the rocket
Friday February 19, 2016 • Volume 99, Issue Number 15 • An Independent, Student-Run Newspaper
www.theonlinerocket.com
SRU calls second 'true cancellation' in three years By Chris Gordon Assistant News Editor
KENDALL SCOTT/THE ROCKET
Jeremy Parsons, sophomore athletic training major, skis down Keister Road in celebration of the snow day on Tuesday.
Belly rewards students with points for dining with AVI
A delay followed by a cancellation kept students from class Tuesday, as winter weather prevented Slippery Rock University facilities from ensuring a safe campus. Rita Abent, the executive director of university public relations, said that due to continuous snowfall, SRU facilities were unable to clear the wet snow and ice below it by their 10 a.m. deadline, prompting the second "true cancellation" in three years. "We figured that if campus couldn't be cleared by 10 a.m. the best thing to do was cancel," she said. "The health and safety of our students are always top concerns." "Safe" does not mean "clear down to the pavement," Abent added, indicating that the university primarily focuses on the visibility of lines in parking lots and whether or not students can safely enter and exit buildings. Abent said the university is obligated to hold classes if it can safely do so, noting that, in this three-year time frame, SRU has only called four delays, two evening cancellations and one other full cancellation. "We don't want to delay or cancel class," she said. "People pay tuition, so we try to stick to the university schedule." When making a delay or cancellation decision, Abent said the university begins receiving weather reports at 4:30 a.m.
Professor creates LLC to support students recovering from addiction By Haley Barnes
By Dan DiFabio
News Editor
Rocket Contributor
Students recovering from drug or alcohol addiction now have the opportunity to live with other students who are also pursuing recovery in a supportive Living Learning Community (LLC) called Rock Recovery starting the fall of 2016. Gerard Love, associate professor in counseling and development, is the creator of the program and he said that this LLC is something he has always wanted to see at the university. "There's a need on college campuses for a place for students who a pursuing recovery to live," he said. "We are looking for students who are looking for a safe, supportive abstinence-based environment to live in." The program is developed to help address the needs of students who have completed inpatient or outpatient treatment and committed to active recovery. Through the LLC, he explained that students will be in a supportive environment with like-minded people, which is an important key to active recovery. He said that this program will allow students who are pursuing recovery to feel welcome and safe on a college campus, where the stereotypical perception of college is to engage in risky behaviors. "Recovery is not just about not drinking, but recovery
A new program on campus allows students to earn redeemable points by buying food. Belly is a loyalty program that gives points to customers who shop at various kinds of businesses; these points can then be redeemed for certain reward items. The program is now being offered at Rocky’s. “Other campuses have some form of a loyalty rewards program, so we thought we’d give it a try and see what would happen,” Resident Director for AVI Food Systems Joseph Balaban said. Balaban said that the program has shown good success so far, with close to 200 students signing up since its introduction. He also said there have been a lot of redemptions and people checking in. Although points can only be earned at Rocky’s at this point in time, Balaban said that if the program continues to show success, then it could expand to other locations. Students can sign up at the register SEE AVI PAGE A-3
Campus walkways, parking lots and roads are also assessed. "We then ask, what are the local road conditions like?" she said, indicating that only a third of SRU students are "true commuters," living further than three miles from campus. Weather conditions outside this radius vary too greatly to be a determining factor, Abent continued. "If you live north of here, you understand why we cancelled," she said. "If you live south of here, you got rain and are looking out your window asking, 'what the heck are they talking about?'" Abent said that social media activity from students does not influence delay or cancellation decisions, clarifying that classes were cancelled one day last spring due to a broken snow plow, not because of student frustration over walking to class in below-zero weather. "I actually got a call from a reporter that day saying, 'it's warmer, why did you cancel today?'" she said. "If it weren't for the broken plow we would not have cancelled that day." Abent emphasized the effort the university makes to communicate delay and cancellation decisions to students in a reasonable time, indicating that an email was sent out as early as 5:29 a.m. and advisories were also issued through the SRU website, TV stations and social media. S l i p p e r y R o c k Un i v e r s i t y reopened for normal activities on Wednesday.
is about engaging in specific behaviors that help support sobriety and part of that being commitment to abstinence, support from other people that are in recovery and perhaps participation in like A.A. (Alcoholics Anonymous) or N.A. (Narcotics Anonymous)," Love explained. Love explained that there is a difference between substance abuse and addiction. "If someone is abusing a substance, they may be using too much, they may be using too often, they may be using at an inappropriate time and place, but they do so by choice," he said. "That's where you draw the line between substance abuse and addiction. If someone's addicted, they may be using too much too often, inappropriate time and place, but it's not by choice." Love defined the phrase "not by choice" as a person having a difficult time reshaping their behavior despite negative consequences. He included that students in the LLC would be working in 12-step programs with sponsors. Students will also be paired with a mentor and graduate students studying addiction counseling will have the opportunity to assist the students with addiction specific counseling. The students will also have the opportunity to complete the ropes course, which Love described as a great opportunity for self-discovery.
Students Weigh In on Fetty Wap
Rock Softball To Start Season in S.C.
The rapper chosen for the spring concert draws mixed opinions from students Page B-2
The SRU women's softball team heads south to Myrtle Beach to begin the 2016 season. Page C-2
SEE SRU PAGE A-2
SRU Students Dress For Success Rock PRoductions hosted a fashion show on Wednesday to showcase professional attire. Page D-2