WSN032513

NYU’s Daily Student Newspaper

WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS Vol. 41, No. 26

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

nyunews.com

PUSHING FOR TRANSPARENCY

In a vote among 682 full-time tenured and tenure-track faculty members of the university’s largest college, 52 percent agreed with the statement “The Faculty of Arts and Science has no confidence in John Sexton’s leadership.” The March 15 vote has sparked responses from many sectors of the university and have prompted more demands for university transparency.

University chain of command

GRAPHIC BY LYANNE NATIVIDAD/WSN

President & Board of Trustees* Meet with administration at University Senate; represent faculty Meet with administration at University Senate; represent students

JOHN SEXTON

Create policy, set mission and purpose, strategic planning, review programs, relate campus to community, fund-raising

MARTIN LIPTON +7 members

*Board of Trustees does not deal with day-to-day operations of NYU

Provost

University Senate; invite provosts to separate committee meeting

DAVID W. MCLAUGHLIN

Office of the Provost

+ 16 members

MARTIN DORPH

Executive Vice Presidents

Set academic strategies and priorities; allocate financial resources based on academic priorities; oversee academic appointments, promotions, tenure

ALISON LEARY

Office of Executive Vice Presidents Faculty Senate

Make key decisions, foster communication between all parts of university, including community members

+ 18 members

TED MAGDER

Infrastructure for faculty and students (technology, housing, services), fund-raising, university budget Elected by faculty

+ 35 members

Student Senate

MALINA WEBB

+ 22 members

16 elected by students of different colleges/schools

Part 1 - University adminstrative process: The broad strokes of major university policy and development decisions, detailed in the graphic above, allow for student and faculty involvement at two stages of the approval process.

STORY ON PAGE 3

Tisch faculty contemplate, discuss no-confidence vote

By NICOLE BROWN

Following the lead of the Faculty of Arts and Science and the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development, the Tisch School of the Arts will begin discussions on the governance of NYU. “Faculty have been sent all documents on pros and cons on the subject of faculty participation in university governance,” said Tisch

professor and faculty senator Awam Amkpa. “The school will then decide if it wants to take a unanimous electronic vote on the subject.”

As part of an electronic correspondence between the Tisch faculty, arguments both for and against voting, as well as the American Association of University Professors’ bill of rights, have been presented. Am-

TISCH continued on PG. 3

NYU union votes unanimously to hold vote of no confidence

By AMY ZHANG

A key union representing nearly 30 percent of NYU's non-academic staff is following the footsteps of the university’s largest college and holding a vote of no confidence on NYU President John Sexton’s performance.

Rarely mentioned in the ongoing media coverage of Sexton’s presidency, the union represents 1,400 clerical, technical and administrative workers at NYU. The union said on March 13 that it would move to hold a vote

among its members in the coming weeks. According to NYU, the university currently employs 5,000 full-time and part-time technical, clerical and administrative employees.

In a statement drafted by the Union of Clerical, Administrative, and Technical Staff at NYU, Local 3882, the union cited issues such as stagnant wages, unmanageable health care costs and deteriorating quality of work life facing its staff. The union also said

UCATS continued on PG. 3

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: MARCH MADNESS BEGINS: Even though college basketball playoffs have commenced, no favorites have become apparent.

MADNESS on PG. 8

NYU-POLY STUDENTS START AEGIS PROJECT: Three students from NYU-Poly are creating an innovative device to prevent gun violence and contribute to gun-control legislation.

VIOLENCE on PG. 5

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKET SATURATED DESPITE RISKY BUSINESS MODEL: Social media outlet users are beginning to seek other communication platforms.

RACHEL KAPLAN/WSN

CICCONET on PG. 7

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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013 | NYUNEWS.COM

ON THE SIDE

COMPILED BY THE

WSN STAFF

BIG PLAYERS The recent coverage of university president John Sexton’s leadership has revealed key players driving the debate from both sides of the spectrum. Important decision makers and vocal advocates, these people have become the voices that those outside the NYU community are constantly listening to. For a quick overview of these characters and further coverage, check online at nyunews.com.

JOHN SEXTON | NYU PRESIDENT At the center of the university’s first no confidence vote, the fifteenth president has been the target of faculty discontent. On March 15, the no confidence vote among the faculty of arts and science passed against the president. His work spearheading the Global Network University and NYU 2031, have sparked a wide debate among the NYU community.

ANDREW ROSS | PRESIDENT OF AAUP An NYU sociology professor and activist, Andrew Ross frequently voices his concerns about John Sexton and the university to anyone who will listen. Ross spearheads the NYU chapter of the American Association of University Professors and has said that the university is neither transparent nor inclusive of the faculty in its decision-making, specifically regarding NYU 2031.

JIM ULEMAN | CHAIRMAN OF THE FACULTY OF ARTS AND SCIENCE The head organizer behind the vote of no confidence among 682 faculty members, Uleman became the main voice in the multiple emails sent to faculty. Though unwilling to express his own opinions, the professor has been a supporter of the vote. He has advocated for greater transparency in the univeresty’s decision-making process.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF NYU.EDU

MARTIN LIPTON | CHAIRMAN OF THE NYU BOARD OF TRUSTEES Martin Lipton is the leading member behind the body responsible for electing the president of the university. He has been a member of the board since 1976 and has been chairman since 1998. The board has the final say in who the president of the university is, and Lipton has stated multiple times that he and the board support President Sexton regardless of the vote of no confidence.

