vol. 8, issue 4
DESCRIPTION
Vol. 8, Issue 4 of The SentryTRANSCRIPT
MEAL PLAN BALANCING ACT PG. 4-5
CLASHING CANDIDATES PG. 10-11
VISITING ROONEY SCHOLAR:
GETRUDE MATSCHEPG. 14-15
MOVEMBER FOR TWO
TEAMSPG. 22-23
Editorial Staff
Andrea ZanaglioEditor-in-Chief
Patrick RyanNews Editor
Leah MooseLifestyles Editor
Brooke SmithSports Editor
Leah FleischelCopy Editor
Business Staff
Marissa HomerAd Manager
Austen CzaplaPhoto Editor
Shelbey Surgent Online Editor
Becky SchoeneckerMultimedia Editor
Jake NiehlArt Director
Student Media AdvisorCarrie Moniot
Robert Morris UniversityPatrick Henry Room 100
6001 University BlvdMoon Township, PA 15108
www.rmusentrymedia.comISSN #1934-8878November 5, 2012
Volume 8, Issue 4-Monthly
The Sentry is a student-written, student-managed newspaper serving Robert Morris University and Moon Township. It is published monthy except during semester breaks, holidays and prior to final exams. Editorial Policy: Editorials are based on the opinions of the individual writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the The Sentry staff as a whole, RMU students, faculty or administration.
Corrections/Clarifications: Readers should report any story or photo errors to The Sentry. All legitimate errors will be corrected in print in the following edition. Letters Policy: The Sentry welcomes lettters to the editor but does not guarantee publication.We reserve the right to edit or reject any material submitted. Anonymous submissions will not be published.
Nicole EatonNews Layout Editor
Tayler WentzLifestyles Layout [email protected]
Rachel CalhounSports Layout Editor
Letter from the Editor The Race is On! With Election Day at our doorstep, this issue of The Sentry takes a look at the presidential race, and the candidate the RMU community voted as the next President of the United States in our mock election.
RMU Decides! We asked, you voted and we’ve got the results! Flip to News to find out who came out on top in the mock presidential election that RMU Sentry Media staff hosted on-campus. Our Center Spread takes those important issues even further with an analysis of where Mitt Romney and Barack Obama stand as voters head to the polls Nov. 6.
Not interested in politics? No worries! We have you covered with a feature piece on visiting Rooney Scholar Getrude Matsche, movie review of “Paranormal Activity 4” and much more in Lifestyles.
Sports is jam-packed this issue! We have got the latest on everything from women’s field hockey to men’s and women’s basketball. Also, two senior athletes reflect on their past few years here as they face the end of their athletic and academic careers at RMU.
Our staff has been busy this past month preparing for a three-hour long Live Election Night Coverage show on Tuesday, Nov. 6 from 8 to 11 p.m. Turn on Channel 98 in your residnece halls or log-on to rmusentrymedia.com to watch the show live! Our website will also be continuously updated that night as votes are counted and the next President of the United States is ultimately announced! Comment and share your opinions with us throughout that night on our Twitter (@rmuSentry) and Facebook (The Sentry) pages. Your comments could be shared live on the air!
Most importantly, be sure you exercise your right to vote and get out to the polls on Nov. 6 if you haven’t already submitted an absentee ballot!
Best,Andrea ZanaglioEditor-in-Chief
The Sentry Staff
News pg. 2 Class time charge pg. 3 Mock Election results pg. 7
Lifestyles pg. 13 “Paranormal Activity 4”
Review pg. 13
Sports pg. 17 Colonial Chemistry pg. 17 Athlete reflections pg. 18
Table of Contents
November 5, 2012, Issue 4, Page 3 NEWS
When class schedules for the spring semester of 2013 were released on the early morning of Oct. 22, students discovered not only who would be teaching certain classes, but also that class times have changed. For the last three semesters, Robert Morris University has started classes at 7:45 a.m. but now that is a time slot of the past. Effective the spring semester of 2013, students now have the option of starting classes no earlier than 8 a.m.. “I think it will be easier to get to class on time,” said senior Katherine Haywood. “It means 15 more minutes of sleep,” said Frank Perry, RMU’s registrar and executive director of academic services Sophomores Jenny Berteotti and Eddie Sarin agreed with Perry’s comment. “Those extra 15-minutes add up,” said Sarin. “I think it will be easier to wake up and get ready for class,” said Berteotti. “It will be easier to remember what time you have class.” The reason why class times changed was be-cause of the number of classrooms increasing. “Now that we have more classrooms, those who
work and commute can finish their day earlier,” said Perry. These new classrooms are a result of the newly opened Wheatley Center and School of Business. The increase and demand of enrollment along with program growth resulted in RMU running out of classrooms and forced the university to start classes earlier in order to add extra class time slots. Students and faculty alike asked Perry if the schedule would ever change back to the 8 a.m. start; he never said “no.” With the opening of the School of Business and Wheatley Center, the total of classrooms grew from 595 to 645. Since there was a 50 classroom increase, the opportunity to start classes at 8 a.m. was reintroduced. “These times give students more options and space,” Perry said. Perry also explained that if the school ever needs to add classes in a semester, they have the ability. “I like it a lot better,” junior Ashley Adamus said. “I’m an education major, so it works better with my classes.” Classes are now starting on the hour, giving those who want to start later and end earlier an advan-tage.
Change in times: Classes moved back to 8 a.m. startBy MIKE FUNYAKSTAFF WRITER
Romo’s RoundupCompiled by
Tiffany BrandonMonday, Nov. 5 Spring 2013 semester registration beginsOSCE Service Project: Light of Life - 3:40 to 6:50 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 6 Election Day! Be sure to VOTE!Live Election Night Coverage - Channel 98 or rmusentrymedia.com - 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 7 Colonial Theatre presents Bloody, Bloody An-drew Jackson - Massey Theater - 8 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 8 Focus on your Future - Sewall Center - 4 to 6 p.m.Colonial Theatre presents Bloody, Bloody An-drew Jackson - Massey Theater - 8 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 9 Every Freakin’ Friday - Holiday Mural Deco-rating - Gus Krop Gym - 3 to 7 p.m. Colonial Theatre presents Bloody, Bloody An-drew Jackson - Massey Theater - 8 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 10 Colonial Theatre presents Bloody, Bloody An-drew Jackson - Massey Theater - 8 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 11Colonial Theatre presents Bloody, Bloody An-drew Jackson - Massey Theater - 2 p.m.
Police BlotterOct. 17 - Oct. 29, 2012 10/17 - Student Conduct - This department is investigating an incident related to a student misusing a borrowed laptop. (Open) 10/24 - Medical Emergency - Valley Ambulance was requested at John Jay center for a male who was disoriented. Valley transported the patient to Allegheny General Hospital for further treatment. (Closed) 10/24 - Lost Property - An employee reported losing their university keys. A report was made and a copy was sent to the university locksmith for a replacement set. (Closed) 10/24 - Accident - An employee reported damage to their vehicle while parked at Joe Walton Circle. A dent was made on the passenger side door to the vehicle from a lacrosse ball. Pictures were taken of the damage and a report was written. (Closed) 10/24 - Student Conduct - Residence Life advised of a student on the PNG list present at Braddock Hall. The student was located and advised to leave the residence hall. The student complied without incident. (Closed) 10/24 - Lost Property - A student reported a robe missing from the laundry room at Yorktown Hall. The robe was located and this incident is being handled through Residence Life. (Closed)
For the complete Police Blotter, visit www.rmusentrymedia.com
Photo by Paul Wintruba
Meal Plans at RMU
Patriot Plan*$1,830
Jefferson Plan*$1,635
Revolutionary Plan*$2,645
Years2010
$2,5252011
$2,645
2012$2,645
Years2010
$1,7952011
$1,860
2012$1,830
Years2010
$1,5902011
$1,160
2012$1,635
~ Minus $ $0~ 0% Decrease
~ Minus $ $30~ 1.63 % Decrease
~ Minus $ $25~ 1.52 % Decrease
Meal Plan Balancing ActThe fee that could be tiping scales
NEWS November 5, 2012, Issue 4, Page 4
Meal plans work differently for students living at Yorktown Hall this semes-ter. RMU’s newest residence hall contains the Iron City Grille, which is open to visiting Holiday Inn guests and students alike. Students who live at Yorktown Hall have $400 of their meal plans set aside to use solely at the Iron City Grille, according to Senior Director of Business Operations Neal Binstock. Binstock said it is important to note that once the $400 runs out ,no more of a student’s meal plan can be used at the Iron City Grille; however, if a student uses up all of their meal plan funds, the remain-ing $400 balance will transfer over. For example, a student on the Patriot plan includes $1,830 to spend. There-fore, the amount the student would see displayed on campus is $1,430. Some of the confusion among residents at Yorktown concerning their meal plan funds may have legitimate grounds. On the Yorktown Hall fact sheet on RMU’s website, it states, “Meal Plan funds in the amount of $400.00 per
semester will be provided to use for all Yorktown Hall Residents.” Binstock agreed that this statement seems to imply that an additional $400 will be added to the meal plans of students living at Yorktown Hall. “Someone raised the question about that,” said Binstock, who sits as one of the chairs of the “Yorktown Task Force” that also includes Dean of Students John Michalenko and Jeff Listwak, vice president of financial operations. Binstock said the wording on the website has been addressed in a meeting between those on the “Yorktown Task Force,” and they are working to have it changed.
