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
April 7, 2016 | Issue 138 | Volume 106
Pitt develops CLINTON CAMPAIGNS AT CMU new epilepsy drug Annemarie Carr Staff Writer
Pitt researchers are developing a drug that may help people with epilepsy see fewer medication side effects, according to a recent report. Epilepsy researchers have spent the past two-and-a-half years redesigning Retigabine, a commonly prescribed epilepsy drug, to increase effectiveness and decrease side effects. The U.S. Department of Defense’s Joint Warfighter Medical Research Program funded the study, which researchers published March 22, in Molecular Pharmacology. The new drug could also help people with ringing in their ears, a condition known as tinnitus. The drug can treat both conditions, as they are caused by overexcitation of potassium channels in brain cells. Epilepsy is a condition where a patient experiences at least two seizures per year caused by unpredictable firing of nerve signals in the brain. According to the World Health Organization, about 50 million people have been diagnosed with epilepsy worldwide. This equates to roughly 1 percent of all people, according to Thanos Tzounopoulos, one of the researchers and associate professor of otolaryngology at Pitt’s School of Medicine. According to the Epilepsy Foundation, 3 million people in the United States have epilepsy and 150,000 new cases are diagnosed in the United States each year. Most epileptics take seizure drugs that target sodium, potassium and chloride See Epilepsy on page 3
Mayor Bill Peduto (left), Hillary Clinton and Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald at a campaign event at CMU Wednesday. John Hamilton STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Dale Shoemaker News Editor
After touring a robotics lab and meeting a grieving family, Hillary Clinton took the stage at Carnegie Mellon University to tell Pittsburgh voters that the future belonged to them. And as for herself, Clinton said she takes “a backseat to nobody.” At a campaign event at CMU that started at 6 p.m., Clinton’s sights were focused on the journey ahead — hers, Pittsburgh’s and that of the college students she spoke to at a campaign stop at CMU. “This election is about your futures,”
Clinton said. “I want us to believe that we can make the future.” In the Skibo Gymnasium, Clinton came out to chants of her name and outlined some of her plans to invest in infrastructure, fight climate change and make affordable education, from pre-kindergarten to college, more available to students. Behind her, the numbers 2016 and 45 — referencing the United States’ 45th presidential election — shone from the gymnasium’s scoreboard. Decked in Clinton’s campaign gear and CMU T-shirts, about 1,900 students and community members attended Clinton’s hourlong talk.
Clinton’s appearance at CMU was her first official stop in Pennsylvania this year, a state where she leads Sanders by more than 17 points, according to Real Clear Politics. The event also comes about two weeks after her campaign opened its first office in Pittsburgh, and exactly 20 days before Pennsylvania’s primary. Clinton was the third high-profile politician to visit Pittsburgh in the past week, following Sanders last week and Vice President Joe Biden on Tuesday. Weaving together the economy, education, climate change and jabs at the RepubSee Clinton on page 2
News
Clinton, pg. 1 lican presidential candidates, Clinton highlighted her plans to boost the economy and make it easier for college students to pay off their loans. “I want to give families and students the opportunity to get to college without drowning in debt,” Clinton said. “Right now, it’s not fair.” Clinton said she wants college students to be able to refinance their debt — just like h om e owners can refinance t h e i r homes — so they can save thousands of dollars. “We’re going to get the nagging bill collectors out of your life and make sure the government isn’t making money on your debt,” she said. Prior to her talk, Clinton said she visited with the family of a high school student who was an adamant supporter of hers. Accord-
ing to Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Caileigh McDowell was a student at Woodland Hills High School who dreamed of voting for Clinton. McDowell died of Crohn’s disease earlier this week. “I wanted to mention her because she won’t be able to fulfill her dreams,” Clinton said. “But we can help other students fulfill their dreams.” For former Woodland Hills High School teacher Sylvia Martinelli, Clinton’s tribute to McDowell was especially meaningful because Martinelli had taught Mc D ow e l l’s mother when she was in school. “The fact that [Clinton] went there before coming here,” Martinelli said, “it meant a lot. It really meant a lot.” Clinton’s plans to bolster infrastructure in the United States resonated with Mayor Bill Peduto, who applauded Clinton for
We’re going to get the nagging bill collectors out of your life. -Hillary Clinton
Hillary Clinton poses with supporters at CMU. Kate Koenig VISUAL EDITOR
See Clinton on page 8
Students and alum win national research grants Zoë Hannah
Assistant News Editor The National Science Foundation awarded 10 Pitt students and eight alumni its Graduate Research Fellowship last week. On March 29, the foundation, which sponsored $22,510 of Pitt’s research and other sponsored programs in 2016, gave the award to 2,000 students across
pittnews.com
the country for their outstanding work in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The fellowship gives each recipient a $34,000 stipend and a $12,000 cost of education allowance each year for three years, according to the release. All of Pitt’s winners, who study in the schools of arts and sciences, engineering and medicine, are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees.
