the rocket
www.th e on l i n e rocke t.com www.theonlinerocke
Friday Se ptember 1, 2017 - Volume 101 - Issue 1 - An Inde pendent, Student-Run Newspaper
“May the sun always shine at
SLIPPERY ROCK.”
-Dr. Cheryl Norton SRU Presdent 2012-17
Rock football prepares for Lutz’s second season Behind a new quarterback and an entirely new defense, The Rock looks to start the year off strong at Kentucky State. page C-1
Campus and community gather, view solar eclipse President Way started off the academic year positively by hosting an event aimed at boosting morale and community involvement. page D-1 Cover design by Paris Malone
NEWS
A-2
N
September 1, 2017
INSIDE NEWS SRU working on 43 construction projects
Way describes plan for fall semester
New updates to buildings include renovations to Bailey Library and Swope Music Hall.
Interim President Philip Way talks about his background in higher education and his hopes for the university.
See A-3
See A-4
NEWS
P
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! PHOTO COURTESY OF SGA
The 2017-18 SRU Student Government Association Executive Board.
Lawler seeks to make campus more welcoming By Adam Zook Assistant News Editor
INDEX Blotter.................A-3 Opinion................B-1 Sports...................C-1 CampusLife.............D-1
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Current Student Government Association (SGA) President Rachel Lawler said she has always seen herself as a leader, after being involved with student government since freshmen year. Lawler said she held various leadership positions throughout her high school years and was eager to get involved here at Slippery Rock as a freshman in 2014. She got involved with SGA that year, serving as a freshman senator before advancing to the title of Parliamentarian for the past two years. Now, the senior exercise science major is eager to start making a positive impact in her role as president. "It really felt like it was my time to make a difference," Lawler said. "I feel like I know the ropes already from working under Logan Steigerwalt the past two years as Parliamentarian. Having a leadership role like this is something that has always been important to me." L aw l e r w i l l b e j oi n e d
by fellow Executive Board Me mb e rs Bre n n an Sm it h (Parliamentarian), Riley Keffer (VP of Financial Affairs), Lexi Foster (VP of Internal Affairs), Dallas Kline (VP of Financial Outreach), Scott Vogelgesang (VP of Student and Financial Affairs) and Josh Jenkins (Speaker of the Senate). The advisors for the 2017-18 academic year will be Director of Student Engagement and Leadership Lauren Moran, Executive C o-op Director Wendy Lietara, and Chair of the Political Science Department David Kershaw. Lawler said that she hopes that this year's SGA builds upon the success of the previous two years under former President Steigerwalt. One of her main initiatives is to make students feel more safe and comfortable on campus, with a specific focus on multicultural students. "We really strive to address concerns voiced to us by the student body; making every voice heard is extremely important to us," Lawler said. "Multicultural students in particular can't be left behind
and feel out of place on campus. My E-board and I want to go to the source of these conflicts directly and address them accordingly," Lawler said. Lawler also hopes to increase the usage of CORE, an online community designed create a more connected and efficient campus. Lawler sees CORE as a "one stop shop" for students and a great way to increase peer engagement. This is one of many tools the new team of leadership heading SGA plans to use to improve campus and make students feel more fulfilled at Slippery Rock. "Making sure students have the best experience possible is what we intend to strive for this year," Lawler said. "If a student wants something done, we want to make a conscious effort to address the issue and let them know their opinion is important to us." The first SGA formal meeting will take place on Tuesday at 8:45 p.m. in the Smith Student Center theater.
AVI introduces new menu items based on student response By Haley Potter Rocket Contributor
AVI is introducing new options this semester to help improve student satisfaction with the numerous food services on campus. Mark Lisowski, resident director of AVI food systems, said most of the changes are attempting to give SRU students the "wow factor". With the library renovations still under way, the usual Taylor and Barnes library café is temporarily relocated to the University Union. Regarding the move, Lisowski noted, “when life gives you lemons, you try to make lemonade.”The café at the union offers the same cold food that Taylor and Barnes did such as sushi, power salads, freshly squeezed juice cups, protein power packs, coffee and tea. The library coffee shop is being renovated and the location change is only temporary. “The library coffee shop is meant to take care of students with snacks and cheaper coffee and sushi,” Lisowski said.
Lisowski said that Boozel has also gone through some improvements, with most of the food choices at Boozel remaining as they were, but a wider variety of options are now being introduced. The noodles station, where students create their own meal, has increased options including zucchini, sweet potatoes, beets, squash, veggies, and lean clean proteins. The deli has also been expanded and ethnic specialties have been incorporated. Lisowski said these new options were made to help students that want to eat healthier or want to have a quick option between classes on hectic weekdays. “We are already getting a thumbs up from students," Lisowski said. Weisenfluh has new breakfast options including smoothies for students in the morning. The Quaker Steak & Lube inside the Smith Student Center has a new menu after being taken over by a new company. "It gives Quaker a hometown derivative," Lisowski said regarding the new menu.
Read the full story on theonlinerocket.com
NEWS
September 1, 2017
A-3
POLICE BLOTTER Campus
August 26- Police received a call for an odor August 27- Police on patrol checked out a of marijuana in Building E. Charges will be person sitting by the roadway. After speaking August 24- A nurse at the health center filed by police against Nathan Freund, 18, for with Derek Szymkowski, 19, police determined requested an ambulance to be dispatched for disorderly conduct. that he was highly intoxicated. Szymkowski a patient. When the patient began to cause was taken to the health center and charged problems with EMT, nurses requested police August 26- Police received a call for a possible with an alcohol violation. assistance. drug violation in Building E. A Slippery Rock student, 17, was taken into custody and charged August 30- Police were called to Building B August 25- Police received an alarm inside with a drug violation. for a drug violation. Items were seized and a room. Upon arrival, it was discovered that Kathryn Reed, 18 and Briana Willis, 18, were Evan Gazda, 19, had removed the smoke August 27- Police received a call for reports of charged with disorderly conduct. detector head from the ceiling. Gaza was an individual passed out inside a car outside of charged with disorderly conduct. Suite F. Blaze Kansco, 18, and Danny Dinh, 18, were charged by police with alcohol violations.
Construction projects update campus classrooms, accessibility By Adam Zook Assistant News Editor
This past summer saw numerous renovations done to SRU's campus, with 43 projects being tackled for the 2017-18 school year. A m i r Mo h a m m a d i , v i c e president of finance administration and advancement, oversees the completion of these projects. "We have been working really hard to create an atmosphere that is conducive to learning here at Slippery Rock," Mohammadi said. "Just about every part of campus has been affected this summer with our new conservation goals." About six million dollars was spent this summer on projects such as the renovations at Kraus Hall, Advanced Technology and Science Hall, Bailey Library and
Swope Music Hall. Over the course of the 2017-18 school year, $55 million will go towards improving Slippery Rock's campus as a whole. Mohammadi's excitement over the progress that has been made in recent years is shared by his colleague, Scott Albert, who ser ves as assistant vice president of facilities, planning, and environmental safety. "I am absolutely enthusiastic about what we have accomplished in recent years," Albert said. "Since Dr. Mohammadi joined our staff around three years ago, there has been a noticeable improvement with which these projects are completed around campus." The renovations at East/West Gym and the McKay Education building are currently still up for bid, with the estimated completion time for these projects being early
ROCK NOTES
2019. Aside from these two larger and more expensive renovations (the East/West Gym renovations are expected to cost around $24 million alone) all remaining projects will be finished by the summer of 2018. Many projects are nearing completion and will likely be finished by the end of August. These projects include renovations to the second and third floors of Rhoads Hall, Kraus Hall, accessibility improvements to the Gail Rose Lodge, and electrical upgrades to Weisenfluh Dining Hall. Renovations to Bailey Library began in April of 2017 and are currently still in progress. The project sees major renovations to the first and second floors, with Phase One recently being completed and Phas e Two currently under way. This is
according to a report released jointly by the offices of Design, Construction and Maintenance and Facilities, Planning and Environmental Safety. The final renovations are expected to be finished in December of 2017. Both Mohammadi and Albert praised one another for the hard work they put in to achieve their goals of improving SRU's campus. Mohammadi offered his highest praise for his team that makes it all happen. "We have a great team that is dedicated to delivering quality work each day," Mohammadi said. "They care about making this campus better for students and staff alike, and that's a remarkable thing."
