WSN110712

NYU’s Daily Student Newspaper

WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS Vol. 40, No. 34

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2012

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OBAMA

RE-ELECTED

COURTESY OF THE U.S. ARMY

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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2012 | NYUNEWS.COM

WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS

“I w ish e s be so politically inclin veryo ne would alway ed.”

—

Editor-in-Chief AMANDA RANDONE Managing Editor

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JAEWON KANG

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Web Managing Editor

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from o ties.” utside the two political par OR NI U J S — MAT T CO O G A N , G S A

AMY ZHANG “I wish the president would use at least one sitcom catch phrase in every icans, how YOU doin?’

OMOR E speech. ‘My fellow Amer ” — S A M K R A N T Z , L S P SO P H

Deputy Managing Editor

EMILY YANG Assistant Managing Editors

HANQING CHEN DANIEL HINTON Creative Director

MERYLL PREPOSI SENIOR STAFF

university GENTRY BROWN city/state TONY CHAU arts STEFAN MELNYK features NICOLA PRING multimedia JAMES KELLEHER copy JORDAN MELENDREZ senior editors HANNAH BORENSTEIN,

CARRIE COUROGEN, JULIE DEVITO, BRIDGETTE DORAN, JONATHON DORNBUSH, CHARLES MAHONEY, COLE RILEY

DEPUTY STAFF

university TATIANA BAEZ,

VERONICA CARCHEDI city/state KAYANA JEAN-PHILIPPE,

NICOLE BROWN books/theater CLIO MCCONNELL film JEREMY GROSSMAN entertainment SAMANTHA RULLO music JOSHUA JOHNSON features KATYA BARANNIK beauty & style HILARY PRESLEY dining LAVYA YALAMANCHI special issues ESHA RAY sports MARY JANE DUMANKAYA, SARA

LEVY, SEBASTIEN VAN HEYNINGEN multimedia GLORIA LEE, JONATHAN TAN foreign correspondent

RICHARD ZHANG social media agent

NICOLE GARTSIDE

OPINION PAGE opinion editor

CHRIS DINARDO deputy opinion editor

JESSICA LITTMAN

ADVERTISING BUSINESS MANAGER

REBECCA RIBEIRO

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Y A D S E N D E

W H S I W

BY M RAPHIC

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VOICES:

STUDENT VOTERS

ACROSS THE NATION

CIRCULATION MANAGER

CHELSEA GOLD

UNIVERSITY SALES COORDINATOR

KAITLYN O’BRIEN SALES REPRESENTATIVES

ELLEN MCQUEEN, MELISSA YNEGAS SALES ASSOCIATE

ARIANA DIVALENTINO, CHRIS ELWOOD, KIM HIGGINS, GLORIA LEE, ALISON LIZZIO, SAM WANDER CIRCULATION ASSISTANT

OMID GOLMOHAMMADI GRAPHIC DESIGNER

KALEEL MUNROE

ADVISING DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

NANCI HEALY

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY (CA) TRAVIS HENRY, junior “At a time when we as a country are still hurting economically and internationally, cooperation should top our political action list, not demonization of parties.”

UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO (CA) ABI HOLLINGER, sophomore “I want to live in a country that values equality, not just of access but of opportunity.

Under Obama people will be able to marry who they love, women will govern their own bodies and the huge disparity between the wealthy and the poor will shrink, not grow.”

EDITORIAL ADVISER

KEITH LEIGHTY EDITOR-AT-LARGE

FRANCIS POON About WSN: Washington Square News (ISSN 15499389) is the student newspaper of New York University. WSN is published Monday through Thursday during NYU’s academic year, except for university holidays, vacations and exam periods.

Corrections: WSN is committed to accurate reporting. When we make errors, we do our best to correct them as quickly as possible. If you believe we have erred, contact managing editor Jaewon Kang at managing@nyunews.com or at 212.998.4302.

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UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII (HI) KRIS BUTLER, senior “I voted for Obama. I just felt like he was going to give me a better opportunity to get on my feet after graduating this year and the fact that he’s got a set plan for us. Life hasn’t gotten any harder while he’s been in office for me or my profession, so I don’t see a reason to change.”