TOP

HEADLINES

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The university’s controversial no-confidence vote has been making headlines in media outlets all over New York City. Here are some of our favorites.

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“NYU’S GLOBAL LEADER IS TESTED BY FACULTY AT HOME” - New York Times

WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS Editor-in-Chief JONATHON DORNBUSH Managing Editor

AMY ZHANG Web Managing Editor

HANQING CHEN Deputy Managing Editor

JORDAN MELENDREZ Assistant Managing Editor

NICOLA PRING Creative Director

KALEEL MUNROE SENIOR STAFF

university TATIANA BAEZ city/state VERONICA CARCHEDI investigative NICOLE BROWN arts JOSH JOHNSON features KRISTINA BOGOS sports MARY JANE DUMANKAYA multimedia RACHEL KAPLAN copy MICHAEL DOMANICO,

WICY WANG foreign correspondent JULIE DEVITO senior editors GENTRY BROWN, DAN

HINTON, CHARLES MAHONEY, CLIO MCCONNELL, STEFAN MELNYK, LAVYA YALAMANCHI

DEPUTY STAFF

university KEVIN BURNS, NEELA QADIR city/state EMILY BELL, ANDREW

KARPAN books/theater OLIVIA GEORGE film JEREMY GROSSMAN entertainment ALEX GREENBERGER music ALEXANDRIA ETHRIDGE the highlighter blog SAM RULLO features HELEN HOLMES beauty & style MICHELLE LIM dining ANGEL CHANG sports FRANCISCO NAVAS multimedia REBECCA CLEMENTI,

JOON LEE

“NYU FACULTY CASTS NIMBY NO-CONFIDENCE VOTE IN UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT” - New York Daily News

OPINION PAGE

“JOHN SEXTON IS NOT THE MOST POPULAR GUY AT NYU” - New York Magazine

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BUSINESS MANAGER

REBECCA RIBEIRO CIRCULATION MANAGER

CHLOE COFFMAN

“NYU PRESIDENT SEXTON TO FACE NO-CONFIDENCE VOTE” - Bloomberg “NYU FACULTY STAFF BEGIN NO-CONFIDENCE VOTE AGAINST PRESIDENT JOHN SEXTON” - The Guardian

UNIVERSITY SALES COORDINATOR

KAITLYN O’BRIEN SALES REPRESENTATIVE

ELLEN MCQUEEN SALES ASSOCIATES

ARIANA DIVALENTINO, ALISON LIZZIO, SAM WANDER CIRCULATION ASSISTANT

BENJAMIN SWINEHART

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

KALEEL MUNROE

ADVISING DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

NANCI HEALY EDITORIAL ADVISER

Student response to the vote:

“Although we may disagree with the school’s spending, we still need to respect John Sexton. There is more than one person running NYU and we should look to further investigate them as well.”

– KATHARINA TUTTLE, GALLATIN SOPHOMORE

“I think the vote of no confidence is more of an amalgamation of faculty grievances rather than a single protest.

Overall, I think John Sexton is a pretty ambitious guy and has steered NYU into a good direction throughout his tenure. Just look at the donations NYU has received and the movement it has had up the rankings.”

– ALEXANDER SHYPULA, STERN FRESHMAN

“I think he and the administration deserve [the vote of no confidence]. When you run a tax exempt educational institution and use its funds to hand out multimillion dollar bonuses to your pals instead of using those funds to give student scholarships, then I think [Sexton] deserves to be rattled a bit. Teachers want more say and students want our money back.”

– DYLAN WELCH, CAS SOPHOMORE

GOT AN EVENT? EMAIL US AT AGENDA@NYUNEWS.COM OR TWEET US @NYUNEWS. GOT SOMETHING TO SHARE? EMAIL US AT TIPS@NYUNEWS.COM.

KEITH LEIGHTY EDITORS-AT-LARGE

MAXIMILÍANO DURÓN, JAEWON KANG, FRANCIS POON, MERYLL PREPOSI, AMANDA RANDONE, EMILY YANG 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.

NYUNEWS.COM

NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS

TISCH continued from PG. 1

More faculty consider taking vote of no confidence

kpa said the school hopes to have a discussion and decide where it stands by April.

One of the concerns specific to Tisch faculty is the number of professors without tenure employed at the school. Tisch has four different types of faculty: tenure track, arts professors, teachers — or associate teachers — and adjuncts.

“Only tenure track professors are more fully engaged [in university governance], though some arts professors are as well, especially those in higher administrative positions,” said Amkpa. “Tenure and governance issues will always remain a big issue.”

The tenured faculty members in Tisch represent 35 percent of instructors.

Mary Campbell, the dean of Tisch, expressed her satisfaction with many of NYU President John Sexton’s initiatives, specifically NYU 2031.

“Our survival depends on our ability to build an Institute of Performing Arts that permits us to offer professional theater space, real studio space for the work of designers, actors and theater artists, production shops and adequately sized, column-free classrooms with high ceilings,” Campbell said.