SGA FORMAL SENATE MEETING Everyone is welcome to attend SGA's meetings to learn about what is going on and around campus or to voice a concern or suggest. The meeting is on September 5 in the Smith Student Center Theater at 8:45 p.m. COMMUTER BREAKFAST Students who are commuting from their permanent home address come enjoy a FREE breakfast & meet fellow commuters at SSC Quaker Steak & Lube, 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. PRESIDENT'S STATE OF THE UNIVERSITY ADDRESS Please join us Thursday, September 7, 12:30 p.m. in the Smith Center Ballroom for the State of the University Address.
9 No security deposits! 9 4 different locations - South Rock Apts. on Keister Road or South Rock Drive, Stone Crest Apts., & Main Street Apts. 9 2, 3 or 4 bedroom floor-plans 9 Over 180 apartments to choose from 9 Cable, internet, water, & trash included 9 Stove, microwave, dishwasher, disposal, fridge, washer & dyer included* 9 *NEW! On-site laundry facilities at Main St. location – NO COINS NEEDED! 9 Sofa, love seat, coffee & end tables, TV stand, twin or full size beds, dresser, desk, & night stand included** 9 NEW! Living room furniture at South Rock! 9 Not all units are furnished at Main Street location** 9 24-hour emergency maintenance 9 Professional on-site management 9 Close proximity to SRU campus 9 Direct-wired smoke detectors 9 Fire extinguishers in each unit 9 Access to Clubhouse 9 Handicap apartments available 9 On-site parking 9 Close to SGA bus stop
NEWS
A-4
September 1, 2017
Interim president Way details plan for university
PHOTO COURTESY OF BENTON PALERMO
Interim President Way with Jump Start students at a cookout Tuesday night.
By Daniel DiFabio News Editor
After having served as SRU's provost and vice president for academic and students affairs since February 2013, Philip K. Way was appointed as interim president on July 21, following former president Cheryl Norton's retirement. Way said that Norton had asked him when he first came to the university if he was interested in being a president. "I remember she asked me and I just said 'I just want to watch and see what you do and see if it's what I want to do', because it is very different from being a provost," Way said. Way said the main difference is how the time is split up for the respective positions, with a provost being in the office more while the president has to spend their time half in the office, and half outside the office. A month after being selected as interim president, Way said he's enjoyed it. "I've done it for a month or so
and I love it," Way said. "I really like it. It's fun to get to know the students in more depth. I enjoy meeting people from the community because I'm learning how high they hold us in their regard, and it sort of makes me feel good about what we've done." Way was born in London, England but moved around a lot. He was associate provost for undergraduate programs for over six years at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), and also served as senior associate dean of arts and sciences for a year at UAB. It was as a graduate student, when Way first started teaching that he realized he was energized by teaching. "I really enjoyed making things clear for students and one thing I always prided myself on as a teacher is really trying to distill difficult subjects like economics into easy to understand bites and help people to use the beauty of that discipline to understand the world," Way said. Way said research was also important to him, and that he
was excited to get a buzz out of discovering things that people didn't know. Way's first time working in higher education administration was at the University of Cincinnati, and after being promoted and tenured he realized he loved it. "I thought maybe there's a career in the kind of executive realm in the university," Way said. Way said he had heard of Slippery Rock University at numerous conferences throughout his career and was impressed. "Sometimes it (the presentations at the conferences) was about the budgeting system, sometimes about enrollment management, and I said to myself if ever a job becomes available at Slippery Rock, I want to apply," Way said. Eventually a job did open up when Way was looking to become a provost, where he worked with Norton. Way said the biggest takeaway he learned from her was to take calculated risks, with the financial situation four years ago being difficult and requiring cut back. "One thing that we chose to do was instead of cutting back we were going to invest in our future and she was game to go along with that strategy," Way said. The strategy included finding ways to avoid cutting staff and faculty, while also serving the community, such as finding a way to give students and employees what they want, and to do it in a way that the university comes out with more positive net revenues, meaning that the revenue from tuition and state appropriation offsets the costs and helps to balance the books. Now that Way has experience and time with the position, he said his main plan is called "change and continuity", with the continuity involving ways to ensure the university follows the strategic plan, while the change
aspect focuses on the culture of the university. Way said he wants to make SRU a better organization as a whole, and help people achieve their goals at work and help them grow personally and professionally. "I want to create a sense of community so that we all feel that we have support from our peers, and I know that I want to create more of a sense of enjoying work," Way said. "What I'm trying to do is create more kinds of events where people can get together, socialize and have fun. I really believe, and this is how I live my life too, I work hard, but I play hard too." Way said one thing he was able to accomplish already this semester was letting employees combine their lunchtime and break times to watch the eclipse, and that employees appreciated it. Way said it was important to morale. Another aspect of the "change" part of the plan is to have meaningful conversations, with Way hoping to meet with groups at the presidential house, residence halls and have fireside chats on the second floor of the Smith Student Center. "There's going to be a lot of opportunities for students to meet me and get to know me, talk to me, and get their concerns sort of more publicly to me," Way said. "If I get a sense that there's something that needs to be improving and enough people are telling me at that point we will see what we can do to improve the quality of life for students." Way already started talking with students, giving out muffins on the first day of class and hosting a cookout for Jump Start students. As interim president, Way will go back to his previous position of provost and vice president for academic and students affairs, once the presidential search selects a candidate to replace Norton.
Clarion president selected as interim chancellor By Daniel DiFabio News Editor
Clarion University president Karen M. Whitney was selected to serve as interim chancellor for Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), following Frank T. Brogan's retirement. Whitney will start her tenure as interim chancellor Sept. 12. In a PASSHE press release released on Aug. 4, Board of Governors (BoG) Chair Cynthia D. Shapira said that Whitney provided strong, steady leadership at Clarion, and will be able to continue success as chancellor. "We are grateful that Karen has agreed to serve in this vital role at this important time, and we know that will help us continue the evolution of our system to be of highest impact," Shapira said in the press release. Whitney had previously announced that she would retire as Clarion's president in June 2018, but will instead leave in September to serve as chancellor. In the same press release, Whitney said she was honored for the opportunity to be chancellor. "Let me be clear, the reason I accepted the board's invitation to serve in this role is because I completely- 100 percent, believe in this system and that every university in it is vital for this Commonwealth to be successful," Whitney said. Kenn Marshall, spokesman for the state system, said the role of chancellor was vital and the BoG was quick to have someone to serve after Brogan's retirement. Marshall said a search for a permanent replacement for Brogan will take about six months, but Whitney may serve in the position for up to a year.
"Once the selection is made, it may take him or her some time to finish up a year where they were before they can arrive here," Marshall said. "I think the hope is that the search will start this fall and hopefully by late spring they'll complete the search and have the selection made and have that person start at the beginning of the fiscal year or certainly by the beginning of the next academic year, in either July or August." Marshall compared the chancellor position to that of a CEO, with the BoG still the overall authority in terms of approving the budget, tuition and policies, with the chancellor helping to guide them. Marshall said Whitney was mainly chosen because the BoG felt the need to have someone who is familiar with the state system. In a press release also released on August 4, Association of Pennsylvania State College & University Faculties (APSCUF) President Kenneth M. Mash said that he had already received numerous calls and emails following the announcement of Whitney as interim chancellor, with members of APSCUF worried about the selection, mainly in regards to Clarion faculty having concerns with Whitney's leadership. Mash said regardless of the calls, he still looks forward to meeting with Whitney to create a healthy working relationship. "We all hope that we can quickly turn the page and that Dr. Whitney will soon reach out to all constituencies and display the sensible, respectful, strong, and intelligent leadership that our System requires," Mash said. Ben Shaevitz, president of the SRU chapter of APSCUF and physics professor, said that he hopes for more collaboration than what is currently mandated by the contract between APSCUF and PASSHE.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CLARION UNIVERSITY
Karen M. Whitney will serve as interim chancellor for PASSHE.
"We feel like we really have a lot at stake so it's important to us to participate in the process of guiding the system forward," Shaevitz said. "We'll give it a shot." Shaevitz said the report that was released in the summer expressed a need for more collaboration and that he would be happy to participate at a local level.
