WSN041912

NYU’s Daily Student Newspaper

washington square news Vol. 40, No. 50

THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012

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—ISM gala explores social issues

Mayor advocates for gun control

Sexism, elitism and gender binarism were among the many topics presented by the Center for Multicultural Education & Programs’ 15th annual –ISM Gala in the Kimmel Center for University Life yesterday.

As part of Ally Week, the gala featured six creative exhibits consisting of art pieces and oral presentations. Each –ISM participant presented his or her project, which analyzed various “–isms” relating to race, culture, class, gender and other topics of social interaction.

CAS sophomore Ora Katz and CAS junior Nichole Latimer covered a mannequin with different advertisements that ranged from mainstream displays of body image to alternative advertisements of individuals for their project, Gender Binarism.

They also modified the originally

Mayor Michael Bloomberg has begun a national campaign against Stand Your Ground gun laws.

Also known as Shoot First laws, the legislation allows people to use life-threatening force as long as it is in self-defense.

It was first passed in Florida in 2005 and has passed in 26 states so far. New York, however, is not included in these states. Recently, the law has been cited in the shooting of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin last February.

Bloomberg, a long-time gun proponent, announced the launch of the campaign called Second Chance on Shoot First at a press conference in Washington, D.C., last Wednesday. The campaign wants to eradicate what Bloomberg called a “license to murder” by instituting reform of Shoot First laws in the 26 states.

By Emily Yang

R ISM continued on PG. 3

By Kristine Itliong

rachel kaplan/WSN

Sexton addresses student concerns at Town Hall

NYU President John Sexton responded to students’ inquiries at the last Town Hall meeting of the semester, which was held at the Center for Spiritual Life yesterday afternoon.

R STAND continued on PG. 3

STORY ON PAGE 3

‘Parks’ producer talks of season’s end

By Samantha Rullo NBC’s “Parks and Recreation” returns tonight with the first of its last four episodes of its fourth season. If writer and producer Dan Goor’s enthusiasm for the final stretch is any indication, fans are in for quite the finale.

Goor began his career writing for Jon Stewart on “The Daily Show” before writing for another comedy giant, Conan O’Brien. “[The Daily Show] was really a

Courtesy of NBC

“Parks and Rec” returns tonight.

workshop in how to find humor in current events, which is something we try to do in a slightly different way on our show,” Goor said of his first writing gig.

With O’Brien, Goor learned the importance of “letting really talented people do their jobs and bring their creativity to it.”

“Your vision is only improved by having people who are incredibly talented add their vision to it,” he added.

Such a practice has become essential to “Parks.” On a show filled with unique comedians like Amy Poehler, Aziz Ansari and Nick Offerman, there is room for improvisation from the original script.

“I really think we have one of the most talented casts ever,” Goor said. “They are all incredibly funny and incredibly smart ... we treasure their input.”

The actors’ input involves many jokes that don’t appear in the

show’s original scripts.

“A lot of really good jokes are improvised,” Goor said. “Usually if the scene is well-written, the improv is better. You know you wrote a bad scene when they do a fun-run and it’s meandering, bad improv. That’s because nobody knows what the scene is about.”

“Parks” has also had many notable guest stars, including Megan Mullaly, Louis C.K. and most recently, Paul Rudd, who Goor confirmed will return in the season’s final episodes.

“The last four shows are great,” he said. “It’s a really big, exciting finish.”

But the finale also holds some mystery. Three different endings were filmed, and the true finale will be revealed when it airs on May 10.

“I think people will really, really like the ending,” Goor said. “I think

R PARKS continued on PG. 5

Tisch junior named a top 10 woman of 2012

By Sydney Wu Among Glamour Magazine’s Top 10 College Women of 2012 is Tisch junior Déa Julien, who appeared as Rosalia in the national tour cast of “West Side Story.”

The other nine women come from universities around the country and won for diverse accomplishments from starting charities or companies to winning national championships in cycling.

Julien received a scholarship from Glamour, in addition to a feature in the magazine and on its website. Not only is Julien a triple threat in the theater as a singer, dancer and actor, she also speaks four languages — Spanish, French, Slovene and Croation — reads Latin and plays the piano.

At the age of 9, she began

her professional career when she performed at the Metropolitan Opera.

“I knew I wanted to be a performer before I could put a label on what kind of profession it was,” she said.

Long-time friend and mentor Lisa Gilbar, whom Julien interned with for years at the Actors’ 1-Stop company, described her as talented, loyal and passionate.

“Déa is one of the most dedicated people I know,” Gilbar said.

“And I know that quality combined with her talent will take her very far.”

Joanna Greer, associate artistic director of the youth theater group TADA that Julien has worked with, said Julien is unique and one-of-a-kind in every way.

