the
Welcome Week issue
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | SUNDAY, AUGUST 28, 2016 | NYUNEWS.COM
NYU Sued Over Retirement Plan By LEXI FAUNCE Investigative News Editor
New York University is facing a class-action lawsuit after allegedly allowing a number of participants in its retirement plans to pay millions of dollars in excessive fees. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Yale are also facing similar lawsuits as all three universities have been accused of breaching the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. Here are the details of the lawsuit and how the university intends to handle it. What is the Employee Retirement Income Security Act? The Employee Retirement Income Security Act requires institutions to act in the best interest of participants and plan beneficiaries by requiring employers to provide them with information about their plan regularly and free of charge. ERISA also gives participants the right to sue for benefits and breaches of fiduciary duty.
THE COMPLAINT AGAINST NYU The complaint against NYU is over two 403(b) plans that cover faculty, research administration and the medical school. A 403(b) plan is similar to 401(k), but it is offered by public schools and nonprofit institutions, such as universities. A number of these 403(b) plan participants felt the university breached ERISA by not looking out for the interests of its retired employees and chose costly retirement plans. Specifically, the plaintiffs allege that they overpaid for administrative fees in the plans including record-keeping. In addition, the plaintiff also claims that, instead of using its bargaining power to cut costs, the university offered expensive, poor-performing investment options that reduced the retirement assets of employees and retirees. The plaintiff further alleges that the university did not use its enormous leverage to negotiate cheaper funds, as the fac-
NYU kept active for the three months of summer break even after the exodus of students from the city. In addition to record-breaking heat and the Washington Square Park fountain turning back on, here are the top stories you may have missed this summer.
1. Terrorism threats
Around mid-June, NYU received a sinister electronic message that forewarned an attack akin to that of the Pulse nightclub in Orlando. NYU immediately notified authorities of the threats, and discovered that NYU was among many other higher education institutions to receive such a message.
2. Anti-Divestment
After an overnight protest in Bobst and a meeting with President Andrew Hamilton, the NYU Board of Trustees announced its decision against fossil fuel divestment on June 16. NYU explained in an email that divestment from fossil fuels would be more symbolic than impactful, so NYU Divest and allies such as GSOC said that their fight is not yet over. “NYU’s cowardly fortress-mentality today is a failure of both leadership and intellectual rigor that we cannot permit,” GSOC said. “GSOC stands in continued solidarity with NYU Divest and reiterates its demand that our university divest from fossil fuels.”
3. Ban the Box progress
As part of its recent efforts to promote a more inclusive campus, NYU
WHO IS REPRESENTING THE EMPLOYEES AND RETIREES? A Missouri law firm, Schlichter, Bogard and Denton, will represent the employees of all three universities in their respective suits. Jerome Schlichter, renowned in the world of retirement plan litigation, is the lead attorney spearheading the cases. He has filed more than 20 similar lawsuits on behalf of workers, and last year he won a unanimous decision from the Supreme Court which ruled that companies had an ongoing duty to monitor employee investment options and to terminate “imprudent ones.” WHAT DOES NYU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE LAWSUIT? NYU spokesman Matt Nagel said the university disputes the suit’s claims, as it takes seri-
STAFF PHOTO BY ANNA LETSON
NYU is one of a handful of school facing a lawsuit over retirement plans costing some faculty members millions of dollars. ously the welfare and dignified retirement of its faculty and employees. In addition, Nagel said the plans offered by the university are selected after careful consideration. “Beyond that, we would note that, first, NYU’s plans have comparatively low fees; second, decisions about our retirement plan choices are influenced by feedback from our faculty and other employees; and, third, that the named plaintiffs in
this case notably include several faculty members who recently lost unrelated court cases they brought against NYU,” Nagel said. In addition, university spokesman John Beckman said in a statement to the New York Times that NYU will “litigate this case vigorously and expect to prevail.”
Email Lexi Faunce at lfaunce@nyunews.com.
NYU Site Now Device-Agnostic
What You Missed This Summer By BOURRÉE HUANG AND DIAMOND NAGA SIU
ulty and medical school plans held a combined $4.2 billion in assets for 24,000 participants at the end of 2014.
By ASHLEY ARNOLD Staff Writer
VIA FACEBOOK.COM
Maggie Rogers became an NYU sensation after a video of Pharrell praising her single “Alaska,” went viral. announced on Aug. 1 that it would strike the Common Application’s criminal history question, instead replacing it with one that asks more specifically about a history of violent crimes. This decision follows a series of events led by the Incarceration to Education Coalition last year: a 33 hour Kimmel sit-in, an attempted meeting with Common App and a meeting with President Andrew Hamilton.
4. Pharrell Williams thinks NYU’s got talent
Pharrell Williams, the Grammy winning singer with top hits “Happy” and “Get Lucky,” served as NYU’s artist-in-residence this past year. He worked closely with Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at NYU students, and a recent video of him listening to a song by Clive Davis alumni Maggie Rogers went viral. The video of Williams’ reaction while listening to the song “Alaska” amassed over two million views, which launched Rogers’ musical career. “Wow,” Williams said after listening to her song, “I’ve never heard anything that sounds like that. That’s a drug for me.” People even made Williams’ shocked expression into a gif after the incident.
Email Bourrée Huang and Diamond Naga Siu at news@nyunews.com.
The NYU.edu website officially relaunched on Sunday with updated features for all electronic platforms. Executive Director of the Digital Communications Group Jim Robertson said that this was a much needed renovation, since nearly 30 percent of web traffic comes from mobile devices. “We wanted to update our website to allow more opportunities to tell NYU’s story — one that is global, dynamic and ambitious — from both our website and our social media channels,” Robertson said. “The new design is the results of many months of work. The NYU Digital Communications team led the effort — with designers, developers and project management — but worked with many, many others at NYU.” He said the Digital Communications Group consulted many of the 600 contributors to the website during this process, and they even formed a steering committee of high-ranking NYU community members — including the admissions office, the public affairs office, the IT team, faculty, students and administrators — to guide the website’s modernization process. Here’s a breakdown of the best new features NYU.edu has to offer.
Interactive Homepage
First impression is important, so reconstructing the homepage is a great improvement. Visitors viewing the top half of the homepage can now access information regarding admissions, financial aid and educational opportunities while the bottom half will boast interactive features. Related news stories, events and social media will also be displayed while updated top searches will be on the site search box below.
