April 2018

FAILING STUDENT GOES ON HUNGER STRIKE

April 2018

STOP, DROP AND ROLL: FIRE AT PAGE 8

Issue 2

PARSONS

NEW SCHOOLERS SEEK OLDER

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Sex Misconduct Policies Under Review at TNS

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Students of Color Demand Dedicated Space by RADHIYA SABNANI

by RYANNE SALZANO

The university’s sexual miscon- allegations of sexual misconduct duct policies likely won’t be revised against students. before the end of the academic One aspect of t he un iver siyear after a series of listening tours, ty’s existing policy under review which have so far not included is the lack of a prohibitions on undergraduate students, started relat ionsh ips bet ween facu lt y later than expected, New School and undergraduates, as well as administrators said. between supervisors and supervisAdministrators have had discus- ees, according to an administrator sions with more than 200 faculty, involved in the review. staff and select graduate students The New School’s policy review in recent weeks, Amy Malsin, a comes in the wake of backlash university spokesperson, told The from student groups, including the New School Free Press. Sessions open Graduate Faculty Student Senate, to undergraduates are scheduled over how the university handled for the upcoming weeks, she added. reports of sexual misconduct by Malsin conf irmed to the Free former New School for Social Press that the policy will not likely Research psychology chair Emanbe revised by May. uele Castano. An undergraduate The Title IX review comes after student f iled a complaint of an multiple accusations of sexual mis- inappropriate relationship with conduct by faculty had come to Castano in 2017. light. Castano resigned from his posiTitle IX is a federal law that tion at The New School in Octoprohibits sex discrimination in edu- ber 2017. “In light of Professor cational institutions that receive Castano’s resignation, we consider federal funding. Sexual misconduct this matter closed,” wrote Jennifer and assault in these institutions fall Francone, The New School’s Title under Title IX. Title IX’s legal IX Coordinator and assistant vice interpretation makes it the respon- president of Student Equity and sibility of universities to respond Access, in an email to the student appropriately to and investigate CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

Queer Collective organizer and first year student, Egypt Staley cheers in support of the students of color area at the space planning open forum at Wollman Hall Friday, March 30, 2018. Staley spoke along with fellow Queer Collective member and Queer Health Organizer, Omar Abreu, in solidarity with the Students of Color Weekly’s demand for the students of color space. Photo by Anna Del Savio.

Students of color demanded a ded icated space on ca mpus during a (sometimes tense and other times celebrator y) forum held Friday, March 30, chastising university administrators for unsatisfactory answers at several points. More than 130 students, faculty and staff gathered at 11 a.m. in Wollman Hall to discuss possi-

ble developments on campus, spe- “place of refuge.” In fall 2016, 28 percent of New cifically a “master plan” for Lang. Dean Stephanie Browner, Vice York based degree-seeking stuPresident for Social Justice Maya dents at The New School were Wiley and architect Rhoda Ken- people of color, according to data provided by the university. Internedy held the forum. Attendees gave impassioned national students are considered pleas for creating a space at The a separate categor y—counted New School where students of neither as white nor students of color can come together in what color. student leaders described as a CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

Man in Scrubs Touched Students, NYPD Not Called by RYANNE SALZANO, TOMA VOLOZHANINA Students are angr y that the NYPD wasn’t called to respond to a man who entered a New School building, sexually assaulting one student and touching several other students in late February. A man in blue hospital scrubs touched students and shouted at a classroom full of people he’d managed to sit in for at least 20 minutes after sneaking past security at 6 E. 16th St. on Feb. 27, witnesses and officials said. One student said he was followed and sexually assaulted by the man in the elevator on his way to class. “He r ubs his hand down my chest, playing with my necklace. He starts grabbing my abs and he’s like, ‘This is nice,’” said Ky Gann, a freshman studying culture and media. “ I ’m lo o k i n g a r ou n d — a n d everyone in the elevator, it’s like a

packed elevator, no one is paying attention, on their phones, headphones in, and I’m staring, just in shock. I didn’t know what to do,” Gann added. “He grabbed my groin, looks me dead in the eyes, and said ‘I’m going to jerk off to you later,’” he said. T he man fol lowed Gann to class and claimed to be there for an orientation. There, he sexually harassed and touched another student, Dylan Morris, a freshman. The man touched Morris’ legs and was talking to himself. The man asked Morris if they were married to each other, telling the student, “I want to wake up to your penis every morning.” After the man was in the class for 20 minutes, the professor left the room to call Campus Safety, witnesses said. Gann left the room as well. The man also left the

ing with campus security, the man ual assault. The school could have classroom. pressed charges for trespassing.” A spokesperson for the univer- kicked a trash can. I n inter v iews w it h T he New “You ruined your class, you fucksity said that Campus Safety found out about the intruder from the ing cunt,” he shouted at the profes- School Free Press, students who were professor, but the professor said sor, according to a witness. “I’m accosted were angry that Campus Safety officers never called police. going to fucking kill you.” otherwise. Morris, the student who was Gann said that at a meeting in “They already had the detailed description of the man when I the week following the incident, he touched on the legs, disagreed called them. Unfortunately, I don’t told Dean Stephanie Browner, the with the decision to not notify know how,” the professor said. class and the professor about the NYPD. “Security took him outThe professor of the class asked to assault in the elevator. Since then, side and left him on the fucking remain anonymous for their safety. “no one has reached out to me indi- corner. They should have called C a m p u s S a fe t y fo u n d t h e vidually” to assist in fi ling a police 911 the minute they had him and not let him go at all,” Morris said. intruder on the seventh floor and report, Gann said. “He shouldn’t have been let back Gann does not plan on filing a escorted him back to the classroom to retrieve his belongings. report at this point, as he doesn’t into the classroom in the f irst The man touched at least two stu- feel like it would make a difference place, they should have gotten his dents in the presence of Campus “after the guy [had] already gone fucking bags for him,” Morris said. “He’s a deranged person in this Safety officers, according to wit- free.” “Had the guy been caught or room, and you’re just watching nesses. He touched a female student on the shoulder and Morris his name taken, and the school him harass students and harass the recognized the situation that day, teacher.” on the legs, again. “The individual complied with Campus Safety told the indi- then I possibly would have f iled vidual, “Please don’t touch the [a report] that day,” Gann said. “I students,” Morris said. Before leav- could have pressed charges for sex- CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

Letter from the Editor Masthead Editor-in-Chief Truman Ports Managing Editor Anna Del Savio News Editor Ryanne Salzano Features Editor Alice Ly Creative Director Sarah McNutt Photo Editor Orlando Mendiola Graphics Editor Ashlie Juarbe Copy Editor Allie Griffin Reporters Josey Allen Katherine Badala Kate Bowman Siri Chilukuri Lauren Diaz Tuongvi Diep Caroline Dilone Sammi Fisher Jared Gibbons Joseph Gobran Jervey Inglesby Logan Mahan Ashlyn O’Hara Gus Perry Radhiya Sabnani Toma Volozhanina Candice Wood

It wasn’t long into my New School career when another student at a par t y referred to me as a mulat to. “I just love mulatto children,” she actually said, after learning I’m mixed race. She beamed, as if she had just bestowed some great compliment onto me. I was too s tunned to know how to respond, and too stunned that no one else—especially my white friends—were able to muster any sor t of words in my defense agains t my grinning assailant. But more impor tant than being stunned, I was embarrassed. This fellow student, unaware of the histor y and derogator y nature of this word, showed me that being a person of color will always be exhausting, even at The New School. According to data provided by the universit y, as of fall 2016, 28 percent of the school is comprised of students of color. Being a par t of that 28 percent can be draining and often demoralizing when you are in classrooms with predominantly white students and faculty members, constantly being expected to put in work to educate them on your existence. Bet ween the murder of black bodies at the hands of the police, the call for stricter immigration laws and the increase of violence against transgender people, specifi cally women of color, our existence is constantly being called into question. It is because of this girl calling me a mulatto, and countless other incidents of microaggressions at this institution and the larger world, that I understand the necessity and the urgency in which students of color need a designated space for themselves on college campuses. The New School currently does not have one, and as a result, I, and all students of color, have no space away from those we constantly have to explain ourselves to and those who still have “mulatto” in their vocabulary. Student organizers from Student s Of Color Weekly, La XENTE, Autonomous South Asian Collective, Black Student Union, the Queer Collec tive and other campus groups, all have worked to create the campaign, Claiming Our Space. Our peers are rightfully demanding the university and administration create or fi nd space for students of color and queer students in the upcoming Lang building renovations. There is also request for the university to follow through with prom-

ises made to expand and properly resource the Baldwin Rivera Boggs Social Justice Hub, which currently constitutes as open space and two small conference rooms on the fi f th floor of the University Center. Stephanie Browner, the dean of L ang, mentioned at a recent open forum with the Lang space planner that there’s a whole planning process that takes time, especially when the request is space. In December of 2014, President David Van Zandt sent out an email following the grand juries’ decision to not indict the police offi cers who killed both Michael Brown and Eric Garner. In that email, Van Zandt stated the university would continue to expand services and resources in the Social Justice Hub. With Browner ’s statements regarding time, and Van Zandt’s promise to properly resource the existing open space, it doesn’t seem unreasonable that students of color feel unheard. The university at large isn’t meeting their needs and requests. The New School “focuses on and engages with critical contemporar y issues” and “prioritizes humanity and culture in designing systems and environments to improve the human condition, an approach that draws on design thinking and the liberal, creative, and performing arts,” according to its educational approach statement on the university’s website. If The New School wants to be an institution that lives up to what they claim to be their educational approach, the administration and space planning committee should prioritize this issue. A space for students of color to convene and work on projects is as important as sewing rooms are for fashion design students, and a newsroom for journalism students on the Free Press. I support all the campus groups who are actively working to demand the space that they need from a university that has made a name for itself on the ideas of social justice and progression. The New School and Eugene Lang College have the opportunity to truly be a model for what social justice can look like in an institution. I strongly urge that they follow through and provide what 28 percent of our community needs for their well-being.

