The Pitt News
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The independent student newspaper of the University of Pittsburgh | PIttnews.com | november 15, 2017 | Volume 108 | Issue 69
STUDENT PROTESTERS STAGE SIT-IN Janine Faust
Assistant News Editor A small group of students entered Chancellor Patrick Gallagherâs office Tuesday morning with a letter of 15 demands, including disarming University police. The letter also demanded the University vocally endorse a graduate student union, divest from fossil fuels, install a $15 Pitt-wide minimum wage and freeze tuition. One student protester said Gallagher was not present to receive the letter and Pitt police came to remove the student protesters from the office despite peacefully protesting. According to University spokesperson Joe Miksch, the students were given the option to speak with another senior administrator, but they declined the invitation. After sitting in the middle of a âworking reception area,â Pitt police asked the students to leave, which Miksch said they did âwithout incident.â The students then went to a small enclave on the Cathedralâs second floor. They plan to occupy the space day and night âuntil their demands are metâ or until Friday â when the group plans to protest on Towers Patio. The Towers âoccupationâ will feature speakers from groups such as Pittâs United Students Against Sweatshops chapter and Campus Anti-Fascist Network: Pittsburgh. Protesters said the rally is being held to coincide with the first anniversary of a protest last November against Donald Trump and student debt. Pitt police arrested two people during last yearâs protest after an altercation.
Pitt Blue and Gold Society held an information session last night at Connolly Ballroom in Alumni Hall. Elizabeth Bina (center), vice president of internal affairs, presented to a crowd of interested students Sarah Cutshall STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
PANEL TALKS HOMELESS MENSTRUAL HYGIENE
Anandhini Narayanan Staff Writer
When Pittsburgh City councilwoman Natalia Rudiak received an email from the Department of Public Works â an organization dedicated to maintaining Pittsburghâs infrastructure â about putting pad dispensers in the vicinity of public pools, she had to explain to them why their idea wouldnât work. âI responded, âDo I need to break this down to you? When you are a woman, and going to a swimming pool, the last thing you want is a pad!ââ she said. In an effort to make menstrual products free in the city of Pittsburgh, Rudiak had been in communication with Public
Works in early 2017. Around that time, she had also partnered with SisterFriend, Inc. â a nonprofit organization dedicated to sustaining menstrual health by providing homeless and underprivileged women and girls with menstrual products â to push for greater access to menstrual products in the City. Together with SisterFriend and several other organizations, Rudiak took part in the âHomeless Experiences of Menstruation Film and Panel Discussionâ held Tuesday evening at Pittâs Graduate School of Public Health. The event began with a screening of a short film titled âHomelessness and Menstruation,â which focused on Allison
Victory, a local woman who spent time homeless and experienced domestic violence. Sara Baumann, a behavioral and community health sciences graduate student, directed the documentary, which is the first installment of her new film series, âCycle Series.â The series depicts the many different menstrual experiences of women â Baumann mentioned the next installment would highlight the experience of transgender women. Baumann said she wanted to share the film with the public to help advocate for better resources and more research regarding menstrual hygiene and menstrual See Discussion on page 2