NYU’s Daily Student Newspaper
WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS Vol. 40, No. 32
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2012
WSN EDITORIAL: Effect of Sandy, NYU and beyond STORY on PG. 7
nyunews.com
STUDENTS HELP LOCAL COMMUNITY GET BACK ON ITS FEET AFTER SANDY:
ONLINE
In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, NYU students and faculty bring essential supplies to local communities.
For coverage of the Hurricane FULL on PG. 6, 7 Sandy’s effect on theSTORY university community, check out last week’s live coverage at nyunews.com.
STORY on PG. 5
NYU Langone outage due to city code
HURRICANE SANDY AND NYU:
University resumes activities after Sandy
By WICY WANG
NYU Langone Medical Center was forced to evacuate during Hurricane Sandy Monday night when the storm surge in New York City raised water levels to unprecedented heights and cut off Langone’s backup generator fuel reserves and pumping systems. The hospital administration initially drew some received criticism for the power failure that caused the hospital to be plunged into darkness and forced patients to evacuate. Many media outlets have described the power outage as a generator failure, but the
LANGONE continued on PG. 3
MADISON TODD/WSN
Hurricane Sandy left many NYU students and city residents in the dark and many locations on the east coast devastated. By TRICIA LIN A week after Hurricane Sandy damaged southern New Jersey and wreaked havoc along the Eastern Seaboard, the road to recovery has been split in two — one where life is returning to normal and another where
the prospect of normality is as dim as the city was during the power outage. While Lower Manhattan and NYU had power restored on Friday following a four-day power outage, other areas including Staten Island and devastated regions of New Jersey are strug-
gling to find basic necessities. The United States’ death toll is now at 113, with New York being the hardest hit with 48 fatalities, according to the Los Angeles Times. Eqecat, Inc., a company that projects economic losses of catastrophes, puts the potential
loss in the range of $30 to $50 billion, which is second only to Hurricane Katrina as the most expensive hurricane in U.S. history. “Sandy was an impressive storm because of its
SANDY continued on PG. 8
NYU alum, photojournalist lets curiosity lead his lens By KATYA BARANNIK
Just after Hurricane Sandy rampaged through the East Coast, photojournalist Adrian Fussell was out shooting the storm’s aftermath. The damage Fussell captured from Brighton Beach to Rockaway Park appeared in The New Yorker’s online Photo Booth series “Sandy” this week. At 23 years old, Fussell, who graduated from the College of Arts and Science in 2011, already has an impressive resume. He recently attended the prestigious Eddie Adams Workshop, in Jeffersonville, N.Y., which invites 100 of the best photographers under 25 years old to work with some of the world’s top photographers. Fussell mostly publishes his work with The Wall Street Journal and Newsday, and he is currently represented by Getty Reportage’s Emerging Talent section. Fussell was also awarded the 2012 Ian Parry Scholarship for his series “My Name is Victory.” This multimedia project follows the Patriot Guards, a volunteer military program of Asian and Latin American youths, from Francis Lewis High School in Queens. Fussell’s work is inspired by his travels as
a child. His father is a diplomat, and Fussell grew up all over the world — no place in particular was home. “Throughout my upbringing [in places such as Guatemala and Africa] I had been witnessing current events first hand,” Fussell said. “Just being aware of my surroundings I always kind of knew I wanted to be a story teller.” Fussell first became involved in photography during his freshman year at NYU while capturing the streets of New York as part of a community service project with a nonprofit organization called Art Start. Soon he was contributing to blogs such as The New York Times’ Local. Fussell graduated from NYU with a degree in print journalism and political science. He considers print journalism an excellent foundation for photojournalism. “Not many photojournalists come from a background of writing,” Fussell said. “Thinking in terms of a story more than simply looking for good pictures is helpful.” After graduation, Fussell participated in the International Center of Photography’s 10-month, intensive documentary photography course. “[The ICP] is dreamland in terms of photog-
raphy, but it’s very intense,” Fussell said. “They push you. They give you real world deadlines and assignments. It kind of separates the men from the boys. I definitely wouldn’t be a photojournalist if it wasn’t for ICP.” Kathy Willens, a professor at NYU’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute, worked with Fussell while he was at NYU. She initially advised him to not enroll in the ICP program, but later saw how it deepened his dedication to photography. “[Adrian] had the drive to push himself, propel himself forward and suck in like a sponge everything he was exposed to,” Willens said. “I was impressed by the amount of work he accomplished and his change in attitude. After [the ICP program] he was committed and more dedicated to his work, which was a wonderful thing to see.” Because of his recent success, Willens has invited Fussell to speak at one of her classes this week. “[Fussell] has gotten a lot of support. He is devoted, dedicated and passionate about his work,” Willens said. “People are seeing something in him or else all of this [success] wouldn’t be happening. He has
accomplished a lot of things which is unusual for someone so quickly.” Despite his quick success, Fussell warns aspiring photojournalists that the job is not all glory. “It’s a really tough field, low-paying and long hours,” Fussell said. “The motivation you have for [being a photojournalist] shouldn’t be a selfish one. It should be an innate curiosity about things and an instinctual desire to tell stories.” “You can’t go into [journalism] with any hope of being rich ever in your life,” he said. “The only thing you’ll be rich in is experience. You’ll have seen more than anyone will ever get to see. That’s an incredible privilege.” Fussell is taking full advantage of his young age to see the world. He is currently planning a road trip from Tijuana to Vancouver, and afterwards he is going to travel to Panama to document the story of his family’s history. “We [as journalists] are privileged to be the eyes of the world,” Fussell said. “It’s a very heavy but noble burden.” Visit adrianfussell.com to see Fussell’s work. Katya Barannik is deputy features editor. Email her at kbarannik@nyunews.com.
