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Make a Difference at Impact Week By THOMAS PERACCHIO Staff Writer

Business savvy and community service unite in Impact Week, hosted by NYU Stern’s Social Impact Council. The weeklong event celebrates the positive effects student organizations have on the community. Participating organizations include the NYU Stern Real Estate Group, NYU Net Impact, Stern Cares, NYU Management Consulting Group, 180 Degrees Consulting-NYU and many more. However, the event is not exclusive to just Stern students; all NYU students are encouraged to participate. Events will be hosted throughout the week, starting on Monday at 12:30 with a conversation between Guillaume LeCunff, CEO of Nespresso, and Tensie Whelan, Director of Stern’s Center for Sustainable Business. The discussion will cover Nespresso’s sustainable business practices and the role of good environmental stewardship in business. According to Whelan, more and more companies like Nespresso are paying attention to their environmental footprint.

“Many companies are recognizing that if they are to remain in business, they have to tackle environmental and social risks,” Whelan said. “Sustainability can be a source of savings, risk reduction, innovation and competitive advantage.” Created in June 2015, the Center for Sustainable Business is one of Stern’s newest departments. However, Whelan believes that the center fits well with the mission of Impact Week. “We will offer classes, internships, research opportunities and engagement with business,” Whelan said. “We are supporting Impact week by bringing to students the opportunity to hear from a leading CEO who has social impact embedded in his business.” Later during the week, on Wednesday night, Stern Cares will host a Pitch Competition. Groups will gather and discuss ideas for different social impact initiatives addressing poverty, hunger, woman empowerment and social awareness. According to Stern Cares coPresidents and juniors Anna Chen and Sumi Singh, the competition will highlight the ingenuity of

CRIME LOG Feb. 13 to Feb. 21

By DIAMOND NAGA SIU Deputy News Editor

it with his bike at 7:15 p.m. He declined notifying the police.

The NYU Department of Public Safety received one report of controlled substances, one report of criminal trespassing and four reports of larceny between Feb. 13 and Feb. 21.

On Feb. 16, a student reported that some of her clothes were missing from the 12th Street Residence Hall laundry room. She had moved her clothing into the dryer on Feb. 14 at 8:30 p.m., but some were missing when she returned at 12 a.m. on Feb 15. Police notification was declined.

Controlled Substances On Feb. 13 at 2:56 a.m., Public Safety found a small amount of marijuana in Gramercy Green Residence Hall after a report was filed.

Criminal Trespass An unidentified male attempted to skateboard through Tandon’s Roger Hall on Feb. 17 at 2:03 p.m. Public Safety stopped him and notified the NYPD, but the skateboarder left before the police arrived.

Larceny On Feb. 14, a student discovered his down jacket missing at 8:45 p.m. in Palladium 13th Street’s bike room after leaving

On Feb. 17 at 1:23 p.m. in Bobst Library, a student reported her laptop’s disappearance from her backpack, after she left it at 12:35 p.m. and returned at 12:45 p.m. She declined notifying the police. On Feb. 17 at 1:30 p.m., a student reported that her cellphone, external battery and USB cable were missing from her shared Weinstein Residence Hall room. She declined notifying the police.

Email Diamond Naga Siu at dsiu@nyunews.com.

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Last year’s Social Impact Council organized a number successful events for their first Impact Week. NYU students and provide potential opportunities to contribute to the community. “We are looking for any social impact initiatives that can be implemented at NYU, Stern or the broader NYC community,” Chen said. “The winners will receive support from Stern Cares to make their idea come to life as well as an interview with firms such as the BOC Network and Grameen America.” Impact Week will conclude on Thursday with two events. At 12:30,

education startups Socratic Labs and NextGenVest will discuss how education technology can drive social change. At 6:30, the Social Impact Consulting Night will take place. Cohosted by several of NYU’s consulting clubs, Consulting Night will give students a walkthrough of what a typical industry project looks like, ending with a networking reception. Many Stern students are excited by the developments and look forward to Impact Week’s

Bröd Closes Amid Protests By ALEXANDER KARIO Contributing Writer On Friday evening, demonstrations erupted once again at the site of Bröd Kitchen, an eatery across from Tisch Hall on West Fourth Street, as dozens of union members, students and labor activists gathered to protest the restaurant owner’s perceived mistreatment of employees. CAS junior Drew Weber says he has been following the conflict at Bröd Kitchen from the start. “The owners are threatening to fire all the workers and shut down the establishment,” Weber said. The establishment had shut its doors for good the night before the protest. Protesters found the restaurant dark, empty and stripped down. According to Mahoma López, president of the Hot and Crusty Workers Association, the previous owners of the franchise had shut down the 63rd Street branch of the restaurant (then called Hot and Crusty) for 55 days in an effort to prevent workers there from unionizing. López believes the owners of Bröd Kitchen on West Fourth Street may be using the

events. Stern freshman Liam Kelly suggests that Impact Week will inspire Stern students to put their business skills to humanitarian causes. “I think that Impact Week shows another side of the business school,” Kelly said. “It’s an opportunity to take accounting or finance skills and translate them towards a social issue people care about.”

Email Thomas Peracchio at news@nyunews.com.

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Bröd Kitchen, a popular eatery on campus, has been facing issues with mistreatment of its employees. same tactic. “They [the owners] are immigrants like us,” López said. “They came to this country to invest, but they do not respect the basic rights of the workers. It’s disgusting.” The middle-aged former employee claims he was fired last month after attempting to unionize the workers at the NYU site. Large banners that were taped to the windows of the restaurant on Friday accused López of forcing the establishment to shut down by spreading lies and inciting disorder. Dozens of flyers were also taped to the doors with a boldfaced message pleading to “stop this union from stealing our jobs.” The flyers bore the signatures of the restaurant’s employees and were ostensibly written in their voice. Greg Guy, a 23-year-old employee from Washington Heights said he and many of his fellows coworkers were never interested in joining the union. “They [union members] were blackmailing us that if the store on 63rd Street closes, then the union there would remove us and replace us with its members,” Greg said.

Owner Monette de Botton also insists the narrative espoused by López is categorically untrue. “I’m a very good employer and I took pride in it. You can even go talk to my staff,” De Botton said. “I’m not anti-union. I have no reason to be.” Around 4:20 p.m., three unidentified activists wearing animal masks broke into the restaurant and tore down the banners, setting off an alarm. Protestors began trickling in shortly afterwards with the protests reaching full momentum around 6 p.m. Apart from union members and pro-labor activists, a significant portion of the turnout were NYU students, such as CAS junior Dan Chang. “I know I’m very privileged to go to one of the most expensive universities in the world,” Chang said. “I think it is really an injustice that all these people have much worse lives than us… that they just want to have something closer to what we have and are being completely suppressed for it.”

Email Alexander Kario at news@nyunews.com.

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University Announces Affordability Plans, Students Wary By ANNE CRUZ News Editor

NYU’s administrators have pledged their commitment for improving financial aid for students, as evidenced by recent emails to the NYU community from President Andrew Hamilton and CAS Dean Gabrielle Starr. NYU’s cost of attendance is one of the highest in the United States, which has been a point of contention for students who have gone to extremes to pay tuition. In his email to the NYU community on Thursday afternoon, Hamilton introduced drastic changes the university would make for the upcoming academic year. The changes stated in the email have been listed below: • ”NYU will reduce its planned increase in tuition and fees from a typical range of 3.5 3.9 percent annually to 2.9 percent for most of its undergraduate programs for the coming year, the lowest increase in 20 years. • “NYU will freeze housing and

meal plan costs for 2016-17 at the current year’s rates. • “NYU will freeze the University registration and services fee. • “NYU will convert an additional 600–700 student rooms to lower-cost housing, increasing the pool of lower-cost housing by almost 50 percent.” Hamilton’s email was followed by an email from Dean Starr to students and faculty within the College of Arts and Science on Friday. Starr announced that in addition to the university-wide changes Hamilton listed, CAS would eliminate its $55 academic support fee starting in Fall of 2016. “While this step is only one, we know each step that we take gets us closer to our goal of making NYU more affordable for everyone,” the email read. Hamilton cited the university’s small endowment per student as the reason for limited financial aid, but some students remain unconvinced that NYU’s existing endowment is being invested responsibly. CAS senior and Student Labor

Action Movement member Haley Quinn said NYU’s current investing of the university’s endowment prioritizes billionaires over students. “If NYU is concerned with increasing diversity and improving affordability, they should take a look at how the endowment is invested,” Quinn said. “The average university endowment is 19 percent invested in hedge funds and 45 percent of NYU’s endowment is in hedge funds, despite them having the worst year on record in 2014 and being a consistently bad investment since 2002.” University spokesman John Beckman said NYU’s endowment is invested to generate income that supports current programs and to increase the endowment for future university members. “The one and only purpose for investing the endowments is to serve NYU’s academic mission,” Beckman said. Beckman also refuted claims that investments in hedge funds were for the benefit of Board of Trustee members who are also members of the finance industry. “Members of the NYU Board of

Trustees, like the board of any nonprofit, are under a legal obligation: they are ‘fiduciaries’ — that means that in taking on the role of trustees, they are legally required to put the interests of the University ahead of other interests,” Beckman said. “Their stewardship of the endowment demonstrates that — it has more than tripled in the last 15 years, which means more money to support NYU and its students.” Gallatin alumna and founder of NYU Divest Sophie Lasoff said Hamilton’s statement was a welcome

one, but that more could always be done to alleviate financial burden for students. “It’s encouraging that President Hamilton is already demonstrating interest and commitment to addressing affordability at NYU, but the measures he has proposed are far from enough,” Lasoff said. “Until conditions really improve for those who are financially suffering, Andy’s work is not done.”

