The Pitt News T h e in de p e n d e n t st ude nt ne w spap e r of t he University of Pittsburgh
INTERNET PIONEER TO BE COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER
Pitt Football Notebook Page 8 April 19, 2016 | Issue 146 | Volume 106
Zoe Hannah
Assistant News Editor Pitt announced on Monday that one of the “fathers of the Internet,” Vint Cerf, will give this year’s commencement address. Pitt will host Cerf as the featured speaker as well as present him with an honorary doctoral degree in science at the Commencement Convocation, which begins at 2 p.m. May 1, in the Petersen Events Center. Cerf currently works as the vice president and chief Internet evangelist for Google. Cerf, alongside his colleague Robert E. Kahn, has won multiple prestigious awards for his work in the computer science and computer engineering fields, including the Turing Award, often called the “Nobel Prize of Computer Science.” In November 2005, former President George W. Bush awarded the pair the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Charles Bolden, the top administrator at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, gave last year’s commencement address. Chancellor Emeritus Mark Nordenberg gave the address in 2014 and Chancellor Patrick Gallagher spoke in 2013. Pitt spokesperson Joe Miksch could not say why the University chose Cerf to speak or whether it would pay Cerf a fee, a common practice at other schools. Pitt did not pay Bolden for his address last year. Under President Barack Obama, Cerf also served on the National Science Board, according
Students enjoy the warm weather by practicing yoga poses on the William Pitt Union lawn Monday evening. Jordan Mondell STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
PITT, UPMC TO OPEN FACULTY HEALTH CENTER Alexa Bakalarski and Dale Shoemaker The Pitt News Staff
At the end of the month, UPMC will open a free health clinic explicitly for Pitt faculty and staff. A UPMC nurse practitioner, nurse, medical assistant and practicing physician will staff the center, MyHealth@Work, See Commencement on page 3 which will treat common conditions, such
as allergies, fevers, minor cuts or vaccinations, for more than 12,000 faculty and staff at no cost, Pitt said in a release. The center is a collaboration between Pitt and UPMC, which the UPMC Health System will manage, according to the release. The collaboration will let Pitt broaden the health care it currently offers to all of its employees, the University said in a release.
The center, which opens April 28, is located on the fifth floor of the Medical Arts Building at 3708 Fifth Ave. in Oakland. Faculty and staff can receive services in addition to their current health care plans. The center will be open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to the release. Currently, Pitt offers several tiers of health plans — from Panther Basic to See UPMC on page 3
News TOURS AND SECRETS: QUO VADIS DIGS INTO NATIONALITY ROOMS Alexa Bakalarski Staff Writer
Each day, hundreds of students take classes in Pitt’s Nationality Rooms — but they probably don’t know that the furniture in the Armenian Room weighs about as much as seven Asian elephants. Or, more practically, how to find the hidden electrical outlets in the Austrian Room. Or that the Syria-Lebanon Room — originally the study of a wealthy businessman from the capital of Syria — is about 240 years old. If they’d like to find out more, they should turn to Quo Vadis, the student organization of Nationality Room tour guides at Pitt. The group, whose name means “Where are you going?” in Latin, guides about 11,000 students, Pittsburghers and international diplomats a year, sharing the almost-secrets of the Cathedral of Learning’s 30 famous rooms. But to become one of those visitors’ guides, potential Quo Vadis employees must undergo what some might call a lengthy training process — filing at least 40 to 50 hours of practice and passing a 30-page exam. After touring Pitt and thinking the Nationality Rooms were “one of the coolest things” about Pitt, first-year anthropology major Reagan Harper signed up to become a Quo Vadis tour guide at the Fall Activities Fair. Now, she hosts tours about once a week, guiding visitors through the time periods, architecture and art of each room. “I don’t think the coolness has faded [since I began training],” Harper said in an email. “Training made [the rooms] even cooler because I got to know what everything was and the history behind it.” Harper said she feels that being a tour guide — and getting to do inventory of the hundreds of Nationality Room items in storage — relates to her minor in museum studies. “These rooms are beautiful and should be shared, so I love passing that knowledge on to others,” Harper said. Junior history major and Quo Vadis Treasurer Alecia Caballero also joined Quo Vadis with museum work in mind.