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2012 | NYUNEWS.COM
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BEST COMMENTS Editor-in-Chief AMANDA RANDONE In response to “Alec Baldwin visits Kimmel in wake of Hurricane Sandy” (Posted Nov. 2, 2012) “John in his Brooklyn sweatshirt, Alec Baldwin, and great to see that we still like to re-arrange furniture on the 7th floor. Miss this side of NYU. As for academics, glad that’s over. Hope the party last night was a great de-stress and that everyone is doing well!”
— 2010Alum
TOP TWEETS Cancellation of Halloween 2012 softened by meeting Alec Baldwin. So nice, he even gave out hugs! #nyu @orlhs_nyu
@tylerscrisman Betting on my #NYU daughter kicking #hurricane #Sandy’s butt. #survivor
@shawanna___nigh Fingers crossed hoping I get accepted on this early decision to #NYU
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AMY ZHANG EMILY YANG
— lynn
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In response to “NYU should cheer on sports expansion” (Posted Oct. 23, 2012) “NYU can dominate NYC with a Division1 basketball team playing at MSG. Sexton would just not go for it. Have to wait for a regime change at the top and in Athletic Department.”
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Managing Editor
@interstaate71 I thought that if you survive a hurricane you automatically get A’s for the semester? #nyuproblems @NYU_Problemz
@justcallmeFIFO
Assistant Managing Editors
HANQING CHEN DANIEL HINTON Creative Director
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university GENTRY BROWN city/state TONY CHAU arts STEFAN MELNYK features NICOLA PRING multimedia JAMES KELLEHER copy JORDAN MELENDREZ senior editors HANNAH BORENSTEIN,
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TODAY
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5 to 6 p.m. Silver Center, room 101 | 100 Washington Square East
6:30 to 8:30 p.m. NYU Bookstore | 726 Broadway
8 to 9 p.m. The Church of St. Joseph | 371 Sixth Ave.
NYU alumna Greta Gleissner will sign copies of her book “Something Spectacular: The True Story of One Rockette’s Battle with Bulimia,” a story about her struggle with an eating disorder during her career as a Rockette.
The NYU Symphony, conducted by Jens Georg Bachmann, will perform at the Church of St. Joseph in Greenwich Village tonight. Admission is free.
SCHOLARS LECTURE SERIES
Dr. Michael Purugganan, a professor in the Department of Biology, will deliver a lecture titled, “The Origin(s) of Crop Species: Biological Evolution in the Species We Eat,” as part of the College of Arts and Science Scholars Lecture Series.
SOMETHING SPECTACULAR
NYU SYMPHONY
NICOLE GARTSIDE
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ON THE WIRE
Hello, this is elephant
A 22-year-old Asian elephant in a South Korean zoo can speak five Korean words by tucking his trunk inside his mouth to produce sound. He can say the words for “hello,” “sit down,” “no,” “lie down ” and “good,” according to experts. Although scientists are uncertain if the elephant can understand the language, the elephant responds to commands. The scientists said the elephant may be mimicking human speech because he is lonely. Mockingbirds, parrots and mynah birds are other animal species that usually can imitate human speech. In 1983, Kazakhstani zoo officials said their elephant could reproduce 20 phrases in Russian, but there was no scientific study to verify their statement. — CBS NEWS
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SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY
WSN’s mascot, Omar the pomeranian puppy, celebrated his first birthday on Sunday with his owner, music editor Josh Johnson, at the office.
PHOTO BY GLORIA LEE
KEITH LEIGHTY
SU extends Early Decision deadline
EDITOR-AT-LARGE
— DAILY ORANGE
FRANCIS POON
BROWN UNIVERSITY
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.
