The
Rocket Slippery Rock University Student Newspaper Est. 1934
Baseball: Takes lead in PSAC-West www.theonlinerocket.com
SPORTS FOCUS
SRU Custodians:
Keeping the campus clean
April 22, 2011
Volume 93, Number 25
SGA debates selective club approval policy Former By Courtney Nickle Rocket Assistant News Editor
SGA voted to approve the Connect Club as a recognized organization at their meeting Thursday. The Connect Club had been discussed at the previous meeting April 7, where they had been denied. According to Jordan Bailey, current vice president of student affairs and president
elect, he has never seen a motion of that nature fail. “In the last three years that I’ve been in senate, we’ve never declined a club before,” he said. Lindsay MacNabb, the vice president of pubic relations and one of the senate members who originally voted against recognizing the club, said she thought it was too similar to other organizations already on campus. “It’s not sustainable to
Smith reflects on his time as president
continuously recognize organizations when you can merge them,” she said. The Connect Club is a religious organization where anyone from any belief can come and participate in discussions. MacNabb made a motion to set up a standing rule that SGA only recognizes organizations with distinctly different purposes than other SGA recognized organizations.
That motion was tabled until the next senate meeting April 28. MacNabb’s reasoning was that precedent set by other SGA decisions says that organizations receive $250 in the budgeting process if they meet all the requirements, and giving out that money could drain SGA’s budget reserves eventually. Several other senate members were against
MacNabb’s motion, including senator Jim Henry, who thought a rule like that would not encourage students to get involved. “It should not be intimidating for students to make a group on-campus,” he said. Bailey said he thinks the rule would be more beneficial to SGA than to the students. “We’re supposed to represent
SEE UNION, PAGE A-2
Earth Day Festival
By Andy Treese
Rocket Assistant Focus Editor
On a cold and wet morning, Slippery Rock University President Robert Smith sat down and relaxed in one of the several wooden chairs in his spacious, highly-organized office on the third floor of Old Main. Having announced his plans to retire in January on April 12, looks of exhaustion and shock settled in Smith’s eyes as he began to reflect on the time he and his wife, Ramona, spent at the Rock. “ We’re e m ot i on a l l y struggling, and we’ve got nine months of this – of dealing with separation from all of these people that we care a lot about,” Smith said. “I can’t take 9,000 people with me.” Though having first stepped in to the presidency as the
ARIEL KNOX/THE ROCKET
Chris Reed, Market Garden Coordinator, holds a chicken from the Robert Macoskey Center for students to look at at the Earth Day Festival, sponsored by Dr. Marcy Leeds' environmental health class.
SEE SMITH, PAGE A-3
Sustainability panel includes North Country Brewing Co. By Eric Busch
Rocket Staff Reporter
Over 200 people attended a discussion organized by Students for Sustainability in the Advanced Technology and Science building auditorium Tuesday during common hour. The panel, which was made up of five business professionals, was asked questions by students about t he i r c omp an i e s g re e n practices. Panelist Benson Gabler is the vice president of Corporate Sustainability for PNC Bank. He s ai d PNC b e g an looking into the concept of sustainability during the late 1990s during the construction of their current operations facility in Pittsburgh. Gabler said they were approached by the Green Building Alliance shortly after construction had began and were presented with a plan for an energy-efficient building that would save the company money. Construction was immediately halted on the building until new plans were
made to meet green building standards. Since then, Gabler said PNC has opened over 100 Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified buildings, the most of any company in the world. Local business owner Robert McCafferty was also a member of the panel. McCafferty discussed the importance of sustainable practices at his own establishment, the North Country Brewing Company. “Sustainability is more of a lifestyle for me,” he said. According to McCafferty, restaurants tend to be some of the most wasteful businesses, but his has become increasingly efficient. The brewery’s waste has dwindled from 24 cubic yards to 6 cubic yards since it opened. McCafferty’s main focus is salvaging reusable waste from a day in the restaurant. Grain used in the distilling process for the homemade beer is fed to his cows as a source of protein. The cows are in turn butchered and make it back
ERIC BUSCH/THE ROCKET
Herb Carlson, assistant vice president for construction design and management, opens panel discussion sponsored by Students for Sustainability in the Advanced Technology and Science building.
to the brewery as steak or burgers. Table scraps are also reused in a compost bin behind the restaurant that uses worms to break down food into rich nutrients for soil, he said. Two SRU graduates, Bryan John Page and Jerry DeRosa, were also members of the panel. Page is an environmental
chemist at BioMost Incorporated in Mars, Pa., which specializes in treating mine drainage. DeRosa is the Office Principal and Environmental Office Manager of Pennoni Associates Incorporated in Monroeville, Pa. DeRosa said his company recently worked with Coffaro’s Pizza in Slippery Rock on a
new PVC wrapping system. This new system would wrap the pizza ovens with an insulator in order to increase the temperature inside the oven. The system would also aid in heating the business and would lower electrical costs during the cold months, DeRosa said.
studentathlete charged By Courtney Nickle Rocket Assistant News Ediot
Jurors for a murder trial in Greenville, N.C. announced April 6 that James Earl Richardson, 34, a former SRU basketball player, was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of discharging a firearm in an occupied building, according to WITN-TV out of eastern North Carolina. Richardson, who was a basketball star at Slippery Rock University from 1998 to 2000, was sentenced to two life sentences without parole by Judge Rusty Duke, according to WITNTV. Early on the morning of June 30, 2009, Richardson reportedly got into a fight at The Other Place nightclub in Greenville. He returned in his white BMW and began firing, then left the scene. His car was found later that day in downtown Greenville. Landon Blackley, then a 21-year-old student at East Carolina University, and Andrew Kirby, the manager of a nearby Michaelangelo’s pizzeria, were killed in the drive-by shooting. According to WITNTV, police said the victims weren’t involved in the fight inside the nightclub. Richardson turned himself in to Greenville police on July 4, 2009. District Attorney Clark Everett was originally pursuing the death penalty, but instead recommended that the judge give life sentences at the requests of the victims’ families. According to WITN-TV, Richardson is adament that he's innocent, and told the judge that the police should further investigate the incident. "I can only imagine what [the families] are going through, but what I'm trying to say is you got the wrong guy," he said. He was named to the AllPennsylvania State Athletic Conference - second team during both the 1998-1999 and 1999-2000 seasons. Richardson still holds fourth place of all-time at SRU for blocked shots with 69 during the 1998-1999 season. Following his playing career at SRU, Richardson played in the American Basketball Association and the Continental Basketball Association.
News
Rock Notes A-2
Rocket announces 2011-2012 staff JASON ELLWANGER/THE ROCKET
Courtney Nickle, the 2011-12 Rocket editor-in-chief.
Pi Kappa Alpha Golf Outing
Pi Kappa Alpha is sponsoring a golf outing on April 30 at Oakview Golf Club. Registration opens at 11:30 a.m. with a shotgun start at 1 p.m. The event fee is $75, which includes 18 holes with a cart and dinner. Registration forms can be found in the CSIL Office or at srupikes.webs.com and are due by April 15. Anyone with questions can contact Corey Stebbins at 814-823-9726 or cds9013@ sru.edu.
University Union Room Reservations
The University Union will begin processing requests for recurring meetings for fall 2011 on April 1. 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 under Student Life. If you have any questions, please contact Chris Cole at 724-738-2718.
FAFSA Filing Help Session
Remember to file your 2011-12 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) before May 1st! Students who need some assistance can attend a FAFSA Filing Help Session on Friday, April 8 between 10:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. in Room 213 of Bailey Library. SRU Financial Aid Office staff will be available to answer questions and provide assistance.
Earth Day Symposium
SRU will host an Earth Day Symposium in the University Union on April 22 from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The main focus of the speakers and presentations will be about the Marcellus Shale gas industry. The event is free and open to anyone
Chip in for Children
SRU Sport Management students are hosting the Chip In 4 Children golf outing and recognition dinner on April 30 at St. Jude Golf Club in Chicora, PA. The golf outing will be a fourman scramble, check-in will start at 11:00 a.m. and dinner will start at 6:00 p.m. All proceeds from the golf outing and patron donors will benefit the St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. The proceeds from the dinner will benefit the SRU Sport Management Scholarship Fund.
