4-5-2016

The Pitt News T h e in de p e n d e n t st ude nt ne w spap e r of t he University of Pittsburgh

FOUR STUDENTS RECOGNIZED FOR SCHOLARSHIP

New Pitt report addresses racial identities Page 2 April 5, 2016 | Issue 136 | Volume 106

Lauren Rosenblatt Assistant News Editor

For the fourth year in a row, the foundation behind the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship recognized all of Pitt’s student nominees.

Three Pitt juniors — Patrick Asinger, Natalie Dall and Charles Hansen — received the scholarship, which covers costs for books, tuition and room and board, and Ethan Baker, also a junior, received an honorable mention.

According to a release, universities can nominate up to four students for the award, and this is the fourth consecutive year all Pitt nominees received some kind of recognition.

Before applying to the national competition, Pitt students applied for a nomination at Pitt’s Honors College’s Office of National Scholarships.

The scholarship was started in 1986 to support sophomores or juniors in the path to careers in engineering, mathematics and natural sciences. The winners get assistance with school expenses up to $7,500 per year for the rest of their time at Pitt.

The U.S. Congress started the scholarship in honor of former Sen. Barry Goldwater, who served in the Senate for 30 years and as a soldier and statesmen for 56 years.

Peggy Goldwater Clay, chair of the board of trustees of the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation, announced in a release that the foundation awarded 252 scholarships from a pool of 1,150 students. The students represented 415 colleges across the country.

Of the winners, 144 are men and 108 are

Nick Comegna signs the word “name” at the ASL Club’s 19th annual Deaf-Hearing Panel in the William Pitt Union Monday Evening. Abigail L. Self STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

PITT LINKS SOCIAL MEDIA, DEPRESSION Josh Ye

Staff Writer

Even as she scrolls through her social media feeds, Erica Cunningham can see why the constant connection might not be so good for her.

“When you are on social media, it is hard to compare what your life is like and what their lives seem to be,” Cunningham, a first-year student, said. “Also, if you are left out of something, it is easier to find out on social media and that can See Goldwater on page 3 make you upset.”

Published last week in the journal Depression and Anxiety, a new Pitt study has outlined a clear connection between social media use and depression in young adults. The study found that people who frequently use social media are likely to also display signs or symptoms of depression, drawing a correlation — though not a causal relationship — between the two.

By analyzing data on social media use and nonclinical depression from 1,787 U.S. adults aged 19 to 32, Pitt researchers found that those who spend a lot of time

on social media face significantly greater odds of also having depression compared to those who do not.

Lui yi Lin, the lead author of the study, said the research recognized the association but unable to identify whether it is because depressed people use social media more or because social media makes people depressed.

“It is a correlation and an association.

We don’t know what’s chicken or egg,” Lin said.

See Social Media on page 2

News RACE DISCUSSIONS HELP KIDS LEARN Dale Shoemaker News Editor

When parents and teachers start having conversations about race and racial identity with children — even when they’re as young as 3 years old — those children go on to do better in school.

That suggestion, which Pitt’s School of Education published in a report on March 31, is part of the School’s effort to outline best practices for decreasing the disparity in school performance between white children and children of color.

Some children do poorly in school because of negative identities they develop about themselves, the report said, which also outlined several methods parents and teachers can use to build positive racial self-perceptions in Pittsburgh and southwestern Pennsylvania.

Pitt’s report highlights racial disparities between children in southwestern Pennsylvania’s schools and looks to find

Social Media, pg. 1 The study, which the National Institutes of Health funded, was the first large, nationally representative study to examine the association between depression and social media use, considering more than one platform.

Depression has become a growing concern in our society while social media has become ubiquitous, according to Brian Primack, a Pitt professor of medicine and the director of the Center for Research on Media, Technology and Health, which designed and conducted the study.

Depression affects an estimated 350 million people, with suicide being the second-leading cause of death in 15- to 29-year-olds, according to the World Health Organization.

Both data on social media use and depression were collected from questionnaires that the researchers sent out to the study participants through online surveys.

Researchers asked the 1,787-person sample about frequency and time spent

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ways to close the learning gaps. According to the report, 33 percent of black third, fourth and fifth graders read at a proficient level, compared to 67 percent of white children. In math, the disparity was similar, with 17 percent of black students scoring proficiently compared to 52 percent of white children in Pittsburgh Public Schools.

Pitt’s School of Education, along with the Center for Urban Education’s Office of Child Development and the Supporting Early Education and Development Lab used findings from focus groups, surveys, interviews, classroom observations and literature and curricula reviews to compile the report, titled “Understanding PRIDE in Pittsburgh: Positive Racial Identity Development in Early Education.”

The Frank and Theresa Caplan Fund for Early Childhood Development and Parenting Education funded the research.

The report, which focused on young

children, suggested that those as young as 5 years old are able to make race-based biases, making it vital for parents and teachers to include them in positive conversations about race, the report said. The report suggests conversations about racial differences, racial inequality and self-esteem can lower the levels of bias in young children.

