The Pitt News
The independent student newspaper of the University of Pittsburgh | PIttnews.com | September 21, 2017 | Volume 108| Issue 29
7-Eleven forced off Forbes
CATO VS. HERITAGE PG.2
Rachel Glasser News Editor
The 7-Eleven convenience store on Forbes Avenue will close by the end of the month, with Pitt’s Oakland Bakery moving into the location at an unknown date. The owner of the 7-Eleven franchise location, Don Young, said Pitt owns the property and 7-Eleven will move out Sept. 29. “We’re leaving because they want to move their bakery shop here. Corporate told us we had to go,” Young said. University spokesperson Joe Miksch confirmed Pitt made 7-Eleven vacate its space so the Oakland Bakery can take over the location. Miksch did not respond to specific questions about the bakery’s hours or products for the new location. Maggie & Stella’s — a Pitt gift shop located on Oakland Avenue before it closed earlier this summer — will move into the current Oakland Bakery location on Fifth Avenue, according to their website. The current location of Maggie & Stella’s is being outfitted into an Amazon campus pick-up location, according to Joe Eismont, the superintendent for general contractor WR Newman who is overseeing the site’s construction. Many students are disappointed and confused as to why the Oakland Bakery will replace 7-Eleven. Shane Taylor, a senior chemical engineering who frequents the convenience store, is one such student. “For me it’s more convenient to have a 7-Eleven than the bakery,” Taylor said. “I come here often, especially since IGA closed. It’s easier than running down to Giant Eagle in Shadyside.” Anna Tomani, a fifth-year chemical engineering student, said she goes to 7-Eleven at least once a day. “I gotta get all my Rockstars and gum before it’s gone,” Tomani said. “Now I have to go to RiteAid instead.”
Student protesters hold up signs during the Cato vs. Heritage debate before being ushered out by security. Anna Bongardino|ASSISTANT VISUAL EDITOR
INDIVIDUALS RALLY TO IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY
Caroline Bourque
Assistant News Editor Disability advocates crowded the sidewalk on the corner of Bigelow Boulevard and Forbes Avenue Wednesday, Sept. 20, to spread information on three key issues they want to reform. These three initiatives — distributed to passersby on multi-colored flyers — focused on problems with accessibility in the Oakland and Greater Pittsburgh area, primarily taking issue with aspects of the Bus Rapid Transit system implemented across the city this past summer. In attendance was Joan Stein, 62, a private ADA consultant from Forest
Hills and an advocate for people with disabilities — individuals whose needs, Stein said, are often overlooked by community planners. “They’re not thinking about people with disabilities or seniors in the planning process,” she said. The BRT project both increases the distance between bus stops — forcing seniors and those with disabilities to travel farther to take public transit — and includes the installment of a protected bike lane which runs along Fifth Avenue, obstructing safe drop-offs for people with disabilities. One rally organizer, DJ Stemmler, age
56, from Allison Park, said the increased distance between stops is especially detrimental to seniors and people with disabilities, and only gets worse in instances of bad weather. “Imagine your grandmother using her walker and she has to catch the bus at the corner of her street,” Stemmler said. “Now she has to walk six blocks.” Stemmler said the addition of a bike lane prioritizes the needs of cyclists over those with disabilities. “We don’t want our rights to be compromised over a community that is not a protected class,” Stemmler said. See Accessibility on page 3
News
Cato vs. Heritage SENATE COUNCIL
Policy analyst and legal fellow debate Trump’s immigration plan
DISCUSSES UPCOMING ACADEMIC YEAR
Hans von Spakovsky; a Heritage Center legal fellow, spoke to students Wednesday night. Anna Bongardino | ASSISTANT VISUAL EDITOR
Nolan Roosa and Bailey Frisco The Pitt News Staff Protesters held signs, made disruptive noises and yelled the names of people who lost their lives crossing the U.S.-Mexico border at the Cato vs. Heritage debate Wednesday evening. After some protesters left the debate and the Pitt police escorted others out, the Kurtzman room was no longer filled to capacity. The College Republicans and Students for Liberty hosted the debate, which tackled immigration policy and its effects on the United States. Speakers included Alex Nowrasteh from the Cato Institute — a libertarian think tank headquartered in Washington D.C. — and Hans von Spakovsky from the Heritage Foundation — a D.C.-based conservative think tank. The speakers differed in both political ideology and their argumentative structure. Von Spakovsky used a rhetorical-based argument, while Nowrasteh from Cato used largely empirical data — and the audience noticed. “I am in favor of liberalized immigration because it’s good for Americans and it is good for
