Sports
Campus L ife Holocaust survivor Fay Malkin
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Baseball: Rock splits doubleheader with No. 10 Griffins
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shares experience with SRU
The Rocket www.theonlinerocket.com
Friday, March 23, 2012
Slippery Rock University Student Newspaper
Est. 1934
Volume 95, Number 19
SGA elections include greater competition this year By Will Deshong Rocket Staff Reporter
GRAPHIC MADE BY LEXI KOVSKI/THE ROCKET
Student Government Association campaigning is underway, and two of the major parties and one independent presidential candidate are highlighted. Efforts were made to contact Mario Party and Terrel McNeely, but were never answered.
The Slippery Rock University Student Government Association will hold its annual elections for the 2012-13 academic year next week. Three parties are currently vying for positions that will be voted for online from March 28 until March 30. Announcements of the winners will be made in the University Union on April 3 during common hour. Party Rock, Together Our Goals Achieve (T.O.G.A), and the Mario Party each boast presidential nominees as well as candidates for other positions. Joining the hunt for the presidential nomination are two independent candidates, David Matuszak and Terrell McNeely. An assortment of candidates for the executive board is a stark contrast to last year’s election, where all but one of the nominees ran unopposed. As a result of uncontested races, only about eight percent of the student body tallied a vote last spring. Zachariah Dornisch, the commissioner of the SGA election committee, thinks the competition this year will spark interest on the campus. “I certainly anticipate a larger turnout than last year simply because having more candidates should bring interest to the election,” Dornisch said. With a couple opponents fighting for the positions, each party is campaigning various goals and ambitions for the upcoming year. Party Rock’s main focus is to make SRU a wet campus. “One of our main platforms is striving to make Slippery Rock University a wet campus,” Alex Hiller, the presidential hopeful representing Party Rock, said. Hiller said that Party Rock would first appeal to Residence Life and the
vice presidents of other administrative departments to allow the Rock Apartments to permit alcohol. “The reasoning for this is because Rock Apartments residents are older and are transitioning between on and off-campus living, so they should be granted the opportunity to exercise their maturity as adults,” Hiller said. Hiller said that depending on how well it works at the Rock Apartments, they would hope to move the policy onto Buildings E and F, the residence halls mainly for non-traditional students, before ultimately the other dorm buildings. “This is obviously a multiyear process,” Hiller said, “but we are not afraid to fight the administration to achieve the desires of the Slippery Rock students.” Party Rock also wants to provide Ethernet cable jacks next to the tables in Bailey Library so students are not dependent upon the WiFi service, and to create a merit budgeting system that would award the most active campus organizations rather than simply the longest tenured. Party Rock is not alone in hopes of a merited budgeting system, as David Wolfe, T.O.G.A.’s presidential nominee, stated it would be his party’s primary objective. “The first thing we want to change is the structure of the budgeting system,” Wolfe said. “It is currently run on a seniority system and that is not fair. We want to create a new system that is based on merit of organizations.” T.O.G.A.’s merit system would be based on what organizations make a difference on campus, judged highly on the successes of events they hold, and would punish inactive organizations that SEE CANDIDATES, PAGE A-2
Rep. Jaret Gibbons and SRU Coffaro's pizza moves to SR Lanes student robbed at gun point By Jonathan Janasik Rocket News Contributor
A Pa. representative, his chief of staff, and an intern from Slippery Rock University were robbed at gunpoint early March 12 near the Capitol Building in Harrisburg. Representative Jaret Gibbons, who represents parts of Butler, Beaver and Mercer counties, said that at about 12:30 a.m. he arrived in Harrisburg with his chief of staff Kevin Bowser and SRU intern Charles Goodell. Gibbons said they parked at his apartment located “about a half a block away from the Capitol Building.” The group was busy unpacking the car when two men dressed in all black approached them. “They came up behind [Bowser], put a gun up to his head and told us to get on the ground,” Gibbons said. “They said, ‘clear out your pockets,’ so we took everything out of our pockets, and put it all on the ground.” “The man who wasn’t holding the gun picked up the [Goodell’s] keys, got into the car and pulled it out onto the road,” continued Gibbons. “The man with the gun picked up the rest of our stuff, got in the car, and
they drove off.” After the car left, the group went into the apartment, and Gibbons called the police. After giving the police the description and license plate number of Goodell’s car, the police arrived in about five minutes, Gibbons said. The men were arrested within the same hour. Gibbons, Bowser and Goodell then went to the police station and identified both the men and the gun they had used. “It certainly was a frightening experience,” Gibbons stated. “When someone holds a gun at you or someone close to you, you don’t know what’s going to happen.” Goodell declined to comment on the incident. The p olice incident rep or t identified the two men as Michael Chavis, 23, and Donnie Dozier, 41. Both men were charged with robbery, conspiracy, and robbery of a motor vehicle. In addition, Chavis was charged with carrying a firearm without a license. “While it was a scary situation, it had a positive outcome,” Gibbons concluded. “Thankfully nobody got hurt, most of our positions were recovered and the two men were caught.”
LEXI KOVSKI/THE ROCKET
The staff at Coffaro's pizza prepares for their expanded role in the community following their move to the former location of Slippery Rock Lanes.
By Kaitlyn Yeager Rocket News Contributor
Coffaro’s Pizza will host a grand opening celebration this weekend, after the business’ recent move to Slippery Rock Lanes at 216 Grove City Road, next to Straub Distributor. Owner Rob Coffaro, a 1997 graduate of Slippery Rock University, officially reopened the pizza shop at its new location last Thursday, and plans to have the bowling lanes ready for the community within the next few weeks.
“We’re waiting for the computer equipment to be replaced,” Coffaro said. “The pizza shop is up and running and we’re offering a carryout special of a large 1-topping pizza for $6.99 this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. “ Slippery Rock Lanes had been closed for over two years before Coffaro, who had the pizza shop on Main Street for over 14 years, took over the business. “The main reason for the move was for the location,” Coffaro said. “It makes it more SEE BOWLING, PAGE A-3
News
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ROCK NOTES Alcohol and Addictions Coalition Meeting The Slippery Rock Alcohol and Addictions Coalition will be holding a meeting on Tuesday, March 27, 2012, 2:30 – 4:00 pm, at the University Union room 206. The purpose of the Slippery Rock Alcohol and Addictions Coalition is to bring together community members and university students, staff and faculty to dialogue about alcohol and other drug use on campus and in the surrounding community. If you have questions about the coalition or are interested in attending the March 27 meeting, please contact Renee Bateman or Chris Cubero, Co -Chairs of Slippery Rock Alcohol and Addictions Coalition, at 724.738.4206 or 724.738.2034.
Union Room Reservations On April 2, 2012 the University Union will begin processing requests for recurring meetings for fall semester 2012. Organizations may request meeting rooms on a weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, or similar recurring pattern. Union Reservation Request Forms may be obtained at the Union Information Desk or online at http://www.sru.edu/studentlife/union/Pages/ scheduling.aspx. Completed forms should be submitted to the Union Information Desk beginning at 8:00am on Monday, April 2, 2012. Forms may also be faxed to 724-738-2116 or sent via electronic mail to Sharyn.McGallis@sru.edu on or after April 2, 2012. Requests will be processed on a firstcome, first-serve basis. Requests should be made using the current University Union request form. All meetings and events will be relocated to appropriate spaces in the Robert M. Smith Student Center. If you have any questions, please contact Chris Cole, Director of the University Union, at 724738-2718 or Christopher.Cole@sru.edu
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.
March 23, 2012
Candidates rally behind 'attainable' goals Continued from Page A-1
waste money. T.O.G.A. also wants to change what they consider to be an elitist attitude in SGA. “Currently we feel that students feel intimidated by SGA, and that they truly don’t want to change anything but have their own personal agendas,” Wolfe said. “We are going to do a lot of outreach to students and make sure they know that if they have any issues at all within their organizations, we are open and willing to help in any way possible. We are truly concerned about the students on this campus and the smaller organizations that tend to get pushed aside.” T.O.G.A. is pledging to work with AVI to create better meal plan options as well. Both Party Rock and T.O.G.A. hope to fix transportation issues around campus, sharing promises to fix campus parking, increase the lighting on campus roads, and revising the shuttle buses schedules. Matuszak, who is running without a party, wants to bridge the gap between SGA and the student body.
