"Dia de los Muertos" Showcase Embraces Mexican Culture SOL's "Dia de los Muertos" showcase takes an abstract view of Mexican culture and legend. Pages D-1
Friday November 7, 2014 • Volume 98, Issue Number 9 • Slippery Rock University's Student Newspaper
the rocket
www.theonlinerocket.com
Student threatens ex-girlfriend's life By Haley Barnes News Editor
Russel Ferguson, 24-yearold political science major of Harrisville, Pennsylvania, was charged with aggravated assault among with seven different charges on Wednesday following an attack on a female Slippery Rock University student after reading her Facebook messages. Ferguson was also charged with carrying a firearm without a license, terroristic threats, unlawful restraint, simple assault, indecent assault, providing alcohol to
minors, and harassment. On Oct. 29 at 5p.m., Ferguson picked the female student up in his green Toyota Tacoma at her on-campus residence hall, according the police complaint. He took her to Giant Eagle and Wines and Spirits, where he bought groceries and Black Velvet Whiskey. Ferguson took the female back to his Butler county residence of 115 Barr Lane and they ate dinner together. As the evening progressed, they began to argue about actions that had been taken since they broke up. He demanded to
read her Facebook messages and after reading them, he became angry and broke the computer. Ferguson began to strike the female and choke her with his hands. The female now has red marks and scratches on her throat area. Ferguson pointed a Smith & Wesson Revolver at her and threated to kill her too. “Later [the victim] was on the floor in the living room with Ferguson on top of her,” the complaint says. “Ferguson did pull down her pants and stick his fingers in her vagina while calling her a ‘whore’ and asking her ‘you like this don’t you?’ Ferguson
later told [the victim] to leave the residence and then threatened her when she attempted to.” Ferguson demanded that she go to bed with him and in the morning, they continued to argue. Ferguson took her back to her on-campus residence hall. The female reported the assault to the Slippery Rock University Police. While reporting, Ferguson began texting her saying he was going to pick her up again at 4 p.m. While being arrested, Ferguson was carrying the revolver he used to threaten the female’s life.
PHOTO COURTESY OF SLIPPERY ROCK UNIVERSITY
Russel Ferguson (pictured above) is a 24-year-old politcal science major arrested for aggravated assault along with seven other charges.
Native Americans embrace their culture at SRU
ALEX MOWREY/THE ROCKET
Native American dancers showcase their culture at The Native American Day Celebration on Thursday. At the events, students were welcome to learn more about the culture through the traditions of the Native Americans.
Student verbally and physically assaults Library undergoes renovations police officers charged with simple assault Third floor closed on the Instructional Material Center By Haley Barnes News Editor
Drew Venesky, 19-year-old mathematics major from Cabot Pennsylvania, was charged with simple assault on Wednesday after he attacked three police officers verbally and physically in September. According to the police criminal complaint filed on Venesky, on Sept. 4, officers, Tyler Gray and Lt. Brian Houk were dispatched to Building F for a fire call when they noticed a white male under the influence of alcohol stumbling around the lobby. Concerned for the Venesky’s health and safety, the officers approached him. Venesky responded by flexing his muscles and shoving his hands into his pockets. Gray ordered Venesky to go to the health center, but Venesky refused and verbally abused the officers. Venesky was handcuffed and arrested for underage constumption. On the way to the health center, Veneksy continued to verbally abuse the officers with profanity and threatened them several
times. Venesky was verbally abusive towards the health center nurses and threatened them by standing up and thrusting his chest towards them, the claim says. Officer Lawrence Straub escorted Venesky to his parents in the health center parking lot at midnight. Venesky continued using profanity and Straub ordered him to get into his father’s, SUV. Venesky pushed Straub and Straub pushed back in order to gain control and get Venesky into the backseat, according to the claim. Venesky refused and punched Straub in the chest. Venesky was handcuffed and transported to the Butler County Prison. After a plea-bargain at Venesky’s hearing on Wednesday, the charges were dropped from aggravated assault to simple assault. Senior District Judge, Joseph O’Donnell explained parts of the bargain. He said Venesky is not permitted consume alcohol, he must live with his parents and if he wants to change his address it must be approved. O’Donnell said Venesky is in a bad situation.
Night Happy Bus Back By Vote
The Bible is All
Vice President of Campus Outreach pushed for the night route to return. Page A-3
In a letter to the editor, Kristopher Hawkins speaks out on using the Bible for hate. Page B-2
About Love
Tuesday and Thursday mornings By Bridget McClure Rocket Contributor
An inconvenience many students have run into lately is the closing of the third floor, also known as the “quiet floor,” of Bailey Library on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7:45 AM to noon. Built in 1973, Bailey Library is composed of three levels and a basement. As time has played its toll, the library has been under reconstruction for quite some time and is currently focusing on the third floor. Jessica Jordan is the Education Assessment Librarian at Bailey Library. She became involved with the renovations because the library is looking to make the second floor
Rock Holds Off Fighting Scots Rock football powered past Edinboro University Saturday, winning 29-7. Page C-1
(IMC), which includes all the education based resources. “We renovated the first floor during the last academic year,” Jordan said. “Once we completed that project, we looked through the rest of the building and realized how archaic it truly was.” The library has been working with Mary Ann King, Director for Academic Resources, to renovate the third floor. Renovations to the third floor were not only sparked from previous renovations, but also from the addition of the math emporium, Jordan said. The math emporium was implemented by the Provost at the back of the second floor and is used for different beginner math courses such as basic algebra. “With the addition of the math emporium taking up a lot of room, we were forced to reevaluate the space and materials we had left,” SEE, FINISH PAGE A-2
Empty Bowls Gives Back Local charity benefits from the annual Empty Bowls lunch and dinner. Page D-3
NEWS
A-2 7-DAY FORECAST FOR SLIPPERY ROCK FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
Showers of rain and snow
Spotty afternoon showers
Mostly cloudy
Rather cloudy and milder
Rain at times
Colder with clouds and sun
Clouds and sun, a flurry; cold
42°
29°
46°
33°
44°
REAL FEAL TEMPERATURE
Fri.
Sat.
Sun. Mon.
Tue.
Wed. Thu.
Fri.
CITY Akron Allentown Altoona Cleveland Erie Harrisburg Indiana Johnstown Philadelphia Pittsburgh Scranton State College Wheeling Williamsport Youngstown
Friday HI LO W 43 30 sn 50 28 c 43 31 c 43 32 sn 43 34 sn 52 32 pc 43 30 sh 39 29 sf 54 34 pc 44 29 sh 46 28 sh 45 29 c 43 31 sh 48 27 sh 42 30 sn
Saturday HI LO W 49 30 sh 49 38 s 50 37 c 49 32 sh 48 35 c 53 40 s 50 35 c 47 34 c 50 44 s 49 35 c 49 40 pc 48 36 c 50 34 c 51 39 pc 48 32 sh
53°
38°
47°
Sat.
Monday HI LO W 55 36 c 59 40 s 56 38 pc 53 40 c 52 36 c 59 40 pc 56 38 c 54 39 pc 61 44 s 56 44 pc 55 38 pc 54 37 pc 56 39 pc 56 36 pc 54 38 c
Sun. Mon.
Tuesday HI LO W 46 28 r 61 41 c 54 38 r 44 29 r 45 32 r 59 38 pc 52 31 r 51 33 r 64 45 pc 52 30 r 56 39 c 53 34 r 49 31 r 54 37 c 46 29 r
36°
Sun
Tue.
Wed. Thu.
The higher the AccuWeather.com UV Index number, the greater the need for eye and skin protection. 0-2 Low; 3-5 Moderate; 6-7 High; 8-10 Very High; 11+ Extreme.
Sunday HI LO W 47 35 c 55 33 pc 48 34 pc 48 37 c 47 38 c 54 35 pc 46 34 c 44 34 pc 57 40 pc 46 31 c 50 34 pc 48 33 pc 47 36 c 52 31 pc 47 35 c
31°
25°
NATIONAL FORECAST FOR THE WEEK TEMPERATURES
24°
37°
Above Near Below Normal Normal Normal
IN THE SKY
™
The patented AccuWeather.com RealFeel Temperature is an exclusive index of effective temperature based on eight weather factors. Shown are the highest and lowest values for each day.
REGIONAL CITIES
33°
UV INDEX
®
Wednesday HI LO W 36 24 c 47 28 s 39 27 sf 37 25 c 38 29 sf 47 31 s 38 25 sf 34 24 sn 50 36 s 38 25 sf 43 28 s 39 28 pc 38 26 c 44 28 c 36 24 c
Thursday HI LO W 36 24 pc 44 27 s 37 26 pc 37 26 c 38 29 sf 44 29 s 36 26 pc 33 24 pc 48 34 s 37 25 pc 41 27 pc 37 26 pc 36 25 pc 42 27 pc 36 24 c
Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
Moon
Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
Rise 6:58 a.m. 6:59 a.m. 7:00 a.m. 7:02 a.m. 7:03 a.m. 7:04 a.m. 7:05 a.m. Rise 6:00 p.m. 6:47 p.m. 7:38 p.m. 8:31 p.m. 9:26 p.m. 10:22 p.m. 11:18 p.m.
