NYU’s Daily Student Newspaper
WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS Vol. 41, No. 91
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013
London faculty vote on governance
Bryant Park gun violence shows public apathy
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
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Some London professors recently passed a resolution expressing concern with several university policies.
Regulation debates remain at a frustrating stalemate in spite continued gun violence.
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Joint Committee discusses transparency By NICOLE BROWN
The first Joint Committee meeting, held on Nov. 1, created a platform for further discussion between the Board of Trustees, faculty and students about university governance, transparency and decision-making. Chair of the Board of Trustees Martin Lipton said the committee will eventually provide advice to the university based on its discussions. “[The committee] is a pilot program to provide a means of communication for faculty, students and other stakeholders with the Board of Trustees and ultimately to make recommendations for further improvements in communication and governance,” Lipton said. Many of the committee members agreed that the discussions were productive and that this is the first step in a process to improve communication and involvement of faculty and students in decision-making. In Lipton’s email to the NYU community last week, he highlighted the main topics of discussion as transparency, governance, the composition of the faculty, and the size and efficiency of the university. The format of the meeting consisted of five groups composed of two trustees, six or seven faculty and one student sharing
Kate Nash rocks Terminal 5 Singer and songwriter Kate Nash plays the guitar and belts songs from her three albums for a lively crowd at Terminal 5, one of her fall 2013 tour destinations in New York City.
RACHEL KAPLAN/WSN
Table Tennis begins defense of Northeastern Title By FERENC PUSKAS
NYU’s coed table tennis team successfully defended its New York City Division Title on Sunday, Nov. 10, at the Fashion Institute of Technology. The team participated in the first half of the National Collegiate Table Tennis Association divisional round. NYU competed against its rival team from Columbia University. Meanwhile, the Fashion Institute of Technology, Baruch College, Yeshiva University, City College of New York,
Polytechnic Institute of New York University, State University of New York Stony Brook and Hofstra University also competed. NYU swept all three of its first opponents — Yeshiva, NYU-Poly and Hofstra. It was a convincing start for a team seeking the same results as last year — the A-team won the Northeastern title and the women’s team earned third place at the national competition. NYU didn’t drop a set until round four against Stony Brook.
*As of January 1st, NYU-Poly will be the NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering!
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Steinhardt professor’s novel shines light on WWII nurses By NATHAN HO
While glorifying war stories about soldiers is a familiar trend, Steinhardt professor of nursing Elizabeth Norman set out to tell the fascinating lives of an often forgotten group of war heroes. On Oct. 29, Random House publication republished a paperback edition of Norman’s novel, “We Band of Angels: the Untold Story of American Nurses Trapped on Bataan by the Japanese.” The book begins with the 99 nurses working in the Philippines who experienced a frightening transition from peaceful island life to the harsh realities of war.
NYU-POLY
NYU
is now
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In 1941, the Japanese overwhelmed the American and Philippine forces. That January, the Americans were forced into the jungles of Bataan to escape the Japanese. There, the Americans and the Japanese fought a land battle for 99 days. “The army nurses [at Bataan] were involved in the combat life and the jungle hospitals,” Norman said. “On Feb. 6, 1942, 77 American women became prisoners of the Japanese.” These women, who served as nurses, would continue to be prisoners for the next three years. Norman said she wrote the
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COURTESY OF ATRIA BOOKS
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Nov. 19 (SUE & STS) | Nov. 20 (IDM)
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ON THE SIDE
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“ELECTION” — ALEX GREENBERGER Writer-director Alexander Payne is better known for his heartfelt dramedies, such as “Nebraska,” which releases on Friday, but his catty high school comedy “Election” may just be his best work to date. Mean-spirited and downright hilarious, “Election” is great largely thanks to Reese Witherspoon’s role as a Hillary Clinton-esque teenager who complicates a school election by taking it too seriously. The film is simultaneously a brilliant satire, an unpretentious allegory and — if you really need another reason — it’s one of the main inspirations for “Mean Girls.”
“CHUCK” — JONATHON DORNBUSH In some of NBC’s more tumultuous years, great shows with small viewerships enjoyed longer lives because NBC had nothing more successful. One such show that benefited from the network’s troubles was “Chuck,” which ran for five seasons. The show starred Zachary Levi as the titular character, a member of the show’s Geek Squad-like IT group who unintentionally absorbs a government program known as the Intersect. The Intersect not only gives Chuck access to a host of government secrets, but it also comes along with a team of handlers, one of whom Chuck develops feelings for. Filled with romance, drama, action and enough pop culture references to please any entertainment fan, “Chuck” is equally heartfelt, hilarious and exciting. Those who missed out on the show should immediately take to Netflix to marathon “Chuck’s” thrilling run.
