Cal Times Dec. 4, 2015

DECEMBER 4, 2015 VOL 42, NO.14

Prevention Awareness Recovery Center

Is Carly Fiorina a Feminist?

OPINION

Syrian Refugee Crisis

Matt’s Top 10 Cal Sports Moments

Discrimination at Cal U?

176 12

Dec. 4,2015

WINTER COLLEGE CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

REGISTER NOW!Winter College classes are delivered

100% online. The five-week classes begin Dec. 14, 2015, so they can be taken from

your home over the winter break!

FOR MORE INFORMATION E-MAIL [email protected] OR CALL 724-938-5962.

WWW.CALU.EDU/WINTER-COLLEGE

Partly cloudy.

Snow showers

possible.

Par t ly c loudy Par t ly c loudy Par t ly c loudy

CALU weather

33-46 32-49 34-51

Friday Saturday Sunday Monday

33-51

CALU police reports

On Nov. 24 at around 10:30 a.m., police responded to a report of criminal mischief that had occured in Lot 4.

[email protected]

724.938.4321

STAFF

MATT HAGYSPORTS EDITOR

LAUREN GRIFFITHLIFESTYLES EDITOR

CONNOR MARSHMANGRAPHIC DESIGNER

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 ([email protected]) 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.

JOSE NEGRON EDITOR IN CHIEF

STETSON PROVANCENEWS EDITOR

KATIE DELVERNE OPINION EDITOR

CAL TIMES CONTRIBUTORS: RACHAEL MCkRIGER, zACH FILTz, jOSH

RICHARDSON, DANNY BEECk, DAN CARMICHAEL, CAL U

PUBLIC RELATIONS, SPORTS INFORMATION, kRISTIN BOMBOY, EMMA RAWLINGS, BRIANNA

MONFRIEDI

NIKKI BROGNANOASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR/WEBSITE COORDINATOR

JEFF HELSELDIRECTOR OF PUBLICATIONS

Check out

CALTIMES.ORG

Mischief in the Lot 4

Trespassing in the Student CenterOn Nov. 26, a student was found trespassing in the Natali Student Center. Police responded to a reported burglary involving the student in the building.

Drugs are bad, mkay?On Nov. 26, a student was found to be in possession of marijuana. They were also harassing another student.

Dec. 4,

2015

JEFF HELSELDIRECTOR OF PUBLICATIONS

Holiday

Pop UpSALE Natali

2nd floor

Support our campus clubs and organizations!

Check out

CALTIMES.ORG

U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Alan R. Lynn, Class of 1979, to address Cal U graduates

California University of Pennsylvania will mark its 181st Commencement with separate ceremonies for undergraduate and graduate students.• Ceremonies for graduate students will be held at 7 p.m. Dec. 11 in the Cal U Convocation Center. Master’s degree candidates will be vested in their academic hoods during the ceremony.• Ceremonies for bachelor’s and associate degree candidates will begin at 10 a.m. Dec. 12, also in the Convocation Center. More than 565 undergraduates and 645 graduate students will receive their degrees, although not all will attend the ceremonies. Interim University President Geraldine M. jones will confer the degrees and personally greet each graduate who walks across the stage. Graduates’ families and friends are welcome to attend. In keeping with Cal U’s tradition of inviting distinguished alumni to address the graduates, U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Alan R. Lynn, Class of 1979, will speak

Cal U marks 181st Commencement Dec. 11-12

at both ceremonies. Lynn recently stepped into dual roles as director of the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), a combat support agency of the U.S. Department of Defense, and commander of the joint Force Headquarters–Department of Defense Information Networks (DoDIN), based at Fort Meade, Md. As DISA’s director, he leads a global organization of some 15,000 civilian and military personnel responsible for the U.S. military’s command-and-control capabilities, and an information technology infrastructure that directly supports the President, Secretary of Defense, joint Chiefs of Staff, combatant commanders, Department of Defense components, and other mission partners. As commander of joint Force Headquarters–DoDIN, Lynn is responsible for coordinating efforts to secure and defend key elements of the military’s worldwide network of computer systems. The year-old joint Force Headquarters works cooperatively in cyberspace with a number of other military organizations. Lynn joined the U.S. Army in 1979, and he transferred to the Signal Corps in 1984. His military career has included command assignments at

every rank from captain to lieutenant general. He served overseas during operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and he directed firefighters at the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, keeping Defense communications operational despite the terrorist attack. His domestic assignments have taken him to U.S. Army bases across the country. Among his numerous military awards and decorations are the Defense Superior Service Medal, a Legion of Merit, two Bronze Star Medals and a Defense Meritorious Service Medal.Lynn holds a master’s degree in national resource management from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, and a bachelor’s degree in English from Cal U, where he was an ROTC Distinguished Military Graduate. Both ceremonies can be viewed live online at www.calu.edu. For more information about California University’s 2015 Winter Commencement, visit www.calu.edu/events/commencement. California University of Pennsylvania is a proud member of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education. Learn more about Cal U at www.calu.edu.

Photo: Cal U Public Relations

U.S Army Lt. Gen. Alan R. Lynn of the class of 1979 is expected to speak at both Graduate and Undergraduate Commencement on Dec. 11 and 12

Dec. 4, 2015

Sheleta J. Webb, director of mul-ticultural affairs and diversity education, looks at the most re-cent chalk mural drawn on a new wall-sized chalk-board in the Natali Student Center. This semester, fine arts major Alissa Petrosoniak and Associate Prof. Todd Pinkham launched the creation of the weekly “Monday Murals” art proj-ect.

Art has been around for centuries. In the stone ages, people took to the walls of caves with dirt and charcoal and drew stories with symbols. In the 15th century during the Renaissance period, a new material became prominent: chalk. Now in 2015, a California University of Pennsylvania student and her professor are taking to the walls of Cal U with chalk. This semester, junior fine arts major Alissa Petrosoniak and Associate Professor Todd Pinkham made their way to the chalkboard in the Natali Student Union every Monday and started chalking large murals to be on display for the week. Petrosoniak, who is also on the Cal U softball team and a member of the international club, started doing the “Monday Murals” when professor

“Monday Murals” adorn student center wallby Kristin Bomboy, Cal Times Contributor Pinkham mentioned the opportunity.

