The Pitt News T h e i n de p e n d e n t st ude nt ne w spap e r of t he University of Pittsburgh
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Penguins push toward playoffs Page 8
March 23, 2016 | Issue 127 | Volume 106
PITT PETITIONS WOLF FOR FUNDING Josh Ye
Staff Writer HARRISBURG, PA — Chancellor Patrick Gallagher’s message is clear: With Pitt, Pennsylvania wins. That was his mantra Tuesday as he and about 200 faculty, staff and students met with lawmakers during the annual Pitt Day in Harrisburg, according to Kenny Donaldson, the director of the regional clubs for Pitt Alumni Association, one of the principal organizers of the trip. Eight months into the budget impasse, the University’s visit and Gallagher’s message, along with its accompanying website WithPitt, were meant at first to push state lawmakers to approve funding for Pitt, and now to urge Gov. Tom Wolf to sign the budget and additional appropriation bills the legislature passed last week for Pitt and
Pennsylvania’s other state-related universities. “This funding makes sure that people who are coming to these institutions tend to stay around that area. So that’s what we are really endorsing, which is that by funding this, they are funding the future of the state,” Donaldson said. Through in-office meetings with legislators, Gallagher and members of the Pitt community from all five Pitt campuses urged lawmakers to support Pennsylvania’s state-related universities and Wolf to sign a state budget and a bill that would restore Pitt’s funding. In the past, Pitt students and administrators have used the Day to ask state lawmakers for general support. This year, Gallagher spoke from Pitt’s wallet. See Pitt Day on page 3
STUDENTS IN BRUSSELS SAFE
Dale Shoemaker News Editor
Pitt alumni and Pennsylvania legislators posing for pictures at Pitt Day in Harrisburg. Josh Ye | Staff Writer
Two Pitt students studying abroad in Brussels, Belgium, are unharmed after a series of terrorist attacks on Tuesday, the University Study Abroad Office confirmed. Between 3 and 4 a.m. Eastern time and 8 and 9 a.m. local time, bombs exploded in the Brussels Airport and the Maelbeek subway station near the center of the city, killing more than 30 people and wounding more than 190, the Associated Press reported. Vanessa Sterling, the Study Abroad Office’s associate director, did not name the two students and said Pitt did not plan to bring the stu-
dents back to campus. Sterling said limiting the students’ travel plans within the country in response to the attacks “is an option” but the office has not decided yet if changes were necessary. The Associated Press reported Tuesday afternoon that the terrorist group ISIS had claimed responsibility for the attacks. Brussels, Belgium’s capital, is also the seat of the European Union and has served as a center of intelligence for the investigation into November’s terrorist attacks in Paris. As of Tuesday afternoon, much of Brussels was on lockdown, and police there were seeking suspects, according to the Associated Press.
News ANOTHER FALCON FALLEN E2, the peregrine falcon that lived on the Cathedral of Learning and was Dorothy’s former mate, has passed away, leaving three unhatched eggs without a father. Leo Dornan
Staff Writer
A little more than three months after his first partner fell from the sky — and three days after his current partner laid her first egg — the paternal half of Pitt’s peregrine falcon couple has passed away. E2, the peregrine falcon who last semester occupied a nest on a ledge of the Cathedral of Learning with Dorothy, his late peregrine falcon partner, died in Friendship last week. A passerby outside a yard in Friendship found a dead falcon last Wednesday, which the National Aviary confirmed was E2. Based on the injuries to his right wing and leg, Kate St. John, a Pittsburgh birdwatcher who runs a blog called “Outside My Window” about Pitt’s falcons and other birds, said she believes a car accidentally hit E2 broadside. “When peregrine hunt, they swoop
down on their prey,” St. John, who is also a former WQED director of information technology, said. “So in this case, the bird must have dodged and flown low over the road.” For bird watchers, E2’s death is another loss of majestic life. But now, they are more concerned about E2’s partner and fledglings, or offspring, and making sure the Cathedral doesn’t lose all of its falcons. Hope, E2’s current partner, laid her first egg of 2016 last Sunday. Currently still residing at the Cathedral, Hope has now laid a total of three eggs this season. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, peregrine falcons are an endangered species with only 2,000 to 3,000 breeding pairs living across North America. About 40 breeding pairs lived in Pennsylvania as of 2013, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission. The falcons are most concentrated near Philadelphia and
Pennsylvania’s Delaware border, and prefer to nest on cliffs and high ledges. In December, the 15-year matriarch of the Cathedral, Dorothy, disappeared from the area and is now presumed dead. For those who followed Dorothy’s life, her death made sense — she was a remarkable 17 years old. The typical lifespan for peregrines in the wild is a little over 10 years. But whether E2’s death was by car or old age, he too was advancing in age at 11 years old. See E2 on page 3
Courtesy of National Aviary
STUDY FINDS EXERCISE CAN HELP PREVENT ALZHEIMER’S Erin Hare
For The Pitt News A little sweat and exercise can preserve brain tissue and help prevent Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new Pitt study. UPMC and the University of California, Los Angeles, co-published research last week in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease that claimed exercise can protect against cognitive decline over a five-year period. Delaying dementia onset by five years could cut the prevalence of the disease by nearly half, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. This is the first study to take all forms of exercise into account rather than prescribed forms, such as the number of blocks walked. The authors converted all of these different activities, including swimming, running and playing various sports like tennis, into a common unit — calories — which they then related to cognitive decline and changes in the size
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of different brain regions. The National Institutes of Health estimates that 5.3 million Americans currently have Alzheimer’s disease, and by 2050, the NIH expects that number to nearly triple as the median age increases. There is currently no treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. The study consisted of 876 participants over the age of 65 drawn from a previous large scale, multi-site study conducted in the 1990s that initially assessed cardiovascular health in seniors. These authors repurposed the data to ask how exercise impacts brain structure and cognitive decline. From 1998 to 1999, subjects of the earlier study received a structural MRI brain scan and cognitive assessment and recorded time spent exercising. Five years later, 326 participants at the Pittsburgh site followed up with another cognitive assessment. The researchers found that the more calories a person burned, the larger certain parts of
