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NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT · WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2014 · VOL. CXXXVI, NO. 115 · yaledailynews.com

INSIDE THE NEWS MORNING EVENING

SUNNY CLEAR

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CROSS CAMPUS Spring Fling fare. As part of last night’s weekly BAR and Caseus crossover, the two restaurants produced a pizza called the “Spring Fling.” The pie, described as a “lighter bit of deliciousness to welcome in these first days of spring,” is topped with feta, olive tapenade and spinach.

¡TEATRO! GROUP STAGES “IN THE HEIGHTS”

URBAN STUDIES

LITERATURE

New Haven enters the Yale classroom in DeStefano course

CLOUD ATLAS AUTHOR TALKS INSPIRATION

PAGES 10-11 CULTURE

PAGE 3 CITY

PAGE 3 NEWS

Mindblowing menus. A recent list from Motovo has ranked the 15 New Haven restaurants that “Will Blow The Taste Buds Out Of Your Mouth.” Number one on the list is Tikkaway Grill on Orange Street. The list also included the usual suspects: Barcelona, The Pantry, Zinc, Prime 16, Union League and Caseus. Mamoun’s also received some recognition. “Where else can you dive into an immaculately crunchy falafel stuffed with delicious beef cooked to perfection at 2:30 a.m.?” the piece asked about the falafel vendor.

T

BY MATTHEW LLOYD-THOMAS STAFF REPORTER

Princeton’s 305 and Harvard’s 400, even though the latter has a larger undergraduate population. Cornell, Columbia and the University of Pennsylvania have more groups than Yale, but they also enroll many more students. But the ever-increasing abundance of student groups also causes a number of logistical challenges — including the fact that there is simply not enough funding to amply support all of them. In a November 2013 column in the News, Undergraduate Organizations Committee (UOC) Chair Benjamin Ackerman ’16 explained that the UOC received more than 500 grant applications in the fall

More than three months after a woman grievously injured in the 2011 Harvard-Yale tailgate crash filed suit against 86 current and former members of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, the defendants have filed a formal response. Filed in Connecticut Superior Court in New Haven, the response was submitted on behalf of 84 of the 86 SigEp members who were sued in December by Sarah Short SOM ’13 and the estate of Nancy Barry. Short was seriously injured and Barry was killed in Nov. 2011 when a U-Haul truck, driven by Brendan Ross ’13, lost control on its way to the SigEp tailgate area at the Harvard-Yale game. The responses argued that they should not be held responsible for Short’s injuries and Barry’s death. The responses — which replied to separate but nearly identical suits from Short and from Barry’s estate — were submitted by Wilton, Conn. attorney Jeremy Platek. Platek has been hired by Liberty Mutual, the insurer for the national SigEp fraternity, to represent 84 of the 86 defendants. The responses argued that the 84 SigEp members did not have sufficient knowledge to address the specific accusations in Short’s complaint, which presented allegations primarily against Ross. Joel Faxon, the attorney representing Short, dismissed the claims in the defendants’ answer. “There is much legal sidestepping of the plaintiff’s factual claims,” Faxon said. CEO of the national SigEp fraternity Brian Warren said he hopes the members will be absolved of responsibility. He added that in the American judicial system “you have the right to sue anyone,” and

SEE ACTIVITIES PAGE 6

SEE SIGEP PAGE 4

PHILIPP ARDNT/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

UPCLOSE Lian — the president of the Yale Dramatic Association — was overseeing preparation for the Freshman Show, a yearly production that takes hundreds of hours to put together. But Lian is not a Theater Studies major — he studies Global Affairs — nor does he aspire to work in drama after graduation. “I like doing this. I like the people,” Lian explained, adding that he tries to devote time to both academics and extracurriculars.

At Yale, activities outside the classroom make up a significant portion of campus life. In a News survey of 105 students, 27 said they spend an equal amount of time on academics and extracurriculars, while 26 others reported spending more time on extracurriculars. On average, 46 students said they spend more than seven hours a week on their main extracurricular commitment. The number of student organizations registered with the Yale College Dean’s Office (YCDO) has skyrocketed over the last decade. As of last month, 385 student groups were registered and 100 additional groups were in the process of registration. The nearly 500 student organizations at Yale tower over

Divestment decision delayed

When one door closes... The

Slifka Center has shuttered its door for Passover. Yale’s favorite residential dining hall alternative will not reopen until Friday for a special Passover Shabbat dinner. At least it’s Restaurant Week in New Haven.

THIS DAY IN YALE HISTORY

1990 Pierson deports a number of wild cats that have taken up residence in the college. The litter was born in the courtyard over the summer and never left. Submit tips to Cross Campus

crosscampus@yaledailynews.com

ONLINE y MORE goydn.com/xcampus

Grad students protest grading BY HAILEY WINSTON STAFF REPORTER

Ivy status. The Columbia

Spectator recently ran an opinion column addressing the publicity high school student Kwasi Enin has received for being accepted to every single Ivy League. The piece makes the point that applicants are often blinded by the brand name appeal of Ivy League schools. “But not every top student belongs at an Ivy League school, at an inward-looking tribe groaning with historical and ideological baggage,” the piece said.

SigEp responds to lawsuit

he number of student organizations at Yale has swelled dramatically over the years. But because the University has remained the same size, student groups increasingly find themselves competing for space, funding and student interest — and still, more new groups crop up each year. WELSEY YIIN reports.

Looking around at the students hurrying up and down the bustling stage, Jonathan Lian ’15 already knew it was going to be a long night.

Salovey brunches with athletic captains and Ivy champions PAGE 12 SPORTS

How many is too many?

Free froyo. To celebrate the victory of the UConn Huskies over the Kentucky Wildcats, Froyoworld is giving out free frozen yogurt today. The first 100 customers on Wednesday will receive free 8 ounce cups of froyo. Sixteen locations are participating across Connecticut. Publication nation. Yet another student publication has popped up on the crowded campus scene — The Boola. The site promises “No reviews on hipster bands. No sociopolitical analysis of foreign countries. No academic articles on microscopic molecules.” Instead it offers Buzzfeedlike articles including: “8 signs You Went to Boarding School,” “8 Studying Tips from Phi Beta Kappa” and “6 Fun New Haven Dining Options.”

ATHLETICS

WILL FREEDBERG/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

The inaction of the Yale Corporation regarding divestment has frustrated Fossil Free Yale. BY ADRIAN RODRIGUES STAFF REPORTER The Yale Corporation Committee on Investor Responsibility (CCIR) has decided to delay its decision on whether the University should divest its assets from fossil fuel companies. After months of debate, petitions and formal dialogue between administrators, faculty and students, the highest body governing Yale’s investments decided to delay any decision, according to Patrick Reed ’15, treasurer of Fossil Free Yale, the leading student group advocating divestment. University President Peter Salovey, who serves on the CCIR, said more time is required for the CCIR to reach a definitive

decision. Late last week, the CCIR met privately with the Advisory Committee on Investor Responsibility (ACIR) — a committee of eight professors, students and alumni that evaluates ethical issues surrounding the University’s investments — to continue discussions on the possibility of divestment. As the ACIR had made a presentation to the CCIR on divestment in February, members of Fossil Free Yale said they expected the CCIR to have made a decision on the issue of divestment either by last week’s meeting or in the near future. But Reed said the CCIR decided not to issue a decision on divestment after last week’s meeting. He believes

the group has not rescheduled another gathering, Reed added. “I can assure you, however, that the CCIR members are engaged in a substantial conversation with members of the ACIR,” Salovey wrote in an email. “The fossil fuel issue that has been raised is complex and so it requires careful deliberation.” Law School professor and chair of the ACIR Jonathan Macey said he was not privy to the CCIR’s discussions, adding that the members of the CCIR gave him no indication they were going to suggest the University divest its assets from fossil fuel companies at this time. Fossil Free Yale memSEE DIVESTMENT PAGE 4

Graduate students are trying to change an inconsistent grading system that affects graduate students enrolled in undergraduate language courses. While students in the graduate school receive grades of “honors,” “high pass,” “pass” or “fail” in courses for their masters programs, they are awarded grades of A-F for language courses they take within Yale College. As language courses are required for many masters’ programs, graduate students interviewed said the presence of a letter grade on their transcripts catches undue attention from employers and diverts attention away from the student’s performance in their graduate coursework. After compiling a report earlier this semester, the Graduate Student Assembly (GSA) has been reaching out to administrators to advocate for “honors,” “high pass,” “pass” or “fail” grades in their language classes. “If you’re going to graduate school, your grades should all be on the same scale,” said Saad Ansari GRD ’14, a member of the GSA. “There’s no reason to have them on different scales.” Ansari said the GSA has had productive discussions with faculty members of language departments over the past several weeks. However, he said the group has not yet made headway with administrators. Graduate School Associate Dean Pamela Schirmeister said in a Monday email that the current system exists to make lan-

guage courses more equitable between undergraduates and graduate students. “A language course is the same whether taken by undergrads or graduate students,” she said. “If undergrads and graduate students are sitting next to each other in the course, there is no reason that they should be evaluated according to different grading scales. They are doing exactly the same work.” According to the GSA report, which was compiled in February, many graduate students feel that the use of letter grades for language courses makes their transcripts confusing to potential employers. Lauren Young GRD ’14, one of the GSA representatives who compiled the report, said the fear that employers will take extra notice of language course grades causes graduate students to divert an excessive amount of time to their language studies and away from research and other courses. “People are more stressed about their language class than any of their other graduate coursework,” she said. Young said the European and Russian studies program and programs within the Jackson Institute of Global Affairs are most affected by the current grading system because they require students to be proficient in at least one foreign language. Young added that graduate students also argue that they should not be graded on the same scale as undergraduates for SEE GRAD GRADING PAGE 4


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YALE DAILY NEWS · WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2014 · yaledailynews.com

OPINION

.COMMENT “The equalization of student wages will be the first step towards revoyaledailynews.com/opinion