TRUMAN PORTS, editor-in-chief

Wu-Tang Forever by RYANNE SALZANO ACROSS 6 Infamous pharma bro 9 What rules everything around you, according to Wu-Tang 11 * “Obviously! It’s ___!” 12 Where to see a sea lion in Prospect Park 14 Six times six

DOWN 1 Called “the forgotten borough” 2 * What a scarf does 3 * What Wu Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthing Ta 4 Only late founding member of Wu-Tang, who overdosed in 2004 5 If Wu-Tang forms like Voltron, he’s the head 7 Artist whose “Ctrl” was certified platinum 8 Harry Potter and the ___ of Secrets 10 What “Wu-Tang Forever” is, or what each starred clue is part of 13 * People take their coffee with this and sugar

Faculty Advisors Irwin Chen Aidan Gardiner Allison Lichter Joseph

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

April 2018

USS Unconstitutional Internal Election by GUS PERRY

A Public Engagement student has claimed that an internal University Student Senate election, which unseated him from their executive board on Feb. 16, was unconstitutional. The student, Rudy Hinojosa, had just begun his second semester as co-chair of the student government and said he believed his seat was secure until the end of the school year. After an election his colleagues he ld on Feb. 16 , he w a s not re-elected to the leadership committee. Hinojosa stopped attending meetings after the loss, missing so many that his colleagues u n a n i mou s ly i mpea ched h i m on March 30 on constitutional grounds. “It was a major screw-up. Not b ec au se t he y i mpea c hed me, but because t hey were able to i mpeach me,” H i nojosa sa id. “[It’s] an aff ront to the core val-

ues of the university.” The issue became the wording of the constitution itself, which says leaders’ terms “shall begin on the day of their election to such position, and end following official handoff to the USS for the next academic year.” Hinojosa said that language afforded him an academic yearlong tenure, but co-chair Kabeer, who goes by a single name and is in his second leadership term, disagreed. “ It ’s a lw ay s b een a s eme s ter-long position, never a yearly position,” Kabeer said. “We stay the co-chair, or the treasurer, until the next semester, until the next execut ive board elect ion happens.” Serengeti Timungwa, who ser ved as co-chair during the previous academic year, also said co-chair terms had been one semester. The vote in question re-elected

Kabeer to the executive board a long w it h Ni na Nichel le, a n NSPE student, and A lexandra L etel l ier, a Pa r son s st r ateg ic design and management student. Hinojosa claimed his fel low

“It was a major screw-up. Not because they impeached me, but because they were able to impeach me,” Hinojosa said. “[It’s] an affront to the core values of the university.”

senators “used the relative vagueness of the language” to “push an election, just because that’s how things had gone in past years.” T he st udent sen ate met on April 6 to review the constitution. T he meet ing, wh ich t y pica l ly happens ever y year during the spring semester, aimed to update some processes involved in USS elections and to clear up any confusions in the wording of the document. Changes to the const itut ion have been frequent in the past, according to Dan Schulman (‘10), who helped found t he student gover nment and ser ved many different roles on the executive board during his time. But to him, the constitutional dispute is beside the point. “It’s not really about technicalities. Your time bickering about t his is hur t ing students,” sa id Schulman, who now works for

a real estate tech startup in San Francisco. S c hu l m a n e mph a s i z e d t he responsibi l it y t he USS has to students. The senate, which is f u nded by fees pa id by ever y s t udent , pa id out mor e t h a n $100,000 to student projects in the last academic year. “ T h i s i s ju st a d i st r act ion. There’s a lot of work to be done. It’s not worth the leadership’s t i me. G et over it,” Schu l ma n said..“Everything should be done in good faith and in service to the student body. It’s the duty of that person to recognize that people don’t want them in power.”

Milano to Go Deanless Until Next Academic Year, Admins Say by SIRI CHILUKURI

M i l a no, a d i v i s ion of T he New School’s Schools of Public Engagement, will remain deanless until at least the next academic year after the departure of Michelle DePass, New School officials said. DePass, who joined Milano in 2013 after serving at the Environment a l Protect ion A genc y (EPA) during the Obama administration, left her post in March as well as her position as director of the Tishman Center. T he d e p a r t m e nt c h a i r s o f M i l a no a nd t he d i r e c t or s of the Tishman Environment and Design Center will step in and for m a jo i nt i nt e r i m le a d e r ship team to f ill the hole left by DePass. DePass’ departure from Milano comes amid a backdrop of changes at the school, splitting last year from the Graduate Program of International Aff airs and searching for a new faculty member in Environmental Policy and Sustainability Management. The search for a new dean will continue into the 2018 and 2019 academic year, New School officials said. School of f icials will be conducting an internal search for a new dean rather than from a search f irm that f inds outside candidates as they’ve done in the search for Parsons’ next head, New School officials said. A n inter na l search for can-

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didates is not unusual, but the past two searches for a new dean of Milano have involved search fi rms. “ T h i s i s not by a ny mea n s the f irst search that was limited to internal candidates,” Carol A nder son, d irector of Ca reer Services for the Milano School, said. “I think it’s fair to say that we were disappointed that a dean was not selected,” she added. Si nce no dea n wa s fou nd through the internal search, in the meantime, admins hope to build a leadership plan that takes into account the concerns of the broader New School community. “Due to the short notice of this mid-semester leadership transition, I have asked the Milano School chairs and directors, in consultation with students and faculty, to put together an interim leadership plan while the school dean search process continues for the 2018-19 academic year,” said Mary Watson, executive dean of the Schools of Public Engagement During her time at The New S chool , DePa s s wa s i nvolved in the relaunch of the Tishman Environment and Design Center in 2014, which was originally founded by Joel Towers in 2005, according to the center’s website. DePass is leav i ng T he New School to become the CEO of Meyer Memorial Trust, an Oregon-based non-prof it charitable organization. Meyer Memorial

Illustration by Ashlie Juarbe

Trust is one of the state’s largest philanthropic groups, according to Willamette Week, an alternative weekly newspaper. Despite Watson’s comments on student involvement with the search, students at Milano were unsure of the planned leadership changes.

NEWS

“I think it would be interesting to have students more involved, I don’t know much of what’s going on and I don’t know a lot of people who are informed either,” said Maya Metha, a second year in the Graduate Program of International Affairs.

April 2018

Tuition to Rise By 3.8 Percent by ANNA DEL SAVIO, SAMMI FISHER Tuition is being raised once again. T he New S chool i s r a i s i ng the cost of full-time enrollment 3.8 percent for the 2018 -2019 a c a dem ic yea r, a c cor d i n g to a n em a i l s ent to st udent s by Michelle Relyea, senior vice president for Student Success late last month. Tuition for two semesters at Parsons will be $48,600, while Lang and the College of Performing A rts will each be $46,960, a c c or d i n g t o ne w l y u p d at e d prices from the university’s registrar. T he 3.8 percent i ncrease equates to a pr ice increase of more than $1,700 for two semesters at each school. The increase is in line w ith prev ious years. Bet ween 20 06 and 2016, tuition at Parsons grew an average of 3.6 percent annually, Lang grew 3.7 percent and CoPA grew 4.36 percent. T he ne w s of r i s i n g c o st of attendance angered students. “I think that any increase in the tuition — that is already so high — is pretty absurd,” said Mary Zech, 19, illustration major at Parsons. “I understand that tuition rises every year but it kind of feels like another New School scheme to get more money. I understand it, but that doesn’t mean I necessarily agree with it or like it,” said Else Ratzliff, 18, a first year student studying culture and media at Lang. Tu it io n a n d r e q u i r e d fe e s at The New School were more than 30 percent higher than the national average for four-year pr ivate nonprof it inst itut ions, which came to $34,740 for 20172018 , accord ing to dat a from College Board. Tok u mbo Shobowa le, ch ief operating of f icer for The New School, acknowledged the strain of tuition on students but noted the cost of operating a campus in New York City. “At this point the university has no surplus. We’re basically spending the dollars that come in,” Shobowale said. “The biggest expenses are people and space.” Shobowale defended the decision to raise tuition, and told the Free Press that tuition increases were driven by rising healthcare costs and increasing fi nancial aid. “The cost of higher education is increasing nationally and, as a result, universities are facing signif icant f inancial challenges. The New School is no exception,” Shobowale said in an interview. “We understand the impact this has on our students who bear the burden of rising tuition and the cost of living in one of the most

