9-13-17 by The Pitt News

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The independent student newspaper of the University of Pittsburgh | PIttnews.com | September 13, 2017 | Volume 108 | Issue 23

POLITICIANS SUPPORT PITT UNIONS

Bands compete for Fall Fest opener

Janine Faust Assistant News Editor As grad students and faculty gathered outside Chancellor Patrick Gallagher’s door in the Cathedral of Learning Tuesday afternoon, a Pitt police officer cut a path to the front and addressed the crowd. “Who’s in charge here? Where’s your leader?” he asked the people clutching signs and cameras outside the chancellor’s office. A man filming the spectacle on his phone outside the door spoke up. “We don’t have one, we’re a democratic union,” he said. Just inside the office door, union organizer Beth Shaaban spoke to Gallagher’s executive assistant, Alison Wateska. “We’re really happy here. We love Pitt, we love working here,” Shaaban said. “But we do want the opportunity to unionize.” This protest is one of many held since both Pitt faculty and grad students officially announced their separate campaigns to unionize with the help of United Steelworkers. Since the January 2016 announcement, the union organizing committees have been marshaling support from their colleagues, collecting interest cards and staging protests. Tuesday’s gathering ended with delivering Gallagher letters from dozens of elected officials, expressing their support of the union and their hope that the Pitt administration would remain neutral.

INFLUENTIALJ, the winner of the Pitt Program Council Battle of the Bands, performs at the contest Tuesday evening. Thomas Yang STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Madison Hook Staff Writer

The crowd hushed as INFLUENTIALJ strode onstage, mic in hand, while his original music video projected onto the wall behind him — featuring eye-catching scenes of the performer throughout Pitt’s campus dressed in an electric blue suit beside the bright red doors of Heinz Chapel. The rapper made his Battle of the Bands debut a memorable experience by engaging See Unions on page 4 the audience and descending from the stage

into the crowd to perform his music. Not long after he left the stage, the judges deliberated briefly before naming INFLUENTIALJ as this year’s Battle of the Bands winner — an announcement met with raucous cheers from INFLUENTIALJ’s posse of friends and fans, and from the rest of the crowd as well. Three musical acts competed tonight at Battle of the Bands in the William Pitt Union Assembly Room for the chance to open for musical artists Amine and Desiigner at Fall Fest Sept. 23.

Sponsored by the Pitt Program Council, the event is held twice a year in anticipation of Fall Fest and Bigelow Bash in the spring. PPC Special Events Director Zach Linn began planning a month ago — getting the word out through posters, social media and campus TV screens in order to find Pitt’s best musicians. “It’s a great opportunity to give the musically inclined students the chance to perform on a big stage with headliners they know See Bands on page 3

News

Pitt professors teach and test their own work in the classroom

Zoe Pawliczek Staff Writer

Few students enjoy buying textbooks for their classes, but Olivia Raymond was eager to purchase her elementary statistics textbook last spring knowing its author would also be her professor. “I was happy because I figured that the class would closely follow the book, so the book would be more relevant and helpful during the semester than a book that wasn’t written by Dr. [Nancy] Pfenning,” the senior actuarial math major said. Scores of professors at Pitt have their own published works, lining bookshelves with poetry collections, memoirs, novels, textbooks and more. Sometimes these professors bring these works into the classroom, whether through reading assignments or homework problems. Nancy Pfenning is a senior lecturer in statistics at Pitt, teaching several introductory classes each semester. Although she began teaching statistics in the 1980s, she has used her own book — “Elementary Statistics: Looking at the Big Picture” — in her classes since 2010. Pfenning says the books she used to teach focused too much on specific calculations and failed to provide students with an overarching view of the subject. “I began to see some major shortcomings in all of those books,” Pfenning said.

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“Since I wasn’t able to find a book that gave students a truly global perspective of introductory statistics, I decided to write it myself.” This approach allows for consistent language and notation between lectures and textbook assignments, Pfenning said. Her students, including Raymond, appreciate the consistency. “The homework problems she had written in the book were similar to questions we had in lecture, both in their phrasing and the material covered,” Raymond said. “Because of this, I knew her expectations for our answers to the homework questions.” Other professors have found ways to reach students with their works while still providing a range of other course materials. Scott Morgenstern doesn’t require his students to buy his books, but he incorporates small sections of several of them into his graduate political science classes at Pitt, with Nacy Pfenning the hope that Statistics professor they engage the students’ interests. “We don’t tend to focus too much on them, but I do hope that they serve to push the discussions forward,” Morgenstern said. One potential negative of a professor teaching their own book is that students might be less willing to critique the author. Though reluctant at first, Morgenstern said, students come around.