According to a Pitt release from Wednesday, the fellowship is “designed to ensure the vitality and diversity of the scientific and engineering workforce in the United States,” and has been awarded to many students who went on to successful research and professions. Pitt spokesperson Joe Miksch said Pitt had so many fellowship recipients because of the University’s prestige.
April 7, 2016
“Our University is a place that attracts brilliant students and provides them with resources that help them fulfill their potential,” Miksch said in an email. “Pitt students have an excellent track record of netting prestigious awards and fellowships.” Last year, 15 Pitt students received the fellowship and 10 received an honorable mention. See Awards on page 4
2
Clinton, pg. 2 building bridges, both physical and metaphorical. Clinton said she plans to invest $275 billion in infrastructure projects over five years, putting $25 billion of that into a national infrastructure bank. Clinton’s infrastructure bank would allow the federal government to give states loans to pay for new roads and bridges. “While the other candidates are talking about building walls,” Peduto said, referencing comments from Republican candidate Donald Trump, “we know Pittsburgh is a city of bridges, and Hillary is someone who builds bridges.” Standing on the same stage he saw the band The Clash play on in 1982, Peduto said Pittsburgh has come a long way in the 34 years since the concert, and said he was backing Clinton because she could see Pittsburgh’s future. “[In the 1980s] we were looking down the abyss of economic collapse, we were looked at as a city that had lived its life,” Peduto said. “[But Clinton] knows where we’re at, knows
pittnews.com
our past and has a path for our future.” Beyond education, Clinton also spoke on the importance of fighting climate change, a call that resonated with several students in the audience. Clinton said she cares about climate change because she “actually listens to the scientists.” “Ask the Republicans, they’ll say, ‘Well, I’m not a scientist,’” Clinton said. “I bet Carnegie Mellon could help teach them.” From the college next door, Pitt sophomore Anoop Reddi said Clinton’s calls to reduce greenhouse gases and setting up more solar panels stuck out to him because he thinks investing in technology to combat to fight climate change is essential. “We’re getting all of this technology — Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat — but we’re not getting much for climate change,” Reddi said. For other voters like Jennifer Yoder, 33, of Morningside, Clinton’s calls for equal pay for women and equal treatment for all people regardless of gender or race affected their non-heteronormative family directly.
Epilepsy, pg. 1
ions at the nerve cell membranes to reduce the firing of brain cells, according to Tzounopoulos. This prevents the overexcitation of these cells that would cause seizures or tinnitus. “Unfortunately, these drugs don’t work well in nearly one-third of patients and there is a great need for better treatments,” Tzounopoulos said. Tzounopoulos, along with Peter Wipf, professor of chemistry at Pitt, and other collaborators, redesigned the drug Retigabine, which is already used for seizure management. Retigabine works on five types of ion channels in the brain — only two types are important for epilepsy, however. These two channels, KCNQ2 and KCNQ3, partially cause the seizures and tinnitus, according to Tzounopoulos. Wipf said the drug may also provide patients with tinnitus a new treatment. There is currently no cure or treatment for tinnitus. See Clinton on page 8 Tinnitus is common in the elderly pop-
April 7, 2016
ulation and in people who work in noisy professions, according to Wipf. “A significant amount of the population has tinnitus, but it is sometimes only noticed in a quiet environment,” Wipf said. According to Tzounopoulos, this new drug will be more potent, meaning patients will need smaller concentrations of the drug. Wipf said the side effects that occur with Retigabine include visual disturbances, discoloration of the skin and difficulty sleeping. Christina M. Patterson, interim director of the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, said one of the biggest challenges children with epilepsy face is the unpredictability of seizures. “Seizures can occur unexpectedly and sometimes without any precipitating factors. Having medications available that control seizures and stop them from interrupting the daily lives of children and See Epilepsy on page 4
3
Epilepsy, pg. 3 their families is of great importance in treating this disease,” Patterson said. Before researchers can study the drug in humans, it must be studied in animal models. Wipf said he and the other researchers are currently studying the drug in mice and rats, and the studies should conclude within the next two months and then move into further animal clinical trials.
