F E A T U R E I N T H I S I S S U E In the annual ranking of Pitt faculty 100 Days —100 Percent: This and librarian salaries, associate pro- initiative at the Johnstown campus has Career Services staff putting fessor pay shows the biggest change. extra effort into helping recent See pages 6-8. grads find jobs or get into graduate school................................................2 U N I V E R S I T Y Staff leaders on Pitt’s five campuses say they are concerned TIMES about employee morale....................4 VOLUME 41 • NUMBER 20 JUNE 11, 2009 UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH Pitt to buy Concordia Club he trustees’ property and O’Hara Street, Thackeray Street The project is expected to be facilities committee on and University Place. completed by fall 2010. TMonday approved the No specific use for the building • $1.2 million to upgrade the University’s purchase of the Con- has been identified, but Cochran ventilation system in the basement cordia Club as part of some $70 said the club could be another and first floor of the Cathedral of million in construction and reno- venue for large functions such as Learning. The work is necessary vation projects that will include those typically held in the William because existing conditions do not the relocation of Pitt’s mailing Pitt Union’s heavily used Ballroom meet building code standards for services, surplus property, central or Kurtzman Room. outside air requirements. receiving and movers from their The trustees’ committee also The committee also okayed current leased location at the Lex- approved a $3.2 million project a 10-year lease for more than ington Tech Park Warehouse to to renovate 21,300 square feet 144,000 square feet of labora- Pitt’s Thomas Boulevard facility. of space on the ground floor and tory and office space in the new Jerome Cochran, executive 1,650 square feet of space on the Bridgeside Point II building vice chancellor and general coun- basement level of the Thomas on Technology Drive for the sel, said a sales agreement for the Boulevard facility, which will McGowan Institute for Regen- Concordia Club had been signed enable mailing services, surplus erative Medicine, the Department and the University’s due diligence property, central receiving and of Orthopaedic Surgery and the on the property is underway. Clos- the movers to relocate from leased Department of Microbiology and ing is expected by Nov. 30. space, at an annual savings of more Molecular Genetics. The facility is The three-story, 18,000- than $67,000. situated next to Bridgeside Point I, square-foot club, located at 4024 The project is scheduled to be which houses other Pitt research O’Hara Street, is situated on complete in time for employees and office spaces. approximately a one-half acre to move during the University’s The McGowan Institute will site with parking for 25 vehicles. winter recess. move from Bridgeside Point I to Kimberly K. Barlow It includes banquet and meeting The committee also approved a larger space in the new building The 2009 Chancellor’s Affirmative Action Award was pre- rooms, a lobby area and offices. the following projects for the and microbiology and molecu- sented yesterday at Senate Council to the Provost’s advisory Cochran noted that Pitt con- Pittsburgh campus: lar genetics will move from the committee on women’s concerns (PACWC). The award is given annually to the outstanding Pitt program area that, or indi- stantly is seeking strategic real • $32.38 million in renovations Biomedical Science Tower and vidual who, has made a significant contribution in affirmative estate opportunities. The Con- and additions to Chevron Science Bridgeside Point I to consolidate action. The award selection committee recognized the 9-member cordia Club’s location within the Center. Funded by $25 million in in Bridgeside Point II. PACWC “for the role the organization has played in promot- central campus and contiguous state capital funding and $7.38 The Department of Ortho- ing a campus climate in which sexual harassment and dis- to other Pitt properties made it a million in Provost reserves, the paedic Surgery plans to relocate crimination are not tolerated and for steadfastly supporting the recruitment, promotion and retention of female faculty, logical fit for acquisition. Cochran first phase of the project will add its stem cell research center, administrators and staff.” noted that with the exception of the 31,331 square feet of lab/equip- hand research laboratory and Patricia Beeson, vice provost for graduate and undergraduate Bellefield Presbyterian Church, ment space in a three-story addi- new Center for Cellular and studies, who has chaired PACWC since 2004, accepted the award from Chancellor Mark Nordenberg. the University owns the entire tion above Ashe Auditorium. Molecular Engineering to the block bounded by Fifth Avenue, The auditorium lobby and new building. entrance will be renovated and a A 28,753-square-foot facility new vestibule