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Fire Shuts Down Key Parsons Building by SIRI CHILUKURI, SARAH MCNUTT, AND ANNA DEL SAVIO

Illustration by Ashlie Juarbe

expensive cities in the country.” For the 2018 -2019 academic year, the university is increasing available fi nancial aid by 6.9 percent, Shobowale said. Between 2006 and 2016, total i n st it ut iona l a id at T he New School increased an average of 9.3 percent each year. The university was not able to provide data for the for the last two academic years at press time. W h i le average a id awarded p er Ne w S c ho ol s t udent h a s increased steadily over the past few years, tuition and fees grew faster, according to 2010 to 2015 data from Institutional Research a t T he Ne w S c ho o l a nd t he National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the statistics department of the U.S. Department of Education. For students who were awarded g rants or scholarship aid, the average net price of attendance grew almost $3,000 from 2013-14 to 2015-16, according to NCES reports for The New School. “A good portion of tuition dollars that come in go right back out t he door to pay for f inancial aid. The f inancial aid that is g iven will increase with the rise of tuition,” said Stephanie Browner, dean of Lang. “ We ’ v e m a d e a c o n c e r t e d effort to spend more on teaching and learning, in the classroom, essentially, and constraining our centra lized back-of f ice costs,” Shobowale said. Despite Shobowale’s focus on class quality, The New School

has spent less on instruction, per student, than the median for 48 compa rable i nst it ut ions from 2011 to 2016, based on data from NCES. Where The New School is outspending its peers is in “institutional support,” a catch-all term for general administrative services, financial operations, legal operations and marketing and communication, according to the NCES. In 2015-2016, the most recent academ ic year w it h ava i lable dat a from NCE S, T he New School spent more than double what similar universities spend on institutional support. Browner and Shobowale a lso blamed the r ising cost of employee healthcare for growing tuition. Instructional expenses, which includes faculty salaries as well as healthcare, rose 13.5 percent per full-time equivalent enrollment from 2012 to 2016. In the same period, instructional expenses at similar schools grew 22.6 percent for the same g roup. Ful l-t ime equivalent enrollment is calculating by weighting full-time and part-time students differently. “It’s frustrating to wrestle with how to handle the fi nances in an economic context of higher education in this country,” Browner said. “I’ve been in higher education for twenty years and the problem of rising health care is actually getting worse and we’re getting up to a crisis point.”

NEWS

Streams of electricity erupted as an electrical f ire broke out in the basement of Parsons in early April, f illing the building with smoke and causing so much damage that more than 350 classes need to find new meeting places for the rest of the semester, witnesses and officials said. The electrical f ire erupted in t he basement of 2 W. 13th St. around 10:40 a.m. April 2, off icials said. “It sounded like someone on the fl oor above you drilling concrete and it just kept getting louder and louder,” said Jonathan Pandolf i, a Parsons instr uctor who was teaching a ceramics course in the basement at the time. “Then the lights started f lickering, and when I was hearing it, I was scared for my life because it was electrical arcing [visible discharge of electric current],” he said. “We couldn’t hear the alarms, we could just hear the arcing. We ran out the easternmost fi re exit.” The buildings 66 Fifth Ave., 68 Fifth Ave. and 2 W. 13th St. were all affected, but the damage was concentrated in 2 W. 13th St. Both 66 Fifth Ave. and 68 Fifth Ave. have been reopened since the fi re. Classes that were scheduled to take place in 2 W. 13th St. have been moved to ot her locations. The University has not commented on why the building remains closed. I n a d d it i o n t o c o nt a i n i n g classrooms, 2 W. 13th St. also includes several resources that are heavily utilized by students. The CNC shop, Ceramics Shop, Printmaking Shop, PC Lab, and other shops are closed until further notice. The 3D Printing Lab, Tool Checkout, Knitting Area, Material Store, Cintiq Lab, and Graphics Lab are all operating at limited capacity for the moment. For now, t he Un iver s it y i s updating class meeting places by 8 p.m. t he night before on t he school’s website. Students will have to continually check the website for the rest of the semester to get the most up to date information on where their classes will be held. As of April 5, 375 classes had been moved. “Since I’m a f irst year most of my classes are in the 2 West building — so now we got relocated to a building on 80 Fifth Ave. And then I had my painting class relocated and I think one other has been relocated,” said

Mickey Kurtzman, a f irst year fi ne arts major. Throughout the relocat ions, administrators have been using any and all available spaces. “ We litera l ly just got moved to the clinic building [Student Hea lt h Ser v ices] a nd we had a conference room,” said Dani Gomez, f irst year communications design major. T he l a st t i me t he a f fe c t e d building suffered significant damage was in January 2014 when a water main break damaged several New School buildings including 2 W. 13th St., and leaving the basement level inaccessible. A fter the f ire broke out, the school sent out an alert at 10:56 a.m. informing students of the situation and the fact that the three buildings 2 W. 13 St., 66 Fifth Ave., 68 and 70 Fifth Ave. were closed. The buildings remained closed for the remainder of the day. Students were allowed to access their belongings in 2 W. 13th St. on Tuesday April 3rd, but the Making Center and classrooms were closed on that day. 66 Fifth Ave., 68 Fifth Ave. building s reopened on Wed nesday, April 4 and the email sent out to faculty the same day outlined that 2 W. 13th St. would not be open for the rest of the semester, but did not state the specifi c reason that repairs need to be taken or why it is unsafe for students to be in the building. 66 Fifth Ave., 6 E . 16th St., 55 W. 13th St. and, 25 E. 13th St. will be open 24 hours starting April 9. This is two weeks earlier than scheduled, for fi nals, due to the damage in 2 W. 13th St., according to an email sent by facilities April 5. Students and facu lt y in t he bu i ld ing sa id announcements about the incident were hard to understand. “ I n ou r r o om , w e c ou ld n’t u nder st a nd t he wor d s of t he announcement, but the sirens made it very clear,” said Harvest Henderson, a Parsons seminar instructor who was teaching a class on the seventh floor. “I was in class and I heard the a n nou ncement . It w a s rea l ly scary, I didn’t know what it was at fi rst, and then I smelled smoke,” said Clio Galea, an 18-year-old fashion student. Galea said the announcement was hard to hear, but her class could make out instructions to evacuate the building.

April 2018

ered in the Social Justice Hub to debrief and talk about their feelings and next steps. Fifty more people then also signed the petition. In a email sent to supporters on Monday, April 2, Stewart and Herrera Perhamus congratulated the community for their work thus far and outlined the next steps. “We will keep this petition open until our demands are met,” they wrote. “Student organizers have multiple meetings set up with various faculty and admin in the coming week, and will continue to provide updates as information becomes available to us,” the email said. “We were aware it’s a very long conversation and that it wouldn’t be resolved in one meeting, one forum, even one semester, but we

Co-founders of Students of Color Weekly, Hunter Stewart and Adriana Herrera Perhamus, receive a standing ovation from the audience of the space planning open forum as they begin to voice the need for a Students of Color space Friday, March 30, 2018. “It’s a mental issue, it’s a social issue, it’s a safety issue, it’s a spiritual issue,” Stewart said. Photo by Anna Del Savio. STUDENTS OF COLOR DEMAND DEDICATED SPACE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

“Prov id ing students of color with a space in which they are not constantly infected by white supremacy provides a sense of community and support needed to continue to exist in such an institution,” said Talia Moore, a third year in Lang’s Journalism + Design program. L ead ing up to t he for um, a c o a l it ion o f a c t i v i s t s t u d e nt groups, many of which represent students of color, published an open letter requesting Browner and administrators to provide “a dedicated space in the newly renovated Lang buildings.” On March 26, students began circulating an online petition and the open letter. Within four days, the petition had garnered signatures from more than 900 stu-

“We’ll pack into a room like sardines just to be around each other.” dents, staff and faculty, according to Hunter Stewart, a co-founder of St udent s of C olor Week ly. Dean Browner also signed the petition. “We use this time to call attention to the continued lack of support and effort into actualizing the Social Justice Hub’s capacity for student-based organizing and empowerment,” the letter read. S t u d e nt s o f C o l or We e k l y meets at the Social Justice Hub, located on the f ifth f loor of the University Center, ever y Tues-

