7-1-15 by The Pitt News

FYI ( For your information ) Las Palmas health violation The Allegheny County Health Department has issued a consumer alert for Las Palmas for violating several health codes. Las Palmas, located on Atwood Street, is facing 19 health code violations after the ACHD inspected the grocery store and restaurant during a routine inspection on June 24. The Health Department issued the alert for unsafe hot and cold holding temperatures, lack of proper hand washing, unsafe cooling practices, not having a certified food safety manager on site, unsanitized food equipment and having flies in and around the store, among other violations. Las Palmas has 10 days to get up to code, Donna Scharding, manager of the Health Department’s food safety program, said in an email Monday. The 10 days began on June 24 and will end on July 4. The Health Department may close the store if it does not pass another inspection before July 4. The owner of Las Palmas, Gabriel Berumen, would not comment on the violations.

July 1, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

STRIDES FOR DIFFERENCE A!er new hire, Pi" examines its diversity efforts

Mark Pesto Staff Writer

abroad opportunities and to recruit and retain a diverse student body and staff. At Pitt, diversity means equal opportunities for all individuals and a strict nondiscrimination policy, according to

Pamela Connelly wants to make Pitt a more diverse campus, but she doesn’t have a plan — yet. “We can’t DIVERSITY AT PITT say today, Data from Pi! ‘We have this Fact Book 2015 plan that’s going to happen,’ because we are still trying to piece together everything we have and get all the information in one place,” C o n n e l l y, Pitt ’s new top diversity official, said. In May, Pitt officials appointed Connelly to the new position of associate vice chancellor for diversity TPN interviewed new Athletic Di- and inclurector Scott Barnes, where he talk- sion. Once ed coaching stability, non-revenue she’s up to speed, Consports and more. nelly said, she will oversee diversity efforts across the University. Although she can’t yet give specifics, Connelly hopes to make Pitt a more its human resources website. inclusive, respectful community. Connelly’s appointment comes not According to Chancellor Patrick Gal- long after 22 diversity-based student lagher’s five-year plan for the University, groups joined in March to create the which he outlined in a June 19 report to Student Diversity Council, a coalition Find the content in full online at the Board of Trustees, this means Con- promoting diversity awareness and acnelly will, in part, work to expand study ceptance on campus.

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The Student Diversity Council formed partly in response to local and nationwide movements such as the Black Lives Matter protests against police brutality and the Fight for 15 rallies for a higher minimum wage. Pitt has not yet certified the Council as an official student group, but its leadership plans to make it an official student group by the fall. Zach Schaffer, a member of the Council’s steering committee, which is working to make the Council official, said that he’s “very much in favor” of Connelly’s appointment and that he has reached out to her, on behalf of the Council, to invite her to work with them to promote diversity on campus. Connelly’s office will work closely with the Student Diversity Council after it becomes a formal student group, she said, adding that she and Schaffer have made plans to discuss the particulars of their future working relationship later this summer. Although her plans are still tentative, she said, she is considering holding a series of town hall meetings at which students can directly communicate their concerns. Schaffer, who’s also the president of the Hillel Jewish Students Union, hopes that the Council will become an effective liaison between students and administration. “When we come across problems that we think the administration needs to See Diversity on page 4

July 1, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

After SCOTUS ruling, Pennsylvania looks to nix discrimination Dale Shoemaker News Editor

When he heard the news, Eddie Lowy got goosebumps. As a rainbow-striped flag waved out front of his Downtown shop, Lowy, who is gay and identifies as a man, fixed his eyes on a television set and learned that nationally, he was granted a new right. The United States Supreme Court voted 5-4 in a historic ruling Friday that said the United States Constitution guarantees the right to same-sex marriage. Minutes later, Lowy’s landlord walked in and asked him what he thought of the ruling — and what he and his partner, Ricardo Cortes, who he’s been with for 35 years, were planning to do next. “And I told him, ‘He’s had my heart, and now he’ll have my hands,’” Lowy said. The Supreme Court’s ruling comes more than a year after a U.S. federal district court struck down a 1996 Pennsylvania law that banned samesex marriage. In separate statements, both Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald and Pennsylvania State Representative Dan Frankel, (D-Allegheny) said Friday was a day to celebrate. Friday evening, Pittsburgh’s Delta Foundation, an organization that advocates for the visibility of the LGBTQ community, held a celebration at the