“At this point, the new compound is ready to be studied further in animal models of epilepsy and tinnitus and for other preclinical assessments,” Wipf said. When the drug eventually reaches clinical trials in humans, Wipf and Tzounopoulos hope it prevents seizures with better efficacy and provides relief for patients experiencing tinnitus. “We have a new drug in the case that other drugs won’t work,” Tzounopoulos said. “We hope to improve the quality of life of epilepsy sufferers.”
Awards, pg. 2 This year, seniors Emily Crabb, studying physics, astronomy and computer science; Trent Dillon, studying mechanical engineering; and Rachel Johnson, studying geology and anthropology, won the fellowship, along with graduate students Katerina Clemens, studying neurobiology; Taylor Courtney, studying chemistry; Donald Kline, studying electrical engineering; James Loving-Lichtenstein, studying biological sciences; Cristian Morales-Rivera, studying chemistry; Michael Taylor, studying chemical engineering; and Luis Vazquez-Maldonado, studying chemistry. According to the release, 14 students and 10 alumni received an honorable mention, as well. As he decides between Carnegie Mellon University and University of Washington for graduate school, Dillon reflected on how much the University Honors College and his mentor, Judy Zang, helped him win the fellowship. “Without her there’s no doubt in my mind that I wouldn’t have had the proper guidance to complete this project,” Dillon said. Dillon, who is interested in studying sustainable energy infrastructure, said the fellowship relieves a lot of the financial stress of higher education. “[This] gives you an opportunity to earn your own path through merit and hard work,” Dillon said. “Getting to have this opportunity and then having funding through graduate school is great for me.”
pittnews.com
April 7, 2016
4
pittnews.com
April 7, 2016
5
Opinions
column
from the editorial board
Continue allowing transgender students bathroom access After the superintendent sent home a letter about an already-existing policy permitting transgender students to use the bathroom of their choice, dozens of parents came out for a school board meeting Monday at Pine-Richland High School in Pine Township, Pennsylvania. The letter’s purpose — to “introduce an emerging societal topic at the local, state and national levels related to transgender students and people” — said since the advent of the bathroom policy, no “inappropriate actions on the part of any student” have occurred. And yet some parents are — wrongly — upset about the old news. Many parents at the meeting expressed concerns about the prospect of their children having to share a bathroom with someone who is transgender, citing safety concerns and suggesting an opt-in policy. But there’s no data suggesting transgender people have ever impeded upon a non-trans person’s safety in a restroom. Vincent Villano, the director of communications for the National Center for Transgender Equality told millennial media company
Mic that there is no statistical evidence suggesting any instances of transgender people harassing non-transgender people in a public restroom. “Those who claim otherwise have no evidence that this is true and use this notion to prey on the public’s stereotypes and fears about transgender people,“ Villano said. Statistics do show, according to the Williams Institute, that transgender people face significant levels of discrimination and harassment simply when trying to use the restroom. If a student can’t safely go to the bathroom, they aren’t going to switch to a differently gendered bathroom — they’re just not going to go, forcing them to focus on their bladders instead of the lesson plans. If schools are dedicated to providing each and every student an equal learning experience, transgender students shouldn’t have to sacrifice their education to worry about where they have to take their next restroom break. It’s the school’s responsibility to accommodate the needs of each of their students — transgender or not. This means making — and in this instance, keeping — inclusive bathroom policies for trans-
gender students. “Our purpose is to live the life that we want to live, which I think is what all of us are trying to do, so it would just really help if we could just use the bathrooms that we feel we most define with,” Erika Ridenour, a student at PineRichland told WTAE. Reacting negatively to transgender inclusion primes high schoolers to fear and alienate transgender students. Inclusive bathroom policies do more than just ensure greater equality for transgender students. They teach us a valuable lesson in empathy that lasts after any graduation date. But we can’t learn these lessons unless our teachers and mentors in high school provide an environment conducive to learning them. Building that environment starts with assuming transgender people, along with all of their peers, do not present a risk of harming others by virtue of using the bathroom that aligns with their identity. It starts with rejecting statements that allude to transgender peers as people with ulterior motives.
