The Zoo sticks around for basketball ups and downs
By Samuel Ruppert | For The Pitt News
March 12, 2018
Half of the cobalt blue seats in student section of the Petersen Event Center remained empty as the Pitt men’s basketball team battled UC Santa Barbara on the court Nov. 15. On the first shot, only a sparse showering of ripped-up newsprint filled the air. But even during the out-of-conference game f...
Disabled activists take part in nationwide day of mourning
By Hannah Schneider, Staff Writer
March 2, 2018
Filed under Campus, News, Top Stories
Andrea Mauro was physically restrained, force-fed horseradish and shocked with play buzzers as a child when they had tantrums or failed speech therapy exercises. All of this was done to them by the people their parents had sought out to “help” them. Mauro, an autistic activist and student studyi...
Day of giving raises more than $9 million
By Cassidy Power and Samuel Ruppert | For The Pitt News
March 2, 2018
Filed under 2. Featured, Campus, News
Pitt’s second annual Day of Giving proved it’s the gift that keeps on giving — raising $9,029,828 in the span of 24 hours, nearly twice as much as last year. The 3,358 donations poured in from six continents and all fifty states. Individual alumni and students alike pitch in on the Day of Givi...
Hillman goes pro with new equipment collection
By Zane Crowell and Noah Manalo | For The Pitt News
March 2, 2018
Filed under Campus, News, Top Stories, Uncategorized
Students are used to checking out books on reserve at Hillman Library — now they can do the same with a vlogging kit. The University Library System launched the Hillman Equipment Collection Monday. The Collection, which consists of an assortment of audio and visual equipment, is available for use b...
Students learn about mental health first aid
By Cassidy Power | For The Pitt News
March 1, 2018
Filed under Campus, Health, News, Top Stories
“How can I help?” and “How do I start a conversation?” are questions Sean Moundas, a psychologist at the University Counseling Center, gets asked a lot when it comes to mental health. “Over half of those with mental health challenges go untreated,” Moundas said. At the Be The Difference...
BAS celebrates 50 years with founding members
By Caroline Eddy | For The Pitt News
March 1, 2018
Filed under Campus, News, Top Stories
Past and present members of Pitt’s Black Action Society met Wednesday afternoon to commemorate the organization’s founding and fortify its future. The African American Alumni Council hosted a discussion about the Black Action Society, which was founded 50 years ago. Approximately 50 people atten...
Alpha Kappa Alpha suspended, police investigating alleged hazing
By John Hamilton, Janine Faust and Christian Snyder | Pitt News Staff
February 28, 2018
Filed under 2. Featured, Campus, Crime, News
Police are investigating an alleged hazing incident after 12 pledges of Pitt’s Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority chapter went to the Penn Hills police department to file a report, the department’s police chief said Wednesday. Dean of Students Kenyon Bonner sent an email to Greek organizations Wednes...
Religious studies chair, mentor dies
By John Hamilton | Managing Editor
February 28, 2018
Filed under Campus, News, Top Stories
Linda Penkower — the chair of the University’s religious studies department known for supporting students and faculty — died Tuesday night, the department’s undergraduate director said in an email. In the email, which was addressed to religious studies majors and recent graduates, professor ...
Yellin takes Pitt behind the scenes of Netflix
By Remy Samuels | Staff Writer
February 27, 2018
Filed under Campus, News, Top Stories
It’s 3 a.m. and you’ve just watched two straight seasons of “Stranger Things” in one sitting — even though you have a test later that day. But for Todd Yellin, vice president of product at Netflix, watching hours of shows and documentaries is part of his job description. “I’m blessed ...
Panelists discuss being a woman in politics
By Briana Canady | Staff Writer
February 26, 2018
Filed under 2. Featured, Campus, News
Aryanna Berringer grew up the youngest of 10 children in a family that had to rely on food stamps and free school lunches to get by. She remembers how her mother would wash the three different uniforms for her jobs at three different restaurants in their kitchen sink. All of this motivated Berringer to run for l...
Pitt Admissions won’t penalize student protesters
By Mackenzie Rodrigues | News Editor
February 26, 2018
Filed under Campus, News, Top Stories
Students applying to Pitt will not be punished for participating in peaceful protests following the mass shooting in Parkland, Florida, the University said on Twitter. The Pitt Admissions Twitter account first released the statement in response to the #ParklandStudentsSpeak movement. “Pitt Admissi...
Former ambassador examines Iran nuclear deal
By Cassidy Power and Remy Samuels | The Pitt News Staff
February 23, 2018
Filed under Campus, News, Top Stories
Former U.S. ambassador Dennis Jett equated the Iran Nuclear Deal negotiations to a “foreign policy food fight” Thursday in Posvar Hall. “One should not confuse honesty and politics — they’re like oil and water,” Jett said. Jett, who served as ambassador to Mozambique and Peru under t...
