10-15-15

The Pitt News T h e in de p e n d e n t st ude nt ne w spap e r of t he University of Pittsburgh

PITT JOINS COALITION TO HELP LOW-INCOME STUDENTS The Coalition for Access, Affordability and Success hopes to streamline college applications for underprivileged students | by Shumeng Yang For freshman Abigail Vipperman, applying to college at the end of high school was a rush — but not the good kind.

“The admissions process was very fast paced,” Vipperman, a biology major, said. “It felt like everything was thrown at me, which was especially stressful since this was a such major life step.”

To help ease the admissions process for students like Vipperman, Pitt has joined a new coalition of more than 80 universities and pledged to make its application process smoother, especially See Admissions on page 2

Bike shop pedals to the high road Page 8

Behind enemy lines: Get to know Georgia Tech Page 12

October 15, 2015 | Issue 43 | Volume 106

Students discussed strategic goals in groups at Wednesday’s open forum. Jeff Ahearn |Assistant Visual Editor

BONNER SAYS CHANGE TAKES TIME

Elizabeth Lepro

Assistant News Editor Students once again offered their input on Pitt’s strategic plan Wednesday night — and some of them brought very specific questions and concerns to the table.

The University held its second open forum yesterday in the Connolly Ballroom of the Alumni Hall. Administration heard comments about two of the plan’s five strategic goals: advancing educational excellence and diversity and inclusion.

When he unveiled the plan, Chancellor Patrick Gallagher said it was meant to be a north star, but students came to the forum Wednesday night to talk about specific policy changes and financial concerns.

“We’re hearing a lot of issues that the students feel very passionate about,” David DeJong, vice provost for academic planning and resources management, said. “Some of these issues are right down the middle, but others are outside the scope of the plan.”

Joe Streets, the environmental chair for

Student Government Board, brought up sustainability in the plan — a specific topic that DeJong said was not part of the plan’s broad goals.

“The [institutional plan] is light on specifics,” DeJong said.

Around 40 students attended the forum — roughly half as many as there were at last Wednesday’s open forum.

Kenyon Bonner, the interim dean of students, said he and DeJong narrowed the foSee Forum on page 3

News Admissions, pg. 1

for underprivileged students.

In late September, Pitt joined the Coalition for Access, Affordability and Success, a group of colleges and universities that collectively announced a plan on Sept. 28, to make the college application more efficient and available to more students.

The coalition’s online platform will launch in 2016 and provide high school students with free tools to prepare for their college applications. The coalition will also introduce a new application process, similar to the common application, that all members will accept.

According to Kate Ledger, director of Financial Aid at Pitt, the University will use the new application — alongside its existing application — and the coalition’s online tools to reach students from primarily low-income backgrounds.

The platform will launch in April 2016, and students can use it to apply to colleges starting summer 2016, according to Marc Harding, Pitt’s chief enrollment officer.

In the coalition’s toolbox are online portals that will allow students to interact with their teachers, counselors and officials from universities as well as a “college locker,” which will serve as a resumé students can update over time. The college locker will be similar to the Box interface that Pitt uses and will allow students to document their extracurriculars.

The collaborative platform allows students to share elements of their resumé with their teachers and mentors, according to Julie Peterson, spokesperson for the coalition. The platform will also allow students and counselors to communicate directly with schools in

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lition to make sure stuthe coalition re meeting all of the apdents are n requirements. plication The coalition’s application re most helpful for stutools are dents who don’t have access to ive college prep proexpensive grams and whose schools rovide extensive coldon’t provide plication counseling, lege application ng to Harding. according ny high schools can“Many ford some of not afford lege counselthe college ls currenting tools ilable,” ly available,” Harding Many said. “Many school systems have a high counselor-tostudent ratio [making it difficult to providee one-on-one help to students].” dsay Page, an Lindsay nt professor at assistant ho has researched Pitt who for the School of Education, lished an October co-published tudy, “A Review 2014 study, of the Role of Colpplications on lege Applications ts’ PostsecondStudents’ utcomes,” that ary Outcomes,” h coalition’s li i ’ shaped the mission.