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the United States,” Nowrasteh said. “And in order to prove that, I need to rely on the facts of the matter. If the facts were different, I’d have a different opinion on immigration.” Jeremy Reiff, vice president of Students for Liberty at Pitt, said this style caught him by surprise. “Usually as a libertarian we like more philosophical arguments, but Alex came out with some of the most damning evidence … by showing the numbers,” Reiff said. Nowrasteh came out immediately as antiPresident Donald Trump. He said Trump’s policies are ineffective and an illegitimate expansion of the federal government. He slammed the cost and ineffectiveness of the border wall, along with other cost benefit analyses of several Trump administration immigration policies. To defend immigrants in the nation in light of Trump’s recent battle with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, Nowrasteh cited studies stating immigrants commit crimes at lower rates than American citizens. He also said immigrants See Debate on page 10
Frank Wilson, University Senate Council president, at a council meeting last February. | TPN FILE PHOTO
Madeline Gavatorta Staff Writer The University Senate Council kicked off its first meeting of the academic year in room 2700 of Posvar Hall by condemning the hatred that occurred in front of Litchfield Towers this past week. “[A university is] fundamentally a community where everyone has the right to belong to that community and fully participate in it,” Chancellor Patrick Gallagher said on Wednesday. The protests took place on Monday when a small group of protesters — part of the Philadelphia-based “Christian Interviews” group — arrived on Pitt’s campus, brandishing signs with phrases such as “homos go to hell.” In response, more than 200 Pitt students showed up to counterprotest, sporting rainbow flags and
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handmade signs. After the Chancellor’s opening remarks, the University Senate Council meeting proceeded with additional reports from Senate President Frank Wilson, Student Government Board President Max Kneis and other members of the council. Similar to the Chancellor’s speech, issues of diversity, inclusion and free speech arose in Wilson’s report. Among the initiatives mentioned, Wilson said the Equity, Inclusion and Anti-discrimination Advocacy Committee created a set of principles called the “Pitt Principles,” which include free expression, pursuit of knowledge, diversity and inclusion, public service and shared governance. There will be a series of open forums for the public to hear, discuss and debate these See Senate on page 10
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Accessibility, pg. 1 Stemmler, who works at Pitt as a fiscal administrator in the Department of Infectious Disease and Microbiology, also takes issue with the position of the bike lane in front of the Cathedral — which eliminated all curbside parking spots overnight. “Sometimes it’s the difference between being able to get to a meeting or classes,” Stemmler said. “One night they were just removed — painted over.” Members of Accessible Pittsburgh quickly alerted the Department of Mobility and Infrastructure, making phone calls and even sending emails to Mayor Bill Peduto. “There was a lot of pushback,” Stemmler said. “We literally found out they took out the spaces when we got to work the next morning.” The Department of Mobility and Infrastructure responded by adding back three spots — only one of which is ADA compliant. Only one can accommodate vehicles with a wheelchair lift due to the curve in the road making spots farther down slimmer than the regulation 5 feet.
Protesters gathered outside of the Cathedral Wednesday afternoon. Christian Snyder | CONTRIBUTING EDITOR “We raised hell with them, and they put back a couple,” Stein said. Aside from the bike lanes and altered bus stops, members of Accessible Pittsburgh are also trying to educate the community on the One Step program,
an initiative which requires businesses in Pittsburgh to eliminate steps in their storefront entrance — an obvious barrier to people with disabilities. Stemmler said this limits food options for people with disabilities, push-
ing them to eat whatever is accessible — often at fast food restaurants like McDonald’s. “Could maybe the business being accessible be part of that health impact on disabled people?” Stemmler said. To solve these problems, members of Accessible Pittsburgh who attended the rally were eager to distribute flyers and promote change by informing community members. A committee member on the Consumer Health Coalition, Libby Powers, 29, from Sewickley said spreading information about the effects of the BRT project was the main goal of the rally. “The signatures are great, but voices are greater,” Powers said. The ultimate goal for the Accessible Pittsburgh group is to be included in the decision-making process before programs are put in place that have detrimental effects to people with disabilities. “It brings fulfillment, happiness, and a sense of autonomy for people with disabilities to do things that every person can do,” Powers said. “All we want is an invitation to the table.”
