Skip to main content

The Slate 11-15-22

Page 1

Jumping to conclusion, B1

Woodwind ensemble concert, C1

Nutcracker, D1

Football upsets Gannon, E1

@ShipUSlate Tuesday

Wednesday

43/35

47/30

The Slate @ShipUSlate

Please recycle

Volume 66 No. 10

Reporting truth. Serving our community.

Democrats clinch huge win in Pennsylvania, gaining Senate majority Adam Beam

Asst. Opinion Editor

Democrats were handed a massive victory in the battleground state of Pennsylvania as Attorney General Josh Shapiro and Lt. Gov. John Fetterman found victory in their respective races for governor and senator in Tuesday’s midterm elections. Josh Shapiro was taking on Republican candidate Doug Mastriano, and the attorney general came out victorious with 56.3% of the votes, according to The Associated Press. For comparison, Mastriano only received a reported 41.9% of the votes. Mastriano and Shapiro were two polar opposite candidates, and this midterm election amplified those differences a thousand-fold. Mastriano gained notoriety as a leading voice in claims of voter fraud following President Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election. The ballot of this year’s midterms also held the future for a woman’s right and access to abortion. Shapiro has strongly stood in support of a woman’s right to choose. Looking at a slightly closer race, Fetterman took on Dr. Mehmet Oz for an open seat in the Senate. Fetterman was the winner by a much smaller margin of 51% to Oz’s 46.6%, according to The Associated Press. With the victory, Fetterman will succeed Republican Sen. Pat Toomey, who announced his retirement in October of 2020. In early polls conducted for the race, Fetterman led by a much wider margin. However, following a divisive performance by Fetterman during the televised debate in October, that margin narrowed significantly. Fetterman is still recovering from his stroke in May, but as he told NBC News, “I don’t think it’s going to have an impact, I feel like I’m gonna get better and better ev-

ery day.” Pennsylvania is a massive victory for Democrats, similar to its surprise turn in the 2020 election, a turn that guaranteed a victory for President Biden. However, while Democrats had success in Pennsylvania, the midterm still brought some major upsets as Republicans are still projected to take the majority in the House. Democrats took some crippling defeats like incumbent Gov. Ron DeSantis having a blowout victory in Florida over Democrat Charlie Crist. DeSantis has been eyed as a possible presidential candidate in 2024, and this victory in the Sunshine State could be the jumping off point he needed. Not too far from Florida, all eyes continue to stay on Georgia’s races as well. While Republican Brian Kemp had a 53.4% victory over Stacey Abram’s 45.9% for the governorship, the Senate race is far more complicated. Democrat Raphael Warnock and Republican Herschel Walker are locked in a close battle, with the margin being so tight that a runoff election will be conducted on Dec. 6. In Georgia, a candidate must receive 50% of the vote in order to be declared winner, and neither candidate has achieved that. However, while House control is likely to fall into the hands of Republicans, Democrats were dealt a strong hand when Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada won a close race and secured control of the Senate for the party. Masto defeated Republican candidate Adam Laxalt by a margin of .07% (48.8% to 48.1%). After the victory, President Biden told CNN, “I think it’s a reflection of the quality of our candidates.” While there has been no major outcry from both parties regarding the closer races, no major lawsuits have been filed as of Monday, Nov. 14.

Adam Beam/ The Slate

John Fetterman and Josh Shapiro, Pa.’s new senator and governor.

Tuesday, November 15, 2022

Allyson Ritchey/ The Slate

Chase Slenker, the former VP of finance, resigned last Thursday.

SGA members resign citing ‘hostile work envrionment’ Matthew Unger Asst. News Editor

Chase Slenker, vice president of finance for the Student Government Association (SGA), announced his resignation from the position during the Nov. 10 SGA public meeting, held in Orndorff Theater. Slenker’s resignation officially took effect on Nov. 11 at 4:30 p.m. “This has been the hardest decision in my life to make and is not one I have taken lightly. It has taken me months to come to this conclusion,” Slenker wrote in his official resignation letter. Slenker’s letter specifies the reason for his resignation. “As for the reasoning of my departure, I wish to share that it is very similar to our previous two SUSSI [Shippensburg University

Student Services, Inc.] Executive Directors, other SGA Executive Leadership Committee members and other former SUSSI staff members. I could do as most of them have done and said it was for ‘personal reasons’ with a shred of truth; however, this only perpetuates the longevity of existing problems. Shippensburg University has a culture problem and is visible in all areas of our campus. People are not treated with respect and professionalism. This has been the case for years and has grown and grown without check or recourse,” Slenker wrote. “SUSSI has become more and more exposed to this over time and has driven our last two Executive Directors away and will continue to do so until there is a cultural shift. Our employees are not respected as part of the University community. Our policies are not followed or re-

spected and, if followed, are done begrudgingly and with resistance. Our purpose and contributions to student life is not valued. Our financial situation is dismal, and our hands are tied on the revenue side by the University. This has affected our employees and has affected me beyond belief,” Slenker wrote. Slenker also wrote: “SGA has been the single largest learning experience in my life both in good and bad ways. Today I sadly share that I have hit my breaking point with all the politics and the hostile work environment.” Slenker’s resignation prompted three other SGA members of the Budget and Finance Committee — Matthew Leonard, Khalilh Jackson and Concetta Fischetti — to announce their resignations as well.


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
The Slate 11-15-22 by The Slate - Issuu