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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS Vol. 42, No. 46

MONDAY, APRIL 28, 2014

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Petitions circulate after flyer scandal

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By KAVISH HARJAI

SHAWN PAIK/WSN

Freshman’s nonprofit provides books to kids The Bring on the Books Foundation aims to give literary opportunities to children nationwide. STORY on PG. 4

FELIPE DE LA HOZ/WSN

Students from around the city gathered to discuss Asian-American culture “Roots” was the theme at the eighth annual New York City Asian American Students Conference, where attendees explored topics such as feminism, LGBTQ rights, religion and music. TIFFANY LIU FOR WSN

Flea markets around city offer deals Re-opening as the weather gets warmer, flea markets provide food and shopping for the spring. STORY on PG. 5

The flyer controversy has become a point of contention across campus following false reports. STORY on PG. 7

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STORY ON PAGE 3

Advertising campaign Journalism prof awarded launches on campus Pulitzer Prize for book By BENNY SEDA GALARZA

Protest mishandles serious conflict

Both the NYU chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine and TorchPAC, a Jewish student organization, created petitions on change.org regarding their positions on the recent flyer controversy. On April 24, members of NYU SJP delivered approximately 2,000 flyers resembling eviction notices to thousands of residents in Palladium and Lafayette residence halls. NYU SJP created their petition in response to CAS sophomore and vice president of TorchPAC Laura Adkins, who wrote a piece in The Times of Israel accusing NYU SJP of targeting Jewish students, which was then picked up by mainstream national media outlets. The petition is titled “Stand in Solidarity with NYU SJP” and is directed toward the NYU community and community at large. “Accusations leveled against SJP claimed that the action targeted Jewish students; this is erroneous and no objective evidence has been

Stern students attracted a crowd when they brought Google to campus in an interactive event at Schwartz Plaza. The business students were a part of a group known as 44Four Group. The group hosted the event on April 22 as part of an advertising campaign for Google known as Life, Uninterrupted. The team was advised by Stern professor Jacob Jacoby as part of the Advertising Management class. Jacoby has won accolades for his work in researching consumer behavior. In January, Google hired the group to increase awareness of

its office editor programs. The group has focused on promoting Google Docs. Stern junior Anne Chang, account executive of the 44Four Group’s initiative, said the ad campaign required many steps. “We split the class into multiple departments, including research, creative, digital, PR, events and accounting to handle different parts of the campaign,” Chang said. “The creative team came up with our slogan: Life, Uninterrupted.” The idea formed from the desire to remove interruptions from users’ lives, showing that Google Docs are easy to use and

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By SAM DEL ROWE

Seven years of researching, investigating and writing have paid off for NYU professor Dan Fagin, who was recently awarded a Pulitzer Prize for his latest book. Fagin, journalism professor and director of the Science, Health and Environmental Reporting program, is the winner of the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction for his latest book, “Toms River: A Story of Science and Salvation.” “Toms River” discusses industrial chemical pollution and subsequent cases of cancer in Toms River, N.J. Fagin first became interested

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Dan Fagin won the Pulitzer for his book “Toms River.” in the topic when he was a reporter for Newsday, where he often wrote about cancer patterns. “This is a topic that is very

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Exposure When I lived in the Dominican Republic I had moldy bread with ketchup for dinner and no access to hot running water. You hear about poverty but it is pretty hard to understand it exists outside of photographs until you actually live in it.

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SNAPSHOT: FUTURE

TODAY ON CAMPUS #WOMENIMPACT The Women in Philanthropy Summit will showcase female leaders who are changing the fields of philanthropy and social entrepreneurship. The event will be held in the Eisner and Lubin Auditorium of the Kimmel Center for University Life from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

JILLIAN BRANCHAUD SALES ASSOCIATES

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Ensemble The NYU Contemporary Music Ensemble will premiere the work of six NYU composers. The performance will take place in the Frederick Loewe Theatre at 7:30 p.m.

Commuter Appreciation

Gardens by the Bay is an indoor garden in Singapore that resembles a futuristic world.

Commuter Appreciation Week kicks off with a scavenger hunt that will run until May 3. Winners will be announced next Monday. There will also be a carnival in the Commuter Lounge today from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

PHOTO BY STEFANIE CHAN

TODAY’S EVENTS ARE FREE FOR NYU STUDENTS.

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

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HANQING CHEN, JONATHON DORNBUSH, RACHEL KAPLAN, JORDAN MELENDREZ, JONATHAN TAN

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 Michael Domanico at managing@nyunews.com or at 212.998.4302.