The Pitt News SuDoku 9/21/17 courtesy of dailysudoku.com
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Opinions from the editorial board
column
Graham-Cassidy plan ruins progress, instills division On one side of the aisle, U.S. lawmakers are tackling the issue of health care with the broadest strokes possible by introducing a constitutional amendment that affirms access to health care as a basic human right. On the other side of the aisle, Republicans are attempting to repeal and replace former President Barack Obama’s health care law one last time before the end of September. The end of the month also brings the end of both the fiscal year and the procedural window that would allow a health care bill to pass with only a simple majority. But the latest bill — named after its writers Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) — is a disaster that would harm millions, and its sponsors should be ashamed. The Graham-Cassidy bill isn’t the GOP’s first attempt at repealing and replacing “Obamacare.” The House tried, the Senate tried and Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) even tried to repeal parts of the bill without replacing it. But no bill has taken such drastic measures as Graham-Cassidy, which would eliminate “Obamacare” and instead issue block grants to all 50 states. What this means is that each state would then need to decide how to handle insurance — including whether or not to expand Medicaid and deciding which treatments would be covered. States would no longer be required to subsidize health care for low- and middle-income citizens, as “Obamacare” now requires. For some states, this could be the pathway to more universal health care and better coverage for all. But for many states — particularly red ones — the re-
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sult could be disastrous. The bill was introduced as a way to redistribute what Graham saw as an unfair distribution of money to Democratic states. But the states he’s considering, such as New York and California, received more funding under “Obamacare” because they complied with Medicare expansions. While states like New York and California would be able to use their block grants to provide expanded care, states such as Texas, that lost funding under “Obamacare,” could use their grants inefficiently, which could lead to massive legal confrontations in all 50 states. This means that the minimum benefits of “Obamacare,” such as prescription drugs, pre- and post-natal care and mental health care, will no longer be the standard — they could become the premium exception. In the end, it’s up to states to decide, but some GOP politicians have already shown signs of wanting to eliminate some of these standards. Beside starting an ideological battle among the states, the plan is projected to cut funding to states by a total of $41 billion by 2027. The Congressional Budget Office doesn’t have time to analyze the proposal, but some predict it could leave more than 32 million Americans uninsured. Much like how Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-VT) Medicare for All plan distracts from more urgent issues at hand, the Graham-Cassidy bill is an example of partisan politics failing to acknowledge Americans’ daily struggle. Congress hasn’t hesitated to reject health care proposals in the past — and for once, it’d be the right thing to do.
THE BLAME GAME: TRUMP’S SIMPLE YET DIVISIVE RHETORIC
Vaibhavi Patria For The Pitt News
In his mind, President Donald Trump can never go wrong — his actions are justified, his words are nothing but the truth and his band of followers is loyal and evergrowing. And when he’s not praising himself, he’s shifting the blame to others. “I inherited a mess, it’s a mess at home and abroad. A mess,” he said during a press conference in February. Particularly when Trump faces scrutiny, he uses his rhetoric to shift the blame to anyone else — a tactic that was evident even before he was elected. A few weeks before the election in November, Trump said he believed Hillary Clinton was “the most corrupt person ever to seek the office of the presidency.” And often at his speeches, this was the extent of the content. He regularly failed to present feasible solutions for controversial issues such as immigration, gun control or health care. Instead, he merely stoked anger toward whomever he could easily blame. Trade issues existed because former President Barack Obama was “one of the most incompetent negotiators on everything.” Our foreign policy was weak because Obama was “the founder of ISIS.” I’ve taken to calling this the blame game. One of the most prominent examples of this is Trump’s persistent campaign against the media, which he believes reports fake news regarding the Russian investigation. “It is my opinion that many of the leaks
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coming out of the White House are fabricated lies made up by the #FakeNews media,” he tweeted in May. But now, it’s increasingly clear this was far from fake news — the Senate investigation into his involvement with Russia verified the leaks and proved extensive communication and alliance between Trump and Russia. What this shows is that his tweets are an effort to evade the consequences of his possible collusion. But the blame does not merely stop there. Time and time again Trump criticized former President Obama for leaving the state of the country a mess, despite the improving economy and falling unemployment rates that Trump inherited. By condemning his predecessor, Trump merely appeals to an audience who disapproves of Obama rather than an audience that approves of his own actions. Trump definitely plays the blame game when it comes to immigration. A few weeks ago Trump announced his decision to rescind the Obama-era executive action Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which shields young undocumented immigrants, or Dreamers, from deportation provided they pursue education or join the military. Rescinding DACA may end up directly affecting over 800,000 people. But of course, the plan has a caveat — Trump tweeted that “Congress now has six months to legalize DACA (something the Obama Administration was unable to do).” See Patria on page 5
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Patria, pg. 4
Raka Sarkar| STAFF ILLUSTRATOR
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There’s a calculated reason he made this tweet. Now, if DACA fails to be legalized in Congress, the blame doesn’t fall on him. Trump has taken every chance he can to blame the broken immigration system and his inhumane decision to repeal DACA on a Congress that hasn’t been able to fix much yet. Through his numerous attempts at making everyone but himself look responsible for various issues, we as a nation appear disorganized and weak — we lack the communication and collaboration needed to foster successful policy making, along with the diplomacy needed to harbor crucial relationships with our allies. In fact, Trump’s rhetoric has come to such an extreme that he is now a laughingstock for many nations. At his recent speech to the United Nations, Trump
made a series of outrageous remarks that were each met with stony silence and an abundance of criticism from the media. The Washington Post described Trump as making “himself sound simultaneously weak and bellicose with such bluster.” This does not bode well for our nation. Our image has already been greatly diminished in the few months that Trump has been in power. If our allies stop taking us seriously, then what will happen with countries such as China and North Korea? What will happen to trade deals and communication with various nations? What will happen to our reliability and values? Failure to change his rhetoric will lead Donald Trump down a dark path — and he’s sure to take the country with him. It’s high time our president realizes the importance of responsibility and diplomacy, rather than childishly lashing out at every critic coming his way. He must consider the nature of his language and its impact not only on his presidency, but also on the nation in its entirety. Now more than ever we need responsible, decisive leadership — and that must start with our president.