Campbell also said Sexton has made Tisch a priority of the 2031 expansion plan, and many faculty members have shown their support.

“Over half of our departments have written letters to the Space Priorities Working Group to state their support of the IPA as a part of 2031,” she said.

However, Campbell did recognize that some faculty members who have signed the letters in support of the IPA still have concerns about parts of the 2031 plan.

“There are Tisch faculty members who have serious concerns about aspects of 2031 and would want to see those concerns addressed even as they support the IPA,” she said.

“The university’s decision to convene a Space Priorities Working group to deliberate so carefully and thoroughly about all aspects of the plan strikes me as an example of faculty governance at its best.”

Campbell added that in the past, the administration has been very supportive of revisions to strengthen Tisch programs.

Not all the faculty members agree, and Amkpa said the overall opinion of the Tisch faculty is still unclear.

“Like our colleagues in the College of Arts and Science, we are deeply concerned about faculty governance and its share in university governance,” Amkpa said. “We will deliberate on the subject and decide on a stand which we will make public as soon as we take a vote.”

Nicole Brown is investigative editor.

Email her at nbrown@nyunews.com.

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UCATS continued from PG. 1

Principal union cites lessening resources for expanding university that the NYU 2031 expansion project will require an increase in staff duties they believe the university cannot support.

“We hope … to demonstrate what we have been telling [the administration] for years, that the discontent with the problems is widespread,” UCATS president Stephen Rechner said. “They manifest themselves not only in an expanding university but also in a declining clerical staff base.”

Rechner added that the number of grievances within the association has increased exponentially in the last three years. For him, the FAS vote was a timely outlet for their own members’ building frustration. The union is also an active participant in recent rallies against student debt and NYU 2031.

University spokesman John Beckman called the UCATS vote “a paradox,” given that the union signed a contract with NYU about 18 months ago, after it was ratified by a vote of 454 to 102 among its voting members.

The contract detailed wage increases of roughly 3 percent for employees between 2013 and 2016, after an increase of 1 percent and 2.5 percent in 2011 and 2012 respectively.

UCATS staff members make on average $900 a week, or roughly $45,000 a year on a 50 work week schedule.

Over an eight-year period ending in 2010, the NYU Faculty Against the Sexton Plan group estimated that faculty pay packages increased on average 2.55 percent, twotenths of a percent below the level of inflation during the same period.

Yet contrasting these increases against a number of base compensation raises senior administrators have earned each year is striking, Rechner said.

According to NYU’s 2010-2011 and 20092010 IRS 990 tax forms, base compensations for employees like chief clinical officer Andrew Brottman, NYU Wagner Executive

COURTESY OF UCATS

Robert Berne and chief investment officer Tina Surh jumped 5 percent, 13 percent and 40 percent respectively. These numbers do not include bonus, incentive, retirement, deferred or other reportable compensations.

Beckman stated that spending on administration salaries have decreased relative to spending on faculty and schools. According to Beckman, the university’s annual audited financial statements show that spending on “Instruction, Research and Libraries” doubled over the past 12 years, while spending for “General and Administrative, Auxiliary and Institutional Services” increased by 58 percent.

The university also said that when balancing the satisfaction of its administrative staff members, faculty and its student body, students come first. Beckman emphasized the importance of sustaining NYU’s academic priorities over all else.

"We always try to strike a balance between ensuring that we have sufficient staff to support students and faculty in the academic mission … [and ensuring] that as much

money as possible goes to instruction and research and financial aid,” Beckman said.

Comparing wages across institutions is difficult given that job titles and descriptions vary and wages depend on experience and job grades. Better benefits at one institution may compensate for lower wages. But when base wages were juxtaposed with other universities of similar size, NYU’s wage increases for administrative employees were similar.

The Boston University Local 2324 union contract detailed a 2.5 percent increase in 2011 and 2 percent increases until 2014. A draft of Columbia University’s agreement with the Local 2110 agreement terminating in 2012 detailed a 3.5 percent increase for employees in 2011.

The university draws from the same $1.3 billion operating budget to pay all personnel costs, including salaries, severance payments and loans for academic and non-academic staff members, according to NYU’s most recently published operating budget. Queens College professor Andrew Hacker said that is a zero-sum game.

“Here the issue isn't underpaid clerks and technicians,” Hacker said. “At NYU, as at most universities, it's easier to hire yet another assistant director of an arcane bureau than to add an assistant professor to teach in the philosophy department.”

As the recent vote sends ripples through the NYU community and more groups begin the same conversation, people like Rechner say they hope to be heard.

“The university community, the real community, not just President Sexton's inner circle, has delivered a powerful message,” Rechner said. “Hopefully, President Sexton and our Board of Trustees are listening.”

Amy Zhang is managing editor.

Email her at azhang@nyunews.com.

NYU bylaws detail decision-making process

By VERONICA CARCHEDI

Recent dissatisfaction among members of the Faculty of Arts and Science with university leadership has initiated debate over problems with transparency and communication within the tiers of governance at the university.

