4/8/16 by SRU Rocket

the rocket

Friday April 8, 2016 • Volume 99, Issue Number 22 • An Independent, Student-Run Newspaper

www.theonlinerocket.com

Communication, pride are key issues in SGA debate

REBECCA DIETRICH/THE ROCKET

Abby Fugh, vice president of Academic and Student Affairs and candidate for The Chainge Party, speaks to the audience at the presidential debate on Thursday during common hour.

By Logan Campbell Rocket Contributor

The 'Chainge' party and the 'Revive the Pride' Party shared their platfroms on Thursday during common hour to the student body in attendance and election committee. As compared to last year's election, which had only one party running, this year's election consists of two tickets looking to become the next leaders of SGA.

SRU competes in electricity reduction contest

The Chainge Party led by current SGA President Logan Steigerwalt, and the newcomers the Revive The Pride Party which is led by Rebecca Sheriff are the two tickets running. Both parties first gave their opening statements and discussed the motivation behind their party, and why they decided to form its ticket in the first place. Sheriff, the presidential nominee for Revive The Pride, took the stand first and gave her opening remarks. Sheriff said, the party feels the attitude on campus is dying, and the pride really isn't here

By Haley Barnes News Editor

Rocket Contributor

The Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF) union hosted a meet-and-greet on Tuesday during common hour to allow student leaders to voice their concerns in an open forum style. Itzi Metzli, English professor and public relations chair of APSCUF, said every semester APSCUF hosts a meet and greet to provide a social interaction between students and faculty. "We provide food and refreshments during the noon hour," he said. "This semester's meet and greet them was 'Making Student-Faculty Connections,' thus allowing student leaders to speak to faculty about their respective issues and campus concerns." Students voiced concerns about the Student Success Center, the status of the renovations of Spotts World Culture Building and the status of the renovations of Miller Auditorium. President of RockOUT Morgan Scott expressed that he is happy that the offices are staying within The Suite, but that he is upset with the lack of communication between the administration and the student body. Sara Naughton represented Sigma Tau Delta, the English Honorary Society, and she expressed her concerns with the status of the renovations of

SEE AWARDS PAGE A-2

SEE PRESIDENTIAL PAGE A-3

APSCUF hosts meet and greet to connect with students

By Daniel DiFabio Slippery Rock University is participating in 'Unplugged,' a friendly, voluntary competition between nine out of the 14 schools in Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) to see which university can reduce their electricity use the most. Paul Scanlon, special assistant to the president concerning sustainability said that this is the first type of contest for PASSHE and is a strictly voluntar y event. The competition started March 21 and ends April 10; the participating universities include Bloomsburg, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Lock Haven, Mi l l e rs v i l l e, Sh ipp e ns bu rg , Westchester and SRU. “Rewards of the competition include raising awareness of the need to reduce energy use and related greenhouse gas emissions that are causing climate change/ global warming, and reducing each university’s energy costs,” Scanlon said.

anymore. "There's a lot of frustrations, a lot of miscommunications, and people are tired of not being heard," Sheriff said. "That's why we formed our ticket, and in only two days we were able to get 500 signatures from across the student body in order to combat these feelings of negativity on this campus."

Spotts World Culture Building, saying that she feels uncomfortable in the building every day. "I spend a lot of my time in Spotts World Culture building," she said. "Spotts is a high traffic area for the community of this school. Unfortunately the condition of Spotts World Culture Building, to me, shows how unappreciated these subjects, such as English, history, philosophy and others are at the university." She said that she believes faculty who work in Spotts are left with inadequate lounges and offices and that often while in classes, professors must ask loud construction workers to quiet down so that they can finish their lecture. "The SLAB (Literary Magazine) office has just been asked last week to move their office belongings to a corner in a room in Spotts because of unsafe conditions," Naughton said. Naugton said she would like to see more transparency and that the administration finish projects before starting new ones. "While I think that the Student Success Center could bring a lot of great things to campus, I also am really unhappy with the fact that we are planning such a project, when in Spotts, I've actually pictured my death a lot of times," she said. "If there is a fire in that building, I'm probably not going to make it out." SEE STUDENTS PAGE A-2

Six Reasons to Join Women Who Your College Paper Rock: Part Three The Rocket Editor-in-Chief encourages incoming students to write and learn. Page B-2

SRU grads play women's football professionally in Pittsburgh.

Page C-3

LIFE Advocates For Adult Learners A new organization creates a safe place for non-traditional SRU students. Page D-1

NEWS

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Catch something exciting happening on campus? Want your Insta-photos to be featured in The Rocket? Just follow @SRURocket on Instagram and use # in the caption for your chance to be featured here every week!

April 8, 2016

Health Center receives three-year accreditation By Chris Gordon Assistant News Editor

Slippery Rock's Health Center received a threeyear accreditation from the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) last week, joining 6,000 other accredited facilities. "Seeking accreditation is a voluntary process," Kristina Benkeser, director of student health services, said in an SRU press release. "No regulator y agenc y makes us do it, nor is it tied to the department of health and human services or anything like that. In our case, we choose to do it." Facilities seeking AAAHC accreditation undergo a self-assessment and an onsite survey by surveyors,

physicians, nurses and administrators who are actively involved in ambulatory health care, the press release read. Not all healthcare facilities apply for accreditation and not all that apply are accepted. Facilities are measured on 581 different standards with each standard rated as noncompliant, partially compliant or significantly compliant, the releas e continued. With an overall score of 99.3, the Health Center was "significantly compliant" in 577 of the 581 standards. These standards are fluid, Benkeser added, noting that facilities must comply with changes in order to maintain accreditation. "Receiving this accreditation is like getting the Good Housekeeping

Seal of Approval for health care," Benkeser said. "It means that we've met the AAAHC's measures of quality." Jess Dowd, a junior Spanish and marketing double major, said the Health Center deser ves more credit than it is given. "Last month I was feeling pretty sick, so I went to the Health Center to see what they could do," she said. "The workers were great and super helpful." Dowd said many students joke about the Health Center providing poor services, but that most experiences she has heard of have been positive. According to their website, the AAAHC is a private nonprofit that develops standards to advance and promote patient safety.

Students voice concern over renovations Continued from Page A-1

Other student expressed their concerns about the status of the renovations with Miller Auditorium, as it is another building on campus that remains unfinished. Cassandra Holub, Building D senator for the Student Government Association (SGA), said that she is not even studying theatre, but that she feels it is a shame that the students who are studying theatre will not perform on Miller Stage any time soon. She said that the old Student Union Sports...................C-1 is not a proper place for these students to be performing. Campus Life.............D-1 "I would just like to ask for APSCUF's support in kind of pushing for the development of Miller Auditorium to be complete so that these students will be able to perform in an actual theatre space," Holub said. Jenna Temple, vice president of Internal

INDEX Blotter.................A-4 Opinion................B-1 Comics...................D-4

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Affairs for SGA, updated the audience on the status of the conversation between students and the administration in regards to the Student Success Center. "The [Student Success Committee] is still planning on meeting with administration on a biweekly or monthly basis," she said, noting that the committee plans to stay active. Commuter Senator for SGA, Brian Welsh, said that he is extremely passionate about SRU, which is why he is getting involved with the conversation in regards to the Student Success Center. "I don't want generations of students of this university to feel as though they were lost and left out of the picture on the grand scheme of things," Welsh said. Before the meet and greet concluded, Metzli announced that the budget for next year's academic school year has not been passed, but that this year's budget was finally passed.