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A tour guide shows visitors the Korean Room, which opened in November. Jeff Ahearn ASSISTANT VISUAL EDITOR “I want to work in a museum, so giving tours in the Cathedral is the best way to prepare,” Caballero said. This academic year, about 30 out of 100 students continued training after going to the initial Quo Vadis meeting, making this year’s trainee group larger than usual. The first four Nationality Rooms opened in 1938, but it wasn’t until 1944 that Dean of Women Helen Pool Rush started Quo Vadis. Previously, according to Michael Walter, the tour coordinator of the Nationality Rooms, students who were not official guides gave tours of the Nationality Rooms when visitors stopped by. When she wasn’t traveling the globe, Rush, who graduated from Pitt in 1919, made the Pitt community her home for more than 70 years. Rush established Pitt traditions — such as Pitt’s Lantern Night for first-year women
— while she served as dean of students and as vice chancellor of student affairs while at Pitt. Rush originally kept Quo Vadis exclusive to women, Walter said, simply because of her position as dean of women. But when a man showed interest for the first time, around 1970, Quo Vadis’ leaders made the club coed. Today, trainees go through a full semester of studying and training sessions before making about $10.86 for each hour and a half tour. To one of the students on the club’s executive board, trainees point out the Roman and Greek mythology characters in the Austrian Room, note that visitors shouldn’t conflate St. Nicholas with Santa Claus in the Ukrainian Room and reference the traces of gold flakes in the Syrian-Lebanon Room. The trainees receive feedback on their presentations down to the nitty-gritty details,
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such as saying “in Syrian culture” instead of “in their culture.” “I’m looking for how they’ve taken in the information and used it to make an interesting story,” Walter said. E. Maxine Bruhns, the current director of the Nationality Rooms, said Quo Vadis and the Nationality Rooms continue the beliefs of Ruth Mitchell Crawford, the original director of the rooms. “Ruth used to say nobody grows on trees, everybody comes from somewhere,” Bruhns said. “We hope to tap those roots and make adults and children aware of their heritage.” Max Adzema, a Quo Vadis tour guide who graduated in December 2015, said one of his favorite tours was guiding Chancellor Patrick Gallagher and his wife around the Cathedral a few years ago, before Gallagher See Tour Guides on page 3
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UPMC, pg. 1 Panther Gold — that employees can purchase through UPMC. John Kozar, Pitt’s assistant vice chancellor for University benefits, said in a statement Pitt had wanted to open a center like MyHealth@Work for several years. Kozar said in his statement that the clinic can serve 20 to 30 patients a day through walk-in and scheduled appointments and will likely save the University money in health care fees because its small size makes it low cost to run. Rich Colwell, president of the Pitt Staff Association Council, said the clinic will have access to patients’ UPMC health records, so employees won’t have to treat MyHealth@Work like an outside doctor’s office. Andrew Stephany, a member of the Pitt Staff Association Council, said the center will save Pitt staff and faculty money because they won’t have to pay co-pays, and they’ll save time going to a clinic on campus. “Employees also benefit from the time saved both waiting for an appointment to be available with their primary care physi-
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cian, as well as work time saved being out of the office,” Stephany said in an email. According to the release, the center will also offer pharmacy, nutrition and physical activity services, which it will develop in collaboration with Pitt’s Human Resources department. There is not a set date for when the center will roll out the services. Kozar said in an email the center will include access to a health coach for engagement in disease and lifestyle management resources, including proper nutrition, stress management, smoking cessation and weight management. According to Modoono, the center is one of 13 MyHealth@Work clinics that UPMC manages for its employees throughout the hospital’s system. He said the walk-in aspect of the clinic will allow for Pitt staff and faculty to stay focused on their work instead of worrying about meeting specific appointment times. “Sometimes, because of tight schedules, it is difficult to leave campus to visit a primary care office or specialist,” Kozar said in an email. “The walk-in clinic allows a faculty or staff member to visit with a clinician quickly and avoid any major disruption in a busy work day.”
Commencement, pg. 1
Tour Guides, pg. 2
to a release. Among his most well-known accomplishments is Cerf’s work for the Internet, where he helped designed the transmission control, protocols and architecture. Between 1976 and 1982, while he was working at the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Cerf helped lead the development of the packet data transport and security technologies for the Internet and Inernet-related areas. From 1982 to 1986, Cerf worked as the vice president of MCI Digital Information Services, where he engineered MCI Mail, the first commercial email service to be connected to the Internet. Cerf also served as the founding president of the Internet Society, a group that promoted the further development of the Internet from 1992 to 1995, and later served a term as chairman of the board in 1999. He earned his Bachelor of Science from Stanford University and his Master of Science and doctorate in computer science from University of California, Los Angeles. He also has previously received honorary doctorates from universities around the world, including Pitt’s sister school, Tsinghua University, as well as Yale University and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology.
became the chancellor. “I gave the chancellor his first Nationality Room tour at Pitt,” Adzema said. “When he became chancellor, I ran into him a couple times and he recognized me.” Adzema said he loves telling visitors new information about the building and its historical context as a Quo Vadis tour guide. “I love showing people something new,” Adzema said. “They’re such wonderful pieces of architecture and art, but they’re not that wellknown. I like the excitement of showing people something they’ve never seen before.” While not as high-profile, Adzema said one of his favorite groups to give tours to is groups of senior citizens. “They’re so interested in everything you have to say,” he said. According to Walter, Quo Vadis is part of the University’s place in the Pittsburgh community. “I think the existence of the club shows a value placed on representing Pitt’s role in the community, using its own students as ambassadors,” Walter said. “The longevity of the club speaks to the importance of that dynamic.”
