12-05-2018

Page 1

The Pitt News

T h e i n d e p e n d e n t s t ude nt ne w spap e r of t he U niversity of Pittsburgh | PIttnews.com | December 5, 2018 ­| Volume 109 | Issue 74

HOME SWEET HOME

SGB PUSHES FOR STRICTER LAWS ON FIREARM SALES Emily Wolfe

Senior Staff Writer

Students construct gingerbread houses at Pitt Program Council’s “Gingerbread House Making” event Tuesday evening. Knox Coulter | staff photographer

SOLAR ENERGY SHINES IN THE CITY Emily Drzymalski Staff Writer

Renewable energy in Pennsylvania has a cloudy past. But the future of the state’s solar energy pursuits is bright — and Pitt plans to contribute, projecting that 50 percent of its energy will come from solar and other renewable sources by 2030. But Pennsylvania will undertake its solar project first. As a result of a twoyear award of $550,000 from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Sunshot Program, the Commonwealth plans to reduce solar energy costs by 50 percent from 2020 to 2030 in a project called “Finding Pennsylvania’s Solar Future.” “Sunlight is [a] plentiful source of en-

ergy,” Paul Leu, a Pitt associate professor of engineering, said in an email about the importance of solar power. “More energy from sunlight hits the earth’s surface in one hour than all of humanity uses in one year.” According to Leu, harvesting solar energy is simple. But factors such as accessibility and cost prevent many people from embracing solar. “Solar cells absorbs [sic] sunlight. The absorbed sunlight [creates] charged carriers that separate and create DC current flow. An inverter converts the DC electricity to AC electricity, which you can use [in] your house,” Leu said. But according to Solar Power Authority, the cost of installing solar panels was

between $7 and $9 per watt, meaning installing a standard five-kilowatt system, which can produce up to 850 kilowatt hours of AC power per month, could cost between $25,000-$35,000. The average American household uses more than 800 kilowatt hours per month, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. “[The] biggest obstacle is probably the economics of people purchasing solar,” Leu said in an email. “Obstacles in PA are low electricity prices, limited state support for solar, the decreasing federal solar tax credit, and not as much sunshine.” According to Pennsylvania Solar Energy Industries Association, Pennsylvania See Solar Energy on page 2

After more than a month of trying to help Pittsburgh heal from the Tree of Life shooting, Pitt’s Student Government Board has set its sights on making change in Washington. In an open letter to representatives and lawmakers, the board called for stricter laws surrounding the ability to purchase assault weapons to prevent similar tragedies. At SGB’s weekly public meeting Tuesday night, President Maggie Kennedy said the board will deliver the statement to legislators early in 2019. “Action must … be taken by our lawmakers to create policy that actively prevents future tragedies,” the statement read. “It is time for our lawmakers to put aside partisanship. This is not a matter of Democratic or Republican affiliation, but rather of safeguarding the most fundamental principles upon which our nation was built.” SGB’s statement called for legislators to pursue “stricter regulation on the sale of assault weapons,” including the expansion of background check requirements, closure of the “gun show loophole” and the ban of bump stocks. The last of these, at least, is likely already on its way — the Trump administration has announced its intent to roll out a ban on bump stocks in the near future. Kennedy cited other comments from Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., and President Donald Trump that echo the measures detailed in SGB’s statement. See SGB on page 2


News Solar Energy, pg. 1 is currently ranked 22nd in the country for solar energy, with 0.2 percent of electricity from solar. In the next five years, Pennsylvania’s solar consumption is projected to grow by 567 milliwatts. Leu is hopeful that the 10 percent increase will help Pennsylvania rise from its 22nd ranking, putting it toward the forefront of solar energy. A report from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection said there could be a benefit of $1.6 billion from 2018 to 2030 annually in-state if the 10 percent goal is met. In an email written by Ellie Cadden, a junior environmental studies major, on behalf of the Student Office of Sustainability, she explained what the benefits and importance of solar energy are. “Sustainable energy practices are crucial for the transition from our dependence on fossil fuels. Overwhelming evidence suggests the immense benefit from renewable energy production, including job creation and of course, reducing our carbon emissions as

SGB, pg. 1 According to Kennedy, the board has searched for ways to aid the community since the Tree of Life shooting. Board member Rajaab Nadeem suggested calling for gun regulations and the board agreed to pursue it. The statement was written primarily by Kennedy and SGB Operations Director Jon Shaiken, who consulted with SGB adviser Steve Anderson and Dean of Students Kenyon Bonner in the drafting process. “Per the advice of a couple of experts in Washington, we are hopefully going to be utilizing the people who have signed on from across the country to send it to their representatives because frankly it just means more [to legislators] if it’s coming from their own constituents,” Shaiken said. After publishing the statement on Facebook Monday morning, the board asked readers to sign a petition supporting the regulations. The petition passed 250 signatures Tuesday afternoon, and the names of all who sign will be added to the final version of the statement that is distributed to legislators. But Kennedy said a large number of signatures isn’t necessary for the statement to serve its purpose. “It’s cool to get a lot of signatures, but at the end of the day, we hope that somebody who has the power to pass something legislatively will listen,” Kennedy said. “If we only get 300, but a legislator sees this and decides to revisit

