January 30, 2015 VOL 37, NO. 14

LADY VULCANS HONOR CLARKThe Cal U Women’s Basketball team honored their late team member, Shanice Clark, on Saturday evening at the first home game of the season. Read more on Page 14.

ALL FOR ONE AND ONE FOR ALL Check out how the Cal U Women’s Swimming Team worked together to bring home a victory.

BISTRO OPEN LATE The Bistro is extending its hours this semester, allowing students to have an additional late afternoon dining option.

CAL U TALKS CRIME Crime alerts frequent Cal U email accounts, find out how students really feel about the systems in place on campus.

MLK DAY SPEAKER VISITS CAMPUS Derric Heck, community advocate, speaks about various civil rights leaders and the importance of MLKDay.

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LOOK INSIDE

Cal U mourns loss of respected faculty member

Dr. Burrell Brown, faculty chair of the Department of Business and Economics, is being remembered for his accomplishments and contributions to the University after unexpectedly passing away .

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CALTIMES.ORGCALTIMES@CALU.EDU

724.938.4321

STAFF

JOSE NEGRONSPORTS EDITOR

LAUREN GRIFFITHENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

JEFF HELSELDIRECTOR OF PUBLICATIONS

POLICY: The California TIMES is a publication of the Student Association, Inc. and is distributed throughout the university campus and the Monongahela Valley area most Fridays of the academic year with the exception of holiday breaks. Any member of the university community may submit articles, editorials, cartoons, photographs or drawings for consideration. Deadlines are as follows: All written copy, announcements , e-mail (caltimes@calu.edu) and advertising submissions are due at Noon on the Monday before publication. Exceptions to these deadlines must be arranged with the editor. All submissions are the opinions of their creator(s). The California TIMES reserves the right to edit or refuse a submission as it sees fit without offering justification for content or advertising sections.

TAYLOR BROWN EDITOR IN CHIEF

STETSON PROVANCENEWS EDITOR

EMILY GEYER OPINION EDITOR

CALTIMES CONTRIBUTORS:PHIL TAFONE, CAL U PUBLIC RELATIONS,

MATT HAGY, SPORTS INFORMATION, JOSH RICHARDSON, NICOLLETTE BROGNANO

Page 2Jan. 30, 2015

The keynote speaker at Cal U’s Martin Luther King Jr. program challenged Cal U students to move forward with the same drive displayed by many past civic leaders. Derric I. Heck, director of strategic initiatives at Propel Schools, touched on key moments in the history of civil rights during his Jan. 20 talk in Vulcan Theatre. Among them was the 381-day Montgomery Bus Boycott, which began when Rosa Parks refused to surrender her seat to a white passenger on Dec. 1, 1955. “Could you imagine what could be accomplished today, in research or even your own studying, with that same kind of fortitude?” Heck asked. An architect and longtime community advocate, Heck works with Propel schools and the Propel Foundation to offer quality choice in education to communities throughout western Pennsylvania, and to inspire achievement among students. He also is the founder of Project HOPE (Healthy Opportunities to Pursue Excellence), an initiative designed to mitigate disparities in academic outcomes through staff and scholar development. He began his talk by describing the tension one feels when facing difficulties or confronting opposing ideas. “You chose to enroll here and study here despite facing obstacles,” he said. “Someone has sacrificed or given a bit of themselves for you to be here in this seat. That’s tension.” He also recalled Harriet Tubman, who was born into slavery

but escaped and subsequently made about 13 missions to rescue dozens of enslaved family members and friends. “It takes incredible dignity and strength to (face) opposition and do what one knows is morally right,” said Heck, who also is a member of 100 Black Men of Western Pennsylvania, and serves as a board member of the Afro-American Music Institute. He concluded his talk by urging Cal U students to keep Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream of equality alive. “I believe if you can face today’s challenges and look with hope to tomorrow, then you’re already winning,” he said. “Embrace each other’s differences, realize you’re not much different … and change can happen.” LaMont Coleman, associate dean of Student Affairs/Multicultural Student Programs, said the University shares the values King espoused. “We have a great tradition here of honoring Dr. King, who personifies our core values as well as education, leadership and service, which we try to instill into our entire university community.”

“You chose to enroll here and study here despite facing obstacles,” Heck said. “Someone has sacrificed or given a bit of themselves for you to be here in this seat. That’s tension.”

Speaker Recalls Civil Rights Icons

During his talk “Connecting for Impact,” part of Cal U’s MLK Day event, Derric Heck spoke to students about key moments during the civil rights movement.

BY CAL U PUBLIC RELATIONS

Derric Heck hearkens back to civil rights movement to extol value of hard work

Page 3Jan. 30,

2015

Dr. Burrell Brown, a professor at California University of Pennsylvania, was found dead in his University office on Jan. 25. Dr. Brown had been a faculty member at Cal U since 1989. According to a spokesman for the Washington County coroner’s office, Brown, 67, of Clariton, Pa. died of natural causes. During his time at the university, Brown served as the faculty chair of the Department of Business and Economics. He was also heavily involved in the university’s faculty union. Leaders from all around the campus community and the state system have expressed their sadness over the loss of Brown. “I am deeply saddened by the sudden death of Dr. Burrell A. Brown,” California University Interim President Geraldine Jones said. “Dr. Brown was a distinguished faculty member, department chairperson and campus leader for many years. There is no doubt he will be greatly missed by students, faculty, staff and the entire University community.” Michael Slavin, former President of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties at Cal U, said Brown played an instrumental role in the faculty union at both the university and state levels. “Dr. Burrell Brown was highly involved in APSCUF both here at Cal U and at the state level,” Slavin said. “He held leadership positions including vice president and then president of the local chapter. At the state level he held the positions of Vice president, personnel director, and leader on the negotiations team.” According to Slavin, Brown also played a key role in labor relations. “He wrote the language for several sections of the collective bargaining agreement,” Slavin said. “His leadership, understanding, and analytical mind will be sorely missed by the faculty here at Cal U and across the state system.” The impact Brown had at the state level and university level was best illustrated by a blog post put on APSCUF’s website Tuesday afternoon. According to the blog post, Brown was well liked by Cal U students and faculty alike. “He [Dr. Brown] was described by his students as a down-to-earth instructor who would always do everything in his power [to help them succeed], and his colleagues routinely described him as a man who cared enormously about his students,” the blog post reads. In recent months, Brown also visited other universities