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Opinions op-ed
from the editorial board
Big business good for PA medical marijuana market Pennsylvanians won’t be seeing momand-pop shops selling weed anytime soon, but in the case of medical marijuana, big business may be the right spark for success. On Monday, Gov. Tom Wolf signed a bill legalizing medical marijuana in Pennsylvania, making it the 24th state to do so. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, it’s going to take up to a year before marijuana grown in Pennsylvania will be able to treat in-state residents, and there are rigorous steps businesses must take in order to produce and sell marijuana. These steps are also pricey. According to Daniel Clearfield, a Harrisburg attorney who specializes in regulated substances, to be a grower-processor, the estimated investment is anywhere from $5 million to $10 million. While the cost, wait time and lack of insurance companies covering medical marijuana are concerns for Pennsylvanians, beginning the infrastructure is crucial, and to ensure the industry’s sustainability and legitimacy, we must start now. High-functioning businesses that grow, sell and research marijuana will lay the foundation for medical marijuana dispensing in Pennsylvania, making the state’s transition more coordinated and more likely to be a success. Through regulation, the companies that specialize in growing and processing medical marijuana — such as Vireo Health — can carefully grow the market. Instead of flooding the new market with small distributors and lowly regulated growers, large businesses can set pricing standards among themselves through competition and may encourage insurance companies to begin insuring medi-
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cal marijuana by legitimizing the market. Vireo Health, a Minneapolis-based, marijuana-derived medication firm that also operates in New York state, is considering Lehigh Valley for growing and processing sites. “This type of law is going to draw the highest-functioning, the most professional groups,” CEO of Vireo Health Kyle Kingsley told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Medical marijuana is used to treat legitimate medical conditions, but it still carries a stigma that underwrites its medical value. Currently in Pennsylvania, medical marijuana isn’t usually covered by insurance, and the law specifically exempts insurance companies from having to cover it. This means patients have to pay out of pocket, which typically amounts to hundreds of dollars every month. With large-scale, professional companies representing the medical marijuana market, the perception of the drug — which is still federally recognized as a Schedule 1 drug, along with heroin and methamphetamines — can shift. This shift can encourage more people who are suffering to try medical marijuana and, in turn, encourage insurers to work with the big businesses that sell medical marijuana. Insurance companies and the businesses that plan to establish themselves in Pennsylvania won’t make decisions on costs or insurance plans overnight. It’s going to take months or even years, but Wolf ’s signature on the medical marijuana law is a good start. When it comes to medical marijuana’s advent in Pennsylvania, big business paves a promising route.
AN AMERICAN’S ACCOUNT OF BRUSSELS ATTACK Emily Bogen
Guest Columnist I’ve lived in Brussels for three-and-a-half months — I’ve figured out how to jiggle the sticky lock on my apartment door, navigated through an ever-changing sidewalk maze of canine excrement and acquainted myself with a certain orange chair in a nearby coffee shop. My neighborhood is quaint and quiet. The streets spill over with schoolchildren speeding ahead of straggling parents and the windows of my bedroom open out onto an elementary school playground — they’re lucky students, as recess appears to be perpetual. I am comfortable in what has so quickly become home, with all its little intricacies and annoyances. *** Tuesday, March 22, was a leisurely morning — I woke up a contented kind of too late, let my arms fall into a well-worn flannel and arrived at my tram stop with a bag full of books, just for fun. I had finished my assignments early and finally set aside time for a few recreational chapters. I heard the news upon arriving at my usual cafe. I had just hooked up to the Wi-Fi before the flood began — program chats poured into my inbox, staff messages swamped Facebook while FaceTime blinked with 12 missed calls. The airport had been hit, Maalbeek metro station followed. Texts flew in from local friends and advisers: we should avoid public buildings and large crowds, stay in our apartments if at home or in class if at university. In these first muddled moments, I experienced my only moment of fear. I was alone, an American, 40 minutes from my apartment with little information and only conversational French. Did I go back? How? My metro line had been bombed out, opting for the tram now seemed unwise and a walk would be far and solitary. Should
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I stay? With whom? Some patrons had left lattes full and foamy. Newspapers sat unfolded, jilted on couch cushions and hanging from table corners. Other patrons lingered, leaning halfheartedly against armchairs, suspended in my same disoriented limbo. The memory of this moment is silent — it plays in semi-slow motion as I linger between identities — a Belgian resident, traveling via demolished metro lines and assaulted airports, and an American outsider, a kind of habitue for a five-month measure. Both identities human, susceptible to fear, frustration and grief. *** The day progressed and smoke began to dissipate — my university had been evacuated, security levels raised to the highest level and residents asked to stay inside. I had walked home from my cafe, past earsplitting ambulances and military vehicles moving with enough momentum to appear in flight. I wandered past taped-off train stations through congested cobblestone. I waved to packs of friends as they evacuated university, offered each other apartment space and last night’s leftovers. I spent the remainder of the day in my apartment — finished a book, drank six cups of tea, tried to access the saturated phone lines. Email updates poured in endlessly, telling me to listen to program advisers and avoid American news. If you hadn’t already been frightened, you would be after reading it — reporters were frantic to the point of theatrics, sensational and lacking in factual information. Belgian news, offered only in French and Dutch, was translated and sent via Englishspeaking staff to offer realistic, levelheaded updates. See Bogen on page 5
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Bogen, pg. 4
I planned on traveling via train and left myself two hours at the station to make it through security, although advisers recommended four for airport visits. I did as told, dragging an aunt and cousin into Brussels-South, the station at the heart of the city, well before departure. “We’ll need to be checked before we head
People appeared unfazed, steadfast in their resistance to fear and fury. am not Belgian — these were not my people, my parents or my peers, and yet the city had carved out a home my chest. Brussels had stolen my heart silently, slowly and then entirely. *** Several days later, friends shipped out for spring break and I made my way to Paris for a family visit.
