Editorial: One final call for more transparency
By The Pitt News Editorial Board
April 24, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
As an editorial board, we publish our collective opinion on a relevant topic every day. It might seem like we’re bashing the government, administration and authority in general, but that’s not why we do it. We don’t publish editorials just to shout into the void or to place blame. We do it bec...
Column: Broken contracts harm passengers’ rights
By Christian Snyder, Columnist
April 20, 2017
Filed under Columns, Opinions, Uncategorized
Everyone has their price — even the guy on his way to a funeral, a retired United Airlines pilot said in the face of the airline’s recent viral controversy. But United simply couldn’t figure that price out last week. The airline chose four passengers, at random, to involuntarily bump from a United...
Top 10: Things We Learned This Year at Pitt
By The Pitt News Editorial Board and Pitt Tonight
April 20, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions, Uncategorized
This year brought lessons for the Pitt community and the world as a whole. For this week’s Top 10, we could go over some of the biggest stories of the year and see how we’ve grown from them. Instead, we’d like to take a look at some things we’ve personally learned this year at Pitt. Think of thi...
Editorial: Tennessee Reconnect points way forward for higher ed
By The Pitt News Editorial Board
April 20, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
The debate over college affordability tends to focus on traditional-age students in deep blue states. But a bill making waves in the Tennessee state legislature seems poised to upset both these preconceptions. The Tennessee Reconnect Act passed the Tennessee state house Monday with an impressive biparti...
Drug testing cheats applicants, employers
By Nick Eustis | Columnist
April 20, 2017
With graduation right around the corner, the harsh realities of life after college are on a lot of people’s minds. But for some soon-to-be graduates, the typical horrors of moving away from friends and finding a job seem insignificant next to something even more disheartening — the drug test. Initially...
Weed prohibition costs Americans millions
By Elise Lavallee, Columnist
April 20, 2017
Since taking office in January, President Donald Trump hasn’t been too talkative regarding his stance on marijuana. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, on the other hand, has not been as quiet on the matter. “I’m dubious about marijuana,” Sessions said at a meeting with state attorney generals ...
Adult animation brings more approachable culture to traditional TV
By Tim Murdoch | For The Pitt News
April 18, 2017
Almost one million adults between the ages of 18 and 49 tuned into the unexpected season three premiere of “Rick and Morty” earlier this month. The animated series follows the adventures of an alcoholic mad scientist and his unintelligent, awkward grandson. It aired on Adult Swim, the late nigh...
Editorial: Student lobbying key to change among Board of Trustees
By The Pitt News Editorial Board
April 18, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
National and sometimes international political movements often find homes on college campuses, but lately, students are aiming their protest signs at their own universities. Students at Davidson College, a private, liberal arts college in North Carolina, began circulating a digital petition late l...
Talk about periods to end the stigma
By Jaime Viens | Columnist
April 18, 2017
It’s “that time of the month” again. The euphemism is a playful, if not condescending, way to avoid actually having to discuss the reality of periods. But not all of us can use a little wordplay to so easily avoid the subject matter. Menstruation is not only a reality, but a serious financial...
Editorial: New gender rules move toward inclusivity
By The Pitt News Editorial Board
April 18, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
When Harvard announced their decision to effectively outlaw single-gender organizations on campus last spring, reactions were mixed. The policy, which will be implemented starting with the class of 2021, will preclude members of unrecognized single-gender organizations from holding leadership posit...
Flirting with the future: embrace uncertainty in jobs and dating
By Emily Hower | Contributing Editor
April 17, 2017
It’s a sunny spring afternoon in Oakland — the kind of day that typically calls for Conflict Kitchen consumed cross-legged on the Schenley lawn. But instead of chowing down on falafel while basking in Cathy’s beauty, I’m shuttered indoors, armed with a large Dunkin Donuts iced coffee and my...
Editorial: Hold police accountable with public body camera footage
By The Pitt News Editorial Board
April 17, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
In Pennsylvania, whether police officers will wear body cameras is, thankfully, no longer up for debate. They will, but the public viewing and obtaining of footage is turning into a contentious issue. The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania hosted a panel discussion in Lawrenceville Thurs...
Point-Counterpoint: Bootleggers represents the classic bar
By Amber Montgomery | Opinions Editor
April 14, 2017
No alcohol-themed edition of The Pitt News would be complete without an argument for the best bar in Oakland. This year, we’re bringing you two takes on the controversial issue. Read and enjoy as two of our editors square off on their opinions for the best place to grab a drink in our beloved Oaklan...