“He was mentioning an opportunity to do live murals in the union and said he would ask art club if they wanted to do it,” Petrosoniak said. “I said I would do it with him and he said perfect!” Each week, Pinkham would pick a classic art piece and attempt to add a modern twist to it. Some examples are Salvador Dali’s “Persistence of Memory”, but with the McDonald’s golden arches added into the background. Another example is a rendition of “The Scream” by Edvard Munch. “I think that they are interesting,” said Dan Bickerton, a senior tourism major. “I like how they change every week to completely different murals. It’s cool.” One Cal U student, Thomas Chapman, was greatly impacted by the murals and was also particularly fond of the renditions of Sir Thomas Lawrence’s

“Pinkie” and Thomas Gainsborough’s “The Blue Boy.” The paintings were chalked side by side, however “The Blue Boy” was Kanye West and “Pinkie” was Kim Kardashian. “They provide inspiration to my soul that is damaged. Every time I wake up for an 8 a.m., I find light in the morning by seeing my fellow peers chalking such beautiful artwork,” Chapman said. “It gives life to all those who lost hope.” “And I particularly like the Kanye West one,” he added. Petrosoniak said that she is looking forward to continuing the ‘Monday Murals” in the future as long as her schedule allows. In the words of Edgar Degas, “Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.”

Dec. 4,

2015

Two organizations from California University of Pennsylvania recently helped collect school supplies for the Tidioute Community Center Charter School. The project was a collaboration between the Cal U chapter of the Student Pennsylvania State Education Association (SPSEA) and the Phi Sigma Sigma sorority. The Tidioute Community Charter School was chosen as the beneficiary to honor the memory of student, Aubrey Sonney. “Collecting school supplies for her alma mater will show her legacy by supporting her love for teaching and helping others, all while keeping her hometown in mind,” said Hannah Wieszczyk, the president of Phi Sigma Sigma.

Sonney, 20, passed away after a car accident on Interstate 70 in Rostraver Township on Oct. 11. She was a junior majoring in secondary education and had aspirations of becoming a social studies teacher after graduation. Students from both organizations gathered outside the Natali Student Center prior to Cal U’s Thanksgiving recess to collect as many school supplies as they could. Despite many campus residents having already left for Thanksgiving break, the supply drive ended with numerous donations. The students who did donate to the cause received a complimentary cupcake for their contribution. “We collected two large boxes and three paper grocery bags full of supplies,” said Wieszczyk. “Including pencils, calculators, flash cards, book bags and much more for the school.”

School supply drive honors fallen student Both groups were satisfied with the turnout and happy to donate supplies to students in need. Those who knew Aubrey were pleased to have successfully found a fitting tribute for their friend. The school supply drive will possibly be reoccurring on Cal U’s campus in following semesters and become an annual event. Jennifer Gereshenski, Phi Sigma Sigma’s philanthropy chair and a member of SPSEA, remembered her friend as a true teacher. “Aubrey was a future educator, she would have wanted to support as many children as possible in whatever way possible,” said Gereshenski. “By holding this event, we were able to honor her generosity and love for students by giving back to students who need it the most.”

By Aaron J. Zimmerman, Cal Times Contributor

On Monday, October 19, 2015, Dr. Michael Nichols from the National Alpha Lambda Delta (ALD) Council presented the prestigious Order of the Torch Award to the Cal U ALD chapter for the 2014-2015 academic year. Each year, the national ALD council awards The Order of the Torch to chapters that demonstrate and excel in programming, activities, and service. The 2014-15 Cal U ALD chapter was led by Kaitlyn Strosnider (Senior, Secondary Education), who served as president. The presentation of the chapter’s activities was prepared by the historian, Chelsea Gump (Junior, Mathematics/Statistics Major), and the chapter was advised by Dr. Karen Amrhein (Director, First Year Experiences and Mentoring) and Mr. Michael Amrhein. In October 2015, current President Chelsea Gump presented the Cal U chapter’s successes at the National Leadership Workshop in Orlando, Florida. Alpha Lambda Delta is a national honor society that recognizes students’ academic success during their first year at a college or university. Students who achieve a 3.5 GPA or above and are a member of the top 20% of their class are invited. ALD’s mission is to “encourage superior academic achievement, to promote intelligent living and a continued high standard of learning, and to assist students in recognizing and developing meaningful goals for their unique roles in society.”

Cal U ALD chapter wins national award

Dec. 4, 2015

After a number of students from California University of Pennsylvania’s Black Student Union reported feeling racially targeted during the Campus Talk on Nov. 6, students are wondering if everyone is treated equally at Cal U. Discrimination and racism were the topics of Interim President Geraldine Jones’s Campus Talk, and further discussion was generated from this campus talk. Stetson Provance, the Cal Times news editor, explored the issue of the Black Student Union’s homecoming party on Oct.24 and the treatment of those in attendance by university officials in an article last month. But for several students, this is just one case of discrimination by the university, its students, or its officials. The backlash on social media after the Campus Talk speaks to their experiences. Racist remarks were made on Twitter and YikYak. Comments made on YikYak referred to black students as “apes”, questioned the name of the Black Student Union, asked why there wasn’t a “white student union”, and referred to an E-board member of the Black Student Union as a “silverback gorilla” when she revealed her name, and her e-mail to try and direct concerns in a more personal manner. Members of Cal U Women United created posters with the offensive comments on them, and posted them around campus to raise awareness of these issues. Hashtags like #BBCALU (being black at Cal U) resurfaced after periods of inactivity. Cal U is a predominately white institution, or a PWI, where African-Americans are a part of the minority. According to the Cal U website, 11 percent of the student population is black. BSU’s existence as a minority group was also put in question by the yikyaks. However, any student is eligible to

join this organization, not just African American students. When asked about his experiences at Cal U, Rodney Edwards, vice president of the BSU, said the racist comments began from his white peers in his freshman year of fall 2009. He heard his friends experiencing the same type of

treatment and indirect comments. Fellow students would ask Edwards about the texture of his hair, and assume that he had been witness to violence in his hometown of Philadelphia. “Because I am from such a diverse area, when I came to Cal U I didn’t expect it to happen. I didn’t expect it to continue. It was just shocking,” Edwards said. Edwards says he feels racial tensions have increased at Cal U since he arrived as an undergraduate. Six years later, Edwards is now a graduate student. He helped to plan the BSU homecoming party this year. “I am transitioning out of here and I am dealing with this more so from my administrators now and it is a bit disgusting,” Edwards said. When the BSU executive board met with university officials after the Campus Talk to question the way the Homecoming

party was handled, at least one official associated the BSU and black students in general with negatives stigmas, says Edwards.

