3/17/16 digital edition

the rocket

Friday March 18, 2016 • Volume 99, Issue Number 18 • An Independent, Student-Run Newspaper

www.theonlinerocket.com

Norton holds success center meeting

President tackles questions of diversity, inclusion and top-down decision making

By Chris Gordon Assistant News Editor

Slippery Rock University President Cheryl Norton apologized to students and faculty at a meeting held Tuesday to clarify plans to transform the University Union into a Student Success Center in coming years.

The concerns raised, notably those regarding the controversial and since abandoned proposal to move the Women's Center, Pride Center, Office of Multicultural Development and Veteran's Center from the Suite to the Student Services and Success Center, took Norton by surprise, she said.

"The communication ball was dropped and not only dropped, but shattered," she said.

"For that, I truly do apologize."

The Student Success Center is still in its early stages of development, with only a few architectural renderings of what the building could look like and a 63-page feasibility study, which tests the affordability of the plan, Norton said.

The suggestion that a formal plan, including space allocation, had already been developed is inaccurate, she continued, stating "we haven't even gotten to the design stage yet."

"We should focus on what this plan could be, not what it is," Norton continued. "What I do know is that we have 2,739 square feet of unallocated space," a message that frequently resurfaced during the meeting, which was held during common hour in the Smith Student Center Ballroom.

Cindy LaCom, the director of SRU's gender studies program, suggested during the meeting that the real issue at hand was not space allocation, but the administration's pattern of top-down unilateral decision making that leaves students and faculty out of the conversation.

SGA elects new senators, buys "little tubas"

By Chris Gordon Assistant News Editor

Slipper y Rock Student Government Association awarded $11,890 to SRU Wind Ensemble and elected two new senators Monday night.

Wind Ens emble will us e this money to purchase two new euphoniums, which club president Clint Bleil described as a "little tuba."

Noting that the club's current euphoniums are of poor quality, Bleil said, "when one section has bad instruments, it affects how we sound as a whole."

While the instruments will only be used by Wind Ensemble, Bliel indicated that anyone is welcome to join the 75-member organization.

Additionally, Emily Shorr and Blake Souders were elected to SGA's senate.

Shorr, a secondary history education major, will serve as a commuter senator.

SEE SGA PAGE A-2

KENDALL SCOTT/THE ROCKET

President Cheryl Norton hands the microphone to Gabriella Lyons, senior dual political science and sociology major. Lyons expressed her concerns with the proposed plan..

Many discussions regarding the Student Services and Succes Center took place Norton said, but students were initially left out due to the conceptual nature of the plan.

"The hope was that these conversations would trickle down from one level to the next, but obviously they didn't," she said. "I apologize for that."

Norton admitted that the administration could do more in terms of transparency and communication with students, but told LaCom that it's untrue that the university doesn't care

about their concerns.

"I've been told the perception is that because the Smith Center is up here and the Success Center is down there, that in some way implies positional value," she said. "I had never considered you would think of it like that.

My perception was we have this building, $19 million, so what can we do to advance social justice?"

SEE DISCUSSION PAGE A-2

New financial aid deadline allows students to apply for aid earlier

By Daniel DiFabio Rocket Contributor

Applying for financial aid is an important step for incoming and current students in college.

According to a 2015-2016 Princeton Review Survey, 93 percent of incoming freshmen and 94 percent of all other undergraduate students qualify for some type of financial aid.

Alyssa Dobson, director of financial aid and scholarships, said the first thing a student should do is to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Dobson said the process for filling out the FAFSA is changing this year. While students and families used to fill out the FAFSA after Jan. 1 each year and use the previous year’s income, it was hard to start because they would have to wait for their taxes to be completed. This new process will open the FAFSA on Oct. 1 and families will be able to use tax information that was already filed.

Completing the FAFSA before May 1 allows students to be considered for the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) grant. Missing this deadline means that students will not be considered for the award.

After the FAFSA is completed, each school the student selected during the application will receive a copy. The schools then use that information to create a financial aid

award package.

“The school reviews everything and determines what a student is eligible for,” Dobson said.

First-time students who want to use student loans also have to complete entrance counseling and a master promissory note.

Dobson said the financial aid office communicates with students through the SRU portal. If the office sees that students are a first-time borrower, they will include the requirements and explanations of how to complete the introductory courses. The portal can also be used if the government decides that they need more information about a student, with the office notifying the student on their financial aid report.

Dobson also encouraged students to fill out the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency state grant application.

The different awards given to students have their own requirements which are measured annually after the spring semester. The requirements themselves vary, with federal aid requiring a student to maintain a 2.0 GPA and a 67 percent completion rate, which is the ratio of the number of classes a student attempts to those they successfully complete.

Students Don't Get Athlete Of The Month Enough Aid The Rocket staff weighs in on the lack of students getting financial aid Page B-1

Freshman women's basketball player Morgan Henderson was voted Athlete of the Month Page C-3

SEE FINANCIAL PAGE A-3

SRU Women Share Their Journey A panel of students, faculty and staff share their journey to success as women.

Page D-1

NEWS

A-2

March 18, 2016

Discussion to continue at future meeting P

Continued from Page A-1

LaCom indicated that her question was not about space, but Norton moved on to another question after Catch something exciting happening mentioning that a second on campus? Want your Insta-photos to meeting would be held on be featured in The Rocket? Just follow March 23 at 6 p.m. in the Alumni House to further @SRURocket on Instagram and use discuss the Success Center. # in the caption for your In a later interview, LaCom chance to be featured here every week! said space is important, but management style is too, stating "I think this may be the right time for a paradigm shift."

Conversations regarding the Student Success Center should have started when Norton took office, LaCom said, as plans for the building have been in place for over a decade, as indicated in an unsigned email sent to the university community on March 1.

"When Bob Smith became provost he would hold regular town hall meetings," she said. "Anytime you're a newcomer, you need to actively listen before making decisions."

When asked why the March 1 email was unsigned, Norton indicated it was written by multiple authors and was intended to show a broad consensus for the ideas expressed.

Norton said that she still stands by the email, but several figures given in the meeting contradict what was originally said.

Notably, the email said that "visits to other success Blotter.................A-4 Sports...................C-1 centers have informed our Opinion................B-1 Campus Life.............D-1 Comics...................D-4

INDEX

preliminary design" and the project will be completed by 2018 using $17 million.

D u r i ng t he m e e t i ng , Norton said the project would be completed by 2020 at the earliest.

On the topic of diversity and inclusion, LaCom said the fact that many positions within the CSIL have been left unfilled, specifically those working directly with underrepresented student groups, may say something about the administration's concern for these issues.

"There is a pattern that suggests a commitment to diversity is not being made," she said.

When asked about these vacancies, Norton said it is her hope that responsibility for diversity and inclusion will be shared.

"We don't need [diversity and inclusion] to be the responsibility of one person, but a responsibility of the community," she said.

Amanda Yale, the associate provost for enrollment s e r v i c e s at SRU, s ai d many of these vacancies, particularly that which was left by Brad Kovaleski, the former executive director of student development, will be filled by the start of the fall semester.

At the meeting, one student questioned Norton's connection to underrepresented students, acknowledging her involvement in the Jump Start program and commencement, but stating "that's only catching us at

the beginning and end of the process."

Norton indicated that she attends many student events and her schedule fills up quickly, but that she would be willing to attend more events if she is informed of them in advance.

The use of passive voice during Tuesday's meeting a n d i n r e c e nt e m a i l announcements issued by Norton is a way to deflect re s p ons i bi l it y, L a C om , whose background is in English, said, adding that it eliminates the actor.

In an email released We d n e s d ay c on c e r n i ng the Student Success Center meeting, Norton said "there were a number of important p o i nt s p r e s e nt e d a n d great interest expressed in continuing the conversation as soon as possible."

