SRU Rocket 3-2-12

Sports

B-1

Mens Bball: Rock exits early from PSAC tournament

Campus L ife SRU Theatre: Adaptation of C-1

Shakespearean play takes stage

The Rocket www.theonlinerocket.com

Friday, March 2, 2012

Slippery Rock University Student Newspaper

Est. 1934

Volume 95, Number 17

LEXI KOVSKI/THE ROCKET

Slippery Rock University students gather in the quad to protest the proposed budget cuts to higher education on Tuesday during common hour. Among the speakers at this event was Pa. representative Jaret Gibbons.

SRU students protest proposed budget cuts SGA backs their decision

By Steph Holsinger Assistant News Editor

LEXI KOVSKI/THE ROCKET

Dr. Patrick Burkhart of APSCUF hangs a sign to show support for higher education before the rally on Tuesday.

LEXI KOVSKI/THE ROCKET

Students display signs to protest the proposed budget cuts to higher education at the rally held by SGA.

ALEX MOWREY/THE ROCKET

Dr. Jace Condravy, English professor and president of APSCUF speaks at the rally to show her support for students.

The Slippery Rock Student Government Association (SGA) hosted a rally to speak out against the recent proposed budget cuts to higher education Tuesday afternoon in the quad.

Earlier this month, Governor Tom Corbett proposed a 20 percent cut to public higher education, including the 14 Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) universities. The rally, which included a release of 700 balloons, had many students and faculty in attendance, as well as others who wished to speak out against the cuts. State Representative Jaret Gibbons, who represents the Slippery Rock area a s well as parts of Beaver and Lawrence Counties, spoke at the event.

“I will be in Harrisburg fighting to make sure that we do not have more cuts to higher education,” Gibbons said. “Pennsylvania needs educated young people in our workforce.”

Gibbons feels that through the efforts of students, change could possibly be made.

“It’s only through [the students’] voices that we’re going to be able to stop this,” he said. “We need to grow our young population, and we’re only going to do it through a quality education.”

The idea of the event has sparked controversy among various environmentalist groups over the past week, including Balloons Blow, Sea Angels, Blue Turtle, Peaceful Protest Against Litter, and Museum of Litter. The groups, most of which are from Florida, have posted on Facebook and sent emails to SGA to express their concern.

Many were concerned about how biodegradable the balloons were, as well as the effect that they may have on wildlife in the future. According to Jim Henry, vice president of student affairs for SGA, extensive research was done on releasing balloons before coordinating the event.

“I believed that releasing the balloons was safe in the beginning, and I still believe that it’s safe,” he said. “I believe that what I found in my research was factual. I planned on sticking with the facts.”

Henry, as well as many other students at the event, felt that the symbolism of the balloon release was more important than the controversy that it created.

“The idea was that if a bunch of balloons were released, students would see the symbolic nature of their money being taken away,” Henry said. “Even students who weren’t at the rally would be able to see the balloons up in the sky and be more aware.”

Many students had positive things to say about the event. Gabe Serafin, a senior business management major, believed that the symbolic aspect of the event was fitting.

“I liked that the balloons were there to show how much money is being taken away from students,” he said.

Maddie Saldana, a junior exercise science major, hoped that the event would help others reach out further against the budget cuts.

“The balloons represented money being taken away from us as students,” she said.

“I hope that others will reach out and help to bring that money back.”

Bill Griffith, a freshman secondary education major, was concerned about how the budget cuts would affect him in the future as a first year student.

“It was really nice to see the Slippery Rock community come together to help stand up for their future,” he said. “As a first year student, these budget cuts will be affecting me and other students in the years to come.”

Jordan Bailley, president of SGA, expressed his concern for the underclassmen and future students that will be affected by the cuts the most.

“Although I’ll be graduating in May, I deeply care about education for both current and future students,” he said. “I believe that something must be done to stop more funds from being taken away from our state system.”

News

A-2

ROCK NOTES Get Paid for Notetaking Online document marketplace Notehall.com is looking for diligent students who want to make money by simply taking notes in class. Notehall.com is hiring students of all majors to take notes in their classes and upload them to the site for future purposes. The position pays a flat rate for the semester, plus commission when another user buys the sellers' notes. For more information, contact Emilee Lafferty: ejl3317@sru.edu. To apply, visit this link exactly: http://www. notehall.com/app/champ2885

Marjorie Stephenson Scholarship Marjorie Stephenson, a professor and librarian at Slippery Rock University, made provisions in her will for undergraduate scholarships at SRU. The amount of the scholarship depends on available funds as well as the number and qualifications of the applicants. The maximum award is $1,000; partial awards may be granted. March 15 is the deadline.

For more information, contact Judy Silva, chair, Marjorie Stephenson Scholarship, at judith.silva@sru.edu.

No issue of The Rocket next week There will be no issue of The Rocket next week, the week of March 9th. The Rocket will return the following week, March 16th.

To submit a Rock Note please send your announcement by 6 p.m. Wednesday to Brian Brodeur at bdb5229@sru.edu or to rocket.news@sru.edu. The Rocket does not guarantee that all requests will be published in the paper.

Index Rock Notes...............A-2 Weather map...........A-2 Blotter.................A-3 Opinion...............A-4

Classifieds..........A-6 Comics................A-7 Sports...................B-1 Campus Life.............C-1

contact us Newsroom: (724) 738-4438 Advertising: (724) 738-2643 Fax: (724) 738-4896 Email: rocket.letters@sru.edu

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2011 Runner-up most Outstading Newspaper, Society of Collegiate Journalists.

March 2, 2012

Millions suffer from eating disorders

By Will Deshong Rocket Staff Reporter

Nearly 25 million people are struggling through a form of eating disorder, such as anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating in the United States, according to National Eating Disorders Association.

Aimed to help bring light to the matter, the Reflections Body Image Program hosted various events on Slippery Rock University’s campus over the past week as part of the National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, which runs from Feb. 26 to March 3.

Jennifer Sanftner, the chairperson of the SRU Psychology Department and a leader of the campus’s Reflections Program, said the program wants to challenge the media in an effort to help address issues of body image and subsequently eating disorders.

“We help women challenge the media messages they receive daily about how their bodies should look,” Sanftner said. “Most women hear and see these media images multiple times every day for years that communicate to them that a woman is only beautiful if she looks a certain way.”

Although women know the media portrayal of beauty is wrong, it is difficult not to let those standards affect the way one sees themselves, according to Sanftner.

“Even when we know the messages are destructive, as women, we can’t help but look at ourselves as not matching up to these ideals, because let’s face it, the vast majority of us do not,” Sanftner said. “We help women affirm that they are much more than their appearance, that they are valued for qualities besides their looks, and that their bodies are just fine the way they are.”

Kaity Deutsch, 23, knows the struggles associated with eating disorders first hand, as she battled through anorexia for years while she studied dance as a teenager.

“Pictures are flashed at us every day of models and celebrities, and we’re trained to pick the thinner one as more beautiful,” Deutsch said. “It’s the same in the dance world.”

Deutsch started dancing when she was five years old and by the time she was 10, she knew she wanted to pursue it as more than just a hobby. She got her lucky break in the field when she was just 13, getting accepted to the American Ballet Theatre in New York City on scholarship. She trained there in the summers while attending dance school in Pittsburgh until she was 18.

While she was chasing down her childhood dreams, Deutsch began to face the challenges seen far too often in the industry.

“During this time it should’ve been great and happy, and I initially was, but there were underlying pressures building on me,” Deutsch said. “I had outward support from teachers and friends but there was an underlying pressure to look a certain way. Ballet dancers were to be under 100 pounds no matter what. So my mind shifted to ‘I have to do this.’ There was some real mental turmoil.”

In order to achieve the look expected upon dancers and ease the struggles in her mind, Deutsch began controlling her food intake daily when she was 16, after she had moved out of her parents 'house and into an apartment in Pittsburgh.

“Rather than deal with it by seeking help I dealt with it by restricting my food intake to almost nothing,” Deutsch said. “I kept a log of everything I ate. On some days I would just write down 'water' to try to feel like I was still being healthy. More than anything, one of the things so addicting and compelling was the element of control. With my injuries and my teachers being dissatisfied with my work and my image, the only thing I could control was my food intake."

Deutsch would wake up every morning for home schooling before going to class from the early afternoon until late in the evening. She had a short break for dinner, but said she would be somewhere else practicing more.

“The issue was people wanted me to look a certain way and that was the only way I could achieve it,” Deutsch said. “No one knew the struggles I was going through in my head.”

Deutsch said that while she had friends at the dance school, eating disorders simply weren’t talked about.