their brains were. They also found a connection between calories burned, brain preservation and cognitive decline over the five-year study. “The parts of the brain that are affected by exercise are also the ones that can protect you from subsequent decline,” said co-author James Becker, a professor of psychiatry, psychology and neurology at Pitt. “Exercise improves the brain. The brain is what holds off the dementia. And that is new.” The researchers found that the hippocampus and precuneus were among the brain areas found to be larger in people who burn more calories than those who don’t exercise as much. Both areas help store memories and contain recall functions, which is the most obvious impairment of Alzheimer’s patients. According to the study, burning calories, regardless of the type of exercise, may reduce the loss of neurons in structures of the brain central to memory, which delays the onset of
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Alzheimer’s disease. Seniors see the connection between exercise and cognitive decline firsthand. “The majority of my friends are [active], and the one or two who aren’t ... I can really see the difference,” said Karen Miyares, age 74. For some seniors, the threat of mental decline drives them to be active. “I don’t want to get to that point. That’s why I keep moving,” said Florence Williams, age 79. Miyares and Williams both attend weekly fitness classes at the Stephen Foster Community Center in Lawrenceville. Class offerings include line dancing, tai chi, yoga, aerobics and strengthening. Neither woman pays out of pocket for these classes, thanks to the SilverSneakers program from Medicare, which is an initiative aimed at encouraging seniors to be more active. “I’ve been doing this for about 20 years, See Study on page 4
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Pitt Day, pg. 1 “There is more of a sense of crisis this year,” Gallagher said. “What people are looking for, namely actions on our appropriation bill, is much more specific [this year]. In the past, it’s more about strong support or general support [for higher education].” Since Pennsylvania’s 2015-2016 fiscal year started in July, the state has withheld nearly $147 million from Pitt due to lawmakers’ inability to pass an appropriation bill. Now, Wolf is left with a Republicanpassed budget and four additional bills that would restore funding to Pitt and Pennsylvania’s three other state-related universities sitting on his desk. In a release to provide guidance for attending students about lobbying, the University said Wolf should sign the appropriation bills. If he chose to veto them, the release said, the University would urge lawmakers to override the veto. In Pennsylvania, it takes a two-thirds majority of the General Assembly to override a Governor’s
E2, pg. 2 A death like E2’s, however, is more common in juvenile peregrines, according to Peter Bell, a Pitt chemistry professor and creator of a Facebook fan page for Pitt’s falcons. “Accidents like these are remarkably common since peregrines have integrated into the urban environment. Two-thirds of juveniles die before they reach adulthood,” Bell said. Young peregrines are known to have a particularly high mortality rate, according to the Raptor Research Project, but can live for a relatively long time in the wild. E2’s death means Hope will not have help keeping the eggs warm, which is necessary for them to hatch. During the incubation period, one of the adults — usually the male adult — must always keep the eggs warm. In the time that it would take Hope to catch and eat food, her eggs would become inviolable, and peregrines know that they cannot incubate eggs on their own. St. John points out in her blog that now is not the time to be sad. Although risking the death of her current eggs, Hope, and other single peregrines, still have time to find a new mate this season if they hurry. “Peregrines don’t grieve, especially in March when their hormones are driving them to reproduce,” St. John said. “Between now and September they must defend a
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veto. “In this messy process, nothing is more important than for our lawmakers and our elected officials to hear directly from people who are impacted,” Gallagher said at the state Capitol during the reception at 3 p.m. “With us, Pennsylvania wins. That is really the case that we are trying to make.” Before entering the Pennsylvania State Capitol, students received a sticker that says “With Pitt, PA wins” and a packet of information that detailed Pitt’s impact on Pennsylvania’s economic and technological development, such as the high number of Pennsylvanians Pitt employs and the tax revenue it generates. During the visit to the Capitol, each Pitt student is assigned a legislator, whom they meet with in a group. Students from Oakland had the opportunity to talk to state representatives from both parties, including Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny, who is in charge of the Oakland and Squirrel Hill district. “We’ve endured four years of cutting
The Pitt News SuDoku 3/23/16 courtesy of dailysudoku.com
See Pitt Day on page 4 territory, mate, lay eggs and raise young to self-sufficiency. There is still time for Hope to raise a family if she finds a mate soon.” Hope should have no shortage of suitors at this time of the year, with unattached male peregrines looking to find mates and a nest before the mating season is over. “Every peregrine population has a certain number of ‘floaters,’ which are birds that do not have a mate or a territory, but are looking around for a chance to find territory and mate,” Art McMorris, the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s peregrine falcon coordinator, said in an email. The Cathedral would make a good home for these floaters, according to McMorris, so Hope likely will not go too long without a mate. Hope’s best case scenario, according to St. John, would be to find a mate before the end of April. If she does, they could still lay eggs together and have baby falcons this year, St. John said. “I just want to see two falcons excited to meet each other and ready to lay eggs before it’s too late,” St. John said. Even with the loss of another peregrine falcon, many bird watchers are optimistic. Bird watchers hope that the death is one more episode in the peregrine saga that will eventually lead to a thriving falcon family atop the Cathedral again. “If they die, it’s in a fight or getting hit,” St. John said. “Whatever they do, peregrines live fast.”