MOON PHASES
Set 5:09 p.m. 5:08 p.m. 5:07 p.m. 5:06 p.m. 5:05 p.m. 5:04 p.m. 5:03 p.m. Set 7:32 a.m. 8:34 a.m. 9:31 a.m. 10:22 a.m. 11:08 a.m. 11:48 a.m. 12:24 p.m.
Last
New
First
Full
11v/14
11v/22
11v/29
12/6
Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2014
November 7, 2014 PRECIPITATION
Above Near Below Normal Normal Normal
National Summary: A new disturbance riding a cold push of air will pass through the Great Lakes Saturday. Showers will dampen areas ahead of the system, mainly across the lower Great Lakes. Behind the system, snow showers will occur across Wisconsin and upper Michigan. Dry weather will span the rest of the country. As Sunday arrives, some snow will start the morning across the interior Northeast while showers dampen the New England coast. Meanwhile, showers will move across the northern tier of the country. Those showers will dive farther south Monday along with the chilly air. Expect snow to fall from Montana to Minnesota where some accumulations could occur.
NATIONAL CITIES
Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday CITY HI LO W HI LO W HI LO W HI LO W HI LO W HI LO W HI LO W Atlanta 58 38 s 63 44 pc 64 40 s 68 45 s 69 46 s 56 35 s 53 37 r Boston 50 34 c 47 40 s 51 38 pc 54 42 pc 60 40 pc 49 32 pc 44 31 s Chicago 46 38 pc 44 29 c 48 38 pc 49 31 c 35 19 c 33 18 s 34 21 s Cincinnati 48 33 pc 52 29 c 51 36 pc 59 44 pc 48 27 r 39 24 s 39 25 pc Dallas 66 49 s 68 37 pc 69 50 s 75 49 s 54 37 pc 50 36 s 51 38 pc Denver 70 31 pc 65 39 s 73 46 pc 59 20 c 37 18 sf 38 20 c 42 23 sn Detroit 44 31 pc 46 27 c 41 35 c 50 34 sh 40 21 r 35 21 c 36 22 c Houston 68 46 pc 70 42 pc 69 45 s 78 63 s 72 46 c 59 39 pc 58 44 pc Indianapolis 48 34 pc 48 28 c 50 36 pc 56 37 pc 42 23 c 37 22 s 37 23 s Kansas City 62 43 pc 51 34 s 62 43 pc 61 26 pc 40 22 pc 38 22 s 41 25 pc Los Angeles 87 60 s 88 62 s 87 59 s 76 57 s 72 56 s 73 56 s 77 55 s Miami 83 68 pc 81 68 sh 78 62 r 80 64 s 82 67 s 82 67 s 80 66 c Nashville 55 35 s 60 32 c 58 37 s 65 46 pc 60 33 r 47 29 s 48 31 c New Orleans 65 48 s 67 49 pc 68 48 s 75 60 s 78 57 pc 63 44 c 64 49 r New York City 52 37 c 50 44 s 54 42 pc 59 46 s 62 48 pc 49 35 pc 44 32 s Orlando 77 55 pc 78 56 pc 67 51 r 77 52 s 80 54 s 79 55 pc 76 56 c Phoenix 83 58 s 88 61 s 84 59 s 83 61 s 83 62 s 83 60 s 81 59 pc San Francisco 71 54 s 74 55 s 73 54 s 70 56 s 68 55 pc 69 55 s 69 54 s Seattle 54 41 s 55 43 pc 56 42 r 53 41 c 54 42 pc 52 44 s 55 46 sh Washington, DC 58 38 pc 56 46 s 59 43 pc 63 48 s 67 46 s 52 35 s 46 34 pc Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain, sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice.
Evening Happy Bus route returns P
By Amber Cannon Assistant News Editor
Dur ing t heir regular senate meeting Monday, Catch something exciting happening the Slippery Rock Student on campus? Want your Insta-photos to Government Association (SGA) approved up to be featured in The Rocket? Just follow $13,000 to fund the evening @SRURocket on Instagram and use route of the Happy Bus to # in the caption for your run for the remainder of this chance to be featured here every week! semester and the first half of next semester. Vice President of Campus Outreach Jared Stanley explained that safety factors were the primary reason why he was pushing for the return of the evening route of the Happy Bus in the winter. “One of the main reasons why I’m pushing for the Happy Bus in the winter is so that people that are walking from The Grove every day or people who live at The Heights are not walking when it’s -12 degrees outside,” Stanley said. SGA Business Manager Wendy Leitera said that one of the reasons why the evening route of the Happy Bus disappeared was because the ridership was declining mostly during the spring semester. Baylee Childress, SGA Vice President of Financial Affairs, also expressed her support behind the idea of reviving the evening route of the Happy Bus. “I think this is a really good opportunity to kind of see where this can go,” Childress Blotter.................A-3 Sports...................C-1 said. “It’s not something that is going to break the bank. Opinion................B-4 Campus Life.............D-1 It’s soon enough that people Comics...................B-5
INDEX
still have it in the back of their minds that it was taken away and I think it’s one of those things that they didn’t really realize they had until it was gone. Last winter was so harsh and people were outraged that they didn’t have a bus.” Vice President of Student Affairs, Vanessa Dufford, was the guest speaker at the meeting. Dufford gave a brief overview of the results of the student life survey that was distributed to students via email. Dufford said that most students felt unsafe walking t h rou g h p ar k i n g l ot s , waiting at bus stops, and walking around campus at night because of the minimal lights, but also mentioned that a number of students said the emergency blue lights made them feel safe while walking the campus at night as well. She mentioned that SGA is working to put more emergency blue lights throughout campus. According to Dufford and the student life survey, more students would like to see Bailey Library open longer, especially on the weekends. Students would also like to see more meal swipe options at Rocky’s and Weisenfluh and also more accessibility around campus, such as more ramps and curb cuts. Larry Brink, SGA alum and a member of the PASSHE Board of Governors, and Linda Gill, retired senior Vice President of Mellon Bank, were elected as new members of the SRSGA
Board of Directors. The SRSGA Board of Directors is a committee made up of non-student members who will come together and work side by side with SGA and with the students of Slippery Rock University and will also help SGA make financially sound decisions and offer guidance to SGA when needed. SGA President, Katie Hill announced that the week of Nov. 9 will be Veterans Week in honor of all the men and women who have safely guarded the honor and citizens of the United States. The Slippery Rock Tennis C o m mu n i t y e x p r e s s e d their concern about the rehabilitation of the tennis courts on campus. They claimed that it makes it hard to practice and play tennis on the courts because of the condition that the courts are in. Brad Kovaleski, SGA advisor, assured the tennis community that although the pace at a college campus isn’t the most expedient, SGA is putting together a group that is helping with the process of the rehabilitation of the tennis courts. The Law Society was granted $127 to pay for travel costs to Ohio State University and Sarah Arpino was named “liter” of the week for all her participation in the Harvest Fest that took place on Oct. 25. The next meeting will take place Nov. 17 at 8:45 p.m. in the theater of the Robert M. Smith Student Center.
Finish date of renovations has not been set
Continued from Page A-1
CONTACT US Newsroom: (724) 738-4438 Advertising: (724) 738-2643 Fax: (724) 738-4896 Email: rocket.letters@sru.edu Nationally recognized as one of the top 10 four-year weekly broadsheet newspapers by the Associated Collegiate Press.
220 Eisenberg Building Slippery Rock University Slippery Rock, PA 16057
Jordan said. “That’s the step we are at right now.” The librarians have been working at weeding out very dated books and incorrect information to make more room on the third floor. The shelving was pushing 40 years old and was not very stable anymore. They did not want to rid the library of the bound journals, so the ones they do not have electronic access to are being kept and moved to the basement onto compact shelving. Students won’t be able to browse the journals but will still have access by simply submitting a request form. They still want students to have the information but are trying to make space, Jordan said. “As librarians, we need to keep an eye on the collection and that’s something we admit as faculty we weren’t doing,” Jordan said. In terms of listening to students, the library knows from surveys and their suggestion box of the changes students would like to see happen to the library. Students expressed they want more group study space, comfortable furniture, quiet space, and just more space in
general, Jordan said. Additional computers and seating, new carpets, a new reading room, and a more relaxed atmosphere are changes expected to come. “The third floor will still be quite,” Jordan said. “We are getting rid of the big tables and moving toward individualized study space to encourage quiet on the quiet floor.” Another goal of Bailey Library is to make it the transformational services building, Jordan said. The Writing Center has recently been moved from Spotts into the library. Additionally, it contains career development, academic support services, the tutoring center, and more. A determined finished date has not been set for the third floor. However, the library is working hard to have the back half of the third floor, also called the “Swope end,” emptied with new shelving in by the start of the spring semester. “What we are trying to do is a great concept,” Jordan said. “We’re not getting a bigger building and we understand that, so we are trying to maximize the space we have.”
