NYU’s Daily Student Newspaper
WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS Vol. 41, No. 7
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2013
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Bond Street Theatre brings innovative art to NYU By ARIANA DIVALENTINO
When the Taliban gained power in Afghanistan in 1979, the militant group banned all forms of art, including theater, music and dance. More than 30 years later, Gallatin alumna Joanna Sherman is working to bring theater back to Afghanistan and other areas in conflict. Sherman is a founding member and the artistic director of the Bond Street Theatre Coalition, a group that uses theater arts as a tool for positive change amid political turmoil. Tonight, Bond Street will present “The Power of Performance: Theater in War Zones” at the Jerry H. Labowitz Theatre for the Performing Arts. Sherman will share a video at the event that discusses the organization’s work. Bond Street Theatre works with local organizations in the regions they visit, which range from pre-existing performing arts groups to women’s shelters. The group trains people in these areas to create and use theater as a tool for social change. In many of the places Bond Street works, other forms of entertainment are
not accessible or do not exist. “After 30 years, we’re trying to invent theater again, [for] people who don’t even know what it is,” Sherman said. Since its inception in 1976, Bond Street has done everything from a non-verbal version of “Romeo and Juliet” in the conflicted Balkan region to a show about fracking and environmentalism in the United States, in which film footage of the nuclear disaster in Bhopal, India was used. While shows vary based on language, subject matter and resources available, conflict resolution is a common theme as it holds importance in both art and politics. “The Power of Performance” will be presented by the Alumni Arts & Society Program of the Gallatin School of Individualized Study. Gallatin professor Laurin Raiken, a founding member of the Gallatin faculty, created the Arts & Society Program as a way to display work by, and keep in contact with, successful and influential alumni like Sherman, who graduated with a Master of Arts degree in 1996. Raiken was personally impressed by Sherman’s work with Bond Street. “In the mid ’90s, I had a
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Bond Street Theatre performs in areas of political unrest. BOND continued on PG. 4
FILE PHOTO BY CASEY KWON/WSN
The university’s most recent portal campus addition is preparing to open in fall 2013 in Shanghai.
NYU Shanghai to pick inaugural class By FAY LIN
NYU Shanghai, the third degreegranting portal campus to open for the global network university after NYU New York and NYU Abu Dhabi, announced last week that 500 candidates are left to fight for seats in its Fall 2013 inaugural class. According to Global Times, the selected students will be interviewed in a series of activities ranging from demo classes, group discussions and teamwork assignments to evaluate leadership, teamwork, com-
munication and writing skills. From there, the university will admit 300 of the applicants. John Beckman, NYU’s spokesman, said the admissions process for NYU Shanghai is distinct from those in New York and Abu Dhabi because at least half the class will be recruited from China. “For those students, they apply to NYU Shanghai through our regular admissions process, but their acceptance to NYU happens only after they take the Gao Kao national college admissions exam and score within the high-
est rank,” Beckman said. “Regardless of the process, we are confident that we will have an excellent first class, which we expect to number between 150 and 200, when we open next fall.” According to an NYU press release, NYU Shanghai’s undergraduate curriculum has a liberal arts focus in which all students will develop a foundation in the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences before pursuing their specified disciplines.
SHANGHAI continued on PG. 3
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: STUDENTS MEET AND GREET OVER COFFEE A new app called Brew! introduces students to each other during 15-minute pre-paid coffee breaks to foster community and friendship at NYU. BREW on PG. 5
BOLSHOI THEATER DIRECTOR BRUTALLY ATTACKED Underwhelming police and media reaction to a brutal attack on the Bolshoi Theater director are signs of corruption that will quickly become deadly if not remedied as soon as possible.
MEN’S BASKETBALL TRAVELS LONG, WINDING ROAD Despite several losses on the road, strong showings by players like senior Kyle Stockmal may lead the team to another NCAA Division III Championship bid. BASKETBALL on PG. 8
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GOLSHAN on PG. 7
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TWO LIVE SHOWS NOT TO BE MISSED: RADIOHEAD AND KENDRICK LAMAR. Music taste is as unique and personal as our fingerprints, but a live performance by an artist you might not normally listen to can still entertain. Radiohead provides a surreal, hypnotic vibe for its twohour illuminated shows, and Lamar’s flow only improves when he’s on the mic. For Valentine’s Day, purchase tickets for Lamar’s concert in New York City at the Roseland Ballroom. He performs Feb. 26, and the tickets are perfect for a fun, memorable date.
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PSYCHIC COULD NOT PREDICT HER OWN LAWSUIT A former client accused a psychic of scamming her out of hundreds of thousands of dollars and convincing her to leave the country.
MINT If, like all New Yorkers, you perpetually worry about the state of your minimal finances, consider downloading Mint on your phone. COURTESY OF MINT.COM This handy app consolidates all of your spending, income, credit card and bank account information, and also tracks what purchases you make. Be sure to set up spending budgets and don’t worry — a read-through of their privacy section should ease your security fears. While this is useful all the time, it is proves particularly handy around holidays.
