The Slate 1-30-18

Gerrymandering power should be taken from legislature, B1

Casino night brings Vegas atmosphere to SU, C1

Vintage store to celebrate Valentine’s Day, D1

SU basketball player builds legacy, E1

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Tuesday January 30, 2018

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Volume 61 No. 13

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PASSHE chancellor search underway Jenna Wise Managing Editor The Pennsylvania Board of Governors (BoG) has finalized the criteria that will be used to choose the next chancellor of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE).

In a document outlining the criteria, the BoG calls for a chancellor who will provide strong leadership in order to lead PASSHE through the next steps of the strategic review that began last year, according to a PASSHE press release.

“We are excited about our momentum of change, which started last year with our comprehensive system review,” BoG Chairwoman Cynthia Shapira said. “We are now undertaking a System redesign, and our next

chancellor will play a vital role in continuing that process — shaping, guiding and advancing that effort well into the future.”

The review, which was spearheaded by former PASSHE Chancellor Frank Brogan, began as PASSHE faced falling student enrollment rates at nearly all of the 14 state universities since 2010.

Last year, letters of retrenchment were issued to five universities that made serious budget cuts and faculty layoffs a strong possibility.

With the exception of Cheyney University, all of the letters have since been retracted.

PASSHE’s Jan. 17 announcement follows Brogan’s retirement in September and the appointment of

Plan could provide tuition for students Shannon Long News Editor The Keystone Research Center and Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center have created a policy proposal for a free tuition college plan for Pennsylvania students.

The proposal is to provide affordable post-secondary education in Pennsylvania to keep its economy and living standards up so it will not fall behind.

With about a billion dollars per year, the plan would be able to cover two years of tuition fees for students enrolled in one of the 14 public community colleges in the Commonwealth. It would provide tuition for students who have family incomes less than or equal to $110,000 a year, and who have been accepted to one of the 14 Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) universities.

The plan would also provide grants for students based on family income, and expand grant assistance to adults seeking industry-related skills and college credit, according to the center’s press release.

“With a modest and smart investment, Pennsylvania can build a more prosper-

INDEX

ous future for its citizens and reinvigorate the American Dream in every corner of the Keystone state,” the press release said.

Pennsylvania ranks 47 out of 50 states in terms of per capita funding for higher education. With the required spending from the Pennsylvania Promise, Pennsylvania would rank 36th in the state.

The cost of the Pennsylvania Promise is equivalent to one fourth of the revenue created by raising the Pennsylvania personal income tax by one percent. Because of the disinvestment in education, Pennsylvania is ranked worst in the nation in terms of higher education.

By investing in revenues, Pennsylvania’s long-term wealth, opportunities and quality of life would increase, according to the press release.

“Anyone who cares about Pennsylvania, particularly those parts of the state underserved by affordable, accessible higher education — most of the state outside the Philadelphia metro area and parts of the Pittsburgh metro area should be leading the charge for Pennsylvania to enact the Pennsylvania Promise,” the press release said.

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Interim Chancellor Karen Whitney in the same month.

The BoG generated the search criteria after seeking input from students, faculty, staff, alumni and other stakeholders who participated in PASSHE-sponsored meetings and conferences, according to the press release.

Shapira is leading the search committee alongside Vice Chair Harold Shields.

Wheless Partners, a national search consultant and human capital adviser firm, is assisting in finding the next individual who will lead PASSHE. To follow the process of the search, visit www.passhe.edu/chancellorsearch or follow The Slate on social media for updates.

File Photo/The Slate

The search for a new chancellor comes after the retirement of former Chancellor Frank Brogan. Search criteria including strong leadership qualities were gathered with input from students, faculty, alumni and other stakeholders.

SU, The Slate mourns alumna Troy Okum Editor-In-Chief Sarah Hessen Eyd, a Shippensburg University alum and former managing editor of The Slate, died on Dec. 22, 2017, at her apartment building in Baltimore. She was 25 years old.

Eyd’s death was the result of an accident, according to Robyn Woodley, one of Eyd’s close friends.

Eyd graduated from SU in 2015 with a bachelor of arts in communication/journalism and a minor in international studies. She was hired as The Slate’s assistant arts and entertainment editor in 2012 and was hired as the managing editor the follow-

ing year. From stage performances to political rallies, Eyd reported on a variety of stories and became a key contributor to The Slate.

She also wrote for the Shippensburg News-Chronicle, HerCampus and Girl’s Life Magazine.

Eyd became a great writer because of the way she could make stories relate to people, Woodley said.

“She had a gift to connect with people, no matter who they are,” Woodley said. “I always admired her ability to talk with people.”

Eyd was always different from other people, because she was creative, curious and compassionate from a young age, her mother, Mary Ann

File Photo/The Slate

While at SU, Sarah Eyd wrote for organizations including The Slate. Her mother remembers that she always wanted to gain and spread knowledge.

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Gleockner, said. These traits largely defined who Eyd was as she got older.

“She was always inquisitive about everything,” Gleockner said. “It wasn’t just curious. She always wanted to gain knowledge.”

Eyd did not want to be more knowledgeable for the sake of being smarter or wiser, but because she wanted to help people, her mother said.

“She had to use it in a good way,” Gleockner said. “She always wanted to help other people.”

In 2017, Eyd moved to Baltimore and began working for Southern Management Corporation, a job she truly enjoyed, Gleockner said. Eyd helped manage some of the dozens of apartment communities and other high-end rental properties in the Maryland and Virginia area by filling vacancies and solving other issues.

“She was doing very well,” Gleockner said. “She was very well liked.”

Eyd’s success at her job and in her professional writing could not be traced to a role model or a particular person as a source of inspiration, Gleockner said.

“Sarah got inspiration from everyone ― the people that were in her life,” Gleockner said.

Gleockner’s wife, Wanda Holbert, thought differently. Holbert said Eyd always looked up to her mother and had a lot a respect for her.

Eyd would write her mother letters about how much she admired her.

Gleockner admired her daughter, too. She recalled memories of Eyd while they were taking one of their annual trips to Ocean City, New Jersey, and how when Eyd was 4 years old she dumped sand into her hair. Gleockner laughed as she told the story, explaining Eyd used to have curly hair, and while Gleockner knew it would be a nightmare to get all the sand out, she could not help but appreciate that Eyd was having fun.

“I have so many favorite memories,” Gleockner said, before finally settling on her most favorite. She said every Christmas since her daughter was a child, Eyd had a special way of opening up presents.

Instead of rushing down the stairs early in the morning, Eyd would sleep in and when she was finally awake she resisted tearing open the wrapping paper.

In fact, Eyd would do somewhat the opposite. She would have her family sit at the dining room table and she would bring everyone a present. Then they would take turns unwrapping the gifts. Eyd would continue to bring in presents and have everybody take a turn opening them until they were all gone.

Gleockner said, “[It was] Sarah being Sarah.”

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January 30, 2018

SU president introduces new positions, administrators Jenna Wise Managing Editor Several new administrators were hired by Shippensburg University over the past several months in accordance with President Laurie Carter’s plan to improve current and future university operations.

Last semester, Carter highlighted several of the key changes she planned to make within the administration in an email sent to SU students, including the announcement that Dean of Students David Lovett would be promoted to associate vice president for student success.

Carter sent another email to students on Jan. 24 that named the administrators who would fill the hole left

by Lovett’s promotion, as well as who would assume the new positions created by Carter.

Donta Truss, vice president of enrollment management and student success, was appointed by Carter this month after serving for more than 20 years as an educator and administrator. Most recently, Truss served as the vice president for enrollment

management and student retention at Albany State University.

Under Truss’ leadership, Albany State’s enrollment rate for first time, first year students increased by 66 percent, according to Carter’s email.

Daniel Vélez was selected as Carter’s chief of staff after serving in numerous capacities at Buffalo State College, including associate vice president of student success and interim vice president of student affairs.

“These are exciting and energizing times.”

Laurie Carter SU President

Carter’s final new appointment was in the university’s admissions department, with the appointment of Maya Mapp as director of admissions. Before her arrival at SU, Mapp served as the associate director of admissions

at Eastern Kentucky University (EKU).

Before her own arrival at SU, Carter served as the executive vice president and university counsel at EKU. Carter’s new appointments are not the only shakeups within her administration, however. In addition to Lovett’s promotion, Donna Gross will serve as interim dean of students in addition to her responsibilities leading the orientation program.

Denise Yarwood, former associate dean of exploratory studies, was promoted to interim dean of academic programs.

The university’s efforts to strengthen its administration, as well as student enrollment rates, are the latest in a campaign started by Carter after she became president at the beginning of the fall semester.