November 7, 2014
NEWS
A-3
POLICE BLOTTER Borough Oct. 23 – Police responded to a medical call at Oct. 17 – A resident of Elm Street reported Bailey Library. The individual was transported his vehicle as stolen. The vehicle was later to Grove City Hospital by ambulance. found to have drifted out of gear and into a neighboring yard. Oct. 23 – Police were called to Rock Pride Drive for an individual who wanted to report Oct. 18 – There was a reported hit and run that she fell earlier and thinks she broke that took place at the intersection of New her ankle. The female refused to be treated Castle Street and Elm Street. A silver SUV by an ambulance and was given the proper collided with a bus and then fled the scene. paperwork to file via the safety office. Oct. 24 – An unknown Chevrolet Silverado Oct. 23 – Police responded to a medical call at with a Steeler’s sticker on the rear window Patterson Hall. The individual was transported backed into another parked vehicle and then to Grove City Hospital by ambulance. fled the scene.
Oct. 29 – Tyreq Black, 20, and Darnell McFadden, 18, were issued drug violations at Building E. Oct. 29 – Police responded to an altercation over a parking space at the Stadium Lot. One of the individuals were escorted to their residence halls and advised to call the campus police is she has any more problems. Oct. 30 – There was a report of property damage to a vehicle at the Lower Stadium Lot. The case is under investigation.
Oct. 30 – Police arrested a person on campus Oct. 24 – Charges are pending for an for a warrant from the Pennsylvania State Oct. 27 – Dominos Pizza reported that individual who was driving under the influence Police. their lighted sign for the roof of their delivery and who made various traffic violations at vehicle was stolen while parked at the store. West Central Loop. Nov. 1 – Charges are pending for an intoxicated individual who claimed that their Oct. 30 – There was a reported theft of Oct. 24 – Police, while on patrol, noticed a car was stolen along Morrow Way. money at an ATM machine at Sheetz. car in the middle of the road on Rock Pride Driver with no one inside the vehicle. Officers attempted to make contact with the owner Nov. 1 – Madison Filer, 19, was issued an Oct. 31 – Zachary Crewl was cited for of the vehicle, but they got no response. The alcohol violation at Building F. possession of an open container and scattering vehicle was towed. rubbish along Midway Alley. Nov. 2 – Samantha Lawton, 18, was issued Oct. 25 – Austin Bolt, 18, Jillian Mickle, 18, an alcohol violation at Building B. Nov. 1 – Justin Fursa was cited for disorderly Connor Obriot, 18, Shane Smith, 18, Dillon conduct as a theft incident at Sheetz. Tones, 19, and Sarah Hollinshead, 18, were Nov. 3 – Jaleel Gregg, 18, was issued a drug issued alcohol violations at Building E. violation at Building F. Nov. 1 – Taylor Davis was cited for underage possession and Michelle Wiltshire was cited Oct. 26 – Campus police were called by for an open container violation along Cornish Pennsylvania State Police to take a call for Drive. large parties at the University Village and The Grove apartment complexes.
Nov. 4 – Police investigated a marijuana odor at Building A. Charges are pending.
Nov. 4 – Police were called to the Health Center Staff Lot for a female that was jumped. The incident occurred off campus. Nov. 1 – Brian Trocano was cited for an open Oct. 27 – Andre Hall was cited for tampering Pennsylvania State Police are responding to container violation along New Castle Street. with a fire apparatus for a previous incident. the incident. Campus Oct. 23 – Clarence Jones, 19, was charged Oct. 27 – Police were dispatched to the with disorderly conduct for a previous incident Stadium Lot to meet a person whose car was at Building F. damaged sometime during the week. The case Compiled by Amber Cannon is under investigation.
O
OPINION
Our View Rate my professor not best for scheduling
OPINION rocket.letters@sru.edu Volume 98, Number 9
220 Eisenberg Classroom Building Slippery Rock University Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania 16057 Phone: Fax: E-mail:
(724) 738-4438 (724) 738-4896 rocket.letters@sru.edu
EDITORIAL BOARD Kevin Squires
Editor-in-Chief
Haley Barnes
News Editor
Katie Ellis
Campus Life Editor
Brian Hepfinger
Sports Editor REBECCA DIETRICH/THE ROCKET
Alex Mowrey
Photo Editor
Andrew Conner
Web/Social Media Editor
Shelby Stearns
Copy Editor
Amber Cannon
Assistant News Editor
Janelle Wilson
Assist. Campus Life Editor
Ryan Barlow
Assistant Sports Editor
Rebecca Dietrich
Assistant Photo Editor
Emily Brown
Multimedia Reporter
Mark Zeltner
Faculty Adviser
ADVERTISING STAFF Karleigh Santry
Advertising Manager
ABOUT US The Rocket is published by the students of Slippery Rock University every Friday during the academic semester with the exception of holidays, exam periods and vacations. Total weekly circulation is 3,000. No material appearing in The Rocket may be reprinted without the written consent of the Editor-in-Chief. The first copy of The Rocket is provided free of charge. Additional copies may be purchased for 50 cents each. The Rocket receives approximately five percent of its funding from the SGA General Service fee paid each semester by students. All other income is provided through the sale of advertising. Advertising inquiries may be made by calling (724) 7382643 or by e-mailing rocket.ads@sru.edu.
CORRECTIONS If we make a substantial error, we want to correct it. If you believe an error has been made, call The Rocket newsroom at (724) 738-4438. If a correction is warranted it will be printed in the opinion section.
SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions to The Rocket are available. Subscriptions are $20 per academic semester and $35 for the full academic year. Inquiries should be directed to the Editor-in-Chief at the address listed here.
Everyone remembers the first semester that they scheduled by themselves, the hours spent scanning over the course catalogue, the defeat as all of your dream classes filled up, and skipping your Thursday 8 a.m. so you could (hopefully) get a spot in the class with two seats left. Spoiler alert, you never did. When all was said and done, what you probably did was ask around for easy liberal studies to take in place of eternally sought after core classes. If you were anything like me, you chose between two classes in favor of which professor got a higher rating on Rate My Professor. While RMP is an easy way to get an overview of professors and how easy their classes are, it’s important that you also take the extremely good or bad reviews with a grain of salt. It will be pretty easy to figure out which students are actively pursuing a vendetta against their professors, (note the red frowny-face, and the one line comment that says “he/she sucks,” but doesn’t explain why they didn’t like the professor.) You should also be wary of the reviews that swing in the opposite direction (no class is all rainbows and smiles.) The best reviews are usually the ones that have a rating that goes into both the pros and
cons of not only the professor, but also the nature of the class. Careful reviewers that take both pros and cons of courses into account are usually pretty reputable, and if you check back to those reviews on your professor after you’ve completed the course, you’ll usually find that you agree with their review. While RMP does have thoughtful reviewers who take their time when writing their reviews, there usually aren’t many of them, if there are any at all. In that case, key words can go a long way. If you’re a tactical learner, avoid professors that people say “only uses powerpoint.” If you often have trouble sitting in class for long periods of time, don’t pick a professor that is consistently reported as being boring. What works for one student will not work for another, and it’s important to take that into account when picking classes as well. That being said, your friends will usually have a better idea of what classes will suit you, and will have the most solid opinions since they can answer any questions you have about the class that reviewers on RMP can’t always answer. Plus, you can always borrow their book and save yourself a few hundred dollars (which is always a plus.) Ask around to see which
In the Quad
classes are best suited to you and your needs and interests; but remember classes that other students found easy may prove to be difficult for you, and vice versa. Even if a class doesn’t count toward your liberal studies, but seems interesting, take it anyway. If you’re an exercise science major who likes to write fiction, then take a creative writing class. Maybe you’re an education major who’s always been interested in religious philosophy, take world religions. Even if a class is widely regarded by others as “difficult,” your own interest in the material will make up for the difficulty. It’s always better to take an interesting class that you’ll learn from over an easy course that doesn’t teach you anything. When in doubt, you could always email a professor to ask about the content of the course, and its difficulty level. They could even lead you to other classes that you might be interested in taking. Scheduling is a pain, no matter if you’re a freshman or a senior. Sometimes you’re not going to get the professors or classes you want, but be smart about substitution classes that you’ll be taking instead. A professor can either make or break your semester.
This week’s question: What was your favorite class and why?
In the Quad is a segment in which random students, faculty and staff are asked for their opinions on a specific topic.
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.
Austin Gahr Freshman, Education middle level Math Major Dubois, Pennsylvania “Human Diversity with Dr. Walker. Everyone was really involved in the class, it wasn’t just a lecture. Everyone would give their opinion and it was really interesting.”