OR WSN

OOLE F

P EGHAN

NYUNEWS.COM | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2012 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS

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Re-elected, Obama promises to end gridlock, sustain hope

By ANDREW KARPAN

A long, fierce and expensive campaign came to a close Tuesday night as President Obama was re-elected after nearly sweeping all of the crucial swing states. Meanwhile, the Senate and the House remained in Democratic and Republican hands, respectively.

Several major media outlets gave Obama the victory at approximately 11:20 p.m., with projected wins in Iowa, Wisconsin and Ohio — a state that has widely been labeled as the deciding factor in the presidential election.

At the time of publication, the electoral vote stood at Obama’s 303 electors — well above the 270 threshold needed to secure the presidency — to Gov. Mitt Romney’s 206, according to ABC News.

Despite conceding the victory to Obama, Romney emphasized his vision for America.

“I so wish that I had been able to fulfill your hopes to lead the country in a different direction,” Romney said in his concession speech.

“But the nation chose another leader. And so Ann and I join with you to earnestly pray for him and for this great nation.”

John R. Wallach, a professor of political science at Hunter College, identified a number of recent factors that contributed to Obama’s victory: continuing inability of Romney to relate with voters, the sexist positions taken by many of Romney’s supporters and Hurricane Sandy that fortified Americans’ confidence in Obama’s leadership and government.

Wallach said the outcome of the election had been clear for weeks, if not months.

“The election was very much in his pocket before the three debates, which was historically unusual,” he said.

Voters from swing states, including Gallatin freshman Hannah Cohen, were especially jubilant about their influence on the outcome.

“I’m really pleased that Colorado swung toward Obama and that I was part of that swing,” said Cohen, who sent her absentee ballot to her home state via express mail during the time when New York City was out of power because of Sandy.

Rachel Kaplan, a sophomore at Kenyon College and an Obama supporter who voted for the first time in Ohio, agreed.

“It was a really important state for him to win,” Kaplan said. “It gives me a lot of satisfaction to know that I contributed to Ohio going blue.”

CAS junior Caitlin Semo, who worked at Obama’s New York campaign headquarters, was equally as enthusiastic.

“It was amazing. We won everything we wanted to win,” Semo said. “We accomplished all the goals we wanted to.”

However, many still worry about the direction in which the country is headed.

“I’m obviously kind of disappointed [and] still kind of worried about my future, if we can continue at this rate of spending money and take account for it,” said Graham Rapier, a Steinhardt freshman and member of the NYU College Republicans.

Will Cromarty, chairman of NYU’s College Libertarians, was also unenthused.

“We predicted that the winner [of the election] would be the pro-bailout, anti-marijuana legalization, pro-Fed, pro-Patriot act, pro[National Defense Authorization Act], antigun, pro-war, pro-socialized health care, prodeficit spending candidate,” Cromarty said.

“We were correct.”

KENYON COLLEGE (OH) RACHEL KAPLAN, sophomore “Obama ran a mostly truthful campaign, with detailed plans for improvement that were actually laid out for the voters. It was made clear that he actually cares about the majority of the people in this country, the middle class and minorities. Romney’s campaign was filled with lies and hypocrisy, in addition to not laying out concrete plans for what he intends to do with the country. It was also made clear that the only people he cared about were rich white men.”

RACHEL KAPLAN/WSN

Obama supporters at the New York County Democratic Committee cheer.

Some concerns were raised on the divisiveness that this campaign brought to the political spectrum, especially on racial issues.

“This was perhaps the most racially polarized election in recent years,” said Charlton McIlwain, a Steinhardt professor of Media, Culture and Communication. “My prediction is that race relations will be fraught with acrimony and, in many ways, increasingly combative in coming years.”

But Obama assured Americans that would not be the case in his victory speech, which began early Wednesday morning, at approximately 1:35 a.m.

“It doesn’t matter whether you’re black or white or Hispanic or Asian or Native American

or young or old or rich or poor, able, disabled, gay or straight,” Obama said to an ebullient crowd in Chicago. “You can make it here in America if you’re willing to try.”

In a powerful closing remark, the president emphasized the unity of the nation.

“We are greater than the sum of our individual ambitions, and we remain more than a collection of red states and blue states,” Obama said. “We are and forever will be the United States of America.”

Additional reporting by Gentry Brown, Kayana Jean-Phillipe, Nicole Brown, Veronica Carchedi, Pia Brar, Emily Bell, Tricia Lin, Margaret Eby and Kevin Burns. Andrew Karpan is a staff writer.