Since I wasn’t able to find a book that gave students a truly global perspective of introductory statistics, I decided to write it myself.

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“Elementary Statistics: Looking at the Big Picture,” a textbook written by Pitt Professor Nancy Pfenning, Ph.D. Rachel Glasser CONTRIBUING EDITOR “After a bit of encouragement, there are frequently good criticisms,” he said. Another professor-authored text that makes its way into classrooms is “Ways of Reading: An Anthology for Writers,” which is frequently assigned for Pitt’s first-year Seminar in Composition course. Professors David Bartholomae and Anthony Petrosky wrote the textbook by compiling teaching materials of early Seminar in Composition professors from the late 1970s and early 1980s, when the course was first established. Bartholomae does not assign this book to his own classes, but other Seminar in

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Composition professors include it in their course curriculum. With eleven editions of “Ways of Reading” under his belt, Bartholomae continues to test new materials in his classrooms before turning them over to the book’s editors. “In this sense, we were always drawing upon our students,” Bartholomae said. “Not to help determine what to cut or to change, but to be our first readers and our first audience for possible new additions.” Though roomfuls of Pitt students purchase these textbooks each semester, their authors do not receive royalties when the See Professors on page 10

Bands, pg. 1

INFLUENTIALJ performs at the PPC Battle of the Bands on Tuesday. Thomas Yang STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

and like,” Linn, a senior psychology major, said. The entry qualifications for the event are simple — a group must be majority Pitt students, and winners from past years cannot win again. “That way we know it’s for the Pitt audience, no matter what,” Linn said. There are no limits on musical genre or type of performance, and participants do not necessarily have to have a band to compete — past winners have been rappers, DJs and dance groups. “It’s more of a performer event than a band event,” Linn said. The first band to take the stage was Medicine Man — a four-piece group of Pitt students who played covers of “Born to be Wild” by Steppenwolf and “Twist and Shout” by the Beatles. At one point, lead singer and guitarist Thomas Misciagna flipped his guitar behind his head and performed a solo backwards. Medicine Man’s drummer Alex Richter, a senior chemistry major, later described their sound as “music

your dad listens to — but with more energy.” When Medicine Man concluded their performance, the second band — Mellowspace — got ready to perform. Pitt students Nathaniel King and Tim Chebuske, both junior civil engineering majors, took the stage, along with Nathaniel’s brother Robert King, 23. “This is our first time performing outside of our basement,” Chebuske later said. Mellowspace opened with an original song called “Phunk,” followed by two song covers — “Actually She’s a Rocket Scientist” and “Carousel” by blink-182. Finally, it was time for the last act of the night. The lights of the WPU Assembly Room went dark as Linn announced the final performer, INFLUENTIALJ. The “one man band,” as INFLUENTIALJ called himself, took the stage with a dazzling light show and original visual experience accompanying him. When asked about the creation of his vivid music videos, INFLUENTIALJ said the visuals were a result of a “collaborative effort between myself and my videographer.”

At the end of the night, the panel of judges left the room to deliberate — returning less than five minutes later to announce INFLUENTIALJ as the winner. The group was comprised of students from WPTS, UPTV, Pitt Tonight’s house band “The Allies of the Boulevard” and Sony Music’s Pittsburgh college marketing representative. INFLUENTIALJ — or James Gandy — is a junior majoring in business and marketing. He started making his own music at a young age, but became interested in recording his own beats when he turned 15. “I’ve been writing music since I was nine years old, and producing it, because my aunt’s a musician,” Gandy said. Though he’s created and posted his own music videos on YouTube, and has songs available on iTunes, Spotify and SoundCloud, INFLUENTIALJ is eager to take his first big stage next weekend alongside his influences and in front of his peers. “I’m ready to take this stage — this is my first real show I’m ever doing,” Gandy said. “I’m happy to be reppin’ Pitt.”

The Pitt News SuDoku 9/13/17 courtesy of dailysudoku.com

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Unions, pg. 1

Union supporters deliver letters of support from elected officials to Chancellor Patrick Gallagher. Janine Faust CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

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The University has remained neutral on the faculty union, but spoke out against the grad student union campaign in July. Provost Patricia Beeson, speaking on behalf of the administration, said a student union would negatively affect relationships between grad students and their faculty, departments and schools. Shaaban — a student in the School of Public Health and a member of the graduate student union organizing committee — gave letters to Wateska from political figures in the Pittsburgh community and beyond. Letter writers included U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., and U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Pa. In an email Tuesday, Shaaban said the union has also garnered support from three city councilmembers and 15 state representatives. Shaaban said the union has also reached out to Mayor Bill Peduto for his support, and is expecting to receive it soon. Doyle’s letter called on Gallagher and the Board of Trustees to remain neutral, to not spend tuition money or public funds on “anything that could be construed as anti-union activity” and to form a joint committee of union organizers and University representatives to discuss the issue. “I believe that adopting this approach is the best way to ensure that the University’s employees are able to freely exercise their right under law to choose unionization or not to choose unionization,” the congressman said in the