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BLOOMBERG ORDERED TO TURN OVER EMAILS IN CATHLEEN BLACK INVESTIGATION A panel of Appellate Division judges denied the city’s request to appeal a string of rulings requiring them to turn over the emails concerning the hiring of Cathleen Black, the New York City schools chancellor. Black left her post after less than 100 days in the position. UNDERGROUND RAILROAD STOP IN MANHATTAN UNDER SIEGE A building developer is adding an illegal fifth floor to a historic building in Chelsea, Manhattan’s only underground railroad stop, which hosted several prominent abolitionists. Officials and neighborhood residents are fighting to restore it to its previous state before the developer started building.
CAFE MOGADOR, 101 ST. MARKS PLACE Alhough most NYU students probably have never visited the Kingdom of Morocco, they should not deny themselves the opportunity to taste some incredible Moroccan and Mediterranean cuisine. If you’re in the East Village, Cafe Mogador is a great spot for a relaxing, spicy dinner. Perfect for dates, Mogador is a reasonably priced choice for Valentine’s Day.
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MTA TO INCREASE PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN The Metropolitan Transit Authority plans to launch increased signage, frequent announcements and various other forms of media on the back of MetroCards and on MetroCard vending machines. It will also increase help-point devices in stations, which will provide straphangers with information during emergency situations.
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LOCATE GIRL SCOUT COOKIES WITH SMARTPHONE APP The Girl Scouts have released an app called Girl Scout Cookie Finder, which tracks their pop-up shops and trucks around the city. The app is available for iPhones and Androids.
Central Park’s lakes and hills became spots for sledding and skating after the weekend’s storm.
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About WSN: Washington Square News (ISSN 15499389) is the student newspaper of New York University. WSN is published Monday through Thursday during NYU’s academic year, except for university holidays, vacations and exam periods. Corrections: WSN is committed to accurate reporting. When we make errors, we do our best to correct them as quickly as possible. If you believe we have erred, contact managing editor Amy Zhang at managing@nyunews.com or at 212.998.4302.
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SHANGHAI continued from PG. 1
Students anticipate Shanghai campus acceptances, opportunities
Currently, NYUNY students have the option of studying abroad in Shanghai for a maximum of three semesters, and can choose to take classes in a variety of subjects including business, history, journalism and metropolitan studies. “I spent a semester abroad in Shanghai for metropolitan studies, and it was a great way to brush up on Chinese language proficiency,” CAS junior Irene Huh said. “Making it an official campus within NYU will make NYU even more diverse and will encourage students to learn about such an exciting culture.”
Some students hope to use the new campus as an opportunity to study longer in Shanghai. “I’m taking Chinese and really want to spend a year in Shanghai. Unfortunately, I’m in a program that doesn’t have professors in Shanghai,” said CAS sophomore Dylan Welch. “Once the campus gets up and running, more programs and classes can be offered there more easily.” Fay Lin is a contributing writer. Email her at university@nyunews.com.
Tutoring program opens new NYU chapter By LESLEY GREENBERG
Let’s Get Ready, a non-profit tutoring organization started by a Harvard graduate, recently opened a site at NYU. Providing free SAT and college prep guidance to under-served students throughout the Northeast, the organization was launched in 1998. Founder Jeannie Rosenthal, who was inspired by the disparity in resources between Scarsdale and Mount Vernon, opened her first class in a church basement serving 40 students. Today, Let’s Get Ready runs 73 programs, serves over 2,900 students and is assisted by over 1,200 college volunteers. Valerie Tomici, who graduated from CAS in December, and Gallatin senior Elizabeth Temkin are co-directors of the NYU chapter. Together, they recruit students and coaches, oversee classes and plan information sessions, trips and events. According to Tomici, Let’s Get Ready’s most important quality is that it gives students with fewer opportunities an entrance ticket into the admissions process. “[The program] works to level the playing field by supplying low-income high school students with the resources they need to get to college,” she said. “In urban high schools the ratio of students to guidance counselors is near 500to-1,” Tomici said. “Let’s Get Ready is able to provide undergrad mentors to these students to walk them through the more difficult aspects of the SAT and college and scholarship applications.” Fabienne Doucet, assistant professor of education at NYU, agrees that programs like Let’s Get Ready not only provide useful resources to get students to go to college, but also help them stay there. “Policies and practices surrounding test-
ing, the application process, admissions and so on are changing so rapidly that families may not be able to provide the support and information that it needed to best position students for college success,” Doucet said. “By going beyond admission to supporting students toward retention and graduation, Let’s Get Ready is doing important work toward addressing the inequities inherent in the U.S. educational system.” Let’s Get Ready’s results indicate positive trends. Over the past 15 years, Let’s Get Ready has guided more than 16,000 under-served students through the college process, trained and supported 6,000 college student volunteers, helped over 90 percent of its students enter college directly after high school and increased its average student’s SAT scores by 112 points. The strongest evidence of the programs’s impact are the many high school students who return to the Let’s Get Ready program as coaches and site directors themselves. Pooja Kumari, a coach for Let’s Get Ready and sophomore at NYU, remembers how much these students care and continue to keep in touch. “[I’m just as] excited to hear about their college acceptances as they are. You get to meet a lot of great people, both students and coaches included,” Kumari said of the program. “And it really does feel like you’re doing something important.” Kumari was forced to miss one session last semester, and multiple students tried to reach her through text because they were unwilling to forgo a class. “I realized that they actually cared and that I was actually helping them,” Kumari said. Lesley Greenberg is a staff writer. Email her at university@nyunews.com.
