NYU’s Daily Student Newspaper
WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS Vol. 40, No. 36
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2012
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Men’s cross country runs to victory at regionals
Energy drinks raise concerns
NYU men’s cross country is the National College Athletic Association Atlantic Regional Division III Champion. The Violets finished first at the championship held on Saturday, Nov. 10, in Genesee Valley Park in Rochester, N.Y. The men’s cross country team has had a great season, consistently finishing in the top three of their tournaments. Most recently, the Violets finished second at the University Athletic Association Championships on Oct. 27 in Rochester, N.Y. The UAA Championships had 44 teams competing, including the University of Rochester, NYU’s UAA rival. NYU captured first with 50 points, followed by State University of New York at Geneseo in second with 59. SUNY Cortland finished in third place with 94 points, while host University of Rochester totaled 131 points for a fourth place finish. Prior to the race, NYU was ranked second by the U.S. Track and Field
Stern senior Jason Castro drinks three or four Monster Rehabs every day he has class for an extra caffeine fix to remain energized. “I drink one in the morning, to wake myself up, and one before most of my classes, “ Castro said. “It really helps me stay focused and be engaged in most of the classes I’m in.” Even though Monster may help students stay focused, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is currently investigating five reports of deaths in the last three years that could be linked to the consumption of the energy drink products. The FDA has not ruled whether it has enough evidence to take any action against Monster. Energy drinks like Monster are sold as nutritional supplements and are not subject to normal FDA caffeine limits for beverages. A couple in Maryland recently filed a lawsuit against Monster Beverage Corporation after their
By ANDREW KARPAN
By MARY JANE DUMANKAYA
CROSSCOUNTRY continued on PG. 8
GLORIA LEE/WSN
Stuffing the trolley for hurricane relief Students and faculty filled the purple NYU trolley outside of the Kimmel Center for University Life on Friday with blankets, winter coats, batteries and non-perishable food that was delivered to victims of Hurricane Sandy in the New York City area.
ENERGY continued on PG. 3
NYU students create site to strengthen college applications By ALYSSA NOUD
Any overachiever remembers their high school years as joining every club and honor society, volunteering at nursing homes and homeless shelters, applying for internships and working in offices to stack up college résumés. The competition to get into college is only getting tougher. With SAT preparation courses and AP classes, high school students are constantly looking for ways to stand out from their classmates and eventually receive a large acceptance envelope from the university of their dreams. SCPS sophomores Ezra Mosseri and Sam Haddad have devised a way to help. Having only recently completed the college application process themselves, Mosseri and Haddad co-founded a new startup company called Exceleratr — a website designed to connect high school students to the extracurricular opportunities that will make a difference in their lives and enhance their college applications. “We couldn’t believe that there was no forum for high school students to find everything extracurricular, whether it [is] an internship, pre-college program or non-academic travel program,” Mosseri said. Mosseri and Haddad are in the process of establishing the
site, which is currently in its beta phase. When it is operational, students will be able to create accounts that give them access to a personal homepage where they can search for internships, as well as academic and nonacademic programs. When searching the catalogue of potential extracurricular activities, students can specify preferences in location, field, compensation and cost. From there, students can look into a specific opportunity and then apply to it directly from the Exceleratr page. As the duo develops their company and further creates its concept, they are still looking to involve two particular groups of people: companies or organizations that will list internships or non-academic programs on Exceleratr, and educators who will act as the connection between these companies and high school students. High school students who have heard about the site, like Kaitlyn Bloom, a sophomore at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., are excited to see it put to use. “Because I go to such a big high school, it’s sometimes hard to find out what extracurriculars are out there and which would best fit my interests,” Bloom said. “I’ve joined a bunch of clubs, but so has everyone else. This website could really give me an edge on other students my age because I could land a job working for a great
COURTESY OF EXCELERATR.COM
Exceleratr.com is focused on prospective college students. company and gaining incomparable experience.” Until the website officially launches, students can receive updates through a mailing list and like the site’s Facebook page for up-to-date information. When Exceleratr is up and running, Mosseri hopes to bring in as much traffic as possible. “We want to revolutionize the internship space for high school students,” Mosseri said. “High school internships are demanding to become commonplace, and we’d like to help make that happen.” Alyssa Noud is a staff writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com.
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2012 | NYUNEWS.COM
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I appreciate all of your concern, but I thought I’d just clear this up — Obama was not elected President of NYU.
HANQING CHEN DANIEL HINTON
In response to “Election Day should be deemed national holiday” (Posted Nov. 8, 2012) “I second your vote to vote Election Day to a National Holiday ... makes sense all over.”