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NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, APRIL 28, 2014 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS

THE GAZELLE: NYUAD HOLDS BIIAH CONFERENCE ON ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION Published on TheGazelle.org on April 26, 2014

By JULIA SAUBIER On April 26, environmental enthusiasts gathered at the Downtown Campus for Biiah 2014, a one-day event hosted by NYU Abu Dhabi’s environmental advocacy Student Interest Group, Ecoherence. Biiah, Arabic for environment, is the first climate change youth conference in the UAE. Biiah was created to be “the kickoff to a burgeoning environmental movement in the county, bringing together students, community members and experts in the region to start a grassroots environmental movement.” After a series of icebreakers, Biiah 2014 began with a presentation by members of the organizing team, followed by a keynote presentation by Robert Bradley, Senior Advisor of the Directorate of Energy & Climate Change at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “We address climate change specifically, but we want to look at the issue from the holistic approach. For that reason we have speakers who talk about art and climate change, youth activism, national policy and environmental law. We hope that their diverse experiences will start a cross-sectional approach to addressing climate change,” said sophomore Louis Plottel, one of the three members on the core organizing team.

This holistic approach to addressing environmental issues was apparent in the selection of panelists which included, David Holland, professor of Mathematics and AtmosphereOcean Science and principal investigator of the Center for Global Sea-Level Change; Una Chaudhuri, professor of English, Drama and Environmental Studies; Simran Vedvyas, youth activist, chairperson and founder of SynergYouth; Shakeel Hussain Kazmi, professor of International Environmental Law and policy advisor to the Pakistani Ministry of Climate Change and the Green Climate Fund. The panel discussion preluded a keynote speech by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Abdul Aziz al Nuaimi, also known as the Green Sheikh, Official Environmental Advisor to the Ajman Government. The talks were designed to be educational and informative. “The team hopes to be able to bring awareness to people about the environment, especially to the youth in the UAE, for it is only if people are knowledgeable can real change in the environment happen,” remarked freshman Patrick Wee, participant relations director. After the keynote speeches and panel discussions, the participants partook in two workshops hosted by guests, NYUAD faculty and affiliated faculty. Workshop

City college students explore culture of Asian-Americans By ANN SCHMIDT

MEGAN ELOISE/THE GAZELLE

The youth conference was the first on climate change in the UAE. topics were also aimed to promote a multi-faceted approach to climate change. Some examples were “The Responsible Partnership — Why Caring For The Environment Is Everyone’s Business” and “Scientific Evidence of Climate Change and Implications.” “We hope to use the ideas we hear today to build a network of young people that are passionate about environmental issues,” said Plottel. “Our ultimate goal is to be able to send a delegation to the [21st Conference of Parties] in Paris, where a new climate agreement will be written. To do this we need to build a strong coalition of passionate youth that are willing to take this local knowledge to an international scale,” said Plottel. Julia Saubier is a staff writer at The Gazelle. Email her at news@thegazelle.org.

Over 500 New York City students united over the weekend to appreciate Asian-American culture. The eighth annual New York City Asian American Students Conference was held in the Kimmel Center for University Life on April 26. Around 50 student representatives from NYU, Columbia University, Barnard College, Hunter College, SUNY Albany, Baruch College and Fordham University organized the event. The theme of the conference was “roots.” After the opening remarks, breakout groups and workshops were held to discuss topics such as feminism, religion, LGBTQ rights and music in AsianAmerican culture. Gallatin junior and a director of NYCAASC Samantha Seid said the discussions focused on learning from the past experiences of Asian-Americans. “This year’s conference is designed to remind attendees of our roots through examining our past and current struggles in order to prepare ourselves as students, organizers and budding activists to educate and promote further community action in ways that are meaningful to ourselves and to others,” Seid said. CAS senior Wennie Chin helped organize a workshop, held a panel on Asian-American political participation and facilitated a breakout discussion on

Asian-American identity. “I thought the event was phenomenal,” Chin said. “We received a lot of positive feedback and many attendees expressed their appreciation for having a space to discuss [Asian/Pacific/ Americans] issues.” At the end of the conference, several local artists competed in the NYCAASC talent show, which was followed by a performance by Asian-American rapper MC Jin, the first Asian-American rapper to sign with a major record label. During his performance, he allowed the audience to join him onstage. Chin said MC Jin’s performance was her favorite part of the conference. “I grew up in Brooklyn and his music was very influential,” Chin said. “His songs made me proud to be Asian despite coming from a homogeneously black community.” Stern freshman Yaxin Liu was also on the events committee and said the event was insightful and covered issues that she had not considered before. “I think the event turned out really well in terms of quality,” Liu said. “I am a bit disappointed about the turnout, because it was lower than anticipated, and we had a really great conference that people missed out on.” Ann Schmidt is a news editor. Email her at aschmidt@nyunews.com.