By ANDREA ZANAGLIO, EDITOR IN CHIEF and PAUL WINTRUBA, ASST. NEWS EDITOR
By PAUL WINTRUBAASST. NEWS EDITOR
Believe prices are fairBelieve prices are a little overpricedBelieve prices are very overpriced
Yorktown funds explained
Liberty Plan*$1,380
Revere Plan*$1,090
Commuter Plan*$240
Years2010N/A
2011$1,385
2012$1,380
Years2010
$1,0452011
$1,120
2012$1,090
Years2010$240
2011$240
2012$240
*These are the spendable amounts excluding the $350 ($10 for Commuter Plan) Dining Service fee.
~ Minus $5~ 0.36 % Decrease
~ Minus $ $30~ 2.75 % Decrease
~ Minus $ $0~ 0% Decrease
Robert Morris University stu-dents are finding that they hav less to spend on meals this semester. On a campus where having to do bulk orders to break even at the end of a semester is relatively common, how could
this be possible? The answer is most likely an $100 increase in the Dining Service Fee that is attached to all RMU student meal plans. According to the breakdown of student meal plans on the RMU website, from 2010-2011, a $250 Dining Service Fee was charged, excluding the Commuter Meal Plan, which only has a $10 fee. This academic year, according to the 2011-2012 meal plan breakdown on RMU’s website,
that fee was raised to $350. With RMU’s 1,669 residential students in 2011, the $250 dining service charge generated $417,250. Now, with the increased charge and resi-dent student population, which this year, according to the Office of Residence Life, is 1,788, RMU is pulling in $625,800 from this fee. So why the increase now after the Dining Service Fee has remained at $250 since
2006, according to RMU’s Senior Director of Business Operations Neal Binstock? RMU’s website states, “The [Dining Service Fee] covers maintenance, ongoing enhancements and operating costs associated with providing din-ing services.” Binstock said the answer for the increase now is the renovations to the Hale Cafe, Romo’s Cafe and the Food Court that have taken place since 2006. “We needed to [raise the fee] this year primarily because of the Food Court and just things catch-ing up to us in terms of major renovations. With renovations comes more equipment. With more equipment comes more maintenance costs and services costs,” Binstock explained. “And again it’s not about the university or Parkhurst trying to make money. It’s trying to maintain at least the status quo in terms of customer service to students.” In addition to the increased charge, the spend-able amount, which excludes the Dining Service Fee, actually decreased slightly in order to com-pensate for the $100 Dining Service Fee increase. Aside from the Revolutionary and Commuter Plans, which remained the same from 2011-2012, on average, the spendable amount decreased by
$22.50 or 1.56 percent. While that may not seem like much, one must also take into ac-count the rise in food prices, which Binstock said usually increase 2.5 to 3 percent each year. Binstock explained that several factors are taken into account when setting the food prices each semester. Parkhurst looks at the Producer Price Index (PPI), a program that measures the average change over time in the
selling prices received by domestic producers for their output, and then suggests a price to RMU. RMU’s Business Operations then reviews the sug-gested prices and sets the final prices. When the entire meal plan amounts are looked at, the average weighted increase of 3.8 percent occurs each year, explained Binstock. So, while students have less to spend, the overall amount does increase each year. This year just happened to increase more so because of the fee than the spendable amount. Why then not increase the spendable amount along with the Dining Service Fee? “The objective here is to not have that big hit to the student. Money is tight. We know the econ-omy is recovering slowly,” explained Binstock. “I wouldn’t be doing my job if I wasn’t pushing for an increase that at least kept us at neutral or neutral plus a couple percents.” Thus, in order to keep the overall percent increase reasonable, the spendable amount was slightly decreased this semester (see graphs be-low for a complete breakdown). “We are not in this to make money, so our objec-tive is to keep increases as low as possible,” stated Binstock. “If you do not have modest increases in meal plan rates, you begin to fall behind....We try to keep it as low as possible but high enough to offset expenses.” Binstock also encouraged students with con-cerns to attend the Student Dining Services Committee Meetings held in the Food Court at 6 p.m. every other Tuesday. The next meeting will be held on Nov. 13, or simply send an email with suggestions or concerns to [email protected].
$
November 5, 2012, Issue 4, Page 5 NEWS NEWS November 5, 2012, Issue 4, Page 4
DID YOU KNOW?When you add Colonial Cash to your Freedom Card and use it instead of your debit or credit card you save money! If you pay with Colonial Cash, the seven percent sales tax is not added on to the total.
NEWS November 5, 2012, Issue 4, Page 6
The national debate over voter identification laws took a turn in Pennsylvania last month. A state judge temporarily halted the implementa-tion of Pennsylvania’s voter ID law for the No-vember elections. “Voters will be asked for, but not required to show photo ID at the polls on Election Day,” stated Carol Aichele, Secretary of the Common-wealth of Pennsylvania during a press confer-ence phone call with student reporters. Voter ID laws are measures intended to ensure that a registered voter is who they say they are. The laws, most of which have been passed in the last several years, require that registered voters show ID before they’re allowed to vote. Supporters argue that the voter ID law signed in March by Republican Governor Tom Corbett would prevent voter fraud and is upheld by the constitution. However, opponents counter that the new law would disenfranchise voters who are unable to obtain an acceptable form of photo identification in future elections. “I support the idea of a voter ID law,” stated Robert Byers, Vice President of RMU’s College Republicans. “The law just adds an extra layer of protection against fraud. Although I support the law, I see why it was halted by the courts; there was just not enough time for people who didn’t have a valid form of ID to get one.” On the other side of the debate, students like JD Lombardi oppose the voter ID law. “I’m against the voter ID law,” stated Lom-bardi, a member of RMU’s College Democrats. “Governor Corbett and his lawmakers say that it will ‘combat voter fraud and restore confi-dence and integrity of elections.’ On paper this might sound like a great idea, but logically it makes very little sense. Fellow Democrats and civil rights leaders feel as if this law is a way to suppress voter turnout, especially among those people of urban and poor income housing. In terms of constitutionality, it rides a very thin line on the 24th Amendment.” When Lombardi was asked about how he felt the voter ID law would affect future elections, he responded, “Honestly, I would prefer there to be no ID law, but if it is reinstated then many people will have a hard time with it. We all should have the opportunity to vote because it does matter. As a republic, we owe it to ourselves to live up to this responsibility, to educate ourselves on the policies and current trends in this country. Individually, voting is one of the best ways for
getting our ideas and opinions out there.” Given that costly steps are occassionally required to obtain needed documents today, legal scholars argue that photo ID laws create a new “financial barrier to the ballot box.” Consequently, individu-als who are registered voters and do not have a valid form of identification and need one for vot-ing purposes are entitled to get one free of charge at a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Driver License Center. Even though photo identification is not required at the polls this year, voters are strongly encour-aged to get valid photo identification for future elections. “No one will be denied the right to vote,” stated Aichele. “The board of elections has been working through an ad campaign to educate voters through online resources and television about the voter ID law and also providing information about why young people should get out to the polls and vote.”