Email them at cstate@nyunews.com.

BOSTON UNIVERSITY (MA) EVAN PRING, junior “To be honest the elections have kind of snuck up on me this year. This isn’t like in middle school where you’d study American government during an election year [...] I think Obama started off slowly but has really stepped it up as of late. The job he did with Hurricane Sandy was phenomenal.”

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY (NJ) MARY ANN MCNULTY, freshman “Voting for me is not just a privilege. It’s a responsibility. It is sad to me that the 18 to 24 demographic has such a low turnout when I think of all the issues that effect the rising generation of Americans. I feel like more and more people from this young generation are becoming apathetic towards the government, especially with the current state of gridlock and isolating partisanship in the House and Senate. Voting is a way for Democrats and Republicans alike to come together and share this responsibility, instead of pushing each other further away.“ UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH - JOHNSTON (PA) KIERSTEN BURKETT, senior “I feel this is the most passionate the country as a whole has felt about the election. I don’t think I can remember any other election with so many people from every age group being so vocal about their opinions. As much as I hate seeing the fighting over who is voting for whom, it is nice to see so many people finally passionate about voting.”

GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY (DC) MICHELLE MOHR, sophomore “I think this election unfortunately demonstrates that Americans have lost sight of what is actually important. This election has made me disillusioned with politics. “ RICE UNIVERSITY (TX) MARY ANDERSON, senior “It was great to see the candidates not simply reaching out through regular campaign ads, but utilizing social media and realizing that the votes from the younger generations have as much weight as any other generation.”

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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2012 | NYUNEWS.COM

Kimmel hosts NYU community in lively election party

By PIA BRAR The Rosenthal Pavilion in the Kimmel Center for University Life was filled with sounds of old school hip-hop, food and spirited members of the NYU community who came together to watch the election outcome last night.

Tom McIntyre, assistant director for the Brademas Center for the Study of Congress, organized the university’s second Election Party.

“It’s a way to bring the student body together to celebrate democracy,” McIntyre said.

McIntyre said this year’s aim was to include students from NYU global sites and used a hashtag, #NYUelection2012, to help those abroad connect with the students at the Washington Square Park campus. Live twitter feeds were broadcasted on a screen.

Steinhardt freshman Max Wagner said he chose to attend the event because he knew it was a popular viewing destination.

“I wanted to see everyone’s reaction when the result came out,” Wagner said. “It’s a bit like New Year’s Eve.” LSP sophomore Allie Connolly said the environment was relaxed and fun.

“There’s good music and there’s food from the different swing states,” Connolly said.

As CNN displayed the popular

BRYAN NELSON/WSN

Students and faculty mingled and celebrated the re-election of President Obama last night at the Kimmel Center for University Life. vote with 51 percent to Gov. Mitt Romney, the crowd booed. But with each projected win for President Obama, the room cheered loudly. When the first wave of electoral votes showed a Republican lead, the florescent purple lights surrounding the room turned red and the crowd fell almost silent.

As the electoral votes trickled

2012 INFLUENTIAL ISSUE 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.

in, the lights switched to red or blue, depending on which party was in the lead.

At 9 p.m., the event management turned to the NYU journalism broadcast. Right when the channel was switched back to CNN, the screen projected wins for Obama in Wisconsin and Michigan.

However, the relaxed atmosphere

began to fade and tension crept in around 10:30 p.m. as more votes were counted. At 11:18 p.m., CNN projected a win for Obama, and when the disc jockey blasted her music, the crowd went wild. Students stood on chairs dancing and high-fiving one another.

Alexis Toney, a Steinhardt senior and president of NYU’s Black Students’ Union, stood on a table

with a bottle of apple cider. Toney said she had been nervous all day because she was unsure who would win.

“But then when I saw everyone celebrating,” Toney said. “I felt elated.”

Pia Brar is a staff writer. Email her at university@nyunews.com.

NYUNEWS.COM | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2012 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS

BEAUTY AND STYLE

EDITED BY HILARY PRESLEY BSTYLE@NYUNEWS.COM

Khaki styles: liberate your look with this conservative classic

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By ARIANA DIVALENTINO

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1. VIA GAP.COM 2. VIA JCREW.COM 3. VIA NYMAG..COM 4. VIA LAGARCONNE.COM

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Khakis have a pretty bad reputation in the fashion world. The very word likely evokes bad memories of school uniforms, unpleasant retail jobs and the style faux-pas of one too many election seasons.