R JULIEN continued on PG. 4

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Compiled by the

WSN staff

WEEKend AGENDA

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2 Washington Square News Editor-in-Chief amanda randone Managing Editor

jaewon kang Deputy Managing Editor

Amy zhang Assistant Managing Editor

james lanning Creative Director

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,

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BRIDGETTE DORAN

deputy staff

university eric benson, eliza-

beth maguire 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

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Thursday | 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Rubin Museum of Art | 150 W. 17th St.

Friday | 9 p.m. | Hammerstein Ballroom | 311 W. 34th St.

Saturday | 10 p.m. | Zanger Hall | 347 W. 34th St.

Sunday | 10 a.m. | The High Line | 529 W. 20th St.

This exhibit, which includes an interactive reading area, has the largest gathered collection of comics about Tibet.

This indie band, known for experimenting with traditional instruments, is a must-see.

Taking place a week after the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the famed ship, this party will be Titanic-themed, including full decor and chamber music.

The dress code is turn-of-century ball meets Mermaid Parade meets zombies.

As part of the High Line’s Earth Day festivities, artist Alison Knowles will create a giant salad as a piece of performance art in imitation of an original performance from 1962. The audience will eventually enjoy the finished product.

Shpongle Presents: The Masquerade

riley special issues kristina bogos multimedia james kelleher copy jordan melendrez social media agent nicole gartside

THIS WEEKEND

Hero, Villain, Yeti: Tibet in Comics

sports John axelrod, cole

The Drowned Ball

Make a Salad

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

Old lady Mary Jane

Oklahoma resident Darlene Mayes may look like a regular grandmother, but according to police she is one of the state’s largest drug kingpins. She was discovered when police found four pounds marijuana pot and $276,000 in bundles of cash in her home. She initially attributed the money to being part of her retirement fund. Police believe she had a network of drug dealers from Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas and Missouri and that she supplied up to 40 percent of the marijuana in that area.

— ABC News

Loyola University Chicago

PHOTO BY Brittany Elias

Kaitlyn O’Brien, MICHAEL RYAN, Melissa Ynegas

advising editorial adviser

keith leighty EDITORS-AT-LARGE

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For the Birds: Class looks at ways to reduce bird collisions

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.

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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.

— The Loyola Phoenix

Flowers bloom in Washington Square Park in front of the Kimmel Center for University Life.

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Sexton addresses student concerns at last Town Hall

ISM continued from PG. 1

NYU students display diversity and social justice through arts female mannequin so that half of its chest was flat.

“The goal … [is to show] how different identities might overlap and the difficulty of having these identities overlap,” Katz said.

Another project, created by Gallatin sophomore Danye Degen and CAS senior Lauren Sumida, entitled MisintepreNationism, was presented as a game in which audience members matched a person’s description to his or her picture. It revealed the relationship between American identity and ethnicity.

Akintoye Moses, a second year masters student in the Gallatin School of Individualized Study, rapped and sang his thoughts on events and media coverage, such as that of Martin, through his project, The PrISM that Redirects Light and Finds Freedom.

“I want to talk about that pain, and I want to talk about that fear of death and dying, but also that there’s a lot of hope,” he said. “This is the opportunity that I can share some of my most intimate thoughts.”

Moses, who presented two –ISM projects as an undergraduate student, said the event has changed immensely since it was hosted at the Violet Café in 2001.

According to CMEP program administrator Selima Jumarali, there are usually 8 to 12 projects for the gala. Because there were only six this year, they invited guest performers Body Ecology and Intikana, which they traditionally do not do.

Jumarali said the gala participants become more and more creative every year.

“I’ve always been really impressed with the content and passion of these

By Rita Solomon

Carina Wong/WSN

—ISM Gala presented topics in race, culture and class. students,” she said. “I’m elated to see how this is all coming together.”

According to Jumarali, interested applicants apply for an –ISM project in the fall semester. Throughout the year, they are paired with a faculty advisor who helps with their research and with CMEP staff, who support them logistically. They also receive some training and grant-based funding.

This was the first –ISM gala for attendee and CAS sophomore Alyssa Cosentino.

“I think that the projects seem very interesting,” she said. “At a school like NYU we take many disciplines and bring them together — like academia and art — and try to understand different social issues.”

Emily Yang is city/state editor.

Email her at eyang@nyunews.com.

NYU President John Sexton addressed several student concerns at the last Town Hall meeting of the semester yesterday. Topics included the termination of the employment of several Hayden resident assistants, the New York Police Department’s surveillance of Muslim students, entrepreneurship and the study abroad program.

When asked about the dismissed RAs, Sexton made it clear that it was a decision he would not compromise on.