What’s fueling their decision? I

f there’s one thing the members of the Yale Corporation understand, it’s self-interest. Not everyone agrees this is a bad thing, of course — in the corporate world that many Corporation members inhabit, many herald self-interest as a way of life. Self-interest is why they were successful at the companies they lead or recently led: Pepsi, Chanel, Time Warner, Goodyear, J.P. Morgan, Bain Capital. But self-interest is why the movement to divest from fossil fuel companies is bound to fail. The remarkable irony of the Yale Corporation — especially when it comes to divestment — is that they claim to be in their positions precisely because they are free from self-interest. While a student might advocate only for student issues, and while a faculty member might only advocate for faculty issues, as the argument goes, the Corporation members are wise outsiders, unblemished by self-interest. Yet it is difficult to make this argument when several members of the Corporation — most notably Charles Goodyear ’80 and Paul Joskow GRD ’72 — have direct financial ties to the fossil fuel industry. When the Corporation is discussing the issue of divestment, these members must recues themselves. I will not make the argument in favor of divestment here in part because that argument has been made in the News and across campus far more eloquently than I could do. Further, the science is irrefutable and many studies, including a recent one conducted by three Oxford economists, found that divestment helps to stigmatize the fossil fuel industry and hurts companies financially. But, most importantly, I don’t need to argue in favor of divestment because, no matter which side of this debate you support, you should want unbiased individuals making such a weighty decision. Goodyear’s interest in the issue is the most troubling. He is one of the world’s foremost investors in fossil fuels. Goodyear was the CEO of BHP Billiton from 2003 to 2007, a company that extracts and sells fossil fuels and that just settled a lawsuit for $5 billion over health problems wrought by its pollution. He is now a member of the National Petroleum Council and a board member of Anadarko, one of the largest fossil fuel companies in the world, which compensates him very generously. Paul Joskow also has ties to the industry. For years, he was the director of TransCanada, a large oil and natural gas company and the force behind the controversial Keystone XL Pipeline. Currently, he sits on the board of Exelon, an energy company with holdings in fossil fuels. And, disturbingly, Joskow is a member of the Yale Corporation Committee on Investor Responsibility (CCIR), the body that, according to its website, “makes

recommendations to the Corporation on policy matters related to ethical investing.” The three SCOTT members of STERN the CCIR — Joskow, Neal A Stern Leonard Perspective Keny-Guyer SOM ’82 and Catharine Bond Hill GRD ’85 — are tasked with making a recommendation on the issue of divestment. Goodyear and Joskow may not want to hurt their bottom lines by taking a financial stand against their own industry, and they also may not want to hurt their reputations or those of their friends in the same industry. It is worth remembering that, in the 1980s, the Yale Corporation repeatedly delayed divestment from apartheid-era South Africa because at least four Corporation members had financial ties to the country. Discussion of Corporation members’ self-interest is especially important considering that Fossil Free Yale’s proposal is far more conservative than proposals at other schools. Corporation members, however, might not know that. They might, instead, be making decisions guided by financial interest or other motivations, not careful research. “When we met with Indra Nooyi, she told us that she had looked through our website,” said Patrick Reed ’16, Treasurer of Fossil Free Yale. “However, she asked us questions about issues that had already been handled, conflated our proposal with those of other schools and generally didn’t seem too knowledgeable about the specifics.” Reed also said that other members of the Corporation told Fossil Free Yale that they had read its report, but that, based on their questions, it seemed as if they hadn’t. If Corporations members are guided by self-interest and aren’t aware of Fossil Free Yale’s specific proposal, that might explain some of their recent actions. At a meeting last Friday of the CCIR, as well as the Advisory Committee on Investor Responsibility (ACIR), President Salovey, Provost Polak and others, the Corporation members present declined to make a decision on the issue of divestment. Perhaps you disagree about the necessity of divestment, but regardless of your views on the issue, we can all agree that whoever makes the ultimate decision should not have a financial stake in the industry. Goodyear, Joskow and perhaps others should recuse themselves in all future discussions of divestment.

lution.”

'YALEMARXIST' ON 'YOUR CAMPUS JOB IS IN DANGER'

G U E S T C O L U M N I S T TAY L O R N I C O L A S

Don’t roast the pig O

n April 11, 2014 a pig will be roasted in Ezra Stiles College as part of the Medieval (K)night Celebration: Its flesh will be eaten, students will revel over its corpse, and the carcass will feature prominently in the Stiles courtyard. My hope in writing this op-ed is to save that pig’s life and bring an end to this college-sanctioned pig roasting. There is no reason for a pig to be publicly roasted at a college-sponsored event, especially given the traumatic nature of such an event. On March 24, I received an email from Shon Arieh-Lerer ’14, which began, “Dear People who Support Animal Rights at Yale.” His email went on to state that the Stiles pig roast was one of the most traumatic Yale experiences he has yet encountered for he has a pet pig, Art. He wrote the following about Art: “His favorite food is toasted pita bread, and when he gets anxious I sing bluegrass to him to soothe him. Also, he can dance and he can identify colors, and I can talk about him all day.” So when Shon ended his email asking for a vote of confidence and the willingness to petition Master Stephen Pitti directly, I of course said yes.

The evidence that pigs are smart, curious, emotionally competent beings is beyond question at this point. They dream, they feel, they sunbathe, and they communicate with each other constantly. According to a PBS report entitled “The Joys of Pigs: Smart, Clean and Lean,” most animal experts agree that pigs are more trainable than both cats and dogs. It is difficult to imagine that anyone at Yale would support a public dog roasting, despite the fact that dog meat is consumed in many parts of the world. But that is all beside the point. While I am a vegetarian and would gladly advocate for meatfree dining halls any day, I don’t believe that the question of consuming pork is what is at stake here. Instead, what is at stake is the comfort and well-being of our own community members who are offended and emotionally traumatized by the event — myself included. In the interest of full-disclosure, I am not in Stiles and have never attended the event in question. But based on my research, Medieval (K)night and the accompanying pig roast are relatively recent traditions.

Medieval (K)night is also not directly related to the college namesake, the great theologian and scholar, Ezra Stiles, nor to the Ezra Stiles College mascot, the A. Bartlett Giamatti Memorial Moose.

THE EZRA STILES PIG ROAST IS A DAMAGING COLLEGE TRADITION I’m not calling for the end of Medieval (K)night. From what I understand of Renaissance Fairs and the like, the traditional meat offering is turkey legs. This would seem a viable, if not ideal, alternative. Interestingly, according to the Ezra Stiles College website’s description of Medieval (K)night, “Each spring, Stilesians don armor, viking hats, shields and swords to enjoy a Medieval feast, complete with turkey legs and Beowulf reenactments.” Whether this state-

ment is intentionally misleading or is an administrative oversight, I cannot say. However, this year’s Facebook invite for the event states that “Devouring the wild boar” will take place at 10 a.m. I don’t think that human bonding should take place at the expense of animal suffering. Let’s build cruelty-free celebrations that respect the feelings of all Yale students. On Apr.il 7, I wrote an email to Ezra Stiles Master Stephen Pitti, containing much of the aforementioned and standing in solidarity with Shon and Art which I signed “Thank you for your compassion and consideration.” His short reply was, “Thanks for writing.” At the end of the day, this isn’t about Shon, Art or me, but about progress. It’s about creating traditions that lead our University towards a better future for human and non-human animals alike. In closing, I would like to quote the ending of Shon’s original email to me: “Can we do this one for Art, guys?” TAYLOR NICOLAS is a junior in Branford College. Contact her at taylor.nicolas@yale.edu.

G U E S T C O L U M N I S T J U L I A C A L A G I O VA N N I & S H E A J E N N I N G S

Just one day’s swipes

SCOTT STERN is a junior in Branford College. His columns run on Wednesdays. Contact him at scott.stern@yale.edu .

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O

ne month’s rent. That’s all you need to keep yourself and your family in your apartment. You’ve been out of work. You found a new job. But that next paycheck isn’t going to come in time. You’re worried about eviction. What would you do? In New Haven, someone in this situation could turn to Liberty Community Services, a nonprofit organization that can provide eviction prevention services. It’s one of three organizations in New Haven — along with Columbus House and New Haven Home Recovery — that runs a Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Rehousing Program, or HPRP. These programs can help with rent, security deposits, utility payments — relatively small amounts of money that mean a lot to people struggling to stay in their home or apartment. The logic behind HPRP is simple: Giving people the assistance they need to fill in a financial “gap” allows them to stay in their housing. They won’t have to stay in a homeless shelter, double-

up with family members, spend the night on the Green, crash on their friends’ couches or sleep in their cars. Their children will have a place to call home. Once someone loses housing, the search for a new place to stay is difficult: Wait lists for subsidized housing are long, marketrate housing is expensive and New Haven has the lowest apartment vacancy rate in the nation. HPRP is good economic policy; it’s ultimately far less expensive for HPRP to fund a security deposit or a few months’ rent than for someone to enter the “revolving door” of the shelter system. And in the meantime, that person can keep supporting a family and community without the fear of losing a home — a kind of security most of us take for granted. You’ve seen our fliers; you’ve gotten our emails. This week, YHHAP asks you to donate your Friday meal swipes. If you’re not on a meal plan, consider donating a few dollars — maybe $2.50, the price of a cup of coffee. The Fast proceeds will go directly to the three New Haven organi-

zations that administer HPRP. Thanks to students’ generosity, we are able to donate thousands of dollars to New Haven HPRP each semester. Funding for HPRP is always limited, and your support helps these organizations help more men, women and children. Fundraising isn’t all we do — just ask the hundreds of students involved in our service projects — but it is a big part of our mission. HPRP works, and your donations help make it happen in New Haven. Along with this year’s Fast, we’re hoping to start a conversation about homelessness in New Haven. We can begin with this question: Who are the homeless? You might know familiar faces around town — people who look like they’re down on their luck. But on any given night in New Haven, nearly 700 people experience homelessness. That’s about half the people in your class year. And the face of homelessness isn’t what you’d expect — because there is no single face of homelessness. Those 700 people might include a woman with children escap-

ing domestic violence; a veteran whose PTSD makes it too difficult for him to hold down a job; a former prisoner whose arrest record keeps her unemployed; a patient released from a hospital who doesn’t have a place to call home; or a teenager who has aged out of the foster care system. We asked our volunteers why they signed up for the Fast. Their answers speak for themselves: “The donations actually make a difference for those in need.” “HPRP is a relevant and practical way to prevent homelessness.” “No one ever thinks they might need this support some day.” “Not everyone has food they can count on for every meal.” Whatever your reason is, we hope you’ll join us in taking part in the YHHAP Fast this Friday. One day’s swipes. That’s all it takes. JULIA CALAGIOVANNI is a junior in Silliman College. SHEA JENNINGS is a sophomore in Trumbull College. They are the co-coordinators of the Yale Hunger and Homelessness Action Project .


YALE DAILY NEWS · WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2014 · yaledailynews.com

PAGE 3

NEWS

“They say the universe is expanding. That should help with traffic.” STEVEN WRIGHT AMERICAN COMEDIAN

CORRECTIONS

Cloud Atlas author talks originality

MONDAY, APRIL 7.

The article “Agostino ’14 excelling in NHL” misspelled the name of Cory Schneider. It also mistakenly stated that Yale played Minnesota St. Cloud State in the Frozen Four, when it should have stated UMass Lowell. It also incorrectly stated that Agostino had skated with Mark Arcobello ’10 at Yale during Agostino’s freshman year.

FRIDAY, APRIL 4.

The article “With $60 million, cancer drug develops” misspelled the name of Michael Vlock.

