The Pitt News
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Jamel Artis could play point guard
The independent student newspaper of the University of Pittsburgh | PIttnews.com | September 28, 2016 | Volume 107 | Issue x
DOCTORS WARN AGAINST E-CIGS Jace Bridges and Alexis Carter For The Pitt News
Despite their variety of fruity and sweet flavors, electronic cigarettes could pose similar dangers to users as traditional cigarettes, according to a panel of physicians and experts that met Tuesday night — so much so that the devices should be banned indoors. On Tuesday night, Karen Hacker, director of Allegheny County Health Department, moderated a talk about e-cigs held by Pitt’s Health Policy Institute. The event featured a board of four speakers from Pittsburgh, including researchers and physicians, all with a perspective on e-cig and tobacco use. Before the forum began, Hacker voiced her support for a March 2015 amendment to the June 2008 Pennsylvania Clean Indoor Air Act — which prohibits smoking in any public place or workplace — to include e-cigs. The National Institute on Drug Abuse defines electronic cigarettes, commonly known as e-cigs, as battery-operated devices designed to deliver nicotine with flavorings and other chemicals in the form of vapor instead of smoke. When the user takes a puff, liquid in a cartridge with anywhere from zero to 24 micrograms of nicotine combined with flavoring and other additives activates the batterypowered heat source. The end result is vapor that the user inhales. “Our feeling is that if we make this regulation reality, it will just mean that no smoking means no smoking, regardless if it’s cigarettes, e-cigs or vaping,” Hacker said. See E-Cigarettes on page 2
Sharon Davidson, member of Osher Lifelong Learning, borrows Joseph Gustafam’s guitar to play a song outside WPU. John Hamilton STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
PITT TEACHES OBSCURE LANGUAGES The Less Commonly Taught Languages Center offers Pitt students courses in languages that other universities overlook. | by Casey Schmauder | Staff Writer
As Kelly Lynch traveled through rural Ireland, she communicated with her host family and with rural locals not only in English but in Irish Gaelic as well. While the Irish do speak English, Lynch, who started in Dublin and made her way through the countryside, may have missed the late night jokes told in pubs had she not understood the native language. Fortunately, she had found Irish Gaelic in Pitt’s Less Commonly Taught Languages
Center last fall and signed on. This fall, she’s the teaching assistant for Irish Gaelic 1. “It’s very easy to take Spanish or French –– everyone takes those –– but taking Irish or a different, less commonly taught language gives you a sense of uniqueness,” Lynch said. “It gives you a better appreciation for that language as well as that culture.” Languages other than the standard few offered in public education –– such as Spanish, French and German –– are considered
less commonly taught languages. Though not all students are aware of the LCTL center at Pitt, which is a part of the Linguistics department, Pitt offers more less commonly taught languages than any school in Western Pennsylvania. This includes about 65 classes per semester ranging from Irish Gaelic to Danish to Quechua –– an indigenous language spoken by people located in the Andes in South America. See Languages on page 3
News
SGB PROPOSES PUBLICIZING OMET SURVEYS Leo Dornan Staff Writer
Pitt’s Student Government Board on Tuesday said it wants to make its own version of RateMyProfessor that won’t let any faculty member miss out on being reviewed. SGB member Joseph Kannarkat announced at last night’s meeting that he plans to propose making the OMET results public and imagines students could use the results a lot like the website RateMyProfessor. He hopes the surveys, which he plans to be in an online database, will be more constructive than RateMyProfessor, which ranks professors based on likability, attractiveness and class difficulty. Right now, only department heads and faculty can view the anonymous results of the OMETs that students submit at the end of each semester.
E-Cigarettes, pg. 1 The law is currently only applicable to conventional cigarettes, but Hacker argues this law should extend to e-cigs as well, because she believes they should be categorized similarly. As some of the leading experts on e-cigs, the speakers at the forum presented what is known about the devices so far, including risks similar to those of traditional cigarettes. “[E-cig use] is certainly safer than tobacco, but it is not 100 percent safe,” Hacker said. In addition to the proposal to ban e-cigs indoors, Pennsylvania is set to hike taxes on e-cigarettes on Oct. 1 of this year. The revenue bill passed in July by the Pennsylvania General Assembly will include a $1 increase in cigarette tax, which includes e-cigs. Brian Primack, a professor at Pitt’s School of Medicine and a speaker at the forum, said that despite their risks, e-cigs can be a useful smoking cessation tool for people who have difficulty quitting smoking.