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Let’s Get Ready, a volunteer program, works with low-income students in an effort to bridge the gap between high school and college.
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Controversial Bloomberg budget strains public education sector By ISAAC MARSHALL Mayor Bloomberg’s recently released $70.1 billion proposal for the final budget of his mayoralty was met by much controversy. The 2014 budget does not include any tax increases, but closes a $1.1 billion deficit. City spending will decrease 1.1 percent, or $254 million, over the next fiscal year. Doug Turetsky of the Independent Budget Office, a nonpartisan publicly-funded budget monitor, summarized the sentiments of many pundits and policymakers. “If you look at the budget, and the formal presentation of what’s in the budget, the gaps going forward are relatively small,” he said. “But it’s what you don’t see in the formal presentation that creates the biggest potential for problems.“ The first problem Turetsky identified is the 2010 expiration of labor contracts. The current proposal has not left aside any money for wage increases that many unions are expecting come 2014. He said that raises anticipated by teachers and workers amount to $3.8 billion, which is not accounted for in the current budget. Turetsky also addressed the fact that around $700 million of the presumed
revenue for the 2014 budget is contingent on the sale of 2,000 new taxi medallions. However, this deal is tied up in a lawsuit, as many taxi owners and companies are against the sale of these medallions. Turetsky said this could pose a problem for the next mayor if the deal does not materialize by 2014. Maria Doulis, director of city studies at the non-partisan Citizen’s Budget Committee, said the recession will continue to have long-term effects on the city’s budget. “What is really different about the last two budgets is that we’re entering a period coming out of the recession where revenue growth is much smaller than we’ve seen over the past decade,” Doulis said. “As a result of that, it requires tightening on the expenditure side and really starting to grapple with the issues that are driving budget growth.” Education may take a hit from this lack of revenue growth. According to Doulis, with this budget proposal the city plans to reduce the size of the teaching workforce by 1,800 by next year. Tisch freshman Ben Goalz worries that after-school programs will be the target of the budget cuts. “Given the large number
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Bloomberg’s budget proposal received mixed reactions. of high earners this city has access to, I think that a progressive income tax hike in NYC sounds a lot better than a slashing campaign, especially one that targets our schools, which already have taken huge hits in the last few years,” Goalz said. Overall, though, Doulis believes the mayor has handled the budget well over his past three terms. “They established this health insurance trust fund, they were able to pay down a lot of debt and save a little on the debt service costs,” she said. “They took a number of actions that were very prudent, realizing that good times weren’t going to last forever.” Isaac Marshall is a staff writer. Email him at cstate@nyunews.com.
City to open public pet adoption center By JACQUELINE HSIA
Within the next year, the New York City Animal Care and Control department will create an adoptions department as part of an initiative to help more New York City animals find homes. AC&C experienced severe budget cuts a few years ago, causing the department to lose half of its workforce. In order to help animals find homes, they were forced to rely on volunteers and other rescue groups such as the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. With the help of AC&C’s New Hope department, over 15,000 animals were pulled out of the AC&C to be adopted and transferred to other shelters. “Funding is an important component to any adoption and outreach program,” said Brian Shapiro, New York state director for the Humane Society. Increased funding from the city enabled AC&C to hire back some staff and build up the adoptions department. They hope that
with a new $13 million budget they will be able to expand the agency staff from 150 to 250, make adoption counselors available, better use social media and hold more adoption events. “It’s wise that the AC&C is utilizing these resources and partnering with groups in the community,” Shapiro said. In 2003, 74 out of 100 animals that went to the AC&C were euthanized, but at the end of last year, only 30 out of 100 were euthanized, saving 230,000 cats and dogs. With the growth of social media, more people are seeing that there are more animals in need of homes. “We welcome these changes,” said Jane Hoffman, president of the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals. “We can keep euthanasia down because of transfers, but it’s always good to have people adopt directly. We can look for an increase in adoptions in AC&C.” Hoffman also noticed an increase in people who want to adopt rather than buy a pet, to spay and neuter their animals and to provide a lifetime of care to
their pets. Owners are also becoming more responsible in vaccinating, licensing and microchipping their pets, which allows the city to help owners find their pets again, especially after Hurricane Sandy. Other shelters greatly aid the adoption process, but the AC&C has one of the only open adoptions programs in the city, since they allow all types of animals. “There are always disagreements on the best way to adopt animals out to the public, but we all have the same goals in mind,” Shapiro said. For SCPS freshman Katharina Gadow, who recently adopted a kitten from Sean Casey Animal Rescue in Brooklyn, care and knowledge of the animals was key in picking a shelter. “If I wanted to adopt from NYC Animal Care and Control, I would like to see them offer benefits such as a veterinary check-up, shots and a microchip for free, otherwise I don’t think I would adopt from them,” Gadow said. Jacqueline Hsia is a contributing writer. Email her at cstate@nyunews.com.