Publicize your group's event with a Rock Note. To submit a Rock Note to be considered for publication, please send your announcement by 6 p.m. Wednesday to: News Editor Lauren Laing 220 Eisenberg Classroom Building Slippery Rock, PA 16057
Forecast from National Weather Service Saturday Friday Sunday Showers
High: 50; Low: 43
Chance of t-storms
A 19-year-old SRU journalism major was elected Tuesday as editor-in-chief of The Rocket for the upcoming 2011-12 school year, and 12 other students were also elected to various editorial, photo and ad-sales positions. Courtney Nickle, a junior from Butler pursuing a journalism track within the D e p ar t m e nt of Communication, was elected to head the student-run paper by current Rocket staff, which voted Tuesday on all 13 paid positions. The Rocket is funded through the Co-Operative Activities Board.
Chance of showers
High: 72; Low: 48 High: 61; Low: 43
Nickle joined The Rocket this school year as its assistant news editor and is replacing current Editor-in-Chief Kacie Peterson, a double major in communication and dance, who will graduate next month. Both Peterson and Nickle are among several Rocket staffers who won journalism awards, announced last week, from the Society of Collegiate Journalists – Nickle winning a secondplace in the hard or breaking news category for her coverage of the fire that broke out at Allied Dental and Peterson a second-place winner for editorial writing. The Rocket took home a total of seven SCJ awards this year, all announced last week, including a second-place for overall excellence. A third current Rocket staffer, Andy Treese, a journalism major from Erie who’s currently the paper’s assistant
editor in the Focus section, was elected Tuesday as editor of the features-and-lifestyles section, replacing Stephanie Nicotra, who is graduating. Treese also won an SCJ journalism award this semester – an honorable mention for his “Dirty Jobs” features. The paper’s current Assistant Editor of Sports, Tim Durr, was elected Tuesday as editor of the Sports section and replaces current Sports Editor Bill Kostkas. Durr, 20, a journalism major from Beaver Falls, joined the staff full-time this year and has written for the paper since last school year. The current newspaper staff also elected the following students to other paid positions for the 2011-12 school year: * News Editor: Brian Brodeur * News Reporter: Spencer Cadden, who has written a regular weekly opinion column during the current school year.
* Photo Editor: Lexi Kovski * Web Editor: James Intile * Copy editor: Stephanie Martincsek * Assistant News Editor: Stephanie Holsinger * Assistant Sports Editor: Madeline Williams * Assistant Focus Editor: James Meyer * Assistant Photo Editor: Liana Pittman * Advertising Sales Representative: Emily Hunter, a 21-year-old physical education major, who served in the position this year and was re-elected for the 2011-12 school year. The Rocket is an entirely student-run publication publishing 26 editions each school year, with a current hard-copy publication of 3,000 copies per week. The paper has also been available online for more than a decade.
Union could be named after Smith Continued from Page a-1
the students, we’re not supposed to protect ourselves,” he said. MacNabb said she wanted to introduce the idea just to get the senators thinking about it and then table the motion to allow for more discussion. SGA also voted to approve the student initiative to name the new student union as the Robert M. Smith Student Center. The question was posed in SGA’s survey a few weeks ago, and according to SGA President Jeremiah Rosser, 61 percent of students voted to name the new union after President Smith. SGA also discussed the multipurpose rink project, which was approved for up to $84,000 at the senate meeting April 7.
Index
Weather
April 22, 2011
Rock Notes..........A-2 Blotter.................A-3 Opinion.......A-4 Classifieds..........A-6 Comics................A-7
Sports...................B-1 Focus..................C-1
Mike Madden, vice president of administrative affairs, said the rink would cost more than he originally thought. “We don’t have enough money to make this happen,” he said. Madden suggested instead that $7,500 go towards research and planning for the project,
and the remaining $76,500 be set aside in a fund to accrue money until there’s enough to complete the project. SGA voted to approve Madden’s suggestion. Vice President of Finance Adam Kennerdell announced at the meeting that the athletics budget was approved for
$626,324, which is a 2 percent increase from last year. SGA also voted to reactivate the SRU chapter of the American Marketing Association. Elevation Dance, a jazz and hip-hop style dance club, was also approved as a recognized organization by SGA.
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220 Eisenberg Building Slippery Rock University Slippery Rock, PA 16057 Email: rocket.letters@sru.edu
Thirteen-time 2010 award-winning newspaper.
News
April 22, 2011
A-3
Police Blotter Magistrate April 13 – Darius Sterling Frantz, 19, of Freeport, Pa. was seen for four counts of selling/ furnishing liquor by a minor and the purchase of an alcoholic beverage by a minor. He was released on his own recognizance. April 13 – William Brinton Whitaker, 19, of Slippery Rock was seen for four counts of selling/ furnishing liquor by a minor and the purchase of an alcoholic beverage by a minor. He was released on his own recognizance. April 13 – Aaron L. Serrano, 19, of Lorain, Ohio was seen for four counts of selling/furnishing liquor by a minor and the purchase of an alcoholic beverage by a minor. He was released on his own recognizance.
April 13 – Blair C. Gantz, 32, of Slippery Rock was seen for two counts of DUI. He was released on his own recognizance.
April 13 – Jason Stout, 23, of Ruffsdale, Pa. was seen for two counts of DUI. He was released on his own recognizance.
April 13 – Christopher Paul Maynard, 36, of Cochranton, Pa. was seen for DUI. He was released on his own recognizance.
April 13 – Benjamin Daniel Davidson, 32, of Butler was seen for use/possession of drug paraphernalia.
April 13 – Corey William Franz, 20, of McDonald, Pa. was seen for two counts of DUI and the purchase of an alcoholic beverage by a minor. He was released on his own recognizance.
April 13 – David Lee Christy, 21, of Sarver, Pa. was seen for two counts of DUI. He was released on his own recognizance.
April 13 – James Traylor, 19, of McKeesport was seen for four counts of use/possession of drug paraphernalia, a small amount of marijuana and disorderly conduct.
April 13 – Brooke Marie Weaver, 20, of Portersville, Pa. was seen for possession of a controlled substance and use/possession of drug paraphernalia. She was released on his own recognizance.
Borough April 14 – Faisal Syed Ahmad Ali, 28, was cited for disorderly conduct. Campus
April 14 – Theft was reported from a vehicle in the West Lake parking lot. The case is under investigation.
April 14 – Report of theft of a USB cord from Strain Behavioral Science Building. The case is under investigation.
April 15 – Jesse Preisler, 19, Eric Gonzalez, 19, and Alexa Llagas, 19, were cited for underage consumption of alcohol after an alcohol violation was reported in Building B.
April 14 – Report of theft of a permit from the University Union parking lot. The case is under investigation.
April 16 – Report of vehicle damage on Morrow Way. The case is under investigation.
April 14 – Report of a possible sexual assault in Pine Glenn apartment complex. The case is being investigated by Pennsylvania State Police. April 14 – Report of an alcohol violation in Building B. The case was referred to judicial.
April 16 – Troy Eschweiler, 18, Logan Matelan, 19, Nicholas Smith, 19, and Michael White, 18, were seen for underage consumption of alcohol after an alcohol violation was reported in Watson Hall.
April 16 – Emanuel Graves, 22, was cited for DUI after a traffic stop on West Lake Lane. April 16 – Gina Pagnotta, 19, was cited for underage consumption of alcohol after a traffic stop on Kiester Road. April 17 – Todd Fair, 32, was cited for DUI after a traffic stop on Kiester Road. April 17 – Report of harassment in Watson Hall. Officers spoke with the roommate. No other action was taken. April 19 – Report of disturbance in Bailey Library. The individual left the area. No other action was taken.