Brown alums battle for political office nationwide — THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
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NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2012 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
LANGONE continued from PG. 1
NYU says media got it wrong: Langone outage not caused by generator failure university disputes that claim. In an interview with WSN, executive vice president for health Bob Berne stated that the power outage was caused by a fuel tank malfunction that occurred because the tank was built to conform with city code, which mandated that fuel pumps were placed in the basement of the hospital. “When the water breached the lower level and surrounded the fuel tanks, the fuel tanks ... shut down,” Berne said. According to building code consultant David Doddridge in an interview with Reuters, fuel tanks for rooftop generators are often placed at low elevations to in order to use gravity to facilitate fuel tank loading and to prevent lightning accidents and other weather-related corrosion. Once the sensors on the fuel tanks processed the water level, they automatically shut down the generators located on the roof of the hospital, causing the power outage. “What was called a generator problem was not” Berne said. “It was a fuel problem.” But many were increasingly angered by what they believed was an oversight on the university’s part. New York City Council speaker Christine Quinn publicly criticized the power failure. “We were assured, we being the city, that the hospitals within Zone A had the capacity to get patients out before the storm ... and that they had sufficient backup generators,” Quinn said. “There are many questions that NYU needs to answer.” However, some at Langone have countered that the unanticipated flood levels meant the hospital was not entirely to blame for its inability to prevent a power outage. “The onus is on the city to prevent Lower Manhattan from being flooded,” said Dr. Marc Siegel, an associate professor of medicine at NYU and a medical director for Doctor Radio. “It’s the city and state’s responsibility to protect hospitals.” He added that building seawalls and other storm control measures would be helpful in preventing similar situations in the future. Allison Clair, senior public relations specialist at Langone, also cited the historic magnitude of the storm, with storm surge flooding reaching 13.8 feet. “We were prepared for 12 feet of flooding ... but flooding was at unprecedented levels, more than 2.6 feet higher than the 1821 record,” she said. FROM STAFF TO HEROES As a result of the power outage, the staff at Langone were handed the enormous task of evacuating all patients out of the hospital. Their ex-
traordinary efforts and efficiency were widely praised, and many in the community did not view them as everyday workers, but as heroes. Working in near darkness, nurses and other hospital personnel escorted patients down long flights of stairs, in some cases manually providing oxygen through bag valve masks, in order to transport the patients to ambulances that delivered them to nearby hospitals. Langone had discharged many of its patients before the storm. All of the remaining 300 patients were successfully evacuated by 11 a.m. Tuesday morning. “I’d like to point out how well-organized the evacuation was. None of the patients were lost or injured, and all were completely and safely evacuated throughout the night,” Clair said. “The doctors had to make a very quick decision to evacuate following the flooding.” Corey Sullivan, whose nephew Leif Sullivan was one of the 20 premature newborns at Langone when the power failed, described the evacuation as the most efficient process he has ever seen. Leif, who was in the prenatal intensive care unit on the ninth floor of the hospital, was among one of the first patients to be evacuated. “The whole time, each child had nurses and firefighters around them,” he said. “[The nurses] used battery-powered equipment after all other backup plans failed. These kids were evacuated within a half hour, and in a new hospital within an hour.” Sullivan was pleased to report that Leif had gained a pound since the hurricane, despite spending his first night away from the hospital on Nov. 1. The evacuation process received praise from the President Obama. “When the storm was darkest, the heroism of our fellow citizens shone brightest,” Obama said in his weekly address, giving an honorary mention to “the nurses and doctors at NYU Medical Center who evacuated fragile newborns, carrying some down several flights of stairs.” Langone expects to re-open ambulatory care centers, the Center for Musculoskeletal Care and the Clinical Cancer Center this Monday, contingent on restoration of power as well as the Hospital for Joint Diseases. *At time of publication, WSN has not received a response specifying which city code the hospital abides by. Check nyunews.com for updates. Additional reporting by Alistair Blacklock and Amy Zhang. Wicy Wang is a contributing writer. Email her at cstate@nyunews.com.
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Steinhardt professor receives funding for research By MARILYN LA JEUNESSE The Kresge Foundation, USA Funds and the Wal-Mart Foundation recently awarded Steinhardt professor Robert Teranishi $2 million to support his research on the AsianAmerican and Pacific Islander student populace. Through his project called PEER — Partnership for Equity in Education through Research — Teranishi aims to collect information on AAPI students to help them succeed in their higher education pursuits. “AAPIs are the fastest growing college student population in America’s colleges and universities,” Teranishi said. “We need a better understanding of this diverse student population in different institutional settings.” Teranishi, who serves as project director of the National Commission on Asian-American and Pacific Islander Research in Education, said PEER is a three-year plan in which he and his partners will conduct research intended to identify practices, implement interventions and mobilize campus leaders to support greater institutional effectiveness for the AAPI population. It will also share resources for more widespread success by incentivizing AAPI students with academic scholarships. “Many times, research on the Asian-American and Pacific Islander community is combined into one group, which can often mask many of the challenges that communities face,” said Katie Tran-Lam, APIASF director of communications and marketing. “Robert and his team have
helped bring to light many of the most pressing challenges facing the community when it comes to education.” The research will highlight the importance of Asian American-, Native American- and Pacific Islander-serving institutions in helping America’s national college completion goals and increasing the success of AAPI students. APIASF president and executive director Neil Horikoshi said the PEER project may reshape the American higher education system and its barriers to meet the needs of AAPI students. Teranishi is also working closely with De Anza College, City College of San Francisco and South Seattle Community College on the PEER project. These institutions have had frequent success in supporting AAPI students as they pursue degrees, and the institutions will be key project partners over the next three years. The groups said they awarded Teranishi because of his previous work within the AAPI college communities. Briana Le, a junior at the University of California, Davis, said the research is necessary due to the burgeoning Asian-American demographic in universities. “As an Asian-American student in school, I’d love to be able to have the resources and the information that specifically affect my demographic,” Le said. “We’re a large group, and we’re only going to continue to grow.” Marilyn La Jeunesse is a staff writer. Email her at university@nyunews.com.
