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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS Vol. 43, No. 29

THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2015

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Activists remember shirtwaist fire By ALANNA BAYARIN News Editor

ALANNA BAYARIN FOR WSN

Groups of protesters rally at the 104th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, in which 146 people died. REVIEW

Step into world of ‘Mad Men’ By MARYANN ODETE Contributing Writer

“Mad Men,” AMC’s hit drama that follows Don Draper (Jon Hamm) and the world of advertising in the 1960s, will air its final seven episodes starting with the mid-season premiere on April 5. To commemorate the awardwinning series, the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, Queens, is currently running “Matthew Weiner’s ‘Mad Men’” exhibition gallery. With extensive help from Lionsgate and AMC, the museum and creator Matthew Weiner collaborated in order to create a display that will attract the show’s fans. The exhibit starts with a showcase of Weiner’s various artistic

influences. In this section there are books on loan from Weiner’s personal library, as well as old screenplays and classic films such as “Mirage,” “The Apartment” and “The Best of Everything,” all of which Weiner drew inspiration from for “Mad Men.” Further into the exhibit, scenes from “Mad Men” play with accompanying display boxes. The scene from “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes,” an episode from the show’s first season, plays, showing Don talking to a waiter about the cigarette company Lucky Strike and an article that discusses the dangers of smoking. Next to the small screen, the

MAD MEN continued on PG. 4

Students, activists and community leaders rallied together to fight for labor workers’ rights in commemoration of the 104th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire on Wednesday. People congregated around a stage on the corner of Washington Place and Greene Street to show support for the workers’ rights movement. Members of city council, labor union groups and students labor groups from around the world spoke in front of the Silver Center for Arts and Science, the site of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. Vincent Alvarez, president of NYC Central Labor Council, took a moment to remember those who lost their lives in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory 104 years ago. “It is very important to make sure that we are remembering the people who’ve died, because we still unfortunately today, not only here in our

TRIANGLE continued on PG. 3

SPORTS

Baseball suffers loss to SUNY By ALEX BAZELEY Deputy News Editor

The Violets fought hard Wednesday but were unable to pull off a late comeback against the SUNY Maritime Privateers, taking a 10-8 loss. The defeat at Privateers’ Reinhart Park drops the Violets’ overall record to 5-9 in the team’s first season in 41 years. Freshman pitcher Chase Denison got the start for the Violets but lasted only two innings, giving up four runs on four hits while striking out three. Coming into the game, Denison had walked 17 batters in 18 2/3 innings, and the control struggles continued Wednesday with three wild pitches and a hit batsman.

Denison left the game with the Violets down 4-0 but ended up receiving a no-decision. “Pounding the zone consistently has been successful for all pitchers we’ve faced no matter how hard you throw,” Denison said. “I’m looking forward to filling up the zone more with first pitch strikes.” Denison also emphasized how important it is that the team is receiving contributions from up and down the lineup. Freshman outfielder David Wagner, who went one for four with a double and an RBI, echoed Denison’s positive outlook. “Everyone on this team can hit,” Wagner said. “No matter where we are in the order we can have confidence that

someone’s going to hit the ball hard. It’s a simple game. We just go up there and try to hit the ball hard every time.” Despite trailing early, the Violets battled back with a five-run breakout in the fifth inning, tying the game at 6-6. Sophomore catcher CJ Picerni, who got the start as designated hitter, cracked his second home run of the year and currently leads the Violets in the category. Picerni stressed the importance of sticking to the basics. “Just being tough outs and making every at bat count,” Picerni said. “You put the ball in play and good things will happen.”

BASEBALL continued on PG. 8

WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2015 | NYUNEWS.COM

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will do Shakespeare in the park every fall and

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spring. What's going on today is we're doing a rehearsal. We go up in two weeks so we're rehearsing Act 2 of 'Much Ado About Nothing.'"

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news ALANNA BAYARIN, MARITA VLACHOU features MARINA ZHENG arts ALEXA SPIELER sports BOBBY WAGNER senior editors LARSON BINZER, CHRISTINA

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Igor Barreto Poetry Reading Venezuelan poet Igor Barreto will be doing a reading as part of the KJCC Poetry Series in the King Juan Carlos I of Spain Center at 7 p.m.

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Art, Social Change and the Urban Sphere As part of “The Left Front” exhibit, Anna Induch-Lopez will host a symposium with artists, curators and writers about revolutionary art. The event will be in room 249 of Compton Goethals at the City College of New York at 6 p.m.

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Rae Armantout and Lydia Davis The Lillian Vernon Creative Writers House is hosting a reading by Rae Armantrout and Lydia Davis at 7 p.m. DJ Jazzy Joyce of Hot 97, left, appeared in NYU’s annual “Women on the Move” panel along with Estelle, Kathy Iandoli, Chaka Pilgrim and Jessica White, not pictured, in Kimmel on Wednesday.