inside,” I said, “and they’ll go through luggage — the line is supposed to be endless. Better safe than sorry.” We made it to our station in 30 minutes — even after a 15-minute wait at an information center and a full ticket refund for a family member who had fallen ill. I was shocked — frightened — by the lack
of surveillance. I felt unsafe, vulnerable. No one had noticed my entrance into the station, never mind checked my bag, questioned my travel plans or asked me to remove metal objects before a security screening. In fact, my arrival into Paris offered a glimpse at a far more meddlesome process: Passengers were required to send bags through an X-ray belt, remove jackets and provide identification and ticket information. Where had this been in Brussels, a city so recently and traumatically affected by anarchic violence conducted via station infiltration? *** I am comforted by Belgian resilience, by their perseverance and strength in the face of such adversity. And somehow, still, I am troubled by the ease with which they relapse into what seems to be naïve trust and ineffective habits. I am perplexed, faintly discouraged. Regardless, I revere a city whose skin glistens with grit in the face of such grotesque events. *** Savagery saw the most beautiful side of Belgium — singular, steadfast, roaring with resilience, standing around a potter’s wheel with a new piece of porcelain.
The Pitt news crossword 4/19/16
Despite the lockdown, my apartment was peaceful, an even-tempered atmosphere with a somber riptide. Outside my apartment, life for Belgians didn’t slow. Recess remained deafening, the screams a blend of endearing and irksome. Friends told me of trips for chocolate milk and cigarettes — the most mundane cravings quenched without apprehension. The city, it seemed, wouldn’t stop for savagery. *** The following morning felt a little like “Groundhog Day” — like I might’ve been the only one who had registered the attacks. Families meandered through sidewalks, suits turned into office buildings, coffee carts sat on street corners — just like always. Hadn’t these people read the news? Danger, Will Robinson, danger! Avoidance, apparently, was not the Belgian way. People appeared unfazed, steadfast in their resistance to fear and fury. *** A museum of memorials blanketed downtown streets. While the city’s circadian rhythm carried
on, De Brouckère — the tribute location — offered a place to lament. The hurt sat quietly in mourning alongside anger and affection, nestled between tri-colored flags and crayoncoated cards, melting into candle wax. My visit left me at a loss: stuck somewhere between heartbreak for a newfound home and guilt for claiming what might not be mine. I
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April 19, 2016
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Culture
ALL WORK, ONE PLAY
Courtesy of Ben Rayner
Megan Bresser, Kevin McConville and Drake Ma in a Redeye festival play Courtesy of Redeye
Noah Coco Staff Writer
Not all passion projects last 24 hours, but they do for students participating in Pitt’s Redeye Theatre Project. Twenty-nine students participated in the Redeye Theatre Project, a 24-hour theater festival where students work as playwrights, directors or actors. The project kicked off at 8 p.m. Friday with their performances taking the stage in the black box theater in the Cathedral of Learning basement at 8 p.m. Saturday. The Redeye Theatre Project celebrated its 11th season this year, with last weekend being the fourth and final festival of the year. The festival’s executive board chooses a new theme each time, which dictates the plots of the plays. This festival’s prompt was “Redeye Killed the TV Star” in which writers were required to use a line from a crime show, which graduate advisers assigned to teams. The writers also
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PARQUET COURTS GETS SPIRITS HIGH
had to incorporate themes from a separate TV Sarah Schneider network that the executive board chose. Staff Writer After receiving their assignments, the playThe only audience member who could wrights, directors, actors and crew members had to meet a series of deadlines leading up to have been bored at Parquet Courts’ show in the performance 24 hours later. Writers had 10 Spirit Hall Sunday night was the baby wearing hours to complete a script, working all night noise-canceling headphones. Despite one of the band members, singeruntil 6 a.m. Saturday. Teams practiced from 8 p.m. to 6 p.m., with dress rehearsal occurring guitarist Andrew Savage, suffering from the flu, Parquet Courts inspired mosh pitting at 6 p.m., before going live two hours later. “Redeye is exhausting and insane, but the and stage diving at its show in Lawrenceville. final product makes it 100 percent worth it. It’s The New York City-based rock outfit, which really something you build from the ground formed in 2010, further consists of drumup and only in 24 hours,” said Shannon Pender, mer — and brother to Andrew — Max Sava junior English writing major who has been age, bassist Sean Yeaton and vocalist-guitarist participating in Redeye for the past three years. Austin Brown. The decor in the 450-person ballroom was The time-restricted yet artistically liberated minimal, with a simple white banner with style produced six unorthodox short plays. “I really like this project in particular be- the words “Parquet Courts” in black lettering cause it allows for a lot of artistic and creative as the only stage decoration, as a part of the band’s well-known no-ads policy. See Redeye on page 7 The band members looked as plain as