in the Pennsylvania state system facing some of the same issues Cal U is facing. According to the blog post, Brown’s hard-working, yet compassionate demeanor made his visits to other universities and the state APSCUF Office a treat. “A visit from Dr. Brown to the State APSCUF Office was always appreciated by his colleagues and APSCUF staff,” the post reads. “Though always hard at work — often seen writing fervently before a meeting even began —he easily built a feeling of camaraderie with all who worked with him. In all he did, his caring, his devotion, and his integrity burned brightly.” Aside from his work at the university, Brown, according to the APSCUF post, was also a champion of civil rights. Brown founded the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Black MBAs, and he helped found the Homer S. Brown Law Association, an “organization dedicated to formulating goals for African American lawyers, law students, and the community at large.” Brown also served as a longtime legal counsel to the Pennsylvania NAACP. For his work, both academic and otherwise, Brown received a litany of awards and distinctions. These included the Pennsylvania NAACP President Service Award, the California University Award for Distinguished Service, and recognition in Who’s Who in America. According to the APSCUF blog post, awards and recognition didn’t serve as Brown’s main motivation. “Though these

accolades were deserved, it was Dr. Brown’s tireless passion for teaching, as well as writing and speaking on diversity, which motivated him to attain such success,” the APSCUF post read. According to both Cal U officials and members of APSCUF, it won’t be easy to recover from the loss of Burrell Brown. However, by staying together and accomplishing the goals Brown worked toward, all institutions affected by his passing will be able to pay him a fitting tribute. “The loss of a man with the character, spirit, and heart of Burrell Brown is an enormous loss to the organizations and communities of which he will always remain a part,” members of APSCUF said. “[However], the basis of a union is solidarity, to come together and stand strong in the face of immense hardship. Truly, this loss is the greatest hardship we at APSCUF could face. We will stand strong together, union brothers and sisters, colleagues and friends, and we will remember fondly and be motivated by the life and accomplishments of Professor Burrell Brown.” Concerning Brown’s funeral, friends will be received at the Trinity Church of God in Christ, 2216 Jenny Lind Street, McKeesport, Pa., on Sunday, February 1, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. The funeral service will be held on Monday, February 2, at 11 a.m. at New Beginning Ministries, 705 Shaw Ave., McKeesport, Pa.. Expressions of sympathy may be sent to Brown’s wife, Mrs. Anita Brown, at 600 Waddell Avenue, Clairton, PA 15025. Brown is survived by: his wife Anita Brown, his three sons, Julian, Martin, and Frederick, and his two granddaughters, Jalinn and Raiven.

Speaker Recalls Civil Rights Icons Cal U Professor Burrell Brown RememberedColleagues praise Brown for dedication to Cal U, APSCUFBY STETSON PROVANCE, NEWS EDITOR

“Truly, this loss is the greatest hardship we at APSCUF could face. We will stand strong together, union brothers and sisters, colleagues and friends, and we will remember fondly and be motivated by the life and accomplishments of Professor Burrell Brown.”

Prof. Burrell Brown

Page 4Jan. 30, 2015

Student Leadership~VACANCY~

Student RepresentativeCalifornia University of Pennsylvania

Council of TrusteesTerm: Fall 2015 to graduation from University

RESPONSIBILITIES To assist in developing proper relations and understanding between the University and its programs to the public; to review and approve the recommendations of the president as to standards for the admission, discipline and expulsion of students; to review and approve the recommendations of the president pertaining to policies and procedures governing the use of institutional facilities and property; to approve charges for room and board and other fees; to conduct yearly evaluations of the university president.Responsibilities also include:-Attendance at all quarterly and special meetings of the Council.-Full voting privileges as a member of the Council.-Representative Senator of Student Government with full voting rights.QUALIFICATIONS -Must currently be at least a first-semester sophomore, but no more than a second-semester junior (30 – 89) credits completed at time of application).-In good academic and disciplinary standing.-Full-time undergraduate student.APPLICATION PROCEDURE1. Complete application available via email request to Brenda DePaoli at depaoli@calu.edu.2. Submit three (3) letters of recommendation, one of which must be from a faculty member.3. A copy of your most recent official university Academic Transcript from Academic Records, first floor, Dixon Hall.4. A copy of your most recent official OrgSync/Activities Transcript (if available) from the Multimedia Access Center, Natali Student Center, or downloaded from OrgSync, or a list of your University and Community activities and service.5. Cover letter stating why you seek the position of Student Trustee and how you feel you can contribute to the Council of Trustees.ALL OF THESE MATERIALS MUST BE SUBMITTED

TO:Student Affairs

Suite G-35, Carter HallAPPLICATION DEADLINE:

3:00 p.m., February 6, 2015

CAL U POLICE REPORTS

Rough NightOn January 25 at 9:57 p.m., university police arrested 2 male subjects for possession of marijuana and possession of drug parapher-nalia. Two male subjects referred to University Judicial for liquor law violation

HarrassmentOn January 25 at 2:09 p.m. a student living in the residence halls reported being harrassed by other students.

There’s my iPadOn January 21, a faculty member reported having their iPad stolen from their office. However, the faculty member later reported finding the iPad in room 208 of the New Science Hall.

Too Young, too drunkAn underage student was found drunk outside the Natali Student Center on January 24.

Friday Saturday Sunday Monday

2818

3016

2715

2215

Friday: Snow Showers. High 30. Friday Night: Partly Cloudy. Low 16.