LITTLE MIX’S “SALUTE” – JAKE FOLSOM Even if you’re not a “little monster,” there is still an exciting new release in the world of bubblegum pop this week. Check out Little Mix’s new LP “Salute” for an addictive, expansive sound. Critics have called it a step up over “DNA,” which is an exciting prospect for fans of that album’s title track and its clubby remixes. If you’re curious for a sample of “Salute,” be sure to check out lead single “Move.”
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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BILLY RICHLING books/theater DYLAN JARRETT film ALEX GREENBERGER entertainment ISABEL JONES music JAKE FOLSOM the highlighter blog VALERIE NELSON features MARINA ZHENG beauty & style ARIANA DIVALENTINO dining DANIEL YEOM sports CHRIS MARCOTRIGIANO multimedia RACHEL KAPLAN, JOON LEE video ALEX LINZMEIER copy THOMAS DEVLIN social media SYMONE WILLIAMS
OPINION PAGE opinion editor
RAQUEL WOODRUFF deputy opinion editors
“THE RETURNED” – JEREMY GROSSMAN One of the hottest shows on television is “The Walking Dead,” but for those looking for something with much better writing, acting and subtlety, check out the Sundance Channel’s “The Returned.” A French series subtitled in English, “The Returned” tells the story of a small town that is shocked to discover some of its deceased have miraculously come back to life, with no recollection of being dead. The “zombies” of “The Returned” aren’t really zombies at all. Instead of blood and guts, the show is much more concerned with characters and relationships — something “The Walking Dead” has struggled with for years.
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“THE DISASTER ARTIST: MY LIFE INSIDE ‘THE ROOM’” – CHARLIE SPECTOR Charmingly weird and disarmingly funny, “The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside ‘The Room,’ The Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made” tells the story of Greg Sestero, one of the principal characers of the 2003 cult film, “The Room.” If the phrase, “Oh hi, Mark!” sounds familiar to you, then you’re probably well aware of the film that propelled Sestero to fame. Along with co-writer Tom Bissell, Sestero’s take is one of fascinating highs and lows wrapped in a surprisingly poignant tale of friendship.
Sol Cat, from Nashville, Tenn. performs at Sullivan Hall during the CMJ Festival.
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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. 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 Jordan Melendrez at managing@nyunews.com or at 212.998.4302.
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NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
SSC PANEL
DISCUSSION
WSN will host a second panel discussion with representatives from the Student Senators Council on Thursday, Nov. 14 from 6 to 8 p.m. in room 405 of the Kimmel Center for University Life. The four student senators will participate in a moderated discussion on NYU 2031 and the Global Network University. There will be a question-and-answer section opened to audience members and accessible by Twitter using the hashtag #askwsn. The expansion plan was made public by NYU President John Sexton in 2007 to address the need for more academic space. Greenwich Village residents have publicly spoken about their disapproval of the plan and filed a lawsuit against the city last year for approving the plan. A group of faculty also created the Faculty Against the Sexton Plan group to voice their opposition to increasing the university’s scope in Greenwich Village. The Space Priorities Working Group was created in September 2012 to provide faculty and students the opportunity to analyze the plan and make recommendations to the administration about what they see as priorities. Some of the recommendations mentioned in the July 2013 Interim Report include keeping building construction close to the Core, or the area around Washington Square Park, and prioritizing classroom and lab space.