NYU London freshmen share experience with voting while abroad By GLORIA NORTON LONDON — For LSP freshman Emily Miller, voting overseas feels like a heavy burden. As an American citizen studying abroad, Miller had to apply for an absentee ballot and had the option send in her official voting ballot either by email or postal mail. “I think [the absentee voting process] is extremely complicated and frustrating but [I] still want to vote,” Miller said. “Now it’s just more of a burden than a duty.” Miller is not the only one with such sentiments. Students, who are voting during their first semesters abroad said the varying voting processes across the nation has caused a considerable amount of confusion. But Nigel Freeman, assistant director of Student Life, encouraged students to take advantage of their time in England during the elections.
Freeman has been providing information for students who are voting by posting instructions about registration on the London blog and holding a counseling session on absentee voting in the Academic Center earlier this month. “Seeing how the campaigning and the election itself unfolds from a different vantage point thousands of miles away offers multiple opportunities for students to learn and to develop cultural and personal insights,” Freeman said. “In particular, the way the U.S. is seen and presented within the U.K. media, and how local attitudes prevalent in London might challenge or re-enforce your own perspectives on what it means to be an American in the modern world.” Clive Bloom, professor of Issues in Contemporary British Politics and Culture, said it is important for students to be involved in American politics even when they are outside the country. “[Voting] still remains the only way
people can influence events in a democracy,” Bloom said. “You don’t vote and you might get something you hadn’t planned for.” But others said they appreciate the ability to vote. “Of course I would’ve preferred to vote like the rest of my fellow citizens at a proper voting station, but the fact that I could still vote and got to experience this absentee voting process makes me appreciate the way our American government works,” said Bianca Petcu, an LSP freshman. LSP freshman Ruth Rajan said living in England during her first voting year has led her to contemplate different types of government. Rajan, who opted not to vote in this year’s election, said she has been thinking more about socialism since arriving in London. “[Being in England] made me more apathetic toward the elections since I’m
not surrounded by campaigning at all,” Rajan said. “I’ve actually grown fonder of socialism since I’ve been here, and socialism isn’t one of the main American election platforms. I like the health care system and educational system, plus higher education is much cheaper.” Although Freeman understands the confusion some may feel while voting overseas, he said he is glad that students are still excited to vote. “Voting from overseas can be a chore, and no doubt the process does stop some students in their tracks before they’ve even properly considered whether to engage or not,” Freeman said. “[NYU London staff and NYU Global staff ] have been putting a lot of time and energy into trying to get students informed about the various aspects of voting from overseas.” Gloria Norton is a foreign correspondent. Email her at university@nyunews.com.
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2012 | NYUNEWS.COM
FEATURES
Tips for throwing winning election bash By KENDALL HILL
The 2012 campaign season is drawing to a close and will finally be decided on Nov. 6. Grab a few friends and celebrate this important coming-of-age experience with an election party while you watch the results come in from each state. Here are some tips that are sure to get you a high approval rating among your guests. AMERICAN EATS Combine classic American finger foods with some of the candidates’ favorite dishes. Serve mini crescent hot dogs with ketchup and mustard, small slices of flatbread pizza, watermelon and New England clam chowder. Add the candidates’ favorite foods — President Obama loves homemade chili and Gov. Mitt Romney’s favorite sandwich is peanut butter and honey — for a perfectly balanced menu. DELICIOUS ADDITIONS Draw from the candidates’ home states and American-themed favorites for sweet dessert and drink inspiration. Celebrate Hawaii, Obama’s home state, with Hawaiian shave ice and Michigan, Romney’s home state, with pot pies or fruit pies. Make Blue Hawaiian virgin cocktails by mixing blue fruit punch, coconut milk, a splash of pineapple juice and a can of ginger ale. Serve your guests Rice Krispie Treats and fudge — Snap, Crackle and Pop, Rice Krispies’ mascots, were designed at the Kellogg’s headquarters in Michigan, and Mackinac Island, Mich. is famous for its fudge. HOME DÉCOR American flags and party hats are a musthave at any election party. Make your party
WHAT’S IN YOUR BAG?
extra patriotic with red, white and blue balloons or American flag paper fans ($10.99 for six fans on shindigz.com) and an assortment of paper lantern lights. To keep the fun going, buy a few patriotic beach balls for guests to toss around and life-size cut outs of the candidates so guests can take pictures with them. Finish by sprinkling the floor with star confetti, and the room will be ready for a celebration.
By ALEXANDRA CONNOLLY Tisch sophomore Aidan Terry’s affinity for drawing began when he was a child and has grown ever since. Inspired by Disney movies and animators like Milt Kahl and Glen Keane, Terry began to animate at a young age and created his first short film when he was just 10 years old. Now an animation major at the Tisch School of the Arts, Terry is well on his way to being able to do what he does best — a few hundred sheets of paper at a time.
PARTY GAMES Keep your guests entertained by playing fun, election-themed games. Pin the tail on the donkey — and the elephant — is a new spin on a classic game. Split your guests into two teams according to political party preferences to keep the game exciting. Organize a game of trivia by using fun facts about the candidates and their running mates, and have your guests guess whom each fact is about. Throughout the night, hold your own mock election by having everyone vote for the candidate they would like to win. Tally up the votes and proclaim the winner of your game just before the actual results are announced.