Compiled by Courtney Nickle
Smith says he turned position down twice before taking it Continued from Page a-1
interim president in 2002, Smith said he never initially set out to be the president of any college or university. With a bachelor’s degree from Wichita State University, a master’s degree from Ohio University and a doctorate in communication from Temple University, Smith came to SRU in 1999 as the provost and vice president of academic affairs. Smith said when he was selected to be the interim president on December 7, 2002, there was a vacuum in the university after the previous
president, G. Warren Smith, was relieved of his duties, leaving an hour and a half for a decision to be made. “I turned the job down twice in that hour-and-a-half period of time,” he said. “But it had occurred to me that if I didn’t take it, then we would be assigned somebody from the outside, who had not been a part of the campus and would not know our culture or our people. So I took the job.” After serving as the interim president for almost two years, Smith was appointed as the 15th president of SRU May
20, 2004. Smith said one of the more difficult situations he faced as president began at the start of his time as the interim president in December during finals week. He said it was difficult because the student population knew what was going on with the change in presidency, and that he knew he would have to give a speech to the campus addressing the matter. “[The students] wanted to know, ‘Where are we going to go?’ and ‘Are things going to be okay,’” he said, facing the
palms of his hands toward the ceiling as he raised one and lowered the other alternatively. “Having background in communication, I understood what the requirements of that speech were, but the question was, ‘Am I up to the task?’” When the speech was made in January 2003, Smith said he decided the best course of action to take for the university was to take action to create changes across the campus rapidly and without relent. Some of the changes made to the campus under his supervision included the
addition of the residential suites, as well as the renovations made to Boozel Dining Hall and Vincent Science Hall. Most recent in campus additions is the current construction of the new university union, which is expected to open in 2012. During his presidency, the university also experienced a consistent increase in enrollment and academic standards, and became ranked as one of the top-100 schools in the northeastern U.S., according to Smith. He said among all the accomplishments he helped
the university achieve, not a single one stood out to him as what he was most proud of, so much as them all. Proud of all of his accomplishments at SRU and only regretting not having spent more time attending the events of other student organizations, President Smith said one of his main focuses now before he and his wife move to Franklin, Tenn., in addition to resolving the ongoing issues with the budget, is to help the university find a suitable and fitting candidate to take his place.
OPINION A-4 The Rocket
April 22, 2011
The Rocket
Our View
Volume 93, Number 25 220 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 Kacie Peterson Editor-in-Chief Lauren Laing News Editor Stephanie Nicotra Focus Editor Bill Kostkas Sports Editor Jason Ellwanger Photo Editor Melissa McFarland Copy Editor Zack Tanner Web Editor Courtney Nickle Assistant News Editor Andy Treese Assistant Focus Editor Tim Durr Assistant Sports Editor Jessica Gordon Assistant Photo Editor Eric Busch News Reporter Joseph Harry Faculty Adviser
Advertising Staff Emily Hunter Advertising Manager Ashley Adams Advertising Asst. 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.
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 Fall 2010 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.
GRAPHYC BY JASON ELLWANGER
BP should take responsibilty for own mistakes with oil spill In honor of Earth Day, we would like to take a moment to remember that infamous BP oil spill that started a little over a year ago in the Gulf of Mexico. Let’s have a moment of silence for the wildlife and the businesses that suffered due to the recklessness of one company. We’d like to take a moment to remember what happened. Nearly 200 million gallons of cr ude oil erupted into the gulf just days before Earth Day. We think that’s a little ironic. And we’re still in awe of the power of a single oilrig and its capabilities to destroy whole industries that rely on the Gulf Coast. Single-handedly, BP
was able to strike down t he f ishing, oil and tourism industries with one mighty blow. Pretty impressive, huh? But the fact that we’re really excited about that where BP sued the maker of the device that failed to stop last year’s spill. BP is suing Transocean for at least $40 billion in damages. That’s quite a lot of money to sue for. It’s going to go to a good cause, right? We think that money should go to helping out the industries that were harmed thanks to the largest oil spill in American history. After all, the oil left animals covered in sticky substances and crushed fishing businesses all around the Gulf Coast. And that’s not the only
Even more irony still. If it wasn’t enough that BP decided to shove off some of the blame, but to do it on the first anniversary? That seems like a really strong punch to the gut. Especially to the businesses that are still suffering in terms of revenue because of the amount of tourism they’re not getting this year. And BP is still drilling off the coast of the Gulf. It hasn’t stopped. Earlier this month, BP was allowed to head back to the Gulf to continue drilling. We think this is too soon. Yes, the oil company has paid some of a price in regards to shame and embarrassment for such actions, but we don’t think that’s enough. The oil spill raged for
87 days, way longer than it should have. The consequences of the spill are still being felt and with this in mind, we’d hope that BP still feels the guilt for disrupting so many lives. The situation hasn’t been completely fixed. Ac c o r d i n g t o t h e Surfrider Foundation, 66 miles of coastline are still moderately or severely covered in oil and 1,000 square miles of ocean remain closed to fishing. The road to recovery is still slick with the crude oil. But we can’t forget who’s to blame for the situation. And we can’t let BP get away with pulling another business under the water. Because like many of the businesses and wildlife, we don’t know if it will ever resurface.
Online Voices
Last issue's poll... What quality would you like to see in SRU’s new president?
Burning Question How will you celebrate Earth Day? By planting a tree Doing yoga outside
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.
issue we have with the matter. The fact is that BP is blaming someone else for its problems. It’s one thing to accept the responsibility for the negligence that left 11 people dead and oozed oil for months on end. But to use a scapegoat in order to throw the BP name into a more positive light is despicable. Now BP isn’t completely t hrow ing Trans o ce an under the bus. It just wants to make sure that Transocean pays its part of the damages. BP is also suing Cameron International, which provided a blowout preventer that had a faulty design. T h e l aw s u it s we re filed on the one-year anniversar y of the explosion.
Walking barefoot across campus Recycling plastic bottles 32 respondents
Go to www.theonlinerocket.com to cast your vote!
Opinion
April 22, 2011
The Final Piece dances into place
Kacie Peterson Editor commentary I’ve a lw ay s b e e n a supporter of the arts. I’m a strong believer that if there is no art in a community, there is no culture. Su re , y ou c a n f i l l every square inch of a city with scientists and mathematicians, but you’ll never have the vibrancy or humanity that comes with dance, art, music and theater. Maybe it’s because I’m repulsed by the idea of straight facts and figures or equations and equal signs, but I’d rather interpret the meaning of a novel passage any day. But I know there needs to be a balance of both in a community in order for it to survive in the modern world. Wit h ou r pre s i d e nt pushing for quality science and math programs in our schools, I can’t help but be concerned that he’s missing a portion of the bigger picture. He’s missing the creative outlet children need. But maybe you got joy out of solving word problems more than you did while coloring in the pages of a coloring book. My parents made the wise decision to enroll me in dance classes at the age of four and I’ve been
in love with the arts ever since. And when it came to determining what college I was going to attend a little over four years ago, I knew that there must be a strong dance program. I didn’t necessarily think I was destined for the stage, though the thought of it was pretty cool. I was lucky enough to land a place in the dance department here at SRU and I’ve been able to expand my horizons beyond the studio walls. The summer after my sophomore year, I traveled to India to study a classical Indian dance form called bharatanatyam with two of my fellow dance majors. We stayed with a host family for a month and visited many different parts of the country, including a trip to the Taj Mahal. And it was through this trip that I was able to witness the impact of arts on another culture half way around the world. Though our world is concerned with becoming more advanced technologically, there’s still a need for a root in the arts to create culture. But my point is this, if we don’t have arts, we’re robbing our future of the knowledge of the past. But luckily, Slipper y Rock has a strong arts community. And I wasn’t the only child put in dance classes when I was younger. The parents’ of my dance department senior classmates made the same decision. And tomorrow marks the end of our careers
dancing with each other in a university setting. Our final performance, The Final Piece, is one that will demonstrate that arts in the community doesn’t end with us. It only begins. Unfortunately, due to other obligations, I wasn’t able to be a part of the performance, but I know it will be one to remember. Based on the prior solos and group pieces I’ve witnessed in technique and choreography classes, I can say I have some pretty talented peers. When I came to SRU, my initial plan for the future was to major in dance and communication and combine that knowledge into a career for a dance magazine. And even though my pathway with dance is different than most, I still want to have dance in my life after graduation. To the peers I’ve danced with for the first four years, you all are extremely gifted and I look forward to watching what you’ll create in the future. It’s up to us to fight for the right to keep the arts alive once we leave Slippery Rock. I don’t know what my writing future will hold, but should I end up writing about dance for a national magazine, I’m looking to all of you for inspiration. Break a leg tomorrow night and in the future. Give me something to write about. Kacie Peterson is a senior dance and communication major and Editor in Chief for The Rocket.