Don’t dismiss implicit sexism Amber Montgomery omery For The Pitt News
It’s a Sunday evening and I’m just finishing up my dinner, about to head to a friends apartment to watch an award show. I get there to find my friends playing whatever video game they’re obsessed with that week. “Two more rounds, then we’ll turn the show on,” one claimed. They go through two rounds, failing to save the president or kill enough Russians or whatever the mission might have been. “Okay if we don’t make it to the checkpoint this time, we’ll turn the show on,” said Player 1. Player 2 yelled back, “What does it matter? The show hasn’t even started yet, it’s just the red carpet.” “Oh hell, nevermind that. We can play for a while then,” said Player 1. I protest. “But I want to see the shoes!” sh Big mistake. My iinsignificant plea slipped out of my mouth before I even had time to See Montgomery on page 7
pittnews.com
April 7, 2016
6
Montgomery, pg. 6 think about reading my audience. The room erupted in laughter and the boys proceeded to mock me for the next 20 minutes, repeating what they thought to be a spot-on impression of a somewhat shallower and flightier me, all the while continuously yelling at the television about their video game mishaps. I sat there and rolled my eyes. Don’t get me wrong here — I can take a joke. And I’ve aimed plenty at each of them in the past. What really bugged me about this whole interaction, even weeks later, was that it got me questioning myself. Why did I care about seesh ing the shoes? Was sh I being shallow? As I showed an soon as intereest in fashion and style, did s I suddenly drop d IQ points, b e c o m e less interesting and altogether lose my qualifications to hang out with my male
friends? The answer to these questions, of course, is not about the shoes. It’s about feminism and why we desperately need it. A big problem with prejudices like racism and sexism is how people refuse to acknowledge the way they work in our society in an unconscious and systematic m a n n e r. W h i l e sexism is blatantly o b v i ous when someone supports the subordination of women, an equally damaging belief is one that doesn’t acknowledge more veiled and implicit sexism and doesn’t understand the need for modern-day feminism for both women and men.
Women need feminism. Men need feminism. Like the annoying little sister of racism, we’re all equal on paper, but when it comes to how that plays out in real life, the disparities exist everywhere — if you open your eyes to seeing them. No one questions whether your 80-yearo l d grandfather who proudly displays a Confederate flag and carelessly uses racial slurs is racist or not. Likewise, no one argues if that political commentator who believes women shouldn’t have the right to vote is sexist. Body shaming women, condemning an overly emotional response or chalk-
Women need feminism. Men need feminism.
ing a bad mood up to it being “that time of the month” are all examples of sexism that occur casuoc ally in the w o r k he place, t h e classr o o m and in college apartments. m Similarly, dismissing complaints of everyday sexism and disregarding feminist perspectives are both offspring of and contributors to this patriarchy-dominated society. And while our traditional definition of feminism is a call for equality between the sexes, there’s a bit more to it than that. There’s a reason it’s not called humanism or egalitarianism — women and femininity are the side of the coin that is underprivileged and disadvantaged and thus, feminism illustrates the need to bring the idea of femininity to an equal position to that of masculinity. The fact that I felt guilty and began to second-guess my love for shoes is a perSee Montgomery on page 8
The Pitt News SuDoku 4/7/16 courtesy of dailysudoku.com
pittnews.com
April 7, 2016
7
Montgomery, pg. 7 fect example of how this works in our culture. Things that are associated with being feminine — anything from shoes to the color pink to showing simple compassion and tenderness — are likewise associated with being weaker and more trivial. I, as a woman and a feminist who knows better, still found myself feeding into the idea of showing interest in something feminine, like shoes, being
pittnews.com
far less important and meaningful than a masculine pursuit, like playing video games. Likewise for boys who may like to cook, or dance or play with dolls, feminism is just as important to them. It can be hard to recognize when we are falling guilty to these sexist traps because they are so ingrained in our culture. It’s not about controlling every unconscious thought that floats through your head. We are all inherently preju-
diced by nature of the way we’ve grown wn up exposed to meedia that perpetuates es these ideas. The key is in n recognizing these inherent biases and working to understand where they come from and how we can change them. So the next time my guy friends make me feel like the vapid being I’m not, I’ll question them — not myself.
April 7, 2016
Clinton, pg. 3 “For me, it’s how deeply she believes in social justice and how hard she works for equality,” Yoder, who had Clinton sign their copy of Clinton’s memoir, said. During her speech, Clinton highlighted the wage gap for women and women of color. “When you go to the cash register, the cashier doesn’t say, ‘Oh, you only have to pay $0.78 on the dollar, or $0.68 on the dollar if you’re a black woman or $0.58 on the dollar if you’re a Latino woman,” Clinton said. “Last time I checked, there was no women’s discount.” Jalon Alexander, a Pitt law student who said he arrived at the rally at 10:30 a.m., said it was these calls for diversity and inclusion that pushed him closer to a vote for her. Alexander, who also attended Sanders’ rally last week then snapped a picture with Clinton Wednesday, said he was 50-50 between the two candidates but liked both. “I think you need inclusiveness [in this country],” Alexander said. “When you don’t have inclusion, you don’t have diversity and when you don’t have diversity, people feel excluded.” Alexander, who said he wants to follow Clinton’s footsteps in politics some day, said Wednesday’s event showed him a different side of her. “[The media] portrays her as a robot, but now I see she’s a lot realer than that,” Alexander said. “I left feeling that we’d be in good hands.”