— @FakeJohnSexton
— Moha
Pretty sure my Writing the Essay professor is at this club. #NYU
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,
— @AndrewVDill
In response to “Voting process and media presentation of election results in need of attention” (Posted Nov. 9, 2012) Just found out my History Of Producing teacher is “I do [ ... ] find it absolutely incredible that the girl in the “Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Florida still is unable to conclude their vote Dot Bikini” commercial ... amazing #nyu counting, let alone get everyone to cast ballots in a timely fashion.” — @justinarnold — Darrel
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Just discovered that I have a tap-dancer living above me. welcome to #nyu
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— @emackwarner “He’s been like cross dressing a lot lately” — typical overheard breakfast conversation at #nyu
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10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Kimmel Center for University Life, first floor | 60 Washington Square South
6 p.m. NYU Bookstore | 726 Broadway
6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Palladium residence hall, third floor | 140 E. 14th St.
NYU alumnus Bhisham Bherwani and SCPS faculty member Elena Rivera will read from their poetry collections and their translations of noted literary works.
Clinical professor of media studies Chyng Su will host a screening of “Reel Injun,” a documentary film that explores the Hollywood portrayal of Native Americans.
GIRL SCOUT COOKIE SALE
Girl Scout troops will be conducting their Fall 2012 Corporate Cookie Connection, and all proceeds will directly fund local Girl Scout troops. There is also a Cookie Locator app to find the sale locations closest to you.
POETRY AND POETRY IN TRANSLATION
REEL INJUN
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A stolen sweet tooth
A nine-year-old Ukrainian boy stole approximately $4,000 from his parent’s savings last week to spend at a candy store in Konotop, Ukraine. The parents left the savings in dollars and euros, rather than the local Ukrainian currency, under their sofa. The child had assistance from an adult accomplice to convert the money before visiting the candy store. This case brought about concerns in the country about the dangers of keeping life savings in homes. — THE HUFFINGTON POST
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University admits it misreported data for more than a decade — THE GW HATCHET
A trail, covered in snow, leads to Mt. Washington at the Tuckerman Ravine in New Hampshire.
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NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
NU grad sentenced on charges related to terror plot — THE HUNTINGTON NEWS
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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 chemistry club chapter bonds aspiring scientists By SU SIE PARK
NYU opened the first university chapter of the Chemists’ Club this fall. The Chemists’ Club, which was founded in November 1898 in New York City by 154 chemists, was an organization to provide scientists with networking opportunities and a forum for discussions. For the last century, it has served as a meeting place for chemistry buffs. This year it also opened up to the City College of New York, Cooper Union and Columbia University. The student chapter of the Chemists’ Club is designed to familiarize students in science- and chemistry-related fields. Its goal is to expand students’ knowledge of available careers within their majors. The club also hopes to help with career planning and development. More than 100 students from NYU and the Polytechnic Institute of NYU attended the inaugural meeting of the Chemists’ Club in October. Rachel Ness, the student chapter president and a CAS senior, expressed her excitement for the club’s beginning and shared the next steps she plans to take to solidify the new club. “I am working now to set in place the politics of the club, such as setting up an executive board and getting together students who want to play a larger role in the club,” Ness said. Ness said last spring, her chemistry professor Paramjit Arora recommended
GLORIA LEE/WSN
The club introduces many career paths for aspiring chemistry majors. her to serve on the board of trustees for the Chemists’ Club. The club then asked her to start a chapter at NYU.
“I am hoping to gain networking skills through coordinating and establishing the student chapter here
Game Center professor one-ups competition at IndiCade Festival By LESLEY GREENBERG
At the IndieCade International Festival of Independent Games from last month, NYU visiting assistant arts professor Eric Zimmerman received two awards for his projects. Zimmerman won the Game Design Award for “Armada d6,” a board game prototype he created with fellow game designer John Sharp. The first board game to win the award, “Armada d6” is a strategy game centered around the conquest of space. Zimmerman also received the Interaction Award for “Interference,” a game he developed with architect Nathalie Pozzi. “Interference” is a physical game in which a pair of players, enclosed in suspended steel walls, attempts to group their own colored pieces in cells of their colony while stealing pieces from their opponent. Frank Lantz, director of NYU’s Game Center, described the IndieCade International Festival as “the pre-eminent venue for a new generation of game creators who are interested in exploring the creative possibilities of games beyond the context of commercial pop culture.” “[The festival] reflects a shift that is happening, a shift away from games as a quirky, niche, technology-focused subculture, [toward] games as a smart, social, relevant creative scene,”
Lantz said. Zimmerman helped establish NYU’s Game Center in 2008 as a school to prepare students for this changing environment. The Game Center, which is located at the Skirball Center for New Media, hopes to mold the next generation of game designers and entrepreneurs by encouraging them to discover their personal creative voice. The center works closely with other NYU schools, such as the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development and Institute of Technology at NYU. Lantz said the Game Center is interested in supporting innovative game design and in creating a context for students to hone their craft. Lantz also praised Zimmerman and his work. “Eric’s not just a great teacher and important scholar, he’s also a practicing game designer who is doing important, groundbreaking work,” he said. Zimmerman said teaching at NYU has become part of his design practice. “It helps me ‘sharpen my sword’ and keep my design muscles in shape for taking on projects like ‘Armada d6’ and ‘Interference,’” Zimmerman said. “It is exactly the kind of program I have been dreaming about for
COURTESY OF IAN BOGOST
Zimmerman won two awards at the international festival. more than a decade.” Lantz said Zimmerman’s recognition at the IndieCade International Festival is a reflection of the high caliber of the game center’s full-time faculty. “Eric’s not just a great teacher and important scholar, he’s also a practicing game designer who is doing important, groundbreaking work,” Lantz added. Lesley Greenberg is a staff writer. Email her at university@nyunews.com.