pittnews.com

much as possible,” Cadden said. Although the solar energy increase is a government-funded project, there are still many obstacles. Aurora Sharrard, Pitt’s director of sustainability, said solar energy is difficult to market because the process of obtaining renewable energy certificates from the Environmental Protection Agency can be difficult. “A renewable energy certificate … represents the property rights to the environmental, social and other non-power attributes of renewable electricity generation,” the EPA’s guidelines say. “RECs are issued when one megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity is generated and delivered to the electricity grid from a renewable energy resource.” Solar energy is a renewable resource, but solar panels are not. The process of mining rare earth metals needed for the panels can be detrimental to the environment — polluting water supplies through mining runoff, for example. And because solar panels have a defined lifespan, replacing them can be challenging. “A lot of other states are currently focused on what

happens to solar panels at the end of their life because they have installations that have been up for their full lifetime — being 20 to 30 years — so they’re looking at how to do that at scale,” Sharrard said. “There are definitely overall lifecycle impacts that need to be considered.” As a campus, Pitt is planning to include more renewable energy. According to Sharrard, Pitt plans to produce and procure about 50 percent of electricity on campus by renewables. In addition, Pitt signed a letter of intent to purchase 100 percent of energy from a low-impact hydroelectric power plant last week. The plant is not yet built, but is projected to start running in 2020 and will supply an estimated 25 percent of Pitt’s power — meaning between solar and hydroelectricity, Pitt could meet its 50 percent goal. “Climate change is the environmental challenge of our generation,” Sharrard said. “And renewables have to be a solution to not just mitigating climate change, but actually slowing down greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere.” Daniel Walsh | STAFF ILLUSTRATOR

a bill that’s already been brought up or introduce a new bill that would follow up on these goals we’ve set up, that would be amazing.” But sometimes there is power in numbers — especially during election season. Elections Committee Chair Katie McLaughlin introduced Board Bill 61 during the meeting, an updated version of SGB’s Elections Code. Voting in this spring’s board election will take place at the URL elections. pitt.edu instead of its old home, my.pitt.edu. Along with a new web address for elections, the new Bill 61 proposes considerable election finance reform. SGB will vote on the bill after returning from break. SGB has amended its elections procedures before, McLaughlin said, but these changes have tended to address fixing the bill’s grammar and formatting rather than altering its content. This year, the Elections Committee is trying to implement more significant changes that will make election procedures more fair. “This year, we really focused on changing the context of the bill. We’re trying to make the election more accessible to low-income students,” McLaughlin said. Running for board is an expensive endeavor. Campaign spending is capped at $1,200, and individual students often spend hundreds of dollars out of pocket to be competitive candidates, according to McLaughlin. Under the new bill, the deposit students must pay to run for board would be lowered from $100 to $50 and the Elections Committee

December 5, 2018

would offer financial aid to candidates that require it. “Originally, no SGB committee could give money to any campaign. We’re looking to change that so the Elections Committee is able to reimburse candidates on a need basis, individually,” McLaughlin said. “We’re not throwing out any specific numbers because we don’t know how many people are going to be applying, but we’re hoping to give everybody who applies something to ease that burden in any way we can.” The Diversity and Inclusion Committee hopes to pursue its own initiative in the spring term — closing the distance between students and the Pitt Police. Tabitha Barnes, who chairs the committee, met with a representative from Pitt Police last week to address concerns regarding the lack of a strong line of communication from police to students. “We’re trying to find a way where we can establish a clearer mode of communication and improve positive interaction,” Barnes said. “Our committee is also brainstorming ways in which we can help them do that.” Barnes plans to campaign for greater student awareness of Pitt Police resource and hopes that, in turn, Pitt Police will have an involvement in SGB programming. “We’re interested in is getting [Pitt Police] involved in Student Government Board initiatives like Neighbors Week,” Barnes said. “They’ve agreed to be a part of that and kind of teach from a Pitt Police perspective, how to be a great neighbor.”