While Edwards said he didn’t experience racism or discrimination on an academic level, he was quick to

point out its presence in extracurricular

events planned by the university. Events, such as Homecoming week, sponsored by

Student Affairs and the Student Activity Board

are geared towards one culture, Edwards said.

“I will continually say this, and I stand by this, Cal U has not done anything culturally for me,” Edwards said.

“Every student is invited to get involved

with the Student Activities Board, which

plans campus activities,” said University

Spokesperson Chris Kindl, after she was

presented with Edwards’s feelings about events on

campus. Edwards also said

that he feels a lack of support from white peers, and that often they just turn their shoulder to any issues of racism or discrimination. Edwards, a graduate of Lincoln High Upward Bound Program that sends a bulk of their students to Cal U, said he will not hesitate to contact the director of the program and tell them to stop recommending Cal U to students. Another student, Jerron Corley, says he has experienced much of the same. Corley is a sophomore, and is also on the E-board for BSU. He feels that his experiences are very similar to other black students at Cal U, and that he can speak for many of them on the topic. Corley has also experienced what he calls discrimination since first coming to Cal U, especially in the form of microagressions. “I’m with a group of friends, and a group of individuals

Does Cal U discriminate?Students feel that they are not treated equally by other students or administrators because of race

By Lauren Griffith, Contributing Editor

Racial tension came to the surface on sites like Twitter and apps like YikYak after members of the BSU spoke at the Campus Talk about their Homecoming party.According to several students, this isn’t the only time that they have dealt with rac-ism or discrimination at Cal U.

Dec. 4.

2015

are walking towards our way. At a certain point they are completely silent. They stop conversing and wait till they pass us to start again,” Corley said. “It is these little things that make me question the reasoning behind the level of discomfort that comes with our presence as a whole.” These microaggressions are often subconscious or indirect comments that have a negative connotation. “I’ve heard people say to me here, ‘you sound so educated.’ In order for me to be labeled as black, would I have to speak in slang?” Corley said. Corley said he knew this area in Pennsylvania would be different from his hometown of Philadelphia, but didn’t want to believe he would continually experience racism at Cal U. Corley pointed out discrimination did not come from his professors and that he did not experience it from administrators until BSU planned the Homecoming party. Both Edwards and Corley said they felt administration had handled their party differently than events held by other organizations on campus. When the BSU E-board filled paperwork to reserve the Performance Center for the party, there was no capacity limit listed. Several days before the event, the BSU E-board received notice there would only be 300 people permitted to attend the party. At the time of this notice, Edwards had already collected more than 300 names for the guest list alone which included Cal U alumni, friends and family of current Cal U students. While the BSU E-board was told that there would be three university police officers present, seven officers and the police dog showed up, Edwards said. All of the lights in the Performance Center had to stay on despite it being a party, according to Edwards. In a previous interview with Police Chief Ed McSheffery, McSheffery said that the limited number of wristbands given out for entry and the number of police at the party wasn’t out of the norm for Homecoming weekend. These inconsistencies in the planning of the party, like the number of people who were permitted to attend, came from administrators like Student Affairs Vice President Nancy Pinardi, Edwards said. In meeting with students from the BSU after the party, Edwards said Provost of Academic Affairs Bruce Barnhart and Interim President Geraldine Jones gave varying explanations for the way students were handled at the party and in the way the party was planned. “If it wasn’t discrimination or racism, then it still wasn’t policy,” Edwards said. Edwards also felt he had to work much harder than he should have to get university officials to take BSU’s concerns about the issue of racism seriously. Corley said it felt like administrators didn’t want to deal with the issue, and wanted to get rid of it as soon as possible. Both Pinardi and Barnhart denied an interview with the Cal Times for this article, and instead directed questions to

university spokesperson Chris Kindl. Corley and Edwards said they had considered transferring from Cal U because of the issues they have experienced here. “I do feel forced to be here due to the fact that I am here on scholarship. ” Corley said. “In these areas (and many more), students who want to see greater diversity in student leadership or campus activities can work toward change by participating in a positive fashion,” Kindl said in an e-mail interview. When surveys were being conducted and open sessions were being held for the presidential search, Corley attended to voice his opinions, and encouraged his black peers to do the same thing. “I honestly feel like President Jones is not supporting the black community,” said Corley. The microaggressions and racial epithets Corley and Edwards said they have experienced on campus can not only cause mental and emotional issues while they are a college student, but also after they graduate, according to Rueben Brock, a psychology professor at Cal U who studies issues of race. Edwards and Corley’s experiences echo the experiences that many other students of the minority are dealing with. “The research is pretty clear on microaggressions being a real source of anxiety and leading to concrete physical and emotional stress,” Brock said. “This comes both from always feeling like you are being attacked and feeling like you are paranoid, too. You think, ‘wait was that an insult, or was that sincere?’” These microaggressions that might be coming from other students or administrators are largely unintended, according to Brock. “When a person says to me ‘wow, you are so articulate’ they don’t mean to say ‘you are articulate for a black man’. They think it is a compliment,” Brock said. However, Brock says his experiences as a professional at Cal U are different from what the students are experiencing as undergraduates and graduates. “My experience at Cal U has been really, really good, and I think a part of that is because there is a segment of the population—at least on the professional level--that really do want to see change here,” Brock said. However, when Brock first began teaching at Cal U he noticed black students flocked to him and came to him for support that they were not getting elsewhere. They felt they needed him here, he said. “Racism is emotionally taxing on a person. It makes you work hard mentally and emotionally to get through the day,” Brock said. “It creates these hurdles for people that others don’t have to experience.” Brock suggests a student who is experiencing racism find a network of people he or she can talk to so they don’t have to bear the brunt of it alone.