A-5
Letters to the editor The views expressed in the “Letters to the Editor” section are those of the writer(s) alone. The Rocket cannot verify all facts presented in a given letter, but if we are aware of an error or omission, we reserve the right to include an editorial note for accuracy’s sake.
We need to keep our Unions Dear Editor, I remember those words well, when Dr. William Williams, now provost, then president of SRU APSCUF, imparted them to me. As the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between PASSHE and APSCUF expires on June 30, and as earnest negotiations begin, it is useful to recall this thought. I have worked as a professor within both an organized faculty and an unorganized faculty. To me, the choice is clear. A Union surely beats no Union. My last job had no Union. Faculty morale was abysmal and turnover, frequent. Student instruction suffered and in turn, their morale decayed. There was a huge disparity in faculty compensation between different disciplines, with some new hires in one college being paid more than twice that of senior faculty in others. Overall, the compensation package – salary and benefits – was pathetic. Professors with a few children were literally eligible for food st amps. He a lt hc are benefits were atrocious. The outcome of these
circumstances harmed students, faculty and the institution. Disparities c au s e d d i v i s i v e n e s s . Talent fled the institution. Of my cohort - faculty hired within a couple years of my arrival, few remained until tenure. Experienced faculty left en mass as well. That i n s t itut i on prov i d e d faculty compensation in the lowest quartile among its peers. Students were impacted in many ways. Their programs suffered from excessive faculty turnover, with the consequent short-term institutional m e m o r y, transient attention to curricular and co-curricular initiatives, and diminished academic rigor. It appeared to me that faculty, not protected by collective bargaining, bowed more to pressure to hold a party line and to relinquish academic freedom. As one who teaches ab out issues related to the interactions of 7 bi l lion p e ople upon planet Earth, I’m par ticularly sensitive to academic freedom. In order to describe t he objec tive nature of science, the effects of exponential human population growth, the costs of human conflicts and the vulnerability of our resource base to degradation, I require the freedom to discuss these phenomena without influence of politics or demographics, or fear for my job.
Faculty employment at SRU, within PASSHE, is attractive under the CBA. Freedom to select scholarship and channel ser vice is cherished. Faculty compensation attracts early, mid and even late-career hires of talented individuals, who are leaders in their d is c ipl i ne s . Stu d e nt s prosper under the direct instruction of faculty in moderately sized classes, and are not taught by graduate assistants in gargantuan sections. Faculty, who regularly offer consistent leadership for years on end, advises student organizations. Faculty t y pi c a l l y s t r i n g e nt l y police themselves during promotion and tenure, ensuring that those who prosper have delivered qu a l it y p e r for m an c e in meeting their job requirements. The appreciable number of administrators at SRU, who were recruited from the ranks of faculty, testifies to our quality. Indeed, APSCUF – the Association of Pennsy lvani a St ate College and University Faculty – strengthens the fourteen institutions of St at e Sy s t e m of Higher Education, to the clear b enef it of the students and the Commonwealth. Please share this good news. Patrick Burkhart, PhD C hair, Neg otiation s Committee, SRU APSCUF
Be sure to see if Prince William’s wedding goes off without a hitch
Spencer Cadden The Silent Majority This week I’ve chosen to cover something completely non-political and light-hearted. No more doom and gloom from my column, at least not this week. This week, I have got royal fever and I’m daresay excited to watch a fourhour wedding on April 29. If you have not heard about the fairytale wedding of Kate Middleton and Prince William, well then I’m positive you’ve been hiding under a rock. I’ll give you Neanderthals a quick lesson just in case you really don’t know what I’m talking about. Prince William of England is next in line to be the king after his father Prince Charles (who is already 62 and not looking so healthy). Anyhow, Prince William seems to be the picturesque man. He has s er ve d his countr y, attended university and received honors and has chosen a stylish and beautiful princess for himself. So the pair is to be married at 5:30 a.m. (EST)
on April 29 and you should be watching. Perhaps you’ll watch because you just want to see the spectacle of the whole thing or perhaps you’ l l w atch b e c aus e you’re waiting to see if some terrorists are able to blow the whole thing up. Regardless of the reasons, it’s estimated that 1/3 of the world’s entire population is going to watch the wedding, making it possibly the most watched televised event ever. Of course there are some people, especially in this country, who refuse to give into the grandeur of it all. A few being naysayers, remnants of the Revolutionary War, who have a deep-seated hatred for our partners across the Atlantic. I have heard all sorts of excuses ranging from intellectual arguments to downright silliness. “You’re not from the U.K., who gives a s—t.” “The royal family is a remnant of a bygone age and the U.K. deserves to be a republic free of all traces of monarchy.” “KILL YOUR TV.” I u n d e rst an d s ome people’s frustration. Why is America so obsessed with the royal family? It is a question that deserves a lot of consideration and I think I have an answer. We’re fascinated because, since World War II, Britain
has been our closest friend and ally. They’re similar to ourselves and we share some common history. But the Brits are completely different from us in the way their government operates and purely in the fact that they still have a monarch as head of state. Americans are obsessed because the idea of a prince finding a princess is so completely foreign to us. It is the stuff of legend and fairytales. Unlike the British, who are seeing their own histor y, in America we are seeing a fantasy extravaganza. I understand the negative consequences this is having on the country. A radical Islamic group was denied access to protest the event, as was the extreme republican sector of the U.K. The right to demonstrate has been stripped from these groups for the safety of all the people present. Through all the crap surrounding it though, it’s a rather monumental event and I think we should recognize it. The Brits take notice every time we inaugurate a president and it’s only courteous that we return the favor as a future king and queen begin their life together. If that isn’t enough to get you to watch it, there are already some pretty clever drinking games for the wedding. (http://
PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS
Prince William and Kate Middleton will be married April 29. William is next in line after his 62-year-old father, Prince Charles.
hubpages.com/hub/royalwedding-drinking-game) I mean who doesn’t love an excuse to get wasted
next Friday at 5:30 a.m.?
Spencer Cadden is a junior secondary education major and regular contributor for The Rocket.
SPORTS April 22, 2011
The Rocket
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Baseball earns conference split at Shippensburg By Debbie Hilton Rocket Contributor
Slippery Rock baseball faced a familiar foe in Friday’s doubleheader against PSAC-West rival Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Senior shortstop Adam Jury carried the offense as the Green and White won both games in a crucial matchup. In the second game of the afternoon, Jury stood out on the score sheet, smacking two home runs and a double, collecting five RBi’s and scoring three runs in The Rock’s 9-5 victory. The Rock was able to score two runs in the top of the first inning to take an early 2-0 lead but the Crimson Hawks answered back with a run in the bottom of the first and two in the second to take a 3-2 lead and chase Rock starting pitcher Lou Trivino. In the top of the third inning Jury hit a solo homerun to tie the game at three. SRU regained the lead in the top of the fourth inning with hits by both junior left fielder Carter Haponski’s and junior s e c on d b a s e m an L e e Foxton’s but IUP quickly answered with a run in the bottom of the inning to
JASON ELLWANGER/THE ROCKET
Junior outfielder Carter Haponski looks to get a lead off on second base against Gannon University April 10, as a Golden Knight shortstop looks to keep him close to the base. The Rock is 23-13 overall this season and 10-4 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference.
cut the Green and White’s advantage 5-4. After IUP’s decision to intentionally walk senior center fielder Matt Howard, Jury came up to the plate with two men on. Jury
smacked a three-run home run to left field giving SRU a comfortable 8-5 lead. Junior right fielder Derek Carr collected the last RBI of the day as his sacrifice fly completed the scoring, earning the Rock their
10th win in the division. Freshman right-hander John Kovalik picked up his first win of the season and his first decision after striking out one and walking two in the final three innings.