Route 34 hits political traffic

HENRY EHRENBERG/PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

David Mitchell, a novelist, discussed his experimentation with different styles and genres during a Morse College Master’s Tea. BY AMANDA BUCKINGHAM STAFF REPORTER ELENA MALLOY/CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

The redevelopment plan for Route 34 has caused concerns about bike lane space and safety. BY DAVID BLUMENTHAL AND LILLIAN CHILDRESS STAFF REPORTERS While New Haven’s Community Development Committee met last week to discuss a redevelopment plan for Route 34, New Haven bikers, car owners and environmental activists held their breaths. The project will remake an area of the city bounded by Dwight Street, Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Orchard Street and Legion Avenue, partly filling the void left by Route 34 West, which was never built. The project — coordinated by developer Centerpoint Companies along with nonprofit Continuum Healthcare — will include facilities for the nonprofit such as a pharmacy, an office building, a restaurant and a parking garage. The project is an attempt to correct a 1959 decision to build an expressway directly through the center of lower-class housing. However, at the meeting last Wednesday many New Haven alders and city residents expressed concern that the project will be deleterious for bikers, car owners and for the environment. Ward 16 Alder Michelle Perez said she noticed how little space is given to bike lanes in the artist’s rendering of the development. As an avid biker herself, Perez said cyclers would need something more than just wider street lanes. “Right now, if you ride your bike on the street, you’re going to get run over by a car,” she said. Currently riding a bike on the sidewalk is illegal, a law that Perez said she is in favor of changing. Ward 18 Alder Salvatore DeCola, chair of the City Services and Environmental Policy Committee, said that given New Haven’s narrow streets, the roads are often not wide enough to make the access for everyone to ride safely. DeCola added that New Haven does not have enough public transit acess, including opportunities for bicycles. Ward 2 Alder Frank Douglass said he would agree to bike lanes or other bike accommodations, even if they come at a higher price. Douglass added that bike lanes are worth the cost to keep both bikers and motorists safe. Some alders are also concerned that the project will create greater traffic, leading

to air quality problems. However, Centerplan Companies CEO Bob Landino said the vote to build the highway passed unanimously— adding that this proved environmental concerns are mostly unfounded. Centerplan Companies CEO Robert Landino said he and his company are in constant communication with the city so that they will not repeat the mistakes of urban renewal. Urban renewal was a movement in the 50s and 60s that leveled city neighborhoods by building roads that led to the suburbs. “I would support bike lanes, but I need more information,” DeCola said. However, he said that as long as it was both within state and city saftey parameters, he would vote for expanded bike access. Regardless of potential new bike lanes, the development proposal will include a signficant reduction in parking spaces for New Haven drivers — an intentional break from urban renewal that would encourage driving. According to Mark Abraham ’04, executive director of Datahaven, driving rates among younger workers started to decline well before the recession hit in 2007, and have continued to drop ever since. Abraham also indicated that a new highway will not help lower-income families in need of jobs, citing a 2012 DataHaven Survey, which showed that only 77 percent of low-income families in the greater New Haven area have regular access to a car, compared to 98 percent of families making over $50,000 each year. Yale School of Management professor Douglas Rae, who served as the city’s chief administrative officer from 1990 to 1991 under Mayor John Daniels, added that though he supports the project, he hopes the city will not lose steam on other initiatives such as improving the school system, keeping the city safe and bringing more jobs to New Haven. “I think by now, the predominant issues are not so much bricks, mortar and cement as soft tissue,” he said. The current phase of development covers 5.39 acres of land and is expected to cost approximately $50 million to complete. Contact DAVID BLUMENTHAL at david.blumenthal@yale.edu and LILLIAN CHILDRESS at lillian.g.childress@yale.edu .

According to novelist David Mitchell, crafting great literature is akin to escaping from a straightjacket. To write a truly original novel, one must untangle paradoxical and difficult ideas. Mitchell, who has authored five books — including “Cloud Atlas” and “number9dream,” which were both shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize — spoke about the process of literary creation to an audience of 50 at a Morse College Master’s Tea on Tuesday. English professor Alfred Guy moderated Mitchell’s talk, which included advice for budding authors and a discussion on the power of shared experiences. “We have different lives, but there’s overlaps as well. It’s the periodic table of the human condition,” Mitchell said. “We’re made of the same elements — brushes with mortality, falling in love, being dumped, intellectual stimulation, creativity, jealousy, hate.” Mitchell explained that he tries to write works in a variety of genres and styles. This “omnivoracity,” as he called it, allows for literary longevity. He advised aspiring novelists to embrace and write about difficult ideas, in order to be original. Still, he cau-

tioned against deliberately making one’s work too difficult to understand. “When you encounter something that gets you excited, there’s a good novel in there somewhere,” Mitchell said. “Keep your curiosity vital about the world.” Mitchell said novels share a basic composition because they are all made of five key components: characters, thematic ideas, style, plot and structure. These elements are fundamentally interconnected, he said. For “Cloud Atlas,” which contained six different stories and settings, Mitchell said he used ideas like glue to hold the vast structure of the book together. When asked about the film adaptation of “Cloud Atlas,” Mitchell said he appreciated what was done with his sprawling work within the time limitations of a film. But one of the key differences between film and literature is the holistic sensory experience in literature, which is translated to mere “audibles” in film. “Music in texts is perfect — it is never spoiled by being made real,” he said. One defining characteristic of Mitchell’s works is that characters in one novel may appear in another, at a different stage of life. Mitchell said that he was inspired by William Shakespeare’s use of the character Sir John Falstaff, who appears in several of his plays.

All of Mitchell’s works are in conversation with each other, he claimed, adding that all his novels are “individual chapters in a mega-novel.” Finally, Mitchell spoke about the balance between writing for an international audience and remaining true to one’s origins. In a sense, what makes a novel one’s own is the presence of self-indulgence, he said. At the end of the talk, a swarm of audience-members rushed up to Mitchell for book signings. Hannah Friedman ’17 said that she found Mitchell’s meandering path of ideas to be a refreshing divorce from the scripted answers people often give in interviews, and Claire Grishaw-Jones ’17 thought Mitchell was an inspiring and articulate speaker. “You can really tell that he was a writer just from the way that he talks. I’m an English major, and things like this make me want to go forward with it because it shows you what you can be,” GrishawJones said. After the talk, Mitchell also spoke in William L. Harkness Hall as part of the John Hersey Lecture and Schlesinger Visiting Writer Series. Contact AMANDA BUCKINGHAM at amanda.buckingham@yale.edu .

City enters classroom BY POOJA SALHOTRA STAFF REPORTER While other political science classes are studying national public policy, the 15 undergraduates currently taking former Mayor John DeStefano Jr.’s political science seminar are looking no further than the Elm City. DeStefano’s decision to teach at Yale for the first time this semester comes at a time of growing interest among Yale students and faculty to engage academically with New Haven. The class, titled “New Haven and the American City,” was first created in 1997 as a lecture open to students from Yale and other area colleges, including Gateway Community College and Southern Connecticut State University, but this year transformed into a Yale seminar that allows students to interact personally with the former mayor. DeStefano’s seminar is one of a handful of Yale undergraduate courses this semester that focus on New Haven. Last spring, Professor Alicia Camacho created an ethnicity, race and migration seminar called “Latino/a in New Haven.” Other classes that focus on the city include award-winning documentary photographer Lori Grinker’s college seminar “Photojournalism and New Haven” and assistant professor of urbanism Elihu Rubin’s ’99 seminar “Infrastructure: Politics & Design.” Students enrolled in these classes said Yale should take better advantage of what the city can offer in an aca-

demic setting. “We have this amazing city that we go to school in, but we don’t take advantage of it as a learning tool,” said Jeremy Goldstein ’14, a history major currently taking DeStefano’s seminar. “We talk so much about community involvement, but actually learning about [New Haven] in a classroom setting and then going out and seeing it is entirely different.”

I would love to see more classes take on questions in the city. JORDAN ASCHER ’14 Goldstein said DeStefanotook the class on a field trip through New Haven earlier in the semester. The students got on a yellow school bus at Grand Avenue and Olive Street and stopped at different parts of the city, including the Quinnipiac Terrace Housing Project and the New Haven clinic. Jordan Ascher ’14 also explored the city through “Infrastructure: Politics & Design.” Instead of working on a final paper for the class, Ascher is working on a “vision of Dixwell Avenue,” assessing the area’s history and current architectural and social makeup. He said thatprojects like this force students to interact with the city — something he thinks Yale students should do more.

“I think students have an implicit and explicit tendency to not interact with the city beyond the three-block radius of campus,” Ascher said. “I think we need to push against that, and I would love to see more classes take on questions in the city.” Final projects in Camacho’s course, which focuses on the history and development of New Haven’s Latino population, also require students to leave campus. Students must work with a local organization for an average of three hours each week outside of class time, and their final paper is based on the work they do within the community. Among the organizations students are working with are JUNTA for Progressive Action and La Voz Hispana — New Haven’s Spanish newspaper. Students’ final projects include researching minimum wage and labor issues in New Haven, surveying Mexican immigrants and reporting on the status of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) students. “I feel like I’m learning along with them because there’s so much that isn’t known yet or isn’t fully discussed or documented about this particular part of New England life,” Camacho said about her seminar. She added that she plans to teach the course again, though she will be on sabbatical next spring. Contact POOJA SALHOTRA at pooja.salhotra@yale.edu .


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YALE DAILY NEWS · WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2014 · yaledailynews.com

FROM THE FRONT Tailgate lawsuit continues WHA T HAPPENED FROM TAILGATE TO TODAY

Nov. 19, 2011

Accident kills one and injures two

Sept. 14, 2012 Ross pleads not guilty

April 2012

May 7, 2012

May 4, 2012

Ross’ first court appearance

Criminal charges filed against Ross

March 14, 2014

Short attempted to sue the national fraternity but encountered technical obstacles. In addition to their response, the 84 SigEp members have filed a motion to consolidate their cases with Sarah Short v. Brendan Ross et al. That case, first filed in April 2012, pits Short against Ross, the national fraternity, Yale, U-Haul, Contemporary Service Corporation and Patrick Dolan ’13, who was president of the Yale SigEp chapter in Nov. 2011. “The allegations that are made in all of these cases arise from the same exact set of

factual circumstances,” the motion read. “Consolidation will serve the interests of judicial economy and conserve resources by permitting all issues to be resolved in one, rather than two actions.” An identical motion was also filed to consolidate the suit from the Barry estate into a similar case. If granted, the motions would reduce the total number of suits filed by Short and the Barry estate from four to two. Last week, U-Haul filed a memorandum opposing the consolidation of the two cases.

Students continue divestment push DIVESTMENT FROM PAGE 1 bers interviewed emphasized their commitment to the issue of divestment and characterized the CCIR’s conduct as unacceptable. “All of us are extremely disappointed by the inaction on the part of the CCIR,” said Mitch Barrows ’16, the outreach coordinator for Fossil Free Yale. “I personally believe — with many others — that this delay is unacceptable and demonstrates that the Corporation doesn’t recognize the urgency of climate change. The Yale Corporation doesn’t have a great track record on incorporating student voice.” Barrows added that members of Fossil Free Yale fear that the CCIR will release a rejection of the group’s proposal over the summer so as to avoid negative student reactions. He said Fossil Free Yale is working to plan demonstrations to show the Yale Corporation “that our voices will not be swept under the rug.” Fossil Free Yale member Alexandra Barlowe ’17 said it is not surprising that the Corporation has not made a decision yet. Still, she added that the lack of an explicit rejection is promising. Hannah Nesser ’16, the communications director of Fossil Free Yale, said the group remains committed to seeing the issue of divestment through to the end. “We’ve been working with the ACIR for over a year, and, during that time, our climate crisis has only become more dire, so I’m dismayed that the CCIR has so far declined to take action,” Gabe Levine ’14, another Fossil Free Yale member, said in an email. “But we know that 83 percent of under-

introductory language courses, because unlike undergraduates, they do not receive extra course credits for taking those classes. The GSA report on language courses grading cited numerous other complaints from students. The change to the A-F scheme occurred in fall 2012, students and instructors were neither informed nor consulted, which caused unnecessary confusion at the end of the semester, Young said. Laura Leigh Neville GRD ’14,

who is pursuing a master’s degree in European and Russian studies, said she had hoped the grading scheme would change before she graduated this spring. Still, she said it has not impeded her from finding a job upon graduation. The proposal to support standardized grading for graduate students in language courses passed in the GSA with 93 percent approval by representatives. There are 64 representatives on the GSA. Contact HAILEY WINSTON at hailey.winston@yale.edu .