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2013 | NYUNEWS.COM
FEATURES BOND continued from PG. 1
Theater company uses art to inspire social change really brilliant student finishing her master’s,” Raiken said of Sherman. “Bond Street Theatre is one of the most extraordinary theaters in the country, if not the world. They take their talent into some of the most dangerous places in the world, and they’ve been very successful.” Tisch freshman Ethan Abramson questions the relevance of theater in our own culture, but sees Bond Street’s approach as potentially beneficial in the war-torn and poverty-stricken areas the coalition visits. “They take theater — a virtually dead art in regions of mass media — and try to bring it where live performances still have a profound effect to, at its most basic level, inspire and revolutionize society as the practice once did,” Abramson said. “The Power of Performance: Theater in War Zones” will be held at the Jerry H. Labowitz Theatre, 1 Washington Place, at 6:30 p.m. The event is open to the public. Ariana DiValentino is a staff writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com.
Great gifts for every type of Valentine By HELEN HOLMES
It’s easy to dread the inevitable draining bank account that comes with Valentine’s Day. If the holiday’s portrayal in movies is any indication, you’re expected to spend on flowers, chocolates and anything else that reduces your affection to tired clichés. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Here are a few unique gift ideas that won’t trap you inside a bad romantic comedy.
BOYFRIEND: Get your boyfriend something that shows him how well you know him. Go with a gift card to his favorite restaurant or a handmade gift card with a personal offering. If your man loves to blare his favorite Fleet Foxes tunes, but you’re more of a Marina and the Diamonds girl, write him a coupon that can be redeemed for “Two Hours of Playing Your Music Without Me Complaining About It.” He’ll love the thought, and a little self-deprecating hu-
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Find thoughtful Valetine’s Day gifts on a college budget.
mor never hurt anyone.
GIRLFRIEND: You can bet girls will be expecting something special for Valentine’s Day. Be thoughtful: is she lactose intolerant? Milk chocolates are out of the question. Does she hate surprises? Then don’t rip the shower curtain aside while she’s in there and scream that you’re taking her to Disneyland. Instead, order takeout from her favorite restaurant, queue up a beloved movie on Netflix and stare into her eyes as you give her a foot massage. PARENTS: Deciding on the best Valentine’s Day gift for parents, who are likely spending thousands of dollars to allow you to live in Manhattan, can be a stressful task. Mail them a heartfelt letter in which you promise to cut down on personal expenditures this semester. Expect instant child-of-the-year status.
best valentine for them? Treat him or her to quality maid service: wait until your roommate leaves for class, then clean your room, make your bed, make their bed and polish everything until it shines. Your roommate can feel as though he or she is relaxing back home. A roommate will actually miss you and want to do something nice for you when you return the next day. CLOSE FRIEND: You know your best friend more intimately than anybody else — likes, dislikes and what makes them tick. If your friend is as awesome as you are, he or she will also probably appreciate a healthy dose of irony. For your close friend, prepare the cinematic Valentine’s Day: chocolate, flowers, pricey dinner — the whole nine yards. He or she will giggle, scoff and then realize that you’re the greatest thing to happen to them since they bought their first iPhone. Happy Valentine’s Day, NYU.
ROOMMATE: Your roommate deals with your sleeping habits, your eating habits, your studying habits, etc. The
Helen Holmes is deputy features editor. Email her at hholmes@nyunews.com.
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EDITED BY KRISTINA BOGOS FEATURES@NYUNEWS.COM
WHAT’S IN YOUR BAG?