Saturday: Partly Cloudy. High 28. Saturday Night: Chance of flurries. Low 18.

Sunday: Mostly cloudy with snow showers. High 27. Sunday Night: Cloudy with snow showers. Low 15.

Monday: Mostly Cloudy with snow showers. High 22. Monday Night: Partly Cloudy. Low 15.

CAL U WEATHERdata by Cal U Weather Center

Ooh, that SmellOn January 25 at 8:03 p.m., three male subjects were arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia.

Smoking in PublicDuring a common patrol, a police officer found a female student smoking marijuana outside of Guseman Hall.

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2015

FAVORITE FOODS!to the Spring Semester & all of your

Welcome Back

We’re Here To Serve You!

Subs

Quesadillas

Wraps

Burgers and FriesJoe’s Food Truck

Paninis, Soups and Salads

We would like to welcome back CalU students, faculty and staff.

We’re looking forward to seeing your smiling faces, and serving you fresh, delicious meals in 2015!

Here’s a recap of our Dining Locations...See you soon!

For additional information about Meal Plan memberships, locations and menus, visit us online at: www.calu.edu (keyword “dining”)

Our dining program can accommodate your special dietary requirements. We can also help you choose wisely if allergies are a concern. For more information, contact Dining and Hospitality Services at diningservices@calu.edu or call 724-938-4555

Gold Rush Dining HallAll you care to eat buffet(Temporarily located in Gallagher Hall on the 2nd Level)

Sycamore BistroWE PROUDLY SERVESTARBUCKSTM

Gourmet Sandwiches, Salads and Soups

FreshFeaturing Wraps and Salads(Temporarily located in the Performance Centerin Natali Student Center, on the 2nd Level)

Joe’s Food TruckHamburgers, Chicken Tenders and French Fries

Prime House Pizza, Pasta and Subs

ModecoFeaturing Coffee and Specialty Drinks,MTO Sandwiches and Smoothies

FlatzFeaturing Quesadillas, and C-Store

Flatz Express @ Vulcan VillageFlat Bread Pizzas, Wings, and Grab n’ Go Meals

Sycamore Bistro has new extended hours Monday-Thursday we’re open until 7:00 PM & Friday until 4:00 PM

Prime House is now serving the Blazing Buffalo Chicken Hoagie

Joe’s Food Truck...Now serving Tacos every Thursday

Page 6Jan. 30,2015

UndergroUnd Cafe Spring 2015 SChedUle

January

01/27 - Featuring Linsday dunphy

February

02/05 - Mix oF @ ConvoCation Center

02/12 - open MiC @ vuLCan viLLage

02/19 - Featuring poet drew Law

02/26 - Featuring austin renFroe

Fitness Corner with Phil Tafone : The new year has begun and the semester is in full swing. As a trainer, I know that it usually takes a few weeks to begin the resolution of getting in shape and starting to work out. Even if football season has kept us on the couch with chips and wings, the Super Bowl is upon us and the season will conclude. There’s no better time to begin working out than now. The goal of getting in shape, or the many variations on it, can be extremely challenging to achieve and data shows that most people fail. This is because most people do not know how to begin. 9 out of 10 fiction writers will tell you they never write the first word until they know the ending in their mind. Without a goal, and supporting game plan, it is almost not worth starting exercise. You could break your back or your spirits. The latter is as bad or worse than the former, as we often quit things “for good” once we believe we simply lack the genetics for success. This January, challenge yourself to make a SMART goal. You will come up with specifics that you may

have never given thought, followed by the actions that will get you there. Grab a pen and paper, here’s what we are looking for.Specifics - Clarify what kind of change you want. Gain something or lose something? How much?Measurable - Use a unit of measure. Lose five pounds? Run a mile 1 minute faster? Achievable - Is the goal something that fits within science. You’re not going to fly by flapping your arms.Realistic - Is it realistic to your starting point. A 7 minute mile is all of the above... for an athletic person.Timely - Place a deadline on the goal. Don’t kick the can down the road for all of 2015 just like in 2014. A SMART goal should read something like, “I plan to lose 5 pounds in 30 days”. Of course you must realize that a goal is an outcome. Consider how you might reach that outcome. Now add the actions that will get you to the goal. Must you do something daily to reach your goal? Will you add or remove a food or drink from your diet? Will you smoke one less cigarette

a day? It is important to give these things thought. Write them down so you have a statement in your own handwriting looking back at you every day. If nothing else, you will see where you may have gone awry should you not hit your goal. That is the most important part. 100% of the time, when a person fails, nothing is wrong with them as a person. Either their plan wasn’t laid out well enough or they did not adhere to it. Making a SMART goal and game plan, and putting it on paper will provide not only the greatest odds of success, but allow you to see where and when you may have deviated from the plan. I hope everyone had a great holiday break and comes back super charged for Spring 2015. Be sure to share this with family and loved ones, who may also want to make changes this year. Remember to start slow, stay safe, and be persistent. The keys to success are structure and habit. Good luck!

SMART Goals for 2015

MarCh 03/05 - open MiC

03/12 - spring breaK 03/19 - tba

03/26 - beatLes theMe night apriL

04/02 - Featuring hear tonight

04/09 - KaraoKe

04/16 - disney theMe night

04/23 - open MiC @ vuLCan pooL

04/30 - FinaLe night

Page 7Jan. 30,

2015

DID YOU KNOW?Athletics - Students may use their validated Cal Card to enter a sporting event, and there is no cost for admission to home events. Dining - Shop Dollars can be used for point-of-sale purchases at a vari-ety of on-campus locations and will remain on your account until graduation or withdrawal from the university. End Violence (ENDV) Center - The EndV advocate informs, sup-ports, and accompanies survivors and their families so that they feel empowered to make informed decisions through the aftermath of sexual assault, domestic/dating violence, and stalking.

