The Pitt News The independent student newspaper of the University of Pittsburgh | PIttnews.com | November 30, 2017 | Volume 108 | Issue 76
Committee to consider sustainable investment
DANCE BREAK
Madison Hook Staff Writer
Student activist Sarah Grguras says people often ask her what the money Pitt invests in the fossil fuel industry could go toward. Her response? “Literally anything.” “They could invest in the Pittsburgh public schools, or they could invest in us,” the junior environmental science and ecology major at Pitt said. “It could really cause a ripple effect if a huge university like Pitt decides to divest [from fossil fuels].” After years of outrage and protests against Pitt’s controversial investments in the fossil fuel industry, the University will consider the opinions of Pitt students like Grguras and faculty members thanks to the appointment of a socially responsible investing ad hoc committee. The original divestment committee — appointed in May 2016 by University Senate Council President Frank Wilson — comprised only University Senate Council members. Wilson and the rest of the divestment committee then presented a resolution for a socially responsible investing ad hoc committee — which would include student and faculty representation — first to the University Senate Council and then to the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees approved the committee early this semester. The ad hoc committee will focus on changSee Article on page 2
A group of students practice the Filipino dance tinikling to a Bruno Mars’ song in Posvar Hall Wednesday night. Chiara Rigaud | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Grad students rally against gop tax plan Salina Pressimone
Wednesday afternoon outside the Cathedral of Learning against the tax plan as part of a Andrew Bellesis faces new decisions about nationwide effort to #SaveGradEd. Graduate his career prospects as the recently introduced students at universities across the country, inRepublican tax bill looms over the potential cluding Harvard, the University of Maryland and the University of Kansas collectively ralcost of his next five years at Pitt. “We will defeat this bill,” Bellesis, a first- lied as part of the National Day of Action to year biophysics Ph.D. student, said through protest the bill. The event on campus was planned by his megaphone. “And in the long run we will Socialist Alternative Pittsburgh, the local defeat their power.” Bellesis and about 40 others rallied chapter of a national organization “fighting in [their] workplaces, communities, and camStaff Writer
puses against the exploitation and injustices people face every day.” Brennan Chambre, a Master of Fine Arts candidate at Pitt, is involved in both Socialist Alternative Pittsburgh and the Graduate Student Organizing Committee and said the nationwide rally was important for uniting all those who would be affected by the tax plan — including graduate students, immigrant communities and elementary and high school See Rally on page 3
News
ASA, BAS EXPLORE RACIAL IDENTITIES
Anandhini Narayanan Staff Writer
When Olivia Carter asked the 20-something students gathered in a single-file line in the William Pitt Union to step back if they’d ever “endured physical or verbal abuse due to [their] race,” the majority of them moved out of line. This “line game” was part of a larger conversation about race, identity and privilege that took place Wednesday night. The event — hosted by the Black Action Society and Asian Student Alliance — aimed at examining issues that black and Asian communities in America have in common. The activity’s goal was to demonstrate the different privileges that exist within the minority community, according to Carter, a junior sociology major and social action co-chair of Black Action Society. “There’s a lot of preconceived notions that minorities have about each other that is not addressed in mainstream conversation. When we have a chance to meet up and discuss these things, it’s valuable to get each others’ opinions,” Carter said. The event also involved a presentation that the BAS and ASA worked together to create, titled “Making Monoliths and Cultural Appropriation.”
Investment, pg. 1 ing Pitt’s investment priorities, an issue was first brought to the surface by student environmental organizations, Wilson said. “[The socially responsible investing ad hoc committee] started with a committee formed to look at fossil fuel divestment and that was at the initiative of student groups and faculty members,” Wilson said. One of the student groups that helped uncover the University’s controversial investments was the Fossil Free Pitt Coalition, a group formed in 2014 made up of 49 clubs such as Pitt Men’s Rugby and the Muslim Student Alliance. For three years, the coalition pressured University board members through protests and letter drops. The group met with the University Senate Council faculty committee last year, and the faculty committee ultimately voted for the creation of the committee to support and research the environmental and financial implications of divestment in fossil fuels.