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Study, pg. 2
Pitt Day, pg. 3
and I think I’ve come across only two or three [people] that ended up having Alzheimer’s,” said Nancy Klinvax, a fitness instructor at SFCC. Klinvax said this research could motivate seniors to be more active. “It’s very hard to get across to them ... that it’s good to sweat,” Klinvax said. And the sooner seniors start to sweat, the better, according to lead author Cyrus Raji, a resident in diagnostic radiology at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. “No study has shown that exercise can reverse cognitive decline if you already have Alzheimer’s, but the rate of decline is slowed,” Raji said. Becker said primary care doctors should discuss lifestyle changes with their patients at midlife because it might be too late otherwise. According to Raji, some clinics, such as one at Cornell University, are already starting to use exercise as a way to prevent Alzheimer’s. To co-author Kirk Erickson, professor of psychology at Pitt, exercise is a fitting prescription. “I think [exercise] is one of the most promising interventions and treatments that we have right now,” Erickson said, “and one of the only ones available.”
in higher education appropriation. Before [Tom Corbett] came in, higher education got cut for 20 percent,” Frankel said. “So our goal is not only to restore those cuts but help university appropriation to grow in the future. We know there is inflation and we know that the appropriation has to go along with the minimum rate of inflation. We know that it is a great investment and it pays off.” After meeting with Republican state Sen. Randy Vulakovich, Stuart Benson — a lawyer, Pitt alumnus and former representative of Pitt’s law school to the board of directors at the Pitt Alumni Association — determined that the budget issue was much more complicated than most people thought. “Today we’ve learned and gotten feedbacks that have a different spin on it than what we read in the paper,” Benson said. “We are here to learn what the practical problems are. It’s not always simplistic. Fund education or not fund education — there are also other issues.” Benson said the passing of the budget involves some more knotty questions into the ethics reform of campaign financing and
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limitations on contribution. Despite his efforts, Gallagher acknowledged the debate over Pitt’s finances is part of a “bigger and broader” statewide debate. “What the lawmakers are dealing with is really not about support for us directly. It’s about taxing and revenue and the amount of spending for the state government,” Gallagher said. In a statement on March 16, Wolf said the budget was still “unbalanced” and would create a year-end deficit that would “force Pennsylvania of a fiscal cliff.” Schools, Wolf said, would immediately feel the effects of a potential $45 million cut to basic education. According to SGB Board member Robert A. Tessier, some Pitt student organizations, academic departments and departmentfunded student organizations are already experiencing the pressures from lack of funding. Tessier did not disclose the names of the organizations. “Our budget, the budgets of Temple and Penn State are being used as a kind of a leverage point, a bargaining chip where they shouldn’t be. It’s very apolitical. These are universities,” Tessier said. At this point, even with this year’s budget
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resolved, representatives already have fears about next year’s financial situation, Frankel said. The goal now is to find a long-term solution. “So the fight is about stability for everybody, predictability with sustainable revenue that prevents us from falling into this impasse year after year,” Frankel said. After a private meeting with Wolf, Gallagher praised participants for pressing the government on issues of rising tuition and increased student debt, among other topics, but said they cannot stop after one day. “What you did today I hope is just the beginning of your engagement,” Gallagher said. “We need to stay on this in the long term and make sure our voice is heard in a clear, honest, compelling way.” According to Benson, Pitt Day in Harrisburg influenced legislators simply because they could hear firsthand how the budget impasse has affected universities. “Let’s pretend you are a legislator — who would you want to hear a story from about what education means and what the state funding can do to help lower your education as an in-state student?” Benson said. “A legislator wants to hear from a student more than from anybody else.”
