10/12 Digital Edition

the rocket

Friday October 12, 2018 • Volume 103, Issue Number 2 • An Independent, Student-Run Newspaper

www.theonlinerocket.com

An evolving tradition: SRU Homecoming

By Hannah Shumsky Assistant News Editor

This weekend, SRU will crown two students as homecoming royalty instead of a king and queen, making SRU the second university in Pennsylvania and the fifth in the United States to form a genderinclusive court. This historic change, however, tells only part of the history of SRU’s homecoming.

The first mention of “homecoming” in The Rocket was on May 27, 1927, referring to the annual Alumni Day; however, the first fall homecoming was on Oct. 13, 1934.

Alumni of Slippery Rock State Teachers College participated in Demonstration Day in the morning at the Training School. In the afternoon, a parade with bands, floats and current and former students traveled to the stadium in time for the football game kickoff.

The evening concluded with an ox roast with the president and dean of women. The roast was an annual event until 1937, when North Hall was completely destroyed on Oct. 16 due to a fire from the roast. In 1938, the homecoming schedule changed the ox roast to a barbeque dinner in the dining hall.

Caroline Williams was named the first homecoming queen of Slippery Rock State Teachers College in 1940.

As part of the queen’s royal duties, she presented the football to the football players—"the gridders”—prior to the game.

Homecoming festivities were put on hold during World War II. The “first real homecoming” since the war was held on Oct. 4-6, 1946. During this homecoming, festivities included a bonfire and “pep meeting” Friday night and a parade featuring marching bands from Butler, Slippery Rock and Indiana (Pa.).

IMAGES COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES (LEFT) AND THE OFFICE FOR STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP (RIGHT)

SRU is rehashing an old theme this year for homecoming. "There's No Place Like Homecoming" harkens back to the popular 1939 film "The Wizard of Oz," just as they did back in 1984.

“The bands were followed by floats depicting schoollife in pre-war days,” an article in The Rocket’s Oct. 17, 1946 issue stated.

The following year, Jean Evans was named the first homecoming queen since the war. Each year, one female was selected to represent the freshmen,

sophomore, junior and senior classes on the court.

The homecoming court structure changed drastically throughout the 1970s. Starting in 1972, to accommodate the growing number of students on campus, court members were nominated by organizations recognized through the Student

SEE FLUIDITY PAGE A-3

First look at SRU's first lady writer, publishing a total of 15 books and penning hundreds of articles. "Bill and Leah's Excellent Adventure" is the phrase she uses to describe her and her husband's new life in Slippery Rock.

The film references don't stop there. Ingram affectionately compares her and Bill's relationship to the film "When Harry Met Sally."

"We actually first met in fourth grade and graduated high school together," Ingram said. "We really didn't like each other all that much back then. After college, we reconnected one day when we were both out visiting our moms for Mother's Day. We ran into each other on the train platform in Long Island, and there's this sort of etiquette rule that if you see someone you know that you have to ride with them."

After continually running into each other in New York City, Ingram felt as though the universe was trying to tell them something. They've now been married for nearly 26 years and have two daughters.

In the early 1990s, shortly after her and Bill's marriage, Ingram was trying to get her career started as a freelance writer as her husband began to build his profile in education. It was around this time that she published her first book on wedding planning, a subject that she had recently learned all about.

"Whenever I was in school pursuing my journalism degree, they always PHOTO COURTESY OF LEAH INGRAM taught us to write what we know," Ingram said. "I had just gotten married, so Leah Ingram, mother of two and wife of SRU President Dr. William Behre, gets some love and attention I knew that I'd be able to offer some advice on how to properly budget and from her two dogs, Oscar and Sadie. prepare for a wedding."

By Adam Zook Ingram got her bachelor's degree in journalism from New York University, News Editor often joking that she is the most uneducated member of the family. In terms When people ask Leah Ingram how the transition from New Jersey to of accomplishment however, her prowess as a published writer is very much Slippery Rock has been for her and her husband, she finds herself giving on par with Bill's accomplishments in academia. similar answers.

She signed a contract with Parade magazine in 2013 and regularly contributes "I just tell people that western Pennsylvania isn't all that different from where three to five articles a month, and recently started contributing pet content as we used to live in eastern Pennsylvania," Ingram said. "The only real difference well to their website. Ingram is even featured in Parade's print publications. is that here you don't say soda or sneakers; it's pop and tennis shoes."

Prior to that, most of her clients were custom publications. Brands like Delta Ingram is the mother of two and the wife of newly appointed university and Costco that have magazines have featured some of her articles. president Dr. William Behre. She has had a successful career as a freelance SEE INGRAM PAGE A-4

News

Opinion A-2

80 Years of SGA

Sports B-1

Redefining a Tradition

Campus Life D-3

C-3

12 Receivers, One Game

A Drag-Star is Born

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INSIDE NEWS

Around The Rock in 80 years SGA reflects, considers changes within senate

NEWS

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INDEX Blotter.................A-3 Opinion................B-1 Sports...................C-1 CampusLife.............D-1

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COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES

The first members of the Slippery Rock Student Government Association (SRSGA) pose for a picture for the 1938 Saxigena. This year, marks the 80th Senate of the SRSGA.

By Hannah Shumsky

Nicole Dunlop, SGA vice president of internal affairs, said that SGA’s engagement Assistant News Editor with alumni and the organization’s “It is now up to the 1937-1938 student participation in conference provides new body of the college to make a success or perspectives. a failure of our newest venture, student “It’s going to put everything in perspective,” government,” according to the 1937 edition Dunlop said. “At the conference, talking to of SRU’s former yearbook, the Saxigena. all the other SGAs, it helps giving you the This year, the Slippery Rock Student bigger picture of things. I think the alumni Government Association (SRSGA) is will really help me get the bigger picture reflecting on the previous senates and for SGA and see how we can improve going engaging with alumni as part of their forward.” plans to institute long-term changes in the With recent elections of eight senators organization. and a parliamentarian, Kline said that The 80-year anniversary occurs as SGA the planning and research about a senate underwent two recent structural changes. restructure will begin soon. The current Concerning the senate, Kennedy Moore senate is organized according to residence is the first vice president of diversity and with the exception of the freshmen and inclusion, an elected position formed to graduate senator positions. According oversee the social justice committee. to Leitera, the SGA senate structure has The social justice committee functioned as remained the same for at least five years. an ad-hoc committee starting in 2016 before “They are definitely open to all options,” achieving a standing status in February Leitera said. “The more people they talk to, 2018. Victoria Davis served as the chair I think the better it’s going to be for them of the committee last year prior to the to make their recommendation and do their establishment of the vice president position. homework when they’re looking at ways “She really advocated to help to get that different universities are structured.” position established officially recognized by With the SGA experiencing few changes SGA as an elected position and a standing in recent years, Kline said that alumni committee,” Wendy Leitera, SGA advisor engagement will part of the process for and business manager, said. determining a future senate structure.

In 2014, a board of “We can talk to them directors was created about what worked for to oversee SGA. The them because there were "It is now up to the 1937board has nine voting very similar positions seats comprised of SGA throughout the years,” 1938 student body of President Dallas Kline, Kline said. the college to make a SGA Vice President of In addition to Finance Logan Tupper, i nv e s t i g at i n g m o re success or a failure of our two students-at-large s u b s t ant i al change s newest venture, student and five alumni. Two within the senate, SGA faculty members also is looking at previous government." sit on the board of traditions to bring back.

- 1937 Saxigena According to Kline, SGA directors, but in a nonvoting capacity. is looking to possibly use “It added another capital budget or reserves layer of oversight as finances to purchase a well as engagement between students and legacy gift. Bob Watson, member of the SGA alumni,” Leitera said. “I think that was really board of directors and former vice president important.” of student affairs, told Kline that giving a To celebrate their 80th anniversary, SGA gift was a SGA tradition from the ‘50s until will be hosting an alumni student leader the late ‘70s. reception on Oct. 12 in the Smith Student “We don’t just want to say ‘SGA is giving a Center Suite. A similar reception was held gift,’” Kline said. “We want it to be something last year after alumni approached SGA. students want or need.”

“There are groups that kind of informally While the more substantial changes within meet together when they come back, but last SGA will not take effect during the current year was the first time since I’ve been here senate’s term, Kline looks forward to seeing that they’ve made a coordinated effort to do the long-term changes of this senate’s work. that,” Leitera, who joined SGA in September “It’s cool to be part of history,” Kline said.

2013, said.

“Regardless of what we get done this year Leitera added that SGA is expecting more for SGA, hopefully people will continue to of the young alumni to attend the event. follow in our footsteps so 20 years down the “We’re expecting a lot more of the recent road, we can see what we built and how it’s alumni,” Leitera said. “But that’s another impacted them.” goal, too, to keep the young alumni really engaged with the university."