See more news stories at theonlinerocket.com
NEWS Kiester Road construction to continue into September
A-5
September 1, 2017
By Daniel DiFabio News Editor
Kiester Road will be under construction until September 11, pending the completion of a Slippery Rock township construction project. The construction of the road started on Aug. 28, with the road being reduced to one lane or closed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. These restrictions are part of a transportation improvement project. Scott Albert, SRU's assistant vice president of facilities, planning and environmental safety, said the construction is being funded by a grant through PennDOT. "What they're doing is installing improved storm water piping," Albert said. The improved piping is part of the improvement project that has been underway in Slippery Rock Township, which included repairs to road shoulders, installation of sidewalks and curb ramps. Albert said the construction will impact the east parking lot on campus, and that students in living in off-campus apartments like South Rock may be allowed on the road, but will be inconvenienced. "It's going to be more inconvenient for them because they may have to wait for a piece of construction equipment to move so they can get out of the driveway," Albert said. Albert said the contractor wanted to be able to shut down the road completely so the construction could be completed faster and with minimal impact to campus and the local school district. Students received an SRU Communication notifying them of the construction and suggesting that students who would have trouble getting to campus walk or take the Happy Bus. David Wilmes, associate provost for student success, responded to an
DANIEL DIFABIO/THE ROCKET
Construction on Kiester Road started on Monday and will continue until the middle of September.
upset student on Twitter, writing that the construction does not impact parking, and that he wasn't sure why the SRU Communication email said to walk, when students can just enter campus near the stadium or main entrance.
PASSHE Chancellor Frank Brogan steps down By Adam Zook Assistant News Editor
Chancellor Frank T. Brogan of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) said in a press release that he will retire effective September 1. This decision comes fresh off the heels of a report issued by the National Center for Higher Education Managements Systems that slammed PASSHE for being dysfunctional and mired by weak leadership. The 63-year-old Brogan served as the former Lieutenant Governor of Florida before becoming chancellor four years ago. The board released their report the same day PASSHE approved a 3.5 percent tuition increase to remedy a $72 million system-wide
shortfall. Learned enrollment also fell 1.3 percent during the 2016-17 school year. Brogan did not acknowledge the criticisms made in the report, and instead focused on the high points and achievements of during his tenure as chancellor. "The strategic system review is perhaps the most important effort the System has ever undertaken. I am extremely proud of the work we've done to better serve students today and far into the future." The board did praise PASSHE for increasing online learning opportunities and the new transfer policy that will guarantees admission for graduates from Pennsylvania's 14 community colleges. Some members of the Board of Governors were quick to praise
Brogan for the work he put in during his time as chancellor. "Because of his leadership, we are better positioned to make important decisions about the future of our system," said Cynthia D. Shapira, chair of the Board of Governors. Chair Emeritus Guido M. Pichini also was not shy in expressing his admiration for Brogan. "While we are all deeply sad to see him leave, we all know that, because of his leadership, courage, and dedication, the system is better poised for success than when he arrived." A nation wide search will be conducted to find Brogan's replacement. The board stated they will quickly appoint interim leadership during the search period.
S
O
OPINION
Our View
Way’s experience makes him a good fit as SRU’s interim president
OPINION Volume 101, Number 1
220 Eisenberg Classroom Building Slippery Rock University Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania 16057 Phone: Fax: E-mail:
(724) 738-4438 (724) 738-4896 therocketnewspapersru@gmail.com
EDITORIAL BOARD Cody Nespor
Editor-in-Chief
Daniel DiFabio
News Editor
Justin Kraus
Sports Editor
Megan Bush
Campus Life Editor
Victoria Davis
Copy/ Web Editor
Paris Malone
Photo Editor
Eric Davies
Multimedia Editor
Adam Zook
Assistant News Editor
Stephen Cukovich
Assistant Sports Editor
Megan Majercak
Assist. Campus Life Editor
Heather Donat
Assist. Copy/Web Editor
Jack Lindey
Assistant Photo Editor
Brittany Fleming
Faculty Adviser
ADVERTISING STAFF Cody Nespor
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.
GRAPHIC BY CODY NESPOR/ THE ROCKET
Former SRU provost Philip Way has been appointed by the Board of Governors of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education as the university’s interim president as the search for a replacement for former SRU president Dr. Cheryl Norton continues. Way has been SRU’s provost and vice president for academic and student affairs since 2013, serving under former president Norton the entire time. Under Norton, SRU added about 15 new undergraduate and graduate programs and was one of the few state system schools that continued to be financially stable. The university also saw record highs in enrollment and had several small cosmetic improvements throughout campus. With Norton now retired and a new president not expected to be hired until Spring 2018 it falls on Way’s shoulders to continue the recent run of success that
Slippery Rock has enjoyed. The Rocket believes that Way’s experience both at SRU and in higher education in general puts him in a favorable situation to serve the university. Way has seen firsthand what it takes for SRU to be academically and financially successful while also boasting more than 30 years of experience in higher education. Way has spent considerable time at universities larger than SRU which is invaluable experience when understanding how to run a university. Way spent more than six years at the University of Alabama at Birmingham as the associate provost for undergraduate programs and more than 20 years at the University of Cincinnati as a faculty member in the economics department. UAB’s enrollment is essentially double that of SRU’s and Cincinnati’s is more than four times as big.
Way will need to serve as the bridge between Norton and the university’s next president and as such we are probably unlikely to see and big changes come to campus. Basically, as long as Way can keep SRU on its current path until a new president is found he will be a successful, albeit temporary, replacement for Norton. Nobody knows who the new president will be or what plans they will have for Slippery Rock, but for now Way is a familiar presence on campus and has extensive knowledge of both SRU and how to lead an effective university. While Way has not always been the most popular member of administration among some of the student organizations on campus, The Rocket does believe that he is the right choice to be the bridge to SRU’s next president.
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
In the Quad
This week’s question: How do you feel about T & B being moved to the Unversity Union?
In the Quad is a segment in which random students, faculty and staff are asked for their opinions on a specific topic.
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.
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.
Chloe Stone Junior Shane Parson Psychology and Criminal Junior Justice Major Saftey Management Major Milford, Pennsylvania Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania “Personally, it doesn’t affect me too much because I work in the union building so I can get caffeinated there but I know it affects a lot of other students.”
Kara Ruffaner Freshman Undeclare Butler, Pennsylvania
“I’ve only ever been a couple “I’m disappointed because times but I know the line was it’s kind of a hassle to always full so I imagine a lot of have to travel for coffee.” people were upset about it.”
OPINION
B-2
September 1, 2017
QUESTION OF
THE WEEK
@SRURocket
Five tips to follow as a freshman at SRU
Adam Zook Assistant News Editor Adam Zook is a sophomore journalism major in his first year on The Rocket staff
College is one of the best times in life to meet new people, learn more about subjects that interest you and repeat the same ill-advised behavior that those who came before you engaged in. However, even at a small campus like Slippery Rock it can be difficult to keep your priorities straight. As a college freshman last year, it took me awhile to find my footing and manage a hectic schedule when I first arrived on campus. Af ter a ye ar of s ometimes rat her humorous trial and error, I’m now a know-itall sophomore with the desire to help incoming freshman adjust to the college lifestyle seamlessly. These are the five most important pieces of advice I can offer you as you make perhaps the biggest transition of your life so far. 1. Get Involved. I cannot stress enough the importance of getting involved in clubs
or organizations while here at Slippery Rock. From intramural sports to the SRU Film Society, there literally is something for everyone on campus. On campus organizations are also great for making new friends early on. The Clubs and Organizations Fair is a great place to find out which club is best suited for your interests. Come to the quad during common hour on Tuesday, September 5 to check out each organization as they present what they’re all about to the student body. 2. Get out of your dorm room. Aside from joining clubs or organizations, Slippery Rock and the surrounding area offers many opportunities for recreation. The Aebersold Student Recreation Center- more commonly known as the ARC- is a great place for you to exercise and avoid the very real Freshman 15. The ARC is also a great place to play sports like basketball or volleyball with friends. SRU has an expansive and challenging on-campus disc golf course that has hosted national tournaments in the past. Moraine State Park is close by and has great trails for hiking and a large lake for those who enjoy fishing and boating. 3. Make as many connections as possible. I know it is tempting to avoid your professors outside the classroom, but building a positive relationship with them can go a long way towards helping you succeed. Visiting them during their office hours and getting involved with campus organizations where they serve as advisors is a great way to get to know those who stand at the front of the classroom. Your professors could serve as references later on when you apply for jobs upon graduation, and
may have connections in your desired field of study. 4. Use resources on campus that are there to help you. It is more than okay to admit that you’re struggling with the pressures of college life. It is not always an easy transition for incoming students to juggle class with their newfound abundance of free time. The Writing Center at Bailey Library is a great place to find help with the class your struggling thanks to their tutoring services. Visiting and building a relationship with your professors also serves as a great way to seek their help and advice on how to improve your grades. Try become friends with other students in your classes so you can form study groups and avoid getting behind on your work. It is important to do well early on too; you don’t want to be relying on a final exam for whether or not you pass the course. 5. Learn to say no. This is hands down the most important thing I’ve learned so far at college. You will undoubtedly make a lot of new friends and share great times with them over the course of your time here at SRU. One of the toughest things to do is to say no when they ask you to do something in conflict with school. It is much easier to blow off school work and procrastinate with your buddies. But it’s just as easy to fall behind and watch your GPA plummet as a result. Don’t get me wrong, it is vital that you make time for yourself and have fun with your friends, but school has to come first if you want to succeed. If you follow these five tips, your freshman year will be a great start to what will hopefully be a successful tenure here at Slippery Rock.
