The Pitt News
Q&A with Mayor Bill Peduto page 2
The independent student newspaper of the University of Pittsburgh | PIttnews.com | May 10, 2017 | Volume 108 | Issue 1
SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES DEBATE POLICY
RUN FOR YOUR LIFE
Henry Glitz News Editor
THE PITTSBURGH MARATHON full gallery online
Marathon runners near the front of the pack race past Dippy the Dinosaur on Forbes Avenue during the 2017 Pittsburgh Marathon. John Hamilton EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
PITT NAMES TWO NEW DEANS
Henry Glitz and Caroline Bourque
The Pitt News Staff Pitt is set to welcome two new deans and an entirely new school this fall. The University named a new dean of the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences last week and an inaugural dean for the new School of Computing and Information Monday. Kathleen Blee is set to start as dean of the Dietrich School on August 15. She is currently the school’s associate dean and has been a professor of sociology at the University since 1996. Paul R. Cohen will become the first dean of the SCI — the first new school established at Pitt since 1995 — which will enroll its first students in the fall. Courses and programs in the SCI will be de-
signed around three main themes — connected life, health and medicine; synergistic computing in education; and computing at the extremes, according to a press release. Students already enrolled in existing courses will be able to join the new school or continuing taking their classes as planned and remain outside it. “[Cohen] is a visionary leader who will quickly drive our School of Computing and Information to the forefront of academic excellence,” Chancellor Patrick Gallagher said in a release. “He is also an expert collaborator and a leading authority on utilizing data, technology and information in new ways to solve some of the most challenging and complex issues facing society today.” Cohen has held positions at the University of Southern California, the University of Massachusetts and the University of Arizona, where he
founded the School of Information in 2008. He is the author of a book, published in 1995, “Empirical Methods for Artificial Intelligence,” and is the editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Intelligent Data Analysis. He also worked as a program manager for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Aside from Cohen, most faculty for the new SCI will come from the School of Information Sciences and Department of Computer Science. Blee, the first of Pitt’s two new dean hires in May, said in a release she is “humbled and honored” by the appointment and emphasized the importance of the Dietrich School’s success to the University as a whole. “The continued excellence of the Dietrich See New Deans on page 3
“Kids can’t vote, but you can,” read the signs and literature passed out at the door to parents and community members filing in the seats in the Elsie H. Hillman Auditorium in the Hill District Monday night. The 50 attendees prepared to listen as candidates for Pittsburgh’s School Board made their pitches to voters in advance of the elections Tuesday, May 16. The forum, organized by community advocacy groups including the League of Women Voters and A+ Schools, drew candidates from districts around the city and touched on a variety of issues facing Pittsburgh’s public school system. In District Five, which covers most of South and Central Oakland as well as several other neighborhoods to the south, candidates Terry Kennedy and Ghadah Makoshi presented conflicting viewpoints on the future of public education in the area. Kennedy, the district’s incumbent representative, defended the work the Board had done during her tenure on controversial issues like student disciplining, charter schools and armed police in schools. “As far as facilitating better communication, I already do that,” Kennedy said in response to a question about how she planned to improve communications between school bureaucracy and the families of students at charter schools if re-elected. Makoshi, Kennedy’s challenger, proposed changes to school funding and smaller class sizes. She described herself as “absolutely against” the prospect of allowing public school police to carry guns in school buildings — a change the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers has recently endorsed. “There is a lot of misinformation out there,” Kennedy said of the proposal. “I’m not See School Board on page 3
News Q&A
with
Mayor Bill Peduto
With the Democratic mayoral primaries approaching, The Pitt News sat down with the incumbent — Mayor Bill Peduto — to ask about his past four years as mayor, some of the issues currently facing the city and his plans moving forward. Below is an abbreviated version of our full interview with Peduto — find the entire transcript at pittnews.com
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How do you think the last four years have been for you as mayor? What would you look back on as your proudest accomplishment or [something] you think you need to work on most? I think it was more of a learning experience than I imagined. I had been down in City Council for 19 years. I had a pretty good understanding of city government. But what was different, is the implementation is vastly different. The biggest lesson I learned in the first year was, “You can’t be a councilman times nine.” You’ve got to let your hand off the wheel and trust those around you. I had a very difficult time doing that. I almost killed myself trying to keep up. What I realized then in year two was [that] the job of the mayor is to provide vision, to help steer toward that vision and to make sure to hire really good people that can implement upon the vision. That was the big takeaway, that was like the 2,000 feet above the ground takeaway. On a daily basis, no matter what your schedule is, it won’t be your final schedule. You’ll wake up that morning and find a cache of civil war era cannon balls and having to contact federal officials to see what to do with them because they still have gunpowder inside. You will have one day where you’ll find out that steel bridges can burn. And just every day has a different element to it that will change what your mission is. Partnerships are more important on the city government level — not just because of what’s happening in Washington — but because they’ve always been. Trying to build bridges between groups that have not always historically been together becomes a critical component of the job as well.