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and ASA also defined terms such as racial monolithization — treating entire groups of people as if they have the same goals, wants and needs without intersecting identities, and racial and cultural identity. First-year environmental science major Kris Ramstrom acknowledged there were times when his racial identity had been assumed for him. “My parents are both first generation immigrants. I don’t look that Asian, with tiny eyes that people usually point out in other Asian people,” Ramstrom said. “I get really tan in the summer so people would ask if I’m Hawaiian or Samoan.” Ramstrom isn’t the only one that expressed an instance where he was misunderstood. One student in BAS said they are always the one to raise their hand in class and say something “problematic” — or share a viewpoint about issues that the majority of students in the class might not be aware of. But the student said they have learned Jasmine Green and Albert Tanjaya discussed the difficulties both Afri- not to care if their opinion bothers others. can-American and Asian-American communities face during an event “I won’t stunt my humanity for anyone, so Wednesday night. Issi Glatts | staff photographer that means don’t be afraid to be that person who The first segment explored Asian-American his- which can be traced back to the civil rights move- does that,” the student said. Students also discussed the criteria that tory and African-American history. Event attend- ment when Asian-Americans took part in civil determine when an action constitutes cultural ees then examined the earliest relations between rights protests and the Black Power movement. See Intersectionality on page 7 the Asian and African-American communities, During the presentation, members of the BAS The University, sitting on an endowment of $3.5 billion each year, invests at least $26 million of that into an offshore fossil fuel fund, according to information the University released to the Fossil Free Pitt Coalition in February 2016. Of the $26 million invested in fossil fuels, the University invests about $18 million in oil and natural gas companies and about $8 million in coal companies. Wilson has doubts about these numbers, though, saying that the $26 million likely only accounts for direct investment in fossil fuels, instead of representing all funds that contribute to fossil fuels. “It was clear it was only the direct independent investment,” Wilson said. “But there is still more because a lot of those conglomerated kinds of funds they invest in weren’t included in there too.” The University invests about $2 billion of its endowments in commingled funds — funds that distribute the money among a number of different companies — according to informa-
tion previously published by The Pitt News. It’s possible some of these commingled funds invest in companies that produce fossil fuels. Grguras, who acts as a core organizer for the Fossil Free Pitt Coalition, said despite the coalition’s efforts, details of many of Pitt’s investments are kept under wraps, with Chancellor Patrick Gallagher often declining right-toknow requests. This makes it nearly impossible for students or faculty to find out information regarding how the endowment funds are being used, she said. “The University hasn’t been very transparent when it comes to their investments,” Grguras said. “We pay tuition money, so this is our University, not theirs.” The University declined to answer questions regarding its disclosure of information about investments and about how much money Pitt’s fossil fuel investments generate. But these investments in the fossil fuel industry, Wilson said, are part of a much bigger issue — how public universities use their en-
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dowments. “There’s a debate on what should be the driving force behind endowment investments — if it should be just money, or more than that,” Wilson said. “We need to look at socially responsible investments while also trying to make the world a better place.” This is one of the reasons, Wilson said, the socially responsible investing committee will be made up of a small group of people that will represent the community and bridge the gap between Pitt students, faculty and administration. “Our goal is to open up some dialogue between faculty and students and even trustees who hold a lot of the power,” Wilson said. Isabelle Ouyang, a junior English writing major and member of the Fossil Free Pitt Coalition, said as a student at this University, it’s not comforting to know Pitt invests in harmful industries. “We come here because Pitt is promising to See Investment on page 7
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Rally, pg. 1 teachers. “For me this kind of event is important because it links up different struggles under a collective banner — that is, opposition to this bill,” he said. Many graduate students currently get their tuition waived in exchange for teaching or research activities. But the proposed tax plan — called the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act — includes a repeal of Section 117(d)(5) Qualified Tuition Reduction Programs of the current tax code. This section exempts qualified tuition reduction, or any reduction in tuition provided to an employee, from being counted as taxable income. Its repeal means graduate program tuition support could become subject to taxation depending on the department and subject of study. According to Shailendra Gajanan, professor of economics at Pitt-Bradford, the tax plan would affect graduate students who borrow money because they cannot afford a program by demoting the interest deduction on their debt, in addition to those who receive tuition waivers. Gajanan said the bill, if passed, would result in a 300 to 400 percent tax increase for graduate student workers in particular and would ultimately result in a drop in graduate student enrollment.