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day from 7 to 9 p.m. The group’s founders, Stewart and Adriana Herrera Perhamus, said the space is inadequate. “Students of color on this campus are constantly asked to be doing labor in the classroom, in any sett ing in t he un iversit y,” said Herrera Perhamus, a senior studying culture and media at Lang. “ To c ome i nto a s pa c e a nd know that you’re not being asked anything, that you’re not being demanded anything, that it’s a space where you can relax or you can have fun, that’s not specifically about us doing any work, has been so cr ucial,” Herrera Perhamus added. T he we e k l y t u r nout s h ave ranged from 20 to 70 students, often crammed into the sma l l rooms off the Social Justice Hub. “We’ll pack into a room like sard i nes just to be a rou nd each other,” Stewart said. At the forum, other students reiterated Stewart and Herrera Perhamus’ assessments. “T he rooms are sma l l, have inconsistent tech and allow for wh ite st udent s pa s s i ng by to gaze into the fi shbowl of student organizers trying to work,” said Nihira Ram, who represented the Autonomous South Asian Collective at the forum. The hub has been a cr ucia l organizing space for students, but has “descended into becoming additional studio space for Parsons fashion design students,” she added. At t he for um, Brow ner and W i le y s h a r e d t he i r p er s on a l feelings surrounding the issue and passed the microphone to students to talk to them more directly.

“I am in support of this movement and we are working on it, and that will be inadequate today. Nothing I say today will be sufficient. You’ll have to judge us by our actions,” Browner said. Wiley said she supported the students, but added that space planning at the university is a complicated process. “It’s a big institution and a big process, and as I said, I have seen decisions made for all the right intentions and create f ive more problems,” she said. St udent orga n izers, however, weren’t satisfied with every administrator response at the forum. “We encompass queer people. We encompass BA/BFA students. We encompass low-income [students]. We are always going to be

most at risk, so we need to have the confi rmation that specifically students of color are the top of your priority. I don’t want to hear anything else,” Stewart said. Out of 12 private liberal arts colleges in New York, six provide specif ic space and resources for students of color, according to a study by Jade Merriwether, a fi rst year student and member of SOC Week ly and the Black Student Union. Tracy Robin, assistant v ice president for St udent Hea lt h and Support Services, suggested repurposing certain spaces, specifically the faculty lounge on the seventh f loor of the University Center. “Why do the faculty and staff need another space?” Robin asked. After the forum, students gath-

“Students of color on this campus are constantly asked to be doing labor in the classroom, in any setting in the university.” are encouraged by the amount of student support we have for the issue,” said Herrera Perhamus in an interview with The New School Free Press. A lthough there were suggestions of space that could be repurposed or created, that was not the biggest outcome of the forum for Stewart. “The biggest takeaway I’m keeping is the statements of explicit support from Dean Browner and Maya Wiley,” she said. “It’s not just about space, it’s about what’s attached to it.”

Second year peer health advocate, Jaye Elizabeth Johnson, voices the need for a Students of Color space Friday, March 30, 2018. They said that there is a need for the designated space for students of color that the Social Justice Hub cannot fulfill. “We are demanding that this administration shows up for folks doing the work to empower marginalized populations on this campus,” Johnson said. “We are demanding that this administration shows up for our healing. Thanks.” Photo by Anna Del Savio.

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April 2018

SEX MISCONDUCT POLICIES UNDER REVIEW AT TNS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Act ion, and Compl iance. She will be a “leading member” of the team working on the Title IX review, according to the December Van Zandt email. The following month, Michelle Relyea, senior vice president for Student Success, told the Free Press that the university wanted to host “a couple of town halls before spring break and then a couple after spring break” for students. In a March 27 email to the Free

who fi led the complaint. Joseph Colaneri, the head of the opera department at Mannes School of Music, has also been accused of sexual misconduct, as reported by the New York Post. Colaneri headed the opera department since 1997. An adjunct faculty member at Mannes accused Colaneri of harassing her in 2001. She lost her job for unrelated reasons shortly after, according to the Post report. “[B]ased on our initial review of the facts, Mr. Colaneri had no involvement in the decision to terminate her employment. She was f ired for multiple violations of university policy regarding her conduct involving students,” a university spokesperson told the New York Post. In a statement to the Free Press, Van Zandt said “no single example sparked the policy review.” T he New School pla ns to “strengthen our Title IX policies and practices and improve access to infor mat ion and resources related to Title IX complaints,” New School President David Van Zandt said in a December email to students and faculty. “We also know that acts of misconduct have been present in our ow n New S chool com mu n it y, Press, Relyea said the dates were including recent ones that compel still being organized, and that us to shine a bright light on our information would be passed along response and responsibility,” Van “once the days/times are solidified.” As of April 5, none of these town Zandt said in the email. Students have been critical of halls happened. At time of press, the university’s lack of transpar- the Free Press had not received comency in handling these events of ment from The New School’s office of Communications and Media sexual misconduct. “The university is always forth- Relations. Sessions open to undergraduate coming with damage control and with presenting a good image, students are scheduled during the but its communications with stu- coming weeks. The office of Students last year were vague and not dent Success will be releasing more explanatory,” said Srishti Yadav, information on the dates and times an NSSR student studying eco- of these tours, Malsin said. In an interview, Jaus emphanomics. In January, the university hired sized the importance of commuRhonnie Jaus, a former New York nity input on determining this assistant district attorney special- policy. “Before we make the final reviizing in prosecuting sex crimes, as vice president for Equal Employ- sions of the policy, we want to hear ment Opportunity, Aff irmative what our entire community has to

"We also know that acts of misconduct have been present in our own New School community, including recent ones that compel us to shine a bright light on our response and responsibility,” President David Van Zandt said.

Illustration by Ashlie Juarbe

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Under federal law, universities say, the students, faculty and the determine their own procedures staff,” Jaus said. Jaus worked in the Brooklyn in handling these allegations of Dist r ict Attor ney’s Of f ice for sexual harassment and misconduct. more than 25 years. She was the A complementary New York law, executive division chief of the Sex Article 129B, goes further than Crimes/Special Victims & Crimes the federal statute, and protects anyone who has a “reasonable Against Children Division. The Brooklyn DA’s office faced connection” to a college or univercriticism while Jaus worked there, sity, covering incidents that hapfor the under-prosecution of sex pen off-campus or those studying crimes in Orthodox Jewish neigh- abroad. Currently, staff and faculty at borhoods. In 2014, Kings County District The New School are required to Attorney John Hynes declined complete online training each year to confirm the number of adults to understand Title IX. Jaus has arrested for child sex crimes in been conducting additional trainthe Orthodox Jewish community ing sessions with staff and faculty during his time as district attorney. to augment what is required, she Hynes also declined to conf irm said. The universit y has acknowlthe number of adults convicted of sex crimes, as well as release their edged that existing training is inadequate. names. “Feedback indicates that the Jaus, as executive division chief of the Sex Crimes/Special Victims online training module is not suf& Crimes Against Children Divi- ficient for an issue so complex, persion, confirmed to the New York Post sonal, and important,” Van Zandt a fi gure of 85 adults arrested, and said in a university-wide email. Yadav, the graduate student, 14 convicted of sex crimes. After leaving the DA’s off ice, feels that the university needs to Jaus worked as the Title IX Coor- take more action in informing the dinator and director of Equity community on the issues surroundand Compliance at Adelphi Uni- ing sexual misconduct, from what versity where she facilitated Title behavior is appropriate, to where IX workshops for faculty and staff and how to report incidents. “The onus should not be on the and created the Advanced Sexual Assault and Awareness Prevention students. The university needs to be proactive,” Yadav said. (ASAAP). Jaus will train students, faculty How the New School’s sexual misconduct policies and proce- and staff in the fi nal policy once it dures could be revised is so far is determined. “There is really no replacement unclear. When a Title IX complaint is for in-person training. In-person fi led at a university, the institution training allows you to ask quesopens an investigation into the tions and get answers and start a claims. Universities in the United dialogue,” Jaus said. Under Title IX, employees of States have Title IX Coordinators, who are responsible for conducting The New School are designated as investigations and if applicable, “responsible employees under Title enforcing disciplinary actions. The IX” and are obligated to report New School’s Title IX Coordina- any allegations of gender-based tor is Jennifer Francone, who also incidents to the Title IX coordinaserves as assistant vice president of tor. Sta f f and facu lt y are being Student Equity and Access. Supreme Court decisions and trained in this responsibility, Jaus guidelines from the U.S. Depart- said. Before someone is about to ment of Education have showed disclose an incident to them, they i n st it ut ion s how t hey shou ld should make it clear that they are handle complaints of sexual mis- required to report the allegation, conduct. However, they are only which opens up a Title IX invesguidelines, as schools must deter- tigation. Jaus is working to ensure that staff and faculty understand mine their own Title IX policy. their responsibilities as mandated reporters with her training sessions. Jaus oversees incidents involving faculty and staff. Jennifer Francone, assistant vice president for Student Equity and Access, oversees incidents involving students. Jaus said she hopes campus outreach will encourage people to report by helping them understand their rights and the resources they can access. “I feel that once people understand that there’s a place for them to go, resources for them, many, many protections in the law that can help them, it will encourage people to report,” she said. There are confidential sources on campus where people can go to disclose an incident that will not open an investigation. Students can talk to Student