What can the city do better to kind of keep college graduates here in the city, contributing? It’s the same thing that brought my grandfather here in 1921 — jobs. We can have a great quality of life and it can be a great place to live and where you would want to stay but if there isn’t a job that will keep you here we’re going to lose college students. So, the job of mayor becomes how do you partner — again — to build out industries. We worked very early on with Carnegie Mellon in trying to bring Uber here, which is controversial in a sense. But the side of it with what they were looking at — the autonomous vehicle side — was going to be done somewhere and the likely location was San Francisco. So, we tried to convince them why Pittsburgh would be a better place to do it. They now employe over 800 people and have promised over 1,000. It was partly due to that decision that [self-driving vehicle company] Argo AI was able to convince Ford to build their self driving tech center in Pittsburgh, and they’ll have 200 employees by the end of the year with the potential of several hundred more to be able to bring here.. I think you’ll see a lot of jobs that will be coming out in the near future in life sciences, biotech, even computer science related. So that will help to keep the college grads within Pittsburgh. The question is what happens to lower-skilled workers. That needs to be a partnership with Pittsburgh Public Schools and with our cooperations. We’ve been having meetings with Federated Investors, PNC, Peoples Natural Gas, the Chamber of Commerce, and — starting as early as second grade — developing career learning tracks for students who may not go to college that are going to be needed to fill the jobs of the future.
You said you do not want to privatize [Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority] fully but you have talked about private-public partnerships. How in a private-public partnership will you make sure the voters still have the ability to hold that private entity accountable?
I would argue that under a purely municipal authority we have not had accountability. There’s been more accountability from the private firm that has managed the South Hills than from the municipal authority that manages the rest of the city. The municipal authority cannot exist under its present structure. Facing a billion dollars in debt, it doesn’t have the ability to borrow the money needed to fix the system. Functionally, we’ve already lost the asset. The goal is to keep it in the public hands while partnering with other organizations that can take on the present debt and invest in the present needs. The accountability would happen either through a board, which all municipal authorities are required to have. So more than likely that would be the vehicle. The board would go through the same function of being recommended by the mayor and appointed by city council. Under other models, it would be regulated by the Pennsylvania Utility Commission if the municipal authority were to be more of a public-private partnership, in the same way that all other utilities are. One of the two. But what we want to be able to do is find with the consultants that are coming onboard is what are all the options. Being able to repair that problems that need to be fixed. They have to be, and can’t be under the present system. What are the legal obstacles and challenges in any of the restructuring? And then it will go through a community process. We want to have it done by the end of the year, so that means a report by the end of the summer. And then of course, any final structural changes would require city council approval. pittnews.com May 10, 2017 2
Correction: In an article published on April 12 titled “Sexual assauit survivors seek support, healing in WPU,” The Pitt News incorrectly stated that Frances Berger is a sexual assault survivor. She is not. The online version of the article has been updated to reflect this mistake. The Pitt News regrets this error.
School Board, pg. 1 in favor of it, but I would be willing to consider it if it’s warranted.” James Myers Jr. and Sala Udin, the two candidates for the vacant seat in District Three, which covers most of North and West Oakland as well as Garfield, East Liberty and parts of the Hill District, also voiced their opposition to armed police in schools. Udin called the proposal “one of the dumbest ideas I think I’ve come across in a long time,” and Myers added that it would create an atmosphere that “doesn’t look like education is happening.” Myers and Udin, who are competing to represent a district with many more African-American students than District Five, focused much of their discussion on how to improve public schools in the city on racial issues. Myers, who noted that he was a graduate of the public schools in the district, suggested that the persistent gap in scholastic achievement between black and white students in
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the Pittsburgh public schools system had to do with a cultural gap between teachers and minority students. “You need educators that are actually reflective of the population of a school being served,” Myers said. He advocated hiring more AfricanAmerican educators for schools with primarily black student populations and enacting a more “culturally relevant” curriculum. Udin, a civil rights activist and former member of the city council, was among the most animated of the forum participants, forcefully responding in favor of eliminating out-of-school suspensions — a proposal currently under consideration in the state legislature. “What can a kindergartener do to justify getting suspended from school?” Udin asked the audience. “Maybe it’s not the kids in kindergarten. Maybe it’s the adults who are surrounding them that need the behavioral intervention.” While candidates disagreed on how they would pay for their proposed programs, most agreed that relying on state and federal dol-
lars would be politically unrealistic. Makoshi suggested that, to recover some of the education funding lost to cuts enacted by former Republican Governor Tom Corbett, voters would have to be more engaged in the political process. “If we want people in Harrisburg to hear us, we have to go out and vote,” she said. Makoshi’s sentiment echoed that of the organizers, who point out that many registered Democrats who voted in the party’s 2015 primaries did not cast a ballot for a school board candidate. Around 33 percent of Democrats participated in the last primaries, but only one in five voted on their school board election. Though the event focused on local politics and the importance of voting, the night wasn’t free from the shadow of national politics. Virtually all candidates voiced their support for diversity programs as something important for schools to push for. “The ignorance and fear around our country is the result of fear,” Makoshi said. “We have to teach our kids that what makes our country great is diversity.”