ROCK NOTES

MEDIA HALL OF FAME CEREMONY Join with fellow radio station alumni to induct alumni into the Media Hall of Fame, as selected by their peers.

Smith Student Center Ballroom Friday, Oct. 12 at 6 p.m.

NEWS

October 12, 2018

A-3

POLICE BLOTTER CAMPUS October 4 - A person went to the police station to report that a person had assaulted and harassed them in North Hall. The report was taken and Esmael Hazy, 19, was cited with indecent assault and criminal trespassing.

October 4 - Police received a call for a theft in Special Collections on the third floor of Bailey Library. The case is under investigation.

October 4 - Police received a call from Aebersold Recreation Center for an individual in need of medical attention.

Police and EMS responded, and the individual was transported to the hospital.

October 4 - A community assistant from Building A reported an odor of marijuana.

Police seized drug paraphernalia. Emily King, 18, was cited with disorderly conduct.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE A-1

October 4 - Police were dispatched to North Hall for a fire alarm activation. The alarm was set off by burnt food, and the panel was reset.

October 5 - Police received a smoke detector activation from Building E. A vape pen set off the alarm, and the panel was reset.

October 8 - Police received a call for a person having an allergic reaction in Rock Apartments #5. Police and EMS responded.

The person was taken by ambulance to the hospital.

October 5 - A person reported a theft in Building A. The case is under investigation.

October 9 - Police received a call for a person not feeling well in McKay. Police and EMS arrived, and the person was taken to the hospital.

October 6 - Police observed person(s) pulling down a street sign on Stadium Drive. Anthony Tautkus, 18, was cited with disorderly conduct.

October 9 - Police on patrol noticed people smoking marijuana. Cullen Bickman, 18, and Zantae Weltner, 18, were cited with a drug violation.

October 7 - State police requested for university police to respond to a domestic dispute on Water Street.

October 10 - A community assistant from Building D called about a possible drug violation. Nicholas Harmon, 18, was cited with a drug violation.

October 8 - A person called police to report that a friend was being harassed outside of Boozel Dining Hall. Police discovered the person was being interviewed by BBC News and was speaking with them.

COMPILED BY HANNAH SHUMSKY

Fluidity a hallmark of Rock Homecoming

Government Association (SGA). Each candidate had to complete a private interview, then semi-finalists were selected for an open question period.

The 1976 homecoming festivities i nt r o d u c e d a “ h o m e c o m i n g representative” for the first. B. J. Minich wrote in the Oct. 15 issue of The Rocket that the representative would be “someone who is responsible, involved, and has a good attitude towards school; as opposed to the prettiest!” That year, Barbara Jackson was crowned representative.

The following year was the first time two students were named as king and queen. Alongside Maureen Dillon as homecoming queen, Ed Valentas was elected the first homecoming king in 1977.

The tradition of crowning a homecoming king and queen remained for four decades, with the exception of 1999. This year, there was a tie in the vote for king. Along with Karen Davidson being crowned as queen, Mike Corcoran and Jamey Pirring were crowned as kings.

The court selection process most recently changed in 2011. Jordan Bailley,

SGA president, made the decision to disband the original court and give all 37 applicants the opportunity to be on the ballot. While 20 of the original applicants on the court stayed, Bailley’s decision was met with harsh criticism.

“I didn’t go looking for controversy, but I did look for the best decision knowing it wouldn’t be perfect,” Bailley said in the Oct. 21, 2011 issue of The Rocket. “I’m sorry it upset many people and caused some undesirable stress, but I stand behind my decision.”

Bonfires were a consistent part of the Friday night pep rallies from 1946 to the mid-1990s. The bonfire coincides with freshmen initiation during which freshman had to wear dinks and signs when they were outside of their dorms or the dining hall, as outlined in a 1953 copy of the initiation rules. Freshmen were responsible for providing firewood for the bonfire and threw their dinks and signs into the fire to mark the end of initiation.

Throughout the 1990s, alcohol at tailgates became a topic of debate.

Starting in 1991, then-president Dr. Robert Aebersold repealed the policy that allowed drinking outside of the N.

Kerr Thompson Stadium.

“The A-word is forbidden on SRU’s ‘dry’ campus,” Dana Zuber, a past editor-in-chief of The Rocket, said in an editorial in the Sept. 27, 1996 issue.

Dr. Robert Smith reinstated the policy in 2011, permitting beer and wine outside of the stadium but not drinking games. Police presence during homecoming became a topic of discussion starting in 2005. Since then, police have utilized helicopters and horses during homecoming weekend.

Homecoming also served as a weekend for dedicating new structures and introducing new mascots. N. Kerr Thompson Field, Wright Alumni House and Robert Smith Student Center were dedicated in 1939, 1998 and 2012, respectively, during homecoming festivities. Rocky the Lion was first revealed in at the pep rally 2000, serving as the grand marshall for the parade the following morning.

Although many activities and arrangements have changed in the past eight decades, some ideas remain constant. For example, a reference to gender inclusivity appeared in The Rocket on Oct. 25, 1974, three years

before the first homecoming king was crowned. The article, entitled, “Contest is Non-Gender,” refers to the homecoming committee at Akron University in Ohio, which decided to crown a “homecoming person.”

“The homecoming committee said they decided to join ‘the growing trend in America to speak in non-gendered terms,’” the article reads.

Aside from homecoming court members representing various SGArecognized organizations, two other traditions remain strong to date.

The Black Action Society’s first homecoming dance was on Sept. 28, 1990 at the Founders Hall Tennis Court.

In the community, students were first commended for painting in town in 1990. The Rocket first advertised “Paint the Town” on Sept. 25, 1992.

The 2018 homecoming court will be announced at the pep rally in Morrow Field House on Friday, Oct. 12 at 8 p.m.

The following afternoon, however, two students will become part of SRU history when they are crowned as homecoming royalty in a new, gender-inclusive era of homecoming festivities.

NEWS

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October 12, 2018

Counseling Center works to reach more students

By Adam Zook News Editor

GRAPHIC BY ADAM ZOOK

The Counseling Center at SRU is working to stretch its resources and serve a larger population of the student body to accommodate for an increase in utilization.

This is according to director Dr. Lisa Osachy, who has served in that capacity for just over a year at Slippery Rock. Osachy said that the recent increase of patients requires an additional uptick in effort from her and her staff.

"We have approxiamtely 2530 appointments a day," Osachy said. "That equates to over 100 appointments a week. We currently have four full-time counselors at the moment, and six trainees on staff."

Osachy said that there has also been an increase in patients demonstrating severe symptoms such as suicidal thoughts. This trend has led to a rise in crisis situations in which some students have required hospitalization.

The International Association of Counseling Services, the o r g a n i z a t i o n t h a t S RU ' s counseling center is accredited by, recommends that there be one counselor per 1,000-1,500 students at a university. With only four counselors on staff, Osachy acknowledges that SRU's office

is not able to reach an adequate amount of the student body.

Osachy said that she has made multiple requests over her first year as director for increased staff, but they have been turned down for budgetary reasons. Currently, the center does not have a full time secretary to take calls.

"It would be great if we had two more qualified people on staff," Osachy said. "When we have more people, we can better utilize our budget and resources to do more outreach on and off of campus."

The counseling center currently serves approximately five percent of the student population. Osachy hopes to see that number double as they work to make their services more well-known and far-reaching.

As of now, SRU students are permitted to attend six counseling sessions per semester.

Students are allowed to attend as many group sessions as they want throughout the school year, something Osachy hopes to offer more of moving forward.

"We're currently working on building up more group counseling sessions so students have more opportunities to voice their issues," Osachy said. "These groups are typically case specific.

I hope to have a group for things that students might be dealing with. This includes survivors of

sexual abuse, those who want to better manage their daily stress or students who may be dealing with some form of grief in their lives."

Osachy and her team have eliminated the waiting list at the counseling center, and work to see anyone who needs to talk within a week if them placing their request. Flexibility on the number of sessions a student can have is also important to her, as she feels it would be ethically wrong to turn away a student in need.

That flexibility has become difficult with the increased demand from the student body according to Osachy. More than anything, she hopes to see a staff increase to better serve the students at SRU. "Our budget is okay, but for me staffing is more important," Osachy said. "We don't want to have students waiting too long for appointments. Additional staff helps us reach more students and facilitate a healthier campus environment."

The Counseling Center is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m Monday through Friday, but is always open for emergencies, according to Osachy. Their office can be reached at (724) 738-2034 and is located in Rhoads Hall.

University explores easy access to educational materials

By Haley Potter Rocket Contributor

An initiative for all students to have access to free online textbooks was created at SRU after evaluating money spent annually on textbooks Bradley Wilson, the associate provost for transformational experiences said that this initiative is called “Open Educational Resource,” better known as OER. He said that the idea of it is to make instructional materials free for all students. He also mentioned that many courses are already utilizing OER for Youtube videos and websites for instructional use that are freely available to students.