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TATIANA BAEZ, NICOLE BROWN, ALEX GREENBERGER, CLIO MCCONNELL, JORDAN MELENDREZ 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 the managing editors at managing@nyunews.com or at 212.998.4302.

Tuition hikes questioned

By MARITA VLACHOU News Editor

NYU tuition will reach an alltime high in the 2015-16 academic year, according to figures published on the NYU website’s expected expenses page. While tuition varies by school, expenses range from $70,586 to $78,112. These estimates include tuition, fees, living expenses and health insurance. Incoming freshmen reacted to the increased costs for the university on social media. Nia Mirza, an incoming freshman started a petition arguing that the tuition should return to last year’s figures because freshmen were not notified about the actual costs of attending NYU until after they enrolled. The petition has almost 3,000 signatures as of press time. “The cost of attendance (annual) was suddenly raised after students paid the enrollment deposit,” the petition reads. “People who planned their budget according to the previously stated costs, and have exhausted all their resources in doing so, are in a serious problem.” NYU spokesperson John Beckman said the difference in cost of attendance for incoming

freshmen is a result of the timing of when NYU can calculate its expected expenses for the following academic year. An estimate for travel and transit costs was added for the first time this year. “Contrary to what the petition claims, NYU’s tuition and fees have not suddenly been raised,” Beckman said. Incoming freshman Anya Felix said the deadline for all Early Decision II applicants to accept their decisions and withdraw all other applications was March 11. She was unable to find the figures until a few days after she accepted her offer. “I just think it’s not cool forcing ED students to accept admissions before they know what they are coming up against,” Felix said. “I know I cannot afford my new cost of attendance. It’s not fair to bind us to a deal that we didn’t even know the terms of.” Beckman said NYU had not figured out costs for the next academic year by the time it accepted its early decision applicants. Early decision students are given the cost of attendance for 2014-15 as an estimate. “The cost of attendance for NYU for 2014-15 is $66,542,” Beckman

said. “So, of the seeming $4,500 difference between this year’s cost of attendance and next year’s, $2,000 is an estimate of indirect costs not paid to NYU, and the remainder is an annual increase in tuition and fees that — at about 3 percent — is in line with NYU’s recent history and that of other private universities.” This is not the first time NYU has been criticized for its high attendance cost. NYU has consistently been ranked as one of the most expensive universities in the country. Mirza said the overall goal of the petition is a drop in overall tuition fees for NYU students. “The point of this petition is to condemn the skyrocketing costs of tuition, which is only affordable for students from very wealthy backgrounds,” the petition reads. “Good education is a right to all, regardless of financial strength. We are against the amount of debt that students are forced to incur while studying at NYU.” Additional reporting by Alanna Bayarin. Email Marita Vlachou at mvlachou@nyunews.com.

TRIANGLE continued from PG. 1

Ralliers march to Children’s Place

country but throughout the world, have too many people being hurt at work,” Alvarez said. In April 2013, a similar catastrophe occurred in Bangladesh where the collapse of Rana Plaza killed over 1,000 textiles workers. This example served as a tragic reminder that labor rights violations are still a pressing issue in the modern world. Morgan Courrier, a national organizer with United Students Against Sweatshops, said her main focus in labor rights is The Children’s Place’s involvement in the collapse of Rana Plaza. “Right now we’re here today because our big campaign is against The Children’s Place and all of the brands that are producing in Bangladesh but refusing to agree to fire safety regulations in their factories,” Courrier said. “We have a lot of leverage in the United States. We as students and as community members are able to make these demands about the companies here, and history shows that they will respond.” Gallatin junior Robert Asherman compared NYU’s alleged labor violations in Abu Dhabi to The Children’s Place’s alleged labor violations in Bangladesh. “NYU is basically using the exact same system of labor exploitation as The Children’s Place,” Asherman said. “They say, ‘We’re not responsible because this factory was subcontracted. It is the factory owner’s fault.’ And with NYU’s campus in Abu Dhabi they’re saying, ‘We’re not responsible. We treat the workers the best that we can, but it’s

ALANNA BAYARIN FOR WSN

The Laborers’ Local 79 Woman’s Committee marches. the subcontractors.’” University spokesperson John Beckman said the parallel Asherman drew between NYU and The Children’s Place was misguided and incorrect. “This is a poor and tendentious attempt at an analogy,” Beckman said. “The fact is that NYU and its Abu Dhabi partners established an unprecedented set of standards for workers on the NYUAD project, a set of standards even HRW praised. Allegations have been raised about whether those standards were fully met, and that is being reviewed by an independent investigator whose report will be made public.” Jim Slevin, president of the Utility Workers of America Local 1, said the major takeaway from this rally

is the importance of education. He said the public needs to be more aware of working conditions, and studying what went wrong at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory can help in understanding the current issues. “There’s not a job big enough for people to take an employment and say, ‘I came to work today to die.’ People come to work to make a living.” Slevin said. “I think employers are taking shortcuts and risking them, and not just the worker but families and communities.” Additional Reporting by Felipe de la Hoz. Email Alanna Bayarin at abayarin@ nyunews.com.