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MAKE SOME NOISE Be sure to leave your guests with a souvenir that will last. Pass out campaign buttons your guests can decorate themselves. Also hand out plenty of noise makers — your guests may want to make a lot of commotion in anticipation of the election returns.
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Kendall Hill is a staff writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com. JOON LEE/WSN
PAPER The most abundant and probably most important item in Terry’s bag is paper. Aside from various sketchbooks, which he uses for practice and thumbnails, he also carries many sheets of whole-punched animation paper. “There [are] 24 frames in a second. I like to animate on ones, which means there’s one frame, and you draw every single frame,” Terry said. “Everything looks better and more life-like if it’s animated on ones, so I use twice as much paper as I could be using.” 1
PENCILS AND MARKERS Terry also carries around various art supplies that he uses in drawing and animation. There are, as can be expected, different types of pencils of various graphite densities. Terry prefers HB brand pencils as well as 4H and 6H pencils, which appear much lighter on paper. He also carries colored markers. 2
2012 INFLUENTIAL ISSUE
TAPE Terry carries tape, which he uses when drawing. In animation, it is important to keep the drawings in each frame consistent, so he needs to keep his paper still as he draws characters and then traces over them. 3
Every year, WSN profiles students who have made a meaningful impact on the NYU community. We are now accepting nominations for the 2012 Influential Issue. Check nyunews.com for more information.
IPHONE Terry’s iPhone is always in his backpack, but he does not use it like most of his peers. He uses his phone and a stylus, a writing utensil for his screen, to help him draw. “Honestly, I don’t even want the phone,” Terry said. “Someone told me to get Draw Something, so I did that, and I was getting really tired of drawing with my fingers. I never liked finger painting, so I sprung for a stylus, and that’s what I use it for [as well as an] app called animation desk, which lets you do animations.” 4
Alexandra Connolly is a staff writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com.
NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2012 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
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EDITED BY NICOLA PRING FEATURES@NYUNEWS.COM
NYU gives back to community in aftermath of Sandy By KRISTINA BOGOS
Beth Diesch, a second-year master’s student in the Silver School of Social Work, was climbing 29 flights of stairs on Friday, Nov. 2 in complete darkness at 505 LaGuardia Place when an elderly woman stepped into the hall. The woman was approximately 70 years old, and even with her curly brown hair, she was still under five feet tall. She was blind, hungry and needed help. Diesch entered the blind woman’s apartment, helped her separate cans of soup from Chef Boyardee brand items and made her a tuna fish sandwich on whole wheat bread. That same day, the fourth one Lower Manhattan residents were surviving without power, approximately 40 NYU students like Diesch spent the afternoon delivering bottled water and Federal Emergency Management Agency meals to residents in Greenwich Village as part of a relief effort led by congressman Jerrold Nadler, according to Alicia Hurley, vice president of government affairs and community engagement at NYU. Earlier that day, Diesch and other students delivered care packages full of nonperishable food, blankets and homemade cards to elderly citizens housed in apartment buildings around Washington Square Park. “There are people within our general vicinity that still need assistance, especially ... the elderly who are unable to get out of their apartments and do a lot of things on their own,” Diesch said. Despite the fact that hundreds of students became refugees last week when 12 residence halls lost power late Monday night, the NYU student body and staff recognized the need to serve their surrounding community. Both relief efforts, sponsored by the Center for Student Activities, Leadership and Service, revealed students’ and staff members’ drive to help. Roopa Raman, a second-year master’s candidate in the School of Social Work, participated in both projects after she lost power in Palladium residence hall.
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“It’s a testament to the fact that if you feel like you have a little bit more right now than [other] people, it’s important you put yourself out there and help,” Raman said. “This is where I need to be putting my energy.” A few blocks away, nursing students and faculty tended to seniors living behind Bobst Library. As part of the Elder Care Recovery Effort, the relief project was led by the College of Nursing and the Visiting Nurse Service of New York, according to Amy Knowles, assistant dean for student affairs and admissions at the College of Nursing. Over 50 students and 15 faculty members spent two days ensuring the elderly had medication and other necessities as well as calling rescue units if ambulances were needed. “I am so proud of my nursing students,” Knowles said. “This was a time when people were just selfless and saying, ‘What can I do? How can I help?’” While relief efforts sprouted in Greenwich Village, CAS sophomore Perla Alvarez was in Chinatown delivering shopping bags full of batteries, food and water to residents at 65 Broome St. with the Committee Against Anti-Asian Violence, an organization that builds power among poor and working class Asian immigrants. After helping those in need on Friday afternoon, Alvarez realized her volunteer efforts will not stop anytime soon. “It’s imperative to know that, while we have our lights back and we have our water and our heat back, there are so many people who don’t,” Alvarez said. “We need to get out there and help them get back to a semi-normal life because it’s going to take a lot longer than it took us.” Even though Consolidated Edison has restored power to the city, the need for assistance is still strong, and members of the NYU community can help. “As members of a community, we look out for one another,” said Adam Ebnit, associate director of the Center for Student Activities, Leadership and Service. “When there is a need, we do our best to respond. That is what community is
COURTESY OF ADAM EBNIT
NYU students and staff assemble care packages for elderly residents living in black-out zones. about and what is continually being demonstrated by NYU students, faculty and staff.” In the coming weeks, the university will continue their relief efforts in and around the city. Students are encouraged to check NYU’s website for more volunteer opportunities. Kristina Bogos is a staff writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com.