The tan-colored trousers, however, deserve a second chance. They can be a preppy and polished alternative to your standard jeans, and they work well for both casual and professional settings. Khaki pants are versatile enough to complete a wide variety of looks when paired with the right pieces.

Try a more fashionable spin on the classic garb by putting together a scholarly, geek-chic look. Start with a pair that has a relaxed fit but is slim enough to keep from looking frumpy, like Gap’s Broken-In Straight Khakis ($49.95). Add a fitted, button-down shirt layered with a cable knit or cardigan sweater in a deep fall or winter color like navy or crimson. Cuff the pants at the ankles and finish the look with oxford flats, and if you are desiring a more preppy appearance, don some vintage-looking glasses like the halfplastic tortoise shell Original Risky Readers from Urban Outfitters ($14).

Balance the boyish feel of this out-

fit with a girly, 1950s-inspired high ponytail and red lipstick. Because the khakis are much more tidy than denim, this look will suit you from your morning classes through your afternoon internship.

A more traditional flare-cut pant, such as American Eagle’s Artist Pant ($39.95) lends itself well to a night-out ensemble. Wear a fun, dramatic jacket in a slim fit to balance out the flare, such as a jewel-toned moto jacket or sparkly blazer. Forever 21’s Sequined Lapel Blazer ($32.80) would pair well with the flare khakis. Be sure to add statement heels or boots to elongate the flared leg. Accessories like bedazzling bracelets or earrings add some extra glamour.

Alternately, the flared khakis can be more retro-casual if paired with a denim button-down, chunky, cork heels or wedges and a pop of color in the form of a headband or bandana. A red-and-white polka dot headband like ModCloth’s Through the Wire Headband ($13.99) would add a retro-cool vibe. The outfit would work even better with khakis than jeans because you won’t risk wearing too much denim.

Skinny jean and jegging fans can expand their pant repertoires

with a straight, stretch khaki, such as the Straight Pants from Uniqlo ($29.90). These pants are fitted enough to contrast well with any graphic tee or band tee you have left over from summer, even a loose one. Make it coldweather appropriate with some heavy duty, punk rock boots like the Studded Lace-Up Combat Boot from Charlotte Russe ($42.50) to offset the typically straight-laced nature of the khaki pants.

For a classic look, try a simple black long-sleeved or three-quarter-sleeved scoop or boatneck shirt with the stretch pants. Add some visual interest with a trendy collar necklace like the Chain Pearl Peter Pan Necklace from PacSun ($12.50). Finish the outfit with black ballet flats and rose petal-pink lipstick.

You don’t need to get political to pull off this conservative trend. All it takes is paying attention to what fits and avoiding beige or white tops to prevent a washed-out look.

Aside from that, have fun with khakis, and try working them into your regular wardrobe as a great denim alternative.

Ariana DiValentino is a staff writer.

Email her at bstyle@nyunews.com.

Wardrobe necessities to combat rainy weather 1. VIA KIITOSMARIMEKKO.COM 2. VIA USA.HUNTER-BOOT.COM 3. VIA REFINERY29.COM 4. VIA NORDSTROM.COM

By KENDALL HILL With a nor’easter headed toward the coast, the dreary weather would make any student want to hide in their dorm room all day. But rain gear can be ultra-comfortable, stylish and fun to wear. Toss out the sweatshirts and opt to brave the rain with bright colors and versatile pieces that make even the dreariest days look chic.

An umbrella is a rainy-day necessity, but find one that goes beyond the average drug store staple. The umbrella should not only offer a lot of coverage to keep the rain from blowing under its canopy, but it should show off personal style and stand out from a Manhattan sea of black. Try the Mini Unikko Mini Manual Umbrella from Marimekko ($49.00 at kiitosmarimekko.com). The red-and-orange poppy-

themed umbrella is both lightweight and compact, making it easy to store in your bag.