8
Culture
tales from morocco: on the march
Moroccan citizens march in protest after a U.N. leader’s controversial comments. Photo courtesy of Elaina Zachos staffers out of the area, antagonized by Ban’s kick dozens of U.N. staffers out of the disputed Elaina Zachos comments, jeopardizes the cease-fire. territory. Staff Writer By the time the weekend rolled around, The claim of who owns the Western SaNothing wakes you up faster than the roar the Moroccan people were still fuming over hara, a desert strip of 103,000 square miles of national pride. Ban’ s statement, prompting the government bordering the Atlantic Ocean, Morocco, AlFrom the air, the Centre Ville in Rabat, to host a march in Rabat. Moroccan authorigeria and Mauritania, is a taboo topic in the Morocco, is a sea of red and green, the colors ties knocked on thousands of peoples’ doors to Maghreb. Spain decolonized the region in of the Moroccan flag. Red represents hardiconvince them to join in a show of patriotism 1975, putting its sovereignty up for grabs. ness, bravery, strength and valor, with green as and an attempt to bash the U.N. chief. Th is kick-started a war between Morocco and the color of Islam. Specks of white pepper he On Sunday, I wake up to a text on my MoMauritania against the Polisario Front, a Sahacrowd as demonstrators dot the air with postroccan cellphone. It’s from Wail, a local jourran rebel group, for control of the region. In ers. Thousands of voices chanting in Darija nalism student I’m working with through my 1991, after years of guerilla fighting, the Unitemanate from the rally, drawing locals, tourists study abroad program. ed Nations sponsored a cease-fi re between the and camera crews to the neighborhood. “Hey, there’s a march today at 10 [a.m.], opposing sides and divided the territory up, The nation’s motto is “Allah, Al Watan, Al close to Bab Chellah, about Moroccan Sahara,” giving two-thirds of it to Morocco and the reMalik.” In English, it’s “God, Homeland, King.” the text reads. mainder to the Polisario. Welcome to Morocco. A few minutes later, I get another text. This Since that shaky treaty, tensions have reAt the beginning of March, U.N. Secreone’s from Kelsey, another student in the promained high between Morocco and the Polisatary-General Ban Ki-moon visited refugee gram whose journalistic curiosity has lured rio. Each side has been trying to strengthen its camps in Algeria. While there, he referred to her to Bab Chellah to witness the march. claim to the region by bolstering international Morocco’s annexation of the Western Sahara I roll out of bed and start finger-combing recognition. But when a U.N. chief lets his poas an “occupation.” Offended by the slip-up, my hair into a braid before getting dressed, sition on the debacle slip, this tests Morocco’s Moroccan people threw rocks at Ban’s proceschomping an apple and grabbing my backclaim. The government’s choice to kick U.N. sion, and the country’s government decided to
pittnews.com
April 7, 2016
pack as I head out the front door. As the lock clicks behind me, my phone vibrates with an incoming call from Kelsey. “I literally just walked out the door,” I say. “What’s up?” Let me remind you: She’s a blonde American girl, by herself, surrounded by thousands of riled-up demonstrators. Not a good situation to put yourself in. I walk a little faster, my heels clicking on the ground, the sound ricocheting off the walls of the otherwise quiet medina. After snaking out of the medina, I reach Avenue Laalou. It intersects with Avenue Mohammed V, a main street that leads in the direction of Bab Chellah. When I reach the intersection, I hang a left and begin walking toward the demonstration. Small shacks selling cheap street food and storefronts cluttered with clothing border the busy avenue. Cars, trucks and people on motorcycles speed by, weaving through and See Morocco on page 10
9
unlikely allies: ‘Deadpool,’ ‘Spider-Man’ redefine genre Jack Trainor Culture Editor
If Deadpool can see, it is because he stands on the shoulders of a web-head. It’s hard to think of anyone more deserving than Ryan Reynolds for delivering us this year’s massively successful “Deadpool.” The film has not only inspired a rapid industry rethinking of what superhero movies can be, but is now also the highest grossing R-rated movie of all time. Not many would point to 2002’s “Spider-Man” as having to do anything with a “Deadpool” movie, given the 14 years between them, but the former’s impact on the latter mirrors the effect “Deadpool” is creating for future superhero movies — not to mention both films making improbable comebacks after being all but dead. To get to “Deadpool’s” recent success though, we have to look at the heroes that came before him — particularly one in a