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New Deans, pg. 1 School and the College of General Studies is essential to maintaining Pitt’s position as a worldclass university,” she said. Pitt Provost and Vice Chancellor Patricia Beeson praised Blee as an advocate of diversity and collaborative leadership in the Dietrich School — something students who gave input during the search process had said was a priority. “Kathy brings to the deanship a collaborative leadership style grounded in the [school’s] core values of academic excellence, innovation and diversity,” Beeson said in the release. “I am confident in her ability to lead the Dietrich School in developing a clear, comprehensive and inclusive vision for the next chapter in its history.” Apart from her roles as associate dean, Blee has directed research on political activist groups and racial violence in the United States. She is the author of four books, with another set for release this year. Her most recent work, “Democracy in the Making: How Activist Groups Form,” looks at the emergence and development of activist political groups in Pittsburgh over a three-year period.
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Culture
RHYTHM and RHYME:
local poets hold underground readings by Caroline Bourque | Senior Staff Writer
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artists and books them for performances, discovered Vescio’s pomma Vescio mounted the stage in front of a City Grows, a garden shop in Lawrenceville. Thornton has noticed that one of the key challenges which pre- etry online this past summer. crowd of nearly 50 people, surrounded by robust Vescio’s topics for poetry have wandered from love to botany white columns, as shoppers quietly wandered the vents poets like herself from forming a community is their natural rows of bookshelves off to one side. Backlit by inclination to be more reflective and less outgoing, an aspect which to space. Recently, she’s been fascinated by the fleeting quality of everyday conversations, jotting down exchanges after she has them hazy purple light, she began to recite her latest work in a lan- deters many from participating in readings of spoken word. “Poets don’t create for attention,” Thornton said. “It’s a commu- in an attempt to hold on to a specific moment in time. guorous tone, not far off from her regular speaking voice, but “Everything happens so fast, especially in college,” Vescio said. nity of introverts.” with an added rhythm and cadence. Without a poet daring enough to face the exhaustive process “Even your relationships and friendships with people are so quick “are you a man or a woman? / me? woman. only if it’s a word,” that I feel like writing, and writing Vescio says in one of her poems. poetry especially, has helped me be The event — Sharing Women’s able to keep these experiences.” Stories — took place at City of Many young poets in PittsAsylum on April 22. Hosted by burgh will reference Vescio as the Planned Parenthood of Western source for bringing poets together, PA and Pittsburgh Action Against namely for public readings she Rape, the event opened up the books herself. Recent locations dialogue for artists to share perhave included City Grows, Studio sonal stories and struggles related AM in Homestead and City of to contemporary discourse on Asylum — places where Vescio women and their bodies. advocates for a section of the art The afternoon featured readcommunity that is often drowned ings from Vescio, a local poet and out by more established voices. community organizer, and Cor“I think a lot of the art and murine Jasmin, an artist and writer sic scene around Pittsburgh is rewith a bend toward youth culture ally dominated by men, and I perand activism. sonally would like a community of Jasmin added two additional women or marginalized people to elements to her own spoken word have a voice,” Vescio said. “Espeperformance — a video projected cially in poetry, because there’s so on a screen behind her and the Photo Courtesy Corrine Jasmin many different ways that you can expressive dance movements of speak and talk about your experiDominique Brock beside her. Brock remained silent as Jasmin I think a lot of the art and music scene around Pittsburgh is ences through writing.” She also wants poetry to be a spoke to her, scolded her and emreally dominated by men, and I personally would like a com- more accessible form of expresbraced her, as though she were a projection of Jasmin herself. munity of women and marginalized people to have a voice. sion, encouraging creativity surrounding everyday events instead Integrating different artistic of writers feeling like they need to mediums with poetry is a comcome up with big, abstract metamon theme among the young phors in order to participate. creatives in Pittsburgh, who are “I think everyone should feel comfortable writing — it doesn’t emerging at organized pop-up readings throughout the city. Local of networking and to organize these events, there would be no lopoets have taken to organizing readings themselves, whether it be cal poetry scene in Pittsburgh. In this regard, all roads lead back to have to be so above everybody else,” Vescio said. The importance of public readings lies not only in the ability in the living room of their home, the basement of a flower shop, a Vescio. Vescio, a rising junior English writing major who will transfer to share work, but also to bring together these like-minded introvegan restaurant or even a bar. Sarah Thornton, who graduated from Pitt this spring with a from Duquesne to Pitt in the fall of 2017, has always returned to spective artists to a place where they can connect with one another, degree in studio arts, recently had her first public poetry reading at writing throughout her life. Redfishbowl, a company that discovers See Poetry on page 5
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pittnews.com
- Emma Vescio
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Poetry, pg. 4 providing feedback and constructive criticism for each other’s work. “People stick around after readings and talk to each other, share opinions and ideas,” Thornton said. The vulnerability of these reclusive artists sharing their work onstage, combined with the expression of big ideas of politics and religion, opens up the conversation for discussion when microphones are put aside and the poets are left to themselves. “People are very apprehensive to go to a reading because I think it confronts a lot of your emotions that you don’t want to think about sometimes,” Vescio said. “I appreciate anyone who comes. It’s a very supportive environment.” Fellow poet Madeline Barber, a rising senior majoring in theater arts at Pitt, referenced Vescio as a “foundation of the local poetry scene.” Barber’s love of poetry emerged with their foremost love of performance in November of 2015, when Barber was handed the megaphone at a Transgender Day of Remembrance event at Carnegie Mellon and asked to speak for 15 minutes. As Barber recited poetry to the students passing between classes, a crowd began to form,
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eventually erupting into applause by the time Barber finished speaking. “A friend said to me afterward, ‘No one has ever been able to draw a crowd at the CMU quad before the way that you have. You have a gift here — you should do something with it,’” Barber said. For Barber, the ability to read their work in a public setting allows them to view the audience’s reaction in real time, as opposed to submitting poetry to an editor and only receiving a filtered response. Barber recognizes the poetry scene to be largely underground — many details surrounding time and location of readings are spread by word of mouth. Vescio has referred to it as a sort of subsection of the DIY scene. But with the help of community organizers like herself, it seems to be growing every day. “It’s exciting to be a part of this blossoming community in the city,” Barber said. Vescio and Thornton agree that poetry is one art form which significantly lacks the competition and profit-seeking elements of many other creative endeavors, leaving behind instead a form of pure expression along with the people who care about it. “I personally care very deeply about poets and having exposure for them,” Vescio said. “I love them so dearly.”