B-3
September 1, 2017
INSIDE SPORTS
S
New starting quarterback
SPORTS
Women's soccer gears up
Slippery Rock football has a new starting quarterback, and he hasn't started a game in six years
Slippery Rock women's soccer start the season ranked eighth in the PSAC pre-season poll
See Page C-2
See Page C-4
Rock football kicks off season with southern road trip
REBECCA DIETRICH/THE ROCKET
The Rock opens the season in third place in the PSAC-West pre-season coaches' poll after a 7-4 record last year
By Steve Cukovich Assistant Sports Editor
With many new faces, such as a new quarterback, The Rock football looks to kick off the 2017 season this weekend as
the team travels down south to Frankfort, KY to face the Kentucky State Thorobreds on Saturday starting at 1:30 p.m. Coach Shawn Lutz enters his second season as the program's head coach after posting a 7-4 record in his first
season. This Saturday will mark the first meeting between The Rock and the Thorobreds, with another match-up in the future already in place to start the 2018 season. Coach Lutz mentioned that preparing for an unknown opponent can
prove to be a challenge at times. "We just gotta slow things down and really reinforce," said coach Lutz. "We might not be able to do as many things as we've done before from a schematics stand point, but it's gotta be reinforced more with film sessions on paper like studying your notes and scale some things back on the things we do on defense, because you loose games when you make mental errors." When the Green and White goes on their road trip this weekend, it will be the first game in four years where The Rock has played on natural grass. In 2013 the team played on natural grass twice, beating Northwood, MI 51-36, while losing to Winston-Salem State in the playoffs that year 27-20. Coach Lutz said it is a mental thing, but it shouldn't matter because everyone should be excited to play some football. "We will see the field on Friday," said Coach Lutz. "We're going to go there just to walk the field so they can see the visiting locker room, see that grass, and get that out of their minds." Up until the team came out of preseason camp, The Rock still hadn't named their starting quarterback, but now redshirt senior Tanner Garry has been named the starter for week one. Garry was on the team last year, but sat out after transferring for a second time. "One thing about Tanner Garry is he'll make any type of throw out there," said coach Lutz. "He can throw the ball from one hash all the way to the other, not always sayin it is going to get the guys hands, but he can throw the deep ball." After playing for Fort Cherry High School where he set many school SEE FOOTBALL, PAGE C-4
Van Alstyne takes over Rock lacrosse program By Justin Kraus Sports Editor
COURTESY OF ROCK ATHLETICS
Kelsey Van Alstyne comes to The Rock from Morisville College, where she led the Mustangs to their first ever conference championship
After a 12-6 record and their first Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) tournament appearance since reinstatement in 2007, the Slippery Rock women's lacrosse team will be under new management this upcoming spring. Previous coach Emily Hopkins coached The Rock for 10 years, including 2017's year of success "Coach Hopkins got us to a nice place in our program." SRU Athletic Director Paul Lueken said. "I appreciate everything she did here." However, after having her contract expire following last season, The Rock decided to go in a different direction, and conducted a coaching search. "We did a national search. Out of a pool of applicants, we had three highly qualified finalists. All three very different in terms of background, personality and coaching style," Lueken said. Out of those three, Kelsey Van Alstyne, previously a coach at Morisville College, stood out for a multitude of reasons. "Her progression through her career in terms of where she was and what she has accomplished, especially at her last school and the success she had there was awesome," Lueken said. "Her personality really fit, she had what we were looking for and what we need to move forward in lacrosse. She really was the type of candidate we were looking for. I think she's going to do great things. The student athletes liked her the best, and we like that. Since she's been on campus, everybody she has met with has been really impressed with how she handles business. We're really excited. We have an assistant joining her Tuesday, and more information on that will come out on Rock Athletics." Van Alstyne comes from a successful history as both a lacrosse coach and strength and conditioning coach, a quality
that Lueken described as "one of the many talents that she has." Van Alstyne previously led the Morisville Mustangs to two NCAA playoff appearances in three years, and also garnered the program their first-ever conference title. Making the transition from the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) to the PSAC is not an easy one, but one that Van Alstyne felt was right. "I was a product of the PSAC, having graduated from Bloomsburg and previously going to West Chester." Van Alstyne said. "I loved my time in DIII, but having experienced how great Division II is, when I saw the opening I knew it was something I wanted to look into. Not only because of the LAX program but the school itself. The majors offered here are huge for recruiting, with exercise science and all of the other programs we have. I saw that they had a pretty successful season last year and who was returning and thought it was a great opportunity to advance my career and go to the next level." Van Alstyne's previously mentioned strength and conditioning background will follow her to SRU, but not in the same capacity. "I'm really excited to use my strength and conditioning experience with my team. We're going to be in the weight room and conditioning, so that piece is going to remain the same." Van Alstyne said, who also talked about how her full-time devotion to the LAX team will be a breath of fresh air for her. "I think it's definitely going to benefit the time with my team more. It's a lot to juggle, to try to make sure all of the student athletes are getting this great experience. Being able to focus solely on women's LAX is something that was also very appealing to me when looking at this position. Also knowing that I will have a full-time assistant, I can SEE NEW, PAGE C-4
SPORTS
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September 1, 2017
Sixth-year senior wins starting QB job By Justin Kraus Sports Editor
Football 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Indiana (Pa.) California (pa.) Slippery Rock Edinboro Gannon Seton Hill Clarion Mercyhurst
0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0)
Men's Soccer 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.
Mercyhurst Gannon West Chester Millersville Seton Hill E. Stroudsburg California (Pa.) Slippery Rock Bloomsburg Lock Haven Shippensburg UPJ
0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0)
Women's Soccer 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17.
West Chester Kutztown E. Stroudsburg Gannon Edinboro Bloomsburg Shippensburg Slippery Rock Indiana (Pa.) Seton Hill Mercyhurst Millersville Lock Haven California (Pa.) Clarion Mansfield UPJ
0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0)
A heated three-way starting quarterback battle went to the wall for Slippery Rock football this season, only being decided days before their first game at Kentucky State on Saturday, September 2nd. Redshirt senior Tanner Garry won the battle over a pair of sophomores: Augustus Necastro and St. Francis (Pa.) transfer Andrew Koester. "We had three capable quarterbacks," head football coach Shawn Lutz said. "Augustus should've won us the Edinboro game and Andrew Koester is really good, he almost won the job," Lutz said, who wasn't shy about how close all three players were to winning the job. "It really was that close, we feel pretty good putting any of those guys out there." Even though Lutz had positive things to say about all three quarterbacks, Lutz was most excited to talk about his new starting Quarterback. "Garry is a great leader who can throw the football, he's been a lot of different places so we are excited about him." Garry himself had high praise for the competitiveness of his teammates, stating that the competition "definitely helped me out, coach Roper (Offensive coordinator) said that from the beginning that you want to be pushed through the battle; you don't want it to just be handled in the beginning and nothing else from there on. It was all competition, and it was all pushing each other. Everybody was really trying to stay up and not get mad when someone else made a good play. Our thought process was that whoever wins the job is going to help the team, and we're going to be happy with it." Garry may now be the starting quarterback, but he had to pay his dues the previous year, which Lutz delved into the details about. "You have to give him a lot of credit, he was a 23 year old running our scout team last year; he was getting ready to graduate. We asked him to do something that most people don't want to do, and he did it." Lutz said that Garry's other strength is an intangible one. "He wears his emotions on his sleeve. Sometimes that can get you in trouble, but its better than the opposite where you don't say nothing. It's more of a positive than a negative." Garry was also quick to talk about how the intangibles play a large part for his team. "One thing I always try to do is try to develop relationships with people. I was close with the receivers and running backs because that translates to the field. Once I develop those relationships, football aspects start to hold. Now that I'm here and comfortable, I feel great and I know what we're trying to do on offense, and have a great group of guys to do it. " Slippery Rock tends to go with a quarterback that is fleet of foot and can run the ball, but Lutz expanded on how Garry's role under center will be different than past quarterbacks. "He doesn't have to win games for us, he's just gotta manage the game and not make a lot of mistakes," Lutz
COURTESY OF ROCK ATHLETICS
Sixth-year senior quarterback Tanner Garry looks to the sideline in last year's Green and White game
said. "We just have to make sure that he knows he doesn't have to do too much. Manage the game, make plays when needed. You need to throw the ball out of bounds? Throw the ball out of bounds. He can make all the throws in our system. He can really throw the ball, hopefully it's going in to the right guy's hands. " Garry has not started a football game since 2011, for Fort Cherry High School as an 18 year old. Now a veteran of 24, Both Garry and Lutz we're excited for him to take on this challenge. "I'm very excited, it's a feeling I'm getting used to again. It's been six years. I've had my times in games but I've never been the guy going into a game. It's about controlling my emotions and make sure that I'm prepared." Garry said, with Lutz resonating his statements. "He is so excited and so ready to play. After six years of never playing a full game, he gets this opportunity." Garry and the entire Rock football team will begin play on Saturday, September 2nd when they travel to Frankfurt, Kentucky to take on the Kentucky State Thorobreds.