Morocco, pg. 9 dodging the dozens of pedestrians bustling through the street. I march between clusters of people headed in the same direction. They’re mostly young men carrying banners emblazoned with Moroccan flags. Others are dressed in light-colored linen tunics, the traditional clothing of the native North African Amazigh, or Berber, people. A few men wear massive Moroccan flags knotted around their necks and trailing behind them like capes, a heroic tribute to the motherland. When I walk through the arch that marks the end of the medina, the national pride booms. At the edge of the medina, Mohammed V intersects with another main street called Avenue Hassan II. Crowds of people litter this street. Women and children are scattered throughout the mostly male crowd, each of the demonstrators carrying some symbol stamped with their Moroccan identity. Some brandish signs printed with Arabic script, others include words in English or French or symbols from the Amazigh alphabet. Others hold up posters of King Mo-
pittnews.com
April 7, 2016
different skintight red suit. It’s hard to remember a time before the box office was oversaturated with superheroes, but after “Superman IV: The Quest for Peace” tanked in 1987, Hollywood decided it could do without spandex and capes. This allowed Israeli producer Menahem Golan to buy the rights to Spider-Man from Marvel Comics when they became available for the first time in 1985, 23 years after the character’s first appearance in “Amazing Fantasy” No. 15. But after years of failed funding attempts and a slew of legal issues, a courthouse ruled in 1998 that Golan’s ownership over the rights had expired, reverting SpiderMan back to Marvel. Marvel then sold the web-head to Sony, who went on to produce its film, and the troubles continued.
Find the full story online at
pittnews.com
hammed VI sitting in a black suit on a red and gold throne, his fingers laced together in front of him. Among the sea of people, I try to pick out Kelsey’s head of blonde hair. I’m holding my notebook and pen in my right hand, but then I slide them into a mesh pocket on the side of my backpack. People are staring at me — what is this American girl doing alone at a national Moroccan parade? Eventually, I see Kelsey nod at me through a gap in the crowd. Mackenzie is beside her. We meet in the middle and touch base about the demonstration. How long have people been gathered for? They started arriving around 9 a.m. How many people do you think are here? Thousands. What’s the point they’re trying to make? Once we’ve thoroughly established that the event is the country’s response to Ban Kimoon’s comments, we start walking toward the sidelines of the street, the root of the procession, to watch the stream of people marching down Hassan II. Demonstrators stomp down Hassan II in See Morocco on page 11
10
Morocco, pg. 10 lines, holding horizontal posters and chanting political rhymes in Darija while onlookers record the scene through iPhones. Students snap selfies and chat with each other on the sidelines of the march. Farther from the street, men face the medina wall to relieve themselves. Small groups of younger Moroccan people come up to us and ask if they can take pictures with us. They want proof showing they’ve met with someone from the Western world, the birthplace of much of
pittnews.com
their pop music and cult TV shows. An older man steps up to Mackenzie and hands her a small Moroccan flag attached to a wooden stick. She takes it as a souvenir, but she doesn’t want to be seen holding it. As a student journalist, she doesn’t want to take sides on the Western Sahara issue. She steps to the curb and cautiously sets the token down. Back on Hassan II, one group of demonstrators carry posters emblazoned with Ban’s face, circled in red and slashed with a diagonal line. Their massive plastic poster reads, “Ban Kimoon is not neutral” in English alongside other
slogans in Arabic and French. As far as criticism goes during national demonstrations, “not neutral” is a relatively tame term. Morocco embraces its reputation as a relatively stable Arabic country with strong ties to the Western world. The country’s zero-tolerance policy toward terrorist groups makes it a convenient ally to the United States. It projects an image of the peaceful “exception” to the rest of the mysterious Middle East for an international audience. For example, during the 2011 Arab Spring,
April 7, 2016
Moroccans protested and achieved constitutional reforms while citizens in Egypt and Tunisia ousted presidents and Libya erupted into a civil war. Miles above the demonstration, a helicopter’s blades keep time in the air. The Moroccan people around us pause their conversations and look up. They cheer at the helicopter, clapping and yelling as it hovers overhead. Onboard the helicopter, a local media video camera captures the crowd’s reaction, airing it and projecting the image of the Moroccan exception to the rest of the world.