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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 student-managed news-
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paper 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 Committee, 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, faculty and students, as well as journalism professionals. The business and editorial offices of The Pitt News are located at 434 William Pitt Union, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15260.
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Opinions from the editorial board
Pitt listens, but only when it’s easy It was a sunny day in April, the grand opening of the University of Pittsburgh’s new sports dome. Pitt is rightly proud of this achievement that addresses a pressing need for a game and practice facility for club sports teams on campus. At the grand opening — and publicized in videos shown during finals week in the William Pitt Union lobby — Chancellor Patrick Gallagher can be heard boasting about the development of the dome. “This project itself was a direct reflection of what happens when our student organizations identify a need and our Pitt community dedicates itself to finding an answer,” he said. But over the last few years, many students tried to make their voices heard and were significantly less successful. Gallagher’s statement regarding the sports dome is hypocritical and fails to recognize the efforts of other student organizations, such as the campuswide push for greater transparency by Free the Planet or the demand for adequate mental health treatment by many students. The issue is not one pitting club sports against the environment or against mental health, or any combination of any issue on campus. Students cannot afford to be divided when faced with serious issues that require serious discussion — instead, we must work together to affect change here on our campus. If the sports dome is, like Gallagher states, the result of student organizations identifying a need on campus, then the University did the right thing by building it. But club sports participants aren’t the only student group that have identified a need, and the sports dome isn’t sufficient to claim that the University responds to the wishes of students. Students have demanded greater trans-
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parency from the divestment of the University’s endowment from mutual funds that invest in fossil fuels. Graduate student workers at Pitt have attempted to unionize and demand higher salaries for adjunct faculty and graduate student employees at the university. Students protested rising tuition costs as part of the “Million Student March” in November. Faculty, staff and students signed a letter addressed to Gallagher expressing their wish that Pitt become a sanctuary campus. Gallagher released a statement after President Trump’s immigration executive order where he said, “I am deeply troubled by this executive action.” However, the chancellor never publicly addressed the letter or calls to make Pitt a sanctuary university. Gallagher acknowledged an important facet of university life when the sports dome opened — that student voices should be heard and have an impact on Pitt’s future. But other organizations have raised issues that haven’t been heard, and addressing many of these other issues requires far less than $13.2 million. For example, if Pitt followed in the footsteps of other universities such as Stanford University or San Francisco State University, they could successfully divest from fossil fuels without losing significant amounts of money. Gallagher and Pitt’s other leaders don’t always have to agree with the issues such as divestment from fossil fuels, Pitt’s status as a sanctuary campus or even practice facilities for club sports athletes. But if Gallagher wants to claim the University addresses issues raised by students, he needs to make a greater effort to listen to all students, not merely make symbolic gestures.
column
FEMA fails minority communities
TNS Saket Rajprohat Columnist
A lot of volunteers pick up litter, serve food or build houses. But not all are backdropped by the snow-capped peak of Mount Adams in southern Washington state. Third-year rehabilitation science major Bethany Lindsey saw this scenery firsthand when she volunteered with Sacred Road Ministries, a group under Hope Fellowship Church. Sacred Road is a church within the Yakama Native American reservation, the largest Indian reservation in northwest America. But the Yakama Nation’s beautiful homeland comes at a price. Their destitute story began in 1855, when they reluctantly signed a treaty with the United States government reducing their land by 17,000 square miles, leaving them with a mere nine percent of their original land. Among the population of roughly 10,000 Native Americans that remain are people and families living in impoverished con-
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ditions, in shacks and unsafe housing conditions, some even without electricity or heating. The federal government has a program designed to combat emergency situations such as these. In 1979, President Jimmy Carter created the Federal Emergency Management Agency. FEMA works with citizens to protect and fight against dangers and disasters that local governments are unequipped to handle. But in their time of need, FEMA failed the Yakama Nation — and it comes as no surprise. This failure follows FEMA’s trend of ignoring minority communities in their times of need. The Yakama nation’s time of need came in 2011, when a fire burned down 18 houses and left roughly 120 Yakama people without homes. Local news outlets covered the event with fervor due to the sheer number of people dislocated from only a few homes. Lindsey worked with Chris Granberry, the pastor of the Hope Fellowship and founder of See Rajprohat on page 7
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Correction: In an op-ed published on April 24 titled “Babcock Room symbolizes Pitt’s transparency issues”, The Pitt News incorrectly stated that the chancellor controls and locks the Babcock Room. The senior vice chancellor for business and operations is responsible for overseeing the use of the room. The Pitt News regrets this error.