New suits filed against 86 SigEp members

Jan. 6, 2014

SigEp defendants move to SigEp defendants deny First defendants consolidate case with suit responsibility in court filing appear in court

that the first stages of a lawsuit frequently involve a large number of defendants. “While it was initially disappointing that so many people were named as directly involved in the tragic accident, it is right that they are being represented and defended,” Warren said. “I think the case will play out and hopefully these members will be dismissed.” Faxon told the News in January that suing the 86 SigEp members was a last resort after

GSA calls for grading change

Dec. 2013

Barry Estate files lawsuit against Yale, New Haven and Sigma Phi Epsilon

SIGEP FROM PAGE 1

SARAH PALIN ALASKAN GOVERNOR

GRAD GRADING FROM PAGE 1

Short files lawsuit against Brendan Ross ’ 13 and U-Haul

April 2013

March 21, 2014

“Buck up or stay in the truck.”

graduates support our proposal, and we intend to keep fighting to make sure their voices are heard.” Gabe Rissman ’16 said he remains hopeful that the CCIR will continue to meet and not leave the issue undecided over the summer. He added that Harvard University President Drew Gilpin Faust announced on Monday that the school’s endowment will become a signatory to the Carbon Disclosure Project’s climate change program, a nonprofit organization that publishes data on companies’ carbon emissions. Members of Fossil Free Yale have asked companies to disclose the emissions they generate relative to their energy production, a metric designed by the Carbon Disclosure Project, to give Yale an empirical estimate of each company’s impact. Rissman said it was frustrating that Harvard officially endorsed the Carbon Disclosure Project’s climate change program before Yale but added that he is glad Harvard is working toward similar goals as Yale. “[This step underscores] our growing efforts to consider environmental, social and governance issues among the many factors that inform our investment decision-making, with a paramount concern for how the endowment can best support the academic aspirations and educational opportunities that define our distinctive purposes as a university,” Faust wrote in her announcement. Fossil Free Yale’s most recent demonstration was Friday outside Woodbridge Hall. Contact ADRIAN RODRIGUES at adrian.rodrigues@yale.edu .

Yale has not filed any court documents supporting or opposing the consolidation. On Tuesday, University Spokesman Tom Conroy said Yale had nothing to add regarding the litigation beyond what it has filed in court. University Vice President and General Counsel Dorothy Robinson and Patrick Noonan, the attorney representing Yale in the suits, referred all questions to Conroy. Contact MATTHEW LLOYDTHOMAS at matthew.lloyd-thomas@yale.edu .

KAMARIA GREENFIELD/CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Many graduate students are upset about the grading system for language classes due to its potential effect on their job search.


YALE DAILY NEWS · WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2014 · yaledailynews.com

PAGE 5

NEWS

“The advantage of the emotions is that they lead us astray.” OSCAR WILDE IRISH WRITER AND POET

Republicans call refund “political gimmick” BY ABIGAIL BESSLER STAFF REPORTER The state’s legislature is currently considering a $55-perperson refund to taxpayers, a bill propelled by the Governor and questioned by voters who call it a “political gimmick.” The bill passed through the Finance Committee with a vote of 31-19, a party-line vote with the exception of one opposing Democrat. The refund comes from the state’s over-$500 million surplus, and if passed, will be part of more than $210 million in tax cuts this year. It is expected to pass through the legislature by the end of the session on May 7, according to Senator John Fonfara, a Democrat from Hartford and the co-chair of the finance committee. “The governor asked for a shared sacrifice when we were at our lowest point in the last five

years,” Fonfara said. “Now that we’re seeing some light at the end of the tunnel, the folks who sacrificed should benefit from this recovery.” Although the bill has been called a tax “rebate” in the past, Democratic leaders claim that was incorrect terminology. Tax refunds, unlike rebates, do not go into the calculation of a person’s income, meaning the $55 will not affect income taxes. In his statement last week, the governor thanked Fonfara and Representative Patricia Widlitz, a Democrat from Guilford, and the other finance committee chair for their role in helping push the legislation through the committee. “If Connecticut taxpayers are asked to share in the sacrifice during tough times, they should also share in the state’s continuing economic recovery,” Malloy said in the statement. “The

bill the committee passed today takes us a big step towards that goal.” In 2011, the Governor passed sweeping tax increases in an attempt to help Connecticut recover from the recession. Widlitz, who estimates that the tax refund would be implemented at the earliest in August, said some parts of the budget might be changed when legislators sit with the Governor’s budget secretary. But the basic structure of the budget will remain unchanged, she said. She called the refund a “symbolic refund” to give back to voters and acknowledge that they have been burdened in the past. However, a poll released last month by Quinnipiac University suggested that 63 percent of voters view the tax refund as a “political gimmick” used by the governor in his election

Wang talks prisons and healthcare BY ELEANOR RUNDE STAFF REPORTER Eighty percent of prisoners already have chronic medical conditions that require longitudinal medical care — and 95 percent of all prisoners will eventually be released back into society. This is why Emily Wang, an assistant professor at the Yale School of Medicine, believes people leaving prison require medical support tailored to their needs. Wang is the founder of the innovative Transitions Clinic, a San Francisco-based health center that provides healthcare services to individuals newly released from prison to aid their reintegration. Founded in 2006, Transitions Clinic now has 11 programs around the United States, including one in New Haven. On Tuesday, Wang spoke to more than 20 students about the health care challenges facing individuals recently released from prison and what her clinic is doing to help. Since the cost of taking care of prisoners with chronic medical conditions is extremely high, correctional facilities have started to release ill patients early to avoid paying their medical bills, Wang said. Prisoners with health concerns have to fend for themselves once they have been discharged, she said. Wang said recently released individuals are at a significant risk for hospitalization and death for at least three months after being discharged. Drug overdose, heart attack and suicide are the three leading causes of death for the newly discharged population, she added. “The missing piece of the puzzle is training former prisoners to become part of the community health system,” Wang said. Wang said Transitions Clinic tailors its centers to their settings. The New York City and San Francisco clinics include care for family members of the recently incarcerated, a policy Wang said

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year. Senator L. Scott Frantz, a Republican from Greenwich and the ranking minority member on the finance committee, said people on both sides of the aisle see it as a election ploy. “[The Governor] understands the game extremely well,” he said. “There’s a decent chance that the refund will backfire.” At 89 percent, Republicans were most likely to say it was a gimmick. Democrats on the other hand were more divided, with 41 percent calling it a gimmick and 39 percent saying it was “good public policy.” Fonfara said, however, that he thinks Malloy’s work over the last several years showed that the refund is genuine. “I think people understand that [the governor is] in there working hard on the job every day, and he made the tough calls to ask people to sacrifice for the budget,” he said. “It’s not like

this started in the election year.” Widlitz agreed with Fonfara, adding that the refund will not hurt his campaign. Frantz and many other Republicans on the finance committee argued that the money from the surplus should go to help pay off the debt instead. Representative Ted Moukawsher, the Democrat who voted against the bill in the finance committee, also used that argument on the floor of the legislature during the debate explaining his opposition. Around $250 million of the surplus will go towards the state’s rainy day fund, and $100 million will go toward retirement benefits, according to Widlitz, who maintained that Democrats were “making a serious commitment” towards financial stability. Fonfara said that Malloy has done more to reduce the size of the long-term debt than any

ALANA THYNG/CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

she hopes will spread to other centers. Wang said formerly incarcerated persons tend to be more open and comfortable speaking with people who have already navigated the unique challenges of reintegration. In her time at Transitions, she said she has learned that individuals coming out of prison place a premium on seeing a doctor to whom they can relate. “If you design the care the way they want it, they will show up,” Wang said of formerly incarcerated individuals. Wang said she first became interested in prisons when she visited a women’s prison to educate the inmates about sexual health during her time as a medical student at Duke University. Instead of doing an infectious disease fellowship, which was expected of her as a medical student with a focus on HIV, Wang began to work more and more on the health issues facing American prisoners. Wang said studying prisons has taught her about much more than just health care. “I’ve been to prisons in every country I’ve traveled to. It’s a

lens onto how we treat our most vulnerable,” Wang said. Wang is currently writing a grant for research that will examine discrimination against people with criminal records by health care providers. She is also collaborating with faculty at the Yale Law School MedicalLegal Program in an effort to create a program that would address the legal needs of the Transition Clinic’s clients. In her role as assistant professor at the Yale School of Medicine, Wang has taken all of the Yale School of Medicine internal residents to prisons around New Haven to give them a sense of perspective. Students interviewed said they appreciated the Master’s Tea, and many attendees stayed after the talk to continue conversations with Wang. Leo Espinoza ’17 said he enjoyed hearing about Wang’s research because it relates to his interest in the prison-industrial complex. Transitions Clinic currently has more than 2,000 patients. Contact ELEANOR RUNDE at eleanor.runde@yale.edu .

Contact ABIGAIL BESSLER at abigail.bessler@yale.edu .

Yale promotes emotional intelligence BY AUDREY LUO CONTRIBUTING REPORTER

Wang focused her talk on health risks facing recently released prisoners.

governor in the last 20 years. In the Quinnipiac poll, 63 percent of voters disapproved of Malloy’s handling of taxes, and 53 percent disapproved of his handling of the budget. “Gov. Dannel Malloy gets great marks for his handling of the snowstorms, but low marks for voter priorities, the economy and jobs, taxes, education and the budget,” said Dr. Douglas Schwartz, the director of the Quinnipiac University poll, in a statement. The finance committee recently passed a bill calling for a major study of the state’s tax policy mirrored after what New York did recently under Governor Andrew Cuomo. Fourteen percent of voters in the Quinnipiac poll said taxes should be the governor’s top priority.

The Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence hosted nearly 75 leaders from New England school districts on Tuesday for a full-day workshop on how emotions drive students’ academic performance. The workshop, held in a conference room on Yale’s West Campus, focused on the key skills that underlie emotional intelligence and provided a foundation for bringing the RULER Approach to schools and districts. Developed in 2005, the RULER Approach — which stands for Recognizing, Understanding, Labeling, Expressing and Regulating — aims to provide a healthy emotional education program for schools to teach students stress management and other emotional and social skills not taught in a traditional classroom setting. Attendees at the conference included superintendents, counselors, administrators and leaders of school-related organizations from states including Connecticut and Massachusetts. “Schools are preoccupied with standardized testing and place so much emphasis on college preparation,” said Marc Brackett, the director of YCEI who presented at the workshop. “My primary goal is to make that not the case and to work with legislators and policymakers to make the other side of the report card matter,” he said. The RULER program comprises five components: recognizing emotions in oneself and others, understanding the causes and effects of emotions, labeling them accurately, expressing them appropriately, and regulating emotions effectively. According to Brackett, emotional intelligence, or EQ, is required to know how to recognize the range of emotions people experience and have a toolbox to manage emotional highs and lows. “Those with low emotional intelligence tend to develop ineffective strategies for dealing with negative emotions and stress including eating, sleeping, blaming [others] and using drugs,” Brackett said. “These strategies do not entail much effort, whereas healthy strategies, such as mindfulness or exercising, require deliberate effort.” Without the same social awareness as adults, children face emotional and social

challenges the way their temperaments and upbringings dictate. Students with higher EQ are less likely to engage in aggressive behavior or bully others, and they are less prone to anxiety and depression. According to MaryAnn Holland, director of the College Office at Achievement First’s flagship high school in New Haven, teaching kids the ability to control their emotions at a young age can help them make good choices that lead to long term positive effects. However, schools do little in early childhood education to teach students how to take care of themselves, he added — a deficit that carries lasting effects through college. “Forty-nine percent of college students feel anxious and depressed,” Brackett said. “The number one reason for kids dropping out of college is loneliness.” Connecticut State Senator Gayle Slossberg, vice chair of the Legislature’s Public Health Committee, pointed out at the workshop that, due to the detached nature of digital communication, today’s youth will not learn to recognize and judge one another’s emotional responses as well as previous generations forced to interact face-to-face. She added that students can be intellectually brilliant but that their EQ ultimately determines their happiness and success. Lori Villani, director of Student Services of Cohasset Public Schools in Massachusetts, said students in her district are so stressed from all of the demands that are put on them today that the district is trying to find a program that will allow students to negotiate their social landscape. She said she hopes that RULER will help kids learn how to take care of themselves and recognize when they are feeling stressed. “The RULER program is a comprehensive one,” said John Turner, the head of the Foote School, a private middle school in New Haven. “If a school’s going to step into it, it’s a pretty big commitment. It has to be the thing you focus on as a school,” he added. The Center for Emotional Intelligence is located at 340 Edwards St. and conducts research on emotional intelligence to educate people of all ages on developing emotional and social management skills. Contact AUDREY LUO at audrey.luo@yale.edu .


PAGE 6

YALE DAILY NEWS · WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2014 · yaledailynews.com

FROM THE FRONT

“I have a mind to join a club and beat you over the head with it.” GROUCHO MARX AMERICAN COMEDIAN

At Yale, extracurricular funding insufficient ACTIVITIES FROM PAGE 1 semester, cumulatively requesting over $350,000. But the UOC — which receives funding from the President’s Office, YCDO and undergraduates’ Student Activities Fee (SAF) — is only able to dole out $205,000 for the entire year. When asked whether the YCDO will one day have to cap the amount of organizations that exist on campus, Associate Dean for Student Organizations and Physical Resources John Meeske ’74 leaned forward in his chair and took a moment to think. “It certainly could be possible,” he mused. “I’m very divided on that.”

BILLS, BILLS, BILLS

Since November, the UOC and its parent organization the Yale College Council (YCC) have collaborated in an attempt to more fairly distribute funds. The new YCC constitution, ratified in February, gives its members the opportunity to review UOC funding decisions and request changes after reevaluation and deliberation. The YCC also opened discussions about potentially altering the SAF. When a student group needs funding, its treasurer must parse through UOC guidelines and submit a grant application that the UOC will then consider in a meeting. Each semester, existing groups are allowed to request up to $600 in administrative grants from the UOC and new organizations in their first semester are eligible to request up to $300. Ackerman and the rest of the UOC have the difficult job of dividing up the UOC’s limited funds, and most student groups do not receive the total of what they request even if their applications fall completely within the guidelines. “The guidelines need to be revamped,” Ackerman admitted. “We’re trying to be very careful and not hurt any students. Insufficient UOC funding has hit groups hard across the board. In the News survey, 57 percent of students said they know of organizations that did not receive enough funding to cover expenses. To increase transparency, Ackerman made all funding requests and decisions available for online viewing this semester. According to the site, even the requests that the UOC agrees to fulfill come with qualifications — and in the recent funding cycle that ended on March 7, only 26 of 62 groups were awarded their full requested amounts. Only five groups received the maximum of $600. Student groups have dealt with the limited funding in a number of ways, including seeking funding from other campus offices. The Office of LGBTQ Resources awards a certain amount of funds to groups that relate to LGBTQ issues. Maria Trumpler, director of the office, acknowledged that her office has also been short on funds this year but added that she enjoys being able to support students’ efforts. Still, she encouraged groups to ask themselves the question, “Can you scale back?”, when thinking about expenses and funding. “People don’t have a sense … of what is necessary,” she said. Some groups, such as publications, have taken it upon themselves to self-fund through soliciting advertisements. Grant Fergusson ’16, business manager for the Duke’s Men a cappella group, said most a cappella groups stay self-sufficient from money made at off-campus performances, which fund their tours and CDs. But not all groups can thrive without sufficient outside funding. Amy Napleton ’14 is the president and former co-director of Yale’s oldest improv comedy group, the Exit Players. She said her group recently suffered a noticeable decrease in UOC funds that cut down on the range of schools at which the group can perform. “It is more meaningful for us to do shows at schools that can’t pay us anything,” she said. But without sufficient funds, the group cannot cover such tours. The current Exit Players have fortunately been able to selffund their travel so far, said codirector and business manager Will Adams ’15. But he went on to say that the group has become much more mindful of its expenses, and it has ramped

The Establishment of Major Student Organizations 1878 Yale Daily News

1872 Yale Record

1909 Whiffenpoofs

1900 Yale Dramatic Association

1952 Duke’s Men of Yale

1934 Yale Political Union

1981 Whim ’n Rhythm

1969 MeChA & Yale International Relations Association

Do you spend more time on extracurriculars or academics?

Academics Extracurriculars

DEFINING LEGITIMACY

At least once in their Yale careers, students wade through jostling crowds and colorful flyers in Payne Whitney Gym for the college-wide Extracurricular Bazaar.

1984 Yale Ex!t Players

2011 Lux Improvitas

How did you feel about the number of extracurriculars as a freshman?

Equal Time Both

up its number of local shows for the sake of revenue. Napleton stressed that the group cannot always rely on its individual members being able to independently support travel, and that she hopes the Players will soon be financially stable enough to not require significant out-of-pocket contributions. With groups like the Exit Players in mind, Ackerman has pledged to continue looking for ways to improve the funding system. One possibility has to do with the Student Activities Fee. Since 2009, the SAF — which students can choose to opt out of — has remained at $75 per year. The money amassed by the fee is divided for use between student government bodies (50 percent), club sports (15 percent) and UOC funding for student groups (35 percent). Over the past couple weeks, the YCC has discussed making changes to the SAF. At all Ivy Leagues except Harvard and Princeton, the SAF is both mandatory and higher than it is at Yale. Students at Yale can opt out of the SAF through their online student accounts. But at Harvard, the opt-out process involves the submission of a physical letter to the administration, according to YCC President Danny Avraham ‘15. Ackerman said he personally believes Yale’s SAF should be increased and is open to discussion on whether or not it should be mandatory. He is also willing to discuss having a larger portion of the SAF be allocated to funding for student groups, he said. But finding sufficient funds is far from the only problem. Under current policy, the screening process for the formation of new student groups is fairly lax. Though students and administrators praised this laissez-faire approach as conducive to creativity and freedom, many also raised concerns about the rise of illegitimate groups and groups too similar to alreadyexisting organizations. And even if the UOC were able to give out as much money as desired, groups would still compete for the most valuable resource of them all: student interest. Without adequate membership, any student organization — no matter how unique its ideas, or lofty its goals — will flounder.

1988 Shades

The event, held during both Bulldog Days and Camp Yale, is a chance for the roughly 500 student groups on campus to attract new members. The bazaar is a flamboyant show of the diversity of student organizations on campus. Within the gym, students will find comedy groups, a cappella groups, other performance ensembles, publications of every genre, countless service groups, academic organizations and many more. It is no wonder that 58 percent of respondents in the News’ survey said they were overwhelmed by the amount of extracurricular options upon first arriving to campus. Yet most students interviewed said they appreciated the occupation of Payne Whitney’s every niche by student organizations — especially performance groups. “They all do different things,” Napleton said about the four other improv groups on campus. “They’re all really funny.” While the Exit Players specialize in short-form comedy, Yale’s newest improv group Lux Improvitas focuses on long-form improvised theatre, said Noam Shapiro, Lux’s director. Shapiro proposed that the diversity of comedic styles on campus also allows the different groups to learn from one another — so the comedy scene is more collaborative than competitive.

[Extracurricular life] was to me, as I think it to many students today, a very, very central part of going to Yale. JOHN MEESKE ’74 Associate dean for student organizations and physical resources, Yale College Fergusson put forth a similar sentiment about Yale’s singing community. Though the rush process for Singing Group Council a cappella groups is competitive, he said, he believes that those who do not end up in those groups can probably find another ensemble they will love. But while Fergusson recognizes the complexity of the situation, he also believes there should be stricter regulations on groups forming. “[Yale is] oversaturated with groups,” he said. “That’s just confusing for incoming students, especially in the music community.” Jack Newsham ’14, chairman of the historic humor mag-

Overwhelmed Comfortable Underwhelmed

azine The Yale Record and a former deputy opinion editor for the News, took a stronger stance. While he conceded that his publication has learned from seeing what succeed and failed in newer publications and comedy groups, he also labeled other smaller publications “useless and opportunist.” Newsham commended a handful of small publications that are able to finance themselves through advertisements. But there are other publications on campus that are “poorly designed” and “terribly written,” he said. These registered student organizations not only use up limited funding but also crowd the physical space for publications as well, Newsham added. “If I were someone who were interested in law or medicine, I wouldn’t want to read the Yale Undergraduate Journal of Law and Medicine,” he said. Others pinpointed a concern over some student groups that are created to illegitimately “front” or “shadow” alreadyexisting organizations, in a ploy to receive more money. Ackerman admitted that he is aware of the existence of such groups. But Ackerman believes it is the responsibility of the YCDO — not the UOC — to determine a student organization’s legitimacy. Ackerman said he is not as concerned about overlapping organizations as he is about illegitimate groups continuing to apply for funds and then utilizing them in malicious ways that are inconsistent with their applications. “Yale students are very smart and they’re very good at understanding the system and working within the system to get what they want,” Ackerman said. But Ackerman estimated that because of the UOC’s recent decision to more carefully scrutinize applications, less than 1 percent of funds this semester have been allocated to illegitimate groups. The problem of overlapping organizations exists at other universities as well, though administrations view the issue differently. At Cornell, there are six club soccer teams, two different consulting teams and a plethora of performance groups. But multiple groups of the same kind are mostly embraced, said Cornell Assistant Dean of Students for Student Activities Joseph Scaffido. Harvard Dean of Student Life Stephen Lassonde GRD ’94 said his office is increasingly focused on ensuring that student groups do not repeat so much. The reasoning behind this initiative has less to do with funding and more

to do with student attitudes toward academics versus extracurriculars. “Extracurriculars are becoming increasingly important in students’ lives … they say that they’re spending more time now on their extracurriculars than their academics,” Lassonde said. “We think priority should be given to their coursework.” Meeske and Dean of Student Affairs Marichal Gentry voiced a different opinion. Gentry said that while Yale is known for its great education, the University values holistic education and development of the whole person through “the creation of ideas and the ability to interact with other folks and cultures.” Gentry was quick to point out that academic organizations exist on campus as well. Meeske also argued in favor of diversifying out-of-classroom experiences. “The culture nowadays is that people don’t want to be pigeonholed,” Meeske explained. “In general, that’s great. We want to encourage people to do different things.”