11
Sports
The Pitt News
Price excited to pair with transfer Hendrix
Editor-in-Chief DANIELLE FOX
Managing Editor HARRISON KAMINSKY
editor@pittnews.com
manager@pittnews.com
News Editor DALE SHOEMAKER
Opinions Editor MATT MORET
newsdesk.tpn@gmail.com
tpnopinions@pittnews.com
Sports Editor DAN SOSTEK
Culture Editor JACK TRAINOR
tpnsports@gmail.com
aeeditors@gmail.com
Visual Editor KATE KOENIG
Layout Editor EMILY HOWER
pittnewsphoto@gmail.com
tpnlayout@gmail.com
Online Editor PETER LOREI
Copy Chief MICHELLE REAGLE
tpnonline@gmail.com
tpncopydesk@gmail.com
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 Ejuan Price led Pitt in sacks last year, but will have some added talent with Tennessee transfer Dewayne Hendrix. Jeff Ahearn ASSISTANT VISUAL EDITOR Hendrix, a defensive end transfer Jeremy Tepper from the University of Tennessee, is Senior Staff Writer primed to start opposite Price, who the Last season, Ejuan Price was unNCAA granted a sixth year of eligibildoubtedly “the guy” on Pitt’s defensive ity after missing extensive time in past line. With top-end quickness and passyears from injuries. And with that talrushing technique, Price amassed 11.5 ented duo of new and old in tow, the sacks. Panthers’ pass rush is primed to haunt Now, Price might have some comopposing backfields. petition in that proverbial pecking orThough Pitt’s coaches have been der. After sitting out the past season careful of heaping too much praise on due to transfer rules, Dewayne Hendrix Hendrix, it hasn’t stopped his teamhas been a spring practice star, sacking mates from continuing to fuel the hype the quarterback 4.5 times in Pitt’s first train. Coaches and teammates often use scrimmage. the word “beast” when describing the Not that Price is complaining — transfer defensive end. Price called him especially if that means fewer double it, as did linebacker Mike Caprara. teams for him. For defensive coordinator Josh “Hopefully Dewayne gets them all,” Conklin, he’ll say that Hendrix — Price said with a laugh. “Hopefully I get standing at 6-foot-4 and weighing 240 all the one-on-ones.” See Spring Practice on page 14
pittnews.com
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
student-managed newspaper for the Oakland campus of the University of Pittsburgh. It is pub lished Monday through Friday during the regular school year and Wednesdays during the summer. Complaints concerning coverage by The Pitt News, after first being brought to the editors, may be referred to the Community Relations Com mittee, Pitt News Advisory Board, c/o student media adviser, 435 William Pitt Union, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15260. The editor in chief has the final authority on editorial matters and cannot be censored, according to state and federal law. The editor in chief is selected by the Pitt News Advisory Board, which includes University staff, fac ulty and students, as well as journalism professionals. The business and edito rial offices of The Pitt News are located at 434 William Pitt Union, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15260.
Business Manager MATT REILLY
advertising@pittnews.com
Sales Manager DAVE BARR
Inside Sales Manager KELSEY MCCONVILLE
Marketing Manager KRISTINE APRILE
University Account Executive ALEX KANNER
Marketing Assistant LARA PETORAK
Digital Manager ISAAC PROCH
Graphic Designers Jillian Miller Maya Puskaric
April 7, 2016
Account Executives Dave Barrone Steve Bretz Rob Capone Sean Hennessy
Mathew Houck Calvin Reif Allison Soenksen
Inside Sales Executive Marissa Altemus Victoria Hetrick Arianna Taddei
12
Softball splits doubleheader with Bucknell Dan Sostek Sports Editor
Coming off an ACC series win against North Carolina State, Pitt’s softball team had a chance Wednesday to start to surge. But due to some stranded runners and an errorfilled third inning, the team’s roll stalled a bit in a doubleheader against Bucknell. Pitt split the two games with the Bison, winning the first game 9-0 and falling in the second 5-4, with ace pitcher Kayla Harris coming up just short in the finale. In game one, pitcher Jenna Modic was the star, stifling the Bison by tossing a complete game shutout in the Panthers’ five-inning, mercy rule win. Pitt’s offense provided a bevy of run support for Modic. Olivia Gray tallied Pitt’s first runs, launching a two-run homer to center field in the second inning, scoring Maggie Sevilla. Then in the third, Sevilla and Giorgiana Zeremenko launched back-to-back shots, giving the Panthers a 5-0 lead. Modic continued to deal, as the Pitt lead grew Jenna Modic pitched a shutout in game one against larger via two RBI hits by Kaitlin Manuel — includBucknell. Wenhao Wu STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
pittnews.com
April 7, 2016