“Since the beginning of this year, I have heard numerous times that students do not trust SGA,” Matuszak said. “Some feel as though it is much too hard to convince SGA to help them if they see an issue, and others feel as though they do not look out for the good of the entire campus. If elected, I want show people that SGA can and is willing to help the student body, and that SGA’s agenda does in fact, benefit everyone.” Another main emphasis of Matuszak’s campaign is the interaction of Greek Life and the student body. “Greek life isn’t as big here as it is at many universities, but it does not mean they are not a major group on campus,” Matuszak, who is not involved in any Greek organization, said. “I want to work with them to move past any bad reputations that may exist and help them show the rest of the student body that they are respectable organizations and that students and faculty should support their efforts to do good on campus, as well as for various projects
unique to each fraternity or sorority.” Matuszak also hopes to revise the Happy Bus schedule and the budgeting process of clubs and organizations, and would also like to update what he calls “out-dated” signs at the campus entrances. Hiller said that Party Rock is running on the principle of holding a high standard of an honest and transparent campaign representing the concerns of the students. “We have to be ambitious about SGA and how we can provide a better college experience to the students,” Hiller said, because that is what it is all about—the students. T.O.G.A is trying to put SGA back into the hands of the students while improving upon the budgeting system in SGA, particularly increasing the athletics budget. “We are not running to stick with the status quo and let Student Government continue to spend our student fees without us knowing why or how they made the decisions to do so,”
Wolfe said. “We are sick of the rules that make funding programs so complicated. We aren’t going into this position to just continue the policies of SGA. Things are going to change under us.” A main factor in Matuszak’s campaign is he wants to show a strong willingness to listen, believing that it is important for students to feel their voices will be heard by those elected into office. “The more we can listen to what the student body is saying, the more we can act, and the better this university will be,” Matuszak said. Both party leaders and Matuszak preach that they are running transparent campaigns that are without unattainable promises. The Mario Party and Terrell McNeely were unavailable for comment. A presidential debate to be moderated by the SGA election committee is scheduled for 8 p.m. on Monday, March 26 in the Spotts World Culture Building auditorium. A vice presidential debate will follow.
A decade of war weighs on a generation
Index Rock Notes...............A-2 Classifieds..........A-6 Weather map...........A-2 Sports...................B-1 Blotter.................A-3 Campus Life.............C-1 Opinion...............A-4
contact us Newsroom: (724) 738-4438 Advertising: (724) 738-2643 Fax: (724) 738-4896 Email: rocket.letters@sru.edu
220 Eisenberg Building Slippery Rock University Slippery Rock, PA 16057
2011 Runner-up most Outstading Newspaper, Society of Collegiate Journalists. SCOTT ZACHERL/THE ROCKET
Donald Bookwalter, a junior at SRU, served in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He demonstrates his thoughts on the war while writing on the message board put out in the quad by the "Young Americans for Liberty" group at SRU on Thursday.
News
March 23, 2012
A-3
Police Blotter Magistrate March 21- Bradley Scott Burroway, 26, of Emlenton, Pa., was seen for two counts of DUI. He was released on his own recognizance. March 21- Nathan Leroy Benko, 26, of Vienna, Va., was seen for two counts of DUI. He was released on his own recognizance. March 21- Thomas James Brenneman Jr., 39, of Slippery Rock, was seen for two counts of DUI. He was released on his own recognizance. March 21- William Elmer Lunn Jr., 25, of Portersville, Pa., was seen for use and possession of drug paraphernalia and disorderly conduct. He was released on his own recognizance. March 21- Brendan Batchelor, 19, of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, was seen for use and possession
of drug paraphernalia. He was released on his own recognizance.
of drug paraphernalia. She was released on her own recognizance.
March 21- Jacob Robert Frederick, 18, of New Florence, Pa., was seen for theft by unlawful taking. He was released on his own recognizance.
March 21- Jeremy Jose Rivera, 21, of East Butler, was seen for intent to possess a controlled substance by a person not registered. He was released on his own recognizance.
March 21- Allen Johnson, 21, of Pittsburgh, was seen for possession of a small amount of marijuana.
Campus March 1- There was a report of littering at the Strain Behavioral Science Building. The incident was referred to judicial.
March 21- Kent Louis Cooper, 36, of Slippery Rock, was seen for two counts of DUI. He was released on his own recognizance. March 21- Michael Lee Schmidt, 20, of Beaver, Pa., was seen for two counts of DUI. He was released on his own recognizance. March 21- Jenna Dawn Hentschel, 20, of Portage, Mich., was seen for use and possession
March 2- Aram Yeranossian, 19, was cited for underage consumption of alcohol after an alcohol violation was reported at the Health Center. March 2- There was a report of disturbance at North Hall after a bottle was thrown at a bus. A citation is pending. March 3- Jacob Meyers, 18, was cited for underage
consumption of alcohol after an officer observed an intoxicated individual at the Upper Founders Lot. March 3- Brianna Bistyga, 20, was arrested for a DUI during a traffic stop on Maltby Ave. March 4- Amber Marshall, 19, and Levi Sager, 20, were cited for underage consumption of alcohol after an officer observed a suspicious vehicle parked near pine trees at Gail Rose Lodge. March 4- Najee Watson, 18, was cited for underage consumption of alcohol after an officer responded to a fire alarm at Building B. There was no smoke or fire. The case is under investigation. March 5- There was a report of a damaged sign at the Union. The case is under investigation. March 6- Nicklaus Benedict, 18, was cited for disorderly conduct after a driver reported
a laser being pointed at them while driving near Building D. March 7- There was a report of drug activity on Rock Pride Drive. Contraband was found. Charges are pending. March 7- Matthew Beyers, 19, was cited for theft, receiving stolen property, possession with intent to deliver, and possession of drug paraphernalia after an officer observed stolen items at Building D. The case was referred to the Butler County Police. March 7- There was a report of harassment at the Police Station. An officer spoke with the individuals and issued a no contact order. No other action was taken. March 10- An officer assisted the Slipper Rock Borough police with a possible domestic disturbance on Main St. No other action was taken.
March 13- There was a report of theft of a vehicle license plate at the Old Stone House. The case is under investigation. March 14- There was a report of theft of a cast iron bookend at Bailey Library. The case is under investigation. March 15- There was a report of violation of a no contact order at the Police Station. The incident was referred to judicial. March 19- There was a report of vehicle damage at the Union. The case is under investigation. March 19- There was a report of harassment at North Hall. The incident was referred to the CA staff. March 20- Theodore Gallo, 19, was cited for underage consumption of alcohol after a report of intoxicated individuals at Building B. Compiled by Stephanie Holsinger
Bowling to open soon at Coffaro's, BYOB possible Continued from Page A-1
convenient for people than on Main Street. I also always had fun bowling when I was a kid and I wanted to bring that sort of atmosphere back into the town. It was the right situation at the right time.” Students, such as Heather Rabold, a 20-year-old secondary English education major and Spanish minor, are also excited about the transition and reopening of the bowling alley, in hopes that it will give the community a place to relax on the weekends. “There’s not much to do at Slippery Rock besides go out to eat,” Rabold said. “So I think this will be a good place for students to hang out and go on dates.” Dave Wolfe, a 20-year-old sport management major with a communication minor, believes that the Coffaro’s business move can only have a positive influence on the community.
“I’ve seen that Coffaro’s is the number one pizza delivery shop in Slippery Rock, so if they add the bowling aspect with it, I think it will have a lot of success,” Wolfe said. The bowling alley has 12 lanes, which includes lights and music for cosmic bowling, something Coffaro plans on utilizing once the computer systems are replaced. “We plan on having late-night bowling and DJ’s on the weekends,” Coffaro said. “Students can also expect specials throughout the week. I plan on doing a “student night” and probably a buy one get one free game of bowling as well.” Coffaro’s is looking into the idea of having alcohol in the bowling alley, which would be a “BYOB” type of atmosphere. The issue has not been settled at this time. John Kovalik, a 20-year-old marketing major, feels that allowing alcohol in the bowling alley would be a big draw-in for older students at SRU.