Student AffairsCarter Hall Suite G-35

724-938-4439

STUDENT AFFAIRS

Career & Professional Development Center 230 Eberly Hall 724-938-4413 careers@calu.edu www.calu.edu/careers

Office Hours: Walk-in Hours Mon. - Fri. - 8 am to 4 pm Tues. – 11 am to 1 pm Evening hours by appointment Wed. – 9 am to 3 pm

Thurs. – 11 am to 1 pm

Math, Science & Technology Interview Day February 20 Mock Networking Reception & Etiquette Dinner February 24 WANT Job Fair February 25 Career Week February 23 – 27 WestPACS Job & Internship Fair March 11 PERC Education Job Fair March 25 Senior Career Week April 6 – 10 More information about these & additional events is available on our website – www.calu.edu/careers

OPERATION SNOWFLAKE IS IN FULL EFFECT!

Need help shoveling your sidewalk or driveway? Operation Snowflake is here to help! Call 724-674-0154

to request assistance (please leave a message including your name, loca-tion and phone number and some-one will contact you to confirm).

Coordinated by Acacia Fraternity,

assistance provided by Cal U Fraternities & Sororities.

$$$ Earn Cash $$$Now Hiring Cashiers @ Cougar Mini Mart

Charleroi Convenience Store

724-986-9800

We will schedule around your class

schedule!

Advertise With UsContact the Cal Times sales team for advertising rates and schedule.

724-938-4321caltimes@calu.edu

Page 8Jan. 30,2015

Vulcan Village unveils big changes to leasing, billing and collection process

Students at California University of Pennsylvania now have another option during dinner hours, as the Sycamore Bistro has extended their hours for the Spring semester. The bistro, formerly open until 2 p.m. on weekdays, is now open

Monday-Thursday until 7 p.m., and Friday until 4 p.m. The Sycamore Bistro, located next to the Herron Recreation and Fitness Center, is a hot spot for soups, sandwiches, and coffee for both students, professors, and faculty alike. “We created a strategic plan during construction time to

reduce the impact on students. We worked to find ways and means of creating some zones on campus to accommodate students,” said Kiran Nunna, the District Manager of AVI Food Services. Nunna also mentioned that he hopes that the bistro will become a zone for students with evening or night classes, or those just leaving the gym. Depending on how successful the later hours are, the Sycamore Bistro may adopt these hours permanently. The Sycamore Bistro is also looking to add more menu options for dinner. Having a focus on sustainability, the birstro, has partnered with local farmers to create a varying menu that depends on what the farmers can provide in each season. “I think the hours are awesome. It’s great to have more options at Cal U,” said Samantha Ringel, a junior. “I eat there 2-3 times a week because the soups are rockin’.” The Sycamore Bistro will also be host to several open mic nights, as Sigma Tau Delta, Cal U’s English honors society, and the Underground have contacted Nunna and reserved several dates and times. AVI Food Services purchased several microphones and speakers for the semester. Sigma Tau Delta is having their first open mic night on Feb. 2. “It is a very casual setting where they can practice, where they can try something new. It is an open platform for art. That is why we invested in this,” said Nunna.

Sycamore Bistro host to new hours for Spring semester

PHOTO AND STORY BY LAUREN GRIFFITH

Kaysee Rorer, Karli Bunch, and Ashley Evans get together to grab a bite to eat at the Syca-more Bistro. The bistro is one of the dining options on campus open during construction.

It is the time of year to start making living arrangements for the 2015-16 academic year. Some big changes have occurred that will make the leasing, billing and collection process for Vulcan Village residents much easier. All students who wish to live or renew at Vulcan Village can now apply through the Vulcan Information Portal (VIP), same as if you live in the Residence Halls. If you do so now, current students will be able to save $75 off of the $175 application fee. This offer expires Feb. 6. Follow these easy steps: 1. Log into VIP account2. Click on the “Housing and Dining Tab”3. Choose “MyHousing”4. Click “Go to apply Online”5. Choose your housing application6. Read carefully the Standard Terms and Conditions7. Answer the Questions in the Personal Preference Section8. Complete your credit card information9. Select meal plan (Optional for Vulcan Village)10. Check your campus email account for confirmation that your application has been completed and processed. Here are some of the improvements you will see:

NO MORE TYPICAL LEASE DOCUMENT – As part of University Housing, Vulcan Village will now be utilizing the university housing contract along with the online MyHousing option in VIP for housing like what is used for the residence halls. By utilizing these systems we have been able to eliminate many of the measures leasing agreements require such as a guarantor and notarization process. This saves time for both you and your parents! UNIVERSITY BILLING – No more MONTHLY rental payments. Your Vulcan Village room costs will now appear directly on your university account. By doing this, all payments will be made directly to the university and not Vulcan Village. This process bypasses the need to make your first payment out-of-pocket as has been required in the past as well as monthly rent payments. You will just follow the Bursar’s Office payment schedule for your overall university billing.SAME PRICING – There will be no change in our the rental rates for the 2015-2016 Academic Year. The prices will remain the same as they are for this academic year (August 16, 2015 – May 15, 2016): 4 Bedroom/4 Bathroom Apartment = $6,990 / Academic Year ($3,495 / Semester)

4 Bedroom/2 Bathroom Apartment = $6,750 / Academic Year ($3,375 / Semester) 2 Bedroom/2 Bathroom Apartment = $7,990 / Academic Year ($3,995 / Semester)STILL ALL INCLUSIVE – All of the apartment inclusions and amenities will remain the same for next year: electric, water, WiFi internet, HD TV service, sewer costs, garbage removal, free shuttle service, fitness center, and clubhouse use. MEAL PLAN IS NOT REQUIRED – As is currently the case, meal plans are not required, but you can sign up for one for next year when you complete your housing contract paperwork.SUMMER CONTRACTING IS SEPARATE – Different than the current leasing plans, we will be following University Housing’s contract timing for the summer. This means that we will no longer have formal installment leasing plans, but you will be able to contract for the summer months as a separate housing contract just like they do for the Residence Halls. The contract time for the academic lease spans August 16, 2015 – May 15, 2016. If you have any questions, please feel free to come see us in the Vulcan Village Office or by calling us at (724) 938-8990.

