Summer’s winners, big losers at Pitt

The Summer Games may still be going on in Athens, but here at Pitt, the summer is coming to an… The Summer Games may still be going on in Athens, but here at Pitt, the summer is coming to an end as we head back to class for another fall semester. We can’t raise flags and play anthems, but we still have a roundup of this summer’s winners and losers.

Winners:

Losers:

Freedom won big when the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of The Pitt News, which sued to prevent the enforcement of a 1996 law barring the advertisements of alcoholic beverages in college newspapers. Five years of fighting, and we beat the law … yes! The law, known as Act 199, and its subsequent ban cost The Pitt News an estimated $17,000 in advertising revenue in 1998. Not only is this a win for us, but this is also a win for student-run media throughout the state, and it sets a precedent for the future enforcement of similar laws in other states.

Pitt has a new Greek adviser: After more than four months of searching, Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Director of Student Life Birney Harrigan hired Chris Meaner. He is a Pitt alumnus. Cheers to Harrigan for ensuring that the position would be filled before the start of the new school year.

Student Government Board won more control over the student activities fee. Hopefully, there will be less bickering about the allocation of money to student organizations than about the United States Student Association’s using rooms in the William Pitt Union.

John Kerry announced his running mate for the upcoming presidential election right here in Pittsburgh. While The New York Post incorrectly reported the vice presidential candidate as Dick Gephart, Kerry announced instead that John Edwards would be his vice presidential candidate. This team’s winning potential has yet to be determined.

Students will be forking over extra money to the University this year. It’s a 6-percent hike for students who have completed at least one year at Pitt. For returning in-state students, tuition is $9,130 and for returning out-of-state students, the price is $19,000 per year. First-time tuition payers are spending more than the returning students, making them even bigger losers — they just don’t know it yet. For that blissfully ignorant group of students, in-state tuition is $10,130 and out-of-state is $19,500. This increase in cost should increase the quality of our education, but that has yet to be seen.

Four Pitt football players have been arraigned and are going to a hearing Sept. 8 for their alleged involvement in a fight with members of Pi Kappa Alpha back in April. Of course these men are innocent until proven guilty, but what preliminary disciplinary action has been taken after a four-month internal interrogation? Had this been an incident between two fraternities, the University would have punished someone. Instead, Pitt has promoted the notion that as long as these students are bringing in money as athletes, they will be allowed to charge on and off the field.

Saving the club scene around campus seems to be a futile fight, as Forbes Avenue has lost yet another nightclub. Charging a cover to those between the ages of 18 and 21, while letting the 21-and-older crowd enjoy free drinks and admission, may not have been the best business plan. Seems like the winners here are club-goers 21 and older. All the same, the poor business practice led to Johnny Rotten’s closing.

Apparently, the former Johnny Rotten’s staff is responsible for the renovation of Schenley Cafe. No one wins there — especially since the former Johnny Rotten’s staff wasn’t really hired to choose the Schenley Caf