ing a two-run single with the bases loaded — as well as bases-loaded walk by Zeremenko. The Panthers’ pitcher set the Bison down 1-2-3 in the final frame to secure the victory, as they took the contest by a score of 9-0. Modic finished a complete game, allowing just three hits and one walk while striking out three. Manuel finished 3-3 with three RBI, while Sevilla also was a perfect 3-3 with one RBI. In game two, the Panthers had ace Kayla Harris on the mound, fresh off earning ACC Co-Pitcher of the Week honors after winning three games. Pitt gave Harris a lead in the second inning, as Zeremenko walked and eventually scored on an illegal pitch by Bucknell’s Lara Bean. But the Panthers’ defense fell apart in the top of the third, as errors by Zeremenko in left field and McKayla Taylor at shortstop led to the Bison taking a 3-1 lead. Only one of those runs was earned. Pitt threatened in the third inning, as it put runners at first and third with one out. But Modic ended the rally, lining into a double play. Zeremenko made up for her error in the fourth, See Softball on page 14
13
Spring Practice, pg. 12
where he is the best he can possibly be.” Price says he’s done that, as he said he put in the requisite work over the offseason to reach his statical goal, which is to beat his sack total from the previous year. He’s focusing on sharpening up his technique and physique during the spring, which he said will help him reach the next level. Plus, it doesn’t hurt to have Hendrix on the other end to help take pressure off him. “I feel like if you try to key on somebody, somebody else is going to make a play,” Price said. “[The defensive line is] pretty well-balanced at this point.” No matter the competition, the relations between the two still remain friendly. If anything, it’s Hendrix trying to match Price’s play. After watching Price tear through offensive lines from the sideline, Hendrix hopes to replicate the senior’s performance. “It motivates me a lot. He’s like a role model for me,” Hendrix said. “I look at everything he does and try to mimic it.”
Softball, pg. 13 launching her second solo home run of the doubleheader, halving the Bucknell lead. The Panthers had a chance to tie the game in that inning, but Shelby Pickett grounded out, stranding runners at the corners. Pitt got two runners on again in the sixth, but this time was able to capitalize, as Zeremenko knocked a single through the right side of the infield to give the Panthers a 4-3 advantage. Harris surrendered the lead in the very next inning, though, as the Bisons’ Lauren Hadley belted a two-run jack to left center as Bucknell regained a 5-4 lead. That advantage would hold through the final inning, as Bucknell set Pitt down in order to earn the win. After the split, the Panthers are 24-13 on the season. They travel to South Bend, Indiana, this weekend for a conference series against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
The Pitt news crossword 4/7/16
pounds — just physically looks like a big-time player. “He’s an SEC defensive end. When you look out there, there’s a marked difference in terms of what he looks like,” Conklin said. “Speed matters, strength, power and all that ... He’s got all the skill set to be a really special player for us.” Last season, Hendrix spent his time on the scout team, where he would mimic future opponents to better prepare the offense. The experience made him a better player, Hendrix said, as well as more comfortable with Pitt’s playbook. “Starting off, it was pretty tough, but I just had to look at the bigger picture,” Hendrix said. “I knew it could make me better, so I just looked at it that way.” For all the superlatives coaches can heap upon Hendrix, it’s his work ethic that has caught the eye of defensive line coach Tom Sims. “Dewayne’s a hard worker and he
plays hard,” Sims said. “That’s the foundation of success at what we do: You’re developing the right habits and working to be as good as you can be, and he definitely is doing that right now. And if you can combine that with talent you can go a long way.” Though inconsistent play from Pitt’s other defensive ends plagued the team last season, Price said he has found a companion who can motivate him competitively in Hendrix . “I feel like we push each other,” Price said. “I’m sure he wants to be the guy as well as I want to be the guy, so we’re always trying to take that top spot.” After earning First Team ACC honors last season, Price is the known commodity of the two. Still, Sims hopes to see Price treat practices with the same attitude of someone with a lesser pedigree. “I want him to work like he’s an unknown commodity. I want him to come out here with the mindset that he has something to prove every single day,” Sims said. “It’s about getting to the point
pittnews.com
April 7, 2016
14