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Opinions column
from the editorial board
Illustration by Michelle Reagle
Protecting student media protects students School policy and newspapers shouldn’t mix. The Michigan state Senate’s Judiciary Committee passed a student press freedom bill Tuesday that aims to protect student media from school censorship. If passed, the state will join Maryland and Missouri, which last week passed student press freedom bills through their Senate and House of Representatives, respectively. Unfortunately, Pennsylvania has not been so proactive. There are currently no such laws defending the state’s student journalists, and it’s time for our state legislature to fill that gap. Maintaining the ambiguous status quo leaves school discourse vulnerable to censorship and endangers the future of journalism. These press freedom laws would extend free speech protections to student publications at both the high school and college levels. The laws guarantee coverage regardless of how the school or publication receives funding and ignore the reasons for an outlet’s creation. This is a necessary strengthening of student media rights, ensuring that groups keeping institutions accountable can do so freely. The success of reforms during the past two weeks are the results of a campaign called New Voices U.S., which grew after North Dakota passed its own student press freedom law late last year. The movement is gaining some traction, but there are still 20 states without any formal protections. As it stands, student publications at Pennsylvania’s public colleges are presumed to enjoy First Amendment protection because their institutions receive government funds. Freedom of the press requires that the government not fund censorship of the media unless it is libelous, and schools receiving government funds fall under that umbrella. But this protection is informal, and outlets at Pennsylvania’s private universities are essentially on their own. High school papers are in an even more
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precarious situation. In 1988, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that public high school administrators have the power to censor school newspapers if they provide educational justification. Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier allowed administrators at Hazelwood East High School in St. Louis to block stories about teen pregnancy and the effects of divorce from a school-sponsored student newspaper. The Hazelwood case itself exemplifies one of the core problems with allowing schools to censor their students. In most cases, the stories that make schools look bad — and thus invite censorship — cover topics whose suppression harms students. If students reaching sexual maturity can’t discuss the effects of relationships and responsibility with each other, that hurts them. The same would be true if a university could stop its student paper from criticizing administrators for lackluster safety protections, or if it silenced complaints about a lack of diversity among school officials. In October 2014, the student paper’s staff at Neshaminy High School in Neshaminy, Pennsylvania, decided the school’s nickname, a Native American slur, was offensive and would no longer appear in the paper. The superintendent suspended student journalists and a faculty adviser when they disobeyed his order to continue to print the term. These students and their teacher stood up for the student body. In return, they received a blemish on their disciplinary records — all because they decided to avoid a racist slur. High school and college are where most people start questioning how institutions affect them. Not protecting outlets that explain and discuss those effects can create a skewed image of educational and social communities. Schools already have public relations departments. They shouldn’t be allowed to force students into working for them.
Under the covers: Turning off bisexual erasure Bridget Montgomery For The Pitt News
Here’s a riddle: What’s always horny, can’t be tamed and doesn’t exist? If you guessed society’s skewed impression of bisexual people, you’re right! If you guessed unicorn, you’re also right. But this is a sex column, and I’m not delving into the topic of bestiality just yet. Only in recent years has the media — and consequently, society — finally begun to recognize bisexuality as a real and valid sexual orientation. While this recognition may seem insignificant to some, it’s crucial to those who identify as bisexual. Too many people still believe that bisexuality doesn’t exist or think bisexuality means not being able to pick which people you like most. Television networks, most notably The CW and ABC, now highlight bisexuality on their programs, and more media outlets
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need to follow suit to combat the prevalent diminishing of bisexuals. Increased and accurate media representation will make bisexuality an accepted identity — not a marginalized myth. Currently, The CW has at least two openly bisexual characters. Clarke Griffin, the protagonist of the post-apocalyptic hitseries “The 100,” was confirmed as bisexual by the show’s creator Jason Rothenberg in February via Twitter. Thankfully, Clarke’s sexuality has made it past the Twitterverse, and she’s appeared in satisfying romantic and sexual relationships with more than one gender. On “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” Darryl Whitefeather, a middle-aged, mustachioed single dad, recently came out with the help of an ’80s-inspired jam entitled “Gettin’ Bi.” On the legacy network side, Shonda Rhimes, writer and producer of ABC’s entire See Montgomery on page 7
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Montgomery, pg. 6 Thursday night lineup, is no stranger to creating realistic and varied characters. Rhimes, who made Time magazine’s 100 People Who Help Shape the World in 2007 and has received two Emmy nominations, is known for creating casts full of different genders, races and sexual orientations. Most recently, Rhimes provides realistic and complex bisexual representation through Annalise Keating of “How to Get Away with Murder” and Callie Torres of “Grey’s Anatomy.” In fact, as Callie’s bisexual storyline began to emerge, Rhimes and her co-executive producers met with the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation to make sure they were avoiding stereotypes and staying true to the character and her budding bisexuality. It’s exactly this kind of foresight and dedication that leads to the three-dimensional and authentic characters Rhimes so readily and abundantly supplies to viewers. But Rhimes doesn’t necessarily view her characters as something extraordinary. While receiving an award from the Human Rights Campaign last May, Rhimes spoke about why the “diversity” in her writing should be less notable than it is. “I really hate the word diversity. It suggests something … other. As if it is something special or rare. Diversity! As if there is something unusual about telling stories involving women and people of color and LGBTQ characters on TV,” Rhimes said. “I have a different word: normalizing. I’m normalizing TV. I am making TV look like the world looks. Women, people of color, LGBTQ people, equal way more than 50 percent of the population. Which means it ain’t out of the ordinary.” That’s what is really so important about all of these characters — they normalize the idea of bisexuality in a world that does not acknowledge it. Often, the struggle for bisexual people isn’t others’ acceptance of their sexuality — it’s the fact that people don’t even believe that being bi qualifies as a sexuality at all. A 2013 study by Pitt’s Graduate School of Public Health found that 15 percent of respondents felt that bisexuality was not a “legitimate” sexual orientation. Most people aren’t saying, “I don’t accept you for being bisexual,” because they never get past saying, “It’s just a phase,” or “You’re just experimenting,” or “You’ll pick a side