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their banner — they could have been mistaken for local baristas out of context. Even their individual voices stayed monotone and dull-sounding, yet demanded the attention of everyone in the room as the harmonization grew ominous. Their opening song, “Sunbathing Animal,” a repetitive diddy about Andrew Savage’s sunbathing cat, doesn’t seem inherently stimulating. But the way Savage desperately spat out each lengthy lyric against the jarring guitar riffs would have been entertaining regardless of the subject. Despite genre labels, such as art punk, indie-rock or post-punk revival, Parquet Courts doesn’t quite adhere to any category’s rules. The band has released two EPs and five studio albums to critical acclaim — each with its own distinctive sound. Sunday’s show took from the band’s entire See Review on page 7
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Redeye, pg. 6 freedom,” said Megan Klein, a junior marketing major and creative writing minor. “It’s a great way to meet other creative and funny people.” Klein, who has participated in three festivals this year, co-wrote “Graveyard News at 11,” a late-night broadcast with monsters as anchors. “My writing preparation is eat a lot of donuts, and then throughout the night eat even more donuts to treat myself,” she said. “However, when I was an actor, my preparation was a lot easier because I didn’t have to be in the mental state where I was creating something. Instead, I had to interpret it. Therefore, the preparation was just get enough sleep the night before.” The overall theme of the night was like an exploration of existentialism through dark comedy. Writers took on the dark underpinnings of life with unrelenting comedy and the occasional social commentary. Plays ranged from a revamping of “Ghostbusters” in a eulogy to Blockbuster movie rentals titled “Who You Gonna Call? A Lifetime Original Movie,” to an original adaptation of the haunted trials of two individuals in a play titled “The Real World: Amityville.” “I like to know that it is safe for me to write dark humor and know the audience may be more receptive to that than a traditional play,” said Klein, whose “Graveyard News at 11” featured a werewolf news anchor dealing with his
Review, pg. 6 catalogue, from its earlier heavy punk influence to its most recent experimental work. The latter has become, in a word, weird. For example, “I Was Just Here,” off its latest album “Human Performance,” uses dissonant chords and polyrhythms to build off their previously more straightforward sound. While on stage, the band members rarely moved and only occasionally interacted with the crowd, saying a few jokes and comments here and there. It was as if their feet were permanently glued to the floor and only had the capacity to bang their heads along to the beat, Yeaton’s sweaty hair flying everywhere. Even if the show wasn’t sold out, it was close to it, and the crowd made up for the band’s stiffness. Fans ranged from baby-carrying couples to old folks in wheelchairs along the walls — not to mention the expected flannel-wearing teens and leathered-out punks. Once the mosh
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cheating wife in between film segments. The night hit a high note in writers Charles Kronk’s and Davis Caramanico’s “Schindler’s Love It or List It,” a re-imagination of a real estate reality show. The short play was replete with crude references to showers and diaries, which the audience embraced. “Who You Gonna Call? A Lifetime Original Movie” had a mellower tone and treated the receptive audience to kitsch popular culture references, such as “Ghostbusters” and sappy Lifetime TV movies. Matt Schaefer’s satirical “The Joan Ass Show” followed twin sister pop stars’ existential crises in the entertainment industry. The twin sisters struggled as one pressed on to achieve fame through their meaningless pop lyrics, while the other fought not to succumb to the weight of their meaningless existence. “The plays had good humor that you wouldn’t get anywhere else,” said first-year Alex Howard, who attended Redeye for the first time. Though Redeye’s plays have an unusually limited lifespan, teamwork remains at the core of the festival, allowing students to work from many different perspectives instead of simply acting. “What I love about Redeye is that it’s pushed me beyond my comfort zone. I started out by just acting, but after three years in Redeye, I’ve done almost everything from lighting design to directing to writing in just this past festival,” Pender said. “It’s all about collaboration — it’s about making art and producing plays that are one-of-a-kind and may never be seen again,” pits started, any hope of cool air quickly disintegrated. But even the heat couldn’t stop the multitude of stage divers and crowd surfers. With each new song came a new wave of people riding a sea of outstretched arms. And when the band played its most popular song, “Stoned and Starving,” there was not a still body in the audience. The song serves as a microcosm of Parquet Courts’ appeal, the basic instrumentation giving way to complex tunes and befittingly boisterous lyrics. Parquet Courts lets its music speak for itself — a proven method, considering their last two records both earned Pitchfork’s coveted “Best New Music” award. The band just released its most recent album, “Human Performance,” April 8 — just nine days before the show. And yet, audience members sang along to every one of the songs it performed, new and old — confirmation that Parquet Courts’ bare facade doesn’t translate into its ability to perform.