“A SOCIETY OF FRIENDS”

A week ago, the YCC held an open forum — publicized in multiple emails to the student body — to hear student opinions on the student activities fee. But aside from YCC members, only two students attended. What does it mean that Yale students, the vast majority of whom are dedicated to extracurriculars, chose not to attend a meeting that could crucially change policy around student groups? A day before the forum, students posted suggestions for improving current UOC funding policies on the Facebook group “Yale Ideas.” Ackerman said he was open to discussing the ideas posed on the page, including one suggesting that students should be able to choose how their SAFs will be allocated. But perhaps the funding issue is not as important to students as it may appear to be. In the News’ survey, 76 percent of students said friends or social opportunities in their groups constituted a major reason for their continued involvement. Generally, students interviewed agreed that the social aspect of their clubs or organizations has been one of the most prominent. Sarah Brandt ’17 exemplified this sentiment about her a cappella group, Slopappella. Brandt started the group with a few friends partially as a joke, she said, adding that though everyone involved loves to sing, no one in the group considered them-

selves to be good enough for the rigor and prestige of Singing Group Council groups. But despite the group’s humorous pretenses, Brandt said the real draw to the group is its tight-knit social circle. “With a cappella especially, you’re with that group for four years and travel around the world together,” Brandt said. “You become a family.” Brandt hopes to create a close and loving atmosphere for the 15 to 20 members of Slopappella. Though the group did apply for UOC funding to cover new merchandise, she said, the group only received $70, less than half of what they had initially requested. Brandt’s affinity for the sense of community within her student organization echoes throughout many larger or more established student groups, including the Duke’s Men. Fergusson said that members of the Duke’s Men love to sing, but there is a familial and fraternal nature that keeps its singers committed. In addition to loving their new friends, students stay in the organizations they are involved in because they are passionate about them. Eighty-seven percent of survey respondents said their interest in the subject of their group was their number one incentive for staying. This spirit has survived through the decades. Meeske — the dean in charge of overseeing the registration of student groups — was heavily involved in musical groups as a Yale undergraduate himself in the 70s and described his extracurricular commitments as central to his personal development. He met his wife in the Glee Club, he added. “[Extracurricular life] was to me, as I think it is to many students today, a very, very central part of going to Yale,” he said. Over 20 years ago, when Gaurav Khanna ’94 was an editor for The Yale Herald, there were financial difficulties just as there are today. Khanna cannot remember any student group that did not suffer from funding challenges. Still, what he remembers most clearly is working late nights at the publication and pursuing what he loved. “We just adored being on that paper,” Khanna said. “[The financial troubles] didn’t dampen the enthusiasm and the creation of new organizations. It just showed the spirit of students wanting to do this — you can’t really snuff it out.” Contact WESLEY YIIN at wesley.yiin@yale.edu .


YALE DAILY NEWS 路 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2014 路 yaledailynews.com

NEWS

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YALE DAILY NEWS · WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2014 · yaledailynews.com

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SPORTS

“I am sailing into the wind and the dark. But I am doing my best to keep my boat steady and my sails full.” ARTHUR ASHE PROFESSIONAL TENNIS PLAYER

Salovey talks “BIRGing”

Both students and athletes UNIONS FROM PAGE 12

SUB FROM PAGE #

HENRY EHRENBERG/PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

University President Peter Salovey discussed “basking in reflected glory,” or “BIRGing,” at his brunch with the student-athletes. SALOVEY FROM PAGE 12 “He said he tries to go to at least one game for each of Yale’s varsity teams per year and [that] he and his wife are dedicated to that goal,” Palin said. “The bottom line with him is he really cares about the individuals and relationships he has with the student body. We really feel that as studentathletes.” Salovey has touched on the concept of “basking in reflected glory,” or “BIRGing” as he calls it, before. As a social psychologist who has studied love, Salovey told the student-athletes that the highest form of love is when others are capable of enjoying another person’s success. He went on to discuss how BIRGing can help unite the university and make

Yale a stronger community, citing the example of Kenny Agostino’s ’14 first NHL goal with the Calgary Flames. Student-athletes at the brunch said Beckett discussed Ecology & Evoloutionary Biology professor Jeffrey Powell’s opinion piece in the News published Feb. 17 during his address. In the piece, Powell discusses how Yale provides a platform for students to pursue their passion. Whether it is a student with a passion for music, a student with a passion for research or a student with a passion for their sport, Yale’s job is to facilitate that growth, according to Powell. Though some students and some members see studentathletes as different from students that have a connection

with another pursuit, he wrote that he believes this is unjustified. “Yale student-athletes definitely take great pride in the successes of their fellow classmates and friends on other teams,” Beckett said. “Students supporting students here at Yale is one of the truly impressive aspects of the Yale Community. The [John J. Lee Amphitheater] was packed during the men’s hockey team’s national championship run. Reese Stadium is packed with fans, friends and Yale students during the Yale Lacrosse season, and I can’t begin to estimate the number of Yale students who watched the men’s basketball team postseason quest for a championship in the CIT.” Both prior to and at the con-

Sailors win Wick Trophy

clusion of the brunch, Salovey and Beckett made time to speak with student-athletes individually to help develop personal relationships, they said. “I always enjoy meeting with students, and I enjoyed talking to many student-athletes before, during and after the brunch,” Salovey said. “I am looking forward to attending as many games and matches as I can in the upcoming weeks before the end of our spring seasons.” Previous University President Richard Levin held similar events for coaches and Ivy champions, although they previously were separate and held at the president’s house at 43 Hillhouse St. Contact ASHTON WACKYM at ashton.wackym@yale.edu .

and the athlete will be divorced for good. This will be most true for those big-time conferences where football and basketball not only dominate campus life, but are also consequently responsible for a large amount of cash flow for the university. These are places where many athletes are already paid in the form of full or partial athletic scholarships, totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars in some cases, but unionization could up the ante even more. While this move to unionize might be inevitable, and the arguments in its favor abound, there is something sad about the direction in which college sports is moving. But hope can be found, perhaps, in the Ivy League. Teams in the Ivy League compete in the NCAA’s Division I, although each university is limited in what they can offer to recruited athletes. Since early in its conception, the Ivy League has prohibited athletics-based merit scholarships and also requires its student-athletes to meet the academic requirements of the university. The consequences of these policies are twofold. On the one hand, there has been a well-documented phenomenon of high attrition among Ivy League athletes. Without scholarship promises or similar commitments tying them to their sport, athletes are free to walk away at any time to pursue the other opportunities their university has to offer. The second consequence of the Ivy League’s policy is that each athlete who does play in the Ivy League does so by free choice in the purest sense. The motivation might be different, but whether it’s for the love of the sport, the experience of competing in Division I athletics or the friendships formed, most Ivy League athletes are tied to their sport by something other than the promise of tuition money or a professional career down the line. As a result of many of the Ivy League’s restrictions, Yale football will likely never compete with

the likes of Alabama, and Ancient Eight basketball programs are hard pressed to earn at-large bids in the NCAA tournament. Professional athletes from Ivy League universities exist, but they are few and far between. Despite being underdogs in the Division I world, Ivy League teams lately and historically have proven that they can compete on the national stage. There has been the Harvard basketball team, which has pulled off major upsets in the second round of the last two NCAA tournaments, and of course the Yale men’s hockey team won last year’s national championship. Despite being allocated less money, less practice time and zero ability to offer scholarships to its players and recruits, these teams and others like them have proven that the Ivy League can still make waves in Division I. Most importantly, the Ivy League has made these advances while preserving the idea of a true student-athlete. Academic restrictions on admission, as well as reduced allotted practice times, allow Ivy League athletes the opportunity to truly be both students and athletes. While this is certainly a function of the types of institutions and their academic traditions that reside within the Ivy League, it is nonetheless a standard that can and should be followed, at least to some degree, by other universities. This is by no means an argument to change the way that NCAA sports function, because that is simply unrealistic. Rather, this is an idealist view of the way college sports should be. The Ivy League perhaps doesn’t get the credit it deserves for trying to preserve this notion, and perhaps the notion of a student-athlete itself has been lost in the thrill of big games, championships and the spectacle of college athletics. Regardless, it’s an idea worth considering before what it means to be a student-athlete changes in an unprecedented way. SARAH ONORATO is a junior in Silliman College. Contact her at sarah.onorato@yale.edu .

Coed sailing qualifies

KAMARIA GREENFIELD/CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

The women’s sailing team is currently the number one ranked team in the country. WOMEN’S SAILING FROM PAGE 12 women’s skipper Marlena Fauer ’14. “Rather, we try to have our best individual result and winning will follow that. It felt good to be back on top this weekend though.” Fauer and crew Natalya Doris ’17 took the B division title, while Kiss and crew Amanda Salvesen ’14 won the A division. The A division had nine teams competing, while the B division was composed of eight teams. After a few races on Sunday morning, there were delays throughout the early afternoon due to wind, with races picking up again later on during the day. “We sailed really well as a team in really difficult, shifty conditions,” Fauer said. “And we were able to come back from a harder weekend at Brown.” The Bulldogs finished 31 points ahead of the second-place team from the University of Rhode Island. MIT, which

finished in fourth place, found itself 68 points behind Yale in the standings at the end of competition. With the win, the Yale women’s sailing team has now won four of the last five meets it has sailed in dating back to the Navy Women’s Interconference March 8-9. The Bulldogs finished second at the Dellenbaugh Trophy hosted by Brown March 29-30. “We have our qualifier for Nationals in two weekends, so we were happy to perform as we did at this point in the season,” Kiss said. The women will head north for the President’s Trophy at Boston University this weekend. In two weeks time, the women will race to secure a spot at Nationals when they cast off at the Women’s New England Championship, which will be hosted by Dartmouth. Contact ERICA PANDEY at erica.pandey@yale.edu .