“People need to check their biases and to recognize that the way that they think about certain people permeates their attitude, their behavior and their speech,” Brock said. John Burnett, of the Social Equity office at Cal U, said that when most students are looking at whether or not Cal U is diverse, they are looking at race and ethnicity instead of nationality, culture, political thought, and religious belief. “I believe we do have a diverse student body and a diverse faculty in some ways,” Burnett said. The Social Equity Office has several ongoing diversity initiatives with Student Affairs, the End V Center, and the Fredrick Douglass Institute. While there is a diversity plan in place for new hires through the university, minority doctorate graduate students are highly sought after by all universities. While Cal U has a national search for its open doctoral positions, often times other universities are able to pay them more, Burnett said. Students who are experiencing discrimination by students, faculty, or administrators can report it to the Office of Social Equity. Depending on the severity, the repercussions range from non-contact orders to expulsion or termination from Cal U. There is currently an active complaint about BSU’s Homecoming party and how it was handled by the university. “When people are being overtly rude and abusing their power--that is when we need to know. We want people to have a quality experience here,” Burnett said. Another active complaint was issued after the shooting reported near Vulcan Village on Nov. 17. In this case, the shooter was identified as black and was later found to be white, leading students to believe that racial profiling played a part in the original description. Three days after the incident, Interim President Jones ‘s office sent out an e-mail notifying students that the physical description of the shooting suspect was given by a witness to a California Borough Police Officer, who then shared the details with the university. Under the Clery Act, as soon as the university has any information, they are required to send it out. This year there have been 180 reports of discrimination at Cal U, which is more than last year. According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, only 10 percent of reports show discrimination of any type. “Cal U is committed to diversity and inclusiveness,” Kindl added. “This commitment can be seen in the initiatives taken by the Office of Social Equity.” “I’d be foolish or naïve to suggest that there is not racism here,” Brock said. “[But] I don’t think there is any more or less racism here than any other place I have seen. I think that the size of the university makes it feel more pronounced. If something happens, you are going to know about it.”

Dec. 4,2015

Albums o f t h e W e e k

D E C E M B E R 4 - 1 0

Dec. 4.

2015

25 – Adele Four years after the release of the record breaking “21,” Adele

has done it by releasing, yet again, another fantastic album. Music lovers, critics, and even other musicians were ecstatic to hear the news of the release of “25.” At the age of 20, Adele released her first studio album, “19.” From this moment, she helped to create a type of music that seemed like a new wave many artists were riding. With the sound of Adele, came sounds like Lorde, Lana Del Rey and many artists like them. This wave of music had a slight feel of remorse and despair to it. Adele, one of the more emotional lyricists of this current music generation, seems to have paved the way, not only for this new wave of music, but also a new wave of more confident, female lead singers.

Adele, seemingly out of the blue, released the song and music video for “Hello.” This song quickly grew as a hit across the board of genres. Where there was once an echo of, “was it me you’re looking for,” there will now be an even louder roar of, “it’s me.” This song shows just a small amount of the power and emotion that Adele has to offer with this new album. As I have been sitting here rolling through the vinyl release of this album, mainly because it is not yet being streamed on applications like Spotify and Apple Music, I am hearing songs that I can easily picture being just as big, if not bigger, than “Hello.” Of this track listing, two of my favorites are “Send My Love (To Your New Lover)” and “Sweetest Devotion.” These are two of the more upbeat tracks on the album and they are placed well to keep your attention transitioning from one song to the next. This album is one of the easier ones released this year to be able to listen to right from start to finish. In creating an album like this, you can start to see the maturity of Adele rise and even her confidence. Expect to see and hear a lot more about this album in the near future.

Average Critic Rating: 76/100

Albums o f t h e W e e k

By Dan CarmichaelCal Times Contributor

Top Rated by Rolling Stone

1. To Pimp a Butterfly – Kendrick Lamar2. 25 – Adele3. If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late – Drake4. Black Messiah – D’Angelo and the Vanguard5. Beauty Behind the Madness – The Weeknd

Worst Rated by Pitchfork

1. Venom – Bullet For My Valentine2. New Glow – Matt & Kim3. Maximum Entropy – Man Without Country4. Smoke + Mirrors – Imagine Dragons5. No Pier Pressure – Brian Wilson

The Best and Worst of the 2015 Year

My Top Five for 2015

1. To Pimp a Butterfly – Kendrick Lamar2. If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late – Drake3. Carrie and Lowell – Sufjan Stevens4. 25 – Adele5. I Love You, Honeybear – Father John Misty

Dec. 4,2015

Cal Students had a sweet time building gingerbread houses for the “Happy Holidays” Gingerbread House Competition. The event was hosted in the Performance Center by SAB. Winners received gift cards.

Dec. 4,

2015

Cal Students had a sweet time building gingerbread houses for the “Happy Holidays” Gingerbread House Competition. The event was hosted in the Performance Center by SAB. Winners received gift cards.

Dec. 4,2015

The new debate to land itself into the American

media is the debate over whether the United States

should allow Syrian refugees into the country. The

outrage over the Syrians coming over comes after the

ISIS terrorist attacks on the city of Paris.

Before getting into any opinion on the topic, some

background. Why exactly are these Syrian people fleeing

their country? It’s because their country is war-torn,

there is violence from both the government and ISIS

inside their boarders, and because the people want to

protect their children. According to worldvision.org

since the start of the Syrian Civil War, more than 240,000

people, including 12,000 children have been killed and

One million more have been “wounded or permanently

disabled.”

Also according to worldvision.org, around 12 million

Syrians have already fled their country, with half being

children. Most of the refugees are in Turkey, Lebanon,

and Jordan, while some are also making their way

towards Europe. Even after the Paris attacks, France has

publically announced that they will keep their boarders

open to the Syrian refugees.