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7
Sports
SPRING GAME NOTEBOOK Dan Sostek Sports Editor
Spring football games usually have their fair share of fireworks, touchdowns and big plays — but not Pitt’s Blue-Gold Game Sunday. A rather dull intersquad scrimmage ended with the Blue team squeaking out a 19-17 win.. And instead of any specific plays or moments sticking out, reactions to the end of spring practice took center stage. Veterans like Adam Bisnowaty and breakout players like Jester Weah and Chawntez Moss, as well as Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi, spoke to the media about the end of the 15-practice cycle. BENEFITS OF BLUE-GOLD From the press box or the stands, it’s difficult to gauge just how much teams can get out of scrimmages that, in Pitt’s case, can’t even draw more than 8,000 fans to a stadium that houses 60,000 Pat Narduzzi sees spring football as an opportunity for learning. Jeff Ahearn people.
ASSISTANT VISUAL EDITOR
But according to redshirt senior offensive tackle Bisnowaty, the scrimmage caps off an investment of hard work from the new lineup. “I think spring ball really helps improve different skill sets that you have to work on for the year,” Bisnowaty said. “You have to self-scout yourself and notice what you need to work on and improve on that throughout the 15 practices.” In his self-scouting, Bisnowaty said he focused on improving pass blocking and durability. “Coach Narduzzi is a big goal setter,” Bisnowaty said. “We have goal cards every week for the season this year. We had one for spring ball. My biggest thing was working on my pass sets, footwork and staying healthy.” Narduzzi, though, also mentioned the mental benefits of getting those 15 practices and the spring game. See Football on page 9
STALLINGS WINNING OVER FANS
Jeremy Tepper
Senior Staff Writer Kevin Stallings might not be who I thought he was. I thought he had peaked and certainly wasn’t fit to replace Jamie Dixon as the new Pitt men’s basketball head coach. Plus, with his seemingly testy personality, I thought he’d lose players to transfers. The first month of the Stallings era, though, has gone surprisingly well. So far, he’s kept the team together and constructed a strong staff. Withstanding a coaching change without any transfers is rare. It’s hard to convince players who committed to a different
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coach and system to stay around, especially today, as transfer rates skyrocket. Plus, there was Stallings’s past relationship with Pitt forward Sheldon Jeter, who Stallings blocked from transferring from Vanderbilt University to Pitt. Stallings’s decision forced Jeter to spend a year at Polk State Junior College before being able to commit to Pitt. With that history, it was hard to imagine Stallings keeping Jeter around, or keeping the whole team together with Jeter being one of the leaders on the Pitt team. But he’s done just that, as Jeter publicly supported the move on Twitter short- Kevin Stallings’ first handful of moves have inspired confidence in the Pitt See Stallings on page 10 community. Matt Hawley STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
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KNIGHT OFFICIALLY A SCARLET KNIGHT
Steve Rotstein Staff Writer
Former assistant men’s basketball coach Brandin Knight has accepted a position as an assistant coach at Rutgers University. An assistant coach under Jamie Dixon for eight seasons at Pitt and Dixon’s top assistant this past season, Knight previously declined new head coach Kevin Stallings’s offer to stay at Pitt as an assistant, announcing he would not return to Pitt on Twitter March 31. In a press release Monday, Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell expressed his excitement in bringing Knight on as an assistant. “He is one of the premier young coaches in the country,” Pikiell said. “Brandin [Knight] has developed an excellent reputation as a high-level recruiter and a tremendous teacher of the game. He brings a passion and expertise in developing players that will be infectious to our program.”
A native of East Orange, New Jersey, Knight said in the press release that the idea of coaching close to home attracted him to the job. “The opportunity to join a Big Ten staff in my home state under the leadership of Coach Pikiell is very exciting,” Knight said. “I can’t wait to help bring winning back to Rutgers.” In 2003, as a star point guard at Pitt under Ben Howland, Knight led the Panthers to a Big East Men’s Basketball Tournament title as well as two Big East Conference regular season titles and two trips to the Sweet 16 in 2002 and 2003. Knight spent the past 10 seasons as a member of the Panthers’ staff after a brief professional career. He served as Pitt’s program assistant and video coordinator in 2006-2007 and its director of basketball operations in 2007-2008, before earning a promotion to assistant coach in 2008-2009.
Football, pg. 8 “We had 15 days to get together and play the game of football that we love,” Narduzzi said. “I think the knowledge is something that we gain. I don’t think I can put my finger on one [benefit] but the biggest thing is that knowledge.” MOSS MAKING A NAME As an early enrollee, running back Chawntez Moss has had a leg up on the rest of Pitt’s 2016 re cr uiting class. He’s thrived in spring practice, and his success led to him being the first running back selected in Pitt’s Blue-Gold draft. Moss finished the day with a respectable 28 yards on seven carries. But Narduzzi said fans just didn’t get a taste of
Moss’ explosiveness. “He didn’t make a huge gainer or have a long catch, which he showed Thursday at practice,” Narduzzi said. “But that shows, sometimes you get lucky and sometimes you don’t.” Narduzzi also highlighted offensive line play as a reason Moss couldn’t quite get it going. “It’s a little bit different, going out there with a different O-line,” Narduzzi said. “One time [Alex] Bookser went the wrong way and got him killed in the backfield.” Moss was pleased with his performance overall, and thrilled to play in front of Pitt fans for the first time.
I think spring ball really helps improve different skill sets.