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eventually.” A good friend asked me just a few months ago if I thought bisexual people actually existed. While I sat there and stared at her in silence for a few moments, wondering how that possibly came out of her mouth, all I could think of was “Grey’s Anatomy.” Callie’s spot-on line rang through my head: “It’s real. It’s called LGBTQ for a reason. There’s a ‘B’ in there, and it doesn’t mean bada**. OK … it kind of does, but it also means bi!” Aside from sticking up for themselves and their community, characters like Callie are breaking down many of the negative stereotypes surrounding bisexuality, such as hypersexuality, indecision and unfaithfulness. Callie’s ex-husband and ex-wife both cheat on her, not the other way around. The only hypersexual thing about Darryl from “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” is his pornstache. On “The 100,” Clarke’s primary activity is making tough decisions. Granted, most of the time she’s deciding to wipe out entire civilizations with the pull of a lever, but we’ll let that slide. Meanwhile, characters such as Piper Chapman from “Orange is the New Black” only depict these stereotypes that plague bi people. She consistently cheats on her male fiance and her toxic relationship with other women is full of lying. The show never even dares to use the word “bisexual.” Realistic portrayals of bisexuality will help society come to recognize and accept it as a real and normal sexual identity. And people so desperately need to understand that it’s a valid sexuality — that you’re not automatically a lesbian if you’re a female in a relationship with another female or gay if you’re a man dating a man. And that no, just because you’re attracted to more than one gender doesn’t mean you’re twice as likely to cheat. People need to be exposed to bisexuality — but who wants to come out to a society that can’t even agree that they exist? The media should use its platform to normalize bisexuality so that those who identify as bisexual feel more comfortable coming out and putting a name to their feelings if they want. Quality entertainment reflects the lives people lead — sexuality included. The recent increase in media attention is a step in the right direction, but there’s still a long way to go until we reach full recognition and acceptance of bisexuality. Sex with unicorns is a whole other story.
Quality entertainment reflects the lives people lead — sexuality included.
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The Pitt News Editor-in-Chief DANIELLE FOX
Managing Editor HARRISON KAMINSKY
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Zoë Hannah | Assistant News Editor Lauren Rosenblatt | Assistant News Editor Marlo Safi | Assistant Opinions Editor Elizabeth Lepro | Assistant Sports Editor Jeff Ahearn | Assistant Visual Editor Danah Bialoruski | Assistant Layout Editor Eva Fine | Multimedia Editor Amy Beaudine | Social Media Editor
Chris Puzia | Assistant Copy Chief Copy Staff Bridget Montgomery Anjuli Das Sierra Smith Sydney Mengel Sarah Choflet Kelsey Hunter
Matthew Maelli Kyleen Pickaring Casey Talay Corey Forman Alex Stryker Maria Castello
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. Letters may be sent via e-mail to letters@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
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Sports
TPN’S TOP FIVE DIXON REPLACEMENTS Dan Sostek Sports Editor
Now that Jamie Dixon’s move to TCU is official, fans’ intrigue has shifted to rumors about who will replace the longtime Pitt basketball coach. Dixon, who had been at Pitt since 2003, officially accepted a position at his alma mater, Texas Christian University, early this week. Pitt Athletic Director Scott Barnes announced at a press conference on Monday that he would look for a replacement with head coaching experience — though he said there could be exceptions to that prerequisite. The Pitt Twittersphere — always directly on the pulse of Pitt sports news, often before it happens — subsequently blew up on Tuesday. Twitter erupted with rumors that Arizona Wildcats coach Sean Miller was in town ruminating on an offer to replace
Dixon, but Miller quickly shot back that he was neither in Pittsburgh nor considering the offer. With Miller never in the running, here are some potential suitors still in the running for the opening: ARCHIE MILLER - DAYTON (11554) After Sean Miller spurned Pitt Tuesday afternoon, attention moved to his brother Archie. Both Millers are from western Pennsylvania, but unlike Sean, Archie isn’t a Pitt alum. He’s a North Carolina State grad, which lends some concern that if the Wolfpack job were to open up, Archie would pounce. Regardless, Archie is the one of the most accomplished coaches available, boasting three straight tournament appearances with the Flyers and an Elite Eight appearance. Reports say Archie isn’t interested, but no need to count him
out until official word comes straight from the coach’s mouth. KEVIN WILLARD - IONA/SETON HALL (152-138) Willard, a Pitt point guard from 1994 to 1997, is coming off his most successful season as head coach at Seton Hall. He made the tournament this year in large part due to late-season performances by blue chip recruit Isaiah Whitehead. Willard has proved that he can recruit top talent and put the players to good use. With his Pittsburgh connections, the job would likely interest him, and jumping from the weakened Big East to the powerhouse ACC would provide a huge opportunity for the 40-year-old. The biggest question is whether Willard or Pitt would have more interest. KEVIN KEATTS - UNC WILMINGTON (43-22) As a former member of Rick Pitino’s
staff at Louisville, Keatts built UNC Wilmington’s program up in just two seasons. Under Keatts’ direction, UNC Wilmington made an NCAA Tournament appearance this year and performed well in the first game of the first round, toughing it out against Duke before eventually losing. But the team’s efforts were still impressive, thanks in part to Keatts. Keatts would recruit and develop talent, and at 43 is at the perfect age to make another jump to a major conference. But he might want to wait for an even bigger opportunity. MARK SCHMIDT - ROBERT MORRIS/ST. BONAVENTURE (228-221) With only one NCAA Tournament on his resume, Schmidt wouldn’t be the flashiest hire. But he’s turned St. Bonaventure into a steady presence in the Atlantic 10 and is a veteran head coach with local See Basketball on page 9
