NYU’s Daily Student Newspaper
WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS Vol. 43, No. 31
TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015
nyunews.com
DINING
UNIVERSITY AFFAIRS
Spring snacks for shaking winter
Students, faculty question fundraising
By OLIVA ROOS Contributing Writer
Although our coats have not yet been banished to the back of our closets, spring was officially upon us March 20. It may not be time yet to bid our cold weather gear farewell, but it is time to do so with our winter fruits and vegetables. As winter’s hearty fruits and vegetables leave us, the fresh green flavors of spring vegetables and fruits have arrived in their place. Unlike winter produce, spring fruits and vegetables are more delicate than the hardy winter produce and often possess more vibrant colors. Spring vegetables include: asparagus, artichokes, peas, fava beans and spring baby lettuce. Spring fruits include: apricots, honeydew, rhubarb and strawberries. These fruits and vegetables do not need much cooking, and should not be forced into stews and other time-intensive cooking techniques. For vegetables such as green beans and asparagus, you can simply steam or roast them in the oven with a little olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Apricots, honeydew and strawberries can be eaten raw or in a bowl of yogurt. Rhubarb has a very short season in early spring and although it is too tart to be eaten raw, is delicious when cooked with strawberries in a tart or crumble. All fruits and vegetables are nutritionally beneficial, but certain spring produce rises above others in their health benefits. Asparagus is high in folate, a vitamin that promotes cardiovascular and nervous system health and is needed for DNA replication. Green beans have a high concentration of antioxidants, and research has also shown that green beans contain enzymes that might reduce the chance of developing Type 2 diabetes. Strawberries rank number four on the list
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By ALANNA BAYARIN News Editor
JOSEPH WANG FOR WSN
Ripe strawberries are just one of the many fruits and vegetables that come with spring, along with honeydew and asparagus.
Many students and faculty have voiced concerns about the university’s request for donations to the the university’s fundraising campaign for the 1831 Fund, an NYU-run scholarship organization. NYU recently published a record-high expected tuition estimate for the 2015-16 academic year ranging from $70,586 to $78,112, depending on the school. The 1831 Fund provides financial aid to students and gave over $128,000 in financial aid to students this year. However some have argued such initiatives would not be necessary if the university didn’t recently increase tuition prices. Professor Ernest Davis said the university asking faculty for donations is troublesome. Davis has even tried to address the situation in the past, but to no avail. “It doesn’t matter for tenured faculty, who can ignore it without worrying, but sending this kind of message to non-tenured faculty and to staff is really objectionable, since, rightly or
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REVIEW
‘While We’re Young’ pits young against old By JESSE JAMES READ Contributing Writer
Noah Baumbach’s new comedy-drama “While We’re Young,” which features Adam Driver, Ben Stiller, Naomi Watts and Amanda Seyfried, tells the story of a middle-aged couple’s marriage and career journeys compared to those of a much younger couple. While Josh and Cornelia, played by Stiller and Watts, seem to be happy in their marriage, Jamie and Darby, played by Driver
and Seyfried, challenge them as a younger, more free-spirited couple. Watts and Seyfried’s performances, while sometimes perfunctory, are more often charming. They almost always seem dependent on their husbands. Darby’s dependence on Jamie seems sinister, almost vilified by his intensity and the ambiguity of his character arc. Though Watts’ performance appears to be the better of the two, it still fails to comfortably fit within the context of the
script. Both Driver and Stiller dominate the screen, embracing the type of performance they are best known for. Driver’s unconventional antagonist is fascinatingly unreadable and unpredictable, a role for which he is well suited. Stiller, too, is amusing in playing his inept archetype — he is likable, but he is still amusing to watch fail. Luckily, Driver and Stiller work together favorably on-screen. Another successful element
of the film is its structure and its plot. “While We’re Young,” despite its deceptively simple premise, is surprisingly complex. It is a meditation on several topics, including aging, truthfulness opposing artfulness and the generational differences. “While We’re Young” is also oddly funny. The film introduces several bizarre bit characters and little quirks in elements in fashion and props that are con-
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