The study found that, in 2004, only 61 percent of the graduating class applied to at least one college, and this rate was even lower among low-income and first-generation students.

Among those who applied, 31 percent submitted only one application, 25 percent submitted two, 17 percent submitted three, and 27 percent applied to four or more colleges.

Pitt joins the list of universities to adopt the Coalition application.

Terry Tan | Staff Illustrator

“ T o do it well requires students and families to access a lot of information and get it organized,” Page said.

“The main application barriers are geographical, financial and informational deficits,” Page said.

The coalition will attempt to reduce these barriers by targeting low-income communities through schools and through community-based organiza-

October 15, 2015

tions that work to get students into college.

According to Harding, the goal of the online tools is to get students thinking about college earlier, so they are more in touch with the admissions process.

“The admissions process is a very transactional event,” Steve Orlando, a spokesperson for the coalition from the University of Florida, said. “By having students start collecting materials as freshmen, we get students into ll li ti i d t sooner a college application mindset and decrease the stress normally associated with a four-month process.”

The 84 member institutions include all of the Ivy League schools, as well as liberal arts universities, such as Haverford College and Williams College, and public and private research universities, such as Duke University and Penn State.

All schools involved in the coalition See Admissions on page 4

2

Forum, pg. 1 rum down to two subjects so students could form their ideas in relation to specific goals.

Pitt unveiled the strategic plan in September, an initiative that Pitt administration designed to act as a guide to Pitt’s goals over the next five years.

The plan garnered passionate responses from student groups like Americans for Informed Democracy, Free the Planet and Students for Justice in Palestine, who felt that the details were vague and lacked transparency.

The plan is meant to guide conversations, changes and programs within the colleges and among deans, organizations and departments within the University, DeJong said.

After a student asked what DeJong was doing with input after the forums, DeJong said he brings their questions and concerns up at weekly meetings with working groups.

Juan Manfredi, chair of the education portion of the plan, and Cynthia Golden, chair of the diversity and inclusion group, sat among students to listen to group discussions.

Students broke up into three groups of 10 to 15 as another new vehicle for discussion.

After the last forum, Bonner received emails and feedback from students that made him think he spent too much time answering questions.

“I don’t think students want to be lectured to,” Bonner said.

Students in the groups discussed a lack of readings from diverse sources in classes ranging from literature to philosophy, sexual assault standards on campus, merit and need-based scholarships, gender education for freshmen and support for part-time professors at Pitt.

In response to what students said was a lack of diversity in the curriculum of their classes, DeJong noted “reinforcing the value of diversity” and “inclusion of global per-

spectives” goals in the strengthening communities section in the plan.

“We should hear from a more diverse range of voices,” DeJong said.

Joseph Zubrow, a freshman undeclared major, talked about a new required diversity program, called “Building a Pitt Community,” during orientation week for freshmen.

The program debuted for the first time this fall in the Petersen Events Center.

During the program, students could, but were not required, to stand up if they identified with certain characteristics, including, male and female, binary, transgender and first generation.

While he appreciated the program overall, Zubrow said tactics like the standing activity are reductive when not everyone in the room is already versed in gender. “[Students] should know that it’s not limited to male and female,” Zubrow said.

This comment opened up a discussion in the room about general education requirements at Pitt.

Students like Beth Pindilli, a junior studying American Sign L a n guage, histor y and political science said general education requirements often forced her to take introductory classes. Other students in the group suggested a required general education requirement on diversity or gender.

DeJong said this a suggestion for a new requirement was a perfect example of something he would take to a working group. “[The diversity and inclusion group] is a potential vehicle to accommodate that goal in the plan,” DeJong said.

One of the concerns students brought up most frequently was about whether Pitt was providing a supportive environment for part-time and adjunct professors.

Junior Sam Lofquist said he has a professor who frequently jokes about having to

We should hear from a more diverse range of voices.

-David DeJong, vice provost

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See Forum on page 5

October 15, 2015

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Admissions, pg. 2 must have a graduation rate of 70 percent or higher. According to the Department of Education guidelines, Pitt’s graduation rate is 80 percent.

The coalition decided on this requirement because of a larger national debate about the value of a college education, according to Peterson.