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Culture F E M: F
n e m r e w o p m E d n a y t i l E qu a
eminism has become a buzzword, and along with the attention comes stereotypes — that feminists are crazy man-haters and women who don’t shave their legs or armpits. Here on Pitt’s campus, The Female Empowerment Movement, or FEM for short, aims to break these stereotypes and bring feminism back to what it’s intended for — inclusion and equality. Founded last fall by recent Pitt graduate Juliette Rihl, FEM defines itself as an organization designed to give women in the Pitt community
Rachel Lombardo | For The Pitt News
the knowledge and tools necessary to be empowered in their everyday lives through events and meetings. On campus, the group can be found advocating healthy relationships and safe sex, informing students about the University’s women’s health services in Towers Lobby and creating a dialogue about the wage gap and other issues revolving around women’s rights. Chelsea Rader, the secretary of FEM and a junior political science and urban studies major, said FEM exists for people who don’t identify
with “radical feminism.” She said the club rather focuses on intersectional feminism by creating a space for both men and women of various backgrounds to celebrate and empower women. “I don’t think one feminist organization can be representative of the entire female population or female supporter population,” Rader said. Together, the members of FEM work to create a dialogue about feminism through hosting viewing parties for films like “Miss Representation” — a documentary about the history of feminism — events such as Sundaes with FEM
and panels on intersectionality and sex and reproductive health. By creating a dialogue within themselves, they hope to carry a positive feminist outlook to the student body. “A big part of FEM is having a really great connection and network of strong women,” Rader said. The members of FEM come from a wide range of disciplines and other campus organizations, which Rader marks as one of the best aspects of the organization. And Rader emphasizes that the little things FEM does — like designing their shirts to be long-sleeved so Muslim women can wear them as well — make the organization inclusive. “It’s important that we move beyond just saying that we’re feminist, and move to action or to be productive in what we’re doing as females to make sure we’re on equal playing fields,” Rader said. Founding member and current President of FEM Aya Shehata, a junior studying sociology, See FEM on page 7
GALLERY CRAWLING through the CITY
Emma Maurice Staff Writer
David Spriggs’ installation, “Gold,” was on the Gallery Crawl in January, 2017. Caroline Bourque | CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
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For one night every season throughout the year, the streets of downtown Pittsburgh teem with artistic events, music and art fanatics. A free and public event since 2004, the quarterly Gallery Crawl yields nearly 30,000 visitors annually and showcases art, music and entertainment throughout downtown Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust produces the Crawl, which is held in the Cultural District Downtown and scheduled to take place on Friday, Sept. 22, from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. The Gallery Crawl spans over 14 blocks and maps out dozens of galleries, stages and storefronts for the public to peruse. This extensive event only allows those working behind-the-scenes a mere three
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months to organize and plan the Gallery Crawl in its entirety. Previous Program Manager and Curator of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Marqui Lyons said preparing for the Crawl is an ongoing process and that the planning never seems to stop. “There is a Crawl every three months, so once one the Gallery Crawl has ended, the planning for the next one starts right away,” Lyons said. Every Gallery Crawl includes many venues that take careful planning to coordinate — new visual art exhibits at Wood Street Galleries and SPACE Gallery, live music at Agnes R. Katz Plaza and ballet performances at Trust Arts Education Center. “[The Crawl] involves planning and coordinating artistic programming for nearly See Crawl on page 7
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FEM, pg. 6 psychology and chemistry, said FEM was an organic step for her to take in her involvement on campus. “My mom raised me to be a very strong, independent person,” Shehata said. “And she just instilled that kind of tenacity in me.” When the organization first started, Shehata was invited to join and she enthusiastically agreed, ready to bring what her mother instilled in her to campus to empower other women.
