8-23-23

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 | August 23, 2023 ­| Volume 114 | Issue 10

WELCOME BACK

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TABLE OF CONTENTS HERE Pittsburgh student apartments unfinished as school year starts In-state tuition discount still in limbo after monthlong impasse Names to know: People at Pitt Letter from the Editor-in-Chief Red, White, and Royal Blue comes short of book’s success, still heartwarming

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9 ‘She’ll be alright’: first-years begin on-campus movein 10 7 places to cool off with ice cream this semester 12 A look back at fall events 17 The Pitt News Sports Desk predicts Pitt football’s 2023 campaign 18 Takeaways | Pitt football prepares for 2023 campaign at summer training camp 20 Sports news students may have missed over summer 22 Pitt Men’s basketball’s newcomers set to begin their Fall semesters 24 Opinion | It’s normal to have fears and anxieties coming into your first year of college 26 Editorial | The importance of school newspapers 27 Opinion | Give back to your community 28 Opinion | How elite universities whitewash the humanities and arts 29

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News

HERE PITTSBURGH STUDENT APARTMENTS UNFINISHED AS SCHOOL YEAR STARTS

Spencer Levering Staff Writer

HERE Pittsburgh, an apartment building on Forbes Avenue marketed toward students with approximately 300 residential units, was originally expected to be completed before the start of the academic year. Now, move-in has been delayed until as late as mid-October for some residents, causing students to scramble to find a place to live.

“We know you are probably disappointed, and we are, too,” HERE Pittsburgh wrote in an email to its residents.

“We want your experience with HERE Pittsburgh to be perfect, and this isn’t how we wanted to start our exciting journey as a community.”

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HERE Pittsburgh construction on Forbes Avenue in August.

Kaylee Uribe | Staff Photographer

August 23, 2023

HERE Pittsburgh describes itself as “a modern student apartment community that uniquely combines edgy vibes, iconic design, and classic college experiences.” CA Ventures, the Chicago-based management group behind HERE Pittsburgh, announced the building’s delay in tandem with a property they own near the University of Minnesota, where 573 people have signed a lease. HERE Pittsburgh did not respond to answer how many leases have been signed with them.

The building, which has been in planning since 2020, currently estimates that tenants will be able to move in between See HERE Pittsburgh on page 15

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IN-STATE TUITION DISCOUNT STILL IN LIMBO AFTER MONTH-LONG IMPASSE Spencer Levering Staff Writer

Every summer, a familiar tradition takes place in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Before a new fiscal year begins every July 1, lawmakers meet in the commonwealth’s capitol to sign next fiscal year’s budget into law. For more than 50 years, this process has allocated hundreds of millions of dollars to Pitt, money that is almost entirely used to provide a discounted tuition rate to in-state students.

While it only takes Governor Josh Shapiro a few seconds to sign a bill, getting one to his desk is the culmination of several months of lobbying, playing politics and back-and-forth negotiations.

This journey began in November 2022 when the midterms shook up Pennsylvania’s political composition. Republicans and Democrats maintained control of the Senate and governor’s office, respectively, but Democrats managed to flip control of the House of Representatives, The Cathedral of Learning. giving them a 102-101 seat majority.

Kaylee Uribe | Staff Photographer Governor Shapiro delivered his $44.4 billion budget proposal before the state state-related universities, to receive $642 provide a discounted tuition rate to inlegislature in March. Shapiro, an ex ofmillion in appropriations. state students. State appropriation fundficio Pitt Board of Trustees member, inPitt would receive $162 million of this ing saves each in-state student approxicluded legislation for Pitt, Penn State, money, a 7.1% increase from last year, to mately $16,000 each year, according to Temple and Lincoln, Pennsylvania’s four

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the University.

“Pitt students should know the instate tuition rate is not guaranteed. Each year, the Pennsylvania legislature must vote to approve those funds,” David Brown, Pitt’s Vice Chancellor for Government Relations and Advocacy, said.

After a series of legislative hearings, House Bill 612 and House Bill 1458 were introduced into the House. HB 1458 focused on funding Pitt specifically while HB 612 included funding for all four state-related universities under one bill.

Unlike most budget votes, funding for state-related universities requires a twothirds majority in both the House and the Senate. Given Pennsylvania’s current divided government, state-related university funding can only pass with bipartisan support.

In recent years, House Republicans attempted to delay and withhold funding to Pitt over concerns about its fetal tissue research program, even after an independent review concluded the University’s practices were compliant with legal guidelines.

See In-State Tuition on page 16

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University Center for

Teaching Survey

Teaching and Learning

Have a Great Year! >>>

NAMES TO KNOW:

PEOPLE AT PITT

Ryleigh Lord News Editor

The first few weeks of classes are full of information overloads, homesickness, RA-led bonding activities and hours spent trying to understand the class syllabus.

It’s understandable that many students don’t know the who’s who of campus administrators and leaders. To help new students get their bearings, The Pitt News has compiled a list of people to know at Pitt and what they do.

Chancellor Joan Gabel

Remember to complete your OMET surveys when they appear in Canvas.

Your feedback is important!

Joan Gabel recently made history when she was appointed as the first-ever female chancellor in Pitt’s history. The chancellor is University’s the top leader, and Gabel stepped into the position on July 1. She said that Pitt is a “newly awakened sleeping giant in terms of opportunity and potential” in a recent interview with The Pitt News.

>>> Office of Measurement and Evaluation of Teaching (OMET) https://teaching.pitt.edu/omet/

•

omet@pitt.edu

WELCOME BACK PANTHERS Image by Pamela Smith, frame by Betul Tuncer

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Image via University of Pittsburgh, frame by Betul Tuncer See Who’s Who on page 14

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

LEARN TO SEEK BALANCE

The Cathedral of Learning and Frick Fountain. TPN File Photo

Pamela Smith Editor-in-Chief

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In the fall of 2021, I took my first-ever economics class to fulfill a gen-ed requirement.

Just a few weeks into class, bright and early on a Tuesday morning, my professor joked that he was about to teach us a concept that would “ruin our lives” — opportunity cost.

The concept means that with every opportunity you take, you give up the benefit of a different opportunity. So, if I work job A, I don’t have time for job B and I don’t get the benefits of job B. But in a way — my professor was a little bit right. At least, for me at the time. Students are always told that college is what they make of it.

To meet people, you should join every club and attend every event. It’s only four years, so take advantage of every opportunity, every resource that you wouldn’t have otherwise. My parents made sure to remind me that a 9-5 was much less fun than college, and very much on the horizon. To me, that seemed to translate to — time is ticking, don’t mess this up.

That idea can also be important. A college education and campus experience is a privilege that not everyone gets access to. You should still go to that speed-friending event and try new clubs or get a campus job. You should look into the different academic and career opportunities that Pitt offers. After all, you are technically preparing for a career and adulthood by being here.

But that doesn’t mean that every path is lin-

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ear, and that the path you take is “wrong” in any way. Every student’s experience will be different, and whether or not it’s right for you should be determined by you. Don’t just compare yourself to everyone else. This seems obvious, but it’s a lesson I’m still learning as a senior.

As much as you will be encouraged to say “yes” these next four years, it’s still okay to say no. It’s okay to drop a class, change your major or miss out on a night out to take care of yourself.

You will be okay if college isn’t the picture-perfect, super-busy and uber-involved experience you were expecting, I promise. An “uninteresting” job, quiet weekends or okay grades are not points against your success or worth as a person.

In a way — my economics professor was also a little bit wrong. Considering the opportunity cost of a busy schedule versus my mental health helped me prioritize what I really wanted to spend my time on. Eating better and moving more helped me feel better in the long run compared to another 18-credit semester. It is a better outlook to value what you do have, versus what could have.

As we return to the chaos of another fall semester, take the time to realize that every day can be a new day if you let it. Learn to balance your college experiences with your personal needs and goals. And most importantly, do still take advantage of new opportunities as they come — like learning about economics.

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Culture RED, WHITE, AND ROYAL BLUE COMES SHORT OF BOOK’S SUCCESS, STILL HEARTWARMING

Srinidhi Gopalan Staff Writer

Casey McQuiston’s “Red, White & Royal Blue” started its journey as a hit New York Times bestseller novel in 2019 and now has made its debut to Prime Video with its own highly anticipated movie adaptation.

The book and subsequent movie follows the romance between Alex Claremont Diaz (Taylor Zakhar Perez), the First Son of the U.S. President Ellen Claremont (Uma Thurman), and Prince Henry (Nicholas Galitzine), a British Royal.