“The RAs are responsible for upholding the university to higher standards,” Sexton said. “I’m counting on them not to break the rules.”

Though Sexton was not involved in the decision to fire the RAs, he said he was consulted about it.

Students also thanked Sexton for the way NYU handled the NYPD surveillance and asked about what the university was doing now.

“My primary goal is to provide a safety net for all students at NYU,” Sexton said.

“If anything was still going on, we would be able to take further measures to protect our students.”

But he reassured students that there is no reason to

NYU alum discusses importance of playtime during children’s development

By Claire Zajdel NYU alumna Doreen Miller, educational psychologist and a professor at Adelphi University, said she believes dependence on technology is harmful to the development of children.

Miller, who has been involved in childhood developmental education for 15 years, came to speak at The Power of Play yesterday. The Power of Play, a program under NYU Family Care, aims to promote integral and imaginative play.

She has gained knowledge about children’s mental development through experience and has kept herself informed about new research on play and development.

According to Miller, playing matters because it promotes emotional control, self-regulation and nurturing relationships. Imaginative play inspires empathy and storytelling skills as well as social competence, she said. Children also learn negotiation, compromise and personal connections through playing while they experience

detachment by spending excessive time in front of screens.

Miller added that personal connections are the key components of children’s early development. She stressed that without an emphasis on play, they will be deprived of crucial skills needed in life.

“The most important thing for a developing child is to have a strong relationship with their parents,” Miller said. “They need to be a part of a relationship where they are loved, valued and cherished with a parent that makes them feel psychologically and emotionally safe.”

Jennifer Astuto, assistant director at Child & Family Policy Center, said though she is unfamiliar with Miller’s research, she believes Miller is addressing an emerging reality in early childhood settings.

“Because there is limited systematic empirical data regarding the use of play ... in early childhood settings, it’s difficult to understand what works best, for whom, and in what contexts,” Astuto said.

“In fact, the right to play is something all children are

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born with and threats to that should be uplifted as Ms. Miller did in her talk today.”

Lizzy McGlynn, a Brooklyn resident and an attendee, is an expecting mother who has been going to parenting and child development programs.

“My husband and I are broadening our knowledge of child development and parenting so that we can collaboratively make decisions once we have our child,” McGlynn said.

“That’s why we attend talks like these, to work on developing an increased understanding of parent-child relationships.”

Els Eerdekens, a Manhattan resident and a mother of two toddlers, said she likes to remain actively involved in her children’s development.

“I think it’s important that they can develop their own kind of play without interruption,” Eerdekens said. “It’s important that my children learn to play and get along with other children.”

Claire Zajdel is a staff writer. Email her at university@nyunews.com.

fear surveillance on campus and urged students to trust his judgment.

Vivek Patel, a Stern junior and president of the NYU Tech club, asked what the university was doing to foster student entrepreneurship.

Sexton cited the decision to integrate the Polytechnic Institute of NYU and the creation of the Center for Urban Science & Progress as proof of innovation.

But Patel said this was a relatively predictable answer.

“Sexton still needs to address several issues regarding better connection between students and administration and the barrier between students in different schools,” Patel said.

Sexton also responded to questions regarding other issues, like the expansion plan and the naming of a law institute after controversial trustee Daniel Straus.

When asked about the globalization program, Sexton provided several specific examples.

“When students study abroad, we want to provide high quality experience instead of academic tourism,” he said.

Sexton said the university has plans to open sites in India, Brazil and Africa in the

next five years. He further noted that NYU has paved the way for other universities with its global program.

“I took a trip to Antarctica two years ago, and they thought I was going to open a study abroad site there,” Sexton said.

As the last Town Hall of the semester, attendees noticed a more positive atmosphere during discussions.

“The atmosphere was more smooth and laid back, so [students] could listen to President Sexton’s answers,” CAS sophomore Allison Everett said. “Compared to the last Town Hall event hijacked by Occupy Wall Street, we learned a lot this time.”

Rita Solomon is a staff writer. Email her at university@nyunews.com.

RACHEL KAPLAN/WSN

John Sexton responded to students’ inquiries yesterday.

STAND continued from PG. 1

Bloomberg launches national campaign to promote gun control According to the campaign, these states have seen substantial increases in homicide statistics — for example, a 200 percent rise in Florida.

The movement plans to contact state legislators of these regions to request them to speak up against the laws and raise awareness through an online petition, model legislation and educational materials.

“The laws are not the kind of laws that a civilized society should have,” Bloomberg said at the press conference. “This is just giving people a license to murder.”

Joined in support by leaders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, National Urban League and other organizations, Bloomberg aims to ensure that self-defense laws cannot be used as a buffer against charges of extreme vigilante activism, domestic violence and drug cases in an effort to make the nation safer.