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Health Services or the Student Ombuds office without an investigation being opened. Student employees have time constraints for fi ling work-related grievances, which SENS-UAW, The New School’s student union, is currently trying to change. However, student workers would use the same resources to report incidents of sexual misconduct, or to talk about an incident confidentially. There is no time constraint for fi ling a Title IX complaint. Faculty and staff can report incidents confidentially to the Ombuds off ice, without an investigation being opened. People who have been subject to the offenses that fall under Title IX and Article 129B are entitled to accommodations under these laws. T hese accom modat ions can include academic adaptation, changes to work schedules to avoid an offender, changes in on-campus housing, escorts from Campus Safety, or no contact orders. Jaus emphasized a protection within Article 129B, which grants amnesty to people reporting incidents of misconduct while using illegal drugs or alcohol. “I truly believe that once people hear that there is amnesty, and they understand it, it may encourage more people to come forward, and people wouldn’t be so afraid,” Jaus said. Jaus acknowledged the underreported nature of sex crimes. “It always makes me feel sad when people say they know people who aren’t reporting,” Jaus said. Contributed reporting by Ashlyn O’Hara

MAN IN SCRUBS TOUCHED STUDENTS, NYPD NOT CALLED CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Campus Safety orders to vacate the building; N YPD assistance was not necessar y,” said A my Malsin, a spokesperson for the university, in an email to the Free Press. “If an individual fails to comply with the direction of campus safety personnel, an immediate call to 911 would be warranted,” Malsin added. D i rector of Ca mpus Sa fet y Thomas Iliceto said that an image of the intruder had been distributed to campus security, according to an email sent to students after the incident. Iliceto also urged to students to notify campus security if they saw an unauthorized person enter the university. The New School declined to provide the Free Press with footage or photos of the individual. Morris was upset at the lack of details included in the email sent to students about the incident, as well at the university’s description of events. “[The email] was like, ‘Excuse me, a small class disruption has happened by someone who is not a member of our community.’ And that is such an understatement, it’s not even funny,” Morris said.

April 2018

Future Undecided for Cafeteria Workers by SIRI CHILUKURI, ANNA DEL SAVIO Chartwells workers in the University Center’s cafeteria learned The New School would sever the contract with their company at the same time that everyone else at the school did. Those who were in the cafeteria Monday learned about the change in person, but were told few other details about what will happen after July 1, when university’s contract with Chartwells will lapse. The New School is transitioning from using the Chartwells/ Compass USA to directly running cafeteria operations, according to a university-wide email sent on March 5 by Steve Sabile, vice president for fi nance and business, as well as treasurer. The move wou ld prov ide “opportunity for new student jobs” in the cafeteria and an improve the university’s focus on sustainability, Stabile said. “What our dining services look like even today is not typical of Chartwells,” Stabile said in an interview with the The New School Free Press. Chartwells operates in 270 colleges and universities. Moving operations in-house will make “a dining program that is adaptable to what students are looking for now [and] can be even more sustainable,” Stabile said. “Chartwells wasn’t really able to do a lot of that for us. That is the

bottom line.” When asked if current cafeteria workers would receive preference when applying for the new positions, Stabile said “I wouldn’t say preference, no, but they’ve all been spoken to and encouraged to apply for jobs.” Some of the new positions will require dif ferent skill sets, including increased data processing and inventory tracking capabilities. As of April 4, no job postings have been listed online. There are currently “approximately 45” cafeteria workers, most of whom are full-time during the academic year, said Ed Verdi, senior director of business operations. He expects to have the same amount of cafeteria employees under The New School, but did not know how many student positions will be offered. A cafeteria worker, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of losing their job, said their supervisor encouraged current workers to apply for positions. The cafeteria worker was interested about the prospect of students working in the cafeteria. “You all should apply so you can see what we go through. You can see why we’re always in here grumpy,” they said. “When they announced it yesterday, [we said] we hope [students] apply because

Photo by Orlando Mendiola

we want you to be here. It’s fucking bullshit.” A 39-year-old cafeteria worker, who also asked to remain anonymous, said staff did not receive much information. “As far as the details and the specifics, that we’re not aware of. We were just made aware that there is a transition taking place,” they said. Current cafeteria workers are unionized with other Chartwells locations as members of UNITE HERE Local 100, Stabile said. University officials “can’t predict” if future cafeteria workers will unionize, he said. The UNITE HERE Local 100 union did not respond to the Free Press’ request for comment. The Service Employees International Union 32BJ represents New School employees in maintenance and security. SEIU also represents

food service workers, but not those prices and selection. Stabile said that potential price changes are currently at The New School. Pay and benef its may change “hard for us to say right now,” but under the new plan. Administra- noted that currently food services tors hope to hire candidates with are not profitable for the university. data and f inance management “We only charge enough to cover skills, which Stabile said would the food and the labor to provide allow for better tracking of con- it, but there’s no profit being genersumption patterns. Improv ing ated. To the extent that we’re able the tracking system is intended to eliminate third-party cost and to better accommodate student whatever, we’re able to be a little requests and cut overproduction, more fi scally responsible,” Stabile in turn reducing food waste. With said. The cafe in the List Center and new skill requirements, “there will likely be some changes in pay,” the Lang Cafe will continue to be operated by O Cafe. Employees Stabile said. As New School employees, full- are direct employees of O Cafe, time cafeteria workers will be not The New School. Operations of fered tuition waivers as part for both cafes “will continue as of their compensation, allowing planned,” Stabile said. employees and family members to enroll in New School courses with Truman Ports contributed reporting. tuition and fees covered. Other changes could affect food

Parsons Professor David Carroll Seeks Transparency in The Midst of Data Scandal by CAROLINE DILONE, ANNA DEL SAVIO Scores of Facebook users have closed their accounts in response to news that user data was leaked to Cambr idge A na ly t ica. Parsons Associate Professor of Media Design David Carroll, who filed a complaint against the political consulting fi rm in March for what he said is “a massive invasion of privacy,” still isn’t one of them. As many as 87 million users may have had their data accessed by Cambridge Analytica without their knowledge, Facebook said in April. Mark Zuckerberg will testify before Congress on April 10 and 11, as lawmakers question how Facebook protects user data. Carroll filed his complaint on March 16, the same day Facebook suspended Cambridge Analytica from the platform. The following day, the New York Times reported that Cambridge Analytica had obta ined Facebook users’ pr ivate information from Aleksandr Kogan, a Russian-American academic who claimed to be collecting the data for academic purposes. “We all chose to join Facebook, we all chose to use it. We all chose to install the apps and share stuff

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on there,” Carroll said. “Nobody chose to let Cambridge Analytica potentially match all of our data back to our voter registration and then use it for purposes we don’t even know about.” Under English law, Carroll was able to request his personal information from Cambridge Analytica. He requested his data profi le in January 2017 and received a document with his profile from SCL Group, which founded Cambridge Analytica, in late March of that year. The firm’s report included contact information, demographics, voter history and ratings of Carroll’s concern with issues such as gun rights, immigration and national security. “Cambridge Analytica guessed that I was a very unlikely Republican, but also noted that gun rights were important to me,” Carroll wrote in an op-ed for Motherboard. After sharing his report from SCL on Twitter, Carroll said that European academics contacted him because they questioned the legitimacy of the data collected, which led him to find his lawyer, Ravi Naik.