"Who expressed interest?"

L aC om asked.

"There were 150 students at that meeting."

T h e March 2 e m ai l announcing the abandonment of the relocation plan was not sent to faculty, LaCom added, as they are not considered SRU stakeholders.

"I've never been officially informed of the change of plans," she said.

The faculty union is in the process of considering formal positions on the Student Success Center and Norton's management style, LaCom said, concluding she is optimistic that positive change will happen soon.

SGA announces upcoming elections Continued from Page A-1

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

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As a commuter and a transfer student, she said she felt she had the background to improve the experiences of other students in similar situations.

Souders, a freshman undeclared business major, will serve as a Rhoads Hall senator.

Citing an experience where he captured a mouse in his floor's bathroom after maintenance had neglected to do so, he said

ROCK NOTES

To submit a Rock Note please send your announcement by 6 p.m. Wednesday to Haley Barnes at hmb1006@sru.edu or to rocket.news@ sru.edu. The Rocket does not guarantee that all requests will be published in the paper.

he felt like a leader in Rhoads Hall.

SGA Parliamentarian Rachel Lawler announced that election packets for next year's SGA are available and will be due to the student secretary desk in the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership (CSIL) by 4 p.m. on Wednesday, March 23 for anyone wishing to run for a position.

The next SGA meeting will be held on March 28 at 8:45 p.m. in the Smith Student Center theater.

WEEKLY PLANETARIUM SHOWS Vincent Science Center offers a different show every week. Admission is free and the show starts at 8 p.m.

STUDENT SAFETY WEEK SGA is hosting a Student Safety Week to prepare students for active shooters.

The week kicks off on March 21 at 6 p.m. in ATS auditorium.

NEWS

March 18, 2016

A-3

POLICE BLOTTER Campus

February 25- Michelle Baker, 20, was charged with defiant trespass.

February 27- Joseph Nania, 18, was arrested for underage drinking after police observed him punching a tree and falling to the ground in the East Lake lot.

February 27- Ryan Thomas, 19, was charged with an alcohol violation in the East Lake lot.

February 27- Bradley Davison, 20, was charged with an alcohol violation in Watson Hall.

March 2- Tyler Loux, 19, was February 16- Stephanie Rizzo charged with an alcohol violation was arrested for using a fake ID at and Tyler Schlobohm, 21, was the Wine and Spirits store. charged with disorderly conduct and harassment following an altercation with a tow truck driver February 27- George Kirby, outside North Hall.

February 19- Chase Young was 18, was charged with an alcohol cited for misrepresentation of age violation in Watson Hall. to secure alcohol, carrying a false ID and underage drinking after March 3- Nicholas Stockel, purchasing liquor at the Wine and 18, was charged with theft Spirits store.

February 27- Courtney Meyer, and receiving stolen property 20, was charged with an alcohol following a report of a missing violation in Watson Hall. wallet at the ARC. February 19- Mason Tour was cited for misrepresentation of age to secure alcohol, carrying a false February 27- Kaitlyn Meyer, Borough ID and underage drinking after 20, was charged with an alcohol purchasing liquor at the Wine and violation in Watson Hall.

Spirits store.

February 5- Chase Young was cited for disorderly conduct February 27- Michael Yoder, February 27- Samuel Watters, stemming from an alcohol related February 21- Rachele Jackson 19, was charged with an alcohol 19, was charged with an alcohol incident at Giant Eagle. was ar rested for underage violation in the East Lake lot. violation in Watson Hall. drinking.

February 13- Justin Sherbine February 27- Clinton Beeman, February 28- Alex Madia, 18, was was arrested for drunk driving February 24- Cheyenne Goodin 20, was charged with an alcohol charged with an alcohol violation along Elm Street after crashing was arrested for criminal trespass violation in Watson Hall. after an ambulance was called for into a parked vehicle. at the Dollar General Store. him by the Health Center.

Compiled by Chris Gordon

Financial aid office encourages students to be active in the process Continued from Page A-1

different academic requirements,” Dobson said. “If a student is concerned or worried or “Things that would make that number lower doesn’t know what they need to maintain that are going to be withdrawals and failures,” award they can always call or stop in, and we’re Dobson said. always happy to help them.”

The PHEAA state grant policy requires a If a student misses the required academic student to complete 24 new credits each full- benchmarks for their aid, they can go through time year of the award they receive. This would an appeal process, which consists of the student mean that a class that a student is repeating for describing what was outside of their control a better grade would not count. that impacted their academic performance.

“All the other types of aid out there, whether They then have to follow up with what has it’s athletic, honors or tuition waiver, all have changed that will allow them to be successful

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in the future.

Dobson encourages incoming students to be active participants in the financial aid process and to look at their community for resources.

“Pay attention to the communications we send and that PHEAA sends and make sure you’re monitoring your campus email and your portal for requirements,” Dobson said.

Questions regarding the financial aid process can be directed towards the financial aid office at 724-738-2044 or financial.aid@sru.edu.

O

OPINION

Our View

Students don’t utilize all available financial aid

OPINION rocket.letters@sru.edu Volume 99, Number 18

220 Eisenberg Classroom Building Slippery Rock University Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania 16057 Phone: Fax: E-mail:

(724) 738-4438 (724) 738-4896 rocket.letters@sru.edu

EDITORIAL BOARD Janelle Wilson

Editor-in-Chief

Haley Barnes

News Editor

Amber Cannon

Campus Life Editor

Ryan Barlow

Sports Editor

Rebecca Dietrich Victoria Davis

Photo Editor Copy/ Web Editor

Chris Gordon

Assistant News Editor

Emma Pfeifer

Assist. Campus Life Editor

Cody Nespor

Assistant Sports Editor

Kendall Scott

Assistant Photo Editor

Amanda Salvia

Assist. Copy/Web Editor

Emily Brown

Multimedia Reporter

Mark Zeltner

Faculty Adviser

ADVERTISING STAFF Karleigh Santry

Advertising Manager

ABOUT US The Rocket is published by the students of Slippery Rock University every Friday during the academic semester with the exception of holidays, exam periods and vacations. Total weekly circulation is 3,000. No material appearing in The Rocket may be reprinted without the written consent of the Editor-in-Chief.

The Rocket receives approximately 5 percent of its funding from the SGA Student Activity fee paid each semester by students. All other income is provided through the sale of advertising.

Advertising inquiries may be made by calling (724) 7382643 or by emailing rocket.ads@sru.edu.

CORRECTIONS If we make a substantial error, we want to correct it. If you believe an error has been made, call The Rocket newsroom at (724) 738-4438. If a correction is warranted it will be printed in the opinion section.

SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions to The Rocket are available. Subscriptions are $20 per academic semester and $35 for the full academic year. Inquiries should be directed to the Editor-in-Chief at the address listed here.

GRAPHIC BY KENDALL SCOTT / THE ROCKET

Whether students are toiling through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or applying for scholarships, applying for financial aid is an important step for every college student.

Students might not be getting the amount of financial aid that they’re eligible to receive.

According to a 2015-2016 Princeton Review Survey, 93 percent of incoming freshmen and 94 percent of all other undergraduate students qualify for some type of financial aid.

But according to collegeboard.org, only two-thirds of students (60 percent) actually use financial aid to help them pay for college.

Essentially, one third of students who are eligible for financial aid don’t apply for it. The Rocket staff feels that if students were more thoroughly educated on their financial aid options they could have less stress regarding financial planning, and would be relieved of the majority of their student loan debt when they leave the university.

To top it off, FAFSA is changing this year. The FAFSA used to be filled out after Jan. 1 each year and would use the tax information from the year before to make

decisions about how much aid students would receive. It was a difficult process because students would have to wait for their taxes to be completed before applying.