Point-Counterpoint: A good time guaranteed at Gene’s Place
By Stephen Caruso | Contributing Editor
April 14, 2017
No alcohol-themed edition of The Pitt News would be complete without an argument for the best bar in Oakland. This year, we’re bringing you two takes on the controversial issue. Read and enjoy as two of our editors square off on their opinions for the best place to grab a drink in our beloved Oaklan...
Inclusive alcohol advertising combats sexism and oppression
By Rashi Seth | Columnist
April 14, 2017
Beer companies do come up with some good commercials. The Budweiser Clydesdales and the the Most Interesting Man are two iconic images associated with beer brands. But often, beer commercials take the message and end up objectifying women for the purpose of turning a profit. The Route 2 Brews “Le...
Pennsylvania draconian liquor laws need rethinking
By Nick Eustis | Columnist
April 14, 2017
The beauty of turning 21 meant I could finally purchase alcohol whenever I pleased, a fact I was more than thrilled about. But in traveling to other states, I quickly found that not all alcohol laws are created equal. One night in January, my boyfriend and I walked into a grocery store in Washingt...
Column: “Open Casket” painting trivializes black suffering
By Christian Snyder, Columnist
April 13, 2017
The first time I saw the photograph in an anthology of the most powerful photographs in history, I noticed Emmett Till’s pristine button up and imagined his mother’s brave hands fastening his crisp white shirt over his chest before laying his body down for his final rest. Till, disfigured from the ...
Editorial: New York tuition bill lets down low-income students
By The Pitt News Editorial Board
April 12, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
For college students disappointed by the Democrats’ defeat last November, a bill passed last week in New York is a refreshing — but ultimately empty — development in the discussion surrounding free tuition. Gov. Andrew Cuomo, D-N.Y., signed a bill as a part of the state’s budget last Wednesday...
Editorial: New business vital to revitalizing Braddock
By The Pitt News Editorial Board
April 11, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
If you drive 30 minutes outside of Oakland along I-376 and take a few strategic turns, you’ll find yourself on Braddock Avenue. The street is the main strip of the Braddock borough, a suburb east of Pittsburgh, and it consists of a line of old buildings and warehouses — many of which have been sit...
Music festivals need more focus on safety, less on security
By Julia Aldrich | Columnist
April 11, 2017
When I walked through the security gates at Electric Zoo — a dance music festival that takes place every Labor Day weekend in New York City — in 2015, there was a noticeable nervous vibe in the air. Police walked dogs up and down the aisles of festival-goers waiting to enter the grounds, as sec...
Conflict Kitchen leaves legacy of tolerance
By Christian Snyder | Columnist
April 10, 2017
Pittsburgh was always filled with mysterious things to do as I was growing up. Places such as the Mattress Factory and the Carnegie Science Center have more widespread notoriety, but my personal favorite was “Waffle Shop: A Reality Show.” The brainchild of Jon Rubin, an art professor at Carnegie Mel...
Editorial: Media reaction to Syria strike jumps to conclusions
By The Pitt News Editorial Board
April 10, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
It would have been hard to guess that the one thing to unite the media and President Donald Trump’s administration would be a military strike. Nevertheless, that seemed to be exactly what happened as the nation’s press responded to Trump’s order Thursday night to bomb Assad regime military target...
Editorial: The Pitt News participates in Impact Day Journalism
By The Pitt News Editorial Board
April 9, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
Although they were initially intended to be beacons of scholarship and research, universities have also served as vessels for fostering social and political movements throughout history. The University of Michigan was one of the first to begin protesting the American intervention in Vietnam in 1965...
Top 10: Questions for the new host of ‘Pitt Tonight’
By The Pitt News Editorial Board and Pitt Tonight
April 6, 2017
Filed under Editorials
Pitt students were treated to an inevitable surprise this week: the announcement of the new face of “Pitt Tonight,” the campus variety show modeled after late-night talk shows. Current host and senior Jesse Irwin will give up his desk to first-year Andrew Dow starting next fall. You probably have questions concerning the new host, and so do we, the p...
Regardless of the law, consider graffiti as legitimate art
By Elise Lavallee | Columnist
April 6, 2017
In America, graffiti is often a staple of disadvantaged communities, associated with crime and poverty, and generally unwanted. But in some places, where the culture and atmosphere differs, graffiti is a welcome aspect of the community. In a small neighborhood of Toronto, known as Kensington Mar...