2


Opinions

Pitt sustainability initiatives insufficient

from the editorial board

Pittsburgh ordinance stifles community voices

The Pittsburgh City Council passed an ordinance two months ago ostensibly aimed at including community input in city planning and development — but if implemented, it has the potential to do just the opposite. The ordinance is meant to be a process for community groups to become formal advocates for their neighborhoods, known as Registered Community Organizations, earning a seat at the planning table when developers come to town. But instead, the process of becoming an RCO may end up stifling community input. “We developed this legislation as a means to integrate community-based organizations and public engagement into our current and long-range planning processes,” Andrew Dash, Pittsburgh’s assistant director of strategic planning, wrote in an email to PublicSource. “For developments, this allows part of the required public process to occur in the community with standards that give a RCO the opportunity to have the time to decide to take a position, neither of which were required beforehand.” A cursory glance at the ordinance seems to confirm this. The City would notify RCOs of proposed projects in their neighborhoods, public meetings between RCOs and developers would be mandated and neighborhood plans from RCOs could be formally adopted. But the process to become an RCO could stifle community voices at every step while allowing City officials to pick and choose who to include. Some community groups say they weren’t notified of the ordinance’s passage — and each neighborhood is encouraged to only be represented by one RCO. Many of Pittsburgh’s 90 neighborhoods have multiple community groups with legitimate concerns regarding future development, but the ordinance makes no mention

pittnews.com

of how their input will be valued if they are outcompeted by a community group in the same neighborhood for the position of RCO. Organizations seeking to represent their neighborhoods are required to obtain a signed letter from the City Council member who represents the neighborhood, a requirement that effectively serves as a de facto ban on including the input of organizations at odds with City Council members. Other barriers to becoming an RCO include being a registered nonprofit and a website to post information about regular meetings. Potential RCOs must also have an identified geographic boundary. But these types of requirements are at odds with how community organizing and activism looks today, and could make participation difficult for groups like the Coalition of Organized Residents of East Liberty. The organization, which has expressed interest in becoming an RCO, doesn’t have a website — just a Facebook page. The combined weight of these requirements needlessly pushes out voices that do not possess the resources and capital to meet all of these requirements. An inability to meet these requirements does not equate to invalid or unnecessary input. “This is straight-up a piece of legislation that was designed to muffle the voices of those who are the most vulnerable elements within our particular communities and make way for even more increased gentrification,” Khalid Raheem, an activist and North Side resident, said in a statement to PublicSource. The Pittsburgh City Council hopes to portray the ordinance as one that respects the voices of the communities they have a professional commitment to represent. But instead, it is exclusionary and only serves the interests of the council members who enacted it.

Leah Mensch

For The Pitt News Perhaps the only thing Pitt loves more than Cathy is sustainability. The school launched its “Year of Sustainability” — which set various sustainability goals for the University — in 2014, and ever since, has encouraged sustainability at an administrative level. But it’s clear that students, who actually have the power to make a difference, are falling short of the University’s sustainability standards, so Pitt needs to reevaluate its approach to encouraging sustainability on campus. The Pitt sustainability website homepage displays a colorful list of several basic sustainable tips — recycle, don’t take showers during heavy rain, turn out the lights, buy local food, etc.

Below the list of tips, the website has a list of ways students can participate on campus, ranging from things such as drug take-back stations and the Pitt Pantry to Thriftsburgh and utilizing the recycling bins on campus. But despite all of these student sustainability initiatives, the most basic rules of recycling haven’t permeated throughout the student body. Recycling cans are often ridden with soiled food containers — such as greasy pizza boxes, half full Dunkin’ cups and Chipotle take-out bags with guacamole residue. Not only can these items not be recycled, but they can actually contaminate an entire batch of perfectly recyclable products if the contaminants spread. Pitt spokesperson Joe Miksch did See Mensch on page 4

About 25 percent of all recycling picked up by waste management is sent straight to the landfill due to contamination, according to a study by The New York Times. Thomas Yang | ASSISTANT VISUAL EDITOR

December 5, 2018

3


Mensch, pg. 3 not respond in time for publication to specific questions, but provided The Pitt News with information directed toward students, including the Student Green Guide and a link to the Student Office of Sustainability’s website. According to The New York Times, about 25 percent of all recycling picked up by waste management is sent straight to the landfill due to contamination. Miksch did not say how much recycling is sent to the landfill at Pitt. Any object smaller than 2 by 2 inches cannot be recycled — including bottle caps, plastic straws and most plastic cutlery. Unfortunately, many students are unaware of the most basic recycling standards, making participating in sustainability nearly impossible. The University of Northern Iowa did a 2014 survey and study of students on campus and found students often don’t recycle because they don’t know how. “I honestly don’t think I have ever rinsed something out before I recycled it, which is scary because I consider myself a really conservation conscious person,” Emily Maloney, a sophomore majoring in speech language pathology, said. “I honestly don’t think any of my friends do that.” It is not just a few clueless students who aren’t well informed on the basics of recycling — not all cities accept the same array of recyclables, which makes learning the specifics quite complicated. On the bottom of all recyclable items, there is a number that determines the category of recycling the product belongs in. Pittsburgh does not recycle category No. 6 products, such as egg cartons or meat packages — even if they are rinsed — and most types of takeout containers. The EPA recommends calling your township and asking what their recycling protocol is — but there are other, more student-friendly ways the City and the University can assist students with recycling. The University provides recycling bins in each individual residence hall room and in various places around the