WITHOUT MALKIN: PENS’ PLAYOFF PUSH
Jeff Carpenter Staff Writer
It wasn’t even a big hit, but its impact sent shockwaves reverberating through the National Hockey League. As Penguins center Evgeni Malkin came in on the forecheck, he was closed off by Columbus defenseman Dalton Prout. Malkin left the crash hunched over in pain. While the Penguins picked up a crucial two points in a 3-2 victory against the Columbus Blue Jackets on March 11, it came at a cost. Malkin’s upper-body injury is going to keep him out five to seven weeks — at least until the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is already underway. This prognosis could’ve severely maimed the Penguins’ playoff chances. Malkin is the team’s second-leading goal (27) and point (58) scorer in 57 games played. The four-time NHL All-Star averages 1.02 points per game, good for fifth best in the NHL. Following Malkin’s injury, the team’s 10th straight consecutive playoff appearance seemed fleeting, as Pittsburgh’s in-state rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers, were close to catching up in the
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standings. But the Penguins are defying logic — winning six straight games against Metropolitan Division opponents. Now, with just 10 games remaining in the season and without their second-leading scorer, SportsClubStats, a site that estimates teams’ postseason chances, gives the Pens a 98.3 percent chance of making the playoffs. A reputation for bouncing back At the onset of the season, despite rising expectations for an electric offense, the Penguins floundered to a rough start under second-year head coach Mike Johnston. Fans were getting restless — the offense was sputtering and the Penguins’ best players were underperforming. On Dec. 12, the Penguins fired Johnston amid a 15-10-3 start. Pittsburgh tabbed Mike Sullivan, the team’s AHL head coach at the time, to lead the team, which at mid-December had just a 25 percent chance of making the playoffs, according to SportsClubStats. It’s been 25-14-5 since. And the last time the Penguins made an in-season coaching change was also the last time they won the Stanley Cup. See Hockey on page 9
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Basketball, pg. 8 ties. He likely wouldn’t be a first option, but someone to fall back on who knows the area and has had recent success. His Bonnies this year were considered a potential snub for the tournament, going 22-7 and 14-4 in conference play. Pitt fans wouldn’t be overly excited if the administration tapped Schmidt, but it could do worse. BRANDIN KNIGHT - PITT (Assistant, no head coaching experience) Knight is a long shot for the job, since
Hockey, pg. 8 Dan Bylsma, a mid-season switch from former coach Michel Therrien, led them to the third championship in franchise history in 2009. Since Crosby’s NHL debut in 2005, injuries have limited what would otherwise be a starstudded squad from reaching the heights of 2009’s championship team. Last year, defenseman Kris Letang suffered a late-season concussion that kept him out of any playoff action. Malkin was visibly banged up at the end of the regular season. He had zero points before the Rangers sent the Penguins home packing from the playoffs in five games. Even with another Malkin injury a week and a half ago, the Penguins’ six straight victories show the flightless birds taking off at the right time. The Penguins’ return to the playoff picture has a lot to do with the Crosby’s resurgence, whose scoring exploits have propelled the Penguins up to third in the Metropolitan Division with 88 points. Rink Leaders Crosby got off to the worst start of his career this season, registering just nine points in the first 18 games and often appearing reluctant to shoot the puck. Since the shift in guard, he has hit his stride, producing 67 points in his last 53 games. His 76 points are good for third in the league. He’s in the middle of a 12-game point-scoring streak and with 31 goals on the year, has the seventh 30-goal season of his career. Sniper Phil Kessel, a product of a trade with Toronto this offseason, joins Crosby to make up a dangerous power play unit. Kessel has 21 goals on the year, sits at 19th in the league and operates at a 17.7 percent clip. Pittsburgh made some adjustments through the trade market this season with the acquisition of two offensively gifted defensemen, Trevor Daley, formerly of the Chicago Blackhawks, and Justin Schultz from the Edmonton Oilers. Both defensemen have settled into the team’s second power play unit, operating the points. Pittsburgh also brought in fleet-of-foot Carl
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Barnes highlighted Division I head coaching experience as a priority for the search. But Knight, who was the last Pitt player to have his number retired, has an abundance of support from former Pitt basketball players. Tray Woodall, Ashton Gibbs, Gilbert Brown, Lamar Patterson, Julius Page and Levance Fields have all made the argument on Twitter that Knight has qualifications as good as Dixon did when Pitt hired him. It would be beneficial, in their minds, to award the position to someone who understood Pitt’s culture. Hagelin from the Anaheim Ducks. Hagelin, one of the quickest players in the NHL, has five goals and 13 assists in 27 games this season. Various players from the Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton Penguins, including forwards Bryan Rust, Tom Kuhnhackl and Scott Wilson — and at times, goaltender Matt Murray — have been valuable in the NHL. Their success can be linked to a familiarity with what systems Sullivan was previously implementing in the minors. In the Pens’ most recent win over Washington, Daley, Rust, Kuhnhackl and Schultz all scored, showing that Malkin’s absence has spurred an increased sense of responsibility in the team’s newest additions. Ranger Danger The Pens’ streak — the longest active winning streak in the league — claimed its latest victim on Sunday against the Washington Capitals. Despite having the most points in the league (107), Washington fell easily to Pittsburgh, 6-2. The Penguins are now entrenched in a chaotic battle for playoff seeding among the New York Rangers, New York Islanders and Philadelphia Flyers. Pittsburgh’s most likely first-round opponents, the New York Rangers, are a familiar foe. The rivals have met in the spring the past two years. Both encounters ended in defeat for Pittsburgh as the Rangers won in seven games in 2013 and five in 2014. The Penguins are 2-1-0 against the Rangers this season, with a final meeting set for March 27 in New York. A Rangers-Penguins face-off would be much more favorable for the Pens than a first-round date with the Washington Capitals. The Penguins would end up playing Washington if they remained the eighth seed, where they were positioned just a week ago. The Capitals’ franchise-best start saw them become the first team to clinch a playoff spot this season, doing so on March 15th. They have 107 points in 71 games. The next closest team, the Dallas Stars, have 95.