One method the report recommends to combat this disparity is continuous conversations about race between parents and children and teachers and children.

Current theories and best practices about early childhood development largely ignore race, the report said, which can contribute to racial achievement gaps.

Though the researchers were based in Pittsburgh, their report found that southwestern Pennsylvania is in a key position to enact many of its findings, in part because of the concentration of early-childhood experts in the region.

Since psychologists Kenneth and Mamie Clark’s “doll tests” in the 1940s, in which the pair of researchers assessed black children’s self-esteem by having them play with black and white dolls, scholars have published a substantial body of research that shows children learn best when they have positive attitudes about their racial group.

The Clarks’ doll study showed that racial prejudice and segregation damaged the self-esteem of black children, a finding later research showed can harm students’ grades and test scores.

The report also recommends ways for parents and teachers to improve positive racial-identity development within the region and calls for increased collaboration between schools and professional organizations.

To discuss the report’s findings, Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto and Kathy See Identity on page 3

on the 11 most popular social media platforms: Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Google Plus, Instagram, Snapchat, reddit, Tumblr, Pinterest, Vine and LinkedIn. According to the social media use data, participants averaged 61 minutes on social media every day and 30 visits every week.

Researchers then gathered data on depression using an questionnaire called PROMIS, meaning Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System, which asks participants how frequently in the past seven days they had experienced depression or feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness and helplessness.

The data showed that while 44.5 percent of the sample reported no indicators of depression, 26.3 percent were classified at high risk of experiencing symptoms of depression. The other 30 percent of participants were classified at medium risk.

Lin said the depression data of the research is not diagnostic. To be clinically diagnosed as depressed, a person has to display complete depression symptoms for at least two weeks. Lin said this research only

looked at participants’ mental wellness at a very specific time point.

“It only takes a snapshot of how much you use social media and what your mood is,” Lin said.

But she said this research set a direction for future longitudinal research that aims at tracking participants’ moods over a long period of time, which can be much more diagnostically relevant, as depression is forecasted to be the leading cause of disability in high-income countries by 2030.

“Although this is not a clinical diagnosis, it is a good self-report of symptoms and correlates with clinical diagnosis,” Lin said.

Primack said although cause and effect in this study is not established, a vicious cycle between depression and social media use seems likely.

“When people are depressed, they tend to have less energy to do creative pursuits, and so it may be easier just to fall into social media browsing,” Primack said.

Although people think social media browsing may help lift them out of a nega-

tive mood, Primack said, it might exacerbate their negative mood by making them feel like they wasted time, by making them feel unable to measure up to the idealized portraits of their peers or by exposing them to fearful messages in the news.

Rebecca Doyle, a first-year biology major, said the research does not surprise her.

Doyle said her own experiences match the results.

“I think it is odd because [social media] is very personal into people’s lives. Our generation is obsessed with being in touch with other people, even though we don’t know them on a personal level,” Doyle said.

Primack said future studies should look at the specific types of social media use.

“For example, one person may spend an hour on Facebook giving ‘like’ designations to friends’ pictures, while someone else may spend that same hour involved in heated arguments about politics or religion,” Primack said, “These two different types of use may be associated with different mental health cognitions.”

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Goldwater, pg. 1 women. Although many students double major, the majority of recipients majored in science or related fields or focused on mathematics, engineering and computer science.

University Honors College Dean Edward Striker said in a release the school’s successful “track record” shows the quality of Pitt students’ research and work in science and engineering fields.

“Our Goldwater Scholars will use their scholarships to further hone their skills as researchers in the chemical engineering and molecular biology fields. They all have admirable aspirations to use those skills for the betterment of society, and we applaud and support their noble pursuits,” Striker said.

Asinger said in order to apply for the scholarship, he had to write several essays and propose a research project that the foundation expects him and other winners to pursue in the fall. His proposal focused on creating a solid structure with a hollow center that would enhance carbon dioxide capture and convert methanyl to a liquid fuel.

Two of the honorees — Asinger and Hansen — have focused their efforts on research in the chemical engineering department. Asinger wants to conduct his research at Pitt and focus, in the future, on improving renewable energy

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conversion to more efficiently convert carbon dioxide gas into fuel, while Hansen wants to focus on clean energy production and energy storage.

Dall, a molecular biology major, would like to explore human developmental disorders and focus on evolutionary biology.

Baker, a neuroscience and history and philosophy of science major, plans to find new ways to diagnose mental disorders with a focus on human genomics technology and precision medicine.

Dall, who worked on her application from September to January, said the application process and the reputation of the award have helped her prepare for graduate school.

“It prepares you to think about your career and think about where you see yourself going after Pitt and after you graduate as an undergraduate,” Dall said.

Asinger said the award will not change his plans for senior year but has encouraged him to consider academia as a career possibility and reinforced his confidence in his chosen field.