Students enrolled in the member schools would have greater returns, as it is likely they’ll graduate, according to Peterson.

Private institutions must also provide sufficient financial aid to meet the full, demonstrated financial need of its students, and public universities must offer reduced in-state tuition for its residents and meet additional financial needs, according to Peterson.

Peterson said institutions can still join the coalition, which is overseeing the final stages of development and testing before the platform launches.

“The message we want to send to students is that college is within your reach, that it can be very affordable and that you can graduate,” Peterson said.

“It felt like everything was thrown at me, which was especially stressful since this was a such major life step.”

-Abigail Vipperman, freshman

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October 15, 2015

WRITER? PHOTOGRAPHER? GRAPHIC DESIGNER? CODER? WE’RE HIRING. GO ONLINE TO

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Forum, pg. 3 teach at multiple campuses and parking his car in the only free parking spaces — at the Schenley pool.

“He holds office hours in his car,” Lofquist said. “And we all have his cell phone number to ask him questions because that’s the only way to reach him.”

Andrew Woomer, a sophomore urban studies major, said professors shouldn’t have to be teaching multiple classes just to scrape by.

“Professors need to feel secure,” Woomer said. “I think we owe it to our professors.”

DeJong said he heard this complaint loud and clear and wants to provide a supportive working environment for everyone on campus, including part-time professors.

At the end of the forum, students expressed a desire for a third and final forum to address the last three goals of the plan: strengthening communities, building foundational strength and engaging in research of impact.

Bonner said at the beginning of the night that he didn’t think a third open forum would be necessary, as the turnout for this one was significantly lower than the first. After students said they wanted to talk about the rest of the goals, however, both DeJong and Bonner agreed to a third forum later this semester.

What students should keep in mind, Bonner said, is that he doesn’t have all the answers or solutions. There were instances where the only response Bonner and DeJong could provide was, “We hear you.”

Pitt has come a long way and still has

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progress to make, Bonner said, but the University “didn’t get to where we are today in a year.”

The forums are for hearing input and feedback, Bonner said, rather than debating back and forth. He advised students to let the working groups and appropriate deans and organizations have time to work out solutions.

“Some issues we already know, some are emerging,” Bonner said. “The expectation that all of these things will be resolved next week or next semester is not realistic.”

October 15, 2015

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Opinions from the editorial board

All high schools need social media policies When social media, students and teachers collide — inappropriate behavior is an avoidable outcome.

Plum High School, the only high school in the Plum Borough School District, faced a string of sexual assault cases when three of its male teachers were charged with carrying on inappropriate sexual relationships with their female students. Criminal affidavits indicated that the teachers used social media to contact alleged victims.

In response, the Plum school board will research and implement a policy that will limit social media contact between students and teachers at the end of December.

“The crisis and the egregious acts that happened in our district, it all began with social media,” school director Tom McGough said during a board policy committee meeting on Tuesday, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Social media has leaked into the educational system — a leak school systems can’t entirely plug. What schools can control, however, are the boundaries of its spread of influence, which they can achieve by utilizing it solely as an educational tool.

Social media platforms can help students craft connections with their teachers. A 2013 Pearson Learning Solutions survey found that 78.9 percent of students believe that the use of elearning and mobile technologies increased the teacher and student communication.

But these connections need appropriate boundaries.

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In 2012, New York City issued its first social media guidelines for teachers in the public school system. The set of guidelines is not an outright ban, but is rather aimed at making teachers aware of the importance of maintaining distance between personal and professional accounts. Plum should incorporate a similar set of guidelines in its policy and define boundaries, but not erase connections between students and teachers.

Schools shouldn’t only examine these boundaries following harmful incidents like the sexual assaults that occurred at Plum — every school should have a policy related to social media use, regardless of whether or not the school has experienced its effects.

And when it comes to Plum, social media wasn’t the real problem and doesn’t provide the fix-all solution.

Their policy initiative is a good first step for addressing inappropriate relations between teachers and students, but they should confront the root of the issue by reinforcing their faculty training on this subject.

According to the Post-Gazette, solicitor Lee Price said the school district should consider training the staff to recognize predators, but the school should also establish new policies to train students about appropriate relationships and how to file reports through the school’s anonymous tip line.