Joseph Arocho Sophomore, Information Technology Major South Korea
Kelsey Itterly Senior, Physical Education Major Nazareth, Pennsylvania
“My favorite was Military Science with professor Bret Rogowitz. You get a good learning experience on how the military works and the background. You learn about each branch of the different services and what they serve and protect. .”
“My favorite class was Sports Officiating with Dr. Leight. We got to play sports and it was fun! It to relates to my minor because I’m a coaching minor. We would spend hours playing different sports.”
OPINION
B-2
November 7, 2014
LETTER TO THE EDITOR The views expressed in the “Letters to the Editor” section are those of the writer(s) alone. The Rocket cannot verify all facts presented in a given letter, but if we are aware of an error or omission, we reserve the right to include an editorial note for accuracy’s sake.
The Bible is about love, not a weapon Dear Rachel Collins, As I reflect on your recent response article, “The facts on homosexuality are in the Bible,” I wonder what it is that drives people to make large-scale statements concerning religion or people who identify along the LGBTQIA++ (including Allies) spectrum. I want to acknowledge that I respect everyone’s opinion, and believe that each person is entitled to one. Rather than refute some of your more unsupported claims (e.g. the reasons why the bible is the most published book of all time [see information on religious persecution] the “clarity” of man’s interpretation of the bible, and the insinuation that the bible should be consulted for “facts…” to name a few) I will instead reflect about why this is such a hot topic, as well as the evolution of marriage in this country. The fact is marriage equality is going to happen. To date, 30 states now have full marriage equality, and the remaining states have litigations in the federal courts challenging the discriminatory bans that those states have set in place. The one determining factor that makes the trajectory of this issue so clear is The Supreme Court of the United States. If any government body determines
that it is acceptable to deny an entire group of people access to more than 1,100 rights, we would have to recognize that this as a violation of our constitution. I’ve been asked, “Why not just make an alternative to marriage?” The answer is simple; that would be legally permitting people to discriminate and thereby create a lawfully bound definition of secondclass citizenship. Now that doesn’t sound very Christian to me, nor the foundation of any other major religion. Let’s talk about the history of marriage. The reality is that there is no clear determinant of the roots of marriage being between a man and a woman. Most theologians look to the union of Adam and Eve in the garden. However, this would be yet another interpretation, and only those talking to “God” could be sure of what marriage should (if there be any such thing) look like. It should also be noted that there are no inherent differences between families of same-sex couples as defined by decades of research. Currently, marriage is not a religious issue, but an issue of fundamental rights. I don’t expect to be married in a church, because that would be infringing on the rights of that religion. And I am not interested in infringing
Do you think being a Christian limits a person from accepting others being homosexual?
on anyone’s rights, are you? Finally, if you don’t like homosexuality, that’s just fine. If you don’t like EQUALITY MARRIAGE, I would suggest not marrying someone of the same-sex. I do not, however, appreciate efforts in making people feel uncomfortable with whom they are, naturally. This discomfort was created by efforts of hate, and has been forced on them by people telling them that they are less-than and worthless. It is these efforts that have subjected LGBTQI youth to bullying, discrimination and harassment. These same youth have resorted to suicide because of the alienation and ostracization. In the end, this civil rights movement will succeed, as every American civil rights movement has. Don’t get left behind while the world continues to turn in the direction of equality. LGBT and heterosexual people, alike, come from all walks of life, including believers and non-believers. For those who do believe, instead of using the Bible as a weapon to discriminate and promote intolerance, I encourage those who seek comfort in its pages to use it for its true intentions - love. On behalf of all students promoting a more equal and equitable campus, Kristopher Hawkins
Vote in the poll on theonlinerocket.com
Twilight is not a good influence on teenagers first opened my eyes to what a bad role model Bella is was when I read The Hunger Games in tenth grade. Katniss, despite her flaws, was an independent, strong, intelligent female character who sacrificed everything to protect her sister, and even pushed love aside so she could escape the Games alive. I adored and admired Katniss and when comparing her to Bella, I realized how much I actually disliked the “tormented” protagonist. Bella moves from a town she loves to a town Stephani Damato she hates. When she gets there, she wastes no Commentary time complaining about everything. Bella is given attention from her family, the girls she meets Stephani Damato is a senior at school, and all the boys who are strangely obsessed with her from the first day she arrives, English secondary education but nothing satisfies her. Bella sacrifices a lot of major from Ellwood City, things . . . but for what? Not to save her family. Pennsylvania. Not to make close, life-long friendships with these people who care for her. Instead, it’s for Ever since finishing the series in eighth grade, a 100-year-old man who watches her while she a lot of things have become clear to me that I sleeps. We are giving young girls the wrong idea missed when I was 13. Twilight is not the only about what a man should be and what girls should book or movie that depicts a dependent, whiny do to “earn” his love. When Edward leaves Bella, teenage girl desperate for a man’s love, but because she locks herself in her room for months and falls of its widespread popularity, it reaches a greater into a depressed state. Instead of telling girls to be audience than any similar story before. What strong and move on from the breakup, or a man
who would never leave them or hurt them, we are telling them that it’s okay to cut off all ties with reality and mope because a guy you have been dating for a few months left you. And then I read Harry Potter. When Ron left Hermione, Hermione didn’t fall apart and give up—she stayed by Harry and continued to help him on his quest. When Harry and Ginny were in the midst of war, Ginny did not weep herself silly because the man she loves could die; she stood by her friends and family and defended her school. When Katniss thought Peeta may be dead, she didn’t give up because she had nothing left to live for, she moved on so she could return to her family. Bella, on the other hand, wanted her parents to think she was dead after (SPOILER ALERT) she was turned into a vampire and gave birth. Instead of lying to them or even attempting to tell them the truth, she was content with them believing she had died. Ultimately, Bella is the epitome of what female heroines should not strive to be. She is selfish and has little respect for herself. She believes she is nothing without the love of a man. She places herself in dangerous, stupid situations just so she could “hear Edward’s voice” again. What are the overarching morals and lessons to be learned?
Finding identity within the college experience world to fend for ourselves. It is in this time that we must decide who we truly are. We are all born into cultures, families and communities with certain values we naturally inherit. However, this time is especially unique in that we have to revisit those inherited values and decide for ourselves what to believe, or what to value Danielle Swezey to decide who we truly are. Simply believing something because our Commentary parents or teachers do is no longer Danielle Swezey is a junior a justifiable option, and it is at this time we truly begin to shape what Early Childhood and Special we stand for. Education major from There is not a single day that I’m Jamestown, New York. not asking myself “who am I?,” now more than ever that the classes that College is a time of transition. I am currently taking prompt me We attempt to shed the skins of to identify who I am from three our juvenile high school personas different standpoints: philosopher, and are thrown into the real educator and advocate. Here is
what I’ve chosen: I identify as a plus-sized, straight woman. I am called mommy by several of my younger peers for my overbearing maternal instinct and passions for knitting and baking. I am a strong advocate for early childhood education and human rights for all. I am fairly introverted with the exception of a small group of friends who I know very well. My favorite flavor is peppermint. I believe in love. I know that the world is generally a good place only if you decide to put some good into it yourself. These traits are as much a part of who I am as my race, gender, and any defining factor that society chooses to associate with my being. Several of these traits have become well-defined over my past three years here at SRU. It is true
when they say that your time at college is the best time of your life because it is the beginning of true experience. It is the time where we start looking into our future career paths, extend our interests, maybe find the person who we are going to marry. There are points from this semester when I realize that I missed out on opportunities that had the potential to shape my life, albeit in a minor way. My advice is this: expand on your interests. Go see that show put on by the theatre department. Ask your professors for a research opportunity in your field. Go to a party, if that’s what you need to do. The majority of us only have four years here. Now that I’m nearing the end, trust me when I say it flies by faster than you think.
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November 7, 2014
PENNSYLVANIA’S STATE SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION CLARION
UNIVERSITY
2014-2015 Fourth Annual Business Plan Competition
ATTENTION STUDENTS! Do you have ideas for a New
Registration Deadlines: Information Meeting: October 30, 2014 ECB-103, common hour “Intent to Compete” November 30, 2014 Business Plan Submission: February 12, 2015
Business?
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FURNISHED ROOM FOR rent - $420. Utilities included. Walking distance to SRU, WiFi, refrigerator, use of kitchen/ laundry, non-smokers only, clean, quiet. Available May or August. Call Jack at (412) 322-8223
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Awards Ceremony April 8, 2015
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C
COMICS
Cute Cartoon
By Brooke Griffin
COMICS
Horoscopes Today's Birthday (11/07/14). Today's Full Moon blesses your partnership to launch your year. With Saturn in your sign, applied discipline produces flowers with ease. Abandon procrastination and go for what you most want. Self-inquiry leads to fresh inspiration. Creative fire after 3/20 raises your professional status. After 4/4, balance mind, body and spirit with peaceful introspection. Give thanks. To get the advantage, check the day's rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging. Aries (March 21-April 19) -- Today is an 8 -Things could get chaotic, and tempers or jealousies spark easily. Watch for scheduling conflicts. Selfdiscipline helps. Handle priorities quietly... listen more than speaking. Don't get greedy or overly generous... there's less than you thought. Cool moderation works.