Among these efforts was the “Shipsgiving” campaign, which provided current students with waivers to offer to family and friends that would waive SU’s application fee between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. Additionally, Carter has hosted numerous stu-

dent-oriented campaigns in an attempt to acquaint herself with prevalent issues on campus. Her campaign from the fall, “Convos with Carter,” was booked entirely on the day it became available.

In her email, Carter encouraged students to become excited about the changes that will soon be arriving at SU. “These are exciting and energizing times,” Carter said.

“We are moving forward with a sense of urgency so that we can better serve the students who have entrusted their education to us.”

Announcing “Making Waves” as the theme of her April 20 inauguration, Carter said SU’s changes will break down barriers that are preventing the university from reaching its full potential as an educational institution.

“The new course is making waves, and though they sometimes send our Ship ahead awkwardly and uncomfortably, we weather all that is ahead of us because waves carry us places, take us to great heights and are powerful enough to break down barriers,” Carter said.

File Photo/The Slate

Multi-million dollar project to improve campus communication

Shippensburg University has begun a $9.9 million dollar construction project to upgrade our aged and outdated electrical telecommunications infrastructure.

Jointly funded with the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the project will replace the campus’s two main transformers to better serve the campus now and for another 50 years of projected growth. The project requires trenching for new underground cables and for new electrical manholes.

Electrical outages will be necessary

in many areas as the project progresses, but will be scheduled during off hours as often as possible to minimize the disruption to campus Work is scheduled to be completed

by June of 2019. During construction, safety for the campus community is priority. All work areas will be fenced off and we are asking the campus community to adhere to the construction boundaries and be on the lookout for construction vehicles. Where pathways are disrupted, alternate walks will be made available.

The project to upgrade the campus electrical and telecommunications systems will began with excavation in the

storage lot area yesterday. Excavations will include manhole excavation holes and pipe trenches and will progress in the area of the Baseball Access Road shortly thereafter. During the progression of the excavations we will also be affecting the entrances and drive aisles in the commuter lots. The early progression of the project will also include excavations in and around the Reed Operations Center, The Robb Softball Field Parking areas, Allegheny Drive and York Drive including manhole excavations and pipe trenching.

We thank you in advance for your patience and support of this important project.

This Week on Campus

MLK March

Super Bowl Party

Basketball Game

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The Department of Multicultural Student Affairs is hosting its annual Martin Luther King Jr. March for Humanity on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. outside Old Main.

APB is hosting a Super Bowl party on Sunday from 6 p.m. to midnight in the CUB MPR.

APB is hosting a bus trip to the Philadelphia 76er’s game on Feb. 10. Tickets are $25 per person.

Karaoke

History Lecture

Dodgeball

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APB is hosting a karaoke night on Thursday in the CUB Multipurpose Room.

The history department is hosting a lecture on Feb. 7 at 7 p.m. in the Dauphin Humanities Center Room 151.

Inclusive Basketball

Comedian

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The social work departmnet is hosting inclusive basketball on Saturday at 11 a.m. in Henderson Gymnasium.

APB is hosting a comedian on Feb. 8 at 9 p.m. in the CUB MPR.

APB is hosting blacklight dodgeball on Feb. 10 at 8 p.m. in Ship Rec.

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APB is hosting Valentine’s Day bingo on Feb. 15 at 9 p.m. in the CUB MPR.

Board of Governors approves six new

PASSHE programs Shannon Long News Editor

Construction crews began excavating the in the area around the storage lot near the practice fields.

News release courtesy of Shippensburg University

File Photo/The Slate

The Pennsylvania Board of Governors approved the creation of six programs that will be introduced to PASSHE universities in the fall of 2018.

Six new academic programs were approved for the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) by the Board of Governors (BoG) on Thursday through a new streamlined process.

PASSHE is currently undergoing a redesign process that is ensuring student success, utilizing university strengths and transforming the governance and leadership structure as its guiding priorities. The process will shorten the amount of time it takes for new programs to reach consideration for final approval while they still meet necessary standards, according to the press release.

“As we move to implement the system redesign, actions such as this one taken today not only will reduce some of the bureaucracy our universities must navigate; but, more important, will help our students by speeding up the process involved in getting new, innovative programs into the classroom,” said BoG Chairwoman Cynthia D. Shapira in a PASSHE press release.

The six new programs designed to address workforce needs are bachelor’s

of science in statistics and data science at California University of Pennsylvania; bachelor’s of science in manufacturing engineering technology at Millersville University; bachelor’s of science in music business technology at Millersville University; master of arts in communications at East Stroudsburg University; master of business administration at Edinboro University and master of science in strategic communications at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

“Several of the programs respond to findings included in the supply/demand gap analysis conducted on behalf of the State System to gauge the current and future needs of employers across Pennsylvania,” the press release said.

These programs were created to prepare students for careers in high-demand fields that currently have job openings and not enough potential employees. Many of the programs are in response to a supply/demand “gap analysis” the State System conducted to determine what types of jobs employers neeed filled, according to the press release.

The programs will be introduced in the fall of this year.

Council of trustees discusses athletics program, changes at Grace B. Luhrs Shannon Long News Editor The Shippensburg University Council of Trustees met Friday morning to discuss university matters including the new general education program, first year seminar, a fall 2017 summary of sports and a change to Grace B. Luhrs University Elementary School (GBLUES).

The general education program has been revised and approved by SU, and on Dec. 13, 2017, President Laurie Carter signed the proposal. The revision includes “University 101: First Year Seminar” as part of the firstyear experience program.

There are three coordinators for the program — history professor Steven Burg, English professor Laurie Cella and Javita Thompson, assistant director of community engagement.

“This is a major change that will better our students,” SU Provost Barbara Lyman said.

Roger Serr, vice president of student affairs, reported that the overall GPA of student athletes last semester was 2.974. Eleven of the 18 teams earned a QPA of 3.0 or higher. SU has the most ever selected students to be nominated to the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference fall Top 10 squad.

“We’re more than just athletes here, we’re student athletes,” Serr said.

Carter extended her congratulations to SU student athletes. She also mentioned that there will be conversation and renegotiation between the Shippensburg Area School District and SU about a requirement for GBLUES to go from a K–5 school to a K–3 school.

“This is an exciting time at Shippensburg University,” Carter said. “We are moving forward with many new initiatives that will transform the lives of our students.”

NEWS

January 30, 2018

Your World Today

Victims encourage others to speak out about sexual assault Commentary

Troy Okum Editor-in-Chief

Victims of sexual assault ignited a revolution last year as dozens of women began publicly telling their stories and naming their alleged abusers.

For the first time in their lives, many women were able to come out of the shadows and fight for justice. The decision to speak up is courageous, but courage alone is not enough.

They were courageous for being able to live with the painful memories every day. What they really needed, though, was power.

As of October 2017, 84 women accused film producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual abuse and harassment, according to USA Today. One of Weinstein’s employees, Lauren O’Conner, wrote a memo detailing some of the allegations against Weinstein. She wrote about personal experiences and those of colleagues.

O’Conner made a breathtaking point in her memo, “The balance of power is me: 0, Harvey Weinstein: 10.” She explained that she is a young woman trying

to make a living and a career while Weinstein is a world-famous man working above her in his company, according to The New York Times (NYT).

O’Conner had virtually no power, or at least no sense of power to be able to act. Accusing a man with endless resources of despicable acts could easily be the end of her employment, if not career. Her credibility could be tarnished and she could be made to look like a disgruntled employee.

Her position was not unique. Dozens of people, not just victims of Weinstein, but of actors, comedians, politicians and more, were also left in the shadows. Their stories were hidden away, and only told to friends behind closed doors.

But journalists like Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey from The NYT, and Ronan Farrow from The New Yorker, shed light on these stories and how Weinstein and others used his wealth to cover some of them.

The reports sent shockwaves across the country and suddenly gave women an open door to walk through and share their story. TIME Magazine published synopsizes of more than 120 people who are accused of sexual misconduct.

While media outlets have helped empower women, there are some possible negative consequences.

Whether its newspapers, websites, television newsrooms or magazines, publishers and producers may inadvertently be promoting a guilty-until-proven-innocent mentality among the public.

Every week, if not every day, there is a new headshot of a public figure with the words “allegations of sexual misconduct” or something similar next to it. With so many people accused of sexual assault it is hard, if not impossible for journalists to investigate every case and provide the same bombshell reporting that started with Weinstein.