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Page 9Jan. 30,

2015

5 6

5. Choose your housing application for

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then click Next

Optional for Vulcan Village.

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deadline: 2/6/15

There are a few required questions you must answer before you can continue.Vulcan Village unveils big changes to leasing, billing and collection process

Page 10Jan. 30,2015

Page 11Jan. 30,

2015

C A L U TA L K S C R I M E A L E R T SOpinion Editor gets students talking about crime on campus

EMILY GEYER: Do you think that the Campus Alert System effectively alerts students, faculty, and staff about the things going on around campus and the nearby community? Why or why not?

Taylor Cimino, senior human resource management major: “I think it depends on the emergency on whether it’s effective or not. I feel like they should alert us even for the smallest emergencies, and they don’t. I also feel like the texts aren’t enough and they should do both texts and emails right away, as soon as the police are on the scene.”

EMILY GEYER: There’s an app for the California Borough Police, have you considered downloading it to make sure you’re fully covered on current events taking place in the area? Why or why not?

Erin Donnelly, senior business management and finance major: “No, because after signing up for the Crime Alert texts six times, and them not working until the sixth time, who’s to say this app actually works? Also, after hearing the borough and campus police dodge questions about students concerns and trying to work with the students to better improve how alerts and updates get out to the community, why should I bother to download this app? The police make me feel as if I’m unwanted in this community while I attend this university, which should not be the case. So I’ll stick to what I do, and the events I attend, because at least i feel welcomed in this aspect. The police in this town don’t try to go out of their way to get information out to those who need it, especially when it is needed.

BY EMILY GEYER, OPINION EDITOR

Every Cal U student, faculty, and staff member receives the Campus Crime Alerts whenever there is an emergency on or near campus. The only problem is that the crime in the area has escalated to the point where I find myself checking for crime alerts like I do my email. I have made it a routine to wake up and check my email, social media accounts, and to watch the news. However, I find it odd whenever I hear about an armed robbery that happened around ten miles away from the California area, and I never receive an alert about it. This area is very small, so ten miles doesn’t seem to be too far of a distance. Recently we received a Campus Alert about a robbery at the Brownsville Walmart, but there have been other robberies, even shootings, maybe a couple of miles further than Walmart, that we never hear about. I’ve talked to friends and class mates about the inconsistency of the Campus Crime Alerts, and many remember the time whenever even the littlest things made a Campus Alert be issued. I vaguely remember my freshman year here at Cal U, whenever we would receive alerts if a fire alarm was accidentally tripped in a building. It may seem bizzare to be asking to receive a Campus Alert for something as simple as a fire alarm; however, at least back whenever that occurred the alerts were consisitent. Now, it seems as though the University Police picks and chooses what they believe to be dangerous. How is that fair? Honestly, it’s not. I believe that everyone considers situations to be dangerous differently, because certain people have been exposed to certain situations, and others have not. For example, I come from a small town, one just a little bigger than California, and whenever something like a shooting or stabbing occurs it’s a big deal. Now that’s not to say that someone from a larger area or city hasn’t been exposed to that, but for me personally it’s always a little shocking. I will say though, that that level of shock has slowly decreased over my time spent here at Cal U, because these are the only things that we seem to hear about. So how are we as students suppose to address this problem, when whenever we try we get shut down or ignored? Don’t you think that the students needs should be of the highest importance? I mean we do technically pay you, and without us you wouldn’t have the jobs that you do. If you keep ignoring your students, then you’re going to start loosing them.

Page 12Jan. 30,2015

The truth about Ferguson: a look into the bigger picture It is streaming everywhere: facts, opinions, statements, and live footage of protestors. Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager, was shot and killed on Aug. 9, by Darren Wilson, a white police officer, in Ferguson, MO. This is now what the world can see as an incident of racial tension. There are several cases that have been proven in the past to be situations where racism was strongly predominant between the law and citizens, and that is a dreadful shame. When someone loses a loved one due to racial violence, should they deserve so much sympathy for such a terrible act. But how do we know this specific Ferguson event is just about race, when there is evidence that proves that this incident could very well be an act of self-defense? Racism is a destruction for mankind. It is a catastrophic way to allow your mind, body, and soul to be consumed with hatred. The only thing that hatred ever does is take power over individuals. Negative judgment and discrimination is a poor way of living. Hatred and lack of forgiveness makes us weak. So we turn against each other. We degrade each other. We lie to each other. We steal from each other. We fight each other. We hurt each other, and in the darkest times where hatred has become the most powerful, we murder each other. So what happens? Are we not strong enough to withstand our struggles? If I am white do I allow my perception of some criminally involved individuals to affect my love for all of the others who are innocent from illegal activity? If I am black do I allow racism of some individuals to affect my love for all others who are innocent from supporting discrimination? Do I allow the color of my skin to control my actions? The answer to all of this is…no. We should not become slaves to our impulses of hatred and judgment. We should not become slaves to our past struggles. We should not become slaves to our deepest and most painful times that stick so vividly within our hearts. The answer is to rise above our struggles and hardships to show the world just how strong we are, and that we are not limited to our trials. Our trials and sufferings do not define who we are; our strength of character is what defines who we are. So this is the truth about Ferguson – a man was going out for another day on the job, when he woke up it was just another start to the day in his life as a police officer and a friend to many. Another young man was going about another day in town with his friend, when he woke up it was just another beginning to a day in his life as a son and a friend to many. The only people on this earth that truly know what happened on this day, Aug. 9, 2014, are officer Darren Wilson and Michael Brown.