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Kannarkat said he will meet with the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Students John Twyning on Friday to discuss the project. Although Kannarkat does not yet have a timeline for the project, he does not expect that the OMETs at the end of the current semester will be public. SGB first proposed this initiative in 2010. In 2013, then board member Tom Jabro and Academic Affairs Committee Chair Nuwan Perera collected 550 signatures to petition for OMET results being made public, The Pitt News reported. That January, SGB met with members of the University Faculty Senate’s Educational Policies Committee, who had already been deliberating the move for about a year. The Committee decided to leave the decision up to individual schools. From there, Perera took up the idea with the administrations from the Swanson School
of Engineering, who thought making the multiple choice section of the survey would hold professors accountable but did not want to publish the open ended section. Now, Kannarkat is hoping to work with the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences to make OMET surveys public. He said if the Dietrich School participates, he believes other schools will as well. Kannarkat said the Dietrich School may be more willing to work with him than schools in the past because making the OMET public could increase student participation, something OMET administrators have struggled to do in past years. With more students providing reviews, the results would become more informative for both students and faculty. Often, department heads will use these surveys to evaluate faculty and determine whether or not they should receive tenure.
Each school or department approves the standard OMET survey it distributes, and the surveys cannot be altered without permission by the administration of the school or department. For students, the survey could be an opportunity to learn how other students responded to that faculty member’s teaching style. “The goal is just to make it more public,” Kannarkat said. “It could provide students with helpful information about professors.” Since all the surveys are done online, the results for each faculty member are already organized together. Making the OMETs public may also lead to an increase in OMET participation, according to Kannarkat. Kannarkat said he has emailed back and forth with Twyning, who says he is interested See SGB on page 4
But for people who don’t smoke regular cigarettes already, e-cigs are hardly a cessation tool. Rather, Primack said, they’re “starter cigarettes” for non-smokers, often teens, who begin smoking e-cigs –– possibly due to the flavor variety –– and then move on to combustible cigarettes. This, in addition to negative secondhand health effects of e-cig smoking, causes the risks of e-cig smoking to outweigh the benefits, according to Primack. “The evidence right now is driving caution rather than enthusiasm,” Primack said. Before the event, Hacker said the ACHD campaign to include e-cigs in the Pennsylvania Clean Indoor Air Act falls in line with policies that many other states have already adopted and modified to include vaping. Hacker said she supports this initiative because she believes e-cigs should be banned in the same places as combustible cigarettes. “This is an issue that many states around the country have already been dealing with,” Hacker said. “I believe that there’s over 30 states that have decided to amend their inSee E-Cigarettes on page 4
A panel of physicians and experts discussed the effects of e-cigarettes on Tuesday afternoon. Edward Major STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
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Languages, pg. 1 At the LCTL center, instructors of each language –– with the exception of Quechua –– are native speakers and often create classroom environments that serve as microcosms of the country the language originated in. In instructor Shukuh Ghaznavi’s Persian class, students walk into a Persian world when they enter the classroom. Ghaznavi immerses her students in Persian culture by requiring them to adhere to cultural norms. When students come to class, they say hello to Ghaznavi in Persian. If they don’t, they run the risk of angering their instructor, which Ghaznavi sees as a learning experience for her students. “This is the culture. If you come to the class and do not say hello, I get upset,” Ghaznavi said. “If I was not native, that would not be important to me.” In the roughly fifty years since the Center began, its courses could only be found under the Linguistics code — LING — when students registered for classes, making them difficult for students to find. However, starting this spring, each less commonly taught language will have its own code. That means searching “SWE,” for example, will bring up class offerings in Swedish — all with the intent of making the classes easier for students to find. Even if increased visibility increases awareness, the language classes will likely stay small. According to Language Program Coordinator Gretchen Aiyangar, the LCTL center offers small classes capped at 20 students, and while intro classes may reach their caps, upper level classes may have only a handful of students or even just one. The courses typically proceed regardless of low enrollment, which allows Pitt to offer many less commonly taught languages, although the LCTL center often has an issue with attracting the attention of students to their classes. They combat this by tabling outside the Union, allowing cross-registration with other universities in Pittsburgh, by word of mouth through other programs at Pitt, such as the International Studies program, and by proposing future minor programs and easier access when registering for classes through new codes. The center offers 10 to 15 different languages per semester. While the center oc-