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“If the tax burden is not going to be written off, then I am afraid that student enrollment for people who borrow money to attend graduate school is going to be made more difficult,” he said. Gajanan explained the tax increase would be a problem since graduate student workers don’t receive money up-front. “The income is not visible. The income is in terms of benefits and the only income [graduate students] have is living expenses,” Gajanan said. “You are taxing human capital, and that is a major, major problem.” Gajanan also said, considering the approximately $913 million the government allots to the war in Iraq and Afghanistan per day, the elimination of education deductions would be insignificant compared to what could be saved from budget adjustments in other sectors, such as the military. “Under the grand scheme of things, it’s not even a drop in the bucket,” he said. Bellesis said the bill could require grad students to alter their education plans, switch universities or even quit their programs. “I don’t come from money, and my family cannot afford to support me for five years during my Ph.D.,” Bellesis said. “It could easily knock me out of science.” Beth Shaaban, a graduate student in her last year in the department of epidemiology in the Graduate School of Public Health at
Pitt, explained how the graduate student contracts complicate these financial concerns. “Both international students and students within the U.S. are obligated either by visa or by contract not to be having another job, so we really can’t plug the hole that this is going to cause unless some policies are changed,” she said. Shaaban has been a lead Graduate Student Union organizer at Pitt and said the organization has been working to combat the plan through various letter-writing campaigns, events to call lawmakers and awareness activities to educate the Pitt community. If the bill is passed before the academic year ends for most students in the spring, many students like Chambre may not be able to finish programs they are almost done with. “It could feasibly make my last semester unfinishable,” Chambre said. “I’ve heard that it could affect our January paychecks, and that could be disastrous just for me to finish my degree.” The bill would tax international students even more, according to Gajanan, making it more difficult for Pitt to support international students, such as Golnar Touski, a secondyear grad student from Iran studying history of art and architecture. She spoke at the rally about how the tax bill targets international students, who can’t take out federal or bank loans in most cases.
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“Honestly, I’ve been looking into European schools at this point, because going back home without a degree is not going to help me find jobs or improve my life,” she said. Aside from Europe, Touski said she is also considering programs in Canada, where she has family, because going back to Iran is out of the question. “For many international students from war-torn countries, going home is not an option,” she said. Losing international graduate students would significantly harm the quality and competitiveness of research institutions like Pitt, Gajanan said. Because international students could end up with a higher tax bracket, many will only consider programs with the highest financial aid. “Top universities like Pitt need not just American students,” he said. “They need international students because the best talent is out there in the world.” But the bill and its effects are not yet set in stone. Shaaban said the GSOC will continue its efforts to educate students and obtain signatures on letters to bring to Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., next Wednesday. “Unions are interested in collective bargaining, but in addition unions also engage in collective action,” she said. “That’s what you’re seeing now.”
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Opinions from the editorial board
column
In cases of sexual misconduct, no story is too small
A productive yet misrepresentative three-way debate
To bring down Harvey Weinstein, it took the accounts of thirteen women. It took five to bring down Louis C.K. And yesterday, it took just one woman’s account of sexual misconduct to bring down ex-NBC “Today” host Matt Lauer. After The New York Times released the story, NBC took swift action, firing Lauer just a few hours later. Rapid decisions like this — especially when made against staple figures in American culture — are key to dismantling the institutional plague of sexual harassment and misconduct. Lauer had been a vocal presence in American living rooms for more than 20 years as a primary host of “Today” and a frequent host of holiday events and special programming. His persistent appearance for two hours of every episode helped him forge a powerful relationship with viewers — a role he seems to have abused over the course of his career. The New York Times described his time at NBC as a “difficult” period for the network, during which Lauer seemingly had even more power than executive producers. He also turned this power against women in more inapproriate ways — the impetus for his firing was a complaint against him regarding his alleged involvement with a subordinate female employee spanning as far back as 2014. In a statement sent to “Today” employees yesterday just minutes before the show went live, NBC Chairman Andy Lack said there was reason to believe it wasn’t just an isolated incident. And NBC clearly made the right
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decision in immediately firing Lauer. Hours after the announcement, NBC received at least two new complaints against Lauer — proof that when accusations of sexual assault are taken seriously, more women feel empowered to share their stories. Perhaps that’s precisely what happened yesterday — Lauer wasn’t the only media star to fall. Garrison Keillor, longtime host of the popular radio show “A Prairie Home Companion” on Minnesota Public Radio, was fired after MPR received reports of “inappropriate behavior” Keillor allegedly engaged in with an associate. And Keillor himself has held some controversial viewpoints, to say the least. Just hours before his firing, The Washington Post published an op-ed he wrote titled “Al Franken should resign? That’s absurd.” In it, Keillor argues Democratic Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota, who admitted to groping and forcibly kissing a female colleague while overseas with the United Service Organization entertaining U.S. troops, should absolutely not resign over the controversy. Thankfully, Keillor wasn’t making the decision when it came to his own employment. As more and more public personalities — liberal and conservative alike — are found to be alleged sexual harassers, more stories come forward. And if these stories keep coming from national and regional sources, nothing’s stopping it from being a local issue. No story is too small to share — and hopefully, the growing seriousness of sexual assault will prove it.