“I had friends at school when I was dancing but a lot of them were dealing with similar issues,” Deutsch said. “It was not talked about at all. An eating disorder has such a stigma – it’s such a black secret. It’s something you don’t share with someone. It’s uncomfortable and humiliating.”

While she never told anyone of the struggles she was going through, the signs were there.

“People might have had an idea but they never confronted me,” Deutsch said. “I wish they had.”

Although she would have been devastated at the time had she been confronted, Deutsch now regrets the fact that no one said anything to her.

“The thing that is most frustrating is, while not many people saw it, those who did see it did nothing,” Deutsch said.

It wasn’t until Deutsch went back home to visit her parents for Thanksgiving that the pain and darkness she was going through came to light. Realizing her daughter was noticeably lighter and acting different, Deutsch’s mother was able to pull the story out of her.

“The way she brought it up was in a calm and private manner. It made me want to talk,” Deutsch said. “Rather than feel bad about myself I knew someone cared.”

After struggling with the eating disorder for almost three years, Deutsch finally decided to quit dance and move on to college. It’s something she feels was vital to her being able to start recovering from the emotional turmoil that haunted her for so long.

“I saw my life spiraling,” Deutsch said. “What I sought so much was control over my appearance and my dance career. But for every little bit I controlled more, I had less control of my life in general.”

Thanks to the support from her family, Deutsch decided to come to college to study athletic training. While she no longer tries to limit her food intake, her struggle isn’t over.

“It’s a mental battle I still fight through,” Deutsch said. “Just the way of feeling about yourself—even four years later, I still have this issue I need to fight back against.”

Deutsch now has friends on campus going through similar disorders, and is using her experiences as a means to help them battle through the mental struggles.

“If you have a friend come to you with an issue, it needs to be treated with the most privacy,” Deutsch said. “It’s one of the most personal things someone could share with you.”

The issue of eating disorders on college campuses is growing at an alarming rate, according to Sanftner.

“Studies suggest that up to 66 percent of women on a college campus engage in disordered eating behaviors,” Sanftner said.

“That is a very high number.”

It is far too high a number considering the impacts an eating disorder can have on a person’s life, according to Sanftner.

“Eating disorders are often seen by people as ‘no big deal; just eat.’ However, they are serious mental disorders that will eventually take over a person’s life. Someone with an eating disorder will have great difficulty completing school, and many drop out or do not accomplish what they might have had they not had the eating disorder. It also affects relationships, jobs, and other important aspects of life.”

“It is really important to understand that once an eating disorder develops, a person loses control and they can suffer serious medical complications as well as impairment in their ability to go through life,” Sanftner added. “At some point, they simply cannot eat in a normal way without treatment that helps them relearn how to do this. Although we have excellent treatments for eating disorders, the best thing to do is to prevent them to begin with.”

In order to prevent future eating disorders from arising, it is important to understand how and why they start. That’s something that Sanftner said is more complex than most people realize, especially for college students.

“In addition to the negative impact the media has on women’s body image and self-esteem, there are influences from the environment, such as pressures that may come from peers or family members,” Sanftner said. “Stress, in particular the stress of leaving home and coming to college, is a big factor. Students may be separated from their families for the first time and they may lack the supports necessary to get them through. There are certainly some biological and genetic factors as well. It is most important for people to realize that it is no one’s fault if they develop an eating disorder. They develop from a confluence of factors.”

Deutsch certainly understands the reasoning behind the disorders, as well as the ways to overcome them. The one thing she feels strongly about is that people are there for you if you are struggling through an eating disorder—whether it is friends, family, or counseling.

“Even though it is such a dark, scary, and alone place to feel, you’re not alone at all.”

News

March 2, 2012

A-3

Police Blotter Magistrate Feb. 29- Ronald L. Wischerman, 32, of Portersville, Pa., was seen for possession of marijuana.

Feb. 29- Hugh Alexander Pushko, 36, of Slippery Rock, was seen for a DUI, resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct.

Feb. 29- Douglas Hitchman, 21, of Glenshaw, Pa., was seen for possession of a small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. He was released on his own recognizance.

Fe b. 2 9 - Br itt n e y Ly n n Piekarski, 23, of Vanport, Pa., was seen for two counts of DUI. She was released on her own recognizance.

Borough Feb. 29- Robert William, Mitro, 24, of West Mifflin, Pa., was seen for two counts of DUI. He was released on his own recognizance.

Feb. 29- Kenneth Alan Kline, 39, of Butler, was seen for a DUI. He was released on his own recognizance.

Feb. 29- Gail Marie McCormick, 58, of West Sunbury, Pa., was seen for two counts of DUI. She was released on her own recognizance.

Feb. 29- Perry Lewis Lawry, 43, of Slippery Rock, was seen for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

Feb. 9- Rebecca Wille, 22, was cited for harassment.

Feb. 26- Christopher Darby, 21, was cited for disorderly house.

Feb. 9- Craig Wille, 22, was cited for harassment.

Feb. 26- Parkes Knepshield, 19, was cited for underage consumption of alcohol and public drunkenness.

Feb. 19- Jeffrey R. Herman, 19, was cited for disorderly house.

Feb. 19- Dakota Lee Taylor, 18, was cited for disorderly house.

Feb. 19- Lamar J. Lehman, 18, was cited for disorderly house.

Feb. 24- Cassidy Clerici, 22, was cited for public drunkenness.

Campus Feb. 22- There was a report of harassment at North Hall. The case is under investigation.

Feb. 24- There was a report of a possible drug violation at Building E. There was no contraband found and no other action was taken.

Feb. 24- Nicholas Marchi, 20, Thomas McElwaine, 20, and Michael Murphy, 18, were cited for underage consumption of alcohol after a report of an alcohol violation at Building B. Feb. 26- Erica Signor, 19, was cited for underage consumption of alcohol after an officer observed intoxicated individuals in front of Building F. Feb. 26- There was a report of an alcohol violation at North Hall. The incident was referred to judicial.

Compiled by Stephanie Holsinger

New office opens to assist students with free tax filing

By Jonathan Janasik Rocket News Contributor

The Center for Community Resources opened a new office February 1st that allows students, families and community members who make up to $50,000 per year to get professional tax preparation done for free.

The program is called Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and it’s sponsored by the IRS, said SRU management professor, Rhonda Clark. It’s a community service program designed to make it both cheap and easy to prepare their taxes.

“We encourage everyone to use it,” said Clark. “Even if they’ve already done their taxes, maybe they know somebody who needs tax services. This is free, it is for the community, and it’s saving people a lot of money.”

The Slippery Rock Center for Community Resources (CCR) has done taxes for about 64 people since its opening in February, Clark stated. This has caused clients to gain a total of $100,000 in tax refunds.

While appointments are preferred, walk-ins are also

accepted, said volunteer tax reviewer, Jo Annette Cynkar.

All that the client is required to bring is a valid photo ID, social security card, and W-2 forms. When calling for an appointment, the office will tell you if you need to bring any other special types of forms.

In order to make an appointment, clients must call the office at 724-431-3748. The number is usable 24 hours per day.

Currently the building is open two days per week. The hours are 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. Clark said that the hours may be extended next year if the service becomes more popular.

“It’s coming a long way, and going very well,” Clark said. “I think it’s actually exceeded my expectations and it’s really starting to pick up just after the first month of being open.”

The building is located on 164 South Main St., Slippery Rock, where the Pennsylvania Center for Environmental Education (PCEE) building used to be.

The office is able to stay open despite not charging any money by hiring SRU interns. The Slippery Rock

Sustainable Enterprise Accelerator (SEA) pays rent on the building and allows CCR to use the office two days per week, Clark said.

The office in Slippery Rock is a branch off of the center in Butler which has been open for almost three years. Clark stated that this is a nationwide IRS program that has recently started to branch out in the Slippery Rock area. There are also locations in Cranberry and Kittanning.

Nineteen SRU accounting majors are currently working at the CCR as unpaid interns, Clark said. While most are working at the center in Slippery Rock, a few students are working in the offices in Butler and Cranberry.

Cynkar said that these accounting majors are extensively trained. They are required to be certified by the IRS for basic tax law training, and some volunteers are also working on their intermediate level certification.

Accounting majors can sign up for an internship with the Center for Community Resources by talking to either Dr. Clark or the head of the accounting department, Dr. Anna Lusher.

