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Campus Life

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Rock travels to D-I Michigan

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Program combines music with therapy

The Rocket www.theonlinerocket.com

Friday, November 16, 2012

Slippery Rock University Student Newspaper

Est. 1934

Volume 96, Number 10

Panel discussion debates the local economic benefit of fracking By Jason Robinson Rocket Contributor

A three group panel discussed the ripple effect of Marcellus shale drilling and how it is affecting the business world. The panelists were Luke Marsh, AMEC Marcellus/Utica program leader; Russell Huffmyer, lead project manager Heckman Corp.; and Amelia Roncone, general manager of the northeast division of Specialty Oilfield Solutions and caterer. The panel discussed how Marcellus shale drilling helps create jobs not only in the gas field, but in a variety of fields. The panelist’s employers are a consulting agency, a

trucking company, and one runs a catering service that delivers food to Marcellus workers at gas well sites. These jobs are called ancillary jobs. The other types of Marcellus jobs are called core jobs because they directly drill of refine the natural gas from the Marcellus shale. According to Pa. Dept. of Community and Economics there are approximately 240,000 core and ancillary Marcellus jobs. Approximately 70 percent of these come from Pa. residents. The average Pa. core salary is $81,116, when ancillary salary is $63,904 and the average of all Pa. jobs is $47,034. “What we felt was that we needed a way to show our students, in particular, what kind of opportunities might

exist in this phenomenal natural resource that is literally under our feet,” said John Buttermore, SRU professor from the school of business. During the question and answer part of the discussion, Richard Grimm, SRU professor from the school of business asked “what is the impact of Marcellus drilling on the small town and their economies.” Roncone answered, “Coming from Waynesburg and seeing the indirect impact Marcellus drilling has had is incredible. I drive the length of the town and I do not recognize it anymore." Marsh then answered, “There are so many ancillary SEE ENVIRONMENTAL, PAGE A-3

'Let's Get Dirty' race invites visitors to get muddy at SRU New provost will be announced soon By Erica Kurvach Rocket Staff Reporter

President Norton has received the provost finalist surveys and their summaries on Friday to evaluate and decide on the next provost and vice president for academic affairs. The date it will be announced is unknown. The announcement may be delayed depending on how much time Norton will have due to her current travels and Thanksgiving Break. On Wednesday, Dr. Amanda Yale, the Provost Search Committee Chair and Associate Provost for Enrollment Services, took summaries of all the surveys done by campus faculty, staff and students and sent it back to the Search Committee so that they can confirm what they said. Then, Yale took all of the responses and sent it

to Norton. Yale believes that acceptable means to do the job of the Provost. “We are a recommending body, not a decision-making body,” Yale said. “This means we consider all responses.” Provost William Williams will retire sometime in between the end of January and the middle of March depending if they can find a replacement. “The Provost is a very important leadership position,” Yale said. “When the President Norton is away, the Provost fills in for her job. Nearly 500 staff and faculty report to the Provost. He or she is ultimately responsible.” The fact that Provost finalist Dr. DonnaJean Fredeen worked in the same school in Connecticut with President Norton may leave others to think that she will get picked.

EMILY SCHUBERT/ THE ROCKET Participants wash off after the 16th annual 'Let's Get Dirty' race held at Slippery Rock University on Nov. 10. The race was a European style cross country race and featured trails, hills, stream crossings and mud pits.

SEE SEARCH, PAGE A-3

Faculty and coaches from 14 universities vote on strike authorization By Jonathan Janasik Rocket News Editor

PASSHE chancellor Dr. John C. Cavanaugh visited SRU last Thursday as ASPCUF prepared to vote for strike authorization. The Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF) has been bargaining with the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) for almost two years in order to agree on a new contract for the union. Until a new contract is agreed upon, the previous one remains in effect. In October, APSCUF requested the contract to be settled through the means of binding arbitration. This means that both APSCUF and PASSHE would have to give all of their documentation to a third party who would create a contract that both parties would be required to follow. PASSHE denied the request. “We believe it would be improper to delegate those responsibilities to a third party arbitrator who does not have the responsibility or duty to consider the financial implications of their decisions and who is not obligated to take into account the interests of Pennsylvania taxpayers or the long-term effects of those decisions on the Commonwealth or PASSHE,” Cavanaugh stated in a press release. In response to this, ASPCUF decided to take the next step in negotiations and call for a strike authorization vote. A strike authorization does not necessarily mean that the faculty will go on strike, but instead it signifies that APSCUF can vote to strike if deemed necessary. President of the SRU chapter of APSCUF Dr. Patrick Burkhart explained that a strike authorization demonstrates that the union is serious about reaching a

PHOTO COURTESY OF SAMUEL HOGAN Former president of the SRU chapter of APSCUF, Dr. Jace Condravy, addresses PASSHE Chancellor John Cavanaugh about the ongoing negotiations last Thursday.

settlement, and by passing a strike authorization PASSHE should have more leverage at the bargaining table. Voting for the strike authorization took place Monday through Wednesday at all 14 universities that belong to APSCUF. Members of the union were able to vote for or against passing the strike authorization. If a majority of the

faculty votes for the strike authorization, than the strike authorization will be passed. The results of the vote are expected to be released on Friday. On November 8, PASSHE Chancellor Dr. John C. SEE PASSHE, PAGE A-2


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