pittnews.com

campus — making recycling very accessible. The University’s sustainability initiatives are admirable, but they are pointless if they don’t call students to action — which they largely haven’t. Instead of promoting a top-down approach to sustainability, Pitt should work with student organizations to have their message percolate into the student body — and that starts with holding regular workshops to combat sustainability illiteracy. For example, if Pitt offered OCC credit for a Recycling 101-type seminar, they would likely get a very satisfying turnout. “My residents are really determined to complete the OCC … a lot of them are really passionate about sustainability. I think the University would get a really good turnout and the topic fits the OCC perfectly anyway,” Stana Topich, a sophomore Towers resident assistant majoring in rehab sciences, said. The University should also hang signs in the trash room — an easy, but effective method. The residence hall trash rooms are a frequent stop for most students. Such a policy would satisfy the “mere exposure effect,” a theory that claims the more people see one thing, the more likely they are to perform that action. “There’s that huge sign above the one bin that says you can’t put greasy pizza boxes in the recycling,” Kelly Ward, a sophomore chemistry major who lives in Ruskin Hall, said. “That’s really all I know about recycling rules since I see that sign every time I go to take our trash out.” The University has the right intentions when advocating for sustainability across campus — but it needs to get the message across to students to encourage greater participation. Empowering student organizations, setting up workshops and putting up fliers with basic recycling rules would be a huge help to everyone on campus. These small efforts can make a huge difference for Pitt — education has a domino effect. And with close to 20,000 students, if even a tiny fraction of students began recycling properly, Pitt would make greater progress toward achieving its sustainability goals.

The Pitt News Editor-in-Chief CHRISTIAN SNYDER

Managing Editor JANINE FAUST

editor@pittnews.com

manager@pittnews.com

News Editor HANNAH SCHNEIDER

Opinions Editor MAGGIE DURWALD

news@pittnews.com

opinions@pittnews.com

Sports Editor TRENT LEONARD

Culture Editor SARAH CONNOR

sports@pittnews.com

culture@pittnews.com

Visual Editor ANNA BONGARDINO

Layout Editor MACKENZIE RODRIGUES

Online Editor MATT CHOI

Copy Chief KIM ROONEY

layout@pittnews.com

visuals@pittnews.com

copy@pittnews.com

tpnonline@gmail.com

Sarah Shearer | Assistant News Editor Joanna Li | Assistant News Editor Neena Hagen | Assistant Opinions Editor Tessa Sayers | Assistant Sports Editor Thomas Yang | Assistant Visual Editor Issi Glatts | Multimedia Editor Shahum Ajmal | Assistant Layout Editor

Andrea Michael | Assistant Copy Chief Copy Staff

Digital Staff

Alexa Marzina Maggie Koontz Bailey Sasseville Pooja Krishnan Ben King Lia Herman Elias Lowe Fay Cairns Nicholas Rivera Maggie Young Elizabeth Martinson

Elise Lavallee | Digital Manager Jane Millard | Audience Developer Brian Gentry | Online Visual Editor Caroline Bourque | Staff Developer

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 intended 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. Letters may be sent via e-mail to editor@pittnews. com. The Pitt News reserves the right to edit any and all letters. In the event of multiple replies to an issue, The Pitt News may print one letter that represents the majority of responses. Unsigned editorials are a majority opinion of the Editorial Board, listed to the left. The Pitt News is an independent, student-written and

December 5, 2018

Sales Manager MATTHEW HOUCK

Marketing Manager KATIE BOZZO Graphic Designers Madison McClure Aditya Peri

Marketing Assistant Victoria Kline

student-managed newspaper for the Oakland campus of the University of Pittsburgh. It is published Monday through Friday during the regular school year and Wednesdays during the summer. Complaints concerning coverage by The Pitt News, after first being brought to the editors, may be referred to the Community Relations Committee, Pitt News Advisory Board, c/o student media adviser, 435 William Pitt Union, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15260. The editor-in-chief has the final authority on editorial matters and cannot be censored, according to state and federal law. The editor-in-chief is selected by the Pitt News Advisory Board, which includes University staff, faculty and students, as well as journalism professionals. The business and editorial offices of The Pitt News are located at 434 William Pitt Union, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15260.

Business Manager RACHEL BUCK

Inside Sales Manager

advertising@pittnews.com

FORREST BLONDELL

Production Manager JORDAN FALK

Digital Manager DEVON WOOD

Account Executives

Forrest Blondell Sarah Braza Kyle Guinness Chris Stuchell Samuel Wright

Inside Sales Executive Ermias Asfaha Abdel Begic

University Account Executive Isabel Scrabis

4


pittnews.com

December 5, 2018

5


1.