The two fall in love after meeting to fix an international political scandal, but must keep their romantic involvement private to avoid another public political disaster. These stakes are heightened because Alex’s mother, the President of the United States, is in the middle of her campaign for re-election, and the romance between the two may not be widely accepted.

The chemistry between Zakhar Perez and Galitzine is the core of the movie, and it grows throughout the film in a way that leaves the audience rooting for the couple as we see them transition from rivals to lovers.

The film stands out even more by taking queer romance a step further — by tying in cultural differences.

We see that Alex and Prince Henry come from two unique cultural back-

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grounds. Alex, with a father who is a Mexican immigrant, faced different difficulties growing up compared to Henry, who was surrounded with privilege and status as part of the British royal family.

Book readers will notice that there were some differences between Casey McQuiston’s novel and Matthew Lopez’s film adaptation, but this should be expected, as films typically are a much more condensed version of the book.

The film would have been better off if certain plot points from the book weren’t removed, including the fact that June — Alex’s sister in the novel — was entirely absent from the movie. In the book, Alex also goes through a journey of self-discovery of his sexuality, whereas in the film, he already knows he is bisexual. These minor changes intensified the struggles the characters face in the novel, and in the film their absence made it feel as if some parts were quite rushed.

However, some changes — such as Alex’s parents still being married, which is not the case in the novel — allowed Alex and Henry and their romance to truly be the center of the film.

Overall, though, the book had better and more nuanced transitions between the See RWRB on page 30

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THE

MANOR ‘SHE’LL BE ALRIGHT’:

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Name: 34034/Manor Theater/Stern Altoona Ent., Inc.; FRI, Aug. 25-THURS, Aug. 31 Width: 2.312”; Depth: 4.813”; Color: Black Only; Comment: ManorTheater-august-1/8V; Barbie (PG-13)

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Fri: 2:35, 5:00, 7:25, 9:45 Sat & Sun: 12:10, 2:35, 5:00, 7:25, 9:45 Mon & Tue: 2:35, 5:00, 7:25, 9:45 Wed: 2:35, 5:00, 7:25, 9:45 Thu: 2:35, 5:00, 7:25, 9:45

M Manor Golda (PG-13) Fri: 3:00, 5:05, 7:10, 9:20 Sat & Sun: 12:55, 3:00, 5:05, 7:10, 9:20 Mon & Tue: 3:00, 5:05, 7:10, 9:20 Wed: 3:00, 5:05, 7:10, 9:20 Thu: 3:00, 5:05, 7:10, 9:20

FIRST-YEARS BEGIN ON-CAMPUS MOVE-IN

Ryleigh Lord News Editor

College move-in day comes with a variety of emotions and experiences, both for the new college students and their parents leaving them for the first time.

Oppenheimer (R) Fri: 2:45, 6:10, 9:35 The end of August marks the start of Sat & Sun: 2:45, 6:10, 9:35 on-campus move-in and Welcome Week, Mon & Tue: 2:45, 6:10, 9:35 Wed: 2:45, 6:10, 9:35 with move-in times scheduled throughThu: 2:45, 6:10, 9:35 out the entire week of August 21.

Jamie Heimbach, from Collegeville, Pennsylvania., moved her daughter Grace into Holland Hall on Monday morning. After getting everything settled, Heimbach said more than anything she felt relief.

Movies & Showtimes subject to change - visit manorpgh.com “We’re here, everything’s here and in MON-THURS her $7room, and it’s lovely,” Heimbach said.

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“Grace walked in and said ‘Oh, I could live here,’ which is what you want to hear as a parent. It’s been great.”

Grace Heimbach, a first-year biology major, said she was especially excited to see the view from the window in her room and was pleasantly surprised at how efficient the move-in was.

“I have a great view of Cathy in the morning, which was cool to walk in and look at,” Heimbach said. “We’re almost done with everything, but the whole day has been pretty smooth.”

Jamie Heimbach echoed her daughter’s sentiment.

“We got here at about a quarter of nine and got a cart with no wait,” Heim-

bach said. “Came in, unboxed and put everything up, and the Green Team took our boxes, which was awesome.”

Brittan Oglesby, a first-year engineering major, said there are things she’s both looking forward to and nervous about in the upcoming weeks.

“I’m most excited to meet new people and get adjusted to living on my own in a city,” Oglesby said. “I’m nervous for my classes, like engineering physics. I haven’t taken chemistry since my sophomore year, so it’s adjustments like that and building on what I’ve already learned.”

Oglesby said even though Holland was her second pick, she’s happy with See Move-in on page 34

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3/27/23 2:35 PM

Tasbeeh Fatima, left, and Aqsa Owais in the quad on Tuesday afternoon. Nate Yonamine | Senior Staff Photographer

A family sits outside of Holland Hall in the quad with a housing cart on Tuesday afternoon. Nate Yonamine | Senior Staff Photographer

A first-year student pushes a housing cart through the quad on Tuesday afternoon. Nate Yonamine | Senior Staff Photographer

A U-Haul outside of Nordenberg Hall on Tuesday afternoon. Nate Yonamine | Senior Staff Photographer

A student poses in front of a “Welcome New Students” sign outside of the William Pitt Union on Tuesday afternoon. Nate Yonamine | Senior Staff Photographer

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7 PLACES TO COOL OFF WITH ICE CREAM THIS SEMESTER Pamela Smith Editor-in-Chief

Rita’s Rita’s, located on Fifth Ave. a block from Litchfield Towers, sells italian ice, custard, and gelati in a variety of flavors.

With the Rita’s app, you can even earn free treats and discounts with your visits.

Ice cream can be a great way to cool off after moving in and getting settled on campus. As students gear up to meet new people in this heat, here are seven local places to cool off with some sweet treats.

Dave and Andy’s An Oakland favorite, Dave and Andy’s was voted Best Ice Cream by TPN readers last year. Dave and Andy’s features over 200 ice cream flavors and even handmakes their ice cream cones.

The Milkshake Factory Perhaps the most popular first-year dessert stop, The Milkshake Factory on

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Dessert Outlet Located in Schenley Plaza, this is another convenient stop on the way to a picnic or day of hammocking in Schenley Park. Enjoy your ice cream with a beautiful view of the Cathedral of Learning on the side.

The menu of Dave & Andy’s Homemade Ice Cream.

Hannah Wilson | Senior Staff Photographer

Rite Aid If just a scoop isn’t enough ice cream for you, there’s always pints of ice cream Forbes Ave. offers a variety of regular and gelato available at (both) Rite Aids in and specialty shakes. You can even use Oakland. From individual ice cream bars your Dining Dolto popular canlars here. Keep an dy brand flavors, eye on the Penthere’s something guins — when here for everyone Jake Guentzel looking to fill scores, a “Jake’s their new minShake” is half off ifridge. the next day.

Coldstone Millie’s Creamery With a loAlthough location right on cated outside of campus and on Oakland, ColdOakland Ave., stone Creamery Millie’s is a conin Squirrel Hill venient stop for is just steps away ice cream just from the Forbes steps away from and Murray bus your new dorm. stop off of any of Boasting flavors the 61 lines. Treat like Blueberry yourself with Lemon Bar and their variety of An ice cream cone. selling Sundae Partoppings and flaTPN File Photo ty boxes, Millie’s vors, or get an ice has interesting twists on ice cream for all. cream cake for all of your roommates to share.

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Fall 202

fair SUNDAY, AUGUST 27

THE PETERSEN EVENTS CENTER

Meet with representatives of different organizations and find which one(s) match your interests!

1 - 4 P.M. STUDENT ORGANIZATION DIRECTORY pi.tt/studentorganizations

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Who’s Who, pg. 6

VICE PROVOST FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS KENYON BONNER

VICE CHANCELLOR FOR EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION CLYDE WILSON PICKETT Wilson Pickett provides “leadership for University-wide comprehensive diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy” for all members of the Pitt community. He joined the University after a national search and is a graduate of Pitt’s School of Education.

The Office of Student Affairs focuses on “providing diverse learning experiences, social opportunities, and important services designed to prepare students to be successful in our global community.” Bonner has been with the University since 2004.

Image via University of Pittsburgh, frame by Betul Tuncer Image via University of Pittsburgh, frame by Betul Tuncer

STUDENT GOVERNMENT BOARD PRESIDENT RYAN YOUNG

DEAN OF STUDENTS AND VICE PROVOST CARLA M. PANZELLA

Young won the 20232024 SGB election with 65.2% of the vote. He focused heavily on addressing sexual violence on campus during the campaign and emphasized his goal of increasing student representation in administration meetings. The senior math and physics and astronomy major ran as part of the Illuminate slate.