OPINION

The Rocket

A-4

March 2, 2012

The Rocket

Our View

Volume 94, Number 18

220 Eisenberg Classroom Building Slippery Rock University Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania 16057 Phone: (724) 738-4438 Fax: (724) 738-4896 E-mail: rocket.letters@sru.edu

Editorial Board Courtney Nickle Editor-in-Chief Brian Brodeur News Editor Andy Treese Campus Life Editor Tim Durr Sports Editor Lexi Kovski Photo Editor Zane Barger Copy Editor James Intile Web Editor Stephanie Holsinger Assistant News Editor James Meyer Assistant Campus Life Editor Madeline Williams Assistant Sports Editor Liana Pittman Assistant Photo Editor Will Deshong News Reporter

GRAPHIC BY LIANA PITTMAN

Wait, what was the reason for the balloon release again?

Balloons are pretty.

There’s no doubt about that.

Mark Zeltner Watching hundreds of Faculty Adviser multi-colored balloons released into the air Advertising Staff being is definitely a sight unlike Emily Hunter any other.

Advertising Manager But it’s not as simple as it Sarah Black sounds. It never is.

Assistant Advertising Manager On Tuesday, SGA and APSCUF joined together About Us to hold a balloon release The Rocket is published by the students and rally against Governor of Slippery Rock University every Friday Tom Corbett’s proposed during the academic semester with the exception of holidays, exam periods and budget cuts.

In the days before the vacations. Total weekly circulation is 3,000.

No material appearing in The Rocket may event, SGA, Slipper y be reprinted without the written consent of Rock University and The the Editor-in-Chief.

Rocket received emails The first copy of The Rocket is provided free of charge. Additional copies may be and Facebook posts from several groups concerned purchased for 50 cents each.

The Rocket receives approximately five about the safety of the percent of its funding from the SGA General balloon release.

Service fee paid each semester by students.

Balloons Blow, Sea All other income is provided through the Angels, Blue Tur tle, sale of advertising.

Advertising inquiries may be made Peaceful Protest Against by calling (724) 738-2643 or by e-mailing Litter, Museum of Litter rocket.ads@sru.edu. and a number of individuals pleaded with SGA to cancel

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.

the event and attempted to convince the student body that no balloon release is “environmentally safe.”

We don’t claim to be e nv i ron m e nt a l i s t s i n any way. We don’t do our own research on the biodegradability of latex balloons and cotton string, both of which were used at the balloons release Tuesday. All we can do is find previous studies and take note of their findings.

There was a good amount of email banter back and forth between SGA and Balloons Blow, the lead group to take on the cause.

They argued over facts, statistics, and opinions.

Balloons Blow tried to convince SGA that even though latex balloons are biodegradable, the rate at which they biodegrade is too slow and animals, in the mean time, can ingest the balloons and die from that.

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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.

the malicious intent to kill birds and turtles.

To the best of our knowledge, SGA did the research before planning this event to make sure that it was environmentally safe.

Also, to the best of our knowledge, no campus c o m mu n i t y m e m b e r expressed concern about the event. The only pleading to cancel it came from environmentalist groups in other states.

To us, the truly sad part of this whole controversy is that the true meaning of the rally has been pushed aside.

This balloon release was planned to bring awareness to Corbett’s proposed 20 percent cut to PASSHE schools.

That was its sole purpose.

Whether it caught the eyes of any lawmakers, we don’t know.

But we hope it did.

Perhaps if SGA had

explored other options beyond a balloon release, the emphasis could have been kept on the issue at hand.

A balloon release is not the only way to protest budget cuts.

We agree that something more than a simple rally was necessary. We should try to be more creative.

Lock Haven University held a funeral for education, complete with a casket, pallbearers and a procession through campus. Now that’s an original idea.

Perhaps if SGA was struggling with ideas they could have asked the student body, the very people they represent.

We have some very bright, imaginative students here.

We’re sure they could have come up with different ideas that might not have angered environmentalists in other states.

Activism in the name of awareness taken a bit too far

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Inquiries should be directed to the Editorin-Chief at the address listed here.

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.

Their efforts didn’t go unnoticed. SGA held a meeting on Monday night to decide what to do about the balloon release. In the end, they decided to go ahead with the event as planned.

From what we witnessed, the event was a success.

Many students and faculty members showed up. They were given balloons, about 700 in total, and told to either pop them or let them go. From what we saw, no one chose to pop their balloon.

After the event, the environmentalist groups were immediately back on Facebook, commenting on The Rocket’s pictures of the event, saying how full of shame every student and faculty member should feel.

We don’t hate the environment. We don’t hate wildlife. We didn’t release these balloons with

James Meyer Commentary Campus activism has a long and illustrious history, playing key roles in such tumultuous issues as the civil rights movement and the Vietnam anti-war protests.

Nowadays, our activism has taken a kinder, gentler tone in the form of “raising awareness.” We might walk around barefoot or have a friendly campout in the quad to raise awareness for the homeless.

Everyone has a pet cause, which wouldn’t bother me so much if they actually did something about it. Raising awareness is not really activism at all, but rather a way to feel good about yourself without actually doing anything to help solve the problem.

This university seems to be a haven for “awareness raising” activism that only leads to a

littered campus. I’ve seen caution tape wrapped around the smoking shelters, women’s undergarments hanging from trees, and cardboard signs set up in the quad. And let’s not forget placing the word “rape” on stop signs around campus.

Apparently, defacing public property is justified when it comes to activism.

And let’s not forget the sheer dishonesty of some activists. Last semester, I encountered a group of ladies wearing stickers that read, “Kiss me, I’m a non-smoker.” As I took a long drag from my Marlboro and attempted to oblige them, the invitation was suddenly revoked.

A most recent form of activism has been the balloon release followed by a letter writing campaign in protest of Governor Tom Corbett’s proposed budget cuts for higher education. I can’t help but wonder how strong of a message this will send when politicians know that most college students don’t vote anyway. But that’s beside the point. This balloon release has prompted environmentalists from across the country to launch an Internet crusade (read: flooding Facebook pages) against our Student Government Association for its blatant disregard of the

And, lastly, my personal favorite environmental hazards of balloons.

As much as I find ineffective comes from Taffy Williams who has activism annoying, I find it even this to say about balloons, “Millions more annoying that people who live are inanely released each year; they out of state have nothing better to end up mostly in water bodies, on do than cast dispersions upon our shores, and in the guts of hungry SGA for releasing balloons. Since wildlife.”

I was raised in the country and Facebook is a public forum, I’ve taken the liberty of responding to I’m a big fan of wildlife. However, a few of the more vibrant posts to I’m also a fan of the mechanism grace The Rocket’s Facebook page. that created such a wonderfully Chelsea Vosburgh writes, diverse population of wildlife: “How disgusting … industries, natural selection. Balloons are corporations, money … we all live not harmful; eating balloons is harmful. Perhaps the presence of on one planet.”

Yes, Chelsea, we all do live on one balloons is precisely the natural planet. And how wonderful it is to selection pressure necessary to lead have the computer industry and us to a world in which the survivors corporations like Facebook so that are animals who do not engage we can communicate with the rest in such inept behavior as balloon eating. If I saw a person eating of the planet.

Kristina Witter strongly a balloon, I certainly wouldn’t admonishes, “If you are as upset by blame the balloon or the balloon the environmentally devestating manufacturers. My conclusion actions taken by your student would be that this person is dumber governement today, please help us than my cat, who has never shown make sure it can’t happen again but interest in consuming latex. If an making it against the law!” animal is incompetent enough to You want to ban balloons? What smell a latex balloon and think a buzzkill! Children’s birthday that it smells like food, that is pure parties will never be the same. Also, Darwinism at work. how about a little less emotion and a little more attention to spelling James Meyer is a senior communication and grammar if you want your major and assistant Campus Life editor for The Rocket. activism to be taken seriously.

Opinion

March 2, 2012

Immediacy of Twitter trumps Facebook

Chloe Finigin Social Stigma

out once a month claiming they heard a conversation, or know if an actress is pregnant.

But now, you hear it (most of the time) right from the source.

It creates an illusion that they are saying this right to you, instead of to millions of fans.

The key to Twitter’s success is based on the audience and the site’s users.

A college student created Facebook for other college students, and blogging sites are generally used as a virtual scrapbook.

Twitter on the other hand was made for the media; it allows news and information to be spread quickly.

In 140 characters you have to say your peace and move on.

There is no club to join, no page to ‘like.’ All you have to do is follow that person and you will forever know details about their lives.

It’s the ultimate outlet for fast news that doesn’t take up hours of your time.

I too am no exception to the Twitter celebrities.

I follow mainly comedians, in order to get updates on tours and read witty commentary (and I may follow the entire Glee cast…).

There is something so personal about Max Greenfield and Mindy Kaling going back and forth right in front of my eyes, that it’s hard not to feel like there is less separation than usual.

