NYU’s Daily Student Newspaper
washington square news Vol. 40, No. 43
Monday, April 9, 2012
nyunews.com
NYU clubs host colorful Holi celebration
NYU Shanghai names new admin. By Julie DeVito
Jonathan Tan/WSN
NYU clubs celebrated together at Battery Park for the Indian holiday Holi by throwing handfuls of colorful powder. By Jack Brooks Normally home to tourists, dog-walkers and hot dog vendors, Battery Park was overtaken by more than 100 laughing NYU students, coughing and throwing handfuls of colorful powder at one another this Saturday.
Passersby stopped to watch, photograph and ask participants what was happening. They received quick, breathless lessons on the Hindu holiday of Holi. For the past three years, the Indian Cultural Exchange and the Hindu Students Council have cosponsored Holi at NYU. Holi marks the beginning of spring and cel-
ebrates the Hindu faith. This year, Holi occurred in March, but the event organizers postponed their celebration for warmer weather. “We also felt that more people would attend if it were not held on the actual day of Holi itself, which fell around the time of spring break,” said Silpa Tadavarthy, a CAS senior and president of HSC.
In Asia, Holi is known for loosening usually strict social norms. In Battery Park the effect was similar. Covered in layers of powder, it became impossible to differentiate between male and female, friend and stranger, Hindu and not. Participants threw 380 pounds of color indiscriminately.
R HOLI continued on PG. 3
R SHANGHAI continued on PG. 3
‘Penny Stock’ receives grant By Keerthi Harishankar Imagine having a party thrown in your honor by the film industry’s top executives. Then imagine being toasted by the Tribeca Film Institute. Those dreams came true Thursday night for one talented NYU graduate. Grainger David, an alumnus of graduate film program at the Tisch School of the Arts, recently won the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Student Grand Jury Prize for Screenwriting for his screenplay “Penny Stock.” The Sloan Foundation, in partnership with the Tribeca Film Institute, created the grant to award screenplays that portray science and technology themes or include scientists in leading roles. David will re-
It Gets Better Project inspires NYU athlete By Sara Levy
Keerthi Harishankar/WSN
Grainger David fuses science and film in “Penny Stock.” ceive a $30,000 cash prize and an additional $20,000 to fund his film. “Penny Stock” was selected as the best screenplay from applicants who had already won respective Sloan prizes from the Foundation’s six af-
filiate film schools: University of California, Los Angeles, NYU, University of Southern California, Carnegie Mellon University, America’s Conservatory for Filmmakers and
R DAVID continued on PG. 4
PAGE 3
PAGE 4 New York City celebrates International pillow fight day with a battle in Washington Square park.
Jay Hayes, a co-captain of the men’s volleyball team, has always been passionate about sports. Over his four-year tenure at NYU, he is certainly been a leader both on and off the court. Now he is ready to embark on another important aspect of his life with a project he holds close to his heart. Hayes recently wrote, produced and directed a short film for the It Gets Better Project. In conjunction with the NYU Athletic Department, the video is aimed at high school kids as well as other university students with one prevalent message: It is okay to be gay in sports. The It Gets Better Project was started in 2010 by Dan Savage and
14th Annual Elegance on Water sells out again
New York City Hosts Seventh Annual Pillow Fight
Carina Wong/WSN
NYU announced last week that former Cornell University President Jeffrey Lehman has been appointed as vice chancellor of NYU Shanghai. Since 2007, he has served as the chancellor of Peking University School of Transnational Law, where he is the founding dean. “I’m thrilled beyond words,” Lehman said. “This is an opportunity to participate in the development of a compelling new vision of excellence in higher education.” As vice chancellor, Lehman will be in charge of all academic and administrative operations. He said the position will require him to create a compelling narrative for NYU’s enterprise and help gather support for NYU Shanghai. Lehman wants to attract the best students in the world to study at
400 students arrived at another sold-out IRHC Elegance on Water event. David Lin/WSN
Terry Miller, a gay couple, and is aimed at defeating homophobia in schools, the workplace and across the globe. The project hosts an online community and encourages LGBTQ individuals to produce their own videos and share their experiences. “I wanted to show that both student athletes and coaches can be out, happy and successful,” Hayes said. “To see someone on a team identify as gay, and [supporting] that you can be out and happy in sports.” Hayes, a Stern senior, brought together the Athletic Department’s staff, coaches and players, along with the Student Athletic
R BETTER continued on PG. 8
BU controversy misses point PAGE 7 Though an amateur mistake forced BU’s editor to step down, the more important issues were overlooked.
2
Washington Square news | monday, April 9, 2012 | nyunews.com
on the side
Compiled by the
WSN staff
Best of Web TOP NYU TWEETS
Washington Square News
@RYANRIKIOBAN
Random Fact of the Day: the first floor of @nyulaw school’s Furman Hall includes a preserved facade of Edgar Allen Poe’s home. #NYU
Editor-in-Chief amanda randone Managing Editor
@nycdigital
jaewon kang
Congrats to @columbia University and #NYU for being 2 of the 25 Most Buzzed Universities on the Internet: nycdigital.tumblr.com/ tagged/Buzzed
Deputy Managing Editor
Amy zhang Assistant Managing Editor
james lanning
@iqballinnn
Creative Director
Old dude sitting next to me at the #NYU bookstore is using a pocket knife to underline stuff ... what is this #abnormal http://t.co/hK406kbw
selena chen senior staff
university Julie devito city/state emily yang investigative hanqing chen arts jonathon dornbush features jessica littman sports daniel hinton multimedia david lin copy maximilíano durón senior editor jack brooks,
@ariel_beth
1 year after graduation, I get a gold tassel in the mail for being an honors scholar. #alittlelate #nyu http://t.co/sI2Ux6hC
BRIDGETTE DORAN
deputy staff
@NeesDeep
university eric benson, eliza-
beth maguire
There’s varsity quidditch here. Wtf, that’s sick. #nyu
city/state tony chau, kristine
itliong, jessica schultz investigative feiye wang music josh johnson film stefan Melnyk entertainment jeremy grossman books/theater clio Mcconnell dining hannah borenstein beauty & style shannon
@fahnando
Bobst needs to introduce shopping carts. #nyu #gallatin
TODAY
loughran sports John axelrod, cole
riley
1
2
6 p.m. | NYU School of Law | Lipton Hall | 108 W. Third St.