at NYU,” Ness said. “I am hoping that others will also develop similar networking skills, but furthermore learn about the vast variety of careers available to those interested in the sciences and what it takes to obtain those careers.” Lewis Boxenbaum, a trustee of the Chemists’ Club, said the club is a unique networking opportunity for students because it offers to give students contacts and advice from diverse fields. “[The Chemists’ Club] is a building bridge between education and industry,” Boxenbaum said. The NYU Chemists’ Club can also be a place where students with similar interests in science can meet and discuss their passions. Soobia Hashmi, a College of Nursing freshman and a club member, said she joined the Chemists’ Club this year because of her academic interest in chemistry. “I have always had a great passion for chemistry and find its course material to be very intriguing,” she said. “The chemistry of life fascinates me, and attempting to understand it all is quite challenging but enthralling. Hopefully, I can find more reasons to expand my love for chemistry by being a member of this club.” Su Sie Park is a contributing writer. Email her at university@nyunews.com.
ENERGY continued from PG. 1
Deaths linked to Monster drinks raise question about their safety 14-year-old daughter, Anais Fournier, suffered a fatal heart attack after consuming two 24-ounce cans of Monster within a 24-hour time span. Her parents said the energy drink was responsible for her death and that Monster fails to warn consumers about the risks the drinks pose. After the lawsuit was filed, the company’s stock fell by 14 percent. But the company denies any danger in drinking their products. “Monster does not believe that its beverages are in any way responsible for the death of Ms. Fournier,” said the company spokesman Evan Pondel in a statement to Bloomberg Businessweek last month. “Monster is unaware of any fatality anywhere that has been caused by its drinks.” Castro agreed and said he will continue to drink Monster products. “[Fournier] was just misusing it,” Castro said. “It doesn’t really bother me because, well, for one I drink Rehab, which is like a lighter version of it, and plus I space mine out properly.” According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a 24-ounce can of Monster contains 240 milligrams of caffeine. A can of its closest competitor, Red Bull sells products in much smaller 8.3-ounce cans that contain only 80 milligrams of caffeine. A typical 8-ounce cup of coffee contains 133 milligrams of caffeine. Sally Guttmacher, professor of Public Health and director of NYU’s Public Health Program, has called for raising more awareness to the dangers of
high-caffeine energy drinks. She said they should be treated somewhat similarly to other potentially harmful stimulants such as nicotine. “At the very least, the potential danger of such drinks should be listed on every container just as they are in cigarettes,” Guttmacher said. “As we know, young people frequently think of themselves as invulnerable, and they need to be reminded to take care if something is a threat to their health.” She added that Monster caffeine drinks could be dangerous because of their effects on the nervous system. “As we know, people respond differently to caffeine, and some people may be dangerously sensitive to its effects,” Guttmacher said. “We know that caffeine can affect the heart rate, which is something to be concerned about no matter what their age.” And some students have become wary of energy drinks. Gallatin freshman Hannah Cohen said she used to drink No Fear, a drink that has similar effects as Monster, but stopped out of concern for her health. “I used to always drink it for whenever I felt tired,” Cohen said. “But I soon started feeling my heart going much faster than normal, and after that I didn’t feel safe drinking energy drinks anymore.” Andrew Karpan is a staff writer. Email him at cstate@nyunews.com.