Ways to help in hurricane relief efforts With power restored to nearly all of Lower Manhattan after five days of outages because of Hurricane Sandy, life is slowly returning to normal. However, nearly one million people along the East Coast are still without electricity and heat, and communities in Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and parts of Manhattan have been devastated by flooding, fires and other damage. Here are five ways you can help our city recover.
By NICOLA PRING
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UNITED WAY United Way, a worldwide advocacy and volunteer organization, is seeking volunteers to assist in recovery efforts in Coney Island and areas of Brooklyn and Queens affected by the hurricane. Volunteers are needed between noon and 5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 5 and Tuesday, Nov. 6. United Way is also accepting donations to help those in heavily affected areas. Register to volunteer at action.unitedwaynyc.org. 1
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YOUGIVEGOODS YouGiveGoods is an online platform that matches people who are able to give food and other supplies with those in need. The organization is asking those interested in donating food to hurricane victims to join one of their established online food drives or to start their own. YouGiveGoods makes starting a food drive easy by answering a few simple questions online and selecting a charity or nonprofit organization to benefit. YouGiveGoods’ Hurricane Sandy relief efforts are scheduled through Nov. 16, though you can start a food drive at any time. Visit yougivegoods.com for more information. 2
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NEW YORK CITY HOUSING AUTHORITY The New York City Housing Authority, which is responsible for New York City’s 334 public housing developments, is seeking volunteers to distribute food, water and other resources to residents of housing developments in areas hit hardest by Hurricane Sandy, including the 3
1. VIA UNITEDWAY.ORG 2. VIA YOUGIVEGOODS.COM 3. COURTESY OF NYC HOUSING AUTHORITY 4. COURTESY OF MISSOULA PUBLIC LIBRARY 5. VIA THESIS.JRBALDWIN.COM
Rockaways and Breezy Point in Queens, and Midland Beach in Staten Island. Several volunteer opportunities are available in these areas between 1 and 5 p.m. through Friday, Nov. 9. Volunteers are asked to wear comfortable clothing and footwear. Register at nycservice.org. GIVE BLOOD Damages from Hurricane Sandy have severely impacted the ability for the American Red Cross, the New York Blood Center and other donation services to collect blood and platelets. Power outages in the aftermath of the hurricane led to the cancellation of approximately 360 Red Cross blood drives on the East Coast, leading to a deficit of over 12,200 units of blood and platelets, according to the Red Cross. Visit redcrossblood.org, nybc.org or americasblood.org for eligibility requirements and appointments. 4
RED HOOK INITIATIVE The Red Hook Initiative is an organization that works to promote health and social change in Red Hook, Brooklyn, a community devastated by Hurricane Sandy. Red Hook has become the area’s center for hurricane relief for providing food, water, emergency supplies and access to electricity to residents whose homes and businesses were destroyed. Visit rhicenter.org for information about donations and volunteer opportunities. 5
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2012 | NYUNEWS.COM
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NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2012 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
OPINION
EDITED BY CHRIS DINARDO OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM
STAFF EDITORIAL
Despite NYU’s admirable response to Sandy, climate change is larger issue Last week, we were witnesses to two Manhattans. While NYU students were, for the most part, caught living in the lower half, they had been making trek upon trek up to that other half — a promised land above 39th Street. Midtown has never been an oasis, but when a warm meal or a charged cell phone is all that is in mind, it naturally became one. Amid the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy, an event unprecedented for our city, NYU did a rather commendable job ensuring student safety and facilitating services to those who remained downtown. Proper precautions were adequately met to ensure the well-being of those in housing or in the Village, despite the logistical nightmare that comes with providing food and shelter for thousands of displaced and disgruntled college students. The Kimmel Center for University Life’s transformation from student center to refugee shelter was met with relief from those stuck there. It was a place to recharge, literally and figuratively, for a fatigued student body. It was not ideal. But it was there, and that is what we needed. Meanwhile, an overworked dining staff and NYU personnel deserve nothing but praise for their efficient and unceasing care for those they served, despite also being personally affected and just as displaced. The university did a stellar job keeping the masses abreast of what was going on and what steps were to be taken next. In the immediate wake, constant information updates from resident assistants and NYU administrators were a welcome sight to email inboxes, that is, when email was accessible. Many students were unable to connect to Wi-Fi as most buildings were completely without it. However, email still seemed to be the best option available, given the cell tower shortages, particularly from AT&T, which could not provide service for the surrounding blocks around NYU campus sites. It made consistent text or phone updates untenable. Regardless, NYU officials did their due diligence in keeping the affected community in the loop. Perhaps the worst disaster that struck the NYU community on the night of the hurricane was the evacuation of the NYU Langone Medical Center when their backup generator failed. But through the heroic work of emergency health care staff, patients were safely and quickly evacuated to area hospitals that greeted the newcomers with open arms. Newborns on respirators were pumped air manually as they were carried down stairs, and thanks to thorough training, the transportation went relatively smoothly. Even still, millions of dollars in equipment and years of medical research — including thousands of laboratory mice and tissue samples — were destroyed. Steps need