Ben Sheppard, senior debater for Pitt Students for Liberty, addresses the crowd at Tuesday’s event. Sarah Cutshall | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Neena Hagen
For The Pitt News At colleges across the country — from California to the University of Connecticut — political events frequently turn violent. So when I got to room 324 of the Cathedral of Learning Tuesday evening for the Pitt Political Science Student Association’s three-way debate between Democrats, Republicans and Libertarians, I braced myself for a barrage of jeers and taunts from both sides. But much to my surprise, Tuesday’s event was a civil discussion on local and national politics focused on issues such as health care, student loans, criminal
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justice and terrorism. Two members each from Pitt College Republicans, Pitt College Democrats and Pitt Students for Liberty participated in the debate — but what was clearly missing was a strong liberal voice to balance out the constant hammering of rightwing talking points. Jeff Migliozzi, a junior marketing major and president of Pitt Progressives, echoed this dissatisfaction in a Facebook post Nov. 9, the day Pitt PSSA announced the debate. “It’s disappointing that left wing views will be excluded from this debate,” he wrote. “Extreme right wing and libertarian vs democratic centrists hardly seems See Hagen on page 5
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Hagen, pg. 4 like a well rounded balance of ideas.” The Libertarians and Republicans agreed almost entirely on the issues of health care and student loans, the two main economic issues in the debate — leaving the Democrats often completely double-teamed. And the Pitt College Democrats were inconsistent in pushing for left-wing policies. They sometimes supported key issues, such as free higher education, but other times, they completely failed to do so. For example, when it came to health care, a single-payer system was integral to 2016 presidential candidate Bernie Sanders’ campaign and the leftmost ideology of that election. Single-payer health care, however, was noticeably absent from the Pitt College Democrats’ agenda. The Democrats also lacked passion and conviction in their arguments, struggling to make themselves stand out on a stage with four staunchly right-of-center opponents. If they’d had more liberal support on stage with them they could’ve stood a chance — but the debate didn’t provide other liberal viewpoints. The Pitt Progressives and other leftwing groups, such as the Democratic Socialists for America, could have contributed to a passionate support for leftwing politics on stage — but the debate moderator and president of Pitt PSSA told The Pitt News the organization was not actively seeking new groups for its programming this year. Thus, many of the progressive organizations on campus were overlooked. Admittedly, the debate wasn’t entirely fair because of a lack of adequate representation on the left. But the right-wing slant was certainly a welcome change of pace for Pitt’s political climate — or any university in this country, which mostly lean liberal in their politics. Ben Sheppard, a libertarian debater for Students for Liberty, said afterward the debate had a “good amount of tension” and he believed the event was educational for both the audience and debaters. But the student body’s response to these right-wing talking points was even more notable than the points’ presence themselves. The audience remained civil throughout the entire event, politely ap-
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plauding points they had earlier scoffed or rolled their eyes at. This is a massive improvement upon many conservative events hosted at universities across the nation, in which students have rioted in protest of inflammatory right-wing speakers and caused millions of dollars in damages and prompted massive security fees. Just last year, violent protestors at California State University, Los Angeles, blocked the entrances to an event held by right-wing pundit Ben Shapiro. And at Berkeley earlier this year, rioters shut down an event put on by controversial conservative speaker Milo Yiannopoulos — the security costs to the city alone were more than $800,000 for the 15-minute long speech. While this was merely a school debate and not an inflammatory outside speaker, the crowd seemed far more accepting of conservative students at Pitt than rightwing pundits anywhere else in the country. The stark contrast between the response to the debate at Pitt and the response to conservative views elsewhere cannot be overstated. When it comes to accepting students’ free speech, Pitt is clearly moving in the right direction — so perhaps the apparent lopsided nature of the debate wasn’t as much a failure as it was a learning opportunity. But still — for the sake of fairness — we must ensure our political debates accurately reflect the opinions of the general student body, so we can adequately represent them in our intellectual discourse. Ultimately, the Pitt College Democrats failed to represent true liberalism — an ever-growing political ideology for many on Pitt’s campus. They proposed inconsistent viewpoints, allowing the conservative opponents to flourish in the debate — and from the start, even those on stage knew that was going to be the case. “Tonight on stage, there are two other parties — on one hand I have the party of corruption and control, on the other hand I have the party of big war and big government,” Sheppard said in his opening statement. “And to be honest with you, I can’t tell which one is which.”