Crawl, pg. 6 30 venues,” Lyons said. From booking the artists in advanced to making sure their designated space will accommodate their needs, Lyons said the preparation takes a lot of work. And according to Amy Staggs, the curatorial assistant for the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, preparation within Wood Street Galleries takes up to two years. “We have a regular gallery schedule that we begin booking years in advance,” Staggs said. “We select artists that we think the public would appreciate and enjoy and that we know would fit well in our particular gallery spaces.” The Wood Street Galleries, which sits above the Wood Street “T” stop, will preview four kinetic light installations by the Dutch art collective Macular for this Friday’s Crawl. Staggs estimates about 2,000 people will attend the gallery for the opening of the Macular installations and as many as 10,000 will visit after the opening to view each exhibit. “It is an exceptional gallery presenting
exhibitions of international caliber that no other gallery in the community presents,” Staggs said. Sarah Gilmer, program coordinator for the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, has been part of the organizational process for this Gallery Crawl since the beginning. “The Crawl provides a unique look at what’s happening in our city and allows us to come together to influence what it could look like tomorrow,” Gilmer said. Because each Crawl yields new artists, entertainers and performers — all appealing to diverse interests — Gilmer said to expect to see a side of the city that you haven’t before. “The hope is that people of Pittsburgh and those visiting will come to the Cultural District and be confronted with unique visual art, music, dance, film, etc., from both local and international artists,” Lyons said. Lyons said the Crawl is also an opportunity to network and meet new people with similar interests. “It really is a special night where you can see Downtown transform and the street fill up with so many different people who are interested in the arts and what the Crawl has to offer.”
The Pitt news crossword 9/21/17
Abigail Katz | STAFF ILLUSTRATOR
Shehata said the experiences that the club has provided her with help her merge her career goals with her passion for feminism. “If you’d ask me what’s the one thing in college that helped me grow as a person and find my calling […], I would say that it’s FEM and the people that I met through FEM,” Shehata said. Shehata, using the tools and experiences she has gained from FEM, hopes to enroll in medical school and focus on women’s health in her career. Sydney Harper, a 2017 Pitt graduate, carried her experiences with FEM into her current job at a PR office — a predominantly female office. “There are some truly fantastic individuals in [FEM] who are killing the game, and to get the chance to plan, brainstorm and work with them has shown me that it’s important to bring that energy to every space you’re in,” Harper said in an email. This energy and enthusiasm for the feminist movement drives FEM to host events that continue to inspire women both at Pitt and beyond. “There’s always empowerment to be done, and FEM was a great group with whom to launch what will hopefully be a lifetime of work on it,” Harper said.
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Sports
Power Rankings week 3 online
MEN WELCOME:
club field hockey encourages coed participation
Brett Andrews (left) and Nikhil Khongbantabam (right) practice at the Pitt Sports Dome Monday evening. Sarah Cutshall |STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Grant Burgman Staff Writer
E
very now and then you’ll read a story about a high school woman joining the football or baseball team. It’s a feat that defies gender norms and expectations. But rarely do you hear the opposite. In field hockey, a sport dominated by women, scenarios for men to join don’t present themselves often — at least not in America. In other countries, such as India, the sport isn’t dominated by one gender. First-year neuroscience major Nikhil Khongbantabam is a foreign transfer student from India, and one of only two male players on the Pitt club field hockey team. “Field hockey was the first sport I started, and it’s actually very popular in
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India,” Khongbantabam said. “I played on an all-guys team. It was so popular over there that there was actually two teams for guys and two teams for girls in [my] high school.” Practices with the Pitt team are much different for Khongbantabam. They practice at the Pitt Sports Dome, running plays and drills in two large groups. Scanning the field, it’s hard to miss Khongbantabam — his short haircut stands out against the women’s long hair as they run down the field. Khongbantabam knew there were far more women than men playing the sport in America, but he was not entirely prepared for the disparity between the genders. “I found out from [one of my friends] that coed teams are mostly dominated by females in America,” he said. “So I knew what was coming, but I didn’t know how
many girls would be there. I didn’t know it would be this dominated so I was a little overwhelmed coming over.” Khongbantabam’s only other male teammate is Brett Andrews, a member of the Pitt research faculty for physics and astronomy. Andrews has been with the team for the last three years and says the low number of male players is not something exclusive to Pitt’s team. The same disparity exists on club teams at other universities registered with the NFHL, the governing body for U.S. collegiate club field hockey. “Often with club teams it’s one or two guys,” Andrews said. “At nationals I think there was a limit to how many guys you could have on the field. I think it was two.” The rule Andrews is referencing to is the NFHL’s “up two” rule. The rule states both teams must meet before the game