1. Apple Airpods [$159] f rom The University Store 2. Alumni Mug 18oz - Seal [$12.99] f rom The University Store 3. Blue 84 Women’s Striped French Terry V-Neck Hoodie [$45] f rom The Pitt Shop 4. Eat Your Feelings by Lindsey Smith [$24.99] from The University Store 5. New Era Glitter Chic Beanie Hat [$22] from The Pitt Shop

7.

8. 9.

6. 2.

3.

4.

5. 10. 6. History vs. Women [$19.99] from The University Store 7. Capri Blue Candles (Available in 8oz, 19oz and 48oz) [$21.50-$88] from The University Store 8. 16oz Diner Mug - Script [$11.99] from The University Store 9. Made Out of Stars: Journal for Self-Realization by Meera Patel [$16] from The University Store 10. Champion Crew [$42] from The University Store

pittnews.com

December 5, 2018

6

pittnews.com

December 5, 2018

7


Sports

TRACK AND FIELD SPRINTS INTO INDOOR SEASON Navigating Tessa Sayers

Assistant Sports Editor Pitt’s track and field team started preparing for its indoor season 13 weeks ago. The first six weeks consisted of conditioning, the seventh week was spent testing strength, endurance, power and speed and the last six weeks they’ve focused on more specific things like block starts and throws in the ring. But before that, sophomore sprinter Ade Jones-Roundtree went to the coaches with a list of changes he and his teammates felt needed to be made to open up communications and create a better atmosphere — so far, it’s worked. “I tried to go to the coaches and tried to tell them pretty much what we, as a team, came up with — what we want to see change,” Jones-Roundtree said. “The coaches took them all into consideration and a lot of them have been implemented and now it’s more of a player-coach relationship.” Junior jumper Taylor Middleton has also felt the change this season. The team is focusing on more technical things in practice, and the athletes have greater motivation after their finish last season. Last season, the Pitt men’s team came in last place in the ACC indoor competition and the women’s team finished 12th out of 15 teams. “I feel like a lot of people are just ready to do something,” Middleton said. “Whether they are a junior, a senior, Junior Dante Watson participated in the Pitt’s men’s 4x400m relay team that was .33 seconds away from taking last season’s ACC Championship. Photo courtesy of Dante Watson

pittnews.com

a sophomore, a freshman, everybody is ready to go and come out and do something at conference. I think that’s the best way to describe it this year.” The men’s and women’s teams saw some improvement when it came to the outdoor conference championship, with both finishing in 11th place. To prepare for its first meet of the season this Saturday at Kent State, the track and field team held its Blue and Gold intrasquad meet last Saturday. The blue team came away with the victory, but head coach Alonzo Webb was happy with how all his athletes performed, especially for having such a young team. “Every year we are just trying to get better than we were the year before,” Webb said. “We have a pretty young team, but they are pretty talented.” The men’s track and field team is led by two seniors and one fifth-year, while the women’s team is led by 10 seniors and one graduate student, nine of whom are distance runners. The teams have 21 firstyears combined, in comparison to the men’s and women’s basketball teams which have three first-years each and the wrestling team, which has nine first-years. But the track team will look to its sophomores and juniors to make the biggest impact this season. “There’s so many people that we are looking for,” Webb said “The men’s 4x4 which was really young last year … they’re back together and could be one of the best in the ACC. Pitt could win it.” Last season’s men’s 4x4 team, which was made up of then-sophomores Dante Watson, Jabari Michael-Khensu and then-first-

year Lonzell Feagin and Jones-Roundtree, was only .33 seconds away from taking home the ACC Championship. “Being second at ACCs last year, being snipped that much from getting to nationals, that is definitely a motivation for us,” JonesRoundtree said. “I know this year we want to be ACC Champions.” On the women’s side, then-sophomore Middleton made history when she became the first Pitt athlete to earn All-ACC outdoor honors for the triple jump. Middleton finished in fifth place and set a personal record with her 12.75m jump. This preseason, Middleton has worked to once again make history — this time with a championship. “I’ve been training harder in the weight room,” Middleton said. “We’ve been focusing more on my jumps this year … but more so getting into a jumping mindset. I plan on staying here a little bit longer after break and training and coming sooner, just to get prepared because we have such a long break.” On the field side of things, Webb is looking forward to seeing how redshirt junior Grant Jones and sophomore Noah Walker compete. As a first-year, Walker finished third place in javelin at the ACC outdoor meet last year and was the only Panther named first-team All-ACC, becoming the second Pitt athlete to ever make first-team All-ACC for that event. Pitt also added talented first-year Sydni Townsend to its roster. Townsend currently holds the Pennsylvania high school record in the 300m hurdles with a time of 41.60 seconds. “Already this year, and training in the meet today, she was just lights out,” Webb said. “She’s going to be really good.” The distance team started back in May. That’s because their offseason was very limited — after taking a short break once the 2018 outdoor season ended, they started training for the cross country season that started in See Track and Field on page 10