REBECCA DIETRICH/THE ROCKET
The Slippery Rock men's cross country team comes into the season ranked sixth in the pre-season coaches' poll, led by senior Jeremy Parsons
Men's cross-country looks to impress
Field Hockey 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.
Shippensburg E. Stroudsburg West Chester Millersville Bloomsburg Kutztown Indiana (Pa.) Slippery Rock Mercyhurst Mansfield Seton Hill
By Keegan Beard 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0) 0-0 (0-0)
Standings as of Thurs. August 31st at 3:16 p.m.
Rocket Contributor
The Slippery Rock mens' cross-country team is set to start their season this fall being ranked seventh in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference(PSAC) in a preseason poll. Head Coach John Papa believes that if the team is healthy and strong this season they could finish higher in the rankings. “We’re going to Kutztown in September and if we perform well there we’re going to move up in the rankings,” Papa said about what it will take to improve their rank. In the past, the top three teams have been taken from the Mid-Atlantic Region to compete at the National meet. However, this year the top three teams from each region will qualify, and several other teams will be chosen on a bid system. “September 16th will be the first weekend that counts towards the national rankings…that’ll be a really good meet to show us where we’re at,” coach Papa said. When asked about who he’ll be looking for strong performances from Papa explained that he’s looking to sophomores Jared Nelson and Dan Janyska as being much
improved off last year and looking to make an impact. He also mentioned that he’ll be looking for the seniors Jeremy Parsons and Jeff Henderson to lead the pack and finish out their last year strong. Parsons has been to the National meet the last two years and had an All-American finish two years ago. Parsons’ goal this year is to make the National meet a third year in a row and walk away with another All-American performance. “I was not happy with how last season ended. I was glad I made it to the big stage of nationals, but from what I did the year before I walked away knowing I should have done much better,” said Parsons. Parsons says that he believes he’s in better shape now than he was now last year. “I am just going to take it one race at a time and try to keep on pace for the season,” said Parsons. The Rock men will start their season officially at the Marty Uher Invitational at California University of Pennsylvania. After that the Rock will compete four times before the PSAC Championships at California University in October. There will be no home meets for the team because of scheduling conflicts for the Cooper’s Lake Campground course.
SPORTS
September 1, 2017
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Men's soccer looks to bring it all together in 2017 By Cody Nespor Editor-in-Chief
After winning the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) championship in 2015, the Slippery Rock men's soccer team experienced a bout of championship hangover in what ended up being a disappointing 2016 campaign. Second-year head coach Steve Small has a refreshed roster, with more than half of the team being new to the program. Small thinks the new players he brought in will shape the team to better match his coaching style. "The guys have all really bought in. It's a fantastic group we have this year with 25 guys that all want to be here and work for each other," Small said. "We have really high standards for this year and now we're all used to each other and what we're looking for in a program and it has the potential to be a fantastic year." As Small continues to settle in at The Rock he is hoping that the team continues to improve in areas that gave them problems in 2016. Last season SRU finished last in the PSAC in goals scored (19) and second to last in goals per game (1.118). In hopes of putting more balls in the backs of opposing teams' nets this season, Small focused heavily on recruiting attacking forwards who have experience in scoring a plethora of goals. "We brought in several players who have scored a lot of goals in high school and club," Small said. "With the returning guys we made a big focus on attack and getting the ball in the back of the net." Returning for The Rock on offense is the junior duo of George Oakley and Justin Minda. Oakley led the team in shots with 28 and was third on the team in points with four. Minda finished third in shots (18) and second in points (seven). Joining those two on the attack will be junior transfer Igor McVeagh from Montgomery Country Community College. As a Mustang, McVeagh scored 23 goals over two seasons. Also joining the team is freshman Brady Sittinger. Sittinger scored 73 goals in his four year career at Cathedral Prep, earning Player of the Year honors after leading Pennsylvania. with 44 goals as a senior. Freshman Connor Jobe and Sean Tinney were also 50 goal scorers in high school. Jobe set the Greensburg-Salem record with 52 career goals and Tinney scored 23 of his 50 career goals as a senior at Chartiers Valley. The strength of the Green and White last season was their defense. The Rock allowed the fourth least goals in the PSAC in 2016 with 24 and had the fourth best goals against average with 1.41. Returning on defense are seniors Patrick Sullivan and Kyle Boyer, juniors Devin Hoffman and Kenton Keeslar and sophomore Liam Gasparotto. Sullivan was named a second team All-PSAC defender after 2016. Sullivan,
REBECCA DIETRICH/ THE ROCKET
After a 5-9-2 record in 2016, the Slippery Rock men's soccer team enters 2017 ranked eighth in the PSAC pre-season poll
Gasparotto and Hoffman proved to be stalwarts on defense, with each topping 1,300 minutes played last season. Joining the Rock defense is transfer senior Tyler McCarthy who played two seasons at California University (Pa.) in 2013 and 2014. In goal, Small will start senior Jonathan Sharp. Sharp split time with fellow senior Steven Rerick in 2016, playing in eight games with a 1.33 goals against average and 30 saves. Small thinks that the team ended 2016 on a strong note and will look to continue that success into 2017.
"It took us a little bit longer than expected to get used to each other and what I was looking for and what they were used to doing with the previous coach and what he was doing," Small said. "That adjustment was tough for quite a few guys but the second half of the season we were playing some fantastic ball and the guys really bought in by that point and really understood what we were looking for." The men's soccer team starts play on Thursday, August 31 with a game at Walsh University. The Rock will play their first home game on September 8th vs. Tiffin University.
Volleyball searches for success with new approach By Justin Kraus Sports Editor
L ast year's 13-19 season of stagnation has led accomplished head volleyball coach Laurie Lokash to take a different approach with her team than she has in the past. "We don't have a hierarchy, we make it so everybody on the team is comfortable saying what they want to say." Lokash said. The PSAC's alltime winningest coach has seen it all over her 33-year career at The Rock, and knows how relationships have to develop for a team to be successful. "We're getting to the point where we are willing to hold each other accountable. S ometimes that's difficult with girls, because they worry about who likes them and who doesn't. In order to be truly successful, you have to be able to say 'I need you to do this, you can do this.' Lokash said. She also talked about personalities meshing can create success this year. "There is a way to say things and get your point across and still make that person feel okay. Our new grad assistant (Kristin Collins)  came in and said 'You're too nice to each other'. In a program that has been historically successful, it is hard to be successful without player-to-player accountability because, they matter to each other. If a coach tells you something, sometimes they are like eh, but if it's your friend telling you that, it means something. Ever y te am re quires s enior leadership and one of those seniors, Courtney Oberlander, had a fantastic 2016. She broke the Slippery Rock single-season digs record (648), was named third team all-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC), and was awarded a PSAC scholar athlete award. It can be tough to follow up such a productive season, but Lokash was optimistic that Oberlander could do that.