Brooke Griffin is a sophomore communication major from Meadville, Pennsylvania.
Best in Show
By Phil Juliano
Taurus (April 20-May 20) -- Today is an 8 -- A possible conflict of interests invites controversy. Offer advice only if asked. It's getting easier to advance now. Good news lifts your spirits. Work takes on a spiritual aura. Don't forget what you've learned the hard way. Gemini (May 21-June 20) -- Today is a 6 -Love and luck seem blocked. It returns. Family considerations are paramount. Wait to see what develops. Core values guide your decision. There's not as much as hoped, and not as little as feared. Patience. Cancer (June 21-July 22) -- Today is a 7 -- There's a disruption to the routine. Compromise builds a strong foundation. You may need to do something you don't like, or to face some opposition. Getting together presents logistical complications. Solo creativity gets fun.
Brewster Rockit: Space Guy
By Tim Rickard
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Today is a 7 -- Career breakdowns or changes require thoughtful consideration. Renegotiate terms. Think of more ways to succeed. Speculate and fantasize. Ask someone who loves you to describe your talents. Don't argue with reality, but perceptions change with your viewpoint. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Today is an 8 -Conflicts or obstacles regarding education, research or travels slow the action. Ponder the situation. Don't go for a deal that will cost you money. Choose love. Wait until the orders are clear. Schedule carefully. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) -- Today is a 7 -- Inventory paperwork and do the filing. Financial breakdowns could get expense, unless you take action. Choose the option that's best for your family. Check out another's concerns. Don't get bogged down in details. Take it slow and think. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -- Today is an 8 -Listen to your partner's considerations. A conflict of interests could get revealed. Keep it cool and cautious. You perceive underlying harmony. Don't react blindly. Be patient and supportive. Somewhere under that pile there's a pony. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -- Today is a 7 -- Something at work requires your attention. Postpone travel. Things aren't going according to plan. Achieving the goal may take longer than expected. Don't venture far. Stresses will ease soon. After it's done, allow yourself a special treat. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Today is a 7 -You're wise to finish what you've started before launching anew. Keep enough cash on hand for unexpected difficulties. Confront authority, if that's what it takes to break through. It's a tough job, but someone has to do it. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -- Today is a 6 -- A home project takes an unexpected turn. Obstacles arise. Keep your promises. Leave your savings intact. A change in direction alters options. Consider implications and consequences before compromising. Be respectful. Be prepared for slow payment. Provide motivation. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -- Today is a 7 -Communications could seem garbled or jumbled, lost in translation. Postpone an excursion. Curtail extravagance. Strong differences of opinion block the action. Do a lot of listening. Overwhelm is temporary. Wait for clarity and better conditions. (c)2014 BY NANCY BLACK DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Bliss
By Harry Bliss
November 7, 2014
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Student Government Association Open Positions!
Campus Crawl
Freshman Senator (1) Commuter Senator (4) Rock Apartment Senator (1)
Come walk the campus to look for problem areas as well as areas of praise to help keep campus safe! November 11th, 2014 Commuter Lounge in the Student Center 6:00-7:30 PM
Applications available Online at www.srsga.org and in the office!
Lone Survivor
Join a SGA Committee!
SSC Theater Friday at 4 & 8 PM Saturday at 8 PM Sunday at 4 & 8 PM *Special Showing* Tuesday at 8 PM ATS Auditorium
All committees are open to join. Get involved and help make a difference! Internal Affairs: Sundays at 6PM Student Affairs: Mondays at 4PM Finance: Wednesday at 4PM Rules and Policies: Wednesday at 4PM Outreach: Thursdays at 7PM
The Evening Route is Back!
Formal Senate Join us for our open meetings to get involved and voice your concerns!
The bus will now run from 4:30-9:00PM Monday ime. Take the through Thursdays for Daylight Savings Time. bus and stay warm!
November 17th, 2014 Smith Student Center Theater 8:45-10:15 PM
Butler Shopping Trips
NOTICE: We have installed 40 card readers throughout campus on the vending machines. There is a 10c fee for card use. @srsga
Saturday November 8th, 20144 Bus runs from 2:00-9:15 Check out the schedule at www.srsga.org!
www.srsga.org
sga@sru.edu
S SPORTS
INSIDE SPORTS
Men's soccer The SRU men's soccer team was knocked out of the PSAC Tournament by West Chester University on Tuesday.
See Page C-2
Athlete of the month SRU ďŹ eld hockey goalie Carlee Dumars was voted the Athlete of the Month in an online poll on theonlinerocket.com. See Page C-3
Rock shuts down Edinboro
ALEX MOWREY/THE ROCKET
SRU junior running back Julian Durden celebrates after scoring a touchdown off of a fumble recovery in last Saturday's game against Edinboro University. Durden has three offensive touchdowns this season.
SRU football holds Edinboro to single digits in win By Brian HepďŹ nger Sports Editor
The Slippery Rock University football team (7-2) held Edinboro University (1-8) to single digits in their game last Saturday. SRU defeated Edinboro 29-7, which is the lowest amount an opponent has scored against the Rock this season. "We had great pressure on their quarterback, and we pretty much controlled their running game, which forced them into a passing game," SRU head coach George Mihalik said. "Th is is the second week in a row that we created turnovers, and anytime you get points from the special teams, it's a bonus." The Green and White went into halftime with a 17-0 shutout lead over Edinboro. They scored 12 points in the second half, and allowed Edinboro's only touchdown in the third quarter. "You know that in any game, like we found out a few weeks ago, if you don't come out in the second half, like we found out a few weeks ago what can happen," Mihalik said. "The players knew that it's another must-win if we want to keep our conference championship hopes alive as well as NCAA national playoffs. There wasn't much that needed to be said at halftime; they knew what was at stake." The Rock's running game was heavily focused once again, with SRU's running backs carrying the ball 61 times for a total of 250 yards.
Sophomore running back Shamar Greene led the team with 158 yards, but was unable to score a touchdown. Senior running back Teddy Blakeman scored the only rushing touchdown of the game (for either team) while rushing for 18 yards off of six carries. Senior quarterback Jared Buck also rushed for 41 yards off of nine carries. "We always want to be able to run the football and be a two dimensional offense," Mihalik said. "The wind was a big time factor in the passing game, and half the game we were throwing into a very strong wind. Sometimes, that affected a little bit of the play calling." In his third start of the season, Buck threw for 121 yards (14-22) and had two touchdowns and no interceptions. He was also sacked three times. Buck's two touchdown passes were caught by junior wide receivers Jaimire Dutrieuille and Nick Davis. "The offense played well, but we didn't get the points on the board," Mihalik said. "Twice in the redzone and we came out with zero points, that's something you don't like to see happen. You have to get points any time you're down there." The SRU defense had 19 players with at least one tackle. Senior defensive back Admire Carter had two interceptions, and senior linebacker Levi Sager had his first interception of the season. Sophomore defensive tackle Erik Johnson forced a fumble, his second of the season. Junior running back Julian Durden recovered a fumble
and scored a touchdown off of it. "He's that veteran corner back and senior, and you expect your seniors to be play makers," Mihalik said about Carter. "He definitely was on Saturday." The Green and White are currently in a threeway tie for the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division title (see page C-2 for a graphic which explains the standings). With two games left in the season, SRU is tied (6-2 in PSAC) with California University of Pennsylvania and Gannon University. If SRU wins against Clarion University (2-7) this Saturday, and Cal U loses to Mercyhurst University, then the Rock will win the PSACWest. "It's PSAC Championship week, that's what it's about," Mihalik said. "None of that's possible without a win, and it's also the "Milk Jug Game". The winner of this game between Slippery Rock and Clarion keeps the milk jug for the entire season." Mihalik said his team can only worry about themselves and win, and then see what happens. "All we can control is us, and make sure that we win the game," Mihalik said. "With a win, that keeps us in contention for a postseason bid, but this one will definitely determine who the western representatives are in the conference championship." SRU's game against Clarion is this Saturday at noon in Clarion, Pennsylvania.