Documentary fundraising for completion, shows Village life for LGBTQ By KAVISH HARJAI
Segments from “Pier Kids: the Life,” a documentary by Elegance Bratton and produced by Nathan Proctor, revealed the issues plaguing LGBTQ youth in New York City. At the event, hosted by the Queer Union on Nov. 8, Bratton and Proctor discussed the film’s themes — LGBTQ youth homelessness, the impact of gentrification on these youths, misconceptions of homelessness and the idea of family. After the documentary trailer, the audience watched 15 minutes of raw footage and then engaged in a question-and-answer session with Proctor and Bratton. “The project is important to me, and to Queer Union, because it is making visible an extremely vulnerable group of people who occupy a blind spot in the mainstream LGBT movement, as well as in activism at NYU,” said CAS senior Doug Keeler, the president of Queer Union. Bratton and Proctor are currently fundraising so the film can enter post-production. Proctor urged students to help spread the word about the film through Facebook, as well as
viewing and sharing short clips. The creators discussed their Kickstarter campaign, which was launched on Nov. 1 and has raised $11,287 to date. Their goal is to raise $30,000 by Dec. 1. “I think it’s important to remind NYU students of the power that they can wield in just a few minutes,” Proctor said. “If every student donated $1 to the film, then NYU would literally be responsible for the rewriting of history.” During the event, a beanie was passed around, and the audience was asked to donate as much as they could. “[Fundraising] was a big reason we asked [Bratton and Proctor] to come,” Keeler said. “Hosting the event was a way for Queer Union to support the project, and I think we successfully did that not just by passing around a hat, but by helping them build a network of people who could advocate on behalf of the film.” Bratton spoke about the film’s backstory and said he had been homeless for about 10 years before joining the Marines and then attending Columbia University. “I had spent about 10 years homeless as a result of my mother essentially pushing me
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Trustees, faculty, students convene to consider important university issues
ideas on the topics and then reporting what was said in the small groups to the entire committee. Media, Culture and Communications professor Ted Magder said of the topics discussed, governance is the most important. “The establishment of the Joint Committee is a clear indication that the board is committed to working with the university community to develop governance mechanisms that give all constituents a meaningful voice, to broaden the number of participants and nurture a culture of active citizenship,” Magder said.
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College of Nursing professor Michelle Shedlin said solutions to the issues will take time, but that Lipton did clarify how the next president of the university would be selected to dispel rumors that the board would make the decision without input. “Lipton said very clearly at the beginning of the meeting that the next president would be selected by a committee composed of faculty, students and board, [and] that it would be totally transparent,” Shedlin said. College of Dentistry professor Miriam Robbins said it is not clear yet what will come from this committee and if
VIA NYU.EDU
The committee met to discuss university governance.
policy changes will occur, but noted that much of the faculty have the same concerns. “It was interesting to see how many similarities there were between the different schools in terms of concerns and identified issues,” Robbins said. “Utilization and allocation of resources in order to best support the pedagogical [and] educational mission was a recurrent topic, as well as the role of tenured versus contract faculty in supporting the University’s mission.” Student Senators Council president and member of the committee Mariam Ehari said there was some imbalance of faculty issues and student or administrator issues. “It’s our job to make sure we don’t let the structural deficit marginalize our voice,” Ehari, a CAS senior, said. “I hope that in time [the committee] does satisfy some of the unrest that has come about in recent months.” The next meeting has not been announced, but the committee is expected to meet two to three times during the school year. Nicole Brown is a news editor. Email her at nbrown@nyunews.com.
COURTESY OF PIER KIDS: THE LIFE
“Pier Kids: The Life” shows LGBTQ life on Christopher Street. away because of sexuality,” Bratton said. “This film is very much a love letter to my mom, but it is also a way of hopefully engaging a conversation that can heal this break that occurred in my family around my sexuality.” Proctor said LGBTQ youth are at a higher risk for homelessness than others. The panelists cited the explosion of real estate as one of the aggravations for youth homelessness, especially for black and Latino youth. The panelists also cited NYU’s expansion in Greenwich Village as emphasizing greater issues of
real estate expansion. This reference resonated with Steinhardt freshman John Macejka. “I think the event, in particular, framed [the expansion] in a way that is very relevant to us,” Macejka said. “As students of a university that is at the forefront of West Village gentrification, we have a responsibility to avoid erasing culture and, much more importantly, avoid endangering lives in the name of expansion.” Kavish Harjai is a staff writer. Email him at news@nyunews.com.