Eddie Lowy and his partner, Ricardo Cortes, celebrate the Supreme Court’s ruling in Shadyside on June 27. Theo Schwarz VISUAL EDITOR

intersection of Ellsworth and Maryland Avenue in Shadyside. Lowy, along with about 400 others, danced, sang and mingled in the streets in celebration of the Supreme Court’s ruling. Gary Van Horn, the president of the Delta Foundation, said the ruling made

him “proud to be an American.” But Van Horn said the work of the Delta Foundation and lawmakers is not yet finished. While Pennsylvania allowed samesex marriage as of last May, the state does not yet have a law in place that guards against discrimination based

on an individual’s sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. Both Allegheny County and the City of Pittsburgh have protection against discrimination in place, but nearly 70 percent of Pennsylvania’s population lives in an area without protection against discrimination, according to the ACLU. For a gay individual who lives in Allegheny County but works elsewhere, Van Horn said, this means that person’s employer could potentially fire them for their sexuality. Currently, Frankel and fellow state representative Brian Sims (D-Philadelphia) are planning to reintroduce legislation that would make it illegal to discriminate against a person based on that individual’s sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. The bills, Senate Bill 300 and House Bill 300, were identical in language and called for Pennsylvania to amend its current non-discrimination law. The current law protects Pennsylvania citizens from discrimination because of race, color, religious creed, ancestry, age or national origin. The new bill would add “sexual orientation” and “gender identity or expression” to that list. “The fact of the matter is, if you live in Allegheny County and work in Butler County, your employer can walk See Marriage on page 5

Pittʼs School of Medicine, UPMC launch center for womenʼs health Chidi Nwakpuda Staff Writer

In an effort to promote women’s health, Pitt and UPMC have launched a new think tank for women’s health research. Pitt’s School of Medicine and UPMC launched The Center for Women’s Health Research and Innovation (CWHRI) in June. Sonya Borrero, the director of the CWHRI, said this new group is a way to formalize research efforts for women’s health care and cater to their health needs. Borrero oversees the center, a section within the

Division of General Internal Medicine, which is a part of Pitt’s School of Medicine. The group will also host forums and seminars for researchers. These meetings are held in several locations on Pitt’s campus, including McKee Place and the Parkvale Building. Melissa McNeil, associate chief of the Division of General Internal Medicine and educator at the Center, said these forums function as think tanks for women’s health issues. While other research groups focus on one aspect, McNeil said, the CWHRI will

focus on women’s health as a whole. “[The Center] is not an institute dedicated to prevent stroke or heart disease. It is a lot more [multifaceted],” McNeil said. According to Borrero, gender-specific care is nothing new to the hospital. In her research and experience as a women’s health clinician, Borrero has found that, across their lifespan, women face health challenges unique to their gender. “Barriers to health care can be as varied as the patients we treat,” Borrero said. Holly Thomas, associate professor of

medicine within the Division of General Internal Medicine, will be among the researchers contributing their ideas and projects in the Institute. She is also a primary care doctor who does research in women’s sexual function and midlife. Thomas said her involvement in this forum has allowed her to get into contact with researchers she otherwise never would have met. “If the Center didn’t exist, [researchers] would never have the opportunity to meet each other and form a collaboration,” Thomas said.

Diversity, pg. 2 address … we want to represent all the students, to go to the administration and discuss the changes we think they need to make,” Schaffer said. One problem the Council, and now Connelly, could handle, according to Ernest Rajakone, a 2015 Pitt alumnus who was involved in the Council’s launch, was last year’s Residence Life poster controversy. In December, The Pitt News reported that Residence Life ended a diversity-promoting poster campaign after students criticized the campaign for its lack of inclusivity and called for its removal. At the time, student Linsey Eldridge said the campaign “trivialized racial stereotypes.” Kathy Humphrey, vice chancellor and chief of staff, helped create Connelly’s new position. She and Gallagher created this new position because Gallagher, who took office in 2014, has renewed Pitt’s decadeslong focus on diversity. Connelly’s new position was created now, rather than years ago, because Gallagher has made

July 1, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com acceptance and awareness of diversity one of his administration’s top priorities, Humphrey said. According to Schaffer, Pitt’s student body’s relative lack of racial diversity will be Connelly’s biggest challenge. “There needs to be a clearer focus on having diverse students coming to Pitt, attending Pitt,” Schaffer said. Connelly agreed that recruiting diverse students is essential and indicated that she would make that issue a priority, writing in an email that “[t]he recruitment and retention of a diverse student body is critical and a high priority to the University.” According to Pitt’s 2015 Fact Book, 14,181 (75.6 percent) of the 18,757 undergraduates at Pitt’s main campus in Fall 2014 were white and non-Hispanic. According to the 2010 Census, 64.8 percent of all Pittsburghers fell into the same category. Connelly said that while racial diversity is an integral part of diversity as a whole, the term also encompasses diversity of gender, sexuality, religion and other facets of an individual’s identity. Connelly said the transition to her new

position has been “both very exciting and very challenging.” “It’s been helpful that I [already] know some of the key partners,” Connelly, who has a long history at Pitt, said. Connelly graduated from Pitt’s law school in 1995, and in 2002, Pitt’s Office of General Counsel hired her to provide legal services to the University. In that position, she specialized in discrimination cases involving equal opportunity employment, Americans with Disabilities Act compliance, Title IX and civil rights laws. Connelly’s office will oversee Pitt’s Title IX compliance efforts, including investigations of alleged sexual misconduct, although the offices of Human Resources and Student Conduct will continue to handle most other discrimination complaints. Connelly’s supervision of Title IX compliance will follow up on Pitt’s recent efforts to raise awareness of sexual misconduct, including a national survey of students on sexual assault. The Association of American Universities is distributing the survey, which follows a February memo from Chancellor Gallagher which emphasized that sexual violence “has no