BY NICOLLETTE BROGNANO

The only other knowledge that we have to make any justification of what happened is the evidence that was reviewed thoroughly and timely. This included three different autopsies that concluded with the same results. According to an article in The New York Times, “Mr. Brown’s body was about 153 feet east of Officer Wilson’s car. Mr. Brown’s blood was about 25 feet east of his body. This evidence supports statements that Mr. Brown continued to move closer to the officer after being hit by an initial string of bullets.” My concern today with all of this is, the behavior that citizens expressed based on their own personal opinions, before they even knew the facts. I really wonder how many of them did their research on this case before jumping to a conclusion. I do not understand how they can scream out for justice, when the evidence was already studied a multitude of times. I do know for a fact that there have been other times when justice needed to be served due to tragic racial incidents such as Ferguson. However, if any citizen should ever feel and truthfully know that justice has not been served they should take action in the most righteous ways. One great, historical, and heroic example, who led many to cry out for justice in a nonviolent way, was Martin Luther King Jr. His reasons serve as a prime illustration for standing up for justice when it was fully necessary, when people were abused verbally and physically just by the color of their skin. He led citizens to stand up for their freedom and equality in a rightful way, “Early December 1955, he led the first great non-violent protests of Afro-Americans in a bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama. The boycott lasted 382 days and

ended after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that segregation in public buses was unconstitutional,” History.com said. Along with this, Martin Luther King Jr. led over 200,000 individuals in the Washington Rally for civil rights on Aug. 28, 1963. According to The New York Times article for this very day in history it was stated that there was no violence within this march, and that President John F. Kennedy even announced to the public that this march was a demonstration to be proud of as a nation. Do we not see how far we have come along as a nation? Just about fifty years ago we were torn apart with racism and violence everywhere. Just because certain people are still consumed with hatred, it does not mean that justice has not been served. Do we take the life of Martin Luther King Jr. in vein because we still have a few problems? If Martin Luther King Jr. would be alive today do you think he would support the riots, the looting, the fires, and the violence? Wouldn’t a true activist for civil rights such as him want to see citizens be educated with moral respect and behavior instead of enflamed with violence no matter who they are or what they have been through? We cannot let our actions be based on assumptions. Actions should be carried out with integrity and wisdom. What do we accomplish when we only act on false speculations and poor judgment? What do we accomplish when we allow the behavior of other people to affect us? What do we accomplish when we allow hatred to take over us? What do we accomplish when we allow the opinions of other people take power over us? The answer to all of these questions leads us to the truth about Ferguson. It is important that people choose to run towards the right things when they are in their darkest times. Ferguson was in every aspect a terrible mishap of events that resulted with the death of an American civilian. However, the truth is that many used Ferguson as an excuse for volatile behavior, for an opportunity of revenge, and for a crutch to fill a void for many aching hearts. The truth is that people misplaced justice with retaliation. When we seek justice we fight for honesty, fairness, and righteousness. If there ever comes a time where these qualities are truly lacking within this country, I pray that we courageously come together and address it justifiably. Also, that we never forget to rise above your weaknesses, sorrows, and all of the things that hurt you the most. You never know when it might be your time to stand up and be an example for somebody else who needs your strength more than ever before. The darkest times don’t always have to be so dark.

PHOTO CREDIT: JAMELLE BOUIE, WIKI COMMONS

Page 13Jan.30,

2015

Talks of bipartisanism derailed by State of the Union BY STETSON PROVANCENEWS EDITOR

President Barack Obama spends a little over an hour distorting facts and throwing thinly veiled jabs at the Republican Legislature in Washington D.C. Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) has a member of his campaign staff tweet out a rebuttal to nearly every sentence President Obama says. 2016 presidential hopeful Rand Paul’s (R-KY) twitter account sends out a “condescending Willy Wonka” meme concerning the President’s community college initiative that reads “so, tell me more about this free you speak of, Mr. President.” It was January 20, 2015. It was the State of the Union Address. It was sad. And what made it so sad was the message conveyed by the behavior of all who were involved. After months of talk by both sides that bipartisan measures could be taken to solve some of the country’s problems, it became clear that, just as everyone suspected, an environment that consists of Republican control of both houses of Congress and a Democratic President is going to breed nothing but animosity and gridlock. It’s just a shame that we, along with the rest of the free world, get to see it all play out live on our televisions and devices. It’s a shame that, after watching something like the State of the Union Address, the only logical conclusion one can draw is that both the President and Congress are big babies only interested in their own best interests. From the moment President Obama started speaking, it was evident the goal of his seventh State of the Union Address was to make himself and the Democratic Party look better with half (and sometimes no) truths. Obama claimed the U.S. had risen from the perils of the recession. He said wages are rising. He said oil and energy production are higher than they have been in the last half century. According to numerous fact checks, including the one

done by the Associated Press, all of these claims are stained by political slant. Concerning the recovery from recession, the AP said that while job growth has risen under the President’s watch, many of these jobs are lower-paying or part-time positions. In fact, since the recession began in December of 2007 (during the Bush administration) 1.7 million fewer workers have full-time jobs. Median income is down from $56,447 per household back in December of 2007 to $53,880 in November 2014. To say we are out of the woods is preposterous. On the subject of wage increases, although wages have risen 2 percent per year since the recession technically ended in June of 2009, that small of a wage increase barely even keeps up with the rate of inflation. And, in the sort of healthy economy the President claims the U.S. now has, wages should be going up at a rate of 4 percent, according

to the AP. Is a 2 percent wage increase that puts little money back in the wallets of workers something to take credit for? And, when policies put in place by President Bush and President Clinton finally take effect and result in higher gas and energy production, is that really something to take credit for? I’d say not. You can see where this is going. Just as it is foolish to place all the blame on a President when things are going poorly, it is equally wrong to praise the President (at least to the extent Obama praised himself ) when things are on the upswing. In an ideal democracy, the President can only do so much on his own through executive orders, etc. to shape public policy. If things are going to get done, Congress has to be productive. And, if the attitudes of Congress during the State of the Union serve as any indication, the chances this

Republican-controlled Congress is productive is slim to none. Aside from the aforementioned

instances of childish behavior by Boehner and Paul, Republicans in the chamber during the address were often times too busy letting out snorts of derision toward the president to realize he actually had a few good ideas. When Obama called on Congress to pass an equal wage bill that would ensure women who do similar jobs get paid the same as their male counterparts, Democrats stood and cheered. Republicans sat silent in their seats. When the President presented new cyber-security initiatives to prevent potentially crippling cyber-attacks, Republicans were once again less than enthusiastic. You would think in the year 2015 issues like these would be bipartisan. You’d think the politicians in Washington would realize the importance of civility and compromise in a democracy. But, if you’re like me and you watched the way the President and Congress acted during the State of the Union Address, you realize this isn’t the case.