The FAFSA will now be open on Oct. 1 and families will be able to use tax information that was already filed.

Completing the FAFSA before May 1 will allow students to be considered for the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) grant. Missing this deadline means that students will not be considered, and if students miss the deadline, then they lose the opportunity to get additional aid.

Students who are struggling to afford college in the first place would benefit from knowing about all of these options, and it would help retention rates for the university.

Director of financial aid and scholarships, Alyssa Dobson said that the financial aid office’s primary mode of communication is through SRU portal.

Students w ho b or row for the first time will be given the requirements and explanations of how to complete the introductory courses. If the government decides

In the Quad

that they need more information about a student, they can get this information through the portal.

The office will then notify the student on the status of their financial aid report.

This process is a solid one, but we think that everyone should have additional information about financial aid. We think that this information would best be distributed through FYRST seminar classes. That way if students miss their first year of applying and receiving financial aid, they could plan out the rest of their college financing accordingly.

Different awards are given to students, which each have their own annual requirements Requirements vary from program to program. For example, to receive federal aid, students must maintain a 2.0 GPA and have a 67 percent completion rate, which is the ratio of the number of classes a student attempts to those they successfully complete.

Having this knowledge presented to students early could also help students remain on track so that they can receive all financial aid that is available to them.

If students remain knowlegeable, college could be more affordable.

This week’s question: What did you do for Spring Break?

In the Quad is a segment in which random students, faculty and staff are asked for their opinions on a specific topic.

EDITORIAL POLICY The Rocket strives to present a diverse range of opinions that are both fair and accurate in its editorials and columns appearing on the Opinion pages. “Our View” is the opinion of the Editorial Board and is written by Rocket editorial board members. It reflects the majority opinion of The Rocket Editorial Board.

“Our View” does not necessarily reflect the views of Slippery Rock University, its employees or its student body. Columns and cartoons are drafted by various individuals and only reflect the opinions of the columnists.

LETTERS POLICY The Rocket welcomes letters to the editor and guest columns, but does not guarantee their publication.

The Rocket retains the right to edit or reject any material submitted. Submitted material becomes the property of The Rocket and cannot be returned. Anonymous submissions will not be published.

Those who submit letters must identify themselves by name, year in school, major and/or group affiliation, if any.

Please limit letters to a maximum of 400 words. Submit all material by noon Wednesday to: The Rocket, 220 ECB, Slippery Rock University, Slippery Rock, Pa. 16057. Or send it via e-mail to: rocket.letters@sru.edu.

Gabe Hrecznyj Senior Finance Major Dubois, Pennsylvania

Odell Richardson Junior Public Health Major Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

“I went to go visit my sisters “I went to Italy and I had in Michigan and we visited a lot of fun. I tasted a lot Chicago.” of different foods and saw the statue of David and the overview of Florence.”

Kelly Sheridan Sophomore Special Education Major Aurora, Ohio “I did yoga classes everyday and did some shopping, as well as completed everything that I don’t have time to do here.”

OPINION

B-2

March 18, 2016

QUESTION OF

THE WEEK @SRURocket

Minimization of racism is contradicted by testimonies, evidence

Cheyenne Jackson Commentary Cheyenne Jackson is a junior creative writing major

Do you remember when Facebook was largely a congregation of terrible memes signaling you to “like or share” to avoid some gruesome consequence?

As exasperating as that was, something much more ridiculous has begun flooding the walls of my social media pages; that is the minimization of racism, and the historical atrocities associated with it, by (some) white people who are attempting to establish that whites are marginalized and/or the true victims.

These individuals are often seen on tirades concerning the Black Lives Matter movement, Black Entertainment Television, Cam Newton, people who “bring race into things,” and most recently, Beyoncé. Their concerns are that

we are forgetting that “white people have problems too,” some of which could be worse than the problems African-Americans may face. They are under the pretense that black people, and other disenfranchised groups, are just not working hard enough to be successful and that if they were more respectful, police officers would not have to kill them.

They refuse to acknowledge the systematic racism in our country and they refuse to acknowledge the facts that communicate this systematic racism, and they often bluster about being blamed for everything and the lack of sympathy for their struggles.

I l i ke to ch ron i cl e t h i s phenomenon as the New “White Pride” Movement to avoid conflating them with the KKK or neo-Nazis. While there may be some similarities, branding these people as that kind of racist is unfair; their racist views (from my observations) generally seem rooted in ignorance rather than conscious hatred. Furthermore, confronting members of the New White Pride Movement (NWPM) as though they are KKK members will only result in a fight in which a real discussion becomes impossible as does learning anything of value.

Maybe you are asking why this is important. Why does it matter if some people are unaware of the truth about racism in America?

Most people likely know by now that America has a long history of racism. We have certainly come a long way, but the belief that racism is insignificant or nonexistent in our country is dangerous because it is still a prominent issue that continues to violate the rights and dignity of many Americans. By declaring that racism is no longer an issue of importance, or believing that we have a problem with reverse racism, you are directly preventing our society from advancing to a more equal state; you stand in the way of human rights.

I probably wouldn’t be writing this if the NWPM was strictly an occasional, oafish Twitter rant, but these beliefs have fluttered their way into the mainstream.

Classmates, friends, politicians and news sources have begun spreading this ideology. I suppose, however, that if you are white, the idea that somebody may face discrimination because of race in today’s society may seem foreign or even impossible. The definition of discrimination in itself may be distorted if it is something you don’t experience firsthand. I will admit that when you are part of a majority with power, recognizing your privilege may not be an easy task.

Nonetheless, this does not excuse anyone from seeing the truth. If the testimonies of thousands of Americans citing their experiences with racism are not enough, there

are many publicized statistics demonstrating the racism in the US. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People reports that AfricanAmericans and Hispanics account for 58 percent of our prisoners yet are only a fourth of the US population. They also state that African-Americans account for 12 percent of all drug users in the US, they represent 59 percent of those in a state prison for a drug offense. The NAACP also released a report detailing the efforts of retail employers to keep blacks and Latinos in lower-paid positions.

I have been biting my tongue for a while, but as more videos surface picturing innocent people abused by police officers because of their skin color, as more people compare the Black Panther Party to the KKK and complain that Beyoncé is calling for the death of white people, as more people deny the truth about racism in our country, as more people try to turn themselves into the victims, I have found it increasingly dif f icult to sit in silence.

Not only is the NWPM standing in the way of progression towards equality, they are being disresp e c t f u l and insult ing by reducing the plight of true victims of racism. Racism is real and it is detrimental to society.

Those who fail to acknowledge the truth need to wake up.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR The views expressed in the “Letters to the Editor” section are those of the writer(s) alone. The Rocket cannot verify all facts presented in a given letter, but if we are aware of an error or omission, we reserve the right to include an editorial note for accuracy’s sake.

The Rocket staff editorial sensationalizes water treatment issue

I don’t mean to ruffle any feathers, or make any unnecessary enemies by writing this, but I was taken aback when I saw the reaction to the article about how “unsafe” our drinking water is. Clearly our water isn’t the best, as evidenced by the general consensus of the student body, but it’s not that bad. Come on now.

The first issue I want to address is the “disinfectant” chemicals found in the water.

True, it is disgusting to think that chemicals are in what we drink, but most of the drinks we consume are laden with chemicals, and are actually just complex chemicals themselves.

Any tap water, or water from a water treatment plant, is going to be treated with chemicals.

No one just drinks normal water, it’s dirty. Not even bottled water that claims it’s 100 percent natural, lives up to such claims. They still buy their water from water authorities, and even retreat it themselves.

It seems scary to say (or write), but disinfectant byproducts, THHM and HAAC, are inevitable parts of water treatment. Many governments across the globe have acknowledged this and

have set limits, however, preventing them from being present is absolutely impossible.