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Raka Sarkar STAFF ILLUSTRATOR casionally introduces new languages, they rarely remove languages because they want students to have the opportunity to continue pursuing a language after beginning. “I keep a list of when people stop in and say, ‘Oh, I’d really like to take this,’” Aiyangar said. “The University Center for International Studies often has some insight into what students who are getting certificates through there might need, too.” Last spring, the LCTL center started offering courses taught in English on Irish and Turkish culture, and this semester, they started offering a Danish language course. The professors and students of less commonly taught languages believe the small class sizes are not a drawback but are beneficial to students. Ezra Stolz, who is taking an upper level Swedish course this semester, said his instructor, Eva Albertsson, explained over email that the students could choose the time the class would meet, since there are so few students in the class. “The teaching is private tutoring almost. The teacher always knows what each individual student needs,” Albertsson said. “It’s very easy to access what we need to spend more time on, and there’s the opportunity to communicate and have the confidence to do it.” Stolz wanted to take Swedish because he learned at a young age that his maternal
grandmother grew up in Sweden. Stolz, a fifth-year Russian major, plans to move to Sweden after he graduates. “I started studying Swedish when I was like 12,” Stolz said. “I distinctly remember studying Swedish in the car while my parents and I were on our way to New York.” Stolz brushed up on his Swedish in personal sessions with Albertsson when he got to Pitt and then tested into a higher level course. Students are generally unaware of how often they come in contact with less commonly taught languages, according to Swahili instructor Filipo Lubua. For instance, Lubua asks his students on the first day of class to say one word in Swahili, and, despite the popularity of the Disney movie Lion King, no one responds to Lubua. “Students know Hakuna Matata and Simba, but they don’t know that that’s Swahili,” Lubua said. “If they did, most students would be interested in taking a language.” The language courses in the LCTL center usually don’t fulfill requirements other than general education. Though Aiyangar said she hopes one day each of the languages will be offered in the form of a minor, only Arabic and American Sign Language currently have certificate programs, which include literature and culture courses in addition to language courses.
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It sometimes pays financially to be a student interested in a less commonly taught language. Steve Sloto, a 2015 Pitt graduate, took four years of Turkish in the LCTL center. The Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship essentially paid for two years of Sloto’s education and allowed him to pursue Turkish language and culture classes. Sloto’s interest in Turkish also sent him abroad through a Fulbright grant, which allowed him to teach English in Turkey for the past year. Students who take less commonly taught languages may also have the help of their instructors when seeking out career opportunities. Turkish Instructor Ilknur Lider said that because she knows her students’ proficiency and career goals, she makes sure they don’t leave her class without her help in getting jobs, internships or fellowships. For example, her former student Sloto worked with language technology in a research lab at Carnegie Mellon, helping to develop programs that can decipher languages like Turkish. “Because you get to know the students’ aspirations and goals, you can always mentor your students into applying for certain things,” Lider said. “Yes, they took this course to fulfill a language requirement, but they can make a connection into realizing their future goals.”
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E-Cigarettes, pg. 2
use, the FDA has taken an aggressive stance on selling and labeling the products, according to William Shadel, a representative from RAND, a company that works to improve policy based on data. Prohibitions keep e-cig vendors from selling to minors and also require the packaging to state the product contains nicotine and that nicotine is potentially harmful. Despite the current limitations on e-cig vendors, the ACHD supports increased regulations to equal the regulations placed on combustible cigarettes. The current e-cig regulations do not extend to flavorings or advertising. Therefore, vendors can display intriguing vape flavors, such as cookie dough or pina colada, in colorful magazine ads. Combustible cigarettes, on the other hand, as of 2009, no longer have any flavor other than menthol and have limited advertising avenues. Although the research on e-cigarettes is still limited, Shadel said the risks of using them — or of exposing others to secondhand effects — are enough to call for a change in Pennsylvania’s Clean Indoor Air Act. “We want to ensure that we are providing people with a fair and healthy environment to work in,” Shadel said.
SGB, pg. 4 in the project, but he is not sure what form it will take. “The meeting Friday with Twyning will give a better idea of what we think this would entail and how it would look,” Kannarkat said. In other news, Board member Justin Horowitz announced that starting next week, student groups will be able to post announcements and messages on a whiteboard in the William Pitt Union as part of his whiteboard broadcasting project. The project will place a board in the WPU stairwell leading from the Schenley Quad entrance to the lower level. Student organizations can sign out markers from Nordy’s Place to post announcements on the board. Horowitz said he is waiting on approval to use the Pitt script logo, and then he plans on ordering the board this week. WPU staff will monitor the whiteboard throughout the day in order to ensure that the information is still relevant and that students do not post their own personal messages on the board.