The Pitt News Crossword, 7/1/2015

ACROSS 1 One in a semi circle? 5 “Peer Gynt” playwright 10 Chopped-up fare 14 In the style of, on trattoria menus 15 Mount in Exodus 16 Mighty Dog alternative 17 Links star McIlroy 18 Court star Borg 19 Spiffy 20 Formal education 23 “Heidi” author Johanna 24 Entry before a password 25 Mil. training academy 27 Legendary 15Across climber 31 Hold firm 38 Rent alternative 39 Pasty 40 Quaint quarters 41 Sweets for one’s sweet 46 “Ah, Wilderness!” mother 47 Fifth scale note 48 1950s-’70s TV heroine 53 Collect 57 Smoker’s superstitious nono ... and hint to the starts of 20-, 31- and 41Across 59 All-birds comic strip 61 Matter of fact 62 Big Apple neighborhood above Houston Street 63 New Rochelle college 64 Reason to wear shades 65 __ mater 66 Bird’s place 67 Ruhr Valley city 68 Congeal DOWN 1 Pasta nutrients 2 Hit just over the infield

place” at Pitt. Melanie Harrington, a diversity expert, said she admires Connelly’s desire to integrate diversity into Pitt’s community. Harrington, President and CEO of Vibrant Pittsburgh, a nonprofit dedicated to diversifying Pittsburgh’s workforce, said college students need to get used to living and working in a diverse environment to help them adjust to the increasingly diverse global workforce. “Are we creating an attractive enough environment for young people who want to go to school at Pitt?” Harrington said. “Are we creating an attractive environment for young people from Pitt who want to work in Pittsburgh?” Humphrey agrees that Pitt students need to experience diversity in college so they can adjust more easily to the world outside the University. “What we need to do here is to make sure that we’re providing an environment and a platform for students to stand on and learn in,” Humphrey said. “So that when they leave Pitt, they’re accustomed to a diversity of thought, a diversity of people.”

7/8/15

By Jack McInturff

3 Judy Jetson’s brother 4 Fast-food tycoon 5 Dust jacket ID 6 Delicate piece of jewelry 7 Bamboozles 8 Country star Steve 9 Former Candlestick Park NFLer 10 Intimidated, as a look 11 Protected from gusts 12 Place to relax 13 On a streak 21 Fourth-down call 22 Lowers with a switch 26 Like a dotted note, in mus. 28 Court filing 29 Kin of -ess 30 Fed. IDs 31 Drink brand with a lizard logo 32 Bills with Jefferson on them 33 “What You Need” band

Tuesday’s Puzzle Solved

34 __Kosh B’gosh 35 “My, my!” 36 Japanese chip maker 37 Grandson of Eve 42 Homeowner’s winter option 43 Reaction from a chicken 44 Rich topsoil 45 Annual reference volume 49 Marsh plant

7/8/15

50 “Captain Phillips” military group 51 Greek vowels 52 Harden 54 Ring-shaped reef 55 Noodlehead 56 Young pig 57 A whole lot 58 Response to a sermon 59 Offense 60 Ground breaker

July 1, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

Marriage, pg. 3 by your desk, see a picture of you and your partner, and say, ‘you’re fired,’” Frankel said. The Pennsylvania Human Rights Commission does not currently keep statistics on sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination cases, according to Christina Reese, a spokesperson for the Commission. Sen. Lawrence Farnese, Frankel and 23 other state senators introduced SB 300 in the summer of 2013 but it died on the floor last June. During a speech on the floor of the Pennsylvania Senate before the bills died, Farnese reamed his colleagues for their inaction on the two bills. “Quite frankly, I find it disgusting and an embarrassment that we, in this day and age, in 2014, are still debating why it is OK for any class of citizens to be discriminated against as a second class,” Farnese said then. Now, Farnese, Frankel and several other senators and representatives are planning to reintroduce the bills. Farnese was not available to comment on the pending legislation, but Sally Keaveney, a spokesperson for his office, said it is “unconscionable” that employers and landlords could potentially discriminate against Pennsylvanians. “I think having an adversarial climate, where you could be potentially fired for putting a picture of your husband or wife on your desk — I think that’s monstrously ridiculous,” Keaveney said. Last year, opponents of the bill, including the American Family Association, said besides a moral opposition, the legislation would discriminate against businesses, not individuals, if it passed either the House or Senate. “Those businesses, such as wedding planners and photographers who have deeply held religious beliefs — they would be discriminated against,” Diane Gramley, president of AFA Pennsylvania, said. The legislation would not “force anyone to do anything,” according to Keaveney, but would only allow the courts to say what is and what is not discriminatory.