Awards measure SRU's previous energy efficiency Continued from Page A-1

Prizes can be won from random drawings to taking the SRU energy pledge online where students are encouraged to take steps to save energy, like turning off lights and taking shorter showers. Scanlon said there are some mistakes that students make that waste energy. “Leaving residence hall thermostats at 'occupied' settings when leaving for weekends/breaks wastes a lot of energy,” Scanlon said. “Taking long showers, leaving lights and chargers on when not needed and leaving windows open when

the heat is on all waste energy.” Slippery Rock University has received achievements in the past for its sustainability, including being named one of Princeton Review Guide’s “Green Colleges”, earning a Silver Rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) and last year won a national award for Sustainable Facilities Management. Scanlon said that this month the university is hoping to be recognized as a “Green Ribbon School” by the US Department of Education. Scanlon said that SRU has been improving its energy efficiency

by using energy efficient systems such as lighting controls and LED lighting, central heating and underground steam piping improvements to have produce less harmful GHG emissions. Being knowledgable in energy efficiency can help students in the job field too, Scanlon said. “Having a background in sustainability in general will give graduates an edge when interviewing for jobs since most major corporations are getting involved to help mitigate the effects of climate change/global warming,” Scanlon said.

NEWS

April 8, 2016

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POLICE BLOTTER Campus

March 17- A resident along Elm Street reported somebody damaged the siding of her house by throwing a large sized rock at it.

Borough

March 30- A person reported an unknown March 2- Tyler Schlobohm was charged with vehicle hit her car while parked. The case is retail theft after an incident at Sheetz. under investigation. March 30- A person reported to police that while backing up the vehicle hit another vehicle. Both parties exchanged information.

March 18- Jaclyn Colish was arrested for misrepresentation of age to secure alcohol after attempting to use a fake ID at the Fine March 3- Terrell Ford was charged with Wine and Spirits Store. attempted burglary and criminal mischief, after attempting to unlawfully gain entry to another personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s apartment and caused March 21- Aaron Joyce was charged with damage to the property. harassment after an incident with his ex-wife.

March 30- Police dispatched an ambulance March 13- Chet Link was arrested for March 25- Gary Wallace Jr. was arrested for to the Health Center for a person who needed disorderly conduct after being observed driving under the influence of alcohol after transportation to the hospital. stealing a stop sign. being stopped along South Main Street. March 16- A resident along Franklin Street March 28- A resident of Graystone Manor March 30- Police dispatched an ambulance reported his car stolen. The car was located reported somebody backed their vehicle into to the Health Center for a person who needed later the same day. a handrail, causing damage and left the scene. transportation to the hospital. Compiled by Logan Campbell

Presidential candidates discuss the future of SGA Continued from Page A-1

Building the campaign around organization, i nte g r it y, d ive rs it y with many different majors and minors and the variety of student experiences and connections was what it wanted to do, Sheriff said. Collaborating as a group and getting things done for the student body with efficiency and an open mind is what Revive the Pride wants to accomplish, Sheriff said. Steiger walt, the

current president of SGA would then give his opening remarks towards the Chainge Party. Steigerwalt said that there are two parts to running the student government, including running the business aspects along with being the voice of the student body. "When I first took the office I thought the SRSGA was a business, and that's how I would run it," Steigerwalt said. "True it is a business, but it took me a while to

realize it is much more than that. It's the voice of the students. We are the representatives for the student body. We look forward to this debate and showcasing our plans for next year." After opening remarks from both candidates, the debate would then move into the question portion. Each candidate was asked a series of similar questions, concluded by an individual question directed towards only its party or goals for 20162017.

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ROCK NOTES WEEKLY PLANETARIUM SHOWS Vincent Science Center offers a different show every week. Admission is free and the show starts at 8 p.m. NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK Bailey Library is celebrating National Library Week April 10 to 16. There will be games, prizes, free coffee and much more.

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.

Continued

OPINION

Our View Nontraditional students are welcome at SRU

OPINION rocket.letters@sru.edu Volume 99, Number 22

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.

GRAPHIC BY KENDALL SCOTT / THE ROCKET

Nontraditional students are most likely in one, if not several, of traditional students’ classrooms. While nontraditional students who enter the university at a later time in their life are becoming more commonplace, it may be difficult for them to feel comfortable in an environment where they are older than the majority of students. Students involved in the First Year Leadership Program put together an organization called LIFE (Learning Is For Everyone) to encourage adults without a degree to go to college and further their education. Many adults who choose to go back to school might be intimidated by not knowing whether they’d fit in in a typical college classroom. This is an understandable reason to be timid, but we at The Rocket agree that while the age discrepancy between traditional and nontraditional might be hard to adjust to for both parties at first, that it is valuable to have nontraditional

students’ insights and opinions in the classroom. Often times, professors are also considerably older than traditional students, so when professors provide an example to students that happened before they were born, they may not be able to understand it. In this instance, the nontraditional student could offer further understanding and examples, which would inturn allow them to serve as a liason for traditional students to understand information that may be abstract to them. In addition, the life experiences that nontraditional students have can benefit traditional students. Since they have lived lives outside of academics, their experiences in the “real world” are invaluable, and classmates of all ages benefit from discussion across barriers because education is about pushing past our own worldview. No nontraditional student should enter SRU believing that their input and ideas are

In the Quad

invalid. The fact that they are choosing to reenter the world of formal education shows a lot about their integrity and selfworth. Any student with this amount of self-worth shouldn’t be made to feel as though they are worthless simply because they have entered college at a later date. At The Rocket, we encourage communication, cooperation and open-mindedness among different groups of people It’s our business to facilitate the transmission of ideas and viewpoints. For that reason, we value the voices of older students. More important than our differences, though are our similarities. No matter what age, every student at Slippery Rock is enrolled to get a quality education, so every student has that in common. In an educational environment that prides itself on collaboration a n d c o m m u n i t y, e v e r y student is valuable, perhaps particularly those who seem “nontraditional.”

This week’s question: Do you think SRU’s campus is environmentally friendly?

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.

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.

David Drymond Sophomore Sports Management Major Ellentown, Pennsylvania “Overall, I don’t think so. The building next to Weisenfluh doesn’t look energy efficient in my opinion. ”

Torri Rose Sophomore Social Work Major Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania

Meghan O’Neill Senior Exercise Science Major Exeter, Pennsylvania

“I don’t think a lot but it’s ok. “I think it is. The water stations I think having the recycling help.” bins around campus is nice.”