Email Anne Cruz at acruz@nyunews.com.

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NYU has created a plan to make the university more affordable for students and families, including controlling tuition increases and housing costs.

BSU Hosts Solidarity Conference By BROOKE JENSEN Contributing Writer

The Black Student Union hosted their annual Black Solidarity Conference on Saturday, focusing on the individual narratives of the black community that go beyond their identification through race. The theme of this year’s conference was black identity. The conference began with guest speaker Cornell Woodson, the associate director for Diversity and Inclusion at Cornell University. Woodson focused his talk on a need for empathy and understanding within communities. One of his central points focused on how, in this century, people typically don’t try to empathize and understand each others’ pain if they cannot relate. Woodson states that it is necessary, especially in the the black community, to understand one another rather than become divided due to differences outside the realm of race. “By not understanding another narrative that may not be our own within the black community, we are thereby contributing to white supremacy,” Woodson said. Woodson continued his presentation by emphasizing the need for love among one another despite differences. He highlighted this by giving examples of what he sees as lovelessness. “Lovelessness is black able-bodied people rendering the struggles of the disabled or chronically ill null,” Woodson said. “Lovelessness is black heterosexual women loving women until they found out they’re queer.” Following this, there were two rounds of breakout sessions in which participants could choose from three different sessions to

go to: black-queer identity, blackMuslim identity and Afro-Latino identity. These sections were student-led and were intended to discuss aspects of the black community that create unique narratives among them. Tisch sophomore Tamir Griffen and Robert Taylor, who works at the LGBT student center, led the black-queer identity break out session, which centered around how students can give a voice to the LGBT community within the black community. The topics of homophobia and transphobia were discussed which led to the question posed by Griffen: Can someone be problack and homophobic? Gallatin sophomore, Aaliyah Jihad said she believes these views could not be coupled together. “If both homophobia and racism are forms of oppression that stem from white supremacy, you can’t be pro-black and support a form of oppression that was started from white supremacy,” Jihad said.

In each of these breakout sessions, there was a focus on empowering the black community as a whole through aspects such as sexuality, religion and being of multiple ethnicities. A common theme throughout these sessions emerged: in order to advocate for black individuals collectively, differences among the community must be embraced rather than oppressed or ignored. CAS junior Brea Adaka Childs, who is involved with public relations for the BSU, emphasized the need to recognize differences. “What we’re trying to do is get different kinds of black people to come together,” Childs said. “The straight, Christian narrative is typically the most prevalent, and this is true in the black community as well. This event is all about breaking down those walls, getting to know each other and even being vulnerable to one another.”

Email Brooke Jensen at news@nyunews.com.

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This year’s Black Solidarity Conference was centered around the idea of black identity.

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Betty Who Kicks Off Spring ‘16 By CAMILLE LARKINS Contributing Writer

STAFF PHOTO BY DIEGO LLACA

“Paperwork and the Will of Capital” is a current photographic exhibition about the symbolic nature of flowers at the Gagosian Gallery.

Flowers of Diplomacy Wilt at Gagosian By TONY SCHWAB Staff Writer

Flowers may well be the most common symbol in all art. They feature prominently in religious traditions, in poetry and in national identities. Flowers are allegories with definitions created by the viewer. In ancient Chinese poetry, flowers stood for purity. For the English romantic poets, they stood for passion. In modernist poetry, flowers symbolize beauty amidst decay. In “Paperwork and the Will of Capital,” Taryn Simon imagines flowers in yet another way: as a symbol of diplomacy. The exhibit, comprising two rooms at the Gagosian Gallery at 555 W. 24th St., recreates the floral arrangements present at important diplomatic agreements, the details of which are outlined in plaques. Some of these agreements will sound familiar, such as the formation of the European Union and the USSR’s acknowledgement of the Polish Solidarity Union. Others are more obscure, such as the deal establishing relations between the Catholic Church and Israel. The uniting factor among most of these agreements is their influence shaping the modern political landscape. There is scarcely a plaque in the exhibit that does not call to mind an international controversy. From an education standpoint, the exhibit is a valuable reminder of how contemporary political situations are not inevitable, but rather the result of a long series of choices. The flowers featured are very diverse. They are all cut and organized beautifully. Some species are very

ordinary, while others are exotic crossbreeds. The more elaborate arrangements may feature flowers from three or four different countries, mimicking the harmony many of the agreements hope to foster. The flowers are photographed prettily, but there is not much range in photographic style. Each bundle is placed in the lower middle of the composition, against a background that provides a very stark color contrast. The photographs are strongly filtered, so much so that they have the appearance of pop art. This is a nice effect, but its power wears off after several dozen photos. The entertaining prettiness of the flowers is as much a flaw as it is a strength. The flowers are colorful and fun on their own, but they seem only tangentially related to the agreements reached in their presence. Perhaps this is the point, and the contrast between flower and contract is wholly ironic. If this is in fact the point, it is far too one-dimensional to warrant a whole gallery. Generally, the exhibit is stuck between wanting to be politically insightful and pictorially attractive. These goals clash often in art and are not easily reconciled and usually only one is an artist’s strength. This is true here. For an insightful examination of international relations, look elsewhere — but for some good, artsy shots of flowers, this will do. “Paperwork and the Will of Capitol” is on display at the Gagosian Gallery at 555 W. 24th St. through March 26.

Email Tony Schwab at entertainment@nyunews.com.

NYU Program Board wrapped up their first Spring Welcome Week with an impressive show by Betty Who on Thursday. The first spring counterpart to the widely-known Welcome Week that happens every fall has been a successful one so far — it has featured events such as $1 meal deals every day at neighborhood restaurants, So You Think NYU Can Dance and a night of drag karaoke. In years past, NYU has hosted Spring on the Square events, which were mainly directed toward spring transfer students. This year, the events are more inclusive to all students — those returning from abroad, coming to NYU for the first time or just coming back from winter recess — and are much more plentiful, with over 250 events happening in the first three weeks of the semester. The Spring Concert with Betty Who, which was originally scheduled for the end of January but was rescheduled because of the blizzard, attracted an intimate but lively crowd and featured two opening acts led by NYU students. The first band of the evening was CAFUNÉ, an alt-pop duo made up of Sedona Schat and Noah Yoo, both seniors in NYU Tisch’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music. With lighthearted energy and tangible chemistry onstage, the pair warmed up the crowd with

songs off their new EP, “Love Songs For Other People,” and a cover of “I’ll Be Around” by the Spinners. Yoo remarked that it was great to be able to play at NYU before they graduate this spring. “I watched Rocky Horror Picture Show in this auditorium as a freshman during Welcome Week, so it’s really cool to be able to play here for Spring Welcome Week as seniors,” said Yoo. The next performer was Lauv, an NYU senior whose music has caught the attention of celebrities such as Chloe Grace Moretz and One Direction’s Liam Payne. He performed songs off his EP “Lost in the Light,” including hits like “The Other” and “Reforget,” which mix pop and R&B through heartbreaking lyrics and sensual beats. Lauv will be performing his first headlining show in New York at Webster Hall this April. Betty Who came out later to an energetic audience that rushed the stage immediately. The 24-year-old singer originally from Sydney, Australia started her set with “Glory Days” and “High Society” off her newest album, “Take Me When You Go.” She interacted with the audience throughout her performance, taking students’ hands and singing along with them. With a short platinum blonde quiff and crescent moon tattoo on her sternum, Betty Who looked and sounded the part of a cool low-key popstar. Her backup dancers were

energetic, in-sync and added a wonderful element to the performance. Betty Who’s show was the cherry on top of NYU’s first Spring Welcome Week. While she may have stolen the show at the end, the concert was a great showcase of NYU’s own talented students as well.