“Business has caught up,” she said. “[It knows] discrimination is bad for business.” Levana Layendecker, a spokesperson for Equality Pennsylvania, an LGBT rights advocacy group, said the bills didn’t pass last year because Pennsylvania lawmakers didn’t realize how big a threat discrimination was in the state. “A lot of our leaders in Harrisburg are behind the times,” Layendecker said. “They don’t understand that discrimination exists and that it harms

people.” Gramley said the AFA doesn’t think the bills are necessary in Pennsylvania because the AFA believes homosexual and transgender individuals are not discriminated against. “To me, that argument that you can be fired for being gay — they don’t have any evidence,” Gramley said. Unlike the AFA, Layendecker said the bills’ deaths, not their passage, is what will hurt businesses in Pennsylvania. Without a statewide nondiscrimination

5 law in place, she said, Pennsylvania is not in a position to accept “the best and the brightest.” “We need to catch up,” Layendecker said. Frankel said he hopes to introduce the bill in the next few days. He is confident Pennsylvania will take the next step for LGBT rights in the coming months. “If it gets to the House, it’ll pass. If it gets to the Senate, it’ll pass,” Frankel said.

EDITORIAL

Requiem for social conservatism Don’t be surprised if your conservative friends call in sick this week — it’s been a rough few days for the GOP. Specifically, Friday’s 5:4 Supreme Court decision to legalize gay marriage in the United States hasn’t been sitting well with the red states. Texas and Alabama, two traditionally conservative states, have taken steps toward circumventing gay citizens’ new rights — an unfavorable decision for the GOP’s future as social conservatism continues to sputter. On Sunday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton responded to the ruling with a public statement. In it, Paxton implies that businesses may refuse to issue same-sex marriage licenses on the basis of their religious fiber. On Monday, Alabama’s Supreme Court ordered probate judges not to issue same-sex marriage licenses for up to 25 days. Such steps, including efforts to privatize marriage, are undoubtedly unpopular — not only in the eyes of liberals, but for young GOP members, as well. The numbers prove it — according to a 2014 study by Pew Research Center, 61 percent of young Republicans favored gay marriage as opposed to the just 27 percent of Republicans age 50 and older. This divide is not only prevalent within gay marriage discourse, but other facets of social conservatism. According to another 2014 study by Pew Research Center, “2014 Political Polarization and the American Public,” millennial Republicans and conservativeleaning independents are more liberal, as a whole, than their elder party members. For instance, 57 percent of young Republicans feel that immigrants strengthen our country and 48 percent believe stricter environmental laws are worth the cause. There’s even a trend among young Republicans to claim to be “fiscally conservative but socially liberal.” Surely, these aren’t opinions shared with traditional Republicans. So, what does it all mean? Old conservative politicians pushing for dead causes in social conservatism are greatly unpopular. They are losing not only the liberal vote, but a portion of the young GOP vote. It’s time to hang up the noose the GOP is tying itself up with. To be more palatable in nationwide elections, the Republican Party needs to give up its moot causes. Sorry, but social conservatism is dead.

July 1, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

OPINIONS CARTOON

Fatima Kizilkaya STAFF CARTOONIST

COLUMN

Momentous Supreme Court cases create policy, undermine Constitution Marlo Safi Columnist

The Supreme Court saved the best for last. The highest court in the land ruled two of the most controversial and momentous cases of its term within the last week. King v. Burwell and Obergefell v. Hodges — colloquially referred to as “the Obamacare case” and “the gay marriage case,” respectively — were both feats for the left. The past week, however, was not so triumphant for conservatives — but it’s not because conservatives are bigoted homophobes who think Obamacare is the worst thing since Al Gore. Conservatives have been fervently rallying for a latent issue often overlooked by the American general public — constitutionality. The Court heard King v. Burwell to decide whether the distribution of taxpayer subsidies to Americans purchasing insurance on the federal exchange was constitutional under the roughly thousand-page law conjured by Congress. David King — the plaintiff — centered his grievances