University launches Holiday Host Program By SADAAF MAMOON
The Division of Student Affairs, Office of Global Services and Center for Multicultural Education and Programs jointly inaugurated a Holiday Host Program for international students spending Thanksgiving break in the city this year. The program matches international students with students, faculty and alumni who volunteered as hosts, giving international students a chance to experience the American tradition of a Thanksgiving holiday. Both undergraduate and graduate international students can apply as guests. According to the website, the goal of the CMEP is to not only provide the students with a home-cooked meal, but also promote cultural exchange, urging hosts and guests to discuss their local traditions and share customs. “The students will be given guidelines for sharing their culture,” said SCPS graduate student and programs coordinator Cecilia Garza. “And hosts will be asked to research the home countries of their guests.” Garza said she hoped the program will form lasting connections between the host and guest. Having moved to New York from Monterrey, Mexico, last January, Garza is an international student who has never celebrated Thanksgiving. “It will be a very nice experience for the international students,” she said. Despite low turnout at the program’s informational sessions on Nov. 8, the organizers are confident the program will garner interest. Currently, about 40 guests and 15 hosts have applied. “It’s a great idea, and it will mean a
lot to international students to have somewhere to go [and have] something fun to do for Thanksgiving,” said Emily Epstein, an LS sophomore who lives in Puerto Rico. “I would definitely host if I didn’t live so far away.” While the pilot year centers on the Thanksgiving experience, Student Affairs seeks to include other holidays so international students could partake in a variety of cultures, traditions and customs. Expanding the program depends on student interest and participation this year. “This is the revival of an older host program that was discontinued a number of years ago,” said Monroe France, assistant vice president for student diversity at CMEP. “If we are able to engage up to 100 students, we’ll have exceeded expectations.” Participants are urged to share their experiences online with #NYUHHP to generate further interest for next year. Both host and guest applications are available online until Monday, Nov. 18. Sadaaf Mamoon is a contributing writer. Email her at news@nyunews.com.
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013 | NYUNEWS.COM
SPORTS
EDITED BY FRANCISCO NAVAS SPORTS@NYUNEWS.COM
WEEKEND WRAP-UP By MICHELLE TRAN and FRANCISCO NAVAS
Soccer In their final games of the season, the NYU men’s and women’s soccer teams fell short of victories against the Brandeis University Judges on Nov. 9. For the women, the Violets grabbed an early 1-0 lead, as forward and CAS junior Cami Crawford netted a goal in the 14th minute. In the second half, momentum shifted in favor of the Judges, when Brandeis defender Kelly Peterson scored in the 58th minute, knotting the game at 1-1. Brandeis later scored a late goal by defender Madeline Stein in the 82nd minute to push past the Violets in a 2-1 victory. For the men, Brandeis dominated throughout the game, starting early in the first half when Brandeis forward, Tyler Savonen, scored in the 15th minute. Brandeis forward Evan Jastremski
scored in the 69th minute, solidifying their 2-0 victory. The women ended the season with an overall record of 7-8-3, placing last in the UAA conference. The men ended their season with an overall record of 6-8-3, finishing last in the UAA conference.
Volleyball The women’s volleyball team claimed a victory in their final UAA match against the Case Western University Spartans during the two-day UAA Championships held in Waltham, Mass. In their first set, NYU struggled against the Spartans, losing 25-22. Led by outside hitter and CAS senior Alexandria Mao, the Violets quickly rebounded, winning the next three matches to take a final 3-1 victory. The Violets finished fifth in the UAA conference with an overall record of
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Table Tennis team defends title with win at NCTTA divisional round
Although the team lost the first set against this opponent, the Violets went on to convincingly win 3-1. Janice Ho, the public relations chair and member of the women’s team, said the Violets wanted to “do well competitively, have fun as a team,” and of course, “win the title.” “[There are] high expectations for the A-team because a lot of new members have come in,” Ho said. “They are extremely strong, and they’re looking forward to a good show at nationals.” Of the 13 members of the A-team, five are freshman. This large contingency of newcomers not only demonstrates the level of talent NYU has now, but also the strength of the team moving forward. While many schools fielded teams of about 5 to 10 players, NYU brought over 25 players to the competition. This number of players has proved to be a strength for NYU, as it provides flexibility and intimidation. “Our size is a great advantage,” Ho said. “We’re one big family.” The biggest competition NYU faced
was Columbia. But the Violets were victorious, winning 3-1. Each match was close, and no team was able to test NYU like Columbia. “We’re careful and cautious when we play against them so we don’t make any mistakes,” Ho said. “We bring our A-game against them.” The victory over Columbia ensured NYU won this divisional round with a perfect record. Head coach Hiroka Ooka said freshman Tom Li played well even though Li lost once — a tight match against Columbia where he lost 11-9 in the final set, making him lose the game 3-2. “He’s a freshman but he plays like a senior,” Hiroka said. “He is extremely calm, mature and very confident.” “The team has a great chance to perform,” Ooka said. The team’s next divisional round will take place in February. Until then, the Table Tennis teams will continue to practice at King Pong in SoHo. Ferenc Puskas is a contributing writer. Email him at sports@nyunews.com.
FERENC PUSKAS FOR WSN
Players from the Table Tennis team warm up before games begin.