“If a person shoots someone, you can’t let that person off the hook and assume they had a

reason to kill someone,” Alexander Hasapidis, an LSP freshman and New York City resident, said. “In the city, there is going to be crime. People should defend themselves. But with selfdefense laws, you end up with a ton of shootings that people claim were in self-defense.”

Whether such a campaign is in the best interest of citizens, however, is still in question.

Tom King, president of the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, said he thinks Stand Your Ground laws are an important part of civil rights.

“There’s nothing that says you have to have a gun,” King said. “That is your prerogative.

But you have the right to a gun, a right that should not be infringed. Gun or no gun, you must be sure to protect yourself.”

He added that lawful citizens should protect themselves.

“The police may very well not be able to respond in time,” he said.

Kristine Itliong is a deputy city/state editor.

Email her at kitliong@nyunews.com.

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Washington Square news | THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012 | nyunews.com

features

edited by jessIca littman features@nyunews.com

NYU club receives Reynolds grant

By Sydney Wu Although slavery was abolished in the United States over a century ago, it is still very much present in the world today.

NYU’s Against Child Trafficking club was awarded on April 5 the Reynolds grant of up to $10,000 through the Reynolds Changemaker Challenge. As part of the Reynolds Program for Social Entrepreneurship, the grant encourages students to draft proposals for studentled ventures that will create a positive impact on society.

Seven core officers and members of ACT — Lauren Kalogridis, Cordelia Brady, Becca Park, Sachiko Pettit, Bailey Theado, Sasha Weinert and Danielle Eagan — submitted a proposal to Reynolds to launch what would become known as the Youth Take Charge initiative.

The YTC project is designed to get high school students more involved and mobilized in human trafficking issues.

“The Against Child Trafficking club was founded in 2007 with the purpose of starting a dialogue on the NYU campus about human trafficking to better inform students and the

community on this complex humans rights issue,” said Kalogridis, a junior in the Silver School of Social Work.

The ACT club hosts several large-scale events within the NYU and New York City communities throughout the year.

“This past October, we also had the honor of hosting acclaimed humanitarian and former sex slave Somaly Mam on the NYU campus where she spoke to an audience of over 400 students and community members,” Kalogridis said.

ACT is dedicated in their mission to educate others about human trafficking events going on throughout the world, including the United States, and to bring forth the horror stories of human trafficking survivors. The goal is to make people aware of the atrocity that is happening in this very country.

“Trafficking takes a variety of forms, whether it be sex trafficking or more commonly, labor trafficking and migrant work,” Gallatin junior and club member Becca Park said. “I realized there are millions of voices of modern-day slaves that are falling through the cracks of the press and the public.”

Steinhardt junior and club member Sachiko Pettit said she was shocked to learn that slavery through human trafficking was such a big issue in the United States.

“Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, I was shocked to learn that human trafficking not only existed, but that it happens everywhere, including my hometown,” she said.

LSP freshman Sasha Weinert joined the club because she thought she had to do something about this issue.

“It is daunting to make a quantifiable impact on your own, but I do not feel discouraged by this,” Weinert said.

“My involvement in [ACT and YTC] has helped me turn the difficulty of the issue into the strength to take action.”

With the money from the Reynolds Grant for the YTC venture, ACT plans to teach hourlong seminars in high school classrooms to give students comprehensive knowledge so they, too, can become activists against human trafficking.

Sydney Wu is a staff writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com.

Grey Art Gallery takes step back in time

By Rachel Sanderson In an era defined by iPhones and Facebook, taking a step back in time can be a refreshing escape from the current technologically savvy world. NYU’s Grey Art Gallery is helping students and the community travel back in time with its recently opened exhibition, Storied Past: Four Centuries of French Drawings from the Blanton Museum of Art, along with French art from NYU’s Collection.

Storied Past offers a look at French drawings and their perspective on powerful narratives during the 16th through the 19th centuries. From the Blanton Museum of Art at The University of Texas at Austin, the exhibition features more than 50 drawings marked by their abundance of historical, mythological and biblical elements.

Grey Art Gallery director Lynn Gumpert said she put much thought into the topic for this exhibit.

“We try to exhibit a wide array of topics and as many subjects as possible,” she said. “We like to show historical and not just contemporary art, so this was a great chance to show 16th century work.”

In contrast to previous abstract exhibitions featured at the Grey Art Gallery, Storied Past provides a look at the inti-

Wendi Liu for WSN

Storied Past provides viewers an inside look at French culture. mate and sometimes forgotten or ignored art form of drawing.