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2012 | NYUNEWS.COM
FEATURES
Bright ideas for D.I.Y. Diwali celebration By KEERTHI HARISHANKAR Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, is one of the most important holidays of the year for Hindus, Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs. This year, the major celebration takes place Nov. 13, but the holiday lasts five days. People light diyas, a type of Indian candle, set off fireworks and fill their homes with the diyas. Even though performing the poojas, or religious rituals carried out by Hindus to honor a deity, might be difficult in your room, you can still get into the spirit of the celebration in your dorm. LIGHTS Lighting is a major factor of Diwali. Unfortunately lighting candles is not allowed in residence halls, and fireworks are definitely out of the question. If you live on campus, opt for battery-powered candles. Another way to illuminate your room can be with stringed lights, a dorm room favorite. Hang up the lights in a prominent place, perhaps around your windows or on a large open space. Combined with your candles, the ambience will be perfect for your night of festivities. RANGOLI Rangoli are circular decorations placed in front of homes as a greeting to the Hindu gods. While these embellishments are usually made with colored flour, they can be replicated simply using paper. First, buy colored paper, and then find a rangoli design online. Cut the paper into
the shapes represented in the design and glue them together. When finished, hang the design on your door and your room will be blessed by the deities. FOOD Indian sweets are a big part of this holiday. Laddus, a dessert made with sugar, dried fruit and ghee, a special type of butter used in South Asian cooking, are commonly during Diwali. Another dessert option is payasam, a traditional creamy treat. Savory snack options that are easy to find include murukku and pakodas. Making these treats in your kitchen may be ambitious, so look for them at an Indian grocery store. Just remember to keep your food vegetarian, as most Indians do not eat meat during Diwali. MUSIC While there are no traditional Diwali songs, there is plenty of Indian music that can help you get in the spirit of the holiday. You could play traditional hymns, Bollywood dance favorites or, for a more modern twist, you can play the music of famous Indian composer A.R. Rahman. If you cannot pick a favorite then mix all three genres on your playlist and appreciate the different facets of Indian musical culture. These songs are all easy to find and are available on CDs and on Youtube.
Tisch gallery celebrates thirty years By ALEXANDRA CONNOLLY
Along the walls of the lobby and on the eighth floor of 721 Broadway hang 90 works of varying media and subject matter that represent the diversity of work produced by the Department of Photography and Imaging at the Tisch School of the Arts over the last 30 years. The works, created by NYU faculty, students and alumni, are compiled into an exhibit called “DPI@30: Act vs. React.” The collection celebrates the 30th anniversary of the department’s founding and looks back on shifts in the photo industry since the department was founded. “The purpose of this exhibition is to explore ideas that have shaped photography and new media arts since the department’s founding,” said Deborah Willis, chair of the department. The works displayed range from black-and-white and color photography to mixed media pieces, videos and tapestries. The subjects captured over the last three decades give visitors a look
into how photography, learning photography and even society have changed over that time. “This show gives a visual voice to 30 years of lens-based imagery explored by a number of photographers and artists, resulting from our commitment to personal, political and cultural expressions,” Willis said. The show highlights the importance of NYU’s Department of Photography and Imaging to both the world of photography and to the students hoping to become a part of the dynamic sphere. “The photography department is significant because it helped many now-successful photographers get their start and was the first viable MFA degree program in Manhattan,” said professor emerita Elaine Mayes, who originally joined the department in 1983. She has been retired for 11 years, but her picture in the show depicts a home impacted by Hurricane Irene, which is especially pertinent in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Another standout piece is a
photograph by Tarek Al-Ghoussein, professor of Visual Arts at NYU Abu Dhabi. The image features a solitary figure standing against a rather plain setting. It serves to explore the theme of identity and the relationship between subject and space. The photograph is one of Al-Ghoussein’s many works of art that employs his desert home as a way to explore themes of identity and time and space. “I was impressed with the depth and breadth of the work in the exhibition,” Al-Ghoussein said. “Tisch was and clearly remains a very strong program. To maintain this for 30 years is a testament to the dedication of those involved.” “DPI@30: Act vs. React” is on display in the Gulf + Western Gallery on the eighth floor at 721 Broadway. It is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and noon to 5 p.m. on Saturdays through Nov. 17. Alexandra Connolly is a staff writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com.
Keerthi Harishankar is a staff writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com.
COURTESY OF TISCH PHOTOGRAPHY AND IMAGING
The Department of Photography and Imaging gallery explores many identities in different spaces and periods.
COURTESY OF PARTHA SARATHI SAHANA
Diwali, the festival of lights,will be celebrated on Nov. 13 this year.
NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2012 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
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EDITED BY NICOLA PRING FEATURES@NYUNEWS.COM
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FOR THE ADVENTURER Breakneck Ridge, Hudson Highlands State Park, Beacon, N.Y. Ideal for the experienced hiker, the Breakneck Ridge trail reaches an elevation of 1,260 feet. Requiring climbers to use all four limbs, the 4.6 mile-long trail is one of the most strenuous hikes in the Hudson Highlands. After the estimated three and a half-hour trek, hikers can enjoy 360-degree views of the Hudson River and nearby mountains. Transportation only takes one hour and 30 minutes — the Metro North from Grand Central Terminal stops at Breakneck Ridge on weekends and during the holiday season.