It’s a reaction we get when we treat chlorine with water. The swimming pool is the greatest culprit of them all. The manageable levels we deal with are not necessarily “healthy,” but they’re not worst thing we can introduce to ourselves through our mouths and/or skin.

By the time we’re all older, and more prone to diseases and ailments, it’ll be impossible to determine what gave us the cancer that’s going to kill us. So many things are cancer-causing that it is to be expected that everything will eventually give us cancer.

People lack an understanding of chemistry, in that they think that chemicals instantly spell death. Salt is made from two dangerous chemicals, but when they’re combined, they produce something delicious and useful; same goes for certain chemicals and water. If it really did just kill or seriously hurt anyone who drank it, the government wouldn’t allow that to be legal. We all need to drink water in order to survive.

However, what I found to be the most despicable part of the article was the comparison made between Slippery Rock and Flint, Michigan. True, it is best to fix any water/sewage problems that may be apparent, but our problems of having unpleasant water is not on par with the abysmal excuse for water they have, and many other parts of the country have, that causes death and neurological problems, among other things.

Yes, we don’t have the greatest water, but I drink from the tap all of the time, and I’m still fine. Perhaps we can fix our situation, to the best of our ability, but also keep in mind how truly horribly other people have it. It’s also best to remember; at least we’re lucky enough to have water to drink, scarcity is another major issue we all will soon face.

Joe Szalinski

B-3

March 18, 2016

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C

COMICS Sharing Stalls

By Molly Huey

Best in Show

By Phil Juliano

COMICS

Today's Birthday (03/18/16). Tend your career, and it thrives this year. Adapt your family to financial changes (after 3/23). New possibilities spark for your partnership (after 9/1). Work together to manage rising demand, as a lucrative two-year phase begins 9/9. Personal dreams take new shape after 9/16.

Nurture with love.

To get the advantage, check the day's rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

Aries (March 21-April 19) -- Today is an 8 -- Plan on two days' worth of creativity and passion.

Learn new tricks. Go for fun and games. Play outside with family and friends. De-stress, unwind and relax with some rest and recreation.

Kindle romance.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) -- Today is a 7 -- Get into home projects over the next few days. Upgrade the functionality and beauty of your rooms.

Discover forgotten treasures while cleaning.

Being alert pays off. Plan and measure before moving furniture.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) -- Today is an 8 -Maintain a congenial public image. Answer comments and posts quickly. You're extra brilliant today and tomorrow. Dig into research, writing and publishing projects. Promote good causes. Support others and be supported. Accept an invitation.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) -- Today is an 8 -- Focus on making and saving money. The next two days can be lucrative. Keep your game face on. Smile, and provide excellent service. Love gives you strength to take advantage of these opportunities.

Brewster Rockit: Space Guy

By Tim Rickard

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Today is an 8 -- You're on fire today and tomorrow. Invest in your business or a personal dream. You can make things happen if you go for it. Abundance is available.

Friends share a valuable connection. Dress to impress.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Today is a 7 -- Look back for insight on the road ahead over the next few days. Dreams reveal secrets. Finish an old job, and clean up. Indulge nostalgic urges. Share old photos with someone who was there.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) -- Today is a 9 -- Today and tomorrow are excellent party days. Social connections generate income, resources and your next adventure. Play with people you enjoy.

Get expert assistance for tricky stuff. Pass along what you're learning. Teamwork is key.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -- Today is a 7 -- A rise in professional status is available over the next two days. Join up with a hot team. Put in extra effort. Postpone what you can to take advantage of an unexpected opportunity.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -- Today is a 7 -Outdoor activities beckon. By now you should know how much you can spend. Stay or go?

Travel and exploration calls to you today and tomorrow. Follow where your heart pulls. Study an obsession.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Today is a 6 -Collaborate on family finances over the next two days. Get into a planning phase, and use expert assistance. Review reserves, and strategize for maximum gain. Call the crew to action. Bring home the bacon.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -- Today is a 7 -- Get farther with assistance from your partner today and tomorrow. Consult someone who's clever with strategy. Juggle new assignments and projects with help. Your charms cannot be denied. Use them to persuade others, with gratitude.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -- Today is an 8 -- Ask for more and get it. Save by doing the work yourself. Focus on the job at hand over the next few days, and money rolls in. Use creativity and imagination. Take a walk.

(Astrologer Nancy Black continues her mother Linda Black's legacy horoscopes column. She welcomes comments and questions on Twitter, @ lindablack. For more astrological interpretations visit Linda Black Horoscopes and www. nancyblack.com) (c)2015 bY NANCY BLACK. DISTRIBUTED

BY TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Bliss

By Harry Bliss

B-5

March 18 , 2016

S SPORTS

INSIDE SPORTS

Online Exclusive The women's outdoor track and field team began its season, competing at Coastal Carolina, earning 12 conference qualifying marks.

See theonlinerocket.com

Athlete of the Month

Freshman stand out Morgan Henderson had a big impact for the Rock women's basketball team this season.

See Page C-4

Rock LAX wins home opener over Boro

REBECCA DIETRICH/THE ROCKET

Danni Wilson fights off an Edinboro defender in the team's 10-7 victory Tuesday afternoon. Wilson scored a goal on three shots, her third of the season so far.

Seniors reach career milestone

By Connor Himich Rocket Contributor

The Slippery Rock University women's lacrosse team pulled out its first win in the Pennsylvania State Action Conference (PSAC) with a final score of 10-7 against Edinboro at home on Tuesday.

Not only was it the team's first conference victory, but two players made Slippery Rock lacrosse program history by reaching the 100 goals milestone in each of their careers. Seniors Erin Wilcox and Kaytlin Callaghan each had hat tricks Tuesday night, giving them 100 career goals apiece.

They are only the eighth and ninth players in Slippery Rock lacrosse history to achieve such a milestone.

"It's not very common, it's a big deal. It is like being a 1,000 point scorer in basketball. It's even more unique they did it together in the same game," Rock head coach Emily Hopkins said.

SRU's record now improves to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in the PSAC. Slippery Rock also managed to keep its winning streak against the Fighting Scots alive with 10 straight wins since 2009 and handed Edinboro its first loss on the season and in conference play.

SEE LACROSSE, PAGE C-3

Goals scored by four-year teammates Years Played

Teammates (career goals)

2009-12

Amy Halls (215) Casey Quinn (150) Kaytlin Callaghan (102) Erin Wilcox (100) Paige Costantino (123) Jess Verbic (37) Emma VenDenburg (70) Katie Roof (68) Morgan Pettit (112) Lacey Allis (8)

2013-16 2012-15 2009-12 2011-14

Combined Goals 365 202 160 138 120

GRAPHIC BY CODY NESPOR/THE ROCKET

REBECCA DIETRICH/THE ROCKET

Seniors Erin Wilcox and Kaytlin Callaghan celebrate after after Wilcox scored her 100th career goal. Wilcox also recorded her 100th career goal and both atheletes recorded hat tricks in the win. Callaghan and Wilcox rank second in SRU history for most combined goals scored by four-year teammates.

SPORTS

C-2

March 18, 2016

Rock athletes Shine in the sun

Rock Athletics traveled south to Florida over SRU's spring break.

Baseball 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Featured below are Slippery Rock's top athletes from the trip.

seton hill Gannon mercyhurst California (PA.) pitt-johnstown Indiana (pa.)

Clarion

12-4 (0-0) 11-5 (0-0) 10-5 (0-0) 7-9 (0-0) 7-9 (0-0) 6-10 (0-0) 3-6 (0-0)

Slippery Rock

5-14 (0-0)

Softball 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

California (pa.)