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SJP, TorchPAC create petitions in response to fake eviction notice in residence halls

cited to support these allegations,” the petition reads. NYU SJP said the dorms that were chosen were selected because of their sizes. “These dorms were chosen because they are two of the largest dorms on campus and were the most accessible for all our members,” an email statement from SJP said. Additionally, NYU SJP noted that the flyer distributors were from a range of backgrounds, including several who were Jewish. CAS junior Ellis Garey was one of the Jewish students who distributed the flyers with NYU SJP. “There is no reason for a Jewish student to be any less inclined to support human rights and equality than a non-Jewish student,” Garey said. “I support the rights of Palestinians because I am committed to these rights.” TorchPAC created a petition, “Hold NYU’s Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) Accountable for Incitement on Campus,” the next day. The petition is directed to NYU President John Sexton. “We ask that the University administration take firm action against Students for Justice in Pal-

estine for violating university policy and engaging in hate speech so that we can ensure that our campus remains safe for all students and that no minority group feels unwelcome,” the petition reads. As of press time, the SJP petition garnered 843 signatures and the TorchPAC petition garnered 336. NYU spokesman John Beckman said the manner in which the flyers were distributed is not consistent with the university’s tradition of professional discourse. “A flyer titled ‘eviction notice’ anonymously slipped under doors at night is not an invitation to thoughtful, open discussion,” Beckman said. “It is disappointingly inconsistent with standards we expect to prevail in a scholarly community.” Beckman said the Residence Hall and Life Administration will be looking into the incident and taking further action after the investigation concludes. CAS senior George Georgiadis signed NYU SJP’s petition. “Absolutely nothing should happen to SJP,” Georgiadis said. “What they did was a clever direct action that got the whole campus talking. It was an enlight-

FELIPE DE LA HOZ/WSN

Palladium and Lafayette residents received flyers on Thursday. ening way to engage in dialogue.” Adkins said people should focus on the content of the flyer as opposed to where the flyers were distributed. She said TorchPAC is pressing for a formal apology from NYU SJP about the flyers, which the group has called anti-Semitic. “Anti-Semitic flyers cannot and should not be tolerated at a university that prides itself on being a safe haven for the free exchange of ideas and a safe space

for students of all backgrounds,” Adkins said. The notion of solidarity that appears in NYU SJP’s petition is in line with one of the group’s reasons for distributing the flyers. “This was also an act of solidarity with [Northeastern University’s chapter of SJP] who were faced with suspension and other punishments from their administration for partaking in a similar action that is completely protected under freedom of

speech,” NYU SJP’s email said. Northeastern briefly suspended its chapter of SJP following a similar distribution of flyers in addition to allegations that the organization vandalized school property and disrupted another student group’s event. Northeastern freshman John Pedro said the flyers at Northeastern caused less controversy than at NYU, but said the flyers were not a practice of free speech at either school. “I’m a pretty ardent free speech supporter, [but] I don’t think it’s right to distribute fake eviction notices,” Pedro said. “That’s kind of fraudulent.” President of Hillel NYU and Gallatin sophomore Zachary Schwarzbaum said the distribution of flyers was offensive, but he did not feel victimized. “The act did not target Jewish students and was not anti-Semitic,” Schwarzbaum said. “We are working to ensure that it is seen as an isolated incident and has little impact on broader campus climate.” Additional reporting by Ann Schmidt. Kavish Harjai is a news editor. Email them at news@nyunews.com.

WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | MONDAY, APRIL 28, 2014 | NYUNEWS.COM

FEATURES

EDITED BY BRYNA SHUMAN FEATURES@NYUNEWS.COM

Freshman’s nonprofit donates books to children

In addition to managing her schoolwork, finishing her freshman year and planning her summer, Steinhardt freshman Hediya Sizar also manages a nonprofit organization, The Bring on the Books Foundation, which she started with her brother in 2008. Bringing the foundation to NYU, Sizar focuses on providing literacy opportunities to children across the nation by donating books to underprivileged, abandoned, homeless and abused children. The foundation has collected and donated over $700,000 worth of books to nearly 70,000 children in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, New York City and Washington, D.C. “We believe that books are vital and essential for the cognitive growth of a child,” Sizar said. “There should not be any reason why a child in a tough socio-economic status should lack the tools for success — particularly a tool that is simply a few pages with pictures. It’s that simple.” Sizar, who serves as president

of the foundation and manages internal affairs among the high school and college chapters, said her own love of books inspired her to start the Bring on the Books Foundation. “As a child, books were my sanctuary,” Sizar said. “As a booklover from an early age, I wanted to build a love for literacy that would inspire youths to reach their full potentials and become writers of their own stories.” Sizar said her passion for reading motivated her to work with her brother, Sohale — founder and executive director of the foundation — to run book drives to benefit inner-city Philadelphia schools. Four years later, in 2012, their project became an official nonprofit organization, partnering with Georgetown University for their first college chapter. Since then, Bring on the Books chapters have formed at Stanford University and the University of Maryland, among other academic and governmental institutions including NYU. Sizar said although she was eager

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for the organization to make an impact at NYU, starting and managing the chapter proved more difficult than she expected, as she also had

to adjust to college life. She organized a smaller-scale winter book drive with a number of freshman residence halls,

Julianne McShane is a staff writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com.