Rainboots are an essential wardrobe staple when combating flooded streets. Invest in Hunter Boots, a brand known for making stylish and versatile waterproof footwear available in colors ranging from vermillion to steel blue ($135 at hunter-boot.com). Keep your feet cozy by layering boots with colorful knee-high socks. A solid pair of rain boots can stand the test of time and elements.

For a rainy day that is more humid than chilly, try waterproof flats. With all the style of your every-day shoe, it is easy to look fashionable without sacrificing comfort. Anthropologie’s Duckie Rain Flats are a great option ($68 at anthropologie.com). The rubber tops are available in classic colors like navy or red and have leather detailing.

Stay high and dry with London Fog’s classic rain coat with a toggled hood and detachable liner ($178 at nordstrom.com).

This raincoat gives you two looks in one with its reversible feature. Choose to wear the solid color for a classic look, or go bold by flipping the jacket inside out and showing off the animal print lining.

Protect your school books from the elements with a stylish waterproof tote bag or backpack. A water resistant pouch alleviates you from the worry of damaged term papers. Find a bag that is both durable and versatile in a neutral motif to match any outfit on any day. Whether it’s raining or not, you will get double the use. Bric’s U.S.A. Life’s East West Shopper tote ($210 at zappos.com) has an olive suede effect with leather detailing,

and best of all, it is totally waterproof.

Once you have assembled a chic waterproof ensemble, keep hair and makeup in place with products that work with your natural beauty. Smooth your hair with an anti-frizz product like John Freida’s Frizz-Ease Hair Serum ($7.19 at drugstore.com). Take water-resistant makeup to the next level with Makeup Forever’s Aqua Waterproof Makeup line (available at makeupforever.com). The collection has liners, shadows and foundations in nearly every color and tint.

Whether you are facing a slight drizzle or getting prepared for a hurricane, it’s possible to dress appropriately while staying fashionable and fabulous.

Kendall Hill is a staff writer.

Email her at bstyle@nyunews.com.

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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2012 | NYUNEWS.COM

The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation

Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 THE620NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD & DAILY SUDOKU For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Wednesday, November 07, 2012

Edited by Will Shortz 1 5 9 14 15 16 17 19 20 21 23 24 25 26 28

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For answers, call 1-900-285-5656, $1.49 a minute; or, with a credit card, 1-800-814-5554.

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NYUNEWS.COM | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 20122 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS

OPINION

EDITED BY CHRIS DINARDO OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM

GOVERNMENT STAFF EDITORIAL

U.S. Constitution needs amending

By IAN MARK

Consider the following scenario: You’ve come down with a fever and a sore throat, so you go to your doctor. He examines you and then, without warning, he pulls out a box of leeches and comes towards you.

Shocked, you ask for an explanation. He declares that this is the way it has been done for over 200 years in this country and to change his methods would be un-American.

Would you continue seeing this doctor? Of course not. You would realize that relying on tradition in regard to your health is naive and foolish.

Now consider our government.

For over 200 years, we have relied on the Constitution to guide us. Legal arguments almost always come down to what we believe the Founding Fathers intended. Ironically, this approach is not what the framers intended. They imagined the Constitution as a living document that would grow along with the country.

In the words of Thomas Jefferson: “Every 30 years, we should hold a new Constitutional Convention and work out the things that do not function properly in our political

arrangements. Because as we grow older, as a republic, you cannot expect a man to wear a boy’s jacket.”

It was clear to Jefferson and the other Founding Fathers that they could not predict the future and that they must provide some method for succeeding generations to adapt the Constitution to present times.

Some argue that the Constitution is intentionally vague; their understanding of a living document is one that can be reinterpreted over the years without changing the wording. However, this understanding places an inordinate amount of power in the hands of the Supreme Court. The Court operates by way of simple majority, which means that just five justices can change the law. This leads to partisan outcomes like those of Citizens United v. Federal Election Committee and Bush v. Gore.

The other issue with the reinterpretation theory is that there is no mention of it in the Constitution.

Instead, the Constitution includes the amendment process, which requires two-thirds of both houses to propose an amendment and three-fourths of state legislatures to

ratify it. These steep requirements insure that a large majority support amendments.

But time and time again we have used the first method rather than the latter. We have reinterpreted the Constitution so many times that terms such as interstate commerce have lost all meaning. And we have ignored the amendment process as a viable means of updating our founding document. Since the Bill of Rights was enacted 221 years ago, we have amended the Constitution only 17 times. We haven’t had a meaningful amendment since 1964, when poll taxes were banned.

