Last Lecture Co-Author Jeff Zaslow Dies in Car Accident Budget Deficit
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HOUSING GUIDE 2012 2012 Housing Special: Women’s tennis sweeps Lunar Gala showcases Section C Slippery Rock 9–0 • A9 student fashion lines • B8 SPORTS PILLBOX INSIDE: What’s new for 2012–13? [C3] thetartan.org Room selection explained [C4] @thetartan Your guide to 2012 housing options [C6–13] February 13, 2012 Volume 106, Issue 18 Carnegie Mellon’s student newspaper since 1906 Last Lecture co-author Jeff Zaslow dies in car accident BRENT HEARD Carnegie Mellon, met Zaslow Giffords and her husband on tion for many people around feature for the Chicago Sun- Staffwriter while he was a student. their memoir, Gabby: A Story the world and his journalistic Times. “Zaslow was a very bright of Courage and Hope. life has been a source of inspi- Zaslow also made numer- Friday morning, Carnegie young man,” Witchner said. “I Other notable works of ration for all journalists.” ous media appearances, on Mellon alumnus (HS ’80) and knew he would do well.” Zaslow’s include Highest Duty, Zaslow began his career programs such as 60 Min- The Last Lecture co-author Jef- Zasow returned to Carn- a book co-written with Cap- writing for the Orlando utes, The Tonight Show, The frey Zaslow died at age 53 due egie Mellon for orientation tain Chesley Sullenberger, the Sentinel’s magazine section. Today Show, Oprah, Larry to injuries he sustained in a every year after he wrote The pilot who landed U.S. Airways He then took a position as a King Live, and Good Morning car accident. Zaslow lost con- Last Lecture, and also spoke at Flight 1549 in the Hudson Riv- staff writer at the Wall Street America. trol of his vehicle on a snowy Homecoming events and oth- er in January 2009. Journal and, after winning a Zaslow is survived by road in northern Michigan. er functions. Zaslow’s final book, The competition to replace writer his wife, Sherry Zaslow, a Philadelphia na- Witchner recalled that Magic Room: A Story About the Ann Landers, published Margolis, and his tive, graduated from Carnegie Zaslow would always stay Love We Wish for Our Daugh- a front page three daughters: Mellon with a creative writing for book signings after his ters, was released in January Jordan, Alex, degree. He was a member of speeches, and never left until of this year. and Eden. the Pi Lambda Phi fraternity, every single person’s copy was Zaslow was twice and served as editor-in-chief signed. named “best columnist” of The Tartan. “He had a total understand- by the National Society of After Zaslow attended the ing of the human condition, Newspaper Columnists, and final lecture of late Carnegie and was a very down-to-earth received the Will Rogers Hu- Mellon computer science pro- person who saw the world in a manitarian Award in 2000. fessor Randy Pausch, “Re- very sensible way,” Witchner According to a statement ally Achieving Your Childhood said. Wall Street Journal editor Rob- Dreams,” he wrote an article Zaslow was also a consis- ert Thomson made to the pa- on the subject for the Wall tent contributor to the Wall per’s staff, “Jeff’s writing, for Street Journal. He then Zaslow Street Journal, as well as the the Journal and in his books, began working on The Last author of numerous nonfic- has been a source of inspira- Lecture with Pausch. Zaslow tion books, such as The Girls soon befriended Pausch, who from Ames. He collabo- was suffering from terminal rated with Rep. Gabrielle pancreatic cancer. The Last Lecture was a hit. It became a New York Times bestseller in 2008 and has been translated into 48 lan- guages, selling more than Photos from The Thistle and The Tartan archives 5 million copies in the U.S. alone. The book propelled Pausch and, to a degree, Zaslow into From left to right: The Tartan’s masthead during Zaslow’s the national spotlight. tenure as editor-in-chief; the staff of The Tartan (Zaslow: back row); Anne Witchner, former di- a Tartan article written by Zaslow; a group photo of Pi Lambda Phi rector of student activities at (Zaslow: second row, second from right); Zaslow’s yearbook photo. Budget deficit threatens bus service Governor slashes MADELYN GLYMOUR ity scaled back services by an- “My top priorities are safety Pharos said, are ridership News Editor other 15 percent, eliminating and consistency, so all stu- levels, the presence of other 29 routes and reducing ser- dents can do what they need transportation options in the state college fund This year, proposed Port vice on another 37 routes. Bus to do,” Meyers said. area, and operating costs. BRENT HEARD numerous social welfare Authority service cuts could fare has also been increased The planned service reduc- But Pharos said that all ar- Staffwriter programs while maintaining affect many Carnegie Mellon several times since 2001. tion is not, however, a fore- eas would be affected by the funding for correctional fa- students and others affiliated The steady decrease in gone conclusion. Announced proposed cuts. “There’s really Tom Corbett, the governor cilities — something which with the