Find the full story online at
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I Rentals & Sublet N D E X -NORTH OAKLAND -SOUTH OAKLAND -SHADYSIDE -SQUIRREL HILL -SOUTHSIDE -NORTHSIDE -BLOOMFIELD -ROOMMATES -OTHER
3 bedroom apartment. $1450 (utilities included). 704 Enfield St. 5 bedroom house. $2200 + utilties. 35 Enfield St. Call 412-969-2790.
Craig Street. Safe, secure building. 1bedroom, furnished. Newly remodeled, wall-to-wall carpeting, no pets. $775 and up. Heat included. Mature or Graduate students. 412-855-9925 or 724-940-0045. Email for pictures: kelly.m317@yahoo.com
Very large estate located 1/2 block from Ruskin Hall. Offering a 2nd & 3rd floor with a semi-private entrance with 6 BR, 3 BA, large kitchen, common lounge great for studying or entertaining guests. Lots of closets, original restored hardwood floors, partially furnished. Free limited parking. Free laundry room included. Free internet. $700 per person. Can divide each floor into 3 BR each. No lease required but rental term available for duration of school year. E-mail felafelman@gmail. com.
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****************** Large 6 bedroom house for rent. Fall occupancy. Atwood Street. Close to campus. Please call Gary at 412-807-8058 **Large efficiences, 1 & 2 bedroom apartments available for August 2016. Clean, walking distance to campus. Great location. $575-$630$900-$1100. Utilities included. No pets/ smoking or parties. 412-882-7568. +++5 bedroom, 2 full baths, huge house, nicely updated, shuttle across street, washer/dryer, $2595+, August 1, photos www.tinyurl.com/pittnewsad4 coolapartments@gmail.com 724-935-2663 1-7 BR apartment/house for rent. Dishwasher, washer/dryer, shuttlebus near property. Also for rent, one 5 BR house in Shadyside. Near CMU & Pitt bus. Call 412-609-4340. 1,2,3,5,6, & 8 bedroom houses. August & May 2016. Bouquet, Atwood, Ward & Dawson. Please call 412-287-5712. 3104 Niagara Street 6 Bedroom House Available for Rent for $2500--BHK--no utilities but includes central air--Please call 412-721-8888 if interested.
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2 bedroom. 343 McKee Place. $1200 (heat included). 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom house. 3201 Niagra St. $1200. A/C, dishwasher, washer and dryer. 1 bedroom. 365 Ophelia St. $550+ electric. Call 412-969-2790.
2-3 bedroom apartments for rent located on Atwood St, Dawson St, and McKee Place. For more information or to schedule a viewing, please call 412-849-8694.
2529 Allequippa Street Apartment Available For Rent By Trees Hall beginning August 1st--$1200 2 Bedrooms w/ Central air + BHK--Please call 412-721-8888 if interested. 2BR, 3RD FLOOR apartment. Furnished or unfurnished with laundry. No pets. $950 including utilities. A No-Party Building. Available Aug. 2016. Call 412-683-0363. 310 Semple Street, 2 bedrooms, 1 bath. $1500 for 2 person occupancy, $1600 for 3 person occupancy including gas, water, and electric. Very close to campus. Off street parking available. 412-559-6073. marknath12@gmail.com
Announcements -ADOPTION -EVENTS -LOST AND FOUND -STUDENT GROUPS -WANTED -OTHER
3303 Niagara Street 3 Bedroom House Available for Rent for $1400--BHK--no utilities included-Please call 412-721-8888 if interested. 3444 WARD ST. Studio, 1-2-3 BR apartments available Aug. 1, 2016. Free parking, free heating. Call 412-361-2695. No evening calls please. 4 BR townhouses, Semple St., available May 1st 2016. Equipped kitchen, full basement. 412-343-4289. Call after 5:00 pm.