Freshman catcher Kevin Jovanovich’s pinch-hit, two run-double in the top of the sixth inning was the key hit in an SRU rally that gave them a 5-4 victory in game one over IUP. Trailing by three runs
in the sixth inning, the Rock offense started a comeback. Jovanovich’s double was the hit that got the rally going but senior first baseman Derek SEE JURY PAGE B-2
Rock out of contention after loss to Huskies By Tim Durr
Rocket Assistant Sports Editor
PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS
Montreal Canadiens defender Roman Hamrlik makes a big hit on Claude Giroux earlier this season.
Violence in hockey brings up questions
Bill Kostkas Sports Editor You’ve already heard my spiel on the controversial violence in the National Football League last season.
Ironically, just months after the NFL dealt with the supposed problem, the National Hockey League was forced to deal with the same situation. The problem with what the NHL did was not exactly take a stance on the situation, thus confusing all of us. The chapter of this that hit closest to home for us was two sagas with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Center Sidney Crosby suffered two major concussions within the time SEE BIG, PAGE B-3
Slippery Rock women’s lacrosse fell out of playoff contention Saturday with a loss to No. 14 Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania (9-6 overall, 6-4 PSAC), by a final of 10-6. The Rock played a defensive first half against the Huskies and trailed 3-2 at halftime. Bloomsburg took over in the second half with a 4-1 run and broke out to a 7-3 lead. SRU failed to rebound from the quick attack by the Huskies and never closed the gap by more than three goals for the remainder of the game. Junior midfielder Casey Quinn led the offense Saturday for the Green and White, scoring four goals, which moved her to third on the all-time SRU scoring list. Fellow junior midfielder Katie Roof added a goal and freshman midfielder Brittany Jalliet capped off the scoring for the Rock. The Huskies finished the game with a small advantage in shots on goal, 21-18, and successfully cleared the ball from its zone 70 percent of the time. The Rock was successful in clearing the ball 68.5 percent of the time and both teams finished the game with 12 turnovers. Junior attacker Amy Halls reflected on the loss
KAYLA DUNLAP/THE ROCKET
A group of Tiffin University and Slippery Rock University players battle for possession of the ball on Tuesday as the Rock defeated Tiffin, 18-7.
that knocked SRU out of playoff contention and said that the team has many positives to take away from this season. “We have really improved all around since the fall,” Halls said. “Even though we have been eliminated from the PSAC playoffs, we fulfilled other team goals that we are very proud of and have improved overall as a team.”
SRU showed some of those improvements Tuesday in its second-to-last game of the season by defeating the Tiffin University Dragons, 18-7, in a non-conference matchup. In a game that featured a 40-minute lightning delay in the first half, SRU played electric and started the game with a 4-0 scoring run. Coming into the game,
Tiffin, which ranked first in draw controls in Division II lacrosse with a 17.6 average per game, was held to five draws by the Rock. SRU also outshot the Dragons, 42-14, for the game and caused 14 turnovers. Halls led all scorers in the game with five points, three goals and two assists, while Quinn scored two goals and SEE WOMEN, PAGE B-2
Sports
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April 22, 2011
Jury earns Atlantic regional hitter of the week honors Continued from Page B-1
DiRuscia and sophomore third baseman Jamison Walck each cashed in with an RBI single a piece. Freshman reliever Ryan Oglesby shut the door on the Crimson Hawks as SRU came out victorious. Oglebsy earned his fifth save of the season, the most since Dan Herisko had five in 2005. Rock freshman pitcher Zach Jeney was credited with the win allowing four earned runs on five hits struck out nine and walked four to improve his season record to 5-1. Junior catcher Matt Accardi was the hero in Sunday’s doubleheader against IUP after hitting an RBI single to center field with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to give SRU a 12-11 victory in the second game of a split at Jack Critchfield Park. Indiana University of Pennsylvania won the afternoon’s opening game 9-5. SRU’s split against their division rival gave the Green and White a 22-12 overall record and an 11-5 mark in the PSAC-West standings. After holding a comfortable 5-0 lead after three innings in game two, Indiana rallied back scoring six runs in the top of the fifth to go ahead 6-5. The Rock answered
quickly in the bottom of the inning with two runs to make it 7-6. Un f o r t u n at e l y, I U P responded to their rally with one of their own and retook the lead 11-7. Accardi helped The Rock regain the lead with his double down the right field line to make it 11-10 and set the stage for the game-winning rally. Right-hander Ogelsby, the fourth pitcher used in game 2 picked up the win to improve his season record to 4-0. The Rock earned another doubleheader split from games played Monday afternoon on Art Fairchild Field at Shippensburg University. Junior designated hitter Matt Kosik had a pair of home runs, including a solo home run in the seventh, which would set up as the crucial run for the Green and White's 1511 win in game two. Freshman right-hander J.J. Paskert was awarded with the win to even his record at one. Shippensburg scored the final three runs of game one to come out ahead by a score of 6-3. Monday’s split gave the Green and White 16 wins in its last 22 games and improved its record to 2313 overall. The Rock is scheduled to face Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania in an afternoon doubleheader
JASON ELLWANGER/THE ROCKET
Sophomore third baseman Jamison Walck missed on a pitch against Gannon University April 10. Walck is batting .262 on the season and has driven in 10 RBI's this season.
starting at 1 p.m. at Jack Critchfield Park. The Green and White will finish the regular season with two games
against secopnd place Mercyhurst College, and then head prepare for the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference playoffs.
The Green and White is currently fourth in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference in earned run average (4.10), and have
t he conference's b est hitter, in Howard who has a batting average of .395 and has 28 runs batted in this season.
Angels to build garden in May By Madeline Williams Rocket Contributor
A m e m or i a l f l owe r garden is in the works by the Slippery Rock University Forgotten Angels group, which is built up of athletes and coaches from SRU. The garden is being built in commemoration of people from the campus c o m mu n i t y w h o a r e battling with cancer, and the construction of the project with start in May. Head coach for the SRU women’s soccer program, Noreen Herlihy, said that the garden will be placed outside of the Morrow Field House. Junior men’s s o ccer player Michael Formento said that the Forgotten Angels wanted to make a contribution to the campus, and the idea of a flower garden is something beautiful and eye-catching. “This project is a way to help out locally and not just abroad,” Formento
said. “A flower garden is something that is visually eye-catching, and is easy to maintain.” The approximate cost of the garden is $1,000 with the Forgotten Angels group selling phlox sedum, butter f ly bushes, and daffodils for $25, and a crabapple tree for $180. The flowers will be provided from the Cottage Garden Nursery in Hermitage, Pa. The Forgotten Angels group was created to help children through sports, and is an efficient group because the athletes know how to work together and be committed to what they do, Herlihy said. "The main reason we started Forgotten Angels was to enrich and enhance the lives of young children through sports," Herlihy said. “The beauty of athletes is that they understand team work and have the commitment to do the best in everything they do."
Me m b e r s f rom t h e men's and women's soccer teams, women's volleyball, basketball, softball, and field hockey teams, as well as coaches, make up the Forgotten Angels program. The group has traveled to international sites, such as, Haiti and St. Lucia, to do community work, as well as to New Orleans to help out after Hurricane Katrina. The Forgotten Angels are planning another trip back to Haiti in the future years and some of the funding from the spaghetti dinner yesterday will go toward it. Herlihy said that the campus community has done a lot toward helping the group and have been ver y supportive in its efforts. "I would also like to thank the campus community for being so supportive of the organization and our efforts,” Herlihy said. “It really means a lot."
