NYU’s Daily Student Newspaper
WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS Vol. 41, No. 81
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2013
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Gallatin forms four grad scholarships
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
COURTESY OF TELLTALE GAMES
By KLEIN ALEARDI
‘Wolf Among Us’ game stays true to source material The first installment of a five episode series, “Wolf” presents a unique gaming experience based on the “Fables.” STORY on PG. 5
Teaching standards reform necessary
In order to improve the U.S. education system, we must first address teaching training standards in U.S. public school classrooms.
CHUCK KUAN/WSN
Gourmeet convenes in Brooklyn for Mexican food-themed event
The Gallatin School of Individualized Study will be awarding $25,000 Dean’s Graduate Scholarships to four incoming master’s students studying humanities and the arts; the history of science, environment, sustainability; globalization and developments and politics and human rights. Susanne Wofford, dean of Gallatin, said the Gallatin Dean’s Graduate Scholarships resemble the NYU Reynolds Program, a program sponsored by the Wagner School that supported social entrepreneurship with grants and fellowships. “Our students were very engaged with applying for the Reynolds and we often got several scholarships from that, ” Wofford said. “We decided that we should use some of our funding to create something, it’s not as extensive as the Reynolds, but it has the benefits.” The four categories were chosen based on the Gallatin’s faculty strengths, as well as the interests
Gourmeet, an online medium that allows people to schedule food parties, enjoys a pig roast for lunch, presented by B’klyn Burro. Diners eat tacos, salsa, chicharrones and buche at Havermeyer Park in Williamsburg.
STORY on PG. 7
Unsung designer discusses his creative philosophy By DAVID BOLOGNA
After nearly half a century of designing for famous names like Elizabeth Taylor and Alicia Keys, Carter Smith, a little-known name with a long legacy, is finally stepping out of the shadows himself by sharing his story and vision with the pub-
RACHEL KAPLAN/WSN
Carter Smith shares the inspiration behind his vibrant tie-dye style.
lic. Smith’s own tie-dyed banners, dresses and more adorn every inch — from carpet to sofa to wall — of Dejavu Tailoring’s showroom on the Upper East Side, where he sat for interviews this past week. Offering everyone he greets with an inviting smile, the designer cannot wait to share his fashion collection — the results of his work, passion and love. “In childhood, you get to be spontaneous, you get to create all these things and think … life is about having fun,” Smith said. “As I’ve evolved into my work, I’ve evolved into my childhood.” Having learned the shibori tiedyeing technique from his mother, Smith has been dyeing fabrics for most of his life. Smith graduated with a degree in sculpture, and channeled his creative skills into fashion as his interest in dyeing simple T-shirts rapidly developed. “I taught myself how to make those clothes. I don’t have a formal
CARTER continued on PG. 8
GALLATIN continued on PG. 3
YouTube, improv comediennes can bring diversity to ‘SNL’ By VALERIE NELSON
Last week, “Saturday Night Live” performer Kenan Thompson made the mistake of suggesting that the current lack of diversity on “SNL” results from female black performers in the comedy world not being “ready.” Unsurprisingly, Thompson’s comments have received major backlash, and for good reason. With a grand total of four black female cast members in its 38-year history, “SNL” could definitely do with a demographic shake-up. YouTube offers a wealth of talent. With the Internet becoming the preferred platform for writers and performers, more and more comedians, particularly those from groups underrepresented in mainstream media, are expressing themselves in vlogs and web series. Online, several black comediennes have already proven their abilities
as writers, impressionists and improvisers. In other words, they’re “ready.” Darmirra Brunson is one such comedienne, and “SNL” cast member Jay Pharoah even publicly stated that she deserves to be hired. Brunson is the quintessential unap-
preciated talent “SNL” is obviously missing. As an actress on Tyler Perry’s sitcom “Love Thy Neighbor” and an impressionist on her YouTube series, “TheDarmirraShow,” she’s every bit as versatile
SNL continued on PG. 4
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2013 | NYUNEWS.COM
ON THE SIDE
COMPILED BY THE
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STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS
WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS Editor-in-Chief JONATHON DORNBUSH Managing Editor
YOGA Yoga is a great way to relax during any stressful time, especially midterms. It helps to take your mind off your classes for an hour, plus the exercise and stretching will keep you feeling energized all day. Yoga To The People has a studio on St. Marks Place that offers daily classes by donation, so you pay as much as you can afford. There are also deals to be found on Groupon, or free instructional videos online. — SAM RULLO
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KICKBOXING
YOUTUBE WORKOUTS If you can’t make it to Palladium or Coles, YouTube workout videos such as Blogilates have a variety of five to 20 minute workouts for study breaks to keep you energized and focused. Though it might be hard to motivate yourself to break away from your textbook or computer screen, exercising in small intervals is a great way to maintain endurance and stay positive — go endorphins! — during midterms. — VERONICA CARCHEDI
Release your frustrations during this midterm season. Enroll in a kickboxing class not only to tone your entire body, but also to release endorphins and pick up some self-defense moves. You would think sacrificing a couple of hours to workout will take away from cramming, but this investment is worthwhile. Working out and releasing stress actually gives you more energy for a long night at Bobst. Find a studio near you on Groupon or Living Social. — MICHELLE LIM