New student group fights cystic fibrosis with entourage of support By JONATHAN KESHISHOGLOU
By SARAH KAMENETZ Rachel Monfre, a Gallatin junior studying business decisionmaking and consumer behavior, is always on the run. From attending Pi Phi chapter meetings and interning in the direct marketing department at J. Crew to serving as a Rent the Runway campus representative, the Boca Raton native uses every one of her New York minutes. And the contents of her bag prove it. CORKSCREW THUMB DRIVE “This is literally my favorite thing,” Monfre said. “It is actually a sponsored thumb drive I got when I was working at my old PR internship at Sally Fisher.” What looks like a corkscrew from a bottle of wine is actually a viaswine.com corkscrew thumb drive that contains Monfre’s web design project. Last semester, she built a website for her mother’s non-profit thrift store in Florida. “Building the site made me feel like a hired web designer,” Monfre said with a smile. RENT THE RUNWAY $20 GIFT CARD Monfre has served as an NYU Rent the Runway campus representative since the fall 2012 semester and is always prepared to hand out Rent the Runway swag, such as gift cards or sets of nail polish. For Monfre, a former Teen Vogue intern, the campus representative position was a perfect fit because of her outgoing nature and love for fashion. Last semester, Monfre planned a Rent the Runway trunk show with the NYU campus team. The event was timed
to coincide with sorority semiformals and formals. She plans to hold another event this semester where girls can try on dresses at the trunk show. DISPOSABLE CAMERA One weekend in the spring of 2012, Monfre studied abroad at NYU Florence and had the opportunity to visit Croatia. “I was traveling by myself, and I had an amazing time at Krka National Park,” Monfre said. “It is so incredibly beautiful, and I would love to go back.” Monfre’s disposable camera replaced her digital camera that weekend, since her digital camera broke right before she left for her trip. It contains the still undeveloped photos from her visit , which she carries with the intention of one day developing. For now, the camera has found a home inside her bag. PI PHI PIN A small cube case with a Pi Phi pin could easily be overlooked next to the larger contents of Monfre’s bag. But Monfre has been a member of Pi Phi for three years and, like her sorority sisters, must wear the pin with business casual attire at weekly chapter meetings and other ceremonies. “We wear the pin to gain points every semester, but it is nice to wear the pin because it makes you feel connected to the sorority, like you are part of something,” Monfre said. “Plus, it’s a fun conversation starter.” Sarah Kamenetz is a contributing writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com.
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Monfre is always on the run, and her bag’s contents prove it.
Emily Kramer-Golinkoff has been battling cystic fibrosis for 28 years — her entire life. The disease, which causes mucus to buildup and clog the lungs and other tubes in the body, is often fatal. The NYU chapter of Emily’s Entourage, a new student group brought to NYU by Stern freshman Phil Hayes, seeks to fight this incurable disease. The original chapter of Emily’s Entourage, whose founders include several members of the Kramer-Golinkoff family, began in the suburbs of Philadelphia over a year ago. Their goal was to raise money and awareness to help find a cure for cystic fibrosis. Since then, the group has established a strong foothold in Tulane University and has expanded to the University of Michigan, Arizona State University, the University of Delaware and now, NYU. “I noticed a gap [at NYU] ... there was no charity for cystic fibrosis,” Hayes said. “There are drugs in the market that are shown to significantly increase life expectancy. But there’s not enough funding, so we’re here to help find a tangible outcome.” Hayes first joined the group last summer through Coby KramerGolinkoff, Emily’s brother and a student at Tulane University. After seeing Coby and his sisters give a TEDx talk on youth activ-
COURTESY OF EMILY’S ENTOURAGE
Emily’s Entourage seeks to find a cure for cystic fibrosis. ism, he reached out to them to help facilitate the expansion of their organization to other college campuses, including NYU. Currently, the NYU chapter has big plans for the coming months. They hope to partner with Greek life on campus to throw parties and host other fun events to raise awareness for Emily’s Entourage. They are also working to establish a strong online presence on Twitter and Facebook. “Emily’s Entourage is not only about filling a gap in curing cystic fibrosis, but doing so in a way appropriate to its audience,” Hayes said. “We want to plan events that people like to attend.” Emily graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and has since returned to pursue a master’s degree in bioeth-
ics. She and her family are all active members of the group. Her brother Coby is responsible for making the group one of the most prominent organizations at his school. “The breakthroughs that have come out this year have been staggering and life-changing for a portion of the cystic fibrosis community,” Coby said. “It’s been a very promising year but we definitely need more breakthrough drugs for my sister and the 70,000 others [worldwide] with CF. Our mission will not be fulfilled until everyone with cystic fibrosis can take a deep breath.” Jonathan Keshishoglou is a staff writer. Email him at features@nyunews.com.
App brews relationships through coffee dates By SANJANA KUCHERIA A new smartphone app uses coffee to bring NYU students closer than ever. CAS freshman Jaye Melino has partnered with Drew Durbin and Lincoln Quirk, who both graduated from Brown University in 2008, to launch a new app called Brew! The iPhone and Android app pairs NYU students for 15-minute study breaks at coffee shops on campus. The app, which officially launched last month, already has 1000 users. “With a lot of the other dating sites, you have to communicate with the person directly and coordinate where and what time you want to meet,” Melino said. “But the cool thing about [Brew!] is that it gives you a time and a place.” Users create a profile, which prompts them to upload a photograph and specify their graduation year, whether they would like to meet a female or a male and their reasons for signing up for the service. Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, the app recommends three potential students that best match the user’s inter-
ests. After agreeing to a Brew, each student must pre-pay three dollars online for a cup of coffee at the café of their choice. Upon arrival, a barista will swipe a time card and a fifteen-minute timer will begin. The idea for the app originated when Melino had difficulty meeting new people outside of her typical group of friends at such a large, diverse university. She talked to friends Durbin and Quirk, and the three entrepreneurs began building an app that could be used as a tool to help people meet in the real world in a quick and casual way. “That [frustration] really resonated with Lincoln and I because [we] remembered that in college ... we had that problem,” Durbin said. GLS freshman Nicole Wolf participated in a Brew last Wednesday at Think Coffee and described her experience as being “like speed-friending.” She also said the time limit is perfect because a conversation can become awkward if the meetup lasts too long. Unlike Wolf, CAS freshman Neeraj Suryanarayanan does not see a reason for using the app.