Controversial voter ID law haltedBy TIFFANY BRANDONSTAFF WRITER
2012 Security and Fire Report analyzedBy ALYSSA BISHOPSTAFF WRITEREach year, as required by the federal government, schools of higher education send out a report that contains information about statistics on crime rates and fires. Each annual report contains three years of crime rates on-campus and the surrounding areas as well as the universities’ policies. The purpose of this is not only to benefit students, but also future students and parents who may be curious about crime rates on-campus. RMU Police Chief Randy Mink said that the safe-ty and well-being of the students, faculty, staff and visitors is the top priority for Robert Morris Uni-versity. “It’s really just a combination of everything: the police department, Residence Life, the RAs, the professors and the students. We all work together on a daily basis to keep RMU as safe as possible.” This is proven by RMU’s low crime and fire rates reported in this year’s Security and Fire Report released at the end of September. The last fire re-corded on-campus happened in 2010, which was a grease fire cooking incident in Concord Hall. Each campus building and residence hall is equipped with fire alarms and sprinklers with only a few non-renovated buildings without sprinklers.
Crime rates on-campus are relatively low as well. Most of those cases involve some type of alcohol or drug related incident. Just two incidents classi-fied as hate crimes were recorded in the last three years; both incidents involved students writing of-fensive words on a door. A total of eight burglaries occurred on some part of campus in the past three years with all eight of which, taking place in 2009. The largest number of incidents that are recorded are all drug and alcohol related. This, Mink be-lieves, is just because of the growing population of students who reside on campus. “Naturally, there will be drinking that occurs on-campus. In a college atmosphere, that is to be ex-pected. What we don’t want the students to think is that we are out to get them for drinking. We un-derstand that it’s going to happen in college. What we don’t want is students being irresponsible and causing attention to be brought onto themselves - that’s when we have to get involved. “ Part of this is also in large thanks to over 500 cam-eras installed throughout campus and in the resi-dence halls. When Mink began here at RMU, there were just 12. There are always more plans being made to make campus even safer, including more cameras being installed in buildings and eventually getting all buildings updated to include sprinklers. However, no time frame for these renovations has been set at this time. “I think that all I can really say to the students is just be safe about the decisions you make. You may have more freedom here than you do at home, but that does not mean that you should be irresponsi-ble. Be conscious of what decisions you make here on campus because they do affect not only your life but those around you as well,” Mink stated.
Photo courtesy of www.portal.state.pa.us
November 5, 2012, Issue 4, Page 7 NEWS
RMU Decides!RMU Mock Election ResultsRomney slightly favored over ObamaBy PAUL WINTRUBAASST. NEWS EDITOROn Thursday, Oct. 25, RMU Sentry Media polled students and faculty members in a mock presi-dential election to gauge the political interest on-campus. In total, the poll received 162 ballots with Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney winning over Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama. Our mock election resulted in Romney triumph-ing over Obama by just five votes. Romney re-ceived 75 votes and Obama received 70, showing that the RMU community is rather evenly divided. President Obama’s support on RMU’s campus has come down since 2008 when he held the top seat at 48.63 percent. While 145 of students chose to vote either Repub-lican or Democrat, some students chose to sup-port one of the many other political candidates, or a public figures. Libertarian Gary Johnson, who also held a seat on our ballot, received 10 votes, triumphing over Justice Party write-in Rocky Anderson, who only received one vote. Mickey Mouse almost had his mouse ears handed
to him, tying in votes received with Steve, one of the beloved cashiers from Romo’s. Both of them, however, finished above Big Bird, who despite gains in political fervor, was only able to muster a singular vote. In addition to the presidential election poll, 121 of the 162 students also filled out our “issues sur-vey” in which participants ranked from one to five the issues that were most important to them in re-spect to the upcoming election. The issues listed on the ballot included foreign policy, the economy, same-sex marriage, abortion and gun control. The option “other” was also a choice, and those who chose it were asked to be specific. Of the issues listed, the economy, which 65.29 percent chose as the most important issue, was overwhelming selected as the number one issue to those polled despite their party affiliation. If the results of this mock election are any predic-tion of the results that are to come on Nov. 6, it will likely be a very close race.
“Mitt Romney has experience in the private sector and has the best potential to grow and improve it. Government alone can not.”
-Kevin KlusRomney supporter
“His views most match my own, and I believe we have made prog-ress in the past four years recov-ering from the Bush era.”
-Michael McPheronObama supporter
“He supports my views and is the best candidate out there. And being a Republican, he supports small government.”
-Tara MaaloufRomney supporter
Correction
Several errors have been brought to the attention of The Sentry staff concerning the “The Price: Is it right?” center spread that appeared in the Oct. 16 issue.
* Ramen Noodles price for Giant Eagle was incorrectly listed as “$5 for 2.” It should haveread “5 for $2.”
* Snyder’s Pretzels proportions compared were not the same. A 12 oz. bag from
Romo’s was compared to an 8 oz. bag at Sheetz. The more accurate price comparisonbetween 12 oz. bags is as follows: Romo’s - $5.55 Sheetz - $5.23
* Although not noted in the graphic, both Cheerios boxes were 8.9 oz.
Also, Senior Director of Business Operations Neal Binstock wanted to emphasize that Romo’s does not try to compete with Giant Eagle. Romo’s is a convenience store not a grocery store. Thus, the comparisons between Sheetz were more accurate than those of Giant Eagle. The Sentry staff did, however, decided to include Giant Eagle because many students indicated that they shop there.
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By LEAH FLEISCHELCOPY EDITOR
President Barack Obama is seeking to lock in his second term in the election on Nov. 6. When he took office in 2008, he spoke of hope and change in a time that America needed nothing more than that. Much has happened since then, and the most prevalent issues in the 2012 election revolve around the matters of health care, same sex marriage, energy, foreign affairs, gun control, the budget and deficit, and abortion. Obama has placed major emphasis on healthcare throughout his presidency and even prior to that. This was one of his main platforms during his 2008 campaign, and this plan is even known as “Obamacare” by many. Under the Obama Administration, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 were passed, which have reformed national health care legislations and plans to give coverage to 32 million Americans who are currently without it. The goal of the Affordable Care Act is to make healthcare more affordable for families, more accessible for young people, and make Medicaid stronger for the seniors who depend on it. Additionally, the plan allows for more coverage from employers, holds insurance companies accountable and gives patients choices in the care they receive. In Obama’s proposed 2013 budget, there would be a $6.4 trillion annual deficit between 2013 and 2022, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Though this seems like more of a pitfall, if Congress were to only extend some of the current policies’ deficits, that $6.4 trillion would be closer to $11 trillion. The CBO projects that this budget would actually end up stabilizing the current debt in the sense that the economy would be growing more rapidly than deficits would be created. It has been an active four years for Obama in many categories, and foreign policy is certainly no exception. During his presidency, he has withdrawn combat forces from the war in Iraq and plans to have all troops out of Afghanistan by 2014. It was under Obama’s command that Osama bin Laden was captured and killed, a personal victory for the U.S. that brought closure to some Americans after the 9/11 disaster. Additionally, Obama is seeking to assist countries like Egypt, Syria and Libya in forcing dictators out by forming coalitions with neighboring nations. When it comes to China, Obama believes the key is building the relationship between the two nations because a better understanding between these two superpower nations could make for a better national community. Obama stands firmly behind clean energy that is produced in the United States. Under the Obama Administration, America has become a world leader in the production of natural gas and is producing it at an all time high. Additionally, wind and solar energy production has doubled and Obama has made significant investments in clean coal as a future energy source. Regarding the second amendment, Obama agrees that it is indeed a right to bear arms and he has no plans for that to change. He does not see it as an absolute right, however, making the topic negotiable. He has been quoted as saying, “We can have reasonable, thoughtful gun control measures that I think respect the Second Amendment and people’s traditions.” Social issues divide the incumbent President and Governor Romney. Obama released a public statement that stated his personal support for same-sex marriage on May 9, 2012, which was a momentous day for the LGBT community and supporters everywhere. Additionally, the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Act” was repealed under Obama; therefore, no longer can anyone be limited in serving in the military based on his/her sexual orientation. Obama is pro-choice when it comes to abortion. He issued a statement on the 39th anniver-sary of Roe vs. Wade in January 2011 to reaffirm his beliefs, stating that not only is abortion a private matter for each woman, but going on to say that it is a “fundamental constitutional right.” The President’s views on these matters differ sharply than those of Romney, and it all comes down to personal views and beliefs for each voter. “Forward” is President Obama’s campaign slogan for the 2012 election, which is the direction he hopes to continue to move this country in for the next four years if re-elected. Whether it is for for President Obama or Governor Romney, do not take the right to vote in the 2012 election for granted. Sources: 2012.presidential-candidates.org and barackobama.com
Barack Obama
By PATRICK RYAN NEWS EDITOR
Mitt Romney, Republican Presidential candidate and former governor of Massachusetts, is seeking to take control of the White House from the incumbent, Barack Obama. The two candidates’ views on each sociological or economic issue are polar opposites for the most part. Where Obama in his prior years as president has passed the Affordable Care Act, more commonly referred to as “Obamacare,” according to the Romney Campaign’s website, if elected, Romney will repeal Obamacare “his first day in office.” According to the same website, Romney will sign an executive order that paves the way for the federal government to issue Obamacare waivers. After that process concludes or remains under control, he will start to work with Congress to fully repeal the Affordable Care Act in legislation. Romney also says he wants to look into policies that give each state the power to create a health care reform plan that is in the best interest for that individual state.