Carroll said the f irm’s assessments of his views on the issues couldn’t have been determined with the information they sent him, meaning the company must have more information than they revealed. “We don’t know what they have. We don’t know what they have on all of us,” Carroll said. The current Facebook scandal was only one part of the issue. “I can understand why people are fascinated with Facebook, but the key to understand is that Facebook is at the beginning and the end of the story,” Carroll said. Alvin Chang, a data reporter for Vox and Lang faculty member, said the attention of the leak should be on Facebook rather than Cambridge Analytica. “The alarming thing about this is actually the data portion. It’s a Facebook scandal. It’s not a Trump scandal, it’s a much lesser Cambridge Analytica scandal,” Chang said in an interview. “The core of this is a Facebook scandal because Facebook allowed our data to be vulnerable.” The social media network lost $80 billion in market value after

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for mer Ca mbr idge A na ly t ica Christopher Wylie came forward about the company’s data collection. “It’s vindicating—but it’s also really troubling—that we had to come out of such a catastrophe to start to have an honest conversation about this,” Carroll told The New School Free Press. “The people who don’t want to admit it have to admit it now.” Online, large numbers of people have said they will delete their Facebook accounts. Facebook took out full page ads in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and numerous UK papers, CNN reported. In the ads, Zuckerberg apologized for not preventing the “leak” millions of users’ data. “We have a responsibility to protect your information. If we can’t, we don’t deserve it,” he said. Zuckerberg posted on Facebook addressing the next steps regarding this issue on March 21. His plans include investigating all apps with access to users information, controlling developers’ data accessibility and making it easier for peo-

ple to understand which apps are allowed to collect a user’s data. Carroll said Facebook is partially to blame. However, he added, the real issue isn’t just the violation of trust from the social network. “We have totally inadequate laws and protections and we totally need transparency,” Carroll said. “We hopefully value why transparency is needed now. We have to be able to see our own data because it’s ours.” Consumer data has long been used in marketing and politics, Chang said. “This information and what its being used for isn’t just in the political realm and it’s not just Cambridge Analytica that was using it, and using these strategies — it was everyone.” “What Cambridge Analytica did wrong, was they broke the terms of services and how they can use that information. They specifically created an app to draw people in so they can use it for political purposes,” Chang said. Carroll said many people are “dismissive” of Cambridge Analytica, claiming the tactics wouldn’t have worked on them. “[Skeptics] have to think like it wasn’t necessarily traditional ads. We don’t know what it was,” Carroll said. “Certain people might have been targeted over the course of months, or they’re able to find pockets of people really easily and then zero in on them. We just don’t know,” Carroll said.

April 2018

Student Launches Hunger Strike to Fight Grading Policy by JERVEY INGLESBY, ANNA DEL SAVIO In protest of a department policy that considers a grade of B- or below to not be a passing grade, Rudy Hinojosa, Public Engagement media studies student and former New School student senator, launched a hunger strike. In late January, Hinojosa’s advisor notified him that he needed to retake Media Management and Leadership, a required course for an MS in Media Studies. Hinojosa was shocked. “I was never aware that a B- would be considered failing,” he said. The strike, which he started in February, lasted 54 hours. Hinojosa f irst went 24 hours without food, and then passed out from exhaustion aggravated by health issues for an additional 30 hours, he said. When he found out about the policy, Hinojosa thought, “I’m going to do what’s in my power, and right now, I think a ridiculous policy requires dramatic response,” he said. While Hinojosa’s hunger strike is an extreme example, his frustration is shared by other students who complain that there’s a patchwork of GPA requirements that are

difficult to fi nd and vary by school, program and sometimes course. “The website says one thing, my professor says another, the chair says a third thing. What exactly is the rule?” asked Jennifer Hsieh, a first-year Strategic Design and Management masters student at Parsons. Confusion about the requirements exists even among the faculty. “I know when I started teaching here 12 years ago, I didn’t even know that my students had to have a B at least or they’d have to retake the course,” said Margaret Bates, a Media Studies professor at the Schools of Public Engagement. “My experience, at least with the students I’ve had, is that they’re not aware of it.” While course credit is awarded for a grade of B-, some programs mandate that students cannot continue on in core classes for their major without receiving a higher grade. For many students, this means retaking those classes or choosing a new major. Each college publishes an annual catalog detailing requirements for each course of study, but few stu-

dents know these catalogs exist. “Honestly it’s not really that accessible.” said Yu Ling Wu, a BA/BFA student at Lang and Parsons, who is graduating this year. “I didn’t know that even existed.” On the universit y’s website, the Lang catalog can be accessed through a sidebar on each major and minor’s page. It is not listed on the general Lang academics page or other pages on the site. The Parsons catalog is similarly inaccessible. It is not available on webpages for majors or minors, but through a link for “Parsons Catalog” under the Academic Policies page, which is under Advising, under Academics. “I think the website in general is not good. The whole university website is not very accessible,” said Katayoun Chamany, the chair of Lang’s Interdisciplinary Science department. Policies regarding grade requirements for classes vary by division, department and major. The baseline standard at Lang, available online, states that students must receive a minimum C grade for a course to count toward the completion of their majors. In

Advising “Worse” Than It Should Be, Lang Dean Says by KATHERINE BADALA

Illustration by Ashlie Juarbe

Students are still frustrated with the Lang academic advising office, which the administrators have called “worse” than it should be. Some students are either bouncing between advisors or unaware of who’s there to guide them at all, they said. “I don’t even k now who my advisor is. The one time I emailed someone who I thought could be my advisor, they told me that I had to come in, which doesn’t help [or] f it with my schedule,” said Ellie Plass, a 20-year-old Journalism + Design major. Complaints have long plagued the advising of f ice and though some changes have been made, problems persist. There are six L a ng adv i sor s, who each a re

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assig ned to an average of 270 students, according to university spokeswoman Amy Malsin. Student frustration with advising “has been a problem for far too long, it just should be transparent,” Lang Dean Stephanie Browner said. “Advising is often a frustration at other universities, but we’re doing worse than we should.” “The facult y side — in that you get reassigned because people go on leave — is frustrating,” Browner also noted. Advisors assist with selecting courses, tracking graduation progress and informing students of the university’s academic policies. Students at Lang have a faculty advisor, in addition to an academic advisor. The professor

of a student’s f irst year seminar is their faculty advisor until they declare their major. After a student declares, a professor within their program becomes their faculty advisor. Students should keep the same faculty advisor after they declare their major, Browner said. “Within the industry it’s pretty standard. Your st a f f adv isor shou ld not change.” Admins have acknowledged some of the problems and have taken steps to fi x it. In the fall 2017 semester, Lang moved to a fouryear academic advising model “to deepen the relationships between students and their advisors,” a university spokesperson said in a statement to The New School Free Press. Under the new model, students are assigned to a counselor based on their last initial. Prior to the fall 2017 semester, students were advised by one person their fi rst year then a separate advisor for the rest of their enrollment. “ You t r y d i f fer e nt t h i n g s , because in some schools a separate fi rst year works well. For Lang, it’s best to have one point person, so that’s what we’ve gone back to,” said Leah Weich, the director of advising at Lang. B ut t he s e c h a n g e s h aven’t

ARTS & CULTURE

Illustration by Ashlie Juarbe

Culture and Media, Literary Studies writing concentration, Global Studies, and Journalism + Design, students must receive a B or higher in introductory courses for the major. Parsons undergraduate programs typically require a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0, while graduate programs typically require minimum 3.0. In individual courses, a grade of D or above is required for credit in undergraduate programs, according to Parsons department chairs Ben Katchor, of Illustration, and Justin Bakse, of Design and Technology. Parsons graduate programs generally count a C- grade or above as passing, said John Sharp, director stopped students from ping-ponging between advisors, they said. Bernie Devito, a Lang junior, said she has had at least six advisors during her three years at Lang. “Students should have one advisor throughout their time at TNS in order to get the most out of their academic experience. To have to reintroduce myself each time I need assistance is annoying and ineff icient,” Devito wrote to the Free Press. Weich was disheartened to hear about experiences like Devito’s. “Ever y single day all of us are doing massive outreach — and that’s just the emails. And then there’s the automated. I guess I’d want to ask them a bit more about that. Are they getting the emails? I would want to know where is the confusion coming [from],” Weich said. “We’re always looking to use the technology that students are using. Is the Facebook and email getting outmoded?” Weich said. “Should we do more announcements on MyNewSchool? I have to f igure out where they’re looking.” Advisors carve out at least five hours a day for student appointments, with each appointment ranging from 10 minutes to an hour. An advisor can see up to 20 students per day during high-volume periods, but will often see 10 or fewer depending on how much time a student needs. According to Noemi MoralesHorsford, an academic advisor at Lang, earlier fi rst encounters with students has been beneficial. Advi-

of Parsons’ MFA Design and Technology program. Policies at the Schools of Public Engagement vary widely. The MFA Creative Writing and International Affairs programs do not currently have corresponding policies in place, said program directors Luis Jaramillo and Stephen J. Collier, to the Free Press. The MA and MS Media Studies programs demand a grade of B or higher in required courses. “I was basically just thinking, okay, if this is difficult to process for me, imagine someone who’s about to graduate, or an international student whose visa is about to run out, or someone who’s about to become ineligible for federal loans,” Hinojosa said. “Like many universities, The New School allows individual programs to determine the academic standards for required coursework. These standards vary depending on the program, subject and course to ensure students have the right skills and knowledge,” said the office of Provost Tim Marshall in an email statement to the Free Press. “I’m just glad I got at least a little attention on it,” Hinojosa said. “I hope it progresses into positive change, and I’m confident in the future.”

sors reach out as soon as admitted students confi rm their enrollment. “We meet with them virtually and students really get a sense of who we are. They see our face and they know ‘That’s my person, that’s the person I can ask anything,’” Morales-Horsford said. According to Malsin, Lang’s advisors got “high marks” in a university survey sent to 1,072 Lang and BA/BFA students in spring 2017. The 285 students who responded, roughly 26 percent of those who got the survey, said they were confident in the advising they got, and that they were treated respectfully. Eighty percent of the respondents said their advising experience met their expectations. Still, those who work in advising, including student employees, felt that students should be more active in regards to advising. “Students need to take responsibility for their stuff too especially when there are not enough advisors here for the students,” said Brianna Azin, an executive office assistant in the advising office. Sarah Little, a junior studying global studies who works in the advising off ice, said she’s interacted with students who didn’t k now t hey had to reg ister for classes, despite numerous emails sent by the off ice. “All students should just be paying [more] attention to the emails sent out,” Little said.