“I think that Coffaro’s could become a popular hang-out spot for people if they eventually permit beer in the bowling alley.” Kovalik said. Coffaro officially reopened the pizza shop Thursday, March 15, after about three and a half weeks worth of moving and remodeling. He hopes that his business move will attract not only students, but families as well to the renovated bowling alley. “My plan is to give the community a place to bowl and have fun, without the long drive,” Coffaro said. “We have the same great food and service that we have always had, but I think it’s more convenient.” Coffaro’s will be posting information, including the opening date of the bowling lanes, to their Facebook and Twitter pages, as well as their website, coffarospizza.com.
OPINION
The Rocket
A-4
March 23, 2012
The Rocket
Our View
Volume 94, Number 19
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 Mark Zeltner Faculty Adviser
Advertising Staff Emily Hunter Advertising Manager Sarah Black Assistant 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) 738-2643 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 Editorin-Chief at the address listed here.
GRAPHIC BY COURTNEY NICKLE
Student government elections worth paying attention to It’s that time of year. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping and the sidewalks are covered with chalk promoting the various parties running for next year’s Student Government Association. At this time last year, if we recall correctly, it was a bit colder outside, there were no birds chirping yet and there was only one party running for SGA. That was a sad sight to see. There were only enough people interested in SGA to fill one party, The People’s Party. The only position that had two candidates running was Vice President of Finance. Not even the position
of SGA president was opposed. It seems, however, that the tides have turned, much to our surprise and delight. There are two nearly full parties running for next year’s SGA, one partial party and several independents. The T.O.G.A. Party and Party Rock, the two almost full parties, are the front-runners, making the most noise across campus and drumming up the most support. Mario Party, which has three candidates on the ballot, isn’t making as big of a splash yet, but they’re still in the running. There are also two
independents vying for the position of SGA president. A debate will be held Monday at 8 p.m. in Spotts Auditorium, which will give the candidates a chance to express their goals and convince the student population to vote for them. W h i l e w e’r e s t i l l deciding who we believe to be the best candidate, we’re thrilled to see that we have more than one option. We know that talk of “government” and “elections” can make some students go straight to sleep, sometimes it makes us do the same. But the fact is, this is
In the Quad In the Quad is a segment in which random students, faculty and staff are asked for their opinions on a specific topic.
important. The people you vote for are going to be in charge next year. SGA has more power than some students think. The most important thing they control is money. Every single club and organization on this campus gets funding from SGA, including athletics. Whichever candidates we elect to run our student government next year will be in charge of those purse strings. Vo t i n g begins Wednesday, March 28 at noon and will go until Friday, March 30 at 11:59 p.m. When you get that email asking you to vote, don’t just delete it.
Vote, and vote wisely. Pay attention to the candidates. The T.O.G.A. Party, Party Rock and Mario Party all have Facebook pages, so it’s easy for anyone to find out what they stand for and what they’re promising. The Rocket will also be covering next week’s debate (which you should attend), and endorsing a presidential candidate, so you can look to us for guidance as well. Take a little time out of your day to do some research and vote for the candidates you feel would best represent your interests next year. It’s worth the effort.
This week’s question: What issues are most important to you in the SGA election?
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.
Julia Thomas Freshman management major Hometown: Warren, Pa.
Callan Weisser Sophomore psychology major Hometown: McKees Rocks, Pa.
“I live in Rhoads Hall and I’ve heard a rumor that the recycling on campus is fake, so real recycling for sure.”
“Parking. There’s nowhere to park, ever, and I don’t know why staff has more parking than commuters.”
Brianna Glassmyer Junior exercise science major Hometown: Carlisle, Pa. “Parking is a big issue. And the sidewalks are awful. When it rains there are always puddles to walk through.”
Opinion
March 23, 2012
A-5
Do your due diligence before voting
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
were to win the primary, something that everyone s h ou l d f i n d s l i g ht l y disconcerting. Ne wt Ging r ich has been proven wrong on multiple occasions; one of the most revealing to me is that he wrote a book on domestic dr illing lowering oil prices, yet over the last few decades, the opposite is what is being displayed on gas station signs. Rick Santorum is an embodiment of things that many people shouldn’t believe if they’re running for public office, and that’s all I really want to say about him. Ron Paul, now looking like a lost cause, honestly strikes the most resonance with my belief systems, yet has had racist tendencies in the past, making him not as much of a collective positive to me. All I can say is that we had better be glad Sarah Palin or another Bush didn’t run this year, or we may have been in even more of a world of hurt. Pertaining to campus, we have had loads of activists promoting every interest under the sun recently, including our own Student Government Association. Obviously much less renowned and prestigious than a national or even Congressional election, it is still important to us as students because the members of these bodies are who we choose to represent us and our desires. While I have not talked with members of both parties extensively to understand their goals, I understand that one goal being presented is to have a wet campus.
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.
Jake Olson Introspection Our nation’s media is being saturated with campaign ads as each state moves closer to primary time, and things could not look uglier. Ever y politician has earned our distrust anymore, so it’s a given that a lot of people are beginning to be skeptical about advertisements, or at least taking the information with a grain of salt. Facts are being skewed, dirt is being dredged up and it is approaching the no-holds-barred time for the front-runners. Sadly, our nation is facing quite a dilemma this time around. For many of the people who hated the idea of B arack Obama b eing president, it is a time of screaming change. The change that we were supposed to believe in is much more subtle than anticipated, and things h ave on ly i mprove d minutely. The fact that Obama has received over $21 million from Wall Street for this go-round does little to soothe the woes of how things are operating. S car y as it is, the alternative choices being screamed for are in the same questionable boat. Mitt Romney’s own adviser said that it was possible for him to switch all of his positions if he
For those who don’t know, this is the idea of supporting alcohol use on campus by those whom are of legal age. To what extent the party is attempting to make the campus wet, I do not know. However, for anyone who is either insanely for or against this idea, keep in mind that there is never going to be a legal version of “Animal House” on campus, nor is that the goal. Don’t expect to be able to crack a beer in the quad or hear “SHOTS!” in every dorm room, or to even be able to in places c ont a i n i n g u n d e r a g e students. While this is only one of the issues at stake here, it is important to look at the big picture when the time comes to vote, and to take exactly what it is you want to see to heart with your ballot. While nowhere near as volatile a stage as debating t he foreign polic y of one of the world’s superpowers, it is still something that we are a piece of. Be it a change in the w ay s S l ip p e r y R o c k addresses its obvious a l c oh ol c onsu mpt i on or something like the quality of entertainment provided to us, there is no reason not to go out and have your voice heard. That being said, take this advice to the polls this next national election, and for the love of our country, make sure you know whatever candidate it is you support before you hit their button. Jake Olson is a junior secondary education English major from Grove City, Pa.
Russian zombie plants resurrected with help of squirrels
Dan Gladis Dr. Dan Now that I have your attention with that admittedly misleading headline, allow me to explain. Recently, some Moscow scientists succeeded in bringing back to life samples of a small white f lower called Silene stenophylla after 32,000 years at the bottom of a pre-historic squirrel burrow. Admittedly, this is a less sexy endeavor than the title implies, but it still holds vast moral ramifications for the future. Should scientists have the ability to resurrect past life, and do the possible benefits of ‘messing with genetics’ outweigh the possible moral questions that arise therein? The answer, emphatically and on both counts, is yes. As with all scientific experimentation, there is a risk that something will go catastrophically wrong. One only needs to look at the long history of close
calls and missing limbs in stenophylla resurrection science to prove that point. do es emphatically do How e v e r, w i t h is open the door to the developed safety measures possibility of reviving other and an increase in the ancient creatures whose consciousness of scientific DNA has been found, standards among scientists such as the baby woolly throughout the world, it m a m m ot h d i s c ov e re d is easy to suppose that some years ago completely the potential benefits intact in, unsurprisingly by enormously outweigh the now, the plentiful Russian permafrost. drawbacks. If science were able to For i ns t an c e, s om e interesting questions may recreate these creatures, help be answered by this t he y could b e b etter particular case of pre- studied and understood by historic flower arraigning. the scientific community. Benefits from this could The Silene stenophylla species actually still exists range from medicinal in modern form in the c u r e s , i n s i g h t s i n t o cold of arctic Russia and animal behavior, even the mountains of northern up to solid proof for the theory of evolution that Japan. Howe ver, when this even the most ideological modern flower is compared creationist would be forced to the newly-recreated to accept. In all, the future of ancient variety, there are some very small, yet still species revival is wide and largely untread. In perceptible differences. As BBC correspondent this writer’s opinion, the Richard Black puts it, “The potential benefits, some of scientists suggest in their which we have yet to even […] paper that research conceive of, far outweigh of this kind can help in any risk in the more rigidly s tu d i e s of e volut i on , careful scientific world in a n d s h e d l i g h t o n which we live. environmental conditions Genetics and reviving in past millennia.” extinct species has very Surely, any legitimate little to do with ‘acting god’ evidence added to the as some claim, and instead evolution debate will add the world should focus on to its eventual acceptance the good in restorationby a more enlightened genetics instead of the bad. world and thus it is worth the price of some zombie Dan Gladis is a freshman history plants to do so. What the S i l e n e major from Aliquippa, Pa.