-Adam Bisnowaty
See Football on page 10
The Pitt News SuDoku 4/19/16 courtesy of dailysudoku.com
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Football, pg. 9 “It was a great environment and a beautiful day for football. One of the most beautiful days since I’ve been here actually,” Moss said. “All of the fans coming out to support us just shows that our hard work is paying off ... Heinz Field is always a great experience.” WEAH EMERGING The biggest mystery heading into Pitt’s 2016 season is who will replace former Pitt wide receiver and the program’s all-time leading pass catcher Tyler Boyd. Dontez Ford, Pitt’s second leading
Stallings, pg. 8 ly after Pitt hired Stallings. There’s no guarantee the rest of the team sticks around, but Stallings has stated that he’s gotten affirmation from everyone on the team that they won’t transfer. On top of that, Pitt’s three commits in the 2016 class all re-affirmed their commitments, also a rarity in a coaching change. Stallings’s ability to keep the team intact has been a crucial development. Stallings’s staff, too, looks good on paper. He brought along his right-hand man, Tom Richardson, who coached alongside Stallings the past 13 seasons at Vanderbilt. Richardson has developed the reputation of being a strong-shooting instructor and solid recruiter. Plus, he has head coaching experience, having been the head man at Illinois State University for four years. Having another strong basketball mind with coaching experience is necessary for any good staff, and Richardson has gained those qualifiers through his extensive career.
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receiver, is returning, but the Panthers need more explosiveness in the pass game. “We’ve got to be able to make those big plays. I think that’s what we were lacking last year,” Narduzzi said. “That’s what we didn’t have last year, was that outside guy.” As of now, the Panthers will rely on junior Jester Weah to be that deep threat. The speedy wideout recently won the Ed Conway Award, given annually to both an offensive and a defensive player who improved the most throughout spring practice. Narduzzi projects Weah, at 6-foot-3,
can be that big speed demon on the outside — he just needs to haul in the ball. “He can get vertical, and if he can go up and catch it, we’ve got a chance,” Narduzzi said. Catching the ball has been the primary concern for Weah, as he has yet to haul in a reception in his career. He recognizes his difficulties bringing the ball in , but said his drops are behind him. “I struggled in the past,” Weah said. “But now I just catch the ball and have that high confidence.” That confidence rose after Weah’s breakout game on Saturday, when he snagged four catches for 107 yards.
Quarterback Nathan Peterman said having that type of performance in livegame action will further fortify Weah’s mindset. “All spring we have been synced,” Peterman said. “It was good to come into Heinz Field and do the same. It is especially good for him mentally. He can come back to this mentally and tell himself that he has made the plays before.” In replacing Boyd, Weah said he understands that the former star will always be the comparison. “Media always brings up Tyler,” Weah said. “He’s been a great player, and we just need to pick up where he left off.”
Also joining Stallings at Pitt is Jeremy Ballard, a 12-year assistant coach who spent last season at Illinois State. What’s impressive about Ballard, though, is the three years he previously spent on Virginia Commonwealth University’s staff during a period of exceptional success. Coaching under Shaka Smart — who is now the head coach at the University of Texas — VCU compiled a 79-28 record in the time Ballard was there. Smart is one of the most respected coaches in college basketball, in part due to his strong coaching staffs. Ballard is a good recruiter, too, bringing in several top prospects to VCU, which is a historically tough program to recruit for. When Smart left for Texas, Ballard was one of the top candidates to replace him at VCU, though he lost the spot to Will Wade. Still, the fact that VCU considered Ballard — only 34 years old now — for the spot is impressive. Ballard will be anxious to prove his worth in his first Power Five job, too. Rounding out the staff is Kevin Sutton, a coaching veteran with 27 years of coach-
ing experience. Though he spent some of those years as the head coach at top prep schools, Sutton joined Georgetown University as an assistant in 2013. His recruiting ties are what matter the most — he has plenty of experience recruiting across the DMV area, which is within the ACC footprint that Pitt needs to use. Fans also shouldn’t overlook that Stallings brought over his strength and conditioning coach from Vanderbilt, Garry Christopher. It’s hard to judge the ability of strength and conditioning coaches, but the fact that Stallings brought one over strictly for basketball is notable. Though most schools have such a coach solely dedicated for men’s basketball, Pitt’s previous strength and conditioning coach, Tim Beltz, also held the position for the
women’s basketball team. Because of this, Beltz rarely traveled with the team for road games. Though conditioning hasn’t perceivably been a problem for the basketball team, having a coach only for men’s basketball is important for recruits, as it shows them an increased investment in their specific program. Really, Stallings has done everything right since coming to Pitt. Obviously Stallings will need to provide results on the court, but by keeping the team together and assembling a strong staff, he’s improved his chances at success. I’m not ready yet to say that Stallings will do well at Pitt. Underachieving for 17 years at Vanderbilt is hard to overlook. But in Stallings’s first two challenges, he’s come out with strong results. That’s all anybody can ask for at this point.