Take a hike: destinations for any adventure By KRISTINA BOGOS
FOR THE HISTORY BUFF Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx, N.Y. The hiking trails at the Bronx’s Van Cortland Park, a 35-minute ride on the 1 train to 242nd Street, provides visitors with a glimpse into the region’s past. The one and a half mile-long John Muir trail is the only east to west path that crosses the steep terrain at the park’s center, and also leads hikers to the oldest building in the borough that once housed our nation’s first president. The Old Croton Aqueduct, the first conduit to serve the city of New York, is also a stop along the way as you near the scenic Van Cortlandt Lake.
Prepare for national Take A Hike Day this Saturday by considering an escapre from the bustle of the city. Spend the day trekking through one of these trails located in or outside Manhattan. Don’t forget to wear comfortable walking shoes.
FOR THE BEACHGOER David Weld Sanctuary, Nissequogue, Long Island The 125-acre preserve, with 1,800 feet of beachfront and a three milelong trail, is home to a variety of forestry and wildlife. Cedar trees and red maple swamps are nestled inland, while enormous boulders and dense woodlands line the rocky shore. Highlights include a 50-foot bluff that overlooks Long Island Sound an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, and the kettle hole — a 60-foot deep depression that formed when a massive block of glacial ice melted in place. To get to the sanctuary, take a 53-minute Long Island Railroad train ride from Penn Station to the Kings Park stop.
FOR THE OUTDOORSMAN Appalachian Trail, Greenwood Lake, N.Y. Enjoy panoramic views of the New York City skyline while hiking the 4.6-mile trail at Greenwood Lake’s Fitzgerald Falls. As part of the Appalachian Trail, a 2,181 mile-long path along the Eastern seaboard, the Greenwood Lake journey leads hikers through dense woods and rushing streams. Enjoy views of New Jersey and Pennsylvania after reaching peaks during the hike. A New Jersey Transit bus from the Port Authority to Greenwood Lake takes one hour and 40 minutes.
Kristina Bogos is a staff writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com
FOR THE CITY-DWELLER Shore of Manhattan For the city’s newcomers, a walk around Manhattan’s shoreline offers urbanites a step inside neighborhoods situated along the shore. The ambitious 32-mile walk offers views of 20 city parks, the Statue of Liberty and the outer boroughs. Begin at the South Street Seaport and walk down FDR Drive . Stay on the Esplanade past Battery Park and walk up the Hudson River Greenway. Head back downtown along Harlem River Drive, which becomes FDR Drive. Along the way, experience the cultural diversity of East Harlem and the Little Red Lighthouse at Fort Washington during the day’s walk.
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2012 | NYUNEWS.COM
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.
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Edited by Will Shortz ACROSS 1 Rand McNally publication 6 Where a fetus develops 10 What says “Miss America” on Miss America 14 “Grand” instrument 15 Samoan capital 16 Duo + one 17 Cent 18 Casual pants 20 Ocean bottoms 22 Depart 23 Fishing line holder 24 Names like Billy the Kid 26 Vehicle with a compactor 30 Ingredient in a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder 31 Recreational walk 32 Traffic problem
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28 Spanish 47 Desert plants 40 Place to pin a waterways tiny flag 50 Transport 29 Hitchhiker’s digit 41 Numerous 51 Prefix with 42 Summon 32 Iwo ___ 11 Zones directional 43 Peaks 12 One working out 33 Eve’s mate 52 Zap 44 Item resting on 34 Ration (out) the lumps? 54 Ram’s mate andirons 13 Garden watering 36 Price 45 Room just under 55 The “B” of aids 37 Masses of fish B.S.A. a roof eggs 19 Wonderland girl 46 Stock market 57 Letter add-ons, 38 Leave lickety21 Neural activity disaster for short split measure, for For answers, call 1-900-285-5656, $1.49 a minute; or, with a credit short 24 Desertlike
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card, 1-800-814-5554. Annual subscriptions are available for the best of Sunday crosswords from the last 50 years: 1-888-7-ACROSS. AT&T users: Text NYTX to 386 to download puzzles, or visit nytimes.com/mobilexword for more information. Online subscriptions: Today’s puzzle and more than 2,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($39.95 a year). Share tips: nytimes.com/wordplay. Crosswords for young solvers: nytimes.com/learning/xwords.