27-7 and a league record of 4-3. The Violets now await a post-season NCAA bid.
Both teams return to the water on Nov. 16 at 1 p.m. to host the College of New Jersey at home.
Swimming Both men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams faced two opponents in tri-meets for the third meet of the season at the Palladium Athletic Facility. The women defeated both opponents, Stevens Institutes of Technology and State University of New York at New Paltz, by over 100 points, while the men placed second under the No. 7-ranked Stevens. CAS junior Jerry Crowley stood out for the men, as he took won three events — 50-yard freestyle (21.24), 100-yard freestyle (46.65) and 100-yard butterfly (51.01). For the women, Stern freshman Sela Wang won the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 1:00.62, in addition to helping the 200yard and 400-yard relay teams win.
Wrestling The wrestling team placed fourth out of eight teams at the Ithaca College Invitational in Ithaca, N.Y. on Nov. 9. Corbin Lee (133 pounds), DJ Albonico (149) and Patrick Sheehan (184) all placed second in their respective weight classes, each advancing to the finals. However, they were defeated. The Violets will be back on the mat in Wilkes-Barre, Penn., on Saturday, Nov. 16. Competitions are scheduled at Elizabethtown College at noon, Wilkes University at 2 p.m. and King’s College at 4 p.m. Michelle Tran is a staff writer. Francisco Navas is sports editor. Email them at sports@nyunews.com
Violet basketball history showcases storied franchise By SEAN BILLINGS
The biggest stage in the biggest city — the center of the basketball universe — is Madison Square Garden. The NYU Violets’ basketball team played at MSG in the distant past, at a time when the athletics program was Division I. In this storied arena, the Violets faced off against the famed University of California, Los Angeles Bruins basketball team of the 1960s, coached by the great John R. Wooden and led on the court by six-time NBA MVP Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. But NYU had established a great deal of fame from its own successful history. The Violets won the AAU National Championship tournament in 1920, led by NYU hall of famer Howard Cann, a twosport all-star for NYU. After graduating from the university in 1920, Cann served as head coach from 1923-1958, leading the Violets to further success. NYU posted an undefeated season in 1934 (16-0). The following season, the team maintained its dominance, dropping one game to Yale University in an overtime 33-29 thriller. The Violets finished 19-1 and were proclaimed the best team in the nation by the Helms Athletic Foundation. In 1938, the Violets reached the Final Four of the National Invitation Tournament, and, in 1945, lost to Ohio State University 49-45 in the NCAA tournament. The Violets faced some of college basketball’s most storied programs, including Duke
VIA ALUMNI.NYU.EDU
The university’s basketball team has a history of success. University, Georgetown University, University of Kentucky, University of North Carolina and UCLA. The Violets posted an all-time record of 5-5,(32-2), 2-0, 10-7 and 1-1 against these teams, respectively, matching each one with stars and premier coaching staffs of its own. After Cann’s tenure, Lou Rossini became head coach, and Rossini led the Violets to three NCAA appearances and four NIT bids in 13 seasons. Rossini later coached the Puerto Rican National team in the Olympics. The Violets’ roster was loaded with superstars, including Adolph “Dolph” Schayes, Harold “Happy” Hairston, Robert Malcolm “Mal” Graham and Tom “Satch” Sanders. All would go on to play in the NBA and win an NBA championship with the Syracuse Nationals — currently the Philadelphia 76ers — Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics, respectively. In 1996, Schayes was selected as one of the 50 greatest NBA players of all-time. Hair-
ston won an NBA title alongside NBA great Wilt Chamberlain. Graham and Sanders claimed the NBA title with the legendary Bill Russell. The Boston Celtics retired number 16 in Sanders’ honor, and he was elected to the 2011 class of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as a contributor, one of the highest honors in the basketball community. Satch captured eight NBA Championships. He is currently tied for third most championships all-time, behind only Bill Russell who has 11, and Sam Jones who has 10. NYU’s rich basketball history continues to this day, and is an important reminder as the Bobcats look to improve on last year’s (15-11) season. This season, the Bobcats start at 1 p.m. on Nov. 16 against Drew University at Coles Sports Center. Sean Billings is a contributing writer. Email him at sports@nyunews.com.
NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
FEATURES
EDITED BY JONATHAN KESHISHOGLOU FEATURES@NYUNEWS.COM
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By VANESSA KARALIS
Places to take visitors in NYC on college budgets
It’s Friday afternoon and you’re having visitors. Where are you going to take them? When your visitors arrive, you can be sure they will bring a preconception about New York City in all its splendor. While a feeling of intimidation over the lofty responsibility of your visitors’ Manhattan experience is inevitable, here are some exciting and affordable activities that will leave them raving about their weekend and your awesome New York lifestyle.