Progressives, libertarians debate wealth redistribution
By Madeline Gavatorta / Staff Writer
February 22, 2018
Filed under Campus, News, Top Stories
The Pitt Progressives and the Students for Liberty met Wednesday night in the William Pitt Union Kurtzman Room to debate their views on the government and distribution of wealth. The Bully PulPitt and Pitt Political Science Student Association hosted “Government and the Redistribution of Wealth”...
Professor lectures about black Pittsburgh
By Katie Gingerich | For The Pitt News
February 22, 2018
Filed under 2. Featured, Campus, News
Larry Glasco — a Pitt history professor who mainly teaches about race, caste and the African-American experience in Pittsburgh — said he rarely gets to speak on topics that go beyond “uninterrupted discrimination and oppression.” But during a lecture Wednesday afternoon, he had the chance to f...
Q&A: Elizabeth Mahoney revisits Mister Rogers’ archives
By Janine Faust | Assistant News Editor
February 22, 2018
Filed under Campus, City, News, Top Stories
The iconic children's show “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” turned 50 Monday. The show, which was broadcast from 1968 to 2001, was filmed in Pittsburgh and hosted by the late Fred Rogers. In honor of the show’s 50th anniversary, assistant news editor Janine Faust sat down with Elizabeth Mahoney, fo...
Charges dropped against man accused of spying on students
By Mackenzie Rodrigues | News Editor
February 21, 2018
Filed under Campus, Crime, News
A magisterial judge Wednesday dropped charges against Paul May, a nurse at the Veteran Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System in Oakland who was accused of spying into upper campus dorms. May, 56, was charged Nov. 6 with loitering and prowling, invasion of privacy and possessing instruments of a crime. All charges have been dropped, court documents show. District attorney spokesperson Mike Manko said Magisteri...
Looking to a new Horizon: Kennedy wins SGB presidency
By Madeline Gavatorta and Christian Snyder | The Pitt News Staff
February 21, 2018
Filed under 2. Featured, Campus, News, Student Government
Maggie Kennedy couldn’t stop smiling Tuesday night after hearing she received 56 percent of the vote to secure the Student Government Board presidency for next year. Kennedy, a junior political science and communication major running on the Horizon slate, received 1,889 votes to defeat junior ma...
University Senate Council address Parran Hall, Titusville
By Hannah Schneider, Staff Writer
February 21, 2018
Filed under Administration, Campus, News, Top Stories
The University Senate Council held its second meeting of the spring semester Tuesday afternoon and addressed recently contentious topics such as building names and budget concerns. Chancellor Patrick Gallagher started the meeting by discussing the current controversy about Parran Hall, which houses ...
Students discuss diversity in engineering
By Zane Crowell | Staff Writer
February 21, 2018
Filed under Campus, News, Top Stories, Uncategorized
Since joining the National Society of Black Engineers in 1980, Karl Reid has dedicated his career to advancing opportunity and inclusion for African-American engineers across the country. “I got my leadership experience largely through NSBE, and I discovered my passion, which is to increase access...
Women discuss reclaiming female slurs
By Noah Manalo | Staff Writer
February 20, 2018
Filed under Campus, News, Top Stories
Jeanna Sybert was sure to address both sides of the reclamation argument in her presentation — and she didn’t shy away from using shocking language to make those points. The University of Pittsburgh’s chapter of the American Association of University Women held an event, C U Next Tuesday: Recla...
Students get business and banking advice
By Kenan Meral | For The Pitt News
February 20, 2018
Filed under Campus, News, Tech Science, Top Stories
As technology and business come together, Emily Hirao is well-versed on how she can use a multifaceted skill set to help her forge a professional future — by focusing on data analytics, the process by which meaning can be derived from information. Hirao, a senior studying business technology at Carnegie Mellon ...
Lydia Brown discusses disability advocacy
By Briana Canady | Staff Writer
February 19, 2018
Filed under Campus, News, Top Stories
When Lydia Brown asked audience members if they understand what disability rights are and if they know the difference between disability rights and disability justice only about six or seven people out of the 42 present raised their hands. Brown then asked the audience what words they associate with the...
Professor proposes use of law to tackle infectious diseases
By Briana Canady | For The Pitt News
February 16, 2018
Filed under Campus, Top Stories
Matiangai Sirleaf has represented plaintiffs in numerous international human rights cases litigated in federal courts. Now, as an assistant professor of law at Pitt, she plans to use her legal expertise to eradicate infectious diseases. Sirleaf presented her research on disease in Africa, titled ...
Students mix beer and engineering
By Rose Luder | Staff Writer
February 16, 2018
Filed under 2. Featured, Campus, News
Groups of students sat around several computer-topped desks in a Benedum Hall classroom, casually making conversation as they waited for their Thursday afternoon class to begin. Suddenly, a question flashed across the screen: “Belgian or German wheat beer?” Professor Robert Parker repeated this ...
Students petition to rename Parran Hall
By Janine Faust | Assistant News Editor
February 15, 2018
Filed under 2. Featured, Campus, News
Pitt’s Graduate Student Organizing Committee announced in a Twitter thread posted Feb. 13 that they are starting a campaign to rename Parran Hall. “We view Parran Hall as a constant reminder of the legacy of racism in the academic scientific and medical communities and the University of Pittsburg...