NYUNEWS.COM | THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2015 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS

STAFF PHOTO BY MATHILDE VAN TULDER

In a new study conducted by an NYU professor and a visiting scholar at UPenn, our eyes multitask even when we don’t want them to.

Study looks into nature of eyes

By CHRISTINE WANG Contributing Writer

Michael Landy, a professor at NYU’s Department of Psychology, and Toni Saarela, a visiting scholar in the University of Pennsylvania’s Department of Psychology, published a study on visual object and shape recognition on March 19. The two researchers discovered that the human visual system can improve object recognition by combining two forms of visual cues — such as color, texture and brightness — but is not able to observe one visual cue completely independently of another. As part of the study, subjects were asked to identify letters on a computer. These letters were subtly different from the background by various dimensions: coloring, texture, brightness or a combination of the three. When given letters that had a combination of the various dimensions, subjects did exceptionally well at using the cues together to accurately identify the letter. However, when two different letters existed in the frame, each defined by a different dimension, and subjects were asked to identify the correct letter corresponding with only one cue, this task proved impossible. Saarela said the research is useful because it provides insight about human vision, which is crucial in numerous practices, including medicine. “In many occupations, important decisions are made based on visual information,” Saarela said. “Medical imag-

ing is one example. Advances in our understanding of the visual system can eventually contribute to some of these areas.” Despite the potentially broad implications of the study, it was not without its flaws, such as challenges including the potential statistically unsound aspects of the study. “It’s true that there are ways to gather your sample such that you’re justified in generalizing to the population at large and I did not do that,” Landy said. “But what we find in 60 years of psychophysics is that when you study lowlevel visual psychophysics, individual differences are really small.” Saarela addressed the shortcomings for extrapolating this particular study to large populations. “We didn’t study large groups of people and our study doesn’t address potential differences between groups,” Saarela said. “But the data from the observers who participated in the experiments were consistent.” Steinhardt freshman Ann Guo said the study offers interesting insight despite its limitations. “Certain aspects of the research may not be perfect, but I still find the research insightful and convincing,” Guo said. “The conclusions have important real-world applications, create a new layer of understanding about human vision and lead the field in productive new directions.” Email Christine Wang at news@nyunews.com.

WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2015 | NYUNEWS.COM

ARTS

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‘Posterity’ portrays artistic struggle By WILLA C. TELLEKSON-FLASH Contributing Writer

Renowned Norwegian sculptor Gustav Vigeland (Hamish Linklater) comes head to head with the famous Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen (John Noble) in Doug Wright’s frequently contentious off-Broadway play, “Posterity” that is filled with unexpected turns. The show, set in 1901 Oslo, then known as Kristiania, follows Gustav’s struggle to procure the funding he needs for the fountain he aspires to construct. His patron, Sophus Larpent (Henry Stram), urges Gustav to ditch the creative sculptures and instead create a bust of Henrik, which will bring in the money Gustav needs for his project. This task is not as easy at it seems, however, and the meeting of the two artistic mas-

terminds results in an enormous clash of ego. The play begins in Gustav’s studio, immediately immersing the audience in an elaborate set. The walls are lined with finished and unfinished busts. No detail is spared, from Gustav’s desk to the sculpture he is creating throughout the first act. Dark and booming music is used during scene changes — though sometimes startling, it creates a sense of eeriness among the countless busts on stage. “Posterity” uses only five characters to tell its historical story, but each character is played so well that the show’s scope feels complete. Vigeland’s housemaid Greta Bergstrom (Dale Soules) and apprentice Anfinn Beck (Mickey Theis) are the only fully fictional characters, yet even they reference the figures

in one of Gustav’s well-known sculptures. The pair also provides humor as nude models and often-inept workers. Wright’s story is the ultimate strength of “Posterity,” which lasts for just over two hours. From the fight between the artists during the struggle to convince Henrik to sit for a bust to the problems that arise when Henrik falls deathly ill, Wright packs the show with unexpected plot twists and tells an exciting new story through sculpture, dreams and the meeting of egos in “Posterity.” The cast does a laudable job at bringing Wright’s play to life. Linklater and Noble perfectly embody the ego-driven artists that make “Posterity” entertaining, each representing a character who believes he should constantly be the center of attention.