9 p.m. | Music Hall of Williamsburg | 66 N. Sixth St.
Courage to Think: Intellectual Freedom in Tunisia and the Arab Spring
3
The Horrors
7 p.m. | La Maison Française | 16 Washington Mews
See the British indie pop band before they head to this year’s Coachella Valley Music Festival in Indio, Calif.
A panel of Tunisian university professors will discuss the aftermath of the revolution in the Middle East and North African regions. R.S.V.P. to info@centerfordialogues.org.
An Evening with novelist Marie Darrieussecq The well-known French novelist will read from and discuss her works entirely in French.
special issues kristina bogos multimedia james kelleher copy jordan melendrez social media agent nicole gartside
opinion page
opinion editor olivia gonzalez deputy opinion editor ATTICUS
BRIGHAM, SANCHAY JAIN
advertising business manager
REBECCA RIBEIRO circulation manager
chloe coffman
university sales coordinator
Emilia Mironovici
SNAPSHOT
ON THE WIRE
Not all dogs have to go to heaven
A heroic canine from Staten Island is lucky to be alive after he suffered a gunshot wound to the head while trying to defend his owner from a home intruder. Kilo, a 12-year-old pit bull, was shot as he stuck his head out of the half-opened door when the resident Justin Becker, 32, pushed the intruder — posed as a FedEx deliveryman — to the ground. The bullet never entered the dog’s skull, as it deflected off of the dog’s skull and exited through his neck, leaving no brain damage. Greg Panarello, the veterinarian who operated on Kilo, said the likeliness of such a fortunate outcome was one in a million. — MSNBC
Ohio University
Herman Cain to make appearance at OU — The Post
Students dyed and decorated an array of Easter eggs in celebration of the holiday.
PHOTO BY Brittany Elias
Yale University
Women lag in reaching tenure — Yale Daily News
sales representatives
Kaitlyn O’Brien, MICHAEL RYAN, Melissa Ynegas
advising editorial adviser
keith leighty EDITORS-AT-LARGE
jaywon choe kelsey desiderio russell steinberg KIRSTEN CHANG francis poon terka cicelOVa 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 Jaewon Kang at managing@nyunews.com or at 212.998.4302.
nyunews.com GOT AN EVENT? EMAIL US AT AGENDA@NYUNEWS.COM OR TWEET US @NYUNEWS.
GOT SOMETHING TO SHARE? EMAIL US AT TIPS@NYUNEWS.COM.
nyunews.com | monday, April 9, 2012 | Washington Square news
SHANGHAI continued from PG. 1
University names vice chancellor of NYU Shanghai NYU Shanghai, which he said will be a fun process. “I want us to provide them with a demanding education that is sculpted from timeless values into a form suited to contemporary life, that draws on the unique resources of Shanghai and that integrates seamlessly into the overall network of NYU,” Lehman said. “I want us to conduct research that contributes meaningfully to the edifice of human knowledge.” NYU Shanghai, which was announced in March 2011, is the first American university with independent legal status approved by the Chinese Ministry of Education. Its first undergraduate class will enter in Fall 2013. He previously served as the 11th President of Cornell University from 2003 to 2005 and 13th dean of the University of Michigan Law School from 1994 to 2003. NYU President John Sexton praised Lehman’s leadership in both the United States and China. “His willingness to serve as NYU Shanghai’s leader is a tremendous validation of what we are trying to accomplish in Shanghai and throughout NYU’s global network,” Sexton said in the press release of Lehman’s appointment. “We have found a partner who understands the enormous
academic value of a global education and who has helped us realize this vision here in Shanghai,” Sexton said. “His guidance, wisdom, experience and entrepreneurial spirit has been and will continue to be indispensible to the success of NYU Shanghai.” Chris Whitman, a colleague of Lehman’s at Michigan for five years, called Lehman an institution builder. “He is also razor-sharp both in legal argument and in dealing with administrative problems,” Whitman said. “He is one of the most intellectually curious people I know, which means he’s an excellent listener and also eager to learn about new cultures and new perspectives.” Esther Tang, a student of Lehman’s at Cornell and Peking, said he taught her how to connect words and behavior across cultural boundaries. “As a kid fascinated by globalization, I felt he handed me a missing puzzle piece,” Tang said. Lehman’s appointment will be effective Summer 2012. Yu Lizhong of East China Normal University will be chancellor of NYU Shanghai where he will also serve as chairman of the board. Julie DeVito is university editor. Email her at jdevito@nyunews.com.
