Vinyl still available here
Sean Sauro, Staff Writer
April 17, 2013
Vinyl enthusiasts can fulfill their musical passion by purchasing new and old records at one of the oldest—if not the oldest—record shops in America. John George, proprietor of George’s Song Shop along Market Street in downtown Johnstown, said he believes his 81-year-old shop is the oldest... (more...)
Area has some hot fun in summertime
Sean Sauro, Staff Writer
April 17, 2013
Students who are attending summer classes or who live in the Johnstown area may be looking for ways to stay busy during summer months. Though the number of students and campus events decrease during this time, Greater Johnstown Convention and Visitors Bureau Special Events Coordinator Karen... (more...)
Chemistry students propose green ideas
Sean Sauro, Managing Editor
April 10, 2013
Chemistry professor Manisha Nigam said she has a passion for sustainability and green energy, so, when Pitt-Johnstown faculty decided to offer a green chemistry position, she said she was interested. A green chemistry course Nigam offers is not focused solely on bookwork and lab experiments.... (more...)
Ministries strengthen community, faith
Sean Sauro, Managing Editor
March 6, 2013
Mainstream media often depicts college students as booze-guzzling, mischief-making delinquents, but a number of Pitt-Johnstown student organizations are working to defy negative connotations. Pitt-Johnstown Campus Ministries, representing both Protestant and Catholic faiths, along with other... (more...)
Liaisons may lose out due to revamp
Sean Sauro, Managing Editor
March 6, 2013
Some Pitt-Johnstown student mentors may be eliminated, as RealWorld Program administrators are to revamp the program’s evaluation process. During the enrollment process, while filling out housing applications, freshmen are prompted to choose an interest field, according to RealWorld Interest... (more...)
Criminology program is to be initiated
Sean Sauro, Managing Editor
February 20, 2013
Keeping up with student demand, Pitt-Johnstown faculty are to add a new major to the Social Science Division. Admissions and Recruitment Director Therese Grimes said a decision to add a criminal justice major to the university’s curriculum was made due to an influx of prospective student... (more...)
Librarians hold informative seminars
Sean Sauro, Managing Editor
February 13, 2013
Pitt-Johnstown Owen librarians have defied notions of the quiet-study area normally associated with libraries by holding instructional seminars geared to improve student performance. Library Instruction Coordinator Paul Bond said the library plays a significant role in the campus community... (more...)
Education division makes new changes
Sean Sauro, Managing Editor
February 13, 2013
Striving to maintain a goal of improved teacher education and job-market readiness, Pitt-Johnstown Education Division leaders have pursued changes in their programs. One such change, a partnership between Pitt-Johnstown and neighboring Richland School District, has come into effect this term,... (more...)
Decreased rates remain above average
Sean Sauro, Managing Editor
February 6, 2013
Pitt-Johnstown six-year graduation rates decreased 4 percent from 2011 to 2012 while admissions rose 3 percent during that period, according to 2013 University of Pittsburgh Common Data Sets. The number of first-term, full-time, undergraduate students increased from 756 enrolled in 2005 to... (more...)
Academic merit scholarships double
Sean Sauro, Managing Editor
January 30, 2013
The percentage of freshmen receiving scholarships this academic year has more than doubled since last year, according to the Winter 2012 Pitt-Johnstown Community Report. Last year, about 20 percent of all freshmen received scholarships, and this year that number has risen to nearly 44 percent. These... (more...)
Radio waves break to Web streaming
Sean Sauro, Managing Editor
January 30, 2013
WUPJ Radio Club members have found an innovative way to make their broadcasts available. The club used to broadcast from a radio antenna over a low-watt FM radio frequency, Club Adviser Kristen Majocha said. “This was when people still had radios in their rooms,” she said. “You could... (more...)
Man finds gobbler glory
Sean Sauro, Opinions Editor
November 14, 2012
As the holiday season approaches, amateur and professional chefs across the country seem to share a common interest in preparing poultry. For one Johnstown local area resident however, turkey is more than a meal reserved for Thanksgiving and Christmas. For him, turkey is a way of life, and... (more...)
Laughs set to light up the limelight
Sean Sauro, Opinions Editor
October 24, 2012
The Pitt-Johnstown Theatre Department is to return Thursday to the Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center’s Studio Theatre, but this time they will not be showcasing a single, lengthy show. Instead, theater department students are to perform six one-act plays under the production title “Durang... (more...)
Evaluations to join Web
Sean Sauro, Opinions Editor
October 17, 2012
This semester, Pitt-Johnstown students may notice a change in the way that they’re able to evaluate professors and instructors – many evaluations have been changed from in-class paper-and-pencil surveys to an online format. Pitt-Johnstown administrative assistant Diane Lenio said that,... (more...)
Film festival premiers to crowd of nearly 40
Sean Sauro, Opinions Editor
October 10, 2012
Students filled in rows of auditorium seats, lights dimmed and opening credits scrolled across a projector screen. This may sound like a trip to a local cinema, and though a movie was being shown, it wasn’t an average American film. In fact, it wasn’t an American film at all. This was the... (more...)
Five new student clubs proposed
Sean Sauro, Opinions Editor
October 2, 2012
When students are unable to find club organization that suits their interests, they can create their own. One such individual, junior sociology student Josh Horner, is attempting to set up a fitness club with friends. He said he has experience setting up clubs and thinks a fitness club would... (more...)
UPJ engineers receive a hands-on type of major
Sean Sauro, Opinions Editor
September 12, 2012
It may be easy to assume that regional campuses, like UPJ, closely follow main campus curriculum. However, from slight differences to complete course adjustments and majors, this assumption is incorrect. This assumption holds especially true when it comes to the difference in the engineering... (more...)
Flocks, once divided, find common purpose
Sean Sauro, Staff Writer
April 3, 2012
Conflicting religious ideologies have been the cause of conflicts across the ages, but some members of the Pitt-Johnstown Campus Ministries have been able to put their differences beside them. Campus ministries consist of both Protestant and Catholic followers who work together to spread a... (more...)
UPJ athletes embrace warm weather
Sean Sauro, Staff Writer
March 21, 2012
Leftover snow and ice melt away, professors move their classes outside to the campus mall and students walk to class in shorts and flip-flops. It seems that spring has arrived. This year, a low amount of snowfall and unusually warm weather allowed most of the winter months to resemble something... (more...)
Dean’s list reveals exceptional grades
Sean Sauro, Staff Writer
February 29, 2012
For many students, the struggle to keep a decent grade-point average can seem daunting. The long hours devoted to studying and working on projects to achieve a commendable grade is often exhausting, but these efforts get noticed. During the fall semester, 802 Pitt-Johnstown students – about... (more...)
Faculty votes for Access
Sean Sauro, Staff Writer
February 17, 2012
With increasing prices for scholarly journal subscriptions, many university libraries are finding it harder to acquire new research material. Members of the University of Pittsburgh Open Access Task Force said they may have a solution to this problem. A Task Force report said open access... (more...)
Overwhelmed? No Pony, no problem
Sean Sauro, Staff Writer
January 25, 2012
As sounds of books shutting and bags zipping fill the air, a silent sigh of relief is uttered by many completing another strenuous week of classes. Thank God it’s Friday. For many students of legal age, there is no better way to shake off the stresses of the week than having a drink or two... (more...)