to be taken in the future to ensure that this cannot happen again. Whether the generators were outdated, as hospital trustee Gary Cohn alleges, or in full compliance with federal and state standards, as the hospital maintains, modernization of essential equipment must be completed to provide future insurance of necessary power. Although NYU deserves loads of credit for their handling of this situation, it would have been comforting, nonetheless, to have known the evacuation plans beforehand when the scope of the hurricane’s potential wrath was known. The process could have been expedited, and everyone would have been better prepared had the plan been previously relayed to students. It stands as a suggestion should something like this happen again — an occurrence that weather experts say is likely soon enough. Hurricanes happen every year, almost always leaving devastation behind. While we focus on cleanup and recovery, it is fairly easy to accept Hurricane Sandy as something that just happened, as something in the past, as something that nature caused that was beyond our control. But it wasn’t. We cannot simplify a problem with such complex solutions, and NYU will have to brace itself for similar events. Scientific experts agree that climate change is not the sole cause of any one freak weather event. However, they also agree that it was certainly a factor in making Sandy as strong and harmful as it was. Ultimately, it is an event that can, and will, occur more frequently. Earlier this year, two scien-
tists linked the melting of polar ice caps to the atmospheric weather patterns that caused Sandy to be so severe. In the last 15 years, weather events costing more than $1 billion in damage doubled. Sandy may have cost up to $50 billion, though it is too early to tell. Although Mayor Bloomberg seemed to handle this high-pressure situation quite well, providing detailed reports and press conference after press conference, his decision to use the publicity as a springboard for endorsing President Obama for a second term seemed ill-timed. Citing Obama’s position on climate change and the environment as key factors, Bloomberg did remind us, however, of the role politics plays in this mess. It is noteworthy to remind the community that, for the first time in almost 30 years, climate change bore no mention during the presidential debates and barely gets brought up on either of the two major party’s campaign trails. Despite Mitt Romney’s irresponsible denial of man-made climate change, Obama’s consistent inaction on the increasingly imperious issue manifests itself as an equally irresponsible consequence. Despite what Bloomberg says, the environment has no Loraxian advocate this time around. Earlier in the semester, this Editorial Board wrote that sometimes it is necessary to politicize disasters in order to see real change as a result of the tragedies. This is exactly the type of scenario we were talking about. While our efforts must go first and foremost into short-term recovery, we must remember that we can help to prevent another tragic event like Sandy by actively working with the betterment of the environment in mind and making our personal practices more sustainable. If we do not, we may be spending more hurricane seasons from here on out sleeping on the floor of Kimmel. As students re-adjust to a structured routine and as local businesses bounce back from their unexpected standstill, the NYU community should be proud of a response rooted in selflessness, even through the overwhelming sense of despair. We must not forget, though, that there is still work to be done in the outer boroughs and along the coast, particularly in New Jersey. While New York remains in gridlock, normalcy should return to the city soon enough. The light at the end of the tunnel is now tangible since Consolidated Edison restored electricity and power to lower Manhattan. Subways are running, properties are being rebuilt. We can take collective solace in how we were able to provide for one another despite incredibly extenuating circumstances. We came together because, after all, that is the New York state of mind.
Email the WSN Editorial Board at editboard@nyunews.com.
EDITORIAL BOARD: Chris DiNardo (Chair), Jessica Littman (Co-Chair), Christopher Drake, Sanchay Jain, Sasha Leshner, Peter Murphy, Raquel Woodruff and Richard Zhang.
SUBMITTING TO
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NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2012 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
SANDY continued from PG. 1
Students recover from evacuations, power loss in wake of Hurricane Sandy strength, size and the fact that it transitioned from being a hurricane to an ‘extratropical storm’ just as it hit,” said Edwin Gerber, an NYU professor of mathematics at the Center for Atmosphere Ocean Science. This sort of super storm essentially paralyzed New York City on Monday and Tuesday and forced NYU to close for the entire week, canceling classes and evacuating residence halls without power. Weinstein dining hall and Kimmel Center Market Place served three meals per day to displaced NYU students free of charge. Kimmel also provided outlets, cots and internet access.
CAS freshman Ruosi Wang, who lives in Rubin residence hall but relocated to Goddard, said losing power was frustrating. Wang remained positive, however. “I feel a lot more prepared for future disasters, and I made a few new friends,” Wang said. RAs were called upon to deal with all of the consequences of Sandy, which included constantly doing rounds. “I think it brought people together because people couldn’t really leave, and there was nowhere to go after a while,” said Alicia Bell, a Goddard RA. Being an RA in a building that did not lose power, Bell found the storm to be surreal.