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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. +++5 bedroom, 2 full baths, huge house, nicely updated, shuttle across street, washer/dryer, $2295+, August 1, photos www.tinyurl.com/pittnewsad4 coolapartments@gmail.com 724-935-2663 1,2,3,5,6, & 8 bedroom houses. August & May 2016. Bouquet, Atwood, Ward & Dawson. Please call 412-287-5712.
2 bedroom. 343 McKee Place. $1200 (heat included).
2 bedroom, 2 bathroom house. 3201 Niagra St. $1200. A/C, dishwasher, washer and dryer.
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3444 WARD ST. Studio and 3 BR apartments available Aug. 1, 2016. Free parking, free heating. Call 412-361-2695. No evening calls please. 361 McKee Pl. 4BR + 2BA. $1650 +all utilities. Available May 1. 53 Bates St. 3 BR 2BA. $1300+ all utilities. W/D A/C. Remodeled. Available now. 51 Bates St. 2 BR apartment. $900+ all utilities. Remodeled. W/D and A/C. Available May. 51 Bates St. 3 BR apartment. $1200+ all utilities. W/D and A/C. Available August.
1 bedroom. 365 Ophelia St. $550+ electric. Call 412-969-2790.
Call 412-721-1308
Available 8/1, 1 BR/1 Bath, 5 min. walk to Cathedral, A/C, hardwood floors, newly renovated, starting at $995+, 412.441.1211
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2 BR, furnished, 2 people. Oakland Ave. $1200 ($600 per person), utilities included. Available immediately - summer sublet. Contact 412-848-9442.
3142 Bates St. 4 BR single house. W/D. $1400+ all utilities. 4 off-street parking spaces included. Available August 1.
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Available 8/1, 3 BR/1 Bath, less than 1 mile to campus, updated, Dishwasher and AC, starting at $1325+, 412.441.1211
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4 BR townhouses, Semple St., available May 1st and August 1st 2016. 4 BR summer lease avaiable May, June, and July. Equipped kitchen, full basement. 412-343-4289 or 412-983-5893. 519 Zulema Street. Female preferred. 1 Bedroom available in a 4 bedroom apartment from beginning of May to end of July. Furnished. Air conditioning and free laundry. $600 but price negotiable. Contact (224)577-8166 or nmm73@pitt.edu Available August 1st. 3 bedrooms, 1 bath house. Great location. Renovated. Central air. Equipped kitchen with dishwasher and microwave. Washer/ Dryer. Starting at $1575+/utilities. Porch/yard. No pets. Call 412-916-4777. FOR RENT AUGUST 1 2016: Completely remodeled, spacious 3BR 1.5 BA home on tree-lined residential street. $1695/mo + utilities. Original woodwork, high ceilings, large bedrooms. Parking available. Panther Properties of PA, pantherproperties2@gmail.com. Photos: https://panther-life.com/properties/oakland/
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M.J. Kelly Realty Studio, 1, 2, & 3 Bedroom Apartments, Duplexes, Houses. $775-$1650. mjkellyrealty@gmail.com. 412-271-5550, mjkellyrealty.com Oakland/Atwood St., near Forbes, nice. Studio, $525 including all utilities. 1BR, $600+ electric. Wall-to-wall, fully equipped. 412-561-7964. South Oakland Duplex. 4 bedroom 2 baths. Central air, dishwasher, washer and dryer. Available August 1. (412)915-0856. Spacious 2-BR apartments on Dawson Street, single or double occupancy. Partially renovated & improved. August 25 availability. Very affordable rent. Limited parking spaces also available. Call 412-692-1770 to see apartment, parking spaces. 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
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)
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. Shadyside spacious 2 bedroom, 1 bath. Hardwood floors. New kitchen. August 1st move in. Call 412-361-2695. First floor duplex. Solway Street. Available 7/1/16. $1595/month +utilities. 3 BR, 2 Baths. Kitchen. Large dining room/living room/basement. Washer/dryer. Garage. Near bus/shopping district. Ray 412-523-2971, rwiener602@gmail.com. 5 bedroom. May 2016. Sarah St. Large bedroom, new kitchen, air conditioning, washer & dryer, dishwasher, large deck. $2500+utilities. 412-287-5712. 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.
April 19, 2016
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 1-800-6699777 or email fheo_webmanager@hud.gov. For the hearing impaired, please call TTY 1-800-927-9275.
Sacred Heart Elementary School in Shadyside is looking for volunteer Volleyball Coaches and Basketball Coaches for the Varsity and JV Teams for the 201617 Seasons. Must be at least 18 years of age and have transportation. If interested, please contact Amy Volpe at jaisvolpe@gmail.com or call 412.295.9260
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. Come work where it's Oktoberfest every day. Now hiring for all positions at Hofbrauhaus Pittsburgh. Apply in person Monday through Friday. HYATT House Pittsburgh Southside Seeking full time and part time valets. Experience with valet and manual transmission a plus. Must be able to work nights and weekends. Shifts are 7am-3pm & 3 pm11 pm. Pay is $8.25/hr +tips. Apply in person at 2795 South Water St.
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 Irish Design Center. Retail sales assistant needed 1 or 2 days per week throughout the year. Flexible schedule, close to campus. Experience preferred. Respond by email only to paul@irishdesigncenter.com. 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.
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