Intersectional counseling: Panthers of Color provide vital service to students of color
By Danielle Pierre | For The Pitt News
April 6, 2017
College comes with many costs. And for many students of color, one of the biggest prices they pay is their mental health. While mental illness is extremely common on college campuses among every racial group, little attention is paid to how racism and mental illness intersect. Students of color often find themselves dealing with many issues t...
Editorial: Pepsi ad trivializes, appropriates important social issues
By The Pitt News Editorial Board
April 5, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
When Pepsi released a new advertisement earlier this week, it probably wasn’t hoping for it to go viral in quite the way that it did. Pepsi’s ad, which starred model and member of the Kardashian family Kendall Jenner, appeared on YouTube Tuesday and almost immediately attracted massive amounts of ...
Editorial: Stricter Greek regulations combat dangerous drinking culture
By The Pitt News Editorial Board
April 5, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
Following the death of Penn State student Timothy Piazza at a fraternity event last month, the University officially announced new regulations for its Greek life system last Thursday. Penn State students’ reactions are mixed thus far: Some praise the University’s decision, while many in Greek organizations are criticiz...
Democrats must compromise to move forward with environmental issues
By Elise Lavallee | Columnist
April 5, 2017
As the proud owner of a private jet, two helicopters and a four-story commercial plane, it’s no surprise that President Trump is not a friend to the environment. He’s repeatedly claimed that climate change is merely a hoax. But on that issue, he doesn’t represent the majority of Republican...
Editorial: Toomey’s rule change proposal threatens bipartisanship
By The Pitt News Editorial Board
April 4, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions, Uncategorized
If Congressional Republicans thought they had gained the power to disregard the rules with their victories in last November’s elections, they couldn’t have been more wrong. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., just signed onto a rules change to the Supreme Court nomination process that might seem innocuous or n...
Trump executive order fails on jobs, environment
By Jaime Viens | Columnist
April 3, 2017
President Donald Trump’s brightly colored receding hairline, black suit and white button-down shirt stood in sharp contrast to the dark-haired coal workers clad in golf shirts flanking him on either side. The occasion was March 28 in Washington, D.C., during the signing of an executive order intended...
Point-Counterpoint: Gorsuch upholds law, not ideology, in his rulings
By Christian Snyder | Columnist
April 2, 2017
Since the death of Justice Antonin Scalia in February 2016, his seat on the Supreme Court has remained vacant. After the GOP-led Congress denied former President Barack Obama’s nominee for the seat — Merrick Garland — a confirmation hearing, Obama’s time to get a Democrat onto the Supreme Court ran out. ...
Point-Counterpoint: Gorsuch nomination would set unconstitutional precedent
By Nick Eustis | Columnist
April 2, 2017
Since the death of Justice Antonin Scalia in February 2016, his seat on the Supreme Court has remained vacant. After the GOP-led Congress denied former President Barack Obama’s nominee for the seat — Merrick Garland — a confirmation hearing, Obama’s time to get a Democrat onto the Supreme Court ran out. ...
Editorial: Wagner’s words influence run for governor more than actions
By The Pitt News Editorial Board
April 2, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
State senator, gubernatorial candidate and York, Pennsylvania, businessman Scott Wagner certainly had a colorful March. He spent the month promoting new legislation to seal criminal records and also causing a ruckus with some illogical comments about climate change. The stark contrast between th...
Inclusive Innovation Week sets Pittsburgh apart among tech cities
By Amber Montgomery | Opinions Editor
March 30, 2017
While it may be impossible for Pittsburgh to ever fully shake its infamous Steel City nickname, the city is taking strides to become something different. After the post-1980 decline in the steel industry, Pittsburgh became a city better known for its medical and educational opportunities through uni...
Top 10: Silhouettes We Should Have Written
By The Pitt News Editorial Board and Pitt Tonight
March 30, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
Our Silhouettes Preview came out this week, and if you picked one up, you got the chance to peek into the lives of ten members of the Pitt community. From Ricky Smith, the nighttime security guard in Holland with an uncanny ability to make anyone smile, to Sid “Frenchi” Ali and his iconic South ...
Editorial: Internet privacy bill puts consumers at risk
By The Pitt News Editorial Board
March 29, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
There’s little more central to modern life — especially for younger people — than the internet. But a federal bill about to land on President Donald Trump’s desk for his approval threatens to make this staple of contemporary life much riskier. In a party-line vote in the House of Representatives...