Slippery Rock mercyhurst gannon seton hill edinboro

13-1 (0-0) 9-8 (0-0) 4-4 (0-0) 8-8 (0-0) 7-9 (0-0) 5-7 (0-0)

Women's Lacrosse 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

Kutztown West Chester Mercyhurst Slippery Rock Indiana (PA.) East Stroudsburg Millersville Lock Haven Edinboro Shippensburg Bloomsburg Gannon Seton Hill

5-0 (1-0) 5-0 (1-0) 3-1 (1-0) 3-1 (1-0) 3-3 (1-0) 5-1 (1-1) 4-2 (1-1) 4-0 (0-0) 4-1 (0-1) 3-2 (0-1) 2-2 (0-1) 3-3 (0-1) 1-4 (0-1)

Women's Tennis 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

indiana (pa.) edinboro california (pa.) mercyhurst Slippery rock Seton Hill clarion

6-0 (0-0) 7-1 (0-0) 6-2 (0-0) 4-2 (0-0) 7-5 (0-0) 6-5 (0-0) 2-2 (0-0)

Outdoor track March 25 & 26: Raliegh Relays at North Carolina State University in Raliegh, NC.

Standings as of Thurs.Feb. 25 at 11:57 a.m.

GRAPHIC BY CODY NESPOR/THE ROCKET

SPORTS Women's basketball player stands out for SRU during her freshman season March 18, 2016

C-3

REBECCA DIETRICH/THE ROCKET

Freshman Morgan Henderson drives to the post during a game earlier this season. Henderson averaged 4.9 points and 5 rebounds a game in the month of February.

By Jordyn Bennett Rocket Contributor

Not all athletes have the opportunity to make an impact on their team as a freshman, but when you turn down four division I offers

to come to The Rock, the talent is almost expected to be there.

Slippery Rock women’s basketball freshman forward Morgan Henderson has done just that, and her talents have not gone unnoticed as she was voted The Rocket's

Athlete of the Month for February.

“I was really looking at University at Buffalo,” Henderson said. “When I came here to visit Slippery Rock, I loved the team, I loved the coaches, and I loved the campus. It felt right and going division II meant that I would be on the floor and it would be a better atmosphere for me.”

Henderson said she felt more comfortable in the Slippery Rock atmosphere than she did during her entire year of high school.

After moving from Pennsylvania to Texas as a child, then back to Pennsylvania because of her dad’s job, Henderson said, this is the first time she ever settled in so quickly and it is the reason why she developed and adapted so well as the season went on.

At a towering 6’2”, Henderson was one of three players on SRU’s roster that stood above 6’0” and is usually one of the tallest players on the court.

Henderson said her size is not the norm for a forward, but she feels her strength and size has given her an advantage.

“Basketball has changed a lot,” Henderson said. “Post (players) are supposed to be tall and lean, and I am built more. It helps me because I’m stronger, but I can also shoot and move well, so I can set screens and get my guards open as well.”

Henderson’s diverse play of size and agility showed on the court as she shot 38.5 percent from the field in the year, which consisted of a pair of three-pointers, and protected the ball well, only averaging one turnover per game. She also used her size to her benefit on defense, averaging 3.3 rebounds per game, the fourth-highest on the team.

Henderson’s play does not come without hard work.

Tennis wraps up spring trip

She said that there is a lot of conditioning she has to do in and out of season to prepare her to play to best of her abilities.

“Our assistant coach Jazmyne Frost really helps us out as our post coach,” Henderson said.

“Every practice we have post and guard break up, and then we really focus on shooting and defense after. It’s just the constant drills after drills that really get my momentum going.”

Her hard work makes her more confident in her game. As a young player, she often has to match up with seniors, but she said her game preparation allows her to not worry about the age gap. Henderson said she is prepared to do what is asked of her whether on offense or defense, no matter who she is matched up against.

Going into her sophomore season, Henderson is taking that hard work and confidence with her. She is planning to use the offseason to get in better shape and work on her on-court skills to become a dominant force for the team she thinks has an opportunity for a championship.

“We’ve already beat the number one team in the east,” Henderson said. “We’ve beat Gannon two times in school history. I feel like next year we are going to be unstoppable.”

Scan this code to watch a video of Morgan on theonlinerocket.com

Lacrosse beats Boro, improves to 10-0 all-time against Fighting Scotts Continued from Page C 1

REBECCA DIETRICH/THE ROCKET

Freshman Allie Welch volleys the ball during a match earlier this season. Weltch lost her single match against Embry-Riddle to 6-3 and 6-1 scores.

By Oscar Matous Rocket Contributor

The Slippery Rock University women’s tennis team finished up its spring trip to Florida with a 9-0 loss to the Embry-Riddle Eagles. To begin the day, the SRU doubles team of Tiffany Kollah and Kylee Woodman lost to Embry-Riddle’s Meena Bennet and Giovanna Tomiotto 8-2 at third singles. Hui-I Huang and Anna Gotz defeated SRU’s sophomore pair Carla Corrochano Moracho and Nina Barbano 8-3 in the first flight. Kathryn Bock and Paula Ortiz Couder lifted Embry-Riddle to an 8-2 victory against The Rock's junior Stephanie Fortier and freshman Amanda Bruscemi at second singles.

Freshman Allie Welch opened singles play with a loss to Embry-Riddle’s Bennet in the sixth flight with scores of 6-2, 6-1.

Gotz defeated Barbano with a 6-3, 6-1 win at second singles to add another win to the win column for Embry-Riddle.

To finish up singles play, Kathryn Bock took

victory over Fortier 6-0, 6-1 in the fifth slot, while Tomiotto beat Bruscemi 6-2, 6-0 at fourth singles.

“Although the competition against EmbryRiddle was tough,” Bruscemi explained, “The nice weather and the ability to play in beautiful weather for a few days really helped us to get better and to prepare us for the competition we will face in the PSAC.” In the third flight, Kollah lost to Couder 6-2, 6-0 and Corrochano just lost to Huang 6-4, 6-4 at number 1 singles.

The ladies, now with an overall record of 7-5, were scheduled to play Grove City on March 18, but that match has been postponed to a later date.

They will play their Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division Opener on March 25 against rival IUP at 4 p.m. at the Slippery Rock University Tennis Courts.

“As long as weather permits, we have to get out to the courts as much as possible to be ready for IUP,” says Freshman Allie Welch “Mental preparation and confidence is needed by everybody on the team. It will be a tough matchup but we can do it.”

The victory on Tuesday marked the fourth straight season in which The Rock has won its first home game of the season.

The game started off with Edinboro taking the 2-0 lead early less than two minutes into the game.

It did not take long for Slippery Rock to get on the board afterwards with Callaghan’s 100th goal of the season.

This goal started a 5-0 run for Slippery Rock and The Rock took a 5-2 lead heading into the half.

Edinboro came out early scoring another goal on their end less than a minute into the second half. Slippery Rock responded with two goals of its own, keeping the lead at 7-3.

Eventually Edinboro cut the score down to 8-6 and 9-7 but it was not enough to overcome SRU and Callaghan put away the last goal to end the game.

"It's a huge significance (to get the first conference win), it's really important to start the conference season on the right foot to get that win underneath that belt," Hopkins said.

Overall Slippery Rock led in the shots categories with 27 compared to the 19 that Edinboro had. Edinboro keeper Page Skinner was a big reason they managed to stay in the game with her 11 saves overall.

Juniors Caitlynn Palladino and Jasey Sanders and sophomores Bre Vodde and Danni Wilson all had one goal, followed by one assist each from freshman Jordan Chan and sophomore Tia Torchia. Senior goalie Jordan Wagner had nine saves in the net and allowed a season-low seven goals.

Slippery Rock plays their next game away at East Stroudsburg Saturday, March 19, at 1 p.m. This will also be another PSAC matchup as they try to stay undefeated in the PSAC.