“The purpose is to reward students with the potential for a career in research, and this strong committee also believes I have strong potential,” Asinger said. “That’s really encouraging. It’s a good solidification of my beliefs in myself.”

April 5, 2016

Identity, pg. 2 Humphrey, Pitt’s senior vice chancellor for engagement and chief of staff, will hold a press conference 10 a.m. Thursday, April 14, in Alumni Hall.

“This occasion brings together two influential decision-makers for a conversation about how our region can collectively respond to the report’s recommendations on helping our youngest and most vulnerable children and pave an even better path for our young people,” lead researcher Ken Smythe-Leistico said in a statement.

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Opinions column

from the editorial board

Abuse victims don’t deserve deadlines After all they’ve been through, sexual assault victims shouldn’t have to worry about deadlines.

With Vice President Joe Biden appearing at Pitt this morning to discuss the It’s On Us campaign, helping sexual assault victims should be at the forefront of our minds. Two hours away from where Biden will speak, hundreds of people continue to suffer the effects of sexual abuse a grand jury decided was perpetrated by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown.

While the public rallies behind the victims, our legal system is failing them. It is likely that no one will face abuse charges, in many cases because the statute of limitations for reporting child sexual abuse against the clergy has expired.

Bills moving through our legislature aim to eliminate that barrier, and they are long overdue in a state continually rocked by child abuse scandals.

Today, the House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to review a bill that would, from this point on, remove all time limits for filing civil or criminal suits relating to child sexual abuse.

Another would allow adults to retroactively file suits, even if they are beyond existing age limits.

According to current Pennsylvania law, victims of child sexual assault can only file civil lawsuits for child sexual abuse until they are 30 years old and can pursue criminal charges until they turn 50.

But these restrictions only work under the assumption that people come to terms with abuse at a somewhat uniform time, which is factually incorrect.

Children often repress instances of abuse or are unable to understand that they have been assaulted at all. Deep into adulthood, victims may remain unaware of the effects that their experi-

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ences have had on their lives.

Even if a victim does know they have suffered from abuse, that doesn’t mean they are willing or able to confront the issue. Those who speak out must overcome shame, confusion, fear and denial.

Realizing that they were victimized can lead to feelings of weakness or embarrassment that can keep a person from coming forward. Victims are also vulnerable to hostile backlash and accusations that they are lying — especially in cases involving religious officials.

We’ve known these psychological realities for years, and we cannot maintain a system that does not account for them.

Being unaware or incapable of expressing what has happened to you shouldn’t invalidate your claim to justice. Statutes of limitations make sense when someone is immediately aware of what happened to them, and there are no social ramifications for speaking out. If you slip and break your arm in front of a store because the owner negligently left snow uncleared, it doesn’t make much sense to let you sue that person a decade later when you could have confronted it immediately.

But sexual assault is not like minor personal injury claims or theft. Abuse can and does ruin lives without anyone knowing it.

California, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii and Minnesota have all passed laws similar to what our state is now considering. Pennsylvania has experienced too many of these scandals — in Philadelphia, at Penn State and now in Altoona — to continue with such an insufficient system.

So after you listen to Biden speak on a national issue, go out and call your state representative to support the bills in our backyard.

DONʼT SHY AWAY FROM INTROVERTS Emily Schoenberger Columnist

When I was a child, there was something very wrong with me — I was shy.

Many teachers and other adults in my life considered this a severe social disorder. They constantly told me to speak up, say more and stand out.

When I entered the gifted program in elementary school, my individualized education program’s main objective was overcoming my shyness. Now in college, I find I still have many of the same shy traits I had as a child.

But I’m not actually shy. I’m just an introvert, and we need to stop tying extroversion to educational and professional success.

Shyness can sometimes be a facet of introversion, but not all introverts are shy. And extroverts can be just as shy as introverts. Introversion is born out of personality, whereas shyness is typically born out of fear. Yet introversion comes with just as many complications and social stigma as shyness.

One-third to one-half of Americans are introverts. But we live in a world in which we think to be bold is to be happy, to move quickly is to be efficient and to say more is to be more intelligible. We value words like “go-getter” and “selfstarter.” If we want to get anywhere in life, we must constantly network — reach out, brand ourselves, make connections.

According to personality expert Susan Cain, Americans are infatuated with an “Extrovert Ideal,” which alienates introverts and inhibits their success based on their personality type. This ideal often inadvertently sends the message that introversion is wrong and is something to “fix.”

April 5, 2016

And while the Internet has increased our expectations for being social, excessive promotion of extroversion isn’t a new problem.

Psychologist Carl Jung distinguished the difference between introverts and extroverts in the 1920s. Jung wrote that introverts are drawn to the inner world of thought and feeling, while extroverts are drawn to the external life of people and activities.

Cain elaborates on Jung’s theory in her best-selling book “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking,” noting that introverts get criticized for their weaknesses more often than they are praised for their strengths.

Introverts are less likely to speak up in classrooms or business meetings, and are more likely to skip out on social events.