Graphic Design, Photography and Typography
New shades of violet will appear, since violet closely associates with NYU’s brand. And to match the bustle of New York, photographs of movement and energy will also be featured. Inspired by the Port Authority Bus Terminal, headlines, titles and paragraph text will be in the Gotham font, while call-out text and page subheadings will be in Mercury.
Topic and Role Pages
To create structure for new users, there will be five topical channels: About NYU, Admissions, Academic, University Life
and Research. Role pages will be divided among five different role-based sections: Students, Faculty, Alumni, Employees and Community. The student’s role page will assume a dashboard format and include Health and Wellness, Registration, Records, Graduations, Bills, Payments, Refunds as well as housing and dining which were previously located under the University Life section of the site.
Navigation
Computer users can hover their mouse over the header to activate a drop-down menu which will display an overview of that section as well as a secondary list of related links. By simply pressing the menu icon located on the top left corner of the screen, mobile users will also be able to access this feature. What was previously a secondary gray paneled menu on the top of the page will now feature the sub navigation on the left sidebar of the main body content of the page.
Email Ashley Arnold at news@nyunews.com.
Adaptable Design
The new web design allows the website to adapt to the screen it is on whether users are on a laptop, tablet or phone, which means no more pinching and zooming. Passages and pictures are set to resize according to the screen size, and the menu icon will show more detailed site navigation for mobile users.
VIA NYU.EDU
NYU recently unveiled a new website ahead of the 20162017 school year in an effort to make the site more friendly to users on all platforms.
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These Tutors Have Taken Your Courses In anticipation of the fall semester, childhood friends and rising sophomores Saul Ancona, Miro Sutton and Eddie Levy spent their summer developing an intra-university, student-to-student tutoring app called Prepp. Ancona, Sutton and Levy currently attend NYU Schack School of Real Estate, Baruch College and Brooklyn College respectively and were looking for a way to help students who need tutoring in individual courses. Prepp’s tutors must submit their transcripts to then be automatically approved for the courses in which they received at least an A-. Students looking for a tutor can input their courses or search through Prepp’s current course offerings. When developing Prepp, Sutton, as co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, drew on his own experience of struggling to find a tutor through Baruch’s tutoring service. “I realized how inefficient the process was,” Sutton said. “I then started looking for some professional tutors, but their prices were way out of my range.” Levy said that he was asked to join Prepp because of his business experience and work ethic. As Chief Operating and Financial Officer of Prepp, Levy is responsible for onboarding tutors, determining which academic subjects to include on the app, overseeing operations and managing the company’s finances. “About 6 months into the venture we brought on Saul as a partner because of his marketing expertise,” Levy said. Sutton said that Prepp is a cost-effective way for students who are struggling in a course to get the tutoring they need to succeed in
school. While Prepp tutors determine their own rate, the hourly rate limit is currently set at $45. In addition, Prepp plans on offering promotions throughout the year to make the app more affordable. Ancona, partner and Chief Marketing Officer of Prepp, outlined the three major advantages of using Prepp. “First off, Prepp is cheaper than most tutoring services — we have tutors on our app tutoring for $10 an hour,” Ancona said. “Secondly, the tutor has already taken the course that the tutee is struggling in. Thirdly — just think Uber, but for tutors. We allow the students and tutors to meet wherever whenever and for as long as they need.” Ancona said that the team has faced some developmental issues and have struggled to market their brand during the summer months. Some of the challenges have included being able to restrict tutors to only offer courses that they have been approved for. “Developing the app has been in the works for months,” Ancona said. “From being in contact with our developers 24/7 to throwing events on campus — we are all involved equally.” While the app is currently in beta, Prepp is preparing to launch this fall at NYU and will be available to download on the Apple Store using your NYU email as a login. Before officially launching, however, Prepp will use their beta test as a trial to gather feedback. “We chose NYU because of its great reputation and its ability to influence other schools to use our app once we have gained traction,” Ancona said. “What’s better than being tutored by someone who has already been there?”
Email Greta Chevance at news@nyunews.com.
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Three students were tired of tutors understanding topics but not specific course material, so they started their own student-to-student network of tutors who have taken various courses.
PHOTO BY CASEY KWON
NYU is getting ready to graduate its first class from NYU Shanghai, a significant milestone for the self-proclaimed global university.
NYU Shanghai Preps First Grads By FARHIN LILYWALA Staff Writer
Just three years ago, NYU Shanghai was established in partnership with East China Normal University. Now a crucial part of NYU’s global reach, the site is preparing to bid adieu to its first graduating class at the end of this academic year. The Class of 2017 consists of approximately 50 percent Chinese students and 50 percent international students, whom NYU Shanghai Provost Joanna Waley-Cohen praised in their bold step of attending the new university. “[They are] pioneers who had the courage to attend a school that, when they joined, had not yet come into existence,” Waley-Cohen said. Former Assistant Professor of Global China Studies and Founding Director of Social Science Andrea Jones-Rooy holds a positive outlook on the effect of NYU Shanghai’s first graduating class on the United States’ diplomatic relations with China. “I think the cooperation between the U.S. and China on this initiative is incredibly important for relations between the two countries,” Jones-Rooy said. “At a
NYUNEWS.COM
By GRETA CHEVANCE Staff Writer
micro — and some would argue more important level — I think the more person to person contact and communication there is between students and faculty and visitors from within China and from without, the stronger our chances as a species to get along.” Located on two campuses just 20 minutes from downtown, NYU Shanghai is the first of its kind boasting American ties and Chinese government approval. Waley-Cohen said that the experience of studying in China through a multicultural lens and with a minimum of one semester abroad allows students to approach the world on a holistic level. “We expect all will continue the distinctive pattern of spending part of their time in Shanghai and part of their time in New York and other nodes of NYU’s global network; and that the patterns of creativity nurtured at NYU Shanghai will, as has already begun to happen, contribute to the betterment of the human condition,” Cohen said. Other universities from the Western world have partnerships in China and East Asia as well. Johns Hopkins and Nanjing Universities created a graduate international studies center in the late
80s. The University of Singapore partnered with Yale University to launch a four-year undergraduate college, Yale-NUS College. According to Waley-Cohen, what sets NYU Shanghai apart from many other Western universities in East Asia is an emphasis on liberal arts, as NYUSH offers 17 majors from STEM to the humanities, as well as dual degrees from NYU and local colleges. Vice Chancellor of NYU Shanghai Jeffrey Lehman also said in an interview with The Washington Post that despite questions about bringing Western freedoms to a strictly regulated China, academic freedom has not been compromised, as per the agreement with the Chinese government. Nevertheless, Lehman says that students at NYU Shanghai learn and uphold Chinese customs as a form of respect and gratitude. “We are inside China,” he told the Post. “So our students are not given some kind of cloak of invisibility or invulnerability.” NYU Shanghai hopes to expand to 2000 undergraduate students and more than 200 full-time faculty members with graduate and Ph.D. students.