Rajprohat, pg. 6
pre-landfall preparations for the storm and immediately got to work, unlike for Katrina. Sandy also differed from Katrina and the fire in that it primarily affected affluent white communities. And while FEMA did give more efficient aid to those affected by Sandy, it also displayed implicit racial bias by responding with more fervor to this disaster that primarily affected majority communities. Issues like these continue to demonstrate that minority communities far too often receive subpar aid, whether intentionally or not. Bias like this is institutionalized in all areas of society, whether in law enforcement, education or economic mobility. These characteristics travel back to deep-seated themes of implicit racial bias not only within FEMA, but throughout our entire country. Instead of ignoring the problem, change must start somewhere, and here we have an opportunity through federal aid programs to display our nation’s commitment to racial equality. The Native American reservation of Yakama was once a thriving community — one where children didn’t live in shacks without electricity or heat. Lindsey explains, “I cannot say based on
experience, but ... I think that the level of hopelessness that is present on the reservation now had to have been caused by such a drastic act of betrayal and injustice such as the fire and the treaty.” Our government already has taken their land, deprived them of their culture and ignored their concerns as a people. Instead of continuing this trend, government agencies should be vehemently committed to providing equal assistance to all. Even though smaller disasters like fires usually don’t receive national attention and often go unseen, events like this exemplify racial discrepancies within FEMA’s response to communities dealing with disaster. It is time that FEMA take the skills it demonstrated during Hurricane Sandy and apply them to all communities, not simply those that are affluent or white. And hopefully, FEMA’s leadership by example will permeate the rest of our society and we can move toward equality for all. Saket primarily writes on politics for The Pitt News. Write to Saket at smr122@pitt.edu.
The Pitt news crossword 5/7/17
Sacred Road Ministries. Granberry has worked firsthand with the Yakama Nation for years, and although not Yakama himself, he has had the opportunity through ministry to learn about their culture. Granberry explained in an interview that it’s culturally common for many Yakama people to live in a single home, and that’s why so many people were affected by this event. As soon as the fire was put out, the tribal government contacted FEMA and declared a state of emergency. In response, FEMA sent aid trailers that were meant to be temporary housing for displaced citizens. But the aid didn’t arrive promptly — Granberry said that it took months for FEMA to deliver the trailers, at which point most displaced families had already found places to stay. For one family, it took 10 months before they could move into their single-wide trailer. And even when the Yakama people did eventually receive the trailers, they weren’t suitable for habitation on the reservation. They required a sewage system that the community did not have, and it wasn’t until two years after the fire that the
trailers became habitable. FEMA quickly lost credibility in the eyes of the Yakama people. “I don’t understand, [the] management [of FEMA] ...” Granberry said. “They are supposed to have a rapid response to a crisis, trailers in the region that should be shipped out rapidly. I don’t think any of the people that lost their homes in the fire ever went to the trailers”. The organization received similar criticism in 2005 for how it chose to distribute resources in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. When the storm’s devastation disproportionately affected African-American communities, it took many days until FEMA brought supplies to the displaced. And when it finally did, 63 percent of the FEMA trailers were appropriated for white neighborhoods while predominately AfricanAmerican neighborhoods that sustained greater damage from the hurricane only received 13 percent of the trailers. After receiving criticism about the way it responded to Katrina, FEMA took precautions to be better prepared for future natural disasters. Take Hurricane Sandy, for example. According to FEMA’s official report, the organization made
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Sports
Catch up on scores, recent transfers, new hires and more online Pitt News File Photo
THE NEXT CHAPTER: CONNER’S STORY CONTINUES IN PITTSBURGH Ryan Zimba Sports Editor Sitting with friends and family in his hometown of Erie, Pennsylvania, James Conner watched as the NFL Draft progressed through the first three rounds. Conner — a projected fifth or sixth round pick — probably wasn’t surprised he was still on the board. But as the night came to a close, the Pitt running back received the call he’d been waiting for — the second one in just under a year. The person on the other end made the call all the more special. It was Mike Tomlin, head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. “Congratulations to you and your family,” Tomlin said over the phone. “We’re excited for you, but more importantly we’re excited about you being a Steeler and chasing a championship here in 2017, and you’re going to be a big part of that.” The moment shocked Steelers nation, sending Twitter into a frenzy. Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi chimed in, saying on Twitter, “I don’t think you could script James’ story any better. It really sounds like a Hollywood movie.” Just 11 months before Tomlin called Conner, letting him know he would be the first Pitt player drafted by the hometown team in 17 years, Conner received another life-changing call. This one was from Dr. Stanley Marks, letting the running back know he was cancer-free. In high school, Conner played two hours north of Pittsburgh for the McDowell Trojans in Erie. He wasn’t responsible for running the ball though, instead squaring up on the defensive line. In his senior year, Conner made 19 tackles — including five
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sacks — and one interception. He was recruited as a defensive end, rated a 3-star player by recruiting website 247Sports. Pitt was the only Power Five school to offer him a scholarship, but he also had opportunities at four Mid-American Conference schools — Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan, Ohio and Toledo — and FCS Youngstown State. “I was sacking guys left and right, but I guess college coaches weren’t all that impressed, because I wasn’t getting any looks from recruiters,” Conner wrote in an article for The Players’ Tribune in April. “Pretty much no one knew who I was, and they weren’t really trying to find out, either.” Conner decided to commit to Pitt, enrolling at the University in the fall of 2013. He made his presence known right away, even though he was the team’s second-string running back behind junior Isaac Bennett. He led all backs in rushing yards and touchdowns, despite having 25 fewer carries than Bennett. Arguably the most memorable game of his first year was the Nov. 9 contest against No. 23 Notre Dame. Conner ran for only 35 yards but scored two crucial touchdowns, one of which gave the Panthers the lead in the fourth quarter, leading them to upset the Fighting Irish, 28-21. Heading into his sophomore year, Conner leapfrogged Bennett and took over as the team’s starting running back. His 2015 season was unprecedented in recent Pitt history. He won the ACC Player of the Year award and was named a first team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association. On the way to winning the awards, Conner ran for 1,765 yards and broke single-season school records in rushing touchdowns, to-