PULITZER continued from PG. 1

Stern students host interactive campaign for Google on campus

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Stern students are working with Google to advertise its products. accessible from anywhere. “We felt that people in general didn’t understand the benefits between docs, sheets and slides,” Chang said. “It’s common knowledge that people know what Google Drive is somewhat and know what docs is but don’t know what sheets and slides are, and they don’t understand the multiple functions that it has.” The 44Four Group seeks to inform the public on the different ways to utilize these apps. To implement their goal, the students held two small events followed by the main event on April 22, all taking place around campus. “The NYU community is composed of very curious people,” Chang said. “If you expose them to something we all have this nat-

SHAWN PAIK/WSN

Hediya Sizar’s foundation has donated $700,000 worth of books.

collecting around 100 gently used children’s books to donate to Covenant House New York and Reach Out and Read of Bellevue Hospital. Sizar said she hopes to expand NYU’s Bring on the Books chapter in the coming years. “My goal is to create a larger Bring on the Books community at NYU [and] to bring together a group of passionate students eager to inspire children with the love of reading and storytelling,” Sizar said. Typically, the organization collects books in all conditions in bins located around communities and universities nationwide through an annual book drive run by students. Volunteers visit the locations they partner with to work one-on-one with children, foster mentorships and provide complimentary college counseling services. Sizar said she hopes to continue to expand the distribution of book and give children everywhere the chance to read.

ural curiosity to go out and discover more about it on our own.” Steinhardt junior Jennifer Muller said she learned more about the uses of Google technology at the event. “I appreciated all the marvelous benefits that technology offers, but I sometimes can’t keep up, so Google: Life, Uninterrupted [gets a] thumbs up,” Muller said. Steinhardt senior Anthony Lopez said using Google Drive to its full extent makes his life easier. “I work all day and from various mobile devices, and Google provides me the grand benefit of accessing my accounts and assignments from all of them,” Lopez said. Benny Seda Galarza is a contributing writer. Email him at features@nyunews.com.

Faculty member wins Pulitzer Prize for investigative writing

important and that people are very interested in but is difficult to explain within the confines of a conventional news article,” Fagin said. “So I had in my mind that this would be something worth writing about.” Fagin found coming to NYU gave him the opportunity to pursue this kind of time-consuming investigative reporting. “I am very grateful to have the opportunity here at NYU to have the time to be able to do this right,” Fagin said. “It’s an amazing opportunity that journalism professors have to practice our craft in a deep way, and I feel a sense of responsibility to take full advantage of that and to do good work.” Fagin was at home when he found out he won the Pulitzer. His wife, a journalist at Reuters, saw the news and started shouting, “Dan, you won, you won.” Fagin said winning the prize is gratifying because with more people now picking up the book, more attention is brought to the cause. “The point is that Toms River is a small part of a much bigger story, and I want people to see that for themselves,” Fagin said. “Thanks to the Pulitzer, many more people will be exposed to the story.” “What is most important to me is that I wrote this book

VIA TWITTER.COM

“Toms River” discusses chemical pollution and its hazardous consequences. not because I thought ‘Toms River’ was unique but because I think it’s not unique,” Fagin said. “The only truly surprising thing about Toms River is that we found out about it.” Fagin intends to focus on environmental health in his future projects. “I’m sure whatever I do next will be related to environmental health, but there are many different ways I could go and I haven’t really decided yet.” Sam Del Rowe is a staff writer. Email him at features@nyunews.com.

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By JULIANNE MCSHANE

NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, APRIL 28, 2014 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS

FEATURES

EDITED BY BRYNA SHUMAN FEATURES@NYUNEWS.COM

P O T

Spring flea markets in New York

TIFFANY LIU FOR WSN

The Antiques Garage flea market has over 100 vendors. By ILONA TUOMINEN Thrift stores are open yearround, but flea markets peak in the spring and summer months. Flea markets are the perfect location for an outdoor weekend excursion filled with food and shopping. Here are some suggestions for must-see New York flea markets to explore this spring.

Smorgasburg Smorgasburg, the popular food flea market, never fails to impress with its wide variety of unique vendors and a perfect view of the Manhattan skyline. With foods ranging from grilled cheese sandwiches from Milk Truck to macarons from Vendome, Smorgasburg offers great options for anyone. It is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. (East River State Park in Williamsburg on Saturdays; Brooklyn Bridge Park on Sundays)

The Antiques Garage For the shopper with a larger budget, the Antiques Garage is a flea market for high-quality vintage items. Hosted in a parking garage, this flea market is two floors high with over 100 vendors. The Antiques Garage is popular, albeit expensive. It is very crowded around midday so it is best to come in the morning or later in the day. Despite the prices, the Antiques Garage is still an exciting location to explore. (112 W. 25th St.)

The Williamsburg Flea Re-opening May 4, the Williamsburg Flea Market will be open on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with 150 vendors selling odd trinkets as well as good food. Spending the day at the Williamsburg Flea will guarantee some great skyline views. (50 Kent Ave.)