Wilson said that textbooks are the main instructional resource used by faculty in the classroom.

“We are interested in helping with student affordability by supporting faculty as they learn about what is available to adapt to use in courses,” Wilson said.

He said that students spend on average anywhere from $1,200$1,400 annually on textbooks alone.

He went on to say that college is expensive and textbooks are extra, aside from tuition and all of the other fees. Wilson said that textbooks can be a burden to some students.

“This is about being aware of the affordability-divide barrier to student success,” Wilson said.

He said that with OER, students would have access to their textbooks from the start of the semester.

“Some students hold off on buying textbooks because of student loan delays or because they wait to see if they will actually use the book for the class,” Wilson said.

He said that if there are books out there online with the same quality as the expensive ones, that it would be very positive for students.

“We plan to work to raise awareness and really engage faculty in this process,” Wilson said.

He said that faculty members will not be forced to adapt, but they do want the faculty to understand how this could potentially benefit their classes and their students.

Wilson said that the timeline for the program begins in the spring semester of 2019, where they will provide support to interested faculty.

“There is not one single place to find all the textbooks, so the library faculty can help professors know where to look,” Wilson said.

By next fall, Wilson said that they hope to have the program freely available to make a positive impact on student success.

GRAPHIC BY ERIC DAIVES

Ingram embraces change, excited about the future CONTINUED FROM PAGE A-1 With a growing number of freelance writers working for lower rates, Ingram said that new challenges are presented with an ever changing industry.

"I'm still excited to get up in the morning and work on my writing," Ingram said. "Many freelancers now work for free, and rates across the industry have grown stagnant since I got into the field. I work twice as hard to make half as much."

This does not dissuade her, however, as Ingram prides herself on embracing change and opening herself up to new experiences. In the wake of the financial crisis in 2007, Ingram wrote a book entitled Suddenly Frugal: How to Live Happier and Healthier for Less about learning to budget better in the face of adversity.

The subhead for her website reads "From Suddenly Frugal to Confident Spender", indicating the change in her life and in the content she produced

as a writer. This harkens back to Ingram's philosophy of writing what she knows, and she's still gaining new experiences that help her work.

"Everything I wrote about was saving money or paying down debt, and that went on for nine years," Ingram said. "Things improved and we didn't have to be so frugal anymore. I still love writing about personal finance. For our family, it's always been about making the best use of our money and time."

Ingram said that she and her husband are excited for their excellent adventure in Slippery Rock. She joked that it's like adopting 8,000 students with how close they are to campus. Her dogs Oscar and Sadie are a regular sight on campus, and she encourages students to come over and pet them and have a conversation with her and her husband.

"I do what I can to support Bill in whatever he does," Ingram said. "This is different than everything that we've ever done before, and we're both thrilled about the opportunity to try something new."

A-5

October 12, 2018

O

OPINION

Our View Time honored tradition re-made for today Removing gender labels makes for a more inclusive homecoming

OPINION Volume 102, Number 1

220 Eisenberg Classroom Building Slippery Rock University Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania 16057 Phone: Fax: E-mail:

(724) 738-4438 (724) 738-4896 therocketnewspapersru@gmail.com

EDITORIAL BOARD Eric Davies

Editor-In-Chief

Adam Zook

News Editor

Stephen Cukovich Megan Bush

Sports Editor Campus Life Editor

Heather Donat

Copy/ Web Editor

Paris Malone Thomas Fabian

Multimedia Editor

Hannah Shumsky

Assistant News Editor

Oscar Matous

Assistant Sports Editor

Hope Hoehler

Assistant Campus Life Editor

Sarah Allen

Assistant Copy/Web Editor

Jack Hopey

Assistant Photo Editor

Dr. Brittany Fleming

Faculty Adviser

ADVERTISING STAFF Lauren Ault

ILLISTRATION BY: JACK HOPEY

Photo Editor

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 Rocket receives approximately 5 percent of its funding from the SGA Student Activity fee paid each semester by students. All other income is provided through the sale of advertising.

Advertising inquiries may be made by calling (724) 738-2643 or by emailing 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.

In 1973 The Rocket ran a stor y on voting for a “homecoming person” to fit in with the recent cultural m ov e m e nt t o b e m ore gender-inclusive. Now 45 years later an old idea was made new, and Slippery Rock University has fully embraced the idea of inclusivity in their homecoming royalty. This year instead of crowning a queen and king, the top two voters getters will be crowned as members of homecoming royalty during halftime of this Saturday’s football game against Edinboro.

The purpose of homecoming is to bring Slippery Rock together as a community.

It’s a weekend where alumni and students can bond over their ties to the university and remember what they love about Slippery Rock. The members of the homecoming court have always been meant to exemplify this, and be the individuals that care most about this campus and

its students. Removing the arbitrary gender restrictions of king and queen allow the two individuals who best embody the spirit of h omecoming to represent the university. This is just the most recent of several steps SRU has taken to help students feel more welcome on campus.

Administration took action two years ago to make sure that all students had access to a gender-inclusive bathroom.

Last year the newly formed Social Justice committee pushed to add the ability for students to change their name on D2L class lists and other university documents. While modernizing homecoming does not seem to be as pressing, this long-standing tradition at The Rock and around the country is one that everyone should feel comfortable participating in.

The university has also taken steps to make sure that no student feels that they can’t run due to a lack

In the Quad

of funding. This year a fifty dollar cap was put on all spending for anyone running a homecoming campaign.

The hope is that this will remove t he exp e c t at ion that candidates should buy food or treats to hand out to encourage students to vote or spend money on printing dozens of posters or other methods of advertising. The SGA will also be providing the cars for the homecoming parade so that students don’t have to worry about anything except running the best campaign they can.

With alumni coming back to campus, students are excited to be reunited with old friends and meet new ones. Organizations welcome back past alumni, teammates, brothers and sisters. As our community reunites for a celebration of Slippery Rock University, this year hopefully a few more students will feel welcome as part of the Slippery Rock family.

This week’s question: What did you do over fall break?

By: Tom Fabian

SUBSCRIPTIONS

In the Quad is a segment in which random students, faculty and staff are asked for their opinions on a specific topic.

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.

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.

Jesse Hansel

Kelly Farrell Grad Student Physician Assistant Buffalo, NY

Benjamin Lindey Senior Economics Major Prospect, PA

“I went home on Friday, went with some buddies to Kent State, came home on Saturday and visited with family and some friends. I came back here on Monday, did some groceries and some cleaning the apartment and then studied on Tuesday. It was a nice break.”

“I went to the Sabres game, they played the Vegas Knights.

You know, got to see all that stuff. Didn’t really get to do anything else to be honest.”

“I took a trip down to Philadelphia.

I visited some of the attractions, like the Mutter Museum – it’s a museum of medical oddities. I ate a bunch of the food there. I ate at Panadería, which is a Mexican bakery. I had some of the best baked goods I’ve ever eaten.”

Junior Petroleum Engineering major Cleveland, OH

OPINION

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October 12, 2018

Raise your voice

Maggie Calvert President of FMLA Maggie is the president of FMLA and recipient of the Distinguished Woman award.

The day that Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed as a Supreme Court Justice was particularly hard and frustrating. It is difficult to see the way the countr y has responded to sur vivors telling their stories, claiming that men are under attack and should be careful in order to ensure they aren’t accused. The narrative should be focused on men carefully considering their actions to ensure they aren’t raping anyone or violating their consent. At times it has made me feel hopeless and as if my activism doesn’t have a point to it if nothing is ever going to change and attitudes will always remain oppressive. But no one ever said fighting for what is right would be easy. I have been told, however, that it will always be worth it.

I will continue to use my voice. I will continue to educate others about rape culture and ways to combat it. I will continue to reject the idea that “boys will be boys” because not only does this fail to hold men accountable, it suggests that they have no agency over themselves and also invalidates men who have been sexually assaulted. Sexual assault is not a women’s issue.

It is a human rights issue. The rates of sexual assault in this country, especially on college campuses, are far too high. The confirmation of Kavanaugh feels

like a setback, but it is not the end of the war. We must continue on because we have no other choice.

This is also a point in time where it is necessary to recognize my own privilege. The hopelessness and injustice that I feel because a system meant to protect me has failed me and every other survivor of sexual assault is not a new feeling for people of color. I am a white woman who has struggled with sexual violence and that is absolutely a valid struggle. However, moving forward, myself and other white women recognizing our privilege within this movement is vital to creating change.

I encourage you all to continue to raise your voices. On Oct. 23 at 7:00 p.m. in the Quad, the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance will Take Back the Night. Take Back the Night is an annual event at Slippery Rock University that gives survivors a place to tell their stories, students the ability to march through campus to protest rape culture, and a chance for everyone to honor survivors and victims of interpersonal violence with a candlelit vigil. This event is extremely powerful and can help combat the hopelessness that a lot of people have been feeling lately. We can make a difference and it has to start small. Making our campus a safe and supportive environment for all students is the first of many steps to take.