OPINION

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April 8, 2016

QUESTION OF

THE WEEK @SRURocket

Six reasons you should join your college’s student newspaper 1. Journalism will teach you how to master your writing.

learned how ancient beer was brewed, seen countless plays I wouldn’t have seen otherwise and what goes into them. Journalism had made One of the most important things employers me more aware of the world around me, and how are looking for in an employee is writing things that happen affect people. You will never ability, and for good reason. Clear writing is get the same experience reading about something indicitive of clear thinking, and evidences that like you will talking to someone who experiences an employee is capable of thinking ideas through it every day. and communicating those ideas in an effective manner. 5. Journalism is the vehicle through which reporting and information become adventure. Janelle Wilson 2. Learning how to gather news stories will make Commentary you more resourceful. When I originally declared my journalism major, Janelle Wilson is a senior journalism I thought that it would be boring and clinical, After two years on staff at The Rocket, in addition and that I wouldn’t really fit into the newswriting major and is the editor-in-chief of The to taking journalism classes, I learned not only scene. Rocket. how to find what is newsworthy. When you picture a journalist, you are probably Resourcefulness is an asset in any position, as you I was never more wrong about anything in my imagining the quintessential reporter of the early will learn where to find information. life. 20th century. But long gone are the days of press passes stuck into fedoras, notepads and pens, 3. You will learn more about your community Journalists are dynamic people who go above replaced instead by passes clipped to your t-shirt and beyond to get all the information that they and iPhones. I was on first name basis with leaders of groups, can about the world around them. Journalists Journalism is changing and people are afraid actors in plays and was friendly with a lot of are brave and tenacious, and will probably rank to go into it now because of the lack ofto job professors. Being a journalist is interesting among your best friends if you let them. security, the weird hours and the uncertainty of because on your first meeting with a person, its future. you can get an understanding of who they really 6. Your journalist friends know the word on the If you’ve ever thought about going into the are. By interviewing people, I got a lot more street, and can give you interesting details. field of journalism, or are just on the fence about contacts than I would’ve otherwise and have whether or not to get involved in your college gotten involved with some great people and Being friends with other journalists gives you a newspaper, this article is for you. organizations. go-to source for every rumor you hear around If you are quick on your feet, possess a ready town. Chances are if you’re just catching wind of mind, and are not afraid of adventure, journalism 4. You will learn more than you ever wanted to something, your journalist friend already knows is something you should absolutely invest your about the world around you. about it, and has been researching it for weeks. time and heart in. Here are 6 things you should Journalists are easily the most informed of their expect to return with after your investment. I have covered the development of safety labs, community.

Fatal overdoses on heroin, other drugs shouldn’t be labeled as suicide

Joseph Szalinski Commentary Joseph Szalinski is a senior creative writing and professional writing major. Heroin has been in the news lately on account of its growing popularity and the fact that it is cheaper and stronger than ever before. With all of the increased usage comes a greater number of addicts and overdoses. To combat such problems, states have begun to implement needle exchange programs and crack down on dealers by ruling overdoses as first-degree reckless homicides. But the question remains, who is really at fault when someone overdoses? I’ve come to know my fair share of addicts throughout my life, which has led me to take a

sympathetic approach to their plight(s), but at the same time, they are the ones who continue to live they way they are living. Granted, addiction is a chemical compulsion many cannot fight against, and it may not have been entirely the addict’s fault as to how/why he or she initially got involved with drugs, but as sovereign individuals, we are responsible for our own fates. People sell drugs to make money either because they aim to make it rich or get out of any sort of dire financial straits that they are plagued by. When selling something like heroin, the goal is to get the user addicted so he or she keeps coming back for more product. Sure, they are aware of the dangers associated with doing dangerous drugs, but that does not necessarily make it the fault of the dealer when a customer overdoses. A common mistake many junkies make, especially after getting out of rehab, is doing as much of a said substance as they are used to doing, but then realizing that they are incapable of doing so, and then overdosing. If drug dealers wanted to kill people, then they are in the wrong illegal market. They should become gangsters or serial killers or

politicians. No one, aside from the addict him or herself, is forcing the addict to use drugs. Dealers are not directly complicit in a user’s usage. It is tragic and unfortunate that a life, or lives, is/are lost, but we do not hold gun manufacturers responsible when people are shot, as well as we don’t hold companies like Apple responsible when workers are so distraught by working conditions that they kill themselves. I can see the argument for a drug like heroin, as opposed to charging someone who sold a couple tabs of bad acid to an inexperienced psychonaut, since it is exceptionally deadly and linked to a bunch of deaths. But even still, drug dealing and homicide are totally separate crimes. What would happen if heroin were to become legal, for some sort of reason? An overwhelming amount of evidence suggests that it’ll cut down on crime and increase purity and provide users a safe way to administer it. Would the medical professionals be held responsible? If that’s the case, what about pharmaceutical companies? Prescription pill overdoses are on the rise annually, more than every illicit drug combined. Shouldn’t those companies and CEOs be at fault then?

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.

IUP’s per-credit tuition will set dangerous precedents for PASSHE schools Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s (IUP) recent decision to replace flat-rate tuition with a per-credit system is a worrisome decision. Students taking 15 credits will pay $565 more per semester. Currently, students who take between 12 and 18 credits pay the same rate. IUP’s president, Michael Driscoll, says it will provide fairer pricing for a university facing a $15 million funding shortfall. What schools in the PASSHE system refuse to acknowledge is the big picture. There’s

constant whining about receiving less funding from the state, which is an admittedly steady decline. However, even with extra funding that isn’t going to combat the population decline throughout western Pennsylvania. There will be no resurgence in the Rust Belt. But everyone loves ribbon cuttings, so fancy and unnecessary dorms and facilities are built. Housing shouldn’t cost more than tuition. Sure, sharing a bathroom and showers with strangers isn’t always fun. But it was more affordable and mostly everyone

survived intact. The new dorms are nice, but don’t encourage people being social and inflict more cumbersome debt. The only reason I went to SRU is because the degree was affordable. I could work through school and exit without a lot of debt. Once these schools no longer represent a cheap alternative to private schools, what advantage do they really have? Josh Rizzo 2010 Slippery Rock University graduate

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April 8, 2016

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COMICS

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Best in Show

By Phil Juliano

Taurus (April 20-May 20) -- Today is an 8 -Take time for yourself over the next few days. Get out in nature. Create a spa experience at home. Enjoy soothing rituals. Find the heart in what you're creating, and talk about that. Gemini (May 21-June 20) -- Today is a 5 -Notice your dreams over the next few days. True your course toward inner satisfaction. List what you want to be, do, have, and contribute ... or at least consider. Friends have your back. Cancer (June 21-July 22) -- Today is a 6 -Set long-range goals. Your friends are your inspiration. Think about what's next. Group input helps today and tomorrow. Clean up a mess together. Share music and delicious flavors.

Brewster Rockit: Space Guy

By Tim Rickard

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Today is an 8 -- A challenge presents itself, for a professional prize. Push ahead for career goals over the next two days. Bounce ideas around with someone clever. Outsmart the competition. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Today is a 7 -Expand your perspective today and tomorrow. Schedule upcoming explorations. Mistakes are part of the learning process. Consult experts, and discuss plans with loved ones. Discover hidden answers. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) -- Today is an 8 -Update accounts and review budgets over the next two days. Strategize and prioritize with your partner. Get terms in writing. Find creative ways to cut costs and grow income for peace of mind. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -- Today is a 7 -Brainstorming sessions produce profitable plans over the next few days. Favor practical solutions. Collaborative efforts go further than those of lone rangers. Work out the goal and the message. Compromise. Tap into hidden assets. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -- Today is an 8 -Get down to the actual work for the next two days. Deepen your understanding. Use what you've learned. Evolve your methods and practices. Establishing an efficient routine now saves money later. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Today is a 7 -- Romance is a growing possibility. There's more time for love over the next few days. Relax and play with friends and family. Get out and try new flavors and diversions. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -- Today is a 5 -Domestic pleasures draw you in today and tomorrow. Prepare the place for an upcoming gathering. Clear out clutter. Get family involved in a household project. Conserve resources by cooking at home. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -- Today is an 8 -- Creative work sparkles with energy. Take notes and draw pictures. You're especially brilliant today and tomorrow, and you retain information well. Study, write and share your view. (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

April 8, 20 2016

Lauren Hernandez and London Heard pose in a photo booth.