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July 6 letter. University spokesperson Joe Miksch said it was normal procedure for the police to inquire after a representative at the protest in order to determine what the group represents and what they were seeking. “In this case, the Pitt police officers inquired, the students answered and the interaction ended,” Miksch said in an email Tuesday evening. “The group delivered materials to Pitt’s administrators, which will be considered.” The protest began in Schenley Park around 1 p.m., with organizers from both organizing committees and representatives from United Steelworkers chanting “What do we want? Neutrality! When do we want it? Now!” and waving banners and signs while crossing Forbes Avenue. The cheering protesters then made their way up the front steps of the Cathedral and to the Chancellor’s office within. Some of the issues the faculty and grad student union organizing committees are campaigning for are better wages, more job security and increased protections regarding academic freedom. According to William Scott, an associate professor in Pitt’s English department, each of the letters urged the University to adopt a position of neutrality in regard to the grad student and faculty union organization efforts currently underway. “They’re asking the University to not take any action, either for or against, the union,” he said. “To just let See Unions on page 10

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WELLNESS WEDNESDAY: Surfing with Stress on the Mindfulness Surfboard Dr. Lavanya Devdas

Stress: This deceptively simple six-letter word can help us gear up in preparation for an optimal performance. In contrast, when stress becomes a prolonged guest in our lives, our once-optimal performance now becomes impaired. Why does this happen? When we deal with any task at hand, we have a preconceived set of thoughts that inform our responses to that task. For instance, when we’re assigned a task, what’s the first thing we do? We assess the intensity, duration and difficulty level of the task. Next, depending on our current resources, including availability of time and energy, we go on “autopilot” and respond with our set of preconceived thoughts, including “I can never get this done” or “this is crazy, I don’t know what I’m doing here” or “I am not sure if I should even be in this class.” Notice anything? Yes, a set of thoughts on autopilot that are likely to repeat themselves in a cyclical manner, enough to deplete our mental, emotional and psychological resources to the thinnest. Now imagine actually starting to plan for how we are going to accomplish the assigned task. Well, we just spent our resources on autopilot, where we automatically resort to a script that regularly gets activated during times of perceived stress. So we are already exhausted. What now? This is where the concept of mindfulness comes into being. Mindfulness is an approach to being fully aware, present and paying attention to the present moment as it unfolds. It keeps us from skipping into the future or back peddling into the past. It’s about what’s happening for us in the moment. Mindfulness is about stepping back from the future or stepping forward from the past to experience the present as it is. It means asking our-

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selves in the moment, “What am I noticing right now, what are my thoughts (e.g., I notice that I have thoughts of self-doubt right now), feelings (e.g, I notice that I am feeling anxious right now), and sensations? (I notice that my body feels tight, or tense right now).” You might say, well, how is that helpful? Here is how it is: 1. It helps you acknowledge that you are one entity, with one attention span and one set of resources to expend. 2. It increases your level of awareness about your way of experiencing any given situation, how you interpret it, and how you choose to respond. 3. It helps you create more space by giving yourself permission to get in touch with your thoughts, feelings and sensations without switching to the default of “do something.” 4. It helps you experience the present, as is. 5. It helps you deal with feelings of anxiety and depression. 6. It helps you improve your attention and concentration. What mindfulness is not: It is not a relaxation strategy, and it is not meant to provide relief from stress. It is more an approach of being present and genuine with yourself so that you can make a more informed choice of how to deal with the task at hand. What does this look like? Once you are aware of your thoughts, feelings and sensations at any given moment, you may ask yourself this important question: “What do I need right now?” This could mean prioritizing each task based on deadlines and the time needed to finish that task.

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Again, fusing mindfulness into being fully present, the next question could be: “How can I break this task down into smaller steps right now?” Notice how the theme of these questions center on the present and the steps that need to be taken in the present. The aforementioned theme also resonates with the next question: “Which one step can I focus on right now?” At other times, your mind might still feel like a whirlpool of thoughts. In implementing the mindfulness approach to such times, just noticing that you are having a whirlwind of thoughts, a gamut of emotions and a multitude of bodily sensations in any given moment can signal to you that you have a lot going on right now. So stop. Step back. Breathe, by simply observing and experiencing the rise and fall of

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your chest and/or stomach with each in-breath and each out-breath, without trying to change anything. Engage in this breathing for a few minutes. Notice the here and now. Ask yourself: What do I need right now? You may not find the immediate results that you are looking for: That is not what mindfulness does. What it does is cultivate a practice of just being in the moment and perhaps raise an awareness of alternative ways of being and relating to the stressors around you as they unfold, momentby-moment. If you want to learn more about mindfulness, please ask about the upcoming anxiety workshop at the counseling center that focuses on mindfulness skills to deal with anxiety or check out more mindfulness resources at http://www. studentaffairs.pitt.edu/shs/stressfree/sfz-audio/.