14th annual Elegance sells out again By Emily Yang NYU students rocked the boat Friday night during the 14th annual Elegance on the Water. Hosted by the Inter-Residence Hall Council, Elegance took students up and down the Hudson River, around the southern tip of Manhattan, up to the Brooklyn Bridge on the East River and passed a brightly lit Statue of Liberty. Traditionally, Elegance took place on the Spirit of New York, which holds about 300 people. But because all 300 tickets were sold out last year, they upgraded the cruise ship for this year’s event and were able to accommodate 400 students. This year’s Elegance sold out as well. The upgraded boat, called the Spirit of New Jersey, offered two levels of dancing and music, a chocolate fountain, desserts galore and a fantastic view of Manhattan. NYU students could go outside to grab a breath of fresh air from the third floor. Abby Ehrlich, IRHC co-programming chair and an SCPS sophomore, said they shortened the event this year by an hour to provide a shorter, better amount of time on the boat for dancing. Previously, the event lasted for four hours. “My favorite party of the night was seeing everyone dance together,” Ehrlich said. “People who had never met were best friends at the end and that was what Elegance is all about. Community building and providing a fun night for students was the goal, and I loved watching it happen.”
Tisch freshman Martin Barshai, who obtained a free Elegance ticket from Hayden residence hall, said he came to have fun and enjoy the night with his date. “I’m broke, so a free night with free food sounds good,” Barshai said. CAS sophomore Lauren Holter attended because she had never been on the cruise and wanted to check it out. “I look forward to seeing the Manhattan skyline at night,” she said before Elegance. Olivia Baackes, president of IRHC and a Gallatin junior, said she was happy to see many familiar faces on board. “We work really hard to plan all of our other events, and this is our final culmination dance party,” Baackes said.
LSP professor Kathleen Bishop was named one of the 300 best undergraduate teachers in the country by the Princeton Review last week. Bishop teaches Cultural Foundations, a liberal studies course that combines literature and art history from a global perspective. In 2008, Bishop received LSP’s Students Teaching Excellence Award. She has been teaching at NYU since 1992, when she studied in the English department at the Graduate School of Arts and Science. She holds a doctorate in English Literature from NYU. She said her goal as a teacher is to prepare students for the real world. “I encourage students to think for themselves, make up their own minds about things and think their own thoughts because what they think and feel matters,” Bishop said. “I think the key thing is to relate to each student as an individual who is important and special.” The new book features 300 professors in more than 60 fields, including journalism, neuroscience and sport management. The chosen professors make up less than .02 percent of the 1.8 million college and university teachers in the United States. It includes professors from Amherst College, Brown
University, Vassar College, Yale University and Georgetown University, among others. “We developed this book as a tribute to the extraordinary dedication of America’s undergraduate college professors and the vitally important role they play in our culture and our democracy,” said Robert Franek, Princeton Review’s senior vice president and publisher, in an NYU Today Press Release. The professors were chosen from a combination of surveys and data from ratemyprofessors.com and then finalized through further input from school administrators and students. LSP Dean Fred Schwarzbach said Bishop is fiercely dedicated to her students and makes many valuable contributions to the program. “Kathy always puts the academic needs of students first,” Schwarzbach said. “She has a great gift for inspiring both respect and affection. Liberal Studies is all about small classes and a student-centered learning environment. Kathy’s teaching style is a perfect match for our program.” Erin Boehm, an LSP sophomore and previous student of Bishop’s, said Bishop was extremely knowledgeable of the subject that she was teaching but was also open to other people’s opinions. “If someone had a different interpre-
Courtesy of Kathleen Bishop
Kathleen Bishop has been teaching at NYU since 1992. tation of a reading, she would discuss it further, rather than disregard it for being different than the typical interpretation,” Boehm said. “She validates the thoughts of her students.” Boehm also said Bishop is a great resource when it comes to writing papers, as she gives useful feedback that encourages students. LSP professor Nancy Reale said Bishop has always been a dedicated colleague and friend. “She is an extremely kind and thoughtful woman, and I am sure that comes across to her students,” Reale said. “Kathy is certainly committed to her students and to demonstrating to them what the value is, for them, of the kind of scholarship that so moves and excites her.” Julie DeVito is university editor.
Baackes said the cruise was paid from the IRHC budget and the $20 admission tickets that people purchased. She estimated that for 12 out of the past 14 years, Elegance has taken place on a boat. Baackes also revealed plans for Elegance’s 15th anniversary, in which IRHC hopes to host about 800 students at the Metropolitan Museum of Art next year. “We’re in preliminary discussions, but we have a couple of dates on hold,” Baackes said. “After our time on the boat, I’m really excited to be moving to such an iconic location.” Emily Yang is city/state editor. Email her at eyang@nyunews.com.
David Lin/WSN
Students enjoyed the chocolate fountain at Elegance last Friday.
LSP professor named a top teacher By Julie DeVito
3
HOLI continued from PG. 1
Indian clubs celebrate Holi “It is an opportunity for individuals to mask their identities, forget their differences and indulge in unadulterated fun,” CAS senior Shantum Misra, co-president of ICE., said. “The colored powder helps facilitate this process by making everyone appear uniform. That’s the beauty of this colorful festival.” Most attendees felt that goal was achieved. “Considering the turnout, Holi succeeded,” CAS sophomore Dominique Bouavichith said. “It’s important that NYU hosts events like these because they can expose students to a culture or holiday they hadn’t know before, are lots of fun [and] can benefit a large number of students.” Participants said they appreciated the ability to learn more about an unfamiliar holiday. “It was educational, both to less informed participants like myself and to curious onlookers who wanted [to know] what we were doing,” said Martin Tsang, a New Yorker who attended Holi. “I tried not
to participate in Holi in a way that was ignorant or offensive to people who practice Hinduism.” Some observers felt concerned by the event’s large non-Hindu presence. Brooklyn resident Ari Davanelos supported NYU’s Holi but was worried about future takes on the religious ceremony. “I can see this, in a few years, being totally removed from any religious aspect and becoming some event featured at some dancey, MDMAfueled, three-day bash in Miami,” Davanelos said. But from inside Battery Park, the spirit of Holi was unmistakably present. The event was, undeniably, a devout celebration of spring’s arrival. “I think it was only secular if you wanted it to be,” CAS senior Samantha Haynes said. “I went into it knowing what Holi is about and with respect for the Hindus that were hosting it.” Jack Brooks is a senior editor. Email her at jbrooks@nyunews.com.