Students form a dance circle around Justin Walko while the band plays traditional drum rhythms. Christa Lema paints Maggie Wilson's face during the festivities.

Odell Richardson and a group of musicians welcome students to the annual Black Arts Festival in the commuter lounge.

Yamoussa Camara, a traditional drummer in the guest band, leads a group of students in dancing.

A student DJ's the event while the traditional band explores the rest of the activities.

Photos and Design by: Kendall Scott

S SPORTS

INSIDE SPORTS

Women Who Rock

Women's Lacrosse

Three SRU graduates play professional women's football for the Pittsburgh Passion.

The Rock lacrosse team lost a tough game against number 19 ranked IUP Wednesday night.

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See Page C-3

Softball wins fifth straight in sweep By Cody Nespor Assistant Sports Editor

The Slippery Rock softball team earned its second straight home doubleheader sweep Wednesday afternoon, defeating the Mercyhurst University Lakers in doubleheader action. The two wins bring SRU's record to 14-13 overall and 3-3 in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) play. They were also the team's fourth and fifth straight wins and improved The Rock's home record to 5-3. Sophomore pitcher Brooke Dawson (5-6, 2.34 ERA) started game one and continued what has been an impressive streak for her. Dawson pitched all seven innings, giving up six hits, one run and striking out four. In her last three starts Dawson is 3-0 with 21 innings pitched, 20 strikeouts and only one earned run. SRU head coach Stacey Rice thinks Dawson's hot streak has been a result of her experience. "You go through times when you're hot and you go through times when you're not and I don't necessarily think there's a reason for it," Rice said. "I do think a little bit of it is maturity, last year she was only a freshman and up to this point, she's been dealing with an injury. I think a lot of it has been just getting comfortable again and believing in herself and trusting her pitches." Senior shortstop Katie Kaiser opened the scoring in game one with a tworun double in the second inning, scoring sophomore first-baseman Allie Fisher and senior right fielder Stacey Herzog. Senior Megan Maloney scored on a Mercyhurst error later in the inning to give The Rock a 3-0 lead. REBECCA DIETRICH/THE ROCKET

Senior shortstop Katie Kaiser singles to left field in SRU's second game of a doubleheader against Mercyhurst on Wednesday. Kaiser had three hits in the second game and drove in three RBI's as well.

SEE OFFENSE , PAGE C-3

Men's track perseveres through tough weather By Justin Kraus Rocket Contributor

Saturday at the Dave Labor Invitational, Slippery Rock worked to seven event wins, one NCAA provisional mark and 16 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) marks, all through 39 degree temperature and wind gusts of up to 44 mph. SRU head coach John Papa said that the weather was typical for Slippery Rock. "Slippery Rock is our personal wind tunnel. We were more ready for it than anyone else was," Papa said. "We knew it was going to be windy up here and we know exactly how it gets. Even if it's 60 degrees and sunny at the field house, it can be 45, cold and windy at the field." The cold and the wind did not seem to bother sophomore Andrew Koksal. Koksal hit the NCAA provisional mark for pole vault, clearing 4.82 meters whilst winning his event. Senior Keiffer Reed joined his teammate by finishing second in the pole vault, clearing 4.40 meters. Slippery Rock dominated events all over the track and field on Saturday. This was most apparent in the long jump, where three Rock jumpers took first, second and fourth. Sophomore Noah Bostick won the event with a 6.71 meter jump, barely edging his teammate, freshman Trevor Salopek, who leaped 6.68 meters. Sophomore Jared Geist finished fourth with a 6.52 meter jump. Bostick added another win in the 110 meter hurdles with a 14.85 second finish. Papa was glad with the performances his athletes turned in. REBECCA DIETRICH/THE ROCKET

Freshman Dayne Fields competes in the 800 meter run at the Dave Labor Invitational Saturday afternoon. Fields finished in sixth place with a time of 2:08.69.

SEE ROCK , PAGE C-3

SPORTS

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April 8, 2016

SRU grads bring passion to women's football Baseball 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Gannon mercyhurst California (PA.) seton hill indiana (pa.) pitt-johnstown slippery rock

21-8 (9-3) 20-8 (9-3) 16-12 (9-3) 23-9 (8-4) 14-17 (6-6) 11-18 (4-8) 7-24 (2-10)

Clarion

4-19 (1-11)

Softball 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

California (pa.) seton hill slippery rock edinbor0 mercyhurst gannon

21-1 (8-0) 12-18 (5-3) 14-13 (3-3) 8-12 (2-4) 9-11 (2-6) 10-14 (2-6)

Women's Lacrosse 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.

mercyhurst West Chester indiana (pa.) east stroudsburg lock haven millersville seton hill slippery rock gannon kutztown edinboro bloomsburg shippensburg

10-1 (7-0) 11-1 (6-1) 8-4 (6-1) 11-2 (6-2) 9-2 (5-2) 7-5 (4-4) 5-7 (4-4) 7-4 (3-3) 5-7 (2-5) 6-7 (2-6) 6-6 (1-6) 3-7 (1-6) 3-8 (0-7)

Women's Tennis 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

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

13-0 (4-0) 11-2 (3-0) 8-4 (2-2) 7-6 (1-1) 11-6 (0-2) 7-8 (0-2) 2-7 (0-3)

Outdoor track APRIL 8 Liberty University (Multi-Only) APRIL 10 Indiana (Pa.) University Standings as of Thurs.Apr. 7 at 1:08 p.m.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PITTSBURGH PASSION MEDIA RELATIONS

Tara Catone of the Pittsburgh Passion, a franchise in the Independent Women's Football League competes with the team in 2015. Catone graduated from SRU in 2014 and was a heptathlete for the women's track and field team.

By Jordyn Bennett Rocket Contributor

The Independent Women’s Football League (IWFL) gives women throughout the United States the opportunity to play competitive football. The Pittsburgh Passion has united women who love the game to form one of the most renowned teams in the country and has created a sisterhood between them. Between a couple of the team's key players that bond, is made stronger by one factor: Slippery Rock University. In the 2015 season the Passion was led by Rock alumni quarterback Lisa Horton, running back Tara Catone, and current wide receiver Angela Baker to the IWFL National Championship. Horton, who earned her master’s degree in exercise science and was a graduate assistant for the university’s softball team from 2001 to 2003, was a Division I softball player before she found her new passion in football. “I always wanted to play football growing up, but never could,” Horton said. “I found the Passion and have now been playing for 13 years. I’m one of the originals.” A veteran of the game, Horton has put up some incredible numbers during her tenure. She has over 11,000 yards, 150 career touchdowns and has led the Passion to back-to-back national championships, one of which she was named MVP. She has made an incredible impact on the team for years but said she is looking towards moving from running the plays to calling them as a coach. Horton said it’s not the easiest decision to stop playing because of the bond she created with the women on her team. “We don’t get paid the big bucks, but we love the game and a share a passion for it,” Horton said. “It’s a sisterhood. I play for the girls and a lot of my friends. I wouldn’t come back if it wasn’t for them.” Two of the women she mentioned were Baker and Catone. Horton interacts with them on the field almost more than any other players on the team. Baker, a primary target in the Passion receiving core, and Catone, the starting running back, share the SRU bond with Horton, but never crossed paths at the university. That is not the case for Baker and Catone. The two women have a friendship that started before they were teammates. Baker, a current student, and Catone, a 2014 graduate and a former heptathlete for the Rock’s women’s track and field team, both studied health and physical education and knew each other from classes, but have very different stories of how they got to where they are today. Baker said she was inspired by Steelers players such as Jerome Bettis and Charlie Batch who she met growing up, so when she got the opportunity to try out five seasons ago, she had to take it. “I was always one of the girls who was running around with the boys,” Baker said. “We played basketball, baseball and all the other sports, but I loved football the most.”