Today, corporations are people, gay people are denied civil rights and the president murders American citizens without trial. As silly as it is to consult a 200-year-old medical textbook on how to fight AIDS, it is just as silly to rely on a 200-yearold founding document to govern the internet, drone warfare and any of the countless other inventions that did not exist when the document was written.

Ian Mark is a staff columnist.

Email him at opinion@nyunew.com.

EDUCATION

Broader education necessary for art schools

By SIDDHI SUNDAR

When I walked into film school, I was possessed by two exhilarating thoughts of academic abandonment: First, I would never have to take another math or lab science class again, and second, my education from this point forward would be entirely dedicated to the only course of study I, at the age of 17, found relevant to my life: film.

But just months after I began living the thrilling New York City film school dream, it hit me that choosing a conservatory type of arts education, even one that exists within a broader university, was an inhibiting decision. The quality of my film coursework was considered topnotch. And yet, its almost exclusive arts lens, or at least the only one I thought existed, failed to embody the very purpose of an undergraduate education: to mold thinkers capable of dealing with the world as a whole.

The push for a more substantial liberal arts core in arts

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schools is an absolute necessity.

Artists simply cannot confine themselves to their medium alone. They have to study the world in order to translate that greater wisdom and awareness into their work. Maybe the lack of academic emphasis explains the dearth of artistic innovation in contemporary culture, and a reintroduction of foundational education values could help better an age of autotune and robots at the box office.

The academic opportunities are bountiful outside the arts curriculum if students choose to seize them. But for many, unless they are forced to take classes unrelated to their field of interest, they won’t. The intensity of most serious arts programs may render double majoring or hefty exterior exploration difficult, but there is always room to enforce a more multidisciplinary approach to even the most stringently tailored major, like more crosscurriculum efforts or raised general education requirements.

Many students know exactly

what they want to do when walking into their first college class, and after four years, are still sure of those convictions. Others, like myself, ride on still maturing dreams and realize those goals entail more than their chosen path.

It wasn’t until I got to college that I discovered filmmaking is only a microcosm of what I want to do with my life. The revelation of wanting to learn and pursue more than what my 16-year-old self was convinced she wanted from the arts emerged from spontaneous flirtation with the broader world of academia.

Undergraduate aspiring artists, regardless of whether or not they choose to pursue a specific professional craft post-graduation, should leave college analytical, skeptical and aware. A thrust towards linking academia with the arts is not only an enabler of intellectual enlightenment, but a shining beacon for what has become a vital need for cultural revival.

Siddhi Sundar is a staff columnist.

Email her at opinion@nyunews.com.

Four more years should bring reforms from Obama

The battle for the White House that has taken place over the last 18 months has tested our ability to withstand the most intense barrage of advertising we have ever faced during an election. We saw four debates and heard countless stump speeches and advertisements. And now, finally, we have our president for the next four years: Barack Obama.

Over the last four years, President Obama has been trying to pull our economy out of its worst crisis since the Great Depression. Obama has supported equality for Americans regardless of gender and sexual orientation. He stuck to former President George W. Bush’s deadline for ending the war in Iraq and promises to end the one in Afghanistan. He has passed a sweeping health care reform that will allow for broader medical coverage for most Americans. These policies have helped move America forward, however slowly, and have kept us viable in the world market and in global politics.

That is not to say that the president’s policies have done nothing but good for the country. Obama came into office four years ago pledging to tackle the nation’s most difficult issues. However, he has been coy in asserting solutions. While his measures to boost the economy have helped, we cannot deny that recovery has been painfully slow. Hopefully with four more years and an improved economy, Obama can refocus his efforts on addressing issues he promised to fix in 2008.

We can only hope that he keeps all his campaign promises — something politicians have not done in a long time. If Obama can fulfill his promises to pull us out of Afghanistan, into a stable economic position, towards greater executive transparency, and toward gender, sexual and racial equality, he will have done a lot to put us back on the right track. His desire for moderate approaches towards governance, though, cast trepidation on the likelihood of such outcomes.

Obama’s victories in his first term were impactful but not astounding. He now has four more years to prove that his policies can truly create long-lasting change we can believe in.