The Pitt News staff wins Student Keystone Press Awards
By Mackenzie Rodrigues | News Editor
February 15, 2018
The Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association awarded The Pitt News eight prizes and three honorable mentions Wednesday for stories and visuals published in 2017. The PNA’s 2018 Keystone Press Awards recognized “high school and college journalism that provides relevance, integrity and initiative in serving readers”...
Di Tella discusses ‘327 Cuadernos’
By Zane Crowell | Staff Writer
February 15, 2018
Filed under Campus, News, Top Stories
Ricardo Piglia was 15 years old when his father was thrown in prison for a year for supporting Argentina’s former leader — so the young teen began keeping a diary. It started about the same time Juan Peron, President of Argentina, was overthrown in a coup d'etat in 1955. While it began with one journal...
The bittersweet lives of sugar babies
By Remy Samuels | Staff Writer
February 14, 2018
Filed under Campus, News, Top Stories
With college tuition, textbook and living costs soaring higher each year, students face daunting debts that prompt them to get creative with how they support themselves. Some turn to working at Starbucks, others to tutoring — and some even turn to dating. A sugar baby is typically a young woman who ...
SGB candidates debate for presidency
By Madeline Gavatorta | Staff Writer
February 13, 2018
Filed under 2. Featured, Campus, News, Student Government
Maggie Kennedy and Saket Rajprohat met Monday night to debate for one of the most influential student leadership positions on campus — the Student Government Board presidential seat. The duo showcased their knowledge of the Pitt student community along with their qualifications for holding office. Tabitha B...
Real Food Challenge seeks to find better food for campus
By Janine Faust | Assistant News Editor
February 12, 2018
Filed under 2. Featured, Campus, Health, News
Grilled chicken is a popular dish at the Flying Star Diner in Market Central. Lines for it can stretch up to 20 people, and more often than not a freshly served batch runs out minutes after it’s taken off the grill. And while students may be preoccupied with getting a piece or two before the chi...
Students celebrate Lunar New Year
By Sandra Balatkova | For The Pitt News
February 12, 2018
Filed under Campus, News, Top Stories
The Lunar New Year celebration set colors into motion and transformed Alumni Hall’s auditorium stage with the vibrant clothing, fans and flags featured in traditional Chinese and Vietnamese dances Sunday evening. The Chinese American Student Association, in collaboration with the Vietnamese Stu...
Check it out: making stacks at the library
By Zane Crowell and Remy Samuels | The Pitt News Staff
February 9, 2018
Filed under 2. Featured, Campus, News
Entering the ground floor of the Hillman library, the expanse of desks, chairs and long tables encouraging group studying and collaboration are immediately noticeable. To the right of the entrance is the Donald S. Woods service desk, the main area for students can get help form a library employee. ...
Colin Jost jokes about Pitt, pot and primates
By Briana Canady | For The Pitt News
February 9, 2018
Filed under Campus, News, Top Stories, Uncategorized
Colin Jost was both surprised and delighted to find an article about an infected lab monkey that allegedly escaped from its cage in a campus research lab as the first result on Google when he searched “University of Pittsburgh.” “That picture of the monkey in the article is definitely not the same mon...
CDPA Director shares employment advice
By Sid Lingala | Staff Writer
February 9, 2018
Filed under Campus, Top Stories
Cheryl Finlay is responsible for developing and overseeing services that help thousands of Pitt students in their quest to get an internship, land a research assistant position and — most frightening of all to future graduates — find a job. As director of the Office of Career Development and Place...
Community questions Amazon’s impact
By Grant Burgman and John Hamilton | The Pitt News Staff
February 8, 2018
Filed under 2. Featured, Campus, City, News
Chancellor Patrick Gallagher said Amazon coming to Pittsburgh would be “unquestionably a good thing,” in an article published by Geekwire Wednesday. But the crowd of 50 people that filled a room in Parran Hall Wednesday afternoon heard five panelists discuss different views on the potential arrival of Amazon’s second headquarters. “Is this an opportunity for grow...
Bonner discusses Greek life changes
By John Hamilton | Managing Editor
February 7, 2018
Filed under Campus, News, Top Stories
Dean of Students Kenyon Bonner said Tuesday that he will lift the Greek life social probation after what he considers “meaningful progress” is made in improving the safety of fraternities and sororities at Pitt. In an interview with The Pitt News, Bonner discussed the response to a Jan. 18 off-cam...
Whitaker talks sports, jazz in Pittsburgh
By Alexa Marzina | For The Pitt News
February 6, 2018
Filed under Campus, City, News, Top Stories
Mark Whitaker is a Philadelphian infatuated with Pittsburgh. He is also an esteemed journalist who worked for Newsweek Magazine for three decades and became the first African-American to lead a national newsweekly. But that infatuation with the Steel City is what led him to investigate his father’s Pitt...