Catone, an academic All-American, finished her four years of track in 2014, but was not ready to be done playing sports. In her rookie season, she started at running back during the Passion’s national championship run. She does not take all of the credit for the early success in her career. Catone said when she heard about the tryouts it was her relationship with Baker that really helped her to achieve all the success that she has with the team. “Knowing Angela really helped a lot,” Catone said. “She’s like my sister. It’s just an awesome feeling to play with and be around people you have already connected with.” Though these women may have come to the Passion for different reasons, they all display their passion for the team with love and respect for the game. Catone said her starting role with the team is humbled by aspects of being in a Passion uniform and playing next to veterans like Baker and Horton. “It’s amazing to step on a field for a team with so much pride and history,” Catone said. Catone also said it is a big difference between watching and playing the game, but she does it. It is a challenge for people to view women’s football the way they do men’s, but she said the women on the fields are just as capable to compete against one another as two men’s teams are. Baker and Horton agree. Baker said that people assume that it’s unattractive at first, but once they come out, they really get into it. “It’s women against women and we are hitting each other as hard as we can,” Baker said. “ We are making the big catches and big plays just like any other football game.” While the younger players are still avidly pushing for the change, Horton recognizes it has been happening. “Over the last 10 years the game has evolved a lot,” Horton said. “I have seen people view women differently within the sport, not only on the field, but with my opportunities in coaching as well. She credits USA football and NFL organizations such as the New Orleans Saints for where her coaching career is going. That does not mean her on-the-field work has stopped. Baker, Catone, Horton and the rest of the Passion team opened their season with a win on April 2, continuing a 23 game win streak. As arguably one of the most popular teams in the country every game should bring out a great atmosphere, but all three of the women think that there will be nothing like the one at Slippery Rock on April 23. Catone ran track at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium, but has never played on the field. She called their return to The Rock a homecoming for her and Horton. Baker, a fan of the football team, has attended games at the stadium, but never played. “Me and some of the alumni are really excited to play at SRU,” Baker said. “Who would have thought we’d be playing here after watching the men play all of these years?”

April 8, 2016

SPORTS

C-3

KENDALL SCOTT/THE ROCKET

Senior Erin Wilcox runs away from IUP defenders during the team's 12-1 loss Wednesday night. Wilcox leads The Rock with 35 goals and 37 points of the year.

Women's LAX falls to No. 19 IUP By Connor Himich Rocket Contributor

Slippery Rock women's lacrosse took a tough loss to No. 19 Indiana University of Pennsylvania on Wednesday evening. This marks their third loss in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) on the season. The Rock falls to 7-4 on the season and 3-3 in the PSAC games. All four losses have come from Division II nationally ranked teams. Slippery Rock head coach Emily Hopkins believes it's very important for her team to see tough competition this late into the season, especially as the PSAC playoffs are quickly approaching. "Playing good competition prepares us," Hopkins said. "We played pretty good competition (Wednesday) but unfortunately we need to do a better job cleaning up our turnovers and reducing our fouls. If we took better advantage of our opportunities, I think we would've won."

The game started off with IUP taking a 6-3 lead halfway through the first period. Slippery Rock responded with a very helpful 4-0 run and finished off the half with a 5-2 run to send the game to an even 8-8 score at the half. Slippery Rock came out in the second half taking a 10-8 lead with a little over 26 minutes left to play. Indiana decided to change their goalkeeper after Slippery Rock scored its 10th goal, which paid off for IUP in the long run. The Crimson Hawks put together a four-goal run over an eight-minute period to take the lead with a little over 17 minutes left to play. Slippery Rock was given chances as the game was winding down. Senior Erin Wilcox managed to cut the deficit down to 12-11 with a little over 15 minutes to play, but IUP's defense did not allow another solid scoring chance. Indiana led in shots with 26 compared to Slippery Rock's 17.

Erin Wilcox led the way with four goals. She has scored in all 11 games of the season and has scored multiples goals in ten of the 11 games. "We don't really position our offense around any particular player," Hopkins said. "We move the ball around with everybody and they should all be getting looks. But (Erin) has a high shooting percentage and really takes advantage of all the shot opportunities." Junior Caitlynn Palladino and junior Chynna Chan each had two goals. Sophomore Bre Vodde and junior Jasey Sanders each had one goal. Senior Kaytlin Callaghan, sophomore Tia Torchia and senior Anna-Marie Warrington all had one assist to finish off the point scorers. The competition doesn't get any easier as Slippery Rock travels to No. 12 Lock Haven, the national runner-up in 2015, on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Offense erupts Rock men's outdoor track in game two of and field dominates doubleheader competition at home Continued from Page C 1

Continued from Page C 1

Kaiser added another RBI in the sixth inning with a single that was mishandled by a Laker outfielder that allowed Maloney and Herzog to score. Dawson gave up a run on a sacrifice fly in the seventh before picking up the game one win. Junior Carly DeRose (5-4, 1.35 ERA) started game two and only pitched three innings, giving up three hits, two runs and striking out three. The Rock offense was red-hot in this game, scoring the most runs of any game this season. Junior Caitlin Baxter kicked things off with a three-run home run in the bottom of the first inning that cleared the scoreboard in left field. Baxter added to more RBI's in the third inning with a two-run double. Baxter's five RBI's are the most by any one player in a game so far this year for the Green and White. Slippery Rock batted around in the fifth, scoring seven runs and another in the fourth to break open an 11-2 lead. The differential led to the game being shorted and only five innings were played. Sophomore Paige Flore (3-3, 3.17 ERA) relieved DeRose in the fourth inning, pitching the final two innings of the game and sealing the win for Slippery Rock. Kaiser finished the day going 4-7 with three RBI and Baxter finished 2-6 with five RBI and three runs scored. Rice likes that there is not only one player that carries the Rock offense. "It shows that we have multiple leaders, multiples opportunities to get the job done," Rice said. "I think a lot of that also depends on who's pitching because some of our batters excel in different pitching situations." SRU will return to action Friday at Gannon University and Saturday at California University (Pa.) before returning home to play Edinboro University on Sunday. Saturday will be a tough test for the Green and White against the first place Cal. Vulcans. The Vulcans swept SRU at home earlier this season.