Opinions from the editorial board

column

State House revenue plan SCARED TO STUDY ABROAD? threatens Pitt and city In an email sent to the student body Friday, Chancellor Patrick Gallagher warned Pitt students that if the state fails to pass appropriation bills that fund state-related universities, our school will face serious consequences. But this merely demonstrates the broader issue at hand. The state has yet to pass a revenue plan to fund the budget, and with deadlines approaching Sept. 15 — including $1.5 billion due in Medicaid payments — Gov. Tom Wolf could be forced to make sweeping cuts across the state. And the proposed plan in the House doesn’t offer much hope. Essential human services funds like public transportation and volunteer fire departments are in danger — threatening the livelihoods of all of Pennsylvania’s citizens and the future of the commonwealth. During the House’s meeting yesterday — its first in seven weeks — representatives failed yet again to reach a consensus on a balancing plan. The state Senate approved a funding plan in July independent of the House that introduces new borrowing, casino gambling expansion and utility service taxes. In contrast, a new plan on the House floor threatens broad cuts instead of tax expansion. The Morning Call reports the proposed GOP House spending plan would cut $507 million from mass transit, $440.5 million from hazardous waste cleanup and conservation efforts, $65 million from 911 improvements, and $26 million from health, substance abuse and job training endeavors. This all would happen without any increase in taxes, and the result would

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be chaotic. To put the disastrous consequences of the proposed spending plan into perspective, PublicSource reports that the Port Authority would face an $80 million loss of operating support — which could force the Authority to cut their services. Pittsburgh’s nearly 200,000 daily riders would lose half of all currently operating bus routes, as well as evening and weekend service. And cuts of this magnitude across the board would have even further-reaching consequences that could put the future of the state in jeopardy. The budget impasse is nothing new — year after year Republicans and Democrats in the legislature put the state on the brink of disaster trying to figure out how to pass a balanced budget. At this point, Pennsylvania must consider solutions that don’t involve sweeping cuts to essential services. For example, Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale believes the legalization of recreational marijuana could produce up to $200 million in additional revenue for the state that would come at little cost. But even $200 million isn’t enough to cover what’s due on Friday. The state needs a plan, and it needs one fast. Regardless of where extra revenue could come from, it’s far too late into the fiscal year for our politicians not to recognize the urgency of the budget plan. Whether it’s state-related institutions or public transportation, cuts to human services will directly affect each and every one of us — and our representatives will be entirely responsible.

DO IT ANYWAY.

Sarah Shearer For The Pitt News I was in the candy aisle of a bookstall April 19 when I first heard the emergency alarms and looked up to see the main concourse of London Euston Train Station in a dark frenzy. I grabbed my bag, shuffled out the nearest exit and stood outside with other travelers for almost half an hour before someone announced over the loudspeakers that no more trains would depart from Euston that day. I had no clue what was happening until a kindly woman with cell service told us that there was an electrical fire on the train tracks that cut off the power at the station. I’m grateful to say that this incident was accidental, but standing in London Euston Train Station surrounded by panicked travelers and eardrums rattling from the harsh alarm, terrorism was my immediate fear. I was fortunate enough to make it home safely, that this last week of my study abroad semester didn’t end in the way that some tragically do — but not all travelers are as lucky. Terror has almost grown to be a norm in western Europe, where most college students tend to spend their time studying abroad. Even after tragic events in major European cities like Stockholm, London and Barcelona — which are hubs for college students — we cannot let fear of the possibility of attack deter us from learning firsthand about the world we live in. Vanessa Sterling — Pitt Study Abroad associate director of health, safety and security — said student enrollment in programs actually increased from approximately 1,300 in 2011 to 1,900 in 2016, despite a heightened media awareness of terrorism in Western Europe. “When the recent Paris, Brussels and London attacks happened, we offered academic accommodation to students if they wished to