on the simple language Congress used. Specifically, King was concerned with the phrase “established by the state.” Justice Antonin Scalia, along with two other justices, interpreted the clause to mean that subsidies should only be distributed to those purchasing health care on their state’s exchange. Six other justices interpreted “established by the state” quite differently, though. On June 25, the Supreme Court’s 6-3 ruling preserved these subsidies for the 6.4 million who depend on them. This sounds like quite the achievement — after all, millions who couldn’t afford health care without the subsidies can continue receiving them. How could anyone be bitter about that? That’s not what conservatives have had their panties in a bunch about, though. The more popular case, Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized gay marriage in the U.S. the day after the King v. Burwell ruling, collected a nationwide uproar of approval from gay-marriage proponents. However, Obergefell v. Hodges also re-

ceived a great deal of grief from conservatives for the same reason King v. Burwell did. Conservatives are mortified by what these two cases could precede — the Supreme Court’s increasing power, which has thrown our precious balance of powers off-kilter. So, why have our founding fathers rolled over in their graves? The rule of law, specifically the separation of powers the framers employed and intended to last for posterity, has been grossly undermined in both cases. “Words no longer have meaning if an exchange that is not established by a state is ‘established by the State,’” said Scalia in his King v. Burwell dissent. Scalia goes on to elaborate why “it means just what [the court chooses] it to mean” when interpreting legal language. The court essentially rewrote the Obamacare law, and this execution of power is a bad omen — it could be foreshadowing a Supreme Court more powerful than ever before in American history, setting a dangerous precedent. See Safi on page 7

July 1, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

Safi, pg. 6 In Obergefell v. Hodges, a common theme looms — overstepping the Supreme Court. Scalia, specifically, has had enough of it. “Today’s decree says that my Ruler, and the Ruler of 320 million Americans coastto-coast, is a majority of the nine lawyers on the Supreme Court,” said Scalia in yet another scathing dissent. He goes on to add that the decision “robs the People of the most important liberty they asserted in the Declaration of Independence and won in the Revolution of 1776: the freedom to govern themselves.”

THE PITT NEWS

Obergefell v. Hodges was a devastating blow to small government advocates who had to witness the court rob the states of their right to decide whether to legalize gay marriage. Those who identify as Affordable Care Act (ACA) and gay marriage proponents may argue that this breed of progress should trump what a bunch of dead guys had ideally envisioned for this country. This is where conservatives urge our generation to take a step back, to use these two decisions as a wake-up call. In short, cultural shifts are not an excuse for the Supreme Court to create new fundamental rights. There is no legitimate government interest in preventing polygamy E S T A B L I S HE D 1 9 1 0

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or marriage between family members under the equal rationale used by the Supreme Court. So, there is no reason to butt into same-sex marriage, either. Conservatives everywhere are not chastising the court about the prospect of gays being able to marry or subsidies being distributed to those who can’t afford health care. Conservatives fear that the Court’s repeated creation of policy — an ability not reserved for the Supreme Court — is crossing into the jurisdiction of our legislative branch. The decisions made in King v. Burwell and Obergefell v. Hodges were a travesty to the disciplined legal reasoning of John Marshall Editorial Policies

Single copies of The Pitt News are free and available at newsstands around campus. Additional copies can be purchased with permission of the editor in chief for $.50 each. Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the students, faculty or University administration. Opinions expressed in columns,- car toons 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.

7 — the fourth chief justice of the Supreme Court. It is imperative that Americans call their attention to the court’s threat to American democracy. Our meticulously crafted system of government is being threatened on a daily basis, and for the sake of the preservation of American ideals, we must remain vigilant. This theft of self-government committed by the Court has maimed American democracy, and in the process, the court has beclowned itself. Marlo Safi primarily writes about politics and public policy for The Pitt News. Write to Marlo at mes260@pitt.edu. advertising@pittnews.com

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ARTS and ENTERTAINMENT Does not Compute

Toby Fraley’s futuristic art installation will open at the Pittsburgh International Airport this September. PHOTO COURTESY

Fraley’s robot repair shop taking off at pittsburgh international airport

OF TOBY FRALEY

Nick Mullen Staff Writer

For local artist Toby Fraley, the airport was the perfect place for his latest installation. “The long concourses stretching off into the distance, the identical rows of chairs, the magical way your bags appear in baggage claim,” Fraley said. “Being in an airport also adds a level of legitimacy

to the shop [because] it’s much easier to find an empty storefront to place an installation.” Fraley’s Robot Repair is an art installation coming to the airport in September 2015. The installation, which he designed to look like a robot repair shop, exists in a future where robot ownership is commonplace. Tools and robot parts line the walls, with an actual robot trapped inside. Fraley funded the installation after a successful

online campaign through Kickstarter, on which he raised upwards of $13,800. The original goal was $10,000. The installation originally appeared in late 2011 in a storefront on Sixth Street in the Cultural District. It remained downtown for 17 months as part of “Project Pop Up,” an initiative that aimed to fill vacant storefronts with public art, which former Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and local government agencies supported.