On budget, Trump’s dealmaking doesn’t deliver
By Nick Eustis | Columnist
March 29, 2017
Donald Trump has described himself many ways, but one word he’s used over and over again is “dealmaker.” “Deals are my art form,” Trump bragged on Twitter in December 2014. And at a campaign stop in August 2015, the reality TV personality rated his book “Trump: The Art of the Deal” second only to the Bible...
Editorial: Opportunities exists outside leadership roles
By The Pitt News Editorial Board
March 28, 2017
Filed under Editorials
As the end of the academic year swiftly approaches, the season for college, grad school and job applications is upon us. From first-year students trying to find their first internship to anxious seniors procrastinating their final papers, we’re all wondering if the classes we’ve taken, grades we ...
In light of Trump, Pitt students can take heart in LGBTQ+ resources
By Christian Snyder | Columnist
March 28, 2017
American universities have been at the forefront of cultural change for decades. From free speech movements at Berkeley in the 1960s to a student carrying her mattress around campus to raise awareness of sexual assault, many of our country’s biggest social movements have started at the collegi...
Editorial: Don’t sleep on school board vote come Pittsburgh primary
By The Pitt News Editorial Board
March 26, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
Why should college students care about a local school board election? Because there are 42 schools in the Pittsburgh Public Schools system, educating more than 24,500 students every year — many of whom will go on to impact the city as leaders, educators, politicians and members of the workforce. ...
Top 10: Ways to dismantle the patriarchy
By The Pitt News Editorial Board and Pitt Tonight
March 23, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
Student Government Board’s Women’s Empowerment Week was certainly a hit. Leslie Jones came to campus, followed by a very special women’s empowerment-themed episode of Pitt Tonight and, coincidentally, the hiring of the first female athletic director in Pitt history. We’ve been particularly inspi...
Hold out on video game hype culture, wait for results
By Thomas Wick | Columnist
March 23, 2017
When two gamers took their players on a virtual journey to a far-off video game planet, they expected to be able to see and interact with each other’s player in the game. To their surprise, they saw only empty planet, despite what the makers of the game previously promised. Sean Murray — head of the...
Embrace body neutrality, give women a realistic standard
By Erica Brandbergh | Columnist
March 22, 2017
As I took my seat in the waiting room at Pitt’s Student Health Center, I noticed a basket holding an assortment of buttons. I began sifting through and saw the same motto emblazoned in bold letters on many of them: “Love your body!” It was the middle of National Association of Anorexia Nervosa an...
Editorial: Bail reform bill unfairly targets defendants
By The Pitt News Editorial Board
March 22, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
Defendants and victims have always had an adversarial relationship in the criminal justice system. But a new bill in the Pennsylvania state legislature has the potential to pit the two against each other even more. Legislation sponsored by state Rep. Sheryl Delozier, R-Cumberland, would change th...
Editorial: Hold Trump accountable to get public input on student loans
By The Pitt News Editorial Board
March 22, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
In another startling blow to education under President Donald Trump, the administration rescinded a previous Obama-era regulation last week that prohibited student debt collection agencies from charging more than 16 percent interest on defaulted loans. The administration's new stance came in the form of a ...
Promote intersectionality and inclusivity for a safer campus
By Amber Montgomery | Opinions Editor
March 22, 2017
Sexual assault prevention and inclusion are undoubtedly two of the most important issues on college campuses, but it’s time to revamp the way we address them. While administration and dedicated students often push for policy and awareness on both of those topics, they usually tackle each proble...
Keep the sex in high school sex education
By Elise Lavallee | Columnist
March 21, 2017
The birds do it, the bees do it, we do it — so why can’t we talk about it? Sex talk makes some people uncomfortable. But comprehensive sexual education shouldn’t. Sex ed addresses the root issues of making healthy personal and sexual choices, and this type of education is widely effective at ...
Editorial: New Athletic Director should focus on funding for all sports
By The Pitt News Editorial Board
March 20, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
For the first time in a several-weeks-long vacancy, Pitt’s athletic department will once again have an athletic director. And for the first time in history, the new AD won’t be a man. Pitt confirmed rumors that surfaced online Sunday night in an ESPN report at a press conference yesterday — the University chose former Eastern Michigan University Athletic Director Heather Lyke to fill the s...
Editorial: County council’s abstentions excuse lack of firm stances
By The Pitt News Editorial Board
March 19, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
As the Allegheny County Council is facing growing questions about its transparency over the past months, recent analysis of the council members’ tendencies to abstain from votes without providing proper explanation should be even more worrisome. Council members have abstained 29 times since the begi...
