OPINION

2/21/2023, 12:00pm

Give it a Thought: State of the Union

By Chase Slenker / Staff Columnist

 On Feb. 7, President Joe Biden delivered his second State of the Union (SOTU) address to a joint session of Congress. The SOTU is a long-standing tradition that is built around Article II, Section 3, Clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution requiring the President to “give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union and recommend to their Consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.” President Biden delivered remarks regarding the U.S military position, economy, the fentanyl epidemic, border security, drug prices, racial equality, infrastructure, climate change and the raising of the debt ceiling. 

2/21/2023, 12:00pm

The Slate Speaks: Does Be Kind Month overshadow Black History?

By Slate Staff

February is here, and if you were to pick two important events during this 28-day period, chances are you are thinking of Valentine’s Day and Black History Month. However, for Shippensburg there’s another event filling up the days on the calendar — Be Kind Month. Meant to encourage students from across campus to treat each other with kindness, many feel that this fake holiday is greatly distracting from the real ones, in particular Black History Month.

2/14/2023, 12:00pm

Give it a Thought: What is best for the students?

By Chase Slenker / Staff Columnist

Throughout my years at Shippensburg University, I have served on a variety of university committees and positions that have given me the opportunity to understand “university politics” to a degree few students have. Over the years, I have served on the planning and budget council, new student orientation committee, commencement committee and SUSSI board of directors, among others.

2/14/2023, 12:00pm

Valentine's Day in Iran: Struggle of the roses

By Ali Sina Sharifi

Valentine’s Day is known as the symbol of love worldwide. There might not be any opposing ideas in an American classroom to the celebration of Valentine’s Day. It is considered a day when couples celebrate their love and partnership. We may also think that there is nothing wrong with Valentine’s Day and finding a reason to be happy. 

2/14/2023, 12:00pm

"You People" and a conversation about love and culture clashes

By Monika Lewis

In late January, Netflix released an original movie called “You People,” which stars Jonah Hill and Lauren London, who play Ezra and Amira, people from two very different backgrounds who eventually fall in love and are on the road to marriage. Upon traveling on that road, the couple hits a bump, and that bump takes the form of their parents. Like them, their parents are very different. 

2/8/2023, 12:17pm

Give it a Thought: Track the money

By Chase Slenker / Staff Columnist

The process for SUSSI to review student organization budget requests, and, similarly, for SU to allocate funds to departments in fiscal year 2023-2024 has already begun. This year will also include contract negotiations with two of the largest bargaining units: The Association of Pennsylvania State College & University Faculty (APSCUF) and the State College & University Professional Association (SCUPA). Budgeting processes at any organization are often lengthy, divisive and are difficult to manage, not to mention during tough financial times. 

2/7/2023, 12:00pm

College Board is bowing down to history erasure

By Ian Thompson / News Editor

It is not uncommon for black history to be sidelined in high school and college courses, but thanks to a decision by the College Board, that phenomenon now extends to AP African American Studies. Recently, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has embarked upon a crusade against everything the far-right elements of the Republican party has come to consider “woke” and “perverted” — from Disney to school library books. 

2/7/2023, 12:00pm

The Slate Speaks: Do it for the resume

By Slate Staff

If there is one thing that gets hammered into the heads of students nowadays, it would have to be the importance of a good resume. Resumes are one of the first things an employer will see, and it could be the deciding factor if you will be moving forward with that organization. With resumes being so important, people clammer to throw everything onto that one sheet of paper, but sometimes that can be a detriment.

1/31/2023, 12:00pm

Give it a Thought: The Cost of Frozen Activity Fees

By Chase Slenker / Staff Columnist

Each semester, full-time undergraduate students pay $272 for an “activity fee” remitted to Shippensburg University Student Services Incorporated (SUSSI) for the purpose of managing and disbursing funds for all student activities, including intercollegiate athletics, club sports, performing arts, student media, cultural groups and on-campus programming. 