MICHAEL DOMANICO arts JEREMY GROSSMAN features JONATHAN KESHISHOGLOU sports FRANCISCO NAVAS multimedia JONATHAN TAN copy CASEY DALRYMPLE social media GENTRY BROWN senior editors VERONICA CARCHEDI, TONY CHAU, DAN HINTON, MICHELLE LIM, STEFAN MELNYK, SAM RULLO, WICY WANG
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OPINION PAGE
RUNNING
opinion editor
Since you might be short on time, put on some running shoes and take a quick 20-minute jog around a few blocks. Make sure to stretch afterward to cool down. The crisp fall air should reinvigorate you, while the jog and stretch are great ways to loosen your muscles and de-stress. You will feel more alert during your studies and during the remainder of your exams. — EMILY YANG
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TENNIS ON THE ROOF OF COLES’ SPORTS CENTER While the Coles Sports Center is generally known for having a weight room, cardio machines and basketball courts, there are also many ways to work out on the rooftop. Weather permitting, students can access six tennis courts, two batting cages and a one-sixth mile three-lane running track. Going to the gym no longer has to be a entrapped indoor activity. — TONY CHAU
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About WSN: Washington Square News (ISSN 15499389) is the student newspaper of New York University. WSN is published Monday through Thursday during NYU’s academic year, except for university holidays, vacations and exam periods.
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NYUNEWS.COM | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2013 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
SSC PANEL DISCUSSION Throughout the week, WSN has published information about the debates over student debt and financial aid at NYU. Today’s focus is the budget. These three topics will be the main discussion points of WSN’s Student Senators panel discussion tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. in Kimmel room 406. Students can be a part of the audience and direct questions at the four senators, or they can tweet their questions to @nyunews, with the hashtag #askwsn. The 2013 university budget is outlined on the NYU website. The budget for this year is a little over $2.5 billion. Tuition and fees, student housing and dining, and other auxiliary operations contribute to almost 70 percent of the university’s budget. The other sources of revenue, including income from commercial real estate, sponsored research and educational programs, and gifts to the endowment and endowment investments, only contribute up to 5 percent of revenues. Salaries and employment benefits make up over 50 percent of the university’s expenses. Almost 40 percent is used for building-related costs and general operating expenses. The remaining 10 percent is used for transfers to non-operating funds, professional services and fees, and contingencies and academic investment funds. According to the university bylaws, several groups and people have an input in deciding the budget. The key players are NYU President John Sexton, the Finance Committee, the University Senate and chief financial officer Martin Dorph. The Students Senator Council also has a Student Affairs Budget Advisory Committee, which reviews the budget and makes recommendations to the University Senate.
Business Insider considers Poly students math whizzes By ANJANA SREEDHAR
Business Insider, in partnership with data website FindTheBest. com, released a study about the top 10 universities for “math whizzes” Oct. 17, with the Polytechnic Institute of NYU ranking eighth. The study purposely chose schools that have a large disparity between the average SAT math and critical reading scores, and NYU-Poly had a difference of 70 points between math and critical reading scores. Ben Taylor, marketing manager at FindTheBest.com, explained the reasoning behind the study’s methodology. “Many high school students excel in a few subjects, while struggling in others,” Taylor said. “We see a lot of our users interacting with the slider filters in our college comparison. The thinking is, ‘if I’m a math whiz, but I have a low critical reading score, why should that limit me?’ The research tools on FindTheBest allow you to form a custom list very quickly … in this case, based on your test scores.” Taylor said FindTheBest users perform this same comparison when looking at options for other areas, such as smartphones and dogs. He said the list was not meant to be a list of the top schools for mathematics. “The list is not a good representation of the nation’s very best math schools,” Taylor said. “It is a good representation of schools you might consider if your SAT
math score is considerably higher than your critical reading score.” Professor Deane Yang, a mathematics professor at NYU-Poly, said the study was inane and undeserving of attention. Yang suggested that students looking at colleges should consider the potential financial return of attendance. He preferred a study conducted by PayScale, which ranked NYU-Poly third overall on the list of schools with the highest returns on investment for students. “A rigorous college education like the one [students] get at NYUPoly really does provide them with real future opportunities that they would not have otherwise,” he said. “So they fight to overcome the challenges they face at NYU-Poly and persist despite setbacks they encounter along the way.” NYU-Poly sophomore Wells Santo, who is in the bachelor of science and master of science program majoring in computer engineering at the undergraduate level and computer science at the graduate level, said the school did not fit into the “math whiz” stereotype. “A select few of our student population does hate, and is bad at, math,” Santo said. “The math requirement for computer science only goes up to linear algebra … Most courses tell you to ‘plug and chug,’ which I don’t think is something a ‘math whiz’ would do.” Anjana Sreedhar is a contributing writer. Email her at news@nyunews.com.