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“Posterity” stars Hamish Linklater and John Noble. Ultimately, Wright’s cast brings to life the compelling personalities who conceive this impressive take on the exchange between two great artists. Stram brings equally strong energy to his character, believably portraying the patron who deals with managing his artists’ frustration and puts excessive effort into pleasing the artists’ patrons. Soules and Theis provide comic relief through the ridiculous situations of their characters, but also create a bond similar to that shared between a

mother and son. The play’s only downfall is its ending. The show ends rather abruptly, leaving the audience wondering how the story concludes. Though fitting with the plot, the sudden ending catches the audience off guard and unprepared for the closure of the show. “Posterity” plays at the Linda Gross Theater, 336 W. 20th St., through April 5. Email Willa C. Tellekson-Flash at theater@nyunews.com.

Exhibit unmasks different cultures

MAD MEN continued from PG. 1

By TALIA MILAVETZ Contributing Writer

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The stars of “Mad Men” visit the Museum of the Moving Image.

Museum features ‘Mad Men’ film series

original article is on display along with some Lucky Strike cigarettes. The props reveal how far Weiner and the crew went to create a true ’60s feel, exemplifying why “Mad Men” is often acclaimed for its authenticity. Music from the ’60s plays in the background, adding to the gallery’s vintage feel. The exhibit also displays recreations of the set and backstage. One example is the writers’ room as it would have looked during brainstorming session, capturing precise details such as what was written on the room’s white board. Recreations are also included of the Drapers’ kitchen and Don’s office, viewers feel as though they are being transported to the show’s set. Each main character also gets a small section with some of their personal belongings and mannequins with outfits they have worn on the show. In a small viewing room, visi-

tors can watch clips from the show interspersed with Weiner’s commentary. There is also a station with headphones for listening to song’s from the show’s soundtrack. Attendees can pick a song and listen to Weiner discuss the decision for choosing that song for a scene. In conjunction with the exhibit, there is also a film series, “‘Mad Men’s’ Movie Influences.” Weiner chose all films in the series, and he offers commentary about how each one influenced his fashion and music choices. To Weiner, the films, such as “North by Northwest” and “ Blue Velvet,” capture the essence of the ’60s exceedingly well. The films run until April 26. “Matthew Weiner’s ‘Mad Men’” runs until June 14 at the Museum of the Moving Image. Email MaryAnn Odete at entertainment@nyunews.com.

“Becoming Another: The Power of Masks” is a new exhibition at the Rubin Museum in Chelsea that features close to 100 masks from the 15th to 20th centuries. The exhibit is organized based on the cultural purposes of the masks, as they are split into the categories of shamanistic, communal and theatrical practices. This exhibit, which is free for NYU students, shows masks from Northern India, Nepal, Japan and North America. Today, in U.S. pop culture masks typically evoke images of masquerade balls or Broadway plays. However, the masks can serve a greater purpose. While in both cases masks can fulfill the timeless human desire to transform, most masks at the Rubin also have spiritual significance. Around the world, important life events are often celebrated through performance. These performances are elevated with masks, allowing participants to change identities and become symbolic characters. The “Transformation Mask” in the exhibit represents the purpose of these masks, as it was used in performances to signify the internal change of a character or to reveal another being. The “Transformation Mask” is mechani-

COURTESY OF DANA BROWN

The Becoming Another exhibit explores the use of masks in diverse Northern Hemisphere cultures. cal, with opening and closing parts, is left open to show its internal and external character. The inside mask depicts a young person with wide eyes, thick eyebrows and a surprised expression. The external mask has two halves, the first with wrinkles and the other with flowing light hair. Depending on the context of the given performance, these dual characters could represent an ancestral relationship. This performance would serve the purpose of keeping the lineage histories alive. While some of the masks look incredibly realistic, others look more playful. For instance, the light green horned mask for village ceremonies features a cross-eyed devil with horns and pointed red tongue. This folkloric mask sharply contrasts with Ko-omote masks, which represent young women in a more realistic manner. There are striking differences in the physical appearance of these masks, but both masks are used for transformation

in performance. There is an entire section dedicated to masks representing flying creatures, which are common symbols, as multiple cultures ascribed powers to birds and other flying animals. This section also shows masks from around the world, from Japan to the Pacific Northwest coast. On display in this exhibit is a giant bird head mask accompanied with wings, representing a shaman, who is someone that is able to visit a spiritual world. This mask, in particular, would be used in a performance that would include dancing and drums. There are similarities in the masks across cultures, predominantly throughout North Asian and North American belief systems, but there are also stylistic and contextual differences. “Becoming Another” is on display at the Rubin Museum until 2016. Email Talia Milavetz at entertainment@nyunews.com.

NYUNEWS.COM | THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2015 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS

FEATURES

EDITED BY MARINA ZHENG FEATURES@NYUNEWS.COM

Tips for finding your next apartment By NINA JANG Deputy Features Editor

As the school year quickly draws to a close, waves of students scramble for places to call home in preparation for the start of the new school year in the fall. Most rentals in the city are listed as immediate sale, so they don’t go on the market more than one month in advance — looking just a little over a month before your desired move-in date is fine. There is hope and time for finding an ideal apartment in a great location, all without breaking the bank. So before diving headfirst into the process of scoring a place, focus on a realistic budget and completed paperwork.