1. Chelsea Market This indoor food market showcases restaurants from all over New York. Lunch spots include Ronnybrook Milk Bar and Bowery Eats among others. The plentiful seating and variety of options will satisfy even the most serious foodies without breaking the bank. Location: 15th and 16th street and Ninth and 10th avenues Hours: Monday - Saturday: 7 a.m. - 9 p.m. Sunday: 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. 2. Beacon’s Closet Sneak some shopping into your weekend itinerary at Beacon’s Closet. A vintage thrift shop with locations in Brooklyn and Manhattan, Beacon’s Closet is loaded with treasures at affordable prices. Location: 13th Street between
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Fifth and Sixth avenues Hours: Monday - Sunday: 11 a.m. 8 p.m.
3. MoMA Friday Nights From Picasso to Pollock, Museum of Modern Art galleries and exhibitions showcase some of the most famous modern artwork in the world. Admission fees are waived on Friday evenings from 4 to 8 p.m. Crowds congregate quickly, so arriving early is key. Also, don’t be discouraged by the long line as it moves quickly. Location: 53rd Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues Hours: Friday 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. 4. Broadway (The Cheap Way) While standard rate Broadway tickets often start at $150 per ticket, prices drop to about $40 at 10 a.m., when you can buy morning rush
tickets at Broadway box offices on a first come, first serve basis. The line can be lengthy, so arrive early. Location: Any Broadway box offices Hours: Starting at 10 a.m. 5. Brooklyn Botanic Garden While New Yorkers tend to forget about this urban escape as the weather gets colder, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden is open year round. Show your visitor a different side of New York and watch the last of the leaves change. Admission is $5 with a valid student ID and $10 for adults. Location: Washington Avenue in Brooklyn Hours: Monday through Friday: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Vanessa Karalis is a contributing writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com.
VIA YELP.COM AND FLICKR.COM
Thrift stores and the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens are cheap places to visit.
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Steinhardt professor updates account in ‘We Band of Angels’
book because there is a “contradiction with putting nurses, whose mission was to save lives ... in a world of war where the mission is to kill.” This contradiction fascinated her, so she decided to write about it. By profiling the military nurses who fought a war of their own, Norman hoped to provide a different viewpoint to the war. “[It’s a] true life adventure story,” Norman said. “These groups [of women] are special role models, because … they illustrate to young Americans [today] that each one of us can do things beyond what we think we can do.” Lt. Col. Elizabeth “Betsy” Vane, an officer in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps, said Norman’s book will be used in educating military nurses across the country and will also help catalog artifacts in the Army Medical Museum. Vane also mentioned how ethics can play a key role in wartime nursing like those in “We Band of Angels.” “We are to treat everyone
the same, the enemy, the civilians and our own fighting men. You are to take them in the order of severity, regardless of their other statuses,” Vane said. “That is where ethical dilemmas arrive. What would you do if you have two ventilators and five patients who needed it?” Norman agreed these stories should play a greater role in the education of modern day nurses. History, in her opinion, often ignores the stories of the average man and woman and the choices they have to make during trying times. “That is too bad, because education is incomplete without exposure to groups like this,” Norman said. The republished version of “We Band of Angels” will include a new chapter in the end titled “The Last Woman Standing,” featuring the story of Mildred Dalton Manning, one of the last surviving members of the Angels of Bataan. Nathan Ho is a contributing writer. Email him at features@nyunews.com.
WHAT’S IN YOUR BAG? By NICOLE DEL MAURO If one were on the same subway car as Liberal Studies professor of writing Tamuira Reid, he or she might notice the screenwriter scribbling the internal thoughts of her movie characters on scraps of paper. The LS Writing I, II and Creative Writing professor and single mother juggles her love of writing and her son with creative inspiration and massive amounts of coffee.
“The Road” and Other Books When Reid assigns books to her students, she chooses titles of varying genres
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to expose her students to a diverse collection of literature, which enables them to find their writing identity. “They cannot really understand what their voice is as a writer unless they’ve been exposed to a lot of styles and a lot of voices. I give them tons and tons of different pieces from different writers, all different styles,” Reid said. Currently, her Creative Writing class is reading “The Road,” by Cormac McCarthy, a post-apocalyptic novel about a father and his young son.