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tal touchdowns and points scored — passing Panther great Tony Dorsett in each category. Heading into his junior year, Conner was the favorite to win the award again and was picked as a candidate for the Heisman Trophy. But in the opening game of the season against Youngstown State, Conner’s career came to a crashing halt. Early in the second quarter, the defense tackled Conner after a nine yard gain, tweaking his knee on the play. He got up, limped off the field and sat out the rest of the game. At the time, the injury appeared to be a minor one. “James is fine,” Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi said in his postgame press conference. “[We were] just being cautious. [We] felt like we had a stable of backs.” A few days later, an MRI revealed that it wasn’t a minor injury at all — Conner had torn his MCL and would miss the rest of the season rehabbing from surgery. During his recovery process, Conner began to feel something still wasn’t right. He went back to the hospital, where doctors diagnosed him with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma — a cancer in the immune system. This shock wave stretched far beyond Conner’s football career, but what others perceived as a devastating blow he saw as just another hurdle to climb over. “Fear is a choice, and I chose not to fear cancer,” Conner said at a press conference announcing his diagnosis. “We’re going to fight it, and we’re going to beat this thing.” Over a six month period, he endured 12 rounds of chemotherapy. The treatment is a draining experience, but Conner would See Conner on page 10
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Conner, pg. 9 return to practice immediately following his sessions. The running back wore a surgical mask while training and practicing, and he directed all of his energy outside the hospital towards football. In the process, Conner served as an inspiration to his teammates, driving them to work and compete harder. “The thing that really motivates me is the days when he’s not there,” former Pitt offensive lineman Adam Bisnowaty said in a feature for the Ellen DeGeneres Show. “You know he’s in there getting chemo, and he’s sitting in a chair all by himself, and that’s when you start thinking, ‘I have to work harder for him today.’” Others soon took notice of Conner’s tenacity and his story spread across the country. The Conner Strong phrase caught fire in Pittsburgh and nationally. In addition to his appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, he threw out the first pitch at the Pittsburgh Pirates Opening Day game and was featured on ESPN’s College Gameday before Pitt’s Sept. 10 game against Penn State. In May 2016, Conner finally received the word he and his family longed to hear — he was cancer-free, and would be able to come back to
football in the fall. On Sept. 3, he officially returned, scoring two touchdowns in Pitt’s 28-7 win over Villanova. But still, the performance wasn’t up to his ACC Player of the Year standards. “Me, personally, I have a lot of stuff to improve on,” Conner said in his postgame press conference. “It wasn’t a sloppy game, but everybody can get better, starting with me especially.” Conner improved as the season went on, later saying he was at about 60 percent at the start of the year. There was a clear difference in his play at the end of the season, summarized by his 189-yard, two-touchdown performance in Pitt’s 43-42 upset win over Clemson. He was critical down the stretch, using a stiff arm to turn the corner on a 20-yard touchdown run with just over five minutes left to close Pitt’s deficit to two. After a fourth-down stop, the Panthers drove down the field and Chris Blewitt kicked a 48yard game-winning field goal. As the season came to a close, Conner said he didn’t know whether he would return for next season or declare for the NFL draft. On Dec. 10, he officially made his decision to leave the Panthers after four memorable years. But before he would leave, he had one game left — the Pinstripe Bowl against Northwestern. Many hoped the game would be a victorious
farewell for the cancer survivor, but it turned out quite the opposite. Conner left the game early with a head injury and the Panthers went on to lose 31-24. Even though his Pitt career didn’t end the way he wanted, he still had a lot to fight for when it came time for the NFL Scouting Combine from Feb. 28 to Mar. 6. Statistically, he struggled at the Combine — his 40-yard dash, broad jump and vertical jump all ranked outside the top 15 among running backs. But while numbers can mean a lot, they weren’t everything for the Steelers. This year, the six-time Super Bowl champions looked not just at raw talent but also personality and attitude. “You hear [general manager] Kevin [Colbert] mention it all the time, hearts and smarts. A lot of these guys excel in those areas,” Tomlin said in a press conference following the draft. “They display a tremendous passion for the game in their play, and they’re smart, accomplished young men not only within the game of football but outside the game of football.” Conner was one of those players, as he won both the Disney Spirit Award — given annually to college football’s most inspirational player — and the Brian Piccolo Award, which recognizes the “most courageous” player in the ACC. So as Conner watched on draft day, the Pitts-
burgh Steelers were looking at him to boost their lack of depth at his position. The aging DeAngelo Williams became a free agent this offseason, leaving Le’Veon Bell as the only experienced running back on the roster. When the call came in, his reaction was one of jubilation and relief. He leaned over, putting his head down as those around him cheered. Mark Soboleski — Conner’s high school coach — was there when Conner got the call from Tomlin. In his opinion, things couldn’t have turned out any better. “That was something I’ll never forget, you couldn’t have written that whole scene any better,” Soboleski told GoErie.com. “Watching James through this whole process was almost heart-wrenching. I think it was grinding on him. I think he’s going to be a very angry guy that wants to prove something, the way he’s always played. Pittsburgh couldn’t be getting a better guy.” The new Steeler isn’t wasting any time celebrating and is turning his attention toward helping his team win a seventh Super Bowl. “I got the opportunity I wanted, and I’m ready to go to work right now,” Conner said to GoErie.com after the selection. “Let’s go. Let’s win the Super Bowl.”