Racism is still an issue faced by SRU students How far have we really come? In my opinion, we have come very far, but we still have a long way to go. On a campus t h at speaks about diversity very often, has seminars, classes and clubs that all focus on the word “diversity” and accepting others, how can we at the same time be breeding people who are so ignorant of that topic? How is that? What, as a school, can we do to reach out to everyone and share the fact that times have changed for the better, and one cannot survive in this world being closed-minded? When I see this, I can only think of the struggles African Americans went through over 50 years ago when most things and places were segregated, and blacks and whites did not share the same rights. So, I ask, if we now live in
WSRU-TV to feature new Profile Show WSRU-TV will have a new show that will profile interesting members of the campus community. The show will feature a one-on-one sit down interview that will take place in the studio. I plan to be the interviewer and the subject being interviewed
a post-racial society, why are we still seeing things in this way? I have had conversations with many people about different racial issues, and about how blacks have to work harder for things, but in a more abstract way. Things are not as obvious
such a thing. Not only does the illustrator spell the word “niggers” wrong, but the biggest problem is the illustrator’s ignorance. There are many different things in place to add diversity to this campus, but when we are forced to see things like this, how should we feel? How should incoming students feel when they see this? How are parents supposed to react when they see this? This does not represent Slippery Rock as a whole, I know. But the fact that there are people in the same classes, living in the same dorms and walking the same steps as you that do not accept you and do not want you here is very uncomfortable. The only thing we can do is educate PHOTO COURTESY OF OLIVER LANIEAR our students and continue to be as they were before, and we advocates for those who are are now forced to endure a different than ourselves. different type of struggle. This is not just about race, Here at Slippery Rock, we but all issues of diversity. Don’t have our own racial history be afraid to ask questions about different things that and confront someone when have occurred, and this can something is not right. only be added to the list. Oliver Laniear Many people may have Sophomore criminology seen the garbage can and major ignored it, but I could not do will be an "interesting" person who is part of the campus community. There are no restrictions. The interviewee could be a professor, administrator, student, staff member, etc. I will compose the questions before every show. However, I will also ask unscripted questions where appropriate in the interview. The goal of the show is to discover what makes the person who they are, and how they came to be part of the campus community.
Of course, this will be done with respect and I plan to do post production to make sure that this show runs smoothly. This will be a serious show. If you are interested in participating in the show or know someone who would be a good subject, please contact me at jrw4092@sru. edu. Jeremy Wieczorek Junior emerging technology major TV show host and producer
You’re beautiful just the way you are
Nicole Crevar Dare and Share Day in and day out, the media is constantly bombarding us to dress, look and feel a certain way. We must wear high-top fashion, follow the thin ideal and remember that there is always something that can be improved upon. Well, it’s disgusting. I find it heartbreaking when I hear the extremes girls take to make themselves thinner, prettier, happier. I’ll let you in on a little secret, happiness and success have nothing to do with how many hours you spend at the gym, or how many meals you skip a weak. Why do we have to keep trying to be something we’re not? Will it ever be enough? As current vice president of the Reflections Body Image Program here at SRU, we are working to empower women all over campus.
College-aged women are feeling more pressured than ever to change the way they look, follow what magazines tell them, and find their Prince Charming. Well, I hate to break it to Disney, but everyone is a princess. We just need to believe in ourselves and realize that we have so much more going on under the skin. As for the magazines, I know they’ll never stop reconstructing “models” to make us feel guilty while slapping on ads that proclaim, “Lose five pounds in two weeks!” But we can’t let the advertisement industry control us. We need to take a stand--outsmart the media. So that’s my challenge to all you women out there. I want us strong, smart, fun-loving women to tell the world we’re sexy and we know it. We don’t need some magazine to define us. And we definitely don’t need anymore stress than college already serves us. So stop being negative, don’t feel pressured to follow the trends, and just be yourself ! I think you’ll find that the more you love yourself, the happier your life will be. Nicole Crevar is a sophomore journalism major with a minor in Spanish from Mercer, Pa.
CLASSIFIEDS Employment
JOB FAIR
For Rent January 27, 7, 2012 ROOM FOR RENT Next School Year and Summer - Grad Students Welcome. Quiet, Clean Furnished Private Room To Study. Monthly Rent $395 Including Utilities, Private Refrigerator, Security Locks, Washer/Dryer, Kitchen, Walk to SRU and Shopping Center. NON-Smokers And Clean Persons ONLY. 724for car- 794-8652 Call For Information.
Friday, March 30th 2012 10:00AM to 2:00PM Allegheny Valley School Slippery Rock Program Center 125 Rebecca Lane Slippery Rock, PA 16057 Allegheny Valley School is looking ing individuals to provide direct care and supervision to adults with disabilities in our group homes located in the Slippery Rock & Grove City Areas. We are looking for students who want to start their career in the Human Service field and would like to gain experience and make a difference while they complete their education. We will be interviewing on the spot. Direct Care Candidates: must be 18, have a H.S. Diploma/GED and a valid Driver’s License. We provide paid training. Full Time , Part Time, & flexible PRN shifts/ schedules available. For more information please call 412-2992265 or e-mail vreiter@nhsonline.org Walk-Ins Welcome or call ahead to schedule an interview time.
The Rocket
A-6 For Rent
For Rent: Four Bedroom, two bath house on one acre, 1 mile from SRU. Available June 1, 2012. Rent is $300 per person or $1,200 per month. Includes water, sewage and garbage. Call 724-698-5456 to make an appointment to view the house.
THE ROCKET OPEN PAID POSITIONS 2012 - 2013 ALL POSITIONS OPEN! APPLY IN EISENBERG ROOM 220
March 23, 2012
A-7
February 24, 2012
Slippery Rock Apartments 724-794-8704 Now renting for 2012-13 www.SlipperyRockApartments.com
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March 23, 2011
SPORTS
The Rocket
B-1
March 23, 2012
Rock splits against Seton Hill By Mike Hurlimann Rocket Contributor
Slippery Rock baseball pulled out a big split against nationally ranked Seton Hill University on Wednesday at Jack Critchfield Park. Seton Hill is ranked in the top-20 of all three of the national Division II polls and won the first game by a final score of 5-1. In the second game, the Rock bounced back with a 4-3 victory. SRU scored all four of its runs in the bottom of the second inning. Senior catcher Matt Accardi drove in two runs for SRU and then sophomore shortstop Will Kengor drove in another run. The Griffins looked to get back into the game against SRU in the top of the fifth and closed the gap to one but couldn’t even the score. Before playing the Griffins, SRU opened PSAC play against Gannon on Saturday and Sunday with two doubleheaders. After splitting the doubleheader with Gannon on Saturday, the Rock split their home doubleheader against Gannon on Sunday to complete the weekend series with two wins and two losses. The Rock scored two runs on six hits in their first game with Gannon, but it wasn't enough to get the win. Zach Jeney pitched all six innings and recorded 10 strikeouts while on the mound for the Rock. After taking the lead 2 to 1 in the top of the sixth inning, Slippery Rock allowed three runs in the bottom of the sixth to drop the first game against Gannon 4 to 2. In game two, Slippery Rock's bats came to life as they scored 12 runs on 15 hits to beat Gannon 12 to 5. Senior Carter Haponski had three hits in four at bats with two runs scored and another two runs batted in. Will Kengor also recorded three hits in five at bats with
ALEX MOWREY/THE ROCKET
Freshman pitcher Anton Constantino winds up to release a pitch toward the mound against Seton Hill University Wednesday night in a doubleheader against the Griffins. Constantino pitched five innings and gave up five runs to the Griffins in the loss. He is 1-1 on the season.