The Pitt News SuDoku 11/30/17 courtesy of dailysudoku.com
Ben Sheppard is a columnist at The Pitt News.
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Culture
AN ASYLUM FOR ARTISTS:
Students intern at a sanctuary for exiled writers Salina Pressimone
Staff Writer Rebecca Martin stares in awe from behind the “Banned Books” shelf in her volunteer T-shirt inscribed with the words “City of Asylum” written out in four different languages. She yields to occasional orders from Leslie, the supervisor for the night, greeting and registering guests as she tries to muster up the courage to talk to iconic punk poet Eileen Myles, who is reading from her new book, “Afterglow (a dog memoir).” Martin is an intern at the City of Asylum @ Alphabet City, a nonprofit organization and bookstore located in Pittsburgh’s North Side. Founded by Diane Samuels and Henry Reese, it provides sanctuary for literary writers in exile from their home countries. The writers — previously from countries such as China, Bangladesh, Iran and Syria — are typically exiled because of controversial writing and are granted housing for up to four years if their application is accepted. The organization provides financial and medical support for artists and their families for two years as they adjust and stabilize their lives in the United States. Pittsburgh is one of three cities of asylum, and is the only one that is a grassroots organization rather than an institutionally sponsored program. The other two cities are Ithaca, New York, and Las Vegas. The organization moved from its hand-painted, intimate space on Sampsonia Way to a revitalized venue on North Avenue to expand its reach and open up a bookstore and restaurant. Currently, the organization hosts two writers in exile but focuses largely on organizing events for artists to share their writing, films or music. Registered event attendees range from all ages and backgrounds, and walk-ins are welcome to go and listen for a song or two and relax with a glass of wine from the restaurant bar. While the organization has already provided six established writers with a place of refuge to freely express their art for the past 14 years, it is increasingly welcoming uncertain Pitt students to its creative space as well. The City of Asylum offers internships for college students who are looking for an escape from their work-study programs or other local jobs. The interns, most of whom come from the English and arts depart-
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The City of Asylum at Alphabet City, located on North Avenue in the North Side, provides a temporary home for writers who are exiled from their native countries. Wenhao Wu | ASSISTANT VISUAL EDITOR ments, work 15 to 20 hours per week for no pay and usually, despite the organization’s offer to provide it, no academic credit. The program also offers new internships for the fall, spring and summer terms and entails administrative work, event planning and event management. Natasha Neira, the administrative assistant at City of Asylum, helps interview intern applicants and said the process is designed to identify students with the most interest and passion in their work. “We really don’t specify by major at all — it’s more just desire, because there are many facets to any office,” she said. “Even if you’re not necessarily a writing major or in poetry or whatever, our work here crosses a lot of different things.” After reviewing resumés and interviewing students, who typically hear about the opportunity through Pitt’s
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English department and email correspondence, the team selects five to six interns every term. Two current Pitt interns, senior English writing and gender studies major Martin and senior linguistics and English literature major Connor McCoy, both applied for the position at the start of the 2017 academic year, went through an interview process in the office and were notified of their selections. The internship is a bit of a step outside of their usual comfort zones, as the seniors have grown accustomed to working solely for money. “This is my first unpaid internship. I’m suffering for my art, so to speak. But it’s good, I really like it,” Martin said. Martin doesn’t know what she wants to do after graduation but hopes to keep working on and promoting See Asylum on page 9
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Investment, pg. 2 better our futures, but they are also investing into an industry that is actively contributing to the destruction of our future,” Ouyang said. Pitt spokesperson Joe Miksch said the University will create a separate committee of financial experts, put together by Gallagher, that will make recommendations regarding fossil fuel investment once the socially responsible investing ad hoc committee collects
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its findings on the topic of divestment. Although the ad hoc committee’s start date is unknown and the committee still awaits commitment from several members, Wilson said once everything is finalized the University will take suggestions from the community in regard to fossil fuel investments. “We have to face the complexities of this,” Wilson said. “It’s a matter of our future.” Isabelle Ouyang previously wrote for the opinions desk at The Pitt News.