The Pitt News SuDoku 5/10/17 courtesy of dailysudoku.com
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May 10, 2017
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I N D E X
Rentals & Sublet
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• NORTH OAKLAND • SOUTH OAKLAND • SHADYSIDE • SQUIRREL HILL • SOUTHSIDE • NORTHSIDE • BLOOMFIELD • ROOMMATES • OTHER
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Services
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• AUTO • BIKES • BOOKS • MERCHANDISE • FURNITURE • REAL ESTATE • PETS
• EDUCATIONAL • TRAVEL • HEALTH • PARKING • INSURANCE
• ADOPTION • EVENTS • LOST AND FOUND • STUDENT GROUPS • WANTED • OTHER
1,2,3,4,5,6 BR.
2 BR. Unfurnished
3 Bedroom apartment
Available
house. 309 Semple
1 and 2 Bedroom
August 2017.
Street. 1 and a half
on 2nd floor of
Apartments available
Atwood, Ward, Juliet,
blocks from Forbes
house. 1 bathroom,
August 1st. Students
and Neville Street.
Ave. Big Rooms.
separate kitchen,
only. Washer/Dryer.
Call 412-287-5712.
Kitchen. Disposal &
central vacuum,
2BR furnished
dishwasher. Living
in-unit washer and
apartment,
room. Bathroom.
dryer. All utilities
shared bathroom &
Basement, back pa-
included plus
kitchen. Available Aug.
tio, front porch.
internet & cable TV.
1st, 1yr lease.
MUST SEE!
Free fresh
412-621-2742.
$630/per
September
fruit from
Email: John@oaklan-
month, per person in-
occupancy. $1400
garden. $1650/mo.
drealestatecompany.-
cluding utilities. Call
+ Utilities. Call
Call Dave at
com.
412-848-9442.
412-389-3636.
412-478-4855.
1 Block from Forbes. Friendly Building. 1BR-$725/mo., 2BR $1050/mo. each plus utilities. Contact:
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Email: advertising@pittnews.com
4 Bedroom 1 Bath House. Large kitchen, new windows and paint. Security System. Available August 16th. Bates and Semple. $1,600 + Utilities. 412-287-5406. Leave a message.
M.J. Kelly Realty. Studio, 1, 2, & 3 Bedroom Apartments, N. & S. Oakland. $650-$1750. mjkellyrealty@gmail.com. 412-271-5550. www.mjkellyrealty.com
Newly renovated
Adorable house 2/3 bedroom available. Big yard. Laundry. Equipped kitchen. A/C. Porch. Garage & driveway. Available August. $1600. 412-683-0363.
Studio & 1 Bedroom. From $650. 216 Coltart. Off Street Parking. Available Aug. 2017. Free heat. Greve Real Estate. 412-261-4620.
and Bates.
May 10, 2017
apartments for rent. 3,4 bedrooms available for August/ September 2017. Atwood, McKee, Dawson, Please call Mike at 412-849-8694 for more information & for viewing.
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Phone: 412.648.7978
Spacious 2-BR apartmentson Dawson Street, single or double occupancy. Partially renovated & improved. Either AUGUST 25 availability or IMMEDIATE availability. Very affordable rent. Limited parking spaces also available. Call 412-692-1770 to see apartment, parking spaces.
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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 August 1st, $1600+ all utilities. No pets. For more information, please call 412-303-5043. Email: dtm1003@comcast.net.
Large 1BR apartment. Living room, dining room, remodeled kitchen with dishwasher, hardwood floors, ceiling fan, laundry & storage available. Easy access to universities and hospitals. Available starting as early as May 1. Call Sue at 412-720-4756. Shadyside: 1Bedroom-($840). EXCELENT LOCATION. Fully equipped kitchen, A/C, wall-towall carpeting. Near Pitt shuttle bus stop. Between Walnut Street and Ellsworth shopping districts. No pets. Includes heat. 412-628-1686.