Plum should take advantage of these resources and keep educators from taking advantage of their students.

TNS

column

ART LABOR: IT’S A HARD-KNOCK LIFE Shengyu Wang Columnist

It has always been my dream to be a fashion designer or a painter, but the harsh reality is that if I stay in the arts, I’m most likely to stay in poverty.

After coming to Pitt, although primarily majoring in economics, I decided to add history of art and architecture as my secondary major. I’ve since learned that the prosperity of the art market is based on cheap art labor from low-income artists.

The art industry is hindering the economic potential of struggling artists, and we need to address the issues that artists face in the pursuit of their art. The creation of art is not purely an elitist interest — so why are they the only ones who can afford to pursue it?

Between 2005 and 2012 the average stu-

October 15, 2015

dent loan debt rose 58 percent to an average of $27,250, according to FICO, an analytics software company.

Student loans are the only ones that cannot be erased by declaring bankruptcy. Indebted art students are potential art workers, and their tough economic situation implies the severity of economic disparity in the art market and the urgency of solving unpaid and low-paid problems of people working for arts.

In recent years, the art market has boomed to record levels with an estimated $66 billion in sales for 2014, which was the highest sum since the pre-recession days of 2007, according to The European Fine Art Foundation’s annual art market report. However, the majority of this wealth goes to auction houses, galleries, dealers, See Wang on page 7

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Wang, pg. 6 collections, museums and a few celebrated art stars.

For artists whose works appeared on the auction market in 2013, 55 percent of the work sold was sold for less than $3,444.12, and 90 percent was sold for less than $57,402.00.

The activities of art industries are usually supported by employees who are paid standard or below standard rates, while a large number of artists and associates work without receiving payment. The latter contributes to the work of museums, galleries and even the production of someone else’ works of art without receiving financial compensation for their artistic labor.

These grievances are not isolated occurrences, and piling debt hurts and limits the quality of the art world.

Debtfair, an ongoing artistic campaign to expose the relationship between economic inequality in the art market and artists’ growing debt burdens, is attempting to develop a discussion about the effects that a growing mass of debt has on the work of artists.

The campaign features a site where artists can exhibit their work alongside short statements about their economic realities.

Individual artist debts are compiled into a running tally located at the top of the site to emphasize that debt is an issue that unites us more than it divides. Currently, the tally is at $1,962,082.67.

Greg Sholette’s book, “Dark Matter,” which Debtfair members like Noah Fischer, a New York-based artist and activist, have hailed, explores the “dark matter” hidden behind the shining art world — a huge mass of labor.

He argues that the labor of art workers, including assistants, installers, museum guards and adjunct professors, who generate valuable art objects and exhibitions, are confined to the bottom of the pyramid by art world institutions such as galleries, art fairs, art centers and auctions.

The hidden crisis of struggling artists is not a distant problem, it hits close to home, impacting artists in Pittsburgh.

This summer, as part of my honors thesis in the HAA department, I focused on the economic situation of art workers in Pitts-

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burgh. I collected a total of 36 questionnaires from artists working in various design fields in Pittsburgh.

When asked about their income level, 22 people determined their income level as being between the minimum wage in Pennsylvania, $7.25 per hour, and the mean of the national hourly wage of arts occupations, $26.82.

Four people determined that their incomes from art were less than the minimum wage, $7.25 an hour, and only six people earned incomes over $26.82 an hour. Four people were unable to answer the question because their income was unstable, they did not want to talk about their income or because they didn’t regard art in a material way.

For those who would discuss their income from art, 19 people were not satisfied or very unsatisfied, and 13 people were barely satisfied with their art income. Only two people were very satisfied with their art income.

Most respondents revealed that, at some point in time, they have worked in the arts without receiving payment. Sixteen people worked in unpaid labor very often, and 15 people worked as free labor but not very often. Merely five people were consistently paid for their artwork.

The unpaid labor mainly related to community service, volunteer works, favors for friends, internships and installation of exhibitions. Except for three people who did not answer the question, 24 indicated that they are against unpaid art labor, while only nine people thought art labor could sometimes be free for the reason of helping friends, the pleasure of volunteering or because they love art.