“I think [visitors] are going to be fascinated,” Gumpert said of the drawings. “One, they’re exquisite. They’re just really beautiful. Two, they are very intimate. I think as we become more and more savvy and turn to electronic media for images — when you see an original work of art, you, or I at least — find it really seductive.”

John Torreano, clinical professor of Studio Art at the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development, said he was impressed by the drawings.

“For some of them, I don’t know how they did it,” he said.

“I always like drawing because

you get the physical, empathic connection to the artist.”

To enhance the exhibition, Gumpert selected works from NYU’s own art collection.

“What we’ve done, and what I think NYU students are going to find of particular interest is the fact that in addition to the four centuries of French drawings, we’ve pulled out about 50 works from the NYU art collection,” Gumpert said.

The exhibit opened Tuesday and will run through July 14 at the Grey Art Gallery, located at 100 Washington Square East. Admission is free for NYU students, faculty and staff.

Rachel Sanderson is a staff writer.

Email her at features@nyunews.com.

JULIEN continued from PG. 1

Tisch junior earns scholarship from Glamour Magazine “She’s a triple threat, sophisticated and extremely intelligent,” Greer said. “She is one of the classiest actors I’ve worked with on and off the stage.”

Julien said she was glad to be able to portray a character different from herself when she took on the role of Rosalia in “West Side Story.”

“She’s a super ditzy kind of headin-the-clouds, young, naïve, giggly girl,” Julien said.

But what Julien enjoyed most was the ability to sing, dance and act on stage, which allowed her to express herself through three different forms of performance.

“I love the feeling you get when you’re acting when you’re on stage or in front of the camera,” Julien said. “It’s the way I feel like I can express myself to the world so I feel very lucky.”

Julien, who is now back at NYU, makes every effort to put her schooling first, scheduling auditions and trying to plan rehearsals around her education.

“My ideal situation would be to find a job where I could still stay in school,” she said.

Julien also offered words of

wisdom to other aspiring actors and actresses.

“Do as much of what you love as you possibly can,” she said. “Be as well trained as you can so that you can be prepared for whatever opportunity comes your way. I feel like the business is talent and preparation meets opportunity. As long as you’re confident and believe in yourself, when that moment comes, you can grab it.”

Sydney Wu is a staff writer.

Email her at features@nyunews.com.

Courtesy of Déa Julien

Déa Julien performed as Rosalina in “West Side Story.”

nyunews.com | THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012 | Washington Square news

ARTS

edited by JONATHON DORNBUSH ARTS@nyunews.com

‘All My Friends Are Still Dead’ entertains with dark humor

By Clio McConnell If ever there has been a book to define the term “morbid humor,” Avery Monsen and Jory John have already written (and illustrated) two of them. The duo published “All My Friends Are Dead” in 2010, and this March they produced its sequel, “All My Friends Are Still Dead.”

These hilarious childrenbooks-for-adults are simple and to the point. The point is that, someday, all of our friends will die. Monsen and John convey this message through dark humor, preventing readers from eliciting depression through these tiny tomes.

In “All My Friends Are Dead,” a dinosaur and a dodo fulfill the book’s title as the last of their species. After these introductory pages, the book achieves its impressive level of quirkiness by introducing many objects experiencing friend issues. Among the distraught are a tree whose friends are all end tables, a sock whose only friend is missing and a pirate whose friend suffers scurvy.

The second installment of the series, “All My Friends Are Still Dead,” continues in the same vein. The beautiful, simple pictures drawn by Monsen are yet again accompanied by morbid, existential captions that will have readers frequently snickering.

The dinosaur and dodo bird return because their friends are still dead. New characters include a lottery ticket surrounded by losers and a horse whose friends are all glue.

These colorful, kooky books read like condensed companions to a Bryan Fuller creation — if “Pushing Daisies” were made into a series of small books, Monsen and John have flawlessly captured endearing yet dark humor. “All My Friends Are Still Dead” also reminds readers of Tim Burton though the characters here are not nearly so elaborate as Burton’s often are.

But the beauty lies in the book’s simplicity. With one

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drawing per page, accompanied by approximately 15 words each, Monsen and John are not aiming to write the next great American novel.

Rather, they have created something actually novel, and they have done so with an entertaining twist.

With clean, sparse, comic-striplike illustrations and just the right number of puns, “All My Friends Are Still Dead” epitomizes creative, tongue-in-cheek humor.

Both it and its predecessor are worthy additions to a bookshelf or coffee table collection.

Clio McConnell is theater/books editor. Email her at cmcconnell@nyunews.com.

via nomorefriends.net

Avery Monsen and Jory John explore death with a humorous twist.

Tisch students present Shakespeare as envisioned

By Chris Feldsine In contrast to a more conventional production, NYU’s Shakespeare in the Square elects to “perform Shakespeare as Shakespeare intended — under the sun and in front of a loud, standing, possibly distracted audience.”