Available 8/1, 1 BR/1 Bath, 5 min. walk to Cathedral, A/C, hardwood floors, newly renovated, starting at $995+, 412.441.1211 Available 8/1, 3 BR/1 Bath, less than 1 mile to campus, updated, Dishwasher and AC, starting at $1325+, 412.441.1211 Available 8/1, 4 br/2bath, Less than 1 mile to campus, Split Level, Updated, Central A/C, $2420+, 412.441.1211
EFFICIENCY apartments, quiet building, laundry, shared bathroom, no partying. Short-term or longterm lease. $395-$450 includes utilities. Available immediately. 412-683-0363
R INSERTIONS 1X 2X 3X 4X 5X 6X ADDITIONAL A 1-15 WORDS $6.30 $11.90 $17.30 $22.00 $27.00 $30.20 $5.00 T 16-30 WORDS $7.50 $14.20 $20.00 $25.00 $29.10 $32.30 $5.40 E S DEADLINE: TWO BUSINESS DAYS PRIOR BY 3 PM | EMAIL: ADVERTISING@PITTNEWS.COM | PHONE: 412.648.7978 (EACH ADDITIONAL WORD: $0.10)
Large 1-2-3 BR apartments available August 1st. 3450 Ward Street. 312 and 314 South Bouquet Street. Free parking. Minutes to campus. Cat friendly. Call 412-977-0111.
M.J. Kelly Realty Studio, 1, 2, 3, & 4 Bedroom Apartments, Duplexes, Houses. $750-$2400. mjkellyrealty@gmail.com. 412-271-5550, mjkellyrealty.com Newly Updated 4bedroom, 1-bath townhouse. Laundry in basement. $1600+ Utilities. Call 412-292-1860 Nice 4 bedroom, 1 bathroom, plus study. Located close to Pitt campus and Schenley Park. Brand new kitchen and hardwood floors. Free washer and dryer included. $1850+ utilities. Available August 1, 2016. Call Peggy at 724-877-7761. South Oakland Duplex. 4 bedroom 2 baths. Central air, dishwasher, washer and dryer. Available August 1. (412)915-0856. Studio and 1 Bedrooms. 216 Coltart. Parking. Available Aug. 2016. Starting at $665. Free heat. Greve RealEstate. 412-261-4620.
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4909 Center Ave. Updated 1 BR with new kitchen, dishwasher & hardwood floors. Laundry, storage and parking available. Close to Pitt & shopping district. Available now and for August. 412-720-4756. 3 & 5 bedroom. May 2016. Sarah St. Large bedroom, new kitchen, air conditioning, washer & dryer, dishwasher, large deck. 412-287-5712. 1 BR bungalo in Greenfield with deck and large backyard. $600+ utilities. Close to busline, downtown and Oakland. 412-377-3985. Ask for Karen. 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. Studios, 1, 2, & 3 Bedroom apartments available August 2016 & sooner. Oakland, Shadyside, Friendship, Squirrel Hill, Highland Park, Point Breeze. Photos & current availability online, check out www.forbesmanagement.net, or call 412.441.1211
Real estate advertising in The Pitt News is subject to the Fair Housing Act. The Pitt News will not knowingly accept advertising for real estate which violates the law. To complain of discrimination, call HUD at 1-800-669-9777 or email fheo_webmanager@hud.gov. For the hearing impaired, please call TTY 1-800-927-9275.
SMOKERS NEEDED! Researchers at UPMC are looking to enroll healthy adult cigarette smokers ages 18-65. This research is examining the influence of brief uses of FDA-approved nicotine patch or nicotine nasal spray on mood and behavior. The study involves a brief physical exam and five sessions lasting two hours each. Eligible participants who complete all sessions will receive up to $250, or $20 per hour. This is NOT a treatment study. For more information, call 412-246-5396 or visit www.SmokingStudies.pitt.edu
Caregivers and babysitters needed. FT/PT. Earn $25/hour. No experience required. Will train. Call now. 888-366-3244 ext. 102. Hofbrauhaus Pittsburgh has an opening in our event sales department. We're looking for an experienced sales professional to show companies and groups the great time that awaits them at Hofbrauhaus Pittsburgh. Every day we celebrate our German Heritage with live entertainment, craft beer brewed onsite and authentic German Cuisine. We need your help letting groups in Pittsburgh know we can help them celebrate Oktoberfest all year!
Must have a minimum of 2 years of restaurant/event/marketing sales experience.
Send your resume to twilliams@prg.us.com
Need helper for school year and summer, hours flexible. $15/hr. Basic maintenance, painting, repairs of Oakland rentals. Dave 412.688.0533
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Rolling Fields Golf Club in Murraysville. Multiple positions available immeduately. Including bartenders, beverage cart, and pro shop assistant. Contact proshop@rollingfieldsgolf.com or 724-335-7522. Seasonal Work: Shadyside Management Company needs full-time dependable landscapers, painters, and assistant roofers for the summer. Must be at least 18 years old. No experience necessary. $10/hour. Mozart Management, 412-682-7003. Email: thane@mozartrents.com. SUMMER HELP NEEDED, Ice company close to campus. Weekends necessary. Production/driving/maintenance positions available. Good pay, part-time/full time. Contact Mastro Ice Company 412-681-4423. mastroice@aol.com
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The Pitt news crossword 3/23/16
Now hiring professional and friendly individuals to provide backyard pest control treatments in the Pittsburgh area during the spring/summer. Good working environment, excellent pay. Paid training. Need valid driver’s license. Call 412-298-2139.
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