4
Washington Square news | monday, April 9, 2012 | nyunews.com
features DAVID continued from PG. 1
Tisch grad earns grant from Tribeca Institute Columbia University. David’s screenplay was the best from this group. “Penny Stock” tells the story of a community college geology professor turned mining prospector. After discovering a new theory, the main character gambles his family’s safety in the search for a legendary diamond pipe. Tamir Muhammad, director of Feature Programming at TFI, spoke about the combination of elements that set David’s film apart. “Grainger had a really good understanding of the subject matter, but furthermore how to take the subject and make it dramatic, which is always the heart of every film,” Muhammad said. Muhammad continued to speak about the complexity and capability of David’s style. “If you take the science away for a second, you can see the talent in his ability to be able to make realistic characters, and when you add science on top of that, that adds another dimension,” he said. David, a South Carolina native, studied directing and screenwriting at Tisch, though it was his journalistic roots that most influenced the creation of “Penny Stock.” “I got the idea for this script when I was a journalist before I went to film school,” said David. “I followed a group of exploration geologists who were looking for copper and gold in Mongolia, and it was this amazing, adventurous reporting trip. I was really taken by their intelligence and determination to go to these far-flung places in the world and chase ideas that were really hard to prove and discover.” Doron Weber, vice president of programs for the Sloan Foundation, said he believes the fusion of science and film makes David’s film a success. “It’s an adventure story about geology, and you learn a lot about geology as you go along but you don’t feel like you’re being lectured to,” Weber said of the film. “The idea was to make more realistic and compelling portrayals of science and technology and to challenge existing stereotypes of scientists, engineers and mathematicians, and I think Grainger’s script really succeeded in that.” Keerthi Harishankar is a staff writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com.
NYC hosts seventh annual Pillow Fight Day
Carina Wong/WSN
On Sunday, Washington Square Park filled with fighters and feathers. The participants were part of an event that spanned 150 cities. By Clara Yang A war was waged in Washington Square Park, but this time it was not police officers and occupiers who faced-off but grimfaced warriors bearing pillows. New York City’s seventh annual Pillow Fight Day filled the park with fighters on Saturday. Warriors flooded the park with their soft pillows and cute bunny ears, while many bystanders marveled at the spectacle. The organizer, a group called Newmindspace, created a Facebook event that had nearly 8,000 attendees. The event website, pillowfightday.com, helped participants around the world
find a pillow fight in their city. Organizers of the event arrived later to help clean up. The fight takes place in over 150 cities around the world, and thousands participate every year. While most NYU students seemed to be unaware of this event, CAS junior Masha Sundararaman said she heard about the event just before it began. “I just heard about it a couple of minutes ago,” Sundararaman said. “I came to study in the park and people were showing up with pillows in their hands. If I had some accompaniment, I would’ve [joined]. But I’d rather be a spectator. It’s funny to see it as well.”
Sundararaman explained that even though she had come to the square to study, she was quite interested in the event. “[The] square’s a public place and people can do whatever they want,” she said. “It’s meant for everyone.” Gallatin sophomore Kristen Cordero came in peace to photograph the event, but ended becoming an unwilling participant. “I didn’t hit anyone with a pillow but I got hit a few times,” she said. “I saw some pretty crazy things. There was one guy dressed up in a suit of armor, and I saw people in full body suits.” Cordero said the fight completely took over the square.
“There were just pillows and feathers flying everywhere,” she said. “It was like it was snowing in April.” Clara Yang is a staff writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com.
for video coverage, scan this QR code.
Agape Week discusses, unites faiths on campus By Michelle Lim
Several religious fellowships on campus are uniting to bring NYU some divine love and spiritual peace this week. Throughout Agape Week, Christian clubs on campus have organized events to spark discussions about various faiths among the student community. Agape — pronounced “ahGAH-pay” — is a Greek word meaning unconditional love. There are different levels of love in the Greek culture, but agape is the deepest form of love, provided from the both God’s love and the reciprocation from humans. CAS junior Patrick Cheng, a member from the Agape Week planning committee, expressed the main purpose of the events. “Agape Week serves two purposes: to share the Gospel message and to unite the
Christian community,” Cheng said. “In sharing the Gospel, we are responding to our faith in earnest desire to see people’s lives changed. Just as God loves each and everyone one of us, we wish to follow suit. In uniting our Christian community, we encourage healthy dialog, lasting friendships and effective communication.” The festivities kicked off on Good Friday, April 6, with a presentation from Annie Lobert, a former stripper and prostitute from Las Vegas. At the event Broken and Beautiful: A Las Vegas Call Girl Meets Jesus, Lobert discussed her experience with sex trafficking. “I am here to talk about the redemption in Jesus Christ with the women that are sex trafficked — I was one of them,” Lobert said. “Hookers for Jesus is an organization I started from my own pain, to reach out to girls on the strip.”
Lobert described the program’s main focus which stems from her own conversation. “We have programs that will help women get out of sex trafficking, mentor and case-manage them and to provide homes for the ladies who have left the sex industry,” she added. Lobert said she believes Agape Week at NYU can bring about change and spiritual breakthroughs within the campus. “I think it will bring awareness, for one, and also a greater understanding of what God’s love can do for a woman, or a man, who is hurting,” Lobert said. “Maybe it could spark them their own ideas to raise awareness on the campus.” In addition to instilling compassion in students, Agape Week tries to answer tricky and controversial questions about religion and theology for Christians and nonChristians in an academic, civil and intellectual atmosphere.