It can hardly be disputed that Washington Square Park provides such an atmosphere.

Founded by Tisch sophomores Dan Hesse and Rose Bochner in 2010, Shakespeare in the Square is a studentrun organization that stages the plays of William Shakespeare twice a year in Washington Square Park. Following its successful production of “Macbeth” this past fall, the company will begin “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” this coming weekend.

Though inspired by the original performances of Shakespeare’s work, the group employs a modern spin.

Its productions place a particular emphasis on interactivity. When the cast needs an extra actor, a viewer is simply pulled from the audience. In the event of a soliloquy, the actor focuses upon a single viewer. If soldiers are required for a fight, several audience members are enlisted to battle.

Any barrier between stage and audience is dissolved. To this end, Hesse and Bochner said they expect their actors to establish a sense of camaraderie with their audience by being amiable and affable.

The park can naturally present concerns not typically encountered at a standard venue. The difficulties of outdoor acoustics, interference by other

public entertainers — such as a street artist who set up shop in the center of their stage — and the unknown quantity of the troupe’s audience all threaten to derail the show. By performing in the park, the cast effectively subjects themselves to the elements, making its success all the more impressive.

Though it can be frustrating, Hesse and Bochner have nevertheless immensely enjoyed their experiences. Both believe that their work has enabled them to develop a greater understanding and appreciation for Shakespeare.

“I was still learning things about ‘Twelfth Night’ while we were practicing,” Hesse said.

Bochner said she believes Shakespeare in the Square will be her lasting contribution to the NYU community.

“This is my undergraduate experience,” she said.

If Shakespeare in the Square’s earlier productions provide any indication, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” will only continue to improve the group’s burgeoning reputation as one that provides a unique theater experience.

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” will be performed in Washington Square Park on Saturday, April 21 at 2 and 5 p.m. and on Sunday, April 22 at 3 p.m.

The event is free to the general public. Auditions for Shakespeare in the Square’s next production, “Henry V,” will be conducted on April 26, 28 and 29. Inquiries regarding either production should be directed to shakespeareinthesquare@gmail.com.

Chris Feldsine is a contributing writer.

Email him at theater@nyunews.com.

Great acting cannot save trite vampire film, ‘The Moth Diaries’

By Jeremy Grossman

If a new classmate looks like a vampire, talks like a vampire and acts like a vampire, he or she is probably a vampire. That idea is the belabored concept behind director Mary Harron’s (“American Psycho”) newest film, “The Moth Diaries.”

Thankfully, “Moth” shies away from the romantic gush that has become so drearily associated with modern vampire stories. Instead, “Moth” focuses on Rebecca (Sarah Bolger), a student at an all-girls boarding school who becomes suspicious of new student Ernessa (Lily Cole). If the name “Ernessa” is not enough of a clue

for nefarious happenings, perhaps the rising body count should be as classmates begin to die in ways mysterious only to characters in a horror film.

While Bolger delivers a strong performance of distraught and while Cole is equally impressive in her eerie role, the plot is so uninspired that the film is otherwise a dud. The actresses astound in making the most out of how little they are given — Cole treats her character like an actual human while the story expects her simply to look good standing in dark passageways.

The supporting cast is great. Sarah Gordon is tragic yet likable as a

nice girl who falls victim to Ernessa’s evil spell. Scott Speedman, the film’s biggest name, is perfectly sleazy as an English teacher who involves himself a little too much with his students.

Because “Moth” falls apart in every other regard, it is disappointing that it presents itself as something more. The film wants to be a young woman’s story of self-realization in the vein of “The Virgin Suicides” or “Rosemary’s Baby,” but it barely scratches the surface of such profound themes. When the audience is not treated to scenes of characters being murdered, they are overwhelmed with repetitive sequences of Sarah thinking and whining

about how off something is about Ernessa. Even after a scene where Ernessa walks through a wall, viewers are forced to watch as Sarah ponders, but never actually acts upon, the fact that Ernessa may be a vampire.

Perhaps that would be acceptable for a made-for-TV film, but “Moth” is a beautiful, well-acted film that has no excuse for failing to accomplish something more. Yet, at the very least, it is not about a girl who has to choose between two beautiful, supernatural men.

Jeremy Grossman is entertainment editor. Email him at jgrossman@nyunews.com.

Courtesy of IFC

Lily Cole gives a strong performance in “The Moth Diaries.”

PARKS continued from PG. 1

‘Parks’ producer Dan Goor reminisces about career people want to think that they want to know the ending beforehand, but I don’t think anybody really wants to know what happens.”