Find the full story online at
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The Pitt news crossword 9/28/16
door air acts to include e-cigs.” Jonathan Spahr, from the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, said at Tuesday’s forum he has concerns about the internal effects of e-cig toxins. He explained that there is no filtering system in the lungs, so any harmful molecule exposure potentially has a direct pathway to the brain and the heart. According the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, combustible cigarettes –– which could have risks similar to e-cigs –– increase the risk of coronary heart disease and lung disease. Spahr said e-cigs contain additives which can be harmful to the body, and there is extreme variability in the amount of nicotine or other compounds an individual inhales on each puff. Spahr said increased e-cig use puts the youth population at risk not only because adolescents are uninformed about the dangers but also because it provides another avenue for childhood exposure to secondhand toxins. Because e-cig smoking is currently permitted in public, indoor places, there is a risk for secondhand effects. “Having a smoking or vaping section of
the room is like having a peeing section of the pool,” Spahr said. Though the e-cig regulations may not be prohibited in public spaces statewide, UPMC has taken steps in that direction. Esa Davis, who works at UPMC Tobacco Treatment Service, said UPMC has been a tobacco-free campus, including e-cigs, since July 2014. Though similar efforts were made at Pitt, the campus currently remains open to smokers. The Pitt News reported in 2014 that former Student Government Board President Graeme Meyer pushed to make campus tobacco-free in April 2014. In April 2016, former SGB member Jack Heidecker again pushed for a tobacco-free campus with a proposal to ban cigarettes, cigarillos, chewing tobacco and e-cigs. Heidecker released a survey through SGB’s Facebook page to gauge student opinion on the proposal, though he eventually abandoned the initiative due to lack of student support. Clinical studies involving the safety of e-cigs are limited, but the FDA stresses that an e-cigarette user has no awareness of the nicotine concentration being inhaled while using the device. Because of the potential risks of e-cig
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Opinions column
from the editorial board
Civic test requirements need funding and reform Pennsylvania wants to promote civic education but apparently doesn’t want to invest the money to enforce it. This week, State Rep. Karen Boback, RLackawanna/Luzerne/Wyo., and Rep. Bill Kortz, D-Allegheny, called for better civic education by introducing House Bill 1858, which would require every Pennsylvania high school student to pass a civic test in order to graduate. The test would be identical to the civics portion of the naturalization test used by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. Under the bill, high school students would have to answer 60 out of the 100 test questions correctly. The test would ask questions regarding the government, Constitution and U.S. history which immigrants are required to answer for the citizenship test. The legislation is meant to ensure students become informed citizens and encourage civic engagement. National studies suggest high school students do not have a basic understanding of how the U.S. government works. As a result, 14 states around the country have enacted similar laws that require students to pass a civic test prior to graduation. While having a broad understanding of our history and government is important to having an informed public, adding another standardized test to do so is misguided in its approach. The problem is that the legislation does not mention if there will be any extra funding to help schools enforce the new required tests. Standardized tests cost state officials and school boards time and money to administer and score. Without the proper funding to put the test in place, schools will have another expense to carry without the support to implement the tests. And God forbid school districts with low scores get their already dismal state funding cut. Since graduation rates among low-income students and people of color are signifi-
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cantly lower due to underfunded schools in low-income areas, the test would additionally add yet another hurdle to struggling schools and students without the necessary resources. The bill does not mention any added prep courses to prepare for the exam, which would disproportionately affect these groups. If lawmakers want students to have a proper civic education, the education should focus on practical matters of government such as filing taxes, choosing health care services, applying for welfare services, understanding social security and how to navigate financial aid. Graduates undoubtedly encounter these subjects long before they’re required to know who was president during the Spanish-American War. Furthermore, if the state truly valued civic education, it would advocate for civic education classes as a requirement in high schools, not just a test for it. Pennsylvania students are currently required to take three courses in social studies where history and government of the United States are included. Whether or not civics are involved in the class structure depends on the school. The citizenship test asks questions about our country’s history and government branches but fails to ask questions that are relevant to being a U.S. citizen in today’s modern world. Students should understand how the government impacts their lives, and we should teach them how important political participation is to our democracy. Our lawmakers should properly fund these new legislations if they expect schools to implement them. Instead of adding another standard test to students’ workloads, they could teach them the civic knowledge through classes first so they can successfully prepare for the test. And given the evolving nature of government, it would best serve students’ interest to understand how to apply civic education to their everyday lives. Civic tests are great in theory, but Pennsylvania’s plan to enforce them is currently inadequate.