Scraps of Paper Torn off pieces of student papers and gum wrappers litter Reid’s bag, and many other scraps contain ideas for her writing that come to her throughout her day. Usually, ideas of individual characters come to her naturally. “I always know the characters first. I know everything about them, what they think, what they do, what they eat, what they dream about when they sleep,” Reid said. “But I don’t necessarily know the plotline. I just kind of know the people first and then the plotline starts to come.” In the past, Reid has written many nonfiction personal essays based off of her family. An essay about a family boat trip with her sisters and mother led to her screenplay, “Luna’s Highway,” which tells the story of three estranged sisters who come together
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to drive their mother to rehab after she causes an alcohol-induced car crash. As of now, it is being optioned by a San Franciscobased production company.
Hot Wheels Car Reid would be lost without constant accessibility to the small plastic cars that occupy her 3-year-old son Oliver during their daily travels. She said her child constantly acts creatively, whether he’s making up adventure stories about him and his girlfriend, Olivia, traveling by train to different places or dancing and playing the harmonica. Being a mother changes Reid as a writer
because she said it makes her more conscious of her work. Oliver motivates her to produce excellent work and prevents her from writing about her personal life. “I want him to be proud of my output and be proud of the stuff I’m creating … But it’s also interesting because I worry about what he’s going to read,” Reid said. “And I feel like that’s great that I’m moving into fiction and screenplays because I can write about anything and it doesn’t have to be my own personal home.” Nicole Del Mauro is a staff writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com.
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013 | NYUNEWS.COM
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down, as pipe tobacco 5 Trade 9 Carpenter’s file 13 Grammy winner McLachlan 14 Heading on a list of errands 15 Salt lake state 16 1959 hit by the Drifters 19 Stock market index, with “the” 20 Collaborative Web project 21 Helpers 22 What children should be, and not heard, they say 24 Pudding or pie 27 1970 hit by Eric Clapton 32 Barbie and others 34 180° from WNW 35 Close by 36 Letter after pi 37 Belly muscles, for short
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NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
OPINION
EDITED BY RAQUEL WOODRUFF OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM
GUN CONTROL
STAFF EDITORIAL
U.S. shows numbness toward gun violence By HARRY BROWN
On Saturday night at Bryant Park Ice Skating Rink, a 20-year-old man and 14-year-old boy were both shot while skating. The young boy will never walk or skate again. Since the school shooting in Newtown, Conn., close to 29,975 people have died from guns in the United States. To put that in perspective, if you filled Madison Square Garden to capacity, you would still have 9,000 people left without a seat. With mass killings becoming a regular occurrence in America, the news of a single shooting barely even makes local headlines. America has become desensitized to the news of gun homicides, falsely taking it as the sad status quo. Even after the carnage of the Washington, D.C. Navy Yard shooting, less than a mile away from the Capitol Building, the political impetus for gun control legislation has all but extinguished. The National Rifle Association has effectively stymied any chance of passing a gun control reform bill. Naturally, when the Navy Yard shooting occurred, the head of the NRA, Wayne La Pierre declared “there weren’t enough good guys
with guns” to stop the perpetrator. La Pierre is entitled to his opinion, but he can’t preach his own facts. There is indisputable evidence that in the states with the strictest gun control laws, unsurprisingly, there are the least gun-related deaths. There are common sense measures Congress should be able to pass. Requiring a universal background check on all gun sales is the first priority. At present, private gun sales are not federally required to undergo a background check. Shutting down this loophole would be the first logical step, following limiting the production and sale of magazines holding more than 10 rounds. Fearful of a challenge from Tea Partiers in primaries, however, moderateleaning Republicans are not daring to break party line and pass gun reform. This could not be more true than for the recently re-elected New Jersey Gov.
Chris Christie, who has stayed away from passing comprehensive gun control legislation, knowing that doing so would effectively cut off any chance of a 2016 presidential run. Christie unscrupulously refused to sign comprehensive gun control legislation earlier this year, which would have banned .50 caliber rifles and report lost or stolen guns to federal agencies. In just over a month, the nation will remember the 26 children and adults killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Next month, President Barack Obama must lay the blame squarely on Republicans and the NRA for denigrating the memory of the victims of these recent shootings. In the 11 months since Newtown, not a single piece of gun reform legislation has passed, while shootings still occur daily, even at Congress’ front door. As Obama stated poignantly following the Newtown tragedy, “We won’t be able to stop every violent act, but if there is even one thing that we can do to prevent any of these events, we have a deep obligation, all of us, to try.” Harry Brown is a staff columnist. Email him at opinion@nyunews.com.