Though he could not reveal specific details of the finale, Goor joked, “Leslie decides to go to NYU for grad school,” before explaining why he has enjoyed his time with “Parks.”

“We try to make a show that we really like, that really

makes us laugh and that we think is smart and funny,” Goor said.

Since the past finales of “Parks” have achieved those goals with ease, fans are likely in for a fantastic end to an already hilarious season.

Samantha Rullo is a staff writer.

Email her at entertainment@nyunews.com.

The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation

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Edited by Will Shortz Across 1 Hit 1942 film with the song “Love Is a Song” 6 Pack (down) 10 Maybe too smooth 14 Starter of a 58Down 15 Many a cut, eventually 16 Page, e.g.

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nyunews.com | THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012 | Washington Square news

7

OPINION

edited by olivia gonzalez opinion@nyunews.com

Gender equality

Women’s rights not debatable

By Maria Michalos Gender-equality in the United States has taken a step backward.

Our nation, despite necessitating a revamping of our position on the rights of women, has communicated its unwillingness to treat gender disparity as a pivotal issue.

But thousands of women have taken to the halls of Congress, reverberating their staunch refusal to be bystanders in a debate that should echo, perhaps exclusively, their own voices. This is not a debate about religion or morality — and most definitely not about the federal budget — it is about an arbitrary, assault on the basic constitutional rights women won in the landmark cases, Griswold v. Connecticut and Roe v. Wade.

The gender gap between supporters of President Barack Obama and the supporters of Republican presidential candidates continues to widen. A recent Gallup Poll indicates women’s support for President Obama has risen to 60 percent while support for GOP frontrunner Mitt Romney has dwindled to 30 percent. A faction of the Republican base has propelled us into this alarming state, in which

health necessities have come under siege. The ideological boundaries dividing Republicans and Democrats exists at the heart of the culture war pervading our national agenda.

Women need to have options to live successful lives. Access to health care education, pap tests, breast exams, HIV testing and contraception are simply human rights. Under the umbrella of human rights exists the 1994 Violence Against Women Act, a law that has consistently been renewed with unanimous support. As women’s rights continue to be obstructed, it is not surprising that Senate Republicans have opposed the renewal of the 1994 Violence Against Women Act. All the while, a woman is assaulted or beaten every nine seconds.

Opposing the flagship of the government’s effort to combat domestic violence and sexual assault exemplifies the GOP’s commitment to undermining the equality women have struggled to preserve for decades. Protecting women against violence cannot be treated as a partisan issue. Women’s rights are not about politics, but the congressional

representatives have proclaimed their readiness to eliminate Title X Family Planning program. Similarly disturbing, abolishing the fundamental program that offers family planning for low-income women is a measure we cannot afford. More women will die for lack of early screening and the burden on social services is only bound to increase further.

The argument against women’s basic rights — the belief that the government has no responsibility to provide contraception — will continue to permeate the discourse on this topic. It will, perhaps ironically, revive women. The opposition to their rights will challenge them to vocalize their resistance as all pioneers of women’s rights have previously done.

The greatest influences on policy change have fought valiantly to oppose the status quo, to shake things up peacefully and equitably. They have, above all else, examined the human conscious. It is important that our policy makers do the same.

Maria Michalos is a staff columnist. Email her at opinion@nyunews.com.

letter

Letter to the Editor: Marc Wais Resident assistants play a vital role in the residential life of our undergraduates. Even as we were responding to the issues that arose at Hayden residence hall, we moved quickly to maintain services provided by resident assistants to the students in the dorm. That is why we respectfully disagree with the editorial that appeared in the Washington Square News (“Terminated RAs leave unguided residents,” April 16).

Contrary to the editorial, the university does have contingency plans for situations like these, ensuring that students receive the important

services they expect and deserve, especially at the end of semester.

In this case, we will be relocating four resident assistants as well as a graduate student staff member to Hayden Hall to provide the staff presence that we believe is needed at the current time. We have also provided for nighttime Resource Center coverage so there will always be a visible staff presence on the floors. These moves will ensure that there will be appropriate staffing at Hayden at all times.

In addition, Faculty Affiliates, Faculty Fellows in Residence and the Hall Council of-

fered additional programs this past weekend and will be doing so for the remaining three weeks that programs are offered.

Our role at the Division of Student Affairs is to enhance the quality of life of our students both in and outside the classroom. We believe the actions we have taken are consistent with that mission and that these measures will provide effective coverage and personal support to Hayden students through the end of the semester.

— Marc Wais Vice President for Student Affairs

staff editorial

Fair Sentencing Act reveals racial profiling

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court took a crack at whether the sentencing guidelines Congress passed in the August 2010 Fair Sentencing Act should be applied retroactively.