KAMARIA GREENFIELD/CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

The coed sailing team qualified for the national championship, to be held in Saint Mary’s City, Md., in June. COED SAILING FROM PAGE 12 team recently received a fleet of 18 brand-new z420 boats, which are an entirely new model. Since the use of this new boat is not yet widespread, the team can take advantage of the sailboats in practice, but will not race in them. “We have been the most consistent team all season,” Segerblom said. “That said, we have plenty to work on between now and Nationals.” The Elis have displayed great depth, as six underclassmen brought the team to an eighth-place finish at the Mystic Lake Team Race Invitation at Tufts this past weekend. Yale sent Eric Anderson ’16, Marly Isler ’16, Mitchell Kiss ’17, Emily Johnson ’16,

Megan Valentine ’16 and Clara Robertson ’17. Isabelle Rossi de Leon ’17 said that the Bulldogs have a strong team dynamic, which contributes to the team’s success. “My teammates have pushed me to refine my skills, offered me academic advice and really everything in between,” Rossi de Leon said. “Our team is about supporting one another, having fun and succeeding. This first year as a Yale sailor has shown me that though our sport may be individualistic in some ways, the true joy of sailing is the family that forms around it and extends off the water.” Yale boasted wins against Boston College, Dartmouth, Harvard and Tufts at the New England Team

Race Championship and beat Boston College, Boston University, Bowdoin and Harvard at the Mystic Lake Team Race Invitation. As the Bulldogs look forward to preparing for Nationals, the team seeks to defend last year’s title as National Champions. “We are happy to have qualified for the team race nationals with significantly less drama than in prior years,” Segerblom said. “We wanted to win, but ultimately qualifying is all that matters.” The Yale sailing teams practice out of the The Yale Corinthian Yacht Club in Branford, Conn. Contact CAROLINE HART at caroline.hart@yale.edu .


YALE DAILY NEWS · WEDNSEDAY, APRIL 9, 2014 · yaledailynews.com

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BULLETIN BOARD

TODAY’S FORECAST

TOMORROW

FRIDAY

High of 57, low of 44.

Sunny, with a high near 59. Northwest wind 7 to 16 mph.

High of 64, low of 42.

OVER AND OVER BY ALLEN CAMP

ON CAMPUS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9 4:00 p.m. “Animating Light.” LED pioneer Leo Villareal ’90, whose works include The Bay Lights Project that lights the Bay Bridge in San Francisco today, comes to campus to celebrate the creation of the Yale School of Engineering & Applied Science LED Digital Canvas. Sheffield-Sterling-Strathcona Hall (1 Prospect St.), Rm. 114. 4:30 p.m. “From Concept to Printed Book: The Genesis and Manufacture of Thomas Morley’s 1597 Music Treatise.” The Yale Program in the History of the Book brings together scholars across disciplines to explore the materiality of the written word over time and across cultures. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library (121 Wall St.).

XKC BY RANDALL MUNROE

THURSDAY, APRIL 10 4:00 p.m. “NSA Surveillance and What to Do About It.” Internationally renowned security technologist, author and blogger Bruce Schneier discusses the surveillance the NSA conducts, the technical capabilities of the NSA and the consequences of both Snowden and targeted surveillance. Davies Auditorium, Becton Center (15 Prospect St.).

FRIDAY, APRIL 11 12:00 p.m. “Long-term Research on Chimpanzees at Ngogo, Kibale National Park, Uganda.” David Watts, professor in the Yale Department of Anthropology, will be speaking as part of the YIBS/ESC Friday Noon Seminar Series. Class of 1954 Environmental Sciences Center (21 Sachem St.), Rm. 110.

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YALE DAILY NEWS · WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2014 · yaledailynews.com

ARTS & CULTURE “In the Heights” explores concept of home BY ERIC XIAO STAFF REPORTER This Thursday night, Yale’s only LatinAmerican theater ensemble ¡Teatro! will perform a Tony Award-winning musical that explores the challenges Hispanic communities face in the United States as its annual mainstage production. “In the Heights” by Quiara Alegría Hudes with music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda is set in the New York City neighborhood of Washington Heights and follows the struggles of several characters, including a shop-owner named Usnavi and a college student named Nina. “In the Heights” marks the return of the ¡Teatro! theater organization, which was established in 2008 but did not stage any productions in the 2012-’13 academic year because of there was no one to head the organization after its previous leader graduated. The group was revived by current president Gineiris Garcia ’16, the show’s director. Fernandez said he thinks that ¡Teatro! is an important part of campus culture because its productions highlight many relevant issues that the Latin-American community currently faces, including the feeling of a “disconnect” with people from higher socioeconomic classes that many Hispanic students from lower-income families experience. Harper-Malveaux said the show’s setting and the culture it depicts are rarely seen in Yale theatre productions, adding that the ensemble has made an effort to depict the show’s setting and characters in a historically accurate manner in order to give audience members a realistic impression of the Latin-American community. The show’s musical director Dan Rubins ’16 said the musical is unusual in its use of music genres not often found in traditional musicals. “I’d say this show has the most successful musical theatre score that bridges ‘musical theatre’ music with any other genre,” Rubins said. Nailah Harper-Malveaux ’16, the show’s producer, explained that the production prominently features elements of rap and salsa music alongside more traditional ballads and melodies. Rubins said he has never directed in any of these genres before, adding that the production will include a live band consisting of nine instruments. He noted that many of the salsa-inspired rhythms in the score are particularly difficult to master. Rubins said the show’s musical complexity and variety make it extremely challenging to perform, adding that this score is the most difficult piece he has ever directed. When he started talking about staging this show over a year ago, others told him it would not be possible to produce it at Yale, he said. The musical is set in a predominantly Latin-American community in the middle of an economically difficult time. The story follows multiple plotlines, such as the growing romantic relationship between the characters Nina and Benny as well as the shop-owner Usnavi’s attempts to keep his business afloat. James Lee ’16, who plays Usnavi’s cousin Sonny, said he believes the show’s most important theme is the concept of ‘home’ — what it is and what it means to each character. Fabi Fernandez ’15, who plays Usnavi, said that Hispanic immigrants often struggle to clearly define a single place as their ‘home’ after having been away from their native country for a long period of time. “The meaning of home is a difficult concept for a lot of Latinos because on one hand, your ‘home’ is where your family is, like in Puerto Rico for example, but the United States is also your home,” Fernandez said. Abdul-Razak Zachariah ’17, a member of the show’s musical ensemble, said he believes several of the themes presented in the show, such as being part of a financially struggling neighborhood, are situations that only a limited number of students at Yale have experienced firsthand. Still, many students on campus can relate to the idea of moving from one’s home to a foreign place, as that is what most college students have had to do, Zachariah explained. Harper-Malveaux added that she thinks audience members will also empathize with the character Nina, who has returned from a year at Stanford University where she struggled academically and lost much of her selfconfidence. That feeling is something all students can relate to, Harper-Malveaux noted. “In the Heights” will play at the Off Broadway Theater. Contact ERIC XIAO at eric.xiao@yale.edu .

KEN YANAGISAWA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

After being dormant for a year, ¡Teatro!, Yale’s Latin-American theater ensemble, explores the idea of “home” in its production of the musical “In the Heights.”

Student production looks at sex, drugs, and existentialism BY PIERRE ORTLIEB STAFF REPORTER An eclectic student production that explores the nature of relationships, freedom and art will premier in Trumbull’s Nick Chapel on Thursday. “Sex, Drugs, and Existentialism,” a new play by Julian Wise ’16, will consist of three acts and feature only four characters. The production will examine themes including escapism, commitment and existentialism through interactions that border on the “absurd [and] hyperreal-

ist,” said Charlotte Newell ’16, the show’s set designer, adding that the piece will attempt to express non-rational concepts. Wise noted that he believes it is impossible to articulate the central ideas behind the production, comparing the task of summarizing the play to creating “a one-sentence summary of everything [one studies] at Yale.” “The concept of the play is really intriguing — it almost made me feel uncomfortable at times, because of how real it is,” Newell said. Wise explained that the play

examines concepts through a lens influenced by philosophy and psychedelia. Wise said the main motivation behind his writings is the idea that “things happen” — that many of life’s events are necessarily left up to chance despite our best efforts to map every detail. Many Yale students strive to plan every aspect of their existence, Wise said, and this is what he thinks will make the play relatable to a Yale audience. Wise highlighted the difficulty of encapsulating his work, explaining that he conceived

it as a spontaneous and frank examination of ideas he considers relevant to Yale students. The idea of searching for meaning in life and escaping form the present through drugs, he noted, are especially pertinent to student life and are examined in detail throughout the play. When students go out on Friday night, they elect to give up control of their lives in one way or another, leaving things up to chance, he said. The play seeks to discover where how such decisions contribute to our quest for purpose. Wise emphasized that the

production strives to portray human nature in a genuine way: It does not contain any “good” characters because all humans are fallible. He added that the play is loosely based on the fable of “The Scorpion and the Frog,” a story that speaks to the fact that humans sometimes make flawed decisions that fail to take into account potential consequences. Saifullah Khan ’16, who is helping with the publicity efforts for the play, said that in the modern world, we always want to remain within the realm

of the known and wish to be able to act rationally, trudging a narrow, immutable path to success. This play takes us into the unknown by offering another way of thinking: That we are free to think and experience, he said. “We rarely accept what happens or go with the flow,” Khan said, explaining that the play is critical of the rigidity of modern life. “Sex, Drugs, and Existentialism” will run through April 12. Contact PIERRE ORTLIEB at pierre.ortlieb@yale.edu .


YALE DAILY NEWS · WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2014 · yaledailynews.com

PAGE 11

“Those who dance are considered insane by those who cannot hear the music.” GEORGE CARLIN AMERICAN COMEDIAN

YaleDancers show fuses different styles BY AREN VASTOLA CONTRIBUTING REPORTER

SARA MILLER/PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

Because YaleDancers does not organize its show saround a theme, it is able to explore a variety of ideas and choreographies.

The YaleDancers spring show will fuse different styles of dance in bold, experimental choreography. The dance company’s new performance premiers on Wednesday in the Educational Center for the Arts. CoPresident Jane Fisher ’14 said the group is excited to break new artistic ground with the show, and co-President Laura Bass ’15 highlighted the dancers’ attempt to showcase a variety of dance genres on the stage. Whereas in previous years, Bass said, pieces have occasionally “morphed into the same style of dance,” this semester’s offerings are not only wide-ranging, but also striking in their dynamic fusion of styles, ranging from hip-hop to ballet. “I think it’s important to take each piece as it comes,” Molly Gibbons ’14 said. “It’s like chapters of a book. If taken all together, [the pieces] become difficult to navigate … I would encourage audience members to take a deep breath with each blackout and clear their minds for the next piece.” One duet performed en pointe set to rap music. Another piece, choreographed by Karlanna Lewis SOM/LAW ’15, is a solo in which she performs an original rap while dancing. An energetic hiphop piece by Natalia Khosla ’14 incorporates elements of jazz and classical Indian dance. In another piece, a trio choreographed by Fisher and Gracie White ’16, the dancers never leave the floor — an experiment in “trying to tell a story without getting off the ground,” White said. White, who will contribute an aerial silks piece, said she thinks the spring show includes the widest range of dance styles of any performance in the company’s recent history. White, who is trained as a circus performer, noted that she is excited to share her art with an audience after many meetings with University representatives

that assess the risks of campus performances. Gibbons added that she thinks the group’s efforts have paid off, describing White’s piece as “breathtaking.” In addition to the performance’s stylistic diversity, dancers emphasized the show’s bold choreographic choices. Gibbons explained that the opportunity to choreograph a new piece each semester fosters artistic experimentation. “I think everyone took a step back and thought about what they wanted to put forward,” said Gibbons, whose piece involves a video projection. “My favorite part of YD is you get a clean slate every semester in terms of choreography, so why not use projections?”