Email Farhin Lilywala at news@nyunews.com.
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | SUNDAY, AUGUST 28, 2016 | NYUNEWS.COM
ARTS
EDITED BY HAILEY NUTHALS ARTS@NYUNEWS.COM
Best, Worst Songs This Summer By DEJARELLE GAINES Highlighter Editor
You can almost hear the end credits rolling as classes start and summer fades away. Whether it be lounging poolside, jamming front row at a concert or taking a road trip with the besties, our summers all retain a common denominator: music. Now, whether you listened to your own finely curated playlist or just tuned into the radio, you were bound to stumble upon the good, the bad and the ugly of summer 2016 tracks. Here’s our picks for seasonal favorite and summer slump!
The Best: “CLOSER” - THE CHAINSMOKERS FEAT. HALSEY No, “One Dance” is not the best song of the summer (sorry, Drake fans). Though this is not the only Chainsmokers song to top the charts this summer, “Closer” gets the gold for numerous reasons. First and foremost, the song is catchy. Second, the song is basically an anthem for us young twentysomethings. “So baby pull me closer in the backseat of your Rover / That I know you can’t afford / Bite that tattoo on your shoulder / Pull the sheets right off the corner / Of the mattress that you stole / From your roommate back in Boulder / We ain’t ever getting older.” It
touches on the topic of heartbreak while simultaneously celebrating youth. It’s a song that can double as a soft-on-the-ears background jam or a refined tune that is ready to be lyrically analyzed. What a welcome break from the typically overplayed pop hits that have come to define summer songs.
The Worst: “ME TOO” - MEGHAN TRAINOR Meghan Trainor is one of those artists whose songs are either a hit or miss. “Me Too” is a miss. It stays on-brand with her typical music that empowers women and encourages them to love themselves. This song, however, goes past just loving oneself and shifts into
pure vanity. “I walk in like a dimepiece / I go straight to V.I.P. / I never pay for my drinks / My entourage behind me.” There is a difference between having pride in yourself and being conceited. Trainor’s song seemed like an attempt to promote selflove but the kind of self-love described in this song is not an example that people should strive to follow. Beside the lyrics, the song itself just sounds very generic. The basic dance beat can’t even be described as unpleasant, but more so unmemorable. Trainor has had a few songs that were more well-received, sticking closer to her intended message. This, however, was not one of them.
Email Dejarelle Gaines at dgaines@nyunews.com. VIA WIKIPEDIA.ORG
The West Wing is an oldie but a goodie on Netflix, a hidden gem that’s perfect if you’re looking for a show to binge watch before school starts again.
Netflix Shows For Your Next Study Break By JORDAN REYNOLDS Entertainment Editor
STAFF PHOTO BY ANNA LETSON
The Chainsmokers and Halsey’s collaboration on the song “Closer” nabbed our spot as the best song of the summer.
Summer Flicks: All Bark, No Bite By ETHAN SAPIENZA Film Editor
Every summer, millions of people seek the air-conditioned oasis of movie theaters, where the latest installments of beloved franchises contain enough explosions to sedate just about anyone. Or so the story usually goes. This summer has seen a dismal showing at the box office due to unimaginative or flat out unnecessary sequels and franchise kick-starters. Though this summer’s truly awful output has been a bit of a shock, the fact that the quality of films as a whole is down isn’t surprising. Such is the state of movies today, where the industry is terrified by dwindling audience interest due to streaming and the creative renaissance of TV, resorting to bloated “cinematic universes” made of adapted material. Case in point: “Suicide Squad.” David Ayer’s blockbuster was supposed to be a cool, moody, stylistic action film about bad guys forced to do good. It was also promised to be fun, after Zack Snyder’s “Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice” was decidedly not. Instead, it was an utterly idiotic display of lame characters who
have no bite at all (mind you, they were promised to be the bad guys), an uninteresting story, wooden writing, poorly-timed worshipping of gun violence and a much-hyped performance by Jared Leto as the Joker that ultimately amounted to a cameo, and an awful one at that. That’s not even naming all of the film’s issues, which is merely a testament to the blockbusters we’re stuck with today: the most barren, fill-in-the-dots replication of already mindless material, with sprinklings of sexism and other offenses too. Sure, action flicks have never had the most stimulating or progressive material (outside of last year’s “Mad Max”), but at least there used to be some originality in the blockbuster genre, and not just inane attempts to replicate Marvel’s previous successes. However, there was a silver lining in June. The summer’s best film was New-Zealander Taika Waititi’s “Hunt for the Wilder People,” a lighthearted and at times surrealist comedy about a misfit (the criminally charming Julian Dennison) who goes on the lam with his reluctant adoptive father (a surly Sam Neill).
Waititi’s goofy self-awareness and trim, hyperfocused stylization may come off to some as Wes Anderson plagiarism, yet he outdoes the idiosyncratic director by a mile. “Wilder People” brims with plainly joyous comedy and an emotional core — with character development and all — qualities that Anderson usually replaces with dry aestheticism. This is not an attack Anderson so much praise for Waititi, who proves creativity can still flourish in a (possibly) declining medium. I feel obliged to say that Waititi’s next project is the newest “Thor” film, which offers hope and excitement about how good another comic book movie can be, rather than a depressing example of how much they are dominating the industry. Nevertheless, “Wilder People” is about as outlandish and energetic as a film can get, and Dennison and Neil’s chemistry is comedic, heartwarming gold. It’s not going to save the film industry, but it may help viewers forget for a moment just how dire things are.
Email Ethan Sapienza at esapienza@nyunews.com.
Every college student knows that the only way to properly take a break from studying is to kick back and relax with some Netflix. While its movie selection may be lacking, there’s no denying that the TV shows Netflix has to offer are some of the best. Without further ado, here is my list of the Best Netflix Shows to Watch While Putting Off Your Homework. “Parks and Recreation:” One of the best sitcoms of all time (in my humble opinion), “Parks and Rec” follows the lives of Pawnee, Indiana’s Parks Department employees. Amy Poehler’s Leslie Knope is a fireball of ambition, love for government, and waffles, while Ron Swanson proves to be her exact opposite with his libertarian, anti-everything-besides-whiskey-and-meat self... and yet they’re the best of friends. The nice thing about this show is that every single character is amazing, making it impossible to choose a favorite. Not only is this show the source of the “treat yo’self” trend (Thanks, Tom and Donna), it is also responsible for the rise of Chris Pratt’s stardom, and that deserves an award in itself. “Parks and Rec” is perfect to turn on in the background while doing literally anything, and an episode is sure to bring a smile to your face. “The West Wing:” Perfect for those losing faith in our political system due to the ongoing election cycle, “The West Wing” optimistically depicts what it would be like to be employed by none other than the President of the United States.