Of course, I’m not blind to the fact that it’s not always the celebrities tweeting.

For example, Ryan Secrest actually hires someone to run his Twitter account.

This job may seem silly, but this intern, probably a public relations student, makes more money than we probably ever will just for making sure he posts his 140 characters for the day.

Twitter is a website that truly offers it all.

Users can follow news pages, celebrities, and their friends.

It creates a place where stars can connect to their fans or two friends can talk back and forth.

I believe that Twitter trumps Facebook and blogging sites because it offers quick and short updates, and more importantly, it connects everyday people with public figures.

Twitter is a website that is the ultimate social media.

It makes or breaks careers for celebrities, it plays a part in politics, and even gets congressmen fired (think Anthony Weiner).

Even some news stations rely on it as a source, often quoting directly from a Twitter page.

Twitter’s influence is based on its fast and easy nature and, more importantly, how it mirrors real friendships with public figures.

My fascination with Twitter started when I began using an old account just a few months back. My prior experience was limited.

I was retweeted once about an old article I wrote, and that was about it.

Still, since I reactivated my account, I only follow others.

I may post a picture every once in a while, but I just like to chuckle at the witty one liners tweeted by Jim Gaffigan or some news about my favorite shows (usually posted by Adam Scott. I’m a sucker for Parks and Rec…).

On Twitter, tweets are usually posted to a public dashboard where they are announced to the world.

Updates like “heading out to go shopping” or “can’t wait to hang out with (@insertfamouscelebrityhere) later!” are said to anyone who follows the specific person.

Today, the most popular users can have millions of followers.

That means millions of people will get notifications on their phones or computers while eating lunch or sitting in class saying that their favorite celebrity is “going to see a movie” or believes that “Emma Stone was the best dressed at the Oscars!”

Everyday people who follow celebrities or political figures can learn more about Chloe Finigin is a sophomore emerging technology their favorite stars.

It evolved from the tabloids that came major from Cape Cod, Mass.

In the Quad

Jelisa Bonner Sophomore criminal justice major Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pa. “It was a good thing. I’d like to see students talk to him on a more personal level, like face to face. But it was good.”

A-5

LETTERS 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.

Reception between grad ceremonies should stay Every year the group of graduating seniors gets the chance to find their friends and reminisce on all of the fun times and crazy antics which have occurred throughout their four (or more…) years here at Slippery Rock University during the reception held in between the two ceremonies.

This is the only opportunity when the four colleges are given chance come together throughout the entire day.

Something to look forward to right? Well not this year…

Apparently the decision was made by the Cabinet of SRU that this was not a necessary part of graduation day or of the last moments we will have here. What do the students who were at

Spread the word to end the word Dear Editor, We need your support, and the support of your readers, in our Spread the Word to End the Word campaign to help make a stand against a word that has gained popularity in culture, but is offensive to many.

The R-word, or “retard(ed)”, has found a place in common, everyday vernacular and

that meeting think about this you might ask? That is an extremely good question but one that cannot be answered since there was not a single student at the meeting.

Students’ thoughts on the topic were not considered in any way, shape, or form. As a graduating senior I want and deserve the opportunity to meet with all my friends many of whom I will not be able to see at all that day or in many of the days to follow.

These are the people I have spent some of the most lifechanging years of my life with.

It is an emotional and exciting day that I want to spend with those I am closest with. To take that away devalues the message our university pushes on us every day: we are a community. If we are such a community then why is the chance to come together for the last time ripped away from us?

The most disturbing and disgusting part of this entire process is that there was no intention of telling any of the graduating seniors that seems to be accepted by most, despite the fact that its use, casual or otherwise, is hurtful to millions of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as to those that love them.

Please help drive much needed change that will bring acceptance and inclusion into our community—include the R-word into your “Not Fit to Print” publishing guidelines alongside other hurtful and derogatory words.

Your paper reaches various members of the community and with that influence you can help us get all of those

this was being taken away.

They basically planned on cutting this and sweeping the entire thing under the rug without mentioning it to any of the students they are directly affecting. If there are specific reasons then why not let us know? I think we are intelligent enough to understand? If it is for budgetary reasons maybe cutting out an ice sculpture (which was at the winter graduation ceremony) would be a good idea?

The university would not be here without the students, our thoughts on this deserve some consideration, especially when this university is our home.

I want the chance to say goodbye to my family before opening the next chapter of my life. Bring back the ceremony for all of those who want this chance and have earned this opportunity to say goodbye.

Kim Sloan Senior business management major members of the community to take the pledge at www.rword.org. If the role of a local leader like The Rocket is to inform and effect positive change in the community, what better way than helping us to Spread the Word to End the Word and in turn, create communities of acceptance and inclusion for all people.

You can make a difference today.

Make your pledge today at www.r-word.org.

Elizabeth Grodin, Eliot Hawk, Brandon Jones, Meghan Kelly, Kendall Moore, and Kellie Perna

This week’s question: Did you think the balloon release was a good way to protest the budget cuts?

Matt Stahoviak Freshman psychology major Hometown: Ambridge, Pa.

Angela Yocham Senior criminal justice and social work major Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pa.

Ele Eckert Junior exercise science major Hometown: Lockport, New York

“I don’t think it was a good way to protest it. It wasn’t personal enough. He probably won’t even notice it so I don’t think it will do much.”

“I like the idea, the fact that college students are getting involved. But I think they should do more, like write Gov. Corbett and even go to him since he’s not here on campus.

It was a nice turnout though.”

“I think it was good. It doesn’t do anything directly but it spreads awareness on the issue.”

CLASSIFIEDS January 27, 2012

Your Ad HERE!!

E-mail rocket.ads@ sru.edu

The Rocket

A-6

March 2, 2012

A-7

February 24, 2012

Slippery Rock Apartments 724-794-8704 Now renting for 2012-13 www.SlipperyRockApartments.com

A-8

March 2, 2011

SPORTS

The Rocket

March 2, 2012

One and Done

B-1

ALEX MOWREY/THE ROCKET

Junior forward Tabari Perry sits on the bench in the final minutes of Slippery Rock's loss in the first round of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference tournament game against Mercyhurst University. The Rock finished the season with a 17-10 record.

Rock drops first round conference matchup against Mercyhurst

By Madeline Williams

Assistant Sports Editor

T h e S l ipp e r y R o c k University men's basketball team ended their season on Tuesday night with a 77-69 loss to Mercyhurst University in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference quarterfinal action.

The Rock finished the season with a 17-10 final record. The Lakers won two of three games against the Rock this season, and took a 20-19 lead in the all-time series between the two teams.

S enior guard De vin Taylor scored a team-high 18 points and had eight rebounds in his final collegiate game wearing a Rock uniform.

Senior guard Torrance Timothy added 13 points and junior guard Aubin Reeves contributed 12 points.

Junior forward Tabari Perry put up nine points and snagged nine rebounds and junior center Luiz Santos added eight points and seven rebounds on Tuesday night.

SRU finished the game with a 43 percent (29-68) shooting effort, 27 percent (7-26) of 3-pointers, and 50

percent (4-8) free throws.

The Rock committed 20 turnovers throughout the game, only one short of their season-high total.

S RU o u t r e b o u n d e d Mercyhurst with a 43-32 rebounding advantage, marking the 23rd out of 27 games that the Green and White has outrebounded their opponents.

Slippery Rock looked very strong and led for the entire first half, taking a 32-29 lead at halftime, after a 6-0 Mercyhurst run.

Reeves scored eight firsthalf points, and Taylor had seven.

Fre s h m an C h a qu i l l e Pratt scored six points in the first half. However, he did not score in the second half.

The Rock had a slim 4036 lead after four minutes of second half play before the Lakers scored eight unanswered points to take a 44-40 lead with less than 15 minutes left to play.

Mercyhurst held the game from that point and led by a large 14 point margin, 64-50, with four minutes remaining in the game.

SRU fought back and cut the deficit to five points, 68-63, with 1:45 left in the game, but it wasn't

quite enough for them to overcome the Lakers.

Ta y l o r said that miscommunication led to the downfall of the team during the second half.

"Communication and turnovers ultimately led to the loss for us," Taylor said. "When you don't communicate and you don't take care of the ball, it's hard to win."

S enior guard Jon Valeriano agreed with Ta y l o r, s a y i n g t h a t communication errors led to the downfall of the Rock.

"Too many defensive breakdowns and lapses due to our miscommunication really hurt us during the second half," Valeriano said.

This year marked the third time in four seasons that head coach Kevin Reynolds and his Rock squad have made it to the PSAC tournament.