Green Flea Open every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Green Flea Market is located on the Upper West Side. The Green Flea also has an indoor market in the same location, so you will not have to worry about rain ruining your plans. To accompany the items on sale, Green Flea is also famous for their food. It is next to a farmer’s market in case you need a break from the bustling flea market. (Columbus Avenue between West 76th and 77th streets)

Hell’s Kitchen Flea Hell’s Kitchen Flea Market attracts a wide array of visitors ranging from artists to tourists all looking through the different antiques, vintage clothing and home décor. Open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday throughout the year, Hell’s Kitchen Flea is a mustsee local event. (West 39th Street between Ninth and 10th avenues) Ilona Tuominen is a staff writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com.

TILLYandWILLIAM presents line By DAVID BOLOGNA

Facing high expectations in terms of style and sustainability, TILLYandWILLIAM certainly proved capable of meeting both. Designer Jessica Lapidos displayed her collection as part of the city’s Green Festival at Pier 49. Though set in a rather lackluster stage and environment, the show’s authenticity and aesthetic definitely stood out. The focus of the clothes, which use a minimal color palette, remained on the construction. Loose-fitting fabrics draped over the models made movement a primary theme in the show. The theme of mobility was extended as the models took their places along the stage and changed clothes with beautiful, dance-like motions. The somber music changed, giving way to a funky and whimsical mood. Ponchos and capes reversed to reveal vibrant digital prints. Shirts became dresses

and dresses became skirts. As part of Fashion Fights Poverty, an organization that raises awareness for effective and sustainable means of challenging poverty, TILLYandWILLIAM was a hit for the taste and social campaigning aspect. While functionality was important for the head designer, she described the environmentally friendly process of making the clothes as being just as crucial. “At TILLYandWILLIAM, we’re doing our part by using the softest, most luxurious fabrics we’ve ever touched, that are also kind to the planet like Modal, polyester made from recycled water bottles, and Cupro, which is made from a byproduct of cotton,” Lapidos said. “We do our digital printing in Brooklyn and our clothes are manufactured in New York’s Garment Center.” Between the solid silhouettes and construction, the overall performance aspect of the runway show and the green foundation of the line, TILLYandWILLIAM

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A model at TILLYandWILLIAM emphasizes movement in their upcoming fall line. truly holds its own in the world of fashion and social activism. David Bologna is a staff writer. Email him at bstyle@nyunews.com.

Professor awarded for fear research By ILONA TUOMINEN

Joseph LeDoux, professor of neuroscience and psychology, received the William James Fellow Award from the Association for Psychological Science in recognition of his research of memory and emotion in early April. LeDoux said he was humbled to have been given the William James Fellow Award. “It’s a great honor and completely out of the blue,” LeDoux said. LeDoux said he did not initially intend to enter the field of psychology — he studied marketing at Lousiana State University. While studying the marketing side of business, however, his interest in psychology grew. After graduate school, LeDoux began researching split-brained patients for his PhD. His research, which focuses on fear, shows how people can respond to danger before they know what they are responding to. In a three-year study, LeDoux and other researchers lightly shocked rats the same time they played a sound. Through this process, the researchers learned how the rats’ brains detected and responded to danger. The rats’ blood pressures and heart rates would increase, showing the researchers that the rats learned to fear the sound. LeDoux said memory is an interesting area of research and looks at the way implicit memory is separate from the conscious experience. “We found that whenever you form a new memory, protein synthesis is required for all that the cell is going to do,” LeDoux said. “That has been the core of my work, trying to find out how implicit memory takes place. Not only do you need protein

VIA TWITTER.COM

Professor Joseph LeDoux plays in the Amygdaloids. synthesis in [the] learning phase, but also when you retrieve memory.” LeDoux said memories are not just carbon copies of experience. They are on-the-spot reconstruction, which means they can be fallible. “When we retrieve memories there’s the opportunity to update it and remember it differently,” LeDoux said. “That updating process is dependent on the synthesis of proteins.” LeDoux describes research as a slow and long incremental process, which speaks to his dedication as a scientist. “All of a sudden you might do something that doesn’t make any sense, but then it just makes you jump to the next thing,” LeDoux said. LeDoux currently teaches freshman honors seminars and an upper-level undergraduate seminar on his book “The Emotional Brain” at NYU. Aside from being a professor,

LeDoux has a deep love for music and is a musician in a band. His band, the Amygdaloids, is made up of three other scientists from NYU, and is a reference to the amygdala in the brain. Daniela Schiller, a postdoctoral fellow researching neuroscience and psychiatry and fellow band member, said LeDoux is a crucial part of the band. “LeDoux is the quiet engine that drives the band,” Schiller said. Continuing his research, LeDoux’s interests are evolving toward how the awakening of an emotional aspect of a memory can occur without the elimination of conscious memory. LeDoux is also interested in not only how brains react to danger, but also how they act. “Freezing in your tracks may be the reaction, but then there is the action,” LeDoux said. Ilona Tuominen is a staff writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com.