Posvar renovations feature updated classrooms
By Thompson Wymard | For The Pitt News
February 6, 2018
Filed under Campus, News, Top Stories
Erika Gold Kestenberg is quite familiar with Posvar Hall — she spent time studying there as a student in the ’90s, and now works there. The associate director of educator development and practice Urban Scholars Program coordinator for the School of Education doesn’t miss the building’s old design...
Pitt tests victory lights, new spotlight, prompting theories on Twitter
By Amanda Reed / Online Engagement Editor
February 5, 2018
Filed under 2. Featured, Campus, News
Although the victory lights usually only come on when Pitt wins, on Monday the lights were lit up — along with a new blue spotlight. The strange spotlight shined straight up from the top of the Cathedral of Learning, prompting some on Twitter to compare the light to the Batman signal. Pitt tur...
Quo Vadis gives visitors taste of tradition
By Thompson Wymard | For The Pitt News
February 5, 2018
Filed under Campus, News, Top Stories
Quo Vadis is now known as the student organization that gives tours of Pitt’s 30 Nationality Rooms in the Cathedral of Learning — but it wasn’t always this way. According to Yasemin Sonel, a sophomore and the public relations officer for Quo Vadis, the club’s duties used to be a little differe...
Photos and videos: Pitt Students celebrate Eagles Super Bowl win
By The Pitt News Staff
February 4, 2018
Filed under 2. Featured, Campus, News, Sports
The last time a Philadelphia sports team won a major championship, the United States was in a recession, former President George W. Bush signed a $700 billion bailout bill and O.J. Simpson was found guilty of charges of kidnapping and armed robbery. Now, more than 10 years later, hundreds of Pitt students took to...
Pitt unveils sustainable engineering master’s program
By Laura Howe | Staff Writer
February 2, 2018
Filed under Campus, News, Tech Science, Top Stories
David Sanchez has seen Pittsburgh at the forefront of producing environmentally sound projects ever since his first fellowship at Pitt in the mid-2000s. Now, as an assistant professor in Pitt’s civil and environmental engineering department, he’s helping set up the Swanson School of Engineering’...
Pitt finds no evidence of hazing after Sigma Chi incident
By John Hamilton / Managing Editor
February 1, 2018
Filed under 2. Featured, Campus, News
Pitt police found no evidence of hazing and do not plan on filing charges after a student was hospitalized for voluntarily drinking “to excess” at a Sigma Chi event, according to a statement released Thursday. The Jan. 18 incident resulted in Pitt suspending Sigma Chi and placing all other Greek orga...
Fraternity discusses concerns with policing
By Zane Crowell | For The Pitt News
February 1, 2018
Filed under Campus, City, News, Top Stories
Wesley Giles, a sophomore finance major at Pitt, claimed he and a friend were walking up to the friend’s car in September 2017 when two police officers allegedly approached them with guns and told them to get on the ground. “Upon reaching us, they cuffed us, emptied our pockets, searched us and then...
Life science buildings evacuated after small explosion
By John Hamilton and Janine Faust | The Pitt News Staff
January 31, 2018
Filed under Campus, Health, News, Top Stories
Paramedics evaluated one student for eye irritation after a small explosion in a life science lab Wednesday afternoon led to a precautionary evacuation. According to a statement from the University, the explosion occurred at about 2:45 p.m. in the Life Sciences Annex — a section of the Clapp, Langl...
SGB hosts Master Plan meeting for students
By Madeline Gavatorta | Staff Writer
January 31, 2018
Filed under Campus, News, Student Government, Top Stories
Nico Bernstein took issue with the Campus Master Plan presented by Owen J. Cooks Tuesday night at Student Government Board’s weekly public meeting, saying the plan emphasizes athletics and neglects the arts. “[Cooks] talked a lot about creating new spaces for athletics but not new spaces for s...
Students gather for State of the Union address viewing
By Hannah Schneider, Staff Writer
January 31, 2018
Filed under 2. Featured, Campus, News
While Pitt College Republicans and Pitt College Democrats hosted separate State of the Union viewing parties, Pitt’s Political Science Student Association held an event appealing to students of any political association. Around 20 students gathered in Posvar Hall Tuesday evening for a viewing part...
Pitt spotlights safety
By Christian Snyder | Multimedia Editor
January 31, 2018
Filed under Campus, Top Stories
Dogs on campus usually attract dozens of students, nearly all of whom have their iPhones ready to capture brief interactions with the stress-relieving pets. But Sam, a 3-year-old German shorthaired pointer trained to detect explosives, didn’t draw that kind of attention at the annual Safety Fair Tuesday...
Researcher sues Pitt for wrongful termination following alleged monkey escape
By Salina Pressimone and John Hamilton | The Pitt News Staff
January 30, 2018
Filed under Campus, Health, News, Top Stories
A former Pitt researcher is suing the University of Pittsburgh, alleging she was wrongfully terminated after reporting the escapes of an infected lab monkey and rabbit in 2016. In a lawsuit filed Jan. 15, 2018, in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, Kelly Stefano Cole — a former immunolo...