PHOTO CREDIT: WIKI COMMONS

President Barack Obama speaking at an event on the housing sector in Phoenix, AZ. on January 8,2015

Page 14Jan. 30,2015

Team members and coaching staff for the California University of Pennsylvania Women’s Basketball team line up before their game against Slippery Rock University in honor of Shanice Clark.

Lady Vulcans Basketball team honors Shanice Clark PHOTO: JOSH RICHARDSON

BY MATT HAGY Staff Writer

As the seconds ticked down on the Convocation Center clock last Saturday, the five starters on the floor for the California Vulcans women’s basketball team embraced at center court to celebrate another victory in their remarkable 2014-15 season. However on this day, the team and the entire Cal U community cele-brated not only a win but also the life of their fallen teammate, Shanice Clark. Clark was found unresponsive in her apartment ear-ly on the morning of Jan. 18, and passed away shortly before arriving to Monongahela Valley General Hospi-tal. Clark, who was originally from Toronto, transferred to Cal U last season from Santa Fe Community College in Florida, and posted 2.9 points and 2.6 rebounds per game while playing an average of nine minutes. This season, she suffered an injury before the season start-ed and was medically redshirted; she hoped to play a full senior season next year. The Vulcans next opponent after the tragedy, the Gannon Golden Knights, moved the originally sched-uled Jan. 21 game back a day to the Jan. 22 out of re-spect for the Vulcan women’s team. The night in Erie was emotional, as Gannon held a moment of silence, and also a prayer that did not leave a dry eye in Ham-

mermill Center. The game, unfortunately, did not go as planned for the Vulcans as they lost to the Golden Knights, 71-63. The end result did not matter on that night, as the Lady Vulcans came out just days after losing their fellow teammate, and played an inspira-tional basketball game in a hostile environment. Cal U charged back from deficits of 16 and 14 points to make it a one-point game, and put the end result in doubt until the final minute. Two days later, the team took on Slippery Rock in their first home game without Clark. With emotions running high, the ladies came out to warm up in black shirts that said “Forever Family” on the front and “Clark 44” on the back. The tribute did not stop there as mem-bers of the Athletic Training Club walked around the Convocation Center handing out red ribbons to wear and collected donations for the Clark family. Like the game at Gannon on Thursday, there was a moment of silence and a short little video with pictures of Clark from last season. As tears flowed, the Vulcan women took the court and honored Clark properly by scoring a 74-63 victory over the Rock in front of the largest crowd to attend a Cal women’s basketball game at the Convocation Center. Several fellow Cal athletic teams had strong showings

Saturday, all dressed in white as the game was made a white out. For the game, it was the seniors who fitting-ly led the way for the Vulcans with Emma Mahady and Kaitlynn Fratz each tallying 20 points and also getting 11 points from Irina Kukolj. With a little under ten min-utes left in the second half, Mahady, Fratz, and Kukolj’s point totals all added to 44, which held for about five minutes. It was a wonderful tribute to a wonderful girl that was held on a snowy Saturday. Whether it was from the grand turnout from the Cal U community to the performances of the Vulcans Women’s team, who each play with their hearts on their sleeves every game, the stars aligned for a perfect celebration of life for one of the most genuine athletes to step foot on the Califor-nia campus. Now the Vulcans turn to two enormous games ahead as they host the always dangerous Edinboro Fighting Scots Jan. 31 at 3 p.m. in the Convocation Center. The team then travels to face the PSAC West leading IUP Crimson Hawks on Feb. 4. As the Vulcan women com-pete for a PSAC west title, there is one thing that will be known. There will be no doubt that Shanice Clark will be looking down on them because family is for-ever.

Page 15Jan. 30

2015

Individual accomplishments lead to swim team success BY JOSE NEGRON SPORTS EDITOR

With the spring semester underway here at California Uni-versity of Pennsylvania, students are just beginning classes and getting into their normal everyday routine. However, student athletes who participate in winter athletics will just continue their everyday routine. Teams like the Cal U Wom-en’s Swimming team are entering the final stretch of their season, with nothing but success on their minds as both in-dividuals and as a team. Over the long winter break, the team only had one meet, traveling to Palm Beach Gardens in Florida for the South Florida Relays. The Lady Vulcans picked up two relay vic-tories in the 300 breaststroke and 300 backstroke relays. The team of senior Brittany Reamer, senior Sarah Beck, and sophomore Jade Arganbright took the win in the 300 breast-stroke, while freshman Vanessa Breunig, sophomore Krystal Wriglesworth, and senior Rachel Trocchio were members of the winning 300 backstroke relay team. The most recent meet for the Lady Vulcans was last week-end at the annual California Vulcan Invitational. A total of eight Cal U swimmers picked up at least one victory over the weekend, with Beck picking up three wins and Arganbright setting the meet record in the 400 IM, a record she wasn’t

immediately aware of. “I honestly didn’t even know I broke the meet record in the 400 IM until someone told me that I broke it,” Arganbright said. “It was just surprising because I don’t really keep track of that kind of stuff when I’m swimming. I just go out there and do my race and not worry about anyone else in the