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, R aquel Woodruff and Richard Zhang.

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NYUNEWS.COM | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2012 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS

SPORTS

EDITED BY THE WSN STAFF SPORTS@NYUNEWS.COM

Isner needs resilient strength, confidence to beat tough opponents

By NICK NEMEROFF American tennis player John Isner’s 2012 season has been illustrative of the classic case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Isner, currently the top ranked player from the United States, has paradoxically had both the least and most successful season of his career.

At certain stages of the tennis season, Isner appeared to be immune to all pressure.

In the United States’ match against Switzerland in the first round of the Davis Cup, Isner astonished Roger Federer by beating him in four — some of the highest quality sets of tennis I have ever witnessed from him. To add to the magnitude of this breathtaking result, Isner took down Federer in Fribourg, Switzerland, Federer’s backyard.

During the Indian Wells Masters in March, Isner put together an impressive string of matches in which he conquered Serbia’s Novak Djokovic, who is currently the world’s number one player in three sets.

Isner’s upward trend continued as he took on Frenchmen Gilles Simon and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, which led the United States to a quarterfinal Davis Cup victory over France on clay, the surface that has proven the biggest demon to U.S. players in recent times.

In the latter part of the season, Isner won the Winston-Salem Open, defeating Tomas Berdych in the final, saving three match points in the process.

Isner reached a career-high ranking in April, becoming ninth in the world. But despite all of these accomplishments, he has failed to live up to expectation at the four majors in 2012.

Isner was defeated in the Australian Open in five sets by Spain’s Feliciano Lopez, in the French Open in five sets by

COURTESY OF KYLR TSUI

World class tennis player Isner’s lack of endurance is holding him back from reaching his potential.

Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu, in five sets at Wimbledon

by Colombia’s Alejandro Falla and in the U.S. Open in five sets by Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber.

This does not mean that Isner has had a season to forget. While his Grand Slam results were not ideal, he proved that he is capable of competing with the top players in tennis.

What he needs to do now, besides build upon his physical resiliency, is integrate his heightened confidence into majors. But this integration must be one

that perseveres and is not shattered in the second or third round by inferior opponents. Nor can he allow himself to fall apart in the third or fourth set of an individual match.

If the young American can keep a reliable game plan intact and stick to his guns, he should prove to be of indelible value as his career progresses.

Nick Nemeroff is a contributing writer.

Email him at sports@nyunews.com.

Intrinsic to city, sports define New Yorkers

By KARTHIK RAMAKRISHNAN

If there is something that never stops in the Big Apple, it is sports.

This past week, the city that never sleeps has lulled in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. With nearly every subway line down and shortages of basic supplies from water to trash bags, southern Manhattan resembled a ghost town.

The natural disaster evoked every emotion of New Yorkers, from extreme compassion — as shown by the many food trucks serving food free of charge — to utmost greed — as shown by criminals donning city worker clothes to con helpless citizens.

Despite the turmoil and chaos, New York sports fans proved that they are the most resilient fans in the world.

High hopes ride on the revamped and energized Brooklyn Nets, who recently moved across the Hudson river from New Jersey into the city. Their season opener against the beloved New York Knicks was scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 1, but the game was postponed because of the storm.

The Nets’ played their following game at home on Saturday, despite serious transportation issues. The team provided buses from Manhattan for spectators; some fans were forced to wait three hours for an available bus

because of long lines. Some diehard New Yorkers even walked all the way to Brooklyn, traveling upwards of 100 blocks in grim weather.

The fans provided the Nets with the much-needed rapport that they used to propel themselves to a 107-100 victory over the Toronto Raptors. Witnessing their fans’ dedication gave players motivation and drive to perform at their best.

“I know that these fans want the best for this team,” shooting guard Joe Johnson said in his postgame interview. “All they want from us is to work hard and give them a show.”

In the aftermath of a hurricane, New Yorkers still put aside their troubles to come together over a common interest and cheer their team towards success. Such enthusiasm for sports is unrivaled anywhere else in the world.

Sports are more than mere games in the greatest city in the world; they represent the undying loyalty of the city’s citizens and their ability to form bonds that result in victory.

No matter how many misfortunes befall the Big Apple, the unifying power of sports will not fade.

Karthik Ramakrishnan is a contributing writer. Email him at sports@nyunews.com.