SPORTS
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November 7, 2014
Men's soccer loses in first round By Ryan Barlow Assistant Sports Editor
The Slippery Rock University men's soccer team (11-7) was unable to capitalize on offense Tuesday, against West Chester University (10-7), which resulted in elimination from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Tournament, possibly ending their season. West Chester defeated SRU 3-0. The Rock was forced to play without leading goal scorer, senior for ward Stephen Donnelly, who had a hat-trick against West Chester in the regular season finale on Saturday. Donnelly was suspended for one match and was ineligible to play on Tuesday. "B eing without Stephen definitely factored into this game," SRU head coach Andy Hoggarth said. "He's our highest attacker in goals and assists, and with him having the hat trick on Saturday and not having him on Tuesday was a big hit for us." The Green and White were overpowered on offense, being
outshot 17-10. Sophomore forward Matt Sangermano led the Rock with three shots, followed by junior Mike Illodigwe with two. Junior Peter Boylan, sophomore Josh Allman, senior Brandon Chiu, sophomore Mike Pcholinsky, and junior Gabriel Hrecznyj all added one shot apiece. "After outshooting them that first half, we should have found a couple of ways to put that game away," Hoggarth said. "Certain situations just happened during the game that made things very difficult on us, and just a bit to high of an uphill battle." S o p h o m o r e goalkeeper Steven Rerick played the entire 90 minutes for the Rock. Rerick faced nine shots, but was only able to stop six of them while allowing three to get by for West Chester goals. Rerick appeared in 16 games this season, allowing a total of 30 goals in 207 shots faced for a save percentage of .725. The Green and White scored a total of 38 goals during the 2014 campaign, led by
Donnelly, who scored a team high 13 goals on 32 shots-on-goal. Donnelly added seven assists on the year, ending the regular season with a total of 33 points. The Rock held a better home record, going 6-3 in games played in Slippery Rock and 5-4 in games on the road. The Rock's overall record stands at 11-7 with a .611 overall winning p e rc e nt a ge . T h e Green and White also played strong in PSAC showdowns, with a conference record of 7-4 with a .636 winning percentage. "In all honesty, I was absolutely delighted with what the guys did this year," Hoggarth said. "Coming in from where they were in the conference last year and then having a new coach is always going to bring in potential challenges. The way the guys responded to what I wanted to do and the relationship we built, it was still a great year. Overall I was happy and I couldn't have been happier with how these guys played together this year."
COURTESY OF ROCK ATHLETICS
SRU senior forward Dom Francis attempts to keep the ball from a defender during SRU's game against West Chester University on Tuesday. Francis has seven goals and one assist this season.
Rock volleyball loses fifth game in a row By Brian Hepfinger Sports Editor
The Slippery Rock University volleyball team (16-13) lost there fifth game in a row last Saturday against California University of Pennsylvania (23-8). Cal U defeated SRU in four sets (25-16, 25-22, 26-24, 25-13). After beginning the season with a 16-8 record, the Rock has lost five games in a row (all at home). "We’re a very young team, with an average of 5-6 different freshman playing in a game in position," SRU head coach Laurie Lokash said. "It’s a lot of inexperience, and we’re just playing good teams." In the game against Cal U, the Rock tallied 39 kills, six blocks, and 89 digs. The Green and White was led by senior outside hitter Kristy Lake, with 10 kills and 22 digs. Freshman opposition Emily Sokolowski had eight kills and two digs, freshman outside hitter Bethany Pike had seven kills and two digs, and freshman outside hitter Lamija Allisic had eight kills and 13 digs. Freshman defensive specialist Kristen C. Smith had 21 digs. Cal U held a block advantage of 16.5-6, which Lokash attributes to the size of their players. "They’re a little bit bigger than we are, and their middles outsize our middles by a lot," Lokash said. "In reality, our block may not have the same numbers, but it may be as effective as what we’re trying to do with it." The first and fourth set were dominated by Cal u, but the Rock were in the second and third set. While SRU only won the third set, they were close to winning the second set as well. "It’s inexperience, with us GRAPHIC BY KARLEIGH SANTRY/THE ROCKET
playing so many young kids right now, we’re not necessarily as seasoned as we could be," Lokash said. " There’s a fatigue factor that sets in. We were flat in practice last week and in our games. I think they’re probably mentally and physically tired. We’ve been going since August without a break." Lokash said it's hard for freshman to adapt to the level of play at the college level at first. "When you’ve got so many freshman playing, they have to adapt to a high level," Lokash said. "It’s hard to maintain that level when you’re not used to having to maintain that level." The Rock has two games left this season, with Clarion University on Friday and Indiana University of Pennsylvania on Saturday. Both games are at home, with the Clarion game at 7 p.m. and the IUP game at 2 p.m. The Green and White are currently seventh in the PSACWest standings, and there is no way for them to make the playoffs. Clarion (27-3) is first in the PSAC-West standings, with Gannon University (24-3) and Seton Hill (27-4) University in the second and third spots. "When you’re in the PSACWest, you’re playing the best teams in the region," Lokash said. "It's just that the competition has taken an upswing, and there are the strongest teams in the region." Lokash said she hopes that her team will have a strong finish to the season. "We want to establish ourselves as people that have to be taken seriously, and these freshman and sophomores are getting a lot of playing time," Lokash said. "It's not looking ahead. It’s finishing strong and trying to decide where we go into the offseason."
November 7, 2014
SPORTS
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Rock field hockey
suffers loss to Lakers Doug Gilghrist Rocket Contributor
GRAPHIC BY KARLEIGH SANTRY/THE ROCKET
The Slippery Rock University field hockey (9-8) team failed in its bid to clinch a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference pl ayof f sp ot l ast Saturday against Mercyhurst University. Mercyhurst defeated SRU 2-1 in overtime in their home finale. SRU entered the game in fifth place in the PSAC, just a half game ahead of sixth place Merc yhurst, in a battle of playoff hopefuls. The Rock is still in playoff position despite the loss, though. Neither team could mount much offense early on as the temperature dropped below freezing and snow fell for most of the game. Both teams only attempted one shot apiece in the opening half, as the teams played to a 0-0 tie at halftime. The Rock opened up the scoring when sophomore midfielder Kylie McCarty scored her second goal of the season off of a pass from redshirt junior defender Baylee
Childress at the 47:52 mark of the game. This gave SRU a 1-0 advantage as Childress recorded her first assist of the season. The score remained 1-0 until late in the second half, when Mercyhurst tied the score with 7:03 remaining in regulation on a deflected pass that wen past junior goalie Carlee DuMars. The game would stay tied as the teams prepared to play their second overtime game against each other this season. Mercyhurst defeated The Rock 4-3 in double overtime in the teams' first meeting. This was SRU's sixth overtime game of the season. They had won four of the first five. This overtime period was a back and forth struggle between the teams, with both having scoring opportunities early on in the period. Both goalies made saves to keep the game tied. Just as it looked as though the teams might be playing their second double overtime game of the season, Mercyhurst senior midfielder Kelley Hynes scored off of a rebound to give the visiting Merc yhurst Lakers the 2-1 win. McCarty led SRU in
shots with three, while DuMars made three saves in the loss. Childress also chipped in with one defensive save for the Rock. Earlier in the week, SRU senior defender Kelsey Gustafson and senior midfielder Kaili Simmons were selected to play in the 2014 Victory Sports Tours and National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division II Senior Game, which will be held Dec. 5 at the University of Louisville as part of the National Championship weekend events. "The seniors are an integral part of Rock hockey over the last four years and the success this season," SRU head coach Julie Swiney said, referring to Gustafson, Simmons, and the other seniors on the squad. "Having so many upperclassmen on the field makes a big difference." SRU will conclude the regular season, and try to clinch the final PSAC playoff spot, with a road contest on Saturday against West Chester University. If they qualify for the playoffs, their first playoff game will be Tuesday.
Women's soccer loses close game against Cal U By Cody McCullough Rocket Contributor
COURTESY OF ROCK ATHLETICS
SRU freshman midfielder Tess Keeley controls the ball during SRU's game against California University of Pennsylvania on Tuesday. Keeley scored one goal in the game. She has six goals in her first season.