Women defeat Tiffin by 11 runs Continued from Page B-1
moved into second on the all-time SRU scoring list with 113 goals. Quinn said that it’s a great achievement to set individual records, but that adding to the prestige of the program is the best part about breaking these records. “It’s ver y exciting to break these records and it is a great accomplishment,” Quinn said. “The best part of it is being able to help
raise the standards for SRU lacrosse.” Junior midfielder Emma VanDenburg had a fourpoint night with two goals and two assists, while freshman midfielder Lauren Laubach had a hat trick. The win against Tiffin moved SRU’s modernera record to 10 wins in a season. Halls said that she is looking forward to making improvements before her senior season at SRU and
that the team will need to improve its overall fundamentals of the game. “We will have to work on getting quicker, stronger and making smarter plays to prepare for next season,” Halls said. “Experience is also going to play a key role in our success next season.” The Green and White has one game remaining this season, which was played Thursday night against Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, past the paper’s deadline.
Sports
April 22, 2011
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Outdoor track wins 13 events By Bill Kostkas Rocket Sports Editor
PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT CAMPUS
Brandon Prust from the New York Rangers lays a hit on Montreal Canadien's Benoit Pouliot. Talks of hits in the National Hockey League have been controversially discussed over the past few months as concussions have occurred to star players in the league.
Big hits to NHL stars bring controversy to sport Continued from Page B-1
frame of two games, which caused him to miss the 41 games that remained in the regular season. As the Penguins have completed the first four games of its first round playoff series with the Tampa Bay Lightning, they still haven’t added Crosby to the lineup and there is nothing that says he will any time soon. You would think that the NHL would take the hint that they needed to take control of the head-hunters in the league while their star off of the ice for an extended period of time. They apparently didn’t. Penguins’ owner, Mario
Lemieux spoke out about how the problem needs to be enforced, but the general managers disagreed with him. They said that headshots didn’t need to be taken out of the game. There was a glimmer of hope when it seemed that Penguins’ forward Matt Cooke seemed to hit illegally for about the up-teenth time when the NHL offices finally got sick of bringing him in for hearings, so they suspended him for ten games. Then incidents occur like, the brawling that happened during a Penguins and New York Islanders game. The NHL failed to hand down stiffer sanctions than the team fines
and minimal suspensions. Defenseman Zdeno Chara of the Boston Bruins hit forward Max Pacioretti of the Montreal Canadiens into the edge of the boards near the team bench. Pacioretti suffered a fractured vertebrae and a severe concussion. The NHL didn’t bother to punish Chara. The Montreal Police Department has shown more interest than they have. Just this week, Chris Kunitz of the Penguins and Steve Downie of the Lightning had hits that some argued should have had them suspended for the remainder of the series. The league only slapped them on the wrist with one game a-piece.
What are we supposed to think? The NHL needs to be much more consistent in their punishments of borderline and illegal hits.At the general managers’ annual gathering a while back, the only thing they decided to do was have stricter rules with charging and boarding. I understand that the NHL’s foundation is built upon toughness of its players. Just last week Johan Franzen of the Detroit Red Wings was smashed into the boards. He went into the locker room, had 21 stitches put into his forehead and returned to the game.
T he Sl ipp e r y R o ck outdoor track team came home with more than 10 event wins for the thirdstraight meet last Saturday at the Ed Fry Invitational in Indiana. The Green and White’s javelin corps was dominant throughout the entire meet. The men’s team took the top-four spots in the event, while the women took the top-two in theirs. Senior Nick Kennedy took first for the men with his throw of 186 feet 10 inches. Sophomore Jeffrey Patterson, freshman Ronald Strauser and sophomore Nathan Randall took the next three spots, respectively, with throws of 149 feet 3 inches, 148 feet 11 inches and 146 feet 3 inches. For the women, sophomores Lexi Arnold and Kim Goth swept the top-two spots. Arnold was first (143 feet 5 inches) and Goth was second (138 feet 11 inches). Head coach John Papa said that Kennedy is definitely his best javelin thrower on the men’s crew. “There were a lot of better throwers in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference out there,” Papa said. “Nick can be competitive conferencewide.” The Rock’s pole vaulters also had a great meet at the Ed Fry. Sophomore Cameron Daugherty won the event yet again with a
vault of 15 feet 7 inches. Freshman David Caldwell gave the Rock another sweep of the top-two spots with his second place vault of 14 feet one inch. Fr e s h m a n Ma d e l i n e Wi l l i a m s e a r n e d a n individual victory in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (13:13.48). The race was Williams’ first collegiate event in her career. Junior Kaela Snyder won the 800-meter and also improved her season-best time to 2:14.95. Fellow junior Caitlin Hancox finished a close second behind Snyder with a time of 2:16.09.The Rock throwers also racked up two individual victories. Sophomore Devin Skinner won the hammer throw (133 feet 9 inches). Senior Jade Hambrick won the discus event with a throw of 123 feet 4 inches. Papa said that there was a chance that Hambrick’s performances this year have been overshadowed by senior thrower Chris Warning’s success. “It could be,” Papa said. “Chris is getting a lot of attention with breaking records and winning. When you compete at this level, that’s what happens.” Senior Allison Smith also recorded wins in the 100-meter and 400-meter hurdles with times of 14.73 seconds and 1:03.35, respectively.The Green and White’s next competition is the Penn Relays in Philadelphia on April 28 and the Ashland Alumni Invitational in Ashland, Ohio on April 29.
FOCUS
The Rocket
April 22, 2011
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SRU's Support Staff keeps campus looking beautiful
By Stephanie Nicotra Rocket Focus Editor
When walking into any of the classroom buildings on campus, it is taken for granted that the hallways will be clean and no trash littering the floors. But who keeps these areas m ai nt ai n e d ? No, t h e trash doesn’t magically disappear. There are 43 state custodial employees on campus who act behind the scenes to keep SRU in top shape. Mr. John D. Cowan, a s s i s t ant d i re c t or of campus services, said that oftentimes it is a thankless job and people take it for granted that everything will be clean and many people don’t recognize it. A lot of work goes into cleaning the buildings but it’s not just sweeping floors according to Cowan. “They need to know about blood-borne pathogens, the issues with asbestos and a host of other issues they have to be knowledgeable about,” Cowan said. Pauline K e l l y, a custodian for the Morrow Field House, has been working on campus for 26 years and has enjoyed her experiences. Kelly said that she doesn’t mind the cleaning because
STEPHANIE NICOTRA /THE ROCKET
Pauline Kelly, a custodian for Morrow Field House, has been cleaning SRU for 26 years and has enjoyed being around students during that time. There are 43 state-hired custodians on campus to clean the classroom buildings.