Since its foundation, NYU has operated under a set of bylaws that act supreme and establish the administrative structure at NYU. It enumerates the powers of all governing members in the university, from the president to the Board of Trustees and the Faculty and Student Senators Councils. It also outlines the procedures of the University Senate, the main contact point between faculty and students and the administration.

The University Senate convenes three times per semester, and its purpose is to serve as a deliberative body and a forum for discussion of university-wide policies and changes.

The five councils — Faculty Senators Council, Student Senators Council, Deans Council, Administrative Council and Graduate Commission — make recommendations to the president on university-related issues, and through him, to the Board of Trustees.

According to the bylaws, the president is designated as “the official medium of communication between each faculty of the university and the Board, between university students and the Board, and between university administration and the Board.”

Ted Magder, FSC chairperson, cites a faculty survey of NYU 2031 adoption of the

Principles of Shared Governance as university policy and review the construction plans and several new policies as recent examples of the system working.

“The FSC’s standing committees provide valuable input in all academic and administrative policy matters that affect the faculty,” Magder said. “This past year the FSC input into the decision-making process has been extensive and reflects the establishment of a new working relationship between the faculty and the administration.”

But faculty senator and psychology professor Jim Uleman said that the role of the FSC in writing out the university decision-making process, Principles of Shared Governance, took a 14-month struggle before it was officially accepted by the administration.

“Occasionally recommendations made by the FSC are accepted, but the recent history of this has been very mixed to poor,” Uleman said. “Most faculty view the FSC as ineffective and irrelevant, so they ignore us.”

Throughout the course of the no-confidence debate, some members of faculty have argued that there is a lack of transparency in the upper tiers of university governance.

Andrew Ross, a professor of social and cultural analysis and an active individual in the vote of no confidence debate, pointed out that although FSC and SSC minutes are made public, those of trustee meetings and administration are not.

“There is no corresponding transparency in the other two tiers of governance,” Ross

said. “We have no access to the records and decision-making in the part of the administration and certainly what the trustees do is not transparent.”

NYU spokesman John Beckman said the reason the NYU Board of Trustees minutes are not made public is because they contain confidential contract negotiations and information about trustees’ views on other organizations.

“Some university boards make their minutes public but that is actually quite rare,” he said.

Magder and SSC chair Malina Webb both said the FSC and SSC have additional access to the administrative tier — the offices of the president and provost — through regular meetings outside the University Senate.

Major university decisions, such as the curriculums at Global Network University sites, tuition increases, the NYU 2031 plan and the merger of NYU and the Polytechnic Institute of NYU, are discussed in these meetings. However, both chairs acknowledged a need for increased communication among the leadership and its constituents.

“The [vote of no confidence] is yet another signal that the university should commit itself to improving the channels of communication and the procedures for decision-making, a process that began in earnest last summer, a process that the FSC has been pursuing for the past year,” Magder said.

Veronica Carchedi is city/state editor.

Email her at cstate@nyunews.com.

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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013 | NYUNEWS.COM

FEATURES

Clive Davis Institute hosts mus industry boot camp for NFL play

CAITLIN SCHNACK FOR WSN

By JAKE FOLSOM

Post-professional life for a football player is undeniably tricky. For people who have devoted their entire lives to athletics, the end of a career may mean a jarring departure from an already unusual lifestyle.

Thus, the four-day boot camp at the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music served, in part, as a way for football stars to pursue options for life after football. Samantha Kleinman, manager of NFL Player Engagement, said a program such as the Clive Davis

Institute’s boot camp “exists to help athletes transition to new career options.”

While listening to music industry professionals, the players took fervent notes, asked questions and listened with enthusiasm to the array of illustrious guest speakers, from RunD.M.C.’s Darryl McDaniels to guitar legend Robert Randolph.

“The Business of Music Boot Camp provides our current and former players with an exciting opportunity to gain an understanding about potential music careers while meeting key leaders in the business,” said

Big Cheesy names best grilled cheese combo Local restaurants compete to be crowned the most delicious grilled cheese sandwich in town. Find out who won at nyunews.com.

JON PACKLES FOR WSN

Clive Davis chairman and manager Jeffrey Rabhan provides NFL players with insight into the music industry.

Dan Masonson, the director of corporate communications for the NFL. “Working with NYU’s Clive Davis Institute ... offers a tremendous learning experience and exposure to the best of the best in the field.”

Adam Farrell and Jake Friedman, music distributors who work with prominent independent artists, said record labels were once necessary for distribution, but now they have almost been rendered obsolete with the growth of the Internet. Anyone can record, distribute and promote music through Tumblr, Twitter, music software like GarageBand and media-sharing websites.

Clive Davis chairman and well-known manager Jeffrey Rabhan discussed what he calls “viral” artists — musicians who gain an extraordinary amount of popularity in a short amount of time due to online word of mouth — and said diligent work should be the priority for NFL players interested in the business.

“A phenomenon can’t be your marketing plan,” Rabhan said.