In many cases, journalists cannot get the accused to comment on the allegations. Some stories are left without endings, while others result in people being fired or resigning from their positions. Still, the truth is not always uncovered, and whether these women receive closure is unknown.

The fear is there are now so many stories that people’s voices may be drowned out by each other.

This could lead to them being virtually left in the dark like they were before. It is important for media outlets to remain dedicated to pursuing these stories and following up with them so the accused are not assumed to be guilty and the accusers are not forgotten about.

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Inmates ask for solitary confinement policy change Mark Scolforo Associated Press

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Five death row inmates sued Pennsylvania prison officials on Thursday, challenging a policy that keeps the convicts isolated most of the time and calling the practice degrading and inhumane.

The federal lawsuit asks the court to end mandatory, indefinite solitary confinement for the 156 men on death row at Graterford and Greene state prisons.

The lawsuit said death row inmates are locked up alone 22 to 24 hours each day, and their small cells are kept illuminated at all hours.

“The devastating effects of such prolonged isolation are well known among mental health experts, physicians and human rights experts in the United States and around the world,’’ the lawsuit said.

“It is established beyond dispute that solitary confinement puts prisoners at risk of substantial physical, mental and emotional harm.’’

The lawsuit seeks class-action status as well as a declaration that the solitary policy violates constitutional protection against cruel and unusual punishment and violates the guarantee of due process.

A Corrections Department spokeswoman said officials have begun making changes that will let death row inmates have more time outside of their cells. She said all death row inmates with serious mental illnesses are currently permitted time out of their cells to receive therapeutic treatment services.

The defendants are the Corrections secretary and the wardens at Graterford and Greene.

The inmates who sued — Anthony Reid, 50; Ricardo Natividad, 49; Mark New-

File Photo/The Slate

Five inmates are challenging a solitary confinement policy. Under this policy, inmates are alone for 22 hours a day with no recreational programs. ton Spotz, 46; Ronald Gibson, 49; and Jermont Cox, 46 — have spent between 16 and 27 years on the state’s death row. The lawsuit said the state has not provided a meaningful way for them to challenge their confinement conditions.

The inmates say they are kept segregated inside cells the size of a parking space.

They can exercise in small, outdoor enclosures for no more than two hours during weekdays but are kept in their cells around-the-clock on weekends, unless they have a visitor. They change cells every three months.

The men may not participate in prison vocational, recreational or educational programs, nor can they join in any communal worship.

The Marshall Project reported earlier this year that 20 of the 31 death penalty states allow death row in-

mates fewer than four hours of recreation outside their cells each day.

Pennsylvania has executed three people since 1976, all of whom had voluntarily given up on their appeals. The state’s death row has been shrinking, as fewer death sentences are being imposed and appeals have resulted in some death row inmates being resentenced to life.

Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf announced a death penalty moratorium soon after he took office three years ago, saying he was concerned about “a flawed system that has been proven to be an endless cycle of court proceedings as well as ineffective, unjust, and expensive.’’

Wolf has said the moratorium will say in place until a state Senate-commissioned study of capital punishment is complete.

31st Annual Martin Luther King Jr. March For Humanity Thursday, Feb. 1 at 3:30 p.m.

File Photo/The Slate

U.S. Senator Al Franken resigned in December 2017 after being accused of sexual assault. Roy Moore, former Chief of Justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama, lost the Senate race in Alabama due to accusations against him.

The event will begin with a speech by Pamela O’Berry in Old Main Chapel. Participants will then march from Old Main across campus. The event is open to the public.

Republicans ask Supreme Court to stop gerrymandering order Marc Levy Associated Press HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania’s top Republican lawmakers asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday to stop an order by the state’s highest court in a gerrymandering case brought by Democrats that threw out the boundaries of its 18 congressional districts and ordered them redrawn within three weeks.

Republicans who control Pennsylvania’s Legislature wrote that state Supreme Court justices unconstitutionally usurped the authority of lawmakers to create congressional districts and they asked the nation’s high court to put the decision on hold while it considers their claims.

The 22-page argument acknowledged that “judicial activism’’ by a state supreme

court is ordinarily beyond the U.S. Supreme Court’s purview. But, it said, “the question of what does and does not constitute a ‘legislative function’ under the Elections Clause is a question of federal, not state, law, and this Court is the arbiter of that distinction.’’

Justice Samuel Alito, who handles emergency appeals from Pennsylvania, could ask the registered Democratic voters on the other side of the case to respond. Alito could act on his own, though the full court generally gets involved in cases involving elections. An order could come in a matter of days, although there is no deadline for the justices to act.

Pennsylvania’s congressional districts are criticized as among the nation’s most gerrymandered. Its case is happening amid a national tide of gerrymandering cas-

es from various states, including some already under consideration by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Election law scholars call the Republicans’ request for the U.S. Supreme Court’s intervention a long shot.

They say they know of no other state court decision throwing out a congressional map because of partisan gerrymandering, and the nation’s high court has never struck down an electoral map as a partisan gerrymander.

On Monday, Pennsylvania’s Democratic-controlled Supreme Court granted a major victory to the Democratic voters who had contended that the congressional districts — drawn by Republicans who controlled the state Legislature and governor’s office in 2011 — were unconstitutionally gerrymandered to benefit Republicans.

The court gave lawmakers

and Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf until Feb. 15 to submit a new map, or the justices will pick one.

Lawyers for the Democrats said Thursday that Republicans had made the opposite argument — that a judicial decision on congressional districts should be left to state courts — when they asked the U.S. Supreme Court in October to halt a separate gerrymandering case that was rejected earlier this month in Philadelphia’s federal court.

“You shouldn’t be able to argue both sides of the issue,’’ said Rick Hasen, a professor at the University of California, Irvine, who studies elections law. “That said, the Supreme Court can do whatever it wants.’’

Also Thursday, Pennsylvania’s high court ruled 4-3 to reject a request by Republicans to put their Monday

decision on hold. In court papers arguing against that Republican effort, lawyers for the Democratic voters called it a “fanciful’’ idea that the U.S. Supreme Court would intervene.

In arguing for the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene, Republicans also cited the court’s rulings that stopped a recount ordered by the Florida Supreme Court following the 2000 presidential election between Republican George W. Bush and Democrat Al Gore.

Pennsylvania’s map of badly contorted congressional districts had been used in three general elections going back to 2012. Critics say it was instrumental in helping Republicans maintain a large advantage in Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation — 13 Republicans to five Democrats — in a state where registered Democratic voters

outnumber Republicans by a ratio of 5 to 4.

Redrawing Pennsylvania’s congressional districts has implications for GOP control of Congress, since only Texas, California and Florida send more Republicans to the U.S. House than Pennsylvania.

It also has immediate implications for the 2018 election.

The deadline to file paperwork to run in Pennsylvania’s primaries is March 6, and primary fields could be jam-packed, driven by Democrats’ anti-Trump fervor and a rush to fill the most open seats in Pennsylvania in decades. Some of the 60-plus people who are planning to run for Congress ­— including 14 incumbents — could find their homes drawn into new districts.

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Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Opinion The Slate Speaks

PA Supreme Court knows where to draw the line The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled the state’s legislative district map unconstitutional on Jan. 22, raising questions on gerrymandering and the methods used by states to draw district lines.

While announcing its decision, the Supreme Court said the current map “clearly, plainly and palpably” violates the state’s constitution, with critics claiming Pennsylvania’s district map is one of the most manipulated in the country, according to The New York Times.

If the Supreme Court’s ruling stands, Pennsylvania will follow in the footsteps of Wisconsin and North Carolina, both of which had previously been struck down by lower courts for unconstitutional district maps.

The term “gerrymandering” combines the last name of former Massachusetts Gov. Edward Gerry, who redistricted the state to benefit his party in the 1800s, and the word “salamander.”

At first glance, some may not realize the constitutional repercussions of gerrymandering. Last year, the Associated Press (AP) reported that Americans who voted for their state representatives in 2016 had little say in the matter — in 42 percent of all elections, candidates were predetermined due to unconstitutional redistricting.

By manipulating the sizes and shapes of districts, legislators are giving their party an advantage during election years and practically ensuring that the candidates of their choice will end up in office.

Though the rate of uncontested elections dipped from 2014-2016, the percentage of Americans who live in legislative districts without choices is rising, according to AP. The organization also reported that of the 4,700 House seats up for grabs in 2016, 988 seats were predetermined due to gerrymandering.

When legislators manipulate district maps, they are taking away the American people’s right to a fair and equal democracy. For instance, in some cases, the people that live in heavily manipulated districts are unable to move, and are forced to live without much choice of who represents them at the state level.