1/31/2023, 12:00pm

Brazil’s Jan. 8th Insurrection and America’s Responsibility

By Ian Thompson / News Editor

The rise of Trump and so-called ‘Trumpism’ or ‘MAGA-conservatism’ here at home has been echoed by the rise of far-right and nationalist parties and politicians in Europe and Latin America. Among them are Orban in Hungary, Le Pen in France, Meloni in Italy and importantly for this discussion, Bolsonaro in Brazil. 

1/31/2023, 12:00pm

The Slate Speaks: Is AI Art dangerous?

By Slate Staff

Over the past few months, the evolution of artificial intelligence has been immense. In particular, the access and use of AI has been incredibly fascinating, yet concerning at the same time. On the one hand, people are able to create ideas and images at lightning-fast speeds and it has admittedly even led to some great meme-worthy posts on social media. However, the joke becomes less funny when people begin to realize that this type of technology not only becomes a security risk, but could also be dangerous for artists worldwide. AI Art is incredibly dangerous to the art community. Not only is art being stolen from the artists who create it, but AI Art takes away from what art is. 

1/31/2023, 12:00pm

Technology in the world of politics

By Ali Sina Sharifi

Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 in what Russian leader Vladimir Putin called a “special military operation.” Guesses were that Kyiv would surrender in no more than 72 hours, Ukraine’s young president, Volodymyr Zelensky, would flee the country with his cabinet and Russia would occupy more of Ukraine’s territory. However, on February 25, 2022, Zelensky posted a video on his social media accounts assuring his and his cabinet’s permanence on Ukrainian soil to defend the country against the Russian invasion. 

1/24/2023, 9:52pm

White fragility and the discussion of racism

By Monika Lewis

Five weeks to be free in the comfort of where you call home, seeing old friends, and doing whatever you want whenever you want without the shadow of responsibility that is college. Unfortunately, that wasn’t my experience, and my last winter break of my undergrad was left taking two winter classes (the worst). 

1/24/2023, 9:48pm

Is there value in hate-watching something?

By Adam Beam

It is evident that nowadays, everyone loves to voice their opinions on certain media they either like or dislike. I know that is rich coming from someone like myself, who’s practically made it their job to let everyone know what they thought of the latest movies to hit streaming, but my point still stands.

     The official Shippensburg University Instagram posted two male students with the caption "what an engineer looks like" on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022, before having the caption edited following complaints from students. 

1/24/2023, 9:46pm

What an engineer looks like: Sexism in the School of Engineering

By Allyson Ritchey / Multimedia Director

On Dec. 5, 2022, the official Instagram account of Shippensburg University shared a photo featuring two male-presenting students in the newly named Milton and Doreen Morgan Engineering School with the caption “This is what an #engineer looks like.” The caption was then changed roughly 22 hours later to say, “Hands-on learning at the Milton and Doreen Engineering Lab!” with no comment or apology publicly made. 

1/24/2023, 9:42pm

Give it a Thought: The Age of Majority

By Chase Slenker / Staff Columnist

Americans are tasked with a variety of obligations while granted various rights and opportunities depending on their age. According to the Cornell Legal Institute, the age of legal majority is set at eighteen years old and is the point in which a person gains “control over their own actions and affairs and becomes responsible for the decisions they make.” 

1/24/2023, 9:39pm

The Slate Speaks: Is nepotism a problem?

By Slate Staff

In December, New York Magazine published an entire edition dedicated to nepotism babies. For those unaware, a nepotism baby is someone who is born of wealthy parents and whom society sees as having an advantage in life.

me as a kid on a chair.JPG

11/27/2022, 7:33pm

Giving up in the best way: My journey to reject outrageous beauty standards

By Madi Shively / Staff Contributor

It’s a rainy Friday morning. I’m in my dorm, scrolling through TikTok as any college student does (I’ve finished my homework – don’t worry mom.) I’m filtering through all the targeted ads filled with perfect people with trim waists and porcelain skin. I know these ads know something about me: I’m a teenage girl in college.