Demand more original films, not remakes, from Hollywood
By Thomas Wick | Columnist
March 19, 2017
Let’s look at the films coming out this year. Guardians of the Galaxy — again. Thor — again. Spider-man, Cars, Beauty and the Beast and Star Wars — all again. If you need proof that Hollywood is struggling to make original content, look no farther than the box offices of the past few years. ...
Top 10: St. Patrick’s Day Facts
By The Pitt News Editorial Board and Pitt Tonight
March 17, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
You probably think you know the gist of ole St. Patty’s Day — shamrocks, wearing green, Ireland, all that jazz. But there’s more to it than that, historically. We did our research this week and dug up a few lesser-known facts about St. Patrick’s Day, some also revolving around shamrocks, wea...
For food choice change, focus on education as opposed to options
By Julia Aldrich | Columnist
March 17, 2017
While recycling and refillable water bottles were once the most popular fad among the environmentally conscious, there is now a more pressing matter for humans to turn their attention to in order to slow global climate change: the animal industry. When you navigate to Pitt's website on campus sustainability, yo...
Don’t overlook importance of education in war on crime
By Jeremy Wang | Columnist
March 15, 2017
In the war on crime, politicians seem to be more focused on punishing criminals than breaking the cycle of violence. While politicians ignore these base causes of violence, public figures like Chicago musician Chance the Rapper have decided to take action to address them. “Our kids should not be...
Editorial: Filing fee restricts mayoral candidate field
By The Pitt News Editorial Board
March 15, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
If this year’s bench for Democratic mayoral primary is looking a little thin, we might have the local party to blame. Last week, the Allegheny County Democratic Committee made the unsurprising announcement that it would endorse incumbent Mayor Bill Peduto for the 2017 Democratic primary for mayor. Two of the three candidates, Peduto and Councilwoman Darlene Harris, sought the committee’s endorsement, while the more anti-establishment Rev. John Welch has not. ...
Editorial: Gallagher unwilling to stand up to board on student issues
By The Pitt News Editorial Board
March 14, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
When the Fossil Free Pitt Coalition attended a University Board of Trustees meeting in late February 2017, its leadership came only to speak with board members and have their voices heard about an important issue. The meeting was open for the public to attend and listen but not to speak, and the i...
GOP health care replacement highlights out of touch legislators
By Nick Eustis | Columnist
March 14, 2017
After seven long years of continuous opposition to President Obama’s landmark Affordable Care Act, the Republican Party finally revealed its replacement health care plan last week. But the GOP replacement plan, titled “The American Health Care Reform Act of 2017,” doesn't reform any of the most pressing issues r...
Pay to play: College athletes deserve compensation
By Matthew Sable | Columnist
March 14, 2017
There is a noticeable divide between the haves and have-nots in collegiate athletics. Coaches, non-revenue sports and athletic directors are profiting most from the revenue generated by men’s basketball and football. But student-athletes, who play a central role in facilitating sports programs’ ...
Diversity in Major League Baseball essential for future
By Matthew Sable | Columnist
March 12, 2017
When Colin Kaepernick refused to stand for the national anthem during an NFL game late last August, he energized discussions on race and its place in sports. His stance fueled online and in-person discussions about freedom and identity in professional sports — a conversation that’s long been i...
Editorial: Wolf ignores DePasquale, writes off marijuana legalization
By The Pitt News Editorial Board
March 12, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
Pennsylvania was hardly a leader in the push for medicinal marijuana — it was the 24th state to legalize the drug for medicinal purposes — but now some are pushing for the Keystone state to blaze the trail for recreational use. State Auditor General Eugene DePasquale encouraged the legalizat...
Conway’s self-serving feminism fails to impress
By Christian Snyder | Columnist
March 3, 2017
Kellyanne Conway became the first successful female campaign manager in U.S. history last November — but it wasn’t the feminist victory we hoped for. Conway courted controversy last week in her discussion of feminism and related issues at the Conservative Political Action Conference. Throughout the...
Top 10: Things to do over spring break
By Pitt Tonight and The Pitt News Editorial Board
March 2, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
Top 10 Things To Do Over Spring Break To some, it feels like just a few days ago we were all migrating back to campus for the start of the new semester. Others are crawling toward Friday with the desperation of someone who hasn’t had a break in 10 years. Either way, spring break is fina...
Demand policymakers to be knowledgable about issues
By Jeremy Wang | Columnist
March 2, 2017
In a commencement address to the Rutgers University graduating class of 2016, former-President Barack Obama proclaimed, “In politics and in life, ignorance is not a virtue. It’s not cool to not know what you’re talking about.” We criticize political authorities for knowing little about the subjec...