We believe the best way to combat gerrymandering is to establish a third-party agency that can create rules and guidelines to be used when district lines are redrawn after each census. During this time, district lines should be evaluated by population, not party membership.

While we know that this would improve the system, we acknowledge that addition-

Photo courtesy of the National Park Service

Pennsylvania legislative district decisions started in the 18th century in the Philadelphia Old City Hall building and are now being made in the Supreme Court.

Divisions in the Women’s March run deep Brianna Petitti Co-Opinion Editor

Though I consider myself a feminist, I wouldn’t say that the views I hold align with the views of the modern feminist.

When it comes to job inclusivity in today’s male -dominated workforce, I fully recognize that the concerns of women are warranted. In previous years, women with exemplary credentials have been brushed under the rug in exchange for men with less qualification. I believe in a broad spectrum of gender equality

in and about the areas of — business and everyday life fair pay and proper means of punishment for men or women who commit sexual assault.

This past week in cities across the country women marched for equality—well, that’s what I thought they were marching for. But after hearing various speeches from multiple women’s marches, I was shocked to hear a theme of race and white privilege integrated into several of those speeches.

Cecile Richards, President of Planned Parenthood, declared that as white women we need to do better. “White women, listen up. We’ve got to do better. It is not up to women of color to save this country from itself”, Richards said. So, I must ask the question, what is it that I need to be doing better?

I must admit my bewil-

derment and shock by this divisive and dividing statement. I’m seriously wondering how rights of women has suddenly become a message of racism in 2018? Shouldn’t it be the task of everyone involved in our country to fight gender inequality?

Richards is living under the premise that women have been receiving unfair treatment because white women haven’t been vocal enough, and that they somehow need to be activists spreading the antiracism gospel to all in earshot! I’m truly wondering if the farleft leaning activist really has the issues that they claim to be suffering from, or might it be that they are somehow being fed a brand of KoolAid which produces a hypersensitive state of thinking and reacting?

Read the full story at theslateonline.com

al checks and balances cannot guarantee an honest system, but can greatly reduce the threat of corruption in the legislative branch.

As gerrymandering cases continue to make their way to court, we urge legislators to remember that America was never intended to be a country of intense divisiveness.

By allowing states to divide groups of peo-

H&M controversial ad causes social media uproar Erica McKinnon Co-Opinion Editor When the H&M ad controversy surfaced on social media, there was extreme media backlash of both the clothing company and the mother of the young model.

On Jan. 8, a young black male model from the U.K. modeled for H&M’s ad, sporting a green hoodie with the slogan “Coolest Monkey in the Jungle” across his chest.

“The hoodie, which was sold in the clothing U.K. stores, sparked a social media backlash, with consumers vowing to stop shopping and calling for an investigation,” according to CBS News. In my opinion, consumers have every right to stop shopping at H&M because what they are promoting is racial insensitivity. Since the ad controversy, I stopped, shopping at H&M because why shop at a company that doesn’t respect or represent people of color?

There is nothing cool about H&M mocking a race that has been called derogatory

Where’s your voice?

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ple by their political status, we are supporting the idea that certain groups of Americans cannot coexist with different political opinions and must, therefore, be separated.

We live in a country that is supposed to be the land of the free, but will never be until corruption like this is removed from its government.

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terms like “monkey,” “gorilla,” “tar baby” and far worse terms that will shatter a person’s confidence. There is nothing cool about H&M choosing an innocent child to model something so demeaning and disrespectful for the monetary gain of their company. H&M is not the only one to blame, but the mother of the model is the main person to blame because she agreed to this nonsense of an ad. I call this act nonsense because it displays a lack of care ,or better yet, a sense of ignorance. It is blatantly mocking the history of a resilient group of people who were stripped of any self-dignity they had. Is this is the thanks they get?

Many years ago, people of color didn’t have the ability to defend themselves when being called out of their name. While the mother of this child had a choice and chose to ignore the significance behind the ad.

Celebrities from P. Diddy to The Weeknd expressed their anger toward the ad.

“Woke up this morning shocked and embarrassed by this photo. I am deeply offended and will not be working with [H&M] anymore.”

Read the full story at theslateonline.com

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C1

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Ship Life

Internship gives junior the chance to make a change Madeline Walsh Ship Life Editor

Meghan Schiereck/The Slate

Students fittingly adopt a high roller style at Casino Night Saturday evening.

Students win big at Casino Night Meghan Schiereck Asst. Multimedia Editor On any other day, the iconic casino atmosphere of Las Vegas, Nevada, is 2,340 miles, one time zone and a 34-hour drive from Shippensburg University. However, against all odds, SU students could get a taste of Vegas nightlife without leaving campus last Saturday night.

From 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. in the Ceddia Union Building’s Multipurpose Room (MPR) on Jan. 27, students could stop in and be high rollers and enjoy the height of luxury without spending a penny. Activities Program Board (APB) volunteers handed plastic bags of chips to students as they entered. Each student started with a handful, and aimed to increase their money. Chips ranged in value depending on their color, the lowest at $100, and the highest at $10,000. Every $2,000 was worth one ticket.

Students could trade their winnings for tickets that were later drawn for prizes. Prizes ranged from Starbucks gift cards to SU gear to coffee machines, and even a flat screen TV. Prizes were displayed on a table and guarded

by APB members.

Volunteers manned other stations including craps tables, a roulette wheel and blackjack tables. Students had several dealers to choose from, so there was no hope to be lost if you were down on your luck in the first round.

Some students were dressed up, some dressed down. No matter how you dressed, mixing and mingling was full speed ahead.

Cocktail tables littered the center of the MPR, decorated with floral centerpieces and tablecloths. A mocktail station set up on the side of the room offered drinks to taste — a Shir-

ley Temple, sparkling cider and a delectable concoction called “cranberry and orange juice mix.”

Students huddled around tables, hungry for winnings. Chatter and laughter filled the room, nearly overpowering the blaring music. Multicolored flashing lights danced across the walls, transforming an otherwise ordinary room into a vibrant hub of nightlife. The only thing that gave away the real location of this quasi-casino was the lack of showgirls, sideshows and smoke.

Junior Kaitlin Deimler took her chances at the craps table. She played several rounds and said she was just there to see what happens. Nya Foster and Kristin Naumann, both juniors, stuck together while going from table to table.

“I’m not sure, but I’d like to win money. I’d like to play blackjack, too.” Naumann said.

Casino night offered a realistic alternative to gambling. Real-life consequences did not apply for once, and students had a care-free environment to enjoy with friends.

Do you believe our government should work harder to combat extreme poverty abroad? If so, then you are like junior Austin Stoltzfus, a communication/journalism major who recently began a 12-week internship with The Borgen Project, a non-profit organization that uses political influence to fight worldwide poverty.

According to its website, The Borgen Project aims to “make poverty a focus of U.S. foreign policy” by employing interns like Stoltzfus to fundraise, contact Congress and write articles on the importance of U.S. aid in impoverished countries.

Although The Borgen Project is based in Seattle, Washington, Stoltzfus is able to do most of his intern duties remotely by using his laptop.

“I have to write two well-researched articles a week,” Stoltzfus said, “and they have a list of topics that need covered.”

Interns may also pitch their own story ideas, Stoltzfus said, who believes the internship has helped better his writing skills.

“I get a lot of feedback from the editors each time I write on how to keep the flow of

the story going and ending the story correctly.”

Stoltzfus also emails and calls Congress regularly to voice support for certain bills.

“Instead of putting puts on the ground, The Borgen Project tries to have a political influence because they think getting more foreign aid from the U.S. will have a bigger impact on people overseas.”

The organization holds online meetings with interns to give them tips on fundraising.

Each intern is required to fundraise $500 by the end of the internship.

“I’ve been contacting businesses and asking for donations,” Stoltzfus said.

“The donations that they give, I’ll raffle them off, usually about a dollar a ticket, and all of those proceeds go straight to the Borgen Project.”

Stoltzfus has found social media especially helpful, using Facebook and Snapchat to reach a wider audience when fundraising.

“When I had Qdoba tickets I just took a picture of them and put it on my [Snapchat] story. Immediately a bunch of people started messaging me about them. If I wasn’t using social media I would have maybe gotten thirty bucks, but instead I got $115.”

How to make “easy peasy” pizza Madeline Walsh Ship Life Editor It’s late and you’ve been up studying hard when you get a craving for something cheesy to chomp on. You grab the phone to order a large pie from the pizza place down the street, but to your dismay they are closed for the night. What is a hungry college student to do? Improvise!