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OPINION
EDITED BY CHRIS DINARDO OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM
INFRASTRUCTURE
STAFF EDITORIAL
NYU should modify expansion post-Sandy By LAUREN SINGER and JASON LINDY NYU was not prepared for Hurricane Sandy, and if things stay the same, we won’t be prepared for similar events in the future. Sandy is a product of climate change and is only a glimpse at what the future has in store. NYU needs to recognize that disasters, whose effects parallel and perhaps exceed those of Sandy, will keep happening more frequently. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said on Tuesday, “We have a new reality when it comes to these weather patterns. We have an old infrastructure, and we have old systems and that is not a good combination.” Following Sandy, Jules Martin, NYU’s vice president for crisis management, wrote that we are working towards life “returning to normal for NYU.” However, with climate change bringing annualor semi-annual disasters, Hurricane Sandy is the new normal. Since 2006, the university plans to reduce greenhouse emissions by more than 30 percent. But our successes have been disproportionately focused on operational improvements with NYU’s leadership paying attention to quick-fix energy and emissions reductions through efficiency technologies. The leadership hasn’t offered strong
support for bringing change to our campus, engaging community and meeting our needs as a student body to participate. What did come in handy during Sandy was NYU’s new cogeneration plant that runs on natural gas and was able to keep parts of campus powered during the storm. However, many negative comments on The New York Times’s Green Blog show that the city’s community did not agree that NYU’s reliance on fossil fuels in times of crisis is a suitable option for energy development. In fact, many believe that solutions like these need to be “retired, not expanded.” NYU created a site after the storm that connects students to volunteer opportunities. This is not enough. We must create a permanent and formal group that can provide aid after a hurricane and organize preventive systems in periods of calm. Once relief for Sandy is no longer pressing, this would remain as an organized and dedicated branch of our community that is ready to respond if another disaster strikes New York City. With the up-and-coming NYU 2031, the university should incorporate measures that improve sustainability and provide for emergencies like Sandy. Building NYU 2031 with experts from NYU’s sustain-
ability and wellness communities could direct those infrastructural changes and community efforts providing long term solutions as opposed to quick fixes. Currently, 2031 is predominantly a physical expansion with no formally written systematic programs. Were plans in place to integrate sustainability into the student curriculum like required Morse Academic Plan classes, we could be giving students a systems-thinking approach to the current world we live in. This would allow them to better understand climate change and become more educated responders to disaster. Denying that Sandy and climate change are directly connected is, as Cuomo said, “denying reality.” Those leading our university must understand that their decisions lead to actions that contribute to global warming and propagate catastrophic events such as Sandy. In the wake of Sandy, we sincerely hope NYU President John Sexton and our administration won’t be short-sighted. It is time to recognize the opportunity to lead NYU into a new era of true sustainability and resilience. Lauren Singer and Jason Lindy are contributing columnists. Email them at opinion@nyunews.com.
VOTING RIGHTS
Electoral college disenfranchises majority By IAN MARK About 120 million votes were cast in the election this year, but not all of them were counted equally. Due to the archaic Electoral College, voters living in swing states are more important than those in red or blue states like Massachusetts or Alabama. In the weeks leading up to the election, each candidate’s campaign recognized that roughly 80 percent of the electoral votes were already won. All they needed to focus on were the swing states. This was reflected in their strategies: President Obama made seven campaign appearances in New Hampshire, which has a population of 1.3 million. He did not pay a single visit to Texas, which has a population of 26 million. This imbalance shapes our national discussion preceding elections. Issues that are important to swing states are given a lot of airtime, while the issues of large states like California and Texas are ignored because their votes won’t swing the election. The only solution to this problem is a constitutional amendment providing for the direct election of the president. As is often the case, the argument against such an amendment is one of tradition:
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the Founding Fathers created a sacred document that should not be changed unless absolutely necessary. But this reflects a misunderstanding of the circumstances that surrounded the Constitutional Convention, which led to such institutions as the Electoral College. As much as the Federalist Papers would like us to believe otherwise, the Constitutional Conventions were not some philosophical discussion on politics and human rights that resulted in a document perfectly calibrated to govern our country. Rather, they were a series of battles between competing factions to control the shape of the new government while protecting constituents’ business interests. The end result was born of a series of compromises and logrolls. There was no philosophical basis for asserting slaves to be three-fifths of a person, I assure you. Similarly, the Electoral College was a result of compromise, one that came about partially because of the slave states’ fear that the North would elect an abolitionist president. Even Framers that opposed slavery supported the College because it would keep the election out of control of the masses; the expectation was that most elections would end up in the House of Representatives, something
that has not happened since 1824. The Electoral College has persisted over the years due largely to the lack of a consistent movement to change it. It has been almost 100 years since the 17th Amendment was ratified, providing for the direct election of senators. Since then, there has been no real progress in achieving a similar system for the presidency. Some might argue that the inefficiency of the Electoral College does not matter, as there have only been four elections where the winner of the popular vote did not win the presidency. But this is a narrow-minded view. Why should we accept any instance where a candidate is elected over the wishes of the majority? Furthermore, the system we use to elect the president shapes our national discussion. In effect, the Electoral College disenfranchises those who live in states that have large Republican or Democratic majorities. An amendment to fix these issues should be supported by all those voters and by any who wish to see America adhere to the same “one person, one vote” system it preaches to the rest of the world. Ian Mark is a staff columnist. Email him at opinion@nyunews.com.