They struggle to be productive in noisy or stimulating environments, and often have a fear of public speaking.

But their strengths can outweigh their weaknesses, keeping them competitive with extroverted peers.

Introverts tend to tackle issues more deeply than extroverts, and can be skilled problem solvers. They’re great listeners.

They think about what they say before they say it and can be adept debaters, as well as talented writers, musicians and artists.

None of that is to say that extroverts cannot or do not possess some of those qualities, or that introverts don’t possess some extroverted qualities. Most people fall somewhere in between, leaning slightly one way or the other.

For those that fall nearer the introverted side, otherwise normal aspects of life See Schoenberger on page 5

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Schoenberger, pg. 4 can be incredibly demanding.

If introversion is a preference for less stimulating environments, a college campus is the wrong place to be. Students are bombarded daily with flyers and emails promoting new programs, internship opportunities, clubs, academic societies and more.

The message is clear: Get involved, get out there.

Before classes ever start, orientation week is more or less an introvert’s worst nightmare during an already stressful chapter in life. It’s safe to say it was the most exhausting five days of my life.

Because an introvert’s energy is drained when they are exposed to overly stimulating environments, Cain notes that they require alone time to decompress.

Orientation week operates under the idea that alone time is unnecessary — students should be meeting new people and trying new things whenever possible in a nonstop series of activities, social events and meetings.

After introverts soldier through the week, normal classes present their own

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hurdles. While getting through classes is as simple as showing up for many students, introverts like myself can struggle to find their place in the dynamic.

Large lectures can make it difficult to forge strong relationships with professors. Most introverts prefer one-on-one conversation, which can be hard to come by when professors have hundreds of students, even if a student frequently attends office hours.

Many introverts also struggle with participation’s effect on their grades, which hinders otherwise excellent students.

Typically, if an introvert is not a major participant in a class discussion, it is not because they have nothing to say, but rather because they tend to think their point through more critically. By the time they resolve to speak their mind, the conversation has moved on or their point has already been said.

Just because a student is not speaking out does not mean they aren’t engaged with the discussion, and none of this is to say that an introverted student is lesser than an extroverted one.

Professors should expand their criteria for participation grades to allow introvert-

ed and extroverted students equal opportunity for success. The grade should not necessarily be about how often one speaks, but how aptly they pay attention as well.

I’ve had classes in which the professor allowed students to submit their class notes for participation credit. Many professors also create blogs as an added forum for people to submit ideas and continue the discussion — this is especially beneficial for introverts, who often prefer writing to speaking.

Steps like these even out the playing field, and assure that no student is at a disadvantage simply because of their personality type. No matter where you fall on the spectrum, orientation week and class time shouldn’t be causes for shame.

All of that being said, introversion is not an excuse to be anti-social or avoid risks — the Extrovert Ideal isn’t going anywhere. Sometimes, introverts have to buck up and accept that to get ahead, they might need to adopt the motto, “Fake it till you make it.”

The key is self-awareness and balance — learning to be an introvert in an extrovert’s world, but not apologizing for your personality along the way.

April 5, 2016

The world needs both introverts and extroverts for balance — the life of the party and the people in the corner immersed in deeper conversation. There’s a reason introverts are attracted to extroverts, and vice versa.

Rosa Parks, Meryl Streep, Albert Einstein, Steven Spielberg and Mark Zuckerberg are all introverts who found wild success in an extroverted world, often as a result of their introversion.

Understanding your personality allows you to recognize your strengths and weaknesses and utilize them accordingly.

If you know you need time to decompress, give yourself time to decompress and don’t apologize for it — you will perform better and be more productive for doing so.

I like to consider myself a generally high-functioning introvert. Unlike my younger self, I have no trouble speaking to strangers and I enjoy pushing myself outside of my comfort zone.

But I still prefer to ask a friend to call and order our takeout.

Emily primarily writes on culture and education for The Pitt News.

Write to her at eks50@pitt.edu.

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Culture

IN DEFENSE OF ‘THE WALKING DEAD’ SEASON FINALE Jack Trainor Culture Editor

Across the Internet, fans of the comic and show alike are howling in distress over the season finale of “The Walking Dead” Sunday night, when the show brutally killed off a character — then hid their identity.

Some critics have even vowed to stop reviewing the show — but not this one. While “The Walking Dead” has become somewhat notorious for its misguided season finale cliffhangers, the “Last Day On Earth” episode really wasn’t that bad.

In fact, nearly everyone agrees that up until the last 30 seconds, the finale of the sixth season was the best “Walking Dead” episode in years, and certainly this season’s highlight.

For starters, Jeffrey Dean Morgan is unquestionably a good fit for Negan, the maniacal, baseball-bat-wrappedin-barbed-wire-wielding villain, even if some of his dialogue still needs some tweaking — not all of Negan’s childish insults landed with the same gravity as

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his comic book counterpart’s.