Before this season, the Rock has not qualified for the PSAC tournament in back-to-back seasons since 1991, under coach Bob Barlettt.

SRU will say goodbye to five Rock seniors - Taylor, Timothy, Valeriano, John Bossle, and Tommy Kelly.

Kelly was the only fourth-

year player in the group.

The other four seniors came to SRU as transfers from other colleges and universities.

Ju n i or g u a rd Jo h n Bayardelle said he’s going to miss the seniors and wishes them the best.

“I’m close to all the seniors and I’m going to miss every last one of them,” Bayardelle said.

“A friend is a brother your heart chooses, and I consider all five guys my brothers.”

Mercyhurst will play East Stroudsburg University in tonight's PSAC semifinal game at West Chester University.

The championship game is set for tomorrow.

On Wednesday, Taylor earned a spot on the AllPSAC-West first team and Perry was selected as a second-team selection.

Voting for the All-PSAC honors is determined by the division’s head coaches.

Taylor was the leading rebounder in the conference this season, averaging 9.8 boards per game.

He also ranked 12th among all NCAA Division II players in rebounding.

SEE GREEN, PAGE B-3

LEXI KOVSKI /THE ROCKET

Sports

B-2

March 2, 2012

Indoor track teams finish second in PSACs

By Kristin Karam Rocket Contributor

Slippery Rock’s indoor track and field teams both finished in second place at the 2012 PSAC Championships at Edinboro University last weekend.

The women’s team was in first place at the end of Saturday with 53.50 points with titles claimed in the pole vault and pentathlon.

In the pole vault, junior Angela Schroeder took first clearing 3.60 meters.

Sophomore Julia Cain and senior Kelly Fischer both cleared 3.45 meters to tie for third place.

Senior Kim Stitt totaled 3,435 points to win the pentathlon. Stitt also participated in the long jump, placing seventh with a mark of 5.21 meters.

In the weight throw, SRU had three top-10 performances. Freshman Brittany Christiansen placed fifth hitting a mark of 14.93, followed by senior Sandy Kakraba in sixth with a throw of 14.72 meters. Senior Cassie Carrow came in eighth place at 13.64 meters.

Junior Stephanie Case ran a time of 17:39.02 in the 5,000-meter run resulting in a third-place finish.

The Rock’s distance medley relay team of junior Kara Styles, senior Caitlin Hancox, senior Jayme Stanek and freshman Janine Powis placed second with a time of 12:10.45.

The men’s team was in third place at the end of day one with 21 points.

Junior Cameron

Daugherty led the Rock in the pole vault clearing 4.61 meters finishing in second place. Senior Ryan Camody and sophomore David Caldwell both cleared 4.46 meters to tie for third place.

SRU’s distance medley relay team of junior Eric Geddis, freshman Tyler Melius, sophomore Michael Beegle and sophomore Nathaniel Helfferich placed sixth with a time of 10:30.46.

Sophomore Tr av i s Arrigoni placed seventh in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 15:17.25. Junior Alex Koksal ran a time of 15:33.75 to place 10th in the event.

Junior throwers Joseph Kelly and Kyle Toms earned top-10 finishes in the weight throw. Kelly threw for 15.75 meters and placed sixth while Toms threw for 15.69 meters to come in seventh.

Day two had the potential for Slippery Rock to bring home two championships.

The women’s team was led by another record-breaking performance from Powis.

Powis ran a time of 4:59.63 to place second and break the former record of 5:01.25 set

by Gretchen Petcher in 1993.

Freshman Katelyn Wetzel finished seventh in the 60-meter dash at 7.996 seconds and fifth in the 200-meter dash at 25.83 seconds.

In the shot put, Kakraba placed third with a throw of 12.70 meters and Stitt threw for 12.70 meters to place fifth.

Stitt also participated in the triple jump and hit a mark of 10.99 meters to finish seventh.

Senior Caitlin Hancox ran a time of 2:20.55 to place sixth in the 800-meter run.

Hancox said that she was pleased with the overall performance of the team and to come in second to a school like Shippensburg is a great achievement.

"I think the team did an amazing job," Hancox said.

"We always seem to come together at PSAC's and give it everything we got.

Shippensburg is a great team and a very large team, so to come in second to them is a great accomplishment."

The men’s team started off day two with a victory from senior Dan Hedglin in the 60-meter hurdles.

Hedglin clocked a time of 8.31 seconds to win his first individual championship.

Senior Joe Spears placed sixth in the event with a time of 8.691 seconds and junior Ethan Geisler took seventh at 8.697 seconds.

“It was an overwhelming experience winning the hurdles at the PSACs and I was very thankful for all the love and support I got from my teammates. The whole team was there for each other at the meet, I could not be more proud of my fellow teammates for their performance,” Hedglin said.

Junior DJ Chisom ran a time of 6.93 seconds in the 60-meter dash to finish in second place.

SRU had three athletes in the top six of the heptathlon.

Sophomore Hans Lubich came in second with 4,700 points followed by sophomore Derick Fiedler with 4,601 points in fifth

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHN PAPA

Senior Dan Hedglin took home top honors in the 60-meter hurdles at the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Championships on Sunday at Edinboro University.

place and junior Andrew Greenslade in sixth with 4,487 points.

In the shot put, Toms placed second with a throw of 15.99 meters. Freshman Trevor Miller threw for 14.52 meters to come in seventh.

The 4x400-meter relay team of Geisler, freshman Hunter Williams, junior Kevin Jewel and sophomore

Trevor Foley took fourth place with a time of 3:20.00.

The second place finish was the best PSAC performance by the men’s indoor track and field team in the PSAC Championship since 2008.

To the women’s team, it was their third consecutive second-place finish.

Vaulters Cain and Daugherty will prepare to

represent Slippery Rock at the NCAA Division II National Championships March 11-12 at Minnesota State-Mankato University.

As a team, Slippery Rock will turn its attention towards the start of their outdoor track and field season beginning with the Coastal Carolina Invitational March 9-10.

Women's tennis loses three of four Baseball splits series against Raiders after winning five straight matches

By Mike Hurlimann Rocket Contributor

By Levi Lewis Rocket Contributor

The Slippery Rock women’s tennis team has enjoyed a strong start to their season as well as veteran leadership that has propelled them to their fast start.

SRU started their tennis season in the fall and finished an impressive 5-0, and has a 6-2 overall record so far through their early spring schedule.

Although the Rock tennis team has lost two of its first three matches, head coach Matt Meredith said his team has played extremely hard.

“The two matches that we lost already this spring could have gone either way,” Meredith said. “We would have liked to play a little harder of course, but we definitely had our moments.”

SRU saw their undefeated season come to a halt with loses to both St. Bonaventure and Carnegie Mellon. The Rock’s first loss came at the hands of St. Bonaventure, 5-2, a team that head coach Meredith said is the best team they have seen so far.

“This year’s St. Bonaventure team was probably one of the best teams that I’ve seen them put out against us,” Meredith said. “However, I like to schedule tough competition for my team so that they know what to expect from me.”

Last Friday, SRU dominated Grove City College 9-0, their last game before The Rock heads down to Hilton Head, South Carolina for the

annual southern spring break tournament. SRU will face key opponents, which will be crucial for the women’s tennis team to get wins against.

“We’re going to face some good teams while in South Carolina,” Meredith said.

“The key for us is to get big wins while were down there and that will make us better and stronger going into our PSAC West schedule.”

After returning from their southern trip, SRU will begin a conference schedule that will prove to be difficult.

The Rock didn’t make many changes to their roster, so they’re hoping that veteran leadership and experience will prevail during tough matches.

“We have the same team as last year and we didn’t make a whole lot of changes to it,” Meredith said. “We're hoping that experience and our strong veteran leadership will help us prevail down the stretch towards our goal of a PSAC West title.”

With Clarion, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and 11th ranked California University of Pennsylvania standing in their way of a PSAC West title, SRU senior Sarah Lynch knows that hard work will help them achieve their goals.

“So far this season we have played some really great teams,” Lynch said. "It has been a real eye opener to the amount of hard work we need to do in order to achieve our goals this season.”

Sarah Lynch, ranked 27th

nationally, has used hard work and has embraced her style of tennis to achieve this ranking.

“A national ranking was never a true goal of mine, but it is a great honor to be ranked 27th in the nation,” Lynch said. “That is why I work so hard and another reason I would love to make it to nationals.”

SRU has a women’s tennis player who finished her career ranked 24th in the nation, and Sarah Lynch wants to finish her career at Slippery Rock University ranked higher than that.