December 5, 2018

college football’s bowl season Stephen Thompson

Staff Writer The matchups for all of college football’s postseason games were announced Sunday, from the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl to the Playoff Semifinals. The sport is dominated by the playoff discussion around this time of year, but there are plenty of other marquee matchups that are worth your attention during this bowl season. One of the first notable games will feature two non-Power Five teams that each have an opportunity to cement their place in program and sport history. North Texas and Utah State are each one win away from setting program records for wins and they will meet in the New Mexico Bowl Dec. 15. Both teams are headlined by outstanding quarterbacks. Junior Mason Fine for North Texas and sophomore Jordan Love for Utah State each threw for more than 3,000 yards and 25 touchdowns in 2018. UAB is another feel-good story looking to punctuate an already wildly successful season. The school shut down its football program after the 2014 season to save money, but the team was reinstated in 2017. Now, the Blazers are conference champions for the first time in program history, and will play in their third bowl game ever against Northern Illinois in the Boca Raton Bowl Dec. 18. This year’s lesser known bowls, even if they don’t garner much excitement, will feature a number of players expected to have their name called at next April’s NFL Draft. Football fans want to keep an eye on junior quarterback Justin Herbert — the nation’s See Bowl on page 9

8


Bowl, pg. 8 top quarterback prospect — who will play for the final time as an Oregon Duck against the Michigan State Spartans in the Redbox Bowl New Year’s Eve. Miami and Wisconsin will meet for the second straight season, but this year’s clash lacks the hype that their 2017 matchup brought. These two teams were narrow misses for the College Football Playoff a year ago, but an underwhelming season has left each to settle for the Pinstripe Bowl in Yankee Stadium, where the Hurricanes will look to avenge last year’s Orange Bowl defeat. What looks like a bland matchup on paper will actually feature pro prospects on both sides of the ball. Wisconsin

sophomore running back Jonathan Taylor — once thought to be a Heisman contender — and his elite offensive line must contend with a Miami front four that is loaded with NFL talent, led by junior edge defender Shaquille Quarterman. The first game between ranked opponents will take place in Orlando Dec. 28, when No. 16 West Virginia and No. 20 Syracuse face off in the Camping World Bowl. This contest will feature excellent quarterback play from Syracuse senior Eric Dungey and West Virginia redshirt senior Will Grier. Both players will look to close stellar college careers on a high note and this should be a high-scoring and entertaining spectacle. Those who prefer a defensive battle won’t have to wait long. One day later, the Peach Bowl will feature two dominant defenses from No. 10 Florida and No. 7 Michigan. The Wolverines

fell out of playoff contention after they were routed in the final game of the regular season by rival Ohio State, but they still boast the nation’s stingiest defense. Florida, meanwhile, has a game-changing player in junior defensive lineman Jachai Polite, who racked up 11 sacks and five forced fumbles this season. Then, a classic battle of offense versus defense will take place in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Day. No. 8 UCF will bring its fifth-best scoring offense across the country to Glendale, Arizona, to face off against No. 11 LSU’s 32nd-best scoring defense. After being left out of the College Football Playoff despite their second straight undefeated season, UCF wants to make another statement in front of a national audience. The biggest question is whether the Knights can replicate See Bowl on page 10

The Pitt News SuDoku 12/5/18 courtesy of dailysudoku.com

pittnews.com

December 5, 2018

9


Track and Field, pg. 8 August. They got another short break after the cross country season ended in November and are now going into indoor season full force — using the base they built up all summer — according to senior Miranda Salvo. Personally, Salvo — a middle distance runner — is hoping her preparedness will help her break some school records. “I think there are a lot of records that not only myself, but also my teammates

pittnews.com

can break,” Salvo said. “I run the 800 and mile and so I think the mile school record is within reach for myself and a lot of my teammates.” Salvo and the group are hoping to send more athletes than ever to the indoor and outdoor national meets while improving their rank in the ACC standings. Another teammate who could break records is junior Sam Shields. Shields competed in the NCAA Women’s Cross Country Championships earlier this year. Her time of 21:15.6 is the third best at the Championships in Pitt women’s history.

In order to qualify for indoor nationals, you have to be one of the top 16 athletes in the event — far easier said than done. But Salvo is hoping the team’s new mentality will help Pitt achieve its goals. “I think this year we are trying to work on the mentality of supporting each other and supporting different groups,” Salvo said. “So the distance team is cheering for the throwers and throwers cheering for the jumpers and everyone is kind of working together. I think when you have that sort of positivity that’s surrounding the entire team, that is what makes Championship teams.”

