Homecoming 2k14

Coach Mihalik pumps up the crowd at pep rally!
SRU Colorguard and Band During Parade
SRU Cheerleaders Chant During Football Game
Results of the 2014 Homecoming King and Queen
Interview with Alex Mowrey, Homecoming Court

Bid Day Fall 2014!

Should we ban drug testing in the workplace?

In 1986, the Reagan administration recommended a drug testing program for employers as part of the War on Drugs. Since then, questions have risen as to if drug testing should be allowed in the workplace. Many companies will stand by it, while others view it as a violation of human rights. Why won't certain companies drug test (click here)? Which side is right!?

When it comes to drug testing, there are many common questions that may spring into ones head, such as "Why do companies drug test?" The main reason is that drug abuse creates health and safety hazards that can result in decreased productivity and poor working habits from the employee. Using drugs can also lead to added costs for the company in the form of health care claims. It is stated that short-term disability claims are the most common. Transportation and safety-sensitive companies are obligated to drug test by certain federal agencies, such as the Federal Highway Administration. However, many view "forced" drug testing as a violation of human rights.

Invasion of privacy is the biggest issue concerned with drug testing. Urinalysis, the most common form of testing, requires the employee to pee into a cup that is sent to a lab for further testing. In many cases, there is usually another person observing the employee, making sure there is no tampering of the urine sample. What most people don't realize is that urinalysis reveals much more than drug use. The Washington D.C. Police Department has admitted in the past that they have used drug test samples to screen female employees for pregnancy, without their consent.

In recent years, our country has seen the legalization of marijuana in a few states, Colorado being the prime example. Being that marijuana is the number one drug that an employee is usually tested for, what does this mean for drug testing in the workplace? To many peoples surprise, employers can still fire marijuana smokers for legal use. Don't believe me? Read it here. Drug testing may be inevitable for certain employees, whether it is legal or illegal.

For more information on drug testing and drug-free workplaces, visit this website.

Hey! Look over here!

Hey there! My name is Ryan Dietrich and I am currently a senior at Slippery Rock University. I'm currently studying Sociology Culture and New Media, a Bachelor of Science in Professional Studies, as well as a minor in History. Doing this allows me to study three subjects I'm interested in, as well as pursue any one of them at a graduate level, among other majors. I am a member of Pi Kappa Alpha, one of the many social fraternities we have on campus. I have a love for photography and baseball. Both impacted my life greatly throughout high school. Unfortunately, I did not pursue either one when coming to college due to a few choices I had made. Recently, I started getting back into both and I have been much more content with my life because of it! Career wise, I am looking into either doing social media for a video game company or a baseball team, preferably the Pittsburgh Pirates. I also have an interest in ancient history, possibly pursuing a career in digital archiving and historical photography. 

Ever since college, I have been quite active on all forms of social media. Back in freshman year, I had no idea they would expand and grow the way that they have. Whether it is Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, you will see me either ranting or posting something ridiculous on one of them. Instagram is my favorite, being that I am into photography and "Social" photography is becoming quite the activity these days. Twitter is genuinely how I get most of my news, as well as Facebook. 

I enrolled in New-Media Journalism for a couple of reasons. The first being that part of my major is new media. I'm not always the biggest fan of media. Watching the news is not something I enjoy. It's too depressing. I think that's why people are taking to social media to get the news out. It allows us to be selective listeners and pay attention to what we want to hear. In my case, ignoring the depressing news. Secondly, I took this class because I knew it would give me valuable skills that I will be able to use in my future career. The media is an ever-changing object in our lives that will never go away, only evolve into something bigger for us to use. Why would I not want to take a course in that?! To add to this all, Dr. Zeltner is an awesome professor to have! I highly suggest you take one of his courses if you get the chance!

A non-traditional news source I frequently use is the radio, specifically 96.1 Kiss FM. This is a Pittsburgh based radio station I have become very fond of over the last years, a lot of it is because of Mikey and Big Bob. If you don't know who they are, I highly advise listening to one of their Morning Freak Shows. They're hysterical! Other than their show, if music isn't playing, I won't listen to other people talk or ads. I'll just flip through the stations until I find something I like.

I'm very fond of a couple of new media outlets. The first I mentioned above is Instagram. Initially, it started out as people posting amazing pictures of nature, scenery, etc. It has developed into pretty much people posting their twitter and Facebook pictures to their Instagrams, which is a little disappointing. I really think people need to reconsider what they use Instagram for. I miss all the incredible pictures that used to be uploaded! Another big outlet for me is Netflix. The amount of time I have wasted on it is immeasurable. With that being said, I wouldn't take any of the time back, ever. It's convenient being able to watch shows at your own pace. Our world today is very busy and not many people want to sit down at an exact time to watch a show. It is much more convenient to do it whenever time is available.

Well, I think that is plenty for my first blog! Start following my blog to keep updated with everything I will be doing this semester!  See yinz soon!!!