Vol. 105 Issue 143
@thepittnews
Homelessness simulation provides insight
Friday, April 3, 2015
Pittnews.com
THESE BOOTS WERE MADE FOR STOMPIN’
Mark Pesto For The Pitt News Carson Derrow gets enough to eat and has a place to sleep at night, but, yesterday, he learned how to survive on the streets with just $15 and a backpack. Derrow, a sophomore neuroscience major, is one of more than 150 students who participated in a homelessness simulation in the William Pitt Union on Thursday. The event was held by Panthers Educating and Advocating for Children in Homeless Situations (PEACHS), a student group dedicated to providing for the needs of homeless children. As of 2011, the National Alliance to End Homelessness estimated that 2,225 people were homeless in Pittsburgh. “Homelessness is a prevalent issue nationwide, but why not start the spark for change here in Pittsburgh?” Michelle Rojas, a junior social work major and PEACHS president and event coordinator, said. PEACHS members accepted cans of food on behalf of the Homeless Children’s Education Fund (HCEF), an organization that advocates for homeless children’s right to receive a free public education. Read the rest online at Pittnews.com.
ROTC members took students on a walking tour of campus for “Stomp Out Sexual Assault,” providing information on sexual assault on campus. Emily Klank | Staff Photographer
Pitt tightens Greek Life eligibility requirements Harrison Kaminsky & Dale Shoemaker The Pitt News Staff Under new requirements, Pitt will now bar many first-semester freshmen from joining Greek life. With a focus on “academic excellence,” Pitt’s Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life said in a release Thursday that new course credit standards will tighten eligibility for new members. The office, the Interfraternity Council and the Collegiate Panhellenic Association made the
changes after working together and meeting with members of Greek life for several months. Fraternity and sorority pledges must be full-time students “in good standing” at Pitt, have earned at least 12 credits and have a 2.5 minimum cumulative GPA, according to new rules. Because first-semester freshmen may not meet all of these requirements, as they have not yet taken college classes, many “will no longer be eligible to receive a bid for membership,” the release said. The office hopes the policy will ease students’ adjustment to college life before they
join a fraternity or sorority, its coordinator Matthew Richardson said in an email. The new requirements of at least 12 credits at an accredited college or university already applied to transfer students and prospective members of the National Pan-Hellenic Council, a third governing body for Greek life. The requirement excludes credits from Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and College in High School, Richardson said. The policy does not change Greek life GPA
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requirements, as they have required a 2.5 minimum GPA for an unknown number of years, Richardson said. The initiative is not related to the recent national controversies concerning Greek organizations, Richardson said, and will not retroactively impact students who are already full members of their organizations. In the past year, universities around the country, including Penn State, Syracuse and West Virginia, have suspended Greek organizations following a wave of hazing and alcohol-related incidents. While students can join other time-consuming organizations during their first semester at Pitt, Richardson said the formal nature and length of the recruitment process makes Greek life different from other student organizations. The Office benchmarked ACC schools and other major universities before implementing the new policy and found that institutions are split on the issue, Richardson said. “The schools that have implemented deferred recruitment also believe that freshmen need time to adjust,” he said.
April 3, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com Pitt has the right to make this type of decision for students, because the University has the responsibility to implement policies and guidelines that are believed to be in the best interest of its students, Richardson said. “In many instances, including this one, there is considerable dialogue with student leaders during the decision-making process,” he said. Karen Cohen, president of Alpha Epsilon Phi sorority, said she was a part of this dialogue earlier this semester. Greek life members met with Richardson, she said, and could voice their opinions. Many were in support of the changes, and the new rules didn’t surprise her, she said. Cohen joined her sorority as a secondsemester freshman because she was initially unsure about joining Greek life. She said the changes will be beneficial because they will give new students more time to decide which campus activities they want to get involved with. The new rules will likely not affect AEP’s recruitment plans for next year, she said. “The people who are on the fence will be able to be acclimated [to Pitt] before they decide what they want to do.” Matt Reilly, a ritual chair of Phi Delta Theta
and an account executive at The Pitt News, said it’s important to hold people in Greek life to a high standard because there’s a spotlight on them. “The policy gives freshmen time to acclimate to Pitt before joining,” he said. Reilly pledged his first semester of freshman year because he wanted to find his niche and spend time with like-minded individuals. “If I hadn’t been allowed to do that, maybe I would have been set in my ways and never would have joined [Greek life],” Reilly said. Richardson said the decision will not have a significant impact on membership in Greek life. “We feel this decision is in the best interest of our students, and those students who decide to join will be making better decisions and have a great chance to thrive academically,” he said. Danielle Murphy, a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma and an inside sales employee at The Pitt News, agreed with the new policy’s goals. “Because pledging can be time-consuming, it makes sense for freshmen to focus on their grades when they first enter Pitt,” Murphy, a senior business psychology major, said. Murphy said she pledged her sophomore year, so she had time to both focus on her classes and make better friends with her floormates.