Dickman discusses sexual assault
By Rose Luder | Staff Writer
January 30, 2018
Filed under Campus, News, Top Stories
Student members of Pitt Athletics and the Pitt community filled the seventh floor auditorium of Alumni Hall Monday night to listen to a talk about sexual assault prevention on campus. The conversation was led by counselor, educator and self-described “sexologist” Kimberly Dickman. Her visit to Pit...
Queens only: Pageant showcases African countries
By Remy Samuels | Staff Writer
January 29, 2018
Filed under Campus, News, Top Stories
With sashes draped across their chests, the African queens flaunted their traditional garb and knowledge of the countries announced on their sashes at the Annual African King & Queen Pageant Friday. With contributions from the African Studies Program and Outside the Classroom Curriculum, the ...
Pitt optimizes space for Master Plan
By Sophia Mastroianni | For The Pitt News
January 26, 2018
Filed under Campus, Top Stories
Pitt’s unconventional hills, sidewalks and parks are what separate the University’s aesthetic from others, Ayers Saint Gross architecture and planning principal Kevin Petersen said. “We want to address the quality, quantity and management of space,” Petersen said. Ayers Saint Gross and Pi...
Pitt scholars debate future of European Union
By Hannah Schneider, Staff Writer
January 26, 2018
The European Union may seem stable, but according to Rachel Epstein, professor of international relations and European Politics at the University of Denver, this stability could be temporary. “Right now, it doesn’t look like there’s a problem because we’re in a period of economic growth,”...
Conservative-leaning groups deny association after members share racist memes
By John Hamilton and Mackenzie Rodrigues
January 25, 2018
Filed under 2. Featured, Campus, News
After members of two conservative-leaning campus groups were exposed for sharing racist memes, both the Pitt College Republicans and Polis Media released separate statements claiming these members’ actions were not associated with their organization. The Twitter account Racists @ Pitt started s...
Student safe after drinking ‘excessive amounts of alcohol’ at Sigma Chi event
By John Hamilton / Managing Editor
January 25, 2018
Filed under 2. Featured, Administration, Campus, News, Top Stories
After a week of sparse details about a Greek life function that left a student hospitalized, Pitt released a statement Thursday with some information about the Sigma Chi alcohol incident. At a Sigma Chi function last Thursday, a student was taken to a hospital by his friends after drinking “excessive amounts of alcohol,” a statement from Pitt spokesperson Joe Miksch said. The student is n...
University Senate avoids union, frat
By Janine Faust and Mackenzie Rodrigues | News Editors
January 25, 2018
Filed under 2. Featured, Administration, Campus, News
While the Pitt community is buzzing about both the recent suspension of Pitt’s Sigma Chi chapter after a student was hospitalized Jan. 19 and the faculty union organizers’ card-signing campaign kickoff Monday, the University Senate Council did not address either subject during its first meeting o...
Community calls for financial safety net
By Remy Samuels | Staff Writer
January 25, 2018
Filed under Campus, News, Top Stories
Valkyrie Speaker was one of several who shed tears while sharing experiences of financial struggle before and during college Wednesday afternoon. “When I applied to Pitt, I was homeless,” Speaker said. “I’m lucky to be here on academic scholarship, but it still feels like I don’t have a...
Students learn to administer Narcan
By Anish Salvi | Staff Writer
January 24, 2018
Filed under Campus, Health, News, Top Stories
As an Emergency Medical Technician of four years, Anthony Lupinacci is no stranger to administering Narcan — and knows the difference the drug can make. “Especially when I have worked in this area, out in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, we see overdoses fairly often,” Lupinacci said. “I can say that Na...
Sigma Chi suspended after alcohol incident left student hospitalized
By John Hamilton / Managing Editor
January 23, 2018
Filed under 2. Featured, Campus, News
Dean of Students Kenyon Bonner suspended Pitt’s Sigma Chi chapter after a student was hospitalized Thursday because of a “serious alcohol incident.” Pitt spokesperson Joe Miksch confirmed Tuesday that the fraternity allegedly involved in the alcohol incident had been suspended, pending the resul...
Faculty show support for unionization
By Madeline Gavatorta | Staff Writer
January 23, 2018
Filed under 2. Featured, Campus, News
Jennifer Lee, a senior English lecturer at Pitt for the last two decades, said it was luck and allies in the tenure faculty that got her the job she currently holds — and she remembers realizing how privileged she was compared to faculty who don’t have those benefits. “My very good friend and colleague — who...
Pittsburgh Women’s March focuses on elections
By Madison Hook | Staff Writer
January 22, 2018
Filed under 2. Featured, Campus, City, News
Chants of “All love, no hate! That’s what makes America great,” projected through the streets of downtown Pittsburgh Sunday as citizens joined together to take part in the second annual Women’s March. For some, the day was about walking for someone else. Gerard H. Weiss, 73, of Washington...
Obituary: Professor Theodore Cohen transformed chemistry department
By Hannah Schneider, Staff Writer
January 21, 2018
Filed under Campus, News, Top Stories
When Bret Cohen was visiting home from his university studies one day, he asked his father, Theodore Cohen, “What do you do when you feel sad or depressed?” “I think about the way brown rice in a double boiler cooks,” Theodore said. At face value, a strange concept — but it makes sense when ...