GALLATIN continued from PG. 1
Gallatin will provide new scholarships to graduate students
of Gallatin masters students. “These are areas that we see as important areas to the faculty as well as where we have a lot to contribute,” Wofford said. The scholarships are being funded by philanthropy and the existing annual financial aid budget, meaning donors will determine whether this program survives or not. “Right now we have been able, thanks to the support of donors, to raise some funding that has been identified for graduate students,” Wofford said. “I know we are covering it for the next two or three years, but if five years from now
we can’t afford it, we may have to stop.” Amy Spellacy, administrative director of Gallatin’s master’s program, hopes that the scholarships will attract strong students and support them. “We recognize that there is a need to provide funding for M.A. students and we are interested in offering substantial scholarships to our most competitive applicants,” Spellacy said. The recipients of the scholarships, who will be chosen by a faculty committee that will review applications, need to know what they want to do and why they want to do it, according to Wofford.
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The Gallatin School of Individualized Study offers a graduate program.
“Unlike undergraduates, what we stress for high school students coming in as freshmen, that it’s an area where you could be still exploring your interest and we expect you to build your concentration over time,” Wofford said. “This is a program where they’re only here for two years, they have to have a good idea of what they want to do.” Funding for master’s students is a rare thing among both private and state universities. Usually, M.A. programs are combined with doctoral programs and the funding comes from those students teaching during their studies, Wofford said. “A real, separate, stand-alone M.A. program with funding is really rare. We’re really proud of our M.A. program, we feel that we have super students and we think that providing some funding will continue to strengthen the program,” Wofford said. Gallatin senior Elena Bakker said she is considering applying to the graduate school and that the scholarships were appealing, especially because of its renewability for a third semester. “Gallatin is a community of people who all think a bit different, which is an amazing thing,” Bakker said. “If these scholarships can help other people live the Gallatin experience and responsibilities it teaches you, I see that as a great thing.” Klein Aleardi is a staff writer. Email her at news@nyunews.com.
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Majorie Deane funds financial reporting program By ANN SCHMIDT NYU’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute announced last week the creation of the Marjorie Deane Professorship in Financial Journalism in honor of a $400,000 gift from the London-based Marjorie Deane Financial Journalism Foundation. This gift will help fund student programs and fellowships. Stephen Solomon, founder and director of the NYU master’s program in business and economic reporting, is the first to hold the professorship, which began last week. “The Marjorie Deane Foundation has recognized the BER program as one of the best of its kind in the world,” Solomon said. “We are honored to be able to work with the foundation to assist young journalists in becoming excellent financial writers. The foundation’s gift makes it possible to enhance the education and experience of the students we could not pursue before now.” The Marjorie Deane Financial Journalism Foundation, named after a reporter for The Economist, aims to advance public education in financial theory and journalism. Martin Giles, an Economist correspondent and the foundation trustee who was most involved in awarding the gift to NYU, said part of the foundation’s mission is to support schools teaching financial journalism. “The Business and Economic Reporting program is very much aligned with the goals of the foundation,” Giles said. “And we liked the idea that some of the foundation’s money would be available to support students studying on the program.” The student programs funded by the gift include an annual Marjorie Deane lecture and, next fall, the creation of Marjorie Deane fellows, who are business journalism students who will receive financial assistance for tuition. In the spring 2014 semester, the institute also plans to launch a student exchange program, in which BER students can spend a week studying the financial systems of the United Kingdom and the European Union at the City University of London. “The world is so interconnected today that it’s critically important for business journalists to understand the economic and financial systems in different parts of the world,” Solomon said. NYU social sciences dean Michael Laver said he was gratified the foundation chose to invest in the BER program. “It is especially good that the bulk of the resulting resources will be targeted very directly at students and that the foundation is keen to do this,” Laver said. “Sometimes, students benefit only indirectly from such awards.” Srividya Iyer, a student in the BER program, said she thought recognition for the program was long overdue. “No other university in the United States has a program so comprehensive,” Iyer said. “They’ve worked hard to make it relevant, and we’re excited to go to London.” Ann Schmidt is a contributing writer. Email her at news@nyunews.com.
COURTESY OF NYU
Stephen Solomon teaches in the BER program.
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2013 | NYUNEWS.COM
EDITED BY JEREMY GROSSMAN ARTS@NYUNEWS.COM
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NYUNEWS.COM SNL continued from PG. 1
Online stars prove ‘Saturday Night Live’ can solve cast problems
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Sasheer Zamata’s body of work includes CollegeHumor videos and stand-up shows.