Paperwork intact

Keeping organized and prepared will give you a leg up in the eyes of landlords. Having all the paperwork on file is essential because rental applications in the city cannot be complete without proof of employment, tax returns from the past two years, three recent bank statements and a copy of governmentissued identification such as a

By AMANDA MORRIS Staff Writer Though it may seem like things wind down after spring break, there are plenty of cheap events around the city to take advantage of this weekend for a relaxing break from the return to the cycle of classes and work.

Life On The Moon If you want to watch a free theater performance, the Gallatin School of Individualized Study Theatre Troupe will premiere its show “Life On The Moon” at 7 p.m. on Thursday to Saturday at 3 p.m. on Sunday at the Jerry H. Labowitz Theatre for the Performing Arts. The show is about Spencer, a member of the U.S. Army, who encounters tensions with his family when he goes home for Christmas. Tickets can be reserved at eventbrite.com.

Nic and the Squad’s Variety Hour Nic Hanson, a rising musician who was recently featured on MSNBC’s “All In” program, will perform Sunday at the DROM music venue at 9 p.m. The hour-long show is

driver’s license. Having these on hand will not only assure the landlord of your seriousness, but also speed up the processing.

Power of the Internet The Internet can be a powerful tool to become familiar with a location and find available apartments without broker fees. To find information on a neighborhood, including nearby public transport, a site like streeteasy.com can save some time and effort. Even better, apartment listings are included on the website so everything is highly accessible. Apartable.com, which shows only no-fee listings, has an abundance of apartments located in Manhattan and some in Brooklyn and Queens. The site determines the exact distance from the nearest subway line and includes access to previous building or landlord complaints. Check out nybits.com to beat the competition for apartments that have yet to be advertised and for mostly no-fee listings.

Brokers worth a shot Dishing out money while sav-

ing for rent may turn many people off, but paying for brokers can be useful in the process of seeking an apartment. To be realistic, brokers usually charge about 15 percent of the yearly rent or a fee of at least one month’s rent. The fee is negotiable, however, and in some cases the landlords will cover broker fees. Often brokers specialize in certain neighborhoods so their extensive knowledge can be an advantage. Nakedapartments.com includes a large inventory of listings that charge a broker fee, but some at lower rates such as 9 percent. It also has some apartments whose fee is covered by the landlord. It might not hurt to consider recruiting some extra help.

Walk the talk Get out and proactively seek potential apartments by looking specifically at smaller privately owned buildings to meet with prospective landlords in person. Avoid large apartment towers that are run by big management companies — they leave little leeway around criteria such as a minimum income, which makes you less likely to stand out among

open to ages 18 and up. Hanson’s performance will be preceded by a performance by the High Class Hoodlums at 7 p.m. and a performance by Molly Chapman at 8 p.m. Tickets are $5.

Westbury Market Fair Grand Opening If you’re in the mood to go thrift shopping, flea market shopping or shopping in general, the Westbury Market Fair will have its grand opening this Saturday. The market sells everything from antiques and collectibles to wholesale items. It will be open from 8 a.m. till 4 p.m. and is located in Westbury on Long Island. It is a great excuse for those wanting to get out of the city and look for good deals.

Stop and Smell the Roses If you love flowers and want to celebrate the coming of spring, go to the free Macy’s Spring 2015 Flower Show at Herald Square, open only until April 4. You can view beautiful flower art displays in Macy’s and enjoy other Macy’s events including Thursday’s runway show featuring Emme, the first plus-sized supermodel.

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Freshkills Park is a prime weekend getaway. Bike or Hike With warmer weather and bathing suit season right around the corner, take the opportunity to exercise outdoors. A beautiful place to hike or bike is Freshkills Park on Staten Island. The park is fairly new, opening in 2012 and will continue to expand to become three times the size of Central Park. It’s currently opening in phases, but if you’re really curious you can book a tour to see the park’s unopened parts. Another popular and beautiful park on Staten Island is Willowbrook Park, which has hiking trails and barbecue areas, so you can bring several friends and pack a lunch. Email Amanda Morris at features@nyunews.com.

STAFF PHOTO BY SHAWN PAIK

There is a lot of work to do before taking the keys to a new home. other prospective renters. Because landlords prefer the annual income of tenants to be at least 40 times the monthly rent before accepting any applications for an apartment, the landlord of a smaller building may be more responsive to payment negotiations to maneuver out of this tight spot for potential negotiations. Never ignore word-of-mouth, because a friend might know of a perfect available apartment.

Read between the lines Most importantly, once you find

that place with a reasonable balance of budget and needs, don’t forget to read and reread the conditions of the lease before signing. Because it is a legally binding contract, the lease should be examined closely for basic information, such as the due date for rent each month or any confusing aspects that require explanation. Be diligent now so that, when you finally move in, you can relax in full confidence that your new home is truly yours. Email Nina Jang at njang@nyunews.com.

WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2015 | NYUNEWS.COM

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of bubble 2 Archaeological site along the Nile 3 Biased 4 Digital currency 5 Vaulted recess 6 Worker in peak physical condition? 7 Heartache 8 Anomalous 9 Asphyxiation cause 10 N.Y.C. rail org. 11 “I’ll take your questions now” 12 Drive off 16 Rest a bit 21 Something to make a proposal on? 23 Many games nowadays

Edited by Will Shortz 1

No. 0219 9

39 43

35 41 45 50

67 70

60 64

47 52

46 51

31 34

30 32

PUZZLE BY JASON FLINN

ChineseAmerican fashion icon

Pacific port from which Amelia Earhart left on her last and fatal flight

“Ya think?!”

Consumption

Certain infection

Encircled

Disappeared, as a trail

Place to change drivers

Santa ___, Calif.

One way to walk

Actress Raines of “Phantom Lady”

Sours

“Keep on Truckin’” cartoonist

Book size

Whiz

Untroubled

Vintner’s supply

___ buco

Pond dweller

“No kidding!”

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NYUNEWS.COM | THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2015 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS

OPINION

EDITED BY TESS WOOSLEY OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM

GENDER EQUALITY STAFF EDITORIAL

Women belong on the $20 bill

By ANNIE COHEN Deputy Opinion Editor

A movement to put a woman on the $20 bill has recently flourished online. The leaders of this project, called “Women on 20s,” aim to achieve this goal by 2020, a particularly significant year because it will mark the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage. Making this objective a reality is surprisingly simple, since it is up to either the treasury secretary or an act of Congress by lawmakers to determine who appears on U.S. currency. Given the innumerable movements and immense progress that women have been instrumental in over the course of U.S. history, it is beyond time that some of these influential figures are given the recognition they deserve. The fact that Andrew Jackson — a president remembered today for his horrific treatment of Native Americans — is on the $20 bill further propels the project leaders’ cause. Another facet that makes Jackson’s continued presence on the $20 bill so ironic is his disapproval of paper currency, preferring instead gold and silver. These factors all contrib-

ute to Jackson being an unsuitable person to appear on currency. A critical part of putting a woman on the $20 bill involves deciding which influential women to choose. The movement currently is in the primary voting stage, where people can vote for three of 15 contenders. These candidates were selected based on their impact on society and the struggles they overcame to succeed. The names include female activists, writers and politicians, among them people like Eleanor Roosevelt, Harriet Tubman and Clara Barton. Of course, just 15 people hardly constitutes a comprehensive list of noteworthy U.S. females. Among the other women considered were astronaut Sally Ride, poet Maya Angelou and author Harriet Beecher Stowe. All of the candidates listed on

W20’s website are deserving, but ultimately only one woman can appear on the bill. A particularly wellsuited contender is Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who played a large role in convening the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention devoted to women’s rights. Her contributions laid the groundwork for generations of feminists who came after her. Another favorite is Margaret Sanger, a birth control activist and sex educator who established what would eventually become Planned Parenthood. One of the requirements to appear on U.S. currency is that you have to be deceased for at least two years, otherwise I would rally for Gloria Steinem, one of my personal heroes. The online poll recently surpassed 100,000 votes, so the petition is making headway. Just last year, President Barack Obama said adding a woman on U.S. currency was a “pretty good idea.” It is high time that American women get the credit they are due. A woman’s place is in the House, the Senate and now on the $20 bill. Email Annie Cohen at acohen@nyunews.com.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Tackling claims of Israeli apartheid

By DAVID ZONSHAYN Contributing Writer

Dressed in keffiyehs — the traditional checkered scarves popularized by Yasser Arafat — members of Students for Justice in Palestine pamphleteered outside of Bobst Library in front of a giant sign disparaging Israel, accusing it of being an apartheid state. In response, a group of Israel-supporters set up their own sign across the street the next day, bearing the hashtag #IsraelPrideWeek. SJP describes itself as a pro-Palestinian, anti-Zionist organization. The group expresses its support of black rights, the Graduate Student Organizing Committee and anti fossil-fuel movements. Yet SJP has done little to address human rights violations by real terrorist organizations. SJP is devoting this whole week to accusing Israel of apartheid, while skillfully ignoring the worst forms of racism and apartheid practiced by Hamas in Gaza. “Apartheid,” an Afrikaans word that refers to the brutal system of racial segregation in pre1994 South Africa, recalls a time when blacks were not allowed to vote or even stroll through white neighbor-