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leave but none did — all stayed and finished their programs,” Sterling said. We need to recognize that these students’ decision to remain abroad for the duration of their program is a testament to the way staff — both in Pitt’s offices and on site abroad — work to create safe and secure environments for their students even when the world around them might not be as such. Sterling said Pitt Study Abroad completes a thorough analysis of each site and provides all students SOS insurance, which includes coverage for both physical and mental medical care as well as emergency evacuation. Students getting ready to go abroad have the option of enrolling in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to register their trip with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate and receive immediate alerts in case of an emergency in their city. Pitt junior and biology major Tiana Han said using these services helped her feel safe during her study abroad program this past summer in Aix-en-Provence, France. “I monitored any terrorist activity through those alert apps … going abroad was the best experience ever,” she said. “Obviously be cautious, but don’t hold back.” Of course, an app or alert can only do so much to protect you in a dangerous situation. In the case of a shooting, a cellphone isn’t going to take the bullet for you. Nonetheless, tools like these are at our fingertips and help us to have a heightened awareness of our surroundings — which, in a terror attack, could save your life. Another student, Pitt junior Dani Danucalov, also spent her summer in France and experienced the scare of terrorism firsthand. “At no point did I feel unsafe even with everything happening … I was on the Champs See Shearer on page 7

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Shearer, pg. 7

Editor-in-Chief ASHWINI SIVAGANESH

Managing Editor JOHN HAMILTON

editor@pittnews.com

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News Editor RACHEL GLASSER

Liam McFadden STAFF ILLUSTRATOR Elysees when an attack happened, and I thought the police did a great job of making the area safe again,” Danucalov said of the June 19 incident when a driver deliberately crashed into a police van on the popular street. Even though attacks like this seem to be increasingly frequent in major European cities and have a strong media presence, we must not lose perspective of the truth behind the leading causes of death. More than 300 Europeans died from terrorist attacks in 2016 — a strikingly small number in contrast to approximately 25,500 EU members who died in a road-related accident in the same year. Unplanned deaths like car accidents can happen stateside just as easily as they can abroad, and the unfortunate fact of the matter is just that — they can happen. And when they do, it is just as devastating for those affected as a planned attack. Pitt Study Abroad experienced only one student fatality since its founding in 1981— the 2013 death of rising senior Oeshae Morgan, who suffered a tragic accident while interning in Spain. This unprecedented event in Pitt’s history should serve as a reminder that tragedy can strike anywhere. Most of us have been affected in one way or another by a terrible accident, but we should not let fears like this drive us away from stepping out and experiencing an-

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other culture’s way of life, no matter how recent terrorism may paint Europe in a negative light. In fact, stepping out could be a victory in itself. Todd Garfield, a junior accounting and finance major at Pitt, believes that letting fear control your travel decisions lets the terrorists win, which he says “is what we don’t want to do.” Garfield studied abroad in London this past summer and was present during the attack at Borough Market. “I’ll admit, it’s scary. When it happens you don’t know what to do and you need a day to think,” he said. “But after it happened it made me value my time and life so much more.” Sterling also believes in the positive effect studying abroad has on students at a time like this, and said she thinks there’s never been a more important time to study abroad than now. “I believe these cross-cultural experiences actually make our world safer, as it is harder to blindly hate someone you’ve met, it’s harder to reject a culture you’ve experienced first hand, and moving outside of your native culture can greatly increase your empathy to all others who do the same,” Sterling said. Terror can shake any city in any country, so visit them anyway. Studying abroad is an experience that will deeply and uniquely shape your life story. What a shame it would be to let fear write ours for us.

Opinions Editor HENRY GLITZ

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Sports column

Former Pitt player James Conner (30) runs the ball at the Steelers training camp in August. Matt Hawley STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

PANTHERS IN THE NFL TAKE ON WEEK ONE

Dominic Campbell Staff Writer

he NFL regular season started last Thursday, and while some familiar Pitt alumni took to the field once again, some new Panthers joined them in the hopes of making it to the Super Bowl. Pitt is known for producing all-pros — a distinction the Associated Press gives to players who are considered among the best in the league in their position. ESPN ranked Pitt as the best all-pro-producing factory from the last 15 drafts. As week one comes to a close, here’s a look at how some the former Panthers fared. Tom Savage, quarterback, Houston Texans In his fourth NFL season, Savage finally won the starting job — beating out rookie QB and former Clemson Tiger Deshaun Watson. The first game of the season for Savage and the Texans — the reigning AFC South division champion — should’ve been an easy victory. Their opponent, the Jacksonville Jaguars, went 3-13 last year — the worst in the division. The Texans were also looking for a win to boost morale for fans, as this game was their first since