“My philosophy is because NYU is so big, it should not be difficult to find friends and meet people,” Suryanarayanan said. Durbin, Quirk and Melino hope to expand to other universities and coffee shops in Manhattan. “If things go really well at NYU, then it gives us the potential to grow,” Durbin said. “Part of the reason we chose NYU is because it’s a huge school, and so our philosophy is, if it works here, it’ll work anywhere.” Sanjana Kucheria is a contributing writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com.
COURTESY OF BREW APP
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Crossword ACROSS 1 Sudden
impulse 5 Applauds 10 Imperfection 14 Multinational coin 15 Just now 16 Misplace 17 Result of tanning 19 Wailing cry 20 Nifty 21 “There ___ an old woman …” 22 “Just messin’ with you!” 23 The fourth letter of “cancel,” but not the first 25 Pipe-playing god 26 ___ nous 27 Kimono sash 28 Generous spirit, metaphorically 31 “Oui, oui,” across the Pyrenees
33 34 35 37 41 42 43 44 49 50 51 52 54 55 56 57 58
Dispose (of) Mythical bird of prey Citizen of Canada’s capital Nobody doesn’t like her, in a slogan Dairy farm sound Long-distance letters Use a Kindle, say Hit 1980s exercise video “___ Maria” Standoffish German city where Einstein was born Elizabeth of cosmetics Sulfuric ___ Santa ___ winds “I don’t think so!” “Venerable” English historian Baldie’s nickname
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE M A H A L O
A L A N I S
K E P T A T
E X P I R E
W I N C H E L L
O S O L E M I O
O S M O S I N G
D U E S L E O
P E A C E A N D R A Y D A Y S S P E P A T B L L O Y L O D Z Y W O O D E O R A F L A E Q U O T W I N G E G I R R U S H S S T O
A T E R I E N D D P E A L T E A L G E R W A
D E N I R Y O N J E C T S H E A T A R L A N I E L C O C K E R A N D R E W
P E L O T A
B E A U T Y
S T I P E S
62 63 64 65 66 67
Locale Touch base after a pop fly, say Prod “It’s ___ state of affairs” Deletion undoers Caesar’s words to Brutus
DOWN
1 Fly catcher 2 “Ben-___” 3 What a tyrant
rules with 4 Impressionist Claude 5 Tech news site 6 “Au Revoir ___ Enfants” 7 Singsongy comment in a sticky situation 8 Flexible 9 Thesaurus offerings: Abbr. 10 “Vehicle of the future” since the 1950s 11 Consult 12 Spinning dizzily 13 United with a blowtorch 18 Galifianakis of “The Hangover” 23 Meh 24 Black-bordered news item 25 Ache 26 Get an ___ effort 29 ___ Good Feelings 30 Make a big speech 32 “My parents are going to kill me!” 36 Great Dane sound 37 Green part of a flower
Edited by Will Shortz 1
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No. 0107
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Puzzle by JIM PEREDO
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Speed demon Christmas light site Garden of ___ Not yet apprehended Black sheep’s cry Worriers’ problems, it’s said
46
“Heck if I know”
55
Does stage work
47
Wide-brimmed summer headgear
56
Sound boxes at a concert
48
Do surgery on with a beam
53
Klingon forehead feature
59
Not at home
60
Wrestling surface
61
End of a school e-mail address
For answers, call 1-900-285-5656, $1.49 a minute; or, with a credit card, 1-800-814-5554. Annual subscriptions are available for the best of Sunday crosswords from the last 50 years: 1-888-7-ACROSS. AT&T users: Text NYTX to 386 to download puzzles, or visit nytimes.com/mobilexword for more information. Online subscriptions: Today’s puzzle and more than 2,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($39.95 a year). Share tips: nytimes.com/wordplay. Crosswords for young solvers: nytimes.com/learning/xwords.
NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2013 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
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OPINION
EDITED BY SAMEER JAYWANT OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM
MEDIA
Ballet scandal demonstrates desensitization By NINA GOLSHAN
The Bolshoi Theater in Moscow has been the center of media attention for several weeks, due to the mysterious attack on the theater’s director, Sergei Filin, in late January. The shocking incident occurred theatrically — Filin walked back to his car after a theater performance late at night as a masked figure approached carrying a can full of acid. Filin is now suffering from severe burns on his face and neck, as well as possible vision loss and the prospect of never again being able to direct a production at any theater. The Bolshoi’s press secretary admitted to a suspicion that the attacker is a former or even current employee of the theater. The recent developments in the ongoing scandals of the Bolshoi Theater seem to come straight out of an old school thriller; sex, money, lies — they form a script practically writing itself. The drama of ballet has been admired and admonished for quite some time in both film and television, and is often depicted as cutthroat, unforgiving and psychologically damaging for anyone involved.
Never mind Natalie Portman’s tragic downfall in “Black Swan.” Her problems cannot measure up to the outrages of modern ballet. With all of this scandal and corruption, violence and jealousy, the question must be raised: why are we all okay with it? Of course, the attack was horrifying and any related violence is a regrettable result of a dance company’s downward spiral into corruption, but the media coverage of the attack has been increasingly lenient in actually condemning the attacker, and the theater itself is partially culpable for allowing such depravity to run rampant within its walls. It is indeed a dramatic situation, but within the world of performance art, there is a sense of light-heartedness and spectacle that even the darkest of events cannot quite stifle. If a Wall Street executive had been involved in the sort of physical violence inflicted upon Sergei Filin, a more serious tone would likely have been taken in any report of the incident. This is particularly evident in a CNN report in which a Bolshoi spokeswoman said to a Russian
news program, “We don’t know who would benefit from this ... The police should investigate.” So, then, does that mean that the police weren’t already investigating? In what world would an acid attack not have already warranted a police investigation? Surely, the Russian authorities have launched an investigation, but it’s an oddly obvious statement to make. It also remains unknown why the Bolshoi is not participating with the police or urgently looking for the culprit(s). The dramatic turn of events in the Bolshoi Theater should be treated with the same urgency as any other attack. However, the employees of theaters worldwide should understand that corrupt dealings provoke these types of attacks. Any business that deals dishonestly should, in some sense, expect an angry reaction to come its way. The media and particularly the police force should recognize the seriousness of the corruption and try to stop it before it reaches the point of violence — again. Nina Golshan is a staff columnist. Email her at opinion@nyunews.com.
GOVERNMENT
U.S. drone program needs transparency By JESSICA LITTMAN There is finally good news concerning the debate over drones. The Obama administration would probably point to what they see as military successes as proof of the effectiveness of drones... However, I think the deaths of civilians and the ominous reliance on machines outweighs those victories. But now the administration may be doing something to make this technology usable without violating the rights of American citizens and civilians abroad. After the uproar that arose when President Obama informed Congress that he had the right to kill American citizens who are members of al-Qaeda — without any of the comforts of due process and presumably through the use of drones — his administration has finally recognized the need for more oversight of the drone program. Several senators have been complaining — as they should — about the lack of information released to them about drones. The program is infamous for its secrecy, meaning that when the public finds out
SUBMITTING TO
that our government has killed an American citizen or a group of Pakistani children, our outrage is mingled with surprise at being consistently kept in the dark. This may be changing, at least partially. The public will still not be aware of most of the details of the drone program, but the Obama administration is considering setting up a court to oversee the use of drones, similar to the secret court used by the American government since 1978 to oversee foreign spies. As of now, no one in Congress or the executive administration seems to agree on exactly how this court should work, but since gridlock is the new norm in Washington, D.C., we should value the fact that our politicians are at least discussing options to make the drone program more transparent. Because the use of drones is so technically complicated and because the program has been kept secret for so long, there is doubt as to whether a judge would be able to adequately understand cases. Therefore, most of the advocates for a drone court want the focus to be
on individual targets — especially American citizens — and whether the President has reason and, more importantly, the right to kill them. Again, this court would not make additional information about drones available to the public. It might not prevent any deaths or violence from the drone strikes if, like the court that monitors spying, it approves nearly every request from the administration. There are probably better solutions to the public outcry over our increased military reliance on drone technology — releasing more information about the administration’s use of drones for defense and stopping the killing of American citizens would be a start, but the administration is clearly not prepared to do this. A drone court would not be a panacea, but it would be comforting if even one non-administration official — perhaps someone who was trained and paid to determine whether an action is just — were allowed such insight into the program. Jessica Littman is a staff columnist. Email her at jlittman@nyunews.com.