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to confirm how many male players they each have. The team with more male players is only allowed to play up to two more male players than the other team. In Andrews’ three years with the club, there have never been more than four men on the team. Most of the male players he’s played with were international students from Belgium and India. He said he thinks this is because of the lack of field hockey promotion in America — even he didn’t start playing until he was in graduate school when his wife, who played Division 1 field hockey for Yale, taught him. He noted it’s particularly hard to find male players in Pennsylvania because of a “mixed-gender” rule passed in 2014. Under this rule, women’s high school teams can’t have men on the roster unless certain criteria are met. This includes that See Field Hockey on page 9
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Field Hockey, pg. 8 a man cannot play for the women’s team if the school has a men’s team. Because most schools don’t have men’s teams, the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association doesn’t even list field hockey as a men’s sport. The rule also states that in cases where there is only a girls’ team, the principal determines whether or not a boy can play. In that case, the principal cannot allow the boy to play if the boy would displace a girl already on the team, provide a competitive advantage or pose an increased risk of injury to other players. Andrews noticed that the ruling has significantly thinned the pool of talented male field hockey players, which has a direct impact on the team. “If your talent pool of high school boys isn’t playing high school field hockey because they can’t, then it’s going to be hard to have guys coming in and playing at the college level,” Andrews said. This lack of experience with the sport makes it difficult for men to pick it up once they get to college. Junior social work major Abby Frazer has been on the
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team for two years, and said most men don’t even know playing is an option. “Most guys don’t really want to play field hockey or don’t know they can play field hockey,” Frazier said. “We play at a relatively high level, so it’s hard for beginners to kind of come in and join.” All throughout practice, the team calls out plays and slings passes across the field with ease. They showcase skill and play at a speed that requires an intense level of practice. Even though most men joining would be beginners, Frazier made it clear that the club welcomes male participation. “I think since most guys don’t play field hockey, it’s hard to get them to join,” she said. “Everybody thinks it’s really cool to have guys on the team so we really embrace it.” Andrews has always felt accepted during his tenure with the team. There is no conflict with him being a man on a team of mostly women. “I think that we’re very much treated as a member of the team,” Andrews said. “I’ve been very pleased with how we’ve recruited guys and girls. We’ve got a lot of talent coming in each year.”
Khongbantabam’s previous experience may only be with all-men’s teams, but he says he’s impressed by his teammates’ abilities and play. He also sees the value in getting more male players involved in field hockey, but not because of any skill differences between genders. “Skill comes first whether you’re male or female,” he said. “These girls are really fit themselves. It’s more about when you have a greater pool of players to select
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from, like when you include males, you have a greater chance of getting better players.” Frazier offered reassurance to male players that want to join Andrews and Khongbantabam, but might feel hesitant about joining such a women-dominated sport. “We promote ourselves as a coed team,” she said. “We have extra sticks and stuff so we’ll take anyone we can get.”
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Debate, pg.2
Senate, pg.2
are usually not a financial drain on the country because they do not benefit from social services for their first five years in the country. Von Spakovsky came back at Nowrasteh, arguing that any crime committed by an undocumented immigrant is too much. Von Spakovsky tried to spar with Nowrasteh’s data analysis, pointing out that the policies on sanctuary cities allow undocumented immigrants to get off scot-free after committing a crime because they don’t need to be turned over to the federal government. He included the case of Kathryn Steinle, a young woman shot in San Francisco by an undocumented immigrant. “[Kathryn Steinle] would be alive today if it weren’t for the sanctuary policy of San Francisco,” he said. Casey Madden, a first-year graduate student in the school of public health and a self-identified anarchist, was among those who protested the debate. “They aren’t arguing immigration, they are arguing how best to exploit, really, just people who are coming from South America [...] This is absolutely an issue of race,” Madden said. Although there was disagreement on the debate floor, both speakers, organizers and the moderator agreed on one thing — that protesters had no place at a debate. Marlo Safi, president of College Republicans at Pitt and the organizer of the debate, was glad the University was able to host a conservative event. “This is what academia is about,” Safi said. Marlo Safi used to write for the opinions desk at The Pitt News.