two runs scored and an RBI. Slippery Rock scored five runs in the second inning and two runs in the third to take a 7 to 0 lead, which Gannon couldn’t recover from. In their home doubleheader against Gannon, Slippery Rock won their first game, but suffered their worst loss since 1982 in
their second game. Ben Bechtol batted a perfect 3 for 3 and scored one of four runs in the first inning as the Rock jumped out to an early 4 to 0 lead. Slippery Rock had seven hits total and was able to hold on for the win 7 to 5. In the second game, the Rock was shutout in a completely one-
sided game in which Gannon dominated by winning 20 to 0. It was Slippery Rock's worst defeat since 1982 when they were beaten by West Georgia 28 to 8. Gannon faced six different Slippery Rock pitchers, but it didn't matter as they managed to score 20 runs on 17 hits and only allowed Slippery Rock to have
five hits with no runs. The games played against Gannon and Seton Hill were Slippery Rock's first home games of the season. Slipper y Rock beat Seton Hill previously at the RussMatt Invitational in Florida on March SEE SRU, PAGE B-3
Outdoor track runs in Shamrock Invitational By Kristin Karam Rocket Contributor
T h e S l ipp e r y R o c k outdoor track and field team traveled to Myrtle Beach, SC over Spring Break for the Shamrock Invitational. The three-day invite, which started on March 15 and ended March 17, hosted 54 teams and over 1,700 athletes. The men’s team was led by junior Cameron Daugherty, who posted the highest clearance in the nation this season for the pole vault. Daugherty cleared an NCAA provisional qualif ying mark of 5.05 meters. Also in the pole vault was junior Ryan Camody, who cleared 4.30 meters and placed 18th. Sophomore Andrew Coscia competed in the “B” pole vault competition and placed eighth with a clearance of 4.15 meters. Both clearances met PSAC qu alif ying standards. J u n i o r
Eric Geddis took third place in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 9:32.55. In the decathlon, junior Andrew Greenslade and sophomore Derick Fiedler registered the second and fifth highest decathlon point totals in the PSAC this season. Greenslade placed fifth in the event with 5,730 p oi nt s w h i l e F i e d l e r earned 5,321 points and placed 11th. Slippery Rock alumnus and volunteer coach Brady Wert took second in the event with 6,531 points. “As a coach, I enjoy watching the athletes I work with succeed, even if it means adding some f riendly competition,” Wert said. Wert is working hard to earn the respect of the team and has been trying to prove himself as a coach since he joined. He hopes to see the athletes score higher than he did and is eager to watch them improve. Junior Kevin Jewel came
EMILY SHUBERT /THE ROCKET
Freshman Monte Chapman, pictured far right, sprints out of the blocks at the start of the 100 meter dash. Chapman placed 30th with a time of 11.47 seconds.
in fourth in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:52.71 just missing the NCAA provisional qualif ying standard. In the shot put, senior Chad Noce hit a mark of 15.81 to come in sixth place and junior Kyle Toms
placed eighth with a throw of 15.43 meters. Freshman Hu nte r Williams qualified for PSACs in the 400-meter dash with a time of 49.58 seconds. S o p h o m o r e Tr a v i s Arrigoni placed ninth in
the 5,000-meter run with a time of 15:18.56. The women’s team was led by junior Stephanie Case in the 3,000-meter run. Case placed fourth in the 3,000-meter run with a time of 10:02.94. Her time was the fastest
3,000-meter time ran so far in the PSAC. Junior Brittany DiMare ran her personal best time of 5:00.74 and placed 31st in the 1,500-meter run to SEE JUNIOR, PAGE B-2
Sports
B-2
March 23, 2012
Softball wins six games at the Rebel Spring Games By P.J. Shipe Rocket Contributor
Underneath the Florida sun in Kissimmee is where Slippery Rock women’s softball team started its season and played its first 11 games of the season at the Rebel Spring Games. The Rock left Florida with a 6-5 record. In their six wins they beat Minnesota State University-Moorehead and Northwood State University twice, and took one victory against University of Minnesota-Duluth, and Tiffin University. In the final two games of the Rebel Spring games, SRU took a 6-1 loss to Wayne State University and then went on to beat Northwood, 7-0. In the loss to Wayne State, senior outfielder Gina Brenzo went 2-3 with a run scored and freshman first baseman Breanna Tongel went 1-3 with the only RBI for SRU, which came in the third inning. Freshman pitcher Ashley
Knight (2-3) suffered the loss while pitching three innings, giving up five runs on five hits, walking three and striking out one. Junior Amy Erickson came in relief and struck out two in three innings of work on the mound. In their win against Northwood, the offense exploded for seven runs while blanking the opposition on the scoreboard. Junior third baseman Jenna Geibel belted her second home run in three games and finished the game, 2-3, with two RBI’s. Brenzo and freshman outfielder Alaynna Beers each produced a hit and an RBI. Senior pitcher Shaylee Ianno (4-2) blanked Northwood with a terrific performance and posted her second consecutive shutout. She gave up only four hits and struck out six on her way to her 24th career victory. At the plate, Ianno connected on her first home run this season while collecting three RBI’s.
ARCHIVED PHOTO
Senior outfielder Natalie Atkinson swings at a pitch in a game last season. Atkinson is batting .208 so far this season and has three runs and one run batted in. She also has a perfect fielding percentage on the season.
SRU head coach Becky Sciacca said that the team has hopes of having a solid season and making a run for the playoffs. “My expectations for the year are to have a winning season and make playoffs,” she said. “I thought the team
did an excellent job [at the Rebel Games]. They played their hearts out and I couldn’t ask for anything more.” Sciacca said that the team also wants to look deeper than just focusing on one player for production this season and wants it to be a
full team effort. “You can't count on just one person when it comes to softball,” Sciacca said. “It's a team effort. I count on all 24 girls to show leadership and responsibility.” Next on the schedule for the Rock is a double-
header at Glenville State College today with the first pitch at 3:00 p.m. Then they return for the home opener to face Mansfield University in a double-header on Saturday at SRU Softball Complex with the first pitch at 1:00 p.m.
Lacrosse drops PSAC opener against the Golden Knights By Madeline Williams
Assistant Sports Editor
EMILY SHUBERT /THE ROCKET
Senior Dan Hedglin clears a hurdle in the 110-meter hurdles. Hedglin placed sixth with a time of 15.24 seconds.
Junior pole-vaulter posts highest clearance in nation this season Continued from Page B-1
qualify for the PSAC meet. In the javelin throw, juniors Kim Goth and Lexi Arnold had top-10 finishes. Goth placed sixth with a mark of 39.30 meters and Arnold came in ninth with a mark of 38.34. G ot h s aid t hat t he adrenaline she gets from a big meet is what fuels her to get better and accomplish her goals. This season she hopes to make
it to nationals again and as always, have the team win the PSAC. “We had a great indoor season and I feel we will carry that success into outdoor and give the teams that may be more favored than us a run for their money,” Goth said. Senior Kelly Fischer came in 10th in the long jump with a jump of 4.87 meters. Junior Emily Vaughn and freshman Keriann Hill
tied for eighth place in the “B” pole vault event with clearances of 3.05 meters. In the 400-meter hurdles, senior Jayme Stanek ran a time of 1:04.65 to finish 16th. The Rock will head back down south on March 30 to compete at the Raleigh Relays in Raleigh, NC. On March 31, SRU will send some athletes to compete at the Washington and Jefferson Invitational.