STAFF EDITORIAL
Appropriate or not, NYU Secrets symbolizes community
For all of the NYU students who constantly bemoan the lack of community at our university, it appears NYU Secrets has become our solution, for better or for worse. The Facebook page, which has now garnered over 8,000 likes, is a stream of anonymous posts by its administrator, an NYU student who holds an incredible cache of often embarrassing secrets about our student body. If somebody has a burning passion to broadcast which NYU building they recently fornicated in or a sordid tale about roommate indiscretions, they can email or message the NYU Secrets page and have it made public in 24 hours, identified only by a number. However, whether this “community” page is ultimately beneficial remains to be seen. The attention that NYU Secrets has garnered is unparalleled compared to other similar pages. Take a look at Columbia Secrets — as of Sunday night, it has a mere 19 likes (take that Columbia). But Columbia has an enclosed campus and a smaller student body in a smaller area, naturally generating a strong and cohesive community. Comparatively, NYU’s geography is far less conducive to the same kind of community, and thus it’s not surprising that we’ve turned to an online forum to foster it. Obviously, a wall of anonymity implies that those who post to NYU Secrets have no obligation to abide by the truth. The service runs on the Internet after all, and besides, the recent “Reply All” episode has shed some light on how NYU students feel about capitalizing on comedic opportunities. Thus, the page at large could be seen as a great opportunity for the aspiring comedian to exercise his craft. As a consequence, the content tends to strengthen the stereotypes about sex and drugs that seem to define collegiate life. It may be disconcerting that NYU students have found the strongest sense of community not in a physical, tangible place but through an online, faceless forum. Nonetheless, it does not change the truth that NYU Secrets brings us together as we laugh over our collective embarrassments and find fellow commiserators in the challenges of university life. So, it is our turn at WSN to contribute our secret to the ongoing social conversation at NYU. #851: “We are all naked as we write this.”
Email the WSN Editorial Board at editboard@nyunews.com. EDITORIAL BOARD: Sameer Jaywant (Chair), Raquel Woodruff (Co-chair), Edward Radzivilovskiy (Co-chair), Nickhil Sethi
Send mail to: 838 Broadway, Fifth Floor New York, N.Y. 10003 or email: opinion@nyunews.com WSN welcomes letters to the editor, opinion pieces and articles relevant to the NYU community, or in response to articles. Letters should be less than 150 words. All submissions must be typed or emailed and must include the author’s name, address and phone number. Members of the NYU community must include a year and school or job title.
WSN does not print unsigned letters or editorials. WSN reserves the right to reject any submission and edit accepted submissions in any and all ways. With the exception of the staff editorial, opinions expressed on the editorial pages are not necessarily those of WSN, and our publication of opinions is not an endorsement of them.
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NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2013 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
SPORTS Men’s basketball aims for championship despite recent losses
EDITED BY MARY JANE DUMANKAYA SPORTS@NYUNEWS.COM
By MARY JANE DUMANKAYA
In the last seconds of yesterday’s game against conference foe Carnegie Mellon University, the NYU men’s basketball team failed to secure a victory, losing by one point. This was the Violets’ third straight loss on the road in the last week. The heated game included 11 ties as the Violets and Tartans competed for the lead. In the fi-
nal plays of the match, co-captain and current senior Kyle Stockmal scored two free throws, bringing the score to 55-56 with 26 seconds left in the game. NYU then gained possession of the ball when Tartan junior Asad Meghani missed the basket, but was unable to take a final shot when Meghani’s teammate senior Sean Brophy stole the ball with 22 seconds left. Carnegie Mellon is now 5-17, having earned its second University
COURTESY OF NYU ATHLETICS
Carl Yaffe looks for an opening to pass during a recent game.
Athletic Association victory. The Violets may have lost their last three games on the road, but their last win at home will inspire them for the rest of the season. On Feb. 1, NYU hosted the first Tear It Up! event for the basketball team. Over a thousand students attended the match, where the Violets beat the undefeated and previously No. 1 ranked University of Rochester 65-51. The game featured great performances by co-captain and junior Ryan Tana and Stockmal. Although the Violets lost their next two matches to Emory University and Case Western University, they still have a few games left in their UAA conference. “As we have shown with Rochester, we believe we can still beat any team on any given night,” said Stockmal. Recently, Stockmal became the second Violet on the 20122013 roster and the 29th Violet overall to score 1,000 points. Stockmal went into the match against Case Western University on Feb. 8 needing only two points to reach this milestone, and surpassed it with a single game record of 20 points. “For me, the 1,000-point was a
COURTESY OF NYU ATHLETICS
Kyle Stockmal shoots for the basket on his way to 1,000 points. big mark and I’m very proud I was able to accomplish it,” Stockmal said. “Additionally, I look back and think about all the people who have had an impact on me to become the player I am today. It starts with my dad, who has had the greatest impact on me, and I thank him and everyone else who made a difference.” The team’s hopes to make the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III Championships are not lost. Last year, NYU made the championships for the first time in 14 years, but went on to lose in the sec-
ond round against Amherst College, which was ranked second. The Violets may yet again earn a bid to the Championship this year. NYU is currently ranked fourth in the DIII Eastern Region with a 13-9 record. The next game for the Violets will be a Tear It Up! event against the University of Washington Huskies, ranked No. 20, on Feb. 16, at Coles Sports Center at 8 p.m. Mary Jane Dumankaya is sports editor. Email her at mdumankaya@nyunews.com.