Another aspect that is extremely important is voting in the upcoming midterm elections.

Your vote is your voice, and yes, it truly does matter. These are your direct representatives who should have your issues and concerns in mind when making laws in Congress. Please make sure to be informed and vote on Nov. 6 (or by absentee ballot)!

There are many online resources that are available to you to help with the process including vote. gov and vote411.org.

PHOTO BY: PARIS MALONE

A protester chants in the quad during the second Kavanaugh hearing, a protest attended by Calvert.

Congressional election presents stark choice for students

Madison V. King Madison V. King is the director of WSRU-FM NewsRadio, the treasurer of FMLA, a Democratic strategist and a transgender woman.

In early 2018, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled the congressional map to be unconstitutionally gerrymandered and drew a new map to replace it. Slippery Rock University, which used to be located in the 3rd district, is now located in the 16th district, which now includes all of Erie County. These changes make this district more Democratic, going from Trump +16 to +8. As a result, this district is considered to be competitive for the first time since 2010. This past Wednesday, President Trump came to campaign on behalf of Rep. Mike Kelly, something that has not been done for a House candidate in Pa. since Rick Saccone in PA-18 (Saccone lost to Democrat Conor Lamb by a margin of 755 votes).

One year ago, nobody thought this district would have a competitive election, but under one month out from election day, Democrat Ron DiNicola has taken this race from a 15 percent race to one around or under five percent. So, what actually makes this race notable?

Simple – a high-profile far-right GOP representative in a deep red seat, Mike

Kelly, might actually be vulnerable to a moderate Democratic candidate, Ron DiNicola. The avilable data supports that.

Several political pundits changed their categorization of the race to be “lean Republican” instead of “safe Republican.”

The polls taken of voters in the district give Kelly an average 5.5 percent advantage (with an average five percent margin of error). In comparison, Kelly won by 20 percent in 2014. Democrats look to score a win in a similar method to what was used to push Conor Lamb over the edge, while Republicans hope to defend one of their most staunch partisans. As mentioned above, the Republicans have gotten the President involved, while the Democrats have engaged major fundraising and infrastructure assistance behind the scenes.

Of course, while the national headlines are certainly an attention-getter, often lost is the question of who are these candidates and what do they stand for.

Ronald “Ron” DiNicola is the Democrat. A native of Erie, Ron is the child of an immigrant and enlisted in the Marines out of high school. Ron became a boxer, winning several championship titles for the Marine Corps Boxing Team.

He went on to graduate from Harvard and Georgetown University with the help of the G.I. Bill, serving as Solicitor of Erie County and unsuccessfully running for this seat in 1996 (an editorial in the 11/1/1996 edition of The Rocket endorsed him over the Republican canidate.) Ron was the personal attorney of Muhammed Ali, helping him advocate for federal reform of boxing and speaking at his funeral in 2016. As a lawyer, Ron represented 1,000 former GE employees against the U.S. Department of Labor to reverse a decision denying them benefits.

George “Mike” Kelly is the Republican

and four-term incumbent. First elected in 2010, Kelly is a native of Butler and attended the University of Notre Dame on a football scholarship. After graduating, Kelly returned to Butler to work at his family’s car dealership, which

“With the election imminent, I believe it is important to vote with your conscience.” he purchased full ownership of in 1990 and continues to run as a representative.

In the House, Kelly has positioned himself as a Republican powerbroker, serving on the Ways and Means committee, which writes tax & financial policy. Kelly has been given a 95 percents rating from the pro-business Chamber of Commerce; however he has received a D-grade from the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, a five percent from the ACLU, four percent from Planned Parenthood, and zero percent from the Clean Water Action group. Kelly has made national headlines several times, most recently in 2017 when he claimed that former president Barack Obama was operating a “shadow government” and comparing the Environmental Protection Agency to terrorism.

There are a lot of issues that I would consider to be important to the students and faculty this campus. The number issue would be policy relating to higher education. While college policy is controlled at a state level, the federal involvement in these issues cannot be ignored, and each candidate has spoken about these issues. Kelly has positioned himself as an ally of Secretary of

Education DeVos, as well as saying at a debate this past Monday that college debt was a problem due to loan companies “not properly vetting” students. Kelly has previously stated that many college students were studying ‘worthless’ topics and that federal aid should be used for trade schools instead of university students. Mr. DiNicola, conversely, has pledged to increase federal funding to student aid programs as well as work to create new programs to promise public service opportunities to repay student loans.

On the list of important issues, social policy is also of great importance.

Slippery Rock University contains women of all backgrounds, people of all different gender identities and sexual orientation, as well as a population of people of color. Lawmakers like Kelly help to decide policies that affect people in those categories. Kelly’s position, as he has stated before, is that social issues are not a concern of the federal government but should be handled at a local level or not at all. Earlier this year, Kelly took legislation to the floor of the House to repeal a regulation requiring that car dealers couldn’t charge racial minorities more for a car or for vehicle service. Mr. DiNicola, in contrast, believes that social issues are the business of the government, including employment protections for minorities and equal opportunities for underprivileged demographics.

With the election imminent, I believe it is important to vote with your conscience.

If you prefer a representative who doesn’t believe in supporting this university or the people in it, vote for Mr. Kelly. However, I can confidently say that I will be casting a vote in my own interest for Mr. Ron DiNicola this Nov. 6. I encourage all my colleagues and students to do the same.

B-3

October 12, 2018

S SPORTS

INSIDE SPORTS Slippery Rock's unique mascot.

Tennis fall season comes to a close.

Three different mascots in under 30 years have represented the SRU community.

The Rock went 3-0 in team play this fall, while Cohen wins Individual Championship.

See Page C-2

See Page C-4

September Athlete of The Month: Lacey Cohen

By Karl Ludwig Rocket Contributor

Junior tennis star Lacey Cohen seems to love dominating her opponents in September.

For the second consecutive September, Cohen has been named Athlete of the Month. Cohen, a public health major, made history by becoming the first Rock woman to win the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) singles championship.

“That win was huge for the program. It’s our first one and we have had a lot of good members of this team that were right there and anytime you win a championship, that’s awesome. She’s a juggernaut for us, she comes forward and gets the job done,” Head coach Matt Meredith said.

Starting the season slowly from her usual standards with a first-round exit in the ITA Atlantic Regional Championship and by dropping two of her first three singles matches, Cohen jumpstarted her season at the PSAC championships.

A pair of straight-set victories in the first and second round of the PSAC championships helped Cohen match her sophomore season accomplishment of advancing to the quarterfinals but the talented junior had her sights set much higher this time around.

Following up a default win in the quarterfinals with matching 6-4, 6-3 triumphs in the semifinal and championship, Cohen joined former Rock tennis stars, Jessica Bungo and Ashley Michaux, as the only athletes with PSAC championships.

The historic 4-0 run – a fifth being notched without being played – through the highly competitive PSAC renewed the junior star’s confidence and showcased just what Cohen is capable of when on a stretch of good form.

“I think that with our team, they have pushed me really hard and our coach pushes me, and I have just gotten to the point where I feel really confident and I am playing really well. Just a lot of people have helped me get to where I am,” Cohen said.

In conference dual meets with Kutztown University

PARIS MALONE/ THE ROCKET

Junior Lacey Cohen attempts to strike the ball during the team's 6-1 home win over Daemen College earlier this season.

and Millersville University, Cohen dropped only four points in four matches in route to a 2-0 record in both singles and doubles matches.

Since taking over the no. 1 slot for The Rock in her freshman season, Cohen has been tasked with matching up against the best the opposition has to offer every time. Through the trials and tribulations, the talented junior has taken something away from every result – win or loss – and works to grow as a tennis player.

With an 8-4 record in singles play and a 4-2 record in doubles play – mainly pairing with sophomore Olivia Warner – Cohen has already worked her way to 72 career victories at The Rock.

Only a junior, Cohen has collected numerous accolades in her quest for 100 career wins. Along with being a PSAC Scholar athlete in her freshman and sophomore year, the junior star was named the PSAC West Freshman of the Year in 2016-2017 and has been a three-time All-PSAC West honoree.

Now that Cohen has two Athlete of the Month honors, the talented junior acknowledges how her teammates have helped shape her into the athlete she is today.

“It is just really rewarding and exciting because all of us on the team have just put in a lot of time,” Cohen said. “And it is exciting to have it pay off.”

For the third consecutive season with Cohen in the no. 1 slot, The Rock has finished the fall portion of the schedule with a 3-0 record. A non-conference tilt with Daemen College saw only a single match dropped in a 6-1 victory while two PSAC contests saw two shutout, 6-0 and 7-0, over Kutztown and Millersville. The strong finish has Cohen and the squad excited for a strong start to the spring season.