REBECCA DIETRICH/THE ROCKET
The Slippery Rock women's volleyball team enters the season ranked fourth in the PSAC northwest pre-season coaches' poll
"The big thing with Court is that she is a really good DS and she has worked very hard to make her serve stronger and she has worked on her passing game. In the past spring, she raised her passing level from a 2.0 to a 2.35 on a scale of 1-3, which is like raising your batting average 30 points. It's a pretty good hike in what she did. She spent a lot of time working on the process, instead of looking at the result, which is what you need to in order to take steps forward. I look for her to even be a stronger player this year, and become more vocal with her teammates. She was the person who would always do a lot out there but never say anything. Now she's assuming some of the leadership qualities you want to see in a senior." The Rock has five other seniors on the roster this year, which provides plenty of opportunities for leadership. Lokash talked about how those seniors could step up throughout the year. "Brooke Bostwick has always been
a popular player with her teammates because she has a really easygoing personality that allows her to see both sides of the situation. She always steps back before making any decisions." Lokash said, who then named a few other players that can provide a backbone for the team this season. "Haley Defibaugh has been kind of putting the hammer down, saying 'this is acceptable, this is unacceptable." Seniors are not the only players who excelled, with sophomore Zoe Rivet returning after leading the 2016 squad in both aces and assists, and Lokash emphasized how Rivet could also develop as a leader, even as an underclassman. "I think Zoe Rivet has been fairly talkative when we talk about practice and how things are going." The Rock will open their season at the Viking Virginia Beach Invitational, which will occur September 2nd and 3rd. The Green and White have historically excelled in neutral site games, going a combined 40-26 the
previous six years in such games, and Lokash expects her team to expand that success throughout the season this year. "I think right now we have a different culture on our team this year, we've got some new players coming in, and that has the potential to make a difference over the course of the season. The group we have is a bit more focused, and, to quote one of my players, 'there is a better vibe within the team'. We're playing some higher caliber teams in the tournaments compared to other years. By the second tournament, we're going to have a pretty good idea about the team for the year." Lokash Said. "We have the horses, we just have to get it to work together" SRU will play in two more tournaments before beginning conference play on September 22, and will have their first home game vs Millersville on September 29, at Morrow Field House.
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Rock football begins season on the road records, Garry started his collegiate career at Bowling Green, followed by three seasons with Youngstown State. Saturday will mark Garry's first collegiate start and first start since high school in 2011. Senior wide receiver Marcus Johnson looks to put together his best season yet after joining the program last fall and pulling in 54 catches for 898 yards, and 13 touchdowns. In the back field more changes follow, as redshirt freshman Chacar Berry is to get the start, with redshirt senior Isiah Neely expected to see a good number of the carries as well. "The perfect game would be 20 and 20 carries each because they are basically both the starters," said coach Lutz. "You wanna split them up. It is a long season, a long game just pounding." The offensive line looks to continue to get stronger and allow the skilled players to run the show. Four of the five starters are returning from last year, with the exception Northwestern University graduate transfer Ian Park at right guard. Redshirt junior Steve Gaviglia will protect at right tackle, while redshirt senior Jim Popa moves from guard to center. On the left side, redshirt junior Austin Fields will stay at guard, and redshirt sophomore Chris Larsen tops off the left side at tackle. "Hopefully we will be better and win the game up front with the offensive line," said coach Lutz. "I hope our strength factor type of football we play in the PSAC will overwhelm them." This year's Rock football team welcomes 16 freshman to the team who will either start or work as back-ups, with 11 of them on the defensive side of the ball. The Green and White plan to start four redshirt freshmen, and two true freshman in week one. Cornerback De'Vajan Franklin and linebacker Trysten McDonald are the true freshman who will start this Saturday, while redshirt freshmen linebackers Tim Vernick and Dylan Whiteman
join McDonald in The Rock's typical 4-3 defense. The defense has more new faces than familiar ones with just three potential starters returning to the lineup. Redshirt senior defensive end Marcus Martin, who sits at sixth in career sacks for Division II football with 40.5. Junior safety Kyle Hall who started three games last year will see some playing time, as well as redshirt senior DB Delmar Henderson. Coach Lutz hopes the young guys feed off players who have been around and have great work ethics like Martin. "You hope they learn from one guy who could be the best ever at playing defense in college football in Marcus Martin," said coach Lutz. "The way his work ethic is all about and some other guys we have on defense like the Delmar Hendersons, the Kyle Halls, and they learn from those guys." The team captains for the 2017 season will include Martin, Henderson, Park, and redshirt senior wide receiver Milly Raye. The revamped Rock team will look to get things going this weekend against an unfamiliar opponent. The Thorobreds were 4-7 last season, and scored a total of 194 points last year compared to The Rocks 390. Kentucky beat out SRU last year in the run game with 1,654 rushing yards compared to 1,562, however The Rock dominated through the air last year with 3,234 passing yards compared to the Thorobreds' 1,220. "I really think the players have really bought into everything we are all about," said coach Lutz. "These guys have really bought into doing all the little things. They're hungry, they don't really know any better maybe, and you can really get on this football team and hold these guys accountable whether it is positive or negative."
September 1, 2017
New lacrosse coach hopes to build upon success Continued from Page C 1
really dive into the LAX prospect with just a side of strength and conditioning. I loved that, and I'm glad that I can still do it in some facet." With a new coach will always come change, which Van Alstyne was excited to face the prospect of. "I think change is great, at any aspect. There are things that could change to overcome adversity, and things can change in the split second of a game. I plan on implementing my philosophy I've developed in the previous six years of coaching. I think as long as the buy in is there, which it seems like it is, we can take it to the next level because the rest of the conference knows what SRU has traditionally done and what they can do to beat that, but they don't know what me and my staff are going to implement, in terms of X's and O's. That will give us an advantage. The things we do off of the field, like strength and conditioning, focus on academics, the team mindset and culture. So my goal is to change all of those things and help bring them to the next level." Both Van Alstyne and Lueken were confident in a bright future for Slippery Rock LAX. "I'm pretty confident I will help us translate to more success on the field. Theres 13 freshman, its going to be a brand new team, and I think that's awesome." Van Alstyne said, who was echoed by Lueken. "I believe we are poised to do some special things."
Women's soccer strives for more success
COURTESY OF ROCK ATHLETICS
After their 21st consecutive winning season, the Slippery Rock women's soccer team enters 2017 ranked eighth in the PSAC pre-season coaches poll
By Oscar Matous Rocket contributor
The Slippery Rock University women’s soccer team is hoping to carry the success of their 2016 season into 2017 as the start of the season is right around the corner. The Rock, coming off their 21st consecutive winning season, boasted a 10-8-1 overall record (.533) and a 105-1 (.656) record in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) last season. The women are currently ranked eighth in the PSAC at the start of the season. Slippery Rock head coach Jessica Griggs said that she believes that the PSAC is unaware of the talent and skill her team possesses this year. “I do not think the PSAC really knows our team, especially because we graduated a lot of people last year,” Griggs explained. “We have a whole new look out there this year. Because we are young, especially in terms of freshmen, it will take our team some extra time to put themselves together
out there.” Coach Griggs is entering her third season leading the Green and White. Since joining The Rock as head coach prior to the 2015 season, she has a record of 23-14-2 (.603) and has led her team to the PSAC playoffs in all three of those years. With the transfer of goalie Charlotte Elrod, junior Kylie Downs is expected to be the starting goalie for The Rock this year, with freshman Kara Seebacher expected to get some nonconference starts in goal, Griggs said. Downs, who started in 16 of the 17 games she played in a season ago, allowed, on average, 1.306 goals per game last year, which was good for 10th in the PSAC among all goalies. Downs also recorded five shutouts in 17 games played (.294), which was good for seventh in the PSAC. The Rock is returning four seniors to the field this year—Tess Keeley, Maddy Tletski, Maddy Smith, and Haley Burkholder. Burkholder, who will serve as the team captain for the 2017 season, is the only veteran defender
on what is a “very youthful” defense, Griggs said. Sophomore Madison Johnson and freshmen Elise Forry and Sofia Harrison will help defend the backline for The Rock, Griggs said. The starting midfield for this season will consist of Keeley, Tletski, and Smith, Griggs explained. Griggs mentioned how she expects a great season coming from both Keeley and Tletski, who combined for seven goals last season. The Rock will have to play without Dara Demich this season, who graduated last year. Griggs said that although not being able to have Demich out there playing for The Rock this year is tough, it is not the end of the world. “I think that what we have is fresh, new energy,” Griggs said. “We have a lot of new looks up front, but we also have a lot of returning talent in our juniors, Brooke (Testa), Skye (Kramer), and Julie (Esposito). In terms of when other teams do scouting reports, yes they will see we lost Dara but what we really have this year is very refreshing.”