April 2018

More Than 300 New School Students Use SeekingArrangement, the Sugar Daddy Dating App by SAMMI FISHER

Illustration by Ashlie Juarbe

It’s a brisk March evening in the East Village, when a 19-yearold Parsons student receives a text and is asked to meet for a date. She accepts and begins her typical predate ritual: She picks out a short and simple black dress, blends out her neutral eyeshadow, straps on her favorite brown Dolce Vita wedges and she’s ready to go. She feels a little nervous, but that’s normal before a date, right? She hops in a n U ber heading towards the Upper East Side. The Uber was sent by her date, a man in his late 30s who works in finance. At the end of the night, she will leave with an extra $1,000 in her pocket. “It’s not as scary as it sounds. You’d be surprised how normal the people you meet on the app are. But I also could see how many people wouldn’t feel comfortable doing this type of thing,” she said. This Parsons student’s date night is an increasingly common occurrence among students at The New School and universities nationwide. She found this engagement through SeekingA rrangement. SeekingArrangement is an American sugar baby and sugar daddy dating website founded by MIT graduate Brandon Wade in 2006. In the arrangement, wealthy men, commonly called “sugar daddies,” lavish their dates, sugar babies, with gifts and/or money. According to SeekingArrangement, more than three million American students registered on the site in 2017, often in order to f ind relief from tuition or other college-related costs. SeekingArrangement advertises their services with the line, “Finding the right sugar daddy can help a sugar baby stay ahead of the game and get the education they need without student loan debt.” While its website markets the pro duc t tow a r d s col lege st udents looking to fund tuition and school-related expenses, that’s not

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always the case for some students at The New School. There are 363 New School Students registered on SeekingArrangement. According to Josette D’Espyne, SeekingArrangement’s public relations coordinator, 94 New School students joined the app in 2017, a 29 percent increase from 2016. These numbers only account for students who used their university emails to register. None of the five students interviewed by The New School Free Press felt comfortable signing up for an account using their school emails. The students interviewed use the app in dif ferent ways. The majority use it to f ind men who are interested in forming consistent arrangements, where the men expect to have sex. However, there are the students who are only looking for platonic arrangements, where sexual acts aren’t involved, but money still is. “There’s the culture at Parsons where high fashion and having new clothes is expected. It’s just part of the deal. People want to have new stuff all the time and not everyone can afford that type of lifestyle,” said the Parsons student, who asked to remain anonymous to protect her identity. “Students want a way to be able to afford it. Once some people started using the app, it

“I think sugar babying has a very specific appeal as opposed to camming or regular escorting or the other services in sex work.”

became known that it’s a way that works for people.” The Parsons student began using the app when she moved to New York and f irst lived on her own. She needed a job that was flexible enough to fit her school schedule. “When I found out about Seeking Arrangements it was like I could make money on my own terms, on my own hours, and still be able to have time for school.” “I think sugar babying has a very specific appeal as opposed to camming or regular escorting or the other services in sex work. I don’t think the other services have the same fame feel to it, the same glamorous appeal,” said Siobhan Dougherty, 19, an anthropology major at Lang. Dougher t y found out about SeekingArrangement while working as a cam girl online. Camming usually involves performing on a webcam for anonymous viewers who request sexual activities, usually solo, for tips and by-minute charges, she said. For some, platonic relations are possible, but for others they’re a rare occurrence. Students often w ill join Seek ingA rrangement thinking that they will be paid to do something simple, like have dinner or to keep someone company. However, when they make their account and start to see the profi les of the men, the reality of SeekingArrangement is revealed. “The guys were really demanding, and straightforward. They don’t play around. They tell you exactly what they want and what they have to offer, including their net worth,” said Jamiya Leach, a fi rst year student studying culture and media at Lang. “It’s really weird, because you literally have to market yourself and sell yourself. You have to say your budget, how much you spend in a month. How much you’d like to get from these guys. So I felt really uncomfortable.” Leach made an account

ARTS & CULTURE

out of curiosity, but never ended up meeting with anyone. Another 19-year-old Parsons student, who studies fashion and wanted to withhold her name, joined SeekingArrangement in hopes of getting paid just to go on dates. “I still don’t think I’d be able to have sex for money because in the back of my head, I’ll think I’m a prostitute,” she said. She had a rare first experience with SeekingArrangement. Her date took her shopping on Madison Avenue and bought her an expensive designer gift. She didn’t have to do anything and never saw him again. “I keep on referring to that date as the needle in the haystack. Usually the men are going to expect to have sex in the future,” she said. The common misconception that SeekingArrangment doesn’t involve sex is infuriating, Dougherty said. “There’s a ton of us who don’t have the choice to find a random

“The guys were really demanding, and straightforward. They don’t play around. They tell you exactly what they want and what they have to offer, including their net worth.” guy to buy us dinner. We actually do end up in arrangements where we do ‘give sugar’ because that’s what the arrangement is and it’s a valid form of sex work,” Dougherty said. It’s the large amounts of money the app is known for that attracts the students. The pay for the Parsons student who wore the Dolce Vita wedges ranges from $400 to $1,000 per date, which usually last an hour to an hour and a half. “Normally I’ve averaged around keeping my bank account in the $4,000 range,” she said. “Then I keep spending while trying to keep that much in the bank. It goes up and down. I’ll make a big purchase like an expensive dress or handbag, but then I’ll make a ton of money to make up for it.” Dougher t y sa id she made around the same as the Parsons student through SeekingArrangement. However, her compensation from the other forms of sex work was much lower. Through SeekingArrangement, “I got paid $500 for half an hour’s worth of ‘work.’ Whereas on a normal basis, it’s very tip based and very scattered,”

she said. R achel Pa l lone, 34, star ted working as a sugar baby when she was just 15, usually meeting men during her Miami waitressing jobs at Nikki Beach and Opium Garden, she said. “The strangest way I met one was I rear-ended a Lexus LS in 2003. The driver ended up taking me to lunch and then proceeded to give me money throughout college,” Pallone said. The lavish gifts these men gave her initially made her feel powerful, but that gradually slipped away, she said. “With every designer bag and pair of shoes I lost the self confidence that I could buy this or give this to myself. I had so much guilt and shame,” Pallone said. Pallone’s perception of men was damaged after her work as a sugar baby. She was unable to interact with a man without looking at the encounter as a business transaction, she said. At 28, Pallone decided her sugar baby status was more damaging than rewarding. Later on, she took a job working for an anti-sex traff icking organization, Selah Freedom. Selah Freedom, which is based in Florida, provides education on the issue of sex trafficking throughout the country, as well as teen prevention, outreach and safe housing. “It has affected my life today by being a way that I help other women,” Pallone said. Pallone received her MBA in 2009 and now works full-time as a nurse. I ncreased nat iona l attention around sex traff icking has prompted Congress to recently pass two pieces of legislation—Fight Online Sex Traff icking Act and the Stop Enabling Sex Trafficking Act—to stamp out the problem. But their approach targets online forums like Backpage.com and cam sites used by self employed sex workers. “The reality is the legislation is not made to save people from trafficking. It’s made to shut down employed sex workers, many of whom need this work to survive. We need legislation that protects sex workers and will also lead to less women being traff icked,” Doughert y said. “It makes me scared to lose my option to work again.” Due to the fact that SeekingArrangment poses itself as a dating and lifestyle website, it will remain unharmed from the enactments of FOSTA and SESTA. Meanwhile, young women at The New School will continue to use its ser v ice, brav ing the unknown. “I’m not really into meeting with people once, because that just feels so transactional that it almost makes me feel sick about it. If you’re seeing someone regularly, you can count on them,” the Parsons student said. “You have to put a lot on the line before you meet someone. Who can you trust? You have to f ind someone who wants the same thing as you, so it’s harder,” she said.