“I expect that we come out as strong as we have ended our fall season and just keep doing what we are doing right now,” Cohen said. “We’re playing really well, and we have good attitudes.”

To most, winning the conference championship would signal a peak in athletic performance. To Meredith, it feels like only the beginning for his star athlete. “There is another gear you have not seen yet,” Meredith said. “I’m hoping that it all comes out.”

When Rock tennis resumes in the spring, Lacey Cohen will be ready to show the PSAC just the kind of tennis player she truly is.

Rock football prepares for homecoming game against Edinboro

By Oscar Matous Assistant Sports Editor

Following an upset win over nationally ranked Indiana University (Pa.), the Slippery Rock University football team will battle the Edinboro University Fighting Scots on Saturday afternoon in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) matchup. The Rock enters Saturday’s contest with an overall record of 5-1 and 3-0 in the PSAC. They are currently in first place in the PSAC West Division. Edinboro comes in at 4-2 (1-2) and tied with IUP for fourth place.

Leading The Rock offense for the fifth straight game is junior quarterback Roland Rivers.

On the season, Rivers has thrown for 1,040 yards (260 per game) on 75 completions and 11 touchdowns. Rivers, who was Slippery Rock’s third string quarterback coming out of camp, will remain the starter, despite second string quarterback sophomore Taylor King returning from injury and being cleared to play, according to Rock head coach Shawn Lutz said. Lutz said that junior Andrew Koester, the starting quarterback at the beginning of the season, has been given a medical redshirt and is done for the season.

“Both Roland and Taylor can ‘sling’ the ball downfield,” said Lutz, enthusiastically. “It’s nice to be able to have the depth that we do, and now we have Andrew for two more seasons so we’re going to have a lot of depth in our quarterbacks for the next few seasons.”

Senior Wes Hills looks to be slowly returning to his true form. Since returning in week five’s win against Mercyhurst University, Hills has rushed for 195 yards, caught for 72 yards, and recorded a pair of touchdowns. Lutz praised Hills for being able to be an offensive threat as a running back and as a wide receiver.

“Wes is 6’2” or 6’3”, he’s a bigger guy so it’s easier to throw to him,” Lutz said. “The shorter guys have a harder time catching the ball. If you can get him matched up with a linebacker, you like your chances, no question about it.”

The Rock currently leads the entire PSAC in points with 236 on the season, despite not having any player in the top five in any major individual scoring category, with the exception of field goals. Junior Jake Chapla currently leads the PSAC in field goals made with eight. He also recorded the longest field goal of the season in the entire PSAC with a 51-yarder against Mercyhurst.

Although not one Slippery Rock receiver has not been a stand out so far this season, The Rock has 13 receivers who have caught a pass this season, 12 of whom caught a pass in last week’s game at IUP. Lutz said having so many capable receivers on his team is a nice problem to have.

“Last season it was Milly Raye, Marcus Johnson, Milly Raye, Marcus Johnson, occasionally Merhaut,” Lutz said. “You get all these guys and it’s got to be frustrating as a defensive coordinator to figure out what to do. What I always say is don’t let both the running and the passing game beat you.”

Defensively, The Rock will again look for strong performances from junior Brad Zaffram, redshirt junior Trey Blandford, sophomore Trysten McDonald, and senior Kyle Hall.

Blandford currently ranks second in the PSAC with six sacks, averaging one per game. Hall ranks sixth in the PSAC with four interceptions. Lutz said although the statistic looks good on print, Hall needs to focus more on “covering his man," rather than continually looking for a chance to intercept the football.

“Last week IUP kept beating us because they would throw the ball to whoever Kyle was

PARIS MALONE/THE ROCKET

Junior kicker Jake Chapla attempts an extra point during the team's 49-26 win over Seton Hill.

supposed to cover,” Lutz said. “He was too focused on trying to catch the ball rather than covering his man.”

The Rock will also look to redshirt sophomore Tim Vernick to continue his impressive season. Vernick, younger brother to former Rock linebacker Bob Vernick, has been SRU’s unsung hero this season, Lutz said.

“He does everything,” Lutz said. “He calls our defense, he’s smart, and he’s a ‘typical Vernick,’ except he’s not as athletic as his brother. He’s all over the place and he’s so smart.”

The Rock defense will certainly have their work cut out for them, Lutz said. Although Lutz said that the Fighting Scots’ quarterbacks do not pose too much of a threat to his team, he is focusing his concern on wide receivers James Clark and Ta’Nauz Gregory. On the season, Clark has recorded 241 receiving yards, averaging 11 per game, with three touchdowns on 22 catches. Gregory has caught for 479 yards, averaging 16.5 per game, and five touchdowns on 29 catches. Lutz said Gregory is Edinboro’s strongest receiver.

“He plays the slot position,” Lutz said. “He plays kind of like how our receivers play. He’s really quick and is a ‘loose cannon.’”

The Rock has not beaten Edinboro since the 2015 season when they came away with a 52-10 victory. The Fighting Scots won each of the past two season’s matchups 37-35 and 4939, respectively. Lutz said his offense has got to find a way to beat Edinboro’s defense, which currently lead the PSAC with 16 interceptions. “[Edinboro] has an extremely talented secondary,” Lutz said. “They have so many takeaways because they put a lot of pressure on the quarterback to try and make them make mistakes.

That’s how they have won their games this season, by creating turnovers.”

Saturday is SRU’s annual homecoming game. Slippery Rock has not won their homecoming game since 2015 when they beat California University (Pa.), when long time coach George Mihalik was still at the helm of Rock football.

Kickoff for Saturday’s game is set for 2 p.m.

SPORTS

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PSAC WEST STANDINGS Football 1.

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Slippery Rock California (Pa.) Clarion Edinboro Indiana (Pa.) Mercyhurst Gannon Seton Hill

5-1 (3-0) 4-2 (3-0) 4-1 (2-1) 4-2 (1-2) 4-2 (1-2) 2-4 (1-2) 1-5 (1-2) 0-6 (0-3)

Men's Soccer 1.

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Gannon Shippensburg West Chester E. Stroudsburg Millersville Lock Haven Bloomsburg Mercyhurst Seton Hill Slippery Rock California (Pa.) Pitt-Johnstown

7-4 (6-1) 9-2 (5-1) 7-2-2 (4-1-1) 7-4 (4-3) 5-3-4 (3-2-1) 5-5-2 (3-3-1) 6-6 (3-3) 5-4-2 (2-2-2) 4-3-5 (1-2-4) 4-7-2 (2-3-1) 1-6-3 (0-6) 2-9 (0-6)

Women's Soccer 1.

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Millersville Bloomsburg E. Stroudsburg Kutztown West Chester Lock Haven Seton Hill Slippery Rock Indiana (Pa.) Shippensburg Mercyhurst Pitt-Johnstown Gannon Edinboro Mansfield Clarion California (Pa.)

10-2 (9-2) 8-2-1 (8-2-1) 8-3-1 (8-2-1) 10-2 (8-2) 8-2-1 (7-2-1) 7-2-1 (7-2-1) 8-3-1 (7-3-1) 7-4-2 (5-4-2) 7-4-1 (5-4-1) 6-6 (5-6) 6-5-1 (4-5-1) 4-8 (4-7) 4-5-2(3-5-2) 3-8 (2-8) 1-9 (1-9) 2-11 (1-11) 1-10-1 (0-10-1)

Inclusion Week helps start conversations about diversity and inclusion

By Stephen Cukovich Sports Editor

Last week, the NCAA began their week long Inclusion Week campaign to help shed light on how diversity and inclusion affect the student-athlete through social media using #NCAAInclusion.

"What they really wanted to do was just get all the athletes on social media and get the word out for exactly what it is," SRU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) president Abby Way said. "So just being super inclusive on your teams no matter what gender, race, ethnicity, disability no matter what it is. Just really including everyone and bringing everybody in for the shared love of the game."

On the NCAA's website, they state the purpose of the campaign was to serve as a platform for studentathletes, administrators, coaches, and fans across the country to start the discussion, speak out on, and promote diversity and inclusion as key elements of student-athlete success.

Day one of the campaign was titled "More Than an Athlete", with the goal to show who each studentathlete is. This is in terms of gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, or anything else that helps identify each athlete as more than an athlete. Day two was titled "Beyond a Label", with the purpose of debunking athletic-related stereotypes, such as athletes are only at school to play their sport.

The NCAA has done similar campaigns in the past to help promote diversity and inclusion, and Way said she believes this has been the most successful campaign she has seen.

"I definitely saw not only from our school but different school's SAAC's online retweeting their athletes, there was just a lot of different schools participating in it," Way said.

On day three, students took to social media to discuss the facts regarding diversity and inclusion in collegiate athletics.

For example, diversity is a large part of the collegiate experience, with more and more international athletes participating in NCAA Divisions I and II. According to the NCAA's website, in D-II schools, the percentage of international students has risen 3.1 percent in the NCAA, while D-I schools have seen a four percent rise in the same time frame.