TNS
ARMING KURDS WILL CAUSE MORE VIOLENCE Julia Aldrich
For The Pitt News The civil war in Syria and occupation of Iraq seems to be never-ending as the Islamic State gains ranks in both areas and the number of civilian casualties increase. We often hear U.S. leaders — presidential candidates included — advocating their plans for combating the Islamic State since the rise in terrorism fears after attacks in Paris, Belgium and recently — although not confirmed as terrorism — the recent bombings in New York and New Jersey. The Obama administration has notably been scrutinized multiple times for not being aggressive enough in its attempts to combat the Islamic State. But last week, the Obama administration, through discussions by the
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National Security Council, said it was considering directly arming the Kurdish Syrian Army as a means of increasing efforts against the Islamic State. Many U.S. military commanders agree with the move. The New York Times reported that they believe the Kurds are the best bet in overthrowing the Islamic State’s current regime in Raqqa, also known as the caliphate. The United States is reluctant to make this decision for fear of harming already-tense relations with Turkey — an American ally — which has a territorial rivalry with the Kurds. However, the arguably more consequential reason against directly arming the Kurds is because the decision can, and will, result in more violence and casualties in Syria and See Aldrich on page 7
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Aldrich, pg. 6 Iraq. It’s extremely important to note the sheer amount of violence and bloodshed currently present in the Islamic State’s territory as a result of its violent measures. If history has taught us anything, arming rebels will only make conditions worse. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights’s website details an increasingly high number of violent acts in Syria. A recent article on the site talks about a video of “atheist Kurds” being beheaded by ISIS fighters. It is also important to realize that many civilian casualties are likely the result of U.S. intervention via airstrikes. According to Airwars, a nonprofit formed to document international airstrikes against the Islamic State, the minimum number of civilian casualties by international air strikes, including those of the United States, has reached 1,608. By arming the Kurds, the United States is only going to escalate the existing conflict and inadvertently increase the number of casualties of Kurdish soldiers and civilians alike. The U.S. has similarly armed “moderate” Syrian rebels in the Middle East in the past. The Guardian reported that prior U.S. involvement in training and arming rebels in Syria resulted in many of those rebels being killed and/or kidnapped. With this information, the United States needs to ask itself how it could alleviate the violence in Syria and Iraq instead of furthering it through seemingly more violence. Research conducted by scholars Erica Chenoweth and Maria J. Stephan sheds light on ways the United States can address the conflict. An essay the pair wrote in Foreign Affairs compared the effectiveness of nonviolent resistance and violent resistance against authoritarian regimes — similar to ISIS-controlled areas like Raqqa. Chenoweth and Stephan analyzed 323 campaigns, each involving over 1,000 participants, that took place between 1900 and 2006. Their research suggests that nonviolent methods of resistance, such as peaceful protests and civil disobedience, are superior to violent methods and are twice as likely to succeed. “Movements that opt for violence often unleash terrible destruction and bloodshed, in both the short and the long term, usually without realizing the goals they set out to achieve,” they note in the essay. The researchers’ reasoning for why nonviolent resistance is comparatively more
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successful is because nonviolent movements simply attract a larger and more diverse set of participants. They referenced Iran’s last shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who served as an oppressive ruler from 1941 to 1979. After Iran’s citizens collectively participated in nonviolent actions, including boycotts and strikes, against him prior to the Iranian Revolution, the Shah could no longer sustain his rule and basically “fled.” A nonviolent Syrian group, Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently, formed on the premise of informing the world of the horrendous acts of terror and violence in Raqqa. The group members risk their lives by smuggling images, videos and documents out of Syria exposing the atrocities. The images are then uploaded on their website and social media accounts. A group of RBSS members, profiled in an essay by the New Yorker, detail the group’s experiences in Raqqa as ISIS began to infiltrate the city. RBSS claimed that ISIS “spread panic” with extremely violent measures, including beheadings and crucifixions. One of the members even said that many of the people in Raqqa that joined ISIS did so not because they believed in the cause but because they wanted to protect themselves and their families. Another member of RBSS told Vice that although most of the city doesn’t support ISIS, there aren’t many activist organizations pushing for change. RBSS is an example of a group using nonviolent measures as a means of resistance. Through the internet and social media, the group makes the horrors of Raqqa committed by ISIS accessible to the rest of the world. If more people in the United States and other countries understand what is occurring in places under the Islamic State, then perhaps the intervention would be more humanitarian than airstrikes. Instead of directly arming the Kurds, which not only promotes overall violence but also puts citizens and our allies at risk, the United States should consider instructing on nonviolent methods. Although this may seem naive given the current state of excessive violence in areas controlled by the Islamic State, history has proven that arming the rebels can have detrimental, unintended consequences. If most of those affected by the Islamic State truly disagree, then the United States and other “liberating” countries should try to understand how to empower and inform the majority of civilians oppressed in effective ways — not add more violence to the mix.