“It took me three and a half years of college tennis to realize how much I really love this sport and I want to be a great player for myself, but also set an example for my teammates,” Lynch said. “I just want people to recognize that I love tennis and I want to reach being ranked 20th in the nation before my career is finished here.”

Lynch says she is also excited to get into the toughest part of their schedule as well as their spring break trip. She says this will really help evaluate where the team is at and where they need to improve.

“I am so excited to get into the climax of our season because everyone is eager to win,” Lynch said.

“I think with the hard work everyone is putting into their conditioning and the effort we put into practice and on the court, we will achieve all the intended goals we have for ourselves.”

Slippery Rock University's baseball team won one of four games against Shippensburg University in their two doubleheaders against them on Saturday and Sunday.

S a t u r d a y ' s doubleheader was played at the Ripken Baseball Academy in Aberdeen, Mar yland, where the Rock lost both games.

The first game of the doubleheader was a pitching duel between Shipp ensburg's Nick Umberger and Slippery Rock's Lou Trivino.

Umberger pitched a three hit, complete game shutout against the Rock, while Trivino allowed one unearned run early in the game and finished with six scoreless innings to record the complete game. This was Trivino's second complete game of the season, leaving himself with a one win, one loss record.

In the second game of Saturday's doubleheader, Slippery Rock had a two to nothing lead going into the sixth inning.

Sophomore designated hitter Kevin Jovanovich had two walks and went a perfect two for two with an RBI in the third inning. Sophomore right fielder Brandon Myers doubled in the fourth inning to drive in the second of Slippery Rock's runs. However, the Rock

gave up three runs in the sixth inning, giving Shippensburg the 3-2 victory. Senior Zach Jeney pitched well in the second game, going four innings with six strikeouts, one hit, and no runs allowed.

Sophomore pitcher John Kovalik was credited with the loss in his two innings of relief work.

After losing both games on Saturday, the Rock split Sunday's doubleheader with Shippensburg to finish the weekend with a 3-5 record. In the first game on Sunday, Slippery Rock scored their only two runs in the second inning on an RBI single from junior outfielder Ben Bechtold, and a wild pitch allowed Myers to score from third. Shippensburg tied the game at two runs each in the 4th inning and scored the game winning run in the sixth to extend Slippery Rock's losing streak to five games with another 3-2 victory.

The Rock exploded in the second game of Sunday's doubleheader, earning the victory 11 to 3. Slippery Rock started the game off with three runs on four hits in the first inning and seven runs on four hits and three errors by Shippensburg in the second inning.

Shippensburg ended the game with a total of five errors.

Centerfielder Derek Carr had four hits in four at bats and scored three runs for Slippery Rock, but he wasn't the only Slippery Rock player to

have an outstanding game.

Bechtold went two for four and had two RBIs, senior Carter Haponski went three for four and had one RBI, and first baseman John Schaffer went one for four, but drove in two RBIs. Also, second baseman Lee Foxton went two for three, scoring two runs and batting in one.

The Green and White were credited with six RBIs total and scored all 11 of their runs in the first three innings, providing pitcher Nic McCowin with enough run support to go five strong innings.

After the first two weekends of the season, Slippery Rock is three and five. Now the Rock will be gearing up for their annual spring break trip to Florida, where they will play seven games in the RussMatt Invitational.

S ophomore pitche r John Kovalik said that the team is working hard to fix minor errors as they plan to head to Florida for games on Spring Break.

"We're working on fixing the small mistakes we have been making," Kovalik said. "The three games we lost to Ship were all by only one run, so we just need to clean things up in every aspect of our game in order to prepare for the tough competition we are facing down in Florida."

The Rock will start their trip against Seton Hill University on March 8th, Notre Dame College (Ohio) on March 9th, and Ohio Dominican University on March 10th.

Sports

March 2, 2012

B-3

Rock women's basketball ends season with victory

By P.J. Shipe Rocket Contributor

Slippery Rock women’s b a s k e t b a l l e n d e d it s disappointing season on a positive note with a 7163 victory against Clarion University of Pennsylvania on Saturday night at Morrow Field House.

The Rock finishes the season with a 6-20 overall record and a 3-19 PSAC record.

Senior Danielle Smith led SRU in her final game with 14 points and 15 rebounds, and was in double figures with four other teammates.

Jasmine Cooper added 18 points, Paris Thomas chipped in 12 and Erinne Cunningham scored 11.

Slippery Rock avoided another slow start as they scored the first six points of the game and proceeded to hold the lead throughout.

SRU remained focused with disciplined play as they took a five point, 3429 lead into the half.

This marked the first time SRU had the lead at halftime since their January 28 matchup against Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Within two minutes of the second half starting, SRU pulled out to a double-digit lead and held its advantage throughout.

Slippery Rock shot 36 percent from the field, 22 percent from 3-point

range, and 57 percent from the free throw line.

Clarion shot 42 percent from the field, 10 percent from 3-point range, and 44 percent from the free throw line.

Saturday marked the final game at Morrow Field House for seniors Danielle Smith, Shannon Lee, and Sherita Stanley. They were honored during a pregame ceremony.

After the game, Stanley said that it was good to close out the season and her career at SRU with a victory.

“It felt awesome getting a win,” Stanley said. “It felt like a normal game for me so it was a winwin situation. I will always remember the last game and no one can take that away from me.”

Head coach Tanya Longo was pleased with the team’s fast start and said that was one of the reasons that helped to lead to the win.

“We made baskets early, w h i c h i n c re a s e d ou r confidence,” Longo said.

“We also had stops on the defensive end. When you do that and take care of the basketball, you’re able to get good production on the offensive end.”

While The Rock closed out its season with a victory, the majority of the season saw many slow offensive starts that led to

losing streaks.

After losing their first two games, SRU got its first win against Ursuline College, but then dropped six consecutive games to start off the conference schedule.

Of t he six loss es, the largest loss was an 81-49 defe at against Millersville University of Pennsylvania.

After the six-game losing streak, SRU hit its high point of the season by winning four out of its next six games.

In the small winning streak, SRU defeated conference opponents, C h e y n e y Un i v e r s i t y of Pennsy lvania and Mercyhurst University, along with two nonconference wins against Not re D am e C ol l e ge (Ohio) and the University of Charleston.

After the short period of success, the Rock went on to its longest losing streak of the season, dropping 11 consecutive games.

The streak started on Jan, 7. with a loss against Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania.

S ome major loss es during the long losing s t re a k we re d ou bl e digit losses against No. 3 Edinboro University, No. 20 Gannon University and No. 18 IUP.

ALEX MOWREY/THE ROCKET

Junior guard John Bayardelle looks to squeeze between Mercyhurst University defenders Tuesday night in the first round of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference tournament.

Green and White finish season with loss in first round of PSAC tourney Continued from Page B-1

He led SRU in scoring, with an average of 13.5 points per game. Taylor had an impressive 11 “doubledouble” games this season.

He scored 10 or more points in 18 of the Rock’s 27 game schedule this season and had 10 or more rebounds in 15 games.

Perr y was the Rock’s No. 2 rebounder this year, averaging 7.0 per game and the team’s third leading

scorer with 9.5 per game.

He scored a season-high 22 points back on Jan. 11 against Lock Haven University, and had 12 rebounds on Jan. 25 against Gannon University.

Saturday, the Rock won their final regular-season game with an 87-66 victory over Clarion University, which secured them a spot in the PSAC tournament.

Taylor led SRU with 18 points and 13 rebounds.

Timothy had 15 points

and Kelly added 14 points.

Reeves had 11 points and seven assists.

In addition, Valeriano added nine points and Santos had seven points, 10 rebounds, and six blocks Saturday. Perr y contributed seven points and eight rebounds.

On the season, the Green and White won 11 of 15 home games this winter.

The Rock split their road record this season and went 6-6 away from home.

B-4

March 2, 2011

The Rocket

CAMPUS LIFE C-1 March 2, 2012

“Spread the Word to End the Word” fights degrading use of term

By Courtney Tietje Rocket Contributor

is a pretty villainous character,” Skeele said. “It’s pretty hard to soft-peddle that, though some directors try.”

Skeele described the play as having old fashioned fantasy elements sideby-side with very realistic and relevant concepts.

“In some way it’s very old fashioned romantic comedy with some real fairy tale elements, yet in a lot of Shakespeare’s plays that old fashioned fairy tale stuff exists right next to very real gritty stuff,” Skeele said. “This is one of those plays where that’s true. I think all the stuff between the Christians and the Jews, all that kind of tension is at least as relevant as it was in Shakespeare’s day.”

In the role of the villainous Shylock is junior theatre major Nick Benninger.