So why are some states in the United States closing

theirs? The United States has preached for the longest

time about being a helping hand in peace and are

supposed to be one of the best humanitarian efforts to

ever grace the earth. However, with 31 states closing

their boarders, it sure doesn’t seem like this country

is very helping to what is the worst documented

humanitarian crisis in the world.

According to American University law professor

Stephen I. Vladeck, the states can’t say it is legally

objecting, “but it can refuse to cooperate, which makes

thing much more difficult.” But why make it more

difficult than it already is for these people? This war on

terrorism is exactly that: a war against terrorism, like

ISIS. It’s not a war against the Syrian people, who are

innocent.

I would love to see any of the governors who say they

don’t want Syrian refugees in their state last an hour

over in Syria. I genuinely feel for the people in Paris,

but think about it. What happened in Paris happens to

innocent Syrian people every single day, and sometimes

it’s even worse for them.

The Syrian people are human beings just like you

and me. Sure, they dress differently, speak a different

language, and have different customs, but that doesn’t

mean they should be subjected to awful violence every

day. These people are fleeing a country so they can live

and actually have a life for them and their children. Why

would we ever turn our backs on someone in need?

It really all comes down to prejudice, really. Once

people hear the words, “Syrian refugees” they

immediately will look disgusted or mutter “terrorists.” I

didn’t know that someone who was a Middle Eastern

was automatically labeled as a terrorist. I’m a Middle

Eastern-Russian, so does that make me a terrorist? No it

doesn’t, and it shouldn’t.

The United States has a history of helping those

in need, so why should we stop now? I understand

there needs to be security, but that can be worked

out. National security means preparing ourselves and

making background checks. It doesn’t mean completely

shutting out those who need help. No matter what

anyone says, this issue is a big one. Form whatever

opinion you want, but I know for myself, I have no

problem helping out the Syrian refugees. This issue is

personal for me, and I will do everything that I possibly

can to help the people that need our help.

Supporting the Syrian Refugees in AmericaBy Rachael McKriger, Cal Times Contributor

Dec. 4,

2015

A common argument concerning why Syrian refugees shouldn’t be allowed to enter the country is because a passport mimicking one a Syrian refugee would possess was found on the scene of the Paris attacks. That’s stupid. First off, according to an investigation, that passport was a fake. Secondly, unlike European nationals (French and Belgian natives like the people who were responsible for the attacks), refugees entering the United States have to pass a screening process that includes 21 different criteria. That screening can take up to 18-24 months. It’s the toughest screening process a refugee would have to pass. Syrian refugees aren’t going to be able to use fake passports to enter the United States. Another common argument about the refugee situation is that instead of helping Syrian refugees, who by and large are followers of Islam, the United States should instead help and quarter Christian refugees instead. Although I agree it is equally sad there are Christians around the world being beheaded for their beliefs, taking in one group instead of another does more harm than good in the long run. In fact, by turning away people in need because of their race and religion and

instead taking in people who belong to the dominant religion practiced in the United States, you are doing the sort of thing that draws those of middle eastern descent toward radical Islam. I also realize the vast majority of Syrian refugees are women and children. 9.9 times out of 10, they pose little or no threat to the safety of US citizens. However, to assume a group with the intelligence and reach that ISIS possesses couldn’t find a way to get one of their members or sympathizers into the United States is naïve. After all, there have been a large number of cases in the Middle East where terrorists have strapped explosives to women and children. Furthermore, the FBI has already confirmed there have been a number of people in the US who have gravitated toward ISIS, with some leaving the country to join the group. Additionally, there is reason to believe there are already ISIS cells in our country. In today’s world, paranoia and precaution are just as necessary as compassion and understanding. For this reason, I can understand why there are people who do not support refugees from other countries entering the United States. Particularly, I can see why Pennsylvanians

are leery of President Wolf’s decision to allow Syrian refugees into the state. Just from Pennsylvania’s perspective, let’s look at this rationally. There are almost 30 countries worldwide accepting refugees. Furthermore, 29 of the 50 US states are allowing them in, too. Wouldn’t it be fair for the governor to sit on the sidelines so to speak and wait to see what, if any, security risks potential refugees could cause? It isn’t like refugees in immediate need don’t have other places to go. Then, if it turns out after say, a year, no Syrian refugees pose a national security threat to the US, then Wolf could reconsider allowing Syrian refugees in Pennsylvania, permitting the federal government determines the situation in Syria is still active and toxic enough that the US should admit more refugees. Essentially, ISIS is a very dangerous organization that holds a wide appeal. It is evident ISIS is looking to attack democracies around the world, including the US. I don’t think it’s that crazy to assume ISIS could over time take advantage of a dire, heartbreaking situation and use it as a means to commit terrorism.

Against the Syrian Refugees in AmericaBy Stetson Provance, Contributing Editor

Dec. 4,2015

Dec. 4,

2015

Conveniently pay for your new Meal Plan by calling CalU Office of Housing & Residence Life at (724) 938-4444For additional Meal Plan information, visit us at: https://www.aviserves.com/calu/meal-and-dining-plans.html

For additional Meal Planinformation, simply scan

this QR Code with your SmartPhone.

MATTER!MEAL PLANS

meal plan savings = maximizin

g your dollars.

ENJOY THESE PERKS& OTHER GREATMEAL PLAN SAVINGS:• Tax free purchases = MORE SAVINGS!• Purchase a plan with your financial aid. No need to carry cash!• Flexible hours...Use your Meal Plan until 12am in the morning• Convenient Meal Plan options available for commuters and resident students• Treat your family & friends to a meal (up to 5 per semester)• Enjoy ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT options at our Dining Hall• In a hurry...get a fresh, delicious Take-Out meal.

Purchase Your 2016 Spring Meal Plan today!

Same Prices As Last Year!No increase for Spring 2016

Don’t stress about yourMeal Plan over Winter Break.2016 Spring Meal Plans are available now!