The Slipp er y Ro ck Un i v e r s i t y w o m e n’s lacrosse team suffered its first loss of the season, 177, to Gannon University on Tuesday evening. With the loss, the Rock dropped to 2-1 overall and 0-1 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. The Rock was led by the efforts of senior midfielder Casey Quinn, sophomore attack Morgan Pettit, and f reshman midfielder Katie Cook, who each had two goals apiece. Freshman midfielder Paige Costantino added one goal and senior midfielder Emma VanDenburg contributed an assist. Sophomore midfielder L auren L aubach had seven draw controls and freshman attack Sarah Gonslewski picked up four ground balls. Junior goalie Natalie Crenshaw recorded 10 saves, but allowed 17
goals. She stands at 1-1 in goals for the season. Gannon scored the first goal of the game at the 26:36 mark, before Quinn tied it up a little over two minute later. The Golden Knights then went on a five-goal run to take a 6-1 lead with less than thirteen minutes in the first half. Pettit scored her first goal of the game to cut the deficit to 6-2, only to have Gannon go on a four-goal run to take a 10-2 lead at the half. Coming back from the break, the Golden Knights scored the first four goals to take a 14-2 lead with 24:29 remaining in the game. SRU fought back with a 5-3 scoring edge to end the game. Laubach said that the season has gotten off to a good start and looks forward to the rest of the season. “We started off with two wins in two very tough games, but we lost that streak with this loss to Gannon,” Laubach said. “We have the potential
to be great this year, and we’ll be fine as long as we execute our talent as a team on the field.” On Tuesday, Quinn was named as the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Athlete of the Week for leading the team to a pair of season starting wins over spring break. Against Belmont Abbey College last Thursday, Quinn scored three goals and had one assist in the 15-11 win. Last Saturday, Quinn s cored a career-high seven goals in a 13-12 win over Queens University, including t he gamewinning goal with less than two minutes left. In that same game, senior attack Amy Halls became the first 200-point scorer in program history. Halls scored two goals in the victory over Queens, br inging her care erscoring to 201 goals. The Rock hosted Mercyhurst University last night at 7 p.m. at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium, but the game started after The Rocket went to print.
Women's tennis defeats U of Charleston, 5-4 By Levi Lewis Rocket Contributor
The 39th-ranked Slippery Rock University women's tennis team claimed two doubles wins and three singles wins to get a win over 47th-ranked University of Charleston (W. Va.) in a battle of nationally ranked NCAA Division II rivals. The loss suffered by University of Charleston was only its third in 21 matches this season. The Golden Eagles, the No. 4 team in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Associaton regional
ranking, won the West Virginia Intercollegiate At h l e t i c C o n f e r e n c e championship last fall. The win in the final match on The Rock's spring-break schedule gave them a 10-2 record in dual matches as they head back home after their annual spring break trip in Hilton Head, South Carolina. Senior Sarah Lynch said that SRU, which is ranked third in the latest ITA regional poll, is ready for the remainder of the season and to try to win the PSAC-West. “The trip was a good way for us to transition our games into outdoor
playing style,” Lynch said. “We all came together as a team when we played our matches which was really awesome to see.” Sarah Lynch earned a No. 21 national ranking and a No. 2 regional ranking as a singles player. The top 20 nationally ranked players at the end of the season will earn ITA All-America honors. Lynch said that even though it is an honor to be ranked this high nationally, her ultimate goal is All American. “I think it’s an honor to even reach this spot, but I am shooting for All American,” Lynch said. “I would be proud to
represent myself as an All American graduate from Slippery Rock.” The Rock returns to the courts March 24 for an 8 a.m. home match against Case Western Reserve University, which will be their final tune up game before starting their PSAC conference schedule against Clarion University. Fine-tuning is something Lynch said she thinks her teammates have already done heading into their tough conference schedule. “It looks like we are in great shape when it comes to our upcoming matches,” Lynch said.
“Everyone has fine tuned their games and I am confident in my team to show up to every single match with their games faces on.” Junior Janelle Krantz said that she also believes that it takes a strong team to win and after their undefeated record during spring break, they’re posed and ready to make a run at the PSAC West title. “We have high goals to achieve this year,” Krantz s a i d . “Spr i n g bre a k gives us the match play experience we all need to get ready for division matches.” SRU didn’t make many
changes to their roster, so they’re hoping that veteran leadership and experience will prevail during tough matches. With Clarion, In d i a n a Un i v e r s i t y of Pennsylvania, and 11th ranked California University of Pennsylvania standing in their way of a PSAC West title, Krantz said that a close bonded team will be the difference in their title run down the stretch. “I think as a team we grow closer and stronger each year,” Krantz said. “It takes a team to win and we are all playing very well following spring break.”
Sports
March 23, 2012
B-3
SRU splits four game series against Gannon Continued from Page B-1
8, by the score of 8 to 5 when Seton Hill was ranked fifth in the nation. The Rock played five games at Lake Myrtle Park in Auburndale, Florida and four games at Chain O' Lakes Park in Winter Haven, Florida during spring break. After a big win over a top ranked opponent in their first game of the RussMatt Invitational, the Rock struggled to find a winning trend during their time in Florida. The second game of the invitational against Notre Dame College (OH) lasted until the top of the tenth inning before a major rain delay ended the game at a scoreless tie. The scheduled doubleheader between Slippery Rock and Notre Dame College (OH) was cancelled due to the rain delay. Slippery Rock lost to Ohio Dominican University the next game with a score of 5 to 4. After a four-run second inning, Slippery Rock allowed five runs to go unanswered as ODU won in extra innings. The Rock proceeded to split their next two doubleheaders with a 5 to 2 loss and 2 to 1 win against the University of Charleston and a 5 to 4 loss and 10 to 2 win against the University of Minnesota Dulluth. In the first game against Charleston, Slipp er y Ro ck pitcher Nic McCowin pitched a complete game with seven strikeouts and four earned runs but was out-dueled by Charleston pitcher Tim Ponn, who had a complete game, 10 strikeouts, and two earned runs. The Rock had eight hits, but only two runs to show for it in
ALEX MOWREY/THE ROCKET
Senior third baseman Lee Foxton fields the ball and then prepares for a tag on a Seton Hill University. Foxton is batting .323 this season and has started 20 games this season with 21 hits and four runs batted in.
their game one loss. In game two, Slippery Rock tied the game in the fifth inning and scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI single from first baseman John Schaffer. Against Minnesota-Duluth, Slippery Rock found themselves down five runs early and couldn't complete the comeback despite a three-run fifth inning, and another run scored in the sixth inning. In the second game, Slippery
Rock scored ten runs on 15 hits and won in decisive fashion, 10 to 2. Carter Haponski was a perfect 4 for 4 at the plate and had three RBIs. The Rock was up 4 to 2 before they exploded for six runs on seven hits in the seventh inning. Bechtol and John Schaffer each had two hits and two runs scored, while pitcher Anthony Constantino had three strikeouts in five innings pitched. The Rock wrapped up their spring break with two losses
to West Chester University of Pennsylvania and Winona State University. Slippery Rock was up 5 to 2 before West Chester put together four runs in the eight and ninth innings to hand Slippery Rock a heartbreaking 6 to 5 loss. Against Winona State, the Rock allowed a seven-run fifth inning and couldn't come back. McCowin had six strikeouts but allowed six earned runs and was credited with the loss. Slippery Rock had 11 hits but
was only able to drive in three runs and lost the game with a score of 10 to 3. The Rock ended their spring break trip with three wins, five losses, and one tie. Slippery Rock has a record of 9-13-1 with a 2-2 conference record. The green and white continue their inner conference pl ay a g ai nst L o ck Have n University on Friday, March 23 at Lock Haven, and on Saturday, March 24 at Jack Critchfield Park.