This recipe is perfect for whipping up a pizza that is tasty enough to satisfy your late-night cravings. It’s easy to make and contains fewer calories than what you’d find in your standard pizza shop.

What you need: Flour tortilla Shredded cheese Pizza or marinara sauce Olive oil Desired toppings

Meghan Schiereck/ The Slate

Casino Night allows students to enjoy real casino style games without risk.

What you do: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly coat a tortilla with olive oil. Place directly on the middle of the rack of the preheated oven and cook until it is slightly golden colored (2-3 minutes). Chop your desired toppings. Once the tortilla is slightly golden, remove it from the oven and spread pizza or marinara sauce onto it. Sprinkle cheese and distribute toppings onto the tortilla before placing back into the oven. Cook for about five minutes and cool Photos by Madeline Walsh/ The Slate for two minutes before chowing down.

#MeToo sends ripples across A Raider’s View college campuses for change Raider’s Muse Staff Columnist The #MeToo Movement hit social media in an uproar toward the end of 2017, as a way for women and a few men to speak up against sexual assault, after actress Alyssa Milano posted on her Twitter, “Me too. Suggested by a friend: “If all the women who have been sexually harassed or assaulted wrote ‘Me too.’ As a status, we might give people a sense of the magnitude of the problem.”

It was not long before “[the tweet] was shared in more than 12 million posts and reactions in the first 24 hours,” according to the Associated Press.

Despite the recent popularity of the movement, the campaign began with Tarana Burke, creator of Just Be Inc., a non-

profit organization that helps victims of of intersectionality that feminism should sexual harassment and assault, describes take into consideration when pursuing the moment she sat across from a 13-year- change. old girl who had been sexually assaulted Nevertheless, as the hashtag gained as early as 1997, in more popularity, colwhich the #MeToo leges campuses have “As the hashtag campaign origibeen flooded with gained more popularity, calls for change, esnated, according to The New York pecially in Atlanta, colleges campuses Times.

Georgia, at Spelman have been flooded Up until social and Morehouse Colwith calls for change.” media got ahold of lege. the hashtag, Burke Protesters and Raider’s Muse had not received flyers appeared acStaff Columnist much support, cusing athletes and especially from fraternities of sexual white feminists. violence, with some victims naming their Due to historical contrasts caused by abusers. The flyers were promptly taken the lack of visibility of the deeper level of down. The next morning Morehouse was oppression that women of color have re- covered in graffiti as well as an explosion ceived, certain feminists neglected a level of the hashtag occurred on Twitter.

Luckily for a school like Shippensburg University, Title IX, an education amendment that protects students from being discriminated against based on sex, and those who are mandated reporters at the institution must report any sexual violence they may see or hear about from students, is still enforced.

Despite the success of the amendment, Betsy DeVos, the U.S. Secretary of Education, rolled back the amendment, which changes how schools are mandated to handle sexual assault cases.

If you or anyone you know is a victim of sexual assault, know that you can contact the police station on campus or in the town of Shippensburg, as well as the counseling center, the Women’s Center and any mandated reporter for assistance on how to get help.

D1

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

A&E

Whiskers Vintage and Vinyl to pamper locals for Valentine’s Day Molly Foster A&E Editor Roses are red, violets are blue, Valentine’s Day is only two weeks away, so it is time to think “More About ME and Less About YOU.” Whiskers Vintage and Vinyl, a vintage store located in The Thought Lot, will be hosting a “More About ME, Less About YOU” Valentines Day Party on Feb. 3 from 6-8 p.m.

“Valentine’s Day has always been one of my favorite holidays, simply for the frivolity of it,” said Hannah Nawa, owner of The Thought Lot and Whiskers Vintage and Vinyl. “The event is a great excuse to pamper your-

self and take a moment to treat yourself and spend time with your friends, all while shopping at an event meant to cater to you.”

The “More About ME, Less About YOU” Valentine’s Day party will feature a flash sale of 50 percent off the entire Whiskers Vintage and Vinyl store. Vintage-inspired apparel, vinyl records and locally made gifts are some of the many items that are sold in Whiskers Vintage and Vinyl.

“I’m hoping that during the sale customers will be able to come in and find their perfect dress to go out in for Valentine’s Day,” Nawa said.

“Whether they’re going out by themselves, with friends,

Photo courtesy of Hannah Nawa

Local vintage store Whiskers Vintage and Vinyl welcomes Shippensburg University students to a night of pampering on Feb. 3 from 6-8 p.m.

with a significant other, or even just staying home, my hope is that they will be able to find a great outfit that will make them feel good at a discount.”

While the event is primarily catered to women and giving them the opportunity to indulge in some pre-Valentine’s Day pampering, Nawa said there is a treasure for all individuals within her store, and all are welcome to come shop and join in on the festivities.

“We offer men’s clothing and a great selection of gifts and records,” Nawa said.

“This is also the perfect event to shop for your significant other for Valentine’s Day. If you aren’t sure what to get them, our staff will be more than welcome to help you select the perfect gift.”

Aside from the half-off sale in Whisker’s Vintage and Vinyl, the Valentine’s Day party will feature complimentary 10-minute chair massages provided by New Day Yoga and Wellness, makeovers and refreshments. There will also be local vendor items to purchase, including personalized DoTerra make-andtake perfumes, custom-made stamped jewelry, henna and body art, and wine from Castlerigg Wine Shop.

“I think this is a great event for Shippensburg University students because of the deep discounts and complimentary services and refreshments,” Nawa said.

“It’s important for university students to be a part of the downtown community and economy, and I think that this is a great event for those who haven’t explored the town much before.”

Winston Churchill leads Britain through Europe’s ‘Darkest Hour’ Jonathan Bergmueller Asst. A&E Editor SPOILER ALERT Set in tandem with the recent release, of Christopher Nolan’s “Dunkirk,” “Darkest Hour” explored the pivotal moment in British history — whether Great Britain would sue for peace, or wage war on the fascists of Nazi Germany.

The plot of the movie follows the true story of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill after he forms a new government in 1940. This is in the wake of predecessor Neville Chamberlain’s inability to quell the Nazi threat. Churchill entered office with an incredibly poor reputation and had to work from the ground-up to earn the respect of his fellow members of Parliament.

Whereas Churchill’s contemporaries wished to seek peace with the aggressive Fuhrer, Adolf Hitler, via Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, Churchill held true to the old British homage and kept muddling through.

He bravely refused to surrender, in a move that some determined as insanity.

As the movie progressed, many of Churchill’s parliamentary contemporaries stood in opposition to their prime minister. Lord Halifax, Neville Chamberlain and King George VI are all stalwart enemies of the war, and wish to sue for peace in order to prevent Britain from being invaded. All is changed as King George VI comes to see Churchill’s point of view and encourages him to press on.

After winning parliament’s support, the screen goes dark, and the text on it reports that in 1945, the Allies declared victory whilst Churchill was in office, even though he was

voted out in the next cycle.

The film held true to the historic event, with some dramatic elaborations. Winston Churchill, though stalwart and defiant of the Nazis, was hardly as charismatic and inspiring as Gary Oldman’s inspiring portrayal made him seem. Additionally, the movie did not shed any light on the context of Hitler’s image. Most saw him to be an efficient and authoritative leader — the news of the Nazi atrocities in the Holocaust were unknown until later in the war.

Perhaps the most compelling scene of the movie was when Churchill, a man said to have never rode the London Underground in his life, visited and asked the passengers for their input in the issue. The citizens showed the non-capitulating attitude of countrymen and women who would fight the Nazis to the death, all to avoid surrender to the dictatorial Hitler.

Many critics felt that “Darkest Hour” romanticized Churchill in a fantastic way.

Though the man led his country through a troublesome time in history and was rightly praised for his defiance, his personal beliefs and actions pertaining to India were not touched upon. Churchill was highly xenophobic toward the Indians and opposed “Ghandi-ism.” On top of this, he fought against Irish independence.

Critics praised the movie for Gary Oldman’s performance as Churchill. Rotten Tomatoes gave it an 86 percent, with an average rating of 7.4. The film received a Metascore of 75 percent and a Userscore of 7.5 on Metacritic.

The movie has a run-time of 125 minutes, and has accumulated more than 28 million dollars, according to Rotten Tomatoes.