Farrell, the vice president of the Beggars Group, recalled the way his label first took notice of successful rapper Tyler, The Creator. He first noticed Tyler and his crew at the Supreme store in Los Angeles. Tyler impressed Farrell when Chris Brown walked into the store. He and his crew began publicly taunting Brown, attracting Farrell’s attention. Farrell’s example

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Jake Folsom is contributing w him at feature

Student blog provides insightful snapshots

By KIMBERLY SCHU

Like many other passionate, dedicated students at NYU, freshman Jessica Bernstein is going above and beyond what is expected of her as a photography and imaging major at the Tisch School of the Arts. Besides her regular assignments, she maintains a simple and striking online blog, Cat Mint.

Bernstein started the project one year ago on Tumblr within the comforts of her home in Georgia.

Cat Mint is an outlet for Bernstein to post her personal photographs and blossoming artistic and aesthetic ideas. Her selections range from eclectic individuals to extreme candid shots, many of them featuring children.

When asked where the clever name for this blog came from, Bernstein said, “Catmint is a little purple flower that is essentially catnip. I have the depth

of a kiddie pool and named my blog after a flower. Choo choo, here comes the cliché.”

Jokes aside, viewing Bernstein’s work is a treat for fellow classmates who stumble upon this simple yet exciting website.

While Bernstein provides no text or captions to accompany the photographs, the images speak for themselves, conjuring stories that take viewers on a unique and emotional journey. “[Jessica’s] work constitutes the phrase ‘a picture is worth a thousand words,’” said Global Liberal Studies freshman Meghan Simon, “The photos always cause me to question things and think outside of the box.”

While many well-known blogs today contain some sort of written advice, opinion or information, Cat Mint exists for pure visual enjoyment and reflection.

This tool of basic entertainment allows young adults and their par-

ents alike to take a break from their busy schedules and mounds of homework to simply indulge in pure art without analyzing it.

Bernstein maintains a Flickr account on top of her blog, and does both effortlessly without taking up too much time on a daily basis.

What may appear to be a fascinating masterpiece to onlookers is a pastime that keeps Bernstein occupied during her free time and connected to friends and classmates that share the same passions for personal expression and creative photography.

Bernstein said blogging should be straightforward and simple.

“My blog is just a place that I can post my photographs for myself and the occasional viewer. No deep meaning or any life-changing moments here,” Bernstein said.

Kimberly Schu is a staff writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com.

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NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS

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EDITED BY KRISTINA BOGOS FEATURES@NYUNEWS.COM

NYU-Poly students develop innovative gun control measure

By JONATHAN KESHISHOGLOU

A group of students from the Polytechnic Institute of NYU may have the answer to ending gun violence across schools in the United States.

NYU-Poly sophomore Joshua Soussan and his teammates, sophomore Deepak Goel and freshman Kevin Veerasammy, are proposing an invention that could prevent thousands of students from becoming victims of school shootings. The proposal, known as the Aegis project, is a direct response to President Obama’s call for innovators to work to keep children safe in schools following the shooting in Newtown, Conn.

“When the Newtown massacre happened, I was sitting at home, and I started thinking about how to make guns safer,” Soussan said.

The device has two parts: a frequency emitter that can be installed in schools and a chip inside the gun. When the gun comes within range of the frequency, the chip blocks the firing pin from discharging a bullet, preventing the gun from firing. With Soussan handling the design work, Goel working on the mechanics and Veerasammy completing the electrical work, the trio is working on a prototype that will be complete in two weeks.

“This is not going to stop people from going to shooting ranges,” Soussan said. “It’s going to stop people from firing guns in malls, schools and other places they don’t belong.”

The project was originally submitted to NYUPoly’s sixth annual Inno/Vention competition, which challenges students to pitch prototypes for real world problems. Although the Aegis is no longer in the competition, the project’s vision is still strong. Based on the device and the team’s goals, NYU-Poly will provide any necessary support and funding for the project in the coming months.

“The team working on the Aegis project exemplifies the power of Poly’s approach to education,” said associate provost Iraj Kalkorhan, who will meet with Soussan and his team today. “By seeking to solve an issue that can no longer be ignored, Joshua and his teammates have made NYU-Poly exceedingly proud.”

Leah Gunn Barrett, a board member of New Yorkers Against Gun Violence, is skeptical about

‘Dorm Therapy’ mockumentary features Tisch talent

By JONATHAN KESHISHOGLOU

RACHEL KAPLAN/WSN

Three NYU-Poly students are aiming to end gun violence with a chip that can block bullets. how easy it will be to implement such a device.

“It depends on the cost … if you’re selling it with the gun, the cost goes up, so there will be resistance from gun manufacturers,” Barrett said.

There have been nearly 60 shootings in public areas in the United States since 1996, according to data from Infoplease and Pearson Education. To combat the prevalence of gun violence across the nation, Soussan hopes semiautomatic gun owners will use the device and modify their guns. Ideally, if they refuse, gun owners will need to reapply for a gun license.

“Once this device is built and tested, we really expect it to be something that’s going to be integrated into American law,” Soussan said. “Right now in Congress we have a huge gun debate raging.”

Soussan, who grew up with a father in the German military, has always been engaged in heated debates over how to handle weapons.

Out of the many different viewpoints, one message has been consistent: Once you fire a bullet, you can’t take it back.