The two plaintiffs, Corey Hill and Edward Dorsey, were arrested and convicted for possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute before the FSA took effect but were sentenced after its enactment.

The FSA rectified the discriminatory effects of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986, which was passed in the middle of America’s crack epidemic on the misperception that crack cocaine was more addictive than powder cocaine. The FSA eliminated the five-year mandatory minimum sentence for possession of crack.

It also changed the weight ratio of crack cocaine and powder cocaine sentences from 100 to 1 ­— under which carrying 10 grams of crack cocaine and carrying a kilogram of powder cocaine both triggered 10year sentence — to 18 to 1.

Although 79 percent of sentenced crack offenders were black, only 28 percent of powder cocaine offenders — for whom sentences were more lenient — were black. Therefore, blacks were incarcerated disproportionately. Dorsey and Hill were convicted under these nonrepudiated laws.

We believe that Dorsey and Hill, due to unfortunate circumstances, fell through the cracks of changing times. Because the FSA was not explicitly retroactive, the plaintiffs should be sentenced under the old, albeit draconian, guidelines. Legal provisions require our representatives to provide language stating whether they want a law to be

applied retroactively. In the FSA, lawmakers did not do so.

But some feel that the ADAA provisions constitute cruel and unusual punishment because of their inordinately long sentence minimums, and therefore, as abridgments of constitutional rights, the original sentences should not be enforced. While clearly discriminatory, we believe the ADAA had a rational basis and that sentences resulting from the bill do not pass cruel or unusual muster. Because crack cocaine remains cheaper than powder cocaine — and both are 85 percent less expensive than they were 20 years ago — crack is more likely to be consumed in large quantities. Crack’s cheaper price and more intense high also appeal to the young and poor, rightfully earning crack a greater association with violent crime and devastating social costs.

Were the FSA and ADAA to be chronologically reversed, we would find it unconscionable for us to lengthen felons’ prison terms on account of laws that did not exist at the time of the committed crimes. We follow laws with the understanding that all will be punished according to the laws they break, not that the punishments will be reduced or enhanced on judicial whims in conflict with the expressed will of the people. Recognizing the FSA’s omission of retroactive application and not applying new laws to old crimes would be the mark of judicial restraint.

In this case, neither the continued racial bias of the FSA, evidenced by its 18 to 1 ratio, nor America’s foolhardy War on Drugs and persecution of nonviolent, low-level drug crimes is on trial. These issues merit deliberation in the court of public opinion, but the Supreme Court must limit itself to the letter of the law. The sentencing for crimes that occurred years prior to a solely proactive bill’s passage should not be affected by that bills passage.

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 | THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012 | nyunews.com

SPORTs

edited by daniel hinton sports@nyunews.com

Violets sweep match for second consecutive win on home court

By Daniel Hinton

In the second of back-to-back home competitions, NYU men’s tennis won all nine matches versus Manhattanville College, snapping the Valiants’ three-game win streak. NYU has swept a team match twice this season, first against St. Lawrence University on March 30 and again last night against the Manhattanville Valiants.

The Violets are now 7-5 after earning their sixth victory in eight competitions.

“We had a few early bumps but have really bounced back in the last month,” said junior captain Connor Witty, who received the University Athletic Association Athlete of the Week award on Monday for the first time this season and for the second time in his career.

“I think, as a team, we’ve shown a lot more cohesion, and that’s one of the reasons we’ve met with such success lately,” Witty said.

NYU started hot by sweeping doubles. In the first doubles matchup, freshmen Ting Yee Lai and William Smithline won 9-7. Lai and Smithline are now 5-4 as a pair in doubles.

“I feel my first season as a NYU tennis player has been very rewarding, and I have gained a lot of valuable experience,” Lai said. “We can be proud of our record thus far.”

The last two doubles matches were more lopsided, as sophomores Steven Wu and Daniel Kil won 8-1 and sophomore Bowen Xu and freshman CJ Leong continued the perfect night with a 8-2 victory.

The Violets dominated singles competition as well.

Smithline, Leong, Xu, Steven and sophomores Tim

Wu and Karamveer Dhillon only dropped eight games among them. In his second singles victory of the season, Xu won both sets 6-0.

Only two matches remain until the UAA Championship at Sanlando Park in Orlando, Fla. The Violets will travel upstate to Ithaca College on Saturday, April 21.

While Ithaca is coming off a win against St. John Fisher College, NYU will look to achieve its longest win streak of the season. The first set of the day will begin at 12 p.m.

Additional reporting by Sebastien Van Heyningen. Daniel Hinton is sports editor. Email them at sports@nyunews.com.

Courtesy of NYU Athletics

William Smithline won in doubles and singles.

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