The dean of students focuses on student wellness and outreach through creating and promoting programs and opportunities for the student body.

Panzella has served as the associate vice provost since December 2022 and as the dean since August 2021.

Image via Ryan Young, frame by Betul Tuncer Image via University of Pittsburgh, frame by Betul Tuncer

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HERE Pittsburgh, pg. 4 early September and mid-October, depending on the floor they live on.

HERE Pittsburgh gave tenants two options to compensate living expenses during the delay. Option No. 1 provides both a temporary rent abatement and $150 in gift cards per day to residents until they move in. However, tenants would be required to find their own living accommodations until then.

Option No. 2 provides tenants with alternate living accommodations in the form of hotel rooms and $40 in gift cards per day until they move into HERE Pittsburgh, but also requires them to continue paying rent during the delay according to their lease agreement.

Without a timeline estimating when their apartments would be finished, residents were given two days to choose between the options.

University spokesperson Jared Stonesifer encourages students looking for housing accommodations to search on Pitt’s Off-Campus Living website.

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“We are here to support our students who may be impacted by this situation.

Anyone wishing to contact the University about this matter is encouraged to email deanofstudents@pitt.edu to connect with staff,” Stonesifer says.

A statement from CA Ventures Management Team says they are “terribly disappointed” by HERE Pittsburgh’s delay, adding, “In the meantime, our singular goal is to communicate to our residents to the best of our ability and provide the support we can to each of them.”

Hailey Garza, a sophomore at Carnegie Mellon University, signed a lease for a studio apartment with HERE Pittsburgh last winter.

“The main thing was location and convenience. They’re a bit pricey, but being right on Forbes was a big selling point for me,” Garza said. “It just seemed really nice and like a place to live off campus so I didn’t have to live on campus to get that kind of security and stuff.”

Garza, a drama student who worked in Michigan this summer, says the news of her apartment’s delay was “a bit stress-

ful.”

“I’m currently working out of state so I had to call my parents, luckily it was my day off so I actually had time to deal with this because normally I wouldn’t have the time,” Garza said. “So I took most of that day just on the phone with my parents talking over options.”

Garza even considered getting out of her lease, but a stipulation in her agreement says the tenant can only end their lease if the unit is not available 90 days after the scheduled move-in date.

Her parents, who live in Arizona, bought non-refundable tickets to help their daughter move in before learning about the apartment’s delayed construction. Now Garza says she’ll have to move in without her parents’ support.

“It’s the emotional factor I guess, you always want your parents there to move you into your first apartment and now mine won’t be able to and I’ll have to, you know, just be a big girl and do that myself,” Garza said.

Although Garza picked Option No. 1 See HERE Pittsburgh on page 30

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In-State Tuition, pg. 5 On the morning of June 26, House Minority Leader Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster) hosted a news conference where he claimed Republican ideas to amend the state-related university funding bills were being “silenced” by House Democrats.

Cutler cited state-related universities not being subject to open records laws, failure from university leaders to guarantee a tuition freeze if state funding is increased, and ensuring all appropriations go toward funding in-state tuition as reasons why he and other Republicans would not support HB 612 or HB 1458.

In addition, House Republicans said they dislike how appropriations go directly to the universities instead of to the people attending them.

“When we look at our state-related institutions, particularly Pitt, Penn State, and Temple, many of our members ask why the system is the way that it is and, more importantly, why it has not changed,” Cutler said.

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To address this concern, House Republicans proposed House Bill 1489, titled the Tuition Reduction Act. Over the next four years, the proposed legislation would significantly reduce government funding toward Pitt, ultimately reclassifying it as a private institution.

Instead, funding would be redirected toward the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency to provide in-state students with grants that can be used at any Pennsylvania technical school, community college, or four-year university.

“It’s wrong that Pitt will be given over $165 million for its 16,700 Pennsylvania undergraduate students, while their neighbors who attend other schools receive significantly less,” Representative Eric Nelson (R-Westmoreland), the bill’s prime sponsor, said.

HB 1489 has yet to receive any action that would further it into becoming law.

In the evening following the press conference, the House held votes to pass HB 612 and HB 1458 into the Senate.

Ultimately, neither bill garnered enough support to pass the 136-vote threshold

necessary by law.

In a statement regarding the failed vote, Senate Minority Leader and Pitt Board of Trustees member Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) said his party was “committed” to passing appropriations for state-related universities.

As the clock struck midnight on June 30, Pitt entered the new fiscal year without funding from the state.

While HB 1458 hasn’t seen action since the failed June 26 vote, HB 612 was reconsidered by Representatives on the afternoon of July 6.

During this vote, Republicans shared concerns regarding directly funding universities instead of students, failures to guarantee tuition freezes, funding all universities under one bill instead of separate bills, universities not being subject to Pennsylvania’s Right-to-Know Law and differences in funding between students at state-related universities and students at other institutions of higher learning.

Discussion began with Republican Eric Nelson expressing displeasure over appropriation funding only being given to state-related universities, calling it “madness.”

“This chamber has a responsibility to all young people that, if they’re gonna go, they should be equally invested in,” Nelson said. “Surely this chamber is not allowed to blindly fund our richest schools at the expense of our poorest students.”

House Majority Leader Matthew Bradford (D-Montgomery) responded to Nelson.

“There are those this year, like other years, who wanna talk about abortion politics, want to talk about gender politics, want to talk about race politics, they want to talk about everything in our universities, but they don’t want to talk about support for students,” Bradford said, referring to last year’s concerns about Pitt’s fetal tissue research and this year’s dispute regarding Penn State’s Gender Health Clinic at their Children’s Hospital.

Representative Brad Roae (R-Crawford/Erie) opposed the bill because the state-related universities could not guarantee tuition freezes for the upcoming year.

“Even though we give them all this money, they’re gonna raise tuition,” Roae said. “All of our students are gonna have

August 23, 2023

to keep borrowing more, and more, and more, and more, and more money.”

Statements from Majority Appropriations Committee Chair Representative Jordan Harris (D-Philadelphia) and Minority Leader Bryan Cutler marked the end of discussion on the House Floor.

Harris emphasized students’ need for appropriation funding.

“You can’t say that education is the elevator out of poverty and then won’t finance the upkeep of that elevator for our young people. You can’t say to our young people to pull themselves up by their bootstraps, but then don’t give them the danggone boots or the straps,” Harris said.

Cutler responded to Harris’ comments by reiterating his party’s concerns and pushing for more changes to the proposed bill before it passes.

“These institutions that receive support from taxpayers and expect loyalty from lawmakers in this building must do more in providing for transparency, accountability, and, I think, tuition freezes,” Cutler said. “It’s in that spirit that I hope we all can recognize that we can do better.”

After discussion ended and lawmakers cast their votes, HB 612 fell 6 votes short of passing by the required twothirds majority, failing to go to the Senate for a second time. The House isn’t expected to reconvene until Sept. 26, nearly a month after the start of the academic year.

On July 26, the University announced tuition raises for all students at the Pittsburgh campus. In-state undergraduates can expect an average tuition increase of almost $400 for the upcoming academic year.

“As the commonwealth has not yet approved its final FY24 budget, our budgets were approved under the assumption that the state will continue its half-century-plus tradition of supporting in-state students,” wrote Chancellor Joan Gabel in an email to the Pitt community.

Pitt’s Senior Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer Hari Sastry echoed Gabel’s confidence in state-related university appropriations passing in Harrisburg.

“We remain hopeful that the Commonwealth will support the governor’s proposed increase, which has been incorporated into our budget,” he said.

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FALL EVENTS PHOTO GALLERY

Elsie Hillman Civic Forum Fireworks over the Cathedral of Learning at Pitt Program Council’s Homecoming Laser and Fireworks show in fall 2021. TPN File Image

Are you interested in social, economic, and political issues?

The Institute of Politics has been around for over 30 years. The Institute connects students across campuses through the Elsie Hillman Civic Forum with opportunities to engage in policy issues facing our region, regardless of political affiliation or major of study. Our programs provide a unique opportunity for students to meet elected officials, regional business leaders, and non-profit executives. We host a variety of student programs throughout the fall and spring semesters.

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Sports

THE PITT NEWS SPORTS DESK PREDICTS PITT FOOTBALL’S 2023 CAMPAIGN As the college football season quickly approaches, many analysts and fans are trying to predict how their favorite teams will fare in 2023. Pitt football, in particular, is a team that many are unsure how to project. After many key departures in the offseason, the 2023 campaign could go either way for the Panthers.

Here’s how The Pitt News Sports Desk thinks the Panthers will fare in 2023.