“It wasn’t as stressful,” Murphy said. According to Richardson, disparities in GPA between first-semester pledges and pledges who have been on campus for at least one semester have existed for several years. “Oftentimes, students who were at the top of their class in high school and had a 3.8 or 3.9 GPA struggle to adjust to the intensity of college courses, as well as the challenges of living away from home for the first time,” Richardson said in the release. The Pitt News reported in December 2013 that the Interfraternity Council had implemented a new policy according to which it would fine brothers whose GPA falls below the 2.5 requirement. Student Affairs administrators and leaders of fraternities and sororities at Pitt have discussed making this change for the past couple of years, according to Richardson. Richardson said academic excellence remains a guiding principle and value of the fraternity and sorority community. “By waiting one semester to go through the new member process, students can become acclimated to Pitt and to college life, then join our ranks to enhance their collegiate experience,” Richardson said.
April 3, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com
OPINIONS
EDITORIAL
People and pronouns: Getting it right Laverne Cox’s outspokenness for the transgender community has drawn celebration and insight from people of all sexual orientations. The Pitt News covered her talk with a story and photograph that filled the front page of Tuesday’s issue, and we had a video online of her visit. We hoped this coverage would make people more aware of her message. In the article on Cox, The Pitt News referred to a student poet who spoke at the event with an inaccurate pronoun. The article incorrectly used the pronoun “her” to refer to Sarita Brady — a transmasculine, non-binary student — whose preferred pronoun is “they.” A transmasculine person is born as female, but identifies as male more than female, and nonbinary refers to any gender that is not exclusively male or female. We learned of the error early in the morning when our Twitter account received a barrage of tweets from @ ButtSlayer1234. One tweet read, “today is a day where trans individuals proudly claim their identities yet you still can’t respect it #transdayofvisibility.” Another read, “#TransDayOf Visibility is TODAY, maybe you should pay attention to the trans people around you #SaveALife.” The influx of tweets drew an audience, but was also disconcerting to a staff that wanted to be part of a solution and to educate people, not offend them. Once The Pitt News became aware of the potential inaccuracy, our editors worked to fact-check it, ultimately speaking with Brady over the phone to identify their preferred pronoun.
It is never the intention of The Pitt News to isolate or discriminate against anyone based on sex, gender, race or any community with which they may identify. During the conversation with Brady, they explained that people should ask, “What’s your name and preferred pronoun?” In this case, we did not. “To call a transmasculine person a
sion that we relay to the student body through letters to the editor and more news stories. As a student newspaper, we recognize the role of the media in shaping attitudes towards minority communities. A recent series by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette embodied the role of the media in sharing stories of the transgender community with the public. As student journalists, there are certain standards to which we adhere. If readers criticize us through our Twitter account, it’s standard to investigate the concerns and then to reply privately or in an editorial like this one. At The Pitt News, we consult the Associated Press stylebook to standardize many elements of our writing. The stylebook has not yet adopted the pronoun “they” to refer to a single person. However, we have always reserved the right to break with the stylebook, and, in this case, we have decided to do so. We will adopt the singular “they” as our official in-house style from here on out, and we hope to make the term more common in our conversations. Behind the grayscale staff box at The Pitt News are feminists, sexual assault victims, students who are out and proud and human beings working to inform the masses and advocate for justice. We care, and we hear you. Whatever your pronoun, let us work together to address language that hasn’t yet caught up with a culture that’s growing and changing.