His troupe, The Saviors, also earn a more formal, nightmarish introduction as they toy with Rick and his group throughout the episode, popping up at every turn to redirect their camper van headed for the Mountaintop. The Saviors finally corner them, reuniting Rick and company with Daryl, Michonne and Glenn, who Dwight had captured earlier. With the main group reunited, the showrunners set the stage for controversy. Everyone knew a major character’s death was imminent, but the question of who broadens with the group’s reunion.

Those who’ve read the comic were anticipating a glorious, small-screen adaptation of one of the series’ most pivotal and shocking deaths, which the show has alluded to several times already in earlier episodes and seasons.

Those who haven’t read the books still had good reason to believe a death was on the horizon.

See ‘Walking Dead’ on page 7

WEEZER CONTINUES HOT STREAK WITH ‘WHITE ALBUM’

Matt Maielli Staff Writer

What Bob Dylan is to protest songs, Rivers Cuomo is to lovesick ballads.

Weezer’s fourth self-titled album, nicknamed “The White Album,” is just as inspired as their first comeback, 2015’s “Everything Will Be Alright in the End,” which followed 2010’s forgettable “Hurley.” But where “Everything” explored frontman Cuomo’s various relationships — with his bandmates, father and women — “The White Album” is a focused, wistful letter to the California beach scene.

The success of “The White Album” shouldn’t be too surprising. The band slowly dropped half of the album months before its official release with videos for “Thank God for Girls,” “Do You Wanna Get

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High?,” “King of the World,” “L.A. Girlz” and “California Kids.” All received generally positive reviews from fans and critics alike.

The full product is a 10-track return to the band’s peak 1990s form, circa the “Blue Album” and “Pinkerton,” that retains the fresh approach of “Everything.”

The opening track, “California Kids,” is a simple surf anthem — clearly recalling 1994’s “Surf Wax America” — complete with a beating chorus and lyrics painting California as heaven on Earth: “If you’re up all night/ Thinking about some thing you did/ The California Kids/ Will show you the sunshine.”

“Summer Elaine and Drunk Dori” follows with a dream narrative about two mermaids, whose See Weezer on page 7

April 5, 2016

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‘Walking Dead,’ pg. 6 If viewers didn’t already know Negan’s comic book victim via ubiquitous media speculation and online discussion boards, characters like Abraham piled on some heavy, optimistic dialogue — by now a death sentence — leading up to the final minutes.

Both groups got their death, as Negan beats someone to a splashy pulp with his bat, “Lucille.” But the scene is shot from the receiving point of view before cutting to black, keeping the character nameless.

The result is the show’s lowest-rated IMDB episode in years — and I get why people are upset.

In speaking to the press about the ending, showrunner Scott M. Gimple said the original scene in the comic is “an incredible work of gore by Charlie Adlard in the book.

How we show that on TV? I’m certain we’ll be pushing some boundaries with it.” But by effectively dragging it across two seasons, giving time for leaks and set photo spoilers, it’s easy for the scene to feel cheapened.

And, yes, it’s not like the show was hurting for viewership. According to TV Insider, it was the fourth most-watched program from 2014-2015, behind the Super Bowl, “NCIS” and “The Big Bang Theory.”

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But the show has always found a way to exist apart from the comic while staying true to the story and its characters — Denise’s arrow through the eye, for instance, plays out exactly like the books, only to a different character.

Fans of the comic are the show’s harshest critics, as they want a direct translation from page to screen. But there’s no suspense in following the same trail of blood the comics leave behind. By not giving fans the familiar, whether they’ve read the books or not, it remains its own creation, not allowing the comics to dictate the show’s every move.

“Last Day On Earth’s” cliffhanger, while unpopular, upholds the show’s right to originality. In this season’s first half, when Glenn Rhee seemingly died after falling off of a dumpster into a herd of walkers — a sharp contrast to the character’s fate in the comic book— actor Steven Yeun responded to fans’ criticism via Vanity Fair last October.

“I don’t particularly want to subscribe to the idea that this show can kill off anybody it wants,” he said. “Stop watching it to see if your favorite character is still alive ... you notice a lot of fans saying, ‘We want you to live,’ or, ‘We want this person to die,’ and it’s like, that’s not what the show’s about.”

The Internet makes it so hard to keep a

secret these days, but nobody knew what exactly was going to happen Sunday night — which is why it’s not implausible for the show to return with the same anonymity it left Sunday night.

“Last Day On Earth” was the show’s most important episode to date. It did its job, which was introducing Negan and killing off a major character — no matter who that is. If you’ve watched the show up until now, this ending shouldn’t come as a surprise.

These two things are all that matter going forward, assuming that Rick, Carl and Michonne, who all play pivotal roles in upcoming adventures, are still alive. The rest are expendable, and, while their fates will be fun — or gut-wrenching — to speculate on, they ultimately don’t matter.

In the end, there’s a good chance Negan slaughtered the same character on television as he does in the comic book, but not knowing for sure isn’t a slight at “Walking Dead” fans.