she has done it all her life, but the real enjoyment is in being around the students. “I enjoy being around the students. If it weren’t for the students then we wouldn’t have a job but
I enjoy the atmosphere,” Kelly said. “You get to meet a lot of really nice people.” Deny Hemphill, the custodial supervisor for upper-campus, commented with a laugh that being
first. They put their goals and their careers ahead of the students. “Some of these professors are getting paid way too much for the jobs they’re doing. S o really, the university has options. They can get teachers to take a pay cut. The people who should be getting paid more are the military and police officers.” Stubert said that the letter writing campaigns are a waste of time and money when the letters are coming from a non-voting demographic. “If they got out to vote, maybe it’d be a different s itu at i on r i g ht now,” Stubert said. “If you didn’t even vote, what does this letter writing campaign do? If you care now, you should have been caring back then. In November we elected Corbett to be fiscally conservative and not raise taxes. It’s good for Pennsylvania. He’s cutting the budget.” With funding being cut from state schools, Marcellus Shale drilling companies operate tax-free in Pennsylvania, causing worry. Marcellus Shale is a type of sedimentary rock rich in natural gas. Gov. Corbett has not taxed Marcellus Shale drilling companies, as incentive for the companies to keep their business in Pennsylvania. “I think instead of our mone y b eing cut for schools, we should make up for our money with the booming industr y
of Marcellus Shale,” Bob Blystone, 22, a parks and recreation major said. Blystone said that he anticipates a lower quality of education if funding is taken from the state system of higher education. “Looking for ward, I would say classrooms would be more lecture style and not as much handson," Blystone said. “If you see how much money goes into promoting, clothing and advertising sporting events, that’s a lot of money that, if we do get a cut, should be put somewhere else because a college’s main focus is education." With the possibility of layoffs hanging over faculty heads, Dr. Jason Stuart, an assistant professor in the English department, said not knowing what will happen with the budget is the most frustrating part of everything. “Wit h no t axes on Marcellus Shale, it’s hard for us who are being asked to make sacrifices,” Stuart said. “People are asked to make sacrifices by foregoing health care, making concessions about their health care or foregoing certain raise schedules. That’s fine. That’s not ridiculous to ask, but then to say that these other things are off limits? “Some of the state schools are already thinking about retrenchment and the possibility of layoffs. Just not knowing for sure what
SRU students, faculty react to possible PASSHE budget cuts By James Meyer Rocket Contributor
It’s difficult to spend much time on campus without seeing a flyer, a petition or some other call to action concerning Gov. Tom Corbett’s proposed budget cuts. According to a press release, the prop os ed budget includes a reduction in funding of about 50 percent for institutions in the state system of higher education. So, what are students and faculty anticipating for the future of SRU if these budget cuts pass? Ma ny s t u d e nt s a r e concerned about how the proposed budget cuts will affect their departments. “Art’s going to go,” Lauren Whitehead, 21, a junior fine arts with teaching certification major said. “Humanities are going to go first, I think. That’s what always goes first. There are things like art therapy, things that help people with disabilities like autism. So I think there are things in humanities that are just as important as other things.” “I see stuff getting cut that is not necessar y,” James Stubert, 22, a senior history major said. “This whole thing is going to make universities in the state system reassess what’s necessary for a university. It’s going to make them cut their budgets, cut waste and get rid of faculty that aren’t hacking it, because there are too many faculty here that don’t put education
around young p eople makes you feel younger. A normal day for the state custodians starts at 6 a.m. for most and consists of cleaning all the common areas of the classroom and
office buildings. Some buildings on campus, like the University Union, the dorms and the ARC, have contract custodians. But custodians have to be prepared to handle any
situation like for example a student getting sick, according to Cowan. Sometimes extra cleaning is required such as when SEE STATE, PAGE C-3
Photo courtesy of Tia Angle
Tia Angle, 20, a criminology major, has competed in bodybuilding competitions since she was 19.
Bodybuilders discuss nutritional science, routines for competitions By Ben Bergfelt Rocket Contributor
There are many stigmas that are conjured when the term bodybuilder is mentioned. “Vain” and “meathead” might be some of the words heard talking about the sport. With that said, the current winners of the “Mr. and Mrs. SRU Bodybuilding Competition” blow the stereotypes out of the water. Indeed there might be some exceptions that prove the rule, but Adam Tannehill and Tia Angle disprove it. SEE STUDENTS, PAGE C-3 The male half of the duo
is Tannehill. He placed first in the open and closed middleweight division and is an exercise science major from Connelsville, Pa. Tannehill was 19-years-old when he started and said it was sports and the social aspect of bodybuilding that drove him to compete. College was when he became stricter with his diet and training regimens. Adam cites Lee Priest as his role model. It was Priest’s rags-to-riches story and physique that inspires him. For Tannehill, going to the gym provides an outlet for stress and escape
from schoolwork. Negative stereotypes non-withstanding, most of the top bodybuilders are highly educated. He said knowledge of the science behind the sport helps to greatly improve one’s chances of winning a show. Some may think that time in the gym is most important aspect of a competition, but it’s really only 20 percent of what goes into preparation. It’s diet that can make or break a competitor. Although Tannehill tries to eat clean all SEE DIET, PAGE C-3
Focus
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April 22, 2011
Fourth installment returns to roots of postmodern horror Film pick of the week:“Scream 4”
MICHAEL CHIAPPINI "To See or Not To See?"
3 Stars
I can think of few movies that have spawned sequels that were just as good as the first installment. “The Godfather Part II” comes to mind. “Hannibal” does not. With sequels and prequels, you find yourself trapped in a franchise that keeps reviving dead plots and characters for monetary exploitation. This is not the case with Wes Craven’s “Scream” franchise. I know I come off as a snob and my tastes might not value popular or lowbrow entertainment, but horror films – good horror films – are the exception. There is something fun about the horror franchise – that serial killer that just won’t die, that evil spirit that keeps coming back for more. It’s fun in a way that we know what we are watching is bad and the camp and self-reflexiveness of the films throws this badness in our faces.
Photo Courtesy of MCT Campus
Neve Campbell plays Sidney Prescott in the film, "Scream 4." Fast-paced scenes and witty dialogue make this film better than the third.
“Scre4m,” the much anticipated fourth installment of the series, is a return to perfect form and the roots of what postmodern horror is supposed to be. Returning to the town of Woodsboro, the setting of the other three movies, the film follows Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell, “Scream 1 – 3”) as she’s promoting her new novel. After ten years, the brutal murders by Ghostface,
the franchise’s signature baddie, begin again and Sidney finds herself a suspect. All the old gang is there, from Dewey the sheriff (David Arquette, “Hamlet 2,” “Eight Legged Freaks”) to news reporter Gale Weathers-Riley (Courtney Cox, “Friends,” Bedtime Stories”). As the bodies pile up, the film moves closer to answering why the elusive Ghostface killer murders.
In the fashion of the other films, “Scre4m” uses postmodern techniques in its plot so that the characters are aware they’re in a horror film and can adapt the tropes and conventions of horror to solve the problem. It’s truly fascinating how intricate and fun this can be – the audience is always in on the joke, but the gruesome slasher style is always there, threatening the humor. The
films in a truly periodic fashion use the slasher genre to poke fun at it while commenting on America’s obsession with violence. The fourth installment of the trilogy is certainly an improvement upon the third. I found this film nicely returned to the original intent of the series. It’s also a relief the original cast returned – it’s often difficult as an audience member to be fully invested
in a sequel when original cast members don’t sign on. The film is crafted beautifully with very tight and witty dialogue and fast paced scenes that, no pun intended, keep you on the edge of your seat. There’s always something troubling about the brutal nature of slasher movies. I am, as I feel are most of my generation, completely desensitized so that someone having a butcher knife repeatedly plunged into them arouses no response. What does this mean? That films like this, like “Saw,” like “Hostel” have no real effect upon the viewer and are considered “awesome?” For the time being, I’ll delight in the “fun” of the pictures, but the brutal violence – even if it is ironic parody – is something I’ll have to process at some later date. If you are a fan of the series, I absolutely recommend seeing the film – it is an improvement on the third and a return to the aesthetics of the original. If you’ve not seen the first three films, you may want to catch up before seeing the fourth – it will make you appreciate the craft put into this installment all the more. Michael Chiappini is a senior English literature and philosophy major, film and media studies minor and a regular contributor to The Rocket.