The Pitt News
Editor-in-Chief ELIZABETH LEPRO
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Emily Brindley | Assistant News Editor Alexandria Stryker | Assistant Copy Alexa Bakalarski | Assistant News Editor Copy Staff Matt Moret | Assistant Opinions Editor Amanda Sobczak Matthew Maelli Ashwini Sivaganesh | Assistant Sports Editor Bridget Montgomery Michelle Reagle Jordan Mondell | Assistant Visual Editor Corey Foreman Sarah Choflet Emily Hower | Assistant Layout Editor Katie Krater Sydney Mengel Amanda Reed | Online Engagement Editor Kelsey Hunter
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, 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
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Sports
see online
for a wheelchair basketball documentary
adaptive sports practices begin Ashwini Sivaganesh Assistant Editor
Brandon Daveler was perplexed. The inaugural wheelchair basketball practice for the semester was supposed to take place the first Thursday after school started — but no one showed up. Instead, a wheelchair with a basketball on its seat sat alone in the corner of the secondfloor Bellefield gym. After a summer of anticipation for Pitt’s new adaptive sports program, the first week’s no-show turnout was not a good start for a program that provided sports options on campus for students with disabilities. Was it doomed before it even began? “I think people were busy,” Daveler, the current president of Students for Disability Advocacy at Pitt, said. “It [was] the first week, and everyone assumed that enough people would go. I was planning to go next week, but from my understanding, there was supposed to be a practice, so I don’t know why no one showed up.” But when the second practice rolled around the following Thursday night, the first week seemed like an anomaly after an abundance of players scurried around Bellefield to pull out the wheelchairs from storage and start the semester’s first game of wheelchair basketball. The game was organized in part because Pitt announced late last spring that it would take the necessary steps toward establishing an adaptive sports program on campus, starting with wheelchair basketball. Organizers hoped that once practices began, enough people would join to create a team which could someday play at a competitive collegiate level against other schools. Wheelchair basketball is a sport that requires no running, dribbling or dunking. It requires all participants to have their feet firmly set in place while only using their arms to maneuver the wheelchair and shoot the ball. Otherwise, the rules and regulations from basketball pertain.
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Top: Lainey Elliott, left, and Kelley Stipetich, right, guard Jessica Krausnick, center, during a game of five on five Wheelchair Basketball in the Bellefield Gym on Thursday night. Right: Keegan Marcantel, left, and Greg Mineweaser, right, get a feel for maneuvering in a wheel chair. | Theo Schwarz SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER “It’s like elementary school,” first-year occupational therapy graduate student Alexa Schreiber said. “They pick captains, and then the other players get picked, and you feel like you don’t want to be picked last … [Wheelchair basketball] is really cool because people get to play basketball when they wouldn’t normally play a sport like this.” Practices are open to anyone in the community, regardless of whether they are a student at Pitt or have a disability. About three or four members from the SteelWheelers –– a professional wheelchair basketball team from Pittsburgh –– participate each week with the remainder of the players being students from Pitt.
In particular, a group of able-bodied graduate students majoring in occupational therapy have taken an interest in attending weekly practices and playing the sport. About 10 to 15 individuals show up every week to do a half hour of group warmups in the specialized chairs before taking turns playing in an hour-long game of five-on-five wheelchair basketball. As of now, wheelchair basketball is the only adaptive sport offered at Pitt. The practices take place on Thursday nights from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Power soccer—a sport specifically meant
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for peop l e who have limited functionality in their muscles from disabilities like quadriplegia, multiple sclerosis and muscular dystrophy — will begin once Pitt gets the necessary equipment. Pitt’s Students for Disability Advocacy is still looking for donors who want to provide for the required extra guards — which cost around $500 each — that attach to the bottom of an automated wheelchair to guide the ball. See Adaptive on page 10
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POINT BLANK: “I’M THE POINT GUARD” Dan Sostek
Senior Staff Writer While dribbling around the court during a workout this offseason, Pitt forward Jamel Artis decided to pitch an idea to his new head coach, Kevin Stallings. “Hey, Coach,” Artis said. “I need to play point guard.” To Artis’ surprise, an intrigued Stallings replied with the one word the Panthers’ veteran wing wanted to hear: “Okay.” After playing around with the concept during the summer and fall, it appears Artis’ work convinced the new head of the Pitt basketball program to entrust the 6-foot-7 senior with ballhandling responsibilities — an unconventional role for such a tall player. “I’m the point guard,” Artis said on Tuesday. “[Stallings] doesn’t want it to get out, but I’m starting at point guard.” Stallings, meanwhile, said it’s too early to name a starting point guard before the team has had an official practice. He noted Artis has to compete with sophomore Damon Wilson and true freshman Justice Kithcart. Still, Stallings acknowledged playing Artis at