December 5, 2018

Bowl, pg. 9 their offensive production without junior quarterback Mckenzie Milton, who went out for the season when he suffered a horrific leg injury in the final regular season game against South Florida. Redshirt first-year Darriel Mack Jr. replaced Milton and has performed well, but LSU will present a very different level of competition for Mack, who is making only his third career start. The main event, the Playoff Semifinal games, has been moved up a couple of days from its usual date. Alabama, Clemson, Oklahoma and Notre Dame will compete Dec. 29 to figure out who will meet in Santa Clara for the National Championship game. First, the Cotton Bowl between Clemson and Notre Dame will be played at AT&T Stadium in Dallas. These two teams are undefeated, but got to this game in very different ways. Notre Dame has shown resolve and moxie, with junior quarterback Ian Book leading the Irish to close wins over Pitt and USC, among others. Book will have his hands full when he faces the Tigers. Clemson has been nothing short of dominant, rolling through the ACC on to their fourth-straight conference title. Their defensive line is the best in the country and all four starters expect to be drafted in the NFL’s first two rounds. On the other side of the ball, first-year quarterback Trevor Lawrence is paired with sophomore ACC Player of the Year Travis Etienne to create an offense that can score through the air and on the ground. Later that night, Alabama will enter as a two-touchdown favorite against Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl. The Crimson Tide are expected to roll once again, but their loaded defense will have to contend with one of the sport’s most electric offenses. Oklahoma boasts a dynamic trio of redshirt junior quarterback Kyler Murray, junior receiver Marquise Brown and sophomore receiver CeeDee Lamb that has combined to average a national-best 49.5 points per game. That offense will try to cover for a defense that has been among the worst in the Power Five — the Sooners have allowed 40 or more points in four of their last five games. Alabama sophomore quarterback Tua Tagovailoa exited the SEC championship game early with an injury, but backup Jalen Hurts came in and led a game-winning touchdown drive. Tagovailoa should be back for this game and will make his final case for the Heisman Trophy — and things could get ugly if Oklahoma is unable to contain the Tide.

10


I N D E X

Rentals & Sublet • NORTH OAKLAND • SOUTH OAKLAND • SHADYSIDE • SQUIRREL HILL • SOUTHSIDE • NORTHSIDE • BLOOMFIELD • ROOMMATES • OTHER

For Rent North Oakland Craig Street. Safe, secure build‑ ing. 1‑bedroom, furnished. Newly remodeled, no pets, and heat in­ cluded. Rent $850 and up. Mature or Graduate students. 412‑855‑9925 or 724‑940‑0045. Email for pictures: salonre­ na@gmail.com

South Oakland ** 5 Bedroom/2 full bath; HUGE HOME‑ duplex style, three sto‑ ries. COM­PLETELY REMOD­ELED, 2 living rooms, 2 kitch‑ ens, 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. $3,295+. Available 8/1/2019. NO PETS. Call Jason at 412‑922‑2141. Pictures‑ Info: tinyurl. com/dawson­home ***August 2019 rental. 4 BR+TV room/ 2 BA apartment. Wall‑to‑wall carpet‑ ing. Kitchen w/ dish­washer. Wash­er/ Dryer. $2300/month + utili­ties. Call

pittnews.com

Employment • CHILDCARE • FOOD SERVICES • UNIVERSITY • INTERNSHIPS • RESEARCH • VOLUNTEERING • OTHER

724‑934‑0653 or text 724‑816‑4936 **3, 4 Bedroom Houses/Apartments in South Oakland. Available for rent August 2019. Very clean with different amenities (dish­ washer, A/C, washer and dryer, 1‑2 Baths, newer appli­ances & sofas). Check out my Face­book page: https:­//www. facebook.­com/ KenEckenrode­ RealEstate/. Call Ken at 412‑287‑4438 for more informa­ tion and showings or email name, phone number, desired number of bed­ rooms, and anything else you want in housing to kenshous­ ing@gmail.com. **AUGUST 2019: Furnished studios, 1,2,3,4 bedroom apartments. No pets. Non‑smokers pre­ ferred. 412‑621‑0457. 1‑6 bedroom. All newly renovated, air‑conditioning, dish­washer, washer/ dryer, and parking. Most units on busline and close to Pitt. Avail­able Summer 2019. 412‑915‑0856 or email klucca@veri­ zon.net. 322 S. Bouquet. Huge 2 BR apart­ments. Move avail­able May 1 or August 1. 412‑361‑2695 3436 Ward. Spacious 2‑Bedroom, 1 bath, equipped kitchen,