LEGISLATION
Smoking bill muddles idea of adulthood By CHRISTINA COLEBURN
Nearly 18 months after the infamous proposal to ban large sodas, New York City residents have been confronted with another controversial push for public health. Among other anti-cigarette provisions, the City Council voted to raise the tobacco-buying age from 18 to 21, poising the city to pass the most stringent limits on tobacco purchases of any major American city. Council members argued that the bill, nicknamed Tobacco 21, would curb youth smoking, and that increasing the legal purchasing age would prevent young residents from developing addictions. If signed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has voiced his support for the minimum age requirement, the initiative would take effect six months after his ratification. Although the aim to reduce underage smoking may be well intended, passing Tobacco 21 would inadvertently infringe on an overage constituency — New Yorkers ages 18 to 20. In many respects — professional, social, judicial and political — American society considers 18- to 20-year-olds
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to be legal adults, capable of making life-altering decisions and serving life sentences when poor choices are made. An individual must be 18 to enlist in the U.S. Armed Forces, although one may apply with parental consent at age 17. In correlation, the 26th Amendment prohibits the government from denying the right to vote to citizens 18 years of age or older. New York State laws also recognize the autonomy of this age range, mandating that individuals must be 18 to marry, receive tattoos or body piercings. These represent only a few laws that define the age of majority as 18. Given these significant statutes, it is unreasonable to forbid this demographic from exercising the personal freedoms that come conjoined with lawfully authorized responsibility. Considering how 18- to 20-year-olds are deemed fit to elect their leaders,
bind themselves to other individuals in matrimony, commit to permanent body art and give their lives for our country, the city legislature’s proposition that they are too immature to assess the health risks of tobacco use seems deeply misguided. As New York City residents debate the effectiveness of raising the minimum smoking age, one effect is almost certain — the muddling of the concept of adulthood. While smoking unquestionably causes devastating health effects, this argument has little to do with tobacco use itself. It is about personal rights, and the fine line that exists between appropriately addressing a problem and overextending legislative reach. Increasing the tobaccopurchasing age on a constituency called on to vote for our leaders and serve in our wars reflects a glaring inconsistency in the way our society and laws define adulthood. Curbing underage individuals from developing addiction may be a noble end, but the means should not involve infringing on an overage demographic. Christina Coleburn is a staff columnist. Email her at opinion@nyunews.com.
NYPD must decrease civilian casualty numbers
Bystanders who were shot by two New York Police Department officers last year outside the Empire State Building have chosen to sue New York City. The unsuspecting victims are quickly discovering that the city’s defense team poses a significant legal challenge. These lawsuits, and the many similar ones that have preceded them, are indicative of the NYPD’s larger, yet preventable, problem. Since 2011, 16 bystanders have been shot in the NYPD’s line of fire. NYPD firearm training is only a 13-day process. Officers are expected to renew their training annually, and special training is given to certain officers, such as plain clothes police or highway patrol. It is unlikely that this annual two-week training period can sufficiently prepare an officer for the highly varied and psychologically stressful environments that he or she faces. Generally, police officers are permitted to use deadly force when they perceive an immediate threat of death or serious bodily harm to themselves or civilians. In last year’s incident, officers opened fire on a gunman to protect their lives from imminent danger. In a split-second decision it is impossible to calculate all the probabilities of success or failure. In cases where innocent bystanders are hurt from stray police bullets, courts often accept this inevitability and defer to the police or dismiss the case altogether. Therefore, officers should be expected to undergo an intense training process to prevent unwarranted use of lethal force. But even the most substantial training process will never eliminate the chance of collateral damage. That police are armed with lethal weapons means that their mistakes might kill. The number of individuals fatally shot by the NYPD has been steadily declining — there were nine deaths in 2011 in contrast to 93 in 1971. Nevertheless, the annual number of civilian casualties resulting from police shootings should be zero. This can only be achieved if handguns are replaced with nonlethal weapons. For instance, the use of rubber bullets would drastically decrease the likelihood of fatal mistakes. The lawsuits in the Midtown case are a product of a perpetuated problem for which we already determined a solution. Not only does the NYPD have a responsibility to reform its hasty training program, but it must also replace its lethal weapons with effective nonlethal ones. This would minimize the risk of civilian casualties while still protecting our streets.
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, Nickhil 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.