Pitt, take some advice– it’s free

There’s one thing that, over my years in Pittsburgh and my last year as the editor of the… There’s one thing that, over my years in Pittsburgh and my last year as the editor of the independent student paper here, I’ve always found to be free — even at Pitt.

Advice.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of the Pitt administrators, faculty, students, cleaning staff, food service workers and community members who have given me all the advice I could ever want and more this year, all without ever charging me an extra 14 percent (rimshot).

Now, I’d like to return the favor. Pitt, here are some suggestions I have, none of which will cost you a dime.

1. Don’t lie when you can spin.

The latest business with the Petersen “It’s-right-on-budget” Events Center, unearthed by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette just reaffirms that Pitt has more than a little bit of a credibility gap. Now, I understand that sometimes no answer is the right one, and you can’t always give the people good news. But try to remember that you’re an educational institution. Treat the tough decisions as learning experiences.

For example, the proposed expansion of the black Greek system:

Pitt’s answer: No comment on anything judicial or that we don’t like.

Public relations-savvy answer: These are tough issues, and, while we understand that these fraternities are rich in history and tradition, and are a vital part of our community, we don’t think it’s fair to hold them to any less of a standard than the other student organizations. We don’t want to throw anyone off campus, but it wouldn’t be fair if some groups had to meet quotas to get funding and others didn’t. We know this is tough, and we’re willing to be flexible, but we still have to be fair.

Now, do I believe that? Hell, no. But it’s a better answer, at least, and one that I, and the rest of the campus, could respect.

2. You do get points for effort.

I know sometimes the pressure to be perfect seems like a lot — we at The Pitt News are sometimes quite critical, like now — but seriously, no one expects you to be perfect. We don’t expect Pitt to get everything right, just to be honest and apologetic when they don’t, and actually do better the next time. No one thinks Chancellor Nordenberg is going to turn into Wesley Posvar and contemplate drinking with students, but is it so much to ask that he walk through Schenley Cafe for an hour every week or two?

3. Stop trying to be Yale.

Of course academic excellence should be pursued at all costs, and I’m thrilled that my degree when I leave will be worth more than it would have when I got here, but our history and identity as a school is important. We’re not some froofy Ivy League place that puts European jet-setters next to sons of senators. We’re a semi-public University in a hard-working, blue-collar town. We’re not where you go if you want to impress people with your resume. We’re where you go if you want the best education for your dollar in Pennsylvania. We’re not the University of Somewhere Impressive-Sounding. We’re Pitt. And it’s okay to be proud of that.

Some educations aren’t measured by the “U.S. News and World Report” rankings. Prestige does not equal quality. And Pitt can teach its students something the people at big-name colleges never pick up: the value of a day’s work for a day’s pay. There’s something that will help your resume.

People almost never believe me when I say I love Pitt. They read the newspaper and they wonder what the hell we’re doing here if we have so many negative things to report about it. I believe Pitt is a great school; that’s why I expect great things from it. That’s also why I’ve loved this job enough to sign up and do it again.

Greg Heller-LaBelle is the editor in chief of The Pitt News.