The Pitt News
T h e i n d e p e n d e n t s t ude nt ne w spap e r of t he U niversity of Pittsburgh | PIttnews.com | FEbruary 18, 2020 | Volume 110 | Issue 223
SING US A SONG, YOU’RE THE PIANO MEN
SGB CANDIDATES
DEBATE KEY ISSUES FOR PRESIDENCY
Jon Moss
News Editor
While Pitt does not have a formal program like NAU, Pitt students and staff do similar work through the Pitt FoodShare page. According to Sawyer Sidelinger, Pitt’s Sodexo sustainability coordinator, this page functions much like Sodexo’s NAU program. “I believe that Sodexo was in on the planning and implementation of the food share program,” Sidelinger said via email. “Both [the NAU and Pitt FoodShare] programs let the event host post the opportunity to food share.” While Sodexo supports the Pitt FoodShare page, Sidelinger said they do not post. “Currently, the majority of events are catered through Sodexo on Pitt’s campus. While our catering staff does not post on the Pitt FoodShare page, we inform others of the option,” Sidelinger
Across the room from several Pitt students playing ping-pong Monday night in Nordy’s Place, two presidential candidates for Student Government Board bounced ideas back and forth about key issues facing students. Juniors Eric Macadangdang and Ravi Gandhi debated several central SGB issues, including the Allocations process, diversity and inclusion efforts, working with University administration and campus sustainability. Janine Faust, the editor-in-chief of The Pitt News, and Savannah Sowell, president of Pitt ACLU and the communications director of the Political Science Students Association, moderated the hour-long debate ahead of the Feb. 25 elections. Gandhi is at the top of the ticket for YOUR Slate, running alongside board candidates Victoria Chuah, Victor So and Katie Richmond. Macadangdang leads the Voices Slate, running with board candidates Kathryn Fleisher, Ben King and Annalise Abraham. The Launch Slate, composed of current SGB members Tyler Viljaste and Cedric Humphrey does not have a presidential candidate. The flashpoint of the debate was a discussion of the SGB allocations process, through which student organizations can receive a slice of the $900,000 offered every academic year from the Student Activities Fund. Gandhi characterized the current pro-
See Food Waste on page 2
See Debate on page 2
Pitt student pianists Clement Ekaputra (left) and Walt Yang perform the music of Claude Debussy and Robert Schulz at the Department of Music’s “Music Monday” at Bellefield Hall Auditorium. Romita Das staff photographer
PITT FACEBOOK GROUP REDUCES FOOD WASTE Madison Brewer Staff Writer
There is no greater joy than stumbling upon free food on campus. But for those who’d prefer a heads up, the Pitt FoodShare Facebook group is the place to look. Here, students can post about bagels, walking tacos, sandwiches and other food left over from events around campus, free for the taking — but not every Pitt student is aware of the Pitt FoodShare page. Of more than 28,000 students at Pitt, fewer than 4,000 are members of the group. While the group is University-sponsored, it remains out of view for many. Students like Oliver Yao, a first-year economics major and member of the Pitt FoodShare group, only heard about the page through word of mouth.
“People don’t know about [the page],” Yao said. “Whether it’s through flyers on campus or whether it’s … at the bottom of an email … more awareness could be appreciated.” According to a New York Times article about food insecurity, Sodexo will alert students at Northern Arizona University to leftover food from campus events — a program called Louie’s Leftovers. To register for the program, students must have the University’s NAUgo app on their phone and must opt-in to the Louie’s Leftovers notifications. Events with Sodexo catering have the option to share their extra food via Louie’s Leftovers upon ordering the catering. After the event is complete and leftovers are available, the host must fill out a form detailing the location, amount of food and how long it will be there, then a notification is sent out.