Editorial: Reaffirmed commitments needed for success of Year of Diversity
By The Pitt News Editorial Board
March 2, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
With only a few months left in Pitt’s 2016-2017 Year of Diversity, it’s important to take a step back and reflect on how we’ve all contributed to making Pitt more diverse and inclusive this year. We, as an Editorial Board, discussed an incident in our editorial meeting this week that reminded us of how...
Earthquakes in Pennsylvania prove need for more fracking regulations
By Nick Eustis | Columnist
March 1, 2017
About 50 miles north of Pittsburgh in Lawrence County, seismic detectors sensed a series of five small tremors last April. While the quakes were too small to be felt by people, they were unusual for other reasons. The seismographic anomalies didn’t emanate from an area with natural faults, or cracks...
Editorial: Transparency needed in next Pitt Day of Giving
By The Pitt News Editorial Board
March 1, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
If you’re just now hearing about Tuesday’s Pitt Day of Giving, you probably haven’t checked your email in the past week. The Day is the first of its kind at Pitt, strategically placed to celebrate the 230th anniversary of the University’s founding. According to its website, the Day of G...
Editorial: Wolf’s budget benefits public, private university students
By The Pitt News Editorial Board
February 28, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
With last year’s state budget crisis still uncomfortably recent, it was already likely that higher education in Pennsylvania should expect more funding drama this year — but now there’s a twist. The budget released earlier this month from the office of Gov. Tom Wolf, D-Pa., contained no surpr...
Hate crime penalty protects a diverse society
By Rashi Seth | Columnist
February 28, 2017
When the Honorable Jeffrey Manning sentenced a Pittsburgh resident three to six years in jail last week, the ruling was about more than serving justice to one victim. Ryan Kyle, 22, was the first person sentenced under the Hate Crimes Prevention Act in Western Pennsylvania. The law — passed in 2010 — provides for additiona...
Editorial: DeVos disappoints on higher education, focuses on non-issues
By The Pitt News Editorial Board
February 27, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
It took our new Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos nearly two and a half weeks after her confirmation to address issues related to higher education. Her statement, a few lines in a brief speech, foreshadowed a rocky and highly politicized future to come for higher education in the next four years...
Neanderthals highlight how we alienate through language
By Jaime Viens | Columnist
February 27, 2017
You know those classic jokes rooted in misconceptions that are meant to mock a specific group's’ intelligence? Like jokes about blondes or frat boys, Neanderthal is a word often used as an insult, but with little truth to it. Superiority is a timeless punchline. Take, for example, this 2016 Salon article...
Senate’s repeal on gun regulations fights mental health stigma
By Jeremy Wang | Columnist
February 24, 2017
In the first of many steps to undo various firearm regulations implemented by the Obama administration, the Senate voted last week to repeal a provision that would prevent people with mental disorders from purchasing a firearm. The provision, found in the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007, ...
Top 10: Our favorite Pitt traditions
By The Pitt News Editorial Board and Pitt Tonight
February 24, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
Everyone’s familiar with singing “Sweet Caroline,” walking over the old Forbes Field home plate in Posvar and getting a pair of horns at Peter’s Pub for your 21st birthday. This week, we thought we’d use the Top 10 to take a look at some lesser-known — or at least less discussed — Pitt t...
Editorial: Republicans ignore protesters, history at their own risk
By The Pitt News Editorial Board
February 23, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
As the Donald Trump presidency continues along its rocky path, more and more Republicans in Congress seem to be fighting losing battles on their home field. Town hall meetings between Congressional Republicans and constituents in their districts over the past few weeks have been the stage for inc...
Put an end to Grammys’ history of bias
By Christian Snyder | Columnist
February 23, 2017
Who is “Becky with the good hair?” If you’ve been on the internet at any point in the past year, you’ve probably encountered her at one time or another in Instagram posts, music videos or selfie captions. Becky is a fictional character, one among many of countless elements in Beyoncé’s...
Editorial: Despite tuitions and student debt, colleges can still cut costs
By The Pitt News Editorial Board
February 22, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
With the costs of college and student debt looming for many students, that some universities are helping make their degrees more affordable is a refreshing notion. New York University announced Friday that it will be instituting a new way to make its education more affordable. While the school already raised student wages to $15 an hour and froze costs for housing and meal...