We’re in a transitional time when our generation is reaching new heights in social, economic and political equality for minority groups — though we have significant gaps to fill. ‘she’ or a transfeminine person a ‘he’ is kind of a violation of the thing he or she is rejecting, and so it feels incredibly strange,” Brady said. “Don’t assume — that’s the motto of the LGBTQ community. Never assume gender, never assume pronouns, never assume sexuality,” they added. We’re in a transitional time when our generation is reaching new heights in social, economic and political equality for minority groups — though we have significant gaps to fill. Sometimes the depth of the issues, however, outpaces our learning curve. When this is the case, The Pitt News hopes students will engage in a discus-
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COLUMN
A fool-proof guide to studying for finals Anna Tomani Columnist
Bragging on Facebook about how you’re a procrastinator isn’t going to help you get an A on that statistics final in two weeks. Cut the jokes, and create a plan to get the grade you want. 1) CONSIDER WHERE YOU’RE GOING TO STUDY. The most common study destination is Hillman Library, which accommodates up to 2,000 of the more than 18,000 undergraduate students at Pitt. That said, it’s tough to nab a spot. If you are lucky enough to find a place to sit, be wary of procrastinating — one trip to the Cup and Chaucer Café could leave you socializing with everyone you’ve met here at Pitt. If you actually want to start studying and don’t want to procrastinate with the rest of the student body, book a study room ahead of time at www.library.pitt.edu, or check out the silent study fourth floor. 2) RECONSIDER THAT STUDY SPOT. Everyone knows about Hillman and the Cathedral — that’s why they fill up so fast. Instead, try out one of the many hidden study spots in the Union. The ninth floor lounge or even the third floor holds promise with whiteboards and big study tables. Similarly, many students don’t know about the two-floor study lounge at the top of Thackeray Hall. Once you secure that spot, don’t let it go. Strange as it may be, I have a friend who brings an air mattress to stake his claim. Be territorial. 3) DECIDE WHAT SORT OF WORK SPACE YOU NEED. According to a 2013 study by Psychological Science, messy workplaces lead to increased creative output and generation of more inter-
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April 3, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com
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TOMANI esting ideas. A tidy workplace, on the other hand, can lead one to make healthier choices and behave more conventionally. If you have to work on a group project or write a final essay, don’t shy away from messiness. 4) DON’T FIGHT THE URGE TO NAP. Either take a 20-minute power nap, or plan to sleep for a full 90 minutes. According to Helpguide.org, a 90-minute nap will give the greatest boost in energy, because your
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body will complete a sleep cycle, which takes about 90 minutes. Napping for more than 20 minutes, but fewer than 90, can put you at risk for falling into a deep sleep, causing grogginess or disorientation. 5) OR DO. It turns out a quick stop to Dunkin’ Donuts, Starbucks or any of the coffee carts on campus is justified. Adenosine is a chemical in the brain that binds to receptors and slows down nerve cell activity, making you sleepy. Caffeine binds to adenosine receptors and blocks the adenosine from binding. Nerve cell firing increases, which causes the body
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to release adrenaline. Then, your heart rate increases, muscles tighten and liver releases sugar into the bloodstream for extra energy. 6) SNACK LIKE A GENIUS. Since you’re up and about, grab a quick snack so that you can stay full and focused. Foods like walnuts, avocados and dark chocolate promote increased oxygen-carrying blood flow to the brain and thereby stimulate brain activity. If you’re not hungry, chewing gum increases blood flow to the brain via masticationinduced arousal. This basically means that chewing gum warms up the brain and helps
with memory and thinking processes. If you chew a certain type of gum while studying, chew the same flavor while taking the exam — your brain will more easily recall what you’ve studied. So, once you’ve popped in that stick of gum and completed these pre-studying procedures, sheer terror at the amount of time you’ve lost to procrastinating will send you charging through finals week like a total studying savage. Godspeed my friends. Anna Tomani primarily writes about college and social issues for The Pitt News. Write to Anna at aet29@pitt.edu.