I think it’s important to take each piece as it comes. It’s like chapters of a book. MOLLY GIBBONS ‘14 Theresa Oei ’15 explained that in contrast to many other dance groups, YD does not build shows around a theme. By not having its shows conform to the structure of a particular theme, she said, YD’s shows allow the dancers’ creativity to come to life. Ajua Duker ’15 noted that despite the ephemeral nature of dance, it requires great creativity and skill on the part of the choreographer. “Audience members should look for the intricacies in the movement,” Duker explained. “Choreography is so thoughtful … especially at a Yale show, thinking critically about the choices choreographers make can help [the audience] appreciate the pieces even more.” Performances will take place on April 9th, 11th and 12th. Contact AREN VASTOLA at aren.vastola@yale.edu .

Q&A with the director of ‘Twelve Angry Men’ BY ERIC XIAO STAFF REPORTER “12 Angry Men” by Reginald Rose opens Thursday night in the Davenport Auditorium. The play centers on 12 unnamed jurors tasked with deciding the fate of a 19-year-old charged with murdering his father. The jurors struggle to reach a consensus on whether the defendant is guilty — such a ruling would call for the death penalty. The show’s director, Gabe Greenspan ’14, spoke with the News about his experience staging the play here at Yale. Why did you choose to stage Q:this particular play?

A

: I saw it when I was younger and I loved it, so there is that aspect of it. But it’s also such a challenge to do, because it’s set in real time. The storyline itself takes place over the course of an hour and a half and it’s 12 guys who are on stage when the lights go up and who don’t exit until the show ends. To explore how those 12 strangers could really live in this space together was something I was really curious to find out.

main theme that Q:theWhatplayis theexplores and how does this production present it?

A

: The play takes place in the late 1950s so there is a lot of tension in race relations. Of the 12 actors, two of them are black, which is not specified in the script but that’s how we are staging it and it adds a whole new dimension to the play, since one of the other jurors is an outspoken racist. Our decision to present the play in this way makes the racial dimension that much more present and that much more hurtful.

Q

: What are your thoughts on the title of the play? What

are these men angry at and what causes them to be angry?

A

: They are all angry for different reasons. On one side of the table, there is the righteous indignation in the question of whether they can really let a boy die. And on the other side is the question of how can one let a murderer go free. There are some characters who do not start out being as angry as others. Juror #9 is an older man, so because he has had more time on this earth and much less quick to get up in arms in the way that some of the others do. And we have also chosen to cast Juror #4 as a lawyer in our production, so he is much more reasonable and logical as opposed to emotion-driven. But anger is still the fuel that drives the play, and everyone eventually reaches that tipping point.

Does the play have a clearly Q:defined stance on the types of moral issues it discusses?

A

: No. It’s a very smartly written play, where every time they give you a piece of evidence that makes it seem like the kid is guilty, there’s a piece of evidence that suggests he is innocent. That kind of alternating is paralleled by what goes on in the jury room — every time they make a character look stupid, there is a moment a bit later where it seems like he’s the smartest guy in the room. And when the characters finally leave the room at the end, there are only one or two that feel like they have made the right moral choice, even if most of them felt that they made the right legal choice. It’s written so that the audience’s opinion goes back and forth like that.

The entire show is set in the Q:same room and none of the

characters enter or leave until the end. How does this production respond to the fact that there

STEPHANIE ADDENBROOKE/CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

The classic play “12 Angry Men,” which will open Thursday night, deals with complex themes such as racism, morality and the nature of the law. is not much physical change that takes place from the beginning to the end of the play?

A

: The play is set so that in a relatively passive environment, there is a lot happening because two or three of these guys are quick to incite hostility and be worked up about what is being discussed. Act I even ends on a note of violence where one character has to be physically restrained from attacking another, and that atmosphere of violence exists throughout the play. Also, there are many moments of characters switching votes and the entire table goes

up in arms in response. The way we stage the room is so that the table is split in half, which creates a natural division between the characters where even if people are just talking on opposite sides of the table, you experience an antagonistic feeling. The play is written so that the audience steadily goes up this emotional roller coaster, but if you interrupt that build-up, you lose the audience. This play has been adapted Q:into films and has been pro-

duced on stage in many different forms. What are the differences you have noticed across various

productions of this play and how did you decide on how you wanted to stage it?

A

: We had two or three scripts floating around in the beginning — one was from the movie, one from the TV version of the play and one was from a stage adaptation. In our production, the kid on trial is 19, in another he is 16 and in another he is 18. Those differences create questions like ‘Is it OK to have a 16 year old face the death penalty?’ Also, the main protagonist of the play is Juror #8 and the main antagonist is Juror #3, so many other productions of

the play tend to solely focus on those two characters and the others are perfunctory. In this production, we have spread everything out so that everyone makes important points at one time or another. There are other productions where it’s 12 angry jurors or 12 angry women. I’ve been asked why we are not doing this as a ‘12 women’ or mixed gender production, and it’s because the energy in the room when you have 12 testosterone-driven guys is unique and something that I haven’t see in a Yale production yet. Contact ERIC XIAO at eric.xiao@yale.edu .


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CHRIS MOATES ’16 BASEBALL TEAM Moates, a sophomore from Smithville, Ga., was named Ivy League pitcher of the week for his performances in relief against Cornell and Princeton this weekend. His teammates Chasen Ford ’17 and Chris Lanham ’16 made the Ivy League honor roll.

CHELSEY DUNHAM ’14 AND BRITTANY LABBADIA ’16 SOFTBALL TEAM Dunham, a pitcher, and Labbadia, a shortstop, both made the Ivy League honor roll this week for their performances last week. Dunham posted a 0.89 ERA in three starts, while Labbadia posted seven hits in 19 at-bats.

NCAAW Connecticut 79 Notre Dame 58

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“We had great training in Florida, and we had a lot of alumni come down to St. Pete with us and practice.” CHANDLER GREGOIRE ’17 WOMEN’S CREW YALE DAILY NEWS · WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2014 · yaledailynews.com

Brunch honors athletic achievement

SARAH ONORATO

What the ivy league gets right

a positive influence on the future of Yale athletics. 2013 football team captain Beau Palin ’14 cited Salovey’s physical presence at many athletic events and the importance Salovey puts on relationships as reasons why many feel Salovey will benefit Yale studentathletes and athletic-university relations.

Last week, the National Labor Relations Board ruled that football players at Northwestern University could unionize. The ruling, while likely to be appealed, could eventually have a major impact on collegiate athletics across the country. In many ways, these athletes have a valid argument. They certainly are responsible for a large chunk of revenue for their university and make sacrifices to offer their time and talents to their school’s athletics programs. As the NCAA increasingly searches for ways to increase its profits, and college athletes are increasingly responsible for boosting the bottom line, college sports have begun to appear increasingly professional. And many of the restrictions that the NCAA imposes on college athletes, like those that got Johnny Manziel in trouble this past year, seem less and less relevant in the changing arena of big-time collegiate sports. All obvious arguments support the Northwestern football team and others who advocate for unionization. But there is something valuable that could be lost in this process, however inevitable it might be. It seems that if the unionization does indeed happen, the idea of a student-athlete as we have known it is at risk of extinction. The idea of the student-athlete has perhaps been on its way out of style for a long time now, but unionization might be the end of it once and for all. The concept is one that the NCAA purports, or at least in the recent past has purported, to champion. But with paychecks and unions on the horizon, it seems that the student

SEE SALOVEY PAGE 8

SEE UNIONS PAGE 8

YALE DAILY NEWS

The men’s lacrosse team, last season’s Ivy League tournament champions, attended brunch with President Peter Salovey on Sunday. BY ASHTON WACKYM STAFF REPORTER Many Yale student-athletes were the guests of University President Peter Salovey for brunch in an annual event to honor Yale’s varsity captains and Ivy League champions, On Sunday, Salovey held a brunch in Commons with sports captains and the Ivy champion sailing and men’s lacrosse teams.

At the brunch, Salovey and Director of Athletics Tom Beckett spoke to the student-athletes and discussed the accomplishments of Yale athletes and enjoying the success of others. “At the brunch I also talked about the principle of a more unified Yale — on which I have been elaborating throughout the year — and how athletics bring all of us together across the university,” Salovey said. “For example, I think many of us were fol-

lowing the progress of men’s basketball through the recent CIT tournament, all the way to the final. People around campus talk about our student-athletes’ achievements in sport, and this brings us together. There are many other activities that perform this service for our community, but sport is certainly one of them.” Student-athletes at the brunch said they believe Salovey will have

Coed sailing qualifies for nationals

Women’s sailing preserves top ranking BY ERICA PANDEY CONTRIBUTING REPORTER The Yale women’s sailing won the Emily Wick Sailing Trophy this weekend for the second straight year. The No. 1 Eli women beat out 17 opposing teams at the event on the Thames River, which was hosted by the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, winning the regatta as well as the A and B divisions.

WOMEN’S SAILING “We sailed in pretty tricky conditions,” women’s skipper Morgan Kiss ’15

said. “So I think we were able to do well as a team by making comebacks in races that weren’t going as well.” The shifting winds forced restructuring of the racecourses on Saturday, but the women were able to finish in first place at the end of the day and hold on to their lead throughout Sunday. Among other opponents, the Bulldogs also triumphed over MIT after falling in a close battle against the Engineers the weekend before. “When we are sailing, we try not to think so much about singling out one particular school we are trying to beat,” SEE WOMEN’S SAILING PAGE 8

KAMARIA GREENFIELD/CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Last weekend, the coed sailing team finished second at the New England Team Race Championship. BY CAROLINE HART CONTRIBUTING REPORTER The Yale coed sailing team came in second at the New England Team Race Championship this past weekend, qualifying the squad for the National Championships in June at Saint Mary’s College.

COED SAILING Seven athletes represented Yale in the regional competition, and the entire coed racing team will com-

pete at the National Championships in Saint Mary’s City, Md. Participating athletes included Chris Segerblom ’14, Charlotte Belling ’16, Graham Landy ’15, Eugenia Custo Greig ’14, Katherine Gaumond 15, Ian Barrows ’17 and Meredith Megarry ’17. The team is coming off of a solid bout of training, as the Bulldogs traveled to Saint Petersburg, Fla. over spring break to get in some water time and to escape the chilly Connecticut weather. The team focuses on fleet racing in the fall, and trains for team racing in the spring, according to

STAT OF THE DAY 3

Chandler Gregoire ’17. “We had great training in Florida, and we had a lot of alumni come down to St. Pete with us and practice,” Gregoire said. “We got in a lot of team racing.” The hard work the team has put in since the fall is paying off in competition, as Yale is currently the number one ranked team in the country. Despite the weather up North, Gregoire said the team has been practicing well at its home location. The SEE COED SAILING PAGE 8

KAMARIA GREENFIELD/CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

The women’s sailing team won the Emily Wick Sailing Trophy this past weekend.

PITCHES THAT RIGHT-HANDER CHRIS LANHAM ’16 NEEDED TO GET OUT OF THE TOP OF THE SECOND ON SUNDAY. Three straight Princeton batters swung at the first pitch, and Lanham retired all three Tigers to get through the frame in the most efficient manner possible.


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