Women’s soccer loses to Brandeis on senior day By CHRIS MARCOTRIGIANO NYU women’s soccer dropped their last game of the regular season 3-0 to Brandeis University on Saturday, Nov. 3 at Gaelic Park. The team fell to 2-4-1 in the University Athletic Association and 10-7-1 overall. All of the players felt the impact of the hurricane, as most of NYU’s facilities were not operational. “Our practice fields over at Pier 40 were completely ruined, and my teammates and the coaching staff were all in different places, so we were unable to get together anywhere to train,” senior forward Serra Tumay said. The Brandeis Judges took an early 1-0 lead after forward Dara Spital took a shot that wizzed right inside the right post. In the 25th minute, Spital found the back of the net once again to expand the visitors’ lead to 2-0. The Violets had eight shots on goal, but the Judges’ goalkeeper, Francine Kofinas, turned away every attempt in a stellar shutout performance. With less than two seconds left to play, Haley Schachter secured Brandeis’ win with a goal, making the final score 3-0. “It was a pretty even match and despite getting some great chances we were not able to capitalize on them,” Tumay said.
“I heard all the stories about what people were going through, so it was hard to believe that there was actually horrible stuff going on outside when I had power and hot water,” Bell said. Some NYU students remained levelheaded in spite of Sandy’s negative effects, focusing on the future rather than the recent chaos. “I’m glad that my midterm was postponed,” said Cassie Wuest, an LSP freshman. “I’ve been spending my time preparing for the storm, so I haven’t studied.” Tricia Lin is a staff writer. Email her at cstate@nyunews.com.
SPORTS
“Although it was a great effort despite all the hardships suffered this past week, it was a tough loss and an unfortunate way of ending our regular season play.” This game was also the Violets’ senior day, as it was the last regular season game for the graduating class. There are three seniors on the team, captain midfielder Serra Tumay, defender Monica Arnold and forward Ashley-Simone Makenzie. “It’s been great to play alongside Monica, Serra and Ashley the past two years,” said sophomore goalkeeper Meg Patten. “They have and will continue to serve as a source of inspiration for everybody on the team, as they have helped us accomplish so much.” Tumay and others are confident that the team will play in the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament, but the team has also had its eye on the National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament after missing out last year. “Our team goal this year was to advance to the NCAAs, so we are hoping for that, even though our record isn’t in our favor,” Tumay said. The Violets will learn of their postseason fate on Monday, Nov. 5. Chris Marcotrigiano is a contributing writer. Email him at sports@nyunews.com.
COURTESY OF NYU ATHLETICS
Three senior soccer players were honored at the home game on Saturday.
Men’s soccer suffers defeat from Brandeis in last game of season
COURTESY OF NYU ATHLETICS
The team recognized six of its graduating members before Saturday’s game. By FRANCISCO NAVAS In their final game of the 2012 season, NYU men’s soccer fell to number 11 Brandeis University 1-0 on Saturday, Nov. 3 at Gaelic Park. This is the fifth straight loss for the Violets, which leaves their regular season record at 10-7-1. Six seniors were honored before the start of their final NYU soccer game. Forwards Kyle Green and Paolo Luciano, midfielders captain Niki Chow and Ryan Horch and goalies Adam Foda and Jonas Poster will all be graduating this academic year. Five of these six players were starters this season. “It’s an end of an era of seniors,” Luciano said. NYU opened the game with a strong start and a couple of close chances to score, but a strong performance from the Judges’ senior goalie Blake Minchoff gave him a clean sheet and kept NYU forwards Green and Luciano from scoring. Green’s best opportunity came early in the 13th minute of the game with a powerful shot in the upper right corner, but Minchoff dove to block the ball and had his first save of the game. Violet goalie Poster ended the game with three saves. Green tallied a total of four shots, including two on goal, adding to the Violets’ sum of 12 shots. The only other shot on goal for NYU came from Chow soon after Green’s strong shot in the first half of the match. Luciano passed Chow a through ball behind the Judges’ defense, but Minchoff
slid to block the effort. Luciano was subbed out of the match in the 38th minute, possibly the last play time of his collegiate soccer career. Most of the Judges’ 12 shots on goal came from midfielder and sole scorer of the match Sam Ocel. The match’s second half brought more scoring opportunities for both teams who remained scoreless until the 68th minute when Ocel headed the ball into the back of the goal off a bouncing corner kick. Ten minutes earlier, NYU sophomore midfielder Nimo Bergstroem took a shot inside the box that came from sophomore forward Anthony Baini in the center. After NYU’s record-breaking 9-0 start to the season, the Violets saw themselves defeated by unranked New Jersey City University. After this loss, they went on to win only one out of their next eight matches, shockingly losing to two more unranked teams. NYU men’s soccer was only able to defeat two conference rivals, Case Western Reserve University and University of Chicago. “We stopped doing a lot of good things from the first half of the season in our last eight games,” said junior left back Juan Velez. “I’m disappointed we couldn’t get a win for the graduating seniors, but I enjoyed my three years playing with them.” This was the final game of the regular season. The Violets must wait until Monday, Nov. 5 for the results of other conference matches to find out if they have a chance of making it to the post season. Francisco Navas is a contributing writer. Email him at sports@nyunews.com.