A 90’s drama starring the ageless Rob Lowe — what could be better? The fast pace of the show coupled with the fact that the White House staff resolves nearly every issue it faces by the end of each 44 minutes makes this a great show to watch whenever you’re feeling like your life is out of control. “Stranger Things:” The smash hit of the summer, “Stranger Things” is a riveting mix of creepy, nostalgic, suspenseful, and adorable. A small Indiana town is shaken by the disappearance of a middle school boy, and what follows is pretty much indescribable, so I won’t even try — just know that if you have yet to binge all eight episodes, an extended study break would be a great chance to do so. “Freaks and Geeks:” The ultimate easy-viewing show, “Freaks and Geeks” is a one-season masterpiece from the 90’s that was the stepping stone for many big name stars, namely Seth Rogen and James Franco. Each episode is divided exactly as the name suggests: one plot line for the stoner “freaks” that Lindsay Weir has started hanging out with, and one plot line for the “geeks” — the nerdy Sam Weir and his friends. It’s simple, it’s feel-good, it’s relatable even 20 years later, and it’s perfect to take your mind off your responsibilities for an episode wor two. Honorable Mentions: “New Girl,” “Bob’s Burgers,” “Breaking Bad,” “House of Cards,” “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” “Portlandia,” “United States of Tara”
Email Jordan Renyolds at jrenyolds@nyunews.com
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ARTS
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September NYC Arts Calendar By GILCHRIST GREEN Music Editor
Music: September 2-4: Summer’s End Music Festival (including Guerilla Toss, Tall Juan, Kississippi, Honduras, & Beth Israel) - Hosted by Invertebrate Music, an NYU-run music label. Passes are $10 each day, or $30 for the whole weekend. Location – Aviv, 496 Morgan Ave, Brooklyn September 3: Human People, Dirty Dishes, Haybaby & Soft Fangs - All-girl punk band from NYC with a heavy, groovy sound, playing with some other much-loved locals. Tickets are $10. Location – Sunnyvale Brooklyn, 1031 Grand St, Brooklyn September 29: Thirdstory & LOLO -- Thirdstory back at it with fellow local blues-rock songstress LOLO. Tickets are $18. Location – Highline Ballroom, 431 W 16th St, Manhattan
Film:
NYC Parks Free Summer Movies – -September 8: “Girlhood” – Céline Sciamma’s 2014 French drama about a young girl’s coming of age. Playing at Low Memorial Library at
Columbia University. -September 15: “Ghost” – Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore’s 1990 film about love, ghosts, murder and psychics. Playing at LIC Landing Events Space (in Hunter’s Point South Park), Queens. -September 30: “Dave Chapelle’s Block Party” – Dave Chapelle’s 2005 documentary about his life and throwing a block party in Brooklyn. Playing at Fort Greene Park in Brooklyn. September 29–October 2: Bushwick Film Festival – A four-day festival of classes, workshops, and viewings celebrating international, national, and local independent film and media. Held at several venues throughout the city.
Entertainment: Exhibit Openings
of a selection of German painter Kai Althoff’s work. On display at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). Tickets are free for students. September 23 – Projects 104: Nástio Mosquito: Angola-born and based Nastio Mosquito uses sound and imagery of varying sorts to put together his exhibition. This exhibit explores themes of anger and bitterness. On display at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). Tickets are free for students. September 26 – Jerusalem 1000– 1400: Every People Under Heaven: This exhibit will explore the effect that the famed Holy City had on art made at the time. On display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Tickets are pay-as-you-will, with a suggested donation of $12.
September 16 – Carmen Herrera: Lines of Sight: A three-part exhibit of Cuban-American abstract painter Carmen Herrera’s work, much of which has not been shown in a museum before now. On display at Whitney Museum of American Art. Tickets are $17 for students. September 18 – Kai Althoff: and then leave me to the common swifts (und dann überlasst mich den Mauerseglern): A chronological exhibit
September 13 – “Good Vibrations: My Life as a Beach Boy:” a reading and meet and greet with author and Beach Boys member Mike Love. Held at Barnes and Noble on Union Square, free with purchase of book. September 22 – “Date-Onomics: How Dating Became a Lopsided Numbers Game:” a reading with author John Birger. Held at the NYU Bookstore. This event is free (check
Books:
Whether it’s Writing the Essay, Cultural Foundations or any other text-based course you are taking this semester, most students will inevitably have to write multitudinous essays. Though reading and writing are not everyone’s favorite pastimes, these classes can still be enjoyable. Here are some tips for getting the most out of your writing courses. 1. Like any college course, you get out what you put into Writing the Essay. You will be expected to do your fair share of reading, and close reading is an invaluable skill to have. Close reading can be as simple as reading with a pencil in hand, underlining important passages, making notes in the margins and jotting down questions to ask in class. Sometimes, the amount of reading can feel daunting. On those days, just read through the assignment once. Don’t stop to reread unclear paragraphs — circle them and move on. You can revisit these sections later and ask questions on difficult passages in class. (Bonus: it’s a little-known fact that picking your hardest section of reading as a topic makes writing an essay way easier.) 2. At some point during the semester, you will be asked to
visit a museum and reflect on a piece of art, or at least look one up on the internet. Not everyone is an art expert, but you can still write like one! Analyzing a piece of art is similar to the way you analyze a piece of writing. Look for the tone, style and purpose of the piece. You may need to do some research beyond the little plaque next to the painting. Even if the artwork is not your taste, you can still find something to say about it. (Key hint: cultural context is important.) 3. Essays can, and should, be creative. They are as much an expression of the writer’s personality as they are of his or her knowledge. Do you love Beyoncé? Find a connection between her music and your reading assignment. Are you a fan of Netflix originals, modern art or politics? Chances are something you read will relate to your interests. Professors like to see that you’re thinking outside the box and making modern connections. But before you copy and paste all the lyrics from Hamilton into your essay, make sure you have the logos to back up your pathos! 4. The last and most important tip I can give you to survive Writing the Essay is to use your resources. Volunteer your essays to be workshopped. Your classmates’ feedback can be crucial, and our professors are
out WSN’s interview with the author on our website!). September 21 - Poetry Reading with Tim Tomlinson and Barry Wallenstein: Held at the NYU Bookstore. This event is absolutely free.