Coil thaws, floods Fifth Ave. Towers lobby entrance
By TPN News Desk
January 21, 2018
When a frozen coil thawed, it momentarily added a new waterfall feature to the Fifth Avenue entrance to the Towers Lobby Friday morning. As a result of the thawed coil, water pooled into the area between the Towers patio and the lobby entrance. The water spread into the lobby and soaked the carpet ...
Greek life social probation came after student hospitalization
By The Pitt News Staff
January 19, 2018
Filed under 2. Featured, Campus, News, Top Stories
Dean of Students Kenyon Bonner put Greek life on modified social probation after a “serious alcohol incident,” he stated in a letter to both fraternity and sorority presidents Friday. The incident resulted in a student being hospitalized. The student’s family has been notified, University spo...
Faculty union organizers to begin signing cards
By Janine Faust | Assistant News Editor
January 19, 2018
Filed under Campus, News, Top Stories
Pitt’s Faculty Union Organizing Committee announced Wednesday on Facebook that it will begin asking faculty members to sign union authorization cards at a kickoff celebration Monday, Jan 22, in the William Pitt Union Ballroom. The event is co-hosted by the Pitt Progressives. Pitt faculty and gradu...
Students rush to take Russian Fairy Tales
By Janine Faust | Assistant News Editor
January 19, 2018
Filed under Campus, News, Top Stories
Professors within the department of Slavic languages and literatures faculty at Pitt encountered a shrinking student interest in their courses in the mid-1990s. They weren’t alone — many other Slavic departments across the country were likewise noticing a decline in enrollment. “Not many stu...
Social Justice Symposium explores generational gaps
By Remy Samuels and Dominic Campbell | TPN Staff
January 19, 2018
When asked what buzzwords come to mind when talking about millennials, the words “entitled”, “self-centered”, “trophy kids” and “snowflakes” were blurted out from audience members. But Scott Zimmer assured them that, contrary to popular belief, millennials do not purposefully try to come...
Students serve, remember on MLK Jr. day
By Luke Stambaugh and Kenan Meral | The Pitt News Staff
January 16, 2018
Filed under Campus, News, Top Stories
A group of students from Pitt’s Litchfield Tower B offered a warm respite from the bitter cold as they served soups and sandwiches to hungry Homewood residents who visited the Bethesda Presbyterian Church Monday. They weren’t the only group of Pitt students spending the day this way. Approximate...
The Case of the Missing Monday: Extended winter break might mean longer classes
By John Hamilton and Ashwini Sivaganesh / The Pitt News Staff
January 15, 2018
Filed under 2. Featured, Campus, News
If you are signed up for a class that meets on Monday this semester, you might be asked to stay a little longer or come in on a Saturday — if your professor is following instructions from the provost’s office. A message from the Academic Calendar Committee informed professors and University departments that they should coordinate arrangements to make up for a “missing” class day. Becau...
Student film taps into storytelling
By Madeline Gavatorta | Staff Writer
January 12, 2018
When 47-year-old Jason Swauger suffered a partial tear of his hamstring from a split gone wrong during the filming of “A Tap Dancer Murders Her Father,” student director Caleb Porto didn’t want to continue. “Even though he was fine, I was so done with the film. I didn’t want [another inj...
Japanese students come of age
By Prachi Patel | Staff Writer
January 11, 2018
Filed under 2. Featured, Campus, News
Wrapped in a floral kimono, sophomore Nika Tanimoto hurried up to the podium in the ballroom of the University Club, bowed and accepted a delicate black umbrella. It was a token of celebrating her coming of age. “Today I am celebrating becoming an adult,” Tanimoto, an English major at Yasuda University in Japa...
Surveying the semester with OMETs
By Bailey Frisco | Staff Writer
January 10, 2018
Filed under Campus, News, Top Stories
As each semester winds down and students begin to prepare for finals, they are burdened with one more task to complete — OMETs. OMET — Office of Measurement and Evaluation of Teaching — is a department at Pitt that administers a survey of student opinion for professors. The main objective of the ...
Limited access to William Pitt Union following flooding
By John Hamilton and Mackenzie Rodrigues | The Pitt News Staff
January 9, 2018
Filed under Campus, News, Top Stories
The William Pitt Union briefly closed again after issues with a sprinkler Monday morning. The University released a comment via its official Twitter account at 5:53 a.m., saying the lower level and basement level of the building would be closed until further notice. The two floors reopened less than...
TPN Top 5 of 2017: A year in review
By Amanda Reed | Online Engagement Editor
January 8, 2018
Most-Viewed Stories of 2017 Students tackle gun-toting assailants on Friday (Jan. 31, 2017) Three Pitt students fought off three assailants in January, striking back when one suspect pointed a gun at them. The three students thwarted the men by tackling them to the ground, and left uninjured — although s...