“They used to not require seatbelts in cars, but now [car owners] can’t get insured without it,” Soussan said. “Perhaps this can be the first step in gun control reform.”

Jonathan Keshishoglou is a staff writer.

Email him at features@nyunews.com.

WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS

College life is construed in movies and television as one big party. Images of “Animal House” crowd the public image of living in college, even though most college students can confidently say they’ve never experienced anything like the infamous boozy toga parties of film lore. Seeking to change this perception are Tisch seniors Jo-Dean Seymour and Adam Carey, creators of the upcoming web series “Dorm Therapy.”

“Dorm Therapy” is a mockumentary about the lives of a college RA and the students who live on her floor, filmed in a deadpan style in the vein of shows like “The Office.” Seymour and Carey’s goal is to show a side of college that isn’t all about partying or drinking, and instead focuses on the wildly different students as they interact and adjust to life with each other.

Although the series is scripted, much of the plots and characters are based on the actual lives of the two creators, in an effort to make sure that “Dorm Therapy” remains a quirky but accurate representation of life in college. Seymour in particular has experience as a residence advisor. She has previously been an RA at Brittany residence hall, and she is currently holding the same position in Carlyle Court residence hall.

Even though the two finished filming, Seymour and Carey are still busy with marketing and publicity. The first season will be premiering Thursday, March 28 at the Cantor Film Center, and a fundraiser was held at Brad’s Pub last month. The fundraiser had various NYU groups perform, such as the Vocaholics, and drinks inspired by characters in the show were offered.

“Adam has experience in housing for four years, I have experience on the other side as an RA,” Seymour said. “The characters are warped versions of ourselves.”

The show has progressed quickly, with production starting last November and filming starting in January. Seymour and Carey co-wrote all 13 episodes of the first season, but the cast and crew have been contributing much of their time and energy as well.

“We’ve essentially dedicated our lives to this, knowing others are dedicated to this is huge,” Carey said.

Tisch junior Melissa Ladner, who has worked with the technical crew of the show on numerous occasions, is very excited for the upcoming premiere.

“I was present for a couple different readings when we got to hear the script brought to life by the talented actors involved,” Ladner said. “Both times it was clear that the story is strong and the characters honest and relatable, both keys to creating content an audience will enjoy.”

Jessica Smith, a cast member of “Dorm Therapy” and former Tisch student, stated her opinion about the show in an interview released on the show’s Facebook page.

“I think there are a lot of things that ring true with the college experience, whether you’re in college or … not in college,” Smith said. “I think the interpersonal relationships ring true to life.”

Tickets for the premiere are available for free at dormtherapy.eventbrite.com.

Jonathan Keshishoglou is a staff writer. Email him at features@nyunews.com.

NYUNEWS.COM

COURTESY OF JESS BERNSTEIN

Bernstein captures the essence of her subjects.

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COURTESY OF NICOLE SANDRY

Adam Carey and Jo-Dean Seymour created a new web series based on the life of an RA.

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Crossword Across 1 Thin opening 5 Economist Smith who coined the term “invisible hand” 9 Planet’s path 14 Biblical ark builder 15 “The ___ Ranger” 16 “Alfie” star Michael 17 Zenith 18 Stringed instrument for a madrigal 19 Kind of steak 20 Home of the groundhog Punxsutawney Phil 23 Carry with effort 24 Drowsinessinducing drug 28 Simply adorable 32 “Oh, man!”

33 Zoo enclosures

ANSWER F I R E O N A R E X C I S K E A G H A S R A G U

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number of terms for a U.S. president 35 Hoedown females 36 High-pitched warble 37 Speaker’s stand 38 Fitting 39 Green with the 2010 hit “Forget You” 40 Shiites or Sunnis 41 Underhanded commercial ploy 44 Los Angeles district near Sherman Oaks 45 China’s Chairman ___ 46 Set of people receiving a placebo, perhaps … or what the ends of 20-, 28- and 41-Across belong to?

53 Lessen

56 Dubuque’s

state

57 In addition 58 Arctic or

Antarctic

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cadence 60 Like games that head into overtime 61 Ones at the top of the corporate ladder 62 “What ___ is new?”

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1 Get caught on something 2 Plumb crazy 3 Poetic foot 4 Low spirits, as experienced

by St. Louis’s hockey team?

5 State without proof 6 Gloomy 7 Kitchen pests 8 Timid 9 Sea creature with suckers TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE 10 See 43-Down F O X M O Z I L L A 11 Who’s Who entry, briefly A N T C R O N I E S T E R M E N O T T I 12 Quaint lodging E T E R S E N T I N 13 Golf peg 21 Skating jump D O M E S S I L T N E A T H T E L L 22 ___ Peace Prize E G L O O M B O A 25 Add to an e-mail, as a file R D A N O P I N I O N 26 “Specifically G O M A D T E R S E …”

S E M I S O D E S 27 Deputy sheriff S S E N T A in “The Dukes of Hazzard” T O S L E D D O G I K E I P H O N E S 28 Boston N.B.A.’er L I N N O O N E R S T E D E N C A S E S 29 Like wealthy landowners