SPORTS

C-4

March 18, 2016

PHOTO COURTESY OF ATHLETIC COMMUNICATION

Junior hurdler Jacob VanHouten competes at the PSAC indoor track championships. VanHouten won the 400-meter hurdles and had a national qualifying time at the first meet of the outdoor sason at Coastal Carolina.

Rock men start outdoor track season strong

By Justin Kraus Rocket Contributor

After a strong finish to the indoor season by placing second overall at the PSAC Indoor Championships, the Slippery Rock men’s track team started off the outdoor track season with success at the Coastal Carolina Invitational in Myrtle Beach, SC. An event win and NCAA provision were met, as well as eight top-five finishes and 19 PSAC qualifications.

Junior Jacob VanHouten was the clear standout over the weekend, winning the 400-meter hurdles and qualifying nationally. VanHouten posted a time of 53.35 seconds and was joined by three of his teammates in the event.

"We had some stellar performances, Jake VanHouten in particular is looking really good," SRU head coach John Papa said. "He's going to be one of the top 400-hurdlers in the conference. We're real excited about what he did there."

Junior Savon Salter placed fifth, also placing 12th in the 110-meter hurdles. Rounding out Slippery Rock performers

were senior Andrew Schroder finishing sixth, and junior Logan Mooney ninth.

Senior Ryan Thompson was second in the 800-meter run, clocking in at 1:56.10. Thompson also ran 3:59.75 in the 1,500-meter run, good for an eighth-place finish. Junior Tyler Palenchak also placed in the 1,500-meter, finishing 13th with a 4:01.67 time.

Sophomore Jeremy Parsons was second in the 5,000-meter run, posting a 15:00.61 time to lead Slippery Rock’s distance runners for the day.

Papa was happy with Parson's 5,000-meter time at this point in the year.

"His 5,000-meters was a pretty solid effort for the middle of March," Papa said. "We're excited about what he's going to do this year too."

Two Slippery Rock jumpers were runner-ups in their events. Sophomore Andrew Koksal placed second in the pole vault, vaulting 4.55 meters.

Senior Adam Leeper also finished second in the triple jump, leaping 13.90 meters. Leeper also placed 10th in the long jump with a 6.53-meter finish.

The 4x100 meter relay team opened the season with a third-place finish. Sophomore Connor Labarge, junior Erik Record, freshman Collin Darby, and junior Brandon Vanderbrook posted a time of 41.93 seconds. Vanderbrook and Darby also each placed in the open 100-meter dash with Vaderbrook finishing sixth and Darby 11th. Darby also finished 23rd in the 200-meter dash to finish the track performances for the weekend.

A pair of Rock throwers placed in two events each. Junior JJ Ollio finished fifth in the shot put and 10th in the discus, while freshman Brendon Stamm was 15th in the shot put and 18th in the discus.

"JJ's our stand out thrower so we're looking for a lot of great things out of him this outdoor season," Papa said. "I would say in general that we hit the ground running, but we still have a bunch of guys that haven't competed outdoors yet."

All athletes mentioned met PSAC qualifications.

Slippery Rock will have the upcoming weekend of but will return for the Raleigh Relays at North Carolina State University, March 25th and 26th.

Rock senior trio earn AllAmerican honors at D-II Track and Field Nationals

By Andrew Miloser Rocket Contributor

PHOTO COURTESY OF ATHLETIC COMMUNICATION

Senior Paige Kassab was named an All-American after finishing in fourth place at the division two track and field national competition.

It was a strong finish for three of the Slippery Rock Women’s Track and Field standouts.

The girls, all seniors, are Ashley West, Paige Kassab and Sabrina Anderson.

West and Kassab competed in the high jump and Anderson participated in the pentathlon.

The leader of these girls, Rock head coach John Papa, had nothing but faith in his senior competitors.

“Closing out the indoor season with individual championships at the NCAA Division II level is always something to be proud of and I couldn’t be more proud of these girls giving it their all each week.” Papa quoted.

West and Kassab pushed one another to the very end. Ashley West would earn All –American honors with a clearing leap of 1.72 meters.

This was enough to place fifth for West. With the fifth place finish, it was her second indoor All-American award.

Paige Kassab was pushed along by her experienced fellow teammate to earn a

fourth place finish one spot ahead of West with a leap of 1.73 meters. This was a personal best for Kassab as she earned All-American honors at her first ever national meet.

It was a record-setting day for redshirtsenior Sabrina Anderson. Having a very impressive indoor season, Anderson was not about to let herself down at nationals. She broke her own record for the third time this season with a fifth place finish in the pentathlon at 3,818 points which was better than her previous best of 3,774.

Forget the school records though, because Anderson topped the all-time PSAC record as well.

The previous record holder was Maddy Outman from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a score of 3,807 in 2009.

The girls will now look to finish off their collegiate track and field careers when they rejoin their team for their final outdoor season.

The girls outdoor season will begin at the Raleigh Relays which will be hosted at Division I North Carolina State University.

C

CAMPUS LIFE

INSIDE CAMPUS LIFE

Leonardo DiCaprio Takes Home Oscar

Women And Pop Culture Trivia Night

"The Film Buff" shares her thoughts on the 88th Academy Awards, as well as her excitment over Leonardo DiCaprio winning his first Oscar for "The Revenant."

Several SRU students participated in a trivia night on Tuesday in the Smith Student Center Ballroom that honored different types of women and various topics in pop culture.

See Page D-3

See D-2

SRU hosts Bocce competiton Tournament fosters inclusion for individuals with disabilities

REBECCA DIETRICH/THE ROCKET Dalton from Slippery Rock High School and Madison, an adapted physical activity graduate student, high five after he rolled his ball attempting to gain more points for the team.

By Emma Pfeifer Asst. Campus Life Editor

The adapted physical activity graduate students hosted the very first Interscholastic Unified Sports Bocce Tournament on Tuesday in the Morrow Field House.

The event consisted of four different high school teams from Slippery Rock, Grove City, Sharpsville and Hickory.

Cara Alvarez, adapted physical activity graduate student and project coordinator, said the whole point of the tournament was to foster inclusion between individuals with and without disabilities.

The event promotes these individuals to know that they can do these sports and be on a team just like anyone else can be, Alvarez said.

The reason the event was started was because a Sharpsville superintendent reached out to Slippery Rock stating he wanted more opportunities for his students with intellectual disabilities.

Adapted physical activity professor, Wendy Fagan runs the disability sports class in the graduate level classes, and teaches a lot about Special Olympics, Alvarez said.

Fagan reached out to the Special Olympics to start Slippery Rock’s college program and that is how the ball got rolling to creating the Interscholastic Unified Sports

Tournaments.

The first sporting event was a pilot soccer program lasting two weeks between Slippery Rock High School and Sharpsville High School. The event was such a hit that they decided to continue the program and bring more high schools in.

After deciding they wanted to do more with the program, the graduate students started reaching out to members from Special Olympics Pennsylvania and also Special Olympics International in Washington D.C., Alvarez said.

SEE TOURNAMENT, PAGE D-2

Rock women share their journeys to success

KENDALL SCOTT/THE ROCKET The panel discusses their journeys to success that led them into the women they are today, as well as their setbacks and how they overcame them Tuesday in the Smith Student Center Theatre

By Amber Cannon Campus Life Editor

A panel comprised of Slippery Rock University women, including students, faculty and staff, discussed their journeys to success, their setbacks and how they overcame them at a discussion on Tuesday in the Smith Student Center Theater.

The event was sponsored by the President's Commission

on the Status of Women as part of Women's History Month.

The panel consisted of head softball Coach, Stacey Rice, payroll manager, Margie Riddell, sophomore exercise science major and gerontology minor Katelynn Kletzli, senior psychology major Ayanna Byers, dean of the college of liberal arts, Dr. Ava Tsuquiashi-Daddesio and professor and chair of the dance department, Ursula Payne.