When a show mimics its source material without question or even threat of difference, in this case, that’s when we should complain. As for “Last Day On Earth,” let Negan kill whomever his bat chooses — in the end, the fact that Lucille is bloody matters more than the body on the ground.

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Weezer, pg. 6 ending bleeds into the reality of romantic relationships in the beginning of “L.A. Girlz.” “L.A. girls, please act your age,” sings the 45-year-old Cuomo directly after a track about mermaid dreams.

This song, as well as the droning, immature “Do You Wanna Get High?,” is why a lot of people think it’s weird that Weezer still hasn’t outgrown teen angst — the album’s Japan release even included a bonus track titled “Prom Night.”

Rivers is a father, and while he isn’t plagued by seemingly anything but his own enduring angst, he’s just now starting to remember how to translate it into songs that aren’t eye-rollers — unfortunately this can’t erase ’00s duds like “Raditude” and “Hurley.”

The album moves quickly between beachscene appreciation and relationships, with contemplations on both’s place in the world today.

“Wind in Our Sail” describes the exciting potential of a new relationship — “Like Darwin on the Beagle / Or Mendel experimenting with a pea” — while the “uh-huh” filled “(Girl We Got A) Good Thing” states the satisfaction of a lasting relationship, with lyrics like, “You scare me like an open window,” still leaving room for doubt.

Find the full story online at

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April 5, 2016

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Sports

PAIR OF PANTHERS WIN ACC AWARD Dan Sostek Sports Editor

Pirates fans have reason to be optimistic for another postseason appearance. Theo Schwarz SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

PIRATES FANS SHOULD KEEP ON BUCN Chad Cameron Staff Writer

Snow isn’t typically associated with Major League Baseball’s Opening Day. But as a sellout crowd of 39,500 people prepared to pack PNC Park on Sunday, crews on the inside rushed to shovel away the last traces of a blizzard that hit Pittsburgh late Saturday night.

Baseball season was here, and no matter what Twitter users and talk radio say, there is still reason for Bucs Nation to be

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amped for this current Pirates squad.

That deserved buzz is the product of unexpected success that began in 2013, reborn from the ashes of 20 consecutive losing campaig ns. And despite numerous personnel changes, Pirates fans have no reason to toss their newfound optimism overboard.

The 2016 Pirates differ substantially from past seasons, including the 2013 and 2015 teams that burst onto the scene with over 90 wins each, and a 2014 team

that narrowly missed the 90-win mark.

Gone is beloved hometown son and second baseman Neil Walker, a PineRichland High School graduate, who was traded to the New York Mets in the offseason for starting pitcher Jon Niese.

Gone too is fan favorite and veteran starting pitcher A.J. Burnett, and Pirates supporters won’t soon forget his fiery personality in his retirement.

The polarizing presence of Pedro AlSee Pirates on page 10

April 5, 2016

While only one of the two teams earned an ACC series win this weekend, players on both the Pitt softball and baseball teams earned conference honors Monday afternoon.

The ACC recognized softball’s Kayla Harris as the conference’s co-pitcher of the week, while baseball’s Charles Leblanc took home the conference’s player of the week award.

Harris led the Panthers to a series victory over the North Carolina State Wolfpack, securing both of Pitt’s two wins in the three-game series. Harris pitched eight total innings in two appearances on Saturday and Sunday, allowing no runs and five hits while striking out 10.

Those two outings came after Harris struggled on Friday against NC State, when she allowed three runs and four hits in just two innings.

Harris also tossed a complete game shutout earlier in the week against St. Bonaventure, striking out six batters.

Harris is now 13-8 on the season with a 2.43 ERA in 112.1 innings pitched.

Pitt softball plays again on Wednesday, facing Bucknell in a midweek doubleheader. The team follows that up with a trek to South Bend, Indiana, to take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in ACC play.

Leblanc’s team didn’t enjoy quite the success that Harris’s did, as they went just 2-2 during the week, including losing two of three to a highly touted Clemson team.

But even with the series loss, Leblanc surged, going 11-17 over the four-game span.

Leblanc, a sophomore infielder from Quebec, started the week hot, going 2-4 against Kent State with three RBI on Wednesday. He was even better against the Tigers this weekend, as he feasted on Clemson pitching, going 9-13 with nine RBI. Leblanc leads the Panthers with a .436 batting average and 41 hits this season.

Pitt baseball returns to action Tuesday with a weekday matchup against the Penn State Nittany Lions at State College, Pennsylvania, before returning home this weekend for a conference matchup against Georgia Tech.

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Pirates, pg. 9

The Pirates will also look forward to the return of infielder Jung-ho Kang, who ended the season third in National League Rookie of the Year voting in 2015. The team projects to have him back at the end of April after his knee surgery last year.

Starting pitching is always imperative, but the Pirates still boast two bona

Pirates fans have no reason to toss their newfound optimism overboard.