principles. The first forum is scheduled after the Faculty Assembly meeting Oct. 10 in room 2500 of Posvar Hall at 4:30 p.m. “The University of Pittsburgh is committed to the vigorous protection of free expression and onto the highest standards of academic freedom,” Wilson said. Graduate Student Representative Amber Griffith touched on additional issues related to diversity and inclusion. Pitt scored 4.5 out of 5 on the Campus Pride Index created by the national nonprofit Campus Pride. They rank universities on LGBTQ+ friendliness based on campus safety, health and counseling, academic life and recruitment and retention efforts. “Generally, the Arts and Sciences graduate students responded positively to questions about diversity and inclusion,” Griffith said. “Graduate students feel that their departments are welcoming and safe spaces where people can openly exchange ideas.” But the survey also revealed nega-
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tive feedback, showing that graduate students believe there are barriers in receiving professional, financial and academic help. Non-white students also reported seeing and hearing more offensive behaviors and language than white students reported. Other council members reported on the progress of their individual organizations. Christopher Staten, a secondyear MBA student and president of the Graduate and Professional Student Government, said a survey revealed many graduate students do not know what GPSG is and what it can offer them. “So we hit the streets, we kind of got down in the weeds and we had a campus wide tour,” Staten said. The council also reviewed and unanimously passed a single motion at the end of the meeting to create a new standing committee on faculty affairs. The committee will drive the policies and procedures pertaining to faculty affairs, including faculty development — such as leaves, travel allowances, internal grants — and faculty performance, including contracts, annual evaluations and compensation.
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After the meeting, Gallagher answered questions regarding Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. “We’re very concerned over the decision to undermine the DACA program,” Gallagher said. He said measures are being taken to call and email students about the situation through the Student Affairs office. He also said a conversation with other universities is in the works about ways to help and show their support. Provost Patricia Beeson also responded to questions after the meeting and relayed her reasoning for opposing a graduate union. She said graduate students’ engagement in research and in the classroom is an integral part of their training as students. “Treating the training as if it were not training could be detrimental to the relationships and not in the best interest of the students and the University,” Beeson said. “It’s turning something I think of as a mentoring relationship and a relationship focused on education and training into one that is an employee-employer relationship, which is very different.”
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Rentals & Sublet • NORTH OAKLAND • SOUTH OAKLAND • SHADYSIDE • SQUIRREL HILL • SOUTHSIDE • NORTHSIDE • BLOOMFIELD • ROOMMATES • OTHER
For Rent North Oakland 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 Bedrooom Houses. August 2018. Bouquet St, Meyran, Semple, Neville, Chesterfield. 412-287-5712. 3,4,6 houses available now. Lawn St. Ward St. Call 412-287-5712.
South Oakland 3BR house Orpwood St., 2 kitchens, 2 laundries. $900/mo. + utilities. 412-477-1992 4 BR. House for rent. Ideal for 3 students. 2 car indoor garage and 2 outdoor parking spaces. Large living room and dining room. Kitchen with new countertop. Two bathrooms. Convenient location, close to law school and Cathedral of Learning. Call 724-328-1133. House for Rent. Beautiful 3-BR newly renovated-Allequippa Street. Close to Peterson Center & Pitt Dental School. Equipped kitchen, new carpeting, washer/dryer, 2 bathrooms, full basement, fenced-in back yard, security system. Looking for 3 students to share/or single family. Discount on first
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month’s rent. Security deposit required. Students require adult co-sign. Available immediately, $1600+ all utilities. No pets. For more information, please call 412-303-5043. Email: dtm1003@comcast. net.
Squirrel Hill 3 BR. house, 1 bathroom, living room, dining room, eat-in kitchen, basement, garage, and porch. All kitchen appliances, washer/dryer, and central air included. $1550 a month plus utilities. Available October 1st. Please call BEFORE 7PM anyday of the week 412-421-7548. Professors or medical residents only please. 3 BR., 2 Bath. Second floor, painted and renovated, large kitchen, dining room, living room, den, hardwood floors, basement, new washer/dryer, two car garage. Located near CMU, Pitt, Schenley, and Sq Hill Shopping District. Near bus stop. No pets. No smoking. Will consider lease of 6 months or greater. $1695/month plus utilities. Call Ray 412-523-2971 or email rwiener602@ gmail.com
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For sale
• AUTO • BIKES • BOOKS • MERCHANDISE • FURNITURE • REAL ESTATE • PETS
services
• EDUCATIONAL • TRAVEL • HEALTH • PARKING • INSURANCE
Southside SOUTHSIDE FLATS 2br house central air, dining room, extra room $900+ Mike 412-708-1695
Rental Other 1,2,3,4 BR. Apartments, prices range from $450-$750 per person. Some include utilities, some you have to pay. Call Jarrad 814-403-2798 3 bedroom house 3 miles from campus. $1000. 412-225-8723. HOUSE for rent Mt. Washington. 4BR, 2BA, newly renovated, A/C, carpet, tile, and hardwood floors. Appliances including washer/ dryer. Front/back porches. Garage. Near bus. Great location. $1100+ utilities. 412-882-3845.