SUBMITTING TO

hoods without a pass. Israel is factually, morally and historically not an apartheid state. Arabs — about 20 percent of Israel’s population — are an active part of Israeli government, culture and economy. They vote, have political parties represented in the Knesset and occupy seats in the Supreme Court. All Israelis, regardless of race, creed or orientation are accorded equal rights under the law. Proponents of the Israel apartheid myth will point to what they misleadingly call the “apartheid wall” separating Israel proper from the West Bank. It is really a security barrier, similar to the fence that separates Mexico from the United States. SJP neglects to mention that prior to the completion of the barrier in 2006, there were 452 fatalities from terrorist attacks in 2002 alone. By 2010, the number of deaths

fell to nine. Last year, SJP distributed slips of paper accusing the Israeli government of “Judaization” even though Article 5 of the Palestinian Permanent Constitution draft explicitly states that Islam will be the official religion of Palestine. They lambast Israel’s law of return while ignoring other Arab countries that have similar laws allowing them to naturalize foreign Arabs. Instead of seeing Israel as a genuine place of refuge for Jews, more than 586,000 of whom fled from anti-Semitic Arab countries, SJP views Israel as nothing more than a malign social experiment. If SJP really cared about the condition of the Palestinian people, it would be calling for elections in the West Bank, where P.A. president Mahmoud Abbas is in his 11th year what should have been a four-year term or protesting the barbaric practices of Hamas. Until these issues are resolved, no peaceful accord can be strung between Israel and the Palestinians. By solely focusing on a onesided rebuke of Israel, SJP is ignorant at best and anti-Semitic at worst. Email David Zonshayn at opinion@nyunews.com.

Non-citizen voting step in right direction

The New York City council is currently drafting a bill that will allow non-citizens with legal immigration status to vote in municipal elections. If passed, New York City would become the largest of just eight jurisdictions in the nation that permit non-citizens to vote. The proposal is being spearheaded by councilman Daniel Dromm from Queens, who stated that discussions with the mayor will likely begin soon. Given that immigrants make up approximately 37 percent of New York City’s population, this change will have a large impact, hopefully making elections more representative of the city’s demographics. The bill only applies to New York City residents with legal immigration status who have lived here for at least six months. It has the potential to enfranchise a staggering 1 million non-citizens. Considering there were 4.6 million New Yorkers registered to vote last year, this could drastically affect the outcomes of city elections for the mayor, comptroller, public advocate, borough president and council. All residents, including immigrants, deserve a say in who fills these local offices, especially since these officials are far more accessible than those on a state or federal level. A recent New York City version of this bill died in 2013 when it was opposed by then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The council largely supported the bill, but it was never brought to the floor by former-Speaker Christine Quinn. Mayor Bill de Blasio has not blatantly supported the new version, but is “open to a ‘conversation’ with proponents,” according to Newsday. Republican council members oppose the idea, but they represent a small minority at 3 of the 51 members. Until 2002, all New York City parents were permitted to vote in community school board elections, even without legal immigration status. Other policies allowing non-citizens to vote were not uncommon until an anti-immigration campaign in the 1920s. Before this, 40 states and territories allowed it. Granting voting rights to these New York City residents will give them a sense of belonging and recognition within their communities. Many major industries that contribute to the city’s economy — including information technology and finance — hire talents from around the world. All green card holders are required to pay federal taxes, and all residents pay indirect taxes like sales tax by default. Municipal voting regulations must consider the vast diversity and opinions of all community members, especially those who are impacted by city policies. An ideal representative democracy is 100 percent reflective of its constituents, and while that may be impossible, granting non-citizens the right to vote in municipal elections is a step in the right direction. After all, they are the residents of the city and have a right to play a role in deciding who will lead them.

Email the WSN Editorial Board at editboard@nyunews.com. EDITORIAL BOARD: Tess Woosley (Chair), Annie Cohen (Co-chair), Tommy Collison (Co-chair), Matthew Tessler (Co-chair) ILLUSTRATION BY JOURDAN ENRIQUEZ

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.

NYUNEWS.COM | THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2015 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS

SPORTS

EDITED BY BOBBY WAGNER SPORTS@NYUNEWS.COM

Softball captain talks motivation, perfectionism

Pitcher balances baseball, business

Softball captain and Gallatin junior Kahala Bonsignore does not need a Buzzfeed quiz to tell her she most resembles Monica Geller from Friends. Bonsignore admitted to relating to Monica’s obsession with perfection — the quality that nearly convinced her to end her softball career. But with the help of her coaches, Bonsignore rediscovered her passion for softball and learned to let go on the field. “That’s something I’m actually working on, and it’s something that I believe in — that you should let go of those little things,” Bonsignore said. “But they definitely get to me in my daily life.” Bonsignore grew up in Ventura, California, where watching her brother’s Little League games introduced her to the sport. At five years old, she stepped onto the field herself. Bonsignore advanced to softball and played every season of her local TriValley League until her early teens. In addition, she played with travel leagues from age 11 to 16 and with school teams from eighth grade to senior year of high school. In her freshman year of high school, she was named local Rookie of the Year. However, Bonsignore questioned whether she should keep playing softball because of constant overthinking during games. Encouragement from others kept a mitt in her hand. Monte Monfore, the father of her brother’s teammate and later her Tri-Valley coach, always brought a bucket of baseballs to the boys’ games for her to practice pitching — as well as Bubblicious gum and a sarcastic humor similar to Bonsignore’s. “[He] was one of the kindest and gentlest of ‘giants’ a person could ever meet,” Bonsignore said. “To this day, I remember and value all the time and energy he sacrificed into my own love for the sport.” Bonsignore said her biggest influence as