On day four, the goal of the day was to highlight personal definitions of diversity and inclusion to show that they can mean different things to people given their background. Lastly on day five, each athlete was asked to make pledges and commitments

COURTASY OF THE UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES

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West Chester E.Stroudsburg Kutztown Millersville Mansfield Indiana (Pa.) Shippensburg Bloomsburg Mercyhurst Seton Hill Slippery Rock

By Oscar Matous 8-1 (3-0) 8-2 (3-1) 9-2 (2-1) 6-3 (2-1) 6-5 (2-1) 3-7 (2-1) 7-3 (2-1) 6-3 (0-2) 2-8 (0-2) 0-8 (0-2) 5-6 (0-3)

Volleyball 1.

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Gannon Edinboro Mercyhurst Slippery Rock

19-1 (8-1) 10-9 (3-6) 8-14 (3-6) 6-11 (3-6)

Standings as of Thurs. Oct. 11th at 12:33 p.m .

PHOTO COURTESY OF: THE NCAA

NCAA inclusion week took place from October 1.-5.

to action steps student-athletes can take to embrace diversity and promote inclusion.

"I think it was really cool to see what all different people were tweeting and everything," Way said. "And what people do outside of athletics because you get to know people and everything, but you don't know their backstory and where they come from and what they do."

Way believes the main takeaway from the week was to learn more about each other on a deeper level than just getting to know each other as athletes, which proved to be her personal favorite part of the campaign.

"I liked tweeting the pictures and going through looking at the hashtags and seeing what everybody else posted," Way said. "Just getting to know more about people that I know, but actually don't know so it was really interesting."

To find out what Rock athletes were tweeting about and sharing for the campaign, they can be found on the SRU SAAC Twitter page @TheRock_ SAAC where they retweeted many student athletes from all sports across campus.

A "Rocky" History

Bob Jones, the "first Rocky," stands next to the original costume that was sewn together by his mother, Frances.

Field Hockey

October 12, 2018

Assistant Sports Editor

The year was 1978. Bob Jones, a freshman English major at Slippery Rock State College (SRSC), noticed that his school did not have a mascot to represent the institution. Upon the suggestion from his father, Jones created a design for “Rocky” and then had his mother, Frances, sew a costume based off of the design, said Slippery Rock University Archives Technician Kevin McLatchy.

Rocky, known today as “Rocky I,” made his debut at the SRSC football at California State College during that year’s football season. Jones remained as an anonymous Rocky for five football seasons, before revealing his identity during a home football game against Millersville University.

In a 1982 article published by The Rocket, Jones said he wished to remain anonymous simply to separate his life as a student from his “life” as a mascot.

Upon graduation, Jones took the original Rocky I costume with him, the article said. Jones did give permission for Slippery Rock State College, soon becoming Slippery Rock University about a year later, to use his design/copyright for the development of other mascots to represent the institution.

Rocky I remained as the official mascot of SRU for a number of years. However, as years passed, the mascot became a sort of joke to the student body of SRU, McLatchy said. A 1997 article from The Rocket referred to the mascot as, “…that hideous thing we call Rocky.”

“Alas, the Slippery Rock athletic department has finally answered our prayers and has decided to hold a contest to change the mascot,” the article said.

After years of frustration, a majority of the student body

got what it had been asking for. A contest allowed for students and faculty to give input on what they thought the new mascot should be, the article said.

Slippery Rock University Athletic Director Paul Lueken said the University as a whole felt that the mascot that represented the school was in need of a change.

“There was a committee formed that consisted of myself, members of SGA, several coaches of SRU sports, a number of alumni, and of course the University President,” Lueken said.

The University introduced “Rocky II” in 2000. The costume was purchased from a company that already owned the costume, Lueken said.

“We decided to use a lion because of the two male African Lions guarding the gates of West Gym,” he said. “So, we chose to model the mascot after a male African Lion.”

Rocky II lasted seven years before the administration again decided to change the mascot. The decision was made for a number reasons, the main being that the costume was simply worn out, Lueken said. McLatchy said he believes another contributing factor behind the change was possibly because the costume was a bit “terrifying” for children.

“Rocky III,” the current mascot for SRU, was introduced at the men’s and women’s basketball games on February 21, 2007, against California University (Pa.). The changes included a different color scheme, as well as a number of different aesthetics that Lueken wanted to include.

“We had a rough sketch of what we wanted the new Rocky to look like,” Lueken said. “I told the developers that I wanted Rocky to have a green mane and gray fur. We also decided to make Rocky not as scary looking, but to be honest with you, kids still get scared at the Rocky we have now.”

According to Rocky’s bio, Rocky is a lion because it symbolizes SRU’s “rich tradition of pride.”

“Rocky’s green highlights, gray colors and the overall appearance are derived from all of the Rocky mascots and truly represent the pride shared by all at Slippery Rock University,” the bio said.

McLatchy said that most people do not realize that Bob Jones' Rocky was technically the second mascot of the school.

Back in 1949, a mascot by the name of "Rocketman" paraded around the then Slippery Rock State Normal School, he said.

This mascot was short-lived, however, and quickly forgotten, McLatchy explained. Bob Jones' Rocky I is considered by the University as the first official mascot to represent the school, McLatchy said.

Fans of Rocky can expect to see him walking around at Saturday afternoon’s homecoming football game against Edinboro University. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.

SPORTS

October 12, 2018

C-3

Rivers proves he can spread the wealth to everyone Junior quarterback Roland Rivers got his first collegiate start week three at Millersville and since then the former third stringer has racked up 1,040 yards while completing 56.39 percent of his passes for 11 touchdowns and three interceptions. Rivers is also a threat in the running game as he leads the team in rushing touchdowns with five for 166 yards gained.

Henry Litwin 24 receptions 404 yards 5 touchdowns

Jermaine Wynn Jr. 17 receptions 208 yards 1 touchdown

Mike Merhaut 10 receptions 223 yards 3 touchdowns

Aramis Alexander 3 receptions 25 yards 2 touchdowns

Stephen Cukovich Sports Editor

The 2018 Rock offense has had its fair share of rotating pieces with quarterback and running back injuries to key players. The only thing that has been certain all year is the uncertainty to who The Rock's number one target is in the receiving game.

During the Green and White's week five home game against Mercyhurst University, 12 different Rock players caught a pass in the team's 41-21 win. " T h at re a l ly i s am a z i ng because last year it was basically Milly Raye, Marcus Johnson, and the occasionally [Andrew] Bridgeforth," SRU football Head coach Shawn Lutz said. "You get all these different guys, it's gotta be frustrating for a defensive coordinator; who do you key on, what do you do. I'm glad I don't have to play against us and stuff like that, its a good problem to have that we have right now."

On paper, redshirt sophomore receiver Henry Litwin has proven to be the most productive member

of The Rock's receiving corp with a team leading 24 catches for 404 yards and five touchdowns through six games. In the grand scheme of things, Litwin's team leading 404 yards ranks him just 11th in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC), while his team leading 24 receptions ties him for 12th in the PSAC. Including Litwin, there are five Rock receivers with at least 200 receiving yards through six games with 12 touchdowns between those five players. Senior Carnel Harley currently sits in second on the team in receiving yards with 259, followed by junior Austin Scott with 227. Second on the team in touchdown receptions would be redshirt junior Mike Merhaut with three on ten catches for 223 yards.

Redshirt sophomore Jermaine Wynn Jr. rounds out the 200plus club with 208 yards off of 17 receptions and one touchdown.

"Our offense is set up really on what the defense allows us to do," Lutz said. "It's basically pick your poison, I'm glad I don't have to worry about it like I said, but we still got to get better."

The success of the receivers does begin first and foremost w it h t h e s u c c e s s of t h e quarterback. Although only starting since week three against Millersville University, junior Roland Rivers has been gone 75 of 133 for 1,040 passing yards and 11 touchdowns and three interceptions through the air, while also leading the team in rushing touchdowns with five. Rivers' success has mostly come off his ability to extend the play and look for the open receiver or run for the necessary yards, but to coach Lutz, that isn't always the best option.

"Roland has to realize to go down and not try to make a play every single time, that can hurt you in a big game," Lutz said. "But he is a playmaker. You're happy when he makes these unbelievable plays, but then you gotta be smart."

In Rivers' second start, he was able to collect a total of six touchdowns, five through the air, while leading the team in rushing attempts with 12 for 80 yards and a score. This past week against Indiana University (Pa.), Rivers finally had an off day after a

fast start to his colligate career as he went 23-39 for 293 passing yards for one touchdown and two interceptions, while rushing for 68 yards and a score against the Crimson Hawks. Coach Lutz did praise how his quarterback has changed over the past few weeks and how he has improved even more as a passer.