The event was moderated by Dr. Kim Keeley, assistant professor of exercise and rehabilitative sciences.

Rice began the conversation, and said if there was one

thing that she wished she'd known along the way that she knows now, it would be to not worry about things that she can't control. She said in high school and college, she was constantly worried about everything that she couldn't control, including the weather, people and their decisions.

"Being a little older, I've noticed that my stress level has really gone down, and I've been able to handle pressures at work and at home so much easier," Rice said. "I would say that I still lay on a type A (personality), but I definitely have more elements on type B in me. I would encourage everyone in this room to really learn how to do that because if not, it can really affect your success."

Byers said going into college, a major setback that she has faced, and still sometimes faces today, is realizing that she's enough. She said she can remember in 7th grade, she would receive a series of comments that really made her feel like she wasn't enough.

"I remember being placed in the second to lowest classes available," Byers said. "I can remember walking into classes and teachers sending me to ISS (in school suspension) for speaking and challenging them. Their comments would be, ‘she’s disrespectful, she has an attitude, she just wants to cause a problem.’”

Byers said she can remember another teacher in one of her classes who asked her if she knew who her father was.

"I felt like I constantly had to prove myself because of my identity," Byers said.

Byers said now, she's starting to recognize that she's intelligent, capable, competent and enough.

Kletzli said going to different clubs and organizations where she didn't know anyone really helped her become more active in college.

SEE DEAN, PAGE D-2

CAMPUS LIFE

D-2

March 18, 2016

Trivia night teaches students about women's history

KENDALL SCOTT/THE ROCKET LaMorie Marsh and Yonshalae Powell discussing their answers at the trivia night event in honor of Women's History Month.

By Samantha Figard Rocket Contributor

The Women’s Center held a trivia night in honor of Women’s History Month for Slippery Rock University students with an interest in learning history facts about women on Tuesday in the Robert M. Smith Student Center Ballroom.

The month of March celebrates Women’s History month. Slippery Rock University students and organizations collaborated to host events geared towards educating those interested in women’s history. Jodi

Solito, director of the Women’s Center, and outside student help, were able to make the event happen.

“The Women’s Center staff was planning different events and programs for the month and a first-year student unaffiliated with us, Kennedy Moore, came to us with interest in creating a trivia night,” Solito said. “We decided that a trivia event based on women would fit well as a Women’s History Month event.”

Solito was assisted by Kennedy Moore and student employee Victoria Davis who worked to develop the questions, categorize the questions and create the

structure for how the event would run.

Residence Life was able to lend a helping hand for the event too.

“We reached out to Residence Life to co-sponsor the event because we know the community assistants have program requirements and thought this type of event would lend itself well to that end,” Solito said. “Residence Life agreed to cosponsor the event and to provide the pizza.

We know, from a survey conducted by The Rocket a while back, that Coffaro’s is the pizza of choice among students, so we went with Coffaro’s.”

Not only were students able to learn

more about women’s history, but a chance to win prizes were provided, courtesy of Coffaro’s Pizza, for the winning team.

“We also asked Coffaro’s for six free games of bowling, which would be awarded to the first-place team,” Solito said.

Audience member Mary Meyer said she will continue to attend the events offered to her by the organizations relating to Women’s History Month.

“I am extremely competition driven, so anytime there is a chance to participate in an event where I can win, I’m there; learning about women’s history was just an added bonus,” Meyer said.

Vice President of Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance Gabriella Lyons was able to attend the trivia night and see the success of the event.

“While attendance could have been higher, enthusiasm and excitement were there in full force,” Lyons said.

As March continues, more events will be held in honor of Women’s History Month at the Robert M. Smith Student Center. Dr. Cindy LaCom and Natalie Drozda of the Gender Studies department will hold an event that caught the eye of Lyons.

“I'm really looking forward to the mass shooting discussion,” Lyons said.

Students who attended the event gained knowledge about women’s history in an interactive way, which was the goal of hosting just one of the events centered around women’s history.

“My hope is that students learn at least one fact about women’s contributions to society that they didn't know before, and that they have fun socializing at the same time,” Solito said. “I also want students to see that the Women’s Center offers cool programs.”

Tournament promotes socializing Dean urges women

to get even, not angry Continued from Page D-1

REBECCA DIETRICH/THE ROCKET Kyle Antus from Sharpsville High School and Marina Snowden from Slippery Rock High School compete against each other in the bocce tournament.

Continued from Page D-1

After contacting many people and brainstorming ideas, the department came up with tournaments for spring, summer, fall and winter.

The spring semester tournament is bocce, which was what was played on Tuesday.

Bocce is a very verbal sport, Alvarez said.

Bocce is a game that is played with two teams going against each other. It starts out by flipping a coin to see who rolls the pallina ball first. The pallina ball is a small ball that is rolled down the lane or field. After the pallina ball is rolled, the object of the game is to get your ball closest to the pallina ball.

There is usually a green team and a red team, Alvarez said.

There are four players on a team at a time and each player gets one roll.

After all the balls are rolled, if the green team has the two closest balls to the pallina, the green team is awarded two points, for example.

The reason why bocce works incredibly well is because it is a social sport, Alvarez said. Individuals with and without disabilities form friendships and bond by supporting each other throughout the game.

Kelsey Tanler, freshman athletic training major, said she thinks the event is beyond beneficial for the athletes and that they get to bond with people that don’t have disabilities, and they are not treated any differently.

The graduate students worked closely with Jennifer Tresp, coordinator for the Special Olympics, to construct the event.

She helped them figure out how to go about the opening ceremony, award ceremony and how the event is usually run.

Graduate students in the program helped with the event by becoming coaches and helping the athletes.

The event took about a month to plan and work out. Erin McKenna, adapted physical activity graduate student and project coordinator, said getting the field house, making sure the high schools knew every detail and making sure all the grad students were going to be available took some time, along with the graduate students also going through training to be officials and coaches.

The event brought more than 200 audience members that clapped and cheered for the athletes throughout the tournament.

Olivia Bridges, freshman adapted physical activity minor, said the tournament seemed like a sporting event that everyone can go to and enjoy, which is incredibly valuable.

Alvarez said the adapted physical activity graduate students are trying to make Slippery Rock University a center of excellence with the Special Olympics.

The plan is to make people aware of what the University is doing and spread it to other colleges as well.

Being with the adapted physical activity department, there is always hands-on experience to becoming educated on how to help individuals with disabilities to lead better lives, McKenna said.

The department is hosting an Interscholastic Unified Sports Track and Field event on April 28 at the Mihalik Stadium at 4 p.m.

"We are encouraging everyone to come and spectate because we hope to grow these events and bring in more

"Going to different clubs snowballed, and I became president of a club and then I heard about becoming a CA, and through being a CA and doing different socials and trying to get my floor involved, I've become even more involved by supporting what they're doing and going to their events," Kletzli said.

Kletzli said being successful starts by getting your foot in the door, and going from there.

Riddell said one of her setbacks after she had been at SRU for a while, was the fact that people tried to pigeon hole her. She said when she first got here, she was brought on to do payroll, but was offered a clerical position. She said no one would see her in any other position.

She said once the payroll manager position opened up, she applied.

"I was totally qualified for the job," Riddel said. "I had the education required, I knew the ERP systems that the university was using, but I didn't even get an interview because they hired a guy with less experience, but I guess that was extremely important to the administration."

Coming off of what Ridell said, Tsuquiashi-Daddesio said for women, when something doesn't go your way, don't get angry, get even.

"Getting even doesn't mean doing the same thing they did to you," Tsuquiashi-Daddesio said. "Get even in the sense that you get to the level where you want to be. Make it even."