Most art workers are dissatisfied with their income from the arts. Most hold more than one part-time job to meet their living costs, according to my questionnaire results.

Every artist that chooses to forgo work in art due to economic instability is innovation lost from the world.

If your passion is work in art, prepare to devote a tremendous amount of cheap labor — for only the hope that stardom can bring you economic security.

The Pitt News Editor-in-Chief DANIELLE FOX

Managing Editor HARRISON KAMINSKY

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Elizabeth Lepro | Assistant News Editor Lauren Rosenblatt | Assistant News Editor Nick Voutsinos | Assistant Opinions Editor Chris Puzia | Assistant Sports Editor Jeff Ahearn | Assistant Visual Editor Danah Bialoruski | Assistant Layout Editor Sydney Harper | Multimedia Editor Jenna Stearns | Social Media Editor

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Editorial Policies Single copies of The Pitt News are free and available at newsstands around campus. Additional copies can be purchased with permission of the editor in chief for $.50 each.

Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the students, faculty or University administration.

Opinions expressed in columns, cartoons and letters are not necessarily those of The Pitt News. Any letter in tended for publication must be addressed to the editor, be no more than 250 words and include the writer’s name, phone number and University affiliation, if any.

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Shengyu Wang primarily writes about culture and social issues for The Pitt News.

Write to Shengyu at shw81@pitt.edu.

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Culture

GOOD WILL BIKING Garfield bike store offers free maintenance and cheap parts Jack Shelly | Staff Writer Imagine a bike shop where cyclists can have a tire changed, gears fixed or wheels trued without having to pay a penny.

That vision is a reality at Kraynick’s Bike Shop in Garfield, where customers can also receive free lessons on how to fix their own bikes.

J e r r y Kraynick has operated the store since 1976, after relocating to Garfield that year from North Oakland, where his father, the original proprietor, opened it in 1946.

Over the last 15 years, Kraynick has turned the store into more of a personal mission than a profit-seeking enterprise and now offers all of the shop’s services for free.

“It’s a co-op but better,”

he said, “because you don’t have to join, you just have to show up.”

Although customers pay for bike parts themselves — minus lubricant, which is free — they still pay well below market price, as most of the parts are used and donated by other customers.

which he said he bought for next to nothing in the 1970s. Customer donations and payments for the bike parts serve as the shop’s only forms of revenue.

Volunteers, who are mostly biker enthusiasts without any formal mechanical experience, come to his store to help other cyclists.

“I’m getting older, and I don’t want to work as much, which is why I need to have volunteers who can ensure this continues into the future,” said Kraynick.

The store is easy to miss, sandwiched between a cafe and a performance art gallery on a nondescript block of Penn Avenue in Garfield.

Inside, it’s larger than it looks, and creaky wooden staircases lead to two See Bikes on page 10

“It’s a co-op but better, because you don’t have to join, you just have to show up.”

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-Jerry Kraynick, owner Kraynick’s is able to operate without charging customers for services largely because its operating costs are so low. Kraynick doesn’t employ any paid workers and owns the building,

October 15, 2015

Jerry Kraynick stands in his Garfield bike shop. Jack Shelly | Staff Writer

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‘BRIDGEFEST’ A BITTERSWEET GOODBYE Nick Mullen Staff Writer

After 94 years, the Greenfield Bridge will go out with a bang.

The Greenfield Community Association will host “Rock Away the Blues Bridgefest” this Saturday to celebrate the bridge’s last day open to the public until demolition and rebuilding wraps up in spring 2017. With live music and food, the festival aims to highlight local businesses affected by the bridge’s closure, as the bridge provides an integral transportation link between Greenfield and Schenley Park, Squirrel Hill and Oakland.

“There are estimates as to the impact, but we are focused on monitoring the situation to determine where there are particular pain points and what might be done in response to those,” Mitch Margaria, the co-chair of Bridgefest said. “The Greenfield Community Association and the City ‘Bridgefest’ marks the crumbling connection’s final day open to the public. Nick Mullen [of Pittsburgh] are prepared to work to-

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October 15, 2015

gether and with the community to address the impacts as effectively as possible.”