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puzzle by jeffrey Harris

30 Goes to sea 31 Shining 32 Tokyo’s home 35 Kaplan of

“Welcome Back, Kotter” 36 Mortise’s partner, in carpentry 37 Put ornaments on

39 Ones paddling

down a river, say 40 Male deer 42 Breath mint brand 43 The White 10-Down’s cry in “Alice in Wonderland” 47 Scrabble piece 48 Agitate

49 Big-eyed birds 50 Actress Lena 51 Like thrift store

merchandise

52 Pea holders 53 Gorilla 54 Emulate

Muhammad Ali

55 Brewery

product

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NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS

OPINION

EDITED BY SAMEER JAYWANT OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM

SOCIAL MEDIA

Ads fill media outlets despite business models

By MARCELO CICCONET

When was the last time you clicked on a Facebook ad? Option A: You can’t remember. Option B: You never, ever click on any of the ads. Option C: Does anyone actually click on those ads?

Apparently people do, as 85 percent of Facebook’s revenue comes from advertisements — the other 15 percent is from selling virtual goods.

There are two ways in which such statistics look good. Either a company is very good at targeting a niche market, or it is not so good but has a huge audience. Facebook is in the second category. In fact, because of the current low success rates of target advertisements, Internet businesses that provide free services have no alternative for survival but to become big enough so that their size can compensate — unless they plan to subsist through donations, as Wikipedia does.

Two questions then arise. First, since there obviously isn’t a market for a lot of big social media websites, why is it that we keep seeing new social websites popping up?

After all, people have to eventually stop looking at pictures of friends

or cat videos and be productive. Second, why is target advertising so difficult that Internet companies can’t afford being small?

The answer to the second question is a paradox. On one hand, everyone would be delighted to hear about a product they would enjoy having, a new band they would love to listen to or a play they would like to see. On the other hand, most people are obsessed with privacy, refraining from giving personal information to this or that company. Although privacy is certainly a right, companies can’t provide more accurate ads without more precise information. There is no way around this. Not until artifi-

cial intelligence tools are so advanced that user preferences can be inferred by interpreting jokes and comments.

The first question is more obviously answered: There are a lot of investors, with no better idea about where to put their money, who are afraid of missing the “next big thing.” That’s why we have Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest and many other social media venues whose purposes intersect, and most of whom we don’t even hear about. Their business model?

Advertising. Which one is going to grow enough to profit from advertising? Place your bets.

Apparently, there is no shortage of entrepreneurs who believe they have the perfect alternative to Facebook or a shortage of investors to back their startups. But we already have enough tools for connecting, liking and sharing. It is time for entrepreneurs and their funders to think of something else. According to recent reports about decline of time spent on and multi-week breaks from Facebook, some Internet users already are.

Marcelo Cicconet is a staff columnist. Email him at opinion@nyunews.com.

ABORTION

Personhood movement violates children’s rights

By JESS LITTMAN

One of the more extreme and dangerous ideas spawned by the anti-women’s rights movement is “personhood” — the idea that life begins at the moment of conception. This means that all abortions are actually murders. The conservatives who think that this issue is far more important than working on economic policy — or anything productive or worthwhile — have been pushing personhood measures for the last few years, and the first one just passed in North Dakota.

This personhood ban is a constitutional amendment, so voters have to approve it on the ballot next November before it becomes a law. Whether they do or not, the 57-35 vote in the state House of Representatives to approve the bill is frightening in itself. For one thing, the amendment violates Roe v.

Wade, which protects abortions within the first trimester of pregnancy. But more importantly, it violates women’s fundamental rights to privacy and to make their own healthcare decisions.

The amendment gives embryos the same rights as U.S. citizens while violating the rights of their mothers. The decision to have an abortion is deeply personal — it should be made between

SUBMITTING TO

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a woman and her doctor, without the interference of legislators. What is more, abortions can be essential for women’s health when something goes wrong with the pregnancy. North Dakota legislators are attempting to take women’s reproductive health decisions entirely out of their hands and even out of the hands of their doctors, instead declaring themselves the authorities on conception, pregnancy and abortion.

This bill aims to protect “children” — now defined as unborn embryos and fetuses — but, like all anti-abortion measures, it focuses on protecting the health of the unborn child while ignoring that child’s welfare once he enters the world and actually becomes a person. A Republican representative from North Dakota who voted against

the bill pointed out that she has introduced what she believes are true prolife measures: a bill that would provide prenatal care to pregnant minors and another that would help single moms receive child care. Neither of these measures, which would affect the health and well-being of actual, living children, passed this legislature that is so concerned with the “right to life.”

Personhood gives a ridiculous amount of rights to unborn fetuses based on controversial scientific evidence — and in reality is based not on science at all but on religious beliefs. Its proponents fight with all their might to protect embryos, while simultaneously expressing outrage at the idea that these children should have subsidized access to early childhood education or that, when they’re eventually born to mothers who didn’t want to have them, they could be adopted by two parents of the same gender. Personhood is not just unconstitutional and harmful to women. It is harmful to the children who are allegedly under protection — that is, until they enter the world.

Jess Littman is a staff columnist. Email her at opinion@nyunews.com.