"Noah is a great athlete, there is no doubt about that. He's a sophomore this year, he has been around a year and knows what to expect and what it takes, so we're excited about what he can do in the future," Papa said. "Andrew Koksal had a really nice vault in those poor conditions. In the long jump, Tervor Salopk did a great job, he's new for us but he had a great jump. Jerrod Geist qualified for the first time in the long jump." One more jumper led The Rock to an event win on Saturday. Freshman Lance Thornton tied for first with a 1.90 meter high jump. The 100-meter dash was another event full of green and white in the top five. Freshman Collin Darby and junior Brandon Vanderbrook both finished in 11.00 seconds, but Darby just barely edged Vanderbook by an impossibly small margin. Graduate student Monte Chapman was not far behind, claiming fifth with a 11.18 second time in the dash. The team of Chapman, Darby and Vanderbrook were joined by junior Erik Record to win the 4 x 100 meter relay with a time of 42.71 seconds. Darby said he has a great relationship with the other relay runners. "One thing that I like that keeps being said is that we're built, not bought. At our school a lot of us aren't on scholarship," Darby said. "I feel like we have the most heart and will to win. It's more or less that we're going to perform the best. We practice hard and our coaches help us reach the best of our abilities." Junior Jacob VanHouten finished the day on the track with a win for Slippery Rock, this time in the 400-meter hurdles. VanHouten finished in 56.08 seconds and was directly followed by senior Andrew Schroder, who took second with a 57.29 second time. Out on the field, junior JJ Ollio added three top-five finishes to his resume. In the discus, Ollio took fourth with a 45.37 meter throw. Ollio added a fifth-place 45.75 meter toss in the hammer throw. Finally, Ollio took home fourth in the shot put with 15.51 meters. Senior Jerrod Galloway added an eighth-place finish in the shot put, throwing 13.61 meters. Slippery Rock will next compete at the Liberty Invitational April eighth and ninth, and then at the PSAC West competition at Indiana University (Pa.) on the 10th.

SPORTS

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April 8, 2016

SRU women earn 16 marks at home meet By Andrew Miloser Rocket Contributor

The Slippery Rock University women’s track and field team hosted the Dave Labor Invitational this past weekend. It was another big weekend for the team in regards to Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) qualifying marks. The team earned a total of 16 marks on the day along with eight first-place finishes. "Conditions were not favorable but we were still able to have outstanding performances, the 4 x 100 did a really nice job," Rock head coach John Papa said. "This Sunday we are hoping for better conditions at IUP but might not be looking too favorable in regards to the weather." Taking home yet another first place finish in her undefeated season was senior Sam Taylor in the javelin. Her heave of 41.89 meters would earn her the victory in the event. Papa was impressed with Taylor's outing because she still won the event despite withdrawing from the rest of the competition due to a back injury. In the 100-meter dash, senior Jasmine Bailey took first place handily with a time of 12.36 seconds. Bailey would also compete in another victory performance with team members, junior Kennedy Evans, freshman Jaiah Williams and graduate student Katelyn Wetzel in the 4 x 100-meter relay. The relay team won the race with a time of 48.81 seconds. Evans would also go on to win the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 1:04.13. In the 4 x 400 meter relay, the team of senior Casundra Swartzburg and sophomores Katie Teed, Josette Dawson and Aerial Dukes would win the event with a time of 4:14.29. In the distance events, senior Jennie Picot would dominate the 10,000-meter race with a time of 37:59.88. "In the 10,000 meter Shannon Byerley and Jennie Picot did a really nice job," Papa said. Seniors Ashley West and Paige Kassab were also able to pick up wins in their field events. West took care of business with a first-place finish in the high jump with a clearance of 1.63 meters, she would also take second in the long jump with a leap of 5.25 meters. Kassab won the long jump event at 5.32 meters. Sophomore Maria Darling would take second place in the pole vault with her leap of 3.25 meters. Saturday's event was the first of three home meets for The Rock. Next week the team will be split with athletes heading to the Liberty Invitational on April 8 and 9. The rest of the team will compete at a PSAC event at Indiana University (Pa.) on April 10.

REBECCA DIETRICH/THE ROCKET

Senior Kasey Kurpakus competes in the long jump at the Dave Labor Invitaitonal held at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium Saturday afternoon.

Rock tennis stung by West Virginia State Yellow Jackets By Oscar Matous Rocket Contributor

The Slippery Rock Women’s tennis team suffered a close defeat against the West Virginia State Yellow Jackets (14-3). The loss puts the team a match below .500 (7-8) for the year. Rock head coach Matt Meredith knew it was going to be close. “It is going to be a close match-up. Coming out strong in doubles will be a crucial factor in deciding the outcome of this match,” Meredith said. To begin the evening, the women started off strong in doubles play with a win of 8-5 by sophomore Nina Barbano and freshman Amanda Bruscemi against the Yellow Jacket’s Laura Isbey and Diana Cotoros. SRU juniors Kylee Woodman and Stephanie Fortier were victorious over Brenda Cumpa and Kayla McKnight with a final score of 8-3. However, the Yellow Jackets were not going to go out quietly. In the final doubles match, junior Tiffany Kollah and sophomore Carla Corrochano Moracho were defeated by West Virginia State’s Brittany Franvo and Nina Dillwald with a score of 8-3. Barbano continued her strong season with a 6-4, 6-1 win in second singles against Laura Isbey. The win gave Barbano her 12th of the season. She currently leads the team in wins. Kollah was taken down by Dillwad 6-0 and Franco overcame Corrochano 6-1, 6-3 in third and first singles. Fortier was victorious in the fifth flight 6-4, 6-3 over the Yellow Jacket’s Cotoros. Freshman Allie Welch was handed defeat by McKnight in the sixth slot 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 while West Virginia’s Charlotte Sandy just narrowly bested Bruscemi in the fourth flight 6-3, 4-6, 6-2. “I definitely learned a lot from this match. Since it ended up being a close match, I was able to figure out the things that I need to improve upon to get ready for Edinboro," Welch said. "Right now, Edinboro is our primary focus. All our practice and hard work needs to be on preparing to take on the Fighting Scots.” The women will look to return to their winning ways with a matchup on April sixth against conference opponent Edinboro University (11-6). The match is set for 3:30 p.m. at the Slippery Rock

REBECCA DIETRICH/THE ROCKET

Junior Stephanie Fortier returns the ball during Slipery Rock's match against West Virginia State. Fortier is 4-7 in singles and 4-7 in doubles play this season.

CAMPUS LIFE

INSIDE CAMPUS LIFE

'Film Buff' Reviews March Films

Rocky Loses In Mascot Madness

The 'Film Buﬀ' reviews recent blockbusters, "Batman v Superman," "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2" and "Allegiant."

In Mascot Madness, Rocky loses to Kutztown's Avalanche in a close battle for the ultimate mascot title in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.

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See Page D-2

BAS hosts Black Arts Festival Students celebrate black art and culture with body painting, food and dancing

KENDALL SCOTT/THE ROCKET Justin Walko (left) dances with SRU students and faculty in the Robert M. Smith Student Center lobby to the sound of drums with an instructor at BAS's annual Black Arts Festival.