"I think the first couple of games he [Rivers] was just taking off and running a little bit. I think right now he's more poised back there and is more of a pocket passer," Lutz said. "Sometimes he's taking some shots after he throws it. He's just more control comfortable and he's being a leader on the football team, being more vocal."

The Rock's 5-1 overall record and 3-0 record in conference play lands them currently in first place in the PSAC West standings with four teams nipping at their heals with 4-2 records. SRU will look to extend their winning streak to five games this week when the team plays host to Edinboro University this Saturday for homecoming with a 2:00 p.m. kickoff.

SPORTS Cohen claims PSAC Individual title, while Rock remains perfect in team play to end fall season C-4

October 12, 2018

PARIS MALONE/THE ROCKET

Freshman Lois Page strikes the ball mid-air during the team's 6-1 home win over Daemen College this season.

By Karl Ludwig Rocket Contributor

If you are unfamiliar with the history of Rock tennis, there is one thing that you really need to know: this team makes it to the national stage.

This season’s team will not be the exception.

“Will we make it the nationals? Yes. I’ll put that out there right now,” Head coach Matt Meredith said. “That’s our goal every year and that’s what we do. We make nationals. We’re on a pace where we are going to have another eight-year run.”

From 2006 to 2014, Rock tennis clinched eight consecutive NCAA Tournament bids with four 20-plus win seasons and an appearance in the NCAA quarterfinals in 2010.

Trading appearances with narrow misses over the past four seasons, this year’s squad has all the pieces and momentum to make some noise at a regional and national level.

Finishing the fall semester with a perfect record for the third consecutive season, boasting the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) singles champion and having each member of the squad hold a record of .500 or better shows the progress Rock tennis made in barely a month of play.

“I think we’re on task. We’re meeting what we were trying to do moving forward. Overall, how the fall went? I think it went very well. I think my freshman [Lois Page] is starting to play well and getting more comfortable being here. Having Lacey win the whole damn thing, that was beautiful. Things are starting to come together, and we don’t have a freshman on the team anymore,” Meredith said.

Starting the season with a 6-1 non-conference triumph of Daemen College, The Rock followed up by dropping just 25 points over the 18 matches played against Kutztown and Millersville University. 6-0 and 7-0 results propelled the Green and White to a 3-0 record.

Going 39-18 in singles play and 17-7 in doubles matches, The Rock finished the fall with a combined .700-win percentage.

Junior Lacey Cohen led the way with an 8-4 singles record while going 4-2 in doubles. Cohen’s doubles partner, sophomore Olivia Warner, dropped only two combined matches to go 8-1 and 6-1 in singles and doubles play, respectively.

The Rock’s no. 1 doubles team of junior Viola Lugmayr and freshman Lois Page showed out to the tune of a 6-2 doubles record.

Lugmayr finished the fall 8-2 while Cohen went 7-3 overall. The instant chemistry shown between the pair caught the eye of Meredith, but another athlete really wowed the veteran head coach – and for good reason.

“I’ll be honest, I thought the doubles team [Lugmayr and Page] had a very good shot at [the PSAC title] because they play really good doubles tennis together, but I also knew it was wide open.

And, to have Lacey come through like that, it was a great surprise. Not an overwhelming surprise but a good surprise,” Meredith said.

Improving upon her quarterfinal’s appearance as a sophomore, Cohen ran rampant through the conference tournament with four straightset victories to clinch the first-ever PSAC singles championship in Rock tennis history.

Lugmayr and Page both advanced past the first round but drew unfortunate opponents.

Lugmayr squared off with Cohen in a contested contest and Page pushed eventual runner-up Katya Minchenkova to a third set.

The conditioning and experience Cohen, Lugmayr and Page gained in the three-day tournament will bode well for eventual PSAC West play against tough opponents like Indiana University (Pa.), California University (Pa.) and Mercyhurst University.

With each of Meredith’s goals accomplished in getting Page conditioned against some of the best opponents the region has to offer – and seeing her thrive – and having the perfect foundation set for a fast start in the spring semester, Rock tennis knows what is required now to continue their success.

“I think we’re playing well,” Meredith said. “We still need to get fit, we need to get stronger and faster and that’s what we are going to bust our butts doing right now. That’s the objective up until the end of the semester.”

No stranger to success with 14 PSAC and NCAA Tournament berths, Meredith expects this squad to be one of the best he has ever worked with.

“I’ll put it this way, we are going to give people a run for their money. I’m not going to say we are going to win the PSACs because it’s wide open.

There are a lot of good teams out there, but we are one of them.”

The season will resume after a winter layoff in early February.

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CAMPUS LIFE

INSIDE CAMPUS LIFE Computer science professor starts STEAM program

High fashion and edgy, a peek into drag with London Shanel

Dr. Sam Thangiah shares the basics of his program dedicated to introducing students to STEAM and education.

Alum Brandon Gilchrist discusses his drag persona and his journey from SRU to Las Vegas.

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There's No Place Like The Rock

Inclusivity is key for this year's Homecoming celebration, featuring Rock Royalty and even more student involvement

ERIC DAVIES/THE ROCKET

Members of student organizations painted the town of Slippery Rock on Tuesday, covering Main Street with color and SRU spirit. Each organization that participated received a "hometown" to theme their paintings around, such as Los Angeles, London and Washington D.C.

By Megan Bush Campus Life Editor

Homecoming is a tradition like no other no matter where you are, but Slippery Rock University is the place to call home this year. The celebration has undergone a number of changes all centered around inclusivity, including a number of activities on campus and around the community as well as the Homecoming Court.

Assistant homecoming chair and senior public relations major Katie Whitling said that, while the official theme is "No Place Like Homecoming," the underlying concept of this year's HoCo bash is inclusivity, and the biggest and most visible changes involve the Homecoming Court.

The gendered titles of Homecoming King and Queen were terminated after a student expressed concern about which title to run for. This year, two students will be crowned Rock Royalty at Saturday's football game, with no requirement for a male King and a female Queen.

"We wanted to make it so that all students felt included and no one felt as though they couldn't run," Whitling said.

Campaigning also changed, and to give everyone an equal opportunity, each candidate was given a limit of $50 to spend and the Student Government Association will provide cars for candidates to ride in Saturday's parade. Candidates also no longer have to run in pairs; students can run on their own

or with a partner of their choice, regardless of gender.

"We also added QPA requirements and essay questions," Whitling said. "It'll be, like, SRU's top students and wellrounded individuals that represent the university."

One group that chose a nontraditional pair to represent them was the Green and White Society, a girl-dominant organization. Seniors Tori Kolarik, a public health major, and Mackenzie Kirk, a finance major, have been friends for a year, and they were excited to get the chance to run and campaign together.

"We were fortunate enough to represent Green and White Society, and this whole candidacy has been so much fun, I didn't think of it as weird or anything like that, I just thought we were fortunate enough to do it and we get to do it together," Kirk said.

Kolarik said she was looking forward to running because she had friends on the ballot last year, and she enjoyed watching them have fun campaigning,

interacting with the SRU community, and proudly representing their organizations.

She's been part of Green and White Society since her freshman year, and she wanted to be the face of the organization for this celebration.

"I'm really looking forward to how they will announce Rock Royalty because that's obviously going to have to be different than how they did it in the past," Kolarik said. "I think it'll be a really big year."

"It's cool to be part of the first group doing it this way," Kirk added.

Paint the Town also experienced some changes, pushing toward more inclusivity on campus. Before this year, Sorority and Fraternity Life organizations were the only groups taking over Main Street with fun, themed paintings on the windows of McDonald's, Ginger Hill Tavern and Slippery Rock Sportswear. This past Tuesday, however, all student organizations were invited to color the campus and community; the Marching Pride illustrated their upcoming trip to Ireland and the Green and White Society displayed their dedication to tradition on Boozel Dining Hall's windows.

"We're trying to include all student organizations, whether it's the University Program Board, which half of SRU is part of, or an organization that's brand new and has five members," Whitling said. "We really want to have as many students as possible involved this year."

The week's festivities have also been expanded, making this year's HoCo "bigger and better," according to Katie Whitling.

The glow party, which featured mini golf and glow sticks, transformed into a full glow run with a concert at MihaulkThompson Stadium to complete the event. Additionally, a "Singing Bee" akin to CMT's karaoke-style reality television show was held Wednesday night in the Smith Student Center ballroom. Saturday morning's parade will also be expanded upon, with a few surprises for the Slippery Rock community.

"I think that's what 'home' should mean," Tori Kolarik said.

"Slippery Rock University, to us, is a community full of traditions and everybody should feel like they belong here and feel like they're at home."

CAMPUS LIFE

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October 12, 2018

Professor encourages local kids' interest in education

PARIS MALONE/THE ROCKET

Sam Thangiah hangs out in his office in the Advanced Technology and Science Hall. Thangiah started a STEAM program at SRU for local students from grades two through 12 to get interested in education.

