Thoughts of an Oakland Resident

By Carlino Giampolo
August 14, 2020

Chancellor Patrick Gallagher’s COVID-19 policies are like a runaway train on a bridge to nowhere. They only lead to death and suffering. The coronavirus has no boundaries, and such tragedies originating in Oakland can easily spread to other communities throughout Pittsburgh and well beyond.

The University of Pittsburgh should discontinue on-campus classes. All classes should be held online. Students who need to be on campus for laboratory work or other reasons could return next year to fulfill their requirements. The people who will die because of the university’s COVID-19 policies cannot.

There will be 30,000 students attending classes in our 2-square-mile area neighborhood. That’s an elixir for tragedy. (Panther Hollow to Upper Campus is approximately 1 mile, and Craft Avenue to slightly beyond Craig Street is approximately 2 miles.)

Although there are only 23,000 public school students in all the neighborhoods of Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Public School Board rightfully made the policy that students will begin the first nine weeks of classes virtually.

In past years, university administrators have admitted nearly twice as many students from China than they have admitted from the Pittsburgh Promise program. That should not happen in comparison to any other country. The university has continued this unjust policy because enrolling foreign students brings greater profits for the university. The policy should be reversed with Pittsburgh Promise students given the priority.

Our community was not consulted in any discussions of the quarantine policy. This policy was not vetted by the community. We didn’t have a voice at the table. University leaders once again place their needs over our community’s needs.

Questions to the chancellor about the quarantine policy can be viewed at OaklandDignity.com Link 105. The chancellor continues to choose silence by refusing to answer the questions.

When the coronavirus spreads from the students on campus to within our community, and to other communities throughout Pittsburgh, who is responsible? Does the city or the university do the contact tracing?

Who will enforce students’ mask-wearing in our neighborhood? Is the university’s responsibility only when the students are on campus? Will the responsibility be placed on residents to report violations to the Pittsburgh Police?

Other than the honor system, how is our community assured beyond a doubt that students actually quarantined themselves for a 14-day period, either in their own country or state, or even in the homes of students living in the Pittsburgh region?

How many contact tracers has the university hired? Will there be visits to the homes of those quarantined? How are phone calls to those quarantined verified? Does the university use GPS tracking on students’ phones to know their whereabouts?

The university will be testing 400 students per day for all its campuses. Therefore, not all of the 30,000 students enrolled in the Oakland campus will be tested by the end of the semester if only 400 tests per day for all campuses will be done.

How will the university stop the binge drinking problem in our community? Administrators could not stop the problem before the pandemic. Sometimes, 50 students or more attend one party, which makes it easier for the coronavirus to spread.

Will the university take the responsibility to stop large gatherings of students on our streets, which also can be a source for the spread of the coronavirus?

Will all residents be given the addresses of students that are being quarantined on their street? Students, if the university permits, can sign a consent form to allow their addresses to be given. Thus, there should be no privacy issue.

Will the university be performing temperature checks on every student entering classrooms?

Will expulsion be the penalty for violation of the quarantine policy?

Media organizations must initiate an in-depth, comprehensive investigation of Pitt’s COVID-19 policies and of the university’s presence in Oakland. Pitt administrators should provide for the media a list of all buildings owned by the university, especially those where students are housed. That list should be made public, especially for the residents of Oakland.

An in-depth investigation by the media can inspire their viewers, readers, and listeners to raise their voices and express concerns about the chancellor’s decision to open up the Oakland campus to students for on-campus classes.

There are those who adhere to the principle: Be honest even if it is not in your best interest. Will the chancellor and his administrators communicate transparently about COVID-19 cases on the Oakland campus as students arrive? Will the media continuously investigate on behalf of the public, and demand honesty and transparency from the university administrators?

In addition to the COVID-19 pandemic, here are just a few of the many other issues faced by the Oakland community because of the university’s presence:

1) Pitt’s Institutional Master Plan will further decimate the business district and residential community. University administrators are fearful of that truth. They refuse to give us an impact study as to how that massive plan will affect our community.

2) The city wants to build a roadway through Panther Hollow and Four Mile Run. The city council has set aside $20 million dollars for this roadway that will eventually destroy these two neighborhoods. That money should be redirected, especially because of the pandemic, to neighborhoods that are underserved. The city council has refused to do so.

3) Duquesne Light is building the Riazzi Substation in Schenley Park. This project basically benefits the university, and is needed because of the university’s uncontrolled growth that has now resulted in the inadequacy of the electrical infrastructure system in our neighborhood. Despite what Duquesne Light executives attest, this project is not for the benefit of the community. President Steven Malnight is also fearful of the truth. He refuses to answer our community’s questions about the project.

4) An article in the February 5, 2019 edition of The Pitt News stated university administrators signed a three-year lease to house 230 students in the Bridge on Forbes, a private student housing project. The article also stated the university provides housing for students at the Wyndam Hotel on Tennyson Avenue. Such actions were taken because university administrators continuously expanded student enrollment every year, even though dormitory capacity was full.

5) University administrators dominate Oakland residents and organizations. One such example is that they refuse to provide our community with university email addresses for members of the Board of Trustees. Members of the board impact our lives immensely with their decisions. However, we are unable to communicate our concerns directly with them at any time.

There are basically two pathways to change: Path of Dignity and Path of Tragedy. Amid this pandemic, the media must take the Path of Dignity where this path becomes the highest priority and guidance. Such an action will help to avoid the possibility of greater suffering and death in our community and beyond.