Panthers fail to keep up the momentum from last two seasons, fall to 7-5 // Brian Sherry, Sports Editor The 2023 campaign is a big one for Pitt football. After two successful seasons, the Panthers have a chance to cement themselves as a border-line elite program with another big year in 2023.

But I believe Pitt will fall just short of its

goals this season.

After losing so many key starters this offseason, the team will need to find quality replacements quickly if it wants to compete against its daunting schedule this year. While the team’s strong winning culture will keep it afloat early, it will still struggle against top-tier opponents like No. 13 Notre Dame and No. 8 Florida State later in the season.

start and a new quarterback, the Panthers are on track to embark in what I would like to call the Phil Jurkovec victory tour.

Many Pitt fans are happy to see former Notre Dame and Boston College quarterback Phil Jurkovec return to his hometown of Pittsburgh to play for the Panthers. With the support of Pittsburgh behind him, along with rising offensive players like tight end Gavin Bartholomew Pittsburgh rallies to keep spirits and running back Rodney Hammond Jr., high with Pittsburgh local Phil Jurk- I believe the Panthers will have the motiovec returning to lead the Panthers vation to have a strong season. to a 10-2 season // Will Christie, Staff Writer Panthers defense shines on a nationFinishing the 2022 season 9-4, Pitt al stage, prove doubters wrong with football did not lose the entirety of their 10-2 record // Ari Meyer, Staff Writer momentum from their previous 11-3 The 2023 season is an important test 2021 season. Especially now, with a fresh for the Panthers, as seven players were

drafted and more signed UDFA deals following last season. However, the high volume of opt-outs from the Panthers during the Sun Bowl proved that the Panthers are ready to compete at a national stage, regardless of lost players.

Pitt went into the transfer portal this offseason, grabbing talents such as sophomore wide receiver Daejon Reynolds, junior safety Donovan McMillon and redshirt senior quarterback Phil Jurkovec. These additions provide the Panthers the ability to gain an edge against teams like Notre Dame, North Carolina and Florida State.

Narduzzi’s pass-susceptible defense causes trouble for the Panthers, finish 8-4 // Matthew Scabilloni, Staff Writer Twenty wins combined in the last two See Sports Predictions on page 32

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Redshirt senior linebacker Shayne Simon (32) practices tackling at Pitt football training camp on Aug. 4. Pamela Smith | Contributing Editor

TAKEAWAYS

PITT FOOTBALL PREPARES FOR 2023 CAMPAIGN AT SUMMER TRAINING CAMP Brian Sherry Sports Editor

As the dog days of summer slowly fade into early autumn, one thing is on the minds of sports fans across the country — the return of college football. But while the start of the season is still on the horizon, sports fans are still getting a taste of their favorite teams with the start of summer training camps.

Pitt football commenced its training camp on Aug. 1 at its UPMC Rooney Sports Complex training facility in Southside. The Panthers are still brushing off the cobwebs from summer, but the team is already starting to take shape and find its identity.

Here are my takeaways from the Panthers’ 2023 training camp.

Pitt’s team-wide NIL is bringing energy to training camp Earlier this month, Alliance 412 — a Pitt-based NIL collective — announced a deal with the football program to provide

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every player on the team with an equal NIL payment. The reportedly seven-figure deal is one of the few team-wide NIL deals in college football, and its presence is already being felt across the program.

“I’m very grateful,” redshirt sophomore wide receiver Daejon Reynolds said about the new NIL deal in a training camp press conference. “I’ve seen [former Pitt running back] LeSean McCoy talking about [NIL]. I’m very grateful for the new NIL we’re getting.”

The deal will surely give players more financial security and may even play a role in recruiting in the future. Even head coach Pat Narduzzi — a known critic of NIL — expressed content with the equal distribution the new deal will bring.

“I tell our guys all the time you earn what you get, “ Narduzzi said at a training camp press conference. “You put it out there on the field there every day.

That’s why we put our helmets on and you go out there and you try to make the team better, the university better and make your bank account better.”

Pitt has some serious depth at quarterback While it is clear that redshirt senior quarterback Phil Jurkovec will start game one for the Panthers, that doesn’t mean fans can’t get excited about the other signal callers on the roster. Redshirt sophomores Christian Veilleux and Nate Yarnell are showing serious promise in their battle for the second string spot.

Right now, it appears that Veilleux will take the backup role. Standing at six foot four inches, Veilleux has proven himself as an accurate pocket passer while also possessing high confidence when pressured out of the pocket. Prior to his tenure at Pitt, Veilleux flashed potential as a backup at Penn State, playing

August 23, 2023

in five games in his two years with the Nittany Lions.

But now with Pitt, the Canadian quarterback has shown even greater potential, which garnered significant praise from the Panther coaching staff throughout training camp.

“Christian, you love the way he throws it,” Narduzzi said at a training camp press conference. “He’s a competitor. I just see him leading out on the field a little bit more. I see him a little bit more comfortable.”

And while Veilleux is leading the way in the hunt for the backup spot, that doesn’t mean Yarnell isn’t impressing coaches too. Narduzzi also commented on Yarnell’s training camp performance.

“Nate Yarnell is a guy that’s tough and he’s a gamer,” Narduzzi said. “He continues to get better.”

All in all, even if Jurkovec doesn’t pan

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out, the Panthers have two other great options to lead them in 2023.

The new-look Panther defense will lead the way in 2023 Last season, the Panthers were primarily led by their aggressive pass-rushing defense. From defensive lineman Calijah Kancey to linebacker SirVocea Dennis, the Panthers’ pass rush and defense as a whole were the main contributing factor in many Pitt victories last season.

But many of the Panthers’ key defensive players departed in the offseason, leaving many unanswered questions as to who would step up this season. And while the Panther defense is still finding its groove in training camp, it’s clear that the unit is set for another big year in 2023.

On the defensive line, the Panthers will look to redshirt seniors David Green, Devin Danielson and Tyler Bentley to replace key losses in the pass rush.

Throughout training camp, Narduzzi has specifically identified those three players as key leaders heading into the season.

“There’s a few of them, but it really starts inside really,” Narduzzi said about which players are leading the defensive line. “I would say David Green and Devin Danielson are two of the guys. And really

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Redshirt senior quarterback Phil Jurkovec (5) throws a pass at Pitt football training camp on Aug. 4. Pamela Smith | Contributing Editor

Redshirt senior defensive back Marquis Williams (14) poses for a photo at Pitt football training camp on Aug. 4. Pamela Smith | Contributing Editor

Redshirt freshman wide receiver Caden Smith (47) runs with the ball at Pitt football training camp on Aug. 4. Pamela Smith | Contributing Editor Tyler Bentley stepped up. He’s really, really grown up through the years. Those would be the three guys I look at right now. Those are the three guys inside that are really the leaders of that.”

On top of Pitt’s new-look pass rush, it also has redshirt senior defensive back

M.J. Devonshire returning to lead the Panther secondary. Devonshire is already on several major award watchlists and is arguably Pitt’s best NFL prospect.

Ultimately, the Panther defense will continue its dominance with their new leaders in 2023.

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Pamela Smith | Contributing Editor

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SPORTS NEWS STUDENTS MAY HAVE MISSED OVER SUMMER Redshirt freshman wide receiver Che Nwabuko (21) runs with the ball during the Pitt football spring game on April 15 at Acrisure Stadium.

Pamela Smith | Contributing Editor

Brian Sherry Sports Editor

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Over the summer, some students struggle with keeping up to date with the fast-paced, ever-changing environment of Pitt athletics. But fear not — The Pitt News sports desk has compiled a summary of the major sports news stories that took place while students were off-campus.

Here are some of the biggest stories from over the summer.

NIL — which stands for name, image and likeness — enables college athletes to earn a profit off of their own personal brand.

This is a major breakthrough for not just Pitt but the entire realm of college football. As of date, only BYU, Texas Tech and now Pitt have teamwide NIL deals that provide payments to all players.

Alliance 412 also announced the creation of Oakland Originals — a “marketing and digital platform behind Alliance 412 that empowers athletes to develop and manage their personal brands in the NIL era.” The marketing initiative hopes to help Pitt athletes earn more out of NIL and help Pitt become a competitive program in the new era of college sports.

Ultimately, this breakthrough could help Pitt football with recruiting and keeping players in the new era of college sports.

Pitt football signs team-wide NIL deal Surprisingly, one of the biggest sports stories surrounding Pitt athletics has little to do with sports itself. Instead, it mostly deals with money.