Women’s basketball earns win over ClarionBy Sports Information Sophomore forwards Seairra Barrett (Center Twp., Pa./Central Valley) and Shatara Parsons (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) both recorded double-doubles on Tuesday evening, as the No. 12 Vulcans earned a 67-48 win against Clarion in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play at the Convocation Center. With the victory, the California University of Pennsylvania women’s basketball team improves to 5-1 this season with a 4-0 mark in league action. Meanwhile, the Golden Eagles fall to 2-5 this year behind a 2-2 record in conference play. Parsons set a career high and led all players with 17 points on six-of-nine from the field and 5-of-12 from the free-throw line. She also tallied a career-high 12 rebounds (seven offensive) and added three steals while playing 31 minutes in her first career start. Barrett posted her fourth double-double of the year on Tuesday, as she finished with 16 points and a career-high 15 rebounds (seven offensive). She shot 6-of-13 from the floor and four-of-six from the charity stripe and also totaled two assists and three assists. Junior guard Miki Glenn (Bridgeport, W.Va./Bridgeport) posted 12 points, five rebounds, six assists and three steals while playing all 40 minutes. The Golden Eagles scored eight-straight points early in the game to take an 8-5 lead with 6:17 left in the first quarter.

Cal U then mounted a 15-4 run behind a combined 13 points by Barrett and Parsons to take a 20-12 lead on a layup by Barrett with 50 seconds remaining in the quarter. The Vulcans later scored nine-unanswered points to stretch their

lead to 29-14 on a jumper by junior CeCe Dixon (Munhall, Pa./Steel Valley) at the 6:24-mark in the second quarter. The teams traded points for the remainder of the quarter, as Cal U took a 37-22 lead into halftime. The teams combined for only six points in the opening four minutes of the third quarter before Cal U posted an 11-2 run to take a 50-28 lead on a pair of free-throws by junior Precious Martin (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) with 34 seconds left in the quarter. The Golden Eagles cut the deficit to 53-36 before the Vulcans stretched their lead to as many as 23 points, 61-38, on a three-pointer by Dixon with 5:52 left to play. The Vulcans finished the game shooting 33.8 percent (22-of-65) from the floor and 60.6 percent (20-of-33) from the free-throw line. In comparison, the Golden Eagles shot at a 32.1 clip (17-of-53) from the field and 57.9 percent (11-of-19) from the charity stripe. Cal U held a sizeable 51-36 rebounding advantage behind 24 offensive rebounds that led to 19 second-chance points. The Vulcans also forced 23 turnovers in the victory. Sophomore Amesha Harden-Pullium and junior Jen Straw each led the Golden Eagles with 10 points in the loss. Cal U returns to action this weekend with a pair of road PSAC Crossover games, starting tonight, at Cheyney with tipoff at 6 p.m.

Photo: Josh Richardson

Dec. 4,2015

Hagy’s Big Ten NCAA: Week 14 and NFL: Week 13 Last Week’s Record: 6-4 Season Record: 82-38

NCAA Game Winner NFL Game Winner

Temple @ Houston Houston Texans @ Bills TexansFlorida @ Alabama Alabama Seahawks @ Vikings VikingsStanford @ USC Stanford Jets @ Giants Giants Iowa @ Michigan State Michigan State Chiefs @ Raiders ChiefsUPSET: UNC @ Clemson UNC Colts @ Steelers Steelers

If you want to compete against Matt Hagy, sports editor, submit your picks to [email protected] by that Saturday Morning at 11

a.m. If you beat Matt, your picks and name will be in next week’s

paper. Good luck fellow pickers!

By Rachael McKriger, Cal Times Contributor

Harris looks ahead to bright future

In his senior season with the California University of Pennsylvania football team, James Harris passed for 3,000 yards and threw 24 touchdowns. Those numbers are substantially close to the numbers he had in his junior season, where threw for 3,055 yards and 24 touchdowns. Either way, his senior season was one that was unforgettable. It was a senior season that he had no idea that would even happen almost five years ago when he was playing baseball, not football. When Harris was 18 years old, he was drafted by the MLB team the Minnesota Twins. However, instead of heading up to Minnesota, Harris went to Wake Forest University in North Carolina where he decided to play baseball. “I felt I could improve my skills and get a great education at the same time,” Harris recalled. However, Harris didn’t stay at Wake Forest long. Harris left Wake Forest and decided to make his way to Cal U. However, he talked to other teams from Cal U’s conference, the PSAC, as well as other conferences across the country. However, Harris eventually chose Cal U because he had the “opportunity to play right away, the offense they ran, and the coaching staff.” For Harris, he’s happy he made the decision to come to Cal U, but admits it was quite the struggle at first. “There were some similarities to Wake Forest here, but I had to start over in a lot of aspects of my life. I absolutely to not regret the decision at all to come to Cal U. I would do it over again if I had the chance. The decision to switch sports wasn’t an easy one, but I was struggling on the baseball field and wanted to give football a shot. I played football in high school, and talked it over with my dad. He was very supportive of the decision.”

Harris, who has now been at Cal U for two and a half years, gives a lot of credit to his success from previous years and this year to football head coach Mike Kellar and quarterbacks coach Chad Salisbury. “Coach Kellar and I have a great relationship. He has turned me into a successful quarterback, and has also become a great friend of mine. He is what you call a players’ coach.” Through Kellar, his fellow seniors, and everyone else in the program, Harris also learned another valuable lesson in leadership. “The experience has taught me that vocal leadership comes after leadership by example,” Harris said. Harris finished his Cal career in style against Lock Haven where he threw a career high five touchdown passes en route to a 56-24 win over the Bald Eagles and capped a four game winning streak to end the season. Now that Harris’ season is over he still plans on doing the same amount of work he did during the football season. Not only will he be working hard towards his spring graduation, where he will

earn a degree in business with a minor in communications, but he’ll continue to work hard and stay in shape. It’s Harris’ dream to play in the NFL or the CFL, the Canadian league. “Hopefully hard work can produce an opportunity for me in the future. I just plan on working out and staying in shape, so if the opportunity to play at the next level arises, I will be ready.” However the 23-year old Harris says if that opportunity doesn’t arise for him, he plans to pursue a career in the field of business. However, looking back on his senior year, there really isn’t much Harris regrets, except maybe a bad couple passes from Cal U’s Coal Bowl game against IUP. Now that his season is over, Harris will continue to work out, golf a bit, play his acoustic and electric guitars, and work on his craft. After all, James Harris is a self-proclaimed “pretty laid-back kind of guy.”