As for Romney’s economic plan, he is known to be a firm believer in “Reaganomics:” cutting taxes such as the corporate tax rate, which is currently 35% (among the highest in the world) he wants to cut it to 25%. Romney believes this will promote economic growth, as it did when Ronald Reagan was in office in the 1980’s. He also has tailored a “5-point plan” that he plans to implement if elected as president. The plan states to strive for energy independence, make more fair trade globally, particularily sanctioning China for current unfair trading practices such as currency maniupulation. He also wants to cut the deficit, make it more avail-able for small businessees to succeed, and provide families and communities with the skills necesary to succeed. The Romney campaign believes that it is extremely important to preserve “traditional mar-riage.” Romney has never come right out and said that he is against same-sex marriage, but it is known in the politi-verse that he is. He has also said that he will appoint an attorney gen-eral that will support and defend the Defense of Marriage Act, a federal law passed and signed by Bill Clinton in 1996 that bans same sex couples from the same federal benefits that are given to heterosexual couples. Romney has also stated that he will lead the charge on creating a Federal Marriage Amendment to the Constitution that will define marriage as between one man and one woman. Romney has stated that he wants to end America’s dependence on Organization of the Pe-troleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and other oil and petroleum exporters. In order to make up for the split between the U.S. and OPEC, Romney proposes a partnership with Canada and Mexico. He says if everything goes according to plan, North American energy indepen-dence is very much attainable by the year 2020. To complement this policy, he says that he will make it easier for American companies to drill in the United States. When dealing with Foreign Affairs policies, Romney has been known to want to defeat the jihadists in the Middle East. He thinks that the walls, checkpoints, and other physical barriers between Israel and Palestine prevent even more bloodshed in the region. He addition-ally thinks that military intervention is an absolute last resort; after all, other attempts have failed. Another goal is that he wants to compete with Asia, mainly China and Japan, eco-nomically. Romney has also said that on his first day in office, he will label China a “currency manipulator,” a country that artificially holds down the value of their own dollar to make goods cheaper to build. He will follow the same suit for all other countries that, like China, “cheat” while trading goods and services. Romney is a major supporter of the Second Amendment, the right to bear arms. He does not believe the country needs additional laws to restrict the amendment. While he was still in office as Governor of Massachusetts, he supported legislations that extend the rights of gun owners. All in all, Romney says he “wants to defend the right as individuals to protect their families, homes and property.” Adding, “I will fight the battle on all fronts to protect and promote the Second Amendment.” Romney stands strong on his stance of being pro-life when referring to abortion. In July 2005, Romney was quoted in the Boston Globe as saying, “I am pro-life. I believe that abor-tion is the wrong choice except in cases of incest, rape, and to save the live of the mother.” No matter whose policies you like more, the Presidential Election is on Nov. 6, so go to your local polling station and voice your opinion as to who you believe should be president. Sources: 2012.presidential-candidates.org and mittromney.com
Mitt Romney
RMU Sentry Media presents
Live reports from the viewing parties on-campus, the Allegheny County Board of Elections, and Moon Township polling stations!
Watch the live broadcast on Channel 98 or online at rmusentrymedia.com!
Broadcasting live from the TV studio in the Academic Media Center
8 to 11 p.m.
Live Election Night Coverage2012
Tuesday, Nov. 6
8-11 p.m.
November 5, 2012, Issue 4, Page 13 LIFESTYLES
After viewing “Paranormal Activity 4” (PA4), one admittedly nasty saying comes to mind. “With a face only a mother could love” is similar to how I sum up this movie – it is a film only a die-hard fan could approve of. If you have been dying to see the fourth installment of this franchise, be prepared for several disappointments. For starters, the plot barely creeps forward. The suspenseful moments use cheap tricks to score screams, and major questions from the past films are not answered. PA4 focuses on a family, seemingly unconnected to the families in the past three movies, who happens to be neighbors with Katie (Katie Featherston) and her creepy, young son Robbie (Brady Allen). The daughter Alex (Kathryn Newton) and her teenage boyfriend Ben (Matt Shively) follow in the footsteps of past “Paranormal Activity” characters and catch unusual, supernatural events in Alex’s home. Except this time, their method of catching the moments on tape is modernized - considering the
film is set in 2011. Video chat and mobile devices are used instead of the series’ typical choice of a classic camera and tripod. Despite the new method of filming, similar moments of doors opening and closing and creepy children whispering into the dark take place. The film focuses on the main characters, Alex and Ben, and their young romance. PA4 differs from the others in the series in its blatant attempt at humor. At times, this directs one away from the creepy suspense. In fact, the overall “scare” moments fell a little flat. A majority of the moments where the audience was truly frightened were mere startling actions – they had no intent of actual creepiness or gore. A main character jumping on camera, a loud crash in the distance or even the family feline crossing the shot sums up these startling moments. The suspense or scary atmosphere depended on these rather than actual action. However, the last 15 minutes or so were unlike the beginning pace of the movie. Much like PA3, the ending was scarring and glued the audience’s eyes
to the screen. Without giving too much away, more of the infamous demon’s face was actually shown racing towards the camera right before credits rolled. More questions were created as a result, of course. The main question that puzzled me at the end of this movie is what will happen to Hunter, the kidnapped baby from PA2. While it has been confirmed that a “Paranormal Activity 5” is in the works (does this trend remind anyone of the Saw series?), what family or character it will focus on is a mystery. One speculation is another movie set back in the past showing why the demon is fixated with this family (more specifically Grandma Lois- shown in PA4) and could potentially be set in the ‘30s. It could also showcase the mysterious time of Katie’s teen years. Of course, it could continue with the plot left off in PA4. The possibilities are indeed endless – this series could potentially go on as long as the producers want to make money.
By LEAH MOOSELIFESTYLES EDITOR
The HERO Campaign for Designated Drivers ® at RMU is designed to promote the use of sober
designated drivers to prevent drunken driving tragedies. The Hero of the Month is chosen randomly
from students who promised to serve as a designated driver at least once throughout the year. The
Hero of the Month wins a $30 gift card to a local gas station. If you would like to be part of the Hero
Campaign contact Randon Willard in the Center for Student Success at [email protected].
Designated Drivers Receive Free Pop and Appetizers at:
Designated Drivers Receive Free Pop at:
SALOON
WINGS, SUDS &
SPUDS
Story: Katie and Kristi as children communicate with Kristi’s invisible
friend, Toby
Final Moments: Kristi and Katie’s mom and boyfriend are
attacked. Grandma Lois leads the girls upstairs and is eluded to being involved with the coven of witches.
Story: An unrelated family is neighbors with Katie and notices paranormal events. The son of Kristi, Hunter, is revealed as the family’s
adopted son.
Story: Grandma Lois is confirmed dead,
Kristi and her family report experiences of
mysterious “break-in.”
Story: Katie continues to murder her sister and brother-in-law
while being possessed. She then kidnaps their
young son, Hunter.
Story: Katie and boyfriend Micah notice paranormal
happenings and start to capture these moments on tape.
Final Moments: Katie becomes possessed from the entity and
murders Micah.
Understanding the Paranormal Activity series can be a bit confusing - the films are actually presented in a different
order. Below are the events in chronological order.