added. Other infra- for rearing animals for research, Pitt names 2 more Distinguished Professors structure upgrades and features managed by the Division of Labo- John R. Beverley, profes- Diego in 1972. aimed at achieving Leadership ratory Animal Resources, will be sor of Hispanic languages and Hendrix joined the Depart- in Energy and Environmental located on the first floor. literatures, and Roger Hendrix, ment of Biological Sciences in Design Silver certification for sus- Cochran said funds are in place professor of biological sciences, 1973 after earning his PhD at tainable construction are planned. for the first five years of the lease, have been named Distinguished Harvard in 1970. Construction is expected to be which begins Oct. 1, 2009. Professors, the highest honor that He co-founded and co-directs complete in 16 months. Two projects at Pitt-Bradford can be accorded to a member of the Pitt-based Bacteriophage • Nearly $27.8 million to were approved: the professorship. Beverley Hendrix Institute, which includes research- develop an Olympic Sports Com- • $2.5 million to upgrade Harvey Borovetz, professor ers and students from around the plex for men’s baseball, women’s electrical service and improve and chair of the Department of on Latin American studies during world working to better under- softball, and men’s and women’s power reliability. The project Bioengineering in the Swanson the 1990s. stand bacteriophages and their soccer. includes installation of power School of Engineering, previously Beverley, who came to Pitt in applications. Located next to current facili- distribution equipment and the had been named Distinguished 1969, also is a faculty associate in In his research, Hendrix ties on the upper campus, the upgrade of infrastructure between Professor. (See May 28 University Pitt’s Center for Latin American investigates the mechanisms complex will feature a two-story the electric utility’s substation and Times.) Studies, the graduate program though which bacteriophages 23,000-square-foot support build- the campus. All three appointments, made in cultural studies and the film — tiny viruses that infect bacteria ing housing restrooms, concession Information provided to the by Chancellor Mark Nordenberg, studies program. His publications — assemble within a bacterium stands, and training and locker- committee stated that Bradford are effective Sept. 1. include about 100 articles and 15 cell prior to traveling to the next room facilities. campus operations have been The rank of Distinguished co-authored or edited books. cell. He also studies the evolution The venues will seat 725 for disrupted by about 25 electrical Professor honors extraordinary, Beverley chaired the Hispanic of viruses by examining the evolu- soccer, 900 for baseball and 600 outages over the past several internationally recognized schol- languages and literatures depart- tion of bacteriophages. for softball. Each will have score- years. arly attainment in an individual ment from 2002 to 2007 and cur- Hendrix received the 2009 boards, press boxes, broadcast- Although Pitt is negotiating discipline or field. rently is associate director of the National Academy of Sciences quality lighting and artificial turf. with Penelec, which supplies Beverley, who also holds International Institute of Latin Award for Scientific Reviewing in The baseball and softball facilities power to the Bradford campus, adjunct appointments in the American Literature, as well as Genetics for his extensive writing will include dugouts, bullpens and to pay for the upgrade, the cost departments of English and co-editor of the University of in academic journals and books batting cages. was approved in order to prevent communication, is considered Pittsburgh Press series “Illumina- about bacteriophage research The project, part of the delays to the project’s start. a pioneer in postcolonial Latin tions: Cultural Formations of the during the last decade. The acad- University’s 12-year facilities plan, • $2.5 million for a multipur- American criticism. He was a Americas.” emy recognized his ability to syn- will be funded by bond proceeds. pose facility and interfaith chapel, founding member of the Latin He earned his PhD from the thesize existing ideas and research Annual operating costs of more funded by gifts to the Bradford American subaltern study group, Department of Literature at the in review articles and journal com- than $2 million are to be covered Educational Foundation. which had a high-profile impact University of California-San mentaries. n by gifts and other reserves. —Kimberly K. Barlow n U N I V E R S I T Y TIMES learned,” she said. There’s no denying that the UPJ gives 100% to recent grads this summer economy isn’t as good and employ- he clock is ticking at Pitt- within the first 24 hours of the whatever students need for a suc- value as a job seeker. ers aren’t hiring as much as in the Johnstown as a summer- program’s announcement, even in cessful job search.