Photo: Josh Richardson

Senior Quarterback James Harris leaves behind an illustrious career as a Vulcan

Dec. 4,

2015

Top Cal Sports moments through my eyesBy Matt Hagy, Sports Editor

I came to Cal U as a freshman in Fall 2011 not knowing much about Vulcan sports other than the football team’s recent success of three straight National semifinal appearances. As the years went along, I have been lucky enough to witness amazing sports moments at Cal. Since this is my final sports section I will be creating as sports editor for my final semester at Cal, I thought I would reflect on my personal Top 10 moments in Cal U sports from Fall 2011 to Fall 2015.

10. Cal football Crushes Slip-pery Rock on Homecoming 2014

The Cal Vulcan football team came into the 2014 season on a three game losing streak to Slippery Rock. Slippery Rock had damaged the Vulcans playoff hopes the last two seasons and it seemed there was no way Cal could slay the Rock demons. The two faced on Cal U’s annual homecoming game on a picture perfect mid-October Saturday. Slippery Rock came into Adamson Stadium with an undefeated record and looked to deal the Vulcans their first homecoming loss since 2004. But with a powerful offense and opportunistic defense, the Vulcans smashed Slippery Rock to a tune of 48-26 to end the Rock’s unbeaten season. The Vulcans jumped

out to a 28-3 lead sparked by a 25-yard touchdown run by tailback Nick Grissom and cruised from there. The story though was Cal’s defense that sparked five turnovers including forcing Rock quarterback Zack Newsock to throw four interceptions. At the time the Vulcans took over first place in the PSAC west with the win but simply it was a satisfying win over a school that has emerged as a heated rival for the Vulcans.

Photo: Sports Information

9. A wild night in Greensburg

On February 26th 2014, the California basketball teams traveled up to Greensburg to face new PSAC member Seton Hill for the each teams regular season finale. Both basketball teams were in different directions entering the night. Cal’s women’s team was solidly in the PSAC playoffs and had locked up a first round home game while the men’s team needed to win to make the PSAC playoffs. What transpired was one of the craziest nights in Cal basketball history and one of the craziest nights I had ever seen. In the women’s game, the Vulcans found themselves down by six with 37 seconds left to the Lady Griffins who were trying to make the PSAC playoffs with a win much like the Cal men. Cal rallied back to tie the game completed by an Emma Mahady jumper with six seconds left. Seton Hill had one last chance to get a final shot off and they placed the ball in the hands of senior Paige Alviani. Playing her final game at home, Alviani rifled off a thirty-foot heave as the buzzer went off and the ball swished in the net and Seton Hill pulled a miracle win over the Vulcan women to make the playoffs. Regardless of the team that pulled that shot off, it was amazing to witness as I was on the call for CUTV that game and made my first ever call of a buzzer beater. Now everyone thought there was no way the men’s game would top that game and well, they were wrong. The Vulcans at one point in the first half found themselves down 21 and not being able to make any shot fall. But then a last second sequence gave the Vulcans five straight points to only be down by 16 at the half. Then Cal turned on the jets and hammered the Griffins in the second half to win 62-58 to make the playoffs and

silence a hostile Griffin crowd. Arman Marks who poured in 17-second half points and finished with 19 to lead the team made the rally possible looking unstoppable the whole second half. Marks finest hour of a Vulcan capped an amazing night of basketball at Seton Hill and saw a rivalry be born between the two schools

8. Chuck Gasti’s catch

On April 12th 2014, the California baseball team took on the Mercyhurst Lakers at Consol Energy Park. The Lakers had won the first game of the doubleheader and with the Vulcans looking to avenge the loss in the second game, built a 5-0 lead going into the Top of the 6th looking for the final six outs. The Lakers preceded the load the bases with two outs putting a sense of fear in the Vulcan crowd soaked in the sun on that warm Spring afternoon. Laker pinch hitter Jake Marinelli then lifted a foul ball down the first base line that seemed to be go-ing out of play. Then senior outfielder Chuck Gasti charged over from straightaway right field to make the diving catch while crashing into the fence. It was one of the best catches I have ever seen at the collegiate level and since the game was on CUTV, the play was posted on social media and was picked up by major sports networks. The play was the number two play on Fox Sports Live’s top plays and was featured on Bleacher Report plus also on MLB Network’s Intentional Talk. It was incredible to see someone from Cal make national headlines and plus also being on the call made it even more incredible.


Dec. 4,2015

7. Keith Lowe don’t pass

A year before the craz y night in Greensburg, the Cal men’s team was faced in a s imilar s i tua-t ion on their own Senior Day. Needing a win to secure a playoff ber th with two games lef t , the Vulcans let a double - digit lead s l ip away to the Merc yhurst Lakers who beat them on a buzzer beater in Er ie ear l ier that season. Cal was down two with 16 seconds lef t and Keith Lowe in his f inal game at Cal took the bal l and drove down the cour t and scored a layup whi le drawing a foul with 5 .5 seconds lef t . Lowe completed the three -point play with a f ree throw and stopped the Lakers one last t ime to put Cal in the PSAC playoffs. I t was a per fec t end to Keith Lowe’s senior day and is k nown by many now as “Keith Lowe don’t pass.”