LIFESTYLES November 5, 2012, Issue 4, Page 14
By MARIA MAUTISTAFF WRITER
“I’m going to share with you today the spiritual journey that has been my life. I was born in a small village named Wedza, on the eastern highlands of Zimbabwe and Mozambique. It’s the kind of place you were born there, you will die there and your life amounts to absolutely nothing.” Her name is Getrude Matsche. From a very young age, her parents taught her to believe in education. Now, out of a family of five, four have graduated from college. But, by the age of six, her mother also had taught her to knit, paint fabric and sell to anyone. “I remember crying when someone told me ‘no,’ but my mother told me knock on the next door and it was a ‘yes’.” She achieved degrees in both computer science
and industrial psychology. After spending seven years living in South Africa, she returned to Zimbabwe with an economy in ruins. “I come from the third poorest country in the world. You would walk into a shop in the morning to buy a loaf of bread...and if you came back 10 minutes later, that same bread would have gone up 300-400 percent.” But it wasn’t just the spiraling economy that drove her from Zimbabwe. It was AIDS. “In 1999, our medicine man started spreading a rumor that if you’d rape a virgin it cures AIDS.” She recalls the outbreak of rape that flooded across her home country as babies as young as nine months old were defiled. Matsche said she felt that she could trust no one. “I had to leave. I wanted to live long enough to be
a grandmother.” She began her search to find employment outside of Africa. She stumbled upon the Atlanta Black Arts festival in need of African artists. She toured all over the U.S. on a Greyhound bus with the festival--from New Orleans to Detroit--stopping from city to city, attending these festivals. She ended up teaching her special technique at community colleges. Matsche and her family were on their way to America when they were stopped mid-trip in Johannesburg, South Africa. “There was a small misprint on my daughter’s visa. Instead of a two and a one at the end, it read one and two. They told us we could not go to America that we had to go back to Zimbabwe and go to the U.S. Embassy and get a new one printed.” When they returned to the U.S. Embassy, they were greeted with sincere apologies, but a week earlier they had to change a rule in their policy. It required that Matsche provide a bank statement with a minimum of six million dollars before they would correct their mistake, despite her filing six months prior. “I remember sitting at home and crying and thinking, ‘what kind of god would do that to me?’ I was on that plane, coming somewhere safe...We lost our entire life savings.” The family moved back into a two-bedroom apartment with nothing. “But I tell you, if I would have gotten on that plane, I would not be speaking here with you today because the building where I was going to work in New York went down on Sept. 11 a month later.”
All of this had taken place in August. They
watched in horror as the Twin Towers came down. “I was only spending two weeks in New York. My end destination was New Orleans. I paid a deposit to rent a house that disappeared two years later in Katrina. So when I look back on my life 12 years later, I realize I was never supposed to come here.” One day she received an email from a cousin who had found her misspelled name, Getrude, online.
She told her as an act of faith come to New Zealand. The Matsche family again sold their house in Cape Town, South Africa and raised only enough money for Getrude and the kids - she was going to work and save enough money to fly her husband at a later time. “I was very lucky. There was a lot of work for IT workers the year that I went to New Zealand on the first of November in 2001...for the first year, I was alone raising three kids, working full time and I was losing it.” After her husband arrived, she approached her employer to renegotiate her work hours, so that she could be home in the afternoon with her children. He denied her request, and she resigned that day. Because her husband was still unemployed, Matsche decided she would go back to living on her art. She painted over 100 meters of fabric and found her success in making small pillows and selling them online to U.S. buyers. Matsche is also quickly becoming a world-renowned author and public speaker. She is passionate about teaching people to become successful in business, so they can become independent and self-empowered. No matter where the wind has blown her, her heart belongs to Africa. “I went back to school and started writing a film script based on my life. I realized that I had a
PHOTO BY Nicole Eaton
“The average life expectancy of a
Zimbabwean woman is now 34. (37 if
you’re a male)...I turned 45 this year and have lived past
my die-by-date.”
November 5, 2012, Issue 4, Page 15 LIFESTYLES
Vampires, Zombies and Witches: Oh my! By ALYSSA BISHOPSTAFF WRITER
Faculty and students alike were treated to a presentation of all the things that go bump in the night during the fifth annual Creepy Conference on Oct. 23 in the Sewall Center. The conference featured stories of the undead, vampires, witches and ghosts and was sponsored by Sigma Tau Delta and the English Department. Founded by Dr. Sylvia Pamboukian, Dr. Edward Karshner and Dr. AJ Grant, the conference is a way for members of the RMU community to get into the spirit of Halloween. At the conference, there were two panels consisting of three students in each. In the first panel, Sara Gunkel presented “Dracula Coming Out of the Coffin” followed by Jordan Neusch and his presentation of “Zombies: A Look at the Undead.” Last but not least in the first panel was Marulla Quirk who presented her short story titled “Peter Und Der Malleus.” The audience was provided a short 15 minute break to enjoy the delicious desserts made by the members of Sigma Tau Delta.
powerful story to tell the world. And my story is about HIV and AIDS.” She recalled the moment she was pulled back to her home. She was watching the Oprah Show that was filmed in Africa in 2004. It was an episode where Oprah called for action and help for “the lost children of Africa” who had lost both parents to HIV and AIDS. “This show made me remember what I had left behind...So I decided to do something about it.” She found that 17 million children who covered the African continent were orphaned because of the virus and 1.1 million of them are from Zimbabwe, out of a population of 14 million. “The average life expectancy of a Zimbabwean woman is now 34. (37 if you’re a male)...I turned 45 this year and have lived past my die-by-date.”Getrude now runs a school of 360 students back in her home village. She has taught the women in the village to make the uniforms and the men to build the bricks. They are a green organization that survives off of natural resources such as fire, crops and natural fermented gas. The next phase of her vision is to build a medical clinic. Matsche purchased a shipping crate to deliver books for the school’s library. She plans to turn this crate into the first medical center.
She raises money for the school through a 10-day safari tour. She flies guests into her village and they work and experience the work she’s created at her school. The second half of the trip they are taken to the “wild side” of her country where the tourists walk with lions, bungee jump off the Victoria Falls and eat off the land. “I realize that I am raising the future Nelson Mandela of Zimbabwe. I know that the scientist who will find the cure for AIDS is in one of these kids. My job is to be a mother to them and let them reach their full potential.” While at RMU, Getrude is painting seven giant pieces of art of various humanitarians and world leaders. She will be auctioning them off to raise money for medicine. She will be reserving a portion of the proceeds for RMU students. She plans to take a group of students to Zimbabwe to visit the school and journey on their own safari. If you are interested in taking part of her artwork you may email her at [email protected]. She needs all the help she can get.“I keep telling [my students] that their starting point doesn’t have to dictate their end.”
Starting off the second panel, James Fedderman presented a powerpoint on the myth of The Slender Man titled “The Slender Man: A Modern Monster.” Katherine Lamm presented her paper on Lunacy in Dracula and Professor Jim Vincent delighted the audience with tales of Ireland titled “Creepy Ireland.” At the end of the night, the Department of English picked two winners, Jordan Neusch and Sara Grunkel, who both received Barnes and Noble gift cards.
PHOTO BY Nicole Eaton
Jim Vincent with a student at this year’s Creepy Conference
PHOTO BY Paul Wintruba
LIFESTYLES November 5, 2012, Issue 4, Page 16
Q: How should I prepare for a winter in Pittsburgh? What is there to do during winter?
A: I’ll tell yinz how to prepare fer winner. Go dahn to yinz local Jine Iggle and pick up tons of jumbo, chipped chopped ham, bread, melk, torlet paper, and peanut dupa er. And I says yinz better have yinz self a chubel, so yinz can move that heavy snow. I tell yinz da first day school gits cancelled this winner, that’s da day I don’t go ahtside. Dem kids are gowen running everywheres throwin dem snowballs. Wit my luck, I’ll git hit wit one ovum likes every year. Wells let me tell yinz wah there’s to do during our winners. Every year, Pittsburgh has Santa Claus come allsa ways from da North Pole and shows up dahntahn whenever da Hornes Christmas tree lights up n’at. I tell yinz I’d like to know wah they pay Santa since da only time he leaves his house is on Christmas Eve. And yinz know, snow on da ground means one ting, Stillers run da football n’at. Dem guys will run da ball alls overs dem other teams. Whenevers da Bus played wit da Stillers, not even a millions snow balls would stop him. They should have called him da snow plow in da winner. And if yinz need to keep anything cool, keep it in da cellar n’at. Durings winner, I use my cellar more than my icebox. Have yinzself a safe an happy winner!