Theater:
Because there are so many different plays and shows going on in New York at any given time, we’ve simply provided some helpful resources that NYU offers its students to get affordable tickets to great shows. Ticket Central – A great place to discover deals in the city and
purchase discounted tickets for everything from movies to Broadway shows. Physical locations are at 566 LaGuardia Place and in Midtown on 416 W 42nd Street. Skirball Center for the Performing Arts – NYU’s Skirball Center is a constant staple for arts in the city, holding a range of events in music, film, theater, dance, and comedy with discounts for NYU students. The physical office can be found at 566 LaGuardia Place.
Email Gilchrist Green at ggreen@nyunews.com.
Learn to Appreciate the Art of Cooking
Start the Semester Off on the Write Foot By ALLI PIERSON Theater & Books Editor
STAFF PHOTO BY HANNAH SHULMAN
New York City has no shortage of music to see, so make sure to check out a show or two featured on our calendar.
By HAILEY NUTHALS Arts Editor
STAFF PHOTO BY SARAH PARK
You don’t need to go in blind to your first college essays — Writing the Essay can be easy and even fun if you make it. there to help you. Though it can be intimidating to talk to them, they are your best resource. If you have questions, professors will be more than happy to sit down with you and clarify concepts. Most professors will gladly look at a draft and make comments, as long as you give it to them well in advance of the deadline. Get in touch with a subject librarian in Bobst to help you refine your research. If you need a second opinion on your draft, visit the Writing Center at 411 Lafayette, 4th floor. NYU gives you the tools you need to succeed — whether you use them is up to you.
Email Alli Pierson at apierson@nyunews.com.
Once the whole ordeal of moving in is over (and trust me, it’s always an ordeal), there comes a moment of glorious realization: you’re finally here. In college. In your own place, at least for the next eight months. And whether you get along with your roommates or not, whether you have a definite plan of how the next half year is going to go or whether it’s about to be a semester of hard-learned lessons and self-discovery, you have your (mostly) own space to come back to every night. Some of you are lucky enough to be in apartment-style housing, complete with a kitchen as part of your new abode. For you lucky folks, as you take advantage of the free events NYU will get you into and catch the latest foreign films at the indie cinemas, take advantage of that kitchen, too. That doesn’t include late-night ramen breaks and the special recipe you invented during the days of AP exams or A-levels that involves mac-n-cheese, Red Bull and some secret ingredient you haven’t even revealed to your friends. Because beyond all the other art New York City has to offer, the art of cooking is too often forgotten, pushed to the side in favor of dollar pizza and Arizona tea. Don’t worry; you don’t have to go so far as to learn how to laminate pastry. But once a week or so, forgo the less-than-fresh, more-than-soggy sauteed zucchini in the dining halls and chop a few
carrots and tomatoes, and fry those babies with a dash of olive oil. When you pregame for that Saturday night smasher, make some brownies from scratch to soak up that scotch. As you walk home past gourmet restaurants and admire the plating of the arugula salad or the sensual drizzle of caramel on that cheesecake, make a stop at Trader Joe’s or the Union Square Farmers’ Market for some cheap fresh produce and whip up your own version. Remember the art of cooking. Remember your kitchens. Don’t spend energy pining over your friend’s Instagram photos — make your own! Remember: they might laugh at your Pinterest recipes and Tumblr food blogs, but your kitchen will smell of marinara and basil when theirs smells of ramen — or worse, nothing at all.
Email Hailey Nuthals at hnuthals@nyunews.com.
STAFF PHOTO BY ANNA LETSON
If your dorm includes a kitchen, you have an opportunity to turn food into more than just another thing you do during the day.
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FEATURES
EDITED BY ABIGAIL WEINBERG FEATURES@NYUNEWS.COM
NYC is the Safest It’s Ever Been, But NYU Wants More By ABIGAIL WEINBERG Features Editor
Guard your valuables. Keep your music volume low. Don’t walk alone at night. These are the tips invariably offered to students who decide to go to college in a big city — advice often given without regard for specific crime rates, leaving students unclear about just how vigilant they should be. It’s safe to say that New York and its college students are the safest they’ve ever been. According to the Economist Safe Cities Index, New York was the safest city in the United States in 2015 based on rankings determined by health security, digital security, infrastructure safety and personal safety. This doesn’t necessarily mean that New Yorkers feel safe. The Economist places New York as the 10th safest city worldwide, but it ranks 31st in perceptions of safety. NYU’s attempts to enhance students’ perceptions of safety are
multiple: “green light” buildings both inside and out of the Washington Square area are staffed with security officers 24 hours a day, local business “Safe Havens” displaying purple NYU stickers in their windows offer help to students in emergencies and emergency call boxes are distributed throughout campus. The facts about crime, however, are up to personal interpretation: in 2015, NYU students reported six rapes, one robbery, one felony assault, 16 burglaries and 314 incidences of grand larceny, according to statistics provided by the newly appointed Vice President of Global Campus Safety Marlon Lynch in an email. Numbers corroborate NYU’s claim on its website that “NYU students are statistically safer than the average city resident.” New York Police Department CompStat data shows that NYU students reported fewer crimes in 2015 than residents of the neighboring 6th Precinct, which consists of Greenwich Village and the West
Village, and 9th Precinct, which spans from East Houston to East 14th Street and from Broadway to the East River. These neighborhoods themselves are relatively safe, reporting fewer crimes than the average NYC precinct in all categories except one — larceny. Larceny is by far the most prevalent crime afflicting NYU students, hence the ubiquitous flyers in Bobst warning students never to leave their laptops alone. Despite the reassuring statistics, NYU Public Safety is by no means getting complacent. Lynch is gearing up to implement changes to public safety in the upcoming semester, though the exact policy changes are not yet entirely clear. “An assessment of the Department of Public Safety will be conducted to evaluate everything from current policies, protocols and organizational structure to meeting with campus partners and students to inquire about the needs and expectations from public safety,” Lynch said in an email. Citing his success at gaining ac-
creditation for the University of Chicago as a public safety agency and implementing an emergency management plan there, Lynch has faith that he will maintain campus security at NYU. “Although I have spent [the] majority of my career in higher education, each institution is different and has its own culture, needs
and expectations,” Lynch said. “But what has been consistent has been my priority to provide a safe environment for students, faculty and staff so they can fulfill their academic mission with a sense of personal security.