Matt Singer, a legislative aide with District 5 City Councilman Corey O’Connor, who represents Greenfield, acknowledged that while the bridge’s rebuilding will temporarily pose a challenge, its lasting impact will benefit the area.

“While Bridgefest is meant to be a send-off, it’s also an opportunity to remind people that the neighborhood’s business district will still be open,” Singer said. “The Greenfield Community Association plans to use the funds generated from the event as a reinvestment in the community and the business district during the bridge’s closure.”

On and off the bridge from 4 p.m. to midnight, Bridgefest will host live music by local bands North of Mason-Dixon, Milly and Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers. People can shop for handmade items at I Made It! Market and dine from See Bridge on page 11

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Bikes, pg. 8 additional levels and a basement. Everything is covered wall to wall with inner tubes, rims and fork, as the store has accumulated decades’ worth of donated bike parts.

Pittsburgh bikers can come in with anything from a flat tire to a broken chain, and Kraynick or a volunteer will not only fix it for them, but also teach them how to fix it themselves.

“The great thing about [Kraynick’s],” said Bob Walsh, a longtime volunteer, “is that it gives bikers the ability to go out by themselves on the road and know they can take care of problems they might encounter with their bike themselves.”

Kraynick, who used to be a physical education teacher, said free advice is the heart of his store. Many customers learn for the first time how to perform simple bike tasks, like changing an inner tube or oiling gears.

The goal, said Kraynick, “is that they’re able do it themselves next time

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around.”

True to his DIY approach, Kraynick relies on word-of-mouth advertising, much of which comes from his significant community outreach.

Kirstyn Gudknecht, a senior urban studies major, heard about the shop from some of her “experienced biking friends,” and brought in her old 1967 Schwinn Suburban earlier this week.

“I’ve been wanting to learn how to fix it up myself for a while, but never made the time to invest in it,” she said. “I walked in, and a guy named Jerry comes over immediately to admire my bike and offer help finding the parts I need.”

When she went to check out she was a dollar short, but Kraynick told her to get him back next time.

Kraynick’s goodwill extends past the shop, too. For the past four years, he has worked with the Salvation Army collecting unwanted children’s bikes and donating them to underprivileged Pittsburgh youth. As enthusiasm for the program grows, Kraynick often runs out of space to store the several hundred donated

bikes.

Inside the shop, customers and volunteers of all ages and ethnicities come together to work in a collaborative atmosphere. Kraynick describes it as a community “melting pot,” unifying residents from surrounding Garfield, Lawrenceville, Bloomfield and Friendship.

A common thread of biking, Kraynick said, connects the blue collar worker with people of all different backgrounds — the young professional, the ItalianAmerican Yinzer and the recent immigrant from Africa.

On one occasion, Daniel Cristobal, a devoted volunteer, was chatting with a customer he was helping when they realized they were both from the same village in the Philippines.

Cristobal said he considers himself part of the larger biking community in Pittsburgh. He is a Pitt School of Medicine alumnus and has been biking since he was a teenager.

“I feel like I was part of the generation of ’90s kids in the area who would just bike from Forrest Hills to Squirrel Hill

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for something to do,” he said.

Cristobal said he’s pleased with what the success of biking community’s work in Pittsburgh. Over the last five years the city has increased the number of bike lanes and in April Mayor Bill Peduto called for “complete” streets — a policy that would bring more bike lanes to high-traffic streets, like the Oakland section of Forbes Avenue.

Non-profit organizations such as Bike Pittsburgh have been key players in lobbying the city to adopt pro-biking policies. Their executive director, Scott Bricker, was named one of the “50 Most Powerful People in Pittsburgh” by “Pittsburgh Magazine” over the summer.

As the city continues to expand its biking culture, Kraynick’s shows no sign of change.

“It’s important to have a place where bikers can learn to fix their own bikes with advice from their neighbors,” said Gudknecht. “In an increasingly bikefriendly city like Pittsburgh, I hope we see more of these types of shops opening up.”

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Bridge, pg. 9 food and beer trucks.

The biggest allure, though, is a concluding raffle that will determine who gets to detonate the bridge’s implosion this December.