Copyright ©2012 PuzzleJunction.com
The Sentry 10/15/12 Sudoku PuzzleJunction.com
Solution
To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the numbers 1 to 9.
5 4 12 8 6
4 37 5 9
3 1 26 9 3
8 99 52 7 6
7 5 3 9 2 8 4 1 64 2 8 1 7 6 3 9 51 9 6 5 4 3 7 8 26 8 2 7 3 5 1 4 93 1 9 4 8 2 6 5 75 4 7 6 9 1 8 2 38 3 4 2 6 9 5 7 19 6 5 8 1 7 2 3 42 7 1 3 5 4 9 6 8
Solution to last month’s Sudoku!
Minding you manners RMU students learn practical skills at etiquette dinnerBy ELIZABETH WITOWICH ASST. LIFESTYLES EDITOR
Practicality and manners are two things not typically associated with college students. Despite this common conception, Robert Morris University students are given the chance to learn about modern etiquette and, more specifically, how to stay ahead in future, professional environments. This etiquette dinner, planned for Nov. 13, from 4:30 to 6 p.m., will include knowledge of skills that go far beyond proper tableware and traditional mannerisms. The dinner instead focuses on the professional aspect of manners and how they can be translated as a sign of respect or refinement when interacting with potential clients and future associates. Students will have the opportunity to listen to guest speakers as they discuss the importance of etiquette and how to react to certain situations such as interviewing over a meal. Even the long-winded debate of which individual picks up the check will be covered. Students will also learn practical skills such as the proper placement of utensils and tips for conversation starters in a business dinner. “It is a competitive workforce…these are some of the additional skills helpful to students to
help them better their presentation of themselves and feel more confident,” said Maureen Keefer, Assistant Dean of Students. Occasionally, having good manners can make people feel stuffy or pretentious. But Keefer assures that if one takes the time to learn these skills, appropriate manners or behaviors will only invest in one’s future. The cost is $10, but students with meal plans can use their Freedom Cards to cover the cost. The dinner will be rather informal in some ways - during the night students will receive the opportunity to interact with the speakers. The dress attire for the event is business attire – jeans and sneakers should stay at home. Interested students should email the Office of Student Life ahead of time, so they can reserve their spot and pick out their menu option.
Copyright ©2012 PuzzleJunction.com
The Sentry 11/5/12 Sudoku PuzzleJunction.com
Solution
To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the numbers 1 to 9.
98 3 4 55 3 2 6
3 1 21 4 5
3 9 21 9 6 78 26 8
7 2 6 1 4 9 5 3 88 3 4 5 2 6 7 9 15 9 1 8 7 3 4 2 69 5 8 4 3 1 2 6 71 4 2 7 6 8 9 5 36 7 3 9 5 2 8 1 42 1 9 6 8 7 3 4 53 8 5 2 1 4 6 7 94 6 7 3 9 5 1 8 2
Look for the answers in the January issue!
November 5, 2012, Issue 4, Page17 SPORTS
Colonial bonding builds chemistryBy HALEY SAWYER STAFF WRITER
When most people think of a camping trip, they imagine pitching tents, fishing and roasting marshmallows. For the Colonials, a camping trip means dressing up in costumes (that included KISS and Tetris) for a whole day, performing skits and racing each other in canoes. It is this sort of adventure that makes the women’s hockey team unique. Sure, it may seem to be a fun team bonding activity, but in reality, it is much more than that. Activities like these induce a certain kind of team chemistry that can only be demonstrated by the Colonials. The camping trip is just one of the multiple bonding activities that the girls engage in, but it proved to be a team favorite. “My favorite was probably the camping trip,” sophomore Katelyn Scott stated, “because that’s at the beginning of the year and we all got to know each other.” Freshman Ashley Vesci, who described the trip as “quite the adventure” agrees. “It gave everyone an opportunity to come out of their comfort zone,” said Vesci. “I had only talked to some of my roommates before then and having to spend the night with the entire team, I really got to know everybody and match faces with names.” Scott and Vesci also agreed that the time spent together eased the transition from high school to college. Vesci recalls her feelings from just a few months ago when moving on to college: “I didn’t know what to expect because it was a whole new group of girls. I didn’t really know anybody. I was just kind of hoping for the best.” Vesci’s feelings seem to be the general consensus among freshmen college athletes. “When I came in as a freshman, I didn’t really know what to expect,” remembered Scott. “I was really scared and nervous, but now that I’m older, I know that it’s not scary.” The girls spend a lot of time together outside of scheduled bonding events as well. Teammates can be seen out at dinner, the movies, a concert or even around campus together. “We spend a lot of time together. We practice and work out every morning and we see each other throughout the day. A lot of us have classes
together, which is kind of nice,” said Vesci. “And, I mean, we live in a ten-person suite in Washington [laughs], so that’s a lot of time spent together.” In addition to providing a fun outlet and serving as somewhat of a buffer between high school and college, team bonding is essential in establishing a teamwork ethic. “I think it helps us to get to know each other more off the ice and more of our personal interests and what each other’s personalities are like. When you do things together as a team, you have to work together. It helps build team chemistry,” reflected Scott. “For any team to be successful, you really have to have a strong chemistry on and off the ice and it can’t just be superficial,” explained Vesci. “Whenever you’re friends with your teammates, it’s easier to understand them as a person and a player and it really shows on the ice whenever you have a team that’s like a family.” “Our team is unique in that we all are really close. There’s no drama and so I think our chemistry off the off the ice, it does show on the ice,” continued Vesci. “If you have problems off the ice, it’s going to translate off the ice, but since we don’t, I think we play really well together as a team. We all motivate each other on the bench. No one’s not cheering for each other.” The closeness that the Colonials share with one
another is significant especially in the coming weeks. With so many road games, it helps to be on good terms with teammates. “I think we travel well as a team,” said Scott. “It might get kind of tiring, but we’ve prepared really well.” Vesci also feels prepared for the traveling and the breaks that can come along with it. “Everyone’s sort of excited to have some down time because between practice, class, and studying, it sort of feels like you never stop. On road trips, we get a lot of free time during the day to relax, catch up on homework, take a nap, which we absolutely love.” Despite all of the preparation, Vesci still has a little bit of away game jitters. “I’m a little nervous, not going to lie, because I just got used to playing at home and now we’re going away for the first time,” said Vesci. “But I’m really excited. I get to play against a lot of old teammates, so that’s going to be a lot of fun.” Even if the Colonials do not come out on top in the coming weeks, they still can take pride in the way they work together. The girls have a sense of the true meaning of “team” as well as “friendship.”
Katelyn Scott believes team chemistry is a key to being successful. Photo by: Amy Shubilla
SPORTS November 5, 2012, Issue 4, Page 18
Over the past few weeks, attempting to face the end of my RMU soccer career, I’ve caught myself sometimes slipping into this dream-like state, reminiscing over the time I’ve spent here at Robert Morris. I don’t believe that recapping my time here is about listing all the things I’ve done. They’re perishable and have, if not, will soon come to an end. It’s about reflecting on the values that I now keep close to me because of all the things I’ve done. My freshman year was my year to integrate and adapt. I had to learn to adjust to the high expectation, vigorous regiment and the fast paced game of Division I soccer. I had to adapt to the requirements of being successful in my academics. Not really knowing how to gauge the university and science-major workload, I had to be prepared to devote as much time to my studies in order to set myself up for success. Lastly, I had to adapt to the social environment of being in college. Knowing the kind of person I was before college, the things I would do or not do was important in establishing the people I wanted to be associated with. That was very important to me. My time since then has broadened to heights and depths that I would have never expected it to. Pertaining to soccer, though I haven’t been fortunate enough to garner much team success, I have been blessed to have personal
successes that I am thoroughly proud of. More important than the plaques and the recognition, my success story in my sport derives from my development as an individual. Soccer has taught me valuable lessons about character, communication, work ethic, motivation and being a leader as a whole. It has taught me about working hard for something greater than yourself, peaking your physical ability, and leaving your heart on that pitch. I will miss it. The personal successes I’ve attained outside of soccer have made me exceedingly proud to be a Robert Morris student. I have been fortunate enough to be involved in a variety of things on this campus. Being involved has allowed me to have a purpose that goes beyond self-satisfaction. It has forced me to face a world with boundaries with a far greater circumference than that of Robert Morris, Pittsburgh, or even the United States. I’ve found that it is okay to want to change the world, and in actuality, it is a very feasible goal. Be the change! I’m reminded of this everyday when I see the shuttle with the “Change A Life” ad as I’m nearing the gazebo. To me, it means being the change you wish to see in the world, daring to be different, being an advocate for social injustice and finding the resources to accomplish your goals. Though it might not have been taught to me in any of my classes, this is one thing that has
truly moved me, and one that will continue to motivate me wherever life takes me next. Whether it was through my peers or from an article I read in The New York Times I pick up everyday at Hale, I’m thankful to Robert Morris for being the avenue in which I’ve learned this. Lastly, thank you to my coach, Bill Denniston, for taking a chance on me, without seeing me play. Thank you to my professors for being some of the best faculty a student could ask for. And thank you to my peers for making my time at Robert Morris something I can never forget. Go Colonials!