the point could give the Panthers a higher ceiling. “I see a lot of upside for our team with Jamel at point guard,” Stallings said. “Initially, there may be a greater risk, but eventually, I think there will be a greater reward if that’s something that pans out the way my mind’s eye sees it.” Artis stuffed the stat sheet in 2015-16, averaging an impressive 14.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and three assists per game. But he thinks he can reach even greater heights while playing the point. “This is a team that is going to have more freedom than past years that I’ve been here, and I like that a lot, because I don’t really think I could show my talents [in years past],” Artis said. “Teams let point guards push the ball down the court, and for me to push the ball down the court is a good thing because I can make the plays and make scouts see me as versatile.” Artis said his teammates are all aware of his switch to the point and that Stallings emphasizes during workouts that Artis –– who last played point guard in prep school –– is running the offense. Redshirt senior Chris Jones, who played alongside former Pitt point guard James Robinson for the past three seasons, said Artis gives Pitt
a different look running down the court. “Jamel is a scoring point guard,” Jones said. “He can really score the ball. He’s also probably our best passer. I like the change, and it’s been fun so far.” With Artis at point guard, Pitt will likely field an unorthodox lineup featuring some combination of Artis, Chris Jones, Cameron Johnson, Ryan Luther, Sheldon Jeter and Michael Young. All five players have heights ranging from 6-foot5 to 6-foot-9. Jones isn’t concerned that Artis’ ability to score will impede on his duties as a facilitator. “He’s a scorer, but he can really, really pass the ball.” Jones said. “So I know that when teams collapse on him or when he gets to the paint or when he’s doing his one-on-one thing, he’ll be able to get it to the open guy. I really have trust in him.” Running out this “five forwards” lineup could potentially help Pitt overcome a lack of height at the center position by creating height mismatches at the guard positions. Artis says the lineup of five similarly built players will allow for easier Jamel Artis claims he will take on switching on defense. the new position starting this season. See Basketball on page 10 John Hamilton STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
The Pitt News SuDoku 9/28/16 courtesy of dailysudoku.com
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Adaptive, pg. 8 According to Sam Vescovi, Pitt’s assistant director of operations for Intramural and Recreations, the University finally got the specialized chairs for wheelchair basketball — with lightweight slanted wheels and lower backrests — with the help of Daveler. Daveler reached out to Azalea Charities and its CEO Frank Lasch, who agreed to donate five basketball wheelchairs worth $11,178 to the group. The chairs, which arrived two weeks ago, are used in addition to five chairs borrowed from the SteelWheelers, who also store their chairs in Bellefield Hall. “We’re still hoping to get a grant for five more wheelchairs,” Daveler said. “That way we can have [our own] full set of 10 chairs for future games.” The club started practicing during the summer and had about 10 athletes showing up each week. Former SteelWheelers coach Marshall Lee Tempest led the practices and was supposed to lead the new Pitt group in the fall. However, after receiving an offer to coach
for the Cleveland Wheelchair Cavaliers –– an elite wheelchair basketball team in Ohio –– Tempest moved on. Chris Mielo, the new head coach of the SteelWheelers, took his place. “We’re really pushing for anyone with a disability to come out for these practices,” Mielo said. “Whether they have played before
about 14 schools nationwide to offer a competitive adaptive sports program. In the meantime, the club plans to make its presence known on campus. The club will make an appearance at Ballin’ on Bigelow on Oct. 2, when Bigelow Boulevard will shut down for the day to host three-on-three basketball games –– including a game of wheelchair basketball. The club also hopes to secure a spot on the court during halftime of the 2016 Pitt men’s basketball ACC opener against Notre Dame on New Year’s Eve. By the spring, SDA wants to hold intramural games involving members of Pitt’s Greek life as well as play other competitive teams in the area, like the wheelchair basketball team from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. “I hope students who come out and play pass along their experience to their friends and colleagues about how difficult yet fun playing basketball in a wheelchair is,” Daveler said. “Anyone can play wheelchair basketball — you don’t have to have a disability.”
Anyone can play wheelchair basketball
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-Brandon Daveler
or are a novice, just experiencing how to push around the chair is a great experience.” Vescovi and other members of the club see the program going competitive once a team officially forms. This will make Pitt one of only
September 28, 2016
Basketball, pg. 9 “Our defense is going to be different [than last year],” Artis said. “We’re going to be taller, and we’re going to be quicker so we can switch.” Stallings, though, thinks the height mismatches in the lineup are overstated. “Mismatches are the most overrated thing ever in basketball,” Stallings said. “Mismatches don’t beat you — open shots beat you.” Both Jones and Artis agree the lineup will be the tallest overall lineup either of them have ever played in. “No. Never [played in a lineup like this]. Never,” Jones said. “But it’s something different. I’ve been playing with these guys for a long time, so it’s fun.” Playing Artis at point guard and experimenting with the lineup is a different look than anything seen during former Pitt head coach Jamie Dixon’s 13-year tenure. For the senior, he thinks it’s indicative of the burgeoning freedom that Stallings has allotted his players in just a short time at Pitt. “With Jamie Dixon, I think guys were a little scared to make a play,” Artis said. “Coach Stallings put the trust in these guys that you can go out there and make a play, and we can have more freedom.”