Email Camille Larkins at music@nyunews.com.

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Betty Who performed at the Program Board’s Spring Concert, wrapping up a successful Spring Welcome Week.

Play Explores Tin Man’s Backstory By EMMA GOLD Contributing Writer

It begins with a breath, a glance and an unfurling world both familiar and unknown. “The Woodsman,” currently playing at New World Stages, is gorgeously enchanting from the second you enter the space. After numerous popular “The Wizard of Oz” spin-offs, one may come to “The Woodsman” with suspicion. After all, The Gershwin Theater, where “Wicked” has been playing for the last 12 years, is a mere block away. However, the Strangemen Theater Company does a fantastic job of reinventing the tale of how the Tin Man came to be. Nick Chopper, the story’s titular protagonist, is raised to follow in his wood-chopping father’s footsteps. When he stumbles upon a beautiful girl one day in the dark, dangerous forest, they fall in love. Their relationship faces obstacles both magical and natural. A few curses and amputations later, Nick Chopper becomes the Tin Man we know and love. The story plays on common knowledge

of “The Wizard of Oz” tale, leaving in Easter eggs such as the glowing green lights of the Emerald City and the Witch’s silver slippers. “The Woodsman” is helmed by jack-of-all-trades James Ortiz, who created, co-directed, set and puppet designed this production. He is an exceptional storyteller, playing the narrator at the beginning of the piece and Nick Chopper for its remainder. Most importantly, Ortiz has beautifully crafted a mystical world of enchantment, surprises and refreshingly minimalistic storytelling alongside co-director Claire Karpen. The most unique aspect of this production is that Ortiz’s opening narration is one of the last spoken words the audience hears. Ortiz and Karpen employ wordless storytelling, puppetry and stylized physical acting to tell Nick Chopper’s story. The Wicked Witch, a beast in the forest and ultimately the Tin Man are portrayed through life-sized puppets, operated and voiced by actors. Characters new to the world of Oz include Nimmee, a slave of the

Wicked Witch and aforementioned love interest of Nick Chopper. Played with sensitivity and strength by Eliza Martin Simpson, this character stands out as a headstrong female counterpart to Nick Chopper. As “The Woodsman” is an ensemble-based production, the entire cast stays onstage for most of the play, dressed in simple Munchkinland garb and inhabiting the role of storytellers. They construct most of the play’s locations with props, operate the puppets and collectively create a layered soundscape with clicks of their tongue, animalistic whistles and heavy breathing. At times, this may seem a tad distracting and silly, but it is a testament to how every single ensemble member is utterly committed to telling this story and completely immersed in the land of Oz. By the time you take your seat at New World Stages, you will be too. “The Woodsman” is currently showing at New World Stages at 340 W 50th St.

Email Emma Gold at theater@nyunews.com.

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Acid Dad Rocks DJ Set at Alaska By GILCHRIST GREEN Contributing Writer

Psych punk foursome Acid Dad — whose three founding members are all former NYU students — will be embarking on an extensive U.S. tour beginning at the end of February. They are getting a lot of attention, and they should be. They have quickly established themselves in the Brooklyn music scene in the last year with their tight sound, shrill and exciting vocals and dark, satanic vibe. The band did a DJ set at Alaska last Friday night, a goodbye to New York before they embark on their tour. The setup was low-key, limited to the band, a MacBook Pro,

Spotify, YouTube and a projector showing silent, subtitled episodes of “Better Call Saul.” The highlights of the night were the songs “Venus” by Bananarama, most well known for its appearance in Gillette’s Venus razor commercials, and T.Rex’s 70s groove “Jeepster.” The bar was filled with smoke, beer and dancing, as the members of Acid Dad would periodically roam into the crowd and sway and twist to their tunes of choice. As homage to the band and their hometown goodbye DJ party, someone wrote “Acid Dad Sucks” in big block letters above the clogged toilet. The night progressed with music, dancing, exchange students from Mexico taking tequila shots, denim-clad Brook-

lynites hand rolling cigarettes against the cold winds of 3 a.m. and a very peppy red-haired drug dealer who was excited about his product. There was no sign on the building, no cover and no bouncer at the door. There was $4 Bud Light and the bathrooms were disgusting. It was very Brooklyn. Acid Dad’s DJ set at Alaska had everything expected and then some. The band filled Alaska with the same spirit and energy that they bring to their shows. And their song choices, however groovy or odd they were, gave an insight into the band’s interests and influences, along with their laid-back personalities. Catch Acid Dad’s final show before their tour on Feb. 24th.

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Acid Dad, whose members are all former NYU students, will be going on tour at the end of this month. They are playing some of their songs for The Special without Brett Davis, recently changed to The Special with Jesse Champ, a live comedy and music show taped every Wednes-

day night in New York’s Manhattan Neighborhood Network studio.

Email Gilchrist Green at music@nyunews.com.

Juniors in Tisch KickStart Film Company By ANDREA ANICETO-CHAVEZ Contributing Writer

Michael Ayjian and Stephen Skeel, two ambitious juniors in Tisch’s film program, have successfully created their own film production company, 7 Wonders Cinema. As CEOs of their own company, Ayijan and Skeel are in full control of their work, directing, producing, screenwriting, shooting and editing all of their content. They take their work seriously. So far, they have set up their own website, made an imprint on social media and established their Limited Liability Company (LLC) just last year. Skeel commented on how they had to adjust their mindset in order to bring 7 Wonders Cinema to fruition. “When we first started out the company we were thinking in the mind of a filmmaker, but then you realize you have to start thinking in the mind of a business person,” Skeel said. “For example, getting our LLC established, doing our taxes, hiring a CPA — we have to hire all these people and that’s stemming from filmmaking at the core and then learning to be a business person at the same time.” Their work includes music videos and branded and original content, while often collaborating with critically acclaimed and award winning professionals. Their clientele varies from renowned talented

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Tisch juniors Michael Ayjian and Stephen Skeel have successfully created 7 Wonders Cinema, their own production company funded by Kickstarter. artists such as musician Raymond Angry from The Roots, actress Queen Latifah and their most current advertisement campaign for Loopit earbuds by Re.Design Studio. Vanessa Chan, the creator and chief designer of Loopit, hired 7 Wonders to create a video campaign to promote her latest invention. The stylish earbuds have magnets on both ends, allowing for them to never get tangled. The headphones come in two different styles: a lightweight aluminum chain wrapped around a wired cable that could be worn as a necklace, or a black stitched leather cord for more casual attire. It was up to 7 Wonders Cinema to make a campaign that would appeal to the consumer, investor and, most importantly, properly advertise the product. Skeel and Ayjian worked in collaboration with director Justin Kroma to produce a video that was not only visually appealing, but sold the headphones. The duo designed chose to write a comedic skit for the commercial, in which a girl carelessly walks through

New York with her untangled Loopit headphones, as others around her strive to get their earbuds untangled. The video was launched on the 7 Wonders Cinema Youtube channel and posted on Loopit’s Kickstarter campaign, which had a goal of $15,000. The video has appealed to many investors and has now exceeded the initial goal, reaching upwards of $31,000 since the video advertisement was posted. In a cutting edge industry where students can be seen as amateurs, Ayjian and Skeel break the stereotype by providing professionalism and originality to all their clients. “It’s really about making everyone happy, and making sure that we are representing the product in the best possible manner, while still entertaining people because our job is to sell the product,” said Ayjian. “If we’re not entertaining people, then they’re not going to watch the whole video to find out what the product is.”

Email Andrea Aniceto-Chavez at arts@nyunews.com.

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Previewing the Talent at UVL By CALLIE CHUTE Contributing Writer

Of the hundreds of students who auditioned for the 13th annual UVL, only 15 were chosen to compete this Feb. 25 for cash prizes. Here is an exclusive look at some of the competitors and their talents:

David Merkle, rapper Tisch freshman Talent: “I got into rapping just about a year ago. As the editor-inchief of my school’s literary magazine I wrote a lot of poetry and eventually I realized that some of my poems could be converted into lyrics. The rapping started out as a joke but everything moved so quickly and I began to perform with a couple other rappers from the school at all of our open mic nights.” Performing: “I will be performing an original song called Highlines, which is a sort of break-up song. For the choruses I sample Hotline Bling because that song was huge when I was writing it, but the all of the verses are original.”

Kate Yeager, singer-songwriter Tisch sophomore Talent: “You will probably see me on a weekly basis running around the Village with my guitar on my back. I am continuing my monthly residency at [the music venue] The Bitter End for the spring season. [The] first Wednesday of the month you can catch me there! I’ve also performed in places like Carroll Place, The Bowery Electric, The Living Room, Inspired Word NYC, Lincoln Center and 54 Below.”