CAS senior Paul Rezkalla is especially looking forward to a panel Making Sense of Suffering: How Can a Good God Allow Evil? that will be held today at 6 p.m. in the Kimmel Center for University Life in Room 401 by a teaching fellow from Fordham University who is also a former atheist. “The speaker, David Wood, will engage the age-old problem of evil,” Rezkalla said. “If God exists, why suffering? This is the greatest objection to belief in God, I think.” The highly anticipated AsianAmerican Christian music group, Tim Be Told, will perform live in Kimmel Room 802 on Wednesday at 7 p.m. Agape Week will conclude on April 14 when Feed 500 at NYU will be held in Kimmel at 10 a.m. For a full schedule, visit facebook. com/agapeweek. Michelle Lim is a staff writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com.
nyunews.com | monday, April 9, 2012 | Washington Square news
5
edited by jessIca littman features@nyunews.com
‘Oprah’s Lifeclass’ inspires viewers to live without fear By Maximilíano Durón Above a sea of bright colors, Oprah Winfrey, the queen of daytime talk shows, emerges onto the stage of Radio City Music Hall. Though the Oprah Winfrey Network, which she launched at the beginning of 2011, is headquartered in Los Angeles, Winfrey is currently taking her popular show across the United States. “Oprah’s Lifeclass” is
currently on a three-city tour from St. Louis to New York City to Toronto. This tour varies slightly from the first season of “Lifeclass” as it features a two-hour episode format that delves much more deeply into the week’s topics but still incorporates “all of Oprah’s lessons, revelations and aha moments over the past 25 years,” according to the show’s Facebook page.
Following a strand of promotional clips for Oprah’s shows from the comical “Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s” to the emotional “Iyanla Fix My Life,” self-help guru Tony Robbins, who had a cameo role in “Shallow Hal,” came onstage to do a pre-show warm-up where he pumped up an already excited crowd at the live taping in New York City. Brooklyn resident Deidra Towns, 41, said she enjoyed see-
ing Robbins and the energy he brought to the show. “I thought Tony’s warm-up was great,” she said. “I think he gives some valuable tools and gives you real-time information about how to make change and transform.” Then the actual live show began. The show’s theme for the night was Fearless, which explored how to live courageously and overcome fear. Much of the show focused on Robbins giving advice on how to go about accomplishing this. The focus then shifted to Jacob Gardner, who struggles with intense fear on a daily basis. For the rest of the program, Robbins helped Gardner gain confidence in himself. Gardner’s
“Love you back.” But the night’s funniest moment came during the first break, as Winfrey complained that her high heels were painful and she decided to switch to flats. She then gave away her heels to the first woman who wanted them. Katie Grasty, 29, who traveled from Washington, D.C., to see the show, said she loved the energy of the live taping, especially Oprah’s interactions with the audience during the commercial breaks. “I loved it so much,” she said. “It was really interesting to see Oprah off-camera because I realized that she’s so funny and personable just on her own. She just seems like a genuinely awesome person.”
“I think [Tony Robbins] gives some valuable tools and gives you real-time information about how to make change and transform.” — Deidra Towns, audience member
Courtesy of the oprah winfrey network
Tony Robbins and Oprah Winfrey discuss how to change one’s life and live fearlessly.
transformation was amazing, as the audience saw a once timid, scared man take control of his life and change his perspective on life. During commercial breaks, audience members shouted “I love you, Oprah,” to which Winfrey would always respond,
“Oprah’s Lifeclass: The Tour” airs Mondays at 8 p.m. The Tony Robbins episode aired April 2. NYU students can watch it for free at oprah.com. Maximilíano Durón is a staff writer. Email him at mduron@nyunews.com.
Senior photo projects on display at Calumet Gallery By Clara Yang From exploring a series of selfportraits to documenting everyday fashion, the graduating class of 2012 of the department of Photography & Imaging in the Tisch School of the Arts represents the visual and conceptual diversity of each student contributor. Every year, Photography & Imaging professor Mark Jenkinson makes sure to provide an opportunity for the seniors to exhibit the selected works from their theses and other projects at galleries in New York City. Seniors have complete control over their exhibition while Jenkinson oversees the process. “Two months before the show, I have a meeting [with the participating students], and they do everything,” Jenkinson said. “They feel best if they have their own show.” Laura Bluher is a Tisch senior and one of the core seniors in the preparation of the exhibition. She expressed the show’s importance and added that she
was excited to display her works at the Calumet Gallery rather than at an NYU exhibition. Bluher described the experience as an opportunity for students to have a legitimate outside university. Her displayed works were selected from her series documenting a family from a tobacco farm in Cuba. The exhibit is part of her long-term project that will continue for the next 10 years, supported by the department and awarded with the Tom Drysdale Production Fund in November 2010. “It’s always great to have time like this to share the work with fellow classmates and community,” Photography & Imaging senior Elizabeth Shrier said. Shrier traveled to Nova Scotia several times to develop her project A Study on Landscapes and to form her senior thesis. “On Landscapes is a project about synthesis between the natural landscape and its modern day signifiers,” she said. “I developed an understanding and ap-
preciation for the beauty found in both and hope to share this with my viewer.” Tisch senior Claire Mahoney, an acting major, found the photography exhibition to be fascinating. “It’s really interesting and nice to see what they like and have
found their passion,” she said. The works of the 21 graduating seniors from the department of Photography & Imaging will be on display at the Calumet Gallery until April 26. The gallery is located at 22 W. 22nd St. and is open from 10
a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. The exhibition is free and open to the public. Clara Yang is a staff writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com.