In early August, Alliance 412 — a Pitt-based NIL collective headed by Pitt alumni and supporter Chris Bickell — announced a deal with the football program that will provide all players on the team with an NIL payment. While the exact numbers are still unknown, reports suggest that Several programs get new coaches for 2023 the total sum of the deal is worth around $1 milPitt athletics made a significant effort in lion, meaning each player will likely receive a few searching for and hiring new coaches for its less thousand dollars each.

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PITT MEN’S BASKETBALL’S NEWCOMERS

SET TO BEGIN THEIR FALL SEMESTER Jermaine Sykes

season, the Panthers are retooled and reFall is here. After a few months of summer loaded, adding new break, students — from the super seniors to faces to the program the first-years — are eager to return to Oakwho they hope will land and continue their college careers. Stuhave an immediate dents new to Oakland have much to learn, impact. including the newest additions to Pitt’s men’s The Panthers added some experience to the roster, grabbing a few players out of the transfer portal.

Junior forward Iowa State forward Hason Ward, left, forward Aljaz Kunc Zack Austin — a vie for the ball with Pittsburgh forward Jorge Dia Gratransfer from High ham during the first half of a first-round college basketPoint — joined the ball game in the NCAA Tournament on Friday, March 17, roster at the begin- 2023, in Greensboro, N.C. AP Photo/Chris Carlson ning of the offseason and has already made headlines. Austin — carve out a spot in a youthful Panthers’ backwho averaged 14.1 points and 5.4 rebounds court, considering that he is already one of the @PittResLife per game for High Point last season — should most experienced guards on the roster. @panthercentralpitt plug in and get immediate playing time due to And similar to Austin, he is off to a fast his experience.

PittResLife start. Leggett scored 27 points across the At Pitt, the High Point transfer is already two exhibition games and impressed on the panthercentralpitt taking advantage of his opportunity. boards and defensively. @pittreslife Austin recorded two poster dunks in Pitt’s Alongside the experienced Austin and two preseason exhibition games in Spain, Leggett, the Panthers added first-year players @panthercentralpitt which sent Pitt fans into a frenzy. Considering who will get a chance to have an immediate Check your Pitt email for Austin also posted 29 points and 12 rebounds impact and develop during their careers in information on how to join your across both contests, it’s safe to say Austin has Pittsburgh. community's Discord server! quickly adjusted to life in Pittsburgh.

6-foot, 4-inch first-year combo guard Rhode Island transfer Ishmael Leggett is Carlton Carrington comes in from Baltimore, also making the most of his start with the Pan- Maryland. Carrington was a highly tout412.648.1200 thers. The junior guard averaged 16.4 points ed prospect, getting a four-star rating from reslife.pitt.edu and 5.8 rebounds per game with the Rams last reslife@pitt.edu panthercentral@pitt.edu @panthercentralpitt CohenCenterSUM19.qxp_Layout 1 4/8/19 3:25 PM Page 1 See MBB on page 33 season. Leggett will have an opportunity to Senior Staff Writer

basketball team, who are eager to begin classes and get back onto the court.

Last season, the Panthers returned to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2015-16 and won two tournament games, which was a huge leap for a program that needed a surge of energy. Coming into this

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For more information on our Free Museum Visits Program, Artful Wednesdays performances and Free Arts Encounters check out our website at www.pittarts.pitt.edu.

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IT’S NORMAL TO HAVE FEARS AND ANXIETIES COMING INTO YOUR FIRST YEAR OF COLLEGE Emily O’Neil Staff Columnist

Entering college is a whirlwind — you’ve just graduated high school, are enjoying summer with your friends, shopping for your dorm room and then suddenly it’s August. Transitioning to college life, at first, seems like a blur.

Move-in is always hectic with tearful and rushed goodbyes to family members, and welcome week is filled with fun events and activities that can make you feel like you’re college ready — then the semester starts!

Now, college feels more real because classes

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are starting and the prospect of finding real friends and valuable relationships dawns on you, especially when you feel like other people have made friends and you haven’t.

This is how I felt in the beginning of my first year here at Pitt, even with my older brother’s mound of advice and knowledge about college life, classes and telling me “everything happens for a reason.” Now, looking back on my first year, I wish I realized that my friends and classmates were also experiencing similar anxieties and emotions to me, and that having these feelings is almost a universal ex-

perience for many first-year college students.

Throughout my time working as a new student ambassador and listening to the common apprehensions experienced by many incoming first-year students, I’ve come to realize that almost every student goes through similar feelings.

Now, I’m not claiming that every student will or should go through the same anxieties as everyone else. Everyone is different and will experience a wide spectrum of worries, fears

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Annika Esseku | Senior Staff Illustrator

Opinions

and anxieties when entering college. However, although everyone is different that doesn’t mean other individuals aren’t going through similar emotions and feelings that you are having.

Many anxieties relate to the idea of whethSee O’Neil on page 36

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from the editorial board In light of the recent free speech news over at Penn State University, The Pitt News Editorial Board wants to make certain that students, staff and faculty are aware of the benefits a school newspaper brings to college campuses.

Penn State defunded its student newspaper, The Daily Collegian, by 53% and plans to have a complete elimination from the university budget by the 2024-25 school year. Despite countless petition signatures and letters of appeal to encourage the university to change their decision, the board of trustees signed off on their intentions earlier in July in order to “balance the budget.” This balancing also introduced an increase in tuition as well.

We hope that our fellow student journalists at Penn State are successful in combining forces with other PSU media groups.

This funding model could be their ticket to being funded once again by the university.

While Penn State may be a larger school than the University of Pittsburgh with its own unique set of problems, we at The Pitt News are still wary. Both long-standing newspapers are successful and boast an alumni full of powerhouse writers who have gone to work at top publications and win top awards. Both — and really, all school newspapers — are staples to their college campuses, and needed in a variety of ways.

A school newspaper is a one-stop shop for all the happenings on campus, the events taking place in the city and the opinions shared by students across campus. No other publication is as focused on one particular school as is their own. Learning about and trying to find events or groups on campus can be daunting, especially in your first few weeks on campus. That is why an operational and up-to-date campus news media source is imperative to college life and to assisting students all year round. And for staff, it is a great tool to learn about what their students are up to and know what kind of topics may be interesting to discuss in class.

But one of the big draws of a school newspaper is the writing itself and the opportunities it brings students interested in journalism. That is why the defunding of The Collegian is such terrible news, as it is a huge loss to the many journalism students

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The importance of school newspapers attending PSU. Many may have even gone to Penn State solely to write for the famous PSU paper.

For those with an interest in writing and research, a school newspaper is a great place to hone those skills. Writers have the ability to write outside of class and in an environ-

ment they choose to participate in, helping them work on their abilities in a much more relaxed and enjoyable setting. And on top of all that, writing for a school publication gives many a unique topic of conversation during interviews for years to come and plenty of networking advantages.

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The Collegian is a staple to the Penn State community, just as the Pitt News and every other school newspaper are staples to their home universities. Between the information shared to the valuable skill-building and See Editorial on page 36

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GIVE BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY Jameson Keebler Staff Columnist

In high school, I was taught about the importance of community service — except the focus seemed to be about the benefits for the person doing the service.

Community service is something that most college students have done. Maybe you did it to boost your college application. Maybe you really felt compelled to serve your community. Regardless, everyone should reflect on how they have served their community, and part of that is realizing what communities you really belong to.

I didn’t come to Pitt only so I could spend time on campus and exist as a student. I think much of the appeal of going to college in an urban environment has

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to do with getting to live in an area that extends beyond your campus. Living in any community means that you should be giving back to that community.

You are inserting yourself into a larger community that extends beyond being a student by attending Pitt.

Many people exist in Oakland in different ways.

Annika Esseku | Senior Staff Illustrator There are the families that live in Oakland, the people who work on and getting this valuable experience is a privaround campus, like UPMC employees, ilege itself. and the unhoused people you probably One large issue caused by students is pass on your way to class. People other littering. Some of it can be blamed on than college students live and work in the increased foot traffic in busy areas of the Oakland area. You are another Oak- the university, but it is also an issue of land resident, not just a Pitt student. negligence. Especially the areas of South As students, we also get benefits Oakland that are known for parties tend from the community that are symbiotic to have massive amounts of trash piled in some ways. In an ideal scenario, the up after the weekend that often sits ununiversity would use its resources and touched for weeks on end. This problem wealth to help the area that it exists in could be helped if students took more acby teaching students that will then stay countability for their trash. They should in the community after graduating. The make sure that their garbage makes it to University of Pittsburgh spends many the collection so it doesn’t float down the resources on education within the medi- street. cal field and many Pitt students work in Walking by unhoused people on the the UPMC hospitals. Despite this, it can street can bring up negative feelings sometimes feel like students harm the for some. I can see how students can community without giving much back be unhappy with the unhoused people because, of course, many students do not on campus, but sometimes it seems as end up staying where they go to school. though some students feel like they are The problems of the city will exist on owed a “perfect city.” It is important that your campus, even if your school feels students are sympathetic to this issue belike a closed-off environment. Recogniz- cause it is so much bigger than Pitt. Of ing these problems is OK, but also un- course individual college students can’t derstand that you are still in a position of See Keebler on page 36 privilege. Traveling to another city and

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A gate opens to the Harvard University campus Dec. 13, 2018, in Cambridge, Mass. Photographer’s AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File

HOW ELITE UNIVERSITIES WHITEWASH THE HUMANITIES AND ARTS Ebonee Rice-Nguyen Staff Columnist

Affirmative action has been on the decline for years, but the announcement of its ultimate demise was still a slap in the face to students and families from traditionally underrepresented racial groups. While current students won’t feel the repercussions of the Supreme Court ruling, future generations will be left with the aftermath.