Email Abigail Weinberg at aweinberg@nyunews.com.
PHOTO BY DANIEL COLE
New York City is perhaps the safest it has ever been, but NYU is forever ramping up its efforts to keep its student feeling safe both on and around campus.
This Summer’s Hottest Food Moves By TAYLOR NICOLE ROGERS Dining Editor
With a new food season almost upon us, it’s time to take a look back at the biggest changes in the New York food scene this summer. After all, everything will be pumpkin spiced before you know it.
Museum of Ice Cream Opens After completely selling out of tickets for its month-long engagement in only five days, the Museum of Ice Cream quickly became one of the City’s most sought-after attractions. In addition to giving every visitor his or her very own scoop of ice cream, the whimsical pop-up exhibition also allows visitors to add on to the world’s largest ice cream sundae, play on an ice cream scoop seesaw, snack on edible balloons and dive into a pool of artificial sprinkles.
Four Seasons Closes On July 16, the restaurant known for inventing the Manhattan power lunch shut its doors forever after the owner of its building decided not to renew its lease. Although Four Seasons is slated to reopen in about a year in a new location, it will never be quite the same outside of its original space designed by architect Philip Johnson. The restaurant’s wealthy clientele revealed their attachment to the Four Seasons when
the auction of the contents of the restaurant brought in $4.1 million — over three times the presale estimate.
Big Apple Barbecue Block Party Returns Always a highlight of New York’s summer food festival season, the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party on June 11 and 12 was extra special due to the return of beloved whole hog barbecue expert Ed Mitchell and the addition of Block Party co-founder Kenny Callaghan to the lineup. The event featured barbecue from 14 different pits representing every regional barbecue style from smoky Memphis pork ribs to juicy Texas beef brisket. However, it was plagued by exorbitantly long lines and some vendors ran out of food just an hour after the event began.
Froze Becomes the New Rose As temperatures threatened to climb into triple digits, froze — a 7-Eleven style slushie made with rose — became the drink of choice at rooftop bars across the five boroughs. Although froze is easy enough for the 21-and-up crowd to make at home by combining rose frozen in an ice cube tray, simple syrup and ice in a blender, it’s even better outside with friends. Chilo’s, a bar in Bed-Stuy complete with an outdoor patio, is now known for its unique froze with fresh grapefruit, white rum and honey.
PHOTO BY ANNE CRUZ
The Museum of Ice Cream quickly became one of the hottest attraction of the summer, despite its cold interior. Poke Bowls Take Off This year’s ideal light summer meal is the poke bowl, a traditional Hawaiian dish with a fresh twist. By starting with the classic combi-
nation of raw, cubed, seasoned fish over sushi rice and adding unconventional ingredients such as quinoa, zucchini noodles, avocado and tofu, Wisefish Poke in Chelsea is
transforming this obscure local favorite into a nationwide sensation.
Email Taylor Nicole Rogers at trogers@nyunews.com.
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FEATURES
EDITED BY ABIGAIL WEINBERG FEATURES@NYUNEWS.COM
What’s New at NYU?
By ANKITA BHANOT Deputy Features Editor
As the new school year approaches, students are preparing to fall back into their usual routines. Although you can count on a lot of the same late night cram sessions at Bobst and delicious Chik-Fil-A’s at Upstein, there are some big changes coming to NYU this semester.
PHOTO BY GABRIELLA BOWER
The Fourth Industrial Revolution promises big changes for the fashion industry, including the increased breakdown of barriers in the fashion industry and more technological innovation.
Tech Innovation Sees Fashion Follow in Suit By GABRIELLA BOWER Beauty and Style Editor
Over nine months ago, industry leaders from all over the globe met at the Davos Resort in Switzerland for the World Economic Forum to discuss the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Now, fashion industry leaders are considering this newest revolution and how it will transform the world of fashion. The Digital Revolution — known as the Third Industrial Revolution — has already significantly altered how we consume fashion. From the e-commerce boom to the ability to follow designers on Instagram and to “befriend” supermodels on Snapchat, the extent of the us vs. them divide in fashion has continuously dwindled. The Fourth Industrial Revolution builds upon the third but is further “blurring the lines between the physical, digital and biological spheres,” according to Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the WEF. For fashion, this means interactive dressing rooms, interactivity between fibers and textiles and hopeful improvements in working environments and sustainability. The truth is, the industry can’t even gauge the full breadth of what this revolution could do to either help or hinder the fashion market — or any market for that matter, Schwab says in a book on the Fourth Industrial Revolution. According to the Business of Fashion, this presents the fashion industry with a unique opportunity to redefine how fashion is “created, communicated and consumed.” BOF goes on to argue, “The Fourth Industrial Revolution will transform all industries. But fashion, in particular, stands to benefit most from advances in materials science, opening up a wide range of new functional and aesthetic possibili-
ties for garments.” The main problem lies in getting these materials into the hands of the creatives who know how to deliver it in an aesthetically pleasing and functional package to their consumers. With any technological advancement, human labor is condensed if not displaced altogether, and the advances of this revolution could rob workers of their jobs. On the other hand, technologies such as 3D printers allow for anyone to become a designer out of his or her own home, further encouraging the entrepreneurial spirit of the current generation. Artificial intelligence will aid companies in predicting trends and best sellers. We can also expect more collaborations between fashion brands and tech companies to aid outside industries such as healthcare. The Apple Watch and FitBit have outsourced for aesthetic direction with fashion creatives, Levi’s and Google have partnered to create a jacket which would allow the wearer to control his or her phone through the jacket sleeve and the Starlight Children’s Foundation Canada has enlisted fashion designers to “create hospital gowns that teens would actually want to wear,” said Huffington Post. The Fourth Industrial Revolution, especially in regards to how it will affect the fashion industry, presents a double-edged sword that could simultaneously improve systemic failures and exacerbate the industry’s neglect of worker’s rights and sustainability. Fashion has and always will be dependent on supply and demand. If consumers sternly demand social responsibility on every level in a way that affects the bottom line, then the industry will have no choice but to listen.
Email Gabriella Bower at gbower@nyunews.com.
Renovation of the Academic Space Center NYU completed its renovation of the academic space center on 383 Lafayette Street this summer and has turned the building into an academic and student support
center. Since construction began in the spring of 2015, the project brought a brand-new roof and windows, internal renovation as well as a new building on the adjoining lot. The center will become yet another option for students needing a place to study.