Intersectionality, pg. 2 appropriation — the adoption of elements of one culture by members of another culture. Ramstrom said it’s possible for people to be inspired by cultures unlike their own without appropriating them. “I think cultural appreciation turns into cultural appropriation when the person makes profit off of it, or makes some sort of gain,” Ramstrom said. “It’s necessary to show that you understand or respect the culture.” Sophomore computer science major and ASA Advocacy Chair Albert Tanjaya said groups such as ASA and BAS can be allies and help each
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other understand their respective race struggles by learning about the history and issues of other minorities in America. “We are all living in this new era where we are trying to become more appreciative and promote equality among each other while suppressing racism,” Tanjaya said. “Kids are growing up and learning everyone is equal, but we can’t accept equality without context and understanding the history within each racial group.” This event was the first time the BAS and ASA collaborated. Tanjaya came up with the idea for a collaboration between the ASA and BAS after being elected as the ASA advocacy chair, with the goal of reaching out to other minority groups on campus. He approached Jasmine Green, social action co-chair of the BAS, with the idea a couple of weeks ago. “Jasmine suggested the idea of monolithization, while I suggested we discuss cultural appropriation,” Tanjaya said. “This event may also pave way to future collaborations between ASA and BAS.” Ramstrom said the event was a good way for him and other members of ASA to get in touch with people of another race and culture that they didn’t know much about. “We aren’t going to get together like this all the time, but in the meantime we need to have these conversations on a microscale, one-on-one with our peers,” he said.
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Sports
WISCONSIN BADGERS PITT, 58-57
opened the quarter with a free throw to ing and continued to stretch its lead, going on a 7-0 run. Nelson halted the run tie up the game. Staff Writer After two baskets from the Badgers, when she nailed a 3-point shot to make The Pitt women’s basketball team had Pitt’s first-year guard Pika Rodriguez the game 24-20 with 3:27 remaining. a last-second chance to win its Wednesday night game against Wisconsin, but when the ball ricocheted off the rim as time expired, it was the Badgers who stood victorious. The team entered Wednesday’s game on a three-game winning streak with its previous loss from a Nov. 16 match against Duquesne. The streak ended with the team’s 58-57 loss to Wisconsin in the annual Big Ten/ACC challenge. The Panthers also lost last year’s close contest to the Purdue Boilermakers, 67-61. “We made plays and got stops, held them to five points [in the fourth quarter],” head coach Suzie McConnell-Serio said. “We just didn’t make enough plays offensively.” Offensively, the Panthers struggled to find their shot to start the game, going just 5-15 from the field in the first quarter. The focus seemed to be on creating open looks at the three as the Panthers shot the ball six times from beyond the arc in the first quarter. Even though Pitt struggled to make its shots, it managed to string together a series of early baskets to claim a 6-2 lead. The Panthers started sluggishly against the Badgers, especially in rebounding. Wisconsin doubled Pitt’s rebound total, 12-6, in the first quarter. Pitt’s strong defense kept the team in the competition and forced Wisconsin to commit seven first-quarter turnovers. The only Panther to hit a 3-point shot was first-year guard Kyla Nelson, who drained a buzzer-beating 3-point shot from the wing to end the first period and Sophomore guard Alayna Gribble drives for the basket in Wednesday cut the Badgers’ lead to 13-12. night’s game. Sarah Cutshall | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER The Panthers stuck to their shooting ways in the second quarter and it paid off Both teams continued to find shootsquared up at the arc for a 3-point shot. as they shot 5-8 from the arc in the secWisconsin had more success with shoot- ing success in the final minutes of the ond quarter. Redshirt junior Yacine Diop
Grant Burgman
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half. Nelson led the Panthers with nine points at the half, scoring all of her points from the three to go 3-3. Despite Pitt’s hot shooting, though, Wisconsin held the lead at the half 31-29. Entering the game, Nelson was shooting only 28 percent from the three. She said her teammates helped her find her confidence against Wisconsin. “I know my coaches and my teammates have faith in me, and I know at the beginning of the season I wasn’t hitting shots and I did in the first half,” Nelson said. “It all comes from the confidence my teammates have in me and finding me the ball in the right position.” The Badgers’ first-half performance helped them lead the Panthers in rebounding, 24-10. Junior forward Marsha Howard was the star for Wisconsin, putting up eight points and eight rebounds in the first half and shooting 4-5 to start the game. Both teams traded baskets to start the second half with the Panthers taking a 33-31 lead nearly two minutes in with a jumper from Diop. The lead was Pitt’s first since it held a 6-4 lead with 4:07 left in the first quarter. Diop became Pitt’s spark plug in the third quarter after shooting 0-5 in the first half. She started well, scoring the team’s first four points. In total, Diop had 11 points in the quarter, shooting 4-4 from the field and 1-2 from the free throw line. Diop attributed her strong second half to a more relaxed approach to the game. “I just have to tell myself, ‘Slow down, read how they’re playing and just read the defense,’” Diop said. “I was telling myself it’s the second half, it’s a brand new game, so just forget about what happened in the first half.’” Diop’s scoring was not enough, though, as the Badgers seized control of See Basketball on page 9
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Basketball, pg. 8
Asylum, pg. 6
the game in the third quarter. After Pitt took its lead with 8:06 remaining, Wisconsin went on a 22-10 run to close the quarter. The Badgers led by a score of 53-43 at the end of the third. The Panthers were locked in on defense to start the final period, forcing the Badgers to commit four turnovers in the first five minutes of the quarter. Pitt junior center Kalista Walters ignited the Panthers’ defense with two huge blocks to start the fourth. Walters almost sent the ball into the first row with a ferocious block on Wisconsin senior guard Cayla McMorris with 6:04 remaining. The defense led to offense as the Panthers went on a 12-2 run to start the fourth, tying the game at 55 with a 3-point shot from the wing from Rodriguez with 4:36 left in the game. After trading the lead twice more, Panthers trailed the Badgers 58-57 when they forced the Badgers into a shot clock violation, getting the ball back with 15.4 seconds remaining. After two fouls on two separate inbounds plays the Panthers finally got a shot off from sophomore guard Jasmine Whitney. The shot clanged off of the rim and time expired. Wisconsin walked away with the 58-57 victory. The Panthers travel to Bronx, New York, Sunday, Dec. 3, to play the Fordham Rams with tipoff set for 2 p.m.