Going through the gap: taking time off before college
By Anna Borgandino | Senior Staff Writer
January 8, 2018
Filed under Campus, News, Top Stories
After realizing she waited too long to apply for a visa that would be ready in time for her first semester at Pitt, Iolanda Neto had a decision to make. She could either apply for entry in the spring 2015 semester — like her mother urged her to do — or take a gap year.a “I didn’t have a pressing urge to take a...
In case you missed it: News from winter break 2017
By News Editors
January 8, 2018
Filed under 2. Featured, Campus, City, News
December 13 — Former Pitt professor Carol Stabile published an article in Ms. Magazine claiming there was widespread harassment and discrimination within the University's communication department in the early 2000s. University spokesperson Joe Miksch told The Pitt News Dec. 16 that Pitt’s Title IX office ...
Union will re-open tomorrow after water line break
By John Hamilton / Managing Editor
January 7, 2018
Filed under 2. Featured, Campus, News
A water line broke in the William Pitt Union Sunday morning, flooding some of the bottom two floors. But the building will re-open Monday morning, as scheduled, according to a Tweet from Pitt. https://twitter.com/jham1496/status/950049243254984706 Water seemed to be coming from above the Union...
Gallagher responds to communication department harassment claims
By John Hamilton / Managing Editor
December 20, 2017
Filed under 2. Featured, Administration, Campus, News
Chancellor Patrick Gallagher responded to allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination in Pitt's Department of Communication Wednesday in an email to the Pitt community. The email is a response to a recent Ms. Magazine blog post, written by a former Pitt professor, alleging sexual harassment and d...
Pitt grad students file for union election
By John Hamilton / Managing Editor
December 15, 2017
Filed under 2. Featured, Administration, Campus, News
Graduate students at Pitt filed for a union election Friday, indicating that at least 30 percent of Pitt grad students have signed union cards. Students delivered union cards to the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board in Harrisburg Friday afternoon. An election could take place early next year if Pitt...
Making the grade: Professors set aside time to score student work
By Salina Pressimone, Caroline Bourque and Rachel Glasser | TPN Staff
December 11, 2017
Filed under Campus, News, Top Stories
Last weekend you could probably find Leonardo Solano buried in the dissertation room of Hillman, or pocketed away somewhere in Panera Bread, grading 160 pages of undergraduate Spanish papers. While it usually takes graduate students such as Solano a long time to grade papers during the semester, finals...
Seniors secure plans in last semester
By Laura Howe | Staff Writer
December 10, 2017
Filed under Campus, News, Top Stories
Speaking from experience, Aikta Rajput has some pretty simple advice for Pitt undergrads — be positive. “Don’t sweat anything. Don’t be upset for more than five minutes, don’t fight with your friends, don’t take anything too seriously because it goes by so fast,” she said. “You’re goi...
Students contend with Christmas
By Rose Luder | Staff Writer
December 8, 2017
Filed under Campus, News, Top Stories
The Cathedral of Learning is adorned with tinsel and stringed lights, Schenley Plaza is lined with luminescent Christmas trees and holiday songs can be heard in almost every building on campus. For many, this show of holiday spirit is part of the buildup to the biggest holiday of the year — Christma...
Toomey’s got mail: Grad students deliver letters
By Rachel Glasser | News Editor
December 7, 2017
The Grinch is best known for stealing Christmas, but he left Whoville and showed up on the doorstep of U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey’s Downtown office Wednesday. It was a blustery day, windy and in the low 40s, but Ph.D. epidemiology student Abby Cartus attributed the conditions to something other than ...
Pitt alum speaks about science policy
By Amanda Finney | Staff Writer
December 6, 2017
Filed under Campus, News, Tech Science, Uncategorized
Women in STEM often leave their jobs mid-career to spend more time with their families, but then later struggle to integrate back into the workplace. To help women in this situation regain their careers, Martha Merrill worked to implement a STEM reentry workshop. This job is just one of the posi...
Athletes, educators discuss activism in sports
By Brian Salvato | For The Pitt News
December 6, 2017
Filed under Campus, News, Sports, Sports Features, Top Stories
When former third-string Pitt kicker Ian Troost took a knee during the national anthem at the team’s Oct. 14 loss to NC State, his motivation was rooted in his background. “My reason, other than to highlight police brutality and social injustice in the United States, was because I came from a b...
Police arrest man after continued harassment claims
By Janine Faust / Assistant News Editor
December 5, 2017
Filed under 2. Featured, Campus, Crime, News
Pitt police arrested a man Tuesday night after issuing a bulletin alerting students of his potential presence in Oakland and citing several female students who said he “made them feel uncomfortable.” “We would like our community to be aware of a suspicious subject identified as Daniel Dintin...
Hurricane brings Puerto Rican law students to Pitt
By Laura Howe | Staff Writer
December 4, 2017
Filed under 2. Featured, Campus, News
When Hurricane Maria struck the island of Puerto Rico in September, it left almost the entire island without electricity, and residents had limited access to food and water. David Canino was thankful for the bare essentials. “Even though I didn’t have water or light, nothing happened to my house. S...