New Avery Fischer Center at Bobst The seventh floor of the Bobst Library is being transformed into the latest addition to the library’s Research Commons. The remodeled floor will feature a new Avery Fischer Center for Music and Media, complete with many versatile facilities, including a seminar room for group
film screenings and an “immersion room” for music with a surround-sound system.
Smarter Textbook Shopping Most students will be heading to the bookstore to stock up on their reading materials for class, which, as we all know, can get pretty pricey. This semester, the NYU Bookstore is launching a price comparison tool, which compares the school bookstore’s selection with leading online retailers. Saving a few bucks on each book will really add up at the end of the year!
Email Ankita Bhanot at abhanot@nyunews.com.
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OPINION
EDITED BY EMILY FONG OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM
INTERNATIONAL
STAFF EDITORIAL
Annual Rise in Tuition Causes Undue Stress
Since its expansion and rise to the top of college rankings, cost of attendance at NYU has been a concern for students. Even more frustrating is the practice of raising tuition costs each year in order to offset inflation and university expenses. While a necessary evil in some cases, it has become apparent that many former and aspiring students cannot afford these raises, no matter how incremental they are. One easy way of addressing affordability is by “grandfathering” tuition, an approach where a school fixes the cost of attendance for each incoming student for at least four years, instead of implementing annual tuition increases. In this model, what students pay their first semester at a university is what they will pay until they graduate. Universities throughout the United States advertise their guaranteed tuition program to students and parents alike, who are often surprised to learn that rates can increase by thousands of dollars each year. While lost revenue from these programs must be considered, its implementation would send a loud message to the NYU community that the administration recognizes the challenges of higher education and is willing to help. The university’s advice to students that they should simply keep in mind that tuition may increase is the furthest thing from a guarantee, and does nothing to foster financial peace of mind among college families. However, the grandfathering system is not without faults of its own. While various universities have implemented guaranteed-tuition programs successfully, some schools have had to contend with the consequences of freezing tuition prices. In Illinois — where guaranteed-tuition is mandated by law throughout the state — public colleges and universities have experienced drastic increases in annual tuition rates for incoming students. Fixed tuition rates increased at a rate of approximately 26-30% per year — an unimaginable spike for students at high cost universities such as NYU. These hikes were deemed necessary to offset the loss of revenue from frozen upperclassman tuition, but that revenue could be made up elsewhere, such as adding to housing cost for students that can afford it. These results, however, are not set in stone for all that follow a similar path. If a fixed tuition plan was implemented, it would be paramount that school officials take situations like this into consideration when planning for the annual cost increase for each new class. Unfortunately, while the affordability problem is unlikely to disappear anytime soon, grandfathering tuition is a good first step. The current language used to describe the fluctuation of tuition rates — which is a vague allusion to a possible 5 percent increase — is unacceptable. Meal plan cost freezes, housing cost freezes and reduced tuition increases are part of Hamilton’s well-publicized budget proposals, but those methods still fall short. Students deserve to know how much they need to invest in their education, and their families need the peace of mind to ensure they can follow through for all four years — not get halfway through and have to cut their losses.
Email the WSN Editorial Board at opinion@nyunews.com. EDITORIAL BOARD: Emily Fong (Chair), Paris Martineau (Co-chair), Akshay Prabhushankar (Co-chair) STAFF PHOTO BY SAM BEARZI
SUBMITTING TO
Celebrate Rio 2016 Despite its Problems By AKSHAY PRABHUSHANKAR Deputy Opinion Editor Between high crime rates, Zika virus concerns, polluted water and political instability, the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro had its fair share of problems. The 2008 Olympics in Beijing faced similar issues, such as human rights violations, air pollution and restrictive media access. In contrast, the London Olympics four years ago was remarkably free of major issues, and the perception of the city’s handling of the Games was generally positive. Yet to the outside observer, a clear pattern has emerged — Western countries run their games smoothly while non-Western ones are made to seem incompetent. But despite the difficulties, the fact that the International Olympic Committee takes bids from the developing world is a good thing, and this trend is a plus for the global community. Of the 50 Olympic Games held before Rio, 45 have been held in Europe, North America, or Australia. While developing nations can cheer on athletes they send to faraway nations, they have been almost entirely excluded from the pride of hosting
their own Games. By welcoming host cities from around the world, the IOC sends a message that the Olympic Games are exclusive to none. With over 11,000 athletes participating from some 200 countries in 2016, including a brand-new team for refugees, it’s clear that this message is resonating. Less wealthy countries also have trouble training qualified athletes, with populous but poor nations sending far fewer athletes to the Games than their smaller Western counterparts. While some programs in Rio try to address significant social concerns, many deride these attempts as ingenuine and unhelpful. The Games themselves, however, can be catalysts for change — there may be no better way to bring widespread coverage to these issues than by having hundreds of journalists descend on a city and
publicize its problems. For example, in 2008 the international press was able to expose the Chinese government’s displacement of its people and its other questionable moves. The intense focus on host countries can itself produce immeasurable benefits, such as the enormous boost to the city’s tourism industry and the investments made to its infrastructure, which last for decades. And, ironically, holding Games in oppressive countries offers a chance to shame governments into social reform. Many politicians and organizations called for boycotts of the 2014 Sochi Games after Russia passed legislation banning gay “propaganda.” The ultimate purpose of the Olympics is to unite the world’s people in their love for sport, and choosing diverse sites proves that the IOC is staying true to its goal. There will be challenges, no doubt, as there are not enough Londons in the world to host every Olympics. But every Games held in the non-Western world allows these nations, and their people, to get their chance in the limelight.
Email Akshay Prabhushankar at opinion@nyunews.com.
EDUCATION
Universities Should Foster Wall Street Women By EMILY FONG Opinion Editor
The United States has largely recovered from the 2008 recession, but stories of corporate largess, ethical transgressions and Wolf of Wall Street-style debauchery in the nation’s financial sector continue to haunt policymakers and citizens alike in 2016. While financial companies bear the bulk of the blame, universities are also culpable as they play a crucial role in determining the mindsets of their graduates. Changing industry status quo should be a priority beyond mandating that a few ethics courses be thrown into business students’ curriculums. More emphasis on promoting gender parity would be a great start. For example, while more women have attended business schools recently, few institutions have achieved equal gender representation. Consequently, the status quo has remained with few female executives on Wall Street. It certainly doesn’t help that business schools themselves sometimes create the same culture that later drives women away from the field. Retaining women on Wall Street has proven to be a substantial task.