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Hurricane Harvey devastated the city. Unfortunately for Savage and the Texans, the Jaguars pressed him early on, and were successful in stopping Houston’s offense altogether. The Texans punted four times in a row on offense to start the game, and on the fifth try, Savage fumbled the ball and was sacked. He also fumbled the ball after a strip by Jaguars defensive end Yannick Ngakoue. Dante Fowler, a defensive end for the Jaguars, recovered the ball and ran it into the end zone to give the Jaguars a 19-0 lead at the end of the half. Savage was benched after the first half, and Watson replaced him for the rest of the game. The Texans ended up falling to the Jaguars 29-7, and will play the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday, Sept. 14. Larry Fitzgerald, wide receiver, Arizona Cardinals In what was his 14th season opener as a pro, Fitzgerald faced off against the Detroit Lions last Sunday. The wide receiver ended the game with six catches for 74 yards, but his performance wasn’t enough to secure a win, and the Cardinals lost 35-20. The team will face off next against the Indianapolis Colts Sunday, Sept. 17.

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LeSean McCoy, running back, Buffalo Bills All-Pro McCoy played a great game against the New York Jets on Sunday. While recent Pitt alum and fellow Bill Nathan Peterman did not join him on the field, McCoy ran for 110 yards on 22 rushing attempts as the Bills beat the Jets at home, 21-12. McCoy received help from his defense, who intercepted three passes by Jets quarterback, Josh McCown, and only allowed 38 yards rushing. The Bills will take on the Carolina Panthers next Sunday, Sept. 17, in Charlotte, N.C. James Conner, running back, Steelers Conner played his first professional game of his career against AFC North division foe, the Browns, last Sunday. He saw little playing time as a backup to Le’Veon Bell, and only had four rushing attempts for 11 yards. The Steelers managed a close 21-18 victory and will look to continue the streak against the Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 17. Tyler Boyd, wide receiver, Cincinnati Bengals Second-year wide receiver Boyd had little impact in the game against the Baltimore Ravens, with only one catch for 11 yards. Boyd will not be a prime target this See Panthers on page 10

PANTHER SPOTLIGHT

Jordan Mondell and David Leftwich The Pitt News Staff

Fall sports are just starting to get exciting, and there has already been a fair share of pitfalls and triumphs across the board. But regardless of the games outcomes, here are some Panthers who have stepped into their roles and proven their worth on the court, field and pitch.

Javi Perez

Nina Markovic women’s volleyball

men’s soccer Thomas Yang STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Pitt’s new men’s soccer implant from Spain wasted no time making his presence known to his new American team — and opponents. Perez — one of the team captains alongside senior defender Bryce Cregan — has tallied up one goal so far this season, tying him up with three others on the team who have done the same. Coach Jay Vidovich has made sure Perez, who played for the prestigious La Liga in Spain until last year, is getting enough time on the pitch to make moves — which is every minute of every game so far. Perez and the rest of the team will meet on the pitch again this Saturday at 7:30 p.m. to play their second ACC game when they travel to Wake Forest University to take on the Demon Deacons.

TPN FILE PHOTO

Markovic is already emerging as a star this season for women’s volleyball. Setting career highs with 26 kills and 28 points in a single match against Western Kentucky on Saturday, she is proving her offensive skills. On a team full of talented outside hitters, Markovic has been setting the pace, leading the team with 112 kills on the season and an average of 4.24 points scored per set. She has also picked up her game defensively, averaging 3.0 digs per set and recording a career high 27 digs against Saint Mary’s this season. Markovic and the Panthers will be taking on UC Santa Barbara this Friday at 7 p.m. to open their season at home.

Quadree Ollison football

Wenhao Wu PHOTOGRAPHER

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ASSISTANT VISUAL

With more than 250 all-purpose yards this season so far, Ollison has proven he’ll be a major part of the football team’s offense this year. Ollison has taken a few serious hits in the last two games, and the team suffered as he recovered on the bench for a few plays. During his freshman season in 2015, he racked up 1,121 yards while James Conner missed

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most of the season to battle cancer and overcome an injury. The Panthers didn’t call on Ollison often last season — but with a less experienced stable of running backs this year, he will need to be reliable and have a team that is willing to give him the ball. Ollison and the rest of the squad will return to Heinz Field Saturday at noon to face off against No. 9 Oklahoma State.