her poetry wherever she ends up. She said she saw the internship mainly as an opportunity to get her foot in the door of Pittsburgh’s growing arts community. “I wanted to think more about what I’m going to do after I graduate, and what kinds of people in Pittsburgh I’m interested in interacting with and working with in a personal way,” Martin said. “This is good to see what’s even out there for me to do.” Attending events with some of her favorite poets has been a highlight, according to Martin. She tries her best to schedule her work days to align with the appearances of some of her inspirations, such as Myles. “I was freaking out,” she said. “I talked to Eileen briefly — I don’t know, sometimes I’m still starstruck,” she said. McCoy also has an academic interest in the work City of Asylum does. He currently works at the University Art Gallery in Frick and said
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he enjoys learning about different languages and cultures. “I like doing things that help other underprivileged people,” McCoy said. “I like talking to people from other cultures and other countries.” He even noted how some of the translation work he has helped the organization with for artists or films at certain events correlates with his studies in classes, such as Irish Gaelic, and he often tries to identify the differences between languages. “Sometimes I’m wondering as I’m reading the subtitles if what they’re saying gets across,” he said. “I’m trying to hear the rhymes as they happen in their language.” McCoy said he saw the real impact of his work with the organization one night when the staff passed out signs with endangered writers’ names on them and their current status in their countries. “Around halfway through the event they ask the crowd to hold up these placards with all different names and they take a photo and post it on Facebook,” he said. “A lot
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of people see that and that’s kind of a show of solidarity.” Junior history of art and architecture major Emma Vescio interned at City of Asylum during the last spring semester, and while her experience did help her learn that programming and event planning were not where she wanted to take her career, it did shape her plans. “[The experience] told me that I would want to work in a nonprofit. Even though it’s a lot of hard work, I think it pays off really well,” Vescio said. While City of Asylum looks toward their interns first whenever a new full-time position opens up, interns’ plans for what comes next after their work in Alphabet City can often look as puzzling as alphabet soup. Their interests, however, seem to find logical order. “I want to keep doing stuff like this, whether it’s at a nonprofit or not,” McCoy said. “Just being an American who wants other people to come in, and showing hospitality.”
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I N D E X
Rentals & Sublet • NORTH OAKLAND • SOUTH OAKLAND • SHADYSIDE • SQUIRREL HILL • SOUTHSIDE • NORTHSIDE • BLOOMFIELD • ROOMMATES • OTHER
For Rent North Oakland 3 BR Apartment. Available August 1, 2018. $1320-$1620 +gas & electric. 412-441-1211. info@ forbesmanagement. net. www.forbesmanagement.net. 3,4,6 houses available January and August 2018. Lawn St. Ward St. Call 412-287-5712.
4BR house, 2 bath. Newly remodeled, wall-to-wall carpeting, equipped kitchen, on busline, 15 minute walk to campus. $250/ person+ gas/electric. Call 412-548-2214. 6 or 7 BR House on N. Dithridge St. Available beginning in August 2018. 3 full bathrooms. 2 kitchens. 10 rooms total, on 3 levels, with one bathroom on each level. Refrigerators, ranges, ovens, dishwashers included. A/C. Washer and dryer in basement. On Pitt and CMU shuttle routes. $3600/month + gas and electric. Owner pays water, sewer, and city garbage collection charges. Please leave message at 412-372-9185.