Also on the offensive side, the Buccos signed free agent infielder David Freese late in spring training. Freese is a veteran player with a strong glove throughout the infield, but he is known best for his bat, being a former National League Championship Series and World Series MVP.

fide aces in Gerrit Cole and Francisco Liriano, the former working his way back from injury while the Pirates slated the latter as the Opening Day starter, going six scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts.

To fill out the rest of the rotation, the Pirates will rely on Jon Niese, Jeff Locke and newcomer Juan Nicasio, who had a

stellar spring training as well, cementing himself into the starting five. Niese and Nicasio are fairly unknown quantities, but the Pirates have made a habit of turning those question marks into plus signs.

With pitching coach Ray Searage still at the helm for the Pirates, fans must trust in the process and look at how Searage resurrected the careers of former Pirates Edison Volquez and Happ, and current ace Liriano, to quell any immediate concerns.

Stud setup man and 2015 All-Star Tony Watson also looks to have another impressive year, along with closer Mark Melancon who, after a slow start last season, ended the year with a club record and league-leading 51 saves.

Yes, the Pirates have some new faces, but don’t jump ship just yet. They are arguably more offensively capable this year than the last few, and they certainly won’t hurt for defensive help.

So as yet another season of Pittsburgh Pirates baseball sails into town, there should be more than just a breeze of hope. It should be bursting from the seams .

The Pitt news crossword 4/5/16

varez also won’t return this season, as the team did not tender an offer to the man affectionately nicknamed “El Toro” in the offseason. He opted to sign with the Baltimore Orioles instead.

The 2016 Pirates also opened the season without starting pitchers Charlie Morton, J.A. Happ and Vance Worley, relief pitchers Joakim Soria and Joe Blanton and infielders Aramis Ramirez and Michael Morse — all of whom contributed to the success of previous years and have gone separate ways.

But even with all of those losses, the Pirates still have a chance to be great.

The loss of first baseman Alvarez is certainly a loss of power. But it’s also the removal of a combined 75 errors over the past three seasons.

Former Tampa Bay Ray John Jaso’s Pirates debut numbs the loss of Alvarez at the plate and in the field.

Jaso, who thrived through spring training, boasts a career batting average of .263 and has proved more dependable defensively at first base than Alvarez

was.

The Pirates also return with arguably the best outfield in baseball with golden glover Starling Marte in left, perennial MVP candidate Andrew McCutchen in center and rangy phenom Gregory Polanco in right. If all three hit comparable to or better than last season, the Pirates won’t be wanting for offense at all.

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April 5, 2016

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I Rentals & Sublet N D E X -NORTH OAKLAND -SOUTH OAKLAND -SHADYSIDE -SQUIRREL HILL -SOUTHSIDE -NORTHSIDE -BLOOMFIELD -ROOMMATES -OTHER

3 bedroom apartment. $1450 (utilities included). 704 Enfield St. 5 bedroom house. $2200 + utilties. 35 Enfield St. Call 412-969-2790.

Craig Street. Safe, secure building. 1bedroom, furnished.

Newly remodeled, wall-to-wall carpeting, no pets. $775 and up. Heat included. Mature or Graduate students.

412-855-9925 or 724-940-0045. Email for pictures: kelly.m317@yahoo.com **Large efficiences, 1 & 2 bedroom apartments available for August 2016. Clean, walking distance to campus. Great location. $575-$630$900-$1100. Utilities included. No pets/ smoking or parties. 412-882-7568. +++5 bedroom, 2 full baths, huge house, nicely updated, shuttle across street, washer/dryer, $2595+, August 1, photos www.tinyurl.com/pittnewsad4 coolapartments@gmail.com 724-935-2663

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Employment

-CHILDCARE -FOOD SERVICES -UNIVERSITY -INTERNSHIPS -RESEARCH STUDIES -VOLUNTEERING -OTHER

Classifieds

For Sale

-AUTO -BIKES -BOOKS -MERCHANDISE -FURNITURE -REAL ESTATE -TICKETS

1,2,3,5,6, & 8 bedroom houses. August & May 2016.

Bouquet, Atwood, Ward & Dawson.

Please call 412-287-5712.

2 bedroom. 343 McKee Place. $1200 (heat included).

2 bedroom, 2 bathroom house. 3201 Niagra St. $1200. A/C, dishwasher, washer and dryer.

1 bedroom. 365 Ophelia St. $550+ electric.

Call 412-969-2790.

310 Semple Street, 2 bedrooms, 1 bath. $1500 for 2 person occupancy, $1600 for 3 person occupancy including gas, water, and electric. Very close to campus. Off street parking available. 412-559-6073. marknath12@gmail.com 3444 WARD ST. Studio, 1-2-3 BR apartments available Aug. 1, 2016. Free parking, free heating. Call 412-361-2695. No evening calls please.