Sitting in the make-up chair getting

“Words can hurt.”

The use of the word “retard” is proof of that, according to the Special Olympics’ “Spread the Word to End the Word” campaign.

According to adapted physical therapy graduate student Megan Mitchell, 24, the “Spread the Word” campaign aims to put a stop to the use of the “R-word.” “[The word ‘retarded’] has been taken out of its original context, and it’s in everyday vocabulary now,” Mitchell said. “And it shouldn’t be, because it’s used as a derogatory term. We’re trying to replace the word ‘retarded’ with something else, such as dumb or silly or whatever it might be, but [our goal is] to not use it in a derogatory sense anymore.”

Cassie Mcminn, 23, also an adapted physical therapy graduate student, explained that many people don’t realize the negative or hurtful effects of the “R-word.”

While it was once used as a medical diagnosis, many people now view the word as a jest or insult, something that should not apply to people with intellectual disabilities, according to Mcminn.

“A lot of times people are confused about what we’re doing and why we’re doing it, because they don’t understand that it actually can be hurtful to a certain population of people,” Mcminn said.

Dr. Elizabeth Kemeny, an instructor in the adapted physical therapy graduate program, believes that people view the “R-word” differently than words and phrases with equally harmful connotations, such as racial slurs.

“People are always looking for ways to tell somebody else that they’re stupid or not good enough,” Kemeny said. “But I think a lot of people don’t see it yet necessarily as something hurtful. For example, some other words are definitely hate phrases, but I don’t think everyone understands that the ‘R-word’ is [a hate phrase] yet.”

Mcminn, however, holds hope for the campaign and its educational value.

“Because it is an advocacy campaign, we’re spreading awareness for people with intellectual disabilities,” she said. “We have an opportunity to grow and learn about people with intellectual disabilities — to learn about their abilities and capabilities and that they actually are people, that they have a lot of value to society. It can become a positive thing.”

Dr. Kemeny said she also sees hope for the campaign.

“We don’t expect people to completely change overnight, but at least if they’re aware and they begin to

SEE MERCHANT, PAGE C-3

SEE SPREAD, PAGE C-3

KATE SIGMUND/THE ROCKET

Junior theatre major Nick Benninger (left) as Shylock faces his character foil, Antonio (senior theatre major Ethan Rochow), in “The Merchant of Venice.”

Anti-Semitism explored in Shakespeare

By James Meyer Assistant Campus Life Editor

On the cusp of the 17th century, themes of betrayal, bigotry and ethnic prejudice set the stage for what some would consider one of William Shakespeare’s signature works.

Shifting several centuries into the future, the story of “The Merchant of Venice” takes on new relevancy with the Holocaust of World War II, a historical parallel explored by theatre professor David Skeele.

This performance of Shakespeare's classic is set in an alternate time period from the original play, and is directed by Skeele.

“We’ve set this in 1930s Italy,” Skeele said. “There was a real reason for it, I think, because of the antiSemitism that’s expressed by some of the characters in the play. That needed

to be dealt with in a fairly realistic manner. It’s a real problem that exists in the real world.”

Tension between Christians and Jews in Europe factors strongly into the drama of the play. Skeele said that the 1930s brings a familiar setting to the production, making the issues relevant to the modern audience.

“It’s known that Mussolini was not anywhere near as hard on the Jews as Hitler was, but it wasn’t always for lack of trying,” Skeele said. “There still were enough awful things that happened to Jews under Mussolini that it makes a good backdrop for imagining the show.”

The play’s antagonist is a Jewish man named Shylock, a bitter and vengeful loan shark.

“It’s a very problematic play in a lot of ways, because we’ve got this Jewish character Shylock who really

Studying in Australia lands photo contest victory for business management major

By Rebecca Marcucci Rocket Contributor

When “You had to be there” just isn’t enough, a picture is worth a thousand words.

For students studying abroad, their insights and adventures into foreign lands are often self-photo documented.

Before last semester, SRU students studying abroad shared most of their photos from their trips with family and friends, until International Services graduate assistant and student affairs major, Tess Crispin, 23, and the International Services staff at SRU noticed that many students that had studied abroad returned back to campus with several noteworthy photos from their trips. From this, Crispin and the Office of International Services came up with the idea to sponsor a study abroad photo competition for students photographing their study abroad experiences.

“It was our way of welcoming home our study abroad students,” Crispin said. “So many students came back from wherever they studied with so many excellent photos, and so we really wanted to reward them for that.”

Crispin said the contest is still a work in progress, but it has started to spark some interest among students.

“We started the competition last semester,” she said. “So we’re

still working out some of the details. But the way we pick the winner is by allowing students who are interested in being part of the competition to submit their photos to the International Services office. Then the staff votes for their favorite photo, and the winner is announced.”

The winner of this semester’s study abroad photo competition was junior business management major Will Cassidy.

While studying at Victoria University in Australia, Cassidy, 21, said he enjoyed his outback adventure, meeting new friends and taking plenty of pictures along the way.

“The two guys in the picture with me were both German exchange students,” Cassidy said. “We had been backpacking together for several months and one day we rented a four-wheel drive vehicle on Fraser Island in Eastern Australia and decided to take a spur of the moment picture for our families. It was our last week together and we just wanted to have fun and relax.”

Cassidy said the picture was taken for the boys’ families who were most likely experiencing snow. Cassidy’s photo was a change of scenery for his family.

“So we got some Santa hats and wrote ‘Merry Xmas’ in the sand,” he said. “It was to kind of make our families jealous since we were on the

PHOTO COURTESY OF WILL CASSIDY

Will Cassidy (far right) poses with two German students on an Australian beach in a Christmas photo that led to Cassidy winning a photo contest sponsored by the Office of International Services.

beach for Christmas time.”

Cassidy said he enjoyed his time spent in Australia and studying at Victoria University. Among some of Cassidy’s favorite Australian activities were scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef and sailing around the Whitsunday Islands.

“Spending the holiday season in Australia was certainly a different experience for me,” Cassidy said.

“But I really enjoyed it.”

Ringing in the New Year in Perth, located in Western Australia, was also one of his favorite experiences

during the trip, Cassidy said.

He said it’s too difficult to name the best part about the trip, but some of the things he enjoyed the most included rock climbing at Grampians National Park and Mount Arapiles in Victoria, Australia. Cassidy said he also enjoyed spending time in Western Australia at Coral Bay, north of the city of Perth, and at Byron Bay, located to the northeast in New South Wales, Australia.

One of the most memorable activities in Australia was the

Zombie Shuffle in Melbourne around Halloween time, Cassidy said. He said it was very similar to the Zombie Walk held nationwide in America that most are familiar with.

When asked to describe his favorite part of the trip, Cassidy was indecisive and said the whole trip itself was unforgettable.

“Taking the trip to Australia was well-worthwhile,” Cassidy said. “The memories I made and the people I met while studying abroad were an experience of a lifetime.”

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Pastel gowns popular at Oscars ceremony

Katie Ellis "ROCK'n Fashion" Los Angeles, Calif. was glowing Sunday night as the 84th Annual Academy Awards were telecast live to millions of people around the globe.

Before host Billy Crystal took the stage, and the statues were handed out, today’s hottest stars walked the red carpet in some of the most dazzling designer gowns and jewelry seen throughout the duration of this awards season. Pastels, shades of red and glittering gowns were among the most popular styles on the carpet.

Among the first to arrive was Milla Jovovich in an Elie Saab gown. This look set the tone for the rest of the evening with its white sparkling silhouette and chic cap sleeved detail.

Jovovich accessorized her look with simple drop earrings, bangles, and a diamond ring

by Jacob & Co., as well as a clutch by Edie Parker.

To complete her oldHollywood look, she swept her hair into a chignon and kept her makeup dramatic with a pop of red lipstick.

Best actress nominee Michelle Williams was another fashion standout on Oscar night. She left her “go to” lace look behind and opted for a young and feminine strapless silhouette.

Williams arrived in a burntorange Louis Vuitton dress with a trendsetting peplum detail at the waist and flowing train. This was by far the best that she has looked all awards season. Her look was complemented with an elegant diamond necklace and bow broach by jewelry designer extraordinaire Fred Leighton, and a bold pink clutch.

Throughout awards season, newcomer Shailene Woodley has struggled to find a look that has been truly outstanding, which should not be an impossible feat for the twenty year old.

As a star of one of the biggest movies in Hollywood, Woodley could have any dress that she wants, but is instead choosing frocks that either have loud prints, or are not accessorized properly. She arrived at the Academy Awards in white Valentino couture with long sleeves and laser-cut detailing on the bodice of her dress that aged the starlet by thirty years.