and creative as any of the current “SNL” cast members. Issa Rae gained popularity with her web series, “The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl.” Although she recently had a television project ABC did not pick up this past season, the setback didn’t slow her down — she’s currently working on an HBO series loosely based on “Awkward Black Girl” with Larry Wilmore, creator of “The Bernie Mac Show” and “The Daily Show” correspondent. Maybe at this point, Rae doesn’t need a stepping-stone like “SNL,” but that doesn’t change the fact that she would be a great addition. Nicole Byer is a veteran of the Upright Citizens Brigade, an improv troupe co-founded by “SNL” legend Amy Poehler, which boasts members like current “SNL” performer Kate McKinnon. Currently, Byer is on MTV’s comedy series “Girl Code” and web series “Fast Food Heights,” and she maintains a hilarious Twitter account. With a background in improv — something that’s obviously treasured at 30 Rockefeller Center — Byer would fit in at “SNL” just fine. Another UCB alumna is Sasheer Zamata. Zamata has appeared on Comedy Central’s
“Inside Amy Schumer,” as well as CollegeHumor videos. She’s also written UCB sketches and performs stand-up. Zamata is the whole package, and seeing her on television each week would be delightful. When “Shit People Say” videos were exploding online a few years ago, Franchesca Ramsey stuck out with her video, “Shit White Girls Say … to Black Girls.” Ramsey has maintained her online popularity with her YouTube channel “ChescaLeigh,” where she makes weekly videos. Sometimes she dresses up in ridiculous costumes and sings original parodies of pop songs. Other times, she makes searing arguments pertaining to social justice. Ramsey is smart — a quality that’s often forgotten when discussing comedy — but she’s also silly, creative and relatable. These are only a few of the many black women who are “ready” to be a part of the legendary “SNL” cast. In 2013, with the wealth of talent available on YouTube and elsewhere, “Saturday Night Live” can no longer keep making the same excuses. Valerie Nelson is The Highlighter editor. Email her at vnelson@nyunews.com.
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ARTS
‘Wolf Among Us’ captures Actors fail to master Bard’s spirit of source material verse in ‘Romeo and Juliet’ By NIVEA SERRAO
With the popularity of fairy talethemed television shows like ABC’s “Once Upon a Time” and NBC’s “Grimm,” it’s no surprise that Telltale Games has decided to adapt Bill Willingham’s hit comic book series — and The New York Times bestseller — “Fables” into a video game. Given the success of last year’s “The Walking Dead” episodic video game adaptation, the company has some big shoes to fill. With the first episode of “The Wolf Among Us” (available on Playstation 3, Xbox, PC and Mac), Telltale proves they just might be up to the task. Based on the Vertigo comic series, the game is set in Fabletown, a community of fairy-tale and storybook characters who have escaped their respective worlds. They now live in a tiny enclave in New York City, hiding away from “mundanes,” who are analogous to the Muggles of “Harry Potter.” The game takes place 20 years before the comic’s story starts, and players take on the role of Bigby Wolf — the Big Bad Wolf of fairy-tale infamy and sheriff of Fabletown — as he sets out to investigate a murder. The decision to make “Wolf” a prequel is a clever one. Not only does it keep the game’s storyline from simply becoming a playable version of the comics, but it also prevents the game from messing up the comic series’ continuity. Moreover, having players play as Bigby works on many levels. Not only is Bigby one of the most popular characters of “Fables,” but his role as sheriff lends the games its noir look and feel. It also offers newcomers an entry to the “Fables” universe by way of interviewing other characters. This is particularly important because the game is chock-full of subtle references and Easter eggs for even the most casual of “Fables” fans. From the beginning, it’s clear “Wolf” is trying to inhabit as much of the comic’s universe as it can. In light of that intent, “Wolf” looks a lot like the comic on which it’s based. The game features framed cut scenes
and locations just like they’re drawn in the comic’s panels. An exception is the game’s emphasis on gritty dark shadows and neon coloured highlights. The voice cast is incredible, as well. Lead voice actor Adam Harrington nails Bigby’s voice, capturing him exactly the way many comic fans may have imagined the character to sound. But the one major criticism of “Wolf” is the gameplay. Players unfamiliar with Telltale’s style will take a little while getting used to how it works. What’s really interesting, however, is that the game factors in all of the player’s decisions as Bigby, meaning one rude interaction with a character now might have repercussions later. Ultimately, the first episode of “The Wolf Among Us,” or “Faith,” as it’s officially titled, successfully captures the tone of the series it’s based on and effectively sets up the four episodes to follow. Nivea Serrao is a contributing writer. Email her at entertainment@nyunews.com.
COURTESY OF TELLTALE GAMES
Bigby investigates the lives of fairy tale characters living in the real world.