Margaria said the Greenfield Community Association decided all of the entertainment and content for the party would showcase what Greenfield has to offer to the rest of the city.

“It was really important that this be a hometown goodbye, with elements that celebrate the neighborhood and the region,” Margaria said.

The bridge has been referenced on “60 Minutes” and “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” as a symbol of America’s crumbling infrastructure. Built in 1922, Oliver joked about how the City addressed concerns of falling concrete from the bridge by constructing a second bridge beneath it in 2003, just to catch falling bits of concrete.

The bridge officially closes to vehicular traffic on Friday, October 16. The demolition crew plans to close Parkway East between Wilkinsburg and Oakland during a five-day period between Christmas and New Year’s Day, bring in a bed of dirt, implode the bridge, clean up the mess and get to work on a replacement.

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The replacement bridge, which the Greenfield community helped design, will feature a green steel arch instead of the current concrete design. It will keep the same vehicular configuration with one lane headed toward Schenley Park and two toward Greenfield, but will have wider vehicle lanes and two new five-foot bike lanes. The city will preserve some original features of the bridge though, including decorative urns and original light poles.

Many local residents, including Rob Davis, 26, agree that something must be done about the dilapidated bridge, but worry about everyday life during the closure.

“The bridge closure will disrupt my commute from Greenfield to Oakland,” Davis said.

“I feel that without [the bridge], it will disrupt Squirrel Hill, Regent Square and parkway traffic [too].”

Singer said getting around the bridge closure won’t be easy, but it is an opportunity for the community to come together.

“By no means is this going to be an easy time for the community. It will require a lot of changing of normal routines, and a lot of patience,” Singer said. “However, Greenfield will be able to weather the closure of the bridge by coming together as a community, and as a city.”

PITT POETS FINALISTS FOR NATIONAL BOOK AWARD Jack Trainor Culture Editor

Pitt is well represented in this year’s 20 National Book Award finalists.

Pitt English professor Terrance Hayes was nominated Wednesday for his assortment of linguistic and investigative poems, “How to Be Drawn,” published by Penguin Books in March.

Ross Gay, another Pittsburgh poet, was also nominated for his “Catalogue of Unabashed Gratitude,” which the University of Pittsburgh Press published in January.

This is Hayes’ second nomination for the award, which only one other finalist of the 20 has achieved — Young People’s Literature genre author Steve Sheinkin. He

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won the award in 2010 for his previous poetry collection, “Lighthead.” Hayes was also a guest editor for the 2014 edition of the annual “Best American Poetry” series, which collects the best contemporary American poetry of each year.

Speaking about winning The National Book Award for “Lighthead” in a 2010 interview with The Pitt News, Hayes credited his professors for his continued interest and success in writing.

“I remember my three poetry professors: Ed Ochester, Lynn Emanuel and Toi Derricotte,” he said. “They were three distinct poets and teachers. Each was encouraging and engaging. I try to be a poet that combines all they taught me about mind, body and spirit.”

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Sports

BEHIND ENEMY LINES: GET TO KNOW GEORGIA TECH Dan Sostek Sports Editor

Pitt will have to find a way to contain Justin Thomas on Saturday. Jeff Ahearn | Assistant Visual Editor

The Pitt News: Do you think the 2-4 start for Georgia Tech is a result of tough scheduling, or have the Yellow Jackets played poorly to merit that record?

the team is totally out of sync. Offensive linemen and A-backs are repeatedly missing their blocking assignments. [Georgia Tech Quarterback] Justin Thomas is making incorrect reads on the option on some occasions, and I suspect it is because he does not yet trust the youth and inexperience at the A-back position. Defensively the team is playing moderately well, but they are giving up far too many big plays. If the defense can focus on doing their jobs and sticking to their assignments, they should be able to limit the number of big yardage plays that they allow. and maintain a consistent pace throughout the game.

TECHNIQUE: The team has certainly looked bad over this four-game losing streak, and they deserve their 2-4 record. Offensively

TPN: Justin Thomas has completed under 50 percent of his passes but has a 9-3 TD/ INT ratio. How would you evaluate his per-

With Saturday’s Pitt football matchup against Georgia Tech looming, The Pitt News spoke with the school’s student newspaper to provide some context about the 2015 2-4 Yellow Jackets’ squad.