The news was even more unsettling as numerous legacy admission practices remained intact at many elite universities, proving that nepotism is not only permitted within the Ivies but codified.

As the Ivies and Ivy-adjacent universities become more exclusive, they ensure that only the privileged are able to enter the humanities and thus partake in shaping our current cultural background.

We first have to understand that while many of the Ivies like to claim they host a diverse array of students, they’ve maintained a steady admission of the already-elite. For the class of 2022, 14.6% were legacy students, meaning that about one in every 10 students on campus had parents who also graduated from the university. Additionally, 46% of the class of 2022 were white while just under 11% were Black or African American and 6.5% were Hispanic or Latino. Of that same first-year class, about one-third of the white first-years reported their family’s income above $250,000. Harvard isn’t alone in these statistics — Yale, Cornell, Dartmouth, the other Ivies and “Ivy

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Plus” colleges function in the same manner.

While the Ivies continue to become more and more exclusive, another phenomenon is taking place at universities nationwide — the decline of the humanities. Over the past decade, the study of English and history at the collegiate level has fallen by a full third. While researchers and scholars have previously pointed to this as reflecting the nature of the American economy (up during the good times, down during the bad), enrollment numbers of the past decade have defied this. Even when the economy is booming, humanities enrollments have continued to plummet.

At the same time, the flow of students enrolling as STEM or business majors is skyrocketing.

Between 2010 and 2018, the number of STEM bachelor’s degrees awarded grew by 62%. But this is expected in an age where tuition costs soar, student loan debt is climbing and job security isn’t guaranteed, especially for low-income or immigrant families.

Julia Lee, a writer for the Atlantic, explains the pressure to go into STEM fields as a first-generation college student of Korean immigrants. “Before STEM was STEM, they wanted me to go into engineering or medicine or accounting because they didn’t want me to face the same precarious financial existence they faced,” writes Lee. This outlook holds true for many low-income families.

This is a popular phenomenon for students of color, even at elite universities. In a New Yorker See Rice-Nguyen on page 37

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HERE Pittsburgh, pg. 15 and booked an Airbnb until her estimated mid-to-late September move-in date, she expressed concern for other HERE Pittsburgh residents.

“I mean, this building has 10 floors, tons of people on each floor,” Garza said.

“There are a lot of people who are being misplaced right now.”

Suniska Prathipati, a HERE Pittsburgh resident, describes the situation her apartment put her in as “really frustrating.”

“If they had let us know how long the delay was going to be and then told us to make a decision I really would have appreciated that,” Prathipati said. “But it didn’t really feel like they cared about our well-being, it seemed like they only care about keeping us in our contract.”

Prathipati, a sophomore business and political science major, signed a lease with her roommate, junior marketing major Arjun Manjunath, last winter for a two-bedroom unit. Prathipati was drawn in by the prospect of a new, spacious apartment with promising amenities while Manjunath liked HERE Pittsburgh’s location as well as the efficient leasing process.

When Manjunath first heard news of the apartment’s delay, he said he was “not surprised.”

“My friends had been sending progress pictures over the summer,” Manjunath says. “Construction looked slow from the outside, so I wasn’t confident it would be done.”

Since the delay was announced, Manjunath has appreciated HERE Pittsburgh’s communication with residents.

“I am content with the level of communication the building has provided with us, they answer phone calls and re-

spond to emails pretty fast,” Manjunath said.

Prathipati, however, says she received conflicting information from HERE Pittsburgh about the requirement to continue paying rent in Option No. 2. From the building’s original email, Prathipati believed that if she selected Option No. 2, she would still have to pay rent as outlined in her lease.

“I wanted to double check that I was understanding that right, and when I called they told me no, you don’t have to pay rent, your rent would be prorated,” Prathipati says. “And then they kind of went back and forth in a couple of different emails between me and them where they were like, yes you do have to pay rent, no it’s prorated, no it’s a different amount and stuff like that.”

CA Ventures did not respond to a request for comment on these emails.

Prathipati and Manjunath ultimately both picked Option No. 1 and will live at an Airbnb until their estimated move-in date in mid-to-late September, but Prathipati wishes that HERE Pittsburgh handled the delay better.

“I just think the whole thing wasn’t handled in a super organized manner, and I wish that they would have been a little more considerate to the fact that we are students and for a lot of us, this is our first time living off campus and we don’t have meal plans and we’re basically fending for ourselves now,” Prathipati said. “I think that if you’re a company that markets themselves for students and as student living, that should be something you take into consideration, and I don’t think they really did that.”

RWRB, pg. 9 passionate, angry and difficult moments, whether it be sexual and intimate scenes or moments of internal conflict. The film seemed to abruptly vacillate between dry and bland moments to more R-rated intimate sexual moments.

Despite its strengths, the movie was oftentimes reminiscent of a Hallmark

film has deeper ties than that — it aims to connect to a wider audience overall and show representation for groups that are typically underrepresented in the film industry.

The film does capture queer intimacy in ways that I’m not sure have been represented ever, and it does it well. Every sexual scene between Henry and Alex was person-

This image released by Amazon Studios shows Taylor Zakhar Perez, left, and Nicholas Galitzine in a scene from “Red, White & Royal Blue.”

Jonathan Prime/Amazon Studios via AP film. Although the film understandably had less passionate sexual scenes than the book to capture a larger audience, the plot seemed almost too linear and dry at points in terms of character conflict, and it was in those moments that the lack of side characters and storylines were felt most deeply.

However, showcasing a character like Alex, who is Latinx, queer and biracial from the South, adds a deeper significance to the film. While rom-coms tend to appeal to a young adult audience, this

al, passionate and intimate — it’s clear the cast and crew wanted to show that intimacy is a part of queer relationships as much as the stereotypical heterosexual intimacy audiences are used to seeing on screen.

In situations where most films would take a more depressive route, like moments of forced outing or familial disapproval, the audience sees the characters react mostly with optimism. It ultimately does make the audience feel heartwarmed and inspired to see a film depicting underrepresented characters face adversity in an optimistic nature.

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Staff Predictions, pg. 18 seasons is something the Panthers football program hasn’t done since the 1980s.

The 2023 Panthers season will decide if that is the new standard for the Panthers or if that was just a rarity for Pitt football.

Head Coach Pat Narduzzi’s defenses are always susceptible to getting beat by great quarterback play, and the Panthers play four teams that have great quarterbacks in North Carolina, Notre Dame, Florida State and Duke. Playing these four quarterbacks will haunt the Panthers chances of finding a new standard.

Pittsburgh’s will to succeed keeps them alive, finish 7-5 // Eli Smith, Staff Writer The Pittsburgh Panthers head into the 2023 season with high hopes. After a 9-4 campaign that featured its share of ups and downs, the Panthers are looking to improve and hopefully add a few more notches in the win column. Unfortunately, that is easier said than done.

The loss of key players on both sides

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of the ball will prove detrimental to the team’s success. I believe the offense will struggle the most, falling to below average. Nonetheless, the Panthers’ fighting spirit will make a difference in a few games this season and the Panthers will claw their way to an above .500 record.

Rodney Hammond Jr. Carries the Panthers to 9-3 // Alex Porter, Staff Writer Everyone will remember former-Pitt running back Israel Abanikanda’s record-breaking 2022 season, in which he led the nation in touchdowns with over 1,500 all-purpose yards. However, junior running back Rodney Hammond Jr. has proven himself as the unsung hero of the Panther’s run game.

As a first-year, Hammond contributed over 500 yards to Pitt’s 2021 ACC championship campaign. In Abanikanda’s absence, Hammond ensured the Panthers didn’t miss a beat during his sophomore season, scoring twice in the Backyard Brawl and rushing for 124 yards against Syracuse.