The Rock finds t hems elves in a familiar position after losing their quarterfinal game to Cal U in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference tournament on Tuesday. SRU w i l l now have to wait until Monday to see if they qualify for the NCAA tournament. L ast ye ar, t he Rock lost in the quarterfinals of the PSAC tournament to Gannon University, but went on to win the Atlantic Region title and advance to the NCAA quarterfinals. Junior midfielder Cr ysta Ganter believes that SRU will be in the NCAA tournament. “I’m confident we will qualify,” Ganter said. “It really all depends on how We s t Vi r g i n i a Wesleyn plays.” If West Virginia Wesleyn University wins the MEC tournament, it could really put The Rock’s chances of qualifying into jeopardy. SRU was defeated by Cal U 2-1. If SRU would've beat Cal U, their
tournament berth would have already been put on ice. Both Vulcan goals came on miscues by the Rock that led to one on ones between Cal U's Ja n e l l e Mc C a n n and SRU goalkeeper A n n a b e l l e Hegeman. This was a winnable game for the Rock, seeing how both teams couldn’t really gain momentum all through the game and st at i st i c a l ly both teams were even. Both teams registered 11 total shots, while Cal U held the advantage in shots on goal 8-5, and SRU held the advantage in corner kicks 4-3. After the Vulcans put their second goal on the board in the 82nd minute, SRU sophomore forward Dara Demich fed freshman m i d f i e l d e r Te s s Keeley for her sixth goal of the season to give the Green and White a chance in the 88th minute. However, it was too late to try to make a comeback. Hegeman took the loss in goal while recording six saves. “We weren’t at our best, sometimes that happens,” SRU
head coach Noreen Herlihy said. “We didn’t perform at the level we know we are capable of.” The loss at Cal U is the first loss for the Rock on Vulcan turf since 2011. SRU has recently dominated Cal U, w i n n i ng t he previous five m e e t i ng s b e fore Tuesday’s loss. To put it into perspective, Cal U is 50-4-6 at home since t heir ne w complex op ened with three of those losses coming to SRU. “I give our overall performance a three on a scale of 1-10,” Ganter said. “Not many people showe d up, t he whole team seemed to not be there.” Howe ve r, e ve n with this loss, the Rock have a chance to make the tournament. There are two addit ional sp ots open. The spots are being battled out b y S RU, We s t Virginia Wesleyn, t h e Un i v e r s i t y of Notre Dame, and Edinboro Un i v e r s i t y. T h e announcement for the NCAA tournament berths will be announced Monday, Nov. 10.
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November 7, 2014
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CAMPUS LIFE
INSIDE CAMPUS LIFE
Comedians join forces in 'St. Vincent'
'Peanuts' Parody
Bill Murray and Melissa McCarthy make for a dynamic duo in the buzzed-about dramedy, 'St. Vincent.' Jimmy G. reviews their performances.
In 'Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead, ' 'Charlie Brown' and the gang come of age. Head to The Rocket's website for more.
See Page D-2
Visit theonlinerocket.com
SOL puts a spin on Dia de los Muertos showcase By Janelle Wilson Asst. Campus Life Editor
ALEX MOWREY/THE ROCKET Ezinne Ugwouoke portrays the witch in the Mexican legend, "La Nuhula," which is about a witch who steals children's souls after luring them in with her brightly colored clothing.
SRU's Student Organization of Latinos Hispanics and Allies (SOL) put an interpretive spin on their annual Dia de los Muerto (Day of the Dead) Showcase using modeling, makeup, music, and dance. SOL members and students presented their showcase on Wednesday at 8 p.m. in the ATS auditorium, and performed interpretations of four Mexican legends. Tyler the Creature rapped an original piece, and sophomore dance and communication major, Catharyn Burton, 19, performed a solo dance. The four Mexican legends they represented were "El Chupacabra," a story about a beast that kills people on the full moon, "La Llorona," "The Weeping Woman," a story about a woman who drowned her children so that she could marry a man who didn't want them. "La Nuhula," is about a witch who dresses in bright colors to lure children so she can steal their souls, and "La Santa Muerte" is the Mexican version of "The Grim Reaper." Lupian-Luan said that after they got the ATS ballroom for the showcase, they wanted to fill up the space as effectively as possible, and thought that a more abstract style of performance would satisfy that need. SRU's Cosplay Club did all of the makeup for the performance, and tried to represent each model's p er for mance t hroug h t heir
colorful makeup, Lupian-Luan said. In order to make the presentation more interpretive, SOL president, and junior public relations major, Yadira Lupian-Luan, 20, said she eliminated Mexican music and almost all cultural dress from the presentation. "I didn't want it to be in your face," Lupian-Luan said. "I wanted to give the audience a taste of what the legends were visually, and focus on showcasing that instead of the surrounding things that were going on." Lupian-Luan said that although she didn't want to use all Mexican dress and music, she and the volunteers put in careful consideration for each of the music selections. For example, in the case of the weeping woman, Lupian-Luan said that she chose eerie, ethereal music to maintain the atmosphere. The one case they did use cultural dress was in the story of "La Nuhula," because the witch dressed in bright colors. LupianLuan said that because Mexican dress is inherently colorful, it was appropriate to costume her in a traditional dress. Junior psycholog y major, Ezinne Ugwuoke, 20, represented "La Nuhula" in an orange dress, yellow shawl, and elaborate face makeup. she said that the goal of the showcase was to bring something new and interesting to Internations Week. SEE SHOWCASE, PAGE D-2
SRU MMA Club competes in local jiu-jitsu competition By Katie Ellis Campus Life Editor
The Slippery Rock Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Club took to the mat to compete in the art of jiu-jitsu at the Western Pennsylvania Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation Championships where five of its members placed in the tournament’s adult brackets. Keystone Oaks High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania played host to the tournament organized by Steel City Martial Arts on Saturday, Oct. 25 where five members from the club went to compete in both the gi and no-gi grappling divisions against local competitors of similar age, weight, and skill level. Gi and no-gi grappling differs in both the type of clothing that competitors wear, as well as the technique that competitors must abide by. Junior psychology major and philosophy minor Josh Fremd, 20, who serves as the president of the MMA Club competed in the tournament in both the gi and no-gi divisions, where he earned first place in each and received an award for most outstanding competitor for the tournament. Fremd who has been training on-and-off for five years in MMA also teaches jiu-jitsu and wrestling to members of the MMA and Wrestling Clubs. For this competition, which was based strictly on jiu-jitsu, Fremd’s experience, weight and age determined his standing in each division. Competing in both disciplines gave him the opportunity to showcase his skills in both areas of the sport, but seeing those who he had trained do well was a more rewarding experience. “I’m usually the one trying to learn and better myself, and I never really thought about teaching jiu-jitsu, but just to get people more involved was cool,” Fremd said. “Two people that I teach consistently, Austin and Sam, who
PHOTOS COURTESY OF JOSH FREMD From left: Josh Fremd competes in the men's no-gi division of the Western Pennsylvania Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation Championships and Samantha Campbell competes in the women's beginner division of the no-gi bracket.
pulled off a move that I taught her two days before was awesome, and Austin did extremely well. He put up a good fight.” Going forward, Fremd hopes to see more students become involved with the club, and would like to see its female membership increase as the sport continues to grow in popularity. Even if students choose not to compete in the sport, learning how to defend yourself is valuable should an opportunity present itself where self-defense is necessary, Fremd said. “A lot of girls are starting to get involved in it,” Fremd said. “Women’s martial arts are getting huge in Pittsburgh and the MMA scene in Pittsburgh itself is growing.” One of the women who has become involved in the sport is sophomore exercise science
major Samantha Campbell, 19, who began her training in jiu-jitsu at the beginning of the semester. Campbell competed at the competition in the adult women’s beginner bracket where she finished in second place. Campbell became interested in wrestling at a young age after watching WWE events on television and then transitioned into watching UFC fights, which peaked her interest in competing in MMA in college. Being a female in such a male-dominated sport has been challenging for the newcomer who has had to work hard to get to where she is today. SEE MMA, PAGE D-2
CAMPUS LIFE
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November 7, 2014
Murray and McCarthy bring laughter and tears to the screen in 'St. Vincent'
Jimmy Graner "Jimmy G's Rock Reviews"
4 Stars Jimmy Graner is a senior journalism major and film and media studies minor and a regular contributor to The Rocket.
PHOTO COURTESY OF TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE Melissa McCarthy as "Maggie," Jaeden Lieberher as "Oliver", and Naomi Watts as "Daka" star in this season's latest comedy-drama, "St. Vincent," a heartwarming story about second chances even in later years of life.
There’s always that age-old question of, “where do you see yourself in 10 years?” For most of us, we imagine a life compiled mostly of work, family, and fun. However, what if we were to look further down the road, say 50 years. Would our answer reflect the previous one? “St. Vincent”, a family-drama/comedy centered on a neighbor and how he lives his life, does just that. Bill Murray plays a 68-year-old retired war veteran (Vincent), who has just hit rock bottom, in terms of life. With really nothing to look forward to, other than his time spent at the strip club, he finds a way to expand his financial situation, by taking on some babysitting hours for his new neighbor. The neighbor (Melissa McCarthy) and her son Oliver (Jaeden Lieberher) have moved in next door, with hopes to gain a fresh start. After a rocky meeting between the two, Vincent strikes a deal with Maggie (McCarthy) to watch Oliver everyday after school for
a large fee. After several enticing experiences, Vincent begins to reflect his life onto Oliver’s. Gambling at the racetrack, drinking at the bar and sleeping with prostitutes are just some of the nonsense that takes place. With his own challenges to worry about, Vincent is basically taking the place of Oliver’s mom, trying his best to give meaning to this poor boy’s life. From here, Oliver begins to look at life through Vincent’s eyes and quickly learns that some things, whether they’re frowned upon or not, tell more about a person than anyone can imagine. Theodore Melfi, primarily known for producing and commercial directing, makes his debut as the writerdirector. First and foremost, the cast for this film was well selected. Chris O’Dowd (“Bridesmaids,” “This is 40”) plays the school priest, Naomi Watts (“King Kong,” “The Impossible”) plays the beloved female prostitute, Daka, and Terrence Howard (“Iron Man,” “Red Tails”) plays the rough neck game shark, Zucko.