Employment Employment Other AAA EAST CENTRAL is looking for energetic, driven, and talented individuals to join our Emergency Road Service team at our East Liberty location, 5900 Baum Boulevard. We are looking for Full Time Phone Counselors. Candidates must be computer proficient and available to work
notices
• ADOPTION • EVENTS • LOST AND FOUND • STUDENT GROUPS • WANTED • OTHER
evenings, weekends and holidays. The salary range is $10.95 to $14.60 based on call center experience. Link to apply: https://acecareers. taleo.net/careersection/2/jobdetail.ftl?job=16304&lang=en&sns_id=mailto#. WZ3mx0GNJXs. mailto Direct Service Professional for Residential Program for adults with intellectual disabilities in South Hills. Flexible hours, PT, FT, benefits. No experience needed-we train. 18+ and PA driver’s license needed. EOE. Email questions/resume to loril@southwindsinc. org NOW HIRING Looking for fun, part-time employment with flexible scheduling, working concerts, NFL/NCAA football and other major events in and around Pittsburgh? Contact Landmark Event Staffing @ 412-321-2707. Pamela’s Diner looking for part-time line cook and dishwashers. Daylight hours. Must have weekend availability. Apply in person in Squirrel Hill, Shadyside, The Strip, & Mt. Lebanon. The Pop Stop Snack Bar at Children’s Hospital is located in the main hospital, Floor 3b, 4401 Penn Ave.
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Deadline:
Two business days prior by 3pm | Email: advertising@pittnews.com | Phone: 412.648.7978
We feature an extensive menu, including gourmet coffees, pastries, sandwiches, salads, desserts and more. Looking to add members to our team, training part time and the possibility to take on more hours. Someone with prior coffee experience and customer service skills is preferred. Willingness and ability to work in a team environment and multi-task while keeping our guests the no. 1 priority is essential in this position. Duties include cleaning, stocking, sandwich building at deli, drink making at espresso bar, milkshakes, customer service, cash register, and more. Will be training for a closing position (we close at 4pm Mon-Fri, closed for weekends) All candidates may be subject to mandatory drug testing and be able to obtain Act 33/34 clearances. If this sounds right for you and you are interested in applying for the position, please attach a copy of your resume as well as a brief paragraph stating your interest in the position. Potential candidates can also stop by in person to fill out an application. popstopchp@gmail. com. No phone calls, please. Wanted, part-time delivery driver. Daylight hours, flexible schedule. Must have valid driver’s license. 412-425-6177.
September 21, 2017
For Sale
Parking
Notices
For Sale Other
Residential parking available. Dawson street. Please call 412-682-6976. Teris Parking
Events
Instant cash paid for: baseball cards, sports cards. Game used sports items. Bats. Gloves. Jerseys. Goudey sports cards. Antiques. Gold. Silver. Coins. Diamonds. Watches. Paper money. Old toys. Trains. Comic books. Huge collections. Entire estates. We will pick up and pay CASH! Call Scott at (513) 295-5634.
Services Educational Phlebotomy Training Centerwww. justphlebotomy.org 2 evening classes weekly, 5 weeks + excellent Clinicals. Call 412-521-7334. Seeking sophomores for Professional Coaching Services Trial in the Fall 2017 Semester. The service is designed to improve student performance. We are looking for 5-7 students to participate in a semester long free trial, a value of $4,500. Our goal is to help students having difficulty with time management and GPA improve through our coaching. Call 724-544-1490 for more information.
Services Other Flowers are stress relief and smiles. www. alexsflowers.com/ www.alexseastendfloral.com in Shadyside. 412-661-6071 Delivery. Send a smile.
Dr. Morris E. Turner Medical Scholarship For Minority Students $1,500. Deadline date for submission: October 15, 2017. Sponsored by the Highland Park Tennis Club (HPTC). Please go to www. hptc.info, look under “Events” for details.
REACH YOUR FULLEST POTENTIAL Improve strength, flexibility, coordination, mood, concentration and energy level. OOM YUNG DOE teaches 8 Martial Arts styles as one. 2014 Murray Avenue Squirrel Hill 412-421-7311. https://www. martial-arts-pittsburgh.com. Facebook: OomYungDoe-Pittsburgh. WOMEN – Improve your safety, strength and confidence! Self-Defense class October 1-22 (four Sundays) 10am – noon at Falk School. $120, financial assistance available. Registration limited. LionessMartialArts. com or 412-241-6519
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September 21, 2017
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