Experiencing death in college: Grieving students need resources too
By Amber Montgomery | Opinions Editor
February 22, 2017
Many people woke up this past Nov. 9 feeling like they had entered an alternate reality — Donald Trump’s fresh presidential win elicited emotional responses in the form of shock and panic. But I woke up that morning at 6 a.m. to a ringing phone and a different kind of crisis. My mom’s unsteady...
Student voter participation will make SGB stronger
By Rashi Seth | For The Pitt News
February 21, 2017
It’s that time of year again: A high number of electable candidates running for Student Government Board contrasts with strikingly low interest in the race from Pitt students. When a student casts a vote in the SGB elections, they’re making an important choice: selecting the person who’s going...
Editorial: Forced rehab wrong for opioid crisis
By The Pitt News Editorial Board
February 21, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
Bipartisanship is finally catching on in the state Senate, but the most recent product of this cooperation isn’t a productive piece of legislation. In an act of desperation against Pennsylvania’s intensifying problems with opioid addiction, state Sen. Dom Costa, D-Allegheny, introduced an amendment to the Mental Health Procedur...
Editorial: The Pitt News endorses Justin Horowitz for Student Government Board President
By The Pitt News Editorial Board
February 20, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions, Top Stories
In brief, the points in Horowitz campaign that we liked the most included: Expanding the Assembly and instituting open forum meetings at least once a month An emphasis on reaching out to students and organizations to get them involved in SGB Utilizing RA’s, a monthly newsletter and CampusCo...
Letter to the Editor: Hollywood hires on skill, not race
By Oliver Jia | Sophomore
February 20, 2017
Filed under Letters to the Editor, Opinions
Note: The author of this letter has written for The Pitt News in the past. I am writing this letter in response to Mr. Thomas Wick's recent opinion piece on the topic of whitewashing in Hollywood [Feb. 15]. I will preface my response by saying that I am a half-Chinese, half-Lebanese student at Pitt...
Vagina Monologues speaks to everyone
By Henry Glitz | Assistant Opinions Editor
February 16, 2017
I hadn’t heard the word “clitoris” spoken out loud as many times in my entire life as I heard it last Saturday night. A friend brought me to see the Campus Women’s Organization’s annual production of the Vagina Monologues. As I sat in the darkened ballroom in the William Pitt Union, I watched...
Top 10: Proposals missing from SGB platforms
By The Pitt News Editorial Board and Pitt Tonight
February 16, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
The Student Government Board candidates pitched their plans at the debate in Nordy’s Place last night, in preparation for the election on Tuesday. There were some pretty interesting ideas floating around, but none of the slates had platforms quite wide-ranging enough for us. Here’s a list of possible ad...
Editorial: Finding funds necessary for affordable housing improvements
By The Pitt News Editorial Board
February 16, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
With the onslaught of President Donald Trump’s controversial executive orders during his first month in office, it may be easy to forget about local politicians who can likewise implement executive orders. Mayor Bill Peduto signed five into law Tuesday and Wednesday this week in order to take more im...
State abortion laws harm low-income women the most
By Danielle Pierre | For The Pitt News
February 16, 2017
Not long after the 44th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide, a woman’s right to choose is under attack once again. Lawmakers in 19 states passed new laws on women’s reproductive rights in 2016. And Pennsylvania is, unfortunate...
Dear Hollywood, we’ve had enough with whitewashing.
By Thomas Wick | Columnist
February 15, 2017
Imagine an incredible story of a heroic white male joined by a background cast of Asian actors in a film set in China. It might sound like a strange way to describe a film, and it should — that’s the point. This is a brief description of a new film called “The Great Wall,” and it’s one example...
Editorial: No Mariner East II pipeline, period.
By The Pitt News Editorial Board
February 15, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
Keystone XL, Dakota Access, Sabah Trail — and now the Mariner East II. It seems there’s no shortage of pipelines popping up and swiftly garnering opposition throughout the United States. Yet another in the list, the ME2 pipeline is intended to expand upon the already-constructed Mariner East I line in Southern...
Why wait? Practicing abstinence in college
By Julia Aldrich | Columnist
February 14, 2017
Yvonne Orji, an actress in the award-winning HBO show “Insecure,” confidently smiled and laughed as she sat on the set of New York radio show “The Breakfast Club” last November. The show’s hosts — Charlamagne Tha God, Angela Yee and DJ Envy — questioned the charming actress on a subject...