Holiday open house features plans for new Nationality Room
By Elise Lavallee, Contributing Editor
December 4, 2017
Filed under Campus, News, Top Stories
Adorned with Christmas decorations, filled with the aroma of food and ringing with music and conversation, the Cathedral’s atmosphere matched that of a holiday bazaar. The Nationality Room and Intercultural Exchange Programs hosted their 26th annual Holiday Open House Sunday from noon to 4 p.m....
Union organizers talk tax bill, moving forward
By Remy Samuels | Staff Writer
December 4, 2017
Filed under 2. Featured, Campus, News
Graduate students sexually harassed or assaulted by a faculty member have the option to file a claim with the Title IX office.But Hillary Lazar said a graduate student union would help hold Title IX and the University accountable, pressing the office and the administration to investigate these types ...
Asian student groups craft culture showcase
By David Soloman | Staff Writer
December 4, 2017
Filed under Campus, News, Top Stories
Several students engaged in matches of Rock, Paper, Scissors on Saturday to see who would ascend Mount Everest first. This did not take place in the Himalayas, but rather as a game held in the O’Hara Student Center as part of the XSA Asian Culture Fair Saturday. Groups of students roamed around ...
Students reconcile religion, identity
By Sid Lingala | Staff Writer
December 1, 2017
Filed under Campus, News, Top Stories
Bridget Duffy felt uncomfortable practicing her family religion of Catholicism when she found out same-sex couples could not get married in Catholic churches and infants of same-sex couples were not allowed to be baptized. “I’m a traditional person. But I need someone else to tell me that God does...
Student immerses in African cultures
By Hannah Schneider, Staff Writer
December 1, 2017
Filed under 2. Featured, Campus, News
Speaking about his travels to Africa, Derric Heck described his experiences researching African cultures as “amazing.” “It was not only informative for me, it was transformative,” Heck said. About 20 students gathered in Posvar Hall Thursday afternoon to attend a discussion Heck led, titled ...
Share your experiences of hate and bias on campus
By John Hamilton / Managing Editor
November 30, 2017
Filed under Campus, News, Top Stories
The Pitt News is joining ProPublica’s Documenting Hate project to better report on incidents of hate, bias and harassment at Pitt — and we want to hear your stories. Reports of hate crimes are up nationwide, and college campuses are no exception. The Federal Bureau of Investigation received rep...
ASA, BAS explore racial identities, histories
By Anandhini Narayanan | Staff Writer
November 30, 2017
Filed under Campus, News, Top Stories
When Olivia Carter asked the 20-something students gathered in a single-file line in the William Pitt Union to step back if they’d ever “endured physical or verbal abuse due to [their] race,” the majority of them moved out of line. This “line game” was part of a larger conversation about rac...
Committee to consider sustainable investment
By Madison Hook | Staff Writer
November 30, 2017
Filed under Administration, Campus, News, Top Stories
Student activist Sarah Grguras says people often ask her what the money Pitt invests in the fossil fuel industry could go toward. Her response? “Literally anything.” “They could invest in the Pittsburgh public schools, or they could invest in us,” the junior environmental science and ...
Grad students rally against GOP tax plan
By Salina Pressimone | Staff Writer
November 30, 2017
Filed under 2. Featured, Administration, Campus, News
Andrew Bellesis faces new decisions about his career prospects as the recently introduced Republican tax bill looms over the potential cost of his next five years at Pitt. “We will defeat this bill,” Bellesis, a first-year biophysics Ph.D. student, said through his megaphone. “And in the lo...
Pitt political groups face off in first ‘great three-way debate’
By Madeline Gavatorta | Staff Writer
November 29, 2017
Filed under 2. Featured, Campus, News
Ben Sheppard, president of Pitt’s Libertarian group Students for Liberty, went after both major political parties in his opening remarks during the first-ever three-way debate with the College Democrats and the College Republicans Tuesday night. “Tonight on stage, there are two other parties — on one hand...
Professor unearths Israeli heritage
By Zoe Pawliczek | Staff Writer
November 28, 2017
Filed under Campus, News, Top Stories
Professor Jodi Magness embarked on a mission in 2011 to excavate the Huqoq synagogue in Israel with little idea of its contents — and with only an ancient village as its possible location. Unsure of whether they would find anything, Magness’ team randomly picked a square as their first dig site and d...
Students discuss porn industry’s repercussions
By Jaime Weinreb | For The Pitt News
November 28, 2017
Filed under Campus, News, Top Stories
According to the Pornhub’s 2016 Year in Review, nearly 92 billion videos were viewed in on the porn streaming website in 2016 alone. “We’ve all watched it, it’s everywhere,” junior Elena Stains said after presenting the statistic. About 10 people attended the “Let’s Talk About ...
Students dedicate time to developing drone
By Anish Salvi | For The Pitt News
November 20, 2017
Filed under 2. Featured, Campus, News, Tech Science
Levi Burner had dreamed of making a flying machine since he was 8 years old. The junior electrical engineering student finally got his chance when he started to build a drone for the International Aerial Robotics Competition more than a year ago. “The fact that we have found a competition that ...