By Megan Bush

Powell said the Black Arts Festival is really awesome tradition of Black Action Society. Rocket Contributor “When we’re planning, we brainstorm what would be best for students and the best way to The first and second floors of the Smith get black arts out there," Powell said. Student Center were filled with the sounds of This year, the Black Arts Festival featured beautiful, fun music and the scents of enticing body and face-painting artists, a bracelet and food thanks to the annual Black Arts Festival necklace-making station, a photobooth and hosted by the Black Action Society (BAS) on a caricature artist, to name a few. There was April 7. Students filled the area taking pictures also a group of musicians performing on and at the photobooth, getting painted and being off throughout common hour in the Student drawn as caricatures. Center lobby; at one point, an announcer President of Black Action Society (BAS) brought students and faculty members down and senior communication major Yonshalae to the floor in front of the stage to dance

together to the music. Other students stayed on the second floor. S enior physical activity and fitness management major Malcolm Roberson said it was a blast seeing racial minorities being represented on a predominantly-white campus. “Seeing a bunch of new faces out here is great too," Roberson said. Powell said the purpose of the Black Arts Festival is to give students an opportunity to learn about black art and culture, and just to have a great time. SEE BAS, PAGE D-3

LIFE encourages adult students to go back to college By Emma Pfeifer Asst Campus Life Editor

A group of students involved in the First Year Leadership Program (FLSP) put together an organization called LIFE (Learning Is For Everyone) to promote adults to go back to college and get an education. Students Dallas Kline, Shaughnesy Clark, Cherice Jackson, Cassie Aber and Natalie Hoffman chose to do education for the Clinton Global Initiative project that FLSP was doing this year as an end of the year projects. Clinton Global Initiative is a part of the Clinton Foundation that is working towards helping people be the best they can be and reach their full potential. The areas the Clinton Foundation focus on are climate change, economic development, girls and women, global health and health and wellness. Slippery Rock University is a member of the Clinton Foundation and pays a membership fee each

year, said Sarah Arpino, junior public relations major and peer mentor. The peers thought that since the university is paying to be a part of the program that they might as well participate in the project. Freshman sports management major Dallas Kline said that her group wanted to be advocates for students and get adults that haven’t gotten a college education to come back and get one. The group took a few weeks to organize their project to figure out a plan of attack and what they would do, Kline said. During the process of putting the project together and thinking of ideas, the group created a Twitter for the organization, “LIFE @ SRU." The group followed all the other SRU clubs and organizations they found on Twitter in hopes to gain followers from the SRU community. Kline explained that they chose this topic because in our society today, in order to get a decent and well-paying job, a person has to have a degree.

Young students don’t realize how hard it is to come back to college as an adult and these young students need to open their eyes and realize that, Kline said. The group is hoping to spread awareness on campus and get students to encourage their family members or anyone they know that didn’t go to college to go and get an education, Kline said. Kline said she wants to keep informing the public and hopefully do more with the organization as time progresses. Senior accounting major, Joanne Richardson is an adult student that decided to come back to college after being in the working environment. Richardson said she went to college in 1996 to study French, however as she progressed, she found that she didn’t have a goal and it seemed pointless, so she left and decided to waitress. After she lived her life for a few years, she decided to settle down and work in management, but after

working for a while, she found her future was limited without a college degree and that is when she decided to come back to college, Richardson said. Richardson said that her experience so far has been positive but at first it was extremely nerve-wracking. The goal for the organization is to get students to respect adults coming back to college and to make their time easier, Kline said Kline plans on setting up an appointment with President of the University Cheryl J. Norton to talk about potential plans for the organization and what to improve upon. It would be extremely helpful to have a specific advisor for older students, especially for things like how to format a resume in the midst of a career change, Richardson said. Richardson gave advice for potential adult students and said to go for it without any regret and get involved as much as possible because no one is judging.

CAMPUS LIFE

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April 8, 2016

Rocky loses in final round of Mascot Madness

REBECCA DIETRICH/THE ROCKET Rocky poses for the camera at SRU's 127th Birthday Party.

By Nina Bracci Rocket Contributor

March is a month that revolves around college basketball and Mascot Madness is a competition throughout the Pennsylvania state schools to bring students, alumni and friends together to participate in a fun competition. The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) created this competition to involve each state school and their mascot in the month-long basketball tournament and to emphasize the pride of the state system. Mascot Madness aims to direct eyes to the official social media accounts of each university. The voting of the mascots takes place on Twitter. Freshman psychology major, Nicolette Glenn said she's always loved the concept of Mascot Madness. "I think it’s really cool that I now get to be a part of the contest," Glenn said. The schools competing from the western PSAC division are

California, Indiana, Shippensburg, Clarion, Lock Haven, Edinboro and Slippery Rock. The east includes: Bloomsburg, Cheyney, East Stroudsburg, Millersville, Kutztown, Westchester and Mansfield. The competition goes through four different voting rounds to eliminate mascots in order to make their way to the two remaining mascots. The championship took place on April 4. which is the same day as the NCAA Tournament championship game. For the second straight year, Slippery Rock University's mascot, Rocky, made it to the finals and competed against Kutztown University's mascot, Avalanche, in the championship round of the Mascot Madness contest. Senior business management major and president of Green and White Society, Samantha Rivet said Rocky is always ready to get other students involved and engaged around campus. Rocky was not always the mascot Rivet said. The first mascot of Slippery Rock University looked

PHOTO COURTESY OF AVALANCHE THE KU GOLDEN BEAR'S FACEBOOK PAGE Avalanche entertains the crowd at a Kutztown University event.

like an actual rock. The second mascot displayed the pride of SRU, but didn't fully represent the university's look. Our newest mascot since 2007 represents the pride and originality of Slippery Rock with great honor. Rock Nation wanted to help propel SRU to victory in this contest by encouraging all supporters to visit SRU's website to cast their votes for Rocky. People also shared the voting link on social media which allowed additional users to become aware of the voting. The voting for the final round started Monday morning and ended on Tuesday morning. Everyone was told to use the hashtags #MascotMadness and #VoteRocky on their Twitter accounts to raise awareness. “I was tweeting and trying to get everyone to vote because I love Slippery Rock University and I wanted everyone else to show that they do too,” Rivet said. Rocky campaigned in Boozel Dining Hall on Monday at both lunchtime and dinner. He took pictures with students walking

through the doors and made his way around the inside of the dining hall to spread the word. “Rocky had so much energy and it just made everyone hope even more that we would win,” Glenn said. Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education announced the champion Tuesday afternoon via Twitter after all of the votes were cast. Kutztown’s Avalanche was declared the winner of the 2016 PASSHE Mascot Madness contest coming in with 6,153 votes. Rocky was 15 votes behind finalizing at 6,138. “Next year, we as a campus could make a whole spirit week of events promoting Rocky to let everyone know about the contest and finally take the victory,” Rivet said. The students around campus and the Slippery Rock community are still very pleased that Rocky made it to the championship round and hope to take the title next year. “ This competition reminds students to keep their pride in our mascot, and I think that is really important,” Glenn said.