By Megan Bush Campus Life Editor

Like Whitney Houston said, "Children are our future, teach them well and let them lead the way," and that's exactly what Sam Thangiah, professor of computer science, intends to do through his Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math program (STEAM).

"I think we are lacking STEAM in this area, so institutions like Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh offer STEAM classes, but they charge somewhere around $1,500 or more for a week," Thangiah said. "But if you look at the salaries of the families in this area, they can't afford it, and they're kind of being left out with respect to the sciences and technology and so on."

Then, Thangiah realized that the location of Slippery Rock University is a perfect spot to start offering STEAM classes to kids in the area. He recruited other professors and students in the computer science department, as well as other

departments, to hold special camps featuring classes in robotics, physics and chemistry, among other fields.

"I couldn't do it alone, so I asked my department, and they were fully on board," Thangiah said.

"And we do it on a volunteer basis, the entire department."

There is a charge due to the snacks and drinks offered, as well as the equipment needed to keep the camp relevant and exciting, but if the family wants to send their child and can't afford it, Thangiah said the registration fee isn't mandatory and the student can still attend. The computer science professor also received a grant from the Office for Community Engaged Learning to aid in obtaining the necessary resources.

In addition to the number of faculty members helping Thangiah teach these classes, students are also involved in giving back to the kids.

Students in the science department volunteer their time, but so do non-majors like math and art majors. Thangiah said this is really good for the college students involved just as much as the

younger kids because the experience is teaching them what their degree really means and helping them learn soft skills. Not everyone can get an internship, so they can use this experience preparing, presenting and public speaking, Thangiah said. Zachariah Miller, a graduate student from Beaver, even conducted an entire class.

"The students really start to realize the power of education, which most don't really understand until you get a four-year degree and go to get a job," Thangiah said. "You're not thinking exactly what kind of a difference you can make in a community, but here you get to make a lifetime of difference for the kids."

It's not just the STEAM part, though. Thangiah's favorite part about this program is getting the kids excited about the education process. The team helped the kids experience the different areas in the sciences, technology, engineering, art and mathematics, and Thangiah said it was exciting to watch them get into these kinds of things because they might not have the resources at school, but at least they're getting exposed to it.

Thangiah hopes to continue expanding the program, encouraging more and more kids in the area to participate, until the schools can pick up where this series of classes will leave off. After that, and possibly before, he plans on sending students into the schools to start training the teachers.

"When you bring students over here, you're not gonna get everyone, but if you go to the schools, you have a much bigger audience that can be impacted by this," Thangiah said.

The first classes lasted an hour long and were held in the spring over the course of four Saturdays. The team then held a day camp here at the university for three days, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, with snack breaks, of course. The art department presented pottery and Photoshop lessons, the computer science department taught robotics and the chemistry department put on experiments like blowing trashcans three stories into the air. Thangiah described that class with a smile, mentioning that the professors had to warn the police ahead of time.

"Everyone wants to be a chemist after that," Thangiah laughed.

The next set of courses will be held in November, with the same structure as the spring classes, and will accept local students from grades two through 12.

College Dress Relief presents: 'Rock' your Rock Pride in Style

By Hope Hoehler Asst. Campus Life Editor, Vice President of CDR

Green and White Fridays sponsored by the Green and White Society have been a longlasting tradition at Slippery Rock University.

Every Friday, students wear their green and white to represent SRU. Whether it be a stylish sweatshirt, long sleeve, t-shirt, or hat from the bookstore, students can show off their “rock pride” around campus.

With all the available SRU gear available, it may be difficult to choose just one outfit to wear for Green and White Fridays. But don’t worry! I’m here to help you participate in this tradition with simple tricks and trendy outfits.

Staying comfortable and warm during the chilly fall and cold winter is certainly something you want to keep in mind while choosing an outfit. A soft SRU sweatshirt, pullover or vest is perfect for this weather. Paired with jeans, leggings or khakis, this simple style is sure to keep you cozy while walking around campus and bracing the autumn weather.

Although we can never guess how the weather will cooperate with our planned outfit, it is important to have a second choice for warmer weather. A light SRU long-sleeve or t-shirt HOPE HOEHLER/THE ROCKET HOPE HOEHLER/THE ROCKET will keep you from burning up while walking Vince Scalamogna, junior communications BA major, models his around campus under the sun. Pair this look Hannah Shumsky, sophomore secondary english education major and comfy sweats combo, perfect for keeping him warm during this chilly with jeans or jean shorts, leggings, or khakis special education minor, rocks the layered look with her SRU t-shirt HoCo weekend. and you’ll look super stylish while keeping and army green jacket. cool.

Accessories are just as important as the clothes. A stylish baseball cap or knit hat, or beanie for those frigid winters are going to come in handy. Pair these with your winter coat, a heavier SRU sweatshirt or pullover and you can show your “rock pride” without freezing. If you’re feeling fancy, you can add a neutral color scarf such as black, white, gray, or SRU green to your overall outfit for even more warmth.

Now that you’re ready to show off your SRU style, get ready for Green and White Fridays to show off your “rock pride”.

CAMPUS LIFE

October 12, 2018

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Outside the box and into drag with Brandon Gilchrist

PARIS MALONE/THE ROCKET

Glitter rains down on London Shanel as she dances onstage at RockOUT's annual drag show in October 2017 to a crowd of excited SRU students. Shanel is SRU alumnus Brandon Gilchrist's drag persona, and during her four years at The Rock, she performed at every one of RockOUT's drag shows and is one of the only students to do so.

By Hope Hoehler Asst. Campus Life Editor

“Drag is whatever you want it to be,” said 2017 Slippery Rock University graduate Brandon Gilchrist. While he was a resort recreation, hospitality and event management tourism student at SRU Gilchrist performed in the SRU drag show all 4 years on campus and was one of the only students to do so.

Gilchrist, other wise known as Miss London Shanel got familiar with drag in Vegas in 2014 when he went for a summer. When Gilchrist went to his first show in Vegas he thought, “OMG I can totally do that.”

“I went to the thrift store and bought a twodollar dress, makeup from the Dollar Store and Walgreens, and got an old w i g f r o m my cousin’s neighbor,” Gilchrist said.

Gilchrist’s drag - Brandon "London p e r s on a i s M i s s London Shanel. Gilchrist said that he originally looked on a drag queen name engine but wanted his name to be unique. “I always wanted to be a popstar, but I can’t sing but I can dance and perform,” Gilchrist added. “There’s so much you can do with drag and there’s so many different queens and elements of drag that I didn’t even know what existed and what kind of image I wanted to put out as a drag queen.”

“London Shanel is a high fashion and pop starry diva who is every man’s wife and every girl’s wannabe, who you want but can’t afford because she is so high-class,” Gilchrist said.

When you first think of a romantic, high fashion, and remarkable city, Gilchrist thought of London. Shanel is a different spelling of “Chanel” that represents the high brand person that Gilchrist is. “[London Shanel] is humble, trendy, edgy and different. If you wanted to compare, she

is Miss Jay Alexander, Tyra Banks, Beyoncé, and Naomi Campbell,” Gilchrist said. “[These are] people I admire and I took elements from them.”

Gilchrist performed in the drag show put on at SRU originally to meet people because he was new to Slippery Rock. After his first performance on campus, people started to know who he was. The second year, Gilchrist had a fan base, people knew who he was and enjoyed seeing him on stage. Along making friends with the other drag queens, Gilchrist added, “Me doing it every year was me representing my school and what The Rock has to offer in the LGBTQ community as a student and as an alumni.”

While a student at SRU, Gilchrist performed at Blu e Mo on i n Pittsburgh every Wednesday night.

During summer he went down to Fort Lauderdale, Fla. to mo del and do some photoshoots.

Gilchrist has also performed in Vegas Shanel " Gilchrist and started more of his drag career with shows in North Carolina.

“My first song was Beyoncé's 'Grown Woman'.” “[Performing] for me, it’s the pure enjoyment of seeing others enjoy what I’m doing and see my art form,” Gilchrist said. “The compliments afterward show how they really enjoyed the show. I want people to feel like they paid top dollar to see me perform when the show is theoretically free.”

Ever y show is dif ferent, but “new compositions can help you start building a fan base. It’s really important that you hone in on your skills and talents, especially with drag," Gilchrist said.

Gilchrist has always been interested in drag but never knew what it was. “I thought drag was one straight cookie-cutter type situation [but] it’s being able to be someone else for a period of time to enhance the life of others.

Drag is an endless pit of creativity.”

To this current day, Gilchrist continues to perform in drag shows and share his love of the art with others. “It was a wakening moment for me and taught me a lot about myself as Brandon.”

"Drag is an endless pit of creativity ."

PHOTO BY MARIA JOSE KULIK

Since her first performance at SRU, Shanel's drag career has soared, and she has performed in Pittsburgh, North Carolina and Las Vegas.

She has also modeled in professional photoshoots in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., as pictured above.

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October 12, 2018