Griggs praised the efforts put forth this pre-season by sophomore Tyler Spence. Spence, who recorded two goals and two assists in her rookie season, has become an “absolute leader” on the team this year, Griggs said. The Rock has lost sophomore Miranda Gallucci for the entirety of the 2017 season, as a result of an injury she sustained during the middle of last season. “Miranda, I will confidently say, was our most impactful player last season,” Griggs said. “It actually is a pretty big loss for us this year, but she is rehabbing and working very hard to get back.” Griggs acknowledged the fact that because her team is very young and because she only has 19 healthy players to work with at the start of the season, that there will be some definite hurdles her team will have to overcome this year to compete. “We are kind of new and that will take us some time to really sort out who we are on the field during games,” Griggs said. “Once that happens, however, we are going to ‘roll’ very quickly.” Griggs believes that her team’s biggest strength is the dynamic that they havecreated off the field. “[The women] are so close and they have really created an environment where they are not afraid to make mistakes,” Griggs said. The Rock will begin their regular season schedule on Thursday when they travel to Edinboro University to take on the Fighting Scots at 6 p.m. in their first conference matchup of the year. The matchup between Slippery Rock and Edinboro is one where the two teams playing each other are evenly matched to start the season, Griggs said. “The game could go either way,” Griggs said. “It is really exciting. I do not know what will happen but it will be a very competitive matchup.” After Thursday evening’s matchup, the Green and White will travel to West Virginia Wesleyan to take on the Bobcats in a non-conference matchup on Saturday afternoon before coming home to host school rival Indiana (Pa.) on Wednesday in the Rock’s home opener. The match is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium in Slippery Rock.
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CAMPUS LIFE
INSIDE CAMPUS LIFE
SRU Student reflects on magical internship SRU senior discusses her experience with the Disney College Program and her internship in Orlando, FL.
College of Liberal Arts Hires New Dean Dr. Dan Bauer believes he is the perfect fit for Slippery Rock, and expresses his high hopes and big plans for the college of Liberal Arts.
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Total Eclipse of the Rock
President Way hosts campus-wide eclipse watch party
COURTESY OF PRESIDENT PHILIP WAY Community members and university faculty gather in the quad during President Way's Eclipse Watch Party Monday, Aug. 21. This was Way's first event as president of the university.
By Megan Bush Campus Life Editor
Monday, August 21, North America was able to experience the first total solar eclipse in almost 100 years. As part of his initiative to increase faculty and community morale, enhance community culture and keep the campus successful, President Philip Way hosted a campus-wide Eclipse Watch Party in the quad for all students and faculty currently on campus, as well as community members. Monday was the beginning of the Jump Start program here at SRU, and was also the first day of band camp for the Marching Pride, so while the campus was not quite at its full capacity yet, the watch party experienced the foot traffic of hundreds of people, faculty and community members included. The watch party was President Way's first event as president of the university, and he considers it a big success "It provided a good look forward into my longer-
term plans for the university," Way said. These plans include keeping the employment satisfaction and standards as high as they are now Way said he also recognizes the positive culture and caring community surrounding the university, and he wants to take it to the next level in the next few months. "I want to make this a very good place to work, with high levels of employee satisfaction," Way said. He referenced the numerous awards SRU has won, specifically the six-time placement on the Chronicle's "Best Colleges to Work For," and said he wants to incorporate the idea of 'work hard, play hard' into the employees' work days. Having fun at work, Way said, is good for employee satisfaction and morale, which in turn, is good for productivity and quality of work. The idea to have a gathering to watch the eclipse came to Way when he first heard about the eclipse, and when he brought it to the Cabinet of the university, all members were excited to make it happen. He decided that trying to "flex" the free time that faculty had during the day could provide more people with
an opportunity to witness the eclipse, which could be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for some. The event was put together by a whole team of people, including the dean of the College of Heath, Environment, and Sciences (CHES) Dr. Jerry Chmielewski and the vice president of Finance, Administration Affairs, and Advanced Services, among many others, Way said. The day included cookies decorated with eclipses, the ability to view the eclipse through a telescope with help from students and faculty, and the opportunity to watch NASA's live stream of the eclipse in the campus planetarium. "I feel like the faculty attending felt a sense of release," Way said of how people enjoyed the party. "'Even the president's here, not in meetings!'" Way said the future holds more events with similar intentions of bringing the campus together, including birthday breakfasts and dinners at the president's house for the many different groups of people at SRU. He said he hopes to create more ties between people, as well as promoting good morale and satisfaction.
Weekend of Welcome provides some fun before classes By Megan Majercak Asst. Campus Life Editor
As freshmen and returners started to slowly move in last Thursday and unload car fulls of dorm necessities and prepare for classes, multiple clubs, organizations, faculty, students and volunteers were planning events and activities for them before the week began. Students were able to look forward to the annual weekend before classes of games, activities and free food. Every weekend before classes SRU works together to put on Weekend of Welcome (WOW). WOW provides socials, shows
and other events for students to feel comfortable on campus to make the inevitable stress of the semester and first-week jitters a little easier. One of the most popular events was put on by the University Program Board (UPB) on Thursday night. UPB brought comedy hypnotist Dan Lorinitus, who has performed all over the U.S., to the Student Center Ballroom. Students volunteered themselves to be hypnotized in a room overflowing with people. Lorinitus had students dancing to Beyonce and pretending to fly an airplane. WOW aims to help incoming students feel more comfortable and get to know each other and campus. SRU President Way passed out muffins in the quad Monday
morning, Greek Life had a carnival outside Watson on Friday, The Suite had a pizza party, and “Ask Me” tents were scattered around campus for directions or any other questions. This year, WOW revolved around the new website for students to get involved, called CORE. CORE is a website that all SRU students have access to and organizations can use it to post reminders, events or about anything the organization wants students to know. The corresponding app, OrgSync, had a launch party in the quad to get students started and ready to get involved. Another big WOW event was the Greek Life Carnival, where anyone could go to hang out or learn about
Greek life and the many different sororities and fraternities. Junior Olivia Zamiroski, helped to put on the Greek Life Carnival. “We just wanted to get a chance to to mingle with incoming freshmen and work with other Greek Life,” Zamiroski said. Sophomore Tia Maxwell also helped with the carnival. Her and Zamiroski joined Greek Life in Fall 2016. “We wanted to make Greek Life more inviting. Some people are hesitant to join Greek Life when they don’t have to be,” Maxwell said. As the first semester is now in full swing and WOW is over, make sure to watch out for the events still going on throughout the semester.
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UPB welcomes back SRU students
PARIS MALONE/THE ROCKET University Program Board hosted a Welcome Back event Tuesday at 11 a.m. as part of the Weekend of Welcome (WOW).
By Oscar Matous Rocket Contributor
The Slippery Rock University Program Board (UPB) hosted their annual “Welcome Back” event as part of the Week of Welcome (WOW) on Tuesday afternoon outside of the Smith Student Center. Director of University Events for UPB, Celine Halt, said that UPB had been planning the event since last May. At that time, decisions were made about where at on campus they wanted to host the event and what day it was going to be on, Halt explained. She also said that they began to think about what kind of vendors and “novelties” that UPB wanted to bring to campus for the event. “Around June and July is when we actually made the phone calls and planned out our budget, and then, finally, today we brought it all to campus,” Halt said. Mallory Milberger, president of UPB in its entirety,
praised the efforts and leadership of Halt, who, Milberger said, was in charge of this event. “I began to work with Celine to sort of get an idea for the event,” Milberger said. “I helped guide her along the way but she was very well prepared for putting on this event.” Among the various activities that were made available to the students were caricature drawings, an airbrush t-shirt booth, a roller skating rink, a make-your-own bamboo plant booth, and a Rita’s Italian ice stand. Junior Justin Hiler stressed the importance of having an event like this because it helps bring together the campus early on in the semester. “This event is great because not only does it bring the students together, but it helps get the freshmen out to meet new people and to see what this campus is all about.” Sophomore Brooke Bossong said that one of the highlights of the event for her was being able to make her own bamboo plant. She went on to explain that the afternoon was a great experience because it allowed her to get away from academics for an hour and to just have fun.
“Having an event like this is very crucial at the beginning of the year,” Bossong said. “It allows students to hangout with their friends and to enjoy a very beautiful Slippery Rock day.” Milberger said that one of the big reasons UPB puts on this event year after year is because it helps the students make memories. “Going to these types of events and being able to come away with an airbrushed t-shirt or a caricature are the memories people will have forever,” Milberger said. Halt said that she encourages students to get involved with what UPB is doing this year. The focus for this year is not just on concerts and events but on professionalism, teamwork, and other tools to help students not just in college but also in the real world, she said. "The student body can expect 'big' things from UPB this year," Milberger said. “We have a pretty strong e-board this year,” she said. “I can only imagine what we are going to do next.”