Question: Dear Andi,
Ask Andi
I've been trying my hardest to do well in all of my classes this semester, but I'm getting overwhelmed. I'm doing fine in all but one of my classes, which I think I'm going to have to drop, because I just don't have enough time to keep up with all the work I have to do for it. I'm embarrassed to admit to my friends that I can't keep up with my workload, when they all seem to be doing so well. How should I tell my friends about all of this, or do I have to? Sincerely, Superficial Student
Andi is a senior at SRU giving advice to those who seek it and occassionally to those who don't.
Dear Superficial Student, First of all, you do not have to tell anyone anything. Your life and academic standing is your business and no one else’s so don’t feel that you have to share that information if you don’t want to. Secondly, I understand the pressure to keep up with your friends, but everyone is different when it comes to education. There seems to be a negative connotation
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“It was kind of rough at first because everybody is bigger and stronger than I am, but I don’t think about that too much,” Campbell said. “I like to tell myself that being the weaker one is only going to make me better in the end. Being a female in a sport like this, I feel like you have to prove yourself to the guys, but it’s really just about self-confidence.” After learning the basics of how to takedown her opponent, transition to new positions and ‘live-rolling’ with other members to get hands on experience, having her hard work pay off at the competition was satisfying for Campbell. “I did this tournament to find out where I was at compared to other people, and I found out that I have a lot of work to do, but I found out that I’m catching onto the technique,” Campbell said. “It feels really great that I’m not sweating and working hard for nothing. The busted lips are paying off.” The MMA Club meets Monday through Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Field House, and practices are open to those who wish to learn wrestling, jiujitsu and MMA techniques.
and sense of failure when talking about dropping a class, but if dropping that class is going to help you get a better education with your other classes, why is it such a big deal? I mean, aren’t you really at school to get a good education, not just follow the crowd? Do what you feel is best for you and your future, and don’t worry about what anyone else says or thinks. If they’re really your friends, they’ll support you and your decision because they’ll understand it’s what’s best for you! Best of Luck! Andi
Question:
Answer:
MMA Club fights their way to victory
From start to finish the plot is easily understood. Vincent is leading a troubled life, and uses Oliver to keep it from getting any worse. Maggie, a newly divorced wife, is trying to give Oliver everything he needs to be happy in life. The story line drives us because it’s something we all experience and know exists. If life were easy, everything would be perfect. Towards the end of the film, when something unexplainable happens, that’s when emotions really come into play. I was able to examine and experience all emotions. One of the departments for movies like this is the soundtrack, and let me tell you, it does not disappoint. The movie itself is one big comedy, but I feel it does more than that. It reflects on the life of not just people in general, but people who have been through hell, and have still managed to come out on the other side. You can’t go wrong with Murray, and for that reason, the film succeeds. Why stop living at 70 when you can keep going at 90, continuing to inspire and enlighten.
Dear Andi, I have been talking to this guy for almost two months now. We talk everyday and have good conversations. But he brings up his ex-girlfriend a decent amount, even though recently it has decreased. I don't know if I should seek out anything with him if he is still hung up on her. What should I do?
Answer:
Dear Too Soon, My first instinct in this kind of situation is to go with your gut feeling. If this guy seems to still be hung up on his ex-girlfriend, then he probably is. If he talked/talks about her a lot, she is obviously still on his mind, but that doesn’t mean you can’t change that. If you have a feeling that things are shifting in your favor, you find that he is acting differently towards you than he did before, and is talking about her less, then I would consider asking him how he feels about you two. Have you tried dropping him little hints, or flirting with him to see how he reacts? Bottom line, if you’re seriously wondering, you could always just be honest and ask him what’s going on. Vulnerability isn’t easy, but it is the quickest way to get an honest answer. Hope this helps! Andi
Sincerely, Too Soon?
Need Advice? Ask Andi about anything at rocket.letters@sru.edu Or... Visit theonlinerocket.com Click in the "About" tab, and click "Feedback" to submit your questions.
CAMPUS LIFE
November 7, 2014
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Empty Bowls feeds community Showcase celebrates culture By Rachel Frydryck Rocket Contributor
SRU hosted its annual “Empty Bowls” event during lunch and dinner hours in the student center on Tuesday to benefit the local community and raise awareness for global hunger. This cause provided an experience in which students, children, and adults alike could encourage this altruistic foundation. Hand-crafted ceramic bowls of various shapes, hues, and sizes were displayed across several tables. With a charitable donation of $5, attendees received soup in a one-of-a-kind glazed bowl of his or her choice. The meal also included bread and a beverage. The charity relies upon many collaborative efforts in order to organize this gathering. Public relations major, Megan White, assisted the charity and discussed the criteria involved to enable Empty Bowls to become a prosperous event. “All bowls came from Potters Guild which are made by students and Girl Scouts,” White said. “The bowls were painted by individuals that came to the ‘All Night Bowling’ event and students from the Potters Guild, as well. The placemats designed were selected through a coloring contest in McKay. The pictures that best suited the event were published and made for the Empty Bowls event.” Weeks of commitment prior to the charity reveal Slippery Rock’s comradery throughout the community. Multiple individuals collaborated to assist a powerful cause. Those that have contributed to Empty Bowls in prior years have become passionate with the project and have supported the event regularly. During her freshman year, Kristin Maley, informed about the organization and has been assisting Empty Bowls ever since. Not only do volunteers experience gratitude and enjoy the feeling of giving back, but so do guests, as well. Regular supporter, Mark Lane, has been a Slippery
Rock resident his entire life. The Lighthouse Foundation worker stated, “I work with homeless and impoverished individuals and families, and like to support worthy causes.” He wanted to help give back to the community, and this was a prime example of how to do so. “It’s an opportunity to raise awareness of hunger, both globally and locally, Lane said. “Sometimes we don’t realize that there are people in our own communities that don’t get enough to eat. The artists that made the bowls and the students and faculty that organized the event do a great service for those in need.” All proceeds raised were donated to Feed My Sheep Food Cupboard, a local Slippery Rock charity. Not only was the event for a benevolent cause, but its purpose also enabled students to recognize world hunger issues. This social gathering revealed a deeper meaning within the foundation. The soup is symbolic of those in poverty and in shelters. It gives a “taste” of ways to help others that are not as fortunate. It raises awareness that even members of the Slippery Rock community are economically hard-pressed and starve on a daily basis. The money funded is allotted to the local food bank. “I see the significance as being that we are lucky enough to be able to come together and eat delicious soup and talk about hunger issues,” Lane said. “Taking the empty bowl home with you makes you start to really think about those who really have no food to put in their bowls, and the donations we offered for the dinner went to ensure that those who are hungry in our community will have something to eat.” The entertainment, the instrumental ambiance, and social gathering drew many. Guests emphasized that Empty Bowls was a way to bring people together and serve people in need. It guaranteed individuals left experiencing pride by donating time or money towards Empty Bowls’ humanitarian purpose.
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Scan this QR Code to see how students prepared for the Day of the Dead showcase
"We had one rehearsal last night," Ugwuoke said. "We decided to use the orb to represent souls at the last minute, and it made a really cool effect." Senior management major, Sara Shinsky, 23, said that her favorite part of the event is being on stage in the spotlight. Shinsky is a transfer student from Columbia, and said she was happy to support SOL. Lupian-Luan said that because Slippery Rock has so little diversity, it's important to showcase other cultures and provide mutual understanding. Lupian-Luan's parents are Mexican, and her first language was Spanish. Lupian-Luan grew up with the legends that were presented, and said that El Dia de los Muertos shows an important discrepancy between American and Mexican culture. "Here, death is seen as a bad thing," Lupian-Luan said, "but in other cultures, like mine, death can be celebrated as a release into the afterlife.""We had one rehearsal last
ALEX MOWREY/THE ROCKET Sophomore dance and communication major, Catharyn Burton, 19, portrays "La Llorona," in the showcase.
night," Ugwuoke said. "We decided to use the orb to represent souls at the last minute, and it made a really cool effect." Senior management major, Sara Shinsky, 23, said that her favorite part of the event is being on stage in the spotlight. Shinsky is a transfer student from Columbia, and said she was happy to support SOL. Lupian-Luan said that because Slippery Rock has so little diversity, it's important to showcase other cultures and provide mutual understanding. Lupian-Luan's parents are Mexican, and her first language was Spanish. Lupian-Luan grew up with the legends that were presented, and said that El Dia de los Muertos shows an important discrepancy between American and Mexican culture. "Here, death is seen as a bad thing," Lupian-Luan said, "but in other cultures, like mine, death can be celebrated as a release into the afterlife."
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November 7, 2014