STAFF EDITORIAL

Drone surveillance breaches privacy

Recently, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has suggested that the city might soon be implementing a domestic drone program as an advanced measure of law enforcement. Bloomberg concedes that the idea of drones hovering over New York is scary, but he maintains that it is inevitable.

In fact, by leaving our homes, we automatically relinquish some of our privacy not only because of the thousands of surveillance cameras installed on streets and buildings but also because anyone with a recording device can be observing our lives.

However, must we unwaveringly accept Bloomberg’s realpolitik position that this is just how the world works? Certainly the development of drones is not a law of nature — drones do not just proliferate by themselves. They are a product of conscious decision-making by Bloomberg and other elected officials. The mayor is essentially circumventing a substantive debate about the legality and effectiveness of drones. Furthermore, he is freeing himself of any blame directed toward him.

While drones, a product of advanced technology, are a tenable answer to enhanced security, a major contention remains unresolved: Will we have the same institutional rights in a post-drone era than we did in a pre-drone era? Bloomberg does not see a distinction between surveillance cameras and drones, but we have a legal right to know when we are entering a surveilled area.

Granted, intelligence is more accessible in the post-drone era, which can mean a big disincentive for crime, safer streets for New York and a more effective legal process. But it can also mean a distortion between intelligence used to combat crime and personal information unjustly used against an individual. Before we implement a policy as cumbersome as domestic drones, we must ensure the legal rights of individuals are not compromised or manipulated by an omnipresent government.

Although these efforts may be directed to ensuring security, whether they lead to a peaceful and cohesive society is a separate issue. And if the last two years of political buffoonery are any evidence of the future, such an extreme cession of civil liberties to our government cannot be taken seriously without a substantive discourse and codified limitations of the program. This increasingly Orwellian presence in our lives only instigates and perpetuates fear, and it consequently leads to an atomization of the individual and the fragmentation of society at large.

Email the WSN Editorial Board at editboard@nyunews.com.

EDITORIAL BOARD: Sameer Jaywant (Chair), Raquel Woodruff (Co–Chair), Edward Radzivilovskiy (Co–Chair), Nickhil Sethi, Matt Luo, Nina Golshan, Ian Mark, Jess Littman, Marcelo Cicconet

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 450 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, MARCH 25, 2013 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS

SPORTS

EDITED BY MARY JANE DUMANKAYA SPORTS@NYUNEWS.COM

Favorites fail to emerge as March Madness ensues

By CHARLES SURETTE

It’s that special time of year again: the weather is improving, the snow is melting and the NCAA has begun another edition of its annual Division I basketball tournament, also known as March Madness.

The annual 68-team, single elimination contest never fails to disappoint — schools that have secured a spot in the field rally their students as teams battle through 40 grueling minutes in hopes of advancing. For those on the outside of the tournament looking in, enjoyment comes from filling out brackets and wagering against friends, family and co-workers. All fans are eager to prove they have the college basketball knowledge and expertise to predict the next national champion.

In your typical tournament, favorites quickly emerge — these are the schools that perennially contend for the National Championship and are a near surefire bet to make a deep run. One thinks of the storied North Carolina, Duke, Kansas, Kentucky or Indiana teams, all past champions, when pencil-

ing in the prospective winners and losers each March.

There are obvious underdogs, too — those teams that appear out of nowhere to rock the college basketball world and gain massive exposure. Nearly always unanticipated, the likes of George Mason and Butler burst onto the scene with a bevy of upsets and stunning finishes to put the tournament regulars on notice.

Yes, there are favorites and there are underdogs, at least in the typical tournament. The 2013 edition of March Madness, however, is shaping up to be anything but an average year of college basketball playoffs.

True, most of the perennial favorites are present: the Blue Devils, Tar Heels, Jayhawks, Hoosiers, among others. But as one watches the 40 minute contests unravel, big time programs seem to lack the dominance they have historically displayed over their opponents.

The Tar Heels of North Carolina are a middle-of-the-road squad this go-around, and Big 12 champion Kansas barely survived a tough first-round battle against plucky Western Kentucky. Some

have even suffered massive, stunning defeats — the fierce Georgetown Hoyas were upset by lowly Florida Gulf Coast, and topseeded Gonzaga was shown the door by the Shockers of Wichita State. Greats like Ohio State were caught in massive jams before finally advancing to the Sweet Sixteen, while the likes of La Salle live on to play another game.

It’s a story that has played out for an entire season: Whenever a tournament favorite appeared to emerge, they were summarily beaten and forced to relinquish their throne. Be it Indiana, Duke or the Atlantic Coast Conference champion University of Miami Hurricanes, each has failed to convince fans and media pundits alike that they deserve their number one ranking or the tournament’s top seed.

This newfound parity will surely make for extra suspense this March. With no clear favorite, multiple teams with a legitimate shot at the title could emerge, creating all kinds of drama as the battle continues through the Big Dance’s later rounds. Whatever happens, the NCAA tournament is sure to ex-

cite and enthrall with all of the close games and thrilling finishes we have come to expect.

March will be very mad indeed.

Charles Surette is a contributing writer. Email him at sports@nyunews.com.

COURTESY OF ESPN

Surprising upsets of favored teams during the March Madness tournament have ruined the brackets of many enthusiasts.