for a patient. The cause for the disease is unknown. The 'Ebola Task Force' has prepared to tackle the Ebola virus in the event that it comes to campus.
low fever. When the worker was referred for testing, the worker tested positive for Ebola. Assistant News Editor The healthcare worker was isolated and still With cases of Ebola moving from Texas remains isolated. outward, Slipper y Rock administration A recent mass communications email was plans and prepares to tackle the virus in the sent out to the university detailing the virus likelihood of Ebola spreading to campus. and how SRU is prepared for the virus in a rare Ebola hemorrhagic fever, better known as case that it does start to formulate on campus. Ebola, was first discovered in 1976 near the Kristina Benkeser, director of student health Ebola River in Africa. The natural cause services, stated that the likelihood of the Ebola of the Ebola virus still remains unknown, virus spreading onto campus is extremely low. although researchers from the Centers of She expressed that the universitie's suspicion, Disease Control and Prevention believe that however, is very high. bats are the main cause of the disease. "Ebola carries a very high fatality rate, which The most recent cases of Ebola have been is why I think people are so scared of it. It's seen in Texas. According to the Centers of scary and it's unknown. There have been very Disease Control and Prevention, on Oct. 10, few cases of Ebola within the United States. a healthcare worker in Texas provided care We have to balance what we know," Benkeser for a patient and shortly after reported a said. "While the absolute risk is considered to
By Amber Cannon
Field Hockey Wins In Double OT Allison Shade helped lead SRU to an exciting win in overtime against Bloomsburg. Page D-5
be very low, our suspicion is high because what you want to do is to try and stop the disease from moving forward. Once we identify active diseases, we want to stop that transmission from going out to other people, so it's like putting the big safety brakes on it." One of the many ways that Slippery Rock University plans to prepare for an Ebola outbreak is by the efforts of the Ebola Task Force here on campus. Benkeser explained that the Ebola Task Force includes student health services, environmental health and safety, and representatives from international services. The task force is overseen by Amir Mohammad, who is the administrative lead for the board. According to Benkeser, the SEE SRU, PAGE A-3
SRU staff and students not ready to ban smoking By Haley Barnes News Editor
A smoking and tobacco products ban went into effect on Oct. 1 at the public colleges and universities of Georgia, including the University of Georgia. Products banned include traditional cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, and even tobacco simulates, like e-cigarettes and vaporizers. But with a ban so controversial one may question the spread of a smoke ban to other public universities in other states. Collectively, Slippery Rock University staff and students agreed that overall a smoke ban would be beneficial, but also agreed that a smoke ban would not work on its campus. “I would hope that that was a community conversation,” SRU President Cheryl Norton said. “That they looked at the pros and cons, the needs of the students, the wants of the students and the community, and their willingness to support a ban because what we don’t want is to be in a situation where we think we understand what our campus community, in terms of this issue, desires. We make a decision and then we find everybody not abiding
by it because then you’ve got a policy that you can’t enforce so and the enforcement of this kind of policy really comes because people have chosen not to smoke.” Norton discussed how a smoke ban went into effect at Pennsylvania State Schools a few years ago when a new chancellor of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) came in. She discussed how it didn’t work because it wasn’t being enforced by anybody, mainly because the ban happened too suddenly and didn’t give anybody time to prepare for it. She said it’s really important that students, faculty, and the community collectively agree on this together because this is the student’s home and it’s hard to tell them what they can and cannot do in their home. As of now, residence halls are smoke-free, buildings are smoke-free, and smoking within in 25 feet of a building is not permitted. Norton said these regulations are to promote a healthy and safe environment at Slippery Rock University. She said it is important that students realize the SEE , E-CIGARETTE PAGE A-3
Everyone Should Rocked at the Big Comedy Show House Battle Tackles Identity Be A Feminist Columnist Stephani Damato explains why she thinks everyone should be a feminist. Page B-2
Mercyhurst University blew out the Rock at Michigan Stadium on Saturday. Page D-1
Comedian Sam Killerman discusses how humor helped him define his gender identity. Page C-1