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Employment • CHILDCARE • FOOD SERVICES • UNIVERSITY • INTERNSHIPS • RESEARCH • VOLUNTEERING • OTHER
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South Oakland
South Oakland
** 5 Bedroom/2 full bath; HUGE HOMEduplex style, three stories. COMPLETELY REMODELED, 2 living rooms, 2 kitchens, 2 dining rooms, LAUNDRY and a huge yard to enjoy! Huge Bedrooms! Located on Dawson Street. PITT Shuttle stops directly in front of house, only 15 minute level walk to PITT/CMU. $3,495+. Available 8/1/2018. NO PETS. Call Jason at 412-922-2141. Pictures- Info: tinyurl. com/pitthome
2-3-4-5-6-7 bedroom apartments and houses available in May and August 2018. Nice, clean, free laundry, includes exterior maintenance, new appliances, spacious, located on Meyran, Bates, Oakland, Semple, Wellsford, Dawson, Juliet. 412-414-9629.
**AUGUST 2018: Furnished studios, 1,2,3,4 bedroom apartments. No pets. Non-smokers preferred. 412-621-0457. 1 & 2 Bedroom Apartments. $1015 + electric, $1599 + electric respectively. Available August 1, 2018. Louisa St. 412-441-1211. info@ forbesmanagement. net. www.forbesmanagement.net.
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 Bedrooom Houses. August 2018. Bouquet St, Meyran, Semple, Neville, Chesterfield. 412-287-5712.
4 BR Home - Semple Street, located near Louisa. Equipped Kitchen, Full Basement. New central air added. Renting for August 2018. (412) 343-4289 or 412-330-9498. Apartments for rent. 2,3,4, and 5 bedroom apartments available. Some available on Dawson street, Atwood street, and Mckee Place. Newly remodeled. Some have laundry on site. Minutes from the University. For more info please call Mike at 412-849-8694 Available January 2018! Spacious 2 bedroom apartment Newly updated, fully furnished kitchen Very close to campus on Atwood St. 24 Hour Emergency Maintenance Secured Building $1450/month
notices
• ADOPTION • EVENTS • LOST AND FOUND • STUDENT GROUPS • WANTED • OTHER
Robb Real Estate Co., LLC Ph: 412-682-7622 Before signing a lease, be aware that no more than 3 unrelated people can share a single unit. Check property’s compliance with codes. Call City’s Permits, Licensing & Inspections. 412-255-2175. M.J. Kelly Realty. Studio, 1, 2, 3 and 4 Bedroom Apartments, Duplexes and Houses. N. & S. Oakland from $750-$2500. mjkellyrealty@gmail. com. 412-271-5550. www.mjkellyrealty. com Oakland Ave. - Garden Court Apartments. Charming 2BR, hardwood floors, free heat. Move in May 1 or Aug. 1, 2018. Call 412-361-2695. Ward & S. Bouquet Streets - Studio, 1, 2 & 3BR apartments. Free parking. Move in May 1 or Aug. 1, 2018. Call 412-361-2695
Rental Other 624 Minnesota St Pittsburgh PA 15207 3 bedroom 1 1/2 bath Newly updated2 blocks from Greenfield Bridge. Large kitchen, Washer & dryer included. Rent $1100/ month. Call Jimmy 412-400-7997
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Two business days prior by 3pm | Email: advertising@pittnews.com | Phone: 412.648.7978
Rental Other Apartment for rent. Highland Park area, 3rd floor, 1BR, private entrance, $700/ month +electric. 412-719-0321.
Employment Employment Other OFFICE INTERN Shadyside Management Company seeks person w/ min 2 yrs. college, for upcoming spring semester, to interview & process rental applicants, do internet postings & help staff our action- central office. Part time or full time OK. Starting in January; full time over summer. $13/ hour. Perfect job for current sophomores & juniors, graduating seniors set to enter grad school, returning grad students, and firstyear law students! Mozart Management 412-682-7003 thane@ mozartrents.com
Services Other House cleaning: Oakland House, undergoing renovations, needs cleaner/ organizer one day/ week. References & background required. 412-414-7290. Phlebotomy Training Centerwww. justphlebotomy.org 2 evening classes weekly, 5 weeks + excellent Clinicals. Call 412-521-7334.
Services Services Other Cell Phone & Computer Repair. Atlas. 4753 Liberty Avenue Bloomfield, Pittsburgh PA 15224. 412-681-2092.
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