Billboard Top 10 1. Havana - Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug

6. Thunder - Imagine Dragons

2. Perfect - Ed Sheeran

7. No Limit - G-Eazy ft. A$AP Rocky & Cardi B

3. Rockstar - Post Malone ft. 21 Savage

8. New Rules - Dua Lupa

4. Finesse - Bruno Mars & Cardi B

9. Too Good At Goodbyes - Sam Smith

5. Bad At Love - Halsey

10. MotorSport - Migos, Nicki Minaj & Cardi B

Movie Showtimes Showtimes for Tuesday and Wednesday, Jan. 30 and 31 at AMC Classic 7 in Chambersburg

Show

Times

1. Maze Runner: The Death Cure

7:05 p.m.

2. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

7:15 p.m.

3. 12 Strong

6:50 p.m.

4. Hostiles

7:10 p.m.

5. Paddington 2

7:30 p.m.

6. The Commuter

7:45 p.m.

7. The Shape of Water

7:20 p.m.

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Women’s basketball, E2

E1

Sports

Wrestling, E3

McCarthur joins SU elite J-Mac sits in eighth place in SU history with 1,393 career points William Whisler Sports Editor When Justin McCarthur arrived at Shippensburg University, high expectations were not exactly something that was associated with the men’s basketball program.

After joining a team that just suffered through a 3-23 season, getting a group of players to buy into a rebuild was the best thing SU coach Chris Fite could hope for.

Fite found so much more in his 201718 senior class that includes the sharpshooting McCarthur, whose herculean efforts alongside senior All-American forward Dustin Sleva and the often-overlooked guard play of senior Clay Conner has helped turn a school known for its football program into a Division II basketball powerhouse in just three seasons.

This season, McCarthur has shown a maturity in his game that has transformed him into one of the best players in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC), as well as one of the best shooting guards in the Atlantic Region. McCarthur has averaged 16.8 points, 3.2 assists and is shooting 43.5 percent from 3-point range this year.

On Wednesday night when SU traveled to Bloomsburg University, McCarthur wrote his name among SU’s greats, cracking the Top 10 in career points with a 19-point performance in a 75-65 win over the Huskies. McCarthur achieved the feat with a 3-pointer with 16:06 left in the second half.

“Overall, I think that it’s a good accomplishment,” McCarthur said. “It wasn’t my goal when I came here, but I did want to leave a legacy here and I think I am starting to do that. I can’t do it without my teammates and coaches.

Davis sets SU record at Lehigh meet

Without them believing in me and giving me the freedom to make plays for myself and for them, I couldn’t be in that situation.”

While the records are continuing to fall for McCarthur, who already owns the SU career record for made 3-pointers and the single-season record for 3-pointers, the biggest takeaway is in the unselfish demeanor of the senior.

McCarthur always seems to knock down a clutch shot when necessary, and is never shy of sharing the spotlight with his teammates — including Sleva — who dominates nearly every night.

“I think we’ve always had pretty good chemistry,” McCarthur said. “Us being able to play together as freshmen helped us become even closer. Just growing up together these four years has been good.

I can really rely on those guys when I need them.”

See “MCCARTHUR,” E2

Kayla Brown/The Slate

Justin McCarthur, right, moved into the Top 10 in scoring in SU history with 19 points on Wednesday.

Courtesy of SU Sports Info.

Senior Tra-C Davis broke the indoor school record in the high jump on Saturday at the 2018 John Covert Classic with a clearance of 7 feet, 1 inch to highlight the day for a split squad of the Shippensburg University men’s indoor track-and-field team in competition hosted by Lehigh University.

Davis achieved an NCAA automatic qualifier with his clearance (2.16 meters) and currently owns the top mark in NCAA Division II this season. His performance broke the previous record of Jalen Ramsey (7 feet, 0 ½ inches) set in 2014.

His impressive progression throughout the day began with clearances at 6 feet, 6 3/4 inches (2.00 meters) and 6 feet, 8 3/4 inches (2.05 meters) on his first attempt.

He then cleared 6 feet, 10 3/4 inches (2.10 meters) on his second attempt before getting over the bar at 6 feet, 11 1/2 inches (2.12 meters) on his first attempt.

As the only remaining jumper in the competition, Davis was able to dictate the pace of the height of the bar – which was set to the new record height.

After a near clearance among two attempts, Davis consulted with head coach Dave Osanitsch and shortened his approach for the final jump. The tactic worked – giving Davis the school record.

Other notable performances on the day included freshman Shaquille Mitchell placing third in the triple jump with a top mark of 46 feet, 3 ¼ inches. He had two jumps beyond 46 feet on the day.

Senior Bryan Pearson took second in the weight throw on a top mark of 56 feet, 10 3/4 inches. (still awaiting shot put results) Shippensburg splits its squad again next weekend, sending a contingent to Youngstown State on Friday and Saturday and another delegation to Susquehanna on Saturday for the SU Open.

Photo courtesy of Bill Smith/SU Sports Info.

Sophomore forward John Castello continued his dominance of Kutztown University on Saturday, notching a double-double in an 88-80 win over SU’s PSAC East rival Golden Bears. The Raiders have now won 12 of their last 13 games, including seven straight.

Raiders blow by Golden Bears, 88-80 William Whisler Sports Editor Saturday’s matchup between the Shippensburg University men’s basketball team and Kutztown University was much more than a date on the calendar.

The game represented a battle between the top teams in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East Division and was also a rematch of the 2017 PSAC Championship game.

There was no love lost in the opening minutes as both teams exchanged baskets, before scoring runs before and after halftime sprung the game in favor of the Raiders, as SU (15-3, 11-2 PSAC) received double-doubles from forwards Dustin Sleva and John Castello in an 88-80 win over Kuztown (144, 10-4 PSAC) at Heiges Field House on Saturday.

Sleva finished with 25 points, 15 rebounds and five assists to record his 12th double-double of the season. It was his 42nd career double-double. Castello had a big night of his own with 16 points and 13 rebounds.

“Our bigs were tough tonight,” SU coach Chris Fite said. “John and Dustin were flying around.

Manny made some real tough plays for us tonight.

It was a great team effort.”

With the game tied at 19 with 9:33 remaining in the first half, SU closed the period on a 24-8 run to take a 14-point lead into halftime.

Kutztown wasted no time responding, starting the second half on a 10-2 run before SU punched back with a 13-2 run of its own to push its lead to 17 points.

Sleva answered the Golden Bear run, as he knocked down a 3-pointer from the right-hand corner as the first half came to an end and hit the

floor hard but was not able to draw the foul. In the opening minutes of the second half, Sleva knocked down another 3-pointer from the opposite side, drawing the contact and completing the four-point play to spark an SU run.

The Raiders coasted the rest of the way, leading by as many as 16 points with 39 seconds remaining.

“When coach calls those plays for me I know I’m shooting it, so I make sure to get my feet right and my hands right on the ball and shoot it if I get any space at all,” Sleva said. “I knew that going in.”

Defensively the Raiders had an outstanding showing, holding the Division II assist leader in Ethan Ridgeway to just four assists, while limiting the nation’s top 3-point shooter in Anthony Lee to 0-of-4 from 3-point range on the night. Rideway was limited by SU’s Clay Conner and Justin McCarthur to just 14 points and three assists. Lee had 11 points.

“Clay Conner and J-Mac locked up their best players,” Sleva said. “That’s the game right there.

J-Mac put clamps on Anthony Lee and that was huge. J-Mac was an MVP tonight for what he did on defense.”

Blocked shots were also a factor for the SU defense, as Sleva and Castello both had big nights with two blocks, each. Castello contributed what may have been the block of the night, coming across the left side of the court to stuff Ridgeway in transition. Sleva had an equally impressive block on Moe Williams in the final minutes.

“It did give us energy,” Castello said. “Sometimes you get beat in transition. I’m not the fastest guy, so in transition I try to make the play and come in from behind. Luckily I made a couple of those tonight.”

McCarthur also contributed offensively with

17 points, including 3-of-5 shooting from 3-point range. Antonio Kellem was also extremely effective, scoring 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting.

With the win, SU improved to 11-0 on its home court this season and 38-3 in its last 41 home games. The large home crowd energized the Raiders in the win, as a packed Heiges Field House was rocking from the opening tip.

For SU, getting home court for the PSAC Tournament would be monumental, given its success at home in recent seasons.

“It would be huge,” Sleva said. “We had a nice crowd tonight and we feed off that energy. It would be nice to get some more people in here and try to make it standing room only.”

With his impressive night, Castello continued his dominance of Kutztown dating back to last season, where he scored 23 points and added 18 rebounds in his first ever game against the Golden Bears.

“With this being a rivalry game and playing them twice every year and not having the best relationship with them gets everyone going,” Castello said. “It’s getting me going and excited to play every time.”