My time at Robert Morris UniversityBy TOBA BOLAJI CONTRIBUTOR
Lauren Thomas: Taking a ‘victory lap’ By LAUREN THOMAS CONTRIBUTOR Last year, I had the opportunity to write about what I thought was going to be my senior year at Robert Morris University. I used that opportunity to reflect on my past years here at RMU—what was my most memorable moments with the women’s soccer team, my thoughts and what I was feeling knowing it was my last season. I spoke my peace not knowing whether I would take my fifth year of eligibility. Now, I’d like to say using that fifth year was a “victory lap.” In the past years I’ve had at our university soccer–wise, I have had many ups and downs. Our program had winning seasons, and we’ve also felt the sting of losing seasons.
This season was thought to be another winning season, coming off a booming last one; however, I feel it turned out to be more of a growing season. With ten freshmen and only three seniors, our team was predominantly young.
It’s tough to mesh with such a young group—all of which, individually, have different styles of play. It’s safe to say that this season was the toughest that I’ve had mentally. With that being said, our record does not reflect our play. At the same time, teams can’t win soccer games if they don’t score goals, and scoring goals this year was a struggle for our girls.
Toba Bolaji is proud of the things he’s accomplished in his time at RMU. PHOTO BY Bill Paterson
You might be asking, “I thought she called this year a victory lap? How is it a victory lap if they aren’t winning?” I say it’s a victory lap because I feel victory from this season in other ways than winning on the soccer field. I feel victory because I’ve had a great run at RMU. I’ve met unbelievable people, had unreal teammates and made unforgettable friends. This year, I got ten new sisters. Sisters that have made me smile a thousand times and sisters that I’ve wanted to wring their necks. In the end, they are sisters that I hope to always have in my life. I said earlier that this year could be looked at as a growing season. I meant that as on the field as well as off. It was a growing season for my ten little nuggets and also for myself. Lucky and appreciative are two words that describe how I feel about my past five years representing our university, and I’ll always be proud to say that I was a part of the Robert Morris University women’s soccer program.
“Lucky and appreciative are two words that describe how I feel about my past five years representing our university...”
November 5, 2012, Issue 4, Page 19 SPORTSColonials look to rebound back into NEC title gameBy NICK BUZZELLI ASST. SPORTS EDITOR Victories are typically hard to come by in the world of college basketball, especially for programs at the mid-major, but over the course of the past five seasons, the wins have kept coming for the Robert Morris University men’s basketball team. The Colonials, who own a .676 winning percentage during that time, are currently tied with Kent State for the ninth most wins at the mid-major level since 2007. “I think it says a lot about the work ethic that our guys have, their competitiveness, and their ability to help our program be successful,” explained Robert Morris head coach Andy Toole. “It’s a great compliment to our players who were here when we first got here and really bought into the style that Coach Rice brought to Robert Morris.” Despite graduating Lawrence Bridges, the Colonials return four starters from last season’s squad that posted a 27-11 record and tied the program mark for victories in a season. Senior center Lijah Thompson believes that RMU is qualified to return to the Northeast Conference title contest for the fifth straight year. “I definitely think that we have a team capable of making it to the championship game again, let alone win the championship,” said Thompson. “With the transfers and one freshman coming in, we have a good team.” The Colonials, who open the 2012-13 campaign against Rider on Nov. 9, will participate in the NIT Season Tip Off by facing Lehigh at the Petersen Events Center three days later. Rounding out RMU’s non-conference schedule are road contests against Xavier, Arkansas and Louisiana-Lafayette. Toole said that facing tough non-conference opponents will help Robert Morris once NEC play begins. “The idea is to challenge ourselves the best we can out of conference, so that when we step into those 18 games that we know matter so much [more], we’re fully prepared for them,” he said. “It’s something that our guys enjoy because it puts them in different situations that allow them to really test themselves.” Despite only signing one freshman to the roster, RMU added three transfer players, including forward and Pittsburgh native Vaughn Morgan, Jervon Pressley and guard Karvel Anderson. Pressley, a 6-foot-7-inch sophomore
from Towson, will be ineligible to play this season due to NCAA transfer rules. “I think they’ve done a really good job at trying to figure out what they need to be successful here at Robert Morris,” said the third year skipper. “It’s going to be an interesting situation for [Hawkins] being the only freshman and having 12 other guys who have played some type of college basketball before. It’s going to be an adjustment, but he’s done a good job with approaching things the right way.” Despite the fact that the Colonials have been winless in NEC championship games since 2009, Thompson would like to see the program repeat the success that it had during his freshman year. “For my last season, I really want to repeat my freshman year: winning the NEC conference title and heading back into the tournament,” added the native of Philadelphia. “I had a taste of it my first year, and we’ve been denied it my past two years, so I really want to get back to it.”
Women’s Basketball Season PreviewBy CHRIS MUELLERSTAFF WRITER As fall begins to wind down and the cold winter months approach, the 2012 Robert Morris University women’s basketball team is preparing to tackle a tough schedule in their pursuit of a Northeast Conference Title and NCAA tournament berth. The road will not be easy; however, as the team looks to improve this season’s outcome from an 18-14 record last season. Their first obstacle will be the Colonial’s rugged non-conference schedule, in which they have three Big Ten conference opponents in Iowa, Michigan State and Minnesota all before they even play an NEC conference game. If they can manage to play well against their non-conference
opponents, that will further increase RMU’s resume in the pursuit of an NCAA tournament appearance they have not had since 2008. Leading the team this season is junior all-NEC forward Artermis Spanou. She is the team’s leading scorer from last season, averaging 16 points and 10 rebounds per game while also leading the Colonial’s in minutes played. Spanou has started 61 of 62 games in her RMU career and looks to build on her solid performance last season. “We’ve played some scrimmages and have some more coming up,” said Spanou. “After practicing for a month and a half, we look good. We still need some work, but I’ll think we’ll be better in the end.” Spanou leads a dynamic Colonial frontcourt that includes herself, junior college transfer Jolie Olingende and Anna Gailite. Gailite, standing at 6-feet 6-inches, will play a pivotal role in RMU’s rebounding and low-post defense. Olingende, who transferred in this season from Arizona Western Junior College, was the junior college player of the year in her Arizona conference a season ago. All three players have the potential
to play an important role to this year’s team and make an enormous impact on a daily basis. “Anna [Gailite] looks great,” said Spanou. “It’s her senior year and she has to step it up this season. She knows that already and has been playing very hard.” Another obstacle that the team faces leading into the season is the fact that they will only be carrying 10 players on their roster. NCAA basketball teams tend to carry around 12-13 players on their roster, but even though carrying only 10 players can be risky due to potential injuries, head coach Sal Buscaglia is not too worried about their numbers. In an interview he took part in at “Meet the Colonials” with Colonial SportsCenter, Buscaglia explained his contention with having a 10-player roster. “We have 10 kids on the roster this year, when usually NCAA teams have 12 or 13. We really feel these 10 are stronger than the 13 or 14 we could have. We’d rather be strong one through 10 and bond well together.” A large portion of the Colonials roster this season is made up of foreign European players.