SRU student takes skills to internship at Disney
PHOTO COURTESY OF EMILY ANUSZEK Senior hospitality event management and tourism major Emily Anuszek gets 'pixie-dusted' during the Disney College Program in Walt Disney World last spring.
By Megan Majercak Asst. Campus Life Editor
Senior year of high school, Emily Anuszek heard about something called the Disney College Program (DCP), an opportunity for college students to intern at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Fast forward four years and Anuszek has just come back to SRU after six months spent in Florida completing the DCP and an additional internship with Marriott Vacation Club. Anuszek is a senior hospitality event management and tourism major from Tarentum, Pa. who has always been a huge fan of Disney, and things finally came full circle. “The DCP was always something I was curious about but I wasn’t quite sure how to go about it,” Anuszek said. She did a lot of research on the DCP and planned her college career to fit it in. One day, her friend applied to the program and posted the link on Facebook, so she gave it a shot and got it.
In the spring of 2017, Anuszek began her internship. “I went in blind not knowing anybody. My one roommate is now like my soul sister,” Anuszek said. DCP also put on socials for all the interns throughout the semester. The DCP doesn’t count for credits at SRU, so she was taking online classes while working almost every single day at the park. “I worked in Fantasy Land Merchandise, so I was in all the gift shops behind the castle,” Anuszek said. Other internships worked with attractions, merchandise or food and beverage. She also got to experience the restaurants and other aspects of Disney. “It was such an awesome experience working in the park every day.” Anuszek lived with two other interns in a building with all DCP interns. She had a two-hour commute to the park where she mainly worked in gift shops and loved every minute of experiencing the people, the food and the work. Anuszek hopes to go into event planning after completing another internship, possibly with Disney again by doing their Fairy Tale
PHOTO COURTESY OF EMILY ANUSZEK Senior hospitality event management and tourism major Emily Anuszek poses with coworkers during her award-winning Christmas in July program at Marriott Vacations Club in Orlando.
Wedding internship. “I found out that after you do the college program you are eligible to apply for professional internships at Disney. They have a fairy tale weddings internship that I would absolutely die to do,” Anuszek said. Anuszek got to experience many special moments while working at such a magical place. “I have a whole journal of magical moments that I made that just makes my heart smile. I wrote them all down,” she said. One of her favorite moments was when a woman desperately wanted to take a picture with a special throne in the Bibbity Bop Boutique, but an appointment was needed. The woman then came into the store Emily was working in, and saw the exact throne she wanted to take a picture with. The lady asked for a picture and Anuszek asked if she wanted to be sprinkled with pixie dust and made the picture extra special. The woman then started to cry tears of joy and shared how she had just gotten into remission from cancer. “Pixie dusting was one of my favorite
things,” Anuszek said. “People would come in and I’d pixie dust them and they’d get to make a wish.” After her experience at Disney, Anuszek stayed in Florida for the summer to work with Marriott Vacation Club. “I transitioned from working at Disney World to a whole new company in hospitality,” she said. “I learned more about hospitality while working than I have in any of my classes.” While interning at Marriott, she planned a club-wide event with a Christmas in July theme; she subsequently won the Marriott Vacations Club Summer Intern Project Competition, which spanned the FloridaCaribbean region. Anuszek said she is grateful for her experiences and encourages anyone who is thinking about the DCP to apply, as they are now accepting applications for Spring 2018. Anuszek recently applied to be Disney Vacation planner at the travel agency. “It was magical. I loved every second of it,” Anuszek said. “I carry my magic wherever I go.”
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New dean will be 'perfect fit' for SRU Liberal Arts department
PHOTO COURTESY OF KATHY MELAGO New dean of the College of Liberal Arts Dr. Dan Bauer speaks to the SRU Marching Pride during their annual band camp. Dr. Bauer has big plans for the College of Liberal Arts, and he expressed his interest and support of the Marching Pride last week.
By Clark Cleis Rocket Contributor
As of this past July, Slippery Rock University hired a new Dean of Liberal Arts to head the department. Dr. Dan Bauer has had quite the extensive academic past, holding not only a Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Professional Communication, but also an M.A. in English as well as a B.A. in English and Economics. Bauer said his career as a professor began in 1992, when he was a teaching assistant at New Mexico State University. From there, he began moving his way up to different higher-level positions at different colleges and universities, such as Keuka College in New York and Simpson College in Iowa. Then, Bauer journeyed to Georgia College & State University,
where his career in the liberal arts began to flourish. It was from there that he acquired the position of Assistant/Associate Professor of English and Coordinator of the First-Year Writing Program. He held tenure in this position from 2006 until 2013 when he was hired as the department chair and professor in the Department of Writing and Linguistics at Georgia Southern University. Bauer said this was one of thirty independent departments of writing in Georgia. “Sl ipp e r y R o ck i s d oi ng everything right," Bauer said of his decision to travel north to SRU from GSU. "Who wouldn’t want to come to Slippery Rock?” Bauer also stated that Georgia Southern was "a little too big" for him. He later touched on the fact that he believed it is important for a dean to work in the private sector
as well as the public sector. He said he has worked in both a very large-scale research institute, such as GSU, as well as a much smaller college of 800 students, giving him a more well-rounded experience. “ T h i s i s a mu c h m o r e 'Goldilocks,' 'just-right' place,” Bauer said, referring to Slippery Rock. “SRU is one of the strongest in the system; it’s a good place to be right now.” B a u e r a l s o s a i d S RU ' s combination of the academic and student affairs is visionary, novel, and brilliant. “Virtually nobody is doing that,” he said. B auer remarked t hat t he liberal studies program here at SRU is strong, but as education progresses, one of the changes that will be made is more integration between classes and across disciplines. He plans on making
the liberal studies majors and classes more well-rounded and more interconnected with each other in order to make the degree acquired from SRU more desirable in the job market. “Departments should always belong to faculty and students," Bauer said of the changes coming to the Liberal Arts department. "I have a lot of experience with firstyear programs and transitioning students to college. Our liberal s tu d i e s pro g r am i s b e i n g overhauled.” Bauer said he was the perfect fit that the college needed to begin this course of action. “Be open to surprise," Bauer advised. "Be open to all the college has to offer. Embrace things that at first glance don’t seem relevant; the most educated people have ways of making ever ything relevant.”
Collaboration with Poland school creates opportunities
PARIS MALONE/THE ROCKET SRU Fiber Arts Studio and Poland's Academy of Fine Arts collaborated on an exhibition called 'Book-NOT-Book,' featuring art such as the pieces pictured above.
By Megan Bush Campus Life Editor
In 2013, associate professor of art and Poland native Barbara Westman met with two professors, Agata Zielinska-Glowacka and Aleksander Widynski, from the Academy of Fine Arts in Poland to discuss a possible collaboration between the two Studios of Fiber Arts. What Westman originally thought would be a one-time collaboration between the two schools expanded into an ongoing opportunity; the current exhibition on display, entitled 'Book-NOT-Book,' is the fourth yearly display, and the students will begin work on the fifth in the near future.
According to Westman, the first assignment was given to the participating students during the 2013-14 academic year. The exhibition, called 'Experiment,' was displayed five times: twice in Poland and three times in the United States, Westman said. One of the displays of that exhibition took place at the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg during the annual ArtWalk, and a large publication accompanied the display. "[The collaboration] really was an experiment," Westman said of the title. "It turned out to be fantastic, and really interesting. We thought it would be a one-time thing, but now we've done four and we're getting ready for number five." This year's display, 'Book-NOT-Book,'
was an assignment with a very generic description of what a book is. Students were encouraged to make the books unique, personal and about what they wanted to tell the world about themselves. "No one ever said a book had to have pages, or a spine," Westman said. "Students sometimes included words, sometimes not. Books are all unique, and that's beautiful, that everything is different." Westman said this collaboration has given all of her students, and the students of the Academy of Fine Arts, numerous opportunities to exhibit, both within the States and internationally, and she said the collaboration is a great educational experience and a resume builder, with
information about the project being published in multiple prestigious fiber arts magazines and publications. This year's artwork has also traveled thousands of miles, to and from Poland in Westman's luggage. 'Book-NOT-Book' is currently on display at the SGA Student Art Gallery in the Old University Union. Westman credits the students in the Student Art Society for helping with the initial setup of the display before classes started on Monday, and also lauded the Student Art Gallery for providing many opportunities for students to display exhibitions. "It's very exciting," Westman said. "And as long as the students stay interested, we'll keep going."
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