April 2018

The Best Latte Spots to Meet Your Needs by TOMA VOLOZHANINA

The New School Free Press has created a careful selection of coffee places to fit with your specific plans and tastes. After surveying 50 students, 10 from each division, we discovered that when choosing a coffee shop, most of the people expect access to the basics: WiFi, charging outlets, free water and clean restrooms. However, other preferences vary depending on the purpose of the visit. Some people are looking for good coffee, soft music and a comfortable space to study on their own. Others want to to enjoy pastries while working on a group project, or have a loud lunch with friends. In any case, we’ve got options for you. If you’re studying alone: Starbucks at the Union Square BARNES & NOBLE is like a vibrant city cafe mixed with a peaceful library. Visitors can grab a book and have a seat near the windows with view on Union Square. No purchase necessary. WiFi: Yes A must-try combo: Two shots of blonde espresso with a cinnamon scone Address: 33 E. 17th St. OUTRO NYC provides big tables convenient to lay out all your notes and books. Enjoy the local healthy foods such as grilled seasonal veggies or a chicken quesadilla. Above all, go for the organic waffle. You won’t regret it! WiFi: Yes A must-try combo: Matcha cocoa with the avocado chicken waffle (and yes, you can eat those together) Address: 816 Broadway If you want to study with your friends: BLUESTONE LANE is a vibrant Australian-style coffee shop known for its well-crafted lattes. Its loyalty app lets customers accumulate bonuses for free drinks and other offers. 62 percent of the students surveyed pick up bonus cards at cafes and restaurant. WiFi: No A must-try combo: Golden latte with collective granola Address: 55 Greenwich Ave.

At EVERYMAN ESPRESSO, coffee is served in large mugs, decor is minimalist and there are lots of small tables placed near power outlets. The cafe, filled with students working, generates a special vibe ideal for a long, productive work sessions. Keep your work going with delicious espresso. WiFi: Yes A must-try combo: Almond cortado and lavender-glazed donut Address: 19 Eighth Ave. and 136 E. 13th St. Havens to enjoy your alone time: ANCOLIE serves a variety of healthy foods like protein salads, vegetable soups and seasonal meals, all dished out in eco-friendly glass jars. You get a $1 discount when you bring the jar back. WiFi: Yes A must-try combo: Assam tea with cauliflower soup and rainbow salad Address: 58 W 8th St. TOBY’S ESTATE CAFÉ features cool ornaments on the brick walls, patterned parquet flooring and fantastic latte art created for those in search of Instagramable moments. The cafe is very cozy, as its small size prevents it from getting too loud and crowded. The comfortable coach is another bonus. WiFi: No A must-try combo: Almond milk flat white with a blueberry tart Address: 44 Charles St.

GROUNDED ORGANIC COFFEE & TEA HOUSE, which has a higher price point than other cafes listed, features diverse greenery and drinks like the the black tea rose latte and cowboy cappuccino. They also serve small sandwiches. WiFi: Yes A must-try combo: Mint kiss latte with yogurt parfait Address: 28 Jane St. When hanging out with your buddies: CITY BAKERY, with its high ceilings and pastries fresh from the oven, is worth checking out. The large, two-story space serves up ultra rich hot chocolate and is roomy enough for a boisterous conversation. WiFi: No A must-try combo: Hot chocolate with homemade marshmallows Address: 3 W. 18th St. xoxo, love you a latte!

Illustrations by Ashlie Juarbe

Graphic by Sarah McNutt

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SECTION ARTS & CULTURE

April 2018

Upcoming April Events by TUONGVI DIEP

Illustrations by Ashlie Juarbe

Tuesday, April 10

Sunday, April 15

Wednesday, April 25

Open until July 15

Film Screening - “Beyond Conviction”

Earth Day in Union Square

Amateur Night at the Apollo

“David Bowie Is” Exhibition

In 1998, the state of Pennsylvania launched a pioneering mediation program where victims of violent crimes or their family members could meet face-to-face with the perpetrators of their crimes. “Beyond Conviction” is a documentary that follows three pairs of survivors and perpetrators as they go through this emotionally intense program. The film gives a rare glimpse into the lingering pain, questions and regrets for both sides and reveals the bold and difficult path to redemption and reconciliation. Location: Room L105 of The New School University Center, 63 Fifth Avenue, Manhattan Time: 6 to 9 p.m. Price: Free

An early city celebration for Earth Day with a full day of events and informative activities. Attendees can look forward to an exhibition on the sharing economy, displays from local businesses with green initiatives, a showcase of green vehicles, live music and kids activities. Location: Union Square West, Manhattan Time: 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. Price: Free

King in New York

Play a song, show your standup, read a poem, perform in any genre you want. You get five minutes to show one piece. Show what you got! Location: Nuyorican Poets Cafe 236 E. Third St., Manhattan Time: 10 p.m. Price: $8

This exhibition explores new ways of representing the seascape as a means to identify and critique land-sea divides, the circulation of people and goods and the vulnerabilities of ecosystems. It features the work of 20 artists and collectives in a variety of media — including photography, video, sculpture and design. Location: Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Gallery, Sheila C. Johnson Design Center 2 W. 13th Street, Manhattan Time: 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Price: Free CANCELED DUE TO FIRE, SEE PAGE 4

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Sunday, April 22 Brooklyn Flea, Sunday in DUMBO This flea market in DUMBO features 80 vendors and is part vintage bazaar, part old-fashioned town square and part food bonanza. Location: 80 Pearl St., Brooklyn Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Price: Free

Thursday, April 12 The Ocean After Nature Exhibition

The Harlem Repository Theater presents an adaptation of “The Wizard of Oz” following the story of Dorothy, and her dog, Toto, who wakes up in a strange land filled with witches and wizards, munchkins and monkeys.

Monday, April 16 Open Mic Night

Location: Museum of the City of New York 1220 Fifth Ave. at 103rd St., Manhattan Time: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Price: Students $12 with ID

The Wizard of Oz

Location: Harlem Repertory Theatre 240 E. 123rd St., Manhattan Time: 3 p.m. Price: $10

Wednesday, April 11

Marking the 50th anniversary of the death of Martin Luther King Jr., the “King in New York” exhibition explores the civil rights leader’s encounters with New York from the 1950s until his assassination in 1968.

Saturday, April 21

Wednesday, April 18 Tribeca Film Festival Opening Night: Documentary “Love, Gilda” by Gilda Radner Tribeca Film Festival is opening with the world premiere of “Love Gilda”, a documentary Gilda Radner, known for her characters played on Saturday Night Live. Directed and produced by Lisa D’Apolito, the documentary looks back at the actress’ life. Location: Beacon Theatre, Manhattan Price: $46+ Time: 7 p.m.

Tuesday, April 24 New York Comics & Picture-Story Symposium: Featuring Kevin Patrick A panel discussion on Kevin Patrick’s comic “The Phantom Unmasked: America’s First Superhero.” The panel will discuss topics related to the transnational history of America’s first superhero and reappraises the cultural of American popular culture. Stephen Kellen Auditorium in room N101, Sheila C. Johnson Design Center, 66 Fifth Ave., Manhattan Time: 7 p.m. Price: Free

One of New York’s most popular live entertainment experiences is hosting a singing competition. It is known for its notoriously tough audience who will decide if contestants will “be good or be gone” . Location: 253 W. 125 St., Manhattan Time: 7:30 p.m. Price: Tickets starting at $37

The Brooklyn Museum is holding a touring exhibition of David Bowie, celebrating the celestial pop icon’s life with more than 400 objects including costumes, lyric sheets and performance clips. Location: Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn Time: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Price: Students weekdays $12, weekends $16

Saturday, April 28 Cherry Blossom Festival The annual festival celebrates the Japanese cultural tradition of enjoying each moment of the cherry blossom season. The festival will include activities such as face painting, paper flower making and kite flying. Location: Brooklyn Botanic Garden 990 Washington Ave., Brooklyn Time: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Price: $8 with a student ID Every Monday in April Acupressure, Essential Oils, and Herbal Teas Release stress and enhance your sense of wellbeing with ear acupressure, essential oils and teas offered by Student Health Services. Location: University Center, UC lobby 63 Fifth Ave., Manhattan Time: 2:30 p.m. to- 4:30 p.m. Price: Free for New School students Every Tuesday in April Nap Time A quiet space for sleep and relaxation. Sleeping materials like pillows, eye masks will be provided. A facilitator is present to keep an eye on everyone’s items. Location: 80 Fifth Ave., third floor conference room, Manhattan Time: 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Price: Free for New School Students

AFFECTED DUE TO FIRE, SEE PAGE 4

ARTS & CULTURE

April 2018

Fashion on Fifth by ORLANDO MENDIOLA

“I want to turn myself into a cartoon character. I want to be easily recognizable.”

“I don’t really think about it. It just comes together.” - Parsons fashion junior Braden Moore

- Parsons illustration first year Ky Fernandez (@coolguyky)

“I based my style off of pop culture. During the day I’m chill, but at night I go all out.” - Parsons graphic design first year Devon May (@devon.mp4)