The Colonials are ready to return to the NCAA March Madness Tournament. Photo by Matt Polaski
SPORTS November 5, 2012, Issue 4, Page 20
With six of 10 players hailing from international countries, RMU’s style of play looks to be a lot different than majority of the team’s in the NCAA. Three of the four new players added to the team this season are international and bring a lot to the table from a basketball standpoint. This unique style of play, combined with the American style play from the other four players of the team, looks to give RMU an advantage against most of the opponents they’ll play. Spanou explained the difference between the two styles: “The American style is more running and shooting the ball, when the European style is more technique-based. Combining those styles brings a result that Coach Sal really likes.” A very important player to this year’s team will be senior point guard Jasmine Tate. Tate, who has battled injuries most of her RMU career, seems to be healthy again and is the team’s off-the-court leader. She will play an important role in pushing the ball down the court and setting up teammates for open shots. “We’re looking better every day in practice,” said Tate. “It’s really going to come down to our heart as a team. Right now, with all our new players, it’s a matter of finding what everybody’s good at so we know our roles as players.” Tate has focused this past offseason to improve her game in a variety of areas. “I really have tried to improve my shot this offseason,” said Tate. “With being out the past couple years, I also wanted to get back into shape and find my flow again. If I can have a good shot as a point guard, then it will really open up the court for my teammates.” RMU was picked to finish fifth in the NEC Conference preseason polls, the lowest they have been ranked over the last four years. The team views the prediction as a form of motivation. “We’ve never been ranked that low since I’ve been here,” explained Tate. “That is a bit of a spit in the face from the conference and that gives us the fire to work even harder and compete in our big games.” Look to catch the RMU women’s basketball team as their season starts on Nov. 9 with a home contest against Niagara.
Short bench makes it difficult for Colonials to contendBy NICK BUZZELLI ASST. SPORTS EDITOR Out of the 80 NCAA Division I field hockey squads in the country, the average number of players per team is 22. For Robert Morris University’s program, keeping up with clubs that have more players than them has been quite difficult recently. “It definitely puts us at a disadvantage late in the game,” explained head coach Olivia Netzler. “We usually don’t get to play at a pace we’re used to, and it compounds because we don’t have enough bodies. That’s how we lose games in the last five minutes, which has happened lately.” The Colonials, whose roster consists of 20 girls, have struggled in contests late in the game because they did not have as many replacement players as their opponents. During their Sept. 21 contest at Liberty, the Colonials and Liberty University were deadlocked at two, but because RMU’s bench wasn’t as deep as the Flames’, they allowed two goals during the final five minutes, and, as a result, lost 4-2. The Flames put three fresh bodies into the game during that span, while Robert Morris did not have any substitutions left. According to forward Jess Martin-Brown, because of the recent slew of injuries that RMU has suffered this season, the club has had to battle through fatigue late in games. “Especially with the injuries we’ve been having lately, it makes it a lot more difficult for us as players because we’re getting tired and don’t have subs,” said Martin-Brown. “In the last ten minutes of those games, there wasn’t the power surge that you get from the other teams that have been subbing,” explained the sixth year skipper. “It gives us an advantage to play smaller squads, but at the same time, it is what it is. We just try to do the best we can.” Sophomore defender Michelle Lewthwaite said that injuries have further hurt the Colonials and have made it more difficult to contend with clubs who are able to put fresh-bodies onto the field late in games. “Injuries have hurts us a lot this year. We’re currently down to 19 players, so it just brings us down when we’re having hard games and we go into overtime,” Lewthwaite said. “We sometimes fall apart when we don’t have backup.” Senior goalkeeper Paige Neat believes that the Colonials have become adjusted to the lack of players that smaller schools have to deal with. “A lot of the girls are used to not having subs at this point,” Neat said. “We just have to learn to push through.” Because the RMU field hockey program is not fully funded like schools from the Big 10 or Mid-American Conference, Netzler said that they do not have the financial means to bring in additional girls. “When you look at some of the bigger program, they’re all fully funded and that’s what makes the difference. They can afford to bring in those extra players and that’s just not an option for us.”
The field hockey team wishes they had more players, especially late in games. Photo by Amy Shubilla
“We’re looking better every day in practice. It’s really going to come down to our heart as a team.” - Jasmine Tate
The HERO Campaign for Designated Drivers ® at RMU is designed to promote the use of sober
designated drivers to prevent drunken driving tragedies. The Hero of the Month is chosen randomly
from students who promised to serve as a designated driver at least once throughout the year. The
Hero of the Month wins a $30 gift card to a local gas station. If you would like to be part of the Hero
Campaign contact Randon Willard in the Center for Student Success at [email protected].
Designated Drivers Receive Free Pop and Appetizers at:
Designated Drivers Receive Free Pop at:
SALOON
WINGS, SUDS &
SPUDS
SPORTS November 5, 2012, Issue 4, Page 22
Men’s hockey andlacrosse team up for MovemberBy BROOKE SMITH SPORTS EDITOR For the month of November, anyone that walks around the Robert Morris University campus will see members of the NCAA men’s hockey and lacrosse teams sporting mustaches to raise money and awareness for prostate and testicular cancer research. These students are not trying to start some sort of trend; they are showing their support for a cause they all support—Movember. This year, the men’s hockey and lacrosse teams will be teaming up as the Bobby Mo Bros at www.movember.com to raise money and awareness. “We’re growing the mustaches, and we’re selling shirts this year. Every year we try to do a different design,” said senior lacrosse attacker, Jake Hayes. “This year it’s our mascot with the mustache, and this year, we’re teaming up with
the hockey guys and doing the Movember site.” The shirts will be for sale the month of November. After the success that the men’s hockey team had last year, they knew it would be a no-brainer to team up with the men’s lacrosse team this year. Senior men’s hockey forward, Zach Hervato, was approached by Hayes to join the groups together around a month ago. “We said ‘well why don’t we just team up with the t-shirts and with the Bobby Mo Bros and raise double the amount of money?’ We all hang out, we all support each other and Jake agreed,” said Hervato. “His team is currently in the midst of signing up on the site again, and we’re helping out as well, so it’s good that instead of having 20-something guys, we have 60-some guys raising money.” Both Hayes and Hervato have many reasons for participating in the Movember campaign. “Personally, I heard of it and I thought it was a good idea and it’s for a good cause so why not grow a mustache and raise some money,” said Hayes. “Well, after last year’s success, I think everybody felt that we could do better,” said Hervato. “I’m very passionate about it, so I figured why not be the guy to start the team and keep everybody motivated and determined to participate again.” According to Hayes, this has also been a way for the two teams to interact and get to know each other better. “I really didn’t know them very well. Last year, there were a couple of seniors on our team that played junior hockey with some of the guys on the hockey team,” said Hayes. “We realized we can probably raise a lot more money with
43 guys on our team and 20-plus on theirs.“ With over 60 student-athletes participating in this movement, Hervato believes they can raise more money than the men’s hockey team did last year. “Last year, it was close to $4,000 and it was just our team. Now, we have the lacrosse guys behind us, so I would like to double that for sure,” said Hervato. “We have a lot of guys, so hopefully we can at least raise at least double what we did last year.” Although this will be a time where they are raising funds and awareness for serious diseases, the teams will still have fun growing their mustaches. Both Hayes and Hervato believe the lacrosse team will grow a better mustache, but that won’t be from a lack of effort from the hockey team. “There’s some guys on the lacrosse team that can’t even grow a mustache. One of my roommates, Connor Martin can’t even grow a mustache, but there’s some young guys that are starting right now, so they can have something for it,” joked Hayes. “The hockey guys come to school late because they have to finish their junior careers, but I think the lacrosse team will have better mustaches.” “That’s a tough one. We have a really young team, and we have a lot of freshmen that are 19-years-old and don’t have any facial hair,” admitted Hervato. “They might take us out on that. They’re a lot older than us, but we’ll see. It will be a good competition.” The Sentry, in conjunction with the men’s hockey and lacrosse teams, will provide weekly updates on how much money the teams have raised and how their mustaches are coming along.
Photo by Brooke Smith Photo by Brooke Smith
November 5, 2012, Issue 4 Page 23 SPORTS
Photo by Amy Shubilla
“I think it’s a good cause just because it’s for cancer research, and I think the guys like it because it’s a big part of them with tes-ticular and prostate can-cer. I think just donating and helping out would be a good thing to do, but any cancer research
is good to donate to.”--Jake Hayes
Photo by Brooke Smith Photo by Brooke Smith