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1,2,3,4,6 BR. Available August 2017. Bigelow Boulvd, Truro Place, Craig, and Neville Street. Call 412-287-5712. 2 BR, 2BA apartment, Bigelow Blvd. $900 + utilities. Available Now. 412-287-5712. 1-2-3-4-5 Bedroom Houses & Apartments. 376 Meyran, 343 McKee, & Atwood, St. James, Bates St. $1,095-$2,000. Call 412-969-2790. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 bedroom apartments and houses available in May and August 2017. Nice, clean, free laundry, includes exterior maintenance, new appliances, spacious, located on Meyran, Bates, Oakland, Semple, Wellsford, Dawson, Juliet. 412-414-9629. 1,2,3,4,5,6 bedroom houses for rent. August 2017. Bouquet St., Meyran, Atwood, Semple, Chesterfield, Neville. 412-287-5712. 2-3-4 bedroom houses. Available now or January 1st. At corner of Parkview and the Boulevard. Free laundry. Central air. Really nice. 412-414-9629.
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2,3,5 BR houses. Available now. Bouquet, Atwood, & Dawson. Please call 412-287-5712. 3 bedroom apartment for rent on Atwood, and Dawson Street. Call for more info 412-849-8694. Available now. 3 BR, 2 BA, Dawson Street. Newly renovated, dishwasher, washer/dryer, large backyard. Available now. $1000 + electric. Contact (412) 915-0856.
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Christian Home Health Care is hiring home health aids in the immediate area. Supplement your income around your busy class schedule. Nursing students are encouraged to apply. Call 412-323-0203, X 6132 or X 6141.
The University of Pittsburgh Department of Radiology is seeking men and women 18-45 years of age who currently have a problem with cocaine for brain imaging research studies. Participants must be medicationfree (birth control acceptable) and willing to not use cocaine for several weeks. The study involves questionnaires, interviews and brain scanning at UPMC Presbyterian University Hospital. The study will be conducted over a four month period. Subjects will be compensated up to $1747 upon completion. For details, call 412-586-9633 or email PMIPstudy@gmail.com
South Fayette Township School District is seeking substitute teachers. Positions available for all grade levels and areas of content. Complete job descriptions are available at southfayette.org. Please send your complete application packet to South Fayette Township School District, 3680 Old Oakdale Rd., McDonald, Pa. 15057.
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Looking for retail experience? Now hiring part-time salesperson.Come work at one of Pittsburgh’s premier shoe stores. Must be professional, fun, outgoing. Ask for Justin or stop in. 412-521-3530. MARKETING/NETWORKING: Gaming company seeking up to 10 motivated students to sign 3,000 players up for early testing on the world’s FIRST EVER INTERACTIVE SPORTS APP. Marketing materials provided. Earn up to $25/hr. plus bonus opportunities. This is a great and an easy opportunity for leaders of fraternities, groups, and teams. Email requests to rchristoff010@gmail.com. Mercurio's in Shadyside is now hiring for full-time and parttime positions. Pizza makers, servers, gelato servers, hosts, cooks, and dishwashers. Apply online: www.mercuriosgelatopizza.com or call 412-621-6220.
Pittsburgh’s Grand Hall at the Priory located on the North Shore offers a breathtaking space for weddings and corporate events. Our venue has been honored with winner of Best Banquet Facility with Pittsburgh Magazine & winner of Best Weddings with The Knot. We are currently seeking part time banquet servers to work evening and weekend events. Qualified candidates should have experience in the food and beverage industry, present a polished appearance, and have a great personality. Compensation for this position will start at $10 per hour plus gratuity based on experience. Interested candidates should submit their resumes to Courtney Burns at courtney @thepriory.com. Please no phone calls.
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HELP WANTED: Courthouse Clerk. Downtown law firm seeks courthouse/office clerk. Set own schedule! Good experience for underclassmen if interested in law school. Applicant needs to be organized, reponsible, detail-oriented; ablility to follow directions. 15-20 hours/wk. Fax resume to 412-281-6302, e-mail to assist@gislaw.com or send to Gismondi & Associates, Suite 700, The Grant Building, 310 Grant St, Pittsburgh, PA 15219
ADOPT: Happily married well educated couple unable to have baby desires to adopt newborn. Call Marisol & Steve 800-272-0519. Expenses paid.
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