SU has controlled the series with Kutztown in recent years, as SU improved to 4-1 in the last five against the Golden Bears dating back to the PSAC Quarterfinals in 2015 when guard Abe Massaley knocked down a free-throw line jumper to win the game.

“We have been playing with these guys for four years and they always give us a battle,” Sleva said.

“It’s tough and it’s a rivalry. They are a real tough and physical team. We just took it to them.”

See “MBB,” E2

SPORTS

E2

January 30, 2018

Raiders split pair of East matchups Matt Gregan Staff Writer

While the Shippensburg University women’s basketball team’s 4-15 record would not necessarily reflect a mark of a team destined for greatness, a change has occurred in the past few weeks.

Despite suffering many losses early in the season, the Raiders split two games against Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East foes Bloomsburg University and Kutztown University this past week. The win over Bloomsburg was the first PSACroad win of the season for SU, and one that put it into contention for the conference tournament.

SU traveled to Bloomsburg on Wednesday and convincingly beat the Huskies, 8364. The Raiders used a dominant effort from freshman guard Ariel Jones, who had one of the best games of her career. She poured in 32 points, including four 3-pointers, to go along with seven rebounds and four assists.

The Raiders got off to an outstanding start, outscoring the Huskies 21-12 in the first quarter. Shippensburg used a torrid day from beyond the arc, as they shot 6-of-12 from 3-point range, while getting to the freethrow line as they attempted 34 free throws, to lead it to its fourth win of the season.

Going into Saturday’s game against the Kutztown Golden Bears, the Raiders were holding onto the sixth and final playoff spot in the PSAC East. However, the Raiders were not able to sustain the high of Wednesday night’s win, as Kutztown defeated Shippensburg on Saturday afternoon at Heiges Field House, 67-56.

The Raiders struggled to get anything going on the offensive end and struggled to keep control of the basketball. The Raiders’ poor shooting performance at the freethrow line combined with the 19 turnovers that they committed, made it impossible to

claw back in the second half. SU missed 11 free throws on the day.

Kutztown dominated the first quarter of play on Saturday, outscoring Shippensburg 20-12. The Golden Bears made 4-of-8 their eight 3-pointers in the quarter, and they consistently answered every attempt by SU to get back in the game, dropping in a shot from deep every time SU seemed to gather some momentum.

For the Raiders, Jones was not able to follow up her brilliant performance against the Huskies, but still managed 16 points, despite struggling from beyond the arc, shooting just 1-of-5 from 3-point range.

Senior guard Victoria Blackburn was a bright spot for SU, continuing her consistent play. Blackburn totaled 12 points, five rebounds and three assists in the loss. It was the 10th time in the last 11 games that she has scored nine or more points and the seventh-straight game that she has posted three or more assists.

The Golden Bears, led by freshman guard Zoe Zerman’s 15 points and three 3-pointers, used the long ball to their advantage.

Kutztown made eight shots from behind the arc, while SU hit just 2-of-13 attempts from 3-point range.

An overall positive that the Raiders can take away from this split is that they consistently got to the free-throw line.

In Wednesday’s win over Bloomsburg, the Raiders got to the line 34 times. In Saturday’s loss to Kutztown, the Raiders got to the line 27 times. On average, Shippensburg gets to the line about 21 times per game.

Over this past week, the Raiders averaged around 30 free throws per game. The next step is to improve on the team’s 70.2 percent free throw percentage.

The Raiders (4-15, 3-10 PSAC) continue their season with a home game on Wednesday against East Stroudsburg University at 6 p.m.

Photo courtesy of Bill Smith/SU Sports Info

Kasey Engle, left, drives to the basket against Kutztown’s Alexis Smith during Saturday’s game against the Golden Bears. Engle scored four points in SU’s loss.

From “MCCARTHUR,” E1

Photo courtesy of Bill Smith/SU Sports Info

SU’s Ariel Jones (No. 15) attempts a free throw against Kutztown University on Saturday. Jones leads the Raiders in points and has proven herself as an elite guard in the PSAC as an underclassmen, earning multiple freshman honors.

Fab Freshman

Jones continues dominant play for SU Dan Norton Staff Writer While the Shippensburg University women’s basketball team has struggled in the first half of its season, it is hard to not be impressed with the play of guard Ariel Jones. Even as a freshman, Jones has led the Raiders in points, with 393, for an average of 20.7 points per game.

Despite her inexperience, Jones has not been intimidated by playing key minutes, and is also quick to credit those around her in helping her succeed.

“I think I have my teammates and my coaches to thank for pushing me,” Jones said. “They let me know it’s OK to be a freshman and that we all need to step up.”

Success on the court is nothing new to Jones. At Cedar Crest High School, she earned three varsity letters and received an All-State Second Team honors in 2017 as well as leading the Falcons to an undefeated regular season and the Lancaster – Leb-

anon League title.

Jones has not skipped a beat in her first season with the Raiders. Not only is she leading the team in scoring, she is the team leader in steals with 32 and is fourth on the team in blocks, with seven so far this season. Her best scoring performance of the season came at Charleston on Nov. 26, where she scored 34 points and led SU to a thrilling 73-70 overtime victory.

Jones’ play has been noticed by the league office at the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC).

Jones has won the PSAC East Freshman of the Week Award five times this season.

She also was the recipient of the PSAC Eastern Division Athlete of the Week on November 13.

The acknowledgements have helped the freshman guard continue to grow her confidence as she gains more experience.

“It feels good, it definitely boosts my confidence,” Jones said. “Coming in here I was a

little nervous knowing it was such a great program and knowing that we have a lot of incoming freshmen, but I think it boosted my confidence a lot.”

While all of the individual accomplishments are nice, Jones still carries a teamfirst mentality. The women’s basketball team has not had the season that it wanted, but Jones is still hopeful that they can turn it around, as the Raiders fight for a playoff spot in the PSAC East.

“A team goal is to have a winning record. I know we got off to a slow start, but I believe in us and I think that if we keep working hard like we’ve been doing wins will come,” Jones said.

While there is still a month of the season left to play, the contributions by the freshman has caught the attention of the conference. Despite the team’s record, Jones is the clear favorite for Freshman of the Year honors and may be considered for Player of the Year come season’s end.

The Raiders’ recorded their best season in program history in 2016-17, winning an SU record 18-straight games to open the season, before ending the season in the second round of the NCAA Tournament and earning its first NCAA victory. The team also won the PSAC Championship over Kutztown University last season.

SU began its rebuilding effort in 2014, as the Raiders won 13 games, before elevating to new heights with back-to-back 20-plus win seasons, including last year’s 27 wins.

McCarthur recalled the journey as a rollercoaster experience, but the ups-and-downs have made the success even more rewarding for SU. “Seeing how the program started from Coach Fite’s first year to where we are now has been a rollercoaster,” McCarthur said.

“I think it’s a testament to how hard we’ve worked and how much we want to not just be good but be great. We want to win the whole thing. We want to go back to PSAC’s and finish the whole thing and advance farther in the [NCAA] tournament than we did last season.”

With the Raiders’ lofty goals, the team hit a tough patch in November, dropping back-toback games against Edinboro University and Wilmington University of Delaware by a combined four points before finding its stride.

SU has now won seven-straight games after its 88-80 win over Kutztown on Saturday, and 12-of-13 games since the loss to Wilmington. The Raiders currently sit in first place in

the PSAC East with a record of 15-3 and 11-2 in conference play.

“After facing some adversity early, we just had to go back to square one and really focus on us,” McCarthur said. “We’ve just been locking in game-by-game and focusing on each opponent and trying to take away what they do best. We’ve been getting out to some great starts and that has really been helping us.”

With the production he has gotten out of his senior leader, Fite cannot help being excited for what could be in the works for McCarthur and the Raiders.

“J-Mac has been tremendous his whole career,” Fite said. “He’s an unsung hero for this team. He’s playing at a really high level right now and shooting the ball well. Offensively, when we need someone to drive to the rim, get in the paint and draw a foul, we put the ball in his hands. I like where he’s at with his game at the moment and it’s pretty exciting.”

McCarthur finished the week with 17 points, including 3-of-5 shooting from 3-point range and four assists against Kutztown. He also comes off a week in which he won PSAC East Player of the Week. The senior now has 1,393 points and with his production, it is not unreasonable to believe that he will crack the Top 5 in career points.

With the desire to leave a legacy and a powerful supporting cast and the guard with an uncanny ability for excellence, there is no reason to believe that this year will not be another special one for SU men’s basketball.

Photo courtesy of Bill Smith/SU Sports Info

Sleva recorded his 12th double-double of the year Saturday with 25 points and 15 rebounds. Sleva needs 58 points to break SU’s all-time scoring record.