Classifieds

For sale

• AUTO • BIKES • BOOKS • MERCHANDISE • FURNITURE • REAL ESTATE • PETS

services

• EDUCATIONAL • TRAVEL • HEALTH • PARKING • INSURANCE

$1,195 + electric, Heat included. 412‑271‑5550 3444 Ward ‑ Studio/1,­2,3 bedroom apart­ments. Free heating, free parking. Avail­able Aug. 2019. 412‑361‑2695 4 bedroom house available August 1st, 2019. 2 Bath­ rooms, central air, on the corner of Juliet and Boule­ vard. $2000+GEW. 412‑414‑9629. douridaboudproper­ tymanagement.com 4 BR HOME ‑ SEM­PLE STREET, LO­CATED NEAR LOUISA. EQUIPPED KITCHEN, FULL BASEMENT. NEW CENTRAL AIR ADDED. AVAIL­ ABLE IMMEDI­ ATELY AND RENT­ING FOR MAY AND AUGUST 2019. (412) 343‑4289 or 412‑330‑9498. 416 Oakland Ave. HUGE 2BR, 1BA. Hardwood floors. Available August 1, 2019. Call 412‑361‑2695 Apartments for rent. 2, 3, and 4 bedroom apartments avail‑ able. 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 August 2019 rental. Studio, 1 and

notices

• ADOPTION • EVENTS • LOST AND FOUND • STUDENT GROUPS • WANTED • OTHER

2 Bed­rooms. Heat included;­parking. Charles Greve Com‑ pany 412‑261‑4620. 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. Houses for rent. Steps to campus. Starting at $1800+ utilities. Mod‑ ern kitchen and bath­ rooms; on site washer and dryer. Available in August 2019. Call at 412‑916‑4777 Huge 5BR apartment in Panther Hollow. Close to universi‑ ties. Laundry and dish­washer. Large deck. $1,900/mo. plus utili­ties. Contact gbazz­i7@gmail.com 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

R A T E S

Insertions

1-15 Words

16-30 Words

1X

2X

3X

4X

$6.30

$11.90

$17.30

$22.00

$7.50

$14.20

$20.00

5X $27.00

$25.00

$29.10

6X $30.20 $32.30

Add. + $5.00 + $5.40

(Each Additional Word: $0.10)

Deadline:

Two business days prior by 3pm | Email: advertising@pittnews.com | Phone: 412.648.7978

ments with Laundry and Central Air Call 412‑38‑Lease Now renting fall 2019 various two bed­rooms units in South Oak‑ land, Bates, Coltart, Edith, Halket Place, Ward Street; rent start‑ ing from $975‑$1410 Contact: John C.R. Kelly 412‑683‑7300 www.jcrkelly.com info@kellyrealtyinc.­ com

Outstanding One Bed­rooms located throughout South Oakland; Fifth Ave, Meyran, Pier, Sem­ple, Blvd of Allies, Ward; Rents Starting at: $740‑$825 Contact: John C.R. Kelly Office: 412‑683‑7300 Email: info@kellyre­ altyinc.com Website: www.­ jcrkelly.com South Oakland off‑campus housing. 2‑6 BR apartments/­ houses for rent. Up­dated kitchens

and Bathrooms. A/C, laundry, and some with parking. Avail­ able August of 2019. 412‑445‑6117

person w/ min 2 yrs.

Shadyside

do internet post‑

Looking for Grad/­Post Grad studen­t/Visiting Scholar roommate M/F, non‑smoker. Bedroom semifur‑ nished. Wash­er/Dryer in building. Rest of apartment fur­nished. $640/month, utilities included; Available December/­January. Email mlt55@pitt. edu.

our action‑central

Shadyside ‑ 2BR, great location, hard­ wood floors. Free heat. Immediate oc­ cupancy. Short‑term. Call 412‑361‑2695

law stu­dents!

Employment Employment Other OFFICE INTERN Shadyside Manage­

ment Company seeks

plan­ning to enter grad

cur­rently seeking stu­dents to work as In­ side Sales Representa­ tives for the newspa­ per. They will pro­vide advertising ser­vice to all Student, Univer‑ sity, and Clas­sified Accounts, while also complet­ing assigned office duties. Submit re­sumes/applica‑ tions to advertising@ pittnews.­com, or stop by our office at 434 William Pitt Union!

students, and first‑year

Notices

college, for upcom­ing spring semester, to

interview & pro­cess rental appli­cants, ings & help staff

of­fice. Part time or

full time OK starting in January; full time over the summer.

$13/hour. Perfect

job for sophomores & ju­niors, seniors

school, returning grad

Mozart Management 412‑682‑7003

thane@mozartrents.­ com

Part‑Time Job: Earn up to $200 a day driv­ ing and hanging out with senior citizens. Apply here: https:­// www.fountain.com/­ papa‑technologies/ ap­ply/pittsburgh‑pa‑ pa‑pal The Pitt News is

Adoption Looking to adopt!

Endless love, laugh­ter,

music, & adven­ture all await your precious baby.

Dedicated teacher wants to be

stay at home mom. Expenses paid. 877‑696‑1526. www.

mybabyandme.net

Newly remodeled first floor apartment with 2/3 BR and laun­dry in apartment. $1500 + utilities. 412‑683‑0363 Newly remodeled sec­ond and third floor, 5 BR, 2 BA apartment with laundry room in­ side apartment. $3000 + utilities. Has a sky‑ light. 412‑683‑0363 North / South O Houses and Apart­

December 5, 2018

11


pittnews.com

December 5, 2018

12


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.