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The Rocket www.theonlinerocket.com
Friday, November 11, 2011
Slippery Rock University Student Newspaper
Est. 1934
Volume 94, Number 9
Smartphone Getting 'wild for a cure' at SRU Apar tments offer different use on rise living options in college By Steph Holsinger
By Kaitlyn Yeager
The use of smartphones among college students everywhere has continued to increase over the past year, according to recent reports. According to a recent study by the Institute for Mobile Media Research, smartphones are beginning to take the place of laptop use for many college students. Nearly 100 percent of college students own some form of mobile device, half of which are smartphones. Many people hear the term “smartphone” used every day, but some still wonder what makes one different from an ordinary cell phone. The basic features of a typical smartphone include an operating system, several applications, some form of web access, e-mail capabilities and a “QWERTY” keyboard, all of which one can find on an iPhone, Android or Blackberry. Nearly 90 percent of students who own a smartphone are able to access the internet from the device. Aaron Guerrieri, a junior sport management major at SRU, finds this feature to be the most helpful. “Smartphones are good for being able to check your e-mail on the go and also to be able to listen to music, as well as use other apps,” Guerrieri said. The use of smartphones among college students has nearly doubled
Slipper y Rock University students have the opportunity to live in apartment complexes that cater to the needs of residents, as leasing for the 2012-13 school year has recently begun. O f f - c a mp u s h o u s i n g i s popular for upperclassmen because they want the freedoms that on-campus living cannot provide. Students most often look to the University Village at Slippery Rock (UVSR), the Heights, South Rock and Stone Crest to fulfill these needs, as well as maintaining an active social life. Brandi Keech, a leasing consultant for the University Village at Slipp er y Ro ck, formerly known as the Ivy, is sure that UVSR meets all needs of students living off-campus. “We have more amenities than other apartment complexes and we try to create a fun, open environment with personable staff members that you can see on campus all of the time,” Keech said. University Village at Slippery Rock has recently added a basketball court and a hot tub to a long list of amenities that already includes a fitness center and free tanning. Rates for 2012-13 leasing are in the $500-$600 range. Representatives from UVSR
Assistant News Editor
Rocket Contributor
ALEX MOWREY/THE ROCKET
Emily Strickland, a junior public relations major, twirls fire outside the ARC for the "Up Til' Two for St. Jude" event at SRU. The event had around 800 participants, according to Katie Duetsch, a senior athletic training major. At the event participants write letters to family members, friends, and businesses asking them for donations. St. Jude Childrens is a non-profit hospital, and all proceeds from the event goes directly to the hospital. Duetsch said they won't know how much money they raised until around February, but their goal is to raise $85, 000. Last year, the event had a goal of $75,000 and was able to raise $77,670.51.
SEE EVERYTHING, PAGE A-3
SEE APARTMENTS, PAGE A-2
Governor Corbett passes new law against text messaging while driving By Catie Clark Rocket Contributor
LEXI KOVSKI/THE ROCKET
Governor Tom Corbett passed a law against text messaging while driving on Wednesday. The ban passed through Pennsylvania’s General Assembly on Nov. 1, winning by a 45-5 vote. The new law makes it illegal for a person to text message from behind the wheel of a moving car. Doing so is now a primary offense, which means that police can pull over motorists for that violation alone. There is a $50 fine accompanied with the offense, but police officers are not allowed to take any cell phones away from the motorist. A provision was stripped from the bill that would also punish drivers for talking on a cell phone without a hands-free device, so it remains legal for Pa. motorists to talk on their phone while driving. According to the Environmental Health and Saftey leaders magazine, the EHS Today, Pennsylvania is the 35th state to impose a textingwhile-driving ban for all drivers. Dr. Patrick Harvey, chair of the criminology department at Slippery Rock University, suggests that it could just be adding extra stress to law enforcement officers.
“My first concern is that we may be adding additional demands to an already difficult occupation,” Harvey said. Harvey also commented on the insights of his students and how he believes they ‘hit the nail on the head’. “Criminology major or not, all of my students have realized that this law is going to be tough to enforce, and is probably not going to deter anyone from [text messaging while driving] if they are already comfortable with it,” he said. According to Harvey, he considers the law to be a ‘feel-good law.’ “Reckless driving has been against the law forever, it isn’t anything new,” he said. “People want to feel safe, and politicians like to see their names on new laws.” Harvey said that time can only tell how much effect the law will have. “From a research standpoint, it is going to take time to be able to analyze the actual effect the law has in Pa.,” he said. “Is it going to do what people hope?” It is believed that cell phone use is one of the worst examples of distracted driving, especially for young adults. According to a study by Carnegie Mellon SEE STUDENTS, PAGE A-2