Fraley specializes in making interactive sculptures and public art displays. He designed Robot Repair to look like a space-age vision of the future, complete with typewriters, mid-century furniture and lots of circuit boards and wires. Every so often, he changed the position of the robot inside the display, so it looked like it was hanging holiday lights, building See Robots on page 10

July 1, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

Pitt grad challenges Hollywood with indie ‘The Recall’ Chris Estes Staff Writer

Ace Yilma wanted to make a movie that started a dialogue about abortion. “There are a lot of stereotypes that males are pretty much OK with abortion, [but] sometimes they’re not,” Yilma, an Ethiopian native who graduated from Pitt in 2010, said. “Sometimes they want the kid.” Yilma’s “The Recall” was one of nine films made in Pennsylvania that showcased at this year’s Pittsburgh Independent Film Festival on Saturday at the Father Ryan Arts Center in McKees Rocks. His film featured lead actor and CMU graduate Carter Redwood, who was recently on an episode of CBS’s “The Good Wife.” “The Recall” follows the plight of twenty-something urbanite Jamal (Redwood), who gives up a life of gambling and thievery to become a better man for his pregnant girlfriend, Tamika (Shahla Khanna). The catch? Tamika is adamant in wanting an abortion, and doesn’t want to include Jamal in her decision-making process. As far as amateur

T P N S U D O K U

The cast of “The Recall” consisted mainly of alumni from around the Pittsburgh region PHOTO COURTESY OF ACE YILMA

films go, “The Recall” managed to develop a strong character arc. “I wanted people to have that conversation of ‘Yes, males do care,” Yilma said of the

Today's difficulty level: Very Hard Puzzles by Dailysudoku.com

controversial subject matter featured in “The Recall.” “It’s [a film] about coming together. It’s OK to have a conversation about [abortion].”

At the festival, the “Made in Pennsylvania” film category began at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, starting with the documentary feature “Finding Jenn’s Voice.” The hour-long film, directed by Tracy Schott of Reading, Pennsylvania, highlighted homicide as the leading cause of death during pregnancy. Other films included “Diamonds in the Rough,” about a Pittsburgh family in the jewelry business. An animated film called “Quiet Zone” featured a surprisingly violent twist ending. Finally, a comedic short, “White Fetish,” inverted the stigma of white men fetishizing Asian women. “The Recall” showed close to 6:30 p.m. With Yilma’s vision in mind, it included many familiar Pittsburgh spots like Carnegie Mellon’s campus, Forbes Avenue and a shot of the Cathedral of Learning. Although it was an amateur production, the actors conveyed some genuinely tense moments — especially a confrontation between Jamal and Tamika’s father Warren, played by SAG award-winning actor Montae Russell. Read the rest online at Pittnews.com.

July 1, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

Robots, pg. 8 card houses and mailing boxes at different times. Fraley said that as an artist, he’s drawn to the style and designs of the ‘40s through the ‘60s. “Things back then seemed better designed, to me anyways, and often carried a nice space-age, streamlined style that translates well into being repurposed for my sculptures,” Fraley said. He added that robots are a recurring theme in his works because they make for good storytellers. “Humanoid-looking robots are easy to relate to. They can carry an emotion with something as simple as the position of their eyebrows,” Fraley said. Bob Kerlik, a spokesperson for the Allegheny County Airport Authority, said Fraley will scale up the size of the installation from its original downtown iteration. He added the piece will occupy a space of about 500 square feet, which is more than three times larger than the original 160 square foot space Downtown. “In concept, just bringing a piece to a

different location is no big deal, but the square footage is why there was a Kickstarter,” Kerlik said. “[The new piece] is being tailored to be site specific.” Kickstarter is an online fundraising platform on which artists can crowdsource funds for a project. In exchange for their contributions, artists give supporters incentives, like project-specific merchandise or chances to meet the artist. The airport donated the space to Fraley, and Kerlik said the airport was “pleasantly surprised” at how successful the Kickstarter campaign was. One of Fraley’s supporters and Kickstarter backers, freelance multimedia journalist Dave Cole, didn’t see the installation when it was first Downtown. But, after seeing images and testimonials online, he wanted to contribute to the project. “It definitely seemed like a pretty awesome and genuinely creative project,” Cole said. “The Kickstarter project was particularly appealing to me since I travel often through Pittsburgh International and it would be a clever addition to the airport.” Fraley said there were benefits to using Kickstarter to fund projects. But, he added, there were also drawbacks — Kickstarters take a lot of time and stress to run. “An advantage to a Kickstarter project is that the public can really feel a part of [the] creation of a piece,” Fraley said. “Kickstarter does not promote your project, and promoting my own work does not come easily.” Securing the Kickstarter funds was the last definitive step in bringing the art installation to the airport. Kate Hansen, a project manager with the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council, works with the airport through a partnership between the two organizations. She said the proposal to install Fraley’s Robot Repair came to the airport through a committee that reviews applications and decides if pieces would be a good fit for the airport. “[The piece] was very popular in its Downtown version, so when we were approached, we thought that would be a great use of the space.” Hansen said. “At the airport, there’s a captive audience, because the piece will be installed airside.” Fraley’s Robot Repair won’t be the only art display at the airport, though. Read the rest online at Pittnews.com.