Alongside senior quarterback Phil Jurkovec, Hammond will lead an improved Pitt offense in 2023. With a few wins no one will expect and a loss that should never happen, expect the Panthers to solidify themselves as one of the elite programs in college football this season.

The Panthers finish with a strong 8-4 record as new lineman fill big shoes // Dylan Grace, Staff Writer Following a thrilling last-second field goal to ice the 2022 Sun Bowl, the Panthers head into the 2023 season with optimism and momentum. However, facing a daunting schedule filled with multiple preseason Top 25 teams, the Panthers have a tough road back to competing for an ACC title.

One of the biggest X-factors for the Panthers this season is in the trenches.

In the 2022 season, Pitt had a defensive line that finished second in the country in total sacks and an offensive line that cleared the way for ACC-leading rusher Israel Abanikanda. With many new play-

August 23, 2023

ers filling starting roles this season, the Panthers lines will need to perform well in order to compete with strong Notre Dame and Florida State fronts.

Panthers go 8-4 with a surprise win against FSU // Ben Pisano, Staff Writer The Panthers have more questions than answers heading into their 2023 season. With the loss of significant pieces such as Abanikanda, Kancey and Dennis, it’s hard to imagine Pitt improving on their record from last season.

While I doubt the team finishes the season ranked in the AP Top 25, Pitt will pull a surprise win out of nowhere this season. Every couple of years, a middleof-the-pack Pitt team defeats a significantly better, nationally ranked program.

It happened in 2016 at Clemson and in 2017 against Miami. The Panthers are overdue for an underdog win, and they’ll claim it on Nov. 4 against No. 8 Florida State.

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Things you missed, pg. 22 landscape of college athletics in just one year.

In early August, the PAC-12 was hit with a major blow after eight of the conference’s 12 teams announced that they will change conferences starting in 2024. The implosion of the conference started last summer after USC and UCLA announced plans to move to the Big Ten. But now, after key teams like Oregon and Washington also decided to depart the PAC-12 as well, it seems the 108-year-old conference is on its last legs.

The aftershock of the PAC-12’s disastrous end rippled across the country to hit the ACC and Pitt hard. The conference made an attempt to capitalize off of the PAC-12’s end by engaging in discussions with Stanford and Cal to join the ACC, but the negotiations ultimately stalled.

This comes after seven teams from the ACC attempted to leave the conference earlier this summer. Right now, the conference’s grant of rights agreement — a deal which essentially prohibits teams from leaving the ACC until 2036 — is keeping it alive. Nonetheless, the future of the ACC is looking bleaker and bleaker by the day.

But where does this leave Pitt? As it stands, it appears Pitt has no plans to leave the ACC anytime soon. Head football coach Pat Narduzzi even expressed concern with the current state of realignment and said he is happy with ACC commissioner Jim Phillips’ efforts to keep the league alive.

The ACC is in turmoil Still, with growing uncertainty surrounding The biggest story permeating throughout all the conference’s future, the Panthers may still of the NCAA this summer was the mass conneed to find a new home in the near future. ference realignment that will forever change the successful programs over the summer, just as it did in the spring this year.

Arguably the biggest coaching hire of the summer came from the cross country program, as Pitt athletics announced the hiring of Griff Graves as the new cross country and distance head coach for 2023.

Graves — who was previously an assistant coach at Syracuse — will hope to turn around a Pitt cross country team that has failed to meet expectations in recent years. Last season, the men’s cross country team made some progress, as they placed 10th in the ACC with one runner — junior Jack Miller — placing 27th individually. But the women’s team still lagged behind, placing 13th in the conference.

Another major coaching development came from the women’s basketball team, as new head coach Tory Verdi brought on two assistant coaches — Brandon Jackson and Chloe Hatfield — to help lead the team in 2023. Jackson and Verdi previously worked together at Eastern Michigan and UMass, where Jackson worked in video operations.

Finally, Pitt baseball hired former Delaware assistant coach Chris Collazo as an assistant coach for 2023.

MBB, pg. 24 247Sports. Carrington chose the Panthers despite having offers from Rutgers and LSU. The first-year guard adds a scoring upside to a Panthers’ backcourt that needed it with the departures of Jamarius Burton and Greg Elliott.

Carrington stuffed the stat sheet in the Panthers’ first exhibition game, with seven rebounds, nine assists and three steals. In the Panthers’ second exhibition game, Carrington added 10 points and three assists. If Carrington can continue posting outings such as these, he’ll be a starter for the Panthers in no time.

6-foot, 1-inch first-year guard Jaland Lowe joins the Panthers as a four-star recruit out of Texas. The first-year guard chose the Panthers over Memphis and SMU. Lowe comes in as more of a traditional point guard, which was evident in exhibition game one where he posted five assists. In game two, Lowe posted

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seven points, four rebounds and two assists.

The last of Pitt’s new additions comes from late commit Papa Amadou Kante. Amadou Kante, a six-foot-ten-inch forward, joins the Panthers out of Dakar, Senegal. Amadou Kante was originally committed to Michigan but flipped at the beginning of the summer to join the Panthers.

Amadou Kante only played in the Panthers’ first exhibition game in Spain due to injury but posted a team-high eight rebounds in that contest. The young forward will add much-needed length to the Panthers’ frontcourt and should carve out a role for himself as soon as game one.

None of the Panthers’ new additions are native to Pittsburgh, and none of them have played in the ACC before. A big transition is ahead for the new Panthers this fall, both in and out of the classroom. But if their summer performances are any indicator, they’ll transition smoothly.

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Move-in, pg. 10 where she ended up.

“The no air conditioning is going to take a little bit of adjusting, but our room is really nice,” Oglesby said. “We’ve decorated it really nice, so I’m excited for that.”

Oglesby arrived at move-in with her younger sister Emma, a junior in high school.

“Brittan is my best friend, so I’m going to miss her a lot,” Emma Oglesby said. “But it’s okay, she’s close by. And I helped decorate the room, putting all the pictures up, so I really like it.”

Anna Minick, a freshman communication science major, said she’s most anticipating everything that begins after move-in is over.

“I’m looking forward to all the activities planned, like the food truck night looks fun, and so does trivia,” Minick said. “I’ve heard a lot about Lantern Night, and all the food options around here are great, so I can’t wait to do that.

Definitely don’t have enough Dining

Dollars.”

Oglesby said she is also looking forward to the events planned for the week, including a Taylor Swift’s eras themed night on August 23.

“The Welcome Week activities seem really fun,” Oglesby said. “I saw there’s a Taylor Swift one and I love Taylor Swift, so I’ll definitely be there.”

Jamie Minick, Grace’s mom, said she’s both nervous and happy for her daughter to start school, especially since she’s the first to leave for college.

“I’m excited for her, but don’t get me started, I can be triggered easily today,” Minick said. “We’re going to go get some ice cream and look around, go to the bookstore, see the sights. Everything and everyone is out right now.”

Oglesby and Heimbach both said move-in has been so busy that they hav-

en’t had time to do much else yet, including meeting new people.

“Most of the time here we’ve spent organizing, so we haven’t really explored yet,” Oglesby said.

“I haven’t really had time to mingle around, I’ve mostly been with my parents since we got here this morning,” Heimbach said. “But I’m looking forward to getting to talk to people on my floor when everyone is settled in.”

Diane Oglesby, Brittan’s mom, said overall she is looking forward to her daughter getting the college experience.

“I’m most excited about the things she’ll get to do, and I’m most nervous about those exact same things,” Oglesby said. “But it’s college and that’s what happens, so she’ll be alright.”

People walk on campus near the Cathedral of Leaning. Nate Yonamine | Senior Staff Photographer

Students outside of Tower A Fitness Center on Tuesday afternoon. Nate Yonamine | Senior Staff Photographer

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Pitt Pathfinders

Pitt Pathfinders give campus tours and change lives… can you see yourself doing that?

Find our application at pathfinder.pitt.edu Application goes live on Tuesday, August 1st Due on Friday, September 8th pittpathfinders

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O’Neil, pg. 26 er or not you will make friends or fit into the Pitt community. Making real and lasting friendships is important in life. Reaching out to your classmates to grab coffee after class or study together is a great way to start a friendship — I made many of my friends, with the same major as me, in this way.

Pitt has over 600 student organizations and clubs to join that range from club sports to advocacy clubs to major-related organizations. Joining a student organization is one of the best ways to reach out to new people and make connections. One thing I’ve learned is that you never know where you could make a lasting friendship.