Wendi Liu for WSN
Elizabeth Shrier traveled to Nova Scotia to develop her project, which is featured at the gallery.
Follow us on Twitter: @nyunews The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation
Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 The620Fornew york times crossword & daily sudoku Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Monday, April 09, 2012
Edited by Will Shortz Across 1 Nickname for Louis Armstrong 6 Plain as day 11 Apply with a cotton ball, say 14 Table of data, e.g. 15 Challenger 16 School’s URL ending 17 Hirsute carnival attraction 19 Writer Anaïs 20 Order of coffee in a small cup 21 Roved 23 Pink 24 Trying to make sense of 26 Apollo 11’s destination 28 Stave off, as a disaster 29 Arouse from sleep 32 Computer file extension 33 “Hmm, I guess so” 36 ___-Wan Kenobi
37 Hit HBO series set in Baltimore 41 “Evil Woman” rock grp. 42 Clark ___, Superman’s alter ego 44 Lumberjack’s tool 45 Gridiron units 47 Dwarves’ representative in the Fellowship of the Ring 49 Skeptic’s rejoinder 51 Eleventh hour 54 Rick’s love in “Casablanca” 58 Cause of “I” strain? 59 Inquisition targets 61 Chest bone 62 Children’s game hinted at by the circled letters 64 TiVo, for one, in brief 65 Inventor Howe 66 Hit the accelerator
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE A B R A
I R O N
R A C K
H A L F
A R I A
I M A C
R A S P S
U N C L E
B O R A X
S I G N S I N R O T K C A V E H M A A O M S K R L A C Q Y G R O U N A T E E D I S S E A A I E S D R A K I A M S L Q U E L I S T A
S P I T Z U E P S T O R N E O T G O O U O C D H
L A T H E R
E S S E S
A M B I T
Z A I R E
E L G A R
O K A A L E X D E R L M O N E S Y E L I S N Y K E D O E R E N
Y A Y S L E N T
67 Mediterranean, e.g. 68 Hear again, as a case 69 Simple kind of question
1
2
3
4
5
6
14
7
8
Down Cavalry sword “You ___ stupid!” Pitfalls Request from a tired child 5 Jekyll’s alter ego 6 Most likely to win, as a favorite 7 Bravery 8 ___ of Good Feelings 9 1948 John Wayne western 10 Sign on a tray of samples 11 Scouting mission leader? 12 “Goodbye, mon ami!” 13 Kind of cake that’sringshaped 18 Gas brand with a tiger symbol 22 Farming: Prefix 25 Cab 27 Province west of Que. 29 Chinese cooker 30 Lincoln, informally 31 World’s longest venomous snake 32 Rams fan? 34 Obsolete 35 Some boxing wins, for short
17
11
42
43 47
35
56
57
28 32
37
34
22
25
27
31
36
13
19
24
30
12
16
21
26
51
10
18
23
29
9
15
20
1 2 3 4
No. 0305
38
33
39
40
44
45
48
49
52
46
50
53
58
41
59
54
55
60
61
62
64
65
63 66
67
68
69
Puzzle by Mike Nothnagel
38 One-third the length of the Belmont Stakes 39 Interstate sign with an arrow 40 Ogle 43 ___ torch (outdoor party lighting) 46 Up for discussion
48 One in a pit at a concert
49 “Whatever you want” 50 Capital of Switzerland
51 “Study, study, study” types
52 “Just tell me the answer”
53 Start of a rumor
55 Property claims
56 Welcome at the front door 57 Invite out for
60 A little “out there,” as humor 63 Dah’s counterpart in Morse code
For answers, call 1-900-285-5656, $1.49 a minute; or, with a credit card, 1-800-814-5554. Annual subscriptions are available for the best of Sunday crosswords from the last 50 years: 1-888-7-ACROSS. AT&T users: Text NYTX to 386 to download puzzles, or visit nytimes.com/mobilexword for more information. Online subscriptions: Today’s puzzle and more than 2,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($39.95 a year). Share tips: nytimes.com/wordplay. Crosswords for young solvers: nytimes.com/learning/xwords.