The importance of consent: Let’s talk about yes, baby
By Elise Lavallee, Contributing Editor
February 14, 2017
Almost everyone loves great sex, but we all have different opinions about what makes sex so great. Some find pleasure with kinks, others find it in physical attractiveness or mental chemistry. But all these things, as good as they may make having sex, mean nothing without consent. Federal law defi...
Make more room for queer representation this Valentine’s Day
By Rashi Seth | For The Pitt News
February 14, 2017
Nothing screams “I love you” like the Victorian ideals of strong, powerful men taking care of women. And this stereotypical love — with its origins in ancient fertility ceremonies — is bought and sold most prominently on one day every year: Valentine’s Day. Valentine's Day started o...
Infant circumcision disregards basic human rights
By Christian Snyder | Columnist
February 14, 2017
It’s one of my hazy memories — the kind that doesn’t exist temporally, just as a snapshot. In the bathroom at after-school day care, around age five or six, I needed to replace the bandage on my penis from a surgical correction for phimosis — the result of a surgeon removing too little foreskin ...
Editorial: County council should ban vaping, prioritize health
By The Pitt News Editorial Board
February 13, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
Smoking cigarettes represented a large part of American culture for much of the 20th century — but now we know better. As move into the depths of the 21st, and the harms of smoking become more difficult to ignore, a more modern form of smoking is taking over — the electronic cigarette. Just as J...
Sessions: Forgive the past, focus on qualifications for the future
By Collin Crouse | For The Pitt News
February 13, 2017
Like all of President Donald Trump’s nominations for his cabinet, Jeff Sessions was not exempt from harsh criticism and a grueling confirmation process. Rumors and hints of who President Trump would nominate for Attorney General became the subject of controversy between senate Democrats and Republi...
Esquivel-Hernandez deportation not the end on fight for immigration
By Amber Montgomery | Opinions Editor
February 9, 2017
As the national debate on immigration rages on, a case in Pittsburgh is highlighting a new way to tackle immigration rights. Martin Esquivel-Hernandez, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico who became a familiar name in the Steel City, was detained in prisons in York, Pennsylvania, and Youngstown, O...
Top 10: Things To Do If You’re Single On Valentine’s Day
By The Pitt News Editorial Board and Pitt Tonight
February 9, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
Stare out a rain-streaked window We recommend finding a large, spacious window. Maybe one in Cathy, if you can. Take out a faded Polaroid photo of an old flame, and sigh every once in awhile. When people ask if something’s wrong, just say “nothing, I’m fine” and go back to staring out th...
Send tobacco ban up in smoke
By Christian Snyder | For The Pitt News
February 9, 2017
Some evenings, as I’m walking home from class, I decide to take a shortcut up the stairs that wind through Carlow’s campus to shorten the trip home. There are a few noticeable differences between Carlow and Pitt: the size, the architecture, the religious imagery. But one of the most noteworth...
Editorial: On abortion, sanctuary cities, Wolf should stay strong
By The Pitt News Editorial Board
February 9, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
While political clashes in Washington, D.C., continue to grow more frequent and more intense, Republicans in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, are feeling little pushback against their agenda — and they’re making the most of it. The GOP majority in the state senate voted to consider a singularly restri...
When done right, the internet fosters community and engagement
By Julia Aldrich | Columnist
February 8, 2017
Since the election, tensions online have increased and Facebook posts have become noticeably more political and way more opinionated. But if we can navigate these channels properly, maybe this isn’t a bad thing. Yes, the upswing in politically-charged posts can be about as irksome as it gets. I cou...
Editorial: DeVos confirmed, but we can still work toward change
By The Pitt News Editorial Board
February 8, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
After a valiant but ineffective 24-hour effort by Senate Democrats to sway one more Republican against Betsy DeVos, Vice President Mike Pence cast the tie-breaking vote on Tuesday to officially make DeVos our next secretary of education. While there’s been much criticism of her approach to K-1...
President Trump’s war on media has historical similarities
By Nick Eustis | Columnist
February 8, 2017
Like the price of coffee or the daily weather report, a free and fair press is such a consistent part of American society that most people don’t even think about its presence. At least not until it’s threatened to be taken away. It’s becoming very clear that our current president holds the ...
Editorial: Don’t overblow Super Bowl ad controversies
By The Pitt News Editorial Board
February 7, 2017
Filed under Editorials, Opinions
The first Super Bowl of the Trump era was, in some ways, less political than expected. The players on the field abstained from overt political statements. Lady Gaga’s halftime performance stayed surprisingly and decidedly apolitical. And few, if any, of the commercials that aired during the game’s T...