July 1, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

FIrst PROWL

SPORTS

New athletic director Scott Barnes talks plans, policy for Pitt sports Dan Sostek Sports Editor

hen Pitt hired Scott Barnes as its new athletic director on April 24, Panther fans were curious about how the former Utah State AD would impact the University, following the departure of Steve Pederson. Last week, The Pitt News sat down to speak with Barnes, who officially began his post on June 15, discussing topics ranging from improving fan experience to NCAA policy.

The Pitt News What made Pitt an attractive destination for you? Why did you decide to pursue this job?

Scott Barnes Certainly getting to know the Chancellor [was a big factor]. When I was contacted, I didn’t know a lot about Pitt. And as I learned more about the Chancellor and his leadership and his vision, it became very exciting. As I learned more about the city [I became more interested]. I, as a west coast guy, had my own perception of [the city]. I had never been to [Pittsburgh]. And as I learned more about the city and the fit for my family, that was a really good transition as well. I’d say, most importantly, the things that the Chancellor and the committee were looking for, I felt I could bring. When you take a new job, you want to have the opportunity to make an impact. You want to have an opportunity to affect positive change. We felt we could do that for sure here. And certainly, being a Power Five [Conference] school was a step up from where I was. Those are all pieces of the puzzle.

Where do you stand on the issue of college athlete compensation? Why do you think the movement gained so much momentum recently?

We haven’t changed for decades the scholarship model, it’s been the same — room and board and tuition. See Barnes on page 12 I also think that we in our New AD Scott Barnes is excited to make an impact in Oakland. Theo Schwarz VISUAL EDITOR (COVER PHOTO BY THEO SCHWARZ)

Barnes, pg. 11

July 1, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com for the next step of their lives, because almost all of them are going to go into something else other than sports. And we forget that. You look at the captains of industry, and the people that are in the marketplace, people who are leaders in this country, a lot of them played high school and college sports. There’s a reason for that. I support improving the student-athlete experience — cost of attendance is a great example — within the confines of the collegiate model. I think we need to bring great focus to that, and we need to do more. And we are doing more. I really like what we’re looking at legislatively, whether it’s meal legislation or cost-of-attendance legislation, we’re doing those things right now. And we should be. Other than that, there’s not

19 programs, all 480 student athletes, an alumni base, a recruiting base, it involves a lot of things. So we’re going to make sure that as we move forward and look at the opportunities across all of our programs, we put a plan in place to do it. So that’s kind of where we’re at with that.

industry could have been more proactive to come to the table with a model more representative of today, and we didn’t do that. I think the pay-for-play caught fire with the talking heads and as leaders we didn’t step in on the front end of that, we became In light of Tyler Boyd’s recent incident, how reactive to that. I believe wholeheartedly that in the high of a standard do you think college athcollegiate model, there’s no room for pay-for-play. letes in general should be held off the field? Now, we have to define that. And how I define that is that it’s suggesting that a student athlete should Again, with my front porch analogy, we take receive market value, you know, $500,000, bevery seriously who we put on our front porch. cause he’s a Heisman Trophy candidate in football. In the end, we want our student athletes to That takes us away from what we don’t talk enough represent the University and themselves in a reabout, which is that we have a purpose in higher markable way. We all make poor choices, it doesn’t education. We admean we’re bad peovance the mission ple. It means we made of the University. poor choices. Our We do it by gradfocus is to minimize uating our stuthose poor choices, to dent athletes at a educate, to make stuhigher rate than dent athletes accountthe general stuable for the decisions dent body in most that they make, which instances. We do we will do. We will it by teaching life hold our student athlessons every day. letes to a higher exOur coaches are pectation due to the teachers. They front porch they sit are unique, but on, and that’s more they’re compleof in terms how they mentary to facconduct themselves ulty on campus publicly, obviously, — they teach and the quality of peolife lessons evple they are and the eryday. And then quality of people we equipping sturecruit. And it starts dent athletes for with a coach and who Part of new athletic director Scott Barnes’ plans include rebranding Pitt athletics back to the Pitt script, first unveiled at the next step of last year’s Homecoming game. Heather Tennant STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER they’re recruiting and their lives, that’s how they’re training critical to our role. There’s another piece to that, them up, and I’m really excited for Pat [Narduzzi’s] a place in collegiate athletics for [student-athlete too. We serve as a front porch. We’re not the most leadership in that regard, because of the expectacompensation] and if a student-athlete has that important room in the house, but we’re the most as their primary goal, they need to go to the pros. tions he’s going to set and has set for those both visible. We know that with that visibility comes on the field and how they conduct themselves. It’s They don’t need to stop in college. opportunity and responsibility. All of that helps a learning process. Because of where we sit, we do advance the mission of the University. When you With the return to the Pitt script logo last have higher expectations for our student athletes start looking at pay-for-play models, the Kessler year for Pitt football, is rebranding to that than we do have for the general student, because the case, the lid blows off of this and then you become logo currently in the works? scrutiny is on them. It’s a burden, but they carry it, a business enterprise. That’s not what the model is. and they have to. It’s a part of their role. And they’re It is. But we’re gonna make sure that we I think people forget all the success we’ve had with role models in a lot of ways. They have to take that move this process forward in a strategic the model. We talk a lot about the negatives, but it’s role that they’re playing very seriously. way. We’re gonna make sure we do it the been an incredible opportunity to galvanize alumni Find the full interview online at right way. Slapping a logo on a helmet, there’s a to put student athletes in a tremendous position lot more to it. It involves every team, it involves all