By DYLAN JARRETT
“But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?” “Romeo, O Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?” “A plague on both your houses.” It is nearly impossible to leave a production of “Romeo and Juliet” without one of these famous lines echoing in your head. William Shakespeare’s play about tragic young love and feuding families contains some of his most wellknown phrases. However, after seeing the Classic Stage Company’s production of “Romeo and Juliet,” running through Nov. 10, these are not the words viewers will remember upon exiting the theater. Instead, Friar Laurence’s Act II soliloquy on the properties of herbs is the scene that is most memorable. Delivered by Academy Award-winner William Hurt, this often forgotten speech is the first moment of beautiful theater in this heavy-handed production populated with an overwhelmingly unremarkable cast. Unfortunately, this production of “Romeo and Juliet” feels a bit lost. The first half of the show seems to draw heavily on Baz Luhrmann’s film adaptation of the play. The characters speak Spanish, the Capulet’s party turns into a rave and Tybalt and Lady Capulet definitely have an intimate relationship. As the play progresses, though, it loses all sense of direction. The famous fight between Mercutio and Tybalt
COURTESY OF CLASSIC STAGE COMPANY
Elizabeth Olsen and Julian Cihi star in “Romeo.” begins as a simple fist fight, but then Tybalt picks up a blood packet from a silver bucket downstage center and slams it against Mercutio’s chest in a clumsy and awkward maneuver, splattering blood to let the audience know Mercutio is fatally wounded. The sloppiness of this scene persists throughout the show. Romeo, played by NYU alumnus Julian Cihi, is usually a whiny character. However, Cihi never allows his Romeo to be anything more than whiny, keeping him static instead of turning him into a romantic hero. T.R. Knight’s Mercutio is similarly one-note — he portrays his anger well, but angry is all he does. Juliet, played by Elizabeth Olsen, is the best of the three leads. She feels like a Juliet for the 21st century, bouncing from excited to lovestruck to depressed from one instant to the next, similar to an actual teenage girl. The dynamic between the
three is strained at best, though, and almost awkward to watch. The only real theatrical force in the play is William Hurt’s Friar Laurence. Whenever he is on stage, it is impossible to tear your gaze from him. His voice, as he delivers Shakespeare’s words, rises and falls with the cadence of the verse. Hurt gives a masterful performance. Sadly, the rest of the cast is not up to par. At times, it feels as though the actors don’t understand what they are saying. When it’s performed well, Shakespeare should feel almost like the English we speak today. Instead, the words in this “Romeo and Juliet” are nearly incomprehensible. Because the actors fail to interpret Shakespeare’s verse, It is actually difficult to follow the plot of the most well-known love story in the world. Dylan Jarrett is books/theater editor. Email her at djarrett@nyunews.com.
‘Model Apartment’ presents metaphor through characters By NIKOLAS REDA-CASTELAO
Written by Pulitzer Prize winner Donald Margulies and running through Nov. 1 at 59E59 Theaters, “The Model Apartment” is a dark comedy about an old Jewish couple, Max (Mark Blum) and Lola (Kathryn Grody), who leave Brooklyn and retire to Florida. The play takes place in their new model apartment, where the ashtray is glued onto the table and none of the electrical appliances seem to work. The entire setting of the play is merely presented as a façade — an extended metaphor for the tumultuous past of the two protagonists, which is embodied in the form of their frantically delusional daugh-
ter, Debby (Diane Davis). She follows them all the way to Florida. Throughout the course of the night, the demons of the past are relentlessly torn from each person. This is most evident with Max, who dreams of the beautiful and ideal woman he lost in the Holocaust. Director Evan Cabnet brings a dissonant humor to the play that frequently tiptoes into uncomfortable territory, but here uncomfortable is a good thing. Each actor turns their distinct fears and insecurities into characterizations, finding humor and pain with surgeon precision, and as an ensemble, they execute their contrasting harmony quite well. Davis deserves particular attention because of how well she
expresses Debby’s anguish in recurring infantile mood swings, jumping in between ebullience and outright indignation without the slightest hesitation. Everything about her performance seems natural. Additionally, Blum and Grody show excellent chemistry. The residual guilt their characters harbor is conveyed with skillful nuance. Hubert Point-Du Jour, who plays Debby’s mildly mentally handicapped boyfriend Neil, is a buttress to the real resonance of the family dynamic, but he still plays the part well. The cast does extraordinary justice to a subversive script, creating a result as seamless as the façade of a generic Miami condo.
The set and lighting, designed by Lauren Helpern and Keith Parham, respectively, also are worth mentioning. Helpern purposefully designed the set to look tacky and generic, but dimensions to it remain — particularly evidenced in the last scene — which work exquisitely to open the play’s psychology. The lighting is eerie, almost haunting, when needed. It helps to convey the small tempered moments of surreality and menace between stretches of the mundane that provide the play its emphasis. The only bothersome parts of “The Model Apartment” are the transitions from scene to scene. At first, they feel unnatural, more like a cut to commercial than a
continuation of the story. As the play progresses, the scene changes begin to work, and the audience adapts to the unusual sound cues and lighting. Overall, Cabnet has created a stellar revisiting of a master play with a master cast. Nikolas Reda-Castelao is a contributing writer. Email him at theater@nyunews.com.