nyunews.com | monday, April 9, 2012 | Washington Square news
OPINION
edited by olivia gonzalez opinion@nyunews.com
Fashion
Laws must regulate fashion counterfeiting By Lisa Totino
The United States democracy, which takes an aggressive stance on protecting individual rights, falls short in extending protections to the fashion industry. A simple walk through SoHo reveals this ubiquitous problem: The streets are lined with cheap knockoffs — eye candy for the typical tourist and a blow to copied fashion designers. The thick — and probably fake — wallets of copyists reflect the six digit figures that U.S. businesses lose annually to the counterfeit goods industry. As an NYU senior, I have proudly lived in our country’s fashion capital for nearly four years now, but I have — not so proudly — been blind to the issues of counterfeit. I have cultivated an interest for fashion outside the classroom with the same passion and fortitude that I have dedicated to my pre-law education inside the classroom. It is at the intersection of my fashion and legal interests, however, that I have grown conscious and sensitive to the plight of legally naked fashion designers. The crushing problem is that the world is developing a primary palate for cheap goods. This is not a new observation. Whenever the economy takes a turn for the worse, like recently, societal tastes kick up their reflexes and respond to it. For this reason, price-conscience consumers are constantly scrounging for the next hot deal. The international proliferation of the discount super-store Walmart, for
instance, is an obvious indicator that society is examining its budget. The consumption of cheap goods is threatening because it pushes the demand for counterfeits higher. People still want trendy items but they are just not willing to dish out the cash for them when knockoffs are at their fingertips. Whether economic times are tough or not, one thing is for certain: If a demand for these counterfeits remain, there will continue to be a supply. What we, as smart consumers, need to understand is that protecting the fashion industry is not a zero-sum game. Just because the producers win protection, does not mean the consumers lose out. In fact, consumers gain as well. If anti-counterfeit legislation is successfully implemented, major retail stores — such as H&M and Forever 21 — will be forced to create the same trend with slight differences in design, which means product diversification and more variety for the consumer. Europe has already realized the benefits of anti-counterfeit legislation and has taken a more watchful eye in the policing of counterfeits. In France and Italy, specifically, not only can a counterfeit vendor be slapped with a pricey fine but so can the gluttonous consumer — a cautionary side note for future study abroad students. I am not saying to kick the can on copying altogether. Ironically, the fashion industry largely thrives on the idea of copying. Think about it: One
designer releases a new trend on the runway and six months later, copies of it are seen in department stores everywhere. Also, unlike music and movies — which are currently protected under U.S. copyright law — fashion does not have as long of a shelf life. Trends are constantly being reused and recycled — the glories of vintage. Bottom line is designers are continually copying trends — to some extent. So, where do we draw the legal line on copying? Susan Scafidi, a current Fordham law professor and leader in the fashion law movement, narrowed this down for us. She developed legislation that prohibits the creation of a virtually identical fashion product, making it feasible to bring a legal claim to the unique culture of the fashion industry. Critics, however, mock the term virtually identical for being virtually vague. Perhaps it is time for them to bite their tongues because like all issues of law there will always be areas of gray and that will have to be left up to judges. I must credit the majority of my knowledge on this issue to Scafidi, who has developed a rich and rare expertise in the field of fashion law. I am optimistic that my article can spread awareness to the issues of counterfeit and push her seven-year-long legislative crusade into enactment. Lisa Totino is a contributing columnist. Email her at opinion@nyunews.com.
Education
Religious schools cannot ban Facebook By Brittany Sherman Students at the all-girls Orthodox Beth Rivkah High School in Crown Heights, Brooklyn were outraged, and rightfully so, when they were recently forced to delete their Facebook accounts and pay a $100 fine or face expulsion. All 495 girls were asked to sign a contract at the beginning of the school year where they promised not to use the social networking site. However, 33 violated this agreement and were forced to pay the consequences. I understand this is a private school, which means they are free to enforce their own rules. I also realize the students should not have broken a signed contract. Nevertheless, I see the need for some emphasis on the school’s decision itself to enforce this rule on the basis of religion and morality. The contract is based on the Tzniut, a number of laws that focuses on modesty and humility within the Jewish Orthodox community. Rabbi Benzion Stock, administrator of the Brooklyn school, said, “The Internet is a good way to ruin marriages and families,” and Facebook specifically is “the wrong place for a Jewish girl to be. Facebook is not a modest thing to do.”
7
The relationship made among religion, immodesty and Facebook seems tenuous, at best. Yes, kids can get into bad things using Facebook: They can post inappropriate pictures, write unnecessary comments or even engage in bullying. And these things do happen, of course. But does not the same number of things have the possibility of occurring through cell phones? Sure, cell phones are not globally connected, but the same adverse affects can occur from there as well. Should the students not be able to own cell phones, either? It seems as if the entire idea of protecting students from immodest practices can be, and clearly is, taken too far in this case. Even further, the school is taking on the position of a parent. I do not understand how it is a school’s business to regulate what their students do outside of the classroom. If these girls were on Facebook during school hours then this would be a different case entirely. But given that there is no evidence of that occurring, the school’s say in whether or not a student may have a Facebook account seems utterly inappropriate and out of place. Oftentimes, people are too quick to make associations between things. It is a temptation to say that this stu-
dent did one bad thing and then another, so the first must have caused the second. But that is not necessarily the case. The New York Post recounts how Chaya Tatik, 17, was kicked out of Beth Rivkah when she was in ninth grade for using Facebook and dressing in an immodest way. But what needs to be realized is that people may dress, talk, act in an inappropriate way for a number of reasons. What is the connection between immodesty and Facebook? Is it too tough to see that this type of behavior could easily be a byproduct of a changing generation? The wrong circle of friends? The way the children were raised? I do not see why any school, even a private one, thinks it has the right to deny students of a valuable social networking tool that allows them to connect with family and friends. I do not think any school considers the positive effects that may come from Facebook. Banning access to a public site with considerable opportunities is not right nor is it right to not respect kids enough to trust that they can use the Internet properly. This is not protecting them — it is limiting them considerably. Brittany Sherman is a contributing writer. Email her at opinion@nyunews.com.
Staff Editorial
BU controversy misses point
It is that time of year again — that time when an intended April Fool’s joke goes awry, and nobody is laughing. This time, the yearly phenomenon took Chelsea Diana, former editor-inchief of The Daily Free Press, Boston University’s student newspaper, as its emissary victim. When BU’s paper released an April Fool’s issue making light of the university’s sexual assault record, the sophomore editor-in-chief was vilified by newspapers, blogs and activists. The media has a tendency to amplify issues with the intention of rectifying a societal problem. But in this case, the media hype took the controversy and made it a side show instead of focusing on the issue of rape. According to the NYU Student Health Center, one in five college women are raped during their college years, and one in four report experiences that meet the legal definition of rape or attempted rape. Aside from these widespread accounts, 35 percent of men report some likelihood that they would rape given an assurance they would not be caught or punished. Clearly the issue of rape in America is no laughing matter. Despite these jarring statistics, the attention has diverted from addressing the issue of sexual assault on college campuses to focusing on The Daily Free Press’ response as the media attempted to diffuse the situation. Reports circulated about Diana’s public apology for the April Fool’s edition and on her need to resign from the position of editor-inchief. Her picture, taken from Facebook and Twitter, was plastered across the Internet, displaying Diana as a poster child for journalistic failure. This amateur mistake had the opportunity to raise intelligent debate and discussion on possible solutions for reducing rape among college students. Instead, the media trivialized the situation. Compared with the graveness of the rape issues, the editor’s careless blunder does not deserve the attention it has been given. Email the WSN Editorial Board at editboard@nyunews.com.