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Performing: “Keep My Distance, like all of my songs, is inspired by the nouns in my life: people, places and things. I don’t want to give too much away about the song for the performance but it’s a very human thing that we’ve all gone through at one point or another: falling in love with someone you can’t be with, so you need to keep your distance.”

Nick Cosaboom, percussionist Gallatin freshman Talent: “I starting playing percussion when I was eleven. Whatever I perform at the talent show will be original, although I would hesitate to call it a piece. I’m just going to get up there and have fun and share a little bit of what I do.” Performing: “The conga solo I’m performing is just going to be an effort to mix chops and groove. I don’t know exactly what I’m going to play, and it’s kind of hard to compress all of one’s musical knowledge into a three minute block anyway, so I’m just going to get up there and have fun.”

Donna Gary, poet CAS freshman Talent: “I think poetry has taken me places physically and mentally that I have never been or would imagine for myself. I want that journey to continue. I’ll always write, whether I slam or not, for myself.” Performing: “Spoken word inspired by ‘My life. My everyday. My family.’”

Ying Cao, poi performer Stern freshman Talent: “Poi goes by many names. I’ve heard it called

glowstringing, glowsticking, et cetera. And it’s not to be confused with poi, the Polynesian taro food. From a very technical point of view, it’s a performance art that’s based on swinging tethered weights around in geometric patterns.” Performing: “All my pieces are original because all my pieces are improvisational. I pre-set music and colors and then recklessly hope for the best.”

STAFF PHOTO BY ANNA LETSON

STAFF PHOTO BY ANNA LETSON

STAFF PHOTO BY ANNA LETSON

COURTESY OF KARISHMA BHAGANI

Christen Dekie, musician Tisch sophomore Talent: “I was always really into music, but I started teaching myself piano when I was eight years old and just recently taught myself guitar. I’ve been singing for as long as I could remember but never really got training for it.” Performing: “‘I Won’t Give Up’ by Jason Mraz. But I’ve tried to make sound original, yes. I’m dedicating his song to my little brother who is going through those tough times in high school. Just want him to know I’m always there for him.”

Jonathon Kwok, light painter Tandon senior Talent: “I use glow sticks and occasionally other light sources to give a visual interpretation of the music I’m dancing to. By using different colors and movements, I can express a variety of emotions and ideas. Similar to regular painting, I have a range of colors and brushes available to me.” Performing: “I will be painting an original piece at the talent show called Broken Rhapsody.”

Karishma Bhagani, dancer Tisch freshman Talent: “I got into classical Indian dancing at the age of two. My mother noticed my passion as a toddler — I used to tap my feet in the bathtub and dance to different Indian songs, just to hear the jingling of the bells on my feet.” Performing: “The dance that I’m performing at the talent show is a semi-classical Indian dance. In terms of the dance itself, I was inspired by the Lord Krishna and his famous

love stories with his girlfriend, Radha. It forms a critical part of my culture and religion, and evokes particular emotions and sentiments which I wish to further explore.” Nikki Blonsky of “Hairspray” will host the show at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are $15 for NYU students and can be purchased at the Skirball Box Office or on NYU Home.

Email Callie Chute at features@nyunews.com.

Learn to Grocery Shop the Right Way

By SHIVA DARSHAN Contributing Writer

Grocery shopping in Manhattan is expensive. The cost of restocking can add up quickly, especially when you have to make the trip every few weeks. To help make sure that your trips to the store aren’t breaking the bank, WSN checked out some major grocery stores within two miles of campus to determine the most cost-effective option. Based on a list of 15 basic items, we identified the cheapest and most expensive places to shop near NYU.

sale. The only downside is its location in Kips Bay, so you may opt to bike or take the bus. The total for all the groceries came out to $38.10.

the other 13 businesses sell gourmet products. Finding the best prices among the multitude of vendors requires practice, but the general total came to $39.56.

Trader Joe’s $

Gristedes $$

Right next to Palladium and U-Hall, Trader Joe’s loses to Fairway by an insignificant 32 cents. However, unlike Fairway, Trader Joe’s suffers from incredibly long lines and a limited selection. Coming in as second cheapest, the total for all the items was $38.42.

Short lines and two locations right next the Square make Gristedes a convenient option for shopping after class. However, the store’s mediocre selection is pricey, even with the 10 percent student discount. The total added up to $47.30.

Fairway Market $

Essex Street Market $

This massive supermarket on 30th Street and 2nd Avenue is the cheapest store we tested. According to Bloomberg Intelligence, it is also the cheapest supermarket in Manhattan. Fairway Market has constant sales which helped the store secure first place in our rankings — more than half of the items on our list were on

On Essex and Delancey, Essex Street Market is different from the other entries in that it is not a grocery store. Instead, it’s a large common area that hosts up to 20 small businesses. The three grocers and four fish and meat merchants provide a wide variety of supermarket staples and Latino and Asian staples, while

Whole Foods $$$ Whole Foods is convenient and familiar. It’s close to the upperclassman dorms around Union Square and is easily accessible by subway or bus. Unfortunately, Whole Foods lives up to its reputation of being pricey. Despite its long lines and less-than-amazing selection, it was one of the most expensive stores tested, with the grand total coming to $51.31.

Westside Market $$$

Open 24/7, Westside Market’s short lines and location next to Third North and Founders make it a convenient choice for students living on Third Ave. The store has an extensive selection of high-end products. Yet this convenience and range comes at price — a very high one. With a total of $52.55, Westside Market was the second most expensive store.

Food Emporium $$$ Steer clear of this expensive store, which has the highest prices despite its lackluster selection. There are plenty of cheaper and better alternatives nearby, with Trader Joe’s right across the street. Ringing in as most expensive, the total came out to $54.63, almost $20 more expensive than our cheapest option.

Email Shiva Darshan at dining@nyunews.com.

NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2016 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS

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FEATURES

EDITED BY KENDALL LEVISON FEATURES@NYUNEWS.COM

Tinder, But For the Whole Squad By TAYLOR NICOLE ROGERS Staff Writer

STAFF PHOTO BY JESÚS KUMAMOTO

Zanele Muholi’s self-portraits and photographs of queer Africans reflect the struggles that they suffer as a result of racism and persecution of the LGBTQI community in South Africa.

Expressive LGBTQI Photos in Gallatin By JAMI TANNER Contributing Writer

Strikingly hyper-saturated black and white portraits have captured the attention of those passing by NYU’s Jerry H. Labowitz Theatre for the Performing Arts this week. The display is a gallery of works by renowned photographer and visual activist Zanele Muholi, who is revolutionizing the power of photography. Muholi visited NYU Gallatin on Wednesday for a guest lecture regarding the story behind her work, as she shed light on the high number of hate crimes targeting black lesbian women in South Africa. An out lesbian herself, Muholi aims to give a voice to the LGBTQI community and spread a narrative that is pervasively silenced and neglected by institutions of power. “I was thinking, we are not documented,” Muholi said. “We are not there. Nobody’s listening.” This lack of recognition of both black lesbian women’s complex identities and of the ongoing struggles they face in South Africa compels Muholi to expose the truth. She references the growing count of brutal rapes and murders to which the South African government turns a blind eye. These statistics are more than just numbers to Muholi — they are the real stories of real people. “We have a responsibility to document for our own communities. I’m writing these visual documents to make sure that we have visual history, for South Africa and beyond South African borders,” Muholi said. “Instead of being a visual artist, I am an activist, using visuals as a way to speak my own truth and the truths of those around me.” Gallatin Senior Em Watson introduced Muholi to the stage, praising her portraits as an outlet of expression that underrepresented individuals can’t access conventionally.

“Her work represents the LGBTQI community in a way that is absent in mainstream media,” Watson said. Zanele Muholi has only begun her plan to use photography as a force of representation. She hopes to pursue future projects that visually juxtapose the South African black struggle and the American black struggle. She referenced obscene police brutality in the U.S., citing the case of Sandra Bland specifically, and noted the obligation human rights activists have in recognizing each other’s struggles. “I guess the commonality between us is when we think of Black Lives Matter,” Muholi said. “You have these racial attacks that are ongoing in this country and in South Africa.” While many of Muholi’s projects capture LGBTQI members of her community, in her ongoing project “Somnyama Ngonyama,” she puts herself in front of the lens. Muholi said that she takes self-portraits because she doesn’t want to put the liability of shooting on anyone else. She views photography as a powerful force, comparing the act of capturing an image to the strike of a gun. “Taking photos is like having a weapon in your hand,” she said. “Somnyama Ngonyama” embodies Muholi’s work with self-expression, which she describes as her response to ignorant, hateful attitudes toward race and sexuality. The ongoing project will be complete once Muholi has 365 images of herself, and she vows to never use self-portraits once that is accomplished. “I am shooting 365 portraits, then I will end. Because I just want to say to the racists that I’m actually black for 365 days of the year, same as the next black person,” she said. “This is our reality.”