Highlighter columns
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Crossword ACROSS
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intelligent invertebrates 7 1970s-’80s sketch comedy show 11 Josh 14 Brazen promoter 15 Hound’s quarry 16 Veiled words? 17 Kingship 18 Shop door sign 19 Second-highest pinochle card 20 Get an ___ (ace) 21 Not showing much life 23 German greeting 25 Transcription, e.g. 27 ___ Millions (multistate lottery) 28 47, for Ag 29 Pick up on the innuendo 33 Yoga surface 36 Arctic ___ (migrating bird)
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Vientiane native Adage regarding skittishness Prefix with cortex Luxury hotel name Private investigator, in old slang “Charlotte’s Web” rat Pre-K song start ___ fixe A little less than 100% Toes the line Egyptian dam site Discouraging words Inventor’s award Fiber-yielding plant Croupier’s workplace E-tailer’s address
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hurricane of 2011 7 What a constant channel-surfer may have 8 Lt.’s superior 9 One less than quattro 10 “Ben-Hur” theme 11 Plant with fluffy flower spikes 12 Writer’s block buster 13 End of a doorbell sound 22 Business card abbr. 24 “That’s awful!” 26 Heavy reading? 27 ___ badge 30 London’s ___ Gardens 31 Slangy turndown 32 Buzz Lightyear, for one 34 Does away with
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PUZZLE BY PAUL HUNSBERGER
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“Takes a licking …” brand Prov. on Hudson Bay Bridal bio word With skill Block buster? Green vehicle, briefly Be inquisitive Not the past or the future
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Mexican hero Juárez Worker with DNA, perhaps Some vacuum cleaners Arm of the sea? Where to see “bombs bursting” Great work
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Dog’s warning
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Magazine filler
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Punk rock subgenre
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Belarus, until 1991: Abbr.
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NYUNEWS.COM | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2013 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
OPINION
EDITED BY RAQUEL WOODRUFF OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM
ACHIEVEMENT
STAFF EDITORIAL
Education reform starts with teaching standards By KENNY KYUNGHOON LEE
Despite numerous education reforms for public schooling, American students still rank below average in academic achievement compared to their peers in other developed nations. The policies so far have concentrated on creating support systems for struggling students, but there has not been enough emphasis on establishing systems for struggling teachers. Considering the increasingly high teacher attrition rate to expect any commendable improvement in students’ performance, better support systems for teachers are necessary. Steep teacher dropout rates may undermine the ongoing policies for education reform. According to Education Week, up to 50 percent of new teachers “leave within the first five years of entry into teaching.” In some regions, like the School District of Philadelphia, the teacher dropout rate is even higher than the student dropout rate. As the proportion of teachers who leave in the early stage of their career increases, more public money is wasted in recruiting and training more new teachers, the buildup of a skilled teach-
ing force becomes more difficult, and the quality of educational institutions would suffer. However, putting all the blame on young teachers for their lack of commitment to their careers shows a poor understanding of the primary cause of this critical issue. While pre-employment training is insufficient to equip them with all the skills needed for successful teaching, the current system fails to provide adequate induction programs that help starting teachers improve. They are often restricted to the confines of their classrooms, working in isolation from colleagues or senior teachers. The lack of community causes quick exhaustion and emotional drain, leading to early retirement. Fortunately, recent policies, such as reforming No Child Left Behind
and the RESPECT Project launched by the Obama Administration pay more attention to teacher induction. Nevertheless, it is unclear how productive the induction programs across the nation have been. The programs vary across different regions, and their effectiveness has yet to be tested. As a result, the teacher attrition rate is still soaring, despite more teachers reporting they have received some form of an induction program. Teachers commonly cite physical exhaustion and emotional toll among the reasons for quitting. More comprehensive and systematic induction programs must be devised and implemented. There should be more emphasis on policies that create a standardized system that can train novice teachers once they are employed. Without improvement in teachers’ job satisfaction, there cannot be any significant progress in American students’ performance. Indeed, no struggling teachers should be left behind. Kenny Kyunghoon Lee is a contributing columnist. Email him at opinion@nyunews.com.
PARTISANSHIP
Hastert rule causes gridlock in Congress By JOHN AXELROD
The recent political crisis in Congress that caused a government shutdown and almost a government default has a lot of people pointing fingers at Republicans. But blame should also be levied upon procedural rules in the House of Representatives that allowed a few dozen intransigent GOP lawmakers to hold the entire country hostage until their demands were met. If a continuing resolution and debt ceiling hike had been brought up for a vote in the House prior to the Oct. 1 deadline, it probably would have passed with bipartisan support from Democrats and moderate Republicans. Instead, this deadline passed without a vote on a continuing resolution, and the federal government ran out of funding. This legislation was not brought up for a vote in the House until Oct. 16, after the shutdown had already cost our economy an estimated $24 billion. The blame for this unfortunate timing rests with House Speaker John Boehner and his decision to adhere to the Hastert rule. The Hastert rule is a practice that became recognized in 2003 when former speaker Dennis Hastert pledged not to bring any leg-
SUBMITTING TO
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islation to a vote unless it was supported by a majority of the House’s majority party. This unofficial rule has been practiced in Congress since Hastert’s time as speaker. The current speaker has often chosen to follow this rule, but because of the rise of the Tea Party, he presides over a legislative body that is substantially more polarized than it was a decade ago. Getting a majority of the majority to support anything these days is nearly impossible, and his selective adherence to this principle has helped make the 113th Congress one of the least productive in U.S. history. Boehner is not above breaking this rule when it is politically prudent for his party to do so, as he has shown five times with the 113th Congress already. But this rule runs counter to democratic principles, and even selective enforcement is adding to gridlock in Washington, D.C. Comprehensive
bipartisan immigration reform cleared the Senate in June with 68 votes, but it was dead on arrival once it reached the House. Even though the Washington Post reported there are probably a sufficient amount of votes in the House to pass the Senate’s bill, it won’t even be debated because Boehner won’t bring it to the floor. In this instance he is following the Hastert rule. A few leaders of the majority party should not be the only people dictating what legislation is on the agenda. This allows them to block any bill they choose, which is too much power for someone who was elected by a district of less than a million people to have in a democracy of 300 million. It’s time to consider amending the procedural rules of the House of Representatives so the minority party can bring legislation to the floor more easily. A change as simple as granting some agenda-setting powers to the minority leader could go a long way toward making our democracy more effective by ensuring that legislation supported by a majority of Congress isn’t buried. John Axelrod is a contributing columnist. Email him at opinion@nyunews.com.