Panthers, pg. 8

Unions, pg. 4

Professors, pg. 2

students and faculty make the decision themselves about whether or not to join the union without any outside influence.” Shaaban said the event was not meant to serve as a response for anything the administration has said or done. “This isn’t a reactive thing,” she said. “It’s been in the works for quite a while.” Abby Cartus, a student organizer studying in the School of Public Health, said union organizers started reaching out to local officials over the summer. “We knew we’d need political support when going through with the union effort, which is why we did it,” she said. “We’re not just workers, we’re people. We don’t just come here and then fade away, and it matters how much support we can get in that belief.” Shaaban said the main point of the event was to show the University administration that the campaign is both publicly and politically supported. “We’re here to exercise our constitutional rights, to show that we have a right to unionize and that we’re supported in that,” she said.

book is sold through Pitt’s book center. On Pitt’s textbook order form, professors must specify whether any books they are assigning are authored by a Pitt faculty member. University policy says it’s a conflict of interest for a Pitt instructor to receive royalty payments on a text they assign, so this money must go elsewhere. In Bartholomae and Petrosky’s case, it was returned to the department. “From the very beginning ... [we] returned our Pitt royalties to Pitt’s English department to provide support to the first-year composition course ... including [to] the teaching assistants and non-tenure track faculty who were teaching it,” Bartholomae said. Whether professors assign their works as a course’s main textbook or as supplemental material, the experience offers new perspectives to both professors and students. Morgenstern and Pfenning both are open to students consulting other works alongside their own; however, the professors say the general reception from their students seems positive. “I teach from my own textbook because that’s what I wrote it for, and I believe it does the job as intended,” Pfenning said.

The Pitt news crossword 9/13/17

season, as he ranks third on the depth chart for wide receiver and will be behind standout receiver A.J. Green and newly acquired Brandon LaFell. The Bengals could not get through the Ravens’ defense, and were shut out 20-0. They will look to get their first win against the Houston Texans Sept. 14. Andy Lee, punter, Arizona Cardinals Lee kicked off his third straight year wearing a new uniform. Previously with the Cleveland Browns in 2015 and the Carolina Panthers in 2016, he reunited with Fitzgerald for the first time since playing at Pitt — this time as a Cardinal. The three-time Pro Bowler had four punts for 184 yards, averaging 46 yards, with the longest being 57 during the loss against the Detroit Lions. Dion Lewis, running back, New England Patriots Lewis was a significant part of the 2015 Patriots team before he suffered a devastating knee injury, which kept him out the rest of the season and only allowed him to play seven games in 2016. He came back to play the Kansas City Chiefs Thursday night

in a minor performance, as he rushed for only nine yards on two rushes. Surprisingly, the Chiefs defeated the defending Super Bowl champions, 42-27, and will face off against the New Orleans Saints Sept. 17. Aaron Donald, defensive end, Los Angeles Rams Although he’s one of the best defensive players in the league, Donald was inactive against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. The young defensive tackle is still negotiating a contract extension that would make him the highest-paid defensive player in the league. Even without his presence on the field, the Rams destroyed the Colts, 496. He will likely be back next week to help the Rams as they take on the Washington Redskins Sept. 17. Tyrique Jarrett, defensive tackle, Denver Broncos The Broncos moved up the recent Pitt alum from the practice squad to the 53man roster before the game against the Los Angeles Chargers. Jarrett made only one tackle Monday night, which went down as an assisted tackle, but the Broncos achieved a 24-21 win over the Chargers. Jarrett and the Broncos will take on the Dallas Cowboys at home Sept. 17.

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September 13, 2017

I N D E X

Rentals & Sublet • NORTH OAKLAND • SOUTH OAKLAND • SHADYSIDE • SQUIRREL HILL • SOUTHSIDE • NORTHSIDE • BLOOMFIELD • ROOMMATES • OTHER

For Rent South Oakland 1,2,3,4 BR. Apartments, prices range from $450-$750 per person. Some include utilities, some you have to pay. Call Jarrad 814-403-2798 2 bedroom house available starting September 1st 2017 for $800/month. Five minute walk to Pitt. No pets. 1 year lease ending July 2018. Call 412-983-5222. 3 BR. House, with one and a half baths. Available immediately. $1700/ mo. Completely remodeled. geonjr@ gmail.com. 3,4,6 houses Available now. Lawn St. Ward St. and Juliet. Call 412-287-5712. 5 bedroom house available starting September 1st 2017 for $2000/month. Five minute walk to Pitt. No pets. 1 year lease ending July 2018. Call 412-983-5222. 7 bedroom house available starting September 1st 2017 for $2800/month. Five minute walk to Pitt. No pets. 1 year lease ending July 2018. Call 412-983-5222. __________________

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Employment • CHILDCARE • FOOD SERVICES • UNIVERSITY • INTERNSHIPS • RESEARCH • VOLUNTEERING • OTHER

South Oakland House for Rent. Beautiful 3-BR newly renovated-Allequippa Street. Close to Peterson Center & Pitt Dental School. Equipped kitchen, new carpeting, washer/dryer, 2 bathrooms, full basement, fenced-in back yard, security system. Looking for 3 students to share/or single family. Discount on first month’s rent. Security deposit required. Students require adult co-sign. Available September 1st, $1600+ all utilities. No pets. For more information, please call 412-303-5043. Email: dtm1003@ comcast.net.