Another top anxiety entering college is academics, which is probably the main reason you are here at Pitt. Classes are hard and extremely different from high school, no matter what major you are. Going to office hours and talking with your professor or teaching assistant is the best way to receive help in a class you are struggling with and lets you create a personal connection with them. I know professors can seem intimidating, but they are here to help you and want to see you succeed.

Professors are people just like us. They under-

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stand that we may have other things going on in our lives outside of class and do not want to see their students fail.

I remember the first time I went to office hours for one of my political science courses, I was nearly having an anxiety attack. Then, during our meeting I realized my professor was here to help me, that he has office hours for a reason and he wants to connect with students. By attending office hours multiple times that semester, I passed the class and understood how to use R, a program used for statistical computing and graphics. This is a skill I would not have grasped if I didn’t seek out support and attend office hours.

Go and talk with your RA, professor or academic advisor. They are all here to help you transition and want you to succeed here in all aspects of college life. Most importantly, the University Counseling Center houses mental health professionals if you ever need to talk with someone. I urge all students to utilize this resource and ensure you are taking care of all aspects of your health.

Reach out to your friends, check-in on them and talk to them about how you are feeling. They will relate to your emotions in one way or another. The anxieties we all go

WELCOME BACK PANTHERS!

through as first-year college students is universal, for the most part.

There are a multitude of fears and anxieties that you will experience throughout your firstyear here at Pitt. For me, even during spring semester, when I thought I was well-adjusted, I had a recurrence of worries about my academic strengths and fitting into the Pitt community. Feeling these emotions during fall or spring semester is normal and I can guarantee your friends and fellow classmates have experienced similar feelings at one point during their first-year.

I’m not going to lie, college is hard and adjusting to college is even harder. The transition might not come to you easily and that’s completely understandable — you’re in a new environment, atmosphere and on your own for the first time.

No matter if you are an only child, have an older sibling or are a first-generation student, everyone’s transition to college life is different, regardless if you have advice or knowledge given to you from family members. Every student struggles in one way or another during their first-year of college — it may not happen until spring semester, but I can almost guarantee that your friends or classmates are experiencing similar feelings in one way or another.

Just remember that you are not alone, even when you feel like you are. I promise things will get better and you will succeed here at Pitt.

Emily O’Neil writes primarily about societal issues, politics and campus life. Write to her at ero26@pitt.edu

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networking opportunities a school newspaper provides, all students, staff and faculty should take full advantage of this resource.

We here at TPN encourage everyone on campus to pick up a physical copy on their way to class or scroll through our website to check out the newest articles. To new and returning students who have a knack for writing and are interested, we highly encourage you to apply on our website and join the Pitt News team. And to those who have attended or are currently attending another school, we ask that you support your school newspaper and the students who work hard to keep it afloat.

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solve every problem in Pittsburgh, but there are opportunities to get involved with social action on campus. This could be done through groups that get students involved with local politics, or groups that focus on these specific issues.

It is important that students understand that Pittsburgh is not owned by the University. Students get many benefits from the community and it is only fair that the school gives back.

There are many ways that the school encourages community involvement through organized trips for community service in the Pittsburgh area, like Civic Action Week. These experiences can be incredibly valuable for new students so they can experience areas outside of Oakland while also aiding a community. It is equally important that students are critical of community service. They should think about the impact of their actions and if anyone will actually benefit. Community service should always put the community first, not the people doing the work.

Remember that the university is a place for the community and doesn’t only exist for us. People visit the campus and take advantage of the places open to the public, like the Cathedral of Learning. Students should care about being good members in not only the Pitt community, but the larger community of Pittsburgh.

Editorial, pg. 27

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Oakland restaurant only. In-store purchases only, can’t be combined with coupons.

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Rice-Nguyen, pg. 29 article, a Harvard graduate explained the limitations of coming from a first generation home.

“My parents, who were low-income and immigrants, instilled in me the very great importance of finding a concentration that would get me a job — ‘You don’t go to Harvard for basket weaving’ was one of the things they would say,” she said.

As elite universities become more and more discriminatory, the low-income students who do manage to make it can’t risk the economic instability that comes with entering the humanities.

This leaves the Ivy League networking opportunities that do exist within the humanities to the few students that remain. In a recent study, researchers say that attending an elite institution “has even larger impacts on other nonmonetary measures of upper-tail success, such as attending an elite graduate school or working at a prestigious firm.” Of course, those who stay in the humanities are predominantly white. In 2015, the most recent year of collected data, just 22% of humanities bachelors degrees were awarded to non-white, low-income students. This leaves the humanities and the arts to the wealthy, privileged students who are already buoyed by generational wealth.

“Who gets to be in the kinds of occupations you associate with more creative, enjoyable and fulfilling work? We found that, among people with similar levels of education, people in those jobs disproportionately come from richer families,” said Danial Lashkari, a Boston College economist.

This economic pattern promotes the same crisis of representation that erases people of color from cultural products like literature, film and journalism. Go to the masthead of any large magazine publication and you’ll notice that a majority of the writers are from an Ivy and predominantly white. The same goes for the producers and writers of your favorite sitcom, comedy special or the newest blockbuster movie.

This phenomenon is especially common in academia. Those who went to undergrad at an elite university are more likely to enter into an elite graduate school. Those who attend elite graduate schools make up the majority of the high-income and leadership positions within universities. In a 2015 study, it was found that 25% of institutions produced 71%-86% of tenure-line professors. As fewer students of color enter the humanities due to economic and cultural reasons, fewer go into academia. These patterns ensure that those from marginalized backgrounds are never given the opportunity to offer their different perspectives in the humanities, keeping us learning and thinking about the humanities and arts the same way we have for decades.

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We must be aware of how elite universities maintain the cycle of privilege to allow upper-income, white students to follow their passions in the first place, and who remains systemically discouraged from these fields — because this is what shapes our cultural landscape. If we want to change how the humanities and arts have become a breeding ground for white elitism, then we also must change how we view the humanities. Many students consider the humanities as a study of “the unenlightened past,” but when we consider that it is these spaces that are in command of our present culture and ultimately which cultures emerge in our future, then the humanities hold a much heavier weight.

This summer, I had the opportunity to be a Undergraduate Humanities Research Fellow, where I was given a stipend from the university to pursue my own passion project. The fellowship directors prioritized diversity within my cohort, culturally and disciplinarily, and because of this I have been exposed to a multitude of incredible projects and conversations that have forever changed my own way of thinking.

The University of Pittsburgh may not be an elite university, but it is a university that hosts a multitude of career and academic opportunities, and maybe more importantly, prioritizes diversity. It is also a launching pad for those pursuing higher education in the humanities with a surplus

August 23, 2023

of professors, mentors and advisors who genuinely care about their students and are willing to help. For those who come from low-income, underprivileged households, the choice to go into the humanities is daunting, but the University of Pittsburgh can change that. Coming back to campus offers a great opportunity to explore new courses in the humanities, and while it can be difficult for some students to ignore external pressures that dissuade them from enrolling in them, just taking one may completely change how you view the world around you.

Ebonee Rice-Nguyen writes primarily about political, social and cultural issues. Write to her at EJR76@pitt.edu.

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THE PITT NEWS Editor-in-Chief

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Editorial Policies Single copies of The Pitt News are free and available at newsstands around campus. Additional copies can be purchased with permission of the Editor-in-Chief for $0.50 each.

Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the students, faculty or University administration. Opinions expressed in columns, cartoons and letters are not necessarily those of The Pitt News. Any letter intended for publication must be addressed to the editor, be no more than 250 words and include the writer’s name, phone number and University affiliation, if any. Letters may be sent via email to editor@pittnews.com. The Pitt News reserves the right to edit any and all letters. In the event of multiple replies to an issue, The Pitt News may print one letter that represents the majority of responses. Unsigned editorials are a majority opinion of the Editorial Board, listed above.

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The Editor-in-Chief has the final authority on editorial matters and cannot be censored, according to state and federal law. The Editor-in-Chief is selected by the Pitt News Advisory Board, which includes University staff, faculty and students, as well as journalism professionals. The business and editorial offices of The Pitt News are located at 434 William Pitt Union, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15260.

Waka Flocka Flame performs during PPC’s Fall Fest on Schenley Drive in 2022.

Jonathan Guo | Staff Photographer

Graduate midfielder Lucas Rosa (6) and Valentin Noel (8) celebrate at the Pitt men’s soccer game versus West Virginia.

Hannah Wilson | Senior Staff Photographer Senior quarterback Kedon Slovis (9) celebrates after a touchdown against Virginia Tech at Acrisure Stadium in 2022.

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