Transparency needed on drone strike casualties
Two new reports officially released yesterday by human rights groups Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have raised grave concerns about U.S. drone strikes in Yemen and Pakistan. Among the revelations were six drone attacks in Yemen, which resulted in the death of 82 people, including at least 57 civilians. These reports follow a UN investigation last week that found U.S. drone strikes killed at least 400 civilians in Pakistan — information never acknowledged by the U.S. government. The White House’s over reliance on drones has been in direct contravention with international law. Indiscriminately violating Pakistan’s northern borders, the United States has undermined the fundamental legal principle of state sovereignty — established in Chapter VII of the UN Charter — setting a very dangerous precedent. Indeed, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif recently stated that operations conducted by U.S. forces have breached Pakistan’s sovereignty and undermined its efforts to combat extremism in the northern provinces. Drones have been an attractive option for the U.S. military because they are cheap, relatively accurate and substitute military personnel in the air or on the ground. Drones offer a practical option to avoid boots-on-the-ground operations in remote areas where local allies are hard to find. The U.S. government’s ultimate justification for the use of drones, however, is that collateral damage is inevitable, and the military is targeting people whose business is taking the lives of people. The Amnesty International report highlighted growing antiAmerican sentiment in tribal areas of Pakistan, where the highest numbers of civilian casualties have occurred. The anxiety surrounding an imminent U.S. drone strike is cultivating “the same kind of fear ... that was once only associated with al-Qaeda and the Taliban.” Experts have expressed their concerns of increased radicalization as a result of these attacks. Young Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai, in her visit with Obama this month, warned that they are fuel for terrorism in her home country. Although Obama declared that his administration was committed to protecting civilian life, his promise directly contradicts the reports. This covertness has permitted the United States to conduct strikes with unchecked impunity, a dangerous practice that indefinitely suspends accountability and prevents slain noncombatants from receiving due justice. While the Obama administration has publicly announced its plan to severely limit the use of drones, the American people deserve to know the civilian cost of these targeted killings. As long as this expansive drone program exists, the U.S. government must be held accountable and disclose the number of civilian casualties that result from drone attacks.
Email the WSN Editorial Board at editboard@nyunews.com. EDITORIAL BOARD: Raquel Woodruff (Chair), Edward Radzivilovskiy (Co-chair), Peter Keffer (Co-chair), Harry Brown, Marcelo Cicconet, Christina Coleburn, Omar Etman, Nina Golshan, Nicki Sethi
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.
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NYUNEWS.COM | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2013 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
BEAUTY AND STYLE CARTER continued from PG. 1
Designer Carter Smith reflects on life’s work, inspiration for elegant, comfortable style
design background,” Smith said. While his clothes are structurally simple, they retain a high elegance in their mesmerizing, one-of-a-kind prints that stand out among the traditionally chic norm. “To dress a woman in New York, you don’t have to wear black … or just neutrals,” Carter said. “You actually take on the energy of the clothes you wear, so if you wake up in the morning and you put something rainbow on, you’re going to be happy.” Through his use of silk, bias and velvet, Smith illuminates the beauty of all who wear his clothes. From Sarah Jessica Parker to a mother of four or the average girl on the street, Smith’s breezy fabrics aim to complement the shape of any woman, and with every hand-dyed design, he elevates them to their own unique level of sophistication. “One of the things about these clothes is women put them on, they feel good and it changes the way they move,” Smith said. “It changes the way people see them; therefore, it changes the way they see themselves, so it’s a whole different psychology of clothing.” Smith refuses to discriminate against women in terms of body shape or size, as well. His inclusive collections are fit for every woman, and he keeps this in mind as he designs. “I had a client who told me, ‘I’m going to lose 180 pounds, but I want a coat that I can wear before and after.’ So I went home and designed this coat that would look good on a 300 pound woman or a 180 pound woman.” While his designs run on the
EDITED BY ARIANA DIVALENTINO BSTYLE@NYUNEWS.COM
Pop culture favorites offer unique Halloween costumes By HANNAH TREASURE
Even though Halloween is just around the corner, with midterms and schoolwork on everyone’s plate, the idea of creating a costume probably seems exhausting. Here are just a few quirky costume suggestions to set your creative gears back in motion.