Petraeus scandal casts shadows on foreign affairs CIA Director General David Petraeus, a four-star general who previously commanded U.S. forces in Afghanistan, was forced to resign this past week, citing an extramarital affair. The affair, with his biographer Paula Broadwell, came to light after an FBI investigation realized that Broadwell sending harassing emails to another woman close to Petraeus from his email account. Covering sex scandals in Washington from the public could now be a job in itself, and seeing the downfall of one of the most influential military minds in modern history by these unfortunate circumstances is disconcerting. The publicization of marital transgressions that are better kept private tend to bring out our collective schadenfreude towards authority figures, but no such wave entered our discourse due to the respect this man commands. Nonetheless, it seems bizarre that public knowledge concerning his professional career and the national security matters it influenced garnered lesser criticism. Government officials have asserted that Petraeus’s resignation is due solely to his extramarital affair, but the timing of his departure from the CIA calls for skepticism. Given that he was scheduled to speak as a witness concerning the Benghazi attack just days after he stepped down, Petraeus’s timely withdrawal could just as well be politically motivated. The affair may have been the catalyst that finally ended his career. Prior to the recent scandal, Petraeus had a history of implementing controversial military tactics. For instance, his Iraqi forces training program is uniformly recognized as a failure even by the government. The ineffectiveness of U.S. troop surges and the uproar concerning human rights violations in Afghanistan happened under Petraeus’s watch, as did the recent embassy attack in Libya that had a larger CIA role than previously thought. The CIA, though, is placed on a pedestal so these issues are typically swept under the rug. This leads to an immoral, but not illegal, act that ultimately forced his hand to resign. Despite these failures, little has tarnished Petraeus’s public image before the extramarital affair and ensuing breach of classified information was revealed. While the affair represents the dictionary definition of irresponsible, it follows a long line of questionable actions during such an illustrious career.
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.
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 150 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.
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NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2012 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
SPORTS
EDITED BY THE WSN STAFF SPORTS@NYUNEWS.COM
Women’s volleyball victorious at ECAC Championships By CHRIS MARCOTRIGIANO NYU women’s volleyball defended their home court on Saturday as the team hosted the Eastern College Athletic Conference ECAC Metro/Upstate Tournament Championship. This marked the 11th-straight postseason appearance for NYU, who won the ECAC championship in 2008. The Violets took on the Rutgers-Newark Scarlet Raiders in the quarterfinals on Thursday, turning them away in three straight games (25-15, 25-11, 25-15). Junior setter and captain Hope Bogle had an impressive five service aces in the match. With the win, the team advanced to the semifinals against the Kean University Cougars on Saturday morning. The Cougars represented a particular problem for the Violets because of their impressive 28-11 regular season record. Nonetheless, the team took the match three games to none (25-11, 25-19, 28-26) en route to the ECAC championship game. The Violets had 45 kills in the game to a mere 30 for the Cougars. Bogle also chipped in with an impressive 22 assists. For the Violets, their final match game was familiar as they faced off against the Elmira College Soaring Eagles for the ECAC championship for the second time in two years. In last year’s match, Elmira got the better of NYU, but the home team was determined to get a measure of revenge this time around. “After finishing as runner-up last year, we weren’t going to let Elmira beat us again,” said junior opposite Perri Goldberg. On Saturday, the team avenged last season’s
loss, beating Elmira 3-1 (27-25, 25-23, 21-25, 2522) in a hard-fought match. Junior outside hitter Alexandria Mao was named the tournament’s most outstanding player, racking up 20 kills in the championship game. Adding to their impressive offensive showing, the team also played well on defense, registering 85 digs. Kaylee Schanda contributed to the superb defensive effort with a match-high 24 digs. Even though the team was not able to play for the University Athletic Association Championship, this match has given the team a great deal of hope for the future. “We all want to leave a legacy when we graduate, and although our team has had a rocky season, we are continuously building and getting stronger, and this championship was a great step in the right direction for where we want NYU volleyball to go,” Goldberg said. Indeed, the team will have a large number of returning members, as only two seniors are graduating after this year. Despite the team’s rocky season, as Goldberg said, they still ended with a new piece of hardware on the shelf at Coles and a bit of satisfaction. “The win was a great way to end our season and put everything we’ve been working on this season together,” said sophomore outside hitter Vera Shulgina. Nevertheless, this team was built on tenacity and spirit, and it has definitely paid off, as they finished out their season with a key victory. Chris Marcotrigiano is a staff writer. Email him at sports@nyunews.com.