6. Friends don’t let friends go to IUP

In February of my freshman year, both Cal basket-ball teams were struggling with the season coming to a close. Enter the IUP Crimson Hawks to the brand new Convocation Center. Both Crimson Hawk teams were ranked in the top 20 which primed the Vulcans to play their best ball of the season. With a raucous student section donning white shirts stat-ing; “Friends don’t let friends go to IUP,” the Vulcan women knocked off the Crimson Hawk women by four for upset number 1. Then the Vulcan men put on a show for the ages in the night cap

complet ing the sweep of the Cr imson Hawks with an 11 point win capped off by a ser ies of late game dunks to put the f inal nai ls in the cof-f in . What a night i t was to be a Vulcan and the best par t of the night was being apar t of the student sec t ion to rush the cour t af ter the men’s

5. Cal Volleyball wins 2014 PSAC Championship

If there was ever a more consistent team at my time as a student here at cal it was the Cal Volleyball team. From 2011-2015, the Vulcans made four PSAC championship games winning two of them while making the NCAA regional final for four straight seasons as well. None was sweeter than the Vulcans 2014 PSAC championship that came as a four seed out of the PSAC west. The Vulcans run made it to the championship game at Seton Hill where the Vulcans faced an extremely hostile crowd. A month and a half eatlier, I was witness to a 3-2 Vulcans win over the Griffins at the Convocation Center where the Vulcans rallied from a 2-0 deficit to win. The rivalry intensified setting up an epic championship game. This time Cal polished off an inexoperienced Grif-fins team in their first PSAC championship game in just three sets backed by an unbelievable perfor-mance from outside hitter Laurel Miller who won most oustanding player of the PSAC tournament. Even sweeter, it was broadcasted live on PCN and I gained an incredible feeling being on the call for the championship win.


4. Snow Bowl 2011. Normally snow does not fall in October but on Halloween weekend 2011, a snow storm hit the Northeast and just so happened to fall during the Coal Bowl between Cal and IUP. A longstanding rivalry game was dealt a new twist with most of the game being played in the snow. It was the Vulcans that succeeded on the winter wonderland that was George P. Miller Stadium that day with a dominating 28-10 win for their fifth straight win over the Crim-son Hawks. This day will always have a special day in my heart with the Cal Football team coming over to the Cal Marching Band that day with the Coal Pail Trophy to celebrate.

3. Cal vs Bloomsburg, Atlantic Regional Final 2015 Before there was a National Championship, the inspiring Cal women’s basketball team had to go through an extremely tough Bloomsburg team in the Atlantic Regional Final. Fans packed Hamer Hall to witness one of the greatest basketball games that have ever taken place on Cal U’s campus. The Vulcan women rallied from an early deficit to set up a back and forth contest mixed with so many roller coaster emotions to eventually send the game to overtime. In overtime, Cal rallied again with key baskets to take a 72-69 and needed one more stop against Bloomsburg to win. Bloomsburg missed a chance to tie with a three and Miki Glenn got the rebound and tossed the ball away to send Cal to their first Elite Eight in six seasons. Hamer Hall was never louder than it was that night.


Dec. 4,

2015

2. Coal Bowl 2012 If snow was not exciting enough, Cal and IUP put on a one of the greatest games ever played in the Cal/IUP football rivalry. This time the game was played on a picture perfect late September afternoon. Both teams came in unbeaten at 3-0 and ranked in the top 15 in the country making it the highest ranked matchup in rivalry history. The Vulcans came out firing to take a 7-0 lead. After a couple of stops, the Crimson Hawks re-sponded to tie the game at seven early in the second quarter which set forth some back and forth scoring which left the Vulcans up 17-10 at hafltime. Then the second half it was all Crimson Hawks. They pounded the Vulcans with their star tailback Harvie Tuck to eventually take a 24-17 lead late in the 4th quarter. Noth-ing went right for the Vulcans with turnovers and being completely dominated at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. IUP looked to close the Vulcans out with a 30 yard field goal with just over a minute left but the kick was missed which gave the Vulcans a last chance at the Crimson Hawks. One play later Vulcan quarterback Peter Lalich found Nadir Brown for an 80 yard touchdown pass to set the Vulcans up to tie the game at 24. Then all seemed lost after kicker Cody Nuzzo missed the extra point leaving Cal down one. Needing to recover the onside kick, the Vulcans miraculously did after the ball hit an IUP player giving Nuzzo a shot at redemption to win the game this time. Nuzzo drilled a 30 yard field goal to give the Vulcans a win for the ages. Being there it was the most exciting football game I had ever witnessed. The big plays, the drama, the redemption, plus anytime Cal beats IUP in anything it makes me feel good. Any Cal student or fan who missed this game needs to rewatch this game.


1 . Cal women’s basketball wins the National Championship


There was no second thought of what moment was going to be number one. Nothing will top the jouney of the 2014-15 California Vulcans Women’s basketball team. Watching the team progress and get better every single game was worth the whole five month ride that ended in winning Cal’s second women’s basketball National Championship. This team was thought of highly to compete for at least a PSAC championship at the start of the season and found themselves tied for first in the PSAC west in mid-January. Then a day after a road win against Seton Hill, teammate Shanice Clark was found dead in her apartment. An unspeakable tragedy left this team devastated but these girls who were more than just a team, they were a family banded to-gether to storm through the final part of the regular season losing just twice to one team, Gannon, and went into the PSAC playoffs as a two seed getting a first round bye. They took on Gannon in Hamer Hall and fought like warriors to take out Gannon in front of a deafening crowd that would be one of the first nights to remember on this run to the title. They then traveled to Bloomsburg for the PSAC final four and crushed the Huskies on their own court by double digits and a day later defeated the West Chester Golden Rams to win the school’s first PSAC championship since 2006. It was a great tribute for Shanice but this team did not stop here. They hosted the Atlantic Regional and knocked off both Virginia State and West Liberty along with Blooms-burg as mentioned in my number three moment. I was selected to go out with the team to Sioux Falls,

South Dakota to call the games on radio in the Elite Eight. They were a fun group of girls to be with and desevred everything that came their way. They gut-ted out a win in overtime against Nova Southeast-ern and what seemed an improbable win against Emporia State in the final four then the National Championship over Cal Baptist. I definitely knew Shanice was with them the entire time. An amazing team and story that has been my top moment ever as a Cal student. It is crazy to think my career as a Cal student and as a Cal Times writer has come to

a close. I have been blessed with witnessing these incredible moments in all these different Cal sports over the years. Cal athletics will always be one of the best overall for years to come and future Cal stu-dents will be in for a treat. Thank you to everyone who has read my sports pieces in the Cal Times the past three years. It has been my pleasure to write about Cal sports stories to be published and along with a great staff at the Cal Times, it was perfect to end my Cal Times career as Sports Editor this fall.

Dec. 4,2015

Cal Times Dec. 4, 2015

Documents

Transcript of Cal Times Dec. 4, 2015