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THE NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD & DAILY SUDOKU Crossword ACROSS 1 What winds do 5 French goodbye 10 Troubles 14 Exercise in which you might sit cross-legged 15 Birds’ homes 16 Rick’s love in “Casablanca” 17 Not just well-off 19 Like Jack Sprat’s diet 20 “Am not!” comeback 21 Where many digital files are now stored 23 “Curse you, ___ Baron!” 24 Film director Lee 26 “Excellent, dude!” 27 Low-class diners 33 Surrendered 36 Oktoberfest beverage holder 37 Kilmer of “The Doors”

38 Word after eye or makeup 39 Give the cold shoulder 40 ___ Le Pew of cartoons 41 On fire 42 Belgian treaty city 43 Pimply 44 Window material in many cathedrals 47 Pop singer Carly ___ Jepsen 48 Suffix with east 49 When repeated, a ballroom dance 52 Kind of soup 57 Male or female 59 Some savings plans, in brief 60 Curses … or the starts of 17-, 27and 44-Across? 62 Alternative to a man-to-man defense

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T A T E S E R A N T D R I V E S L I T T O S S M A R I O E X T O N G I O N S S S A S S J E L L Y U P P E D M A H A N B L A Z E O S S E Y

63 Tatum of “Paper Moon” 64 Apple’s apple, e.g. 65 Lambs’ mothers 66 “Beau ___” 67 Sign for the superstitious DOWN 1 Overwhelmingly 2 France’s longest river 3 Girl-watched or boy-watched 4 Light bulb measure 5 “Do I have a volunteer?” 6 German “the” 7 “What time ___?” 8 Write permanently 9 Welcomes at the door, say 10 “O.K., I’m on it!” 11 Margarine 12 Older son of Isaac 13 Hourglass filler 18 Be a pack rat 22 Quaker’s ___ Crunch 25 Said “Oh … my … God!,” e.g. 27 Jewel 28 Attacked by bees 29 Dr. Seuss’ turtle 30 Pizzeria fixture 31 Scruff of the neck 32 Iditarod vehicle 33 Disney Store collectibles 34 Way out 35 Facts and figures

Edited by Will Shortz 1

47 53

26 28

27 34

19 21

No. 0324

49 57

61 64

PUZZLE BY TOM PEPPER

39 Border collie, for one 40 Mac alternatives 42 Pesky insect 43 Good ___ (completely reconditioned) 45 Purple spring bloomers 46 Diamond-shaped stocking design

49 Electronic storage medium 50 Word before “fund” or “one’s bets” 51 Burning issue? 52 Regular or large

55 Mozart’s “___ kleine Nachtmusik” 56 Olympian war god

53 Nose of a ship

58 ___ contendere (court plea)

54 Lois of the Daily Planet

61 Body art, in slang

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NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, APRIL 28, 2014 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS

OPINION

EDITED BY PETER KEFFER OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM

HARRY’S TAKE

New York needs stricter tanning legislation By HARRY BROWN

Last month, New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced a settlement that banned tanning salons from displaying deceptive advertising about the false health benefits of using tanning beds. Although a sensible and warranted intervention, the act does not go far enough. Simply banning misleading advertising is not adequate enough to deter New Yorkers from using tanning beds. Stricter enforcement of age restrictions, heavy fines for tanning salons that ignore the rules and increased health warnings by local authorities are needed to deter New Yorkers from seeking a dangerous and potentially fatal “healthy glow.” With the return of spring, many pale New Yorkers who are eager to have a sun-kissed complexion return to local tanning salons without realizing the severe dangers and potentially deadly side effects of tanning. The widespread use of tanning — over 28 million Americans used tanning beds in the last year, with over two million of

them teenagers — has substantially elevated the rate of skin cancer in the United States. The National Cancer Institute reported that the number of skin cancer cases has tripled in the last 35 years from 7.9 people per 100,000 to nearly 23.8 people per 100,000. Tanning beds have been a primary cause for this rapid increase. In a nation where there are more tanning salons than there are McDonalds, obtaining a tan can be done quickly and cheaply. Tanned skin is not healthy skin. In fact, it is the very opposite. Every shade your skin darkens through exposure to harmful ultraviolet rays exponentially increases the risk of melanoma. Despite the requirement of parental

consent for children under 17, forged signatures and weak enforcement allow many teenagers to use the beds. An outright ban on the use of tanning beds for minors should be implemented. A bill put before the New York State Legislature in 2011 introduced the parental age restriction. However, the promising bill fell short of providing an outright ban on tanning for people under 18 years old. Most people who use tanning beds do not realize that visiting the tanning salon can more than double the risk of obtaining skin cancer. New York has been at the forefront of sanctioning against smoking in recent years. Now, it must turn its attention toward an industry that has said in the past “sunlight prevents skin cancer.” Just like other public health concerns, using the beds carries no immediate signs of danger but can prove lethal later in life. Legislators in Albany must act against such vanity. Harry Brown is a staff columnist. Harry’s Take is published every Monday. Email him at opinion@nyunews.com.