Snapchat Ghost
RACHEL KAPLAN/WSN
Smith creates a colorful flattering fit for every womanly shape.
Incorporate the classic Halloween spirit with your love for the embarrassingly addictive iPhone app for shameless selfies, Snapchat. Pair an all-white outfit with a cardboard background painted yellow. Bring a camera and make sure you let friends take as many regrettable pictures with you as possible. If you have a Polaroid camera, then you’re practically the
party’s walking photo booth. You can even bring markers to let your friends write short messages or draw across your white shirt as they would on the app.
Horse ebooks If you’re looking for the most bizarre costume you can find, this may be it. After the famous Twitter account @horse_ebooks revealed its identity at the end of September at the Fitzroy Gallery in the Lower East Side, the account has seemingly gained even more attention. Known for its disjointed and random tweets, the account’s ensemble can be recreated if you wear a shirt with one of the infamously fragmented tweets such as “Imagine your kidney,” “Who Wants
luxurious side in terms of price, a student splurge might occasionally be worth it, especially for Smith’s hand-dyed $120 leggings. When stepping into a Carter Smith design, simplicity, flattery and artistry are almost instantaneous. They are easy and almost too comfortable for any woman to resist. “This is where art and fashion fuse to become one,” Smith said, “and what I design never goes out of fashion because it’s never in fashion. You know what’s in fashion? Women are in fashion. They’re timeless.” David Bologna is a staff writer. Email him at bstyle@nyunews.com.
To Be A Golf Ball” or “Everything happens so much.” The Village Party Store on Eighth Street and Fifth Avenue sells strangely realistic horse masks to complete the look.
Cronut Feeling particularly adventurous? Try being a cronut. As fall’s topical combination of croissant and donut, you can channel some of the pride that comes with people camping out during absurd hours to see you. To achieve the perfectly delicious, circular shape, use either an inflatable innertube or a hula hoop. Cover it with brown fabric, with fluffy material like pillow feathers to put on top as the icing. This costume will entail a lot of work, but you can’t just earn the title of revolutionarily engineered pastry for nothing.
Jesse Pinkman With post-“Breaking Bad” finale depression setting in, relive some of the television season’s most memorable moments as Jesse Pinkman. Dress with his recurring, bright yellow hooded sweatshirt, a beanie and slouchy jeans. If you’re looking to try your hand at fake make-up injuries, you could recreate his swollen black eye from season one. VIA FLICKR.COM
The Pinkman costume calls for a yellow hoodie and beanie.
Hannah Treasure is a staff writer. Email her at bstyle@nyunews.com.
Skin care products prevent damage from winter weather By DANA RESZUTEK
As fall temperature edge their way down the thermometer and autumn transitions into winter,
your wardrobe is not the only thing that requires some changes. Cold, windy and dry air, along with the occasional snow fall, can be brutal to your skin, so
VIA FLICKR.COM
Colder weather can make for especially dry skin.
it’s essential to prevent your skin from becoming chapped and red. The main concern when it comes to cold weatherrelated skin care is increased dryness. In order to keep your skin looking radiant instead of ruddy, adjustments must be made in what type of lotion and moisturizer you use. For hot, summer days, a light water-based daily moisturizer would be generally sufficient for keeping in moisture and protecting your skin from the sun’s rays. However, for late autumn weather, a water-based product generally is not moisturizing enough to prevent dry skin. Instead, switch your daily moisturizer to an oil-based one. These oil-
based products, despite the name, can still be non-comedogenic (meaning they do not clog pores), and will not cause you to break out. Try the Replenishing Rich Moisturizer by Simple ($11), which works great for sensitive skin and can be found at any drugstore. Although most oil-based products are successful in replenishing moisturizer, extra-virgin olive oil seems to work wonders for the skin when it comes to moisturizing, as well as maintaining the skin’s elasticity, due to the antioxidants it contains. Olive oil can be found in a wide variety of products, from rich creams to serums, which all work towards the same goal of protecting and moisturizing the
skin. C. Booth’s Italian Olive Oil Body Butter provides the richness of a cream with the added benefit of olive oil ($7). This type of cream is best used at night, giving your skin some time to absorb the moisture. Despite the darker, cloudy skies that come this season, sunscreen is still an essential item that should be applied on a daily use. Even if it’s not sunny, UV protection should be considered a year-round precaution. If your winter moisturizers do not already contain an SPF of at least 15, incorporate a light, non-comedogenic sunscreen, such as Neutrogena’s Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen, which ranges in SPF from 15 to 100 ($12).
After the application of daily skin care products, many opt to use foundation, which is perfect for hiding redness or discoloration brought on from the bitter weather. It is important, however, to ensure the correct formulation of foundation is being used. Powder-based products can reverse all the moisture from your other skin care products, producing a “caked-on” look. Instead, opt for a light liquid or cream foundation, being sure to warm up the product with your fingertips before application in order to prevent it from drying on the skin. Dana Reszutek is a staff writer. Email her at bstyle@nyunews.com.