Technique sports editor Joe Sobchuk answered some of The Pitt News’ pressing questions on Georgia Tech’s struggles, quarterbacks and injuries.

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formance thus far?

TECHNIQUE: I would say that Thomas is playing fine both throwing the ball and running the option. His main problem is that he does not have a great supporting cast around him. Sure, his passes could be more accurate and his decision making could be better, but he is the main reason the offense has any success at all. His two wide receivers from 2014 both graduated and were taken in the NFL Draft, and the offensive line has not been blocking nearly as well as they should be. Combine that with injuries and inexperience at both the Aback and B-back positions and it is no wonder why the offense has not put up the numbers that they did a year ago.

TPN: Pitt ranks sixth in the nation in rushing yards allowed per game. Do you

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think the Georgia Tech offensive line will be able to handle Pat Narduzzi’s aggressive defense?

TECHNIQUE: Honestly, I think Pitt will not have much trouble gaining penetration and slowing the option down for minimal yardage.

With the relative lack of talent we have at wide receiver, teams have been stacking nine men in the box to stop the option, and the offense has been running nowhere against this look. I am not sure if head coach Paul Johnson or Justin Thomas trusts the receivers enough to audible to a passing play out of the option and hit one of them deep against single coverage, so for now the team is stuck with too many defenders ready to blow up the running game.

TPN: Georgia Tech lost running backs See Georgia Tech on page 14

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HOLTZ NAMED TO WATCH LIST Pitt senior tight end J.P. Holtz received some recognition on Saturday, as the John Mackey Award selection committee named him one of 33 finalists for the annual award

by Dan Sostek

The John Mackey Award selection committee has named Pitt senior tight end J.P. Holtz to the award’s midseason watch list, Pitt announced Wednesday morning.

The Mackey Award is given annually to the best tight end in the nation. Last year’s winner was Nick O’Leary, a former Florida State tight end who now plays for the Buffalo Bills.

Holtz joins 32 other tight ends on the midseason watch list. According to Pitt’s release, the committee described this year’s race as the most “wide open” since the award’s inception in 2001.

Besides being a strong blocker in J.P. Holtz has started 40 of 44 games in his Pitt career.

Pitt’s running game this year, Holtz Jeff Ahearn |Assistant Visual Editor

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October 15, 2015

has been an offensive asset for the Panthers. He’s hauled in nine receptions for 138 yards and two touchdowns.

Holtz, a Shaler Area High School graduate, has played in all 44 games of his Pitt career, starting 40 of them.

The John Mackey Award committee will announce the semifinalists for the award on Nov. 16, and will announce the finalists on Nov. 24.

ESPNU will air the presentation of the winner on Dec. 10, as part of the “Home Depot College Football Awards Red Carpet Show.”

Holtz and the Panthers travel to Atlanta for their next game, where they will face the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Kickoff is at 12:30 p.m.

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Georgia Tech, pg. 12 C.J. Leggett and Nate Cottrell and had Erinn Joe, Demond Smith and Chris Milton injured against Clemson. Which of these is the most significant loss?

TECHNIQUE: The Jackets will be feeling Chris Milton’s loss the most as his skill set at the cornerback position would have been helpful in trying to cover Tyler Boyd and the rest of the Panthers’ receiving corps.

TPN: Which player on offense and defense on the Yellow Jackets do you expect to make an impact on Saturday against the Panthers?

TECHNIQUE: In order for the Jackets to score enough points to win the game, Thomas will have to make a huge impact. He runs the offense, and so much of the team’s success is determined by how well the quarterback makes his reads and eludes defenders. Defensively, cornerback D.J. White will have a tall task in covering Tyler Boyd. With the injury to Milton, I expect White to be on Boyd for most of the game with safety help over the top. If he can keep up with Boyd and limit his catches and yardage, it will give Tech a much better chance at winning this game.

TPN: What’s your final score prediction?

TECHNIQUE: 27-24 Pitt.

The Pitt News SuDoku 10/15/15 courtesy of dailysudoku.com

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October 15, 2015

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