Even her Harry Winston jewels and ballerina bun could not save her from getting a spot on multiple worst-dressed lists.

Emma Stone caused an unusual amount of controversy in her Giambattista Valli dress on Oscar night. It wasn’t the beautiful raspberry color of her dress or the Louis Vuitton bracelet with which she accessorized her look, but it was the similarity between her dress and Nicole Kidman’s Balenciaga gown from 2007.

Although Kidman’s gown was red and her hair was kept simple and straight compared to Stone’s up-do, the similarities

between the looks are uncanny.

The bow on Stone’s dress was overwhelming while the bow on Kidman’s dress was understated and chic. Kidman’s dress was also hemmed perfectly while Stone’s dress, on the other hand, hung too long.

In the case of who wore it better, there is no question that Kidman takes the crown.

By far the most eye-catching look on Sunday’s red carpet was Gwyneth Paltrow’s white Tom Ford gown. It had an elegant one-shouldered silhouette, and was beautifully accessorized with a white floor-length cape.

Paltrow wore a diamond cuff and rings to complete her fashionable Academy Awards look.

The fashion at Sunday’s 84th Annual Academy Awards did not disappoint, and can be considered one of the best showcases of glamour in recent history.

When it comes to choosing the best-dressed celebrity of the night, there is no question that Gwyneth Paltrow takes the crown in her white Tom Ford creation.

The award for the worstdressed celebrity is an obvious choice – Shailene Woodley.

Her Valentino gown made her look too old, and next year she should choose something bright for her walk down the red carpet.

As awards show season ends, fashion fans will be awaiting what the future holds for fashion’s biggest stars.

Katie Ellis is a freshman journalism major and a regular contributor to The Rocket.

March 2, 2012

Ask Ana "Ana Graham" Dear Ana, So I have anger issues, and while I’ve been learning to control the things in my life, sometimes I get really bad fits of rage. This normally happens when I try to be nice and combat the anger inside of me. If the person is nice about it, the anger starts to go away, but if people try to combat or not understand, it pushes me.

I don’t hit when I rage, but I do say some hurtful things.

I do apologize, but Ana how can I: A) Show them I’m really sorry and, most importantly, B) Tr y to control myself?

I’ve tried help in the past and I’m starting to think I’m a naturally angry person.

Anger Issues Dear Anger, If you honestly explain yourself, then an apology will be appropriate for most situations, especially if you can’t stop yourself from saying something. If a person responds defensively to your words, try to work it out with calm words and no yelling on your part.

But for the second part, have you ever considered going through an anger management course? I’m no expert on the subject, but this is a common issue and there are many courses out there if you look, as well as books about the subject that can provide you with tips on how to vent rage and express yourself in a less offensive way.

It will take time and practice, but if you are really sure that you want to change, then you will definitely be able to find a method or methods that will help train you to control your anger.

Dear Ana, I just cleaned my room for the first time in months, and I’m having a hard time getting used to not having a bunch of junk on my floor.

Any suggestions?

In Shock Dear In Shock, Someone on my Facebook page (which all of my readers should add – facebook.com/ askanagraham) suggested that you roll around on the floor and relish in the newfound space you have.

I absolutely agree with this suggestion! Enjoy the clean floor while it is still clean.

If you can’t get used to the clean floor, just start using it. Use it for art activities or games, or as a closet or dresser – the possibilities are endless!

After you use it, the

floor will quickly become cluttered again and then you will no longer have this problem.

Dear Ana, What is the best way to stop being lazy? It’s so fun and easy to be lazy, but I want to stop. What should I do?

Bum Dear Bum, I’ve given many suggestions in the past to people who were seeking cures to their laziness or procrastination, and I’m sick of giving said suggestions again. As such, I’ll be suggesting something a little different to you: learn from your own experiences, and maybe others.

Why don’t you just try to see what happens after a whole semester of being lazy? Don’t go to class, and enjoy all of your new-found free time.

Then, when you earn yourself that special gift of academic probation, I’m sure this will provide incentive for you to not be lazy again.

You can do this in all aspects of life – with your job, your relationships, etc. When you lose these things, then you’ll learn!

Hopefully. Or else you’ll fall into a never-ending cycle and end up living on the streets trying to survive by offering to work for food.

This means, in the end, that you’re going to have to work anyways.

"Ana Graham" is a senior public relations major and a regular contributor to The Rocket.

March 2, 2012

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“Merchant of Venice” brings timeless issues to modern context Continued from Page C-1

the finishing touches to his false beard, Benninger spoke about his character.

“The play has been thought of as anti-Semitic before, but we just think about it as Shylock is a bad Jew,” Benninger said. “It’s not because he’s Jewish. He kind of lives his life by anger. He’s out to get revenge and not trying to think about reconciliation or anything like that.”

Benninger, 21, said that he has greatly enjoyed this production, though he found the role incredibly challenging.

“I was really scared of this part because it’s so … Shylock,” he said.

“The accent was tough to get. I was afraid to sound generic. Plus, I’ve never had a character who talked so much before.”

Benninger said that he finds many parallels between Shakespeare’s play and our own modern lives and that he also found a connection with his character.

“It’s certainly relevant,” Benninger said. “There’s lots of parallels with bigotry. I connect with Shylock a lot because sometimes I feel like

I’m too hateful to people who might not be the best people, but it’s not a good thing to have things coming from hate. You should try your best to be a good person.”

Theatre major Ethan Rochow, 21, will be starring as the lead role of Antonio.

“My character is, of course, the Merchant of Venice,” Rochow said.

“He is the nicest character in the whole play essentially because he’s always helping people out. If they need money or something, they come to him and he helps them out.”

Rochow mentioned that the play deals with the issue of bigotry in more ways than one.

“People really tend to see, for example, my character really is a homosexual,” Rochow said. “In a way, in Shakespeare, it’s really not written that way, but if you really read the context of everything, it really does scream that he is homosexual. It really describes how much segregation there was and how much against homosexuality and Judaism they were, because it’s [the] 1930s and you have Hitler coming to power. But if you look at his character in here right now in

KATE SIGMUND/THE ROCKET

Freshman theatre major Malic Williams (left) as Bassanio and senior theatre major Ethan Rochow as Antonio in “The Merchant of Venice.” Directed by Dr. David Skeele, the production debuted Thursday evening.

real life, in a lot of ways, nothing would have changed.”

The “Merchant of Venice” being his third Shakespeare play, Rochow said with a laugh that Shakespeare never gets easier.

“It’s so interesting, because I’ve

learned through acting and being in this major for four years that if you can do Shakespeare, you can do anything,” Rochow said.

“Shakespeare has some of the most famous plays in history and to be able to be a part of one is an

experience in and of itself.”

“The Merchant of Venice” debuted last night at 7:30 p.m.

Future show times for the play are tonight at 7:30 p.m., March 4 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and March 5 – 7 at 7:30 p.m.

“Spread the Word” seeks collaboration with other schools to “end the word” Continued from Page C-1

catch themselves before they say it, or there’s an awareness that it is hurtful to people, I think that’s the first step,” she said. “You raise awareness and then you change behavior.”

In an effort to get students involved with the campaign, volunteers will have booths set up throughout campus on Wednesday, March 7. The booths

will be open from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. Students will be able to sign the “Spread the Word to End the Word” banner, pledging to put a stop to their use of the “R-word.”

Megan Mitchell is in charge of getting local school students involved with the campaign, but her focus isn’t on just the immediate Slippery Rock area.

“We’re tr ying to get in collaboration with Slippery Rock, Grove City, Butler, and any of the

surrounding schools, but we’re trying to spread it not just to the Slippery Rock area, but all over [places like Erie and] New York, even,” Mitchell said.

As the volunteer coordinator, Mcminn is focusing her efforts on campus organizations. So far, over six different organizations have come together as advocates for the campaign, according to Mcminn.

“It’s a very special campaign to

a lot of people,” she said. “We’re trying to work as a coordination committee in a way to get all of the organizations together because it is so important to all of us. It’s not just one organization running the campaign — it’s a campus-wide initiative.”

Dr. Kemeny emphasizes the student involvement in the movement.

“My role is to kind of put it out there and then step back and let

students lead it,” she said.

Kemeny also acknowledges the part that the Service-Learning Mini-Grant Program has played in the campaign, allowing over 120 graduate and undergraduate students to be directly involved.

Advocates hope to gain over 1,000 signatures this year to raise awareness of the “Spread the Word to End the Word” campaign.

“The more [signatures], the better,” Mitchell said.

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March 2, 2012