1BR. Equipped kitchen, separate living room and dining room, walk-in closet, laundry, storage and garage parking available. Easy access to universities and shopping district. Starting as early as 7/1. Call Sue at 412-720-4756.
pittnews.com
Charming 1 bedroom, hardwood floors, walk-in closets, new kitchen with dishwasher. Separate living room and dining area. Laundry available. Easy access to university and shopping district. Starting as early as June 15. Call Sue 412-720-4756. Huge studio apartment with fully equipped kitchen. Separate dining and living areas. Large walk-in closet, laundry, storage & garage parking available. Easy access to university & shopping district. Available as early as 5/1. Call Sue at 412-720-4756.
3 bedroom house 3 miles from campus. $800. 412-225-8723. Studios, 1, 2, & 3 Bedroom apartments available August 2017 & sooner. Oakland, Shadyside, Friendship, Squirrel Hill, Highland Park, Point Breeze. Photos & current availability online, check out www.forbesmanagement.net, or call 412.441.1211
Summer sublet May August. 1 or 2 rooms. On Halket St. between 5th & Forbes. Kitchen, Bathroom, bar, TV, Washer/dryer. $475/mo. 610-413-7126 Summer sublet. 2 rooms. May-August. Furnished. Each room has private bathroom, shared kitchen. $610 per month including utilities. Call 412-848-9442.
Shadyside: 1Bedroom-($760). EXCELENT LOCATION. Fully equipped kitchen, A/C, wall-towall carpeting. Near Pitt shuttle bus stop. Between Walnut Street and Ellsworth shopping districts. No pets. Includes heat. 412-628-1686.
Highland Park Tennis Club is recruiting 4 tennis coaches for our summer clinic. Part-time, 12 weeks, Saturday’s only 9:00 AM-11:00 AM. May 6th thru July 22nd. $20/hr. Must have tennis experience, preferably college
B&R Pools and Swim Shop looking for general help to maintain swimming pools. No experience necessary! Candidate must be 18 years of age or older with valid driver license. 40 hours per week for the entire summer, overtime possible at time and a half. IDEAL FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS! Candidates should call 412-661-7665 to inquire. Looking for people to start immediately!!!!
level as a player or
Be Fit and Be Paid. Our 5 year old dog needs daily robust walks/jogs. Preferably around 11-2. She is a lovely pitbull mutt. Area Oakland/Schenley Farms. crosano51@hotmail.com
references to
ENGINEERING STUDENTS WANTED Need full-time workers for light-duty construction, renovation, painting, landscaping. Part-time and weekend work available. Must be 18. Experience not required but helpful. Immediate openings. 412-738-1618. bigtfeight@earthlink.net WAITER/WAITRESS, DISHWASHER/COOK: 20hr/wk, great working environment. Cafe Sam, 5242 Baum Blvd. Apply Monday-Friday 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
coach but others will be considered. Must have or obtain before hire child abuse criminal background and FBI clearances. Must be reliable, punctual and have strong people skills. Send cover letter, resume and 3 Miss Bey at msbeybey@hotmail.com. All applications must be received by April 26, 2017. SEASONAL WORK Shadyside Management Company needs full-time dependable landscapers, painters, and assistant roofer for the summer. Must be at least 18 years old. No experience necessary. $10/hour. Mozart Management phone: 412-682-7003 email: thane@mozartrents.com
The Center for Research on Health Care Data Center at the University of Pittsburgh is seeking a faculty at the Assistant Professor level or above with a doctoral degree. The faculty should have at least 10 years of experience as faculty. The faculty will be expected to teach and collaborate with investigators in designing research projects. Academic appointments, tenure status and salary are dependent upon qualifications and experience. Send letter of interest and CV to Wishwa Kapoor, MD, UPMC, 200 Lothrop Street, Suite 933 West, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 or e-mail noskoka@upmc.edu EEO/AA/M/F/Vets/Disabled
University of
The Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, is seeking clinical investigators. Candidates must have an MD with fellowship training or have a PhD. We are particularly interested in candidates in health services research, clinical epidemiology, health disparities, decision sciences and comparative effectiveness. Academic appointments, tenure status and salary are dependent upon qualifications and experience. Send letter of interest and CV to Wishwa Kapoor, MD, 200 Lothrop Street, 933 west MUH, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 (fax 412 692-4825) or e-mail Noskoka@upmc.edu. EO/AA/M/F/Vets/Disabled
200 Lothrop Street,
May 10, 2017
Pittsburgh, Division of General Medicine is seeking a full time Clinician Educator. Position includes both inpatient and outpatient teaching and leadership opportunities in specific areas of medical education depending on the interest and qualifications of the candidate. Academic appointments, tenure status and salary are dependent upon qualifications and experience. Send letter of interest and CV to Wishwa Kapoor, MD, 933 West MUH, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 (fax 412 692-4825) or e-mail Noskoka@upmc.edu. EO/AA/M/F/Vets/Disabled SUMMER WORK Need full-time, dependable workers for yardwork, painting, landscaping, light duty construction. Also part-time and weekend work available. Must be 18. No experience necessary. Immediate openings. 412-738-1618. bigtfeight@earthlink.net
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