pittnews.com

July 1, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

FOOTBALL

Ford finally receiving opportunity at wideout Jeremy Tepper Staff Writer

Three years ago, Dontez Ford thought he had everything figured out. Ford, a prolific football player out of Sto-Rox High School in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, decided to play football at Syracuse University. He planned to study engineering, play wide receiver and relish the time away from home. It wasn’t long into his first year at Syracuse that things began to change — including both his major and his position. He was no longer enthralled by his prospective field, and the Syracuse coaching staff decided he would fit better as a safety. “Engineering was no longer my interest, I ended up playing safety there — I didn’t want to do that,” Ford said. “I would’ve rather been a wide receiver — and I would’ve liked to be closer to home.” Searching for something to cure his dissatisfaction, Ford said he decided to transfer into the business school at Syracuse. Though Ford preferred the change, it didn’t alleviate the rest of the change that Ford felt uncomfortable with, as he later decided to transfer from Syracuse entirely. Fast forward to 2015, and Ford now looks primed to start for Pitt, his former school’s ACC rival, opposite junior wide receiver Tyler Boyd. Ford first became familiar with Pitt during his first time around the recruiting process in high school, as Todd Graham, the head coach at the time, was recruiting him.

As Pitt was closer to home and offering a chance to play receiver, the University was an easy choice the second time, as then-head coach Paul Chryst welcomed Ford with open arms. “Being able to come back and have

receiver, though, would not be difficult for Ford. Ford has always viewed himself as a receiver, though he admits that his time on defense will help him on offense. “I understand defensive schemes and

Dontez Ford is finding his groove at his preferred position of wide receiver. Heather Tennant STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Coach Chryst and his staff take me in, it was a blessing,” Ford said. As a transfer, Ford had to sit out his first year at Pitt, though he did become eligible to play at the end of the 2013 fall semester. Ford took the time to adjust to Pitt and get to know his teammates. “The hardest part was adjusting to not knowing anybody at Pitt and having to sit out a year,” Ford said. The transition from safety to wide

defensive coverages a little better than some receivers may not, just because I had a chance to learn something about it while I was at Syracuse,” Ford said. While preparing for the 2014 season, Ford discovered that if he was to thrive, he needed to become more physical. “I’ve just learned being tough, being physical and for a receiver specifically — being able to get in and out of your breaks — those are the most important

things at this level,” Ford said. Those lessons learned, though, did not yield results on the football field. Ford played minimally last season, catching just three passes for 50 yards and a touchdown. His playing time came during Pitt’s 9th and 11th games, as Ford said he and quarterback Chad Voytik started to gain better chemistry as the season progressed. “There were a couple times that I just happened to be on the field when the ball was supposed to come to me and that’s where he put it and I made a couple plays, and that helped build trust for him,” Ford said. “He saw that he could put the ball in the air even if there’s a defender by me and I’ll make the play.” Ford made large strides this spring, and Pitt coaches selected him as an Ed Conway Award winner, an award given to the two most improved players on both offense and defense during spring practices. “Dontez has made plays consistently throughout the spring,” head coach Pat Narduzzi said in a release. “He is establishing himself as another playmaker for us at the receiver position.” The leap, in part, derives from Ford’s ability to apply coaching tips from his previous and current wide receiver coaches. “A lot of that just came from paying attention to the little details that I learned from Coach [Kevin] Sherman and Coach [Greg] Lewis from the [previous staff ] and being able to apply those things and letting it translate on the field,” Ford said. Read the rest online at Pittnews.com.