pool.” Though the individual records aren’t the main priority for Arganbright and the Lady Vulcans, it is the success of each individual swimmer that helped the Vulcans pick up the meet victory, winning 16 of the 18 total events, something that doesn’t seem to come as a surprise to one of the team’s young leaders. “I think as a team we have grown so much stronger,” Ar-ganbright said. “Even though we only have 15 girls this year, I feel like as a team we’re a lot stronger and during practices and stuff, I can tell I’m pushing other swimmers to do better and try harder. As a team we’re just so hard working.” The Lady Vulcans also honored their six senior members before the meet on Saturday, putting a little bit more emo-tion into the second to last meet before PSAC Champion-ships. “We’re all just one huge family and get along so well,” Ar-ganbright said. “It was very emotional and sad to see six girls go.” The Lady Vulcans return to action tomorrow, as they travel to the University of Pittsburgh to compete in the Western Pennsylvania Invitational at 11 a.m. PHOTO: JOSH RICHARDSON

Men’s Basketball team falls in final seconds to SRUBY SPORTS INFORMATION

The California University of Pennsylvania Men’s Bas-ketball team managed to tie the score with two-plus minutes left after trailing by as many as 14 points before suffering a 64-62 loss against Slippery Rock at the Convo-cation Center on Saturday evening in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action. With the loss, the Vulcans fall to 12-7 overall after los-ing three of their last four games. Cal U sits in fifth place in the divisional standings with 8-6 mark in league play. Meanwhile, The Rock improves to 15-5 this season be-hind a 10-4 record in conference action. Junior guard Khalil Jabbie (Alexandria, Va./Edison) scored a team-high 18 points after converting 10-of-12 attempts from the free-throw line. He also totaled five rebounds, two assists and two steals in the loss on Sat-urday. Jabbie has made double-digit free-throws in each of the last two games and is shooting 82.0 percent (100-122) from the charity stripe this season. Fellow junior Richard Smith (Cleveland, Ohio/Lutheran East) finished with 11 points after making seven-of-eight from the charity stripe, while classmate Calvin Brown (Trevose, Pa./Bensalem) posted 10 points and seven re-

bounds off the bench. Senior Arman Marks (Louisville, Ky./Eastern) collected seven points, seven rebounds and four steals against The Rock. Slippery Rock opened the game on a 20-6 run, as Cal U was held without a field goal until a three-pointer by Jacubec the 11:24-mark. The Vulcans then mounted a 9-2 rally over nearly three minutes to cut the deficit to 22-15 on a jumper by Smith with 7:03 left before halftime. Slip-pery Rock later scored the final seven points of the first half to take a 35-21 lead at the break. The Vulcans scored the initial six points of the second half and later mounted a 16-5 run over nearly seven min-utes to cut the deficit to 47-46 on a pair of free-throws by sophomore Drew Cook (Beaver Falls, Pa./Beaver Falls) with 8:28 remaining. Slippery Rock responded with sev-en-unanswered points to extend its lead to 54-46 at the 6:18-mark before Cal U countered with an 11-3 rally to tie the score at 57-57 on free-throws by junior Jake Jacu-bec (Struthers, Ohio/Struthers) with 2:12 left to play. The Rock reclaimed the lead 30 seconds later after convert-ing a pair of free-throws before Smith converted the first of two free-throws with 1:21 remaining. The teams then

traded free-throws for the next minute with Cal U trailing 63-62 after a pair of free-throws by Jabbie with 11 sec-onds left. Slippery Rock made the back end of two free-throws one second later before Cal U was unsuccessful on a three-pointer at the buzzer. After making just five shots in the first half, Cal U fin-ished the game shooting 26.3 percent (15-of-57) from the floor and converted 76.9 percent (30-of-39) from the free-throw line. Slippery Rock posted a .367 field-goal percentage (18-of-49) from the field and made 71.4 percent (20-of-28) from the charity stripe. The Vulcans finished with a 45-38 rebounding advantage and scored 13 second-chance points after totaling 17 offensive re-bounds. Junior Kelvin Goodwin led three Slippery Rock starters in double figures, scoring 19 points and registering six as-sists. Senior Frank Holloway finished with 18 points and seven rebounds, while classmate Antonio Butler added 13 points and five rebounds. The Vulcans make their second trip to Erie, Pennsylva-nia, in less than a week on Wednesday, Jan. 28, when they face Mercyhurst at 7:30 p.m.

Page 16Jan. 302015

Cal Times Athlete SpotlightSarah Beck

Class: SeniorMajor: Biology (Pre-Medicine)Hometown: Lancaster, Pa. High School: Hempfield High School

Every sports team looks to veteran members for leadership and to moti-

vate the younger members of the team. One of the veteran leaders for the

California University of Pennsylvania Women’s Swimming team is senior

Sarah Beck.

Before beginning her time at Cal U, Beck was a four year letterman and

four time district and state qualifier at Hempfield High School. She was

also a member of the Spartans Women’s Softball team.

In her freshman year with the Lady Vulcans, Beck competed in the 100

breaststroke, 200 breaststroke, and 200 IM at the PSAC Championships.

In her sophomore year, she placed 13th in the 100 and 200 breaststroke at

PSAC Championships and also competed in the 200 IM.

This past weekend at the Vulcan Invitational, Beck was one of six se-

niors who were honored before the meet. She followed that up by picking

up three victories in the 100 and 200 breaststroke and 200 IM.

Cal Times Super Bowl Picks

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Join in on the fun! Scan the code or make your Super Bowl predictions at

Jose Negron: Seahawks Taylor Brown: Seahawks

Josh Herman: Seahawks Emily Geyer: Seahawks

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Jeff Helsel: Seahawks Emma Rawlings: Patriots

With the Super Bowl in Glendale, AZ between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks upon us, members of our newspaper staff took aim at making some bold predictions for the big game.

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