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March 23, 2011
The Rocket
CAMPUS LIFE C-1 March 23, 2012
SRU students adjust time between pets and academic work
Security breached
By Rebecca Marcucci Rocket Contributor
when speaking about the Patriot Act and changes in how we view privacy since the Sept. 11 attacks. “The fact that Congress is now basically clamoring for some kind of new privacy legislation indicates that the pendulum has swung somewhat in the opposite direction,” Dailey said. “For a while, following 9-11, the pendulum was definitely in favor of less privacy because it means more security, but now I believe the pendulum has swung back in the opposite direction.” According to Dailey, the pendulum will continue to swing, possibly in response to more drastic events in the future. “Usually what happens with these kinds of things is that there is some intense abuse
“Animals are such agreeable friends. They ask no questions, they pass no criticisms.” This quote by English Victorian novelist George Eliot talks about the unique friendship offered to humans from animals. For SRU students also owning pets, whether it be back home or in a house or apartment off campus, most can relate to the welcoming feelings and companionship they receive from their pets. Community counseling graduate student Jena Hazlett, 24, said her two cats, Amí and Precious, show her continual love and affection. “Amí is French for ‘friend,’” Hazlett said. “He was a gift to me from my French teacher, so I wanted to name him something cute and French as a tribute to her. He is now seven years old and constantly fights for my attention.” Hazlett said her cats are very loving and that owning them is an extremely rewarding experience. “I found my cat Precious in September,” Hazlett said. “She was outside crying and she was only one pound, so I took her in. I was also very excited to find her because it was around the time of my birthday, so I considered her a birthday present.” Hazlett said the two cats vie for her attention, but they always show compassion. “I have to tell Precious that no means no sometimes,” Hazlett said. “She has eaten my computer keys before. I found ten missing one day. And Amí will lick your face like a dog. It is adorable.” Living with her cats in Stonecrest Apartments, Hazlett said it can be difficult balancing school and owning a pet sometimes, but it is definitely worth it. “For me, money is really the only disadvantage when owning pets,” Hazlett said “Paying vet bills and getting your animals spayed or neutered can cost a lot of money, but I adore my cats and I will pay whatever to keep them happy and healthy. But they found me and I couldn’t be happier with them!” Senior political science and philosophy major Paige Niezelski, 21, said she enjoys cuddling up with a different kind of animal, a snake. “My roommates don’t mind me having a snake,” Niezelski said. “They actually think it’s very neat and show it off when people come over to visit. We are actually thinking about buying a Polaroid camera and charging a dollar to hold it and take a picture with it.” Niezelski said some places don’t allow snakes, so finding a job and relocating somewhere else might be difficult for her, but for now her snake, Nora, resides with her in her apartment on Keister Road. “Snakes are extremely easy to take care of,” Niezelski said. “They only eat about once a week when they are younger and when they grow older they only eat about once a month. They also do not require an elaborate cage set up, just a water dish, some newspaper, and a little box to hide in.”
SEE GOOGLE , PAGE C-3
SEE PET, PAGE C-3
GRAPHIC BY LEXI KOVSKI
Google's latest privacy policy, instated March 1, consolidates previous privacy policies, allowing an aggregation of information on users for marketing purposes.
Users concerned about Google's policies By James Meyer Assistant Campus Life Editor
Executive chairman of Google, Eric Schmidt, once said, “The Internet is the first thing that humanity has built that humanity doesn’t understand, the largest experiment in anarchy that we have ever had.” Google’s practices of collecting information on its users have become a cause for concern, especially since the company changed its privacy policy on March 1 of this year. The new policy allows Google to collect information on users across its various services, including YouTube, Gmail and Blogger. Professor of computer science David Dailey said that this kind of information is the primary source of revenue for companies like Google, which sell the information for marketing purposes. “Google would not have a business if they could not analyze data of that sort,” Dailey said. “At the same time, they’ve become an almost indispensable utility. Though we could compel them not to keep track
of IP addresses after the information is delivered, then there would be no financial incentive for them to stay in business. They have to be able to sell something in exchange for the wonderful information they’re giving everybody.” Dailey said that the new system of a single user identification for all of Google’s services links Internet activity to a person rather than to an IP address. “We like it because it’s user friendly,” Dailey said. “On the other hand, once you’re logged in to one of those services, you’re no longer an anonymous IP address. Now your searches are known to be affiliated with a person, and that gives a lot less privacy to what you’re doing.” Dailey compared public opinion on privacy to the swinging of a pendulum
Holocaust survivor shares story of hiding during mass roundup of Jews in Ukraine By Courtney Tietje Rocket Contributor
Fay Malkin is a survivor – a survivor of the Holocaust, war, p e r s e c u t i o n , i s o l at i o n a n d undeniably a survivor of fear. In 2007, Malkin, along with two other survivors whom she had stayed with for two years in hiding, returned to No. 4 Street of Our Lady, what was once the home of Francisca Halamajowa – a Catholic woman of Polish descent who had, by the time the town was liberated, taken in 16 of the 30 Jewish survivors left in the town. The experience, along with the survivors’ memories of the Holocaust, was recorded and turned into a film, “No. 4 Street of Our Lady,” which was released in 2011. It was decided that the movie would be made when the diary of Malkin’s uncle, Moshe Maltz, was translated into English and
published, finally allowing Maltz the chance to tell his story. “We went back to tell our story,” Malkin said. “We needed the diary because there were four people who survived, but all of us were three, four, [and] five years old [during the Holocaust].” Malkin began her life in what is now modern-day Sokal in the Ukraine, an area that used to be considered a part of Poland. When she was only a couple of years old, the Holocaust had already begun. At age two, Malkin’s father was taken to the brick factory in town, where he was forced to dig his own grave alongside hundreds of other men of Jewish descent, and then shot. Soon after, in September of 1942, there was a mass roundup of Jews in Sokal. Originally, 6,000 Jews lived in the town. After the roundup, approximately 2,000 of the remaining Jews were sent to the Ghetto.
As more and more Jews were rounded up, those who refused to go easily or who tried to run were shot. Malkin said she hid in a small cellar with 25 others in order to avoid the roundup. Afterwards, her uncle took her family to Halamajowa, who lived only with her daughter, Helena, after she had thrown her husband out of the house on the account that he was a Nazi. Halamajowa allowed the family to stay in the hayloft of her pigsty, a wooden building situated in the back of her house. For two years, Francisca and Helena took care of the family, bringing them food and water and taking care of their waste. Malkin said she remained in the loft until the age of four. She said she still recalls the terror of close calls and of almost being caught multiple times. SEE SURVIVOR, PAGE C-3
LEXI KOVSKI/THE ROCKET
Fay Malkin is a Holocaust survivor whose family took refuge in a hayloft to avoid being rounded up by Nazi soldiers. Decades later, Malkin shares her experiences with various schools and communities.
Campus Life
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“John Carter” delivers stunning visual effects
Jimmy Graner "Jimmy G's Rock Reviews" Film: John Carter
3.5 Stars “John Carter” has been said to be a big mistake and a waste of time and money by critics and moviegoers. Disney, who produced the film, is already in the process of losing $200 billion, according to the Associated Press.But as far as the graphics, CGI, plot and great list of earnest characters, the movie stands out among others. The film stars Taylor Kitsch, who has the leading role of John Carter. Carter is an exConfederate soldier in the late 1800’s, who has made a name for himself by being a rough and tough bad boy. When asked upon by fellow Confederate soldier Powell (Bryan Cranston) to accompany him into town after trying to barter for a drink with a piece of gold he found in a cave, Carter is knocked out and questioned about his actions. Not soon after, Carter escapes and finds himself faced against a group of Apaches. After being chased away and cornered into
a canyon with Powell, Kitsch finds himself in the dwellings of an abandoned cave where he had said he’d found gold before. Upon searching the cave, a mysterious figure appears and tries to kill Carter, but Carter is then rescued by Powell. Carter decides to search the mysterious figure’s body and finds a glowing amulet. When he picks it up, he is teleported to the planet Mars (Barsoom, as it is called by the planet’s inhabitants). Soon after, Carter learns of what is happening on the planet and how he can help not only with an ongoing conflict, but with a father and daughter’s relationship and how it’s growing apart. The one thing that kept me moving with this film was the actors and how they portrayed their characters in the story. Taylor Kitsch really sets the mood with his role as the leading protagonist, and lends a hand wherever needed. The leading female role, played by Lynn Collins as the princess of Helium - one of two nations on Mars - is simply irresistible. Willem Dafoe plays Tars Tarkas, leader and king of the Green Martian Tharks. Although this group is just CGI (computer-generated images), Dafoe does a great job conveying anger and emotion like he did with the Green Goblin in Spiderman. As far as CGI goes, director Andrew Stanton does a good job showing all that went into the movie. In one action sequence, there are as many as five thousand Tharks in one shot. Along with most of the CGI characters, there are also
CGI vehicles that look amazing when driven. The idea is put into the movie that the sun controls most of the things used on the planet since it’s always so bright, unlike Earth, where the sunlight shines only on certain parts of the planet at a time. Like the movie “Avatar” released in 2009, almost everything in “John Carter” was CGI, such as native creatures on the planet, but mixed with actual human life. I feel like the ideas behind making CGI creatures is combining already-made characters and changing them around to get a feel of what a creature may look like in the specific atmosphere given. With such a high budget for the movie, the director was able to show many aspects of what the film had to offer. Many sequences of John Carter being able to leap high and far distances are well done, and the animation of the aerial shots showing the planet and its landscape are spectacular. Even though the visuals are magnificent, keeping track of the story is kind of nerveracking, and putting all the conclusions together at the end of the film makes you wonder what you really just sat through. If you’re looking for action and adventure with a unique plot and excellent effects, this movie is for you. It’s rated PG13 for intense sequences of violence and action. Jimmy Graner is a sophomore journalism major, a film and media studies minor and a regular contributor to The Rocket.