Tsuquiashi-Daddesio also urged women to know their value, and to not be discouraged or scared to speak up.

Payne said she faced one of her major setbacks when she graduated from graduate school at The Ohio State University. She moved to New York to start her dancing career, but was having a hard time finding a place to live. She said she got into a situation where she was able to live with a white Jewish woman on 12th street, a prime street in New York.

"It was a situation where for room and board, I was also being a domestic worker in the home," Payne said.

"It seemed like a really good deal at the time because I was in New York and I was doing my thing, but the situation turned into a 'Driving Miss. Daisy' situation.

This is what my grandmother used to do when she lived in Connecticut; she worked in homes."

Payne said instead of being angry, she said she was going to learn as much as she could about her situation, which allowed her to learn a lot about herself and what was important, such as being able to provide for herself.

Payne said after that, everything changed and she bought a house when she could buy a house.

“As a female, one of the first things people said to me is, ‘why are you going to buy a house if you don’t have a husband?’" Payne said. "Even people in my own family said that. I said because I’m Ursula Payne.”

March 18, 2016

CAMPUS LIFE

DiCaprio finally wins his well-deserved Oscar

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Ask Andi

Andi is a senior at SRU giving advice to those who seek it and occasionally to those who don't.

Question: Dear Andi,

I met a guy online that I really started to like.

He lives an hour away from me, so we've never met up before. I met a guy on campus that I really like too, and we actually hit it off really well, and already went a couple dates. How do I tell a guy that I met online that I'm not interested anymore without being rude?

PHOTO COURTESY OF TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE Leonardo DiCaprio waits at the engraving station after the 88th Academy Awards Governors Ball after winning an Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his work in "The Revenant."

Harmony Kasper "The Film Buff" Harmony Kasper is a senior journalism and creative writing major and film and media studies minor and a regular contributor to The Rocket.

Chris Rock, host of the 88th Academy Awards, or better known as the Oscars, started the awards with the statements, "Well, I'm here at the Academy Awards. Otherwise known as the White People's Choice Awards," followed by immediate laughter from the predominantly white crowd.

If you have no idea why he would start out a prestigious award show with such a statement, you must not be aware of the #OscarsSoWhite controversy that has been trending since the nominees were announced in January. Racism is a problem in Hollywood, and has been since the beginning of moviemaking. Rock made it very clear that this was going to be the main theme of his opening monologue and the rest of his jokes throughout the night, as it deserved to be. There was even a brief appearance from the Academy's president, who is a woman of color, to address that this issue is not to be taken lightly and is being worked on for the future.

I favor the Oscars over many other award shows because the purpose of the show, which is to give awards for achievement in the industry, is the main focus. Something the Oscars did differently this year was having all the nominees submit their "thank you" pre-show and they would be displayed on the bottom of the screen as the winner accepted their award. This was cool in the sense that tiny bios of the presenters were displayed, such as if they have ever won an Academy Award.

But the "thank you" ticker didn't help with the acceptance speeches at all. The winners still went through and thanked all the people who made and starred in the films. The ticker also showed the names at warp speed. Some speeches went over the 45-second time limit and were mixed with the beautiful sounds of the orchestra, but those winners didn't seem to care.

Some of the highlights from the show included: Rock's outstanding hosting gig, in which he also covered Black Lives Matter and gender inequality, Alicia Vikander winning Best Supporting Actress for her role in “The Danish Girl” and looking just like Belle from “Beauty and the Beast,” and Joe Biden making an appearance to introduce Lady Gaga and

her powerful song, "Til It Happens To You," where she was joined by sexual assault victims.

Biden's appearance and Gaga's performance were the first standing ovations of the night.

Most of the crowd was in tears when she finished and the victims held hands with sayings on their arms such as, "unbroken" and "not your fault."

Sam Smith was the winner for Best Original Song with, "Writing's On The Wall (from Spectre)," from the James Bond film that came out last year. He immediately received backlash for winning against Gaga and accepting the Oscar as the first openly gay man, which he was not. “Mad Max: Fury Road” won six Oscars, the most of the night. I was shocked because I personally would never want to see this film.

Another surprise of the night came from the Best Supporting Actor category. Newspapers and blogs were sure that Sylvester Stallone, who reprised his role as Rocky Balboa in “Creed,” was going to take home the gold statue.

One of my favorite parts of the entire show was the music. Not only did Sam Smith and Lady Gaga perform their nominated songs, but so did The Weeknd. Many don't realize that "Earned It" was actually made for Fifty Shades of Grey. Dave Grohl did one of the most beautiful renditions of "Blackbird" I have ever heard during the "In Memoriam" segment.

Also, the live orchestra that sat underneath the stage played songs from various film scores throughout the night The best parts of the night included winners of the four major categories, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Actor and Best Picture.

Alejandro González Iñárritu won Best Director for “The Revenant” and took the platform to speak about immigration and corruption in Mexico, even as the music played to cut him off. Best Actress went to Brie Larson for “Room.” To almost everyone's surprise, except mine, because I guessed correctly on my Oscar's ballot, Best Picture went to the gritty and real movie, “Spotlight.” The film is based on the true accounts of ‘The Boston Globe's’ efforts in investigative journalism regarding child sex abuse in the area by Roman Catholic priests. Such a powerful film deserved to win the largest title of the night because of its awareness of a serious crime.

The most exciting and long-awaited moment of the night came right before the Best Picture announcement. Leonardo DiCaprio finally took home an Oscar. The actor has been nominated a total of six times. We have all seen the hilarious memes created because of his inability to win. It has been 23 years since his first nomination for Best Supporting Actor in “What's Eating Gilbert Grape.” It's only fitting that he won for a role that he has stated he would never want to experience again, because of its hardness to film. He took his time on stage to thank the people who have supported him, specifically his parents, but also discuss the importance and severity of climate change, something Dicaprio has been an advocate of for many years. The images of Leo and Kate Winslet together on the red carpet and after his big win brought us all the feels of Jack and Rose all over again.

Sincerely, Tinderella

Answer:

Dear Tinderella,

Dating can be tough, especially now. The lines of dating are so blurred that dating has become something kind of rare. Nowadays people "talk" and "kinda date, but not really date" each other.

There is nothing wrong with going on a few dates with someone and getting to know them without having to add any type of label to it. In your case, you've made up your mind and are more interested in the new guy, and that's perfectly fine. You aren't committing any crimes for being interested in someone else. I guess my best advice would be to just be honest. Explain the situation and explain how distance might be an issue for you. There's nothing wrong with explaining how you feel. You don't have to beat yourself up about it because you don't owe anyone anything, but yourself. Being honest isn't always being rude.

Best Wishes!

Andi

Question: Dear Andi,

I feel like my professor is out to get me. I challenged him on one of his opinions in class because I disagreed with him. Now, I feel like every time he talks to me, he keeps it short, but he's very talkative with his other students. We even did an assignment a few days ago, and I know I did well on it, but he gave me a D. One thing I was told to do in college is speak up, but when I do, I get backlash for it. What can I do to make my professor stop treating me like this?

Sincerely, Opinionated Ophelia

Answer:

Dear Opinionated Ophelia,

College is a time for speaking up and expressing yourself. You certainly aren't wrong. Speaking up in class and sharing opinions is always a good thing, especially if it counts for class participation points. Most professors are pretty open to new ideas, but also, just like us, they have their own opinions too. It's hard to get through to some people and make them make sense of your opinion. I think it would be best for you to talk to your professor one on one and further explain your side of the opinion. It never hurts to talk to professors outside of class. You never know, maybe you'll have enough evidence to sway his opinion. Honestly, you have nothing more to lose.

One bad grade isn't worth that much of a fight sometimes.

Best Wishes!

Andi

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March 18, 2016