BAS hopes to bring students together in future events Continued from Page D-1

Richardson agreed and said he thinks it’s great bringing awareness to black heritage. He said it gives everyone a chance to really see the culture. Powell said it's really great to bring students together on a rainy day to appreciate black art. Powell said she defined the festival as an absolute success. Freshman early childhood and special education major Katelyn Schlack said she really enjoyed the atmosphere and watching the musicians. “I met lots of new people and had an awesome time," Schlack said. Powell wants to thank everyone who came out and made the event the success that it was. “It really makes planning the festival worthwhile, and if you missed it, don’t worry, because it happens every year," she said. The Black Arts Festival will not be the last thing BAS does before the end of the semester. On April 30, Black Action Society will be hosting their annual end-of-the-year cookout from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Quad. There will be free food and games. On the same day, BAS, the Student Union for Multicultural Affairs (SUMA) and the Student Organization of Latinos/ Hispanics and Allies (SOL) are collaborating to host a Cascade event. Tickets for this event can be bought at the Office of Multicultural Development in the CSIL for $14. This one-time price includes transportation, pizza and drinks KENDALL SCOTT/THE ROCKET and laser tag. Yadira Lupian-Lua dances down the Soul-Train line with several other SRU students at the Black Arts Festival.

April 8, 2016

CAMPUS LIFE

'Film Buff ' reviews March blockbuster hits The first film, in which Toula and Ian meet, has awkward run-ins, go through some tough decisions involving their families and fall in love is rather iconic in the 20th century. The sequel brings back the whole Greek family from the first one, with a new addition, Toula and Ian’s daughter, Paris. Paris loves her family, but is over being smothered and followed around everywhere she goes. She's ready to go off to college and get away. The “big fat Greek wedding” comes in when Toula’s father realizes that the priest never signed the marriage Harmony Kasper certificate for him and her mother. Despite the box office success of the first film, the second "The Film Buff" did not resonate with viewers on the same level. First, the script isn’t as unique as the first. It Harmony Kasper is a senior journalism and seemed like the same jokes and phrases were creative writing major and film and media studies being repeated, as if the 14 years between minor and a regular contributor to The Rocket. the films made us forget the first altogether. According to the film's Wikipedia page, the movie has made $55.8 million worldwide. This is significantly less than the first, which made Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice $368.7 million. Negative reviews from critics and low box office success will seal this as the When I first heard the title of this movie, I last time we see these characters in a big, fat didn’t understand it. Does it make sense that Greek wedding. Unfortunately, no amount of we are pinning two of the most recognized Windex can help to make this the amazing film and beloved superheroes against each other? it was advertised to be. Despite the fact that this bothered me, I kept my mind free of prejudice when I watched the film. Let’s just say I wasn’t swayed from my The Divergent Series: Allegiant initial reaction. Basically, both men view the other as a Like any other teen book-to-film adaptation, threat to society. Did you ever notice that the last book is split into two movies. I have every superhero movie comes along with the commented before on this in regards to "The destruction of a city and probably hundreds of Hunger Games." It’s a terrible idea. By thie last civilian lives? There are so many elements that movie, the content is dragged out, and the first don’t make sense in this genre of film, yet fans of the two films is boring and all back story, love them. People who are die-hard DC Comics leaving the main action for the last movie. or Marvel followers don’t care if the story line Tris and Four are ready to escape beyond makes sense. They want special effects and the wall that surrounds Chicago. They are in fight scenes. search of a solution to the evil government According to "The Hollywood Reporter," the that has been using people as experiments to film opened on 4,000 screens domestically and their grand plan. On the other side of the wall, 30,000 worldwide. It fell in the top 10 most Tris and company meet new allies and enemies expensive productions at $250 million and that will shape their future. With the death of has just crossed the $700 million milestone Jeanine in "Insurgent," Four’s mother, Evelyn, worldwide, according to "Variety." With all the has now taken over as leader of the Chicago advertisements, press and media hype about society, forcing everyone to live a fractionless the film, it’s no wonder that it’s making the life. money that’s expected, but does this all mean The "Divergent" trilogy is worth reading, that it’s a good film? but I’m not so sure the film series is worth Henry Cavill reprises his role as Superman watching. The first film is arguably the best along with the new casting of Ben Affleck and most closely matches the story by Veronica as Batman. I have never been a major fan Roth. The second is okay, somewhat straying of Affleck, so I was hesitant at first. After from the original content. For example, Evelyn seeing his portrayal as the dark superhero, I’m kills Jeanine instead of Tori. Finally, "Allegiant" confused on what the casting crew saw in him is outdone with action and the political subtext as this character. Other than a large name being that Roth created so beautifully is almost attached to the film, I didn’t see him giving us forgotten. According to "Variety," Summit the same qualities that previous Batman actors should be worried if audiences will stick around have in the past. Christian Bale and Michael to see the final film, "Ascendant," to be released Keaton set the bar pretty high. Also, Jesse in the summer of 2017. Eisenberg as Lex Luthor? Did anyone else see "Allegiant" was destroyed by critics and him on the verge of becoming the Joker? lacked severely in the box office, making only The fans give the movie a million gold stars, $136.7 million worldwide. Maybe it’s because but I have to side with critics in saying that the I’m over the whole dystopic theme, but the film film was just one big set up for a bunch of other lacked spark. Unlike the books, where I flipped movies that will spin off of it. I’m not saying big through them at inhuman speed, I wasn’t production films are all like this, but this one interested in the films portrayal of the story. lacked serious plot development. Hopefully, Since I’ve been a viewer from the beginning, the creators behind these films will consider I will definitely see the last film, but I can’t these opinions for future superhero battles. guarantee it will be amazing in my book. I’m already not a fan of the ending of the series. My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2

Need Advice? Ask Andi about anything at rocket.letters@sru.edu Or... Visit theonlinerocket.com Click in the "About" tab,

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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 know I'm late, I'm finally contemplating graduate school. I'm a senior, so every time I mention it, people look at me like I'm crazy. There are still plenty of schools that don't have an application deadline, so should I apply? Should I hold off and weigh my options? What would you do? Sincerely, Frantic Graduate

Answer:

Dear Frantic Graduate,

Grad school is a huge decision to make, especially in a limited amount of time. Lucky for you, your graduate time clock doesn't expire any time soon. Tons of people hold off on graduate school for many different reasons until they are sure and ready to go back to school for another two to four laborious years. Depending on what program you're in, grad school can be pretty tough, so make sure you know what you're in for. In your case, it doesn't seem like you're entirely sure what you want or need to do, so keep calm and weigh the options. Going to grad school just to say you did sometimes isn't worth the struggle. If you can happily do what you want to do in your field of undergrad study without a masters degree, then get out there and do it. Don't suffer through extra years of school if you don't have to. Know your options and take the best route for you. Best Wishes! Andi

Question: Dear Andi,

I recently broke up with my ex-boyfriend. At first, things were mutual when we broke up, but now, it seems like he's in stalker mode. He texts and calls me everyday to ask me what I'm doing. I don't think he understands we're broken up, and I've moved on. I've told him plenty of times. What should I do? Sincerely, Miss Moving On

Answer:

Dear Miss Moving On,

SOS, stalker alert! Just kidding... but to me it sounds like your ex is just having a harder time embracing the Mr. Moving On title than you seem to be. I think you need to sit down and talk to him, face to face, to make it more real. Tell him you would appreciate him trying to give you your space so that you can detach yourself from the past relationship you two once shared. If that doesn't work you might have to move on to things like being a little more assertive or even the silent treatment. Once his texts and calls go unanswered enough times, hopefully he will get the hint. If he doesn't then seriously send up that SOS signal.

and click "Feedback" to submit your questions.

Best Wishes! Andi

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April 8, 2016