The financial sector is dominated by men — studies peg the level of female employees in the financial industry at somewhere around 20 percent, while only a meager two percent of industry assets are managed by women. These numbers correlate to the disturbing reality of an industry that often pushes its female employees out through casual sexism and lack of provisions for working parents. Even though gender-balanced companies have been shown time and time again to perform better and more safely than their homogeneous counterparts, Wall Street still looks as it did decades ago: primarily white and male. While this is changing, more pressure needs to be put on these companies to recruit with gender diversity in mind. Schools are getting better at driving diversity initiatives — NYU’s Stern School of Business, for example,
works with a number of organizations to encourage ethnic, sexual, and gender diversity. But these programs can only drive change in limited ways. Unethical behavior should also be rooted out also among faculty. Financial disclosure guidelines — rules that ensure academics reveal if they are paid to endorse a viewpoint — should be adopted by government education policies. Currently, implementation of these rules are rather haphazard. Universal implementation helps to ensure that a professor is unbiased, and makes clear to students that “pay to play” has no standing in academia. For example, Harvard and Columbia instated financial disclosure guidelines in 2010 and 2011, but only after high ranking professors were caught doing unethical work in “Inside Job,” a documentary about the 2008 financial collapse. Universities should make serious commitments to ensuring an unbiased environment, as it is in our best collective interest to create an ethical and representative financial industry, lest we risk edging towards another collapse.
Email Emily Fong at opinion@nyunews.com.
Send mail to: 75 3rd Ave., #SB07 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.
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SPORTS
EDITED BY RACHEL RUECKER SPORTS@NYUNEWS.COM
Club Sports for the Masses
By RACHEL RUECKER Sports Editor
You may or may not know this already, but NYU is not exactly a hotbed of excitement about varsity sports. That being said, there are still a myriad of sports to explore, and as the school year starts, there are plenty of opportunities to not only watch, but join the club teams that NYU has to offer, teams that go far beyond their NCAA counterpart in terms of selection. Nearly every niche desire of yours can be fulfilled by NYU’s world of club sports. Here are a few highlights to get you started.
Hockey A Friday night staple at the Sky Rink at Chelsea Piers, the Violets’ on-ice contingent competes in the American Collegiate Hockey Association’s Division II. National Champions in 2015, the team is ripe with talent and are guided under the
tutelage of their leader, head coach Chris Cosentino. After a dominant regular season, the Violets hopes to defend their title were put to an end after losing a must-win game in the round-robin at Nationals in March. And now, heading into the 20162017 season, the team will surely be hungry to show that 2015 was no fluke. The Violets will hold an alumni game on Oct. 7. Check back here at WSN for more details as the season begins.
Rugby Managed by the Stern School of Business and composed of a blend of undergrad and graduate students, the NYU Stern Rugby Club matches have a feel similar to hockey and a game similar to football, making it a wet dream for the wannabe state school kid among us. But seriously, if you’re looking for a frat without the confusing letters, look no further. The rugby club, practicing and playing at Randall’s
Island, is all about friendship and fun. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or a beginner looking for some friendly competition, this club is all that and more. For those interested in taking to the pitch or merely enjoying the spectator aspect of the sports alongside me, email rugby. nyu@gmail.com.
Quidditch The quirkiest of the three, NYU’s Quidditch Club is as full of whimsy and wonder as the book and film series from which the sport came to be. Travelling to around eight tournaments a year, the team is a talented bunch, having gone to Nationals each year since their 2010 beginning. Similar to the rugby squad, the team starts as a competitive athletic team, but ultimately is about the friendships fostered. “The team partakes in many activities outside of practices and tournaments,” said club President Molly Potter (a name she assures us
VIA FACEBOOK.COM
Quidditch is just one of the quirky club sports that you will come across at NYU — and who knows, maybe you’ll end up grabbing a golden snitch or two in your time here. is real). “We get food together, go to NYU varsity sports events and various other events around campus. It helped me find my place at NYU, but doubles as a way to stay active and fuel my competitive spirit.” Tryouts will be held on Sept. 10. Check out NYU Quidditch on Facebook for details.
For more information on these, more club sports or NYU athletics in general, check out their pages online or take the road less travelled and head over to Club Fest, to be held in Kimmel on Sept. 7.
Email Rachel Ruecker at rruecker@nyunews.com.
Athletes of the Year Ready for New Season By ASHLEY ARNOLD Staff Writer
@nyunews
Sophomore golfer Jenni Bluetling and senior wrestler Nathan Pike took home the honor of being the 2015-2016 NYU Athletes of the Year. Straight from Feldafing, Germany, Jenni Bluetling has spent the summer finessing her craft. “I have been getting in a lot of range work to improve my short game which was one of my weaker areas last season,” Bluetling said. “I have also been trying to get on the course as much as possible and continue going to the gym a couple times a week as time gets closer to flying back to the city since we dive right into our season.” Nathan Pike, on the other hand, has done the opposite. During the off-season he actually steers away from wrestling and focuses on putting on muscle. “I have found that when I take a break from wrestling it makes me miss the sport and, in turn, causes me to work harder when season rolls around,” Pike said. “I do think my main priority is getting in the weight room.” When things get intense, Bluetling carves time out in her schedule to Skype friends and family from back home. Meditation and yoga keeps Pike grounded when things get hectic. His warmup routine includes listening to classical or jazz music to control his heart rate and stay relaxed. Bluetling credits her coaches and teammates for helping her stay on track on and off the course. “The absolute support and constant encouragement from Coach
Kolean and Meaghan are some of the greatest factors that contributed to my success last year,” Bluetling said. “Some of my closest friends on the team made all our tournaments great fun and helped me power through the late night study sessions.” A focused mindset along with endless support from the inspiring people around Pike contributed to his success this year. “I think my mindset and the support from my friends, family, teammates and coaches helped a lot,” Pike expressed. “A lot of people believed in me and I wanted to come through for them. Despite her team’s success, Bluetling warns incoming teammates about time management because of weekend tournaments. “With tournaments taking up most of the weekends it can be very stressful to get all the work done on time,” Bluetling stated. “In preparation for midterms and finals it helps to look at the exam schedule far in advance.” Pike encourages new teammates to attempt to beat anyone who is within two weight classes of their respective weight class and to not be afraid to lose against each other. “Do not come in and burn yourself out,” Pike expressed. “The season is longer than the high school season, so it may take a little bit to adapt and tailor when you peak in the season.” The two star players are set to start their fall seasons, with golfing ramping up on Sept. 3 and wrestling not debuting until Nov. 5.
Email Ashley Arnold at sports@nyunews.com.
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