Editorial Board: Olivia Gonzalez (Chair), Atticus Brigham (Co-Chair), Sanchay Jain (Co-Chair), Chris DiNardo, Emily Franklin, Matt Kao, Ben Miller, Peter Murphy and Richard Zhang.
8
Washington Square news | monday, April 9, 2012 | nyunews.com
SPORTs
edited by daniel hinton sports@nyunews.com
Violets fall to Princeton in five sets By Sara Levy
The No. 5 men’s volleyball team fell to Princeton University on the road Friday in five sets, 25-18, 2521, 20-25, 17-25 and 15-11. After dropping the first two sets to the Division I foe, NYU rallied back but fell short in the fifth. “I think we played hard and well,” senior libero Jay Hayes said. “We set ourselves up for the opportunity to win in the fifth set, [but we] just couldn’t pull it out.” Sophomore middle blocker Nick Capriccio led the team with 15 kills, and junior outside hitter Taylor Fauntleroy racked up 14 as well. Senior opposite/middle blocker Luke Hamlet and freshman opposite/setter Matthew MacDonald racked up 10 kills apiece. “It was a pretty good performance by the team and a great bounceback from the Baruch match,” head coach Jose Pina said. “We made a few key serving errors, but overall played well.” For Princeton, freshman outside hitter Cody Kessel spearheaded the attack with 14 kills. Sophomore
Distance runners log personal bests at Sam Howell Invitational By Amy Rose Ramapuram
File photo by Wendi Liu
Sophomore Nick Capriccio led NYU with 15 kills. setter Davis Waddell chipped in 12 kills as well. “As a team we need to maintain focus from beginning to end in a match,” Hayes said. “I believe that is our biggest weakness we have right now.” The Violets will be hosting the United Volleyball Championship next weekend and will kick off first round play against Pennslyvania State University-Behrend on Saturday April 14. Sara Levy is a staff writer. Email her at sports@nyunews.com.
A select group of Violets from the men’s and women’s track and field teams competed at Princeton University’s Sam Howell Invitational this past Friday and Saturday. The meet featured some of the best runners from Division I, II and III universities on the East Coast. Senior Ryan Boyd and junior Kevin Bonilla, along with other NYU distance runners, highlighted the weekend competition on the men’s side. Boyd finished 19th in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a season-best time of 9:32.76. Meanwhile, Bonilla ran the 5,000-meter, completing the race with an impressive time of 15:34.11. The men’s team found some their strongest performances on Saturday. Again, distance had solid runs, especially in the 1,500-meter. Sophomore Ryan Gilmore and freshman Justin Turlip ran against 41 other competitors in the 1,500-meter event. Gilmore placed 15th overall with a time of 4:03.01, which was good for second in his heat. Turlip likewise had an impressive showing, finishing the race 32nd overall. In the 800-meter run, freshman Dharen Kadiyala finished strong-
ly with a time of 1:58.91, placing fourth in his heat. Freshman Jon Simon participated in the 100- and 200-meter races on Saturday. In the 100meter he came in third place out of 35 runners overall with a personal best of 10.90. In the 200-meter, Simon finished 19th out of 35 runners with a time of 22.73. Sophomore Gilson Cortes also saw success in the 200-meter sprint, placing 25th with a time of 23.05. The women’s team had success from their distance runners as well. Seniors Laura Santoski and Paige Zelinsky competed in the 5,000-meter run. Out of 43 runners, Santoski came in 19th overall with a personal best of 17:34.61 finishing time, and Zelinsky finished in a time of 17:46.21, placing 24th. In the 1,500-meter run, senior Maeve Evans and junior Georgina Norton competed against 40 other runners. Evans had a solid race, coming in 22nd with a time of 4:38.46. Norton completed the race with a personal best of 4:46.91. Freshman Alyssa Binczyk was the only Violet from the women’s team to compete on Saturday. In the 800meter event, she ran 2:20.76, which placed her in seventh in her heat and 23rd overall out of 39 runners.
Courtesy of NYU Athletics
Senior Ryan Boyd finished 19th in the steeplechase. The Violets return to action on Saturday, April 14, at The College of New Jersey Invitational in Ewing, N.J. Amy Rose Ramapuram is a contributing writer. Email her at sports@nyunews.com.
BETTER continued from PG. 1
NYU student-athlete and Athletic Department take stand against homophobia in sports Advisory Committee to create the video. “It was a huge group effort,” Hayes said. “My role was starting the dialogue of it, [to make it known that] homophobia is not okay. It’s not acceptable.” Hayes, an Illinois native, admitted that before coming to NYU, he never felt comfortable being open about his sexuality in a team environment. “I was petrified of coming out [being so involved in sports], but I received great feedback,” Hayes said. “Not everyone will have the same experience, but I think people will be pleasantly surprised. I always encourage [other LGBTQ kids] to come out. It’s not as bad as you think.” Because of Hayes’ efforts, assistant athletic director Peter Krasny instituted mandatory training sessions for athletic staff and coaches on how to combat homophobia in sports. “Every team is a safe zone and this entire building is a safe zone, and I love that message,” Hayes said. Hayes’s video premiered today on YouTube and other blogs across the internet. Sara Levy is a staff writer. Email her at sports@nyunews.com.
Rachel Kaplan/WSN
Jay Hayes has brought the It Gets Better project to NYU.