Men’s soccer ends season with champion status
By FRANCISCO NAVAS
The NYU men’s soccer team won their third consecutive game in three days on Sunday at Gaelic Park and claimed the Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III Metro Championship. Three consecutive victories came against the Richard Stockton College Ospreys, the College of Staten Island Dolphins and Ramapo College Roadrunners after five consecutive regular season losses. Three were University Athletic Association conference matches. The quarterfinal match ended in a 3-1 victory for the then fourthseeded Violets against the Roadrunners. Three goals where scored by sophomore midfielder Nimo Freitag Bergstroem, junior midfielder Chris Ramirez and senior forward Paolo Luciano. Senior goalie Jonas Poster, who was only beaten once, also had a great performance with five stops. “It has been a great tournament for us,” said head coach Joe Behan. In the semifinals, senior star forward Kyle Green lifted the Violets to a 2-0 victory over the Dolphins, scoring the Violets’ first goal with about three minutes remaining. This goal put Green, who has 75 points in total, in third place for all-time NYU career points. Sophomore forward Billy Cordova closed up the match by scoring with about 15 seconds remaining. The finals victory at Sunday’s championship avenged a difficult 1-2 overtime loss to the Ospreys in the regular season for the men, defeating them 4-2 in penalty kicks
after a 1-1 regular time tie. The match was scoreless until the Ospreys opened the scoreboard close to the 60 second mark. Cordova tied the match in a dramatic fashion, scoring with less than five minutes remaining in the game off a center pass from junior defender Danny Weisbaum. In the event of a tie, the game went on to 20 minutes of overtime after which it was time for penalty kickout. “It’s always great to score a goal in a championship game,” said Cordova, the sole NYU scorer. “I am glad we got to win it for the seniors.” Senior captain midfielder Niki Chow, sophomore midfielder Mac Yumoto, Green and Cordova all hit their attempts in the penalty shootout. Two of Richard Stockton’s players had their shots fly over the goal. “I feel really lucky to get a second chance and to end the season on a high note as champs. I am blessed to be with this special team that was beat up and tired at this point in the season and dug deep to win the ECAC,” said Green, who was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. This was the final game for the NYU men’s soccer team with five players ending their college careers, including goalie Jonas Poster, forward Paolo Luciano, midfielder Ryan Horch, Chow and Green. “We recognize that we underperformed this season, and we’ll work hard during the offseason to improve for next season,” junior defender Juan Velez said. Francisco Navas is a contributing writer. Email him at sports@nyunews.com.
CROSSCOUNTRY continued from PG. 1
Violets clinch NCAA Atlantic Regional Championships and Cross Country Coaches Association NCAA Division III Poll in the Atlantic Region. SUNY Geneseo was ranked first. “Coming into the race ranked second, we knew we had a chance to pull out a win over number one ranked SUNY Geneseo if we ran smart and to our abilities,” said senior captain Kevin Bonilla. “It was a tough, tough, hard-fought race, and every point and place mattered.” The top two teams at regionals win automatic bids to the NCAA Division III Championships, while the other teams in all eight regions may be able to compete at Nationals if they receive one of the 16 at-large bids available. “We really put it all out on the line, and it was great to see all our work this season pay off,” senior captain Dylan Karten said. The Violets had three runners finish in the top five in the 297-person race. Karten finished second in the race with a time of 25:16.2. He was less than two seconds behind first place finisher senior Alex Brimstein of SUNY Geneseo (25:14.4). This is Brimstein’s second consecutive year as regional champion. “It was really intense trading back and forth for the lead and the crowd was just nuts,” Karten said. Bonilla placed fourth with a time of
25:28.4. Close behind Bonilla was sophomore Sebastian Oja in fifth with a time of 25:31.0. “We have a strong pack of runners, and we were able to work together throughout this race to get this win,” Bonilla said. The final two scorers for NYU were senior captain Dave Knowles in 11th place (25:48.8) and senior Kyle De Leon in 28th (26:12.3). All five of the scorers will receive NCAA All-Region honors by having finished in the top 35. Last year, NYU finished 19th at the National D-III Championship, with Karten finishing in 43rd place. The Violets have had national top-20 finishes for the last five years and a first place finish in 2007. “We have been working very hard since June with Nationals on our mind,” Bonilla said. “Nationals is one of the toughest races out there, and it’s really hard to know what will happen,” Karten said. “It definitely means a lot to me and my fellow seniors to win regionals.” NYU will compete at NCAA D-III National Championships on Sat., Nov. 17, in Terre Haute, Ind. Mary Jane Dumankaya is a deputy sports editor. Email her at mdumankaya@nyunews.com.