CHRISTINA’S CASE

Elizabeth Warren leads student loan reform By CHRISTINA COLEBURN

The student loan bubble is beginning to burst, necessitating solutions to the $1.2 trillion crisis and 40 million indebted Americans. Nearly tripling between 2004 and 2012, research shows that student loan debt is the only form of consumer debt that has increased since the 2008 peak, with balances surpassing both credit cards and auto loans. Outstanding student debt has doubled since 2007 and defaults, with 15 percent of borrowers defaulting within three years, are at a 20-year high. The issue is entrenched in our school — NYU created more debt than any other American university in 2011, excluding for-profit institutions. This crisis not only hinders students and their families, but also deters economic progress. Despite the gravity of this problem, Congress has yet to meaningfully act — the Senate failed to reduce student loan rates last July. Notwithstanding congressional sluggishness, Sen. Elizabeth Warren is one of the few representatives who has taken a palpable stand for reforming the broken system. She

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has presented several reforms to combat increasing higher education costs. Warren’s call to action should serve as a refreshing reminder to Congress that the student debt crisis is urgent and requires substantial partisan action. In an April 22 interview with MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, Warren said she would reintroduce legislation to refinance federal student loans at a rate of 3.86 percent using the Buffett Rule. Although this idea is only a starting point for combating the growing crisis, her spotlighting student loan debt will hopefully inspire other representatives to develop solutions. As of early 2012, the average student loan balance for all age groups is $24,301. About one-quarter of borrowers owe over $28,000, and 10 percent of borrowers owe over $54,000.

Our representatives must realize that student debt is not an abstract concept but an actual hindrance to individual advancement. Students can find themselves massively indebted in a job market that may require graduate school — another expensive endeavor that may not guarantee employment. The bursting student loan debt bubble equates to far more than partisan divides for students and families across the nation, including many on this campus. While Warren’s proposal may not solve the crisis in its entirety, she is one of the few senators who is giving this problem the attention it deserves. If her opponents disagree with her use of the Buffett Rule, they should compel Republicans to devise feasible alternatives to address the $1.2 trillion crisis. Until then, they should amplify their voices as Warren has — if not for the bipartisan nature of this cause, then for college students and the American economy. Christina Coleburn is a deputy opinion editor. Christina’s Case is published every Monday. Email her at ccoleburn@nyunews.com.

STAFF EDITORIAL

Student protest deepens Israel-Palestine conflict

The fake eviction notices that were distributed in the Lafayette and Palladium residence halls last week were designed to promote active dialogue about human rights concerns in Palestine. Yet the press coverage from this past weekend shows that they did little to “draw attention to the reality that Palestinians confront on a daily basis,” as the notice said. Rather, the NYU Students for Justice in Palestine protest merely highlighted the ongoing conflict between SJP and the many different Israeli groups on our campus. University infighting is not exclusive to NYU. In early March, the Barnard College administration’s decision to remove banners hung on campus by Columbia SJP was met with controversy and disapproval. The administrators took action by responding to calls from on-campus pro-Israel group LionPAC that claimed the sign reading “Stand For Justice, Stand For Palestine” was anti-Semitic. The SJP group at Northeastern University was threatened with suspension after handing out mock eviction notices in a fashion similar to the NYU SJP chapter. Northeastern recently lifted the suspension. The tension between SJP and pro-Israel groups on the NYU campus deepened even further when irresponsible journalism turned a protest of poor taste into an outrage marred by allegations of hate. The Times of Israel ran a piece by NYU student and blogger Laura Adkins, who was featured in an Op Ed Live episode for WSN. Published under the title “NYU Jewish Students the Target of Latest SJP Propaganda Attacks,” Adkins’ article said the group only sent the flyers to Jewish students — which did not appear to be the case — and neglected to mention that the protest extended to other residence halls. Her piece was mentioned in other news outlets — including the New York Daily News, Commentary Magazine, New York Post and Townhall — complete with needlessly inflammatory headlines. Adkins’ failure to check the facts of her article reflected poorly on the NYU community. While the SJP eviction notices were unquestionably ill-conceived and violated university policies, Adkins’ piece perverted a tasteless protest into hate speech. Not only did she wrongly damage the reputation of our university, but her lack of journalistic ethics made Jewish students feel needlessly unsafe. Most disappointingly, she callously tainted the pro-Israel position — one that is strongly supported both at NYU and throughout the United States — without considering its merits of the full situation. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is extremely sensitive, and its reporting deserves utmost professionalism and seriousness. Both SJP and pro-Israel groups have a responsibility to present accurate information and protest in ways that meet NYU standards. Just as SJP should not have distributed the invasive eviction notices, Adkins should have checked the facts before publishing her piece. This unproductive dissent unnecessarily added flames to the fire of conflict, holding NYU hostage along the way.

