University Times

Like many Americans, people at Pitt have responded to the horrors of the recent tsunami in South Asia and the Indian Ocean regions with: “What can I do?”

Efforts here range from establishing an inter-school relief fund to holding a forum of experts on the catastrophe to sending a “scout” for needy areas in Indonesia to performing benefit concerts by faculty to staff- and student-initiated fundraisers.

Those choosing to give charitable donations to aid the tsunami and earthquakes that killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions more should note that President Bush signed legislation Jan. 7 allowing taxpayers to deduct on their 2004 returns cash donations to tsunami relief efforts made before Jan. 31, 2005.

At Pitt, the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA) has constructed a web site (http://www.gspia.pitt.edu/Tsunami.htm) serving as a repository for the latest news of the University’s tsunami response activities.

The web site features a link to GSPIA professor Louise Comfort’s analysis titled “How We Learn From This Event Is Important.”

A sampling of initiatives at Pitt include:

* Two Pitt schools have teamed up to establish the Pittsburgh Indonesian Partnership Fund, which hopes to identify communities in the Indonesia disaster area in need of immediate help and longer-term development. GSPIA and the Graduate School of Public Health (GSPH) are coordinating the fund.

Robbie Ali, a GSPH visiting assistant professor, will travel to Indonesia in February to initiate the effort. (See sidebar story.)

To donate to the Pittsburgh Indonesian Partnership Fund, send a check payable to the University of Pittsburgh, indicating the Pittsburgh Indonesia Partnership Fund, to Wendy Wareham, director of development, GSPIA, 3403 Posvar Hall, Pittsburgh 15260.

* Members of the Greensburg campus are directing their contribution to the Red Cross. The effort is being coordinated by Patty LaMantia, nursing staff member at the campus student health center.

Checks should sent by Jan. 28, payable to the American Red Cross, Tsunami Relief Fund, to: University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, 216 Chambers Hall, 1150 Mt. Pleasant Road, Greensburg 15601, Attn: Patricia LaMantia.

* Three bands comprised of Pitt-Johnstown faculty members held a concert Jan. 16 at the Johnstown Brewing Co. to raise money for the American Red Cross, Tsunami Relief Fund. The concert featured performances by Spiffy Cats, Flood City Brass and Allan Walstad.

* The Johnstown campus Student Senate, Kappa Delta Rho Fraternity and the Office of Student Life held a “penny war” contest Jan. 11-14 to benefit tsunami relief efforts. The players pitted students against faculty and staff in a battle for who could raise more coin donations. (The faculty and staff won.)

* Students from two clubs at Pitt-Bradford held a spare change and clothing collection drive Jan. 18 to aid tsunami victims.

The College Liberals Club solicited spare change, while the Conservative Union collected clothing at a special campus club night.

* GSPIA is hosting a Jan. 25 policy forum titled “Tsunami: Causes, Effects and Impact,” at 4-6 p.m., in 2500 Posvar Hall.

Forum panelists – Pitt experts in the fields of public health, geology and disaster management – are expected to include GSPH’s Ali as well as William Harbert, chair, Department of Geology and Planetary Science; GSPIA professor Louise Comfort, and GSPIA assistant professor Paul Nelson.

This event will be moderated by GSPIA Dean Carolyn Ban. The event is co-sponsored by GSPH, the Asian Studies Center, global studies program and the Ford Institute for Human Security.

* Pitt faculty are offering a PowerPoint, on-line lecture through SuperCourse applications via http://www.gspia.pitt.edu/JustInTimeTsunamiLecture.htm.

The lecture provides information about the definition, causes, risks, socio-economic impact of tsunamis and methods to predict them.

* The Office of International Services is soliciting information on any Pitt-affiliated international students or scholars who are missing or otherwise impacted by the tsunami aftermath. OIS is offering assistance with immigration and documentation issues.` (See letter on page 2.)

* Andrew Weintraub, professor of music, is offering a portion of the profits from a book and CD-ROM sale of “Power Plays: Wayang Golek Puppet Theater of West Java.” The package introduces readers and viewers to this traditional puppetry through videos, maps, graphics and interviews. Weintraub will host a book-signing at 4 p.m., Feb. 12 in 309 Bellefield Hall.

-Peter Hart