From “MBB,” E1 The Raiders defeated PSAC East rival Bloomsburg University 75-65 on Wednesday night, as the Raiders rode a terrific start to a big road victory. McCarthur had a great night, scoring 19 points and knocking down three 3-pointers. He moved into the Top 10 on SU’s career points list in the win.

“Overall, I think that it’s a good accomplishment,” McCarthur said.

While McCarthur men-

tioned that it was not his goal to crack the Top 10 in points when he arrived, he said he wants to leave a legacy at SU and he deflected the accomplishment to his teammates and coaches.

“Without them believing in me and giving me the freedom to make plays for myself and for them, I couldn’t be in that situation,” he said.

The team looks to continue its run on Wednesday night as East Stroudsburg travels to Heiges Field House to battle SU. The Warriors

defeated the Raiders on Jan. 3 and are the last team to get the best of SU. The game will be a matchup of the Top 2 teams in the PSAC East.

“It was definitely good to get another win in conference, but we need to look ahead to East Stroudsburg,” Castello said. “They’re coming into our place and already got a win against us, so we need to step it up against them.”

SU hosts East Stroudsburg (14-4, 11-3 PSAC) on Wednesday night at 8 p.m.

SPORTS

January 30, 2018

E3

SU baseball ranked fifth in NCBWA Preseason Atlantic Poll Anthony Renz SU Sports Info.

The Shippensburg University baseball team was selected fifth in the 2018 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Atlantic Region Preseason poll that was announced Wednesday afternoon and had three players selected to the 2018 NCBWA Atlantic Region Preseason Team.

All three SU players were named to the Preseason Second Team including senior pitcher Gabe Mosser, senior utility player Grant Hoover and junior shortstop Cash Gladfelter.

Mosser is coming off a 2017 season in which he led the SU pitching staff and garnered all-region and all-conference honors. The right-hander led the team in wins and innings pitched with eight and 79 respectively. Mosser racked up 86 strikeouts while throwing five complete games including one shutout effort.

Hoover contributed on both sides of the ball for the Raiders in 2017, hitting .327 while also going 4-2 on the bump en route to all-conference honors. Hoover was third on the team in onbase percentage at .386 while recording 52 hits including seven doubles and two home runs.

On the mound, the lefty finished with a 4-2 record in 46.2 innings of work, striking out 38 and walking just 12.

Gladfelter rounds out the 2018 preseason selections after hitting .370 and recording 70 hits, both marks good for second on the team. The all-conference shortstop led the Raiders in doubles with 19 and was third on the team in RBI’s with 40. Gladfelter sported a .455 on-base percentage and recorded a perfect stolen base-percentage, stealing seven bags on seven attempts.

Shippensburg is ranked fifth in the preseason regional poll after going 31-24-1 overall and 19-9 in conference play. SU qualified for both the PSAC Tournament and Regional tournament after winning at least 25 games in each of the last six seasons.

NCBWA Preseason Atlantic Region Top 10 1. West Chester (13 first-place votes) 139 points 2. Mercyhurst (1) 127 3. Seton Hill 105 4. Millersville 92 5. Shippensburg 89 6. Shepherd 45 7. Slippery Rock 42 8. Lock Haven 37 9. Winston-Salem State 28 10. East Stroudsburg Also, receiving votes: Concord, Charleston, West Liberty, Gannon

Photo courtesy of Bill Morgal/SU Sports Info.

SU’s Cash Gladfelter bats against Slippery Rock in the 2017 PSAC Tournament.

Gladfelter is hoping to lead an SU offense after he hit .370 last season.

SU wrestling sees growth through season’s midpoint Nate Powles Asst. Sports Editor

The Shippensburg University wrestling team continued its good form at the Kutztown University Duals, posting two victories in its three contests on Friday and Saturday.

The team had just defeated Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) rival Millersville University earlier in the week and were looking to continue that momentum going into its matchups with LIU Post, the University of North Carolina at Pembroke and American International College.

The Raiders found themselves behind to LIU Post on two occasions in their tie. SU claimed the first victory of the match with a pin to take an early six-point lead.

The Raiders forfeited the next weight class before dropping the following bout by tech fall.

SU drew even again with a tech-fall victory of its own and followed that up with a major decision by Mike Springer. The Raiders dropped the next three bouts and fell behind by an overall score of 15–20.

Senior Evan Ramos, the No. 3-ranked wrestler at 197 pounds, brought the team back with a major decision before Derek Ber-

berick clinched the final bout with a pin to give the Raiders the win.

The team had a brief break before resuming action the next day, facing off first against UNC-Pembroke. The Raiders could not get anything going from the start, falling behind 11–0 before earning their first victory from Cole Rush with a major decision. The next four bouts went in favor of UN- Pembroke and it gained a 33–4 advantage going into the final two matches.

Ramos and Berberick continued their good performances with a pin and major decision, respectively. There was no way back for SU at that point, and it fell by a final score of 32–14.

The final matchup of the weekend was against American International. Only three of the scheduled 10 bouts actually took place.

Ryan Narber, Ramos and Berberick were the only wrestlers who had an opponent after several Yellowjackets were not able to make weight. Five of the bouts ended in forfeit victories for the Raiders and two others were no-contests. The overall score for the round was 42–0, giving SU its second win of the weekend and a season record of 6–4.

The Raiders will return to action today at 7 p.m. at Heiges Field House when they host East Stroudsburg University.

Photo courtesy of Bill Smith/SU Sports Info.

SU’s Stephanie O’Toole had a pair of top finishes for SU on Saturday, while competing in SU’s third-place relay finish at the Naval Academy this weekend.

Women’s swimming completes regular-season at Navy Invitational Bill Morgal SU Sports Info.

The Shippensburg University women’s swimming team took to the pool Saturday for its final regular-season meet, getting a pair of top finishes from junior Stephanie O’Toole and a third-place relay during competition at the 2018 Navy Invitational in Annapolis, Maryland.

SU posted six Top 5 finishes in its final tune-up before the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championships in three weeks. The Raiders competed against the likes of American, Georgetown, Lafayette, Bucknell and the hosts.

Individually, O’Toole had the fastest time in both the 100-yard breaststroke (1:06.25) and the 200-yard

breaststroke (2:25.67). Johnson finished third (1:08.27) and seventh (2:30.36) respectively. Alvarado placed second in the 200-yard backstroke 2:12.06 and third in the 100-yard backstroke (59.75).

The 2018 PSAC Swimming Championships will be held Wed., Feb. 21 – Sat., Feb. 24 at the Graham Aquatic Center in York, Pennsylvania.

Photo courtesy of Bill Smith/SU Sports Info.

Nick Bloom qualified for PSACs with a 2:01.19 cut in the 200-yard backstroke.

Men’s swimming completes final tune-up at Navy Invitational Bill Morgal SU Sports Info.

Photo courtesy of Bill Smith/SU Sports Info.

Shippensburg’s Evan Ramos continued his dominance this weekend, winning each of his bouts at the KU Duals. Ramos is currently ranked as the No. 3 wrestler in the nation at the 197-pound weight class. Ramos is 14-1 this year.

The Shippensburg University men’s swimming team took to the pool Saturday for its final regular-season meet, competing in the 2018 Navy Invitational in Annapolis, Maryland.

SU posted three Top 5 individual finishes and a Top 5 relay finish in its final tune-up before the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championships in three weeks.

The Raiders took to the pool alongside the likes of American, Georgetown, Lafayette,

Bucknell and the host, Naval Academy.

The Raiders had a total of 10 performances on the day that satisfied the league qualifying standards. Freshman Joe Deemer achieved his first PSAC qualifier for the 1,650-yard freestyle, placing fifth in 17:20.76.

Freshman Hunter Keck, sophomore Jeff Beyer, Deemer and sophomore Adam Fox placed fifth in the 200-yard freestyle relay with a time of 1:29.78.

The 2018 PSAC Swimming Championships will be held Wed., Feb. 21 – Sat., Feb. 24 at the Graham Aquatic Center in York, Pennsylvania.

The Slate

General Interest Meeting Tuesday, February 6th 9:30 p.m. in the CUB’s Orndorff Theater We are currently accepting applications for multiple positions, particularly: • Asst. News Editor • Asst. Sports Editor • Asst. PR Directors • Copy Editor You can also get involved as a staff writer/photographer.

Pizza will be available in The Slate office after the meeting.

If you are unable to attend, email questions to slate.ship@gmail.com or pick up an application on The Slate’s office door in the CUB Room 250.