Email Jami Tanner at features@nyunews.com.

Undeniably one of the hardest aspects of adjusting to NYU is making friends. Entrepreneur Adam Liebman is out to simplify the process with his new app Squad, which uses an interface reminiscent of Tinder to connect groups of two or more with other groups of friends. “When I first came here a few years ago right after I graduated school, I knew three people in the state,” Liebman said. “I just happened to work at an amazing company where I formed some relationships, but if Squad had been around then maybe circles that didn’t overlap at the time would have been able to overlap and it would have been easier.” I can’t deny that I had a similar experience when I first came to New York in August. I immediately hit it off with a group in my dorm, but our “squad” never expanded. So we decided to give the app a try. After several days of incessant swiping, my squad still had not received a match. My squad members attributed this to the app’s older target demographic. “I thought Squad would be weirder than it is when I downloaded it,” my friend, CAS freshman Carol He, said. “It’s just hard

to get matched when you see the same profiles over and over again. I keep seeing this one profile that says ‘Three ladies drinking and one has an Android phone’. Maybe [it would be easier to make friends] if more people were on it and they had more ways to narrow down the profiles you see, like by your interests. Right now all I see are 30-year-olds who like to party.” The community the app resonates with the most speaks to Squad’s humble origins as a innovative use of Liebman’s own Tinder profile. “We were on a boys trip in Montreal and we wanted to find some cool people to hang out with. I had the idea to take down all of my profile pictures and only put up pictures of me and my squad,” Liebman said. “We ended up matching with another group of people who were headed to the same place as us that night. We had this unbelievably fun night that I feel like everyone always wants to have when they go out with their friends but is an elusive thing that you don’t always get.” Although the app now boasts tens of thousands of active squads in the greater New York City area and nearly 5,000 matches since its launch in October of 2015, it was beginning to look as if my squad was never going to get to experience the sort of “elusive” great

night out that inspired Liebman to create the app in the first place. “When I first heard about the app, I thought it sounded a bit silly but I do know that people will do anything to make friends,” said the third member of my squad, Liberal Studies freshman Juhi Dalal. “It does make me sad that no one has responded to our squad yet. We’re fun people.” Although Squad aims to simplify the process of finding friends, there is one thing even the most ingenious of apps can’t change — connecting with people takes time.

Email Taylor Nicole Rogers at features@nyunews.com.

VIA SQUAD

Squad is a new app developed by Adam Liebman in an attempt to make finding groups of friends easier.

Skip Taco Bell, Eat Authentically By MEDARDO PEREZ Contributing Writer

With hundreds of restaurants around the city, it seems like you can taste food from almost any part of the world. But a lot of these places may not be truly representative of their ethnic cuisine, even if they claim to be. Many restaurants like Chipotle and Taco Bell bear the label of “Mexican” eateries, but their food is a very loose interpretation of the actual ethnic cuisine. CAS junior and Chair of La Herencia Latina, the Latino Heritage Month Committee, Juan Manuel Calero Canaval, explains the key to authentic cuisine. “Authentic food for a given Latino nationality is basically whatever I can find on the side of the road between major cities in a given Latin American country,” Canaval said. If you’re looking for some real, authentic Mexican food, skip the commercialized, more wellknown places and opt for one of these instead.

Casa Mezcal 86 Orchard Street Casa Mezcal is a three-floor experience of Mexican culture. Colorful lantern lights suspended across the ceiling and cultural symbols wedged in every corner transport

patrons to Oaxaca the moment they walk through the door. A cantinastyle bar spreads across an entire wall, making the experience very interactive. But even beyond the visual appeal are the food and drinks, which are the real standouts. With menus for both brunch and dinner, Casa Mezcal serves traditional and well-loved Mexican staples like huevos con nopales (eggs with cactus stem), chile relleno (stuffed chilis) and enchiladas. But for those looking to immerse themselves in the culinary traditions, the menu includes tostadas topped with black beans, cheese, avocado, tomato, sour cream, lettuce and grasshoppers. In terms of drinks, guest bartenders provide individual twists to the usual margarita and mojito.

Empellón Al Pastor 132 St Marks Place Guaranteed to become a go-to lunch spot, Empellón Al Pastor has a very casual hipster vibe. The outside is adorned with graffiti art and the inside has a mural that features a goat head, skeletons and stacks of $100 bills stretching across the entire restaurant. Despite its nontraditional décor, the restaurant utilizes a traditional Mexican technique called nixtamalization — a process of soaking the grains in limewater — to create its tortillas

fresh every morning. At Empellón Al Pastor, chefs slow cook their meat buried under avocado leaves — a Mexican technique. Their menu also includes beer braised pork tongue, drunken black beans and a variety Micheladas — a Mexican beer drink mixed with sauces and different spices.

Tacos El Idolo 1 Astor Place (Broadway) In New York City, sometimes the best food is served out of a truck. El Idolo may not have the most appealing truck compared to others, but its food is rustic, delicious and accessible. The menu is simple yet features goodies like flautas, tamales and sope, all priced inexpensively. While at first glance a food truck serving fast food seems inauthentic, where the food is served doesn’t necessarily depreciate the value of authenticity. Stern junior and Treasurer of the Mexican Student Association, Daniel Garza reduces authenticity to two things: the ingredients and the way it’s made. These places deliver on both of these criterion by cooking with fresh food and using traditional Hispanic cooking techniques.

Email Medardo Perez at dining@nyunews.com.

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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2016 | NYUNEWS.COM

Gabriella Bower, Beauty and Style Editor Tatiana Perez, Deputy Video Editor

Conrad Bischoff Started career: 17 years old Agency: RED

“I WAS DRAWN INTO THE FASHION WORLD BECAUSE NO ONE CAN DENY HOW EXCITING IT IS BUT I’M STAYING IN IT FOR THE PEOPLE. YOU ALWAYS COME TO ADMIRE THEM. ”

What is your favorite part about modeling? The talent and the passion that I get to meet. There’s a lot of ego, but there’s also a lot of ingenuity and ambition that’s hard to see anywhere else. It’s an industry that’s always evolving and reacting, and it’s an environment that can really inspire you. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Do you see yourself still modeling? I think I’ll just take things as they come. It’s hard to plan ahead with

modeling because it’s so transitory. I love fashion, but I don’t know if I want to be working in it forever. Hopefully, in five years, I’m a little closer to my goal of being a film director, and that I’m still learning and traveling working on Asian cinema. Advice for those trying to make it in the fashion industry? At the end of the day, if you want to model, you should learn to accept refusals as growths of character and not attacks on your physical attributes, and be ambitious but never expectant.

What’s your favorite part about modeling? The people. The clothes are great but the people who you get to meet — photographers, backstage people such as make-up artists — they all come from such different backgrounds and broke into the industry in different ways. It’s great. And we’re all like minded. How do you balance school with your career? I take all my classes on two days. And as a model you always need to weigh your options: is this job going to help me? Is it going to be good for my book?

Is it good enough pay that I can walk away with something? There’s a big misconception that models are grossly overpaid. Pick what is going to be best for you. You aren’t going to get every job so also consider what your chances are of getting a job. Advice for those trying to make it in the fashion industry? Make sure you are doing what’s best for you. Understand it’s a long process and success won’t be immediate like it is for some people. Don’t get ahead of yourself. Especially when good news starts coming, have patience.

Eve Liu Started career: 14 years old Agency: Jaz Daly Management Sydney, and Major Models New York

“THE OLDEST STORY IN THE BOOK — I WAS SCOUTED BY MY AGENT AT A SHOPPING CENTER AFTER SCHOOL AND JUST SORT OF FELL INTO IT. ”

Alain Polanco Started career: 17 years old Agency: RED

“YOUR JOB IS HOW GOOD YOU LOOK, SO YOU’RE CONSTANTLY COMPARING YOURSELF TO OTHER PEOPLE, LIKE WHEN YOU DON’T BOOK A JOB. IT’S TRYING TO FIND A BALANCE BETWEEN LOVING YOURSELF AND KNOWING THAT THERE ARE STILL THINGS TO WORK ON. ”

How do you balance school with your career? It was really hard. It still is. If you look at my calendar it’s just like a crap ton of castings in between class and I have to carry my books with me everywhere. I’ll be in class and then [my agency] will send me a casting and I’m like, “well shit.” So I have to see whether the castings are worth it. Like if the show will actually book me. Give us the details on Givenchy. I’ve done shows for them for the past three seasons. They fly us out

for Paris Fashion Week, put us up in a hotel -- it’s a really nice situation. That was my first big show. Nothing really came from it the first two times I walked for them but this time, since they changed my hair, I’ve been getting a lot more work. Shows or presentation? Shows. Oh my god. I don’t like presentations because it makes me feel like a mannequin. As opposed to a runway show where at least I’m a person.

NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2016 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS

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days, shows, trends to look out for this upcoming fall/winter season. Gender neutral trends like metallics and fur dominated the runways, athleisure remains in vogue for men and bold colors and prints make a resurgence for women. See our full New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2016 coverage at http://www.nyunews.com/category/fashion/.

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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2016 | NYUNEWS.COM

OPINION

EDITED BY RICHARD SHU OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM

EDUCATION

Specialized University Campuses Shortchange Student Opportunities By RICHARD SHU Opinion Editor Public universities across the country are strapped for cash and looking for creative ways to make ends meet. But the University of Alaska’s latest belt-tightening measure is one of the most radical and desperate so far. On Tuesday, the Board of Regents announced that it would propose a major restructuring of the three University of Alaska campuses; the end goal is that each would focus on a specific set of disciplines. The University of Alaska Anchorage would specialize in social sciences and policy studies, the University of Alaska Southeast would focus on marine biology and mining and

the University of Alaska Fairbanks would become the science and engineering campus. No other state university system has undertaken such an explicit separation of disciplines, and the long-term consequences of this separation could be catastrophic for the quality of undergraduate education. In the short run, this plan poses a pressing existential threat for programs outside of a campus’s areas of focus. A literature program at the Fairbanks campus, for example, is unlikely to survive the budget cuts. Additionally, none of the campus cores provide for performing arts or fine arts, which distressingly suggests that the University of Alaska is looking to turn its schools into professional pipelines rather than

venues for academic exploration. But even in the long run, this kind of separation of disciplines can only hurt prospects for students. Simply being in the same environment as other disciplines is incredibly valuable for education. It gives students the opportunity to socialize and work collaboratively with other majors and to gain broader perspectives on the world. Many of the best business ideas are

the result of a marriage between social awareness and technological know-how. But with awareness and know-how hundreds of miles apart, the opportunities for this kind of creative union are thin. The separations will also make student lives much more difficult in general. Woe betide the freshman who enters without knowing what they want to major in, or the student who decides that their department isn’t for them. Without the opportunity to try out courses outside of their school or speak with students of a different major, students won’t have the opportunity to explore their passions to the fullest. Every school is naturally stronger in some departments than

others, but deliberately creating and emphasizing these specializations between schools only serves to shut off opportunities for students. If the university’s goal is to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in its students, to prepare them for the complexities of the modern workforce, it won’t do so by producing hyper-specialized wonks. Broad opportunities and perspectives are just too valuable for students, and NYU in particular thrives on the multitude of its students’ interests. The University of Alaska, by stifling these opportunities, is shortchanging its students’ futures.

Email Richard Shu at opinion@nyunews.com.

POLITICS

With Bush Gone, Moderates Have Nowhere to Turn By EMILY FONG Deputy Opinion Editor With his head hung low, former Florida governor Jeb Bush appeared in front of his supporters on Sunday and finally announced that he would suspend his campaign for the GOP presidential nomination. Bush’s departure narrows the Republican race down to five candidates: Donald Trump, Senator Ted Cruz, Senator Marco Rubio, Ben Carson and Ohio governor John Kasich. Of those candidates, Kasich is really the only “moderate,” and even then only in comparison to his hardline conservative competitors. History has shown that Kasich is not exactly a centrist himself.

The extremism of the remaining candidates is a bad omen for the future of American politics, since voters are now forced to choose from options that do not represent the large majority of them. A similar shift is being reflected on the liberal spectrum, with candidates being increasingly drawn to the left. The increase in polarization on the debate stage is worrying, especially as voters increasingly mirror that polarization. It is not abnormal to disagree with someone based on their political views to the point of genuine dislike. However, the degree to which individuals have been demonized for their personal politics is concerning. Any candidate who is able to

reach the nation’s highest office by the end of this vitriolic election cycle has some serious work ahead of them. The United States is at a critical juncture — the social fabric of the country is being torn apart in every direction. The traditional wedges of class, race, religion and sex still dominate national conversation, with modern media only serving to magnify the divides. Race, especially, has become

a subject that has been enhanced by discussions guided by online interactions. Added to the mix are the divisions created by gender, sexuality, technology and privilege — the updated versions of these concepts have only recently entered our national lexicon within the last decade. Even age has become a considerable dividing line between voters, as the Internet generation faces off against their elders on how to approach topics like Hillary Clinton’s role as a feminist in the modern era. These chasms have only grown wider, and the malicious nature of our politics reflects those rifts. Bush’s presidential build was better suited to a past era, not the

current cycle of screaming and shouting that has begun to characterize our national discourse. In some ways, Bush’s campaign was an appeal to constraint. However, that kind of strategy no longer wins votes in an age of increasing disillusionment. The next president, as the figurehead of the nation, has the opportunity to help redefine the fractured American identity that exists today. But in order to do so, they must represent the extremes of the ideological spectrum as well as the people in between. This can be accomplished by being inclusive, not by driving more wedges into the cracks.

Email Emily Fong at efong@nyunews.com.

CULTURE

‘Deadpool’ Makes R-Rating Mainstream By PARIS MARTINEAU Contributing Writer R-rated films have existed in a rather unsavory place within the commercial film market. By nature, R-rated films limit the potential audience by requiring children younger than 17 have a parent present at the showing. Films with R-rated content are generally not considered to be lucrative for production companies, therefore many studios stick to established film genres, resulting in an endless parade of generic schlock. However, movies such as the recently successful “Deadpool” reflect the rapidly increasing commerciality — and therefore mainstream acceptance — of more obscene con-

tent in today’s market. Not only did “Deadpool” gross well over double its opening weekend estimates, but it also shattered all previous records for opening weekend earnings in the R-rated category. All of this was accomplished while breaking the standard mold of the R-rated film, which usually falls into one of two categories: the overly serious drama that is blatant Oscar fodder, or the tropey comedy that inevitably results in two underwhelming sequels. “Deadpool” didn’t allow itself to fall into either of these, instead appealing to the superhero film market, a genre which is not used to seeing Rrated blockbusters. The success of “Deadpool” in the face of low expectations proves that

R-ratings are not an automatic detriment to the success of even the strangest of film categories. While it may have leaned a bit on the classic appeal of crude humor in order to draw in its audience, the potential for blockbuster-style franchise-esque commercial success seems to have opened the doors for new endeavors within Hollywood. The concept behind “Deadpool,” that the titular

character has the ability to breach the fourth wall, allows for a greater degree of self-awareness of film genres itself. It seems that we have finally reached an age in which the Rrating does not dissuade audiences from attending a film, but rather further entices them. Crude humor, sexual scenarios and drug use are all part of the cultural zeitgeist of our modern society, and mainstream Hollywood’s acceptance of adult themes allows the comedy to take center stage, even in movies that aren’t as formulaic as “Ted” or “The Hangover.” In these cases, the R-rating has become a sort of badge of honor for “Deadpool,” a film that represents the myriad possibilities

that Hollywood has been hesitant to explore. It has become increasingly obvious that the R-rating no longer connotes long term financial mediocrity, and should even be incorporated with Hollywood’s penchant for franchisebased profits. Niche genres are viable markets for the exploration of more stereotypically taboo themes. Films such as “Deadpool” are stark signs that audiences are ready for experimentation outside of the cinematic norm, and the possible profitability of these enterprises means that finally the film industry may be ready for it as well.

Email Paris Martineau at opinion@nyunews.com.

NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2016 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS

OPINION

EDITED BY RICHARD SHU OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM

EDUCATION

STAFF EDITORIAL

A Two-Pronged Attack on the Student Loan Crisis By TEGAN JOSEPH MOSUGU Staff Writer Last week, a man in Texas was arrested by U.S. Marshals for failing to pay a $1,500 student loan he owed for three decades. With an estimated 40 million Americans who collectively owe $1.2 trillion in student loans, student loan debt has become a pressing national issue. Student loans pose the biggest threat to millennials but affect all Americans, and it is the obligation of both universities and government to attack this national crisis. An NYU student from a family with less than $30,000 in income owes an average of $23,250 in federal loans. It is also common practice for students to secure private loans to cut down the costs of college, so the amount that it is owed by graduation day could possibly equal or surpass the $30,000 mark. Several universities like NYU have an admissions policy that is need-blind, where one’s ability to pay for school is not factored into decisions, but there are several benefits of having an admissions policy that is

conscious of student need. Needblind policies often treat students from low-income households the same as those from high-income families, which does not account for the unique and circumstances of a given student’s financial background. Incoming classes would be as diverse in terms of socioeconomic status, and a great portion of institutional aid would go to individuals who do not have the financial means of attending elite or even state schools. Universities cannot solve the student loan problem themselves. The federal government can help alleviate student loans by restructuring the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, a program which forgives the remaining balance on Direct Loans after 120 qualifying monthly payments

while working full-time. Instead of 120 payments, or 12 years paying for loans, the balance should be settled after 80 payments. Doing this would undoubtedly help people from defaulting on their loans by guaranteeing that they will be rewarded for almost a decade’s worth of work. The next U.S. president needs to guide this government effort to fix student debt, reducing interest rates and making them more fixed. Students need to be protected from loans that prey on their desperation and force graduates to pay twice or more than what they borrowed. All of the 2016 presidential candidates have suggested some kind of plan towards tackling the student loan crisis. Washington must actually follow through on whoever’s leadership our nation is under. Student debt is a national epidemic that is crippling some of the most vulnerable members of the workforce, and it is the role of universities and government to help stem the crisis.

Email Tegan Joseph Mosugu at opinion@nyunews.com.

POLITICS

Assange Can’t Use Infamy To Hide Anymore By JARRET FREEMAN Contributing Writer Five star town home. Five star dining. Private chef. These are just a few of the many plush amenities Julian Assange may enjoy as he lives in the Ecuadorian embassy in London. This voluntary stay at the embassy is by no means a detention. An article which ran Feb. 10, decrying Assange’s stint in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, was very interesting. I think that it is always useful to see the perspective of students and others who care about these issues as these are discussions that need to happen in spaces beyond the United Nations. But in the end, his stay was his choice. Assange is free to walk out of the embassy, just as he freely walked into it. Characterizing his stay as a detention is just a dishonest attempt on his part to reframe his attempts at evading the international justice system. After losing his appeal to the U.K.’s Supreme Court against extradition to Sweden, where a judicial investi-

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR gation was initiated against him in connection with allegations of sexual misconduct, Assange sought refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in an effort to evade the law. Ecuador, and an administration led by President Rafael Correa, continues to expand its state control over media and civil society and harass, abuse and intimidate its critics. While also being known for picking and choosing which international laws it wants to follow, it graciously accepted Assange’s request who has been living in the embassy since June 2012. Assange is not free to escape the institution of law that governs modern society no matter how much he tries to evade it. Assange is seeking solace in the very same institutions that he originally intended to expose.

The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention paper is a political ploy meant to stir the pot on an issue that does not warrant their attention. This is the same group that stated in their application of General Assembly Resolution 60/251 that the government of Ecuador needed to provide their judicial branch with the funding required to ensure an appropriate administration of justice in the country. It is a shame that Assange’s situation has been blown so out of proportion. The case should have been resolved long ago. A man has been charged with sexual assault, and he is attempting to use his infamy as a smokescreen to prevent the proper administration of justice. And, frustratingly, that smokescreen has succeeded — no one can see the case for what it is. Assange’s stay at the Ecuadorian embassy is his choice and if he wants out, he should leave the same way he went in — through the front door.

Jarret Freeman is an NGO Representative to the United Nations Economic & Social Council.

Hamilton Needs a LongTerm Affordability Plan

On Thursday, NYU’s new president Andrew Hamilton sent out an email to the NYU community. In it, he elaborated on the contents of his recent proposal to the University Senate, which included planned reductions of tuition and student fee increases, as well as freezes on housing and meal increases. Hamilton maintains that the resultant two percent increase in cost of attendance would be the lowest in the past 20 years. The email clarified that the ultimate goal of reducing the overall cost of attendance at NYU would only be achieved in the long-term. Hamilton’s proposals set a good short-term precedent for his administration, but in light of Sexton’s leftover projects, the direction in which Hamilton will eventually take the university is still unclear. Hamilton’s email at least revealed that his administration is willing to talk to students like adults. The budget proposals help address the major drivers of attendance costs with modest but direct measures. It is encouraging that these measures have been paired with a commitment to reduce spending, and it signals that Hamilton understands the struggle of students and willing to do something about it. At the same time, Hamilton is very upfront about the enormity of the task before him. Unlike Sexton, who was content to leave the public in the dark, Hamilton acknowledges that solving the affordability crisis will be an ongoing and difficult process. In order to begin this process, Hamilton will have to take a good long look at the direction that NYU will move in. Unpopular and expensive projects like NYU 2031 and the Abu Dhabi campus are still underway, underscoring the fact that affordability needs to be a critical aspect of the university’s mission. Fee freezes and affordable housing are nice, but these Sexton-era projects are ultimately the source of many of the university’s long-term financial concerns. Hamilton recognizes that affordability is an enormous problem, but tackling it requires an enormous shift in priorities to match. If he really is committed to steering the university towards affordability, then Hamilton needs to publicly reckon with the sustainability of these projects. While President Hamilton is integral to NYU’s future course, he is not solely responsible for the direction of the university. In order to secure a trend of lowering tuition increases and costs, Hamilton must push his proposal through the bureaucracy of the board of directors. This moment will set a precedent not only for Hamilton’s relationship towards students, but also for his influence with the administration as a whole. If his proposals are not able to go through, the obstinacy of the board will keep business as usual. If his proposals can go through, then the fate of the university rests in his hands. Let’s hope that affordability will remain top priority.

Email the WSN Editorial Board at editboard@nyunews.com. EDITORIAL BOARD: Richard Shu (Chair), Emily Fong (Co-chair), Abraham Gross (Co-chair) STAFF PHOTO BY SAM BEARZI

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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2016 | NYUNEWS.COM

SPORTS

EDITED BY MICHAEL THOMPSON SPORTS@NYUNEWS.COM

Basketball Plays Last Games Ever in Coles By ASHLEY ARNOLD Staff Writer

After endless months of delays and mystery, the curtain has finally closed on the Coles Sports and Recreation Center. Though there are legitimate worries surrounding the closing’s effect on university athletics, this weekend was a time to reflect on a building with an abundance of history, for better or for worse. The men’s and women’s basketball teams bid farewell to their Mercer Street home with one final slate of games against the University of Chicago and Washington University in St. Louis. Unfortunately, the results were mixed at a crucial time in the season. Both teams got off to a hot start, as the men were able to rally from an early deficit to defeat UChicago on Friday 72-59. Senior forward Patrick Burns scored 19 points for the Violets in addition to grabbing 12 rebounds, four blocks and two steals. At the start of the first half, the men fell behind, but quickly bounced back before halftime, storming ahead to a 30-26 lead in the final 10 minutes. UChicago stepped it up in the second, but so too did the Violets. Sophomore guard Ross Udine and senior captain Evan Kupferberg were key in clinching the game. A pair of free

throws by Udine with 1:04 remaining in the game put the game on ice, and Kupferberg managed to steal the ball and finish with a rim-rattling dunk with 41 seconds left. Senior center Costis Gontikas, who was honored prior to game for scoring his 1,000th point, finished with seven points and six rebounds. Senior Max Ralby was also a factor, adding nine points and dishing out four assists. The men had the uneasy honor of playing the final game at Coles — a mixture of joy and retrospection as graduating senior players were honored on Sunday. The Violets played a spirited game, but lost by just one point. The Violets had the lead in after the first half 35-27, but ultimately the Bears jumped ahead and played well the rest of the way. NYU tied it 66-66 with 2:34 left on the clock, but Washington scored the next four points and was able to play the foul game to the final horn. The women’s team continued its recent stretch of tough losses this weekend, first falling to UChicago. Junior guard Kaitlyn Read saved the Violets from falling back early when she scored 11 of the Violets’ points in a 15-5 run to end the first quarter. Sophomore guard Drew Cabral and junior forward Megan Dawe cut the Violets’ deficit to one at the half. NYU

STAFF PHOTO BY JAKE QUAN

The men’s and women’s basketball teams played against University of Chicago and Washington University in St. Louis over the past weekend. continued a nice offensive run to start the third quarter, and the game was up for grabs going into the fourth. But in the final quarter, the Violets were outscored by the Maroons 2719, solidifying their defeat and rendering their comeback efforts useless. Just like the men, Washington proved to be a tough team for the women, unfortunately overshadowing the four senior players honored on Sunday. The Violets were steadily outscored

in the first and second quarters, creating a sizable 14-point deficit going into the locker room that they would never recover from. The Violets had a brief comeback in the third with a 9-3 run, but Washington quelled any further efforts, playing even with the Violets in the second half to cruise to a win. Even in defeat, players like Read took a step back to admire the seniors and their efforts. “These past few games have been really tough, but tonight,

even with the loss, we all played as a team and did our absolute best to honor our seniors,” Read said. “They’ve truly transformed this program, and we wouldn’t be here without them.” With attention shifting to postseason play, both teams will look to impress the NCAA selection committee on Saturday Feb. 27 against Brandeis University.