university. On Jan. available bus service has route eliminations have been no fat to trim in the route sys- of Pennsylvania, unveiled his hasn’t happened in the last 18, the Port Authority Plan- changed the way that Carne- scaled back in the past. For tem,” Pharos said. “There are new 2012–13 budget to the 10 years. ning and Development Com- gie Mellon students travel. Ac- instance, the 15 percent ser- no easy decisions to make. public last Tuesday, revealing Despite the reduction in mittee introduced a fare in- cording to Lieutenant Joseph vice reduction in 2007 was While we are proposing the heavy funding cuts to state the higher education budget, crease and service reduction Meyers of the University Po- planned and announced as a elimination of probably about universities. this proposal is meant to proposal, which would cut lice, Carnegie Mellon shuttles 35 percent reduction. How- half of our routes, there isn’t a Speaking to the Penn- shelter public schools from current service hours by 35 and escort buses gave 40,000 ever, former Pennsylvania single route that wouldn’t see sylvania General Assembly, any more funding cuts, percent, effective Sept. 2. A more rides in 2011 than they Governer Ed Rendell granted a reduction.” Corbett’s address outlined and will not raise taxes for fare increase, effective July 1, did in 2009. Meyers, who the Port Authority a one-time According to Pharos, one his proposed budget for the Pennsylvanians. would accompany the service oversees transportation for emergency fund of $45 mil- of the effects of the service coming year. He said, “We In his speech, Corbett changes. The service changes the University Police, said that lion dollars. This money al- reduction would be a severe will not spend more than we called the proposal “a budget have been proposed as a re- he believes the increased rid- lowed the Port Authority to drop in nighttime service. have.” grounded in difficult realities sponse to the Port Authority’s ership was due to the recently retain more routes. But the Only 12 routes would contin- The $27.1 billion state $64 million budget deficit. expanded reach of the shuttle $45 million dollars has run ue to run after 10 p.m. Among budget also cut funding to See BUDGET, A3 The Port Authority has routes, along with Port Au- out now, and the Port Author- them would be the 61B and been cutting service for sev- thority cuts. ity once again faces major ser- the 86. eral years. According to Port Meyers said that if addi- vice cuts. In addition, Pharos said, Authority data, in 2007, bus tional routes were necessary According to Heather Phar- the Port Authority would have services were cut by 15 per- for the Carnegie Mellon shut- os, a Port Authority spokes- to lay off several hundred cent and over 250 Port Au- tles, they would be added, person, the Port Authority employees. thority employees were laid but only after more research considers several factors when Pharos said that the Port off due to budget shortfalls. In and information was obtained deciding how and where to Authority has entered what March 2011, the Port Author- about the Port Authority cuts. reduce service. Among them, is known in the mass transit industry as “the death spi- ral,” in which service must be reduced and fares must be raised in order to save money, which in turn reduces profits as ridership drops. She said that this is not a problem that the Port Authority can fix on its own. “We need something that’s a dedicated solution at the state level, and something that deals with inflation,” Pharos said. Such a solution may take some time to come about. Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett’s 2012–13 budget, which he released on Tuesday, does not address mass trans- portation. Carnegie Mellon’s Student Senate has created a petition against the Port Au- thority service cuts at www. stoppatcuts.com, which si- multaneously sends emails to Corbett, the Pennsylvania State House transportation committee, and the signer’s district’s representative, urg- ing them to support Pennsyl- vania House Bill 2112. House Bill 2112 would fund mass transit using mon- ey from tolls gathered on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. A Courtesy of nmarritz on Flickr Governor Corbett’s budget, released on Tuesday, will cut funding to Adelaide Cole/Art Editor See BUS, A3 state universities, including the University of Pittsburgh, by 30 percent. A2 « thetartan.org/news The Tartan » February 13, 2012 CAMPUS NEWS IN BRIEF Statistically CMU Press’ Magpies wins INI creates new program gold medal award in Florida for business, tech students Speaking Magpies, a collection of tion, what is refreshing about Carnegie Mellon’s Infor- short sessions on the Carn- short stories by Lynne Bar- Lynne Barrett is that her sto- mation Networking Institute egie Mellon campus,” INI di- First-edition bundles of Sony’s PlayStation Vita por- rett published by Carnegie ries have honest-to-goodness (INI) will be offering an Ex- rector Dena Haritos Tsamitis table gaming console are shipping to eager gamers this Mellon University Press, has plots.