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April 3, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com
FOOTBALL
SPORTS
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Increased playing time a possibility for underused Pitts Jeremy Tepper Staff Writer
When safety Jevonte Pitts received word that Paul Chryst would leave Pitt for Wisconsin’s head coaching job in January, his immediate thoughts weren’t of anger or displeasure. They were of opportunity. After redshirting his freshman year and playing almost exclusively on special teams last season, Pitts saw a new coaching staff as an opportunity to establish himself as a potential contributor. The 5-foot-11, 205-pound Forest Hills, Pa., native was tired of watching his eligibility dwindle from the bench. “As soon as I heard Coach Chryst was leaving, I knew I had to step up, because I’ve been trying to play all these years, and the time has finally come,” Pitts said. And step up he has. After nine spring practices, Pitts has thrust himself forward as the arguable frontrunner for the starting strong safety spot. It’s a rapid jump for a player who was once buried in the depth chart and only boasts one career tackle. His lack of playing time was frustrating, he said. “It’s always discouraging when you think you’re going to come in and think that this is going to be my year, I’m going to do this, I’m going to do that, but it doesn’t happen,” Pitts said. “Then, you finally get a chance to play. I was discouraged at first, but then I got it together and came out fighting.” Refreshed with a new opportunity, Pitts has ascended the depth chart. Like his fellow teammates, the defensive back praised head coach Pat Narduzzi’s scheme as more straightforward than other defenses, a change which has benefited him. With fewer audibles and changes prior to the snap, the defense is excited to compete athletically, rather than strategically. “Everything is simpler, way simpler,” Pitts said. “Everything is scaled back, everything is more dumbed down, as opposed to us having so many checks
Jevonte Pitts (26) has impressed the Pitt coaching staff during spring practices. Jeff Ahearn | Assistant Visual Editor
last year, and it’s a fresh start. It gives everybody an edge, everyone wants to compete.” Pitts has picked up the system quickly and has a knack for being in the correct place, according to Narduzzi. “Jevonte’s been doing a good job. He’s sound,” Narduzzi said. “If you know how to do your job and do the little things right, you’ve got a chance to play. He’s a good tackler, and he’s in the right spot most of the time.” “Every down you play faster because you know what you’re doing,” Pitts added. With less thinking, Pitts has utilized his self-described strength of hard hitting as well as his athletic ability and ability to process plays quickly, a requisite of Narduzzi’s defense. “It’s about being an athlete. If you can’t come down and defend the run and play the pass at the same time, you shouldn’t
be out there,” Pitts said. Pitts pointed to speed and a sharper read on plays — a lesson from departing senior safety Ray Vinopal — as reasons for his improvement. Still, he hasn’t secured the starting job, which is currently alternating between him and freshman Pat Amara. They have gone back and forth in playing first team in practice, Pitts said. Despite the battle for playing time between the two, their relationship remains very amiable. “With the [defensive backs], we all look at each other as brothers, we hang out together, we text each other all the time. So it’s like when you were a little kid, playing with your sibling; you always tried to win against your sibling. Everything’s a competition,” Pitts said. Whoever wins the strong safety position will likely play opposite Reggie Mitch-
ell, who has also been a model for Pitts. “I call Reggie a technician because he can do everything so well. He can hit, he can cover. When I watch film, I try to watch him and see what he is doing, and I steal some of his techniques from time to time,” Pitts said. Mitchell reciprocated the praise. “Jevonte’s a player. He’s going to make plays,” Mitchell said. “He’s one of our hardest-hitting defensive players that we’ve got and he’s been making a lot of plays this spring. As spring practice continues, Pitts and Amara will likely continue to alternate, as Narduzzi has said he has no problem altering the depth chart based on performances in practice. Even with his lack of output in the past, Pitts’ confidence appears unbridled. “I always think I have a chance,” Pitts said. “I never count myself out.”