Available 8/1, 1 BR/1 Bath, 5 min. walk to Cathedral, A/C, hardwood floors, newly renovated, starting at $995+, 412.441.1211 Available 8/1, 3 BR/1 Bath, less than 1 mile to campus, updated, Dishwasher and AC, starting at $1325+, 412.441.1211

Services

-EDUCATIONAL -TRAVEL -HEALTH -PARKING -INSURANCE

Brand new 2BR apartment in central Oakland for $1800 per month. Apartment has A/C, stainless steel appliances, washer/dryer in unit, spacious living room & bedrooms, heated bathroom floor, hardwood floors and more! Call 412.682.7622 or email sarah@robbrealestate.com for more info on this gorgeous apartment for FALL 2016.

FOR RENT AUGUST 1 2016: Completely remodeled, spacious 3BR 1.5 BA home on tree-lined residential street. $1695/mo + utilities. Original woodwork, high ceilings, large bedrooms.

Parking available.

Panther Properties of PA, pantherproperties2@gmail.com.

Photos: https://panther-life.com/properties/oakland/ M.J. Kelly Realty Studio, 1, 2, & 3 Bedroom Apartments, Duplexes, Houses. $775-$1650. mjkellyrealty@gmail.com. 412-271-5550, mjkellyrealty.com South Oakland Duplex. 4 bedroom 2 baths. Central air, dishwasher, washer and dryer. Available August 1.

(412)915-0856.

Announcements -ADOPTION -EVENTS -LOST AND FOUND -STUDENT GROUPS -WANTED -OTHER

Studios, 1, 2, & 3 Bedroom apartments available August 2016 & sooner. Oakland, Shadyside, Friendship, Squirrel Hill, Highland Park, Point Breeze. Photos & current availability online, check out www.forbesmanagement.net, or call 412.441.1211 4909 Center Ave. Updated 1 BR with new kitchen, dishwasher & hardwood floors.

Laundry, storage and parking available.

Close to Pitt & shopping district. Available now and for August. 412-720-4756.

First floor duplex.

Solway Street. Available 7/1/16. $1595/month +utilities. 3 BR, 2 Baths.

Kitchen. Large dining room/living room/basement.

Washer/dryer.

Garage. Near bus/shopping district.

Ray 412-523-2971, rwiener602@gmail.com.

Before signing a lease, be aware that no more than 3 unrelated people can share a single unit.

Check property’s compliance with codes. Call City’s Permits, Licensing & Inspections.

412-255-2175.

R INSERTIONS 1X 2X 3X 4X 5X 6X ADDITIONAL A 1-15 WORDS $6.30 $11.90 $17.30 $22.00 $27.00 $30.20 $5.00 T 16-30 WORDS $7.50 $14.20 $20.00 $25.00 $29.10 $32.30 $5.40 E S DEADLINE: TWO BUSINESS DAYS PRIOR BY 3 PM | EMAIL: ADVERTISING@PITTNEWS.COM | PHONE: 412.648.7978 (EACH ADDITIONAL WORD: $0.10)

Real estate advertising in The Pitt News is subject to the Fair Housing Act. The Pitt News will not knowingly accept advertising for real estate which violates the law. To complain of discrimination, call HUD at 1-800-669-9777 or email fheo_webmanager@hud.gov. For the hearing impaired, please call TTY 1-800-927-9275.

3 & 5 bedroom. May 2016. Sarah St. Large bedroom, new kitchen, air conditioning, washer & dryer, dishwasher, large deck. 412-287-5712.

Caregivers and babysitters needed.

FT/PT. Earn $25/hour. No experience required. Will train. Call now.

888-366-3244 ext. 102.

Come work where it’s Oktoberfest every day. Now hiring for all positions at Hofbrauhaus Pittsburgh.

Apply in person Monday through Friday.

HYATT House Pittsburgh Southside Seeking full time and part time valets.

Experience with valet and manual transmission a plus. Must be able to work nights and weekends. Shifts are 7am-3pm & 3 pm11 pm. Pay is $8.25/hr +tips. Apply in person at 2795 South Water St.

SUMMER HELP NEEDED, Ice company close to campus. Weekends necessary. Production/driving/maintenance positions available. Good pay, part-time/full time. Contact Mastro Ice Company 412-681-4423. mastroice@aol.com Seasonal Work: Shadyside Management Company needs full-time dependable landscapers, painters, and assistant roofers for the summer.

Must be at least 18 years old. No experience necessary. $10/hour.

Mozart Management, 412-682-7003. Email: thane@mozartrents.com.

SMOKERS NEEDED! Researchers at UPMC are looking to enroll healthy adult cigarette smokers ages 18-65. This research is examining the influence of brief uses of FDA-approved nicotine patch or nicotine nasal spray on mood and behavior. The study involves a brief physical exam and five sessions lasting two hours each. Eligible participants who complete all sessions will receive up to $250, or $20 per hour. This is NOT a treatment study. For more information, call 412-246-5396 or visit www.-SmokingStudies.pitt.edu

Victim of sexual violence? Gilmary has a Christian retreat for you. Visit gilmarycenter.org for details.

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