Email Ashley Arnold at sports@nyunews.com.

Swimming UAAs: Men 3rd, Women 4th By TONY SCHWAB Contributing Writer

It was a monumental week for the NYU swimming and diving teams, as they traveled to the UAA Championships in Webster, New York. The meet included 12 different contests taking place over four days, from early Wednesday through Saturday night. At the end of it all, the Violet men took third and the women’s team took fourth out of the eight teams in the conference. Emory University’s men’s and women’s teams emerged victorious for the 18th consecutive year. There was only one event on Wednesday — the women’s onemeter competition. Two Violets made it past prelims, with junior Ashlie Pankonin placing third and sophomore Austin Campitelli coming in sixth. Thursday was a very successful day for sophomore Joe Baron. He finished third in the 50-yard freestyle before leading NYU to fourth in the 200-yard relay. A number of men qualified for the NCAA finals, including junior

Max Phillips in the 550-yard freestyle, sophomore Tim Kou in the 200 yard IM and a team of Kou, junior captain Daniel Tay and senior Win Htet Oo in the 400-yard medley relay. The women fared equally well. Three swimmers — sophomore Isabelle Kitze, junior captain Elise Gibbs and sophomore Serena Yan — finished in the top eight in the 50-yard freestyle. Kitze’s third place performance earned her an NCAA qualification. Sophomore Rachel Munger finished ninth in the 200-yard IM with an NCAA qualifying time. The 200-yard freestyle relay team of Gibbs, Yan, freshman Sarah Stone and senior captain Krista Traub came in second and qualified for the NCAA championships. On Friday two NYU men won events. Phillips was champion in the 200-yard freestyle, breaking an NYU record with a time of 1:39.04. Sophomore Chad Moody won the 100-yard backstroke. Both of these results produced NCAA qualifications. In the 400-yard IM freshman Reid Hansen and sophomore Tim

Kwarcincski came in third and fourth respectively, each earning an NCAA spot. For the women, freshman May Li took third place in the 100-yard backstroke. The 200yard medley team, made up of Li, Gibbs, Traub and Kitze finished in fourth. Kitze qualified for the NCAA championships with a fifth place finish in the 100-yard butterfly. Campitelli finished third in the three-meter dive. NYU finished the competition strong on Saturday. Kou finished second in the 200-yard breaststroke. He was also part of a fourth place 400-yard relay team alongside Moody, Baron and Oo. Kou will be heading to the NCAA championships as an individual and a part of the relay team, but reaching there wasn’t easy. “I felt a little tired in prelims and faced some tough competition that morning, but barely managed to sneak into finals and performed better that night,” Kou said. Kitze took fifth in the 100-yard freestyle and led the women — along with Traub, Hannah Berg

VIA GONYUATHLETICS.COM

Sophomore Tim Kou got second place in the 200-yard breaststroke. and Noel Leung — to fourth in the 400-yard freestyle. All of the NCAA-qualifiers will be competing at the NCAA Championships in Greens-

boro, North March 16-19.

Carolina

Email Tony Schwab at sports@nyunews.com

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NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2016 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS

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SPORTS

EDITED BY MICHAEL THOMPSON SPORTS@NYUNEWS.COM

VIA GONYUATHLETICS.COM

Junior Wayne Yuan won 2-0 at the Tri-Match last Thursday.

Grapplers Take One Step Forward, One Step Back By MICHAEL THOMPSON Sports Editor A week after their fifth consecutive UAA Championship, the NYU Grapplers traveled to Brookville, New York on Thursday to finish their regular season against the College of Mount Saint Vincent and Long Island University-Post. Results were mixed, with a demolition over CSMV and a tough loss against LIU.

The Grapplers swept CSMV, dominating the team with a winning 55-0 score. The Grapplers won by forfeit in seven out of 10 matches and were virtually unstoppable. Centennial Conference Wrestler of the Year Nathan Pike continued his winning streak, defeating Connor Hay at 133 pounds 17-0 in his 26th win of the year. Austin Day earned his 23rd win of the year with a technical fall win over Cristian Hilario at 141

pounds, while sophomore Raymond Jazikoff remained the Grapplers’ lead winner this season after getting his 28th at 157. The freshmen also impressed with three victories against the CSMV. Ian Burke continued his impressive first-year campaign with a forfeit victory at 149 pounds, bringing his win total to 22. Austin Oliver earned his seventh win of the season at 165 pounds, while fellow freshman Kyle Paterson rounded out

the day with a heavyweight forfeit victory. But the Grapplers faced a setback in their second contest of the day, losing to LIU-Post as the postseason loomed ahead. Although Wayne Yuan got the Grapplers off to a great start with a win over Joe Paterno in the 125-pound class, NYU was only able to win one more match as LIU-Post racked up win after win. Jazikoff had the only other victory and is now one away from

his 30th win of the year. Even after a defeat, the Grapplers are in a great position to claim victory in March. They are back in action on Feb. 27 in Lexington, Virginia at the NCAA East Regionals. From there, select members of the team will look to etch their names in stone at the NCAA Division III Championships in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Email Michael Thompson at mthompson@nyunews.com.

Hockey Starts Postseason Hunt, Takes First Loss of ‘16 By RACHEL RUECKER Deputy Sports Editor

The NYU men’s hockey team began their postseason quest to repeat as National Champions Saturday, facing off against Central Connecticut State University and William Patterson University in Montclair, New Jersey as they began the relatively meaningless Super East Collegiate Hockey League playoffs. Ranked number one in the latest ACHA Division II poll, the Violets have earned an automatic bid to the ACHA National Championship Tournament. Senior forward Denis O’Hara started the scoring against CCSU by netting a shorthanded goal while sophomore forward Michael Conslato was bench-bound for slashing. However, CCSU would manage to

eek out a tying goal on the power play before the frame’s end. In the second period, CCSU quickly converted just 22 seconds into the period to nudge their way ahead, and less than a minute later they were up by two. On the goal, junior defenseman Evan Ripley got called for cross-checking, a penalty the Violets successfully killed, avoiding further damage. A familiar narrative of penalties and kills transpired, including a roughing penalty to freshman defenseman James Moeller that catapulted NYU’s second shorthanded goal of the night from Conslato. The frame came to an end with the Violets down a goal and a man, but up in shots 19-12. The comeback effort began in the third with an unassisted goal

from Ripley to tie the game at 3-3. After traded interference penalties, CCSU got a cross-checking call to put NYU on the two-man advantage. The Violets capitalized when freshman forward John Kowalewski got the go-ahead goal. Just a couple minutes later, Kowalewski put NYU up by two. CCSU got within one after bringing its goalie to the bench, but it was too little too late as sophomore forward Steven Esposito got an empty-netter with five seconds remaining, solidifying the win at 6-4. According to freshman forward Mason Gallegos, it’s crucial for the Violets to persevere. “Overcoming adversity is the mark for a championship team,” Gallegos said. Sunday afternoon, NYU faced off against nemesis William Paterson

University in hopes of repeating the dramatic late-season success they found against them at home. The game had a slow start, compared to the high-scoring contests that Violets fans have grown accustomed to. In the first frame, the Violets had to kill a holding and hooking call, and were outshot 14-9. Then in the second, there were two more dicey calls against the Violets — each for roughing — allocated to O’Hara and Conslato, before there was anything called against WPU. Nothing materialized by the frame’s end, aside from a lopsided penalty sheet. At long last, Conslato opened the scoring 35 seconds in, but the lead was not built to last, as WPU netted a shorthanded goal to tie

things up. Moeller and Ripley got penalties seconds apart to give WPU a 5-on-3, which they converted to go ahead by one. It was the first unsuccessful kill of the game for the Violets, and as it would turn out, it was also the first loss since returning from winter break for the Violets, as WPU was crowned the SECHL champions. It’s onwards and upwards from here though. The team is off until the March 18-22 tournament that will take place in West Chester, Pennsylvania. In the meantime, if you’re thirsty for more Violets’ hockey, follow along with our all-access hockey series.

Email Rachel Ruecker at rruecker@nyunews.com.

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