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Volume 63 No. 4
Freshmen election results announced
Emma Tennant Asst. News Editor
Chase Slenker, who won by write-in, and Ashley Smith were elected as the Shippensburg University class of 2023 Student Government Association (SGA) representatives. Throughout the past few weeks, the SGA held multiple events to draw the attention of first-year students toward six candidates, who were all running for two senatorial positions in order to represent the class of 2023. The official candidates for this year included Smith, Sasha Bretous, Riley Brown, Andrew Hare, Mia Randall and Ian Thompson. All six candidates provided promising statements to aid them in last week’s election, which ran from Monday, Sept. 16, and ended on the following Thursday. The first-year class had an excellent turnout this year, according to Student Trustee Stephen Washington who is in charge of elections for the SGA. With the recent transition to a new Ship Link platform, Washington said there is no access to prior election turnout information. However, Washington reported that approximately 260 first-year students partici-
pated in the election. Washington praised Smith, Slenker and all of the candidates. “These emerging student leaders will go on to become crucial leaders within our campus community and eventually the world,” Washington said. Prior to the election, Slenker broke a procedural rule and was removed from the ballot, according to information posted on the Shippensburg University New Student Orientation app. Despite the setback, Slenker still ran as a write-in for student advocacy — and was able to walk away with one of the senatorial positions. Both Slenker and Smith have put in a lot of effort into getting publicity from first-year students, through posters, social media, communication with other first years and by other means. Slenker spent the weeks leading up to the election on building connections with other first-year students and highlighting his efforts of being active on campus. See “ELECTION,” A3
SU holds Constitution Day celebration Hannah Pollock Managing Editor
Shippensburg University held its annual celebration of Constitution Day on Sept. 17. The day kicked off with SU President Laurie Carter and students of Grace B. Luhrs University Elementary School reading the Preamble outside the Ezra Lehman Memorial Library. In the evening, students were invited to the Grove Forum for the keynote address, “Is Nothing Safe from Polarization? Changing Views of the Separation of Powers,” by Douglas Harris, a professor of political science at Loyola University Maryland. Before Harris began his lecture, SU political science professor Steven Lichtman, joked with the nearly-full room of students, staff and faculty, citing the irony of the reason why they were gathered. He explained that in 2004, West Virginia Sen. Robert Byrd sponsored legislation which required that any school receiving federal funding should offer educational programming about
the Constitution on Sept. 17. “We are required to speak about a document that famously has a free speech clause,” Lichtman said. After an introduction from Lichtman, Harris took to the podium, focusing his lecture on his observations of American constitutionalism, the decline in the trust of government and situational constitutionalism. He explained that today’s climate in Washington is related to situational constitutionalism. He cited how Democrats will praise a Democrat president for using executive orders, but will say a Republican president who is using the power is issuing too many. “Failure of constitutional consistency has plagued the left and the right,” Harris said. He said both parties use the constitution to fit the moment in which they find themselves. Harris added the strategic element of politics of distrust, is only distrust the elements of government your party does not control. Harris explained that par-
ty lines affect how strictly members follow and interpret the Constitution in today’s political climate. He quoted Rufus Miles, a former government official: “Where you stand on separation of powers questions depends on where you sit,” furthering his observation of the current government. Harris encouraged the audience to develop their own constitutional values, principles and interpretations not based on the politics of the moment. He also stressed the importance of reading and knowing the rights the document holds. “Would you like to be judged in 10-20 years by how firmly you stuck to them [the principle]? Harris asked. “Even when it works to the benefit of your political opponents? And to the detriment of your allies in the short term?” He closed with some words of advice to the audience on how to overcome the problems of today’s society. “Read the Constitution… Read it again and read it frequently,” he said.
Image courtesy of Bill Smith
Shippensburg University President Laurie Carter reads the Preamble of the Constitution with Grace B. Luhrs University Elementary School students outside the Ezra Lehman Memorial Library on Sept. 17.
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
SU joins millions in global climate protest
Meghan Schiereck/The Slate
Members of the Green League, an environmental club at Shippensburg University, held signs in the academic quad as part of global climate protests to demonstrate their grievances with climate change. Read the story on A2.
PASSHE, APSCUF reach agreement ‘in principle’ Hannah Pollock Managing Editor
Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) and the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF) announced on Thursday that negotiators representing the organizations have reached an “agreement in principle” for a new faculty contract. According to a joint APSCUF and PASSHE press release, negotiators reached an “agreement in principle” on Sept. 18 for the faculty contract between PASSHE and APSCUF. The announcement comes after five consecutive days of interest-based bargaining (IBB) that began on Sept. 14 at Dixon University Center in Harrisburg. For this faculty contract, the state system and APSCUF have engaged in interest-based bargaining, which focuses on collaboration instead of traditional exchanges of contract proposals. Negotiators met for a total of 21
days since talks began in mid-May, according to the release. When negotiations began, Kara Laskowski, president of SU’s chapter of APSCUF, said “IBB is supposed to be a better way to conduct the negotiations.” The most recent contract expired on June 30. However, the contract remains in effect until a new collective bargaining agreement is ratified, the release said. “I believe that the agreement in principle represents a historic advance in the process of creating a shared vision of how our universities should operate to best serve our students,” said APSCUF President Ken Mash. He added that the principal components of the agreement “are fair,” citing the agreement addresses faculty concerns and establishes a solid foundation for the future of public higher education in Pennsylvania.
See “PASSHE,” A2
Week of Human Understanding to encourage ‘deep civil discourse’ Hannah Pollock Managing Editor
Shippensburg University’s annual Day of Human Understanding has been extended to an entire week. The week, which begins on Sept. 30, focuses on coming together as a community to talk about important issues, according to Daniel Velez, chief equity, inclusion and compliance officer and Title IX coordinator. Velez said SU has historically held a single Day of Human Understanding, but this year it has been extended to a week with multiple events. The week will kick off in a more “creative and organic way” with an Open Mic Night on Sept. 30 at McFeely’s Coffeehouse featuring students’ Civic Poetry, according to Velez. “We want to center the students’ voices to demonstrate that our students really, truly understand the nature of civic responsibility,” Velez said. The poetry will focus on civic responsibility, engagement and national identity.
On Oct. 1, the campus community will have the opportunity to interact with “Favorite Student Meals” during dinner at Reisner Dining Hall. Recipes were submitted via essay by students in the First-Year Experience class and the winners will have their recipe made by chefs for the campus community to taste. “Students will be invited to be guest chefs in the kitchen to help make sure chefs get the recipe just right,” Velez explained. He said the connections made over food can aid in the forming of a connection and civil discourse promoted throughout the week. “It can be used to break down a barrier and allow us to engage in deep and civil discourse on very difficult topics,” Velez said. Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post Journalist Eli Saslow will be the featured speaker on Oct. 2 at 7 p.m. in the H. Ric Luhrs Performing Arts Center. See “HUMAN,” A2