Football player turns theatre major, snags role in 'Streamers' play
Chloe Finigan "Freshman Insider" “No, not that way, the back door.” Aaron Mild, 19, a freshman art administration major, led me through the secret passageways at Miller Auditorium. The first thing I noticed when I opened the small, metal door to the back entrance was stuff. There were literally piles of stuff on top of more piles of stuff. I hate the word “stuff,” but there’s no other way to put it. The room was full of nonsensical objects that only seemed logical on a stage. A piano rested next to large wooden frames. On top of the piano was a deep plum sheet. Wa l k i n g i n t o t h i s room under any other circumstance would have been confusing, but it fit in the small space somehow. It made it homely, a severe contrast to the auditorium just on the other side. The ro om s omehow started what I saw was a theme in the theater department. It took things that didn’t seem to blend and turned them into a fresh, better idea. It’s something that can be called art. All because the people who build sets and
write screenplays see past the obvious boundaries of identity to construct a new one. Walking past the stuff, I saw a small “green room.” It looked like a corner, to be honest. But, it was a cozy corner. Everyone sat together and started casual conversation, acting as if this was a scene from everyday life. For them, I guess it was. My hyp ot hesis only expanded when I sat down with Nick Edwards, a 2 0 - ye ar- o l d ju n i or marketing and theater major. Recently, he made the change f rom Slipper y Rock’s football team to Slippery Rock’s theater dep ar t ment and e ven scored a role in the production, “Streamers.” It struck me as odd when two things that I never would have imagined being put together suddenly meshed. “I wanted to act way b efore I changed my major,” Edwards said. “But I never made any steps to it. And football stopped being fun for me.” Edwards came into school as a marketing major and just added acting this fall semester. “I miss being around the players and lifting was great, but it was necessary to change,” Edwards. “I wanted to get a jump on acting. If I started it after I graduated, it would be a lot harder.” As people came into the auditorium, Edwards waved and was friendly with most everyone. His easygoing manner mirrored the same personality.
CHLOE FINIGAN /THE ROCKET
The controversial play, "Streamers," explores deep issues in American society such as racism and homophobia. Shortly after leaving the football team and adding a second major in theater, Edwards (second from right) tried out for the play and got the role as the character Roger.
“Is this your first play?” I asked Edwards. “Yes, at Slippery Rock. I was the lead in ‘The Wiz’ my senior year of high school,” Edwards said. “I thought about doing it then and decided to do it here. I thought it could be fun.” “Did you try out for Roger during the auditions?” I asked. “I tried out for both roles, Roger and Carlyle, and going into it I was leaning towards Carlyle. But after reading the script I wanted to play Roger,” Edwards said. In the play, Roger acts
as an anchor. All of the conflict that surrounds this dark play seems to be balanced out with his skill to smooth conflicts. Roger is not off from Edwards himself. “A number of people say, ‘You know you’re playing yourself ?’ I would have gotten to know Richie in real life, and wouldn’t have put him in a box because he was a homosexual,” Edwards said. “Have you heard of this play before?” I asked. “No, I am play illiterate,” he jokes and gives a small laugh. “It’s cool to read plays now though.”
The play, as written last week by Andy Treese, has controversial issues that may even be applied today. “Absolutely, don’t ask don’t tell- there is that issue. And there is always going to be a bully somewhere,” Edwards said. Edwards explained to me that one of the major problems in the military today is male rape, and that is explored in the play. I saw 11 faces looking into my lens, all of them with a smile on their face even though they were rushed to get into costume. The clean set was freshly mopped, and they all stood
close together. I then thought about the crowded room in the back, all of the stuff that made it seem homely, like it was being used. Even though, really, these two environments weren’t similar in any way. The feeling they gave you was the same. It felt comfortable. I guess that’s the power of theater, it can take black and white to make red. Chloe Finigan is a freshman emerging technology and multimedia major and a regular contributor to The Rocket.
Focus
April 22, 2011
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Diet crucial to bodybuilding Students are priority to SRU
GRAPHIC courtesy of Mct campus
Bodybuilders can lose a show if mandatory poses aren't performed.
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year, it’s fourteen weeks before the competition when he really watches what he eats. He said he starts to diet hard eight weeks before the show, eating every two hours, nine meals a day. During that time, workouts and meals revolve around each other. Other than working out and dieting there is the posing routines, which is a big part of the competition. “Many guys lose a show due to poor posing,” Tannehill said. He went on to say many guys don’t hit the mandatory poses, which hurts them in the long run. “It’s pre-judging where you want to come in looking your best,” he said. It’s also where everything is
pretty much decided. When he’s not hitting the weights, he’s hitting the books with a 3.3 QPA to show for it. He also works 20 hours a week at the Grove City Outlets. After college he hopes to become a registered dietitian, which would only further help him in and out of the gym. The female half of the pair is Tia Angle from Pittsburgh’s South Hills neighborhood. She is a criminology major and will soon be a public health major. She got into the sport through her uncles who where also bodybuilders. As a child she would go to her uncle’s competitions. She liked the look of the figure competitors and decided to compete as well. When she came to Slippery Rock she found that they had
a club for just such a sport. She joined without hesitation and since her first show, the 2010 “Mr. and Mrs. SRU,” decided to continue competing. She said her inspiration comes from the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness’s (IFBB) Figure Pro Erin Stern who matches her in height and weight. Angle is also blessed to have mentorship so close to home. It was her Uncle Eric, a bodybuilder himself, who trained and wrote her diet plans. He was also her support. Her boyfriend and parents also served as a source of encouragement. Like Tannehill she, too, got started at 19. This was actually her third show. She competed in the National Physique Committee’s Collegiate Nationals over the summer scoring third place and is training for the 2010 Muscle Tech Show in Pittsburgh. Tia's advice to those just getting into the sport is to start small and see how you like it. “It’s all about experience and getting in shape,” she said. “You can really teach yourself discipline.” Both Tannehil and Angle are members of SRU’s Bodybuilding and Fitness Club, which hosts the competition annually. The 2011 show was the club’s ninth consecutive competition, which is how the club promotes student involvement. The club’s purpose is to educate Slippery Rock students on nutrition, muscular fitness and cardiovascular health.
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that means until a budget is passed is one of the most maddening things about it.” Stuart said that despite the faculty’s concerns, s tu d e nt s s h ou l d re s t assured that their quality of education will remain SRU’s first priority. “We have a prou d
tradition of keeping tuition fairly low and serving the population of this area,” Stuart said. “I don’t think students should be worried or freaked out. I think they should be concerned, but it’s not going to change our approach to teaching them or a desire to teach them, for that matter. Whatever resources are in peril, it should become clear only after people make an
explicit decision. Until then, it’s all just hearsay. “You can want resources to remain and that’s very understandable, but no matter what we choose to do, I don’t believe that fundamentally changes the core mission of this i nst itut i on , w h i ch i s student centered, student focused and will always put their education first,” Stuart said.
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the Morrow Field House hosts commencement or a high school graduation. Kelly said that there is a lot of work that goes into cleaning the bleachers for the events. “It’s all teamwork,” she said. There is a lot of seasonal work, especially during the summer. According to Cowan, the campus u n d e r g o e s a “d e e p cleaning” when floors are refinished and carpets are scrubbed. “I think the biggest highlight is when the classes start in August and the buildings are all shiny and clean,” Cowan said. “The custodians pride themselves in getting those ready for the students.” Many custodians have
It's all teamwork. -Pauline Kelly, a custodian for the Morrow Field House.
been a part of the campus for a long time and have formed a close relationship with SRU. Kelly said that after 26 years, SRU has become a home away from home. Despite this, Kelly is considering retirement soon after 7 years of contract work in the old dorms that are now replaced with newer ones and 19 of state work on campus. She laughed a little, thinking about the
changes that would happen when she retired. “I just think it’s a good time to go but I will miss it,” Kelly said. “It will be a change, for sure. Over the years you get to see the comings and goings of everything.” Cu s to d i ans are t h e foundation for the campus because without them the campus probably wouldn’t look as good, for they are an essential part of the campus, Hemphill said.
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Focus
April 22, 2011
2011
KALEIDOSCOPE
Arts Festival T E N Y E A R A N N I V E R S A RY Top Left: Kaliedoscope Arts Festival featured two showing’s of the Missoula Children’s Theatre “Alice in Wonderland” April 16 in Miller Auditorium. Left: Traci Zillifro helps Logan Smith, 2, and Alexandra Smith, 4, create masks during Children’s Day Saturday, April 16. Below: Brett Herron, a junior fine arts major with teaching certificate helps Aleksey Zahn, 7, create a top hat during Children’s Day Saturday, April 16.
Right: The 2011 Kaleidoscope Arts Festival started off this year with a kick-off concert featuring a the band The Pop Rock Six located at Boozel Dining Hall April 13.
Photos anD Design By Jason ellWanger