For NYU pitcher and captain Chase Denison, athletics are not the only thing that are important in his life. In 2012, the Stern student founded a startup company called Vybe, an online sunglasses store that allows shoppers to customize the colors of their sunglasses. “I was inspired by the current eyewear on the market, and the lack of personalization and customizability,” Denison said. The idea for Vybe began in Denison’s kitchen in Apex, North Carolina, when he began sketching different designs. It took a week and about 50 sketches to settle on one. As he sketched different designs, Denison began thinking about the company’s name. “Initially, I wanted to have a name set before I began drawing the initial sketches, because I thought it would offer some validation to my nonexistent company,” Denison said. “I stressed about it, but then my dad told me it would just come to me, so I listened. A few days later, the word vibe just came to me out of nowhere.” Despite coming up with the idea three years ago, Denison launched the business only seven months ago. In addition to running Vybe, Denison works as the head of business development at another startup and as a starting pitcher for the baseball team. The other startup, called Urlinq, is an educational technology company created by students at NYU and Columbia University as a platform for students and professors to connect with one another. But since the spring semester began, most of his time has been shifted to the baseball diamond and the weight room. Denison has picked up one of the Violets five wins on their season, thus becoming

By KATHRYN JONES Contributing Writer

By JONATHAN SCHIFMAN Contributing Writer

STAFF PHOTO BY RACHEL KAPLAN

Kahala Bosignore a player was her high school coach Peter Ackerman. After she quit travel softball as a teen, Bonsignore no longer planned to play in college, and saw no point to continue playing in high school. Ackerman’s lessons on player mentality taught her how much team chemistry affects the game. Bonsignore was content with the way her softball career had ended in high school. She avoided club softball in her first two years at NYU, but her father insisted that she pick up the sport again, sending her an article about the team’s promotion to varsity for her junior year. Bonsignore hesitated in emailing the varsity staff and initially went after the club team, thinking her gap in playing hindered her from being able to play varsity. She gained enough confidence to press send and follow up. Months into her first season at NYU, the University Athletic Association awarded Bonsignore a spot on the All-Tournament Team on March 23. “For me, humor is my icebreaker,” Bonsignore said. “I try to keep a light attitude on the field. The game is really about fun, and of course we want to win. But you can’t win if you’re too tense.” Email Kathryn Jones at sports@nyunews.com.

STAFF PHOTO BY RACHEL KAPLAN

Chase Denison part of history as one of the first players to get a win since NYU became a varsity Division III program. He leads the way as one of five captains, four of which are freshman, on what is one of the youngest teams in the country. “The spring has been tough because we’re practicing, playing or lifting almost every day, traveling a lot and it drains you mentally,” Denison said. Denison’s best start came in the first game of a doubleheader on March 18 at Cairn University in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, where he pitched six innings and allowed just four runs, earning his team a victory. He also struck out two and walked none. The final score of that game was 12-7. As for his and his teammates’ looks on the field, you won’t find them wearing Vybe glasses. “I don’t wear them on the field because they aren’t designed for athletic use,” Denison said. “But off the field I wear them and a lot of guys on the team have a pair.” Denison will look to help the Violets get a win in their home opener on Saturday against Brandeis University. Email Jonathan Schifman at sports@nyunews.com.

BASEBALL continued from PG. 1

Violets look to improve record on Saturday

Coming in to pitch in the bottom of the fifth, junior Jacob Bader surrendered a solo shot to Privateers third baseman Brian McLaughlin, which proved to be the nail in the coffin. The Privateers then tacked on two more runs in the seventh and another in the eighth. Bader has been solid in relief this year, entering the game with a 2.57 ERA, but ultimately took his first loss of the season. The Violets nearly managed some late-game magic, scoring a run in the top of the ninth and putting a runner on third

with the tying run on first base. The team stranded three runners in the final two innings of the game. “We just need to stay positive,” Picerni said of the loss. “It’s always tough losing close games. We need to bounce back and play like we know how to play.” The Violets take on Brandeis University in a double header for their home opener at noon this Saturday at MCU Park in Brooklyn. Email Alex Bazeley at abazeley@nyunews.com.

VIA GONYUATHLETICS.COM

Vokulich finished 4-for-5 with three RBIs.