Campus in Brief

Discussion group views film on O.J. trial

Konrad Klinkner, Staff Writer

The School… Discussion group views film on O.J. trial

Konrad Klinkner, Staff Writer

The School of Social Work’s Center on Race and Social Problems held a screening of the 2005 documentary “Frontline: The O.J. Simpson Verdict” yesterday, followed by a moderated discussion of the trial’s impact on racial issues in America.

“The documentary is on the O.J. Simpson trial, but it’s not so much about the trial as it is about public reaction to the trial,” said Michael Newman, a staff member of CRSP. “We hold showings of documentaries like this every now and then. It’s sort of a public service thing.”

With a dramatic opening description of the O.J. Simpson trial as “the most watched event in the history of TV,” the Frontline documentary chronicles various anecdotes and events surrounding the Simpson case, and portrayed a wide variety of Americans’ reactions to the trial and its controversial verdict.

The central theme brought up by the documentary and by discussants after the viewing ended was how the Simpson trial stoked buried racial tensions across America, and how the case had different meanings for Americans based on their racial backgrounds.

Particular focus was on the rift between white Americans who were sure that Simpson was guilty and who saw it solely as a murder case, and black Americans for whom the case symbolized a greater struggle against racism in the justice system that transcended Simpson’s murder case.

Some testimonies in the documentary came from black people who were still skeptical about Simpson’s innocence, but were gratified by the trial’s verdict nonetheless because for them it represented a victory against racism in the courts.

“For African-Americans, the focus of the trial was much more on racism than it was for white Americans,” said Janet Schofield, a professor of psychology who moderated the discussion forum. “It was more about the trial as a system.”

Whatever happened to spring?

Maria Masters, Staff Writer

Just because it’s spring doesn’t mean it will be warm – especially in Pittsburgh.

Monday marked the first day of spring and the temperature only reached 37 degrees, barely rising above Pittsburgh’s average low for the day, 31 degrees.

John Gresiak, senior forecaster at AccuWeather, attributed this to Pittsburgh’s relatively mild winter.

“It’s been my experience that when you get a mild winter, you get a crummy spring,” Gresiak said.

He explained that from December through January the temperature averaged about 2 degrees above normal. The winter started out colder than average, getting warmer in January, before getting colder again in February.

But some Pitt students don’t mind.

Although Pitt sophomore Amanda Way said that she wished the weather was warmer, she is more than used to the cold weather. Way comes from Erie, Pa., where it can snow past Easter because of the effects of Lake Erie.

“I have to laugh at people when it’s 50 degrees and they are like, ‘It’s so cold,'” Way said. “I’m like, ‘Are you kidding me? This is like T-shirt weather where I come from.'”

Pitt sophomore Mike Elser has a different definition of T-shirt weather: 70 degrees.

“I’m very disappointed right now,” said Elser, who is originally from Harrisburg, Pa. “It’s supposedly 5 degrees warmer there every day. Supposedly.”

Jeff Verszyla, chief meteorologist at KDKA, said Pittsburgh’s temperature is currently average.

“It’s not abnormal to have chilly temperatures,” Verszyla said. “We see a little bit of snow into April, but not a lot.”

Verszyla also said for the next five to seven days the weather will stay mainly chilly. As April begins, the temperatures will begin rising.

“Then everyone will be running into the Quad,” Verszyla said. “Everyone will be taking their blanket outside to study.”

Student “chalks” up awards

Marquelle Matthews, Staff Writer

Justin Chalker has become accustomed to winning.

Actually, it’s almost second nature to him.

Chalker – a Pitt senior – was recently named the 2006 Emma W. Locke Award winner at Pitt’s annual Honors Convocation held at the Carnegie Music Hall.

But this is not the first time he was recognized as a winner.

Chalker is also Pitt’s 2006 Rhodes Scholar, a Chancellor’s Scholar and a 2005 Goldwater Scholar.

The Emma W. Locke Award is presented annually to a graduating senior in recognition of high scholarship, character and devotion to the ideals of the University. The recipient must uphold 3.85 GPA or better and be planning to attend graduate school.

Chalker said he was nominated by the School of Arts and Sciences Dean N. John Cooper.

“I really wanted to do my best to represent the school,” he said.

Chalker is a triple major in chemistry, history and philosophy of science through the University Honors College. Through the Rhodes Scholarship, he will continue his education at the University of Oxford in England to obtain a D. Phil., which is a Ph.D. equivalent.

He is also a teaching assistant for the chemistry department, as well as the founder of Pitt Y-Sci Fest, a science fair in which Pitt students in engineering, physics, biology, chemistry and other science-related fields come together and perform demonstrations for a group of about 300 fifth and sixth grade students.

“We want to try and pique the students’ interest in science, especially because they may not have been really introduced to it much at this age,” Chalker said.

In addition, he is currently completing research on kainic acid, an organic compound used in Alzheimer’s disease study, under the direction of Pitt Professor Emeritus of Chemistry Theodore Cohen.