Squirrel Hill 3 BR. house, 1 bathroom, living room, dining room, eat-in kitchen, basement, garage, and porch. All kitchen appliances, washer/dryer, and central air included. $1550 a month plus utilities. Available October 1st. Please call BEFORE 7PM anyday of the week 412-421-7548. Professors or medical residents only please.

Rental Other 3 bedroom house 3 miles from campus. $1000. 412-225-8723.

Classifieds

For sale

• AUTO • BIKES • BOOKS • MERCHANDISE • FURNITURE • REAL ESTATE • PETS

services

• EDUCATIONAL • TRAVEL • HEALTH • PARKING • INSURANCE

notices

• ADOPTION • EVENTS • LOST AND FOUND • STUDENT GROUPS • WANTED • OTHER

Rental Other

Employment Other

HOUSE for rent Mt. Washington. 4BR, 2BA, newly renovated, A/C, carpet, tile, and hardwood floors. Appliances including washer/ dryer. Front/back porches. Garage. Near bus. Great location. $1100+ utilities. 412-882-3845.

NOW HIRING Looking for fun, part-time employment with flexible scheduling, working concerts, NFL/NCAA football and other major events in and around Pittsburgh? Contact Landmark Event Staffing @ 412-321-2707.

Employment Employment Other AAA EAST CENTRAL is looking for energetic, driven, and talented individuals to join our Emergency Road Service team at our East Liberty location, 5900 Baum Boulevard. We are looking for Full Time Phone Counselors. Candidates must be computer proficient and available to work evenings, weekends and holidays. The salary range is $10.95 to $14.60 based on call center experience. Link to apply: https://acecareers. taleo.net/careersection/2/jobdetail.ftl?job=16304&lang=en&sns_id=mailto#. WZ3mx0GNJXs. mailto

Pamela’s Diner looking for part-time line cook and dishwashers. Daylight hours. Must have weekend availability. Apply in person in Squirrel Hill, Shadyside, The Strip, & Mt. Lebanon. Part-time caregiver for young adult with intellectual disabililty and seizure disorder. 3- 6pm Monday through Friday. $16/ hour. Valid driver’s license and background check required. Call Becky, 412-731-2565

R A T E S

Insertions

1-15 Words

$6.30

$11.90

$17.30

$22.00

$27.00

$30.20

+ $5.00

16-30 Words

$7.50

$14.20

$20.00

$25.00

$29.10

$32.30

+ $5.40

(Each Additional Word: $0.10)

Deadline:

Two business days prior by 3pm | Email: advertising@pittnews.com | Phone: 412.648.7978

For Sale For Sale Other Instant cash paid for: baseball cards, sports cards. Game used sports items. Bats. Gloves. Jerseys. Goudey sports cards. Antiques. Gold. Silver. Coins. Diamonds. Watches. Paper money. Old toys. Trains. Comic books. Huge collections. Entire estates. We will pick up and pay CASH! Call Scott at (513) 295-5634.

Services Educational Phlebotomy Training Centerwww. justphlebotomy.org 2 evening classes weekly, 5 weeks + excellent Clinicals. Call 412-521-7334.

Health Restore Victorian home. Painting, yardwork, etc. Shadyside, Fox Chapel. Student preferred. $12/ hour. 412-963-9889. georgebsg@cs.com. Tidy, reliable, cat-loving grad student wanted for occasional house sitting for Pitt prof in Point Breeze, near 71D and 67 buses. 2 references required. 412-661-2527

Add.

Medical and Heart Care, Students Welcome, 155 N. Craig Street, Dean Kross, MD, 412-687-7666

energy level. OOM YUNG DOE teaches 8 Martial Arts styles as one. 2014 Murray Avenue Squirrel Hill 412-421-7311. https://www. martial-arts-pittsburgh.com. Facebook: OomYungDoe-Pittsburgh.

WOMEN – Improve your safety, strength and confidence! Self-Defense class October 1-22 (four Sundays) 10am – noon at Falk School. $120, financial assistance available. Registration limited. LionessMartialArts. com or 412-241-6519

Notices Events Dr. Morris E. Turner Medical Scholarship For Minority Students $1,500. Deadline date for submission: October 15, 2017. Sponsored by the Highland Park Tennis Club (HPTC). Please go to www. hptc.info, look under “Events” for details.

Services Other REACH YOUR FULLEST POTENTIAL Improve strength, flexibility, coordination, mood, concentration and

September 13, 2017

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September 13, 2017