March 23, 2012
Ask Ana
not to hurt your grades and then make you feel bad about asking them to do better. While they may not be getting paid for it, it is still their job and you should make sure they do it.
"Ana Graham" Dear Ana, I am a hard-of-hearing student and while I have note takers who help me, some of my professors don’t give notes or slideshows. I find that note takers are less inclined to produce quality notes if they can’t read them from a board or slideshow...which are the kind I can get myself. I hate creating conflict, but this has gotten to the point where my grades suffer from it. How can I tell my note takers to ple as e p ay better attention without upsetting them too much? Difficulties Made More Difficult Dear Difficulties, I once worked as a note taker for our Office for Students with Disabilities and I never personally met any of the folks for whom I took notes. I only had correspondence with the office. If you tell the office to tell them, then you wouldn’t have to get your hands dirty at all. The note taker is there to make things easier for you,
Dear Ana, How do you solve first world problems, li ke feeling guilty about not feeling home sick or crappy Internet connections in foreign places? I always feel like there are more important things to care about, but I just focus on the little stuff. Another First World Problem Dear Another, I don’t think you should try to fix these because they are not really problems. Everyone worries about these things. Sure, there are bigger problems in the world, but there are also the everyday strains that you personally have to care about. When people start feeling like they are meant to always worry about the big things in the world, that’s when people make activist viral videos and then crack from the pressure and embarrass themselves on TMZ. One person isn’t meant to bear the burdens of the world. Sure, it’s not a bad thing to care strongly about a large or even worldly issue, but things like not being
homesick or getting angry about the Internet are facets of “You.” I feel that people who tend to focus on major issues instead of their own minor ones have a tendency to not have much of a personality. Dear Ana, Why is dubstep s o orgasmic? If You Like Dubstep So Much Why Don’t You Marry It Dear If, If I considered your question seriously, I would reply by saying that the pulsating repetition of dubstep appeals to our animalistic nature as mammals on this planet. But I am not taking this question seriously because it is about dubstep. Maybe dubstep is appealing because of the Skrillex, a creature that lurks behind a Mac in its mom’s basement and creates combinations of sounds that it knows will make teenage raver girls drool. The Skrillex name also applies to the fur of the creature, which is long on one side and shaved on the other, sort of like a perverted mullet. One may consider this orgasmic if he or she were perhaps a Billy Ray Cyrus fan whose tastes matured into something more oddly specific. "Ana Graham" is a senior public relations major and a regular contributor to The Rocket.
Campus Life
March 23, 2012
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Google a private corporation, mistaken for public commodity Continued from Page C-1
of power that happens, then laws are written,” Dailey said. “Laws are written too strong, and there’s some kind of equilibrium that follows.” Amy Walters, an assistant professor of communication, said that the major cause for concern is that Google is a private corporation whose services have become so widely used that the average consumer thinks of it as a public utility. “The problem is that in order to use any Google product, you must
agree to this policy,” Walters said. “Unfortunately, Google is the de facto search engine for everyone in the entire world. It’s a matter of something that has become what we would think of as public domain is being seized back by a corporation. A lot of the things we do online, we call utilities. But they’re not. They’re privately owned.” Walters recalled a student saying that if a user doesn’t want to agree to Google’s policies, they needn’t use Google’s services. “And there’s some truth to that,”
Walters said. “But at what point, for example, does the invention of electricity move from something that’s used by a few wealthy people, become something that everybody is using? Does that make it a utility? On the other hand, the good news is the other search engines may actually benefit from this and be able to become competitive as a result of other people becoming dissatisfied by Google’s policies.” Walters explained that Internet technology has advanced too quickly for legislation to keep up with it.
Survivor nearly died at hands of family Continued from Page C-1
A passage from Maltz’s diary details the sacrifices that the family was prepared to make one day when Malkin would not stop crying. Her family believed that the noise she was making would reveal their hiding place and decided that, for the greater good, Malkin had to be quieted. When words, toys and promises would not do the trick, her uncle and a doctor held her down, forcing poison into her mouth. “I remember two people, my uncle and my doctor, holding me down… I kept saying, ‘Please, I’ll be quiet,’” Malkin said. “Did I know they were trying to kill me then? No.” It wasn’t long before Malkin stopped crying, and stopped moving altogether. As the family went out at night to bury her body, they discovered that she was still alive. As a young girl, Malkin did not realize or comprehend the true meaning of what had happened. In fact, it wasn’t until a few years ago, Malkin said, that she understood the full extent of what happened that night—her own family had tried to kill her.
Malkin said this and other memories remain with her today – a reminder of her past and the struggles that she and her family faced during the Holocaust. “I paid a price for it, and the price I paid will always be with me,” she said. On July 19, 1944, Sokal was liberated. It was not until Malkin’s family left the hayloft that they realized Halamajowa had also been hiding a family in the cellar underneath the kitchen, and a German soldier in her attic. Malkin said her family traveled through Europe after the liberation and moved to the United States in 1949. “I left when I was six years old, right after the war,” she said. “My mother was the one who said we had to leave… 2007 was the first time I had been back.” Today, Malkin works at a commercial real-estate firm in New Jersey. She has one daughter and two granddaughters; her husband passed away a few years ago. Malkin travels wherever she is invited, happily sharing her experiences in schools and communities. “You tell your story of survival, of fighting for survival, of going on after the war… Just surviving is prevailing,” she said. “I am here. I prevailed.”
“The court system in our country operates extremely slowly,” Walters said. “And the Internet got out of hand so quickly that there was no way for the legislative system to keep up. People didn’t even understand what the thing was, let alone how to make reasonable laws and regulations to wrap around this thing. And every time they think they have it, it’s two years ahead of them.” Unless legislation can keep up, it may always be up to Internet users to be responsible for their online activity.
“My recommendation would be when you do a search or when you engage in some activity online, just think about this question,” Walters said. “Are you going to be comfortable if it comes back to you someday? Unfortunately, everything on the Internet is written in stone. Your whole life is written in stone. You can never take it back.” Next week, the series will continue with a look at personalized advertising on social networking websites, such as Facebook.
Pet adoption at college requires time and commitment in addition to school Continued from Page C-1
Junior health services administration major Aryn Pennington, 20, said owning a large dog can be an adventure most days. “Gotham’s a mix between an Akita and a Newfoundland,” Pennington said. “He’s adopted. I found him on Craigslist. Everyone loves him! I’ve made a ton of friends just bringing him to campus and playing with him in the quad.” Pennington said Gotham is about 95 pounds and eats as much as she does, so cleaning up after him in her apartment on Center Street is not the easiest task. “Gotham still has accidents every now and then,” Pennington said, “His accidents are a lot more difficult to clean up, though!” In addition to keeping Pennington company during all-nighters and greeting her when she comes home, Pennington also said Gotham needs to go on walks a lot, so he helps to keep her active. New pet owner and senior criminal justice major Jenah Jackson, 21, said she had been looking to adopt a puppy for awhile. “I work at Petco,” Jackson said. “So I see dogs all day and I finally decided I wanted one. I got my puppy Gizzy two weeks ago. She’s a terrier mix. My boyfriend and I live together [in Butler] so we both take care of her together.” Jackson said that taking care of Gizzy is harder than she initially thought. “Gizzy is a playful and loving puppy,” Jackson said, “But it’s difficult house training her. She’s a five-pound dog and she can’t hold her bladder very long.” Jackson said she and her boyfriend are managing to make time for Gizzy as well as school. “There has definitely been less time for video games for my boyfriend,” Jackson said sarcastically. “But really, I know I don’t have [the] time to commit that I thought I did. It’s taking a lot of responsibility to take care of her, but I have no regrets.”
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March 23, 2012