Email the WSN Editorial Board at editboard@nyunews.com. EDITORIAL BOARD: Peter Keffer (Chair), Christina Coleburn (Co-chair), Omar Etman (Co-chair), Nina Golshan (Co-chair)

Send mail to: 838 Broadway, Fifth Floor New York, N.Y. 10003 or email: opinion@nyunews.com WSN welcomes letters to the editor, opinion pieces and articles relevant to the NYU community, or in response to articles. Letters should be less than 450 words. All submissions must be typed or emailed and must include the author’s name, address and phone number. Members of the NYU community must include a year and school or job title.

WSN does not print unsigned letters or editorials. WSN reserves the right to reject any submission and edit accepted submissions in any and all ways. With the exception of the staff editorial, opinions expressed on the editorial pages are not necessarily those of WSN, and our publication of opinions is not an endorsement of them.

NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, APRIL 28, 2014 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS

SPORTS

EDITED BY FRANCISCO NAVAS SPORTS@NYUNEWS.COM

Sterling’s remarks point to racial divide By CHARLES SURETTE

The most riveting NBA playoffs in a generation are being overshadowed by the allegedly racist remarks from the owner of one of this season’s championship contenders. TMZ reported that Donald Sterling, owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, was recently recorded admonishing his girlfriend for posting an Instagram picture with Magic Johnson, a threetime NBA MVP and five-time NBA champion. Sterling goes on to demand that she no longer bring any African-Americans to Clippers home games or make it known that she is “associating with black people.” The tirade is the latest in a long line of documented racism by the billionaire real estate tycoon. In 2009, Sterling settled a lawsuit with the U.S. Department of Justice over a refusal to rent apartments in his L.A. properties to African-Americans and Hispanics. In addition, he is alleged to have once asked a candidate for Clippers head coach “why [he] thinks [he] can coach these niggers.”

Sterling’s deplorable behavior has shifted focus away from the exhilarating on-court action during the NBA postseason, and also weakened the NBA’s efforts to brand itself as a league in which African-American athletes can be leaders on and off the court. As the league attempts to strike a balance between policing players’ actions and not appearing overly controlling, Sterling’s statements serve as a harsh reminder of the gulf between the predominantly white team owners and the overwhelming number of AfricanAmerican players. Sterling’s latest incident serves as a reminder of the reality of race relations not just in the NBA, but in the United States as a whole. If the NBA is to continue making strides toward providing equal opportunities for players, it must be quick to sanction Donald Sterling for his remarks and ensure that any future team owners are held to a higher standard of behavior. Charles Surette is a contributing writer. Email him at sports@nyunews.com.

WEEKEND WRAP-UP By CHRIS MARCOTRIGIANO

Track and Field Men’s and women’s track and field competed at the University Athletic Association Outdoor Championship this past weekend with mixed results. The tournament was held at the University of Chicago and spanned two days. The women’s team finished fourth out of seven teams, registering 79 points. The University of Chicago Maroons came in first place with 210.75 points. CAS senior and co-captain Emily Cousens won the 1500-meter race for the second year in a row, defeating her closest opponent by more than two seconds. The Violets were also impressive in the 4x400 meter relay, as the group of Stern sophomore Lydia Guo, LS junior Caroline Spring, CAS sophomore Sarah Sisk and SCPS sophomore Drew Washington placed second with a total time of 3:54.32. Sisk also finished second in the 800-meter final. The men’s team had some impressive individual performances. CAS graduate student Dylan Karten and LS sophomore Matthew Powers finished in second place in the 1500-meter and the 100-meter, re-

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Co-captain Emily Cousens notches another win in the 1500-meter race. spectively. CAS freshman Antony Zeng placed eighth in the discus throw with a distance of 37.1 meters, and College of Nursing sophomore Tyree Mobley finished the 110-meter hurdles with a personal best time of 16.18. Both the men and women’s teams will compete again next weekend at the Princeton Elite Meet in New Jersey.

Golf Women’s golf came up just short of a victory at the Liberty

League Championship, finishing in second place and a mere 19 strokes behind the tournament winners, Mount Holyoke College. Steinhardt senior and captain Kristina Shalhoup said she was disappointed with the result. “This weekend was tough,” Shalhoup said. “It was disappointing not to repeat our Liberty League win, but it was not for lack of effort.” The tournament also marked Shalhoup’s final competition for the Violets. “I’ve had an unbelievable four years playing for NYU,” she said. “I am glad I never took it for granted.”

Tennis Men’s tennis fell to the University of Chicago at the UAA Championship over the weekend. Before the tournament, the Violets were ranked 25th in the nation, eight spots behind the 17th seeded Maroons. The women’s team lost all three of their matches at the tournament by scores of 9-0, 